Nature, Friendships and Love of God and Yourself are the best things in life.

Having led most of my life already I am aware of the fast and constant pace that most people have to keep in order to pack in developmental goals and milestones.  From adolescents forward the race is on!  Hormones throw us into gear whether ready or not!  Academics is a high priority because learning and knowledge are the keys to our future.  As women we have a conscious awareness of our biological clock ticking.  No time delay or snooze button to put off procreation and finding a suitable mate.  Dating is a hot and heavy scene where we have to learn boundaries with the one's we are chemically on fire with and find a way to not hurt the feelings too much on the ones who don't turn us on. 

When you feel overwhelmed as you will, don't fall apart or have a melt down as they say these days.  Take some lessons from nature.  Leonardo DiVinci invented the parachute after noticing how leaves fell from trees.  Really you can look to nature to guide you for answers that you are searching for and become an independent thinker because of nature's link with the infinite intelligence that created this world, all that is in it, and the universe.  God encourages us to explore and get to know Him through the very creatures and plants that he has created to be our friends and companions.  Have you noticed how your mood can be uplifted when you look into the beautiful face of a flower?  At my friend's house where I took care of her plants for her while she was on a trip to Africa, I was greeted every morning out on the deck by the pretty little faces of purple flowers not unlike miniature pansies.  There were so many of them nodding their delicate heads in the breeze.  Bees buzzed from plant to plant and I noticed that they particularly liked the purple colored plants.  I had read in an article that described their attraction to purple flowers and that by planting lavender and other purple varieties of plants you are able to support bees whose numbers have been depleted due to the toxic chemicals people use on their gardens, yards and farmland .  Another study has found that bees recognize human faces.  Bees are in tune with us and we can be in tune with them if we open our hearts to the wonder of our bond with them through all that is scientific and our togetherness as part of the portrait of God's love and beauty.  Studies of bees has shown that they can actually learn to recognize our individual faces.

When you have those little breaks in the day disconnect yourself from the electric devises, the pressure of deadlines and watch with open wonder what nature is doing.  How do butterflies go about their day?  They love to sail in the breeze and circle around me when I am outside.  Sometimes they will land on me.  One sat on my great toe for the longest time the other day.  These are delectable moments to see their delicate wings and sense how curious they are about us.  You have to drop the rush and push of life to attract the still and tranquil.  As soon as you invade their peaceful and loving vibrations with negative energy they will wing it out of there!  I had that experience once when walking in a park in the Bay Area, California.  I happened to be on my cell phone with a Middle Eastern male friend who had the tendency toward possessiveness that made him controlling.  When I told him that a hummingbird was hovering inches away from me looking directly at my face, he said something derogatory and I could feel the negative force of his energy come through the phone.  The bird flew off immediately.  I asked him when would he ever learn?  I say to people that I am happily single because it is too difficult to deal with other people's stuff.

I did have a close friend who was gay while I was in the Bay Area and helped him through the end stages of congestive heart failure.  I believe he was enlightened although he used to show me by using his thumb and index finger squeezed together to show he had an eintzie wientze little bit to go.  After he was discharged from ICU having hemorrhaged blood as a result of blood thinners he went home to be cared for by hospice which is what our Teacher had instructed him to do through her liason, a lawyer for the organization.  Another young man who happened to live around the corner from my friend's apartment stayed through the night and I took the day shift.  The gentleman lawyer called from time to time when I went home to rest telling me that our Teacher had asked him to support us as it is especially difficult physically for those who are present with beings who are spiritually elevated when they die.  I felt exhausted for sure, my neck became stiff  and I had a headache.  In fact all I could do at the time was collapse on the bed and rest as best I could.  It was not unusual for me to experience time warps during the time I spent with my Teacher and I felt the same sense then.  I will love him forever and my love continues to grow and my gratitude is awakened with fresh thoughts of his presence, stories and just how wonderful he was.  We volunteered together everyday in the office of a spiritual mission for prisoners.  Before we began he sang prayers in Sanskrit which an ancient Indian language.   His voice was robust and his whole countenance exduded an elegant style.  I have always felt moved by his power and he taught me not to hold back when engaging in any type of service for the upliftment of other's lives.  Our love for our Teacher was great because there is so much Grace in our lives when we aligned ourselves with our Teacher's power through selfless service.

A funny story was told at his memorial that was held in a quaint rose garden on the grounds of our Teachers compound in the Bay Area.  The story was presented by the young man who stayed with my friend at night before he died.  The audience laughed when they heard how he had been given the name Babu Rao, from our Teacher.  As she approached him and spoken to him, giving him the name he responded to her with love and thanks.  He then turned to the young man and asked "What did she say?"  He wore bilateral hearing aids and they squeeked at times.   His love for our teacher was so pure that he seemed to radiate light when I saw photos of him with our Teacher during one of her visits.  My friend's mother also had this white light emanating from her being when she was greeted by our Teacher. 

The stress in our lives can be neutralized and deflated and nature is a great stress reducer.  Pressure can build like in the water hose, until it can cause the tube to rupture.  In terms of our bodies that can manifest as serious illnesses that have great impact on our lives emotional and psychological wellbeing.  Take care my friends and learn to take periods of rest.  You may not be able to take naps because you may not be in a place where that is possible, but if it is they are very good for your health.  You will feel recharged afterwards and if you keep to a schedule and avoid stimulants like caffeine your body will get used to being quietened and replenished through napping at the same time every day if possible or whenever you can.  You can also use guided imagery to replenish your energy and recharge your enthusiasm and zest.  Think of your body as a solar panel that is open to the pure energy of the sun and all the positive energy that is being sent for your good by the universe.  Absorb that energy and soak it up into the core of your being.  Fill your heart with gratitude for these precious moments to absorb the natural sources of God's power.  Remember God or your higher power constantly and like a child with an imaginary friend keep God as your constant friend and companion.

The greatest practice for replenishing body and soul is through meditation.  I was taught that one hour of meditation is worth a thousand hours of sleep.  Like your mother used to tell you, sit still and be quiet, and that's as simple as it is to meditate.  Breath easy and say God's name silently to yourself.  Take the focus of your mind to the area of your heart.  If your mind chatters let it think of your thought stream like clouds that drift through the sky.  You don't put your hands up to stop them because you know that they will be carried away by air currents and winds.  Similarly your thoughts will drift away.  With practice your mind will still.  With repeated meditation you will go into meditation more easily and love will grow as you enter your heart more often and enjoy your own great company.

Please feel free to contact me:  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: