getting that "prosperity" vibe

I've come to a point in my life when I'm DONE with stressing over money. It seems that even when I'm flush my mind creates lack. What the hell?

And just making ends meet blows too. Did I really sign up for this?

Now that I'm over it, I'm completely open to doing whatever it takes to transport from that bullshit to a place where I rule money. That's right, money. I RULE YOU. Not the other way around.

I've read a book recently that's has some interesting insights. Nothing new here...I think it's the presented grouping of information combined with me being absolutely OVER my habituated, non-serving fucked up financial status quo. Perhaps that's all it takes. At this point, I'm open to anything.

The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance
by Edwene Gaines outlines four ways of being to invite in unlimited abundance. They are: Tithing & Giving, Setting Clearcut Goals, Forgiveness & Worthiness, & Finding your Divine purpose.

This is where it starts. Of course all of this culminates in taking bold, strategic action.

Besides tithing 10% of all the money that comes my way, which frankly is "not in my budget", I've been reviewing my goals twice a day.

I've never been so in tune with what I want. This is great news. And back to the tithing: I think the psychological leap of faith it takes to do that is just the mindfuck I need to get over my literal 'poor thinking'. Sayonara to those thoughts. I don't need you anymore.

 And thus begins a great self experiment. We'll see what my life will be like in six months. Stay tuned.

the happy diet

Sometimes I eat things that aren't entirely where I'm at, and frankly, it's annoying. And example of this could be a soup from your regular deli. Sure it tastes good, probably has some veggie in it, and in fact could be some amazing home cooked masterpiece prepared loving for days. Usually though it's straight out of a can and into the soup dispenser. ugh. This is even funnier when there's a homemade soup sign, and it's just marketing from the soup company.

If I'm eating some that "annoys me" 9 times out of 10 I'm eating something that isn't serving my proverbial higher self. I would posture, for example, that subconscious knows when food is lacking in the quality department by this reaction alone.

Taking all variables of our food into consideration, where diet really comes to is: does this food make me happy? When we reflect at how food affects all aspects of our lives, including health, and how food affects how we feel because of it....then we know where to go with our diets.

Eating a Twinkie, for example, might make your mind happy, but does it make your body happy? What about your soul? Is your soul calling for the Twinkie? Let's be real with ourselves.

True happy food makes us happy in all realms of our Selves. It nourishes our mind-body-spirit. If it doesn't feed one of those human elements, that can we honestly call it happy food? I think not.

So, if I'm happy when I eat, and if I'm happy about WHAT i'm eating, and if I'm happy that I ate, and I feel great all around, then jeez, that's a pretty good gauge that I'm doing something right. That is the part of the "diet" that is usually ignored.

Anyway, this attitude brings super-awareness to the eating process. When we eat with awareness, it's really challenging to EAT CRAP, it's hard to binge eat, or starve ourselves, etc. When we eat with awareness we get what we need from food to thrive.

You are what you eat, and when what you eat makes you happy, then you are happy.

I'd rather be happy.

I came here to cry

This past equinox I spent exploring the wondrous Machu Picchu. Such beauty. The mountains surrounding the ancient ruins are ginormous and covered in trees, and these huge mounds BREATHE. And the river that flows around the base of this whole scene ROARS. This place is powerful.

Somehow I knew when I got here that I would cry. I wasn't sure why, I just knew I would. I had heard countless stories of others experiencing the same thing...feeling overwhelmed at the beauty, and so forth.

And so the tears came. Hiking up WayuPicchu I had a humbling moment. Unable to keep up with my 24 year old counterpart I felt terribly inadequate. For all my athleticism, I was still acclimatizing to the altitude, with a sore hip that decided to make itself felt just that morning. But I still wanted my body to work perfectly - I demanded it. Note to future travellers of Machu Picchu: check your ego at the door.

Red in the face I came to a terrace where my friend Rebecca was waiting, and I sobbed in defeat as I caught my breath. Why do I need to be perfect? What is perfect? My pace is the ultimate pace. Why am I letting the pace of others affect my self worth? Somebody give me a stiff drink.

Later I sat looking out at the valley near the top of the mountain and laugh-cried. It started raining, and it felt like we were being showered with sparkles. How fortunate am I to be here? And....I'm working. I am blessed. Gratitude fills my heart.

Atop WayuPicchu it was electric - our hair standing straight up. We were chased down the mountain by a guard who feared we'd be struck by lightning. Ha: what a way to go.

In the moment though, all that electricity made me feel alive, aware of my own mortality.

What I experienced this day is what could literally be described as the alchemical charging of the human being.

Recommended.

The wound is where the light enters

I've been in Peru for a few days now, and things for me have been up & down. It's challenging on many levels. For example, the altitude makes simple actions like walking up a hill a total chore. Well...I guess walking up a hill can be a chore anyway, but still. An even bigger chore.

There is something about this place. It's like all the crap inside of me is shining in my face. Intense feelings of jealousy and inadequacy and melancholy are bubbling from deep inside of me. Where is all this coming from?

I guess this is a "better out than in" experience, and also emotions worth acknowledging. If I can get to the root of all this discontent, then I can open myself to feelings that are more.....wonderful.

I don't know what else to say, except bring in the light.

the perfect red

When examining my life I gravitate towards metaphors. Somehow these tangible comparison allows me to understand the intangible reality of my life better.

Take the following example. I've been searching for the perfect red lipstick for ages. This might seem like a non-brainer to some, trust me that it's not a cut and dry endeavour.

Rocking red lips is a bold makeup move. Lips become front & centre, so they'd better tell a good story. Red is so powerful it can throw your whole face (& beyond) off if you're mis-rouged.

Getting the perfect shade of red is just half the story. The next part is getting a shade of red that I'd actually want to touch my lips. Most lipsticks are made with the grossest toxic ingredients. I don't want that stuff in my auric field, let alone touching me.

And then there's that nasty statistic that the average woman eats 4-7 lbs of lipstick over a lifetime. EW. That statistic, strangely, isn't enough for me to stop using lip goo, but it will make me WAY more careful about what lipstick I'm going to eat.

Finding a non-toxic, organic version of the perfect red? I've been searching and experimenting for years. And today I found it. Actually, it found me.

A friend of mine (Taylor) gifted me some makeup of her friend Fiona's up and coming organic makeup line Super Natural Lips. It arrived in the mail some months ago, and I finally received it upon returning home for some down time. I tried one of her ravishing shades and knew. The search was over.

And this simple act of applying lipstick made me wonder about all the other things I've been searching for, hoping it would be just right - perfect, I reflected on how those things or people or experiences might just come to me when I'm not even thinking about it. One relaxing day I'll just open myself to the experience and there it will be. Exactly what I wanted. No compromise.

The perfect shade of red is what happens when I'm busy trying to be my best and not focusing on getting or having.

Here's to realizing (& recognizing) all my perfect shade of red moments.

details, details.

I sit here on the eve of the last day of my 33rd year here on this planet and reflect. What were my most profound learnings of my latest spin with the sun?

First, I've learned to accept my own beauty more. I've been fortunate enough to be around people who let me know what they like about me, which is nice. And it's never what I expect them to say. The things about myself that I might dislike or discount are then very things that draw people to me. Who'd a thought? And so, all of me is likeable, even the parts of me that aren't. This revelation makes it so much easier for me to get along with myself & others.

On the beauty tangent I've come to recognize my sensual nature, and how it's allowed me to become a master appreciator. I can relish in every moment, even the ones that cause me pain. This amazes me all the time. And the beauty around keeps becoming MORE obvious and the moments in my life keep becoming MORE beautiful. I can derive so much pleasure from observing miracles of nature & humankind.

How is this? How is it that life's beauty abounds in the midst of what could be described as "shitty". How is it that we can look for the gift in every moment? Death, tragedy, embarrassment, laziness, ineptitude, dissatisfaction, etc., all have their rainbow factor.

Second, it's come to my attention that paying attention to the small details in my life will invite bigger things. If I can get the minutia of my life in order, where the simplest things are completed proficiently & efficiently, then I open my self to greater experiences. If I can show others, for example, that I can complete basic tasks with a sense of urgency & to a high calibre result, they are more likely to ask me to get involved with more important or high impact activities. Why get involved with someone who can't deliver on the basic stuff?

This seems like an appropriate variable to factor into my decision making. How I do anything is how I do everything. Same goes for others.....

And thirdly, getting clear is the key to activating passion. If I know what I want, (& don't want), it's easy to get up in the morning to work towards it. Fuzziness breeds laziness. A crystal clear vision breeds passionate action.

None of this is rocket science. Geez, this would have been great information to have had 33 years ago. But hey, everything's perfect, right?

Say hello to radiance

I believe beauty can be invited in. One can cultivate their beauty. In my opinion, I can become more beautiful with time. Using the food I eat, the friends I keep, the thoughts I think, the love I feel, the habits I nurture, and the compound effect of all these I can alter my appearance from the inside out – for the better.

As per my previous post, diet is a big part of improving our beauty. But here are some other thoughts:

Wash with better water.

Showering with a filter is a must. Use a filter or become a filter. Remember, just because the water doesn’t look dirty doesn’t mean its clean. It’s important to protect yourself from the damaging halogens & other toxins found in tab water.

On that note, if a tap water shower is THE option, then take shorter, colder showers; avoid showering in shitty water if you can. Remember it’s the compound effect of these dirty showers that age us prematurely.

Use a potent iodine regularly: Apply a few drops to your skin (the inner side of your forearms). This saturates your receptor sites on your thyroid gland making it less susceptible to the nasty ass halogens (typically found in tap water) that could potentially set up shop there and wreak havoc..

I wash my face with Spring Water. I keep a little cup by the sink and use that for my evening and morning ritual. It seems like a sacred ceremony – using this special water to cleanse my face. And why wouldn’t I? I thank my friend Laura for teaching me this. She’s gorgeous and full of so many insights!

What to do when I travel?

Free radicals and radiation are a bitch for keeping your sacred suppleness. And with travel, there’s usually a surplus of this going on. Flying at night will help minimize radiation.

Using a product like MegaHydrate will help shield you from radiation, free radicals & helps with hydration. I take 2-5 caps daily if I can – I will for sure take 5-9 on travel days.

Skin Care. Literally.

In my opinion, the best skin care is super simple and made from natural products that nourish your skin. There are many options. Personally, I’m into Living Libations. There is something so luxurious cleansing & caring with these oils.

Other tips:

-When available rub fresh aloe all over your face & body. It feels incredible, especially when it’s hot out. And the skin LOVES it. Aloe really is beauty’s best friend. The Pharaohs were well aware of this, and that says A LOT.

-Exfoliate. I use a moistened, gentle, natural-fibre cloth with the living libations best skin ever skin oil.

-Use Ormus Gold on your face. Anecdotally, ormus gold has anti-aging characteristics and increases metabolic rate and cell rejuvenation. It’s not for the meek. I use it and love it.

-Wear the best available, natural sunscreen when necessary to minimize overexposure to the sun. Jane Iredale makes a great one – although this isn’t a great option for most guys.

Exercise: highly recommended

Rebounding & inversions like handstands and headstands are a great way to tone the face and stimulate circulation in this area. Do daily if possible. Rebounding (aka jumping on a mini trampoline) is an easy time-effective way to get a workout in. Plus, that fun jumping applies weight and movement to every cell causing body parts and functions to become stronger, more flexible and healthier. YAY!!

Breathe. Anything you can do to honor your breath will do wonders for your beautification process. Walking or hiking through pretty places is great for this. As is yoga.

Think sexy, loving thoughts about yourself.

Sure, that sounds like hippie talk at it’s finest, and it is, but ugly self-talk does nothing for your beauty quotient. As the saying goes: Treat yourself as you’d treat others (assuming you’re not a flakey douchebag). Practice positivity. And truly cultivate your beauty. Shallow Hal is one of those classic movies that exemplifies how beauty shines from the inside, especially if we allow ourselves to see it.

Surround yourself with people, places & things that make you happy. Ingest truly nutritious foods and minimize exposure to toxins. Turn yourself into a work of art.

Pictured above: in flight on my rebounder.