All the Best of the Season December 22, 2008

This is the season of giving.   While we should be focused on giving year-round, if we can at least have one time of year when we stop and give our attention to doing more for others then I’m a big supporter of that.

One and a half weeks ago I had an opportunity to fully experience the depth of my gratitude for all the abundance in my life.  That in itself was a beautiful gift.  Yet, by the end of that weekend  I was given one of the greatest gifts ever… to know and understand my personal power.

Brenda at Creating Absolute Wealth, San Diego Dec.2008

I appreciate how blessed I am to have a roof over my head, food on my table, money in my pocket, and the love and support of friends and family.  I was provided many opportunities to know that and to give back to others in many many ways that warmed my heart.

Yet to understand my personal power, that is something for which words cannot express the overwhelming gratitude I felt in experiencing my dream becoming a reality in the presence of like-minded friends.   I will leave it at that for the moment.  But in thanks for that opportunity, I would like to give you — my dear readers and friends — the opportunity to experience a little of the same…

My teacher is giving back by offering a special live event FREE in both Toronto Jan.27th and Vancouver March 10th.   Other cities in North America are available if you check the LIVE EVENT schedule at www.5pillarsofharmony.com  Registration for Toronto is now open; the Vancouver date will open late January.   To register and learn more, simply visit  www.5pillarsofharmony.com , click on LIVE EVENTS, then SEE JAMES FREE and scroll down to click on the date you wish to attend.   I will see you in Toronto!

Wishing you Peace, Joy and Harmony Always

With James Ray at Creating Absolute Wealth, San Diego Dec.2008

Lessons from Mother Nature July 11, 2008

It’s interesting to me how much emphasis Canadians place on the weather.

We’ve been through a long winter and — hooray — summer sunshine is here, yet it’s apparent how quickly some of us forget what it is we have to be grateful for in the present moment.   Now I hear complaints of how hot it is.    Just the other day, I observed a group of golfers standing at a driving range discussing how “bad” the weather has been and that the rain was supposed to continue.  Here was the sun was shining over their heads that very moment and they chose to focus their attention on what had already happened (living in the past) or what was potentially going to happen (worried for the future).  I challenge you (and myself) to live IN THE MOMENT.

Weather is life… it brings what it’s going to bring and you just have to roll with it.   Recently I viewed a screening of a film Aftermath: Population Zero (or Life after Humans) which aired on National Geographic Channel in the US and History Channel in Canada.  This screening was at a local library and the director/producer of this incredible film was on hand for questions.  What would our planet be like if there were no humans here to maintain and fix everything we have built?  How would the world get along without us?  While you might think it would be all doom and gloom, the movie was surprisingly uplifting in sharing the regenerative powers of Mother Nature.

Weather and Mother Nature are OUT OF OUR CONTROL.  Now there’s a novel concept… relinquishing control.    I believe we have a word that pairs quite nicely with that:  Faith.   When we relinquish control, live in the moment, have Faith and give thanks for it all… great things are possible.

Here’s a photo and a quote for you to ponder as you meditate with the summer sun on your shoulders.  )

Winter Storm

QUOTE from another recommended documentary titled In the Shadow of the Moon:

“I haven’t complained about the weather one day since my 1969 mission to the moon.  I’m glad we have weather.  We live on an oasis.”  ~ Alan Bean, Apollo 12 Astronaut

Celebrate with Gratitude June 18, 2008

Bonjour mes amis!

Je suis retourner… from a wonderful week in Paris, France and am happy to share a page of my favourite photos.  You will note I am in front of the REAL Eiffel Tower in this post!  And to the right of that, a photo of myself reading a copy of a magazine celebrating the life of the late French designer Yves Saint-Laurent who passed over just prior to my visit to France. 

The message I wish to share with you today is how important it is to take the time to set goals and dreams for your life and that you achieve these through your thoughts, feelings and ACTION.  I wrote earlier this month about my vision board, scrapbook and creation box.  However, it is important to note that some action is required on your part.  The Universal Laws will bring opportunities to you but it is up to YOU to make the decision (this is your first action step) and go forward in faith.    As James Ray teaches, we must go 3 for 3… when your thoughts, feelings and actions are all in alignment the universe will open up and you will step into your full power.

The completion of this dream of visiting Paris has me contemplating all of the opportunities that the universe has presented to me in the past 2 years since I became aware of how the universal laws and principles work.  While in Paris I consciously offered up my thanks each and every day for the wonderment of how I came to be there.  It became clearer with each day there that this was the RIGHT time for me to be in France.  So as your dreams come true, remember to celebrate with gratitude. 

I would also like to encourage you to enjoy the JOURNEY.  Perhaps you are not where you want to be today; perhaps you are facing challenges that seem overwhelming.  Find the lessons where you are today.  Forge ahead in Faith and Gratitude for what you already have in your life.  And know that your true destination never really arrives… we will constantly have new desires, dreams and goals.  Such is life and this is the way that we grow and evolve.  Now that Paris is checked off my list, I look to the rest of my “bucket list” with anticipation and faith that what is meant to be will be.

Paris ne s’est pas fait en un jour.  (Paris wasn’t built in a day.) – French proverb

QUOTE FOR YOUR SCRAPBOOK: 

“The power of imagination makes us infinite.”  ~ John Muir

When is One Half a Whole? May 22, 2008

Brothers and sisters… I have 8 of them.  To be true, most people express surprise at such a number.  I guess it’s rare in this age of 2.5 kids (or has that number decreased?) to meet a family with 9.  When I continue to explain that we have a span of 21 years from youngest to oldest, most wince when they think about my mother.  After enjoying watching them try to comprehend that possibility for a few seconds, I’ll elaborate and explain the “hers, mine and ours scenario.”  We are from 3 marriages:  4 from my Dad’s first marriage, 3 from my Mom’s first marriage and then myself and my younger brother (now passed on) from Dad and Mom’s union.

Except in those situations, I never use “half-brother” or “half-sister” when talking about family because those labels to me might imply “less than” or “not as complete.”  And that’s simply not the case.  Unless we’re talking medical history, it’s just not relevant.  So, I have 5 brothers and 3 sisters (whom you met in my previous blog; you’ll meet the bro’s soon).   We all get along pretty well.  That maybe wasn’t always the case when we were kids, but underlying our wrestling or tearful childhood exchanges was the knowledge that we were loved, we were a family and we stuck together.

It’s interesting and insightful to develop friendships and deeper relationships with siblings as adults.  Travel with them in your mature years and I guarantee you’ll learn things about them you never knew.  They become people with hopes, dreams and problems just like you when you really get to know them.

And, if you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of packing up one’s life after they’ve passed on, you may learn things that could warm your heart… once you get over the feeling that you’re invading the privacy of someone who is no longer present.  Heck, as kids, you didn’t think twice about getting into their “stuff” but in this situation it’s completely unsettling.

My eldest sister loaned me a book once called Birth Order and You and I remember it said that each child born into a family is born into a different family.  Circumstances, economics and the environment change with each baby.

I wouldn’t change growing up in a large family for anything.    I don’t love them half, I love them whole… and the fact they’re in my life makes my life complete in many ways. 

OPEN YOUR HEART:  Today, tell your brother or sister you love them.  If you don’t have one, tell someone who is like a brother or sister to you.  Blood may be thicker than water but water is just as precious to our body, in my books.  If you’re not sure that you love your brother or sister, it might be time for some introspection and forgiveness (for yourself primarily – and that’s a lesson for another time).   

 

Lessons from 3 Sisters May 19, 2008

In my Gratitude Scrapbook Album, these are pages of life lessons learned from my 3 elder sisters  (Scrapbookers, see tips and notes at the end of this blog).

 The 2 eldest were teenagers in the ’60s and on their own around the time I was born.   Regardless of the age difference, it was often said how much Jo and I were alike in character traits.   Good humour is important in our family, although I admit acquaintances may not see this side of me until we become closer in friendship.

I appreciated learning stories of JoAnn’s independence and adventures and can identify parallels in our adult lives.  My 2nd sister Chris gave me a profound piece of advice.  When I was debating a trip to Australia to follow my heart, she wrote, “You never regret the things you do, only the things you don’t do.”   Ponder that one when you’re faced with a decision.     

My 3rd sister Donna is 6 years my senior, so we had the usual sisterly quarrels.  We shared a bedroom and I was the kid sister always getting into her “stuff.”   She slammed my head with a pillow one night to stop me from grinding my teeth (there are better cures these days, but her method worked).   Donna had to shoulder a lot of responsibilities for looking after me and 2 brothers.  However, it is in our adult lives that I’ve grown to really know and love her.  My favourite moments are during our recent 3-week tour of Italy with Mom.  (My spiritual teacher James Arthur Ray  quotes Ram Dass: “If you think you’re enlightened, go live with your parents.”  I’d like to revise that to say, “… travel with them as adults!)

“When mom and dad don’t understand, a sister always will.” – Author Unknown

Too sweet? How about: 

 ”If sisters were free to express how they really feel, parents would hear this:  Give me all the attention and all the toys and send (Brenda) to live with Grandma.” ~ Linda Sunshine

For Scrapbookers or wanna-be Scrapbookers:

CHALLENGE:  Adding to the challenge posted in my 2nd Post, take your time, this isn’t a rush project.  I encourage you to focus on a positive lesson from a family member that you consciously implemented in your life.    Highlight this on a page with a candid photo that really captures who they are.   Write their descriptive character traits as a border around the page.

OPEN YOUR HEART:  After writing a sincere letter of love and thanks to them, send them a copy of your page or offer it to them as a special birthday or holiday gift.  I was pleased to learn that some of my family framed their pages.   Telling them today will mean you can leave this life without regrets of not telling them what you carry in your heart.

Gratitude brought me to this place May 10, 2008

Gratitude shapes who I am and is my daily life practice.  My glass is always half full, most times it is overflowing.  This is my choice.  In the pages of my Gratitude scrapbook, the images and stories hold many lessons for which I am grateful (like these lessons from my mom pictured here).  

TIP: Make a list of your family members and highlight one or two lessons you’ve learned from them in life.  CHALLENGE: Focus on the positives from those lessons (hint: there is always a positive) and give thanks for them – the lessons and your family.  These lessons shape who you are.  OPEN YOUR HEART: share your thanks with your benefactor(s). 

As a kid, I remember having a healthy attitude towards life.  In this lifetime, I chose to be born into a home filled with Love – 9 kids, not as much money, but a wealth of Love.  I distinctly recall the excitement I felt waking up each day and wondering what and who Life would bring into my realm.  Imagine having that feeling every morning?  

 

The responsibilities brought with each passing year as an adult dulled that excitement at times.  Sometimes it was lost altogether.  I’ve had my trials and tribulations – loves lost and dreams faded – just as you, my dear reader.  Yet there always remained this thread of Hope (or was it Faith?) pulling me forward from times of despair because I know in my Soul that I (we all) have a Divine purpose.  Each day that passes is another day of discovering the treasure that is Me.  Each day brings new lessons for you and I. 

 

Let us allow ourselves a few minutes at the end of our busy day to close our eyes and reflect back on the many blessings bestowed upon us.   Yes, it can be difficult (or perhaps even futile to try) to find what can possibly be good in a day of grief or tragedy.  What if it is only to give thanks for the experience of that which is lost? 

May you awaken to the abundance of blessings bestowed upon you as you move through your day.  Namaste

(thank you for your kind comments, I am grateful to all who share in this wonderful adventure of Life)

What are Scrapbooks for the Soul? May 8, 2008

 

From the American Heritage Dictionary and www.Dictionary.com …

scrap·book  (skrāp’bŏŏk’) - noun  a book with blank pages used for the mounting and preserving of pictures, clippings, or other mementos.

soul  [sohl] –noun.   the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, and commonly held to be separable in existence from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part; the emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments; the inspirer or moving spirit of some action, movement, etc.; deeply felt emotion, as conveyed or expressed by a performer or artist.

 

My purpose for writing is simply to open hearts.  My heart, your heart, all hearts.  An open book of our lives, our deepest passions and dreams, when shared with others, will open hearts.   By sharing my stories and life lessons, I hope to inspire social and spiritual interaction to bring about positive change in the lives of others so they may live in joy, truth and empowerment.    My stories and articles will appeal primarily to women and the men who wish to better understand women. 

 

Drawing from the above definitions, my vision is that Scrapbooks for the Soul are tools (traditional or digital books, blogs or other media) filled with personal stories, lessons, journeys, images, and mementos… bits and pieces of the Self that we choose to save and reflect upon, allowing us to grow and move forward in Life. 

 

I’ve been creating scrapbooks most of my life and teaching others the importance of celebrating their lives and the lives of those they love in scrapbook format for almost 9 years.  As I’ve held workshops with women through these years, I’ve noticed patterns amongst many of the women that I meet and of course, speak from personal experience.  Many women give so much of themselves to the men, children and parents who need them, that they have nothing left for themselves.  When they do give to themselves, guilt and shame knocks at their door.  I’ve witnessed all too often how the need to be perfect paralyzes.

 

As I walk my own spiritual path, I’ve come to realize that scrapbooks can be a powerful tool for dynamic change and personal growth.  As a result of my own study and practice, I have developed fun interactive workshops where women can explore their creativity, their dreams and goals, using scrapbooks and journaling exercises with a focus on GRATITUDE.   Unlike traditional scrapbooks that celebrate the past, these scrapbooks become tools to enjoy living more fully now and into the future…

 

This blog is just another of the resources I wish to provide for women to reconnect with themselves, rekindle their passions and dreams, believe in all they can be and create the joy they deserve in their life.  I caution you to not wait for “some day” or “one day”.  Those days may never come, or when they do, they catch us so unprepared that we miss the opportunities to live authentically and joyously.

 

Welcome to my blog and thank you for visiting.   This is a case of “leap and the net will appear”.  I don’t know all the technical aspects of blogging but am open to learn and quickly I will.  

I hope you will check back often.  I propose to write with humour, inspiration, creativity and honesty so that we can all learn, and open our hearts to MORE.  And yes, I will have images… as soon as I can figure out the technical aspect of that. ;o)