Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Fun sayings, positive affirmations and powerful quotes:






If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.
Maya Angelou (1928 -  )
American actress and author




Every man's life is a fairy-tale written by God's fingers.
Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875)
Danish author




Guests can be, and often are, delightful, but they should never be allowed to get the upper hand.
Countess Elizabeth Von Arnim (1866-1941)
English (Australian-born) writer




It aint no use putting up your umbrella till it rains.
Alice Caldwell Rice ( 1870-1942)
American humorist and writer




Prayer begins where human capacity ends.
Marian Anderson  (1902-1993)
American singer






This is one of my favorite positive affirmations statements:

When you look at yourself and feel dissatisfaction about any part of you, you will continue to attract feelings of dissatisfaction, because the law mirrors back to you exactly what you are holding inside.

Be in awe and wonder at the magnificence of you!

Rhonda Byrne
Creator of "The Secret"






Here is an excerpt from Deepak Chopra M.D. book, Creating Affluence ~ Wealth Consciousness in the Field of all Possibilities.

"U" stands for understanding the unity behind all diversity.  Unity consciousness is a state of enlightenment where we pierce the mask of illusion which creates separation and fragmentation.  Behind the appearance of separation is one unified field of wholeness.  Here the seer and the scenery are one.

We experience unity consciousness when we are in love, when we are with nature gazing at the stars or walking on the beach, listening to music, dancing, reading poetry, praying, and in the silence of meditation.
In unity consciousness, we slip through the barrier of time into the playground of eternity, as when we say, "The beauty of the mountain was breathtaking; time stood still." Then you and the mountain become one.  At a very deep level of awareness, we know that you and I and the mountain and everything else is the same Being in different disguises.

This is the state of love ~ not as a sentiment, but as the ultimate truth, at the heart of all creation.





A lovely quote by author, Louise L. Hay, Here is an excerpt from  her book; Heart Thoughts.

Each of us is doing the very best we can at this very moment. If we knew better, if we had more understanding and awareness, we would do it differently.

Praise yourself and tell yourself how absolutely wonderful you are.  Don't make yourself wrong.  When you do something new, don't beat yourself because you're not a pro at it the first time.  Practice. Learn what does work and doesn't work.  Next time you do something new or different, something you are just learning, be there for yourself.  Don't tell yourself what was wrong; tell yourself what was right with it.  Praise yourself.  Build yourself up, so that the next time you do it, you really fee, good about it.  Each time you will be better and better and better. Soon you will have a new skill of some sort.



Have a beautiful day,



Photo: PKM



joy,



Rena 


www.talktotheturtle.com








Monday, July 30, 2012

The art of Feng Shui and Love






There are some days when Love shows up  like a thirsty pup at a mountain runoff stream and we just lap and gulp it up.  Love can be as simple as a beautiful sunrise. Love can also show up as a romantic dinner for two that wraps around you with words that become backward sentences of happiness. 



Although my initial interest in Feng Shui was for rehabilitation of my health, Love was also an elusive element in my life in 1994.   At that time my pain was so great physically and emotionally that I did not have the clarity to see that I really was seeking a relationship with God. Only now with all these years of distance and time can I look back  and clearly see that.  



If you are in your younger years and your life feels like a washing machine that is stuck on the permanent agitate cycle it really is worth hanging around and living long enough to compile your own answers to inner happiness.  If you are here on planet earth, then indeed you are a miracle. Just you being here is a miracle. Just me being here is a miracle.


Being.


I have a note on my wall - the same note that I have carried with me since 1978 when I studied Design in Atlanta Georgia for a year.  I cannot remember where I read it, and it was one of those things that had a profound effect on me.  I still have that same piece of paper. It has survived all these years and the paper is now yellowed, curled and the sides have various shadows of tape that have been added and removed through all the moves with me.  Many other affirmation statements have come and gone through the years, but this one has stuck with me all this time.

It is still and always in my mind.



One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life.  That word is  ~ LOVE.
Sophocles (497-406BC)
Ancient Greek playwright



From the first interest I had for Feng Shui, love was on the front burner of my seeker mind.  Finding love, keeping the love you have. Love, love, love.  I thought it would be of interest to share with you the two different perspectives (Eastern and Western Feng Shui) to enhancing the love element in the sanctuary you call home. 

Love begins with you I have come to realize first and foremost.  You might want to get up from your computer and try on Louise Hay's mirror work lesson by seeing and looking into your own eyes and saying to yourself:  "I Love You, I really Love you."  How can you love someone else, if you do not love yourself first.  Another way to digest this is; How can you let someone love you if you do not love yourself. If you think that someone else can fill the void of love for you,  your life experiences will show you that this is an impossible desire.  




In Western style Feng Shui,  also referred to as Non-directional Feng Shui, the Love area of your home/apt./room is in the rear right section of the structure you are working with.  Think of a grid that has nine boxes on it and lay that grid over your living quarters.  The rear right top corner box on that grid is your Love gua. You hold this grid over each individual room as well to find the rear right section  love corner on the smaller tai chi.  When you are using this grid stand at the room's entrance looking into the room for proper placement as a overlay to read where the energetic patterns pool.  This grid in Feng Shui is called a bagua map.



In Eastern style Feng Shui or referenced also as Compass Style Feng shui the love section is dictated in a different manner.  There are several systems available in eastern style Feng Shui to work with the Love element, but typically and most known is the Southwest corner of your home as the romance gua.  The two different schools of thought merge here as far as the small tai chi is concerned and again you can use the southwest corner of each room to enhance your love desire. 



I remember when I attended the Western School of Feng Shui  and at an informal gathering someone had said that the two schools of Non-Directional versus Compass Feng Shui did not relate so well to each other.  It is only when I immersed myself in Eastern style Feng Shui that I could work the two different systems in my own mind on friendly terms.  You see both languages (which is how I relate to them) have the same intention; to create a harmonious sanctuary to live in.




When I studied with Grand Master Yap Cheng Hai on the first pages of my learning module was outlined - The Concept of the Universe. This explains how Feng Shui can lend harmony to your life. It is explained that our lives are broken into three thirds, each lending a different area.

THE CONCEPT OF THE UNIVERSE - THE COSMIC TRINITY

Heaven Luck= Destiny with a dose of luck thrown in. We are born with this fate. It is our DNA coding of sorts, how we are hard wired.

Man Luck= What we achieve through hard work, education, perseverance,
virtues  and our good deeds.

Earth Luck=is where Feng Shui comes in.  The art of harnessing the benevolent forces of nature. Induce the positive aspects conferred by Heaven Luck and reduce the negative.




Feng Shui principles work on the unseen subtleties of nature.  Many times when a person uses these principles by artfully placing and observing their intention - the results are not seen in the immediate or on a tactile level.  Energy does not live in the same time reality that we do.  It is constant and always moving. 

As you can read, the cosmic trinity as applied to Feng Shui  this ancient art is available to enhance  your lifestyle.   Non-directional Feng Shui is more intuitive and fluid.  Eastern style Feng Shui has all the benefits of an Asian cultural background where these teachings were used for thousands of years.





Non directional Feng Shui energy enhancements for your Love gua. When you have established where your Love section is, have fun with these enhancements.

1. Items in the colors  of  red, maroon, and pink
2. pairs of things, two chairs, two pillows, hearts, doves, lovers
3. Quotes and affirmations and sayings pertaining to Love and Marriage
4. Photos and artwork that have a personal association to Love

Work with colors that reflect the colors of your skin in the bedroom with soft warm beiges, russet red,  cocoa brown and flaxen golden colors.  These colors reflect all nationalities and you can find a compliment in this framework.  

If you find your Love corner is outside then follow the love outside to the garden or your deck or even into your garage and use these enhancements wherever this energy sits in your home.  Outdoor garden areas can do really well with the energy of light, as it acts as an enhancer.

Terah Collins author of  The Western Guide to Feng Shui, rocks. 






Working with Eastern philosophy Feng Shui enhancements for your Love gua.

1. Energize the southwest corner with earth and fire elements
2. Earth elements are crystals (natural stone not glass) and  ceramics, even cement qualifies for this and all stones and rocks.
3. The color of the southwest in Eastern style Feng Shui is ochre
4. The shape associated with the southwest is square.

Lillian Too has some good books to inspire you with eastern style Feng Shui.

Working with elements can be a lot of fun.  Earth is the natural  element of the southwest and the Fire element feeds it.  So if you combine using a pair of solar butterflies in your southwest corner garden  you start to see how you can overlap some of the information garnered from these two different schools of thought.  The light is fire, and also the butterfly is fire element (as are all living things).

Also what these two different schools of Feng Shui  language both work with  is placing your enhancements with intention.


I guess some may read this and realize that their bathroom or laundry room are in their love corner. I did mention how to deal with a love corner that is really outside due to the shape of your house.  In these instances work with powerful quotes and blessings of love. I once saw a garage that a woman had enhanced with the most beautiful exotic paper fans that were three feet wide with beautiful Rumi poetry written all over them. Needless to say everyone always migrated out to the garage because it was so peaceful and loving. 

Every home comes with its own lessons.  Take the time and enhance every single room with Love.  You will be really pleased by taking the time to state the love you have for yourself and the ones you love. The action of this mirrors love back to you. 

You can visit my blog posting on the Forbes sisters that did a video on Love.



Enjoy. Now go grab yourself some love.



Have a beautiful day,



Photo: PKM (My talented friend, photographer Paul Murphy) 'Sunny day'



joy,



Rena 


www.talktotheturtle.com




  

































Saturday, July 28, 2012

Positive affirmations & surfing a wave of happiness






In the early morning eye blinks of today I find myself drinking a strong cup of java while I  reflect on how valuable it is to create an overall affirmation for your life.



"Don't worry be happy" is a pleasing mantra.  Maybe Snoopy is onto something.  Maybe we are all just way over thinking the whole pursuit of happiness thing.  Perhaps we need to just keep it simple and let our inner happiness surf outward  to meet our outer happiness. 




I have the unction that inspiration is always knocking at our door of well-being.  Always surprised and relieved like that of a dear friend, our mind welcomes the inspiration for wonderful and amazing paths of creation.

Follow your imagination to the waters edge....

I guess my question to ask myself and I share this question with you as well, "What do you love to do?"


If you are experiencing life resistance and certain plans and dreams fall through take a step back; then consider visiting yourself with a self inquiry question.  

Why is it so easy to make a living at what I love to do?



There I said it.  Cat's out of the bag. I am grabbing my metaphorical wet suit, a surf board and head out to catch that wave to happiness.

As I catch my reflection in the mirror, I throw in an "I love you" to myself like the perfect cream topping to a frappe mocha. 





The Zak Noyle, surfing photographer video below celebrates one person's  personal expression of happiness. 



The narrative of his life process includes words like quiet, nice and peaceful.
This career life expose video of a guy just having a blast with his life dream is so happily inspirational.



My own personal water experiences in Hawaii were actually pretty scary.  I got swamped by a wave on the north shore as a young teen and was very grateful to survive it.  I look to every water experience to be enjoyed with a tremendous amount of awe and respect. I love the water but I know her strength.  The Zak Noyle documentary, however, illustrates a deeper story than just water or photography and surfing to me.  There is  a lesson to be enjoyed on the art of  Zen through this  photographer's personal inner shine.  



The inspiration I took away from watching Zak Noyle at work was  "When the student is ready the ThouGht arrives".    



Zak Noyle's lifestyle pt. 2 video shows through example  that  the daily ritual and discipline of exercise opens doors to creativity that would not be possible otherwise.



Work hard play hard.

  

I think when I grow up I want to be like Zak.  Living my dream.  To create and creating all in one swell of a breath.  However I will be doing my surfing on the safety and dryness of  a beach and firmness of the land. 






Zak Noyle / Momentum pt.1











Zak Noyle / Momentum  pt. 2







Have a beautiful day,



Photo: snoopy-rc



Joy,



Rena 



www.talktotheturtle.com