laughter camp

Check out this little video clip of an Indian police laughter camp. It's designed to relieve the stress created by police work. This is brilliant!

Here's your challenge for today: get 3 people to laugh genuinely and heartily. You and they will both feel better! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! :D

If you look at the world through eyes of love, you see nothing but beauty everywhere your gaze lands.

Ahhhhh, to be alive on a day like this!

My heart cannot help but jump for joy on a beautiful day like today! The air is filled with blossomy fragrance, the breeze carrying sounds of summer... birds chirping, a dog barking, a lawnmower humming in the distance... the sidewalks are dotted with specks of bright color... the world is so vibrant this morning, so filled with the anticipation of summer and all the fun that is to be had in the warm months ahead. Ahhh, to be alive on a day like this!

P.s.: A special thank you to John for the beautiful photograph!

something to lift your spirits

Here's something that is sure to give you spirits a lift. I could watch it again, and again, and again!

a bit o' sunshine

A bit o' sunshine to brighten your day.

Courtesy of John Hardman, who has quite a talent for capturing unassuming beauty in his photographs.

~ you are exactly where you need to be ~

I've shared some of Mike Dooleys' 'Notes from Universe' here before, which I receive in my inbox daily and that never fail to bring a smile to my face. I love how witty they are and how they reveal such simple truths with a brilliant sense of humor.

Today's note read the following:


Ever have that feeling that your life, your true work, has not yet begun?

Ever feel like you're here for something more than you've yet identified? And that a billion eyes are upon you, just waiting for the prophecy to unfold?

Hmmmmmm.......

And, have you also ever wanted something so badly that all your wishing, hoping, and praying kept you from seeing that you had it all along?

Precisely,
The Universe

P.s.: Yeah, like times three! Your work has begun. You know exactly what you're doing. And your fans think you're just delish.


This is a beautiful way of reminding us that we are exactly where we need to be on our journeys - at any given moment!


~If you would like to receive your own daily notes from the Universe, visit tut.com.~

a healing mini-visualization for you

Today, take a moment to become still, and breathe into your heart all the love and sweetness that has ever been felt for you. Feel it filling up your heart, like a soft, warm, soothing, golden balm. As you breathe out, allow this luminous energy to overflow from your heart and circulate throughout your entire body, bringing healing to wherever you may need it.

'just an excuse to say hi'

On my regular walking/jogging route through my neighborhood, I go through a little park. I love this little park. Depending on the time of day, it may be bustling with activity, kids running around, a group of guys at soccer practice, friends and families gathering for a BBQ, lovers sitting on a bench, holding hands and gazing at each other, or watching the world go by. An early evening may look like that in my park. In the mornings, it tends to be quiet. I usually pass a few older Asian people on their morning walk. At the other end of the park, the playground is filled with toddlers, accompanied by a parent or caregiver. I spot surprisingly many dads with their kids, which pleases me greatly.

A group of senior citizens meets at this park for Qi Gong. At times, I see them arriving for their practice session, greeting each other and catching up before they get started. Other times, they will be in the middle of practice. I love watching their flowing, graceful movements and have often thought how nice it would be to join in. Watching them reminds me of teaching Qi Gong in another little park near our office when I first started practicing at Lokahi Acupuncture. There is nothing like practicing Qi Gong out in nature, breathing in and absorbing the healing energy of the earth, the trees… connecting with the ground beneath your feet… taking in the sounds of the birds singing… feeling the breeze between your fingertips as you move slowly and deliberately.


An old, yellow van is always parked in the lot at the front end of the park, and a friendly, middle-aged man seems to be living in it. He has smiled at me and greeted me from afar many times. Today, as I walked by, he stepped out of his van and approached me. He handed me a card with an inkblot on it. Below the inkblot was written, Do you know what this is? I opened the card, and it read, Just an excuse to say hi. Signed, Pat. He said it was ‘just a little something he’d made up.’ He introduced himself and smiled, then headed back towards his van. I smiled in turn – surprised, and then again not.

As I walked away, I contemplated the card, and I thought about this man’s life. I do not know anything about him, except that he appears to be living out of his van. Of course, it might be that he just drives his van to the park every day because he enjoys being there. He may not have a job, and he may struggle with various aspects of his life (as do we all), but, whenever I have seen him, he has been smiling, often engaged in conversation with another. I am certain I am not the only person he has handed his self-created card to. And I am most definitely not the only person he has brought a smile to. I thought about the beautiful light and positive energy he radiates and all the lives that he must touch. However small a role he may play in the lives of passersby like myself, it is a profound one. For me, he was an angel – a being of light – who showed up on my path – quite literally – to remind me of the wonder and beauty of life; of all the light we have inside us that we can choose to shine onto others. He shared his light with me today, and, hopefully, I got to shine some of mine back onto him as I returned his smile and thanked him before continuing on my path.

love and accept yourself exactly as you are

Here is a wonderful article on forgiveness and self-love & acceptance by Louise Hay. You can find the original by following this link.

Do You Give Your Power Away?
Open your heart to goodness.

By Louise L. Hay
Published: January 25, 2010


The act of forgiveness takes place in our own mind. It really has nothing to do with the other person.

When we blame another, we give our power away because we’re placing the responsibility for our feelings on someone else. People in our lives may behave in ways that trigger uncomfortable responses in us. However, they didn’t get into our minds and create the buttons that have been pushed. Taking responsibility for our own feelings and reactions is mastering our “ability to respond.” In other words, we learn to consciously choose rather than simply react.

We can’t talk about resentment without also talking about forgiveness. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean that we condone their behavior. The act of forgiveness takes place in our own mind. It really has nothing to do with the other person. The reality of true forgiveness lies in setting ourselves free from holding on to the pain. It’s simply an act of releasing ourselves from the negative energy.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean allowing the painful behaviors or actions of another to continue in your life. Sometimes, forgiveness means letting go. You forgive them and release them. Taking a stand and setting healthy boundaries are often the most loving things you can do—not only for yourself, but for the other person as well.

I truly believe that there are no mistakes. When our hearts are closed and we feel resentment and anger and sadness, it’s hard to see anything good. Yet when our hearts are open, it’s as if so much of that negativity disappears and we’re able to release these old thoughts and reawaken to joy. For each of us, there’s always joy inside. And we need to know how very perfect we are as we are.

No matter how much chaos may be going on around us, no matter how many things may be going wrong or not the way we want them to, no matter what our bodies may be doing at the moment—we can love and accept ourselves. For the truth of us—the very truth of our being—is that we’re eternal. We have always been and we always will be. And that part of ourselves goes on forever. Rejoice that this is so. As we love and accept ourselves exactly as we are, it makes it easier to go through the so-called difficult times. We’re no longer fighting ourselves. We’re accepting. We’re becoming tender. We’re cherishing ourselves. We’re comforting ourselves and making it easier for ourselves.

See yourself standing in front of a mirror looking into your own eyes and saying, I love and accept you exactly as you are. And breathe. Just let yourself feel what you’re feeling. You don’t have to be perfect. You’re already perfect as you are: You are you. You’re exactly what you’ve chosen to be in this lifetime. Of all the bodies and all the personalities that were available, you chose to be who you are—to experience this world, this lifetime, through your body, through your personality. So love your choice, for it is part of your spiritual evolution.


Louise L. Hay, the author of the international bestseller You Can Heal Your Life, is a metaphysical lecturer and teacher with more than 40 million books sold worldwide. For more than 25 years, she has helped people throughout the world discover and implement the full potential of their own creative powers for personal growth and self-healing. Visit: www.LouiseHay.com.

Notes from the Universe

If you aren't yet familiar with Mike Dooley's daily 'Notes from the Universe' emails, I highly recommend signing up for them at tut.com. They're free, and they are bound to make you smile! I love starting my day out with the Universe's latest note. Today's note read the following:


What if funky, confusing, gray, lonely days were just part of a "system" that, in turn, created bright, rich, happy, friendly days?

What if they were just meant to give deeper elements of your creativity a rest?

What if they were deliberately crafted holidays, of a sort, devised by your inner psyche to relieve you from the pressure of artificial expectations?

Would you still bemoan them, wonder what's wrong with you, or fear that they'll never end? Or, Angie, would they kind of tickle you pink?

You party animal, you -
The Universe

P.s.: I knew "tickle" would get your attention, Angie.

trusting ourselves

Someone said to me the other day,

I cannot trust myself.

I have thought about this little statement a great deal the past few days. Trusting others can be challenging enough at times, but why is it that so many of us have a harder time trusting ourselves than we do trusting others? It seems if there is anyone in this world we can trust without hesitation, it should be our very self. And yet, most of us find that we have disappointed ourselves so many times in our lives that we have developed an inability to trust ourselves as we have grown into adults. We may trust ourselves in certain areas of life, but not in others.

For instance, a heart surgeon, although she has an incredibly difficult and demanding job, may trust herself in the OR, having great confidence in her skill and ability to handle emergency situations, as she has witnessed herself perform and live up to the demands of the moment, again and again. However, she may not trust herself when it comes to communicating with her mother or choosing her boyfriends, because she has repeatedly gotten herself into situations in which ended up hurt.

Conversely, a mother of three may feel self-confident and secure in the way she handles all family matters and creates a warm and comfortable environment for those in her home, but she does not trust her ability and competence to return to the working world once her children have grown old enough to look after themselves.

A seasoned car mechanic may feel at ease in his shop, not fearing the challenge of taking on a complicated repair situation, yet he does not trust himself to be alone at night and resist reaching for that bottle of liquor.

The bubbly barista at the local coffee shop may feel entirely in her element while she is brewing up her customers’ requests, all the while engaging them in friendly conversation, but she does not trust herself to go home in the afternoon and face the temptation of her pantry and fridge.


Why have we become so distrustful of ourselves? Why do we fall into patterns of disappointing ourselves, over and over again, and how can we change that?

We all have our own set of unhealthy habits that can be difficult to break. Sometimes, these habits are so detrimental that they become dangerous to ourselves or others. In such a case, it is crucial that we seek out professional help and/or the support of our family and friends. Oftentimes, however, it is fairly harmless little habits that we turn into much bigger problems by continually berating ourselves. We might say, Oh, I always say the stupidest things. Or, Boy, why did I have to have that second (or third, or fourth) slice of cake? I will never reach my goal weight and feel good about myself if I continue on like this. Or else, This person would never be interested in me - I am not pretty/handsome/smart/funny enough... you fill in the blank.

By berating ourselves repeatedly, rather than creating new and healthier habits, we keep ourselves stuck in the old patterns we have come to despise, as we keep affirming just how weak and incapable we are. When we recognize that a current habit is not serving us, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to offer ourselves compassion. We may not be able to instantly turn our life around and do things differently, and that's okay. Being hard on ourselves, contrary to popular belief, is not going to help. What will help is being gentle. Being kind. And being loving. Talking to ourselves as we might talk to a loved one, to reassure ourselves and let ourselves know we believe in ourselves.

We can all remember times when someone else believed in us, while we did not. Times they encouraged us to move forward when we were hesitant. Think back to a time when someone else showed faith in you, and think about the impact this has had on your life. People come into our lives, like gifts, to lend us their belief in us as a crutch, to bridge a gap from one part of our lives to another, until we are strong enough to believe in ourselves.

...

What if we started, instead of continually harping on those aspects of ourselves that we believe are lacking, to focus on those things that we do great? …the parts of us we recognize look nice? …the things that we do well?

What if we began to trust ourselves again, the way we did when we were little children?

What if we believed that we ARE good enough, that we CAN accomplish what we set out to, and that people DO, in fact, love and appreciate us for who we are?

What if we relearned to LOVE ourselves?

feeling good

If you need a little upliftment... or if you're feeling good and are in the mood for a song that reflects your beautiful state of being, check out this wonderful rendition by Michael Buble.

Our bodies are something more than the cage for our minds. Our bodies are the vehicles of our self-expression.

- Julia Cameron (in The Right to Write)

recognize life's little miracles

Miracles are occurring all around us every day, and all we need to do is recognize them to share the blessings of harmony and connection for ourselves, our families, and our world.

- James Twyman

dwell on your dreams