Sundays

I was born on a Sunday and as the rhyme says "Sunday's child has far to go."  That is what life is like.  Never an end point always in transition and moving.  Nothing is permanent except the love inside and connection with God.  All karma's get plaid out and it's important to learn detachment so that you don't get caught up in the play as the people in your life and the world acts out it's issues from current and past lives.  We all have far to go but it doesn't mean that the ultimate goal of liberation is unreachable.

Sundays have been a special day for me as I started attending Sunday school at the Church of England Cathedral in Nairobi.  A neighbor Pam Pankhurst, make dresses for my sister and I and we had white stray caps that were like a band across the tops of our heads and in the late fifties quite stylish.  The fabric for my dress was green with a print that was floral with wisps of red color.  The skirt was full with overlapping tiers that made me feel very feminine.  My sister and I would walk to Church together and carry the small Bibles that had been given us by our Godparents Elizabeth and Hugo Gurney.  Elizabeth was a decedent from the Gurney banking family in England and her sister and she inherited the Manor which they split into two halves. 

Elizabeth and Hugo moved to Kenya and settled on their farm in the rift valley.  When I was eighteen my mother and I returned to Kenya and visited them on their farm.  We were met from the bus by Elizabeth who was as round as she was tall.  Very upper class, plain and welcoming.  She wore a straw hat and her usual white blouse with a full cotton print skirt.  She had been active all their marriage teaching local tribe children in a school house that was built on their farm.  She had a great sense of duty.  Hugo was interested in my looks as I grew older and that made me uncomfortable.  He belonged to the Kenyan Polo club and had his ponies stabled on the farm.  Very likable.  Like Elizabeth he was upper class and educated at Eaton which is the school where the two young English Princes graduated from.  It lies across the Thames River from Windsor Castle which sits up on the hill overlooking the surrounding towns and country side.

By the time my sister and I got to Sunday school we were ready to sit for a while.  We always liked having pets to look after and at that time we had white mice which came along with us and would run around under our clothes occasionally popping their heads out of our sleeves.  I enjoyed singing Sunday School songs the most.  One day we got to see the Queen Mother who came to Nairobi.  Although it was crowded we still got a glimpse.

When we lived in Mombasa we would go to the beach on Sundays.  Now our father was ill with terminal cancer of the colon and we didn't go out too often.  We sometimes went to the open air movies.  I remember seeing the King and I on the big open screen and we sang in the car on the way home.  It was fun to see young children dressed up in the movies.  I always liked the music and songs the most.

Now that I am living in the United States Sunday's are spent in Meditation or more recently I have been to Chicago to hear my Spiritual Master give talks.  He is so open to our lives that he spends time with each one of us and listens to what we have to say or gives his blessings in our lives.  He is remarkably simple in how he relates spiritual truths that makes it all so understandable without having to read volumes of philosophical texts.  It is called http://www.scienceofspirituality.org if you would like to look up information for yourself.

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

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

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: