Wind of the Soul » Inspiration

Inner Peace

John Wolfe — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:41:42 +0000

Inner Peace is the title of the 13th Wind of the Soul podcast installment. This episode features a reading of the blog post: 8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind, along with further thoughts on several of the ideas contained in the entry. This episode’s running time is 10:52 and file size for download is 9.95 MB. It can be played via the embedded player in the Audio section, or on your media player by following the Inner Peace link, or in the embedded You Tube players below.

Thanks for joining me for this installment. I appreciate the continued feedback regarding the podcast series.

Conversations With God

John Wolfe — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:49:12 +0000

The Conversations With God Giveaway has closed. I’d like to congratulate Steven Labella of San Diego, California, Kirk Ray of Florida, and Ryan Brenny of Hilo, Hawaii. They each won a brand new copy of “Conversations With God.”

“I am not concerned about your worldly success – only you are. You are not to worry about making a living. True masters are those that have chosen to make a life, not a living. Go ahead, do whatever you really love. Do nothing else. You have so little time. Why would you want to waste it doing something you don’t want to do? That isn’t a living – it’s a dying.” – Neale Donald Walsch, “Conversations With God”

The above quote is one of my favorites from the film and it brings us to the second Wind of the Soul giveaway. In this second installment, I’m giving three brand new DVD copies of Conversations With God to three separate winners.

The film, directed by the Co-founder of Spiritual Cinema Circle, was meant to be a screen adaptation of the series of best selling books by the same name. Though the movie doesn’t represent the unfolding of the books – it does impart much of the same spiritual wisdom, as we follow Neale (played by Henry Czerny) through some extremely turbulent experiences.

Neale, like so many of us, prior to discovering the connection to his own divine nature, unconsciously battles his way through life. He has to scrape rock bottom before discovering the inner knowledge, which leads him out of the depths of his despair. And, that’s why this movie is so endearing to me. Granted, it has some very sad and depressing sequences, but the ultimate realization and self-awakening is what’s so inspirational.

Whether or not Neale was/is truly conversing with “God” in a verifiable way is a nonissue for me. If we are capable of quieting the mind and recognizing the creative, energetic, consciousness which flows through us, then in essence we are all conversing constantly with our own inner god or goddess. It’s up to us what we choose to do with those conversations. Neale chose to apply them in a manner which created benefit and value in his own life as well as the lives of millions of others.

Each of us has the same option. It’s up to us if we wish to allow it to work toward that which is most beneficial and advantageous for ourselves and humankind. This shouldn’t be motivated by or stem from a standpoint of following a contrived set of rules, but rather from the perspective of feeling for the inner dialogue which is most fulfilling, loving, nurturing, uplifting and translating it into action. To me, that’s what conversing with god and living life as creative, expansive beings is all about.

I wish all the best to everyone who enters.

Guidelines for Entering

Please, only one entry per household. Duplicate entries from the same IP will be deleted. This helps to make it fairer for everyone. There’s no catch here, everything is free – including payment of shipping and handling of “Conversations With God” – I cover all costs. To be entered, all you have to do is leave a comment below, signifying your interest.

Depending upon the volume of entries, comments may only be displayed under this post for a short time. As entries grow, I may remove comments from the post to make it easier for visitors to scroll to the comment box and enter.

When leaving a comment, be sure to include your correct email address. Each winner of “Conversations With God” will be contacted through the address that’s registered with their comment. I will never share email addresses, provided by entrants, with any third parties and you’ll never receive unsolicited mail when entering.

The Conversations With God contest will end at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on March 28th, 2009. All legitimate entries will then be assigned a number. Three numbers will be randomly drawn to determine the winners.

All three winners will then be notified, via the email addresses they provided, no later than March 30th. If one, or all three don’t respond (with their shipping information) within a week, then one (two or three) more number(s) will be drawn to determine the new winner(s).

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

If you would like to see your spiritual or self-help business promoted through Wind of the Soul and you have some appropriately themed items to distribute in a giveaway, please contact me.

Posts Related to Conversations With God

The Evolution of Spirituality
Ineffable States of Enlightenment
Discovering the Truths of Your Existence
The Intelligent Mind of All That Is
Our Conscious Origin

Economic Recession = Rebirth

John Wolfe — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:07:11 +0000

Though, I’m a huge advocate of being vigilant concerning where we place the majority of our attention, I also understand the importance of being aware of the current economic reality facing this nation. I’m not an economist, nor do I pretend to have the slightest grasp of fiscal expertise. But, perhaps I possess something else which qualifies me to write this post: I’ve had an experience with a situation that’s currently happening to many people. And, in my opinion, I represent a real world example of coming out the other side better off for having experienced it.

Seven and a half years ago, I was displaced from my job of almost a decade (along with roughly one thousand others) when my employer filed for bankruptcy. We were union; I was vested and building on a decent little pension, not to mention having amazing medical, dental and vision coverage. My hourly rate of pay was almost five times that of minimum wage (in 2001).

Due to the great benefits and the literal amount of blood sweat and tears I had invested in my position, I was devastated when our location was unable to escape a wave of closures that rocked the company. There were “rescue” buyout negotiations occurring all around us, yet we weren’t among those being saved.

Furthermore, our fate wasn’t strictly decided in a corporate boardroom. We were also at the mercy of a judge. He ruled in favor of allocating all of the funds earmarked for employee severance packages (mine was worth several thousand dollars) to two individuals brought in by the corporate office. They each cleaned up with close to a quarter of a million for “helping” the company stay afloat for an additional two or three months – so much for doing right by the employees who had helped sustain the company for years.

The weeks following my layoff, initially, were extremely dark and depressing, yet somewhere within the somber mood I recognized that the situation afforded me with a fantastic opportunity to begin anew. Though I had gained great experience from my job and could have probably found a position rather quickly in the same line of work, I realized I wasn’t being fulfilled by that form of employment. I also began to realize I wasn’t living up to my potential, based on my own natural abilities.

Sure, I was surviving, but I was no where near experiencing the feeling of thriving at work or in life. I wasn’t passionate about my choice of vocation, nor did I feel I was providing the type of benefit and service I was truly capable of providing. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t doing something that was important to me – making a major difference in people’s lives.

Though I always gave 110% during my shifts, my talents were being stifled by staying onboard. The company’s Chapter 11 issues couldn’t have come at a better time. The closures forced my hand into taking action. I had reached what I felt was the first major crossroads of my life and it was time for me to choose the path less taken; the one that existed just outside my proverbial comfort zones.

When we, as individuals or as a collective group, experience drastic changes like those accompanying a massive layoff or a nationwide recession, it’s always an opportunity for the individual, as well as the group, to rebirth and reinvent itself. And, while I’m sure there are a million and one surface reasons being put forth to explain why this economic recession has occurred; I believe none of these explanations address the core cause.

A surface issue is always the physical development of that which is brewing deeper within the psyche of an organism. In the case of a recession, the organism just happens to be an entire nation. Inner turmoil (be it consciously or subconsciously) always leads to the external manifestation of choices and options. It’s up to us as to how we choose to respond to the current situation facing this country. We can either consciously act or unconsciously react.

For years, the collective American psyche, predominantly, has selected external accumulation, status and achievement over internal happiness (a form of unconsciously reacting to social conditioning) or else has mistakenly confused these things with happiness. This mentality has helped usher in the all too common physical practice of short changing fellow human beings, in terms of services rendered, for a shoddy, often times overpriced and even unnecessary, end product or outcome.

The more we devalue our own existence through a gluttonous, achievement/status only mindset, whether as suppliers or consumers, we develop a belief in needing to acquire more and more of what we feel is an extremely limited set of resources. Not only are we potentially hurting others, but we are also hurting ourselves by living or functioning outside our means, spiritually and/or financially. As we begin to selfishly pursue and acquire more “things”, we simultaneously find more ways to cheat one another in order to continue acquiring even more.

Ultimately, a nationwide, financial downturn is actually society’s way of unconsciously restoring balance. On the surface it seems like an extremely horrible thing, but I believe there is absolutely a method to what seems like total madness.

Internally and emotionally speaking, I believe a financial crisis occurs because of a loss in faith – not faith in money – but faith in one another. When we no longer trust the majority of those that are providing their services, we become fearful and we constrict our energy flow. This energy flow can be represented in many ways, money being one of them. Unfortunately, some that are providing a true increase in life, through their services, may also be impacted along the way. However, I believe, they will weather the storm or even potentially thrive because they have made valuable service their priority. This is exactly why certain individuals thrived during the great depression. They didn’t excel because they were shrewd, they excelled because they were sincere in their pursuit of service.

It’s for good reason, during times of economic crisis, that people invariably bring themselves back to an awareness of only focusing on what truly matters, e.g. the necessities in life. As we get back to the basics and we focus on necessity, it naturally brings us to a better understanding of intrinsic value. This is what helps lead us to our rebirth and reinvention, if we can eventually see it in that manner.

When we zero in on what really matters (our relationship with our self, our families, our friendships, and our health) and we strip away the rest of the material fluff, we come back to a true understanding of what it means to be joyful for the sake of being joyful. This place of being happy and whole, for the sake of being is what allows us to consciously act instead of reacting to our current circumstances, whether we’re prospering or not.

As I have always stated in a large percentage of my posts – there is absolutely nothing wrong with being extremely wealthy or acquiring possessions. It’s when these things are pursued at the expense of developing our own amazing potential for being loving, joyful, peaceful beings (internally and externally) that we encounter an imbalance.

When we all find the means to channel these beautiful emotions, along with our relative resources and physical talents, into a way for sincerely providing valuable, worthwhile, uplifting service (a form of taking conscious action for the greater good), I believe economic recessions, on a grand scale, could be a thing of the past. Whether they become extinct or not, if you begin living more consciously and sincerely (acting instead of reacting) and you consistently provide and invest your resources in real service for others, you’ll weather any financial storm and even better, you’ll help others do the same.

Podcast #10: Evoking Change through Uplifting Action

John Wolfe — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:50:01 +0000

This episode is an audio narration of my latest blog entry, Evoking Change through Uplifting Action. It covers embracing internal love, peace and acceptance, for the purpose of following through with uplifting, life-changing physical action. It’s this action which leads to profound personal (as well as global) change.

You can access this episode in several ways: through the audio section’s player, the embedded You Tube players below, or via the following link: Episode #10.

“Evoking Change through Uplifting Action” runs for 12 minutes and 35 seconds. File size for download is 11.5 MB.

Part I

Part II

Louise Hay: You Can Heal Your Life

John Wolfe — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:12:34 +0000

The Louise Hay: You Can Heal Your Life giveaway has closed. I’d like to congratulate Bonnie of Redding, California and Melissa of Oakdale, Minnesota. They each won the extended edition copy of You Can Heal Your Life. Don’t forget to check the Uplifting Prizes section, in the sidebar, for ongoing giveaways of self-help and spiritual items.

It’s been six months since Wind of the Soul first went online. And, ever since its inception, I’ve been planning to host uplifting giveaways. However, for a variety of reasons, the timing didn’t seem right, so I kept putting the project off. Well yesterday, while viewing Louise Hay’s movie, You Can Heal Your Life, I felt the urge to begin. Anytime I’m positively impacted by that visceral or gut feeling, I follow it.

This first giveaway features two DVD sets of You Can Heal Your Life: The Extended Edition to be given to two separate winners. The extended edition contains four hours of additional interview footage not included in the original version of the film.

You Can Heal Your Life follows a young woman along her journey to reinvent herself through the harnessing of her thoughts and actions. Her trials, tribulations and ultimate successes are mirrored in the dialogue of several spiritual and self-help teachers, throughout the film, including Louise Hay.

Along her path, she’s presented with opportunities, in the form of uplifting messages printed on index cards. Each card contains a piece of wisdom meant to embolden her spirit. The cards concentrate on three key points: change, forgiveness and love. The movie also outlines seven major steps for healing your life: the internal landscape of change, affirmations, challenges you may face along the path, testing the depth of your commitment, forgiveness, the hidden treasures at the center of yourself and learning to accept with gratitude.

I can honestly say I enjoyed the entire film immensely, but my favorite parts were when the speakers touched on the difficulties they’ve overcome in their own lives. I always find such stories to be inspiring and extremely uplifting.

While the movie features noted teachers like Wayne Dyer, Gregg Braden, and Esther Hicks; I was particularly drawn to the philosophies of several of the “lesser known” individuals, like Elon Bonami and Cheryl Richardson.

Cheryl made this poignant statement at one point in the film: “We all go through an evolutionary process, in our growth, where we start out wishing and hoping and believing the Universe is like Santa Claus. And, all you have to do is write your list up and you get what you want. But there’s a commitment to consciousness and action that’s necessary to be able to manifest the things that we affirm or we intend.”

Another great quote from the film was by Doreen Virtue: “People don’t realize their greatest potential because they think it’s from an outside source – when it’s so divinely ordained from within.”

Cheryl’s and Doreen’s statements are examples of what makes You Can Heal Your Life different from films like The Secret. The focus is more on consciousness and our inner power than it is on acquiring things. It’s implied that the “things” are a natural byproduct of the internal changes we make, but they shouldn’t be our sole reason for striving to make those changes. You Can Heal Your Life also focuses on Louise’s work to help others overcome life threatening illnesses, and includes the story of how she healed her own manifestation of cancer.

Good luck to everyone that enters. I’ll leave you with Louise’s initial words of wisdom from the film:

“All of us our on a journey, whether we know it or not. We are all on a journey of learning to express our full potential in this world. Most of us have learned to view our thoughts as a reflection of the outside world; a reflection of what is happening to us. But what if that’s not how the Universe works?

“What if you are creating the story of your life with the very thought you are thinking now? Then perhaps, if we are willing to change the way we think, wondrous new possibilities would begin to reveal themselves to us. And our lives would move in a whole new direction. It all starts with taking the first step.”

Guidelines for Entering
Please, only one entry per household. Duplicate entries from the same IP will be deleted. This helps to make it fairer for everyone. There’s no catch here, everything is free – including payment of shipping and handling of the You Can Heal Your Life DVD set – I cover all costs. To be entered, all you have to do is leave a comment below, signifying your interest.

Depending upon the volume of entries, comments may only be displayed under this post for a short time. As entries grow, I will remove comments from the post to make it easier for visitors to scroll to the comment box and enter.

When leaving a comment, be sure to include your correct email address. Each winner of You Can Heal Your Life will be contacted through the address that’s registered with their comment. I will never share email addresses, provided by entrants, with any third parties and you’ll never receive unsolicited mail when entering.

The Louise Hay: You Can Heal Your Life contest will end at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on January 19th, 2009. All legitimate entries will then be assigned a number. Two numbers will be randomly drawn to determine the winners.

Both winners will then be notified, via the email addresses they provided, no later than January 21st. If one, or both don’t respond (with their shipping information) within a week, then one (or two) more number(s) will be drawn to determine the new winner(s).

If you would like to see your spiritual or self-help business promoted through Wind of the Soul and you have some appropriately themed items to distribute in a giveaway, please contact me.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Posts Related to You Can Heal Your Life

Forgiving our Past: Key to Unlocking a Joyful Present
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind
Podcast #4: The Law of Attraction
Podcast #6: Law of Attraction – the Techniques
The Law of Attraction & Natural Progression
Effortless Passionate Creativity
The Magic of Giving
Universal Law of Reciprocation
Realizing Your Purpose
Manifesting Desirable Results Through Balance
Discovering the Truths of Your Existence

Goal Achievement: Developing a Long Term Mindset

John Wolfe — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:43:45 +0000

We’ve all heard the adage – “good things come to those who wait”. I believe that phrase to be true, but there are far more components involved in any accomplishment than just waiting around for the passage of time. However, there’s no denying time is a huge part of the equation. It takes time + emotions + thoughts + consistent, persistent action to = results. If we can develop the capacity to understand the concept of patience, through understanding time’s role in the natural progression and processes of all living things, we will have made great strides in short-circuiting the “I want it now” mentality. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting something to occur faster, it’s important we don’t make that our constant modus operandi.

So very often, in the natural progression of life, rapid manifestation doesn’t occur and for good reason. Just as a sapling doesn’t become a giant sequoia overnight and a ten year old child can’t become a thirty year old adult in a week; neither can our hopes and dreams become instantaneous reality in an unreasonable amount of time. If we constantly expect instant gratification, yet it ceases to come at the rate we demand, we will continue to feel disappointment and frustration; eventually removing all of the necessary components from the above equation. And when that happens, there also will be very little sitting on the right side of the equal sign.

Instead, we must learn to focus on progress and the long term development of that which we intend to accomplish; paying close attention to the subtle changes along the journey. Small, subtle changes indicate momentum and progress towards that which we desire. While the sapling doesn’t immediately become a towering tree, it does develop noticeably throughout each and every year of its life. These smaller, but observable, measurable changes, accruing over time, are what lead to its eventual colossal state.

Thinking in the short term is almost always a recipe for quitting. When we think in the short term and things don’t initially develop in the manner we had hoped, we’re much more likely to give up. When we give up, we settle. The short term mindset causes us to trade in our dreams for something that appears to be a “sure thing”, albeit a diminished version of our initial hopes, because it’s only supplying us with a fake form of quick gratification. It’s quick because it’s convenient and it’s gratifying (only at first) because it appears to come easily.

A person, thinking primarily with a short term mindset, assumes why should I apply X amount of time, physical, emotional and thought energy toward achieving my dreams, at a future date – when I can have a facsimile of what I originally wanted to achieve right now? After all, my dreams were probably unrealistic anyway, right? This is the way in which so many of us talk ourselves into accepting dead end jobs, living in locations where we don’t truly want to live, walking around uncomfortable with our bodies, spending time in unhealthy relationships, settling for less income than we deserve, living with large debt looming over our heads, etc.

It’s a snowball effect that continues to grow, while we opt for less and less and less. We’ve done it so frequently (sometimes since childhood) that we eventually convince ourselves it’s wrong to want more and to have more and/or we just don’t deserve it. The short term mindset, coupled with a lack of belief in one’s self, unfortunately, is what puts far too many people on the fast track to a miserable existence. By trading in their dreams, they sacrifice their passion and succumb to coping and existing, instead of living intentionally.

When I speak of wanting more or our ability to feel deserving of it, I’m not necessarily referring to material items. I’m actually referring to our state of joy and our quality of life. The material items are only there as a form of enhancement, once we have regained the power over how we feel and have chosen to consciously apply that power through our thoughts, emotions and actions. They are by no means a substitute for it.

In thinking from the long term, I believe, we quite naturally develop many of the following unstoppable characteristics of a spiritually/physically successful human being: living with passion, finding ways to follow our bliss, removing most forms of negativity from our lives, steadfast determination, staying true to ourselves, creating a niche where none previously existed, shifting the paradigm, overcoming fears, never giving up, embracing our power, thriving even in an economy that occasionally focuses on lack, realizing there are no true roadblocks keeping us from that which we desire – only momentary impediments, and wanting to uplift and give back to others in whatever form that may take.

Now, I know my above commentary may sound contradictory to one of my main themes at Wind of the Soul: “Each one of us is responsible for creating our reality.” And, if we choose to believe our goals and dreams will take large amounts of time to accomplish, then aren’t we setting ourselves up for that exact scenario to unfold?

I’m not saying we should assume our dreams will take many years to become a reality. In this post, I’m juxtaposing our dreams against the manner in which all living things naturally progress in our Universe and driving home the importance of never giving up. It’s through this juxtaposition that we can begin to understand why we need to think more from a long term mindset. Apply this mindset (i.e. the realization of time’s proper place in the equation) with the other components, and results will undoubtedly show.

One more thing pertaining to living in this manner, as it applies to achieving our hopes and aspirations: long term doesn’t mean we forsake the moment of now. It means we stay present in our current moment, doing all that we can towards accomplishing our goals, while realizing each moment will eventually stack on top of the next, until we find ourselves looking out atop that giant sequoia.

The Thrill of Being Physically Focused

John Wolfe — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 02:13:11 +0000

A Wind of the Soul visitor sent me a great email just a few days ago. He had listened to my law of attraction podcast and was specifically interested in the segment where I discussed receiving two pennies through seemingly mystical means. In his letter, he asked if I fully believed in my abilities to manifest financial wealth and abundance, without the need to take any physical action. He also was curious to know whether or not I was capable of realizing my true power and if so, why I would choose to continue pursuing my online businesses for bringing in income, if I indeed was in tune with my capabilities?

I love all of the feedback I receive from my visitors, but I truly appreciate it when someone asks probing questions, such as these. I’m not at all offended or put off by such questions, as they help me to consider new ways of looking at the subjects I frequently discuss. They also provide me with some insight into what my visitors are taking away from and bringing to my blog posts and podcasts.

In honestly answering his questions, I stated I do not believe enough in my power of instantaneous materialization to remove the need for taking all physical action. Over time, I have developed a belief in a balance and a synergy between my thoughts and my required actions for manifesting those thoughts.

However, I do believe there is a small amount of people, on this planet, which have the ability to materialize (any and all) items from thin air. They’ve either developed and honed this ability or never were taught to associate materialization with action, hence their lack of requirement for doing so. There are numerous accounts of such individuals residing in remote locations of the globe. While some may in fact be fraudulent claims, I do believe the ability honestly exists in some. My encounter with the very strange appearance of two pennies does provide me with a small glimpse into this phenomenon; while helping me to grasp its validity.

The irony in all of this – even if I awoke tomorrow with the complete ability to instantaneously materialize any object I chose (including money), from thin air; I wouldn’t stop taking physical action regarding my income generating pursuits. This is primarily due to the fact I so thoroughly enjoy everything I do, that I would do it all for free, but it is also because I believe we are residing in a physically based environment for a reason.

At least, during this point in our spiritual awareness, most of us are meant to be a part of the cause and effect link between thought, action and manifestation. To initially create with our minds and then allow our bodies to follow suit, bringing forth what we mentally conceive, is so thrilling and joyously satisfying. I believe it is a large part of why source chooses to experience itself through us in this specific plane of existence. Just because some appear to be capable of “overcoming” physical action does not mean they are more spiritually advanced than others who have not.

There are plenty of non-physical planes where the energy of all that is can consistently experience instantaneous manifestations of thought forms, minus any physical action. But to be in this physical place, at this moment, where our actions count for so much, is no accident. I know some believe this “level” of existence is some sort of practice arena in which we are meant to hone our abilities of manifestation. It’s often believed the earth plane is for those that aren’t yet responsible enough to exist in pure thought environments.

Where this line of thinking emerges from, I am not sure. But I am certain every single one of us transitions, immediately after this physical experience, into pure thought environments anyway. So, why do we all suddenly attain this so called worthiness after we pass on, yet it wasn’t granted to us while we are physically focused?

I view our spiritual existence slightly differently. I don’t believe the Universe is set up with levels of reward or punishment that are independent from us. I believe we are all equally gifted creators, because we are THE creator, no matter what plane of being we are occupying in the moment of now. Our experiences are simply that. They are not about achieving a specific degree of responsible behavior, to be rewarded by advancing to the “head of the class” in future dimensions.

I believe those types of ideas are conceived from the human mind, where we fret over competition and status. We are meant to create and emotionally experience our creations from our current standpoint (no matter where that may be), not devise means for achieving levels of advancement. All of our experiences and the environment we occupy, in this moment, represent the resources we draw upon for creation. Physical manipulation of energy happens to be one of those resources. We are where we are for a reason and I feel that reason is to experience a physical vehicle and all of its physically creative capabilities.

So, where does this leave me concerning the meaning of the two pennies? I believe they were providing a glimpse into how powerful our intentions can be and they were a representation of my consistent thoughts of abundance.

Are we completely dependent upon physical action to provide financial stability or anything else for that matter in the physical Universe? Maybe not- maybe mass consciousness will eventually know how to perform instantaneous materializations, at a grand scale, even in the physically based Universe. But imagine what we would be missing if we could choose to eliminate a large portion of physicality from the physical world. I believe that would be defeating the purpose of being here in the first place.

Once again, I want to thank the individual for sending their email. In this post, I was not at all making light of their questions or trying to retaliate. Rather, their questions stimulated something deeper within me which I felt compelled to write about. For that I’m extremely appreciative. Their email provided me with another angle for viewing my own physicality and honoring it in a way I frequently neglect.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Variation Inspires Creation

John Wolfe — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:46:49 +0000

As is customary for me, every time a public television pledge drive comes around, I have to tune into their broadcasting. Throughout the year, PBS normally has a variety of great programming, but around pledge time they really bring out their “A” game. This is when you can expect to see programs featuring people like Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra.

So on Saturday morning, shortly after waking, I turned on the TV to see what my local public television channel was airing. They were already forty five minutes into a show called, The Artist’s Way at Work, with Mark Bryan. Now, even though I was only able to catch the last fifteen minutes of the program, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I always find myself enthralled when watching and listening to what inspires the creative process in artists (or anyone). Perhaps there’s nothing that peaks my interest more than hearing about that which gets the creative juices flowing. To learn what stirs and drives others always tunes me into my own inspiration to create.

During the last quarter of the program, Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills and Nash fame was discussing what prevents him from stagnating as an artist. He was talking about how versatility and variation are often the keys to inspiring his creativity.

I have found the same to be true of my inspiration for being creative. My muse is definitely the variety in my pursuits. This is why I write and record audio programs here at Wind of the Soul, yet I also build Halloween artwork, take photographs, brainstorm gift giveaways and make videos at Season of Shadows. I’m passionate about everything I do or else I wouldn’t do it. And, even though each project is exciting to me, the consistent variety always provides freshness to my work and to my life.

Now, when I speak of creativity I’m not strictly referring to artwork, writing, crafts or music. Each and every one of us is a creator in our own unique way. We are constantly in different stages of creation, even if we are thinking thoughts which have yet to manifest through our physical actions.

Just because you may not pick up a brush and touch it to canvas, doesn’t mean you can’t be inspired to continually create in new ways through variety and versatility. It’s for this reason I’m hesitant to ever limit myself to one primary pursuit. I think it’s far too easy for us to slip into a solitary role and see ourselves as “that person” for the rest of our lives- whether the role is defined by a philosophy, a job, our career, hobby or a relationship. While there’s nothing wrong with inhabiting the skin of that somewhat singular character, I think there is something extremely important about taking creative “risks”. Creative risks are the backbone of every journey and their end product.

A creative risk can be a tough thing to undertake if we doubt our abilities and fear what others will ultimately think. However, without the willingness to venture into those unchartered waters, our creativity and our creative abilities can become stagnant. As we stagnate, we tend to lose even more faith in what we’re capable of accomplishing.

Now, I’ve never been a huge advocate of the face your fears ideology, in spite of the tremendous anxiety and terror you’re feeling inside. I’ve tried it many times and I will admit it can help in certain situations, but there are many more circumstances in which it only reinforces and exacerbates the original fear. Instead, I believe we must re-examine our fear and get a better understanding of why it’s there before we move forward to challenge it, but only if the pursuit is indeed something we consider worthwhile. In doing so, our emotions won’t be so out of control and we won’t be so overly attached to the fear as it rears its head.

I only mention I’m not a full on “face your fear” advocate because I don’t want anyone to feel bad if they’re afraid to employ variety and take creative risks. Again this comes back to finding what you’re passionate about. Once passion fuels your drive, then it’s obviously a worthwhile pursuit and it becomes easier to release the fear involved with taking the creative risk.

The beauty in embracing variety is that it allows us to try so many different endeavors. It seems like a common misconception that we should stick to one thing (get really good at it) and not divide our time among multiple pursuits. Again, that’s fine if someone has a singular interest. But for those of us that have a strong thirst for many different things, it’s comforting and inspiring to know many other creators do as well. Not only do they have multiple interests but their creativity actually flourishes by keeping their pursuits varied. Variation creates a beneficial, synergistic effect among all of their endeavors which continues to further inspire their creative genius.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Q & A: Does the Individual Create Mass Corruption in the World?

John Wolfe — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:11:41 +0000

Question: Hi, I’ve been learning a lot about the idea that we create our reality. If this is true, then does it mean we’ve created all of the bad things in our world too? I don’t understand the issues of politics, crime, war, death, destruction and so on. Did I contribute to the creation of those things? And if so, how am I responsible? I’m not attacking, I’m just asking–if we create our own reality then wouldn’t that include our world at the global scale as well? I never want war or crime or bad doings, but they seem to be growing. How did I create them? Thank you in advance for your answer. By the way, I like your site a lot. - Jessica

Answer: Jessica, thank you. I appreciate probing questions like yours. I believe the external world, we call reality, is a reflection of both our individual point of focus and the collective focus of mass consciousness. But the mass collective consciousness definitely has a stronger ability for influencing global issues (at a faster rate) than our individual point within that consciousness does.

I have written a few older blog posts where I touched on the fact that we are indeed responsible for all of what we observe around us. The beauty in that (I know it may seem almost impossible to find beauty in many of the things in our world) is if we are capable of creating undesirable manifestations then imagine the amazing potential for what we could be creating.

Of course, manifestation in this physical plane is a 50/50 thing (usually). It takes our thoughts initially and then the follow-up of actions, based on those thoughts, to shift our reality. I say usually because I have seen items materialize from thin air without any action, so I know that too is possible. I believe the farther we push the envelope on consciousness, the more possible it is to see instantaneous manifestations, minus the action portion of the equation, but that’s a different subject altogether.

Now, you asked if you created things like war, [corrupt forms of] politics, crime, death, etc. I believe your individual influence on those wide spread issues is rather small in the whole scheme of mass consciousness. But, we all do contribute to the big picture. All of the items you asked about were set into motion many, many years before your specific personality came into focus in this existence. Since manifestation is an ongoing process, you can’t fault yourself for causing those things to have snowballed to their current status. Yet, you can certainly hone your thoughts and actions to where those things have very little impact on your personal life, in turn preventing their contribution at the global scale as well- minus death of course.

Death is one of those things that serves as a transition, similar to birth, into other environments. I can’t say for certain why death is an absolute for all physical beings in our reality; other than I believe we utilize it to broaden our consciousness. It’s sort of the ultimate form of expansion, which serves to remind us there is so much more out there than just these bodies of flesh and bone.

Another component, which is a regular occurrence we can count, is change. Change is inevitable because it prevents our Universe from becoming stagnant. If it weren’t for change, we would all be living lives that have no meaning since they would be frozen in time. Change has the ability to usher in events that provide us with new desires. One way I like to look at the events we deem horrible is that they are providing us with the ability to carve out these new desires for ourselves and those around us.

If we would all begin to shift our focus toward those new desires, rather than continuing to talk about, think about and identify with “bad” things (even though we don’t want them to occur), then we would begin to feel an internal shift. And if our actions were also congruent with those thoughts, the shift would be experienced at the physical level as well.

I’m definitely not suggesting we walk around with our heads in the sand regarding issues in our country and abroad, especially on the heels of my last post. However, once we understand the domestic and foreign state of affairs, then it’s time to stop constantly inundating ourselves with more of the same. Enough really is enough. It’s the job of the news agencies (and all bearers of bad news) to make it seem as if you can’t live without their reports. In reality, you can do just fine without listening to their spew time and again. Give those guys an inch and they will be more than happy to take twenty miles. Once we have been informed of the “big picture” then it’s time to turn off the television and the internet’s version of things and start making our own contributions in the direction of that which we wish for the world to experience.

Most people feel helpless and believe their seemingly “insignificant” contribution won’t make any difference whatsoever. And earlier in this post I did say you have to let yourself off the hook for the massive scale of corruption seen throughout the world. Yet, each individual and their experiences do create a ripple effect. The old adage about no man being an island is true. As long as we have thought thoughts and taken actions that interact in some way with others, we have already been participants in this game we call life and can no longer consider ourselves isolated. To be a participant means we have contributed in some way to our world. This is why it’s important to weigh out what we wish to contribute, from this point forward.

If humanity has created and added to most of the undesirable conditions we see throughout the world (and it has), then humanity absolutely has the ability, at the mass consciousness level, to make a full scale change in the other direction- but this has to start with each individual. The way you do your part, Jessica, is by setting the example in your own life. As Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Begin focusing on primarily those things that bring out your feelings of joy, passion and love and let your actions naturally follow suit. It’s OK to occasionally acknowledge the state of affairs in the world, but after doing so, quickly shift your focus to the way you want your little corner within it to be. And then make it so.

All of the negativity has to stop somewhere. Each one of us must set the example. Even if we don’t consciously want more harm and destruction to occur, our constant attention to the fact it is occurring is what prevents us from shifting our vibration. If we can’t pull ourselves out of a negative mindset, we will have problems taking the appropriate actions to contribute to the changes we desire to see.

And that does it for this question and answer installment. I’d like to thank Jessica for her great questions and you for taking the time to read this post. If you have any spiritual development or self-help questions you would like to see addressed, feel free to contact me. As always, your name will be kept private unless you request otherwise.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Believing in Yourself

John Wolfe — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:14:36 +0000

A prerequisite or at least co-requisite of persistence (for goal achievement) is an unshakable belief in ourselves and the projects we undertake. Yet, how do we develop and maintain this foundation of belief, in a world which seems so determined to undermine our self-confidence? There’s no single magic bullet for answering that question. Building confidence, if we’ve allowed it to be stripped from us, or if we feel we never truly had “it” to begin with is something that takes consistent work.

I’ve mentioned in previous posts I used to suffer severely from depression and other issues. After spending many years succumbing to that state of mind, I found myself in a void regarding self-esteem and lacking confidence in my abilities. It’s only been through consistently working with the techniques in this post (as well as many of the other techniques found throughout this site) that I have been able to develop a stronger belief in myself, my ideas and my dreams.

That’s not to say I don’t occasionally feel the effects of my past. I’m just better prepared, now, to prevent those negative emotional states from reaching epic proportions. Getting down on ourselves is normal from time to time, but it’s important to find a way out of that mindset as quickly as possible, in order to maintain a strong sense of belief in our abilities.

When we’re upset or depressed, our thoughts are self-defeating. In turn, our actions (if we even feel capable of taking action), from this state of mind, will usually be completely out of sync and often times counterproductive.

Sometimes taking physical action can serve to snap us out of a funk. However, since the accomplishment of our goals requires us to be consistently firing on all cylinders, through our thoughts and actions; it’s important to cultivate our self-esteem and safeguard our positive mindset. This encourages us to take charge of any negative internal conflict before it gets too far out of control.

Just as I mentioned in my previous post, the only difference between people that have achieved their dreams and those that have not- is a relentless, consistent drive to do so. These people have honed an unwavering belief in their abilities and they know their goals will be achieved. Their relentless drive may be fueled by many things, such as: wanting to make a difference, helping others, wanting a better life, wanting to experience various levels of success, having more abundance, having personal freedom, establishing healthier relationships, etc.

The common thread in all of those pursuits, however, is the desire to sustain happiness. We have to realize an inner bliss before our external reality can begin to express it as well. And once we’ve realized it internally, we will have simultaneously developed a stronger belief in our abilities for taking the necessary actions to see it manifest physically.

Below are five techniques for helping with both the internal and external processes:

#1: Love yourself unconditionally.

This may sound funny, but right now, say aloud, “I love me!” Seriously try it- and as you are saying it, pay attention to how you feel. Your feelings will provide an honest indication of your relationship with you. If there is a slight hesitation or if you feel skeptical or doubtful, you are receiving valuable feedback.

Certainly we aren’t accustomed to saying phrases like that to ourselves and that fact alone may make most people feel awkward. But I believe even that awkwardness serves as important feedback. It’s amazing how willing we are to say, “I love you” to someone else, yet we think it’s silly to express it to ourselves in the same manner.

And just because we can say it to someone else doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unconditional love. Many of us have been taught a false sense of love which requires others to behave in specific ways. That concept stems from never developing a healthy love for who we are on the inside and out.

We’re consistently placing conditions on our love of self: “I’ll love myself when I lose twenty pounds.” “I’ll love myself when I have a great relationship.” “I’ll love myself when I make more money.” “I’ll love myself when…” Though we may not say it, our thoughts and emotions reflect those sentiments. How can we really love another if we don’t even know what it means to unconditionally care deeply for the person we spend more time with than anyone else? We must stop treating our own self-love as if it were a carrot on a stick; dangling in front of our faces, always out of reach.

It’s customary to assume someone that’s in love with him or herself is narcissistic, so loving who we are has to be a bad thing, right? I don’t think so. Narcissists aren’t practicing real, unconditional love. They are displaying the same type of fleeting infatuation for themselves that we so often display for others. Narcissists are consumed by impermanent attributes. Their love of self is only skin deep and turns very fickle with age.

Real love comes from a place devoid of requirements. Real love is about caring deeply for who you are right now, despite any supposed imperfections. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to lose twenty pounds, make more money or have great relationships (after all, this post is about goal achievement through belief), don’t confuse those items with your worthiness.

If you feel you have to achieve something before you can be considered worthy or loveable, you will be sorely disappointed throughout your life. You’ll never connect with true happiness because you will spend all of your time and energy associating it strictly with your exterior.

#2: Live with integrity.

Keep your word regarding self-promises and the promises you make to others. Consistently breaking our word and our commitments indicates a lack of respect for ourselves and those we interact with. This provides a constant feedback loop to our subconscious; implanting the knowledge we don’t have any intention of following through on the smallest of tasks; never mind pursuing our dreams with any consistency.

Since our level of integrity is directly related to our level of self-respect; it’s safe to say we have very little love for ourselves (see #1) if we can’t keep our promises. Living without integrity will always serve to impair our pursuits.

#3: Know you are happening to life.

Life and its circumstances are not happening to you. On the contrary, you are happening to life. This third technique is about getting away from any form of the victim mindset. If we believe things happen to us, then we will never adopt the attitude of being in charge of our destiny. So often we use any excuse possible to justify why we aren’t in a “better” place in our lives.

I believe our thoughts and emotions are intended to serve us, not debilitate us. Actively take charge of your thoughts and feelings, don’t allow them to take charge of you.

To pursue our dreams we have to be open to new experiences and change. If we continue to feel victimized regarding any of our past circumstances, then we will shy away from the changes that must come for our life to take on a different shape.

When you know you are happening to life and it’s no longer happening to you, you will have released your fears and resentments and will be better prepared to adapt to any changes. In fact, you will pursue change because you will see it as a necessary component for the accomplishment of your goals.

There are many resources contained at Wind of the Soul which elaborate further on this third technique. Below are links to three:

Intentionally Reclaiming Our Power
Exploring and Creating Our Reality
Spiritual Winds of Change

#4: Support others and their accomplishments.

When we can provide real support for their triumphs, we are in a place of wanting the best for ourselves as well. If we feel envy over the accomplishments of others, it means, deep down, we do not believe it’s possible to achieve our own goals. Furthermore, we don’t believe we are even worthy of success.

When we are completely confident in our abilities, there will be no room for jealousy in our emotions. As we feel free to celebrate others’ successes, we will be in a place of only expecting the very best outcomes in our own life as well.

Today, find someone you know who has recently accomplished something and tell them how proud you are of them. This simple act may seem trivial, but performing it consistently will help to reshape your outlook on achievement. It will also bolster the recipient’s confidence along with your own. When we uplift others we are also uplifting ourselves.

#5: Apply the previous four strategies while following a course of action.

As we bring ourselves into a more confident place with the previous four techniques, it’s time to start putting our thoughts in motion. While I don’t believe we should pursue something if we aren’t honestly feeling it. I also don’t believe we should wait for some supposed magic moment to pursue those things we are passionate about. This present moment is the best time to begin taking action toward the changes we desire.

Even if you feel there is much work to be done regarding the above strategies; the sheer fact they are now a part of your awareness will initiate the process. Becoming consciously aware is always the first step in any endeavor.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Persistence

John Wolfe — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:33:47 +0000

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge

The eleven letter word, titling this post, may appear to move against the grain of many spiritual teachings. There’s no denying, however, it’s one of the most important components for achieving the changes we desire in our lives. A form of consistent persistence, both of thought and action, is required to get the ball rolling on desired manifestation, and ensure it continues gaining speed.

This comes back to the idea of momentum, which I spoke about in Podcast #5: The Inspiration Behind Deliberate Creation. Without cultivating the emotional drive to consistently propel our actions forward, we will more than likely give up long before seeing our dreams reach fruition.

For the remainder of this entry I’ll be using the word dreams and goals interchangeably. I know some inspirational and motivational authors have a problem with the word dreams and they feel there is a distinct difference between the two. Many believe a dream represents something in the ether that’s intangible, while a goal is definable and measurable because of the steps that can be taken toward it.

I feel goals can only exist because of our dreams. They’re too intrinsically linked to separate them. Without the initial desire to think and dream, we would never determine why we needed a course of action in the first place, toward measurable goals. Now, unfulfilled dreams, on the other hand, are different from goals, yet anyone that’s willing to take action in the direction of their dreams is in the process of moving out of the ether and into the physical realm of dream/goal fulfillment.

It’s fascinating to observe the differences between individuals that are able to make major changes in their lives, in comparison to those that fail to do so, despite their efforts. The defining factor (as Coolidge pointed out) is almost always linked to determination- who has developed it and who hasn’t. This trait is something we must build within ourselves by cultivating an inner belief in our abilities.

I used to think people that were capable of realizing really big dreams were somehow special and different from me in very unique ways. It seemed they all possessed similar “secret” characteristics that were germane to their success. However, the more closely I began to examine what made these individuals tick; I realized they also were each quite different from one another. Yet, the one trait they shared was a relentless drive to succeed.

I began viewing them in a different light; suddenly realizing they were ordinary men and women like you and me. Ordinary, other than the fact they knew exactly what they wanted, didn’t care what anyone else thought and learned to perceive possibilities where everyone else saw obstacles. This doesn’t mean they always initially saw the benefit in the obstacles. But they persevered until the blockages could eventually be utilized and viewed as opportunities.

One thing I want to make clear about perseverance: it’s not an excuse for stubbornly running headlong with blinders on. In being persistent we stay true to our goals and consistently move toward reaching them, but we simultaneously are willing to also try new means for doing so. If a particular strategy doesn’t seem to be working, it doesn’t mean our dreams are unattainable, it only means that strategy may need to be tweaked or changed altogether. It’s important to stay open to changes regarding new ways for keeping us on our path and moving forward.

Most people fail to find the means for building an unwavering belief in their goals because they have allowed self-doubt to dominate their mindset. Couple this with a lack of passion for their pursuits; throw in an unwillingness to disassociate from naysayers, negative people and unproductive, time-draining activities- and you have a recipe for giving up before any dream is able to fully manifest.

The Universe is willing to grant us all that we desire, but there’s much truth in the idea god helps those that help themselves. If we are not willing to: reshape our outlook; take charge of our pursuits; release the dream killers from our lives; use our time wisely; and always, no matter what, persist in the direction of our aspirations; then source energy can only provide us with more of what we’ve previously carved out for ourselves.

Begin, right now, by starting to believe in yourself and believe in your dreams. Cultivate that belief even farther by taking action. Each step you take brings you closer to knowing your dreams will be delivered in full. Ignore anything and anyone stating the contrary to your inner knowledge and never, ever, ever give up!

In my next post, I’ll be discussing specific techniques for developing the belief and knowledge, needed to assist us in persevering until our dreams are realized.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

The Wisdom of Wind

John Wolfe — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:57:20 +0000

Today’s entry, in continuing with my wisdom in nature posts, features the elusive wind. At times, this element can be the yin to water’s graceful yang, yet it too provides us with its own enlightening characteristics. Wind has the ability to rapidly modulate its movement and its course, all based upon a connection to the moment. And while its temperament may not always be as passive and gentle as flowing water, it has developed its own unique variations and capacities for being a spiritual teacher just the same.

Wind provides the majority of its insight and wisdom through the demonstration of persistence and tenacity. Like water, it has the ability to slowly wear away any form of resistance and is a true artisan among the elements.

Through its own resolve, wind sculpts amazing shapes from solid canyon walls and cliffs. It knows its abilities will ultimately see its harshest forms of opposition turned into beautiful wind swept sceneries and vistas.

While wind primarily utilizes diligence as its tool for creation, it never underestimates the importance of calm precision. With the slightest amount of effort, applied to an evening breeze, it cools the hottest summer nights.

Wind moves with the purpose of growth. Its gusts serve to strengthen every tree limb. For without its help, the smallest groves of saplings would never mature into strong, thick forests.

Wind brings forth rejuvenation, clearing out the old to make way for the new. Stagnation is not a possibility in the natural environment, as wind ushers in the potential for change.

Wind moves with the purpose of nurturing. Its drafts serve as guides to the gray giants of the sky. For without its assistance, precious rain would never find thirsty crops.

Wind encourages all living things to bend with the direction of its movement. Those that learn to give way are not toppled by its breezes. The wind, however, does not believe all things must follow its specific course; it simply teaches the ability to relax, stretch and allow.

The wind is a free spirit, devoid of hang-ups or attachments. It’s completely self-actualized, spontaneous and comfortable in its own awareness and actions; whether it’s blustering between the branches of an old oak or whipping through the needles of a mountain pine. It finds immense benefit in all environments and eagerly travels from one location to the next, minus fear, doubt or concern.

Wind moves with the purpose of uplifting. Its updrafts serve to relax the beat of a million wings. For without its help, birds could not soar to new heights.

The wind does not brag or boast of these attributes, but prefers to operate through visual anonymity. Only the rustling of leaves, the swaying of grass and the tussling of our hair reveal its presence. It has remained eternally unseen, yet will be forever felt and heard.

Similar to The Wisdom of Water; in this post, I provided the wind with many characteristics resembling intelligence. Yet, I believe this somewhat intangible teacher does possess its own awareness; maybe not exactly like yours and mine, but a consciousness, nonetheless.

Many of these observations came from a relaxed state of watching the trees sway outside my window, but several of the wind’s “subtler” qualities didn’t appear to be stemming from my scrutiny. Instead, they seemed to come as one solid, elaborate thought (without any need to be developed or re-written); infused with a deeper sense of knowing. So it is, when we are completely tuned to the awareness of that which has not forgotten.

This entry has also been featured as an audio recording. It can be found in the podcast section or played directly by following this link: Podcast #8: The Wisdom of Wind. The recording runs for 6 minutes. File size for downloading is: 5.49 MB.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

The Wisdom of Water

John Wolfe — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 03:40:07 +0000

Mankind has always looked to nature as its ultimate external spiritual teacher. When we observe the elements in their natural, pristine settings; they have much to share regarding the unfolding of life. All things in the environment, (minus man’s interference) come about through an unhurried, consistent, form of allowing. While these traits can be witnessed in many elements, there doesn’t seem to be one that articulates them in a manner more beautifully than flowing water.

Water shares its wisdom with us through the subtleties of its action. Aside from an occasional storm, it has very little to prove and radiates a modest confidence in this knowledge. It has the ability to relax; taking on any shape which tries to encase it, while simultaneously possessing the potential to eventually realize its freedom- whether as a vapor or a liquid.

Water finds peace through its own versatility, recognizing there’s no need to control, or struggle. In its resourcefulness, it always discovers the path which is the most harmonious and least resistant. If resistance is met, it doesn’t battle to overcome it, rather it stays consistent in its own subtle flow, until the resistance eventually wears away.

Water happily sprays and joyously splashes, without inhibition and without any specific reason for doing so. It just does and it doesn’t worry over what the fish, trees, grass or anything else may think.

Water allows without provocation. It doesn’t demand that anything follow its lead. It carves out its own trail and silently lets those objects, which choose to take the trip with its current, come downstream for the ride. Simultaneously, it doesn’t mind that other rivers, creeks and streams are hewing out their own unique passage, just a short distance away.

Water gives freely of itself to all living things, without fear of lack or shortage in supply. It understands that through generosity, both its experience and the experience of the recipient will become more enhanced.

Water, in its constant state of motion, doesn’t become tense or anxious. It has found its movement to be more graceful and fulfilling when it leaves rigidity to the rocks it glides past.

Water does not worry over its performance as it rounds a bend in the stream or shoots the falls. It simply fails to get in its own way. With all of its billions of individual droplets making up the unity of its current- it recognizes it is the way.

Water is not in any hurry to reach an ultimate destination- for it knows such a place does not exist. It understands that being softly deliberate, gently intentional and quietly unfailing will always see it through to the next location in its path. However, it never ceases to enjoy the course of its journey, in the moment of now.

In this post, I have given water very human-like traits and personifications of intelligence. Yet, the irony, here, is water acts nothing like most of us. It absolutely has its own way of trusting and being. What it may lack in terms of I.Q. points and human consciousness, it more than makes up for in its connection to the natural, uncomplicated movement of all things in the Universe.

While there are definitely moments where calm, allowing passivity may be inappropriate in the human experience; the majority of time we could adopt these characteristics. If we would take just a handful of the examples this magnificent element provides us- and apply them in our lives- we would see an amazing shift begin to develop in the way we feel. As our feelings shift and change, our external reality will join in unison.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

This entry has also been featured as an audio recording. It can be found in the podcast section or played directly by following this link: Podcast #7: The Wisdom of Water. The recording runs for 8 minutes and 48 seconds. File size for downloading is: 8.06 MB.

Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization

John Wolfe — Sat, 10 May 2008 21:12:48 +0000

A topic near and dear to my heart is the idea of people marching to the beat of their own drum. Despite what’s deemed the norm, and often times in spite of it, certain individuals manage to carve out their own unique ways of living, thinking and being. They’ve long since thrown off what’s considered acceptable by society’s standards and they live their lives by tuning into an inner calling and an awareness of what’s right for them.

In my opinion this is one of the fastest ways to become a fully self actualized human being. Self actualization is about more than establishing an identity. It’s about living intentionally and feeling wholeness and a fulfilled happiness that’s not dependent upon things or others. But, it’s simultaneously the recognition that material items and relationships can enhance your experience. However, they by no means have any bearing on your self sufficient state of joy and the knowledge of who you are.

Now, what prevents the majority from following cerebral and physical pursuits that embrace the ideas of wholeness and contentment in their being? In many cultures, societies, and even among family structures, there are two areas which seem to impede such pioneering ways: social regulations and social pressure.

The fascinating thing is societies with strong rules, regulations and laws seem to be a slightly better “breeding” ground for individuals that are willing to question where their sense of self is being derived from. Under these strict conditions, people will begin to become more introspective and doubt the powers that be (at least privately). This line of thinking lends itself to creating a more in tune individual. Citizens in harshly regulated societies are forced into adopting the status quo due to fear of reprisal. And while physically, they abide by the regulations, mentally they withdraw from the external claptrap and propaganda.

In societies where social pressure seems to be more dominant than social regulations, many people appear less likely to think for themselves and are more willing to adopt the group think mentality. People under intense social pressure conform initially out of fear of being rejected and meeting with verbal criticism. Over time the fear of being chastised and ostracized wanes. They eventually give in to the pressure and start mimicking and enforcing the “correct” lifestyle right alongside everyone else.

Many western cultures, like the United States for example, obviously have their laws and regulations, yet they also seem to have excellent conditions for cultivating severe social pressures. I believe much of this stems from the access we have to larger amounts of material resources than many other countries.

This access causes an obvious delineation between the haves and the have not’s. The wider the gap becomes, the greater the strain on the fabric of society. As we begin paying more attention to what we have and don’t have (in comparison to others), than we do to who we are and how we can help one another- we succumb to social pressure.

In this nation, social pressure leads people to engage in activities they would never dream of if they were more in tune with their true selves. You don’t have to look very far to locate someone who’s willing to do unnecessary things to their body, simply to try and please someone else.

From Botox to implants, to living on drugs that aid sexual performance, we are selling ourselves out in an attempt to locate an external form of happiness. And that doesn’t even begin to address what we do to one another and our world in the pursuit to acquire more and more material items.

I know many people fear the direction our nation is going; especially in view of some of the ways we’ve relinquished personal freedoms. However, as long as we are willing to continue playing many of the materialistic, mindless games we’ve been engaging in, government has no need to enforce stricter laws and regulations. We’re already censoring and restricting our true selves for them.

Social pressures are one of the strongest forms of control western nations have over their citizens. The sad thing is we continue to perpetuate that control with very little prompting. We line up willingly.

We’re either killing ourselves to look good or to artificially feel good (via drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food addictions, shopping addictions, sex addictions, etc.). Either way, both types of extreme behaviors originate from a place of physical self loathing and a lack of removing the pressure to always perform and to have more.

In the process, we’ve forgotten to just be. In being, we quiet the external stimuli and we search within; bringing ourselves to a point of knowing instead of a place of mimicking, reaching, guessing, and stumbling.

I don’t believe there’s a thing wrong with having nice material possessions or wanting to look good, or feel good (real happiness, not the artificial kind). The problem resides in the over identification of who we are with these things. Once we learn to relate to our value as solely residing in our appearance, what we own, what we can ingest, or who we can score with; we have succumbed to the very social pressure that strips us of actualization.

We can become so submersed in living in this manner; we never recognize there’s something more. This can go on for years until we wake up one day to an empty shell of a life with very little depth or substance. This is a sure sign we’ve neglected the portion of ourselves that fuels our experience. It’s still there, but it’s stunted.

When we quit doing for the sake of trying to measure up and we start being for the sake of discovering real happiness and wholeness; we will have made an important shift. This conscious shift will take us from living accidentally through social pressure to living intentionally through the knowledge of the inner self.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Recognizing Opportunities for Expansion

John Wolfe — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:45:04 +0000

For years, musicians, in different genres, have touched on the sentiment of today’s post regarding our perspective and how it pertains to opportunity. Two songs come immediately to mind: The rock anthem- You Can’t Always Get What You Want, by the Rolling Stones and the country classic- Unanswered Prayers, by Garth Brooks.

Of course, the Stones were singing about the concept that we don’t always receive everything we desire, but through our continued efforts, we can receive exactly what we need. Garth on the other hand, was referencing the idea that the god source energy provides its most amazing gifts, to us, by not granting certain prayers. However, it’s only in hindsight that we can understand and appreciate this.

Now, I don’t agree with the portion of these two songs that indicates we are unable to have or achieve certain things, whether by our own accord or due to a supposed intervention by source energy. It’s simply a matter of how we pursue our dreams (both through our thoughts and actions), and how willing we are to allow an adjustment of the means for them to manifest in our reality, which determines the outcome.

While we are in pursuit of certain dreams or goals, we can stumble onto some of the most treasured gems of opportunity and possibility. These opportunities could not have presented themselves, if we had not been pursuing our initial desires in the first place. And, they may very well serve as a new and “improved” route for continuing to thrust us forward, regarding our interests.

These paths, which may appear to be alternate to our initial plans, are the Universe’s way of handing us what we were originally wanting; only in a manner which is more appropriate for the achievement of all we desire. You see, I like to take songs like the ones mentioned above and interpret them differently than the way the song writers might have originally intended.

In the case of Unanswered Prayers, the main character had been setting forth the desire to have a great relationship and settle down with his high school sweetheart, but he was disappointed by the fact they failed to marry. Years later, he and the woman who eventually became his wife, run into his old flame at their alma mater’s football game. Bumping into her causes him to reflect on the idea god failed to answer his prayers during high school. Yet, he’s appreciative of this because his old girlfriend no longer behaved the way he remembered.

However, if we look a little closer, I believe his prayers were answered. They weren’t ignored at all. They were delivered to him, only in the guise of someone slightly different than the woman he initially assumed would fill the role. The character made his intentions clear (in this case through prayer) and took action by pursuing a relationship of his dreams. Along the way, certain opportunities presented themselves. And while he didn’t end up with his high school sweetheart, he still received his original intention for a meaningful, happy relationship.

Of course, this is just a song, but creative endeavors like song writing and singing, similar to writing and storytelling, provide the means to get in touch with our core beliefs. This is especially true if we find ourselves identifying heavily with the characters involved, whether we are the writer, listener or reader. We must examine those beliefs in order to understand the direction our lives are taking and what we are receiving.

For example, looking at alternate circumstances as an opportunity instead of a problem typically requires some distance between our initial intentions and the current crossroads we may be facing. We often have to take a new path and try it before we can fully appreciate its benefits. Only when we look back, can we reflect upon where we’ve been and the process it created, thus leading us to an even more advantageous point in our life experience.

The more consistently we can adopt and foster the view of alternate paths being opportunities instead of something dreadful, the more our lives will continue taking shape in a manner which resembles our initial intentions. Occasionally we must be willing to slightly remodel the means for achieving our desires, based upon our own expansion/evolution and what’s finding its way to us. Without this flexibility we may close ourselves off to some amazing experiences that can provide more expansive results than what we are currently achieving.

By continuing to set forth our intentions, establishing our true purpose, and taking actions which are in alignment with these; we will find a multitude of opportunities presenting themselves. This doesn’t mean we have to jump on board each and every one of them. Nor does it mean by taking any one them we have forsaken our original dream. It only means we are on the right path (for ourselves) and the Universe is acknowledging this by reflecting these opportunities in our experiences. It also means the original dream has reached such a point of expansion (right alongside our own personal expansion) that it too must go through some growth to continue keeping up with our new state of being.

So, don’t thank god for unanswered prayers, instead thank god, or source, or the Universe, or whatever you feel fuels your awareness, for manifestations that have been tailored to the individual you continue to become. As you shift and broaden your view point, you will recognize that when you get what you need, you’re really getting what you wanted all along.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Ineffable States of Enlightenment

John Wolfe — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:10:53 +0000

“A fly wanders back and forth through the air, then lands on the window pane. It launches itself, flies for two feet, then lands on the glass again. It continues to walk around, on the glass, never finding the exit.

“It doesn’t know that there is an opening in the window just a few feet away. You and I can see the opening because we have the big picture. If only the fly would un-limit itself, get the bigger picture, and allow itself the freedom and perspective to fly higher, it could rise above it all and be free.

“Instead, it is content to wander aimlessly. Now I tell you: You are that fly. You know the way out. But You Choose to Ignore it.” – excerpted from Lessons Out of the Body, by Robert Peterson

In my last post I discussed the concept of letting go and how I’m learning to apply it in a very specific area of my life. However, I’ve also come to realize letting go, in other areas, can lead to some of the most profound experiences of our lives. If we could learn to release our over attachment to beliefs, circumstances and ideas, we could expand our perspectives immensely. It’s this expansion of perspective that will continue to prevent us from stagnating in every experience of consciousness we encounter.

I used Robert Peterson’s quote, pertaining to the fly, to illustrate how we are always just a short distance away from entering into a brand new state of ever unfolding enlightenment. The fly quickly becomes accustomed to only seeing what’s right directly in front of it. Even though the exit exists just a few feet away, it often chooses the bondage of what’s familiar over a journey into more expansive experiences.

Are any of us really that different than the fly crawling around on a pane of glass, always missing the obvious? We gravitate towards appealing ideas and beliefs out of habit and fear; hoping for something, anything to provide salvation. Often times, our determination to make that form of salvation the only way enchains us in shackles that bind, limit and define us for the rest of our lives. Those self limiting concepts can prevent us from finding our own individual opening in the window.

There’s not one set of teachings: religious, spiritual, new age, channeled, self help, personal development, or otherwise that will ever have all of the answers. Every one of them, if you’re not aware, can eventually trap you right back on the window pane. As you’re lulled into believing you’ve finally arrived at THE one truth, you’ll continue to miss the opening that’s waiting just beyond your own limiting beliefs. Our perspective is forever expanding, if we’d only choose to see it that way.

It’s for this reason I stated there is no truth and truth is all there is, in my post Discovering the Truths of Your Existence. By this statement I meant that there’s no ultimate truth out there because your personal truth is all that exists. We each continue to define ourselves based upon this, yet we simultaneously expect the world around us to behave according to our standards of that truth. And each individual aspect of consciousness within the world is reacting to its own version.

People are quick to argue (and a lot worse) over which religion is right or which philosophy or self-help guru has the correct angle. The problem with this line of thinking is simple: none of them can ever be eternally correct. They will all have bits of truth residing within, but just as soon as we assume any one is the be all end all, we have again lost sight of the open window. And the more vehemently we cling to that idea as the only truth in life, the further away from the opening we continue to crawl; turning our back on the way out.

Our beliefs not only shape and limit our experiences in this physical plane of existence, but they may very well do the same once we shift our focus into the nonphysical. In Robert Monroe’s book Far Journeys, he spoke about how our expectations and beliefs create the locations we encounter once we pass into the nonphysical.

During his out of body journeys, on the astral plane, Monroe encountered what he called belief systems, full of souls, which were set up according to religious affiliation and denomination. These souls had already crossed over, yet they had built entire communities on the astral that resembled their physical counterparts. They would attend church along with other “earthly” activities. Some were even still waiting for Christ to meet them when they died, despite the fact they were already dead!

Monroe would do his best to try and coax them out of their belief systems. His intentions were to show that there were more amazing environments (since he had witnessed some of them) beyond their self imposed restrictive communities. The only limit to these other amazing, expansive environments was their own ability to fathom the potentials and possibilities. Some came along with him and others reluctantly stayed behind, turning their back, once again, on the opening in the window.

Obviously, I can’t write about there not being an ultimate external truth and then say for certain Monroe’s experiences were the definitive answer pertaining to the afterlife. However, I believe his experiences do provide us with another clue in our journey. We must use all of the teachings that are available to us as stepping stones towards finding our inner version of truth. And know that even this truth continues to expand and change because that’s the nature of consciousness and this entire Universe.

While I feel our physical environment is loaded with many excellent teachings and teachers; each one is only capable of delivering their truth that is currently stemming from their present perspective in the moment of now. Yet the next moment of now is not the same as the previous one because everything has expanded once again, due to the nature of consciousness. If the Universe, both its physical and nonphysical equivalents, continues to expand, then what are the odds that only one set of teachings, religious or otherwise, is the only universal truth out there?

I’m not suggesting we should cease broadening our horizons through exploring spiritual teachings, philosophies and religions. I’m suggesting we take those teachings for what they’re worth and remember they may have some valid application based upon our current state of awareness only. And as we continue to expand, those same teachings may eventually serve to limit us. Just imagine, since you started reading this sentence the Universe has expanded and subtly changed and it will do so again by the time you come to the period at the end of this paragraph.

The Universe does not stand still, nor does consciousness. If both were stagnant, then perhaps one set of teachings would suffice forever, but that’s not the case. As this conscious Universe continues to expand, teachings from two days ago and even two thousand years ago cannot consistently apply to the farthest reaches of our physical and nonphysical awareness, in this new, present moment of unexplored existence.

Step on the stones of those teachings that have been previously laid before you and continue stepping without hesitation. Pass easily and freely through each new opening in the window panes of your life. As you reach uncharted waters, consistently go within to allow your own present truth to shine forth, moving you beyond the next and the next; always understanding the experience will never cease to change and expand. And always knowing that is exactly how it’s meant to be.

Let go, allowing yourself to flow freely toward your ever developing, ineffable state of enlightenment. For this is not a destination of achievement; it’s a state of forever becoming.

If you’re interested in learning more about Robert Peterson, along with his spiritual insights and experiences out of the body, I highly recommend visiting his website. Both of his books can be found there, free of charge.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Learning to Let Go

John Wolfe — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:00:31 +0000

Within the last few months I’ve made some important discoveries regarding the title of today’s post. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve gotten good at consistently applying those discoveries, but I’m continuing to try.

I’ve always been the type of person that’s been an absolute perfectionist about endeavors that I feel are worth pursuing- especially anything of an artistic nature or something that’s intended to benefit others. Even if a project sounds great or looks great, after five hours of work, I believe it will be even better after ten hours and so on.

This is the same logic I apply to my writing and audio recordings. Pick out any post, on this site, that’s at least three typed pages long and I can show you ten+ hours of writing that went into that particular post. Pick out any podcast, thirty minutes or longer, and I can show you twenty+ hours that went into creating it. Most bloggers would probably never dream of spending that much time on a single post or recording, but I frequently demand it of myself.

When you love what you’re doing, the hours fly by anyway, so it’s not an issue regarding the time invested. The issue here pertains to my need to sometimes over manage the creative process. While I’m absolutely concerned about my material being beneficial and top notch; much of the over managing stems from a place within me that’s concerned about being accepted (by my readers/listeners) and succeeding as a professional blogger.

Now, I don’t base my version of success on the same merits society typically uses. If I were to do that, it would be safe to say I’ve never been a “success” at anything I’ve ever done. Simply, because I’ve never actively pursued many of the material things and positions of status we’re coaxed into pursuing for measuring our levels of achievement.

Instead, I base my success on the amount of joy I’m receiving from my work and the amount of help and benefit I’m providing to others. These are the goals that continue to inspire me. All of the work I’m currently doing provides me with more joy than anything I’ve ever done in my life, so on that front, I would have to say I’m extremely successful.

However, I have occasionally noticed my readers don’t seem to communicate with me (via many different means) nearly as often as the readers of other blogs; especially those sites that pertain to somewhat similar content. I know many bloggers aren’t overly concerned with lack in reader feedback; in fact, some shut comments down entirely on their sites.

But for me, reader email feedback and comments are an important part of the process. This isn’t about getting my ego stroked. I’ll approve negative reader comments as quickly as I approve the positive ones. Instead, it’s about reaching out to my readers and gauging whether I’m providing value or not based upon your interactions. Even when I receive negative comments, I know I’m stimulating people’s minds.

It’s this area that’s created some concern for me and has at times, led to the occasional doubt about my work and whether or not I’m really making a difference. When doubt starts to creep in, I begin noticing an incessant increase in the need to try and control the creative, expressive process and its outcomes.

In Podcast #5: The Inspiration Behind Deliberate Creation, I spoke about getting out of our own way as much as possible to allow all we desire to unfold. In the post Effortless Passionate Creativity, I discussed the idea when we passionately create, without over thinking and managing, we become a conduit for the most positive aspects of Universal energy. These are life changing concepts I’m fully aware of and believe in, yet sometimes I continue to miss the forest for the trees and catch myself getting in my own way.

This is an area where I’ve learned I have to consistently release and let go. When I first came to that realization, I was a little confused about what letting go meant. I used to believe you had to keep something at the forefront of your thoughts, almost at all times, to really make it manifest. It’s like having tunnel vision. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to embrace the concept of letting go; if it meant that being distracted from my vision would prevent it from coming to fruition.

It’s taken me a while, theoretically working with this idea, to finally, fully realize letting go doesn’t mean relinquishing my dreams for this site or the quality of my work. It means letting go of trying to force my acceptance and my success (based on feedback). It means being myself, continuing to do what I love; having fun, maintaining my vision, staying positive, staying consistent, taking action when it is necessary- backing off when it’s not, and realizing everything will work out.

With that being said, I absolutely appreciate the great feedback I have received. Many of you have sent such amazing messages; they’ve brought tears to my eyes and to you I’m thankful. Others have left messages completely disagreeing with my philosophies and to you, I’m also thankful.

And to those who visit, but aren’t inclined to leave comments and feedback: I appreciate your interest in my work as well. I’m coming to realize your silence may or may not mean I’m making a difference in your lives. Either way, it’s ok because my intent to do so and the joy I feel from taking this journey is what counts (this is true for all of us and whatever endeavor we undertake). Thank you for helping me to learn to let go.

In my next post I’ll be expanding upon this idea and how it can be useful, for the purpose of broadening our horizons, both here and once we move beyond this plane of focus.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Living the Placebo Effect

John Wolfe — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:35:51 +0000

“My company mascot is the bumblebee. Because of its tiny wings and heavy body, aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly. But the bumblebee doesn’t know that, so it flies anyway.” – Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics

According to my Webster’s New World Dictionary, circa 1963; the definition of the word placebo is: a medicine given just to humor a patient. I know what you’re probably thinking, “You need to spring for a new dictionary.” After reading that antiquated interpretation of the word, I would have to agree.

Over four decades ago, Webster’s dictionary seemed to also be humoring its readers (right along side most doctors) as it published a definition laced with a hint of mockery. Forty five years later modern medicine has realized there is validity to the placebo effect, beyond placation, but it’s not much closer to respectfully embracing it.

This, I believe, is partly due to a lack of fully understanding why placebos work and a prejudice toward exploring anything deemed unscientific. But it’s mostly due to the desire, primarily fueled by pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, HMO’s, etc. to not want to know exactly why they work. If their mechanisms were fully understood it could revolutionize the health care industry by putting health and the majority of control over one’s health back in the patient’s hands.

It’s similar to why our world hasn’t made the switch sooner from petroleum based fuel products, to more eco-friendly, green sources of alternative energy – big business is calling the shots and trying to dictate the trends. Unfortunately their trends are not about helping others to live happier, healthier, more empowered lives. This will continue being the case, until humanity’s interest in these subjects is reflected through its buying power on an even larger scale. Then, corporations will have to pay attention.

As consumers, we have to be willing to make more conscientious decisions concerning our purchases, based on how they affect the environment and others. And as patients, we must be willing to do the same where our health’s concerned. We must be more conscientiously aware of our body’s signals and what it’s trying to communicate. We need to start being more present and aware in our thoughts and the choices we make that continually influence our physical, spiritual and psychological health.

The placebo effect is about an individual investing belief in a treatment that is said to have no medicinal value whatsoever (the individual doesn’t know this, just like Mary Kay’s example of the bumblebee), yet the patient markedly improves anyway, solely on their desire to be well. Their improved condition is stemming from their own inner abilities, not from the treatment they think they’re receiving.

All forms of treatment are essentially placebos anyway, whether they’re deemed to be or not. I’m not discounting the fact that drugs and medicines have a physiological effect, but biologically we are identical to one another. The only difference is our individual propensity toward certain diseases and illnesses. Yet, I believe genetic propensities are accentuated and exacerbated by our emotional attitudes.

This is why you can take two individuals with the same illness, and have two totally different responses to the same treatment. If drugs were the only portion of the equation responsible for healing us, then everyone would experience identical response levels. This isn’t the case.

The patient absolutely has to believe in the treatment for it to work. Now, I’m sure there are cases where people with extremely negative, doubting attitudes have benefited from certain treatments, despite their outlook. However, I would wager that their level of improvement and overall well being was still not as pronounced as someone entering into the same treatment with a higher expectation. And the person with the negatively dominated outlook is far more susceptible to relapsing or acquiring another illness.

Our responses to treatment can be tracked much further back, in our individual history, beyond what’s happening at the doctor’s office. The types of results we experience can be traced back to the ways we have assimilated, processed and retained information since childhood. Perhaps, to fully understand why medical placebos can work, we should take their premise and apply it to other portions of our lives. By utilizing a psychological version of reverse engineering, we can harness the techniques that subconsciously power the placebo’s effects.

To fully live the placebo effect would mean we must find the place of knowing that which we want has already been accomplished. It would mean finding a way to believe and then reaching beyond belief, into the realm of knowing. This effect could be achieved in a multitude of ways, but if we are trying to emulate the sugar pill’s application, then we must know something to be true (even before we see it presented in our life experience) and release any contradictory thoughts, entirely. That has to be easier said than done, right? – Absolutely, if that’s what we choose to believe and we aren’t willing to try.

It’s been shown that patients that fully believe in their doctor’s abilities to help them attain wellness, along with the prescribed treatment, respond better than those that are doubtful of the procedures. The patients exhibiting the highest degree of confidence will typically release into their treatment, knowing they are going to get better, and never giving it a second, doubtful thought.

We must emulate that sort of vision and build that same level of confidence; envisioning our goals accomplished. Taking the necessary steps (no matter how small), each and every day, will continue to build the belief in our abilities for attainment. And our reality will begin to reshape itself, in turn reflecting our new beliefs.

You see, the placebo effect knows no bounds. It doesn’t strictly apply to doctors, hospitals and conquering illnesses. It’s about the way we live our entire lives. The placebo effect has little to do with treatment and everything to do with our own state of mind and being.

Take a Placebo Right Now

Here are three ways to start applying the placebo effect in your life, to better aid you in finding that place of knowing:

1. Physically move in the direction of that which you desire. Don’t stall and ponder other people’s opinions over whether or not you can or cannot, should or should not do something. That form of indecisive doubt is what has created most people’s negative take on reality for their entire lives. Literally, be the bumblebee. Take the action (even if it’s miniscule) and before you know it, you’ll be doing those things that were once believed impossible.

Every single step you take will reinforce your beliefs. If you encounter a few problems along the way, so what? Areas of resistance validate the fact you are in motion towards your desires. An object in motion may encounter some forms of resistance from time to time, it’s only natural.

2. Expect the unexpected. Most people use this phrase in a negative way. Turn it around and instead of expecting the worst case scenario; anticipate the very best from your actions. As you begin to live with great expectations, they will become your primary form of anticipation.

Be sure to let yourself off the hook if you still have negative thoughts, despite your efforts. Give yourself permission to do so. If you’ve spent years ruminating primarily in a negative manner, you really have no other recourse until you consistently begin practicing otherwise. Your brain’s become hard wired that way. But you have to make a conscious effort.

I’ve compared the deliberate creation of our reality to physical exercise before, and for good reason. We have to exercise and consistently re-train our brain (which acts as the intermediary between our spiritual self and our physical vehicle) to begin strengthening it to expect the best; before the best can manifest.

3. Surround yourself with a strong system of support. Placebos and treatments primarily work because people believe and have confidence in those that administer them (along with a belief in themselves). You must create your own community that administers belief in you and vice versa. If you’re finding that’s a tall order to fill, based upon the people currently in your life, then it’s time to start branching out and meeting others.

Surround yourself with books, music, philosophies, and affirmations that reinforce the power within you. Placebos can also exert their benefit by allowing you to focus on healing; removing your attention from illness. Employ teachings that shift your focus toward that which is therapeutic and empowering, and then watch your life unfold in that same manner.

These are just a few techniques for beginning to live the placebo effect. Examples are being set around us everyday, which defy the commonly accepted ideas of human potential. If we can dig down to locate the inspiration behind these accomplishments, we can continually come closer to understanding our abilities. Those abilities will never cease to expand as long as we can discover new ways to believe and to know.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Podcast #6: Law of Attraction, the Techniques

John Wolfe — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 19:27:49 +0000

Episode six features some of the most basic techniques for applying the law of attraction and becoming the deliberate creators of our life experience.

Here’s the direct MP3 file link:

Law of Attraction – the Techniques

This episode’s running time is 39 minutes and 57 seconds (file size for downloading is 36.5 MB) and covers:

-A simple how-to guide for meditating
-The importance of connecting to the observer during our meditation exercises
-Why utilizing visualization, in conjunction with making the observer connection, is quite possibly the best way to influence our reality
-Learning to focus upon the moment of now through journaling and appreciation exercises
-Finding the emotional feeling point for our passion and desire as we practice these steps
-Using imagery techniques for reinforcing the belief in our pursuits
-Keeping perspective while simultaneously manifesting all that we desire
-Learning to relax and allow our life experience to unfold in a manner that is best suited for what we are intending

Thanks for joining me for this sixth episode. Once again, I appreciate all the great feedback and comments I’ve been receiving about past episodes. I encourage and look forward to your continued participation.

If this recording has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

The Magic of Giving

John Wolfe — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:20:01 +0000

Since writing the Universal Law of Reciprocation and starting online giveaways at my other website, the program: Oprah’s Big Give has premiered and aired several times. I did watch the first couple of episodes because of my intense interest in giving, but honestly I didn’t care for the judging portion of the program. I’m not a big “reality” TV fan because an unfortunate component of most reality shows is the inevitable round of criticizing, labeling and judging the participants.

Anyway, the positive side to this is, the Big Give has helped bring the idea of giving and performing random acts of kindness to the forefront in a lot of people’s minds. Not that giving ever left our awareness, but it sometimes helps to have a large push in pop culture to provide that “ahh ha” or “oh yea” moment about a subject; especially for those that are still mesmerized by the mainstream. Primarily, pop culture is all about pushing subjects that have nothing to do with enriching our life experience. So, it is refreshing to see a worthwhile concept being pursued so heavily by mainstream media and television.

However, the process of giving has implications that extend far beyond the regions our mainstream culture is willing to explore. I speak a lot about things that seem magical and mystical based on our current understanding of reality. I’ve witnessed many of these mystical occurrences first hand, and there isn’t any form of magic greater than that of providing a gift which uplifts the lives of others.

There’s something about giving such a gift, no matter the size, that puts us immediately in contact with our power and our abilities. If I’ve learned anything during my treks into the metaphysical, it’s that our conscious, soulful awareness has a blueprint for wanting to inspire and uplift, whether we’re physically focused or otherwise.

Giving is at the heart of our being. To give is such a huge portion of the creative process. When we give, we are literally birthing new potential for creating and creativity. The concept of one life touching so many others is never more evident than when we’re engaged in this process. It opens up countless opportunities for both the giver and receiver. Where there’s opportunity, there’s the possibility of expansion and reshaping the attitudes and outlooks on our existence.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you don’t have the means for making a difference in someone else’s life and the world itself. Every act of uplifting someone sends a ripple effect out into the Universe. As you make what appears to be a small difference for someone else, in turn, your life will be positively affected by the same act.

“Big Gives” don’t have to be about providing money or objects. They can be about your words and gestures. Provide praise, encouragement, and appreciation for those around you. When we nurture one another, we nurture ourselves and our world. When we lash out aggressively and hatefully at one another, we diminish ourselves because we are diminishing the truth. We’ve been taught to not see the truth, by covering it over with a multigenerational lie.

The lie is in thinking we are all separate and that there are unworthy people walking among us, whether it’s because of how they look, act, or behave. Do you want to positively change your reality through giving? Provide an act of uplifting those you consider to be your enemies as frequently as you uplift the ones you call your friends. Gestures such as that seem contrary to what we’re taught; yet, if what we’ve been taught stems from a lie, then what good’s it doing us to perpetuate our reality based on a falsehood?

Giving is magical because it has the ability to heal our relationships, our inner turmoil and our world. Providing uplifting gestures is the anecdote to our greatest ailments, both literally and figuratively. What ails us only has the continued ability to act upon our health because we allow our fear to reign supreme. Fear is the byproduct of the very falsehoods we’ve bought into. The longer we live under the tyranny of our own fear, the greater the potential for developing dis-ease in our bodies and in our world.

The idea or belief in lack teaches us this fear and our fear only encourages the belief in more lack. This cycle leads to the activity of hording and trying to keep it all to ourselves. Giving provides an opportunity for us to lessen our dependence on inner fear, opening us up to the understanding that the more we give, the more potential there is to receive than could ever be gained through the hording of resources.

I write frequently about being emotionally self sufficient, releasing the need for approval from others, and discovering an inner happiness which is not dependent upon obtaining external things. So, by recommending that we give uplifting gifts, is that in direct opposition to these other tenants I adhere to?

At first glance it may seem to be, but when we remember the world at large is a reflection of our inner attitudes, then we can’t help but see how uplifting others is about a shift in our own inner state of being. I believe the more willing we are to give, the more empowered and self sufficient we become. You can’t freely give from a place of fear, jealousy, anger and hate.

If you’ve made the journey to the place where you recognize the value in giving to others, then you are beginning to reconcile with that falsehood we’ve all been taught. You’ve emotionally journeyed beyond the lie, and are taking the physical steps that reflect where you are resonating internally.

The world at large will begin to resonate in a similar way because that’s the way vibrational frequencies work. You will have achieved what most would deem impossible. You will have impacted your world; taking it in the direction of truth and witnessing it act from its true source of power, instead of seeing it react from a place of fear. There’s nothing more magical, and no Give that’s Bigger than that.

If this post has been helpful to you, please share the information with others and/or consider making a donation. Thank you.

Blazing Your Own Trail: the Techniques Part 2

John Wolfe — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 05:21:32 +0000

In the first Blazing Your Own Trail Techniques post, I discussed ways for breaking away from limiting, ingrained thoughts in the areas of: relationships, career, and health. In this second post I’m going to discuss ideas for altering the self limiting views we tend to acquire on our physical attributes and material possessions.

Even though our attitude towards our health, career and relationships can easily be influenced by other people; perhaps there are no two areas that cause us to consider the opinion of the majority more than that of how we look and the items we own (or don’t own).

It’s these two circumstances that seem to affect us fairly early in life. As children we don’t have any other external “merits” to be judged on, by our peers, outside our appearances and possessions. Kids will typically mirror the limiting concepts for determining value that they see and hear at home. They begin using these same criteria for judging their friends and classmates, as well as for judging themselves.

It’s easy to understand why many of us retain issues concerning self esteem and the ideas of lack our entire lives. After childhood we’re taught these same two areas are just as important in the adult world, only now the stakes are higher.

The antes are upped because we’re led to believe our looks and possessions are what truly matter when attracting a potential mate. There’s no doubt an extremely large portion of the population still buys into this limiting ridiculous notion, and that’s why it’s important for us to start blazing our own trail in these areas as well.

The purpose of this post isn’t to make someone that believes they have good looks and large amounts of material things feel bad. The purpose is to primarily help shift the awareness and the focus of attention away from those things for determining our value.

If you feel like you’re attractive and you have lots of nice things- that’s awesome. But my message is exactly the same to those that feel this way, as it is to those that don’t: in the entire scheme of things, looks and possessions don’t mean squat. They’re temporary. Even if we hold on to them for our entire physical lives they’re still only transient, since all of this is left behind when we make our transition into the nonphysical realms.

The only reason we believe our looks and possessions are so important is because we’ve been taught to make them the center of our existence. We’ve been influenced for years to incorporate those ideas into our reality and they continue to cause us to re-create the same version of that reality again and again. Your true measures of success, worth, and happiness reside elsewhere.

I’m not trying to have people squelch their wants and desires. Everyone has the right to pursue whatever they choose. But I am imparting the idea that running around in pursuit of them, while ignoring the understanding of where our true power resides is a frivolous game. We have to find our value and happiness within before we try and fill our without up with things. Most people have been doing just the opposite their entire lives.

Don’t continue to be fooled by the pack mentality on these issues, unless you truly enjoy the lifestyle these beliefs lead you to pursue. Unfortunately, pursuing that lifestyle is a lot like a dog chasing its own tail. It may seem fun for a while, but ultimately it takes you nowhere.

Physical Attributes

How we feel about the way we look, and what we do with that knowledge, can make or break us in life. Notice I didn’t say, “What others think about our looks can make or break us.” That’s because it means absolutely nothing regarding what others think about how we look. All that matters is our own interpretation. It’s important to love your body, but it’s even more important to keep proper perspective regarding it.

As we age, there’s no escaping the fact that our looks absolutely will change. Working on developing a healthy body image (including perspective) is something that most of us are never taught and sometimes never develop. We have every subject under the sun crammed down our throats during our school career, yet we’re never educated on the subject of emotionally caring about ourselves. It’s sort of left up to us to try and sort it all out. In a society that thrives on “attractive” faces and sex appeal, this isn’t always an easy task.

I have struggled for a good portion of my life with finding value in who I am, as opposed to associating it with what I look like. I spent a lot of that time trying to have my external attributes validated by others. For years I never understood where my true talents and gifts resided.

I went from person to person, hoping they could make me feel like something was special about me (on the outside). The entire time my experiences were superficial and empty. I never felt filled up because I was employing the wrong credentials for determining my value. I chose to engage in popularity contests instead of connecting with my abilities and what I could contribute.

I was constantly chasing after things that I felt would serve to enhance my looks, in turn enhancing the results of the superficial charade I was involved in. As a child and young adult, I never even came close to developing a positive image about my body, never mind a healthy perspective about looks. So, I spent years doing drastic and extreme things to enhance my body through pursuits like weight training.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with weight training, I believe there was something completely amiss with the style I was practicing. Ask any extreme bodybuilder that’s not in denial about their endeavors, and they’ll tell you the reason they do what they do has nothing to do with health.

In fact, most risk their health every chance they get to ensure a few more gains of muscle. I’m not just talking about drugs here. The whole media hype about ‘roid rage is just that- hype. Steroids are probably one of the safer pursuits among most extreme bodybuilders. The crazy caloric intakes and risky workouts often times pose far more threat to their bodies than their drug regimens.

I used to believe if I could only achieve another inch or two on my arms, or chest, or legs, I’d finally reach true happiness. It seems ridiculous when I read that last sentence, but it was true. Of course, the actual measurements had little to do with it. The real goal was (I assumed) it would make more and more people (women) pay attention to me. My motto was: “I can’t do anything about my face, but I can sure do something about my body.”

The only thing that finally helped snap me out of that empty lifestyle was many of the spiritual awakenings I’ve related throughout my blog posts. They helped me to start putting things in proper perspective and realize a higher truth. And a portion of that truth, which I came to understand, was that my real value resides elsewhere, in a part of me that transcends the temporary physical self.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with loving how we look (I encourage it), or enjoying the fact that other people think of us as being attractive. We just can’t allow our primary source of happiness to be derived through these means because they are not permanent. If our physical attributes become our main source for fulfillment and joy, then we are setting ourselves up for an empty experience.

Material Possessions

I’m not going to go too heavily into over attaching ourselves to material items because this subject shares much in common with the perceptions of our physical attributes and income (which I talked about in the last post in this series) levels.

We often identify our possessions as extensions of our physical self. This can actually be a good thing, since these extensions mirror what’s occurring within. Unfortunately, most of us aren’t willing to take a good long look in that mirror. If we feel there is something lacking about ourselves, we may try and make up for it with things we can possess and own. This is primarily a way to try and exert control over an area where we have emotionally lost our control. We like to use our possessions as a means of showing power and dominance externally, because internally we feel we’ve lost that power.

This doesn’t mean we should shun an abundant lifestyle. It means we once again must learn to keep proper perspective about the items we desire to possess. It’s all about our dominant intentions behind why we wish to have something.

I believe the biggest step we can take to help us move beyond an over dependency on obtaining our value from our looks and from material items, is to connect to our purpose. The subject of our true purpose comes up often in my posts, but that’s because I feel it’s at the heart of the spiritual experiences we are having in this physical plane. When we lack purpose and passion we drift. When we drift, we latch on to substitutes for real inner happiness.

These substitutes come in the form of the incessant need to acquire more things. They also can come in the form of pursuing empty activities, and meaningless relationships that only serve to temporarily shore up our self esteem.

Start breaking away from the limiting capacity for functioning that our society has set forth before you. Begin blazing your own trail. Find your path to loving yourself as you are. Keep proper perspective of what you own (and your looks) as well as anything else you may wish to acquire. Discover your purpose through your passion and begin living a life that aligns with it and you’ll amaze yourself.

This isn’t about hampering your potential for beauty, greatness, or wealth. It’s about reassessing your priorities and how they affect your thoughts and judgments, so you can move beyond the old ideas and concepts which have been holding you back. Let real happiness and real joy become your guides in life. Only then will you know true beauty, true greatness, and true wealth.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Blazing Your Own Trail: the Techniques Part 1

John Wolfe — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:12:27 +0000

I want to continue my discussion of blazing your own trail to self/spiritual empowerment by identifying some specific techniques for breaking free from the pack mentality. In this post, I’m going to take three of the five main areas that I feel serve to influence and reinforce the path we currently follow and discuss ways for undoing the strangleholds they may have on us.

Of course, the easiest way to break free from any of these is to always make your own happiness your priority. Your joy will guide you. However, when we’re in the middle of an ongoing disempowering situation, it’s difficult to remember that. It’s easy to lose ground quickly; therefore it’s helpful to recognize techniques for making the changes, prior to sinking again and again in the quicksand of the unfolding situations.

It’s always important for us to remember: despite what anyone else thinks- all that matters is our opinion pertaining to our experiences and choices. We have to learn to actually alter our thinking and the processing of information before we’re able to accept that it’s ok to take the path less traveled.

Many of the techniques I discuss in this post, and in the following one, fly in the face of conventional “wisdom.” Yet, if we are interested in removing ourselves from the carbon copy lifestyles we see around us, we have to be willing to break from the ranks.

The typical pack logic prevents us from having much of anything worthwhile to offer to one another because we are taught to coexist and co-create from an agreed upon illusory state of conditional feelings; consisting of lack, limitation, and struggle. If we would strive to make real happiness the most important thing in our lives, then these falsehoods could no longer have any effect upon us.

I hope the following ideas (which I try and consistently use in my own life) help you to blaze your own trail, uncovering the path you want to travel.

Relationships/Community

Sense of family, community, and belonging to peer groups can be an amazing experience or it can be one of the most awful, gut wrenching experiences around, depending on how we’re treated. The pack mentality likes to encourage conformity with regards to family and life long friendship. We’re taught to respect our elders and keep our bonds tight among friends and family. Yet, if they’re doing us more harm than good, this is an extremely destructive creed to maintain.

I fully believe we are only treated externally, based on the way we feel about ourselves internally. In other words, we can only interact and find those people that are matches to how we see ourselves. Some people still believe opposites attract with regards to relationships. While certain individuals may have surface characteristics which appear to be opposite of one another, down deep they have more in common than anyone would ever guess.

For someone that’s in a situation of being insulted, or mistreated by their family or friends, it’s extremely difficult to break the cycle of abuse, when you are also internally abusing yourself. It makes it almost impossible to speak up to your abuser because you don’t feel worthy of doing so, since the conversations you carry on in your head are just as detrimental. I believe it is important to try and work these situations out in other ways before taking a more drastic step, but for someone that is having self esteem and self respect issues, it may be best to remove themselves entirely from the situation.

Sometimes severing ties with peers, friends, and/or family members that are consistently providing destructive, harmful influence (whether emotional or physical) is the best thing we can do. This may sound harsh and it may sound like I’m suggesting we place conditions on our love for them, but we’re not loving ourselves unconditionally if we continue associating with people that are destructive toward who we are. If we are not in a place to fully love ourselves, and are only receiving reinforcement of those feelings, emanating from the people we associate with, then we’re definitely not capable of providing real love to anyone else either.

This may be easier said than done. I know because I speak from experience. I went through a time in my life where I had to make a choice surrounding the people I called my friends. Even though they were a part of my life for years, I felt the need to move beyond their influence and it wasn’t easy.

That doesn’t mean I consider them bad people. I just felt I was not being respected and I knew they were only showing me the disrespect I felt for myself. I had to break the cycle by breaking away from them and finding the love and respect for myself that I deserved. It’s a portion of this experience that I touched on in Spiritual Hermits.

As we’re in the middle of making these tough decisions, it can feel like we are completely alone and isolated; but by moving beyond the past negative influences we provide ourselves with an opportunity to heal. Once we’ve healed, we can then work to forgive our past and appreciate it for bringing us to even greater moments of clarity. It’s then that we’ll begin to find new people coming into our lives. Those people which are more appropriate for the individual we’ve become, the individual that was always waiting to shine through.

I’m not saying abusers are horrible people. While I don’t agree at all with their actions, I understand why they do what they do. They suffer from the same lack of self love their victims internally feel. This is why they’re a match for one another. Abusers have bought into the lies about life and are operating from a fear based mechanism for trying to find their power. It’s a vicious cycle, but you can’t stop it by hanging around to take more of it. You have to break free from their abuse as well as your own.

Career/Income

Blazing your own trail in the area of how you earn your income may mean leaving a job or career that no longer serves your purpose. Maybe you’ve been experiencing a spiritual awakening and the career field you’re currently in no longer aligns with your new found awareness. Find the means within your purpose for earning your income. Nothing feels better and more rewarding than to know you’re following your calling and earning a living by doing so.

Another fine example of our brains being washed by this society is the belief that we have to pursue certain career paths, whether they align with our purpose or not. This is the “bottom line” mentality. We’re taught to go where the money is, instead of going where our heart takes us. This too stems from a fear based responsive mechanism built into our cultural consciousness.

Many people are too afraid to alter their lifestyle, for the time being, out of concern over what others may think if they were to suddenly quit keeping up with the Joneses. And some simply won’t do without because they are addicted to their present lifestyle, even though it may no longer be serving them.

If it means we have to lower our standard of living for a certain amount of time, as we follow our heart, then so be it. I would much rather change my lifestyle to be able to follow my bliss instead of living high on the hog; slaving away at a job which is totally removed from my personal path. I believe that’s a far better trade off.

Following your heart, with regards to the way you bring in your income, will eventually pay off in huge dividends. I’m not necessarily talking money here, although I do believe the money will come because of such pursuits. I’m primarily speaking about how much more joyous your life experience will become. The personal satisfaction you feel will more than make up for any perceived lack of “things.”

This doesn’t mean you have to suffer to follow your bliss. On the contrary, as you follow your passion, doors will begin opening up for you. It always works that way. Appreciate where you currently are and anticipate what’s waiting around each corner.

I’m not saying it will always be extremely easy to blaze your own trail in the area of your career, especially if you are self employed. But if you pursue what you love, maintain your vision, find a way to benefit others, and take consistent action in the direction of that which you desire- I believe you cannot fail. First and foremost, you’ve already succeeded because you’re following your heart, your true calling, and you’re developing a strong belief in yourself.

“Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you” – taken from the book Unstoppable.

Health

We need to learn to take responsibility for our own health. We primarily believe it’s the responsibility of doctors to take care of us. The typical pack mentality supports the idea that we have zero control over our health; we’re just accidents and illnesses waiting for a place to happen. In my mind, doctors are almost always a last ditch resort for those that have ignored their health, on all levels. The body, when provided with the proper mindset, along with proper nutrients, and exercise, is built to instinctually take care of itself.

It’s only when we start messing around with our natural processes through the absorption of junk (certain food, drugs and meds), along with the introduction of exuberant amounts of junky thoughts, stress, and dysfunction that the body is thrown off its center. If you’ll address the other four primary items discussed in the Blazing Your Own Trail series, then you will have already made giant strides towards having a healthier body. Aside from consistent exercise and eating properly, the rest will fall into place on its own. If we would mind what we introduce into our bodies, on all levels, then they would restore their natural balance.

If you currently find yourself in an unhealthy state concerning your physical well being, then start taking a good look at how you behave and react within the categories I’ve discussed in this post and will be discussing in the next one. Just because you’re currently feeling unhealthy doesn’t mean you’re doomed to that state of being for the rest of your life. Do your best to resist the urge to discuss your ailments. The pack mentality loves to commiserate with each other about ill health. They’ll go as far as arguing who has it worse among one another and brag about what procedures they’ve had done at the doctor’s office.

This is nothing to brag about. It’s actually disturbing to see how far some people go in an effort to fight for their illnesses. They’ve completely given up their power to the medical establishment. They live in a disempowered stupor about their health; mesmerized by insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and the evening news.

Doctors (and some medicines) have their proper place, but we need to make sure we keep them in it. Don’t allow them to encroach upon areas of your life that are fully under your control.

Blaze your own trail by cleaning up your diet, exercising, and starting a daily routine of meditation. I’m not suggesting you have to become a vegan, a bodybuilder, or a monk. Just eat sensibly and pay attention to how your body responds to certain foods. Do the same with your exercise and meditation.

This doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. Do what you can from where you are- nothing drastic at first. Give yourself permission to take it slowly. Rushing into anything and expecting immediate results only serves to further strip you of your power and happiness. It leads to frustration and you’ll begin beating up on yourself and using the same criteria the majority of society uses to measure and gauge their empty ideas of success.

If it’s been years since you’ve exercised, seek help from qualified individuals for getting on a proper routine. While I’ve been an avid weight trainer for years, I’m not in the position for giving out advice on designing exercise/diet routines for others. But I’d be more than happy to help you with developing a routine for meditating.

Even though I originally designed the post Techniques for Achieving an OBE, for teaching people how to have an out of body experience, I believe the meditation techniques in it are very sound for relaxation and for beneficially altering brain chemistry. And you’re always more than welcome to contact me if you have any questions about meditation or anything else.

In my next post, I’ll be addressing the issues of material possessions, our physical attributes and how we can break free from the limiting thoughts we may develop around these subjects.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Blazing Your Own Trail

John Wolfe — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:02:26 +0000

In my last post Self Truths- Part II, on the 19th entry- I stated, “We should spend more time listening to young children and absorbing their wisdom. They believe in their dreams and know anything is possible. It’s only when an adult teaches them they can’t, often enough, that they start believing it.”

Most children come into this environment with an optimism that’s unparalleled. Imagine what could occur if our society fostered and encouraged that attitude to shine on throughout adolescence and into their adult lives; not with empty words, but with affirmations accompanied by enthusiastic affirmative action. Instead, kids very quickly run into roadblocks, at home and at school, discouraging that outlook and mindset. They hold out as long as possible, but the majority eventually succumb to the average, materialistic, powerless views on existence.

Then, after eighteen years of brain washing and tongue lashing the hope out of them, we kick them out into the world and expect them to become “productive members of society.” Most move disconnected, through experience after experience, never acknowledging or even understanding how amazing they are and the latent potential which resides within them; primarily seeking happiness in every location except the one which can truly satisfy their search.

Some children are lucky enough to have parents and teachers that try and foster a “you can do it” mindset; however these individuals primarily send a stronger message through their personal contradictory actions than they do through their mantras. It all comes back to the balance of thoughts and actions I speak of so frequently.

In the words of Mike Dooley, one of the teachers in the film The Secret, “If we do one without the other, it’s like doing neither.” In other words, if our thoughts are there, but the congruent action’s missing- it’s a no go. If the action’s there but the congruent thoughts are missing- once again it doesn’t work.

Just because most of us ran into nay saying roadblocks, doesn’t mean we have to continue allowing them to dictate how our lives unfold from this point forward. Nor does it mean we have to continue perpetuating the same negativity, influencing the children of present and future generations.

Every experience we encounter, whether physical or metaphysical, is an indicator of the emotional/thought choices we consistently make. There’s no doubt in my mind that we have a higher self (flowing through us) that’s interested in pursuing the most amazing aspects this environment has to offer. However, we also possess the ability to become “lost” and fragmented in our experiences, both in this existence and in the dimensions that await us beyond this plane.

When I speak about being fragmented, I mean we are not operating as one solid, well oiled unit of source self and human self. We are tearing ourselves apart because despite our higher creative power, we believe we don’t have options and choices for molding the life we want. We lose the awareness of our source self at an early age and for most, it’s never discovered again.

If you can relate to this fragmented, disconnected feeling (and you’re interested in making drastic changes), then you must take control of your experience by blazing your own trail. You have to consciously break away from the pack mentality which initially influenced you and begin to regain that childlike, wide eyed innocence.

You may be thinking that’s an impossible state of mind to regain; after all, you’ve witnessed too much since your childhood. If impossibility was the first thought that came to mind, while reading my suggestion, then that should be an indicator of how your thoughts are currently limiting your abilities.

Many people scoff or disbelieve that we are solely responsible for our own reality through a more mystical, inner means, than what meets the eye. Yet, almost everyone will agree a person that’s fired up about their life experience will encounter totally different outcomes throughout their life than someone who’s depressed and miserable most of the time. The surface difference (which bubbles up from a deeper level and connection), in these two individuals, is the desire to blaze trails.

The first person has honed this ability. The second has chosen to buy into the “injustices” in life (allowing themselves to become disconnected), while maintaining their course along the same old path. Whether you personally believe there’s something mystical occurring here, or not is up to you. But until you are capable of recognizing the magic at work all around you, you may not fully understand that you possess the entire array of abilities for carving out your destiny.

I believe there are five main areas that constantly influence the trail we are following. These are: our relationships/community, our career/income, material possessions, our physical attributes, and our health. These five areas continue to reinforce our identity and the path we follow based on how we perceive ourselves (and the way we believe others perceive us) through the filtering processes of these items. Basically, we constantly evaluate ourselves and our self worth via these five filters. It’s extremely easy to yo-yo back and forth on an emotional roller coaster over the apparent lack in any of these areas.

If we allow any one of these to contribute to our doubt, fear, or feelings of inadequacy; we’ve incorporated and retained the ridiculous measurements of worth, dictated to us by a society that’s disconnected from its true power. I want to make it clear- there’s nothing wrong with having great abundance in all of these areas. I encourage it (if it’s something you desire). In fact, I think it’s fantastic, but here’s the problem: we’ve never been taught to allocate these items to their proper position of scenery along the journey. Instead, most of us have been taught that they are the destination of the journey and they are the tools for adequately measuring our value.

We’ve never learned to separate our identity and our self worth from these items. It’s through our over dependence on relating to our reality, through these five filters, that we become disconnected from inner knowledge. This is why it’s imperative to start breaking old thought processes and blazing new trails in our minds, as well as in our physical life experiences.

You must uncover the knowledge that your happiness and worthiness are not something you have to earn through the accumulation of material things and relationships. Rather it’s something that you’ve always possessed because of your source nature. Those last two sentences are probably the most important I’ve ever written on my blog. Once you truly know your worth through and through, then you’ll discover your power and that which you desire must come. But it will manifest in a way that accentuates your already centered experience, instead of it being your experience.

Throughout our childhood we are taught that we can’t, and then, during our teen years and early adulthood, we are taught that we aren’t worthy unless we figure out a way that we can. Is it any wonder we’re confused as hell and we continue to send more confusing, contradictory messages?

My message is simple: we always can and we’ve always been able to do anything we desire, but we’re not worthy because of what we can do. We’re worthy because of who we are to begin with.

Blaze your own trail and I believe you’ll find a similar message residing within.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Self Truths – Part 2: As I See it

John Wolfe — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:54:11 +0000

In my post Universal Law of Reciprocation, I related a summary of an article that was written by Bill Phillips. In today’s entry, I wanted to once again reference Bill and a writing exercise he employed in his old Muscle Media magazine. It appeared in the editorial section of the March 2000 issue and was titled “As I See It.”

Bill created a list of eighty four items that all began with how he saw things. His list addressed the topics of fitness, health, self development and some spiritual philosophies. I’ve always admired that writing exercise and decided to create my own list of thirty six items, listed in no particular order. I thought it would fit in perfectly as an entry in my Self Truths series.

So here it is, in Wind of the Soul style:

1. As I see it… when we set out to uplift others, we can’t help but lift ourselves up in the process.

2. Life is a journey that’s embarked upon for the experience, joy, and the use of our creative abilities.

3. We live more than once.

4. We’re never truly separated from those that have passed on before us.

5. Love is all that exists, but we’ve convinced ourselves otherwise.

6. The physical world is symbolically comprised of our inner feelings and beliefs.

7. The gates to heaven and hell exist in the same place; the only place they’ve ever existed— within. We’re the only ones responsible for withholding the joys of the former and condemning ourselves to the latter.

8. We’re pure energy swimming in an even larger sea of energy.

9. When we follow our bliss, we’re unstoppable.

10. We have the power to heal ourselves.

11. Our emotions should not be ignored. They should be cultivated and tuned like a fine instrument.

12. We can’t be of benefit to others from a place of minding their business.

13. We’ve only scratched the surface on the potential of our abilities.

14. We’re on the edge of a large shift in human awareness.

15. Altered states (meditation) and inner journeys (dreams, OBE’s, etc.) teach us more about reality and truth than all of our time spent in grammar school, high school, college, and work combined.

16. We’ve allowed ourselves to be bullied, by the sociological institutions, into forsaking inner knowledge, negating our own truths, and relinquishing our power.

17. The law of attraction sorts out everything.

18. Death is an amazing transitional experience into new worlds of being.

19. We should spend more time listening to young children and absorbing their wisdom. They believe in their dreams and know anything is possible. It’s only when an adult teaches them they can’t, often enough, that they start believing it.

20. Other people’s judgments of us mean nothing. The judgment of ourselves means everything.

21. If we set our sights on what we desire, maintain enthusiasm and a consistent direction of physical action toward it; the Universe will deliver it in full- no ifs, ands or buts.

22. Each one of us is god/goddess expressing itself at this level of reality.

23. The more often we take a few brief moments to appreciate, the more often we open ourselves up to receiving even more amazing experiences.

24. No one ever made it to where they wanted to be by complaining and focusing on what’s currently going wrong.

25. We’re over dependent on journeying toward material things to make us happy and under dependent on journeying toward our happiness as a means for uncoupling it from material things.

26. One of the most brilliant phrases ever uttered was, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

27. The more often we can tune out all distractions and focus on our current moment and the subtleties within it, the more often we will achieve a greater comprehension of our life experience.

28. Our past resentments must be forgiven and wiped clean if we hope to move into a brighter, healthier future.

29. Animals, like young children, are some of the best teachers on this planet.

30. There’s no difference between all of us and the most famous spiritual avatars throughout history- other than they fully remembered and embraced their greatness, minus any doubts.

31. The big bang was not the beginning of consciousness.

32. The Universe is teaming with life, both physically focused and non-physically focused.

33. We must learn to aim our attention instead of aiming our guns. The deliberate shift in where we place, or aim our thoughts is powerful enough to circumvent the use of violence, permanently; if we would only begin utilizing it as a mass consciousness.

34. When I look back on my past, I realize the people I understood the least, often possessed great gems of truth, but I wasn’t ready to recognize them.

35. We each have our own life flow. The more we fight its natural current the more of an imbalance we create for ourselves.

36. It’s never too late to make peace with someone; even if they are no longer in your life. Find the feeling place and direct it toward them. We often believe everything has to be done face to face, but that’s not the case in a Universe which is stemming from our own inner awareness.

I hope you enjoyed this portion of my list. I’ll be back with more in an upcoming entry. Please feel free to contribute your own, As I see it list in the comments below. I’d love to post them.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure, Peaceful State of Mind

John Wolfe — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 04:32:26 +0000

The road to self actualization and inner peace is not easily achieved without our desire to consistently work toward change. The conceptual state of being peaceful and secure in one’s self is often idealized, but when it comes to practicing the steps, we easily default back to our ingrained habits. When we become serious about changing these old patterns via our modes of thought, we’re provided with a way for re-wiring our brain’s processes.

The brain serves as the intermediary or go-between for our source self and this physical vehicle. It can either impede or accentuate who we naturally are. And it’s through intentionally re-wiring the “go-between” that we achieve a more consistent state of happiness, allowing our uplink with source energy to flow freely.

Inner joy resides at the heart of tapping into our abilities for being the deliberate creators of what we want to experience. Without finding this joy, through our own peace and security, we will lack the stability required for getting beyond the fear that prevents us from achieving what we desire. Take the journey to find the peace. Discover the happiness, and psychologically assume your place among your castles in the clouds; only then will you be capable of moving into them in your reality.

It all starts with achieving a more secure, peaceful state of mind:

1. Release the need to measure up to the expectations of others. To fully embrace this, you must also quit setting forth your own expectations for others to measure up to.

2. Never depend on someone else to fulfill you or make you whole. Appreciate all of the amazing things others can bring to your life, but don’t depend on them for creating your happiness.

3. Maintain proper perspective about the castles (I mentioned earlier) you want to create. See them as a part of the journey, not the means to the end of your unhappiness. Material items can be wonderful things, but they have as much permanence as the body you’re currently leasing. Wealthy estates come and go- peaceful, happy states of being last forever- if you make them your priority.

4. Appreciate beauty, but learn to broaden your horizons of its definition. For only when you can begin to change your pre-conceived notions of what’s considered beautiful will you accept your own “flaws” and apparent “shortcomings.” The more time we spend looking down on those around us, nit picking and pinpointing their supposed issues- the more we separate ourselves from our own self-realized, secure state of awareness. We must cease the futile approach of romancing a single standard of beauty and ridiculing those people or things which do not meet it. Consistently insulting and judging the external symbols in our life does nothing for removing our own insecurities. It only continues to promote them.

5. Devote more of your time to creative pursuits that elicit your passion and reinforce the deeper meanings you’re tuning into. Tapping into creative outlets is an amazing way for releasing worrisome thoughts and quieting the brain’s chatter. These pursuits open the channel between you and your source self.

6. Find a way to give the benefit of the doubt as often as possible. The more often we let others off the hook, the more often we will allow ourselves the same forgiveness. Remember, everything we see manifest, in our external reality, stems from a deeper feeling place inside of us- so within, so without. I always say, “Life’s not happening to us, we’re happening to it.” This entire Universe, including our place in it, is functioning for our purpose. What that is, is open to our own individual interpretation. Don’t let your reality be consistently defined by your own inner tumultuous thoughts about yourself or others.

7. Release the need to control every detail of your life. Trust in the divine nature of your inner-self to carry you toward the rendezvous points that will positively enrich your current experience. This doesn’t mean you should stop taking action, it means you begin listening for the guided direction prior to acting. Relax into the natural flow and your source guidance will come. Those that fight their own nature have no control over their experiences. Those that surrender become the masters of their personal Universe.

8. Breathe deeply and appreciate the unique, magnificent aspects of who you are. Take the time to ponder the significance of your self. Marvel at the complexity of your mind, body and spirit. No where else in this entire solar system exists another being identical to you. You are an amazing creation capable of sculpting and molding other unique, amazing creations. Reflect back on #4, and if you’ve yet to do it, use it to discover your own beauty.

I hope you found some useful information in these tips. I’m working on fully assimilating several of them within myself. As I continue to consistently pursue the implementation of these ideas in my life, I’ve noticed some major positive changes.

Once again, I’ve found the best way for doing this is to become aware, right in the moment of now. As something is unfolding, if I don’t care for my reaction, I take a step back and feel for the information in these ideas.

We have to consistently pay attention to how our brain processes our experiences, if we find our reactions undesirable. It’s extremely important we catch ourselves in the moment. Even if we are unsuccessful in making a change for the better right away- the sheer act of becoming consciously aware is a huge step in the right direction.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.