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Introduction to Animal Communication

SouthwestIntenders — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:58:06 GMT

I know we have many animal lovers amongst us!
I am sharing this upcoming event with you. A friend of mine, Bette Heller is teaching it with her friend Heather. (This is who Fran was filmed with!) Please share the word!
Enjoy!

SAT 3/3	INTRO TO ANIMAL COMMUNICATION at Isis Books on Broadway just south of Yale www.isisbooks.com
1-4pm	Bette Heller and Heather Thompson
$25	Do you ever wonder what your animal companions are thinking? Do you talk to your animals and wish that they would respond in kind? Well, they are!!! You just need to learn to "hear" them. In this class, we will learn the basics of how to tap into our innate abilities for telepathic communication and how to "tune into" what your animals are saying. Bette Heller has been communicating with animals since 1998. She offers Psychic Readings for people and animals, living or in spirit. Her goal is to help People and their Animal Companions attain a greater understanding of one another, and live together in peace and harmony. Heather Thompson has been communicating with animals since 2008. She us an energy worker and does a variety of energy work on animals, in person and remotely. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher, a Medical Intuitive, and a Reflexology Teacher. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring photograph(s) of living animal(s) that they would like to communicate with. Questions? Email: BetteSCR@comcast.net or call 303-898-8962 .

Intenders Circle - "Conscious Daydreaming"

SouthwestIntenders — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:22:36 GMT

You are invited to
SW Intenders Circle
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
6:30-8:30

Our topic will be Conscious Daydreaming

"Just staring up, imagining a cloud above my head where all these ideas pop up ready to bounce into the world."

At times we find ourselves at pivotal points, these sometimes feel uncomfortable, fearful, or adverse other times we can feel overwhelmed with excitement, finding it hard to believe how much good we are creating. Conscious daydreaming is a tool we can learn to work our very powerful energy to create our desires or bask in our creations, making them even stronger. Taking just 15 minutes a day, according to many teachers, is all it takes to align our vibration through conscious daydreaming.

"Daydreaming is a light trance state, where during this time you are relaxed, your breathing and pulse slows, and your mind thinks about an imagined or real activity."

The process involves being mindful in our daydreaming and focusing our thoughts, feelings and active thoughts on what we choose to create.

This is a short meditation to get us started:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgtZcGRdD3s

We will play with another artistic exercise again this week. I will have paper, pens, crayons and magazines. Please bring other materials that will help you make this meaningful for you. The following is a description of the exercise. Take a moment to center, ground and get into a very present state. Allow thoughts to enter into your mind that are filled with imagination around your desired outcomes. Continue to let them flow in. If a doubt comes to mind, thank it and let your imagination create an alternate scenario where the doubt is not needed. Then....

just write it down (get crayons or felt pens, and make it into a big colourful mess!)
mindmap it (strange lil doodling)
make a collage
Or simply spend some time creating vibrations within you that align with your desires.

Don’t forget to have fun and don’t pressure yourself. Just allow yourself to daydream freely!

Here is another link you may wish to check out too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MyWtIji0gw

Don't let any place that you are standing frighten you. All it is, is abyproduct of some Energy alignment, which only gives you stronger clarityabout what you want — and, most importantly, greater sensitivityabout whether you're in a receiving mode or locked off of it.

--- Abraham

While it is obvious that a good-feeling body makes for a more pleasantphysical experience, we want you to understand that finding pleasantthings to focus upon also makes for a good-feeling body.

However, most humans are approaching the subject of their physical well-being in a backward manner. Most people who are experiencing physical ailments lettheir physical condition dictate their mental attitude. In other words,their emotions are responsive to their physical condition. When they arein pain, they offer emotions of frustration, worry, anger, or fear. Theywant the condition to improve so that their emotional state canimprove.

Any illness, or departure from physical well-being,begins at a cellular level—but the overwhelming propensity of yourcells is that of thriving. All day, every day, your cells are reclaimingbalance at such refined and subtle levels that most people are completelyunaware of the power and intelligence of their cellularbodies.

Focusing upon good-feeling objects of attention isthe most effective way of providing the optimum environment for allowingunhindered cellular communication and the ultimate thriving of yourphysical body.

--- Abraham

SW Intenders Circle Invite - Valentine's Topic = Self Love

SouthwestIntenders — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:32:17 GMT

You are invited to SW Intenders Circle
Tuesday, February 14th 6:30: 8:30

11283 West Rice Place, Littleton
No street Parking - Please park in driveway or in the designated visitor parking spots

For Valentine's Day - our topic is Self Love!

We are all made up of energy. Energy is subject to to certain sciencitific Laws. One of these laws is "like attracts like." Our personal energy is called our vibration.

"At the heart of every condition is a vibrational pattern—a rather minor tweaking of vibrational patterning (sort of like the hub of a wheel)can affect tremendously out there on the peripheral of this big wheel… A little bit of tweaking on the emotion can make big differences in the way the physical manifestation occurs." --- Abraham

Reality is a direct mirror of our current vibration: "like attract like," or "what we focus on expands" and "what we resists persists."

Learning to maintain your vibration in alignment with your desires is directly effected by the amount of Self love that is felt at your conscious and unconscious core. Your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, perceptions, words, actions and reactions - what you practice doing in everyday living directly create your vibrations - which create the energy that is mirrored back to you in all your life situations.

If you do not love your Self, how can you allow yourSelf the opportunities you desire? If you do not love yourself, how will you take actions that are in your best interest? How can you allow overall health if you first do not truly love yourself?

For this Intenders Circle, I would like to explore love and Self love and how can we all ensure we are being loving and healthy in our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, actions and reactions to ensure we are not getting in the way of our conscious desires (intentions).

The amount of love you feel for yourSelf directly effects the emotions you have during everyday interactions (lack of Self love is directly responsible for self sabotaging vibrations).
The four basic categories of desires are health, relationship, finances and Spirituality.

When you truly love yourSelf you will be drawn to take the best care of your body which results in better physical health.

When you truly love yourSelf it is natural to be in integrity and honest with yourSelf and others which allows authentic loving relationships.

When you truly love yourSelf your true purpose is more easily expressed and you are naturally drawn to income situations that match your gift, feel fun and are fulfilling to yourSelf. When you truly love yourself, self-sabotaging beliefs can more easily fall away and allow your natural abundance to to experienced.

When you truly love yourSelf you can maintain your highest vibration during interactions. You can easily adhere to the Four Agreements as taught by Don Miguel Ruiz and be on an authentic Spiritual path:

Be Impeccable with your word
(Your own Self talk included.)
Don't take anything personally
(Being aware of how outer situations affect you.)
Don't make assumptions
(Being aware of how judgement creates a situation that is not loving to yourself and others)
Always do your best.
(Loving yourself allows this to be natural)

Louise Hays has shared an outstanding practice called mirror work.

You begin this very personal journey to self love by looking into a mirror, not at your outer reflection but into your own eyes. Simply share with yourSelf - "I love you"

This practice is best when you listen for the answer in lieu of creating them from your ego. This window to your true Self allows for you to explore beliefs, perceptions or unconsciousness that are in the way of truly loving yourself.

In time you may ask yourSelf "What can I do for you today" or "How can I love you today?"
You may choose to also make commitments to yourSelf like - "Everything I do today will be in an effort to express a Highest Expression of love." This practice is best when made personal to your situation and always from a deep understanding of what love is.

Jennifer Hoffmans also shares a great article about Self Love: http://enlighteninglife.com/the-energy-of-love/

Inspiring Words

SouthwestIntenders — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:39:12 GMT

"Truly, truly manifesting IS about following our bliss. About never feeling more alive as when we are doing what we love to do and it supports others in some way. Because I do not think it is possible to feel the joy and excitement of doing our bliss without feeling a huge amount of gratitude along with it." ~ Fran Menley

Inspired Posts from our Circle last night (14 Intenders!)

SouthwestIntenders — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:09:43 GMT

Whatever you are giving your attention to already has a vibration of itsown, and as you give your attention to it, you include its vibration inyour vibration...and then your point of attraction is affected.
-- Abraham

Fran Menley shares from the Daily OM: As the Earth Allows the Rain - Sitting with Feelings

Taking the time now to sit with your feelings and acknowledge them will save you much distress down the road. It can take great courage to really sit with our feelings, allowing ourselves to surrender to their powerful energies. All too often we set our feelings aside, thinking we will deal with them later. If we don’t deal with them, we end up storing them in our minds and bodies and this is when anxiety and other health issues can arise. Denying what our bodies want to feel can lead to trouble now or down the line, which is why being in the thick of our feelings, no matter how scary it seems, is really the best thing we can do for ourselves.

One of the reasons we tend to hide or push aside our feelings is that we live in a culture that has not traditionally supported emotional awareness. However, as the connection between mind and body--our emotions and our physical health-- becomes clearer, awareness of the importance of feeling our feelings has grown. There are many books, classes, workshops and retreats that can help us on our way to emotional intelligence. We can also trust in our own ability to process what comes up when it comes up. If sadness arises, we can notice its presence and welcome it, noting where in our bodies we feel it, and allowing ourselves to express it through tears or a quiet turning inward.

When we simply allow ourselves to fully feel our feelings as they come, we tend to let them go easily. This is all we are required to do; our feelings simply want to be felt. We often complicate the situation by applying mental energy in the form of analysis, when all we really need is to allow, as the earth allows the rain to fall upon it. As the rain falls, the earth responds in a multitude of ways, sometimes emptying out to form a great canyon, sometimes soaking it up to nourish an infinitude of plants. In the same way, the deeper purpose of our feelings is to transform the terrain of our inner world, sometimes creating space for more feelings to flow, sometimes providing sustenance for growth. All we need to do is allow the process by relaxing, opening, and receiving the bounty of our emotions.

My reflections on the question:
Q: “How do I use affirmations / intentions when I am physically /mentally not feeling well?”

The answer, in my opinion and from my experience so far, begins with an understanding of the duality of our third dimensional presence. It is in the answer to the question: “Why as a Spiritual Being, do we choose to come into this human experience?”

What if we, as Spiritual Beings, agree to come into this human experience to practice and have the full spectrum of positive and negative? The opposites allow the full experience of both.

Basic science shows us that everything in this physical experience is made up of both positive and negative – this creates the duality of the experience so that we can have experiences. It is actually impossible to not be both. Balance comes by allowing both to be experienced. Allowing the feelings and not becoming them.

Many people, who have had death experiences, share storied of the feeling of “nirvana” once they have passed. They share they no longer have the lower emotions to allow the experience of the higher emotions; it becomes “all good” but lacks the “juice” of this human expression. The duality of the experience which allows the experience is gone.

Therefore it makes sense that our power here, in the human experience, is in our perspective or perception of what is available to us – which translates to the choice of how we choose to experience the experience. Denial on any level is dysfunctional – it is not about being positive all the time.

Remembering, with our Essence Self (Higher Self), that all experiences are created for good, (the good or bad is merely our judgment of them and is part of the experience) while allowing the human feelings to be expressed in a healthy way (our gift in this experience) from a core place of trust, curiosity and “Knowing” allows us to “move or dance” with what is our Higher Self’s chosen path, karma or the bigger gift that is before us.

Remember two basic laws of the Universe – what we focus on expands and what we resist persists. Understanding our power lies in our perception allows us to move through or get stuck in a current experience. Are you focusing on what you desire for your experience or what you do not desire? Do you talk about what you desire or do you only identify with what you do not desire? Are you resisting the pain or allowing it and its healing? There is a very fine line that is described here. Admittedly, when pain is being experienced it takes great trust to allow the discomfort and also allow the wholeness and healing. It is a personal journey and I believe different for each person.

Understanding this bigger duality and accepting that life may be orchestrated from both a higher realm and also by our human perception / perspective gives us a better understanding of how to have the best experience. Our power is in the choice of how we “dance with life” – what we identify with and create with our focus. Examining if our focus is on what we do not want or are we actively creating what we do want by looking for what matches our desires and celebrating and expanding on that.

A friend of my daughters recently was in a horrible car accident. She was in the back seat of the car, her seat buckle was on and the car was traveling at the appropriate speed, in good order. A drunk driver hit the car from behind. Her left side of her face smashed and disfigured; her eyeball was no longer in a socket and her cheek crushed into little pieces. She shared with me that as she was lying in her hospital bed, awaiting news from the doctors she realized that no matter what she did – good or bad – sometimes “bad things” could happen to her. Her story and continued journey towards healing gave me clarity as to the choices we are each given with our choice of perception and perspective.

She has the choice of exploring, accepting, allowing her feelings, learning and growing from what happened or she can get stuck in the part of the experience that can be seen as being a victim, letting it become her life’s focus.

There are many stories like this where people have extraordinary lives after what appears to be extraordinary tragedy because they refuse to accept being a victim – they allow what happened but do not become it. They refuse to be identified by the event, injury or circumstance. They understand that in life things happen (which may offer an opportunity and may have been a choice at some higher level of consciousness). They can choose what the experience is for them.

Intentions and affirmations are just one tool in this process. Both are only as good as our ability to first feel genuine continued gratitude. Again, the basic law of what is focused on expands. The realization and feeling of gratitude is accomplished by going within and hearing our inner and outer words (what is story you are constantly declaring?), owning our feelings (what is your motivator for the story?), our mind chatter (what are your beliefs about your current situation and your story?) and finding a way to shift to a focus (vibration) of gratitude with all these expressions on a continued basis; one that is truly genuine and real for you.

A good measure to use to understand your current focus and vibration is to look at your current reality. Whatever your reality continues to be gives you a hint of what your focus has been. The shift that is required is both simple and profound. It is subtle and huge – again a duality. It is personal for each person and may require many tools to accomplish.

The desired shift, in my experience, will always come from within – not from outer forces – you cannot wait to feel the gratitude until after an outer thing changes – you cannot use “I will feel gratitude when…” You must feel gratitude and then things shift. It will come from deep inside – it involves trust, allowing and getting out of one’s own way.

Because we are complex humans, with wonderful ego’s that twists and distort our perception and perspective to support perceived survival we may need to “play” a little to get out of our own way. Some suggestions that were shared in tonight discussion at the Intenders Circle were:

Use humor – be able to laugh at yourself and the situation you find yourself in.

Accept 100% responsibility for the current experience and use the Ho’oponopono’s prayer to cleanse and unite with the Divine / God / Good. Read more about how this prayer works in last week’s topic on the blog or listen to Joe Vitale explain it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh1EqqDchbA&feature=related or any of the other Ho'oponopono posts on Youtube.

Use Afformations (create questions to set forth your problem solver instincts): Why am I attracted to things that help me to trust in my ability to feel better? Why am I able to notice glimpses of ease and joy? Why am I feeling better? Why am I able to allow myself to heal? Why is it okay to love myself? Why am I easily allowing myself to feel and get better?

Use What If questions (again, sets forth your problem solver instincts): What if I start to feel better? What if I allow myself to trust that I can feel better? What if I attract the exact thing I need to feel better?

Use If (same idea as the two above): If this current feeling has purpose, what is it? If I manifested this experience, what am I gaining from it? If this is part of my chosen path, how am I better because of it and how can I use it to be on Purpose?

Practice observering yourself – step outside of yourself and observe; what are your motivators for your self-talk, stories and behaviors. Ask yourself honestly, how is your current situation working for you? How is it good for you? How is it serving you? This takes tremendous honesty and self reflection and can offer a great breakthrough. We are all doing what we believe to be what is best for us. Using humor and being gentle is recommended. Laughing at oneself lovingly – we are funny creatures! Asking these questions in the mirror is very powerful – then listen.

“No one does anything they do not want to do. You always have a reason--and usually, a pretty good one--for doing what you are doing and choosing what you are choosing. Be careful not to convince yourself that you are doing something against your will. Such a thing is impossible. Therefore, be honest with yourself as to why you are choosing to do a particular thing. Then, do it gladly, knowing that you are always getting to do what you want. The statement "I have no choice" is a lie. You can choose. You simply do not prefer the alternatives available to you, for whatever reason. So you select the outcome that you most prefer. Isn't that power?” ~Neal Donald Walsch

Tuesday, February 7 - Susan Levitt

SouthwestIntenders — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:01:10 GMT

Tuesday, February 7 is a full Moon in the dynamic Fire sign Leo. This first full Moon of the magnificent Water Dragon year is the time to take a risk and try new things; do what you've always wanted to do but just kept putting off for one reason or another. And today love planet Venus entersthe exciting Fire sign Aries for passion and direct action. Socializing is very fortunate to expand your circle. Venus in Aries is lucky for new love if single, or to bring new life to your relationship if partnered.

Also on this full Moon, Saturn the planet of work, duty, and responsibility goes retrograde until June 25. And Mars, planet of action and courage, is already retrograde until April 14. Retrogrades can cause obstacles or delays. But the energy of the powerful Water Dragon won't delay anything! Just keep moving and flowing, or simply keep up. Next year Water Serpent 2013 we'll all have plenty of time for reflection and introspection. But now is the time for action and forward movement.

SUSAN LEVITT
www.susanlevitt.com

Aspen Intro's canceled due to weather

SouthwestIntenders — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:22:15 GMT

The Free Introductions offered this weekend by the Aspen Program have been canceled due to the wonderful snow we are experiencing.

Please take a few moments to check out the plethora of offerings on the website: www.psychicIQ.com or call me or the Director, Karen Fox with any questions 303-942-0646.

The program offers five different certifications: Medical Intuitive, Transpersonal Awareness, Spirit Mediumship, Business Intuitive and Psychic.

You can earn a certificate or just take the classes.

The program also offers advanced classes for professional Intuitives / Psychics, Play dates with a diverse group of topics and classes for self-improvement and empowerment.

The programs belief is that everyone is psychic / intuitive - practice and exercise of this innate talent is what is required to expand it and integrate it into everyday living on a more concious level.

Intenders Circle - Shift Happens through Intention

SouthwestIntenders — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:33:00 GMT

You are invited to join the SW Intenders Circle

Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30-8:30 PM
Please use the driveway or visitor parking, no street parking
RSVP's always appreciated

Our topic is shared by Pat Serafin: "Shift Happens through Intention."

A Chinese proverb asks this question: When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago. When is the next best time? Today.

This article is written by Dr. Carol Carnes: It is not unusual for people to bemoan not knowing about spirituality in their younger years. They feel they would have avoided lots of emotional pain if they had only been aware of the power of their mind to cause the experiences of their lives. Certainly, we would all benefit from an upbringing devoid of superstition and dogma, the erroneous belief that an outer power were running our lives like a puppet master, or that everything was pre-destined and we had little to say about it.

However, millions of people have awakened to a deeper truth about our nature and the Creative Process that is constant and personal. They have discovered that the Power that makes all things new is an aspect of their own being; that the God of old is the aliveness in them; that the way to have what they desire is to express that quality; that ideas have motor power to become things; that what we dwell upon tends to take up residence in our life; that the very things we seek in the outer world originate in the inner realms of our own awareness.

Spirituality is a way of living based on these principles. Those who are practicing them with intention and cheerful expectancy are having the time of their lives.

Below is a document I created on the topic of setting intentions:

How to create and use intentions:

The first step: I have heard many of you align with the idea of mastering living in the “Now.” Living in the NOW supports being conscious; it makes it easier to not get lost in the past or future, and in the negative spiral thinking of worry, anger, regret, etc. Living in the Now is part of the process of deliberate creation; it is part of the first step of being in a state of appreciation and gratitude. It is the optimum place in which to set forth your “rockets of desires” or intentions. Living in the NOW lends to a feeling of appreciation and gratitude which opens up your ability to allow your intentions to manifest.

“Your happiness is one of the greatest gifts you can give the world. You are the source of your happiness. Happiness is a choice. Give yourself permission to be happy. Make it a priority. The more you depend on someone else for your happiness, the more you are bound to disappointment. What brings YOU joy?” ~ Belief Busters

Let’s go around the circle and each share our thoughts as we start out this evening:

What makes YOU happy?

What brings YOU joy?

Do you believe that you are in this human experience to have a joyful life? Can you believe it?

Will you allow yourself a joy filled life? How do you do that? How can you do that?

What is your overall belief about being happy and creating joy?

“Wanting, or intending, is the beginning of the Creating Process, and without it, no deliberate creation will occur.” ~ Abraham

The second step in the process of deliberate creation is identifying the feeling underneath what is wanted or desired so that you can create your intentions. (Deliberate creation starts with a feeling, not a “need” for a physical or material possession! You may have feelings from interacting with the physical, but it is never the physical that actually brings us joy – it is our perception of the physical.)

Abraham teaches : “if you do not intend anything for the segments of your life and something occurs that catches you off guard, then you are swept up by the influence of others (who are not focused on your joy), and you may then create in a direction that is not really of your wanting.

At first, creating the “details of what you are setting into motion is usually where your greatest mis-creating occurs.” Step back in the beginning and say, “I intend joyous creation. I intend harmony. I intend to eat well and be warm and surrounded by those I am harmonious with. Start simple and create the feeling of your overall desire. [1]”

By starting with the feeling and simple words you will begin to attract circumstances, other thoughts and inspired actions which will bring the details of your intention into clearer focus. As you become clear, you can redefine and fine tune your intention.

Often, when you try to start with the specific details of that which is vague and unknown, (“ What will I do for work, or what will I do for money”), it is too far away and unknown for you to create - you do not currently have enough information and that is where mis-creating begins. You may have doubts about what you are intending because you are unsure. You may worry that you are missing a detail or limiting yourself by the details. Fear and worry are signals that you are mis-creating. Your intentions will then bring you what you do not want because they are matching your confused vibrations! This cycle creates a level of frustration and disbelief in the power of deliberate creation – intentions.

It is important to understand if you’re intentions, “deliberate desires” are created from a “feeling” of fear or lack you will only create the lack of that desire. When you create from a place of pure creative desire, from a feeling and focus of appreciation and gratitude of what is working now in your life your desires will unfold before you. We are the only thing that gets in the way of our manifesting. You must look within yourself, get to know yourself, listen to yourself and observe yourself to find your blocks.

“When we are focused on what we don’t have we start losing appreciation. And when we lose appreciation we can also lose what we do have.” ~ Yehuda Berg

Sometimes suppressing desires comes from a learned belief that it will avoid disappointment. This is not true. Disappointment comes from focusing on what is not yet manifested and therefore creates a block to insure that it will not manifest. Thus is the importance of living in the NOW and feeling appreciation and gratitude; celebrate what is and know/believe that it is creating your desires. This is the reason in our Intenders Circles we first focus on our gratitude’s (to develop the feeling), then set forth our intentions. It is important to deeply and honestly “feel” first!

“When you do not understand that every thought creates, then you do not understand how your thoughts of doubt or disbelief push what you want away from you. And in your lack of understanding of what is keeping your wants from being realized, you gradually allow yourself to want less and less.” ~ Abraham

It is my belief that we came into this physical experience for a purpose. From that place, we choose to be who we are, where we are, and we get to decide or create how we will have the experiences. We can make a decision to be clearly focused upon what we desire, to allow ourselves the joyous, excited emotions of anticipation as we imagine the fulfillment of our intentions or not. Either way we will have the experience. By being deliberate, we have the opportunity to enjoy the process of the experience.

When we use the power God gave us to create joyful ideas and experiences we are no longer victims of circumstance. By taking responsibility for our thoughts, feelings and actions we can create the life we desire; but only thru taking 100% responsibility, which means being 100% conscious of what we are thinking, feeling and doing 100% of the time. It also involves accepting graciously what we have created to date. Resisting creates more of the same experience!

“ As you recognize that you are the creator of all that you experience, and as you stop trying to blame others for that which makes you unhappy – you will be in control of your physical experience, and you will be on your way to that exhilarating ecstasy that we have spoken of here.” ~ Abraham

We live in a powerful time, where thoughts have the ability to translate into physical manifestations rapidly. We are part of a great time. You have a choice to use intentions to create joy, peace, health, well-being, abundance, harmony, clean air, clean water, a safe and healthy environments, etc… or not. We have the power within us to create a new world; that power lies in the conscious intentions you set forth – intentions free of worry, expectation, time frames, etc.

By living in the NOW you keep your vibration free of judgment, worry, doubt and things that block your creations. By setting forth deliberate, conscious feeling and thoughtful intentions every day, all day, you get to create your experience!

Traditional Religion teaches that God created humans in It’s own image; since God is the Creator - so we are too! It is what we came here to do. Begin simple. Begin with the simple things that bring you joy. Begin with the feeling:

I intend I feel safe; to have shelter, food and love. I intend I feel peaceful, to be in harmonious relationships. I intend I feel healthy and have overall well being; I feel in harmony within myself. I intend I feel vibrant, strong, and alive. I intend I feel secure; I have financial abundance that meets my needs and the needs of others. I intend I feel inspiration, excitement and clarity. I intend I feel calm; I have the ability to believe. I intend I accept myself right where I am; I feel peace within my mind and body. I intend I feel and allow myself joy regardless of the world around me. etc…

For some, this may be a brand new experience. Some aspects of society teach that it is selfish to think of yourself or to want for yourself. There is no truth or benefit for anyone in this thinking. No one benefits if you do not take care of you first! You cannot share with anyone what you do not first have within yourself.

“Your natural state of being is a state of joy, and a state of health and a state of growth.” ~ Abraham

Meditation: Imagine a blank canvas and you have the ability to create anything you want on the canvas. You can never paint anything wrong! If you paint something you do not want, you can always change it, paint something new over it. You have the freedom to paint as much as you want, the canvas will grow bigger and expand as you fill it up.

What will you allow yourself? Ask yourself, what do I want on my canvas – who do I want to be and what do I want in my life from this day forward? Will you allow yourself the full canvas or dabble in the corner, afraid to use the space? Have you picked up your paintbrush yet? When? Are you staring at the paint, afraid to pick a color? Why?

Are you painting with excitement of what will be revealed? Are you adding other mediums to your painting – remember you are unlimited – you can add feathers, jewels, wood, whatever makes you happy. Allow you mind to see what you have started to paint. What desires are ready to be created? How does your picture make you feel? Can you create and feel joyful, fulfilled, on course, happy, connected, love, abundant, healthy and more??

Now open your eyes and jot down a list of things that make you happy on the back of this paper. The sky is the limit; there are no boundaries. Allow your heart to fill with love and let your hand flow freely.

Let’s take a few minutes and write gratitude’s and intentions for today. Practice letting your words describes your “feelings.” Describe what the underlying feeling is for your outer desires? From that feeling place, you do not need to know all the details, you can add in your physical or material ideas as they become clear and certain for you, which will then expand your joyful feelings. The base for your manifestations is the already established feeling of joy!

We have come into this life to experience and share joy; seeing the good, appreciating all our experiences helps us to feel joy. By allowing yourself a focus of joy (even when the outer experience may look bleak in the moment) you will be a more powerful creator, a more supportive friend, a better partner, a more effective parent, and an overall happier person – you will move thru the contrast and discomfort faster and with ease. Your discomfort and/or contrast will allow you a simple shift in perspective, instead of pain and fear! You will appreciate it for what it truly is, a gift to get you back on track! Life is filled with experiences that will give us depth and wisdom. We have the choice of what emotions we attach to the experience.

I invite us to take this a step farther and over the next few weeks create a “vision.” What will you allow yourself to have?

Perhaps you will write it down specific points or you may create a vision board. You may write a song, create a dance, take a picture – you are unlimited in your expression. The underlying goal is to ignite desired feelings from a place of gratitude and appreciation. By taking the time to focus and create, to make the vision in some physical form, you will set forth a powerful force and “rockets of desires”!

Allow yourself to do what God created us to do – to create and feel joy! Practice step one – get in the feeling of gratitude and appreciation – be in the NOW. Then move on to step two and create and clarify your vision! Remember you cannot get it wrong, like the canvas it will expand when needed or you can re-create any desire. Begin by identifying the feelings you desire – what brings you joy? Remember, you will be creating this vision and re-creating it for the rest of your life. Let’s practice keeping ourselves conscious as we create!

[1] Abraham Speaks: A New Beginning I, Handbook for Joyous Survival, Jerry and Ester Hicks

Aspen Program Free Introductions this Saturday in Lakewood & Aurora

SouthwestIntenders — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:56:28 GMT

The Aspen Program offers 90 classes that include classes for kids, self-empowerment, Spiritual development, Psychic skills, Animal communication, and more. Five Certifications are available. Come here about the program at one of the free intro's this Saturday - in Lakewood and Aurora! For more information and to register log onto the website at www.PsychicIQ.com

The Aspen Program for Psychic Development
offers 3 locations (ISIS Books in Englewood, VAST Wellness in Aurora, & the Cloisters in Lakewood),
20 teachers, 80+ classes, 10 different mentor groups, and 5 certifications.
Please check out the website for a class or workshop that you might be interested in attending in 2012!

FREE Intro this weekend in Lakewood and Aurora
Pre-Register at www.PsychicIQ.com

Registrations tarts on-line at www.PsychicIQ.com on February 5th, Super Bowl Sunday!

Inspiration - The Wisdom of Surrender

SouthwestIntenders — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:46:25 GMT

The Wisdom of Surrender
Resistance Equals Persistence

From the Daily OM:

Resistance tends to strengthen the energies it attempts to oppose by giving them power and energy to work against.

We all know the feeling of being repeatedly haunted by the same issue, no matter how we try to ignore it, avoid it, or run away from it. Sometimes it seems that we can get rid of something we don’t want by simply pushing it away. Most of the time, the more we push away, the more we get pushed back. There are laws of physics and metaphysics that explain this phenomenon, which is often summed up in this pithy phrase: That which you resist persists.

Resistance tends to strengthen the energies it attempts to oppose by giving them power and energy to work against. Additionally, resistance keeps us from learning more about what we resist. In order to fully understand something, we must open to it enough to receive its energy; otherwise, we remain ignorant of its lessons. There is a Tibetan story of a monk who retreats to meditate in a cave only to be plagued by demons. He tries everything—chasing, fighting, hiding—to get the demons out of his cave, but the thing that finally works is surrender. He simply lets them have their way with him and only then do they disappear.

Now, this wisdom must be applied practically. We are not meant to get ourselves physically injured. Instead, this story speaks of how, in essence, our demons are inside of us. What plagues and pursues us on an inner level has a way of manifesting itself in our environment in the form of people, events, and issues that appear to be beyond our control. But all these external expressions are reflections of our insides, and it is inside ourselves that we can safely experiment with surrendering to what we fear and dislike. It may feel scary, and we may find ourselves in the company of a lot of resistance as we begin the process of opening to what we fear. But the more we learn to surrender, and the more the demons that plague us disappear in the process, the more courageous we will become.

Construction ALERT!!

SouthwestIntenders — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:27:30 GMT

Construction on Quincy has the road closed from Kipling heading west to our complex.

SW Intenders Notice!

Please be alerted you must enter our complex from the west heading east.

Options: Kipling south to 285 West to Simms South to Quincy east.

Kipling (south/north) to Bellview head west to Simms, turn north on Simms follow to Quincy east.

See you tomorrow night! RSVP always appreciated.

Please park in driveway or visitor parking - HOA tows cars parked on street. Thanks!

Nancy 303-525-7091 nancymarkow@gmail.com

Aspen Program Free Intro this weekend - Registration Feb 5

SouthwestIntenders — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:25:12 GMT

Registrations tarts on-line at www.PsychicIQ.com on February 5th, Super Bowl Sunday!

The new system offers automated registration this year, and registrations are handled on-line only. $8 will be charged for each class you register for on Feb 5. This is part payment of the class fee.
Pay the remainder at the class to the instructor. More details on line: www.PsychicIQ.com

Check out the new:
BusinessIntuitive Certification with Jennifer Garcia
and the
TranspersonalAwareness Certification with Sean MichaelMorris

Forgiveness Exercise

SouthwestIntenders — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:21:34 GMT

A Forgiveness and Release Exercise Created and shared by Lisha St.Claire

(Thanks for sharing this Lisha!)

This exercise can be used for virtually anything: for the people you care for AND the ones you’re having trouble with; for money; for the car you want as well as the car you have [and maybe wish you didn't, or you wish you could afford to improve it], and especially for releasing the inner critic who’s hard on yourself.

Picture the person, item, issue -- whatever -- in front of you, small enough to hold in your open hand/s. Spend a moment connecting with whomever or whatever it is without judgment.

Then say these words: [spend time with each set before going on to the next]

• I love you. [Even if you’re not sure that you do!]

• I bless you.

• I thank you. [Again, even if you’re not sure that you do!]

• I thank you for the gifts you’ve given me. [There is a gift in each and every relationship -- even if you have no idea what it might be.]

• I thank you for the things I’ve learned in my time with you [or in my time without you].

• I forgive you.

• I forgive me.

• I release you to your highest soul path

• As I release me to mine.

Spend another moment or two, then release the person or item and put your palms together to come back to yourself.

Sometimes this exercise is complete with just the one session. More than likely, though, it’ll take more time than that. Repeat it as often as you like and as often as you need to, and you’ll find that the release gets easier each time -- until it suddenly feels complete.

SW Intenders - Ho’oponopono

SouthwestIntenders — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:43:39 GMT

You are invited to join the SW Intenders Circle

Tuesday, January 31st at 6:30-8:30 PM
Please use the driveway or visitor parking, no street parking
RSVP's always appreciated

Our Topic: Ho’oponopono Prayer
Fran will be sharing some audio or visual Ho’oponopono materials.

Ho’oponopono originated from Hawaii and was originally taught by Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona. Morrnah was a healer and in 1983 she received a great honor by being designated as a living treasure of Hawaii. She was teaching Ho’oponopono to small and large groups of people as well as to hospitals, colleges and even to United Nations personnel. She also founded “The Foundation of I, Self-Identity through Hoʻoponopono” to promote principles of Ho’oponopono around the world.

Historically Ho’oponopono healing system required the presence of mediator – senior qualified practitioner who would guide a healing process for practitioner. It is often that the group of people need be to interacting with each other in a certain way for the process to take place.
Morrnah updated Ho’oponopono in a way that healing and transformation process no longer required presence of any other person but the practitioner himself. Neither any specific interaction is required between practitioner and other people.

The miracle powers of Ho’oponopono self-healing and self-improvement practice would still be unknown to the world at large if not for the works of Joe Vitale, published as “The Attractor Factor” and especially his exceptional quality “Zero Limits” book.

Joe Vitale is best known as internet marketer, writer and speaker on the subject of self improvement. While internet marketing is something that perceived by many (including myself) with a great degree of skepticism – Joe Vitale’s experience on the subject of self improvement as well as his in-depth research about Ho’oponopono deserves the highest marks. It’s from Joe Vitale’s “Zero Limits” book that the world found out about true miracles and powers of Ho’oponopono as well as about Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len.

Dr. Hew Len was the most avid student of Morrnah Simeona and practitioner of updated Ho’oponopono technique. He was the first person who got documented and confirmed proof of the healing miracles initiated by the Ho’oponopono process. Dr. Hew Len observed Hooponopono healing powers himself when Morrnah Simeona healed his daughter from painful bleeding shingles (skin disease) that she suffered from for more than a decade without anyone or anything helping.

Being traditionally educated university-trained physician he decided to look deeper into the process that Morrnah Simeona was using. He signed into her seminar in 1982 and not without certain degree of struggle (“…she was talking to spirits and sounding nuts!…” – ‘Zero Limits’, page 42) managed to complete the training. She was staying and learning from Morrnah all the way till 1992 when she passed away. Paying utmost attention to her teaching and practices Dr Hew Len managed to simplify and improve Ho’oponopono process even more and with amazing results.

From 1984 till 1987 he worked as a staff psychologist for Hawaii State Hospital overseeing high security unit housing male criminally insane patients. Now, to make things clear – these are the type of guys you don’t want to turn your back on. These guys committed murders, rapes, assaults and due to their degree of “insanity” were locked into psychiatric high security facility. Violence against each other and staff members were common.

Fast forward to 1987 (3 years later) wrist and ankle restraints were no longer used in this facility. Violence almost ceased to exist, only involving mostly new patients. New off-site activities were introduced to former violent patients. The spirit and order in the unit was greatly improved and eventually the whole unit was closed because there was no need. People just got improved, healed and released or moved into other non-violent wards.

This all was documented, described my multiple witnesses and personnel.

How did such miraculous change took place in the hospital?

According to Dr. Hew Len:

He did not do any therapy or counseling with patients
He did not attend any staff conferences on patients
He practiced updated Ho’oponopono process on a daily basis that included accepting 100% of responsibility for everything being experienced by him.
(Zero Limits, page 142)

Dr. Hew Len improved and practiced updated Ho’oponopono process every day and this process caused the most miraculous transformation within the most challenging environment.

So what exactly is Ho’oponopono and how does it work?

When Joe Vitale met with Dr. Hew Len and asked him how exactly did he manage to heal these violent patients without actually seeing each of them in person, his answer was:

“I didn’t heal them. I healed part of myself that created them”. To me that was the most fundamental revelation to date. That phrase alone explains the most important presumption of Ho’oponopono:
You are 100% responsible for everything. Everything and everywhere! And it means not only your personal screwups and your personal successes. If means if someone somewhere did something and you became aware of that – you are 100% responsible for that.
Ho’oponopono is not your free ticket to guilt trip. Being 100% responsible is not the same as feeling infinitely guilty for miseries. It’s reminder of your creative powers and gentle welcome to return back to your inner nature. That is to Zero. Joe Vitale wrote a great book on the subject called Zero Limits. When you returning back to your most inner nature – to Zero – everything becomes available to you effortlessly and you are being driven by inspiration from Divinity, not by petty ego wants. Ho’oponopono’s Zero is the same thing that Eckhart Tolle names Unmanifested.
Back to practical reality – let assume that Zero is the next great thing after sliced bread. Or even before sliced bread. Whatever. How do we get to that “magical” state? What exactly needed to be done?

This is achieved by constant cleaning process. Cleaning is the actual Ho’oponopono practice. Cleaning what? You clean yourself from subconscious garbage – programs that run your life without your participation.

Apparently Ho’oponopono process is very simple. Actual Ho’oponopono cleaning process consists of repetitions of the following phrases:

I Love You
Please forgive me
I am sorry
Thank you

These phrases repeated will ignite the self transformation process for the practitioner. This is exactly what Dr. Hew Len did to invite divine transformation powers for his surrounding during his work at Hawaiian mental hospital.

The Ho’oponopono has been extrodinarily powerful for me. I hope you will choose to join us on Tuesday the 31st to experience it for yourself. RSVP's always appreciated. Nancy

Inspiration

SouthwestIntenders — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:17:13 GMT

If you will let your dominant intention be, to revise and improve the content of the story you tell every day of your life, your life will become that ever-improving story. For by the powerful Law of Attraction - the essence of that which is like unto itself is drawn - it must be.

Who and where would you be without your old story?
~ Linda Fallucca

Aspen Program Classes / Workshops: Jan-Feb

SouthwestIntenders — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:15:00 GMT

Check out what the Aspen Program has to offer in January & February:

Get started early this year with developing your psychic abilities, including some new, unique learning opportunities: ForKids: Aura Painting for Kids with psychic artist Lisa Lanyon. ForAdults: Flame Readings with Spiritualist Minister Charles Cox, Automatic Writing with channel Sean Michael Morris and
4 Free Intros to the Aspen Program

Register now ~ Pay at the Class: Visit the Aspen Program webpage for more information and to register:
http://www.psychiciq.com/

January 26 Flame Readings Play Date, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Charles Cox, at ISIS Books inEnglewood, $26

January 28 Free Intro, 9:00 to 11:00,Karen Fox & Teachers, at ISIS Books in Englewood
Free Intro, 11:30 to 1:30,Karen Fox & Teachers, at ISIS Books in Englewood

January29 Automatic Writing Play Date, 3:00 to 5:00, Sean Michael Morris, at ISIS Books inEnglewood, $21

February 3 Guidancefor 2012 fromSpirit Guides & Akashic Records, 1:00 to 3:00, Karen Fox, at ISIS Books in Englewood, $20

February 4 Free Intro, 9:00 to 11:00,Karen Fox & Teachers, at the Cloisters in Lakewood
Free Intro, 1:00 to 3:00,Karen Fox & Teachers, at VAST Wellness in Aurora

Introduction to Animal Communication

SouthwestIntenders — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:45:10 GMT

I know we have many animal lovers amongst us!
I am sharing this upcoming event with you. A friend of mine, Bette Heller is teaching it with her friend Heather.
Enjoy!

SAT 2/18 SAT 3/3	INTRO TO ANIMAL COMMUNICATION at Isis Books on Broadway just south of Yale www.isisbooks.com
1-4pm	Bette Heller and Heather Thompson
$25	Do you ever wonder what your animal companions are thinking? Do you talk to your animals and wish that they would respond in kind? Well, they are!!! You just need to learn to "hear" them. In this class, we will learn the basics of how to tap into our innate abilities for telepathic communication and how to "tune into" what your animals are saying. Bette Heller has been communicating with animals since 1998. She offers Psychic Readings for people and animals, living or in spirit. Her goal is to help People and their Animal Companions attain a greater understanding of one another, and live together in peace and harmony. Heather Thompson has been communicating with animals since 2008. She us an energy worker and does a variety of energy work on animals, in person and remotely. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher, a Medical Intuitive, and a Reflexology Teacher. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring photograph(s) of living animal(s) that they would like to communicate with. Questions? Email: BetteSCR@comcast.net or call 303-898-8962 .

Aspen Program

SouthwestIntenders — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:41:18 GMT

Intenders and friends,

Please consider joining me for one of my 2012 Classes/Workshops offered as part of The Aspen Program for Psychic Development (http://www.psychiciq.com)

Free Introductions to the program are offered throughout the year in three locations. Pre-registration is required.

Everyone is psychic, and everyone can improve this innate ability.

Come learn more about what the Aspen Program offers.

Must Pre-Register with Staff@PsychicIQ.com

Free Introductions will be held:

January 28, 9:00 to 11:00, at ISIS Books, Near Broadway & Yale

January 28, 11:30 to 1:30, at ISIS Books, Near Broadway & Yale

February 4, 9:00 to 11:00, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood

February 4, 1:00 to 3:00, at VAST Wellness, in Aurora

July 14, 10:00 to Noon, at VAST Wellness, in Aurora

The classes/workshops that I will be offering are below:

Reading & Shifting Chakra Energy
$66, (Pre-requisites: How to Psychically Read Body Health)

This interactive class is designed for those enrolled in the Medical Intuitive program with the Aspen Program, but others who meet the pre-requisite requirements are welcome to attend. Chakras are focal points for the reception and transmission of energies; centers that allow conscious and unconscious information to be read. This class will include history and beliefs of the seven central chakras. Handouts will be shared, as well as reading recommendations.

Class participants will partner up and be guided in identifying one another’s chakras. We will explore, from an intuitive sense, what pictures, feelings, temperatures, movement and stories are held in these subtle energy centers. You will learn to assist your client with shifting chakra energies to match their conscious desires. The class is formatted to include lots of practice time, and each participant will have the opportunity to work with several people.

Various tools will be taught to assist participants with integrating a client's chakra information into Medical Intuitive work.

Sunday, March 25, 11:30 to 4:30, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood

Saturday, July 21, 10:00 to 3:30, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood

Saturday, October 27, 11:30 to 4:30, at VAST Wellness, in Aurora

Increasing Psychic Abilities with Self-Transformation:
An Introduction to the Enneagram (I) & Deeper into the Enneagram (II)
Each session fee is $31.00

The Enneagram is an intellectual and spiritual pathway that encourages human transformation; it is both gentle and powerful. The system is also an accepted typology in traditional psychology. The Enneagram celebrates the diversity of human nature and the freedom that is available through awareness. When the Enneagram journey is embraced a person learns to understand their personal motivators, feelings, tendencies and actions. With this knowledge comes choice; you can learn to choose a healthier happy life. The Enneagram is learned over time, not in one day; join me to begin your journey...

I: Saturday, April 21, 10:00 to 12:30 & II: Sunday, April 29, 11:30 to 2:00, at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale
Saturday, April 21, 10:00 to 12:30 Sunday, April 29, 11:30 to 2:00, at ISIS Books

I: Sunday, September 16, 12:30 to 3:00 & II: Sunday, September 23, 12:30 to 3:00, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood

Enneagram Mentor Group
Each session fee is $25.00, and is offered as part of The Aspen Program for Psychic Development (http://www.psychiciq.com)

Pre-requisites: Must have already taken both sessions of "Increasing Psychic Abilities with Self-Transformation
Meets 3 times - limited to 6 participants

This mentor group will focus on that personal journey through discussion, meditation and self reflection exercises.

1st Meeting Date: Saturday, May 12, 10:30 to 12:30, at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale

2nd Meeting Date: Saturday, May 19, 10:30 to 12:30

3rd Meeting Date: Saturday, June 2, 10:30 to 12:30

Play Date: What's in Your Toolbox?
Each session is $26.00
This play date offers a variety of exercises called "tools." When mastered and practiced tools build habits that result in a more positive life experience, a higher vibration, increased clarity and overall well being. Resistance expands whatever it is applied to; tools create a pathway for the gift in any situation to be revealed.

Saturday, June 16, 3:00 to 5:00, at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale

Play Date: Divination: The Gift of Divine Guidance
Each session is $26.00
The same Infinite Wisdom that comes through in clairvoyance is available in a limited way within the many practices of Divination; muscle testing, pendulum, dowsing, crystal balls, Tarot and more. Divination has been practiced for thousands of years. It involves tapping into your connection with Infinite Wisdom, exploring the world of these subtle energies and learning to separate from and integrate with your ego’s logic and learned knowledge. Once mastered, Divination can be a useful tool to use in conjunction with other clairvoyant practices. During this “play date” we will explore the various methods for Divining, learn and practice body dowsing, discuss when and how to use divining and finally how to strengthen your skill.

Saturday, July 14, 1:00 to 3:30, at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale

Saturday, October 6, 1:30 to 4:00, at VAST, in Aurora

All 2012 Classes with The Aspen Program for Psychic Development available online at www.PsychicIQ.com

Living consciously involves being genuine; it involves listening and responding to others honestly and openly; it involves being in the moment." ~ Sidney Poitier

I intend to do this with you today!

Nancy J. Markow
Connecting You With YourSelf

http://www.connectingyouwithyourself.com

303-525-7091

SW Intenders

SouthwestIntenders — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:55:29 GMT

Fran emailed this to me as I was sending out the Intenders notice (we are connected) and after reading it again, I think it fits right into our topic for Tuesday on personal values. Please add this to the handout for this week! Thanks Fran.

From Karen Berg, Director of the Kabbalah Centre: Often times, we, can fall into forgetfulness. When we go through some difficulty, we may vow that we will never fail to remember where we have been or what we have received. However, once the situation is resolved, we all too often go back to livingand behaving as we did before. We don't keep a notebook, as the Creator does, of all the things that we’ve done or of all the things another has done for us. For example, we may have a friend of many years’standing whom we love. Suddenly, something happens that comes between us and this other person. And what do we do? We forget all the things that happened in the past. We forget the good times. We forget sticking up forone another. We forget what this person did for us. We forget everything and instead become blinded by the immediate pain or injustice.

I read a story this week about a woman who didn't forget. Her name is Vicky and she started a charity to house needy families in Illinois in order toremember and appreciate the woman who had housed and hidden her mother awayfrom the Nazis during the Holocaust. In other words, out of gratitude forthis good deed from more than 70 years ago, Vicky is giving her time and energy to help families survive the chaos that exists in our time. She is paying forward the kind action that was done for her mother.

You can't imagine how many thousands of people have stood up and said,“It's been three years since I started on the path of spirituality,and my life has changed. I've gotten this and I've gotten that.” But you know what usually happens with these people? A couple of weeks later,they're gone. Why? Because none of us must ever take the consciousness we have received for granted. We need to continually ask the Creator to help us remember the miracles and the transformation we have experienced so that we can stay connected and can look for ways to take action to and sharewhat we have received, to “pay it forward” as Vicky did.

Remember, our true purpose on this path,which is to reveal the true potential of our soul. For if we think we are here just to reach a certain level, or to meet our soul mate, or make a lot of money, then once we reach that goal, we will leave the path.

SW Intenders Circle

SouthwestIntenders — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:42:07 GMT

You are invited to join the SW Intenders Circle

Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30-8:30
11283 West Rice Place, Littleton, 80127
The HOA does not allow street parking - please park in the driveway or visitor parking throughout the complex. RSVP's are always appreciated!

Topic: Personal Values / Self Worth

From Psychology Today Magazine:
Self Worth: Not enough self-regard can lead people to become depressed, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships. Too much self-love, on the other hand, results in an off-putting sense of entitlement and an inability to learn from failures. (And it's occasionally a sign of clinical narcissism.)

Taken from an article by Vaishali:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vaishali/meaning-of-value_b_1199823.html

Well over 100 years ago, the great spiritual teacher and literary genius Oscar Wilde, after visiting America, wrote, "Americans know the price of everything and the value of nothing."

Oscar Wilde's wisdom, insight and penchant for truth are as accurate and sobering now as they were over 10 decades ago. Okay, so maybe nowadays even the idea that we recognize the "price of everything" seems to be legitimately in question. But the "value" side seems to have deteriorated even more! Do we recognize the value of spending more time with our children or loved ones, or reading a book? We may see the value in personal accomplishments or being productive and "getting things done," but then again, we're talking about ego-based value... not exactly the "value" Oscar had in mind. I suspect that if he were here to visit us now, he would find these same words damning us with faint praise.

So, where and how did our value sensibilities get so polluted, diluted and distorted? Could it be that there is a connection between understanding our own spiritual worth and power and how we perceive the value and power of money? Another Wilde quote that takes us closer to this idea is, "Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you."

How many of us relate to ourselves and value ourselves as infinitely precious? How many of us correlate our power with our spiritual identity, of being pure love and nothing else? I suspect that most of us relate to ourselves in the same way that we would a commodity -- that any value, power and worth we claim is the sum total of our materialistic possessions and our earning potential. From our perspective, if it wasn't earned, deserved and bestowed upon us, it has no value. When the truth of the matter is that as divine love, we do not have value, power and worth, we are value power and worth. And no one and no thing on the planet has the power to change that. Deserving and worthy is not even an issue. It never has been, and never really will be, because we do not have it -- we are it.

If we have not realized our own true authentic oneness with value, power and worth, is it any real surprise that relationships outside ourselves, being less intimate than the one we have with ourselves, lacks clarity and explicitness? If we do not recognize our own value, power and worth, will we not simply project that ignorance out on to everything else in our lives? Then, whatever manifests outside of us, especially that which represents value, power and worth, takes the brunt of that perspective perversion: I barely make enough money to pay my bills... I have no value; I lost my job... I have no power; I didn't get the promotion... I have no worth. Or conversely, I made partner at the firm... I have value; I just bought a new BMW... I have power; I won the lottery... I have worth. What messages are we sending to ourselves about what is infinitely precious, and how does that affect our connection to the other aspects of our lives?

Checklist for Personal Values

By C. Roberts, Fifth Dicsipline Fieldbook

This exercise is designed to help you reach a better understanding of your most significant values.

Step 1: What I Value Most...
From this list of values (both work and personal), select the ten that are most important to you-as guides for how to behave, or as components of a valued way of life. Feel free to add any values of your own to this list.

Achievement	Friendships	Physical challenge
Advancement and promotion	Growth	Pleasure
Adventure	Having a family	Power and authority
Affection (love and caring)	Helping other people	Privacy
Arts	Helping society	Public service
Challenging problems	Honesty	Purity
Change and variety	Independence	Quality of what I take part in
Close relationships	Influencing others	Quality relationsihps
Community	Inner harmony	Recognition (respect from others, status)
Competence	Integrity	Religion
Competition	Intellectual status	Reputation
Cooperation	Involvement	Responsibility and accountability
Country	Job tranqulity	Security
Creativity	Knowledge	Self-respect
Decisiveness	Leadership	Serenity
Democracy	Location	Sophistication
Ecological awareness	Loyalty	Stability
Economic security	Market position	Status
Effectiveness	Meaningful work	Supervising others
Efficiency	Merit	Time freedom
Ethical practice	Money	Truth
Excellence	Nature	Wealth
Excitement	being around people who are open and honest	Wisdom
Fame	Order (tranqulity, stability, conformity)	Work under pressure
Fast living	Personal development	Work with others
Financial gain	Freedom	Working alone

Step 2: Elimination

Now that you have identified ten, imagine that you are only permitted to have five values. Which five would you give up? Cross them off.

Now imagine that you are only permitted four. Which would you give up? Cross it off.

Now cross off another, to bring our list down to three.

And another, to bring our list down to two.

Finally cross off one of your two values. Which is the one item on the lst that you care most about?
See you Tuesday?