2012- What Does It Mean?

In numerology, 2012 is a five (2 +1+ 2= 5), a 5 indicates a time of change. Change can mean movement backwards (drama), around in circles (chaos) or forward motion (opportunity). In order to be in a forward movement you will need to have a concrete plan for the future or at least be conscious of your goals. Over the next 7 months, it is important where you place your focus, especially in the place of health, habits and regime.

Areas to make changes/improvements:

Organization- Get rid of clutter

Pay Attention to Details- if you're going to do something, be thorough and complete

Time Management- Are you wasting time instead of focusing your efforts to move forward in a project or plan

Health/Habits- Do you have healthy habits? Do you live an active or sedentary lifestyle? Do you act in a way that shows that you love yourself?

By February, there is opportunity for a spiritual shift or strong spiritual presence in your life, a quickening of sorts. Pay attention and be present for your ability to see illusion from truth will be expanding. Time for you to be your truth. How will you express your divinity in the world? What do you really love versus what do you think you should love? The loss of jobs or even important people in your life is a time for you to step back and ask yourself what the blessing is in this particular situation. Perhaps you were stuck in a unfulfilling job and was laid off. Take the opportunity to explore what brings you joy in your life~ express your divinity, that spark that drives you, inspires you!

Transparency will be shown in the coming months, and with that can come chaos and uncertainty. But if you know who and what you are, a master of your destiny not a victim of life, then YOUR truth will be your guiding light. This is why it is so important to validate yourself from the inside out. Do NOT let people tell you who you are~ it is your mission in life to tell them and express it.

Now it the time, more so than any time in your life, to be at the helm of your ship, to guide it and to be aware of everyone around you who threatens your smoothing sailing of that ship. This year is all about taking responsibility. Those who play victims shall sink their boats. Stand up and be responsible for the direction of your life!

Creating Lasting Values

Take a moment to reflect upon the changes you would like to make in your personal world. Would you like to drop a few pounds, exercise more, perhaps make more money? Jot down about 5 areas you would like to change in 2012.

Next, ask your self why you would like to make the changes. For example, if you want to drop some weight, perhaps it is because you want to become healthier. Or maybe you want to feel more confident in your skin.

If you wanted to make more money, do you want it to feel more secure, or perhaps you desire more freedom in your life?

Perhaps you would like a new job. Would you like to be more of service, be more creative, be around more positive people (more joy/love) or make more money so you can be able to go on vacation ( more freedom/ more joy)?

Continue to create the reasons why you would like to have change in your life. Sometimes we need to ask ourselves why a few times until we get into the root reason for wanting the change. When you have finished your reasons, take a look at your new values, the root reasons for change. Now when looking at the chore of changing your eating habits or dragging yourself to the gym will be more of an inspiration that pulls you versus a motivation that can wane if the results don't happen as fast as you would like.

Ask yourself, "how will I know when I have achieved my new value? What results will I see?"

Then create the situations that inspire more of what you want versus what you don't. Ask if an action brings you closer to your values or detract. Does immediate satisfaction outweigh long term results?

No Reservations Required

It's surprising how much emotional abuse that we take in relationships. Boundaries are broken, ignored or sometimes just don't even exist. We push the line because we know we can get away with it and we manipulate the situation. Out of fear, the abused person relaxes the boundary and the precedent is set. So what can one do? Change the rules of the relationship. The abuser will always try to get the rules back to the precedent, but it is up the abused person to enforce the new rules. If that person is a keeper, they will change their habits and adjust to the new rules. If not, then nothing is lost except an abusive relationship and the person will go away. Sadly, many feel that they need to hang on to the abusive relationship out of fear that they be alone for the rest of their life. And one can manifest that fear into reality should they choose. But when one chooses self- love over fear, they can only gain more love into their life.

Get Out of Your Pinãta

So many of us get in our own way. We get trapped in a rut by our fears and become afraid to venture out of our comfort zones. We also become hyper focused on what's not working in our life, where we are unhappy, stuck, or unable to move forward. This may happen mentally, emotionally or even possibly physically.

Sometimes we make permanent decisions for temporary situations. So what can one do?

Face your fears head on. Believe in yourself. Ask yourself~ "What is the worst thing that could happen if (fill in blank)?" Would you die? Perhaps someone would say "no" to you. Again, will you die if they did? Or would your life be in danger? Maybe you will need to start all over~ is that so bad? Starting all over can be exciting. It can be a time to re-invent oneself. As Thomas Edison said, " I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that just won't work."

It's amazing how easy life can become when we face our deepest fears. We often find out that the "fear of the fear" is greater than the actual fear itself. So take the bat and take a swing at your great fear, the pinãta in your life. Break the container that prevents you from reaching that sweetness of life!

Haboob

In Phoenix the other day, we experienced a massive haboob that was a mile high and at least 100 miles wide. (A Haboob is a intense sand storm.)It was like being in a fog consisting of dust instead of moisture. The ability to see is limited because of the dust particles. Being in a haboob can be compared to being close to a situation where the ability to see the truth may be obscured by the drama or emotion. It's only when one detaches from it can we really see what is really going on.

Often a client tell me about their situation where I have to ask if it's truly acceptable to them. I hear about how a partner or family member mistreats them and they allow it. Often, they are not being true to their real feelings, but out of fear, allow themselves to be in situations that they would tell others to get out of, had the roles been reversed. The fear can be that they are afraid that they won't be loved or accepted if they speak up. But just like being in a haboob, there is always a residual effect, either destruction of some sort, a bad taste of sand in the mouth or at least that sandy grit that covers everything once the storm settles. It has to be dealt with at some point~ either the mess is cleaned up or the grit will build up between the storms to the point we have to walk away from the destruction. Ultimately, the goal is not to have to experience the storm in the first place.

Recently, a client was planning a trip with their partner. The partner made it quite clear that "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" or that should they get drunk and wild, and hook up with another person, it should be acceptable because that's what one does in Vegas.

My client didn't want to say anything out of fear of being needy. And by not speaking up, they gave away their power and lost a part of themselves. Some people get angry, others depressed over time.

So who or what situations in your life create your personal haboob? Where do you need to create boundaries and to speak up to prevent future destruction?

Find clarity in the situation and ask yourself what you really need or want and then act upon it. Stand up for what you need, and if you can't get it, you need to rethink your situation to see if it is worth maintaining. Don't let a haboob obscure your vision and needs.

Conquering The Demon Inside

I recently started a bikram yoga practice. (For those of you unfamiliar with bikram yoga, it is yoga done in a room heated at 104 degrees and 40% humidity.) I've wanted to practice yoga for awhile now, and I chose to go big. I absolutely HATE to sweat, and heat and humidity is NOT my idea of enjoyment. Growing up in the east, the humidity wore me out, and honestly, my body doesn't know how to properly sweat without turning beat red and feeling like I want to explode!

By choosing bikram yoga, I was facing one of my demons. My ego would hate it, but I am not my ego! So I choose to put my ego in check to my soul, and show who really is in charge.

So I had my first class. And I have to tell you it was dreadful. Not because of the yoga, but rather because of the heat. After my first 30 minutes (it's a 90 minute class), I had to remind myself that I was one third of the way done and that I could finish. Ten minutes later, I wanted to pass out. I could see the thermometer and it was fast approaching 111 degrees! What was I thinking! The instructor, who was absolutely motivating, wanted us to grab out legs and pull our knees to our chest. Easier said than done. Trying to maintain a grip on sweaty legs is not easy and then to have to pull them towards your chest when your big boobs get in the way is more than impossible. But I chugged along, doing the best I could despite my desire to explode from the heat building in my body.

But for a newbie, I did really well with the poses. Now, there were a few that I couldn't manage, like the one where you are standing on one leg, pulling the other leg by the ankle, poised like you are about to take flight, but very few in the class could manage them either. When the class was over, I felt great. And the next morning, I didn't ache at all! And I eagerly took my second class and managed it very well! And while I look forward to my next class with mixed feelings, dreading the sweat, but anticipating the benefits that I am doing for body, and most of all, conquering my demon hate of sweat. After all, it's mind over matter, and I choose to be programmed to win!

I recommend any form of yoga as a wonderful way to increase your health and well being.

The Carnival of Your Life

Imagine your life as a carnival.

And for the past several years, all you did in your carnival of life is ride the Merry Go Round. A path of least resistance where you know what to expect on this ride. But you never really go anywhere except up and down, round and round. It's a safe ride. Where you start is where you end.

But imagine one day that you decide that you really want to experience life. So you venture off to the Fun House.

The Fun House can be scary since you never really know what to expect. Depending upon how involved you get depends upon the depth of the experience. You can spend time playing, or you can race right through it. Sometimes you can't see the way to go because of these reflections distort the true path. Often you see mirrors reflecting a distorted imagine back to you, and sometimes you see your real reflection. But as you walk through the fun house, through its twists and turns, you never know what surprises await you. It can be scary or it can be fun. It really depends upon you and your frame of mind.

But what you do know is that where you start isn't where you end. There is an adventure along this path. And if you're afraid, you'll probably hate it. But if you're ready for adventure, you'll probably enjoy it.

So the next time you are confronted with a choice in direction in your life, will you head for the Merry Go Round and repeat the same course of action, or it be the Fun House, where you don't know what lies before you except an adventure of your making? ~Mary Powers