(Photos by Pat Ruppel) ~~~ Earlier today, as I was looking out my back window off the deck, I felt captured with beauty and a feeling of wonder. We live in a beautiful, amazing world. I took a picture but it can only display a piece of the expansive, panoramic view. As I sat with this feeling of wonder for a moment, I thought of some amazing things that have happened in my life and of things that have happened to others from what I’ve read and heard. So, sit back and enjoy a mini adventure with a few stories and a link to a news clip (please be patient listening to the advertisement on the video clip – it’s worth the wait).

I hope you will enjoy.
Just yesterday, my husband told me about a video clip from ninemsn.com of a dolphin saving whales off the coast of New Zealand. This is an interview with Malcolm Smith who, along with others, participated in a rescue to save this pod of whales stranded and beaching themselves. A frequent visiting dolphin that they call Moko came to their aid and gently guided the whales out of distress and back into open waters. To their knowledge, there has never been a documented case where marine mammals have rescued other marine mammals like this.

WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING WORLD!!
A post I read in mid-February called “Lessons from The Geese” by Rich Vosler tells another touching and beautiful story of how nature comes to the aid of humans. He was struggling asking for guidance and strength. (See video)

Just then, with eyes still closed, he heard the sound of geese off in a distance, as they were flying in the night. It reminded him of a story he had read of how geese will accompany other geese when they are no longer able to continue with the formation and stay with them on the ground either until they recover or die.

It comforted him to remember those who had been there for him in his time of need and was the answer he needed just at the right time for strength and encouragement. If you read his story in its entirety, I’m sure you will feel the same way when I say…..

WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING WORLD!! 

The world is magical, if we take the time to observe and plug in. It will show us signs and wonders, if we’re open to possibilities. In May of 2007, my father-in-law passed away. We had all come home for the memorial services and to be with my mother-in-law.

It was Sunday and Mother’s Day and we had another full day following the memorial service. It was early in the morning and I got up to spend some quiet time with Mom and share some Mother’s Day moments together.

All of a sudden, we heard a Canadian goose honking loudly and it sounded close. At first, we couldn’t tell where it was coming from as it wasn’t passing over. I walked outside listening to it’s insistent honking and looked up. It was walking back and forth across the peak of the roof calling to it’s mate. Mom was still in the house and I told her what was happening.

I looked up and said, “Dad, is that you?” Mom went to the back door and just as she did she saw the two geese flying off to their new destination. It touched her as she thought of her late husband and felt he was sending her a message that he loves her and is thinking of her on Mother’s Day.

Slade Roberson of Shift Your Spirits also talks about some of these symbols in a post back in January 2008 called The Keys to a Magical World View where he shares stories on talking to trees and asking a crow for advice. If we step out of the box and shed the beliefs we’ve heard throughout the years, we’ll begin to experience the mystical wonders of the world for ourselves.

WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING WORLD!!
And then, Vitor Bosshard of The Fractal Forest shares with us his feelings of wonder and magic as he watched the lunar eclipse back in mid February in a post called And Then The Moon Turned Red. I’m glad he was able to capture a picture of it as it was cloudy and overcast that evening where I live in Colorado. A full moon always mystifies me especially in the winter and reading Vitor’s experience of capturing the moment resonated with me and I found myself capturing a moment of my own.

One night, it had just snowed and the sky cleared. It was late and my husband and I were locking up and turning off lights to get ready for bed. With the house dark but illuminated by the full moon we decided to take in the beauty of the freshly, fallen snow as it glistened in the full light before we were off to bed.

As we looked out our back yard we noticed some activity going on and couldn’t quite make out what it was. As we stood there we finally realized we had elk in our backyard and they were taking part in engaging our horses in some play. We watched as one elk acted as if he was charging the corral at the horses and then pulled up and then our horses would react and run back. They did this running back and forth at each other for a few minutes before losing interest. We were warmed by that experience and the memory of it played in our thoughts as we drifted off to sleep that night.

Another interesting link on this same post by Vitor comes from a comment by Deb Estep sharing her experience viewing the Perseid Meteor Shower. I had never heard of this before and it sounded incredible. She said it was like a fireworks display with shooting stars appearing at a rate of 60 per hour. Can you imagine what that would look and feel like as she imparts what it felt like to her listening to the gentle sounds of the ocean waves and the sky sparkling in a heavenly show? It must have truly been a magical moment. Wow!!

WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING WORLD!!

From the kitchen table – Pat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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My daughter and I were discussing today what we’re each experiencing from the teachings of Eckhart Tolle in his book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61)(Paperback). What’s interesting is that I’ve heard these terms all before – ego, connecting, being one with Spirit, awareness – but in hearing these terms now it has a deeper meaning as if revealing itself for the first time. I don’t know why. Maybe, it’s in how it’s presented or maybe I’ve evolved enough now to allow myself to hear it.

Here are some highlighted points we talked about that seem pretty profound to me when I think about it. They are not conclusive but maybe they will give you something to discuss and also think about:

1. Being connected to Source means it will live through you. What you don’t need will fall away and what you need will appear through you. When I awaken in myself then opportunities will happen and arrive for me. We are then connected on the level of Spirit – not on ego.

2. You can’t become connected through your brain; it’s a connection from the heart. My daughter says, “The feeling is not with your brain, it’s in your chest area.” “It’s a warm feeling of connectiveness.” Likewise, your observation is not coming from the head either; it’s coming from that feeling of connection in the chest or heart.

3. You can’t separate thought with thought. It comes from awareness from a feeling. If you become aware with a thought (recognition) this is ego. Awareness goes down in the chest with a feeling that’s warm and connected. That is the part that observes.

4. There is a primary purpose (inner purpose) and a secondary purpose (outer purpose). To bring conscious awareness to the human body and this experience by being concerned only with outer purpose you cut yourself off from Source. It’s like you’re going through the process of living as if you’re driving with the power steering out on your car. Everything is much more difficult. You’re making choices with your head and not your heart. When you tap into that Source and inner purpose, you find yourself in a zone with more energy and power than you could ever imagine. When connected to the inner purpose, the outer purpose just happens.

5. Becoming consciously aware can elevate and heighten relationships. We think what others do affects us so we keep saying and doing things to change them only engaging more in the ego. All of us are one and connected on a spiritual level and that will never change. We are all safe in Spirit no matter how insane the world is and what people are doing. We begin to understand that all of us are on our own path on the physical level and this is where we see the separation. Awareness allows us to understand where we have been operating in acting out this insaneness. We can then feel compassion instead of reacting to the things being said and done and it brings life into relationships.

6. Most everyone is trapped in their head and letting their thoughts run their life. As long as I’m awakening and connected, I sense the protection in the present moment – in a positive energy space. We make choices independently of one another and they’re powerful choices when connected to Source.

7. What you experience in everyday life is relatively real. It depends on our perspective, such as a sunset. From our perspective every evening the sun sets but if you were out in space you would see that the sun doesn’t set, it’s always shining. We can’t decide how things will happen for you or for me. It’s all relative as we have a limited perspective. If we are aware of our connection to the Source, things just happen naturally without pain and letting go as we concentrate on the awakening in ourselves.

We all have a choice as to how we want to live our lives. We can choose to continue to live reacting on everything that happens in our lives to what people say and what they do – being part of the drama and victimized. Or, we can flow with the natural order of Source energy and awaken to the essence of who we truly are that is within all of us. In that, there is no struggle or fight and we realize the impossible is now possible.

From the kitchen table – Pat
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Most of my life, I followed a spiritual path along with learning what I could from Christianity and Eastern religions and adapting them. I guess I felt I had done a lot of work on myself and I changed over the years from what I learned. I felt a comfort zone in that I felt safe – “she’s clear; everything’s okay in the eyes of God” – and everything was okay for many years. But I still wasn’t aligned and I didn’t know it.

From the beginning of 2008 I noticed more and more things showing up that were evidence that whatever I’m doing isn’t working anymore (see my previous post What Do You Identify With? The Ego Knows – adding to that list: my car was hit by a truck in a parking lot while I was still in it – Note: minor damage nobody hurt). In fact, as I had mentioned in that earlier post, it had gone the other way almost to the point of wondering if there was something conspiring against us. In Empowered Soul, Andrea Hess’ post The Leap Into Growth started pointing me in the right direction when she said,

“Who or what is pushing you out of your comfort zone right now? Honor these people and situations as your master teachers. They are serving you on your path, perhaps in ways you don’t appreciate right now. It may seem that they are conspiring to make you fall into the abyss of the unknown. But perhaps, as you go over that cliff, you realize that you are not falling – you are flying!”

Coupled with that and reading Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61)(Paperback) and participating in Oprah Winfrey’s free 10-week teleclass on this book my awakening has begun.

Deep down, I had a knowing that there were some major things that needed to change that I can no longer ignore – the obvious evidence got my attention. I believe the Universe can only take you so far with your resistance until you find yourself up against a wall, as Andrea Hess of Empowered Soul talks about in her post Deconstructing Our Brick Walls. You can’t go on blindly anymore – something has to give. What has to give for me is my identification with ego.

Some of the major things I am learning from this book that have opened my eyes are:

YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK
My thoughts ran rampantly all the time. I used to think, if you just thought and never spoke what you thought, you didn’t give it power. That’s true to a certain degree but the thought has an energy it carries of its own and if you keep entertaining the thought and repeating it in your head, you’re giving it just as much power.

Also, if you’ve engaged in the thought, you have identified with it and it becomes a part of you, even if you’ve never mentioned a word. Tolle says, “Through complete identification with the mind, a false sense of self – the ego – came into existence.” The ego lives in the past and the future – never the now. If you’re remembering past conditioned thoughts and mulling over them, you’re in ego’s grip. If you’re having negative thoughts about what may possibly happen in the future, you’re also in ego’s grip.

All that there is – is now, the present moment. Even when you think of something from the past you bring it into the now; likewise, if you’re thinking of something in the future you’re bringing into the present while you’re thinking about it.

What we need to do is become aware of our thoughts and observe them along with the emotions attached to them. Realize these thoughts are not you – these thoughts are not me. You are the one that is observing these thoughts and as we get proficient at this, the thoughts and old stories will fade and dissolve and we will be living in the present moment in alignment with Spirit.

FACE THE THOUGHT AND EMOTION
I had picked up somewhere the belief that if you have a negative thought or emotion you need to change it to something else – just put it out of your mind. I intuitively began to realize that when I changed a negative thought to something else I wasn’t really facing it. I was only pushing the negative thought down – suppressing it. It only appeared I was moving away from it. That’s why I believe all the negative, conditioned thoughts keep coming back. They’re stored in a reserve waiting to be triggered for the right moment. You haven’t really done anything with them.

I am learning that when one of these negative, conditioned thoughts show up, I first notice it and observe and be with it (not identify with it) in the present moment until it dissolves or diminishes. It’s a type of surrendering and accepting it for what it is, as Alex Blackwell of The Next 45 Years talks about in his post Four Rocks to Grasp in Life in the Rock of Surrender. It’s not the easiest thing to do, especially if there are emotions attached to it. But, again, the more I sit with this and observe knowing what it is and where it is coming from, it gets better. Tolle says, “Any negative emotion that is not fully faced and seen for what it is in the moment it arises does not completely dissolve. It leaves behind a remnant of pain.”

PAIN-BODY
We have them. In fact, most of us are born into this world with a pain-body according to Tolle:

“This energy field of old but still very-much-alive emotion that lives in almost every human being is the pain-body.

The pain-body, however, is not just individual in nature. It also partakes of the pain suffered by countless humans throughout the history of humanity, which is a history of continuous tribal warfare, of enslavement, pillage, rape, torture, and other forms of violence. This pain still lives in the collective psyche of humanity and is being added to on a daily basis…. The collective pain-body is probably encoded within every human’s DNA, although we haven’t discovered it there yet.

Every newborn who comes into this world already carries an emotional pain-body. In some it is heavier, more dense than in others.”

So, if you feel like you have two people living inside of you and one shows up unannounced and demanding and you wonder where did that come from, it’s probably the result of accumulated emotional pain energy – pain-body. You can become deeply negative suddenly or feel a dark and heavy mood out of the blue. Tolle says, “It may be shocking when you realize for the first time that there is something within you that periodically seeks emotional negativity, seeks unhappiness. You need even more awareness to see it in yourself than to recognize it in another person.” When you become aware of what this is, you can observe it just as you do your thoughts and emotions. When you only observe and not attach to it or label it, the negativity is diminished.

The purpose of all this for me was to realize that all of what has been happening is not of the real me – it’s of the false self – ego – pretending to be me. Realize that the real you is always intact with Spirit and is not in contention, a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or possessed.

I have only touched the surface of what there is to learn from these teachings and I wanted to share them with you as I continue on this journey. I invite feedback and comments from those of you already reading the book or even if you’re not. It will give me further insight into what I’ve posted.

As this knowledge resonates and takes hold, more and more of us will learn and align with our true purpose and meaning of life – that is to be awakened and aligned with Spirit in the present moment living the life we were destined to live.

From the kitchen table – Pat
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We just had our 23-month old grandson spend the weekend with us. Each time he comes there’s a renewed spirit of wonder as I watch him explore his world and revel in his new creations. He takes such pleasure making sounds with his mouth or pushing the sliding door open and close – open and close. If ever one needed to be reminded of how to be in the present moment, sit with a child for a day and feel what they feel in their sense of wonderment. It’s magical.

It takes me back to when I was a child visiting my grandmother’s. It was the simple things that I remember most – playing marbles or games like kick-the-can. I have still tried to recreate her macaroni and cheese to this day without success. I tell myself it’s because the cheese is processed differently today than it was back then. Still, remembering the sounds and smells of that old creaky house brings a warmth of being home. Just the sound of her “WOOO” from the back part of the house, as she heard us come in, letting us know, “here we are”, we’re home.

I watch my grandson and know that we’re allowing the same space for him to create magic just as we had as children and still have. This world is a magical place as we recapture what we had as children looking at our lives through the eyes of innocence. It’s when we keep our eyes stationed on problems, the next job, or “How am I going to do that?” that dampens the mystical presence of possibilities and the magic.

So, if you’re looking for some magic, look to the simple things: a gentle breeze, the water flowing through your hands as you wash them, the sunlight cascading through the trees. Take note of your breathing, as Andrea Hess of Empowered Soul said in her Aligning with Divine Abundance teleclass, “breathing is natural abundance freely to receive”. This will put you in the present moment and in the present moment is where miracles reside. Enjoy the magic of life – it is a gift.

From the kitchen table – Pat
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I want to share an article with you entitled “Soul Eyes” written by my guest Tom LaRotonda. Tom and I have been friends for several years now from when we first met at a Create Your Best Life Luncheon in Denver, CO.

Tom is the owner of Core Matters LLC, a transformational leadership organization based in Denver. He is a keynote speaker, free-lance writer, life/executive coach, leadership consultant, and seminar facilitator. His life purpose is to inspire his clients to boldly pursue their life dreams by taking the road less traveled. One of the foremost and leading edge speakers on the concept of Inspirational Living, he has addressed audiences around the world. Tom brings passion, excellence and dedication to his calling as a transformational leadership path-finder.

Please help me welcome Tom in the writing of his article, “Soul Eyes”:

CORE REFLECTIONS
Inspirational Messages to Empower Your Life
February 11, 2008 Topic – Soul Eyes

Core Reflections is a weekly message whose primary intention is to provide a thought that inspires vision, purpose, and boldness in your life. My goal is to create a ripple that touches thousands of people. Please help me by sharing these messages with others in your life and encouraging them to become a subscriber. I hope you enjoy this week’s message! – Tom

“For visions come not to polluted eyes.”
– Mary Howitt
Saturday I had the privilege of attending a Habitat for Humanity home dedication for a very a very amazing member of our Core Matters Community, Gail Hamilton. Gail has been blind since the age of 13 and has faced more trials in her life than I would care to take on in many lifetimes. She has been a source of inspiration to me from the moment I met her 5 years ago.

I’ve gained many insights from our professional relationship and evolving friendship. Whenever I begin to question myself in the face of obstacles, all I have to do is remind myself of Gail’s life and my “woe is me” moment fades away. Gail, you are truly a genuine role model for never giving up on your dreams. Time after time she has reminded me that she doesn’t consider herself a disadvantaged blind person. Observing her most recent life journey has convinced me that she is able to see in ways that sighted people could never imagine. She has even gone so far as to suggest that I am the one at a disadvantage, for I rely too much on my human eyes to view the splendor of the world.

She has often said to me that I have not fully developed my “Soul Eyes.” I must admit the first few times I heard her say this, I wondered if this concept was a new twist of some highly creative coping mechanism. But as I experienced, first hand, her grueling yet magical manifestation of her life dreams, I found myself viewing the world in a whole different light. Through her tears, frustration, commitment, and perseverance – through her Soul Eyes – I began to see things in my life that I had never seen before.

When one develops Soul Eyes they see, hear, and believe things that others cannot. People with Soul Eyes don’t see obstacles; they see opportunities and potential. People with Soul Eyes don’t hear discouragement and doubt; they hear a voice of confidence beyond the skeptics and critics. People with Soul Eyes don’t believe the world is a scary place; they believe in a world filled with adventure, abundance, and joy. People with Soul Eyes are a delight to be around for their vibration transcends the denseness of the physical plane. This vibration can easily be felt for it sources from happiness, excitement, optimism, and unconditional love. It’s as if they are living in a whole different world and they are. The world they see and experience can only be accessed through Soul Eyes!

One of Gail’s dreams was to stand on the roof of her new home. It was important for her to feel the warmth of the sun penetrating and nurturing her new home. The Habitat for Humanity people did not go to the place of fear, protection, and legal liability. Instead they opened their Soul Eyes and found a way to make it happen – three times! Can you imagine closing your eyes and walking on a slanted roof! Yet Gail overcame any fears that desire brought forth and completely trusted her unique power of vision. Actually, many of the shingles of her home were placed and secured by her very own hands. She saw possibilities that others did not see and through her willingness to encourage others to, “See with their Soul Eyes!” her possibilities became reality and their Soul Eyes were awakened.

This world is filled with such magnificence and beauty. I’m eternally grateful that I have been blessed with my human eyes. And now, by knowing Gail Hamilton, I’ve truly learned to envision a whole new world of extra-sensory awareness. Einstein said that we will never solve our problems from the same level that we created them. Perhaps what he meant to say is that we will never solve our problems relying on our human eyes. We can only solve them through the activation of our Soul Eyes.

My inspiration to you this day is to awaken your Soul Eyes. See what others can’t see. Hear what others ignore. Believe in possibilities others run away from. Close your human eyes and walk confidently on the roof of your fears guided by the sight of a new set of eyes and see the glorious expansive rainbow that few get to see!

PS – Gail Hamilton is a keynote speaker, musical performer, and piano teacher. She is currently working on a book that is her life story. I highly endorse her work and invite you to consider her for any opportunities mentioned above. She can be contacted at wingstoflynow@comcast.net

Till Next Time – May You Empower Your Life,
Tom

I encourage you to share these messages with your friends and family.

You also have my permission to reprint any message in your newsletters, websites and message boards providing you include full authorship, copyright, and subscription information.

I also welcome your comments and feedback.

Subscription Info:
To subscribe to the Core Reflections weekly message simply send an e-mail to tom@corematters.com. You have my commitment that all personal and professional data will be held in the strictest of confidence.

©2008 Tom LaRotonda All Rights Reserved

Tom LaRotonda
Core Matters, LLC
2314 Kipling Street
Lakewood, CO 80211
303-964-0969
tom@corematters.com
www.corematters.com

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Thank you Tom and thank you Gail for the opportunity to share such an inspiring article with the blogging community.

From the kitchen table – Pat
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