Conscious Living
Short Cuts
For You And Your Family
By C Grace Lewis
Copyright 2011 C Grace Lewis
All rights reserved. Thank you.
Any mistakes in this text are my own.
Contact me at clshortcuts@hotmail.com or
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Smashwords Edition
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
For my son, Kaye Donald, and my daughter, Hogan Kealoha Minoaka, who have helped anchor me on the conscious living path while teaching me that there are many short cuts along the way.
Contents
Getting Your Family Into the Game
Replace Reaction with Response
Communication Including Silence
Physical and Less Physical Help
Chapter 10 PRACTICE Short Cuts
CHAPTER 11 CONSCIOUS LIVING KEYS
CHAPTER 12 CONSCIOUS LIVING SHORT CUTS
I went to a catholic primary school back in the ‘old’ days when nuns wore traditional habits and rulers were used for discipline as well as measuring. It was a time when beliefs, even those beyond religion, were held sacred no questions asked. One of these beliefs was that children had to write with their right hand.
I will never forget a boy in my class. He would try so hard to print on the blank lined paper whatever letter of the alphabet we were learning that day. Invariably he would only be able to accomplish the task with his left hand. When a sharp rap across the knuckles did not produce the desired results, he was made to stand in the corner where his isolation produced tears of shame. Everyone got the message. Do what you are told, stay within the lines, and write with your right hand!
This experience made a big impression on me. However, as children do, I accepted such ideas as absolute. We all have childhood memories of events that may seem inconsequential now but were significant for our development. I took to wearing long sleeves and even sweaters on hot summer days to hide a mole on my arm that surely would not be acceptable. I was afraid a mole would be a ruler or a stand in the corner offense. Fortunately I was already right handed!
Eventually mandating that all children write with their right hand was discarded as was corporal punishment. Catching the wave of such movement, I wore short sleeves without fear. However, changes in what I thought were truths sewed seeds of uncertainty in my mind. It was not an uncertainty generated by catholic school or nuns specifically. It was more a general wonder about how we could absolutely know things, like how writing with a certain hand was ‘better’. As I matured the seeds sewn years before began to take root and grow. With the road map for my life continually changing, I began to see that the same question really could have many answers.
My awareness was piqued by events like my classmate crying in the corner for no other reason than his inability to write ‘correctly’. Years later by trying to find answers, strengthening my own awareness and sharing this with others, I am in a sense trying to find clarity regarding my long ago friend. This book is not an attempt to define conscious living absolutely, but rather an endeavor to signpost a conscious living journey in helpful ways.
Of course living with greater awareness is not a new idea. Throughout time one of the traits that has defined us as humans is the ability to analyze and adapt to the world. From our cranial machinations flow discoveries, inventions, and ideas that influence and transform our existence. Some of these ideas though, while originally enlightening, have resulted in a quiet stagnation of mind and culture. How many of us go happily into an unconscious zone while watching television?
Today, more than ever before, we face the challenge of living consciously in our high tech multi-faceted society. When we try to meet this challenge our lives become invested with meaning and purpose. We experience happiness and joy as mainstays in our lives. As our awareness expands, our understanding and appreciation of our society and world is significantly amplified. Simply put, living consciously results in a better life and world. I tend to think of conscious living as a fundamental part of the job description for human beings.
I have been trying to live consciously throughout my adult life by means of a wide range of experiences. These have included training as a lawyer, sheep farm worker, prison minister, licensed massage therapist, teacher for inner-city gang kids, and organic food co-op manager, among other things. This odyssey has been about seeking ways to support conscious living through the broad expanse of living itself.
If my life has been defined by this process, having children has accelerated the task. Children are naturally aware and a conscious lifestyle supports their awareness. Though many fantastic books, lectures, and films have helped, I found that as a parent I needed something geared more to the child and family. So, as I continued to work to improve my own consciousness I took notes on things that supported awareness for children and teens, indeed for our entire household. Eventually I realized that sharing this information with a larger audience could benefit others on a similar voyage, and Conscious Living Short Cuts For You And Your Family was born.
Many of the concepts in this book are universal truths that you will recognize on some level whether through intuitive, spiritual, scholarly, scientific or personal means. This book is not so much about the ideas though, as it is about the application of the ideas. This book explains concepts, but more importantly it provides practical information and stories illustrating how such ideas may work for you and your family. It gives signs for the road you will map out yourself on your journey. For example, humor is a wonderful road sign. It has reminded us for years to play basketball in public bathrooms by trying to score a winning shot with our used paper towels.
In summary, the beginning chapters, Source and Earth, are dedicated to consciously reconnecting with our already interconnected world. The idea of lifelong learning or life school is covered in the next chapter, School, and the following chapters examine closely how this learning can be done in simple ways. There are chapters on Tools, Emotions and Balance, as well as Clarity, Ego, and Help. Finally, the Practice chapter indicates how the information fits together to support an integrated conscious life.
Included within each chapter are Conscious Living Keys, concepts that highlight important conscious living ideas. The Keys are introduced as such the first time they appear, and thereafter are in italics even when the Key is modified to be grammatically correct. It may also be in parentheses as a reminder when it is being referred to indirectly. (I have tried to keep such cross referencing to a minimum in order to reinforce but not distract from the material.) The chapters cover different topics using the Keys as important common threads to bind the conscious living ideas together.
Each chapter ends with a list of Conscious Living Short Cuts relating to the chapter. A Short Cut is a simple thought, activity or focus that will empower you and your family to lead a more conscious and thus a more fulfilling, rewarding life. They are meant to be an outline or quick reference so they are short and simple.
Many chapters suggest that you make up your own list of Short Cuts for conscious living. You may find yourself developing your own Keys as well. Only you know what will work best for you and your family. My ideas are merely suggestions or starting points. Perhaps just read the Conscious Living Short Cuts or the Conscious Living Keys chapters, and leave the rest until time permits or necessity dictates. This book is written so that you can find information in whatever way that suits you and your lifestyle.
For best results, take immediate action whenever you come across something you like or something you think might work for you. Get a highlighter or colored pen and mark the things of interest. Make notes or lists of your own in the page margins or on the back of a favorite birthday card (or on some other keepsake). Perhaps draw a spider diagram or a decision tree with an idea you like in the center and branching pathways indicating various solutions to help with decision making. The things that sound fun and interesting, or the ones that just feel right, will be the easiest to start with and will lead you to other ideas. Maybe look at the Selected Resources list for more details.
My family’s journey is shared with the hope that through our experience you will be supported on your own conscious living adventure. This book provides fun and helpful ideas to do just that. With each step you will gain momentum. Although some suggestions and even chapters may seem more relevant to children, we are all kids at heart. You do not have to hug a tree. You may feel better just leaning against one however!
Please note that this book is not meant to substitute for counseling or medical help. In certain situations getting assistance from a trained professional can be the most supportive thing you could do for yourself and your family. Such aid can bring a tremendous peace of mind and heart to your household.
Conscious living can be a challenging but also a rewarding and life affirming experience. It is a way that we can learn, grow, and finally live the life we were all born to live as conscious members of the human family on Earth. So turn the page and begin your conscious living adventure now!
Source is the expansive, limitless essence of all. Even through definition, it defies specific classification. Throughout time, however, humans have strived to grasp the nature of Source seeking to give meaning and purpose to their lives. This has been an effort underlying the course of humanity.
At this point in our evolutionary journey, we have matured enough to proceed despite uncertainty. We understand that our strength lies not within the confines of previous encapsulated thinking, but in exploring the unknown. As a result, we begin to perceive that we are part of something grand and beautiful. We comprehend that we are a small but essential part of a perfect whole and that we are meant to improve our awareness of this most basic fact. In this way, our life becomes infused with a deeper understanding and significance. This is conscious living.
I introduce this book with the idea of Source as a possible platform from which you can weave together your own conscious living experience. You may not need such a concept. Your explorations will lead you and your family on a voyage that is uniquely your own.
Examining Source from a historical perspective is a good way to begin your family’s conscious living adventure. In this light, one can see that though called by different names, many cultures and traditions have honored Source in special ways. For example, Native American Indians believed that all life is connected. They had spiritual practices in keeping with their convictions like vision quests, feasts and ceremonies for harvests, and prayers of forgiveness and thanksgiving for prey. They believed in the ebb and flow of Source, and knew that treating all with honor and respect benefits everyone and everything including them. The Native American Indians provide an example of living consciously by respecting all of existence as interconnected Source energy.
Other cultures incorporate these ideas as well. When Hawaiians say “Aloha” it is to honor the ‘presence of divine breath’ within you. Similarly, the Hindi hello “Namaste” means ‘I recognize the divine in you and the oneness of all’, and the Mayan greeting and goodbye “In Lak’esh” means ‘You are another me’. (These are rough translations.) Such spiritual greetings remind us of our connection to Source through our connection to each other. They can be an easy way to reinforce the daily practice of conscious living.
When my family and I lived in Hawaii we loved seeing and feeling the ‘aloha’ tradition practiced in everyday life. People seemed to share, love and laugh with such abandon. I remember four-way stop signs where people would wave others through regardless of whose turn it was. Car horns were used just to say hello. When we moved away, we ordered a special car license plate that said ‘Aloha’ to try to spread the idea of honoring our interconnection, and as a gentle reminder to ourselves to practice ‘aloha’ even with such a common event as driving. This exemplified conscious living for our children, family, and even other drivers on the road. It is hard to come up with road rage when practicing ‘aloha’!
Today life’s interconnections are being studied and written about from the perspective of quantum physics and unified theories. Although not couched in terms of Source, science is redefining the universe in ways that shed light on how everything is linked. For example, scientists have demonstrated that they can influence the outcome of their experiments simply by their own observation. It has been shown that people affect their reality in ways science has never previously considered. Science, then, is finally catching up with the spiritual and cultural belief in our interconnectedness. This means we no longer have the luxury of thinking we are impartial observers of the world around us.
These ideas make it clear that there is spiritual, cultural, and scientific support for a unified reality of which we ourselves are a part. There are no longer any exclusive areas of study. Our knowledge, based on what were once many differing fields of learning, appears to be converging. This is significant because by illustrating how we are all connected, these ideas are leading us toward integrating the underlying nature of existence into our lives. The fact is that despite the appearance of separateness, we are all part of a magnificent whole. We are all pieces in ONE infinitely varied and perfect puzzle.
The term Source has been used to describe this underlying interconnected whole, but it is up to you and your family to find the terms and ideas that best suit you. This is your journey. No one else can define your adventure. I endeavor merely to provide some sign posts. I hope to illustrate what we have done in my family with the thought that our experience supports your own. What is exciting is that while you may find your own belief systems relevant and helpful for your conscious living journey, no specific set of beliefs is required. Conscious living does not presuppose any particular cultural, spiritual or scientific doctrine; conscious living, and the unity consciousness that naturally flows from it, is simply a way of life that you define yourself.
So, how do we strengthen our understanding of the nature of existence? How do we support feelings of interconnection? I watched a movie recently that helped me with these questions. It was about a dog, and for most of the movie the dog was labeled a ‘bad dog’ because he tore things up, ran away and in general caused trouble wherever he went. By the end of the film, however, the owners of the dog realized that they had given him the label ‘bad’ when in reality all he did was love them unceasingly with all of his heart. The dog did have some highly irritating but dog appropriate habits. Still, he never judged others or withheld affection; he just lived every day with joy and love.
The film would hardly be a revelation for anyone who has ever had a dog or been around pets. For me, it went even further to show that labels, such as ‘bad’ or ‘good’, can hide the truth of the love and connection that surrounds us. When we let go of our judgments and preconceptions we begin to see the world in new and different ways. In other words, the more we move away from labeling everything including ourselves, the more we affirm our interconnection. As we distance ourselves from the polarity such pigeonholing causes and instead embrace unity, we support conscious living.
One way to strengthen this unity awareness is to connect consciously with what we perceive to be life outside of ourselves. Throughout this book, this Conscious Living Key will be referred to as Reinforcing Interconnections. Reinforcing Interconnections amplifies our awareness because it requires us to link consciously with our already interconnected reality. When we bring such relationships to the forefront of our minds and hearts, whether through visualization, affirmation or sound, for example, we support unity. Our place and purpose in the world is highlighted and strengthened.
It can be easy for children to Reinforce Interconnections particularly if their imagination is engaged. Perhaps you and your family can begin by standing up straight and tall and imagine being on one end of a plug, arrow, string, or rainbow. (My daughter might visualize doing this with her favorite pink hair ribbon.) The other end could link to a special toy, a bedroom, a friend (real or imagined), love, a spiritual being or deity, heaven, the sun or the moon, or the top of the stairs. Literally anything and everything is possible since in reality we are already connected.
You could use their recent art work as a connecting thread to the subject of their art, the colors used or how they felt while creating it. Even a game they play on the computer can provide a useful format. Whatever captures their attention is a way to Reinforce Interconnections. It just takes a moment to use their interest as a means to highlight our interconnections and thus our unity with the world around us.
Nature also supplies countless ideas for you and your family to Reinforce Interconnections creatively. A spider’s interwoven web provides a strong visual for our interwoven universe as does a bee hive, a garden or an ecosystem. For example, we breathe in oxygen that trees release and trees take up the carbon dioxide we exhale. If you live on a farm or close to nature, you will have daily reminders of life’s interdependence for inspiration.
Drawing a picture or making a collage with the theme of interconnection further reinforces the idea. Giving thanks at meals or bedtime can provide a wonderful opportunity to feel and feed our interconnections as well. The possibilities are endless and connections can vary depending on what is meaningful, interesting, or just relevant in the moment. You will be amazed at what children will come up with or possibly even what they have been connecting with already.
For example, my daughter loves frogs. For years holding hands with them (as stuffed animals of course!), or more often holding them between her toes during sleep, has been a comforting way she has strengthened her feelings of peace and connection. Such an activity supports her through association with her favorite animal friend. Similarly, your family may have favorite creatures. Using animals to Reinforce Interconnections can be easy and fun in any number of ways from holding stuffed animals, to dressing up or pretending to be them, to reading stories about them, to finding your favorite creatures in the environment.
As another idea, perhaps pretend that we are all part of a home made structure or an essential piece in a perfectly functioning musical instrument, machine or game. To illustrate, my son used to spend hours at play using rubber bands to connect wooden blocks together so he could create buildings. Talking about how every block is a component of a building can be related to how we are each one building block in the structure of life. Clearly while explanations need to be geared to the age and interest of your child, discussions of this nature strengthen unity consciousness.
Any way that you incorporate the Conscious Living Key of Fun and Games into your daily life makes living with greater awareness easier. Fun and Games are playful activities that Reinforce Interconnections and support conscious living practice through the powerful emotion of joy. Joy is an active ingredient like baking soda. When you add baking soda a recipe rises. When joy is added, life fully rises. It expands to all it can be. This is not to say that every hurdle in life is enjoyed, but rather if there is an emphasis on Fun and Games, in general, life develops with the undercurrent of joy such a focus brings. The business world is even starting to recognize that incorporating Fun and Games into business strategy supports a more productive staff and a healthier bottom line. Some corporations use Legos in staff development meetings to strengthen cooperation and problem solving skills for example.
Since most families already include Fun and Games in some way, simply heighten awareness by talking about how playful activities support joy not only in the moments of play but throughout life. Perhaps you can create your own fun greeting or tradition to Reinforce Interconnections. As my family learned in Hawaii, it can be as easy as saying “Aloha” to everything and everyone as a gentle reminder of our unity. Or maybe look to the specific area where you live to draw on local activities. Use whatever means you have at hand, and do not be afraid to be creative. Children are sponges with an amazing ability to absorb, adapt and expand and when we support such growth in fun ways the whole family can have an exciting ride better than any theme park!
For adults and teens, some traditional ways to Reinforce Interconnections include applying knowledge from yoga or chakra traditions. For example, the crown chakra (which is an energy center at the top of the head) can be visualized as linking with unity consciousness, the Christ consciousness grid, the divine father/mother, Great Spirit, unconditional love, or a particular star, being or higher power. Likewise, those familiar with near death or even dream state visions can expand upon the vibrant white tunnel or other connecting threads said to be visible in these states.
From the quantum physics or unified theory perspective, connecting can be simply reinforcing the energy pathways that already exist out, up, sideways and indeed at every angle as we are already one with everything around us. Though the specific details of such topics are beyond the scope of this book, resources like the library and the internet can provide information on whatever appeals to you.
What is important is to make it a habit of consciously linking with the magnificent system in which we are all a part. You can use Source as a guiding idea or anything else that feels right to you. The goal is to find some way to extend our mind and senses so that we bring to the forefront of our awareness this idea of connection and interconnection. As we do this, as we Reinforce Interconnections, we align with the fundamental and unifying aspect of our existence. We absorb the health and vitality this perspective brings and we can strengthen our lives with peace and understanding. We live consciously.
The practice of Reinforcing Interconnections can be significantly improved through the use of emotions. Love, specifically, can enhance the links we make with the world around us. Though there are many variations, when accessed consciously in any way, love supports greater unity. This is because love dissolves boundaries. It is an unlimited and integrating force. The Love Link is the Conscious Living Key that uses the vibration of love to strengthen the connection to all that is.
A simple practice used in many self-help teachings to emphasize and thus strengthen the Love Link is to look in the mirror and tell yourself ‘I love you’. I am not talking about an egotistical love where you inflate yourself above others. I am referring to a true, deep appreciation for the part of your physical and non-physical self that is absolutely perfect. For example, see the perfection in the shape of your legs or the way your fingers grasp what you tell them to. Appreciate the gift of your friendship or the welcome smile you offer others. The list can go on and on.
By consciously engaging love, and directing it towards yourself, you are Reinforcing Interconnections with your very being. In addition, seeing yourself through loving eyes strengthens your ability to see the world in general with such loving vision. This practice supports unity consciousness and as a consequence can be integral to conscious living.
I know this may not be easy for some people. I actually had to work up to the appreciation of my physical self by becoming a massage therapist. As I learned about bones, muscles and joints I came to admire the beauty and intricacies of my own system. I practiced giving and receiving massages for my license and noticed that my feelings of separation and physical inadequacy diminished as my feelings of appreciation and integration increased. Through this growing acceptance of perfection fostered by the Love Link, I was able to see and feel more clearly life’s connections and interconnections.
Additionally supportive of the Love Link is living in an environment that is more accepting of life in all of its variations. In Hawaii, for example, traditionally larger bodies were very much admired (in contrast to the perfected images seen in magazines). Without negating thinner physiques, the Hawaiians’ love and lust for life was reflected through large and lusty bodies. This non-judgmental attitude toward body types carried through to an appreciation and love for life in all its forms. It is easier to Reinforce Interconnections and feel greater unity in such a place.
You do not have to become a massage therapist or move to a different environment, though, to gain such insight. You can simply practice the Love Link now by finding just one thing to love about yourself. Children, in particular, greatly benefit from this practice. Instead of comparing themselves with stereotypes, they see and appreciate their own beauty. When my children were small I would tell them how magnificent they were as I toweled them off. This is so simple and really just supports the self-love that many children naturally feel. You could have fun discussions about what they love about themselves. Any physical appreciation easily leads to discussions of personality or character attributes that they love as well.
As my children have grown older I have continued to ask them what they love about themselves and I encourage them to stand in front of a mirror and smile at their perfection. When children receive this support it lays an important foundation for their growth into fully conscious beings. Again, a perspective is fostered of seeing not only themselves but others and the world in general with loving eyes. In this way, interconnections are highlighted and strengthened.
This may sound simplistic or silly, but try it and you will see what a difference this focused love and attention can make. One time I asked all of my adult friends at my birthday party go around the table naming at least one part of their body they loved. Though some were quite embarrassed at first, they got over it and the discussion became fun and revealing. It tangibly Reinforced Interconnections. Through the use of the Love Link we all felt closer and happier. It was also great role-modeling for the children in attendance.
Although honoring our interconnections with love is perhaps the simplest practice, it has the potential to have the most profound effects. See how easy and fun it is to feel and remember our perfection. Tell yourself, your partner, your friends and family and even people you meet what you love and appreciate about them and watch them bloom. Observe how simple actions like hugs and kisses can add sparkle and shine to your family’s faces, but do not stop there. Follow your Love Link wherever it goes and you will find greater awareness and stronger connections with all in existence.
My husband and I love to wake our children up by singing to them (granted this was much more frequent when they were little). Sometimes it is a song about waking up with the birds; other times it is about the glory of the day. However, the actual songs are not important. What is important is that, through sound, we Reinforce Interconnections with each other and the world.
In such ways, sound can be used to support, clarify, and enhance our interconnections and thus our conscious life. We take for granted the calming, motivating, inspiring or healing effects that Tibetan bowls, a choir or a drum circle create. These different sounds generate different body responses because we begin to resonate with the vibration of the sound. The Conscious Living Key of Resonance is when one thing picks up or matches the vibration of another.
It is important to note that sound using the Love Link strengthens Resonance. You can feel the difference when you hear something said in a dispassionate tone versus with love. Many have felt the uplifting nature of such sound through the singing in churches, synagogues, mosques or other holy places. When people have lifted up their voices and hearts in prayerful song, it Reinforces Interconnections and reminds us of the significant but small part we play in the bigger picture. It is a gift that supports us on our conscious living journey.
Practicing the conscious use of sound with the emotion of love can be as easy as saying our own name. I have found chanting to be a particularly effective technique to do this. I am sure there are many ways to chant, but a method I have learned is to sing a name three times, with the first syllable(s) at the same note and the last syllable progressively higher in pitch. Believe me, how well you sing does not matter. (Although arguably different, for simplicity, I use sing and chant interchangeably.)
The idea may appear abstract, but on a practical level I know that it works as I have quieted a car full of screaming toddlers with such songs. I found that my son’s play group loved hearing their names sung with love. Once started, all joined in and crying was replaced with smiles and laughing. Through something as simple as our own voice and our own name we can strengthen our conscious living practice.
Thanks to our interconnected reality, the subject of the song does not even have to be present. Singing the name of a neighbor, a city, a country, or the planet Earth can be an uplifting and powerful experience. It is an empowering way to respond to catastrophes (like that which occurred in Japan when a huge earthquake and a tsunami struck the coast) or simply to share the love and connection you feel. Make up a butterfly song, sing with the birds, or imagine swimming and singing with the dolphins. There are unlimited possibilities when you connect with the love in your heart. It is a creative process so any sound you lovingly make is perfect. It is a harmonic prayer or thought through which you can have a better and more conscious interaction with the world.
If you are uncomfortable singing or as a simple alternative, remember that other things like wind chimes, bells and musical instruments can also be supportive for your household. Such tones have been used for centuries to support connection and clarity. In addition, some recorded music is reputed to be spiritually, emotionally or physically healing. Listening to this music, particularly with headphones, gives our bodies a chance to enjoy this healthy tonic. Again, check out the library, internet or music store to explore these ideas if this is an area of interest. Regardless of how you use sound, it is an easy and fun way to Reinforce Interconnections and support conscious living.
Life offers unlimited opportunities for you and your family to Reinforce Interconnections and thus to strengthen your conscious living journey. It can be as easy as choosing to notice and affirm the links already present in your day. For example, feel the sun on your skin and imagine the rays bathing and cleansing every cell in your body. Some children love this healing ‘bath’ particularly when you make it even more physical by hosing them down with a garden hose or misting them with a spray bottle.
Dive into the ocean, swim in a pool, drink a cold beverage or take a deep breath and imagine consciously connecting with every part of your body and then visualize extending this connection to the world around you. Sound and the Love Link can add a fun dimension to your practice. Such activities intensify unity consciousness and can be as expansive as you want them to be.
It does not have to be a time consuming project. I like to Reinforce Interconnections before I get out of bed in the morning, but a thought or a word as you go about your day is all it takes. Simply adding “May you receive abundance” when you pay for something is a practical way you can strengthen connection through appreciation and kindness. The benefits of an abundance of love, compassion, and happiness in addition to the basics of food, shelter and money would change the world. What fun it would be if this heartfelt wish was standard practice in our communities!
The more you practice feeling your connection in some way, the easier it becomes, until you notice somewhere down the road that you no longer see yourself as such a separate being. The feeling that you are part of and constantly interacting with all of life is in the background of all you do. So start consciously Reinforcing Interconnections now; it is really that simple.
Conscious living, while a natural state, has a flow or timing aspect that is determined by the individual. Shifting into a new pattern too quickly can have us clamoring for an old comfort zone where we feel that everything is predictable, certain and safe. For example, trying to eliminate all television at home might be such a big adjustment that it causes our families to resist not only this but any other changes or new ideas.
By paying attention to the learning curve for ourselves and our families, we will be better able to incorporate conscious living concepts into our daily life. Thus another Conscious Living Key is Free Will. This Key indicates that people can choose how their journey will manifest or whether they want to consciously participate in such a journey at all. Through our selections we create Resonance with choices made and thus fulfill the law of attraction (like attracts like).
A significant aspect of Free Will is that even when you lovingly direct or send energy in any form whether you call it toning, affirmation, song or prayer, it is always the choice of the recipient to accept or reject your intention. I like the Buddhist analogy about the monk in a cave who says that if someone comes bearing a gift it is not yours until you choose to accept it. (Remember this the next time someone tries to give you the ‘gift’ of an insult!) In other words, as you practice conscious living with your families, keep in mind that everyone is on their own path. People have the Free Will to refuse even the very best of intentions because they have the choice as to how their journey will manifest.
In addition to understanding this aspect of Free Will, it is important to acknowledge that we may not always know what is best and thus our ‘good’ intentions might be ill placed, poorly founded or just wrong. This is why I follow all of my thoughts, intentions or prayers, for myself and others, with the Conscious Living Key, This or Something Better for the Greatest Good of All. ‘This’ is what Free Will has chosen and ‘something better’ are the other choices available. Both ‘this or something better’ are asked for as long as they are in alignment with the ‘greatest good’ or what is the most beneficial to the world. To put it more simply, this Key allows for the best thing to be supported in any situation. In this way the timing will be perfect.
Connecting to Source (changing this term to whatever suits your family) may seem like a simple idea. After all, we are already connected whether we acknowledge it or not. However, the idea of staying consciously connected by Reinforcing Interconnections brings to our attention our role in this intricate web. Fun and Games, the Love Link, sound, and Resonance can support this practice.
Though Free Will dictates the parameters of each person’s journey, our growing awareness highlights the importance of keeping This or Something Better for the Greatest Good of All as the underlying intention for all of our thoughts and actions. Through our developing unity consciousness we consciously live.
* Talk with your family about how everything in existence is connected; try using illustrations from this book or draw on other examples form your own experience. Perhaps incorporate the idea of Source or any term(s) that fits your belief system.
Connecting
* Teach your family to Reinforce Interconnections in order to strengthen life’s underlying relationships. These suggestions can get you started:
* Imagine using a ribbon, rainbow, or a kite to link with a special friend, a spiritual deity, or whatever seems relevant at the moment; follow your family’s interest.
* Emphasize Fun and Games by building an interconnected structure from Legos, cards, or blocks, or making a collage containing artwork or pictures to understand better how everything is connected.
* Explore the unified theories in science and discuss the implications of such connection ideas with your family; even if never contemplated before, such concepts can be the spark that inspires true appreciation of our interconnected reality.
* Find fun examples of interconnection in the environment such as spider webs, roads, ecosystems or social networks.
Love Link
* Look at your reflection in the mirror and appreciate a specific physical or non-physical part of yourself daily to strengthen connections with yourself through the Love Link.
* At your next party go around the room and have everyone verbalize something they appreciate about themselves and the person who happens to be sitting next to them in order to encourage your family and friends to see themselves and the world with loving eyes.
Sound
* Support conscious living through the use of Resonance by singing a ‘name’ song with love; sing the name of your child, a friend, town, country or the planet Earth and enjoy the resulting peace and harmony.
More Connection Activities
* Add “May you receive abundance” aloud or silently the next time you pay for something to strengthen connection through appreciation and kindness.
* Come up with your own ways to stay consciously connected, write them down, share them as a family, and practice them!
Timing and Free Will
* Examine with your family the idea that we attract (law of attraction) the choices we make, whether conscious or unconscious, through Resonance.
* Have a family discussion at the dinner table about how Free Will allows everyone choice in life, and that affirming This or Something Better for the Greatest Good of All supports the best possible outcome regardless of the choice made.
When we become aware of Earth in all of her majesty and, more importantly, when we link with this spectacular host, we tap into a depth and breadth of consciousness beyond words. We comprehend and feel that we are inseparable from our environment. Things like sustainable living and zero footprint housing no longer describe alternative lifestyles but formulas for the continuation of our species. Even though connecting to the Earth is part of Reinforcing Interconnections, this connection is discussed in a separate chapter to emphasize the importance of this relationship. In this way we can better understand and take responsibility for sharing life with this amazing planet.
Reinforcing Interconnections to the Earth (also called grounding) can be accomplished using many ideas mentioned in Chapter 1. These suggestions include linking to the Earth in your imagination with an arrow or ribbon, playing around with chakra concepts, or seeing yourself and the world like a giant spider’s web, individual strands creating a whole. Apply any ideas you liked or have come up with on your own to Reinforce Interconnections with the added understanding of the significance of consciously connecting to the Earth.
You can also use breathing as the facilitator, visualizing the connection beyond the Earth (to a spiritual being or the stars, for example) on the inhale with the exhale shooting down through your body like a spiral, beam of light, or ball to the center of the Earth. Using your breath makes it easy to Reinforce Interconnections anywhere, anytime like during class, at work, or even at red lights. Every breath amplifies connection to all in existence. When you pay attention to what this feels like, it becomes easier to recall, repeat and affirm throughout your day. It also makes it easier to incorporate connecting to the Earth with any other ways you are Reinforcing Interconnections.
There are many other ideas that I have found particularly helpful to Reinforce Interconnections to the Earth in family life. For example, since children identify with things living and growing, pretending that there are roots from the bottom of their feet to the center of the Earth is an easy and fun way to connect with the planet’s energy. As another example, my neighbor has fruit trees that her little ones lovingly monitor. This helps them connect with the planet’s energy through growing, harvesting, food and nutrition. (They also learn about patience and responsibility.) Such simple things provide innumerable avenues for grounding, depending on the interest and ages of your family.
I realize now how grounding it was when my brother and I seined for bait fish as children. Walking in water that was waist or neck deep (depending on which end of the mesh we pulled) with a weighted net attached to our hands and feet supported strong connections with the Earth. In contrast (to lead weights and a huge net), as an adult I sometimes find that a simple hematite crystal is grounding. I keep one in my car and occasionally wear one around my neck to support Earth connections.
My partner has mentioned how stabilizing and grounding it feels to stand in karate class with his toes slightly pointed inward. Practice it yourself while standing in line for groceries to Reinforce Interconnections to the Earth. Of course, running barefoot in the grass and visualizing your feet just below the surface wading in the soil, swimming in the ocean or a river, and camping under the stars are also popular grounding activities. For other ideas you only have to follow the lead of your children and let your imagination go.
Sometimes, when my kids were little, for example, hugging the trees we came across on our route was the only fun part of running errands. It was a playful way of grounding and showing our appreciation and love for nature during chores. (You may notice trees in familiar areas for the first time.) My daughter even had special trees in our yard that she could not pass without a ‘hello’ pat.
Such awareness is expansive. It can lead into conversations about other ways trees in particular and our environment in general support us from shade to respiration to ecosystems. In these ways children learn and appreciate interconnections in the world around them. As a teenager my daughter still manifests this environmental awareness by picking up rubbish while walking home from the school bus stop. Reinforcing Interconnections with the Earth through such simple means creates a foundation for greater awareness overall.
Your family might enjoy Reinforcing Interconnections with the Earth from a more mathematical perspective. For example, my father used to count the number of times the crosswalk sign blinked at each light as he rode his bike through the city where he lived. This gave him a mathematical road map for his different bike routes as well as the grounding of mind and body through connection with his environment. If you are inclined, try playing around with numbers. How much time does a traffic light, a breath, or the blink of an eye take? Your child may like to count the number of hops it takes to reach the refrigerator or the mailbox.
If you focus on geometry, noticing how a nautilus shell spiral replicates in nature can provide a valuable new perspective. Or possibly delve into the fractals of things like leaves or broccoli, which when separated each small piece is a copy of the whole. Fractal design also occurs in human creations like art and architecture. It is even present in our bodies as evidenced by our blood vessels and lungs. These ideas help us become aware of the infinite possibilities for grounding when looking at things from the perspective of mathematics and science, and even art and architecture. Connections and interconnections are obvious in such replicating systems. All we need to do is open our eyes to the possibilities and relationships.
I cannot over emphasize the importance of Reinforcing Interconnections to the Earth. It is a very stabilizing and productive conscious living practice. When we pay attention, we discover new ways to do this or at least are reminded to stay on track. For example, one busy day I knew I was ungrounded but I failed to take a moment to Reinforce Interconnections to the Earth. At the height of multi-tasking I stepped from the car into a sticky pile of chewing gum. At first I was irritated, but when I stopped to think about it I was not surprised and had to laugh. Since everything is connected, I knew I was just being told what I needed to do!
Although I do not recommend chewing gum as a way to connect to the Earth, I have to admit that it worked. I got the message to ground my energy to the planet and have not had to have any more sticky reminders. I do, however, still rely on humor to help ease the way along life’s journey!
Believe it or not in my family, Reinforce Interconnections to the Earth through the simple act of cleaning (both home and environment) is a fundamental part of our conscious living practice. Not only is it easy, but it gives heightened meaning and enjoyment to what can be a mundane chore. Cleaning can be as straightforward as you and your family going to a park and having a contest to see who can pick up the most rubbish in a limited time. The winner could be crowned trash queen or king. Or perhaps see who can create the most interesting sculpture from the litter at hand. Besides a fun (Fun and Games) way to collect and recycle junk, you could be creating a treasured work of art. In addition, connecting with the Earth by monitoring and possibly eliminating pollution is a life skill that expands our awareness of our environment.
Remember that adding the Love Link strengthens connections so, whenever you can, clean with love. I was reminded of this in a park that I visit where I Reinforce Interconnections by removing rubbish. One day I noticed a lot more empty bottles than normal, and they were not just broken but smashed to bits. Beside the fact that the glass was hard to pick up and a dangerous eye-sore, the act of such destruction concerned me. As I picked up trash, I realized that the area needed a deeper cleansing so I repeated over and over ‘I love you’ to the park while I cleaned. When I finished, I sat unseen under the trees and started sending love to all of the people who had been smashing bottles in the park. I ended with This or Something Better for the Greatest Good of All. Because everything is connected, I knew such a meditation or prayer could be helpful.
During this process, a van of teens pulled into the now clean parking lot. Heavy rap music blared from speakers. One of them threw a bottle out of the window, but then a few minutes later, he got out of the van, picked it up and put it in the trash. As I finished my meditation, I realized that the teens were now out of the van and marveling at the trees with reverence. There was a noticeable shift in their behavior and energy and they seemed happy to be there as they easily chatted with me about the majesty of the environment.
This example shows how cleaning our environment can be grounding and how the Love Link can support and strengthen the process. It also illustrates how multifaceted Reinforcing Interconnections is. At the very least, with cleaning it is effective at the visual level of less rubbish in an area. When done with the Love Link, it is also effective at the deeper level of love added to and nurturing our interconnected world. For me at the park this was evidenced by the appreciative attitudes of the teens.
Every day provides us with opportunities within opportunities to Reinforce Interconnections and strengthen our conscious living journey. One soon realizes that not only can we make an infinite number of connections but the effects from each connection are infinite as well. The sooner we understand this, the sooner we see and feel the interconnectedness that unifies all. In this way, conscious living practice gives rise to the deep peace and understanding of unity consciousness.
Granted, you and your family may not have the time or inclination to examine such intricacies (and certainly no one has to live consciously). However, the simpler or more practical the ideas for conscious living, the easier it is to incorporate them into daily life. What could be easier than connecting to the Earth when house cleaning? Cleaning our home is something we all do anyway so why not be more conscious about it?
Our homes and environments contain germs and dust, but unhealthy vibration or energy can be brought in (via thoughts, music, TV, or other means) as well. Consequently, as I vacuum I visualize the hose sucking up anything not aligned with our family’s ‘greatest good’. In addition, I strengthen this process by feeling love and appreciation for my home as I clean. I give thanks for having a roof over my head, running water, a bathroom, or whatever comes to mind. By being more conscious doing an everyday chore I eliminate germs and dust as well as energy that does not support conscious living for my family.
What is great about this process is that you do not literally need to clean to receive such support. For example, when my kids were young they liked to use crystal wands and fairy sparkles to clean and shine our house energetically, imagining themselves as ‘wizards’ and ‘fairies’. Blowing bubbles is also an excellent way to clean (bubbles are soap after all), have fun, and bring awareness to growing minds. Burning a sage stick in the home or the environment, called smudging, can be an effective way to clean as well. Other cultures including Native American Indians have used sage for centuries to purify.
Additionally, my brother, who is an expert on interior plants, would point out that having indoor plants is a great way to purify (as well as beautify) an environment. We all know how wonderful it feels walking into a room filled with lush growth. If you do not have the time or inclination (such as a green thumb) for indoor plants, fresh flowers on the kitchen table can help make your home fresh and vibrant.
Finally, you and your children can draw or paint a picture of a perfectly clean house or environment or you can simply visualize it. A teenager friend and I have had a lot of fun using these last two methods of cleaning to support a healthier home and life. These ideas work via the subtleties of our interconnected world and thus can be accomplished even when the object of your cleaning is some distance away.
I would recommend, however, a more physical cleaning at first combined with the Love Link to get into the habit and to discern the process more fully. At least that is what worked best for my family. In this way, not only do we see our home and environment twinkle and shine, but we strengthen our awareness of how we are supported on our conscious living journey. Through easy and fun cleaning activities we Reinforce Interconnections to the Earth and support our conscious living adventure.
These days with the talk of Earth changes, it becomes even more important to Reinforce Interconnections to the planet. Such links not only highlight our interdependence, but give us the strength to face global challenges with greater courage and certainty. Despite the very big issues raised by these ideas, for the best results keep your family’s conscious living practice easy and, if possible, fun (Fun and Games).
Perhaps, work, volunteer, or visit at a recycling center or pet store. This supports greater awareness of landfills and overpopulation which in turn can inspire your family to adopt a pet from an animal shelter or to come up with creative recycling ideas for their school or community. If you have seen the bags for sale made from old juice box containers or the purses made from used tires you know that anything is possible.
Maybe check out your local environmental groups or library, or see if there are any classes on sustainable living or building in your area. A permaculture class could open your eyes to a whole new way of living in harmony with nature. Our local primary has a school garden to support such awareness, and some metropolitan areas have community gardens where people not only strengthen ties to the Earth but to each other. A home building course I took 15 years ago still has me excited about living in harmony with nature. Such activities are all the more powerful because they are fun.
So try planting a garden even if it is just in a small container, but do not stop there. Talk to your garden and feed it love (Love Link). You might make new friends. I am speaking not only of other gardeners but of the energies of the flowers, herbs, trees, crystals, dragonflies, bees, fairies, gnomes and elves. The list of newfound friends is only limited by imagination and you might find that your family’s imaginations are quite fertile.