3 Reminders to shape your thoughts

Many people underestimate the value of having experiences they don't think they want.  Not only do they help you get-to-know yourself better, but they also bring you closer to understanding precisely what you do want.  Consider how success-oriented you are based on these reflections:

1) When you desire something, do you react by assuming it isn't possible? or, do you have the attitude, "where there's a will, a way can be found"?

2) When you discern an experience you want, do you start to feel unhappy that you haven't had it? or, do you begin brainstorming different ways to 'make it happen?'

3) When you admire someone for their career path or charisma, do you instinctively compare what you're not and put yourself down? or, do you choose to detect similar, budding qualities in yourself worthy of attention and mentoring?

The key is to contemplate your choices. Recognize that reflecting on your options results in a natural preference for a certain kind of thinking.  As you choose the more positive directions, they will become positive thoughts.  Creating a trend leads to consistent, self-directed efforts and meaningful results.  Ask and ye shall find.

Intimidated by the door

Analysis of the week on dream submitted by I.S. of Melbourne, Australia.

Dream: This particular experience emerged during a meditation, but the theme comes up again  and again in my dreams.  I am walking through a peaceful valley and approach a castle. As I get to the door, I begin to feel the build-up of anxiety.  Part of me would like to find a way to open it or go through, but something always holds me back.  I freeze and can never go any further.  I feel stuck where I am.

Predominant Emotions: doubtful, distrustful, paralyzed, distressed and hesitant.

Interpretation: Doors often represent opportunities. Its useful to recognize "where you stand."  A sense of discomfort reveals you aren't allowing yourself to fulfill your deepest desires.  These natural desires resist being suppressed yet, you choose to hold yourself back.  What is the underlying reason for your fear? Negative feelings are signs deeper issues would likely benefit from attention. Why not listen to yourself? What do you gain from creating your own roadblocks? Does this numb pain?

Remind yourself that your emotions don't create the life you lead.  Rather, they indicate the experiences you're currently attracting based on your conscious or ego-based choices.  As your emotions assist you to realize that your choice of thoughts isn't taking you in the direction you truly desire to go, this is a wake-up call to behave differently.  You have the power to direct your own thoughts.

Some people are drawn to re-examine past experiences, such as betrayal or abandonment, which caused them to distrust other people. Just because someone may have let you down before, this doesn't mean everyone will. It could be helpful to reflect on your own behaviour and treatment. We attract everything for a reason.

3 Tips to see underneath your beliefs

If you genuinely desire to improve yourself, then you need to be open to learning.  That's a given.  In which ways you will learn, well. that's up to you.  Now, if you step back and realize that what you see and experience is always a choice, then you can also consciously change your desires.  You may ask, "how it could be so simple?"

Now, if you decide you don't like something about yourself, you have at least two options: you can decide to love yourself as you are and stay that way or, you can decide to change.  Its all a matter of attitude.  How you perceive yourself is a product of your mind.  Its useful to reflect on three points to see under your beliefs:

1) Realize what you are can't be threatened.  You experience your physical body based on perception, based on conditioning, and based on what other people would like you to believe.  As you deduce that nothing can threaten or intimidate you unless you choose to be effected as such, then you discover fear and anxiety are also products of your mind. Choose instead to know you're safe.  This is the truth.

2) Make choices about what you are.  Consider words you would use to describe yourself. Are you an individual? Are you living in a body? Are you a misplaced soul?  Are you living in the world you perceive or visiting? Are you mortal? changeless or ever-changing? immortal and invulnerable? What you sense or ignore is always a choice.  Does your ego control you? Your view may emerge from insecurities, self-criticism or judgment. Discern reasons behind your self-image and 'ways of seeing.'

3) Engage in mind training.  How many people do you know who will go lengths to support their views and interpretations?  This includes perceived reasons why people are conviced they're right and other people are wrong.  Practising forgiveness of yourselves and others is a leson to learn on the road to self-growth. Remove blocks you put in the way.  Increase awareness of the presence of love all around you.

Use ESP to increase your abundance

Your natural desires are good. Any desire to improve your health, conditions, to grow spiritually or otherwise, can all increase energy flow all around you. This same energy flow determines other kinds of prosperity and a sense of blessings in life. Money is an invention and only one potential side of abundance. Are your views attracting the wealth you want? If not, what will you do about it?

How you choose to use the power of intention takes form in what you choose to think about. You may ask how you're supposed to know what you want. How much money? What other kinds of abundance? You do. You may temporarily forget or be in denial. Simply realize your own ESP can increase your abundance. You already foresee what's happening and what will happen. Learning "how" is part of a process. Deciding whether you desire to change views on wealth is part of your own process.

1) Ask for & accept divine protection. Visualize how a loving, white light surrounds you at all times. You can make it a regular habit to ask for protection from the light. This will allow you to block out negative thoughts and experiences. Protecting your spirit in this way is like extending protection to include the physical world.

2) Dwell on the positive. Events, relationships and situations unfold in your life based on your awareness and how you harness currents of thought. To dwell on positive results brings more of what you want in different forms. Clear out old associations concerning " not enough." Know you have it already.

3) Choose to nurture good feelings about wealth. As you associate wealth with things like increased personal effectiveness and really uplifting feelings, this will attract increasing riches in varied forms. You'll recognize new opportunities, develop stronger, healthier relationships, and note that ideas and prospective sources of income show up. Its like divine magic and results from using your inner power.

4) Believe in infinite flow from the Source. When you genuinely realize more than enough of everything exists, you will truly begin to tap into the infinite flow. Find balance between gratification and over-indulgence. Balance begins in yourself. How you react to money, health, joy and bliss can transform you.

5 Ideas to explore the power of scrying

If you're intent on exploring altered states of awareness, scrying offers a unique approach to dreambuilding. This area of divination isn't for everyone, yet it may excite you.  In order for this exercise to be truly uplifting and empowering, your subconscious mind must sense a point.  Why would you choose to do it? Will it be alone? With a group to share experience? This isn't meant to be a shot in the dark. 

You can read about scrying and how other people have evolved to focus their attention.  People use it as a means for soul-searching or hoping to condition better concentration for listening to their inner voice or even contacting spirit.  Its useful to note many methods and mediums exist.  Someone else's choices won't necessarily be yours.  Over time and through practice, you will discover what feels right.

1) Choose a scrying medium.  Some people prefer scrying mirrors or the flame of a candle.  You might prefer smoke, crystals or a bowl of water. Choose what you would like to focus on.  Place it on a table or other furniture at eye level or easy to focus upon. This kind of self-hypnosis can illuminate you at soul-level.

2) Set the mood.  You may dim the lights, select and burn incense, close the curtains or make other preparations to create an ambiance of relaxation and privacy.  Its advisable to eliminate possible distrations.

3) Begin with a ritual or meditation.  An incantation or reflection will create a sense of moving forward.  Some people also play soft background music to help them strengthen concentration.  Other people incorporate muscle relaxation exercises.

4) Focus on the object.  Its not necessary to stare.  You can blink.  The aim is to learn to empty your mind and to focus on enhancing your sensitivities.  You may observe 10- 20 minutes initially.  See what you sense in the medium.  How does it change? What do you see? Use all of your senses to scry and determine whether you piece together images or sensations of significance. This is a personal process.

5) Interpret what you see.  You may decide to do this through automatic writing  or sketching as you go along or after you have finished the scrying.  Some people use a tape recorder.  Images may seem to appear or follow an 'aura of light' or a 'cloud of mist.'  Images may also appear to coalesce.   You may ask what this means.  That's up to you. What you see could be symbols of the subconscious or may be real people, events or experiences, past, present or future.   Creative brainstorming has emerged through this process.  Believe what you will.