What I've Learned Thus Far...The Art of Interior Redesign.

2012-01-30T12:21:00.001-08:00

"I feel it is important that your surroundings be conducive to your overall well being, that you should surround yourself with those things that have meaning to you, that bring a sense of peace relaxation and balance when you come home after a long stressful day. It is also important that your surroundings increase mental clarity, focus and productive energy in your work space

Whatever your style or story let Priceless Interior Redesigns help you create it and tell it. My specialty is intuitive design...together we can achieve the atmosphere in your living or working spaces that truly speaks to who you are."

Peace and Blessings.

Be well~

Moving into smaller spaces...

2010-12-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

It's always a challenge moving but it's even more challenging when your downsizing into a smaller space. Trust me... I know!

Last month was the big move for my husband and I. We made it over the biggest hurdle moving across water from Puerto Rico and back to St. Thomas. The space we moved into is well... pretty close in size to that from where we moved from. But this is only a temporary stop while we wait to finalize the sale on the condo just upstairs from us... A condo that's half the size of this one!

I must admit... daunting as it is I'm looking forward to the challenge. For me it's very cathartic letting loose of things that I no longer need... or probably didn't need in the first place but this wasn't always the case. And for a lot of people it can be a very trying and emotional experience because we can become attached to the memories that surround certain objects. But in the end for me it's always a good feeling cutting the ties on yet one more thing that has been just really been weighing me down.

But moving into a space half the size that we had been living in for a couple of years now is another story... A new challenge. But I look forward to stretching my creative abilities and putting my redesign skills to the test! Wish me luck... I'll keep you posted. But in the meantime, check out some of these tips that I came across in Natural Homes' online magazine in the link below. I'm sure I'll be using a tip or two.
Live... Life... Love...

http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/design-principles/live-large-less-space-tips-small-space-living.aspx?utm_content=NH+eNews+12.30.10&utm_campaign=NH_ENEWS&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email

Moving...Grrrrr!

2010-11-02T03:13:00.000-07:00

Happy November! It's been about two months since I've made a new posting. I know, I know... I have been a little lazy and and slightly neglectful but to my defense it's also because I've been in the process of a major move or I should say... I am in the process of a major redesign! Thus my inspiration for this post. Yes, this a redesign because at the end of it I will be transformed and I'm definitely hoping for the better! And that is what this blog is all about...What I have learned and what I am learning about the art of interior redesign as it applies to all areas of ones life.

Of course moving to a new home, city or country can be stressful, aggravating and very frustrating to say the very least. Just to drive this point home to you...right now... as I type... there are three men in my apartment(movers)All but one speaking a language that I barely understand...one of which is driving me up the wall with the (what amounts to nails being scraped across a blackboard) sound of a screeching tape gun! *SIGH*

But it can also be a very exciting time, and if you choose to remain calm and aware through it all it can be a very positive learning experience. Moving requires that we change not only our physical location but sometimes it may also force us to change internally as well.

There will no doubt be set backs, delays and tape guns at every turn. But we can either choose to see these roadblocks as an invitation to impatience, anger, even fear and self doubt or we can choose to see them as a means to practice self awareness and patience. We can use this time as a way to put into practice all the lessons we have learned about self up to this point and face the fear of what lies ahead on the other side of the move. We can in fact experience positive growth through the experience so that at the end of the move we have become even more self aware, enlightened and empowered. We then can more easily adjust to our new situation and flow into it as a higher form of ourselves. We are using what we have learned to our advantage moving us even further along in our journey instead of letting it stall us or take us away from where we need to be.

Moving into a new home can also be the perfect time to let go of unwanted baggage.

*Are there still things that are hanging around that no longer serve me? Yes.

*Are there some things I've been holding onto that don't speak my truth right now or who I am striving to be? Yes.

This is the perfect time to cut whatever invisible emotional ropes that bind me to those things. And that in fact is what they truly are... just 'things.'

Now I can give those objects away to someone who may need them more than me... that's always a good thing to do. But what if some of the things you are holding onto have negative energy attached to them...Hmmm?

Things that are attached to painful events of the past reminding you of hurtful times or holding you to memories that do not serve a positive outcome for your future are not helping you to move forward or helping to redesign the life that is best suited to where you are intending to be. Do you want to carry this bad energy into your next cycle? No! Instead of giving these things away and unintentionally passing along any negative residue that is attached to them it may be even more therapeutic and beneficial to all to perform a cleansing ceremony... it may be just what is needed to help lighten your load.

If the objects are small and non toxic they can be thrown into a lighted fireplace or some other contained fire and burned while you speak your positive affirmations and intentions out into the universe. Just make sure your pile of negativity isn't so big that you risk burning down the place!

Next month in December the year will come to a close and so will my forty ninth year on this earth. There is much going on for me in the coming weeks... Packing up our belongings, moving from one island to another, finding a place to live, getting settled not to mention finding a means of make a living there. But as I move forward to the start of my fiftieth year I am excited about the changes that I have made thus far. I rarely see the lessons I enter into as burdens anymore for I know they are for my eventual growth. My baggage is becoming much lighter... and so am I.

And so I look forward to this move, with all it's frustrations, setbacks and headaches and through it all I know that the never ending change in my life is the ultimate redesign. It is an art and it just keeps getting better and better. See you on the flip side!

Live... Life... Love <3

8 Tips for Creating a Sacred Space to Replenish Your Spirit ~ By Jayme Barrett

2010-09-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

I love to highlight other creative souls every chance I get. So when I came across these great tips by Jayme Barrett I had to share them. Jayme is a feng shui consultant in Los Angeles and the best-selling author of Feng Shui Your Life. Love her ideas and I'm sure you will to.
Live...Light...Love it!

Create a room or nook where you can reflect, be quiet, go inside, and get centered. In your daily life, you have so much to think about and to do. Between work, children, and errands, you hardly have a moment for yourself. This is why you must have a special place to renew your connection with your inner self and spirit. When you create a place in your home that encourages quietness, it will call out to your soul “Come, sit and listen.” Below are eight ideas for creating a sacred space:

1. Convert an attic or guest room or simply create a corner or window seat in your living area that is dedicated to self-nourishment. A space that you deem “sacred” immediately sets the tone for going inward.

2. Hang a screen, beads, or billowy curtain to emphasize the importance of the environment as a place of solitude. This sacred space can be used to receive inner guidance and knowledge as well as to write, draw, paint, chant, play an instrument, or simply listen to birds sing outside.

3. To set the mood for contemplation, meditation, or prayer, place pillows on the floor or find a comfortable chair that supports your back.

4. Set up an altar with spiritual objects to bring in the energy of spirituality. Each object can be placed with an intention for going deep within your heart and soul.

5. Creating an altar can be as simple as draping a small table with a special fabric. On top of the table, place items such as a scented candle, incense burner, essential oil diffuser, or natural objects like rocks and seashells that bring in the earth element. You can place a symbol of your religion or spiritual practice as well.

6. Add plants and flowers for energy, color and increased oxygen. Lavender and purple symbolize spirituality, pink opens the heart, green brings in nature’s balance and yellow stimulates health.

7. Hang pictures of gardens, mountains, spiritual teachers, angels, or mentors to impart a feeling of peace and harmony.

8. Soft music and an insightful book will offer you inspiration. Spiritual poetry from mystics such as Rumi can be a gateway into divine contemplation.

Your special nook is a perfect place to ask for guidance, connect with the divine, do yoga, practice deep breathing and create a positive vision for your life. As you refocus on your inner life, you’ll find yourself calmer, clearer, happier and more inspired to follow your heart.

Published 09.01.10 at 02:00 PM

Jayme Barrett is a feng shui consultant in Los Angeles and the best-selling author of Feng Shui Your Life. She has appeared on The Today Show, E!, HGTV and has received feng shui praise from actors Mary Steenburgen, Sela Ward, Mark Victor Hansen, among others.

Website: jaymebarrett.com (www.jaymebarrett.com)
Twitter: @fengshuimylife (www.twitter.com/fengshuimylife )
Facebook: Jayme-Barrett: Feng Shui Your Life ( http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Jayme-Barrett-Feng-Shui-Your-Life/77139837505?ref=mf )
Feng Shui Your Life on Amazon.com ( http://www.amazon.com/Feng-Shui-Your-Jayme-Barrett/dp/0806976292)

The essence of all being is energy...

2010-08-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

"The essence of all being is energy. Our physical and ethereal selves depend on the unrestricted flow of life energy that is the source of wholeness and wellness. Though the channels through which this energy flows are open systems and influenced by factors outside of our control, we ultimately choose what impact these will have in our lives. It is up to us to identify and clear blockages in the energy field to ensure that flow is maintained.
A healthy, grounded individual absorbs some portion of the energy emitted by other people and the environment, but this does not interrupt the continuous stream of balanced energy sustaining them. The same individual copes constructively with stress and upset, and they are not subject to the stagnation that frequently goes hand in hand with negativity. When we keep the energy in and around our bodies flowing harmoniously, we are naturally healthy, vibrant, and peaceful." ~ Daily Om

Just as our physical and ethereal selves depend on the unrestricted flow of life energy, so do our living spaces!

When we have a healthy grounded space at home it enhances us and also gives us the necessary positive energy that is needed to face our time spent away from it. It helps to strengthen us when we go out into the world beyond our front door.

Make sure you check your spaces regularly to see if there are any lingering pockets of negativity or stagnant areas that may be draining your needed energy.
Is there anything in the room in particular...a gift from an ex-lover, or some other object or accessory that has passed it's used by date? Maybe it's something that was gifted to you that never really felt right to you... It just wasn't speaking to who you really are but you kept it anyway. Well every time you look at it it's screaming at you! And instead of you getting rid of it you've been holding on because... well... it was a gift. Let it go already!! It is draining your essence because YOU know YOU don't like it!! Whomever gifted it will get over it... If not...Oh well! Maybe you need to detox them from your space as well.
Ewwww! I mean...I get it but very ugly and very disturbing!

Or another example...

Have you been blocked or feeling stuck while trying to get work done in your home office? Maybe the chair you're used to sitting in at your desk is just not as comfortable for you and is in fact robbing you of the needed energy in order to be your most creative. If so switch it out for another chair and see how you feel.

Or the lighting is just not right. Or there is something sitting at your desk that is distracting you. All these things can have a way of depleting your energy and it's time to detox. Just as we occasionally need to do a through detox of our earthly bodies, we also need to detox our homes. You'll be amazed at how your energy will be increased after making a few needed changes.

Here's an exercise you may want to try:

1. Talk a tour throughout the rooms of your home.

2. Sit in each space for a short while and notice your body language, your overall feeling.

3. Are you feeling lethargic, stressed, anxious or agitated in any way?

4. Really take a good look at everything.

5. Write down everything you're feeling and then make the necessary changes.

As I read in the Daily Om article... "A strong and fluid energy field is the key that unlocks the doors of self-healing and peace of mind. Your awareness of the flow of energy sustaining you empowers you to take charge of your own well-being by taking steps to unblock, correct, and enhance that flow."

Oh so true... Keep it flowing!

Live... Life... Love...

Go ahead...Fly!

2010-07-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

According to the laws of aerodynamics, the bumblebee can't fly either, but the bumblebee doesn't know anything about the laws of aerodynamics, so it goes ahead and flies anyway. ~ Igor Sikorsky

Go Ahead...Fly!
Love~

How our moods shape our living spaces...

2010-07-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

What comes first your negative mood or the negative energy in your home? Hmmmm...Or does it really matter which comes first?
There are times when I can walk into a space and either I am uplifted or I'll feel like the weight of the world just descended on my shoulders.
I can either be relaxed and soothed or inspired to create a masterpiece!

How many times do we ever consider the energy in our homes and how it can have such tremendous affect on our attitude?

Energy... or chi as some call it... can linger in a space. You may not be able to see it but your subtle intuition can feel it.

Think about it like this...You can fry a delicious finger licking fish dinner on a Friday night but the smell can linger all weekend...Right? The memory of the delicious meal is oh so satisfying but the leftover cloying fishy smell will hang around until you do something about it.
So you open the windows... make sure all the dishes are cleaned, the counters are washed down and the stove top is squeaky clean and sparkling fresh...maybe even light some candles or put on a simmering pot of cinnamon and nutmeg to clear out offensive smell.

Of course it will eventually dissipate with time...Right? Or do you just get used to it over time; not realizing that not only has this stale offensive smell taken up residence inside your home but you may also be carrying it around on your being? Ewwwwww!

Well...I believe energy...though it may not be seen has the same ability to linger around our home and that, if not taken care of becomes a part of who we are.

Sometimes we go through difficult challenges in life. Arguments and hurtful words exchanged between family members, break ups, job losses and even more difficult...the loss of a loved one, are all a part of most peoples reality.
These trials in life come with very dramatic but needed releases of emotions. But sometimes, after we are ready to move forward in life for some reason we just feel stuck, unable to find our way back to the person we used to be or are striving to discover inside.

We all have our own individual processes in life... no ones path is the same as anyone else'. And even though we have to allow for that natural process to manifest in the way that it will there are things we can do to help in the healing.

Clearing out your space after going through a rough time in life may be just what is needed to restore your footing back on the path to forward movement. By opening up and making even a few changes in a space we are inviting and allowing room for positive abundance to enter.
You can even add positive rituals and affirmations to your clearing process. Doing so may help to give a sense of empowerment, control or needed encouragement for you on your journey from here to there. Or try adding an accessory or fixture that will remind you of your mission... A new painting, a small sculpture, an inspiring quote framed or painted on a wall or even a nice throw that you can wrap yourself in when you need a reminder of the love you have of self and the ability you carry inside to nurture and care for you regardless of what the outside world may seem to be.

Remember that your home is your sanctuary... your sacred space... your refuge in the storm or oasis in a dry dessert. It should be the place you are recharged and renewed! You can't do that if every time you open the front door you're greeted by a big ole' smelly fish! It's just a constant reminder of what was.

Live...Light...Love!

Following Nature’s Cycles... Earth Living

2010-04-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

I love this article from Daily Om...Beautiful!

April 8, 2010
Following Nature’s Cycles
Earth Living

When you seek balance in your emotional life, try to also balance the natural elements in your living space.

Nature, in all its myriad forms, is the most powerful force on earth. Although mankind has tried, we have not found a way to match its awesome power, but we have found ways to work with it. Science often confirms the wisdom of the ancients who observed and then harnessed nature’s rhythms and cycles to shape and enhance their lives. We can begin to do this in our own lives by first paying attention to our own natural rhythms, such as when we wake or when we feel the need to sleep. If possible, we may want to try to rise and sleep with the sun or live without electricity for a weekend and then monitor how we feel. We can make the choice to eat the foods of the seasons and to seek fresher, locally grown, or organic produce whose own cycles have not been tampered with by technology.

We can create harmony in our homes by making a smooth transition between our indoor and outdoor spaces. By bringing some of the outdoors inside and taking some of our indoor décor out, we can simultaneously enjoy nature and the comforts of home and the feeling that our living space is expanded. Then, whether inside or out, we can lounge on a comfortable piece of furniture and feel the wind, inhale the scent of deeply breathing plants, listen for the many songs of life, and observe the moon and the stars. As we do this more often, we may find ourselves noticing the pull of the full moon on bodies of water, as well as the water in bodies, or the music of the night acting as a lullaby.

When we seek balance in our lives, we want to balance not just our roles in life but also the natural elements in our spaces. Having representations of the elements in the colors, shapes, and textures of our homes will appeal to our mind, body, and spirit. We may find that when we sync ourselves with nature’s rhythms, we ride the waves of energy to feel more in harmony with life and the world around us.

Revamping Outdoor Spaces Inexspensively

2010-03-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

It's almost that time of year! Okay...I know a lot of us are still digging out from beneath the record breaking snowfalls of this passing winter but Spring is in the air! Hopefully those daffodils and tulips will be popping up soon and the bluebirds and robin red breasts will be cheerfully rising you up in the mornings. Sun bursting
through the windows making you want to just take the day off from work and lounge around in your nice backyard and....SCREEEEEEEECH!!!!! The backyard...you know there is absolutely nothing nice about yours...ugh! You haven't even seen your backyard for six months...no telling what it looks like right about now! And as far as that goes you really didn't like the way it was looking last Spring and Summer.

Well now's the time to start thinking about sprucing things up... Cause Spring is coming baby! And you do not want to trying revive and refresh your inner god or goddess in well... an outdoor space that not worthy of your greatness. After all...your outdoor space is also an extension of your indoor space and like your indoor sanctuary it should reflect YOU. Make sense?

I know... I know... Things are a bit tight huh? You are having a temporary blockage in your cash flow situation that you and the Universe are working on. No worries!

Let's say you have 500.00 to 1000.00 dollars (I know what your thinking, just stick with me) stashed away that you put aside just in case you found a need to do something extra nice for yourself. Make it count...this is for You... Number one! And it's also your hard earned money you're spending!
First, you may want to think of a possible theme you'd like in your outdoor space. Over a weekend, spend some time walking around or sitting in your backyard, on your patio, deck, wherever it is you'll be spending time relaxing and entertaining in the warmer months. Even if you live in an apartment with only a small balcony you still want it to be a nice place to sit and catch a nice breeze or bath in life giving sunlight. Make it a retreat you'll look forward to spending time in!

What vibe are you going for...Caribbean...French country, nautical...Zen. Whatever says relaxation to you. If nothing comes to mind look through some magazines and find a look that really resonates with you. Cut out the different photos, put them in a notebook and look at it for a few days... make sure it's what you really want. The next weekend take you and your little notebook full of possibilities out on a little scavenger hunt. Search for things that you like. You may not be able to afford all of the nice and sometimes expensive things you clipped from the magazines but at least they'll give you an idea of what to look for. Go to flea markets, second hand stores and check out the classifieds or dollar stores. You can even ask friends and family if they'll let you can scrounge around in their attics, garages or basements for things they no longer want or need. Auctions are also great places to find bargains. Also, shop inexpensive fabric stores to find outdoor fabric remnants that will add new splashes of fresh color to chair and bench cushions!
You don't have to buy all matching pieces. You can use paint to unify mismatched finds.

You most likely find pieces that need a little TLC. A little sanding down, varnishing, a fresh coat of paint or minor re-upholstering may be all that's needed to breathe new life into a tired worn out piece. It may take a little elbow grease but you'll be proud of your hard work and the finished result. And the fact is, is that you are worth doing it for!

Or you can go to a big box store or garden center and look for nice big planters in different shapes and colors. Fill them with an assortment plant materials that go with your theme... tall dramatic grasses or cascading flowering vines or a combination of both. Succulents and cacti surrounded by river rocks and small stones or a nice water fixture are other ways to go and add an uncluttered Zen feeling. Planters can even be changed with every season. You can even use inexpensive up lights behind your plants for a dramatic affect.

If all you have is 50.00 to 100.00 to spend stay away from the tacky yard ornaments like garden gnomes...Um...unless that's what you like. Instead go big and bold with a brightly colored umbrella, add twinkling white lights for a nice mood setting affect after sunset or try hanging lighted paper lanterns in bright colors for a festive look.
Check out the inside of your home to see what can work out doors. I once re~purposed an old antique porcelain pedestal bathroom sink as a planter for my backyard. It turned out to be a very unique conversation starter! Paint old pieces for a new fresh look. Add a few small potted plants in brightly colored pots for an inexpensive change. Even different colored gravel, wood chips or new plantings can make a huge difference in your small flower bed. Again...use up lighting to add interest and set a mood.

Whatever you do...whether big or small make it a place that restores and grounds you...your own little piece of heaven that speaks to the god or goddess in you. And most of all enjoy every moment the upcoming warm weather has in store...Ahhh can't you just envision it all? Nice!

Live...Light...Love!

Finding Your Style…

2010-03-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

I always say your interior spaces should reflect who you really are. But some people have a hard time trying to figure that out. As a matter of fact we go through change daily… Something someone says in a conversation, a quote you read that day or an instant revelation from a long ago memory can inspire a change in the way you see the world around you.
Hopefully we never stop growing. So what do we do…change our interior spaces everyday? You don’t have to go that far! But change doesn’t always have to something drastic…sometimes the most subtle change can make the biggest difference.
There are times when I walk into a room and it instantly zaps my energy. That’s when I know it’s time for me to move some things around…At times just adding or taking away a few accessories does the trick. Doing this changes the energy in the room…it flows differently because the pattern has been changed…it doesn’t feel stagnant anymore.
But like I said…some of us don’t know what our style is so moving some things around may help but if you still just aren’t feeling the love when you enter the space maybe your style is off. Maybe you’ve been making some internal changes but your living spaces haven’t taken that journey with you yet.

If you’re having a problem finding your style try going into your closet. Sounds strange but trust me…go into your closet. Now take out some of your favorite pieces…even accessories…shoes and handbags. Lay them out in the room that you want to change. Look at the colors…the patterns and even the fabrics. Do you have more than a couple earth toned colors in your wardrobe? Browns oranges sienna’s…you know… deep warm colors. Or are you all about the bold bright primary colors of reds blues and yellow? Maybe you have a more subdued taste in hues…cream...beige and sands…very laid back.
Now look at the style of your clothing. Are you trendy, on the conservative side or more organic and natural? Are the fabrics you usually choose more silky satiny smooth or do you like a little bit more texture against your skin…Do you like big bold prints, floral or solids?
Do the same with your jewelry…is there a lot of bling and sparkle or more natural and organic pieces? You get where I’m going right?
If you like it on your body and you feel good when you put it on then chances are you’ll like some semblance of it in your space and it‘ll make you feel good when you see there…Make sense? And guess what? You’ve found your style! Have fun getting to know you!

Live…Light…Love!

Honoring Passing Spaces... Saying Good-bye to a Home

2010-03-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

Honoring Passing Spaces
Saying Good-bye to a Home

Saying good-bye to a home or space is an important part of moving forward. It gives us a sense of completion.

When we move from one residence to another, we often get so caught up in the forward thrust of where we are going that we forget to properly say good-bye to the home we are leaving behind. Yet saying good-bye is an important part of moving forward. It gives us a sense of completion so that we are able to fully inhabit our new space, having left nothing of ourselves behind in the old one. In this way, we honor the space that has held and nurtured us. At the same time, we cleanse it and empty it of our energy so that the new residents can make the space theirs.

Plan a walk through your home that begins and ends at the front door. Ideally, you will be alone or accompanied only by a person who shared the space with you. Prepare yourself mentally to be as present as you can during this process. As you enter the house, you might say, “I have come to thank you for being my home and to say good-bye.” You might touch the walls with your hands as you move through the house, or you might burn sage as an offering, as well as an energy cleanser. Spend some time in each room expressing your gratitude and gathering or releasing any lingering energy from the room. As you do this, you are freeing your home to embrace its new occupants. Remember to visit your outside spaces as well. Plants are especially sensitive to the energy around them and will appreciate your consideration.

As you make your way back to the front door, know that you have completed your final journey through your home and that you have honored and blessed it with this ritual of farewell. As you close and lock the door behind you, say one last good-bye. Now you can walk freely into your future and fully inhabit the new spaces that will keep you safe and warm.
The Daily Om
http://www.dailyom.com

Intuit Your Home’s Decor... Working with Space

2010-02-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

I love this from the Daily Om. They always have such wonderful articles on mindfulness and I especially like the articles on Mindfulness as it applies to our living spaces... Here's what they had to say...

When we decide the time has come to change the look or feel of our personal spaces, it is the spaces themselves that can provide us with the most useful guidance. Working with a single room, an apartment, or an entire house allows us to unearth the innate potential of these spaces and also better understand how we want to relate to them. To be conscious of the possibilities of a space, we need to listen to, look at, and bond with that space in a deep and personal way. Just as no two people are alike, no two rooms, however similar, are identical. The more we know about the spaces we wish to change, the better equipped we are to make them both beautiful and functional.

Before you contemplate colors and layouts, spend some time in the rooms you plan to modify. Observe the way light moves through each space at different times of day. In the course of a week or so, note those times when you feel drawn to a particular space. You may naturally gravitate toward one room when you want to relax and toward another when you want to socialize. Also, remember that not all rooms have to be used as originally planed, for example a dining room may make a wonderful sitting area. As you make these observations, think about whether the spaces under consideration remind you of anything or bring certain thoughts to mind. Writing your thoughts down can make the process of examination simpler. The discoveries you make regarding the rooms in your home can help guide you as you choose color schemes, furniture layouts, and decorative styles, so that you bring out the natural qualities of each using your creativity and eye for detail. Using the cues you pick up, yo!
u can design a beautiful room that is bright and exciting, or one that calms the soul and invites meditation.

By treating the layout and décor of your personal spaces in this mindful way, you can honor their natural rhythms while creating a cohesive and comfortable home through which energy can flow unencumbered. The design elements you subsequently choose will work together like the diverse instruments that come together to form a symphony orchestra. Each will resonate harmoniously with the next, ensuring that your home resounds with a lasting message of beauty, serenity, reassurance, and comfort.

Love it!
~ Peace ~

What do I want?... you ask...

2009-12-16T05:51:00.000-08:00

I Want...

To love...to give it and to get it unconditionally. To be looked at like new... everyday.

To inspire passion in people who see me...the real me...today...just for who I am...today...Beautiful inside and out!

Time to do what EVER I long to do...

To lay on a beach and listen to the ebb and flow of the tide as it tries to hypnotize with it's whisper of sweet lies in my ear. The sun to warm my skin transforming the melanin it holds to a caramelized butter that threatens to melt into nothingness.
I want a long awaited trade wind carrying millions of microscopic salty droplets in it's embrace to tickle the fine hairs on the tops of my forearms...the back of my neck...and cool my sticky sweetness...

Wait...Hold up...that's not all...

I want to love my work...get up everyday in anticipation of what the day will bring. To create what has never before been created before... to expound on love and on life and know that they are one in the same. To navigate my inner Universe only to find that at the end of it there really is no end to it.

I want you to know that I am a beautiful contradiction working through my own process. I want to be happy. I want to be sad...To laugh out loud uncontrollably. To cry hard salty tears until I am cleansed once more.

A Time of Reflection

2009-11-17T04:41:00.000-08:00

Spring is not the only time of renewal. And right now it is just as important to do a seasonal clearing out of your mind body and spirit as it is of your living spaces...in fact even more so. There is definitely a correlation between both. As I believe...your living space is an outward expression of your inner self.

This time of year has always been a time of quiet introspection for me. Not only does it signify the end of the sultry warmth of Summer months and herald in the crispness of Autumn and Winter it is the coming of my birth into this realm...December...my birth month...the end of the year and a look at what lay ahead.
I am always a little more quiet in these final days of the year and at times tend to be a bit melancholy as I naturally am drawn back to events of my young adulthood...to scenes of my son and daughter as children gleefully ripping colorful wrappings from the myriad of packages awaiting them under the biggest tree my husband could find in the lot. Festive dinners with my siblings...the jokes the laughter and merriment. And farther still to childhood memories of joy filled holidays spent with my family. We didn't have much but they are probably some of my richest memories.

But the older(wiser)I got the more I realized that I could never go back to what was. I can only visit those events in my mind and in my heart but I don't live there anymore. Good memories, just like the bad ones are meant to be left behind. We are not present to receive what this moment has to offer us if we are held captive in the past.

And so my challenge is to go back over this waning year, mindful not to linger too long and reflect on the lessons I have been taught. And just as I do when clearing out my living space I decide...What is it that I would like to carry along into this coming year...what is best left behind? Those things that bring me joy, that comfort me in a positive way I will bring along...those things that do not enrich my life in a healthy positive way are best let go of so that I have room to receive whatever the Universe has to offer me...right now.

And so these days I choose to move ahead. I am thankful for what was...I can smile at the brief memory of it but I embrace this moment and I am grateful for whatever is to come.

All Is Well.

The Passing Storm...the chance to fill your space positively.

2009-11-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

It's been stormy and rainy here for two days now...I love it! When the weather is like this it is the perfect time to snuggle in and enjoy all the comforts of home. There's nothing quite like the feeling of a thick soft throw over my feet a nice mug of something warm in my hands and the sound of thunder off in the distance. I light my candles and relax.
I inhale...breathing deeply I drink in the sound of the rain as it washes over the atmosphere like the loving hands of a mother bathing her child.
This new trade wind brings with it positive energy from places far beyond my little piece of heaven...our liquid hopes and prayers united...an exhale of long held breath. We are cleansed. The Universe blesses us once again. Another chance to to fill this new space with hope...positively. I am at home.

Priceless Interior Redesigns...

2009-11-13T08:23:00.000-08:00

With Priceless Interior Redesigns in as little as a day you can have a totally transformed space all at the fraction of the cost of a traditional interior design.
" You aren't who you were ten even five years ago..your space should reflect the person that you are now. It should be the outside reflection of what is inside you. It should be conducive to your over positive growth and well being...a harmonious blend of your entire being."

So what now?...

2009-11-13T05:11:00.000-08:00

I have been for the past year doing a lot of writing which caused me at times a lot of laughter, thinking, soul searching and a lot of crying.
Writing about oneself and ones journey through life is no easy task...at least not for me. But it has been very empowering and enlightening and I cherish the lessons that I have learned from the experience. And really that's what it's all about...Life Lessons...how we learn or fail to learn form them as well as the consequences that come from decisions we make based on our lessons.

This year was one of tremendous growth as well. At times it seemed I was only standing still...living in a place where I really don't speak the language I could not find a job. But I had to surrender to the Universe! I had to realize that I was not standing still at all...I was changing...growing inside. I was expanding as I should.
Now I could either have whined and cried about not having a job and not having any friends blah blah blah...or I could take the opportunity to learn even more about myself than I had in my previous year of solitude.

I had to realize that am blessed! Most people don't get the opportunity to have long periods in their lives where they can sit in quiet contemplation of life the Universe and all the mysteries it holds. Or to really focus on what exactly it is that they want and plot out a course without any outside distractions. Had I been saddled with having a 9-5 to go to for five or more days out of my week or dividing my time between many friends I would not have had this opportunity.

So what now?...
Well for now I am patiently waiting the arrival of all that I have been preparing for. I have put my prayers, my dreams and my wishes out into the Universe. Everyday I ask for the clarity to see them coming...the wisdom to recognize them for what they are...the guidance to help me stay on my right path...the strength to accept any challenge as another opportunity for positive expansion and with humility and gratitude know that I am worthy of every good thing life has to offer.
Peace.
All Is Well.

It's Up To Me...

2009-04-25T03:30:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted anything...been working on a project that required my full attention. It has been challenging but it is a labor of love and will someday share it with the world.
But right now I would like to leave you with something I stumbled upon the other day while reading a very fascinating book, which I'll go into in another post. The book is by Bob Proctor entitled: You Were Born Rich. He included, among other very thought provoking words of wisdom, this poem. I love it's simplicity and also it's wisdom.
Peace.

IT'S UP TO ME

I get discouraged now and then
When there are clouds of gray
Until I think about the things
That happened yesterday

I do not mean the day before
Or those of months ago
But all the yesterdays in which
I had the chance to grow

I think of opportunities
That I allowed to die
And those I took advantage of
Before they passed me by.

And I remember that the past
Presented quite a plight
But somehow I endured it and
The future seemed all right.

And I remind myself that I
am capable and free
And my success and happiness
ARE REALLY UP TO ME.

(James J. Metcalfe)

HAPPY INAUGURATION DAY!!!

2009-01-20T06:11:00.000-08:00

HAPPY INAUGURATION DAY!

Please remember to take some time today to be quiet. Sit in quiet meditation or say a prayer for the incoming president ask that he be guided always by his highest power, that he makes all his decisions based in love and compassion and for the good of all. That he is surrounded by those whom have only the highest good for all concerned and that he continue to be blessed with good health in heart, mind, body and soul.

Have a wonderful day!!
Peace and much love...

Carol Andrea Price-Cook

Making yourself more beautiful with the beauty of nature.

2009-01-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

Everyday we are bombarded with advertisements on television, newspapers, magazines and the internet asking us to part with our hard earned money to purchase their "beauty products". They make promises of instant beauty, stopping the aging process and attracting the opposite sex to name a few, all if we throw down mucho dinaro for their new miracle in a jar.
But do you ever stop to think about all the chemicals that go into making these products?
A lot of us spend a lot time trying to make and keep ourselves healthy. We quit smoking, exercise and watch what we put inside our bodies but then we turn around and slather chemicals all over our skin.
Why spent a fortune on things that in the long run may have adverse effects on your health when there are so many things right in your kitchen that you can use.
Things like oatmeal and honey for a nice scrub or detoxifying and mask. Egg whites can tighten the pores and even the lactic acids in yogurt can be used to exfoliate and leave the skin smooth and soft.
Even if you aren't so inclined to make your own homemade natural concoctions there are companies out there that make product using natural ingredients. I myself have been using one in particular. The company is called Hannahmade Soaps. you can check it out at, www.hannahmadesoaps.blogspot.com
They have a wonderful selection of soaps made from all natural products like goats milk and cocoa butter...yummy!
I have been using her soaps and I love them and I don't worry if I'm ingesting a bunch of chemicals through my skin.

I know, I know... this sounds like yet another shameless advertisement trying to once again get you to fork over your money but I have nothing to gain in mentioning this product.
I like what I like and I also like to share knowledge about things that I think are conducive for ones positive wellbeing.

So try making yourself more beautiful with the beauty of nature. And really, when you think about it using things from nature means you are using thing that are already a part of you anyway. Enjoy you!
Peace

Goodbye...Hello

2009-01-03T07:03:00.000-08:00

This morning I said goodbye to my daughter. I cried all night long thinking about her leaving and then woke up this morning at five o:clock and started crying again in the shower.
Despite the fact that my daughter is twenty three years old, it's still hard for me to say goodbye to her. You'd think that after all the goodbyes we've had in her life it would get easier but it does not.

This all started for me when she was little. She has always been the one to just jump out there with that, "Oooh, this looks like fun. Bye, see ya later", kind of attitude.
Our first goodbye was at the daycare. We were only there to check the place out, to see if we and she liked it.
Well, the place met up to our standards, it was clean and safe. We watch our daughter interacting joyfully with the other children, saw how content she was, signed the paperwork and we were ready to go.
We said our goodbyes to the daycare's administrator, turned to call for our child and she did not want to come.

I was floored. She wanted to stay, just like that. At one point we teased her, pretending to walk away, saying we were going to leave without her and she just threw up her hand and waved goodbye.

Mind you this was totally different experience for me. When my son was little I used to have to pry him off my leg with a crowbar every morning after dropping him at the daycare.
We could not leave him with anyone. We had to try different ways to divert his attention and then sneak out every time only to have my heart broken while listening to him screaming and crying as I left the building.

No, not so with our daughter. It was me who would cry every morning as she was crowbared from my arms.

Me and my daughter have always had, well, a funny kind of relationship. I'm sure those of you with daughters can relate.
I love my daughter to death and I know she feels the same for me. We both love and can't wait to see each other but we also know when it's time to leave each other alone...we both love our space. She may look like her dad, but this trait I know she gets from me.
But no matter how much she has rubbed my nerves and no matter how much I look forward to the arrival of her departure, saying goodbye to her is still one of the hardest things for me do.

So, there I stood this morning at her departure gate crying with no shame, holding her in a death grip not wanting to let her go and she telling me, "Mom, stop crying."
I force my husband to wait there with me until she has walked through security.
I watched her take off her shoes, remove, her jewelry, place her bag through the x-ray machine, go through the metal detector, sit, put her shoes and jewelry back on and I waited.
I waited just as I had that first day I dropped her off at the daycare center. I knew that she would eventually turn around, give me that look to let me know she would be fine. And then, there it is, that smile of hers, the one I hope she has all her life, "Oooh, this looks like fun. Bye, see ya later."

And then she was gone. My husband saves me from drowning in my own tears and we leave the terminal.

We drive home in silence. I slowly resign myself to the fact that she is gone and walk through the door, the house is quiet again.
Hey, I've been waiting for this. I start a load of laundry, think about all things things I've been neglecting since she had been here and I start to breath again. It's a new year and I've got plans!

Just as I am starting to get into my little groove my husband gets a text message from our daughter.
"She can't get on the plane and won't be able to get out for another three days", he says. He goes to pick her back up from the airport.

I want to start crying all over again.
Hello...

Do You!

2008-12-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

People have asked me on occasion just what it is I do to stay grounded. They have also wanted to know what my secret is staying married for twenty four years, to raising two happy children, to staying in shape, not looking my age, living in the Caribbean, etc...

I'm always both flattered and humbled by their inquiries but always feel odd in trying to explain to someone exactly what I do to maintain or achieve what ever it is they may be looking for.

I think I realize now that I never knew how to answer them because the things that I do or don't do are things that, well, I need or don't need to do for me.

Everybody is different. What works for you may not work for me and vis versa.

Truth be known, outside of trying to live by the universal laws of life, there is really no one way that I prescribe to. I follow how I feel and I am very unorthodox in my philosophies on life most times.
Everyday when I wake I know I have a choice. I can either be one way or another and I go with what I am feeling.

Don't get me wrong. I don't mean that I always just let life happen all around me without a care in the world. Oh no.
And I certainly have my days when I rant at the world for whatever injustice I think has been brought upon me...real or imagined.
But I tend to try and not let my goals, plans or those perceived injustices run my life. And trust me, I was not always like this.

Being exactly where I am right now in my life has been and continues to be a process.

If I can give any advice on what one should do to stay grounded or achieving longevity in a marriage, raising great children, staying in shape, and definitely my advice for not looking or feeling your age,...whatever it is you are trying to achieve it would be this:

Look to yourself, listen to what's inside your heart, hear what your body is telling you, and don't take yourself or life too seriously.
I guess all this amount to...just go with the flow.

In the morning when you wake up, before you rush to get out of bed and start your day, ask yourself what you want your day to be today.
Be the artist and the architect of your own life. Paint your own picture and construct the life that you want to live.
Being happy is a process to be nurtured daily.
Do you!
Peace

While I was walking...

2008-12-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

Last night I decided that this morning I would get up at the crack of dawn and go out for a sunrise walk on the beach.

I awakened this morning, stretched and rubbed the sleep from my eyes and turned to look at the clock. It was still only 5:20. "Damn", I cursed to myself.

"Oh well", I thought, rolled over and pulled the covers up to my chin. I decided I'd try to get another half hour of sleep in but my husbands incessant snoring was having non of this.

I got out of bed, ready to catch an attitude. Already I could feel my morning was not going to go as planned.
It didn't help matters when after leaving my not so quiet but warm bed I walked to the living room and looked out from the balcony only to find the gate which leads out to the beach was still chained and locked.
I looked at the clock. By now it's ten minutes till six.

"Oh no! The sun will be coming up soon, I'll miss it!" I thought.
I stood there watching the gate trying to will the security guard to appear and open it. Nada!

I sat down on the sofa staring at nothing until finally I hear the sweet sound of key turning lock and chain hitting metal.
I run to the balcony and there was my security guard all aglow in heavenly light. "Yes,I won't miss the sunrise after all!"

I quickly went to throw on my shorts, tee-shirt and my beat up beach walking shoes. I grabbed my camera, kissed my snoring husband and headed outside.

At last on the beach.
I take a few steps out toward the crashing waves and stop.
"Hey, it's dark out here!"

I started to get a little worried as thoughts of some deranged night stalker bum rushing me danced around in my head. I walked back to the gate and stood there for a while trying to get up my courage.

I almost turned to head back to the apartment when I suddenly remembered a friend who is going through a crisis in her life right now.
Last night I said to her that she needed to get up this morning, get out and get moving. I told her how she had to be patient with herself and not rush her progress.

This motivated me to push past my fears. I wanted to be with her in spirit and so I walked.

As I walked I was learning that today's lesson would most probably be a lesson on patience and what had I been doing since I woke up this morning?...trying to rush the process...
I couldn't take another snore from my husband, jumped out of bed before it was time, wanted the security guard to hurry and open the gate before it was time. I even tried to rush the sun to hurry up and rise so that I would be so afraid by out myself.
Yet had I not been patience and turned back to go home I would not have met the wonderful gentleman named Miguel who stopped to have a chat or the chance to enjoy seeing Robo a playful little dog so full of energy so early in the morning.
But most of all I would have missed the spectacular show the Universe had planned to show me.

What a beautiful lesson in patience...

What Have You Learned About Yourself This Year?

2008-11-26T07:17:00.000-08:00

December has always been a time of soul searching for me.
With Christmas, my birthday, and the approaching new year I always feel it's a good time to get quiet and look at back at what has transpired over the old year.

What have I learned? Are there things I need to work on, things I need to let go of maybe? What accomplishments am I most proud? What will I carry into the coming year?

I've lost love ones this past year. What have I learned from how they lived their lives and how will I honor them in the coming year?

I watched history being made when we, the people of this great nation, came together and elected our first Black president and proved that we are more alike than not.

I've met virtual friends who've shown me that strength, power, and most importantly love, need not be embraced physically to be felt.

I've learned that love behind intention is the greatest power in the Universe and what is felt by one effect us all.
This past year has been filled with lessons. Lessons of love and of life. There were times when I thought I had never cried so much but also times when I felt I'd never laughed so hard.

And so, the end of another year is upon us. What have you learned about yourself?

How will you choose to honor those who have helped you walk along your path this year?
I honor you all with much love, much peace and an overflowing abundance of all the good this Universe has to offer.

May we all live the lives we desire in this coming year.
Much love
Carol

Who Are You???

2008-11-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

This morning, as I do every morning I looked at myself in the mirror and as I have done on more than one occasion I immediately began to see what I perceive as imperfections.

I noticed my skin at this point in time is not it's most stunning thanks to my fluctuating hormones, my eyes don't seem to be as bright as they once were and my hair...whoa, my hair was just being it's normal defiant self...and doing what ever it wanted to do. My stomach is soft and slightly paunchy and the rest of my body has that...I used to be the bomb back in the day look to it.
But there is something else there. Something just beneath the surface. Ahhh, there she is again. I knew she'd come out sooner or later.
Who is this person and why has she taken up residence in my bathroom mirror!?
What has happened to me? The woman that took so much pride in her appearance is now replaced with Ms. Blahhhh.

"That's it dammit! I am not going out like this..." neither literally or figuratively. This was going to be the last time I would greet myself in the morning with, "Who the hell are you?"

First of all, I need to determine what the answer to that question is. So my goal for the day is to do just that. Choose a door and walk through it already!

I mean for the past year and a half I have been on a mission. I have been on an inward journey trying to figure out just who and what the heck I was about. It's time to call off the search. I am beginning to think I've been using my search as a crunch of sorts. My search as been my enabler, my excuse for hiding from the sometimes big scary world out there.
I figure, if I don't know by now at at forty seven what's going on with me...then I ain't ever gonna know.

I don't want to be one of those people who's journey to self discovery takes them so deep inside of themselves they never find the way back out. I have gotten too comfortable and I don't want to be too comfortable, at least not with this person I keep finding in my mirror everyday. She's creepy!

She is beginning to look like the grown woman who moved back home with the intention of, "just until I get things together", but then ten years later she's still sleeping in the same bed and bedroom she was sleeping in when she was in the tenth grade. I don't want to be her!
Today is tough love day and she is getting the ultimatum.
Goodbye Ms. Blahhh! You have got to go!

I'll keep you posted...

The View From My Window...

2008-11-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was in a not so bright mood. Things were not going the way that I had anticipated and I was not happy about this at all and for a brief moment I thought I had failed.
All of the soul searching, the twice daily meditations, the growth that I had acquired over the past year I thought was just a waste.
What had it all been for if I could find myself right back to that same fearful little girl that always felt she had no voice, that no one cared and that she was not worthy of true happiness.
I went through the next couple of days depressed and crying. Concerned that I had once again disappointing someone I loved, that I was once again a failure who could not and will not ever get it right.
Had it all been a delusion? Had I just been playing at being enlightened? Had I only wanted so badly to be aware that I was only pretending to be so?

Then this morning I went for a walk along the beach, the beautiful beach just steps away from my condo. I was just enjoyed being.
Then, it occurred to me that I had been such a fool. How could I have been so, well, for lack of a better word, unaware?
I was realizing something that I had known in my heart all along.
Something I constantly tell people when I am trying to comfort, to help them to remember, to help them get through some difficult journey of their own.
I had gotten so overwhelmed by all that was going. The move to Puerto Rico, the need to find work here, the anxiety over my marriage, renting the house in Savannah, trying to learn a new language, the packing and the unpacking. UUHGGG!!!
I was so overwhelmed that I had forgotten three simple things.

*1. Stay in this moment.*

When you stay focused on this moment you don't worry about what has gone on before or what is yet to happen.
You can only do what you are doing right now.
When you do your best in every moment there is no need to concern yourself with the past or the future.

*2. One never becomes fully enlightened.*

Once you think you have learned all there is to be learned the Universe sends yet another lesson your way and then school is once again back in session.

*3. One should never rush through a lesson nor should you let someone else's needs rush you through your lesson*

That little girl that I spoke of before, she will always be there deep inside. She still needs to be loved, nurtured and protected.
She is my reminder that class is about to start, so I'd better make sure my pencils are sharpened, I have plenty of paper to take notes, and pay close attention because there is always room for growth.
Peace.
www.pricegirlseven.blogspot.com

It's a new day and it's time to fly!

2008-11-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

Today is a new day!

Tuesday night we elected our first African American president. It's hard to put to words all of the feelings I had in the instant the news was declared. I thought of all the people in my family and every African American that has passed on. I cried for them...happy and sad tears.

Happy because I know what they fought for all those years before is now coming to light and sad because they are no longer here to witness the fruits of there labor.

I thought of my now grown son and daughter and how they were interpreting this historic occassion. I thought of how I used to say to them, with a mothers optimistic love, that in this world they could be and do whatever they wanted, while knowing deep down in my heart there was always the possibility that they could be held back just by the color of their skin. Now in this instant I finally felt justified in my words to them.

I also in that instant thought of all that lay ahead for our newly elected president. It felt as if I were once again, sending my child off to school for the first time. I was proud that he had grown so quickly and that he was taking such a major step. But then, there was fear again. The fear that the world would somehow hurt my child. That he would have to prove himself as always to be one hundred and fifty percent better than. That he would be constently judged and second guessed at every step of the way, not just because he would hold the most powerful position in the world but also because of the color of his skin.

But in the end I knew it was time...just like I knew I had to let both my son and daughter go out into the the big bad world when it was their time to fly.

So, on this new day it is our time as a people and as a country to fly!

Congratulations President Barack Obama!

Right This Moment...

2008-11-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

It's funny that we spend so much of our time thinking about our time.
We set the alarm clock the night before so that you can wake up on time the next morning. We spend the next couple of hours rushing around with one eye on the clock while getting ready to go to a job that statistic say we are unhappy doing.
We then spend at least eight hours unhappily doing whatever it is we do, with eyes habitually checking the clock through out the day, waiting for the time we can leave.
Then we sit in traffic becoming more and more frustrated and wondering how much time it's going to take before we make it home. Once we get there we prepare dinner which we rush through because we have only so much time to take care of all the things we have to take care of before it's time for bed. Then, we set the alarm clock, hope we get to sleep in time, get up on time and do it all over again.
There are cultures some would call "primitive" that have no concept of time. There isn't even a word in their language that translates the word time. I don't know if that's primitive or just a form of truly mindful living.
As concerned as we are with time why is it that we fail to realize that the only time that matters is right in this moment? How are you living your moments?
If you were told you have only today, what would you do with your day? Would you you spend it looking at your watch or minding your moments?

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back" ~Harvey McKay~
Peace

Save your energy for something that 's deserving...

2008-10-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

It's troubling to me how we can put so much of our energy into things that really don't deserve it.
We see it all the time...especially right now with the upcoming presidential election.
Why is it that some people think that in order to become the president of the United States one has to do whatever is necessary, no matter how base and degrading of character?
Or that no matter what some one does to prove themselves worthy they still can never do or be enough in the eyes of some?
It makes one wonder what truly is behind some people's motives. Are your intentions based on the good of all concerned?
Some people will say that they ask questions and want answers because it is important to know if this person is truly qualified to hold the position of leader of our nation. This is a very fair and just reason,...if indeed it is the true intention. But when it gets to a point of such ridiculousness that it has gotten to lately you have to wonder.

Let me just say right now,..... This Really Is Not About The Election! I really don't care who you are voting for and I already know who I'm voting for,... your opinion does not matter to me.

My point in all this is,...why is it that we continue to put our energy into things that aren't deserving of it?
When you continue to debate back and forth knowing that what you say will have no effect on the person you are debating against what sense does it make?

If in fact that is your reasoning, that you are trying to change minds or enlighten someone to an injustice then why not put your energy behind your cause?
Spend your time and energy showing the good in what you are about and not waste your energy trying to show what you think is wrong about someone or something that you are the opposite of. If indeed there is something not right in a situation it will eventually come to light.

All that is accomplished by constantly looking at or trying to find the faults in others is that you make yourself look fearful, weak and insecure about your own abilities and in the end you have lost energy,... you have given it away to the one thing that you have been resisting. That which you have resisted has grown and strengthened because it has had to work hard at making sure that its good, that is indeed in all of us, is shown.

When you know what you are about, that what you are trying to accomplish is just and that your intentions are based in love and for the good of all concerned the Universe works with you not against you.

When you know how precious your energy is you know not to waste it on meaningless things.
Save your energy for something that's deserving of it.

Peace.

Some Things To Remember...

2008-10-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. ~ Lao-tzu

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. ~Philo

These quotes were attached to an email I received from a friend today. I find both sayings to be so true and so important to remember as we go throughout our day. We meet people everyday that we may not agree with and may find ourselves judging them based on our assumptions and on our own life stories.

When confronted with this situation try to stop your impulse to judge and remember to practice mastering yourself. Part of being a master of ourselves is remembering to be kind to, or being patient with those who may not be presenting their best selves at the time.
Peace!

Weathering The Tough Times...

2008-10-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

These are undoubtedly tough times we are living in and it looks like we are in for the long haul.
The economic crisis is not just looming over our heads anymore it is here and we are smack dab in the middle of it. We seem to be getting hit everyday with news that the cost of everything from our gas, groceries, and mortgages are at a steady rise while our employment rate, retirement funds, and faith in our government have quickly deflated.

Chances are if you are like most of us you can barely afford the necessities of life right now. Forget about the luxuries. The things that some in the past may have done to help relieve stress may no longer be an option…not a smart one anyway. The days of heading to the mall or your favorite boutique for instant gratification therapy shopping (IGTS for short), getting that weekly manicure and eating out at your favorite restaurant three and four nights a week are gone.

While it may be difficult to keep a positive state of being through it all the effort must be made. One should never neglect ones wellbeing. But some us may have been under the mistaken notion that wellbeing is something to be purchased. Though it may be true that you get a nice little pick me up from throwing down that credit card at the mall today you may not feel so elevated when that card statement arrives the next month.
Having a healthy wellbeing requires that we continually work at maintaining our core. By striving daily to remain grounded in a belief that whatever happens I will be well and affirming the intention to do whatever is needed to do my best in this moment helps to keep me aware of the situation at hand but not overwhelmed by it.

When we remember that everything that happens in our lives whether good or bad is there to move us forward we are cultivating a positive and strong wellbeing.
Though it may not seem so at the moment this new crisis we now face may have been the best thing that could have happened to some of us.
If we remain aware that there are lessons here we will learn that those things we thought we needed we really never needed in the first place. After all, we were given everything we needed to survive when we arrived here kicking and screaming. We fought to make it then, and we did,… what’s to stop us know?

Take this time to get in touch with what’s truly important. Spend more time at home with family and friends. Remember to continue to share with those that are less fortunate than you…there is still and always will be enough to go around. Get together with your sister friends and give each other manicures. Instead of buying something new swap accessories with friends. Have a potluck dinner once a week where everyone contributes a dish. Instead of getting into more debt share your time and talents as gifts for the holidays. These are numerous ways we can nurture our spirits while getting through the rough days ahead.
Remember for every action there is a reaction. What we do right now will come back to us in abundance in the future. Let us ground our intentions with care and in love. Whatever you give you receive more of the same…abundantly.

Agree To Agree...

2008-10-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

I came across this book about 4 or 5 years ago and it has been a staple of mine ever since. Every so often I pull it out and reread it when I think I need to be reminded of it's simple yet powerful wisdom.
It's called The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz.
In the book Mr. Ruiz suggests that by practicing these four agreements we can live our lives effortlessly.
It's amazing, as I stated before, how simple they seem, but when practiced you soon find the lessons not only to be true but very hard at first to follow. Don't be discouraged if you feel you have failed from time to time....remember life is a process not a test of perfection.

The Four Agreements:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word.

2. Don't Take Anything Personal.

3. Don't Make Assumptions.

4. Always Do Your Best.

Try to make a commitment to following these agreements for a week. See if it changes your life at all.

Learning To Let Go...

2008-10-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it, it is never easy realizing that something you may have put your heart and soul into is over. It’s taxing enough when it’s a job you just can’t stomach any longer but when it’s a long held dream or relationship you‘ve invested your time, heart, soul and sometimes even your money into it can be more than a little uncomfortable.

Yet at some point in most of our lives we will inevitably be faced with the decision to either stick it out or stab that metaphorical fork in it and call it done. The thing is, knowing when is it time to let go.
What I have learned?
Well, I’ve learned that it’s never wrong to make a decision.

Learning to let go is not always easy but letting go can be a very empowering. Sometimes we hold on to things for far too long and for all the wrong reasons and eventually it hurt us. I realize now some of my own reasons for holding on to outdated ways of thinking, jobs, relationships, etc… was because I was just too stubborn, didn’t want to admit things were not what they actually were or I was too concerned with what someone else would think of me for fear of appearing indecisive or weak. I didn’t want to appear to be a quitter. I didn’t want to be wrong.

The decision to leave a job, misjudging someone’s character whom you’ve trusted, or for mistaking true lust for true love is never about being wrong. We all make decisions. Choices. Everyday. And we have to live with the consequences of the decisions we make. It’s called learning. The true measure of character is how we deal with those consequences.
Peace.

Let Love Guide You

2008-10-07T08:13:00.000-07:00

I read a sentence in a book once that said: Let love guide you in all your intentions. Reading this was like a light bulb instantly being turned on inside a dark room. I had never thought of this before. It made a lot of sense when I thought about it.
I have since adopted this way of thinking and have even added my own little post script...

"Let love guide you in all your intentions.
p.s. If love is not your guide you should not follow and if your intention is not love then it is not worth your energy."

When I first read those words it got me to thinking about the reasons that I have done certain things in my life. I do things for a lot of different reasons.
Somethings I couldn't even begin to explain my reasons for doing and I can honestly say that some were definitely not done with the intention of love.
I think if I had always chosen with the intention of love it probably would have kept me out of a lot of situations that I really wished I had never ventured into in the first place.

May all your intentions be for the good of all involved.
Peace.

MOODS...

2008-10-06T19:52:00.001-07:00

Good music, good smells, good memories...

2008-09-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite like hearing a song that you haven't heard in awhile. Hearing some songs can mysteriously transport you right back to exactly the place you were and what you were doing when you were hearing it for the first time.
How strangely we humans are wired.
Isn't it amazing that we can just see a picture of a slice of apple pie and remember exactly what it smells and taste like? Someone walks pass wearing a certain fragrance and your knees buckle...takes your right back to....well you know.
So what is this thing we do with our minds?
It makes me wonder if we can use this ability for other reasons?
Like, if we can remember those things just by hearing, smelling, touching etc..., what's to say that's not what's happening when you have the intense feeling that you've known a person all your life after only just meeting them.
Maybe in fact you have met that person in some other world or some other lifetime....mmmm,
What do you think?

Choosing to "Be" Instead of Doing.

2008-09-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

I learned "again" today while reading a very interesting book called Redefining Your Reality that you should never do anything that you are not ready to do. And that resisting anything only causes more resistance and therefore makes want you want harder to attain.
I know that in some instances one might say that any obstacle is only a challenge to be overcome...well, maybe.
I'm not talking about walking through life passively just letting things "happen" to you. Nor am I talking about sitting on a pillow meditating your life away.
But if there are times when you feel you need to do something yet every time you think about it you become anxious inside, fearful or frustrated or keep putting it off for whatever reason. This is the time when doing should be replaced with being.
For some reason you subconscious may not be ready for this particular change and it is resisting.

What I learned today---------
When these feelings come up focus on what you really want then concentrate your desire to what you are trying to do.

Ask yourself these questions:

Why do I want to do this?

What good things will happen once I get it done?

How will I feel once I am finished?

How will other people benefit from this?

Then, focus and then wait!

After finding the answers to these questions you will be ready to proceed or you may find that you really aren't meant to do whatever it is you are resisting in the first place.

Point being... never rush you into anything before it's your right time. Choose to "be" instead of "do".

Exercise...

2008-09-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Your Body...
Your Mind...
and definitely exercise....

YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!!!!!!!

ARE YOU REGISTERED?

Patience is no longer a virtue when....

2008-09-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

When should you no longer considered patience a virtue?

When after sitting in the restaurant for an hour and everybody else is eating and you are the only one that's not.

If you've been dating the same guy for 20 years and he still hasn't asked you to marry him.

This is the tenth time you've been turn down for that promotion, yet the guy that was hired at the same time you were is now signing your paycheck.

The grimy boxer's your husband dropped on the floor a month ago are still laying in the same spot.

You told your landlord the plaster was peeling over the bathroom shower and now the hole is so big you can see the neighbor upstairs on the toilet.

The guys that you loaned money to is now dead.

Just so you know

Go with the flow...life's a process.

2008-09-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we fail to achieve the goals we set in life.
One reason for this is that at times we forget there is a path and a process ahead of the end result. We try to jump ahead of ourselves taking shortcuts, trying to find the easiest way to get from A to Z while neglecting to focus on the valuable and necessary steps in between.
But there is always a path to follow while trying to attain any worthwhile goal and always a process on how to achieve the goal at hand.
One idea is to break your goal into smaller goals so it doesn't seem so overwhelming.
When you break your goal down into mini goals it may be easier for you to see all the dips, roots and potholes that may lay in the road ahead. You have time to see and adjust your steps so that you avoid making costly decisions.
Remember,... go with the flow...life's a process.
Good luck on your next journey.

Take a Deep Breath

2008-09-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

This has been one of those days. The kind of day that made me want to throw my computer out the window, run out side with a hammer and beat the crap out of it. But,... I didn't. I almost did but I didn't.
What I did remember to do through out the day was stop and take some deep breaths. It's amazing how doing this one thing, that we take so for granted, can bring about such a positive change in attitude.
When you breathe in deeply every muscle in your body relaxes. By deeply breathing in fresh air you not only release toxins and stimulate all the other organs in your body but you release negative energy that you accumulate from all the stresses and frustrations of the day.

Maybe if we could all just remember to stop every few minutes, close our eyes and take a few deep breaths we'd have fewer incidences of computer abuse.
Go ahead,...try it.
Ahhhhh
Now don't you feel much better?
Your computer thanks you.

Family....

2008-09-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Family....Do I really need to say more! Whatever comes to mind, when you hear the word family, whether good or bad, it's probably the way I'm feeling right now.

I love my family,... dearly,... but they are, at the moment, driving me out of my freakin' mind!
I don't know, I'm just one of those people that seem to always get got in the middle of family drama. I mean....,Why can't we just all get along!?
Huuuuuhhh
You know what? Sometimes you just have to step back and take a deep breath. Know that whatever happens it will be alright. This is one of those times and that is what I'm going to do.
BREATH......

LEAVE ME ALONE DAMMIT!!

2008-09-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have a question....Why do people assume that to be by yourself you must be turning into some lonely weirdo who's about to give up on life and only befriend the thousand and one flea and tick infested stray cats that you allow to live under your bed? Or they think you must be so depressed and lonely, so much so that your friends call and drop unexpectedly like they're on some sort of suicide watch or something. You half expect to walk into your house one day and see your friends and family, plus some stranger you've never seen before, sitting in a circle in your living room like they're gonna do and intervention or something. "First of all", your sister says through tears, "we all want you to know that we love you..." Oh hell to the naw!

Now I do understand that most people only have your best interest at heart but geeze!! Give it a rest already.
Really though, we all need to spend some quality time alone from time to time. Maybe if more people did this we'd have less insanity in the world.
We spend way too much time not listening to ourselves and far too much time investing our energies in what other people think of us.
Spending time alone allows you to get to know the real you, celebrate the good and work on the bad.
Sometimes it's only through spending time alone that you grow. Your not distracted by the outside world and are able to reconnect with who you are.
That said, Im gonna end now so that I can go and feed my cats.
Latah!

Blog Virgin

2008-08-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

Here it goes...my first blog. I am a blog virgin so... Be gentle. It's a little frightening knowing that people may be reading my thoughts. I feel so exposed, so naked but what the hell, I'll take a chance. I'm not doing anything else right now. And besides, I'd like to think I look pretty damned good naked, so there. I'm over it.
I guess the next thing to do is to write about something someone besides myself would be interested in.
Well, if you've read my profile you know that I am really interested in, well, just life and how we choose to move through it. I can't tell you that I am consciously aware and on purpose all the time because honestly I am not. I do know that I am a work in progress just like the billions of other people on this planet.

What I hope to get out of this whole bloggin thing I guess is to connect with people of like mind or to help inspire and be inspired by other people.
I am also into taking care of yourself. Being conscious of your mind and body I guess is sort of a passion of mine. Trust me I'm not some extremist or anything. I try not to take myself too serious but I do try to make it an important part of my life and like to help other people make it a part of theirs.

Anyway, I guess that's it for now. Like I said, this is my first time so gentle.