Be enthusiastic and energized.

First put all your faith and trust in God.  I believe that your religion is what connects you to God and that spirituality is the lightening bolt that awakens that experience of God that is self empowering.  When I first became initiated I realized that I had a very profound experience.  I was feeling particularly despondent at that stage in my life.  As my teacher brushed me gently with peacock feathers and placed her foot on my knee I could feel every bit of negativity released.  I felt blissful and happy.  In fact I could feel and hear an inner release of laughter resonate throughout the universe.

My experiences have been profound and unmistakably due to the Grace of a Master who has led me from a life of pain to one of hope, enthusiasm and energy.  As soon as I focus inward I feel energized.  Sitting for Meditation is essential in order to clear away all the debris that we end up owning due to our experiences.  You will be released from all those burdens and obstacles and your enthusiasm for living will be boundless.  Energy comes through taking care of yourself on a regular and structured bases.  No hits and misses here. Keep to a strict schedule.  Be aware of how much time you need to allot to different tasks, personal care, self care and exercise.  Get to bed by 9 pm if you can and be up early to shower and start your day with meditation.  Keep a woolen shawl to wrap around you and a pair of cotton sweats to wear.  Sit in the same place where your meditations will build energy that will make it easier for you to go into meditation each time. 

I promote vegetarian diets and if you haven't already done so please see the movie "Food Inc."  It gives a graphic account of factory farming which is not in alignment with spiritual life.  With spiritual awakening you develop a respectful and appreciation for the sacredness in all God's creations.  Love is the essence of spiritual work and love is not unkind or cruel and does not put money before animals or people.  Learn from nature and if you don't already have a love for animals start by looking at movies about animals in the wild, photos and by taking walks in nature.  Learn to appreciate the delicate balance of nature as she sustains all of our survival.  If there is unkindness within you speak directly to God about it and do the inner work to clear that tendency.  Your real essence is Love and as you meditate and pray your real self will shine through.

List the things that you wish to accomplish for the upcoming week and with enthusiasm see yourself achieving your goals.  Our inner talk is normally negative until you gain control over the mind, and even then the mind can be intrusive.  Remember that the heart is in control of the mind and that the mind can become still.  Just by living in your heart you will feel free and energized.  Make sure that you exercise each day.  Yoga is good for everyone and will help you to develop inner qualities that have been specifically targeted when the pose was conceived.  For instance if you feel you lack courage try the warrior pose.  I like the mountain pose that grounds your energy with the earth and leaves me feeling steady and firm.  Yoga uses many poses taken from direct experiences of watching nature and animals.  I read this week that Leonardo DiVinci invented the parachute after watching leaves fall from trees.

I have spoken about core beliefs before which all of us have to face in order to overcome our lack of self awareness. These core beliefs are usually false beliefs before you start the trans formative work of self enquiry and go deeper into meditation.  So your conversations with your self will reflect your attachment to your core beliefs.  Hence you might believe you are stupid and when you don't do something the way you wanted and thus attribute the outcome to your own stupidity.  Just like a gardener whose mission is to keep the weeds out of the flower bed you will have to uproot negative core beliefs and subsequent negative self talk.  You are a great being and nothing can destroy your experience of knowing your true self.  It takes time and effort and I recommend that you find a Master who can initiate you on the spiritual path.  Join a Church or group to support your development.  Whatever your religion you will find greater understanding and enthusiasm for the teachings and scriptures.  Read spiritual writings by the Great Saints and pray that your life will be directed by God's hands.  Put total trust in God and surrender your life to the LORD.

Have enthusiasm for doing your very best through preparing when you have responsibilities to meet.  For instance if you have a paper to write spend the necessary time doing the research and meditate first to still the mind which will help you keep focused.  Keep your home or room tidy and clean and the energy there will be cleared.  If there are things cluttering your space get rid of them if you are not using items.  The rule of thumb in feng shui is to discard things that are not useful or that you don't particularly like at least every six months.  Things have their own energy and it can affect how you feel.  My teacher used to go into peoples rooms and said that the state of their rooms reflected the state of their own inner being.  That means that if you are cluttered and disorganized on the outside you are cluttered and disorganized on the inside.

Always keep good company and remember that attitudes are contagious.  If you lack enthusiasm for your work or other areas of your life you are likely to adversely affect those around you.  Don't expect to do well on the spiritual path and continue to do the same things that have made your life miserable in the first place.  I used the word miserable because most of us are at that point when we connect with a Master who takes us on a particular spiritual path.  We know that life is just too painful for us to keep living the way we have been accustomed.  It's like the last time you want to walk into a brick wall and you get to the point where you decide to look for an alternative way of living.  There must be something better than this! Even if our lives are filled with all the goods we ever wanted but if we don't have our hearts flame lightened by a Master life is arid and filled with pain and emptiness.  Believe me I know because I have been there and fortunately found my Master who took me though many years of clearing old and opening to new ways of being.  You can do it and life will be filled with the powers of enthusiasm and energy.

One guided imagery method I taught last week was to become energize by picturing yourself as a solar panel that is layed open to the light and warm positive energy that radiates for our good from God's universe.  Soak up that flow of positive energy into your being and rest in its power.  Make the experience of that power a marker for how to uplifted your inner state.  Monitor your inner state and when you need to be energized used this technique no matter where you are (and nobody needs to know.)

Practice makes perfect.  There is an inner monitoring for blocks and obstacles.  Mind what you say to yourself silently inside or out loud.  Words are powerful.  As the Bible says "In the beginning was the word..."  The Sanskrit work is Matrika Shakti and the powerful vibrations from our words and thoughts ripple out to the environment around us and out to the universe.  Don't blame yourself if you slip because it is a habit that you have got used to that takes you back to a realm within that feels negative and common place.  The more time you spend away from this realm the better you feel and as soon as you catch yourself going back there you will immediately take yourself into the present moment.  Remember God constantly or your higher power and Grace will protect and shield your thoughts.  Always celebrate your accomplishments and acknowledge how well you have done.  There is no such thing as bragging in reality.  The fallacy of being selfish if you speak well of yourself is to suppress your emotions and hinder inner freedom.  Don't be a prisoner to old habits.  Once you recognize their hold over you do the necessary inner work.  Express issues that cause you shame openly and they too will loose their power to diminish your inner greatness.

If there are material goods that you need to manifest, read or watch the Secret and learn how to bring all the wealth you need to support you.  Never focus on what you don't have.  In fact don't even acknowledge that you don't have something, instead spend all your mental imaginings and energy on seeing yourself with what it is you desire.  For instance if you need a home and a car.  Picture yourself in the car that you desire and how the wheel feels in your hands.  Picture yourself driving along familiar roads in your car.  With your home see yourself in the home of your dreams and picture the kinds of things you would like to furnish it with.  Use glossy magazines and make collages.  Create four areas representing the four goals of life. Divide the areas for wealth, health, knowledge and liberation making one or more larger because it is there that you want the most to manifest.  If it is wealth make that half the collage and past pictures of money, lucky rainbows and money pots.  Use what resonates with your particular feel for that goal.  Keep the collage on a wall in your bedroom or living room and think of those things that you wish to come into your life as already being there. 

As a Life Coach I encourage you to develop spiritually and all will manifest from there.  Don't doubt in your ability to be enthusiastic and energized in your life and attract all the things you wish for.

Pleas contact me at lawrencerita511@gmail.com

Start where you are - don't fence your self in through inner obstacles.

Somehow it is human nature for us to believe our lives need to be improved in some area such as education or finance and that we cannot start on a course of action because we convince ourselves that the fences are real and allow them to hold us in.  Break free of the fences that corral your life into a tight and limited space.  Be bold.  Be true to yourself and step out into the unknown with confidence.  Journal and enquire of yourself what is it that keeps from giving your all to your life.  Why do you chose to take the short stick and risk exposing yourself to heights of self discovery and achievement?  Only you can do this work nobody else can do it for you.  Once you find out what your particular barriers are, you can start to erase and reverse your thinking and experience.  Are you afraid of public speaking perhaps which is a common phenomenon because we fear inside that we are going to be ridiculed, not respected or any number of imaginings. 

I worked with a young man once who overcame fear of being on stage for his part in a play in front of kids in a new magnet school.  We meditated together and everyday at home the young man and his mother made this a regular practice for calming the mind and stilling their inner being.  These two results made it possible for him to go in front of an auditorium full of people without fear.  He had to experience calm and confidence inside and have a steady mind before he could appreciate what a pleasurable experience sharing his talent was for him.  We also used the worrier yoga position that was developed and used by people to tap into that part of our psyche and consciousness that brings out the warrior in us.  He literally went from worrier to warrior because of his self effort.

When you identify a part of yourself that doesn't want to participate with you to uplift your life, shine the light into that part of your life and then it will loose its power over you.  You are in control of your life and destiny and you can smile at what lies ahead because you can trust yourself to create the right circumstances for your success.  If you are afraid of failing school, enroll in school and get a tutor.  I have not always got great grades because I believe one of the reasons is that I am an independent thinker.  That is not a bad thing but you have to be aware that there will be consequences to seemingly going against the system that you philosophical differences with.  For instance I got a low grade from my professor for writing a paper because I didn't agree with applying only one philosophy in the nursing field.  For one thing I through it would be boring and for another each individual doesn't fit the same cookie cutter.  When you feel what you have going on is not going for you, you have to make it happen through change.

I always tell myself that I can make it through courses.  I have taken numerous hours of chemistry for instance and for someone who left school at fifteen it was quite an accomplishment.  Pull all your resources together and make sure that you put time and effort into what you do.  Give your whole self to what you chose to do and don't go for half measures.  Be prepared to sacrifice for your schooling as that will award you with opportunities ahead that you don't yet imagine.  Do things the right way.  Don't cheat on tests or plagiarise other's work when you write papers to be handed in for grading.  It has been my experience that this is quite the norm as I had a mentor in graduate school who was a graduate of Boston University in a very competitive program.  Her advise to me was to keep a drawer in a filing cabinet in my Sorority and share papers that particular professors had graded favorably.  I saw some of my class mates passing papers between them in the hallways.  I would always rather do my own work because you are the one who is going to be accountable for producing that knowledge in your work place by making the right choices and other job performance measures.

Faith and prayer is a big part of how I go about doing things and if God wants you to do a particular thing you will be awakened to and driven by that powerful urge to further your education, buy a particular property or whatever it is.  Pray and some people use fasting which works for many and is recommended in the Bible.  Be humble before God always and let His love guide you.  Be careful for what you wish for the saying goes.  Similarly be careful what you pray for because you most likely will receive what you ask for.  Once you have been infused with the energy and desire to create wealth, knowledge, health etc., in you life you will then take the next step in the process which is action.  Experience yourself energetically in the place where you want your goals to materialize.  For instance when I moved to the Bay Area in California I actually could see myself there and had contacted people and thus started the ball rolling.  I also cared for one of the most lovable and remarkable people I have ever known.  So we might be drawn for a certain purpose and God will have an additional purpose for us as we are His servants here on earth.  My friend had an immense influence on my life and I have felt great love for him ever since.

Learn to modify your goals and dates that you have set to achieve them.  Bruce Lee said that we don't necessarily have to achieve our goals, it's the process that counts towards our happiness and character building.  There are no mistakes, only learning experiences.  Meditate regularly and if you feel a certain resistance or block let the meditation guide you to your next step.  You have the answers you need inside and you will learn to trust in your abilities to meet all of your needs.  Start each day early.  My Teacher used to say the best hours for meditation were between 3 and 6 am before the world awakes and the earth is still.  Meditation allows you to go deep inside and connect with your higher self.  You can take care of your daily chores and self care needs and have your day planned before breakfast!  Connecting on the inside makes it easy to focus on what your priorities need to be and what steps are necessary for you to reach your daily goal.  Set a main goal for yourself and then break it down to weekly and daily goals.  Self talk is important so don't be overly critical if you don't achieve the outcomes you wanted.  Be grateful for what you did accomplished and know that the next day you can reevaluate your strategy and start again.  Never give up.  I repeat never give up.  You will be able to make breakthroughs, you just need time.  Whatever you give yourself to will yield fruit.  When things appear to not be working out you don't know how this will benefit you in the grand scheme of things.  It might mean that money will come to you because of a project you have given yourself to and perhaps someone stole the project from you because of their lack of knowledge about universal laws.  Know that if anyone intentionally tries to harm you through stopping you from earning the money you deserve it will haunt them.  The laws of attraction and karma work that way.  It will hit them in the back as they say.  Just be patient, use your resources and keep working on your goals.  Sarah Palin says that her father told her to "Reload the gun!"  That means not walking away from aggressors.  Apathy is not a good thing and in my experience is disempowering.  Put your power behind what you believe in and keep walking and praying as an African American friend once told me to do.

I will use two quotes to summarize what I have written:  "Cherish your vision and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." ~ Napoleon Hill.  "All great achievements require time." ~ Maya Angelou.  Walk with the Lord in your heart and your life will shine like a bright star.  When you have walked the path don't shut the gate behind you but stand at the gate and welcome others to journey with you to free themselves from their own inner limitations and obstacles that will lead to success.  God bless you!

Please feel free to contact me:  lawrencerita511@gmail.com

The Three T's to plan around.

My background is in mental health and I write for women mainly because I am not sure that what I have to say will necessarily what men will relate to.  High school and college that I attended have been for women mainly because of my field of discipline has attracted more women than men.  I hope that you will find the following framework useful as you organize your thoughts around your goals and set your course to take some empowering and positive steps toward your future career.
The three "T's" that I am going to frame this blog around are Trust, Talent and Togetherness.  Trust is first because it is not only our first developmental stage in life that sets the foundation for future relationships, it is also measure of how secure we feel in our ability to master certain tasks and challenges thus enabling us to demonstrate self-confidence.  Talent is important because we have to be prepared to compete in the programs that prepare us for our career and then continue to grow and develop professionally.  We have to learn to become adaptable; learn when to hold on and when to let go; when to bend and when to stand firm.  When we are in a space inside ourselves that resonates with our authentic self and we are not living lives that have been ascribed to us or taking on roles that we do not have the natural talent or intelligence for, we then bring forth a quality of work that is both creative and useful to others.  When we are able to produce our work from this deep and authentic part of ourselves that is totally not a facade, we enjoy what we do and it creates joy within us that wants to find an outlet to share this knowledge.  Togetherness is another aspect of what we are about - we are part of a pack and the opposite of isolated individuals.  We belong in community and that is where we grow and become strong.  It is important to seek people who are like minded and like spirited because you will find people who will try to diminish your work through jealousy and other behaviors that we shed through inner spiritual work.  Don't let anyone put your flame out or try to dull your light!
This is how it comes together when you want to identify what it is that you want to develop or achieve in your life.  Identify that objective first and be sure that it is indeed what you want with all your heart and soul.  Set a clear intention and see yourself achieving your goal.  Act in a way that tells your inner psyche that you already are what you have in mind. 
1.  Trust your self that you will achieve your aim.  Trust first began in infancy when our mother figure met our needs for warmth, food and love etc.  We always knew that we would get the responses from that person based on our expressed need.  Now you have to know that you can bring together the resources, supportive people, research or whatever it is that you need to proceed and maintain the process toward achieving your goal.  Tell yourself that you already achieved many things before this goal and you have reached your goals.  This too will be a learning process and you will achieve or manifest your hearts desire.  Trust in your ability to care for yourself.  If you have so many obstacles standing in your way that feels overwhelming, my teacher used to say to make the problem the same size as yourself.  Write down the problems as you begin and find out how you can work through them.  Is it coming from your own lack of confidence or fears or an actual deficit in your life such as funds for a business?  Be clear and do the work inside and outside to resolve the barriers.  You can do it and you will move forward at a steady pace.  Keep a journal and record all the things that have been issues for you and how you have managed to problem solve.
2.  Talent.  You know what you are good at or what you are drawn to do because of your experience.  I for instance chose nursing because my father died from cancer of the colon when I was little and the nurses who cared for him and were kind to me left an impression on me that led me to finding a way to become a nurse myself and return what I had been given.  Through journal writing and self enquiry find out what motivates you.  My motivation comes from a desire to help others and ease their pain - physical, emotional and mental.  Your motivation may be to earn money through business.  It could be the performing arts.  You may want to be an engineer.  Whatever you are good at and can build upon is what you should pursue.  I was disappointed when I taught nursing students who did not look upon nursing as a calling but rather looked on it as a way of earning fairly decent money and some planned to invest and then switch to doing something else.  Think about the moral and ethical obligations of your career choice and the love and energy you bring to others who will come to you for your services.  You may benefit from career counseling and going through aptitude testing.
3. Togetherness.  When you find the career that is right for you, build a network of people who are either in the field already or like you are in the process of reaching your goal through a course of study.  In any group find the one's who are positive and uplifting.  Join clubs and societies and go for excellence in your work.  Find out through journal writing and self enquiry if you hold back in any areas of study.  Work through the barriers and identify why you are holding back and not going for it!  Like all things that cause us to not be our best, once identified and openly acknowledged they loose their power and hold on us.  This approach is mature and you will find it liberating.  The more baggage you try to stuff down inside or hide from people, the less you are to produce your talents from a clear and creative space.  You will enjoy your work and want to help others who may need coaching because once you are in a space of creativity you will automatically want to help.  It brings joy and that is a motivating feeling. 
What I want to emphasise is that it is by being authentic within yourself that you then are able to produce an abundance of creative work.  Your talents will manifest with ease and you will enjoy studying, recognizing that you have an ethical duty to do your very best to achieve excellence.  You set the bar because that is the level of understanding that you want to achieve for yourself and show in your work with confidence. 

Whether it is for support, assistance with identifying and developing goals, or learning how to meditate please contact me at: