Naked Prayers

Forgiveness - The Hidden Key to Success, Happiness & Freedom

My own life experience, along with countless stories I’ve heard & read from others, has taught me that forgiveness is the most powerful tool we have – aside from unconditional love, itself – for creating lasting success & happiness in our lives. It’s a word we all know, so why do I call it the “hidden key”?

courtesy http://angledart.tumblr.com/

It’s one of those things that’s hidden in plain sight because most people don’t understand what forgiveness really is or how to do it, let alone the power it has to transform our lives. Most of us only know it as a word that lives in the same neighborhood with apology, but not as an intentional action to be used as a tool for life mastery.

Truth: Forgiveness is not for the other person. It’s for the sake of your own freedom! The other person may very well benefit, but even if they don’t, you will. 

If you’re living in a state of un-forgiveness, you burn a huge amount of energy focusing on the wrong that’s been done to you, instead of spending that time living with peace of mind & rockin’ your world. Your emotional state determines the quality of your life. Choosing to forgive others in order to achieve well-being is a massive act of Self-Love! 

Who, or what, do you need to forgive to get on with your happiness? Are you willing to do it right now? If not, please take a minute to calculate the number of days, months or years that you are willing to stay locked in the prison created by a hurtful word or wrongful act.

Then make a note to self. You hold the key.

Live Your Truth As If Your Life Depends On It - 'Cuz it Does

How much thought do you put into the fact that YOU are inseparable from your truth?

If you're living what you know to be true for you, deep in your gut, no matter what anyone else thinks of it, then you are really living.

Indonesian Mask, Honolulu Museum of Art,

If you've got your truth hidden away, in a deep dark place inside, where no one else can see it - if you're living as you think you should, based on others' expectations & society's norms - you're committing slow suicide.

Yep. You can feel it sucking the life right out of you.

Halloween is approaching.
Give that false persona one last hoorah.
Then, don't you agree
that it's time to take off the mask
& start living?

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: Public Domain

Wild Sync - Music Teaches a Simpler Way to Make Relationships Work

My friend, G3, is putting images & video together for Halloween in The REALM. We were discussing the format for the show & I told him we might want to look at potential images while going over songs to see what works together.

Photo by G3

That's when he enlightened me to a new term, as he often does. He said, "We could just wild sync it."

Huh?

Wild sync happens naturally when images & music are allowed to run simultaneously for an intended purpose. The human brain says, "Wow, the music fits so perfectly with that photo." It's a lot easier than painstakingly working to make everything match in a controlled fashion.

This concept got me thinking about the way this could be applied to any relationship, whether it be music to image, or person to person. I Googled the term & found an article in Electronic Musician that speaks beautifully about rhythmic timing.

"Although tight timing is a worthy goal, being close in tempo rather than locked to the beat is much easier to achieve. Surprisingly, this wild sync is often more expressive, as well."    ~David Battino, author of The Art of Digital Music: 56 Visionary Artists & Insiders Reveal Their Creative Secrets

If you're not a musician, computer geek, synchronized swimmer or such, this might sound like a bunch of blah, blah. So, how about applying it to your relationships?

We often seek to direct, or control, relationships in a way that is most beneficial for us - or, at least, in a way that we can most readily see on the surface. The idea of letting go a bit more - feeling the rhythm & pulse of the moment, the other person's breathing, the cadence of their speech, the flow of their energy - & allowing our own natural rhythm to find its course in relation to theirs can seem scary. In fact, letting go of control is akin to death.

What if it's easier, however, to more fully express yourself & to hear the other person more clearly by letting go? Maybe we run over & bump into one another by trying to get others to "lock in" to exactly what we're saying, thinking or feeling. Do we so constrict ourselves with the need to "control the beat" that we cease to dance?

I think I'll try a little wild sync on for size - see how it changes the communication.

What about you? Interested in getting wild?
C'mon, share a story.

Kindness. It's Sexy, Righteous & Powerful. Is it a part of your strategy?

It's always interesting to observe the "powerful" at work & those who believe themselves to be powerful. What a difference!

I attended the *NAB/RAB RadioShow last week & heard a passionate keynote from entrepreneur/radio host, Tom Joyner, followed by a heartfelt award acceptance from Dan Mason, President, CBS Radio & a man equally impassioned by radio - & life.

Following the luncheon, I spoke with both men & was not only impressed, but inspired by their genuine natures & ability to connect in the present moment.

By contrast, I met others who stayed busy checking their cell phones or looking around the room as they feigned conversation. One, the manager of a well-known show host, even sneered at my offer to send him my novel, Heaven, for a possible interview. Really? No problem - your loss, buddy. Not because he needs to accept, but because his attitude is a reflection of his inner life.

Power-full people understand that there's magic in the moment & they want to make sure they don't miss it. Their hallmarks: sparkling eyes, warm smile, open heart, kind nature, presence in & with the moment.

Their energy is fully connected - tethered at both ends of the spectrum. They are sexually magnetic & spiritually inspired (whether they recognize it in that particular way or not).

Dan Mason had just finished accepting a big industry award & was surrounded by congratulating peers & admirers. He welcomed me, graciously, when I approached.

I walked the hall with Tom Joyner after the luncheon. It was easy, comfortable. We parted with Tom saying, "Be easy".

Yeah. Right on.

Are you acting powerful or actually power-full? Because there's kindness in real power. Check yourself - regularly - to feel & understand if you're flowing. If not, it's time. Get to the nearest A/C & jack in.

The world is evolving. Peace, patience, love, joy, truth, kindness, gratitude, forgiveness, generosity, trust, faithfulness, self-control...are sexy, righteous & powerful.

 

*National Assoc. of Broadcasters / Radio Advertising Bureau

True Power? It's on the Inside

When do you feel the height of your Power?

Power meaning this: you feel the complete & total rightness of who you are & what you're doing in this world & that it matters; you "buzz" with an energy that is vibrant & peaceful at the same time; you know that this energy is eternal - larger than your physical body & able to propel your physical body to take action that is gratifying for you & in service to others as well. In other words - you kick ass in a holy kinda way.

watercolor, KBCain 2001

The only true power comes from within. You have access to it every single moment. And no one can take it from you. Breathe that in.

Bathe in it.

Live it.

Bless us all with the expression
that comes in the package of You.

If you don't know when you feel (or if you've ever felt) this kind of Power, it will be well worth your while to spend time with your own beloved Self figuring it out. Your Life depends on it.

 

Your Relationships: Crime Scene or Love Scene?

Relationships form the foundation of our lives. What do you think might happen if we focused on bringing our core strengths every time we show up on the playground?

I interviewed Krisandra Parsons & Mark Demos, of Life Scene Investigation, & they've got some truly enlightening & empowering ideas to share on relationship "forensics". We each have a body of evidence to inform us of the ways we show up in our relationships & how we can use that evidence to shift from strife, fighting, anxiety & dissatisfaction into thriving encounters that bring out the best in us & others. See what they have to say in this video & leave your comments below!

 

Love, Sex, Money - how do they show up in your relationship picture?

Radical EvolutionAry Love Makers & Richard Branson "Screw Business as Usual"

Richard Branson's new book, "Screw Business as Usual" is a fresh & seriously needed blueprint for the way businesses must operate if we are to experience a thriving future. Branson models a mission of creating good in the world, as the primary objective, then deriving profit from those efforts. He shares the ways his own Virgin brand companies & others are doing it.

So, when Branson asked "How are you screwing business as usual?", I answered with a video. It's live on his non-profit site, Virgin Unite. Now, I need you! Enough "Likes", Tweets & Google+ (on their site) give me an opportunity to meet with him & other world change-agents to put ideas into action!

Radial EvolutionAry Love Makers, aka The REALM, is an art & entertainment entity creating music & multi-media to enlighten, elevate, & educate. Branson can be a catalyst in helping The REALM provide scholarships & more. 

Click the photo to watch on the Virgin Unite site. If the video takes more than a few seconds to load, hit "enter" in your browser bar to reload. The video itself is only 3 minutes.

The project goes through April 20th.

 

People are tired of doing business with companies whose only agenda is to make a profit, regardless of the adverse effects on people & the planet. I was excited to read that a multi-billionaire is leading the way for us to think differently about the way we make our living. We can see that our governments are unable to correct the staggering issues of poverty, corporate greed, pollution, disease & more that prevent us from realizing global peace, justice, health & abundance for all humanity. It's going to take each of us, as global citizens, to create the changes we want to see in our own unique ways & to educate others.

Thank you for helping me in my endeavors to "be the change". It's a ripple effect.

A free E-book + Tap Your Creative Genius + Sex & Spirit

Sex is God; God is Sex: The Powerful Path to Creative Genius

It's a proposal at the moment. With your help, it can become a manifesto - an e-book freely distributed by ChangeThis.com (a platform sparked by Seth Godin). They're in the business of spreading great ideas & they chose my proposal as a great idea. I'm honored by that. Because they have some seriously great ideas!

How does this benefit you?

If you're a maverick, a fire-starter, a superhero...you want to be a conscious evolver. You know we have it in us to create a better world. And, you want to have fun! You want to feel comfortable in your skin. You want to bring out the best ideas & the boldest visions brewing within you.

This manifesto will highlight some of the ways you can come out of hiding; shed your old out-worn skin & birth a newer, more courageous, more giving, compassionate, adventurous, successful, supa-fly you.

You² have the ability to change the world. You² can show others how to shed their old skin & so on & so on. Get the picture?

Help me spread the great idea of trashing sexual & spiritual repression at the hands of ignorance. It causes much suffering. Let's educate on loving relationships, the gift of sexual pleasure, & the power that lies in the freedom to be our true creative selves.

Turn this proposal into an e-book. You'll get it for free. You can share it with anyone, anywhere.

Vote here. Do it now. (It's the orange button on the bottom of the page.)

Read & Share it with tons of people - because that's what its gonna take!

Voting ends Dec. 1, 2011.

Thanks for starting the fire with me. I can't do it alone. You rock!

International Day of Peace + Marriage

September 21

An important day. For me, personally, & for the world as well.

My husband & I are celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary (plus almost nine years together before marriage). People often comment about how different we are - opposites. We get that!

I see a lot written & discussed these days about marriage being a dying institute, an unworkable arrangement. I certainly understand the challenges. I've also experienced marriage as the greatest spiritual training ground we can undertake as humans. Many people see the "institution" of marriage as a confine. Like any belief, that is a perspective. Perspectives can be shifted.

Marriage, very simply, is an agreement to be in relationship. More simply - to relate to another human being. When we approach others with the intention of relating to them - to their desires, their fears & challenges, their joys & sorrows - we understand that we are more alike than we are different. All of us. Compassion is born & thrives in this state of relationship. Relationship is not static, of course. We must learn to honor the flowing motion of energy. Play with it.

Today is the UN International Day of Peace. It feels so appropriate as my husband & I celebrate our own journey. Take a look at the Peace Day website. Let it be a personal inspiration.

Peace begins within me & ripples out from there. It moves into my primary relationships & then into the world. It's the same for you. That means global peace is entirely possible.

Want peace in your personal relationships?
Want world peace?
Make peace within yourself.

 

P.S.
My parents celebrate their 51st anniversary in a few days.
They play.
And that ROCKS!


 Halloween "Cats"

 

"I love you" sign language to angry "FU" drivers

I'm pondering an experiment with angry drivers. Flashing the "I love you" sign language, especially to the ones who are cursing me, cutting me off, or shooting the middle finger.

This thought comes directly off of an encounter with a guy who was riding next to me, wanted to change lanes & wanted me to move instantly. He didn't care, nor did he take time to notice that I couldn't really go anywhere. I had cars on all sides. I guess he wanted me to throw on my brake in the middle of the freeway & allow him to move freely in front of me to his destination. When I didn't move for him, he began to try to force me over, though another car was on the other side of me. He finally found a way to speed up, force the car in front of me over, move into the lane on the other side & proceed to yell out the window at me - obscenities by mouth & hand. Whew! Seriously. I finally had to laugh, which I'm sure wasn't the reaction he was looking for.

Seems like he could've used a little love, huh? What's sad though - many more of us know the hand signal for "FU"  than "I love you". So, I don't know how this experiment will go over. I've just mused at the thought of starting a movement with it anyway.

What do you think? Can we infuse a little love into the road rage jungle?                

photo credit: http://www.lifeprint.com