Did You Say Visualization or Visioning?

We know how to picture things based on our past experience. However if we want to expand our thinking into a new direction, there is a meditation, or quiet listening, process that allows new ideas to come forward. Having taught this for a number of years I find that many times it takes students some time to develop comfort in the practice of quiet listening. Here is a listing and brief comparison of the two activities. The two main similarities are a) they both are meditative (or thinking quietly with inward reflection) and b) they both begin with the letters 'Vis'.
Click on the picture to enlarge the comparison

A Changed Economy

Imagine an economy that supports the greater growth of people, families, our communities and the natural environment. This PBS documentary features David Brancacchio traveling across the US and discussing what a local based economy looks like when it is based on people and communities in accountable relationship to each other. The evidence is that the large, multi-national and impersonal business structure and economy swings from boom to bust. In the 60 minute film David interviews people on alternatives. Watch at 45:30 minutes into the film for the 'hour exchange'. In Portland, ME the hour exchange is a banking system of exchanged services. All services are valued by time, not a dollar amount. By giving an hour of service in your specialty field you receive an hour of service in exchange for receiving an hour in return.

Watch the full episode. See more NOW on PBS.

Roadmap to Prosperity- part 1

If I were living in the time of the Babylonians I might use cuneiform wedges to communicate meaning. If I were an ancient polynesian and had no written language I might scrape my communication as a petroglyph in the rocks left after Pele revealed herself in volcanic eruption. But I am neither of those so I continue the human tradition of communicating with graphics by using powerpoint.

Life is a series of activities linked together with meaning; successive present moments tied together with intention, activity and result. While teaching Spiritual Economics (SOM 205), I understand the process better now. We start with now (today) and learn to engage the world with a different point of view. Where we are today is based on our history and what we learned and believed up to this point. Where we go is based on our choices in thoughts and the resulting activities going forward. This class is an 8 week Roadmap to Prosperity as mapped in the diagram below.

This evolution of this process proceeds from left to right. Source, G-d, Spirit provides unlimited supply and our work is to allow that understanding to propagate throughout our thinking and our lives. When we align our thinking to see the abundance and release old ideas of lack, don't have, I-can't and limitation.
You can begin today with a T diagram and do a + / - analysis of where you see fullness and abundance in your thinking and (that's the plus) and identify the times where you see the limitation. As an example, I see the abundance when I walk in nature. It is a reminder of the many forms of expression possible and is visible in the different types of trees, roving animals, shapes of leaves and clouds...just to name a few An example of minus would be this statement, "I have two good friends. Whenever I try to have four or five friends my life fills with drama and I come back to two good friends" or "I make $ x. I can't imagine making two times that much money."
From the T diagram, the work begins in releasing the minus. Affirmations and affirmative prayer are good ways to plant the seeds for a new idea. Understanding your thoughts on faith is critical as well. In the Roadmap (at the top by the word Faith) the Universe and the individual are in the same circle. The dashed line signifies the openness and infiniteness of the Universe. Faith is the knowing that as an individual you are unfolding to recognize yourself as part of that infinite possibility. In faith you release ideas of lack and limitation and see your revealing of alignment to source.
We use imagination techniques to create a mental picture of the life of abundance and prosperity we desire. With visualization you can mentally picture the different elements of your expanded abundant life. What are you doing? Where do you live?  What are you doing for work and enjoyment? Who are you doing it with? By paying attention to what you desire and remembering the feelings of that experience you are painting a picture of what your new experience will be. The other imagination method for is to do a meditation on the question, 'What is my life of prosperity?' After that process make notes on the Vision and the Visualization and let them grow in your mind. Affirm them both for the seeds of prosperity continue to be planted.
In part 2 I will highlight the rest of the picture. It is a Roadmap to Prosperity and your New Spiritual Economy.

Hugh Prather III

In the later 80's I was in a search for meaning and found "Notes to Myself' on a bookstore shelf. Hugh Prather's writing provided insight and peace. He wrote about his thoughts, family and motivation in life, work and relationships. This was years before I had my own understanding so I was grateful for his writing. His book "How to Live in the World and Still be Happy" helped me realize that I am always in choice in what I think. In the early 90's I sent him a letter through his publisher. Three of four months later he called and wanted to know how he could help. We spoke about my topic and he provided suggestions. Today I still have ten of his books on my shelf; each one with pages dog earred as they were my most early resource and connection to the Universe as love, poetry, peace and meditation.
Hugh Prather made his transition on November 15 at age 72 while in his Hot Tub. Obituary and photo

Shadow and Light

A past experience- thought stuck in old beliefs
Unspoken words, situations unresolved
It's age independent

The Universe wants to express
To expand and create more
Since It lives only as now it can hold no grudge

Any thing stuck
Anything appearing as shadow
Emerges differently when the light shines

Dark and unknown has a new appearance
New insights, new angles are revealed
A new way of seeing things

Living fully illuminated
Living free
Today I shine the light

The Present- Thought for the Day

A byline I saw

Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a  gift. That's why it is called the present. 

Universe Notes- 5 Tips

On Sunday our Foundations class hosted a workshop to teach and model Affirmative Prayer. I am reminded of these 5 tips that I note about the Universe. I offer them as both explanation and inspiration on how It works and how to use It.
Tip #1. We live in a creative Universe-
Galaxies are being created. The Universe continues to expand. This means that whenever you feel faced with a challenge, remember there is a way to move through it and expand into a new idea. Any situation that feels too much is ready for a new perspective; a new thought.
Tip #2. Picture the experience of what you desire.
Stay out of 'I gotta do ____' thinking. Stay out of the 'what' and focus on the experience you want to create. For example "I want to experience more harmony in my life". When you focus on the experience you remain open to all of the different ways that harmony can appear. You are relieved of having to know every step right now. That will come as you continue to focus on experiencing what you desire.
Tip #3. Affirm support-
The Universe wants us to experience greater good in our living. How do I know that? Look at the ways people and groups innovate. From where they are today (the present) they find new ways and alternatives to have the new invention (tomorrow). That is the process of creation. There resources from the Universe are always present; they are never hidden. Our work is to release any block or old idea of 'no options' or 'can't do this' and open our minds to the new idea. That's the way creativity works.
Tip #4. Transform a Challenge-
Nature is our model. When you look at nature, observe that things change- just look at every plant, insect, animal and tree. No one expected the caterpillar to change its form into a butterfly. It changed and shifted form. Any situation that might feel lack can be opened up, new options revealed and situations become transformed. It all begins with how you think and what perspective you walk with.
Tip #5. "Listen, Listen, Listen to my heart's song"- Achieving mental clarity and knowing what is right for you comes from the silence. Many access silence through meditation and to listening to the heart, the metaphorical source of the 'inner voice'. The lyrics "Listen, Listen, Listen..." of Yogananda remind me of that. They are put to music by Robert Gass and Wings of Song and can be found on ITunes or Amazon on the 'Songs of Healing" album.

Think about it. Each of these tips is worthy of more description and discussion. I'll come back to that another time.