Being in a positive and inspired state of mind most of the time is a skill. It requires focus, determination, work, persistence and above all the willingness to do whatever it takes no matter what.

Being inspired is a choice. Being unhappy is a choice. Being productive is a choice. Being miserable is a choice. If you do nothing, you get what most people get: a mixed bag of daily experience filled with inspiration, unhappiness, productivity and misery.

If you make a decision to be consistently inspired, consistently productive, consistently happy… and take it like any skill you have learned in life like driving, or cooking, or playing guitar… you can be a master of it. You don’t become a skilled guitar player by admiring Mark Knopfler once in a while, you don’t become a star employee by just hanging about in office, and you don’t achieve mental emotional mastery by just doing random things in life. You decide, make plans, work towards it each day, and eliminate all obstacles on the way.

Being happy is not complicated. But you have to realize the mind boggling obvious: it’s something you have to commit to. Happiness is not a state of mind that we catch from the ether, nor is it a lottery some people are born with. It is something we either earn through realization of our worthy goals, or something we feel when we focus on the right stimuli (a sunset, a laughing baby, great music), or something we experience when we are in presence of the right people. Being happy is not complicated but being consistently happy is what requires work and planning.

Plan your happiness. Do what needs to be done. Remember, only a happy person can make someone else happy. Don’t be so lazy that you can’t even be happy. You owe it to your friends, family, loved ones and above all else: yourself.

Take 2 minutes to contemplate on each of these little facts first:

In October 1999, the world’s population reached 6 Billion, which is double that of the year 1959 (the doubling occurred in 40 years). The world’s population is currently increasing at the rate of about 80,000,000 per year (about 1.2 %). The current world population is 6.8 Billion (March 1, 2010).

Source: http://globalwarming.sdsu.edu

Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from sea-ice loss.

Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

In the developing world, more than 1.2 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day. The United Nations Development Program estimates that the basic health and nutrition needs of the world’s poorest people could be met for an additional $13 billion a year.

Source: United Nations Development Program

The cost of war for Iraq and Afghanistan alone is over $970 BILLION!

Source: http://costofwar.com/

According to Rainforest Action Network, more than an acre-and-a-half of rainforest (an area the size of two football fields) is lost every SECOND of every day. If present rates of destruction continue, half our remaining rainforests will be gone by the year 2025, and by 2060 there will be no rainforests remaining.

Source: http://www.savetherainforest.org/savetherainforest_007.htm

We are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year.

Source: http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm

When I think about the world today, I find myself losing hope every once in a while. Are we going to make it at all? Look at the world! The worst form of virus has infected this planet, a virus that multiplies astronomically, kills anything and everything that can be killed, destroys or alters all else, does not even kill for hunger or survival but sometimes out of sheer fun of killing… and here’s the strangest bit: it kills its own kind and even itself! The virus is called human. And it is about to destroy the very planet it lives on.

Can you imagine this planet 50 years into the future from now if the human race was wiped out today? For one there will be no pollution, no greenhouse effect, no bulldozers and no nuclear bomb testing, no rapid destruction of rainforests, no billions of animals being killed every single day for food and fun. How will earth look like 50 years from now if all humans ceased to exist today?

Now imagine how the planet will look like 50 years from now as we continue ravaging our mother earth, raping it and killing everything that comes on our way. Can you imagine? Can you see the difference?

I was watching the movie 2012 the other day. Just like most Hollywood movies, this too distorted the ancient Mayan prophecy beyond any distinguishable form (In Mayan astrology, 21st December 2012 is nothing but the beginning of the 5th great cycle that will last for another 5000 years or so. It has nothing to do with the end of the world but simply the end of an age and beginning of a new one. It does predict upheaval and gradual change in global consciousness, for the better, but not the end of the world.). However did make me think about something else…

The movie 2012 showed that due to unfavorable aligning of planets in our solar system the earth’s core becomes unstable which causes massive earthquakes and giant tsunamis that wipe out the entire human civilization (or something to that effect). While this is as likely as Spiderman showing up in New York saving orphans from a burning tall building, I believe it’s entirely possible for the Earth to wipe out majority of the human race (if not all of it) through some epidemic or other unknown means. Why not?

Nature in its own intelligence maintains balance by creating and destroying. Why should planet earth remain livable for us humans when all we are doing is destroying the planet and every other living being that lives on it? In our blind arrogance we think we are the ONLY beings that have ANY rights whatsoever to live. We kill just because we can. We destroy trees, mountains, rivers, lakes, islands, oceans, even the atmosphere just because we need more space for our offspring or need machines for our convenience. Everything that comes on our way is wiped out, murdered and turned into paper, meat or leather. Things that don’t come on our way initially, dies too because we destroy everything in the surrounding environment that was necessary to sustain life. Everything dies because we need food and space for our virus race.

There was another movie I watched a few months back and it was called “The Day Earth Stood Still”. In this movie an alien race comes over to do one thing: kill human race. There is a scene in the movie where the representative of the alien race (played by Keanu Reeves) is having a talk with the Secretary of Defense of USA. When the Secretary asks him why they were doing this, he responds by saying something like: Look you don’t have a choice! Either humans die now and the planet gets to live, or humans live for a while longer and you all die along with the planet. You don’t have much of a choice.

Really if you think about it, isn’t that the situation right now? If we live and keep multiplying, EVERYTHING dies. If we don’t, things get a chance. So why shouldn’t mother earth wipe us out through some global catastrophe? Why should we be allowed to live? Why should we prosper at the expense of everything else?

The Mayan prophecies tell us that everyone who is here now has a responsibility. Our planet will be renewed or destroyed. It is our choice. If we choose to awaken, if we choose to see, if we take responsibility and develop wisdom, compassion and love, we will survive. If not, we will not. This is a very difficult but special time. We are going towards a new age where a great fight between forces of light and darkness will ensue; in fact it has already begun. Teachers around the world are awakening more than ever. But the forces of darkness are very strong as well, much stronger right now than the forces of light. Even the teachers who are awakening get seduced by the darkness at times. This time the darkness has manifested in its most seductive form: material success. It casts its powerful hypnotic spell on anyone who is a little unaware. And in this sleep state (hypno=sleep), we forget everyone and kill and rape our own mothers, sisters and brothers.

Look at the world in its ravaged form… global warming, holes in the ozone layer, destruction of forests, industrial pollution… earth is our Mother and this is what we have done to Her. Look at all the billions of animals dying everyday, they are our sisters and we feel NOTHING, not even one drop of tear as she cries her last cry of help before the knife opens her throat. Look at the countries being bombed at wars, children being born with various illnesses due to chemical poisoning of our medical industry, poor getting poorer, elderly having to beg… these are our brothers and there is not a damn thing we can do to stop this madness right now. Even if I set myself on fire in front of CNN and BBC and they covered the story in great detail on prime time, it still wouldn’t matter. Our sleeping race will go on chopping off the next tree, chicken, cow, etc and go to bed tonight flooding their veins with “legal drugs” that control blood pressure, sleep, heart disease, diabetes, mood disorder, depression, etc etc. That’s how powerful the sleep is.

So what do we do then? What is the solution? Are we going to survive at all?

I don’t know. I really don’t know what you are supposed to do. What I know is what I am going to do. I am going to keep writing and keep telling whoever will listen to me to awaken. I will tell my friends and my family, I will tell my students and co-workers that what they are doing is KILLING the planet along with everything else that lives on it. I will tell them to stop killing animals and to stop being so arrogant. I will show them ways to heal themselves and to develop compassion for, before anyone else, themselves first. I will tell them to meditate and to study like a mad person. I will protest actively whenever I see a mindless killing of an animal or injustice to a fellow human being. I will do whatever I can so when I go to sleep tonight I will know even one person or animal has breathed a little easier because I have lived today. That’s what I will do. Do you know what you will do?

Here’s what I have to tell you: Love yourself. Love yourself and you will be able to love everyone else. Be unafraid to speak the truth. In our overwhelming fear of disrupting our comfortable nightmare of unfulfilled desires, we are suffering every single day. Remember: to give up the smaller things for the bigger things in life is not a sacrifice, it’s a bargain. Give up your status quo of numbed suffering for a world of peace and harmony, love and joy. Let us heal the world, let us heal ourselves.

We live in a time where each one of are born with a very important spiritual duty. Our duty is to awaken and help others awaken. There is no more time to dilly dally or play. It’s time to get serious! The world needs YOU… not the sleeping, confused, arrogant, self centered, materialistic you, but the YOU who with unbearable compassion decides to dedicate his or her life to healing this planet.

I know today I have neither been very inspirational nor very optimistic. But sometimes all you can do is express your frustration and anger with your loved ones. All you can do is share your feelings with those who matter. Today is one of those days. I have nothing fun and exciting to tell you. But I am simply here to share with you the heaviness of my heart and the pain of our Mother who needs all Her sons to come to help.

Awaken my brothers and sisters. Awaken… before it’s too late. Spread the message! Carry the light to the darkest corners. Do what you can do TODAY, don’t wait, don’t think, don’t justify. The world needs you. Your Mother needs you. Begin right now…

Shafin
—
Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
www.redefineyourreality.com

Today I’d like to discuss something that’s very dear to my heart, a topic that is very sensitive for most people for many reasons but one of the primary reasons being: religion. It’s tricky to talk about it and it’s even trickier to follow through because of the very heavy programming that has been done on us since birth. The topic is: eating animals for food or fun. I have tried to stay away from talking about this topic for a long time but I feel now its time.

If you are already feeling a bit queasy about this, I’m afraid you are not going to like me very much today. I’m not going to be very gentle about this, so please feel free to skip this if you think you are not ready for some radical non-sugar-coated talk. And if you are comfortable or even excited, prepare for some major learning, shifts in your mind and maybe even get ready to become a vegetarian for life.

Before I get into the topic let me touch on something that human beings in general are very concerned about: suffering. One of the most profound realizations I have had on my spiritual journey is that human race as a whole is extremely scared about suffering, is willing to do whatever is necessary to avoid suffering (to the extent of killing thousands of their own kind), but generally clueless about what brings about suffering. Think about it.

All human beings want happiness, health, wealth, freedom, love, peace and success but entirely ignorant about what causes these things or the opposite of them: suffering. Here’s the strangest bit: as a race we have programmed our own minds to such an extent, we cannot even see the cause of suffering even when it’s slapping us right across the face. We keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results. You know what that type of behaviour is called? Insanity!

Let me give you an example: every day we wake up, drink coffee, turn on the tv, watch the news about violence and separation, on the way to office pick up the newspaper, read some more stories about struggles and wars, spend our entire day running the rat race – competing against each other, come back home, drink some alcohol, watch an action movie that shows (in the most hypnotic way) how violence and struggle is glamorous, go to sleep, repeat the whole thing the next day… and expect to have peace, abundance, health, love and freedom in our lives!

It makes no sense but that’s exactly what we, maybe not specifically you, but as a race are doing everyday. The result? Look at the world today…

Coming back to what I started off on, human beings are terrified of suffering, but clueless about what brings about suffering. Its like running around in complete darkness touching a hot stove now, falling into the ditch a while later, spilling boiling water after that, an electric shock following that… absolutely clueless what we are doing, where we are going, messing up our lives even before we could start… with debt… massive debt… financially, environmentally, inter-personally, and most importantly karmically.

So here is a bit of a rude awakening… how long are you going to stay blind to the fact that you are eating dead animals that have experienced the pain of death? How long are you going to pretend that that nice chicken thigh that you bought off supermarket is just “lean meat”? Its not lean meat my friend, its flesh of a sentient being that once lived on this earth, had emotions and feelings, enjoyed freedom and love, and was mindlessly murdered for your eating pleasure. How long are you going to give into the temptation of eating a rib eye steak with mushroom sauce with a bit of fois gras on the side? Have you ever looked into the eyes of a cow that was about to be slaughtered? Have you seen the throat being slit open? Are you still going to tell yourself “but I thought it was done humanely!” How would you like to have your loved ones slaughtered “humanely”?

Here is the problem with eating dead animals (apart from the fact that you are killing helpless sentient beings just like you and me) regardless if it has been killed for you specifically or not: you inherit the pain of death that it has endured. And this pain is a karmic debt that you will have to balance. There is no way out of this.

Now you may ask, how is a cow or a tuna fish a sentient being? Well, here is the only difference between you and a tuna fish, its level of cognitive processing capacity. It cannot analyze, rationalize, communicate or study in the same way that you or I can, but then neither can a human baby. We don’t eat it just because it’s helpless, do we? A tuna fish has many capabilities that you or I cannot even dream about, but they are different capabilities. And it definitely feels the same pain as you or I would feel if a hook pierced through the soft flesh of our mouth and pulled us up in the air. It feels the pain but it cannot communicate in our language. It feels the pain but we are too blind and arrogant to see it. And really what am I talking about, if we can’t see the pain of a cow or a goat being slaughtered, how can we see the pain of a tuna fish. Some people ask me, when I tell them to become a vegetarian, “but you must eat fish right? It’s not meat!”

So once again, here is the spiritual problem with killing animals and eating them: you are inheriting the pain of death that will reflect in your own life. Take a HONEST look at your life, if it’s filled with disappointments and broken dreams, emptiness and dead ends, struggles and fight, here is one powerful contributing factor that maybe causing it. Stop killing sentient beings and stop being the direct or indirect cause for it and watch your life turn around. Yes, there may be years of negative karma to be balanced, but the hands of the Writer who writes our script is strict but infinitely generous. Reverse the process today, balance out some debt by contributing to sustaining life and eliminating pain. You will be surprised by the miracles that follow. All it takes is a shift in our consciousness.

If you believe in reincarnation, here is a Buddhist concept that you may find helpful…

In Buddhism it is said that each of us has had countless past lives before we were born into this one. And in our countless past lives, every single sentient being has served the role of our father, mother, enemy, lover etc. Which is why in Buddhism, all sentient beings are called Mother Sentient Beings: they have been your mother at some life time in the past. Try to remember that the next time you are picking up a roast chicken from the supermarket.

Now you may not believe in past lives and you may not believe in karma. You may still be stuck in your ego mind prison of name, bank account and job description that you have created in this life time. That’s fine Mr/Mdm Asst. Executive Vice President, I know all this spiritual talk sounds all gibberish to you but surely you care about the food that’s not only making you overweight and ugly, but also killing your children by slowly clogging up their coronary arteries. Wouldn’t you be interested in knowing what food is slowly washing away the calcium from your bones and thickening your blood with insoluble fat? If you don’t care about the “dumb chickens”, you must surely care about your own chance of dying one fine foggy morning from massive cardiac arrest without being able to spend those free air miles to Bahamas…

For those of you who need a little more convincing about the medical aspects of eating animals vs becoming a vegetarian, about what food is truly a balanced diet, what food can actually KILL you and your loved ones and what food can heal you and help you live a healthy, lean, thin, energized life – I know of no better teacher than Dr Klaper of the Institute of Nutritional Education and Research.

Dr. Michael Klaper has been a physician for 37 years and a vegan since he was 34 years of age. Among many other interesting posts, Dr. Klaper has served as advisor to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (N.A.S.A.) project on nutrition for long-term space colonists, so you know you are learning from a professional here. A gifted teacher, humorous lecturer, and the author of successful books and video’s on cholesterol-free nutrition, Dr. Klaper has contributed to the making of the award winning PBS television production, “Diet for a New America.”

Here is a funny quote from Dr Klaper that I love: “Nobody has ever been found face-down 20 yards from the Burger King because they couldn’t get their Whopper in time.”

So sit back, relax and enjoy this fantastic, information filled, paradigm shifting 1 hour lecture…

I hope this gets you to think and seriously reconsider not only your own diet choices but also that of your family and loved ones. A small shift in your consciousness can create a ripple effect into all eternity, touch lives in unknown places through undreamed of ways. The world needs your help today. Do something about it. Become a vegetarian. Stop killing sentient beings.

Here are some free resources for making your transition to becoming a vegetarian easier:

Great vegetarian recipes

Another free vegetarian recipes site

I hope you will spread the word around and share this with as many people as you can in whatever way you can. You never know whose life you will end up saving.

With lots of love,

Shafin

Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
www.redefineyourreality.com

There is a story in the Christian Bible in the Gospel of John. The story tells us about a time when Jesus was travelling around trying to spread the message that he was carrying within. I chose this story because it reminds us that, beyond everything else, the story of Jesus Christ is a story of one man’s journey of following his dreams in the face of all adversity and conflict, a story of offering his gift to the world even when everyone thought he was completely crazy, a story of an ordinary human being who became the Son of God upon awakening.

When I hear so many people saying “I know I have a gift but… I have family/I have mortgage to pay/I am poor/I don’t know where to start” etc, I remind them of stories of all great men and women who followed their dreams and became great. It’s the same story, over and over. Be it Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, your next door neighbour, it’s always the same story. At some point we are inspired and the voice within us tells us to take the next step. The next step is always difficult because in the end, it’s never about anyone else, it’s always about you. The next step is going beyond your doubts and fears, all negative programming, and beginning to see with the eyes of the soul. Beginning to see what is real and rejecting what is unreal. Offering that truth to your fellow beings (who will almost invariably reject it immediately) and helping them awaken as well on their personal destiny.

As anyone who has ever tried such a thing knows it’s never easy. But I am here to remind you that it is way easier now than ever before. Just about 400 years ago on February 17, 1600 the Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno was burnt at stake by the Catholic Church for claiming the earth goes round the sun and not the other way round (along with certain other advanced spiritual beliefs that cannot be addressed here). He was famously quoted to have said to his persecutors “Maiori forsan cum timore sententiam in me fertis quam ego accipiam (Perhaps you pronounce this sentence against me with greater fear than I receive it).”

We live in a much better world today, you should realize. Following our hearts and speaking what is the truth has never been easier. Easier of course does not mean easy. It’s never easy because the greatest battle is the battle within. It’s the battle against your own ego mind – the part of you that only understands the world through separation and judgement. It’s not easy but it is your destiny. And until you start listening to that voice within and take the next step, you will never be truly happy, no matter how much power, money or fame you gather.

Anyway, back to our story of Jesus, try to go through it with an open mind no matter what your religious beliefs are. If you do, you will realize this is the story of a man inspired by God, a man in love, a man awakened.

The Story of Jesus on Solomon’s Porch

It was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem and it was winter. Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Seeing him arrive, the people surrounded him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered “I told you and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me… I and my Father are One.”

Hearing this they took up stones again to stone him.

To this Jesus said “Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”

They answered saying “For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

Jesus answered them, “Is is not written in your law, ‘I said, you are Gods’?” (Referring to Moses)

“If he called them Gods, to whom the word of God came… do you say of him… ‘You are blaspheming?’, because I said ‘I am the Son of God’?”

“If I do not do the works of my father, do not believe me; but if I do, though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in Him.”

Hearing this they sought again to stone him but he escaped out of their hand.

Gospel of John, Chapter 10, Verse 22-39. (Certain parts have been edited for readability. All words in quote are unchanged from the Bible.)

So I leave you with this story today to think about it. There are many layers, many aspects to consider. The easiest thing to do after reading this story is saying to yourself “truly Jesus was great” then going about your day. But everyone knows that already and the world is still engulfed by the darkness of separation and judgment. The hardest thing to do is asking “How can I follow his footsteps and do what he did? How can offer my gift to the world in the face of all obstacles? How can I overcome my doubts and fears and speak the truth even when no one is ready to listen to me? How can I make this world a better place by awakening to my personal destiny? ” and then actually doing something about it.

Just like Jesus, the Father is in you too. Just like Jesus, you too are One with the Father. Just like Jesus, you too have a journey to make, a gift to offer, a world to change. How long are you going to pretend to be asleep? How long are you going to distract yourself with your TV and family, work and money, relationships and struggles?

Something to think about…

Lots of love,

Shafin

—
Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
www.redefineyourreality.com

My love,
I have waited
Ten thousand nights and
Ten thousand days
And finally you have arrived.

Your hair the fragrance of autumn evening
Your eyes shimmer light of the distant galaxies
Your skin touches mine and I melt
Your tongue sings the songs of angels.

In your presence I am lost in the past
The history of all time lives in you
The romance of Adam and Eve is your story
The songs of Solomon written for you.

In your love I am found in the future
I am the resurrection of Christ
I experience the awakening of Buddha
I hold your hands on the day of judgment.

You are the world my love
You are the reason and cause
You are my story and history
You are the purpose of life.

In you I live
Through you I grow
To you I give
My Self
And all my love.

~Shafin de Zane, July ’09

“Real isn’t how you are made…” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand…”

~From “The Velveteen Rabbit” by Margery Williams

Sometimes the only way to deliver the most powerful ideas are through poetry or parables. The Velveteen Rabbit is a little Christmas story for children that is timeless, profound, beautiful and it contains messages that can only be understood, if at all, through a mind that knows humility. Read this message over and over again, take a printout and store it somewhere safe, for maybe one rainy afternoon, ten years from now, it will remind you once again, how to love, to be humble, to be real…

With lots of love to you all…

Shafin

—
Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
RedefineYourReality.com

I remember a number of years ago I was listening to Marianne Williamson in one of her talks. At this particular talk she was saying (I am paraphrasing it) that there are two ways of manifesting your desires. The first way is something like white magic which encompasses everything from law of attraction, visualization, mind power etc. The second way is surrender to God and allowing God to decide what the best is for us, it is manifesting your desires through prayer.

At the time, I remember thinking to myself, that the second way is just way too much religion for me. God didn’t create us so we could just allow him to decide everything for us. God created us so we can grow and become like God. And the way that happens is by using our will power, learn the deeper secrets of the universe and master the art of willful creation. As we get better at creating things consciously, we grow spiritually.

This was a time when I was learning aspects of alchemy (and certain other secret arts) and was pretty successful at manifesting things with mind power and law of attraction and so on and so forth. I had multiple businesses, offices in 3 continents of the world and a fantastic social life.

So what has changed? Not much really, except that along my journey of self realization, along the many paths that I have trodden that took me to extreme highs and lows, I have learnt the greatest secret of them all. The secret that has changed my entire life; from one that was filled with struggle and fight, also money and glamour, along with speed and excitement, to one that is filled with peace and surrender, miracles and magic.

The change happened as I slowly realized that along with the recent global re-discovery that we are indeed in charge of our destiny (and we do indeed create our own reality and there are, indeed, very specific ways of manifesting our dreams using our mind power), we are still stuck in the same basic misconception that human kind has been plagued with for the last two millennia. The misconception is that YOU are a separate being from everything and everyone, from nature, from God.

Now at this point most people who know anything about, lets say, Law of Attraction, as its known by most who take interest in self improvement topics, may be tempted to say that that is not correct. That you do realize we are one. That you do understand your Oneness with God. But do you really? When you practice visualization, create your “vision board”, or perform any other ritual that has to do with manifesting your desires, do you ever take into consideration that what you are asking for may not be the right way for you? That maybe, just maybe, you having a “million dollars” right now may not be in the best interest for yourself? Do you realize that in your quest for realizing your dream, you maybe drifting far off your personal destiny? How would you know the difference? How would you know how all things are interconnected between infinite past and future? How would you know what your responsibility is in this infinitely complex web of time, space and causation? Could it be that your being poor actually serves a purpose for the greater mass? Could it be that you having an accident or even dying could serve as a valuable lesson for others so they may grow? Are you even ready to accept such a concept?

It’s been two millennia of socio-cultural-religious-scientific brainwash that has taught human beings that you are a separate being from everyone and everything. Thing about it: modern man (and woman) is absolutely incapable of experiencing anything other than himself. He may feel compassion, but it is he who feels compassion, which is very different from experiencing what the other person is going through. He may appreciate beauty, but it is he who looks at the scenery and enjoys it, which is very different from the experience of being one with the scenery. Everything is dependent on him existing first, then letting everything else having the privilege of being experienced by him. When he dreams a dream, it is he who needs to manifest his dream, at any cost, regardless of how his dreams may alter the course of time and web of interdependent components. He wants to be rich, right now! He wants to be successful, right now! Regardless of what his responsibilities of learning and growing maybe. What if his destiny is to learn humility? Or patience? Or maybe help some one else learn a difficult lesson by sacrificing his own self? Can the modern man even humor such a strange concept?

Now don’t be mislead into thinking that I am against conscious manifestation of desire. I am not. My whole existence is dedicated to teaching humanity how to redefine reality. It is your birthright to create consciously and I am here to help you learn the art. All the things I mentioned above are possibilities and all can be worked through while having a fulfilling life filled with joy and adventure, but that topic is for another day. Right now I just wanted to demonstrate how difficult it is for our current state of consciousness to experience anything apart from itself.

I know how difficult it is to face everyday with uncertainty. I know what its like to live from day to day not having enough money to even buy food. To be so depressed that the only way out seems like suicide. I know all of that because I have lived through it. And I am here to tell you that there is a middle ground between being desperately helpless and a manifestation zealot. The middle ground is realizing that our human consciousness has its limitation, that we cannot see the infinite interconnection between all things and past and future. That no matter how smart we act or think we are, the truth is we know so very little about the deeper laws of reality, it’s not even funny. That we do live in a very noisy world with an average of 1500 advertisements and marketing messages being bombarded on us each day. That what we think, what we dream of, what we want, what our thoughts are, are not always our own, and most definitely not always beneficial to our own selves.

There is an intelligence that pervades all reality. The Universe is a living organism that we are all part of. God is the creator and IS all that is. God is within you and around you. You are in the heart of God. You are being taken care of and loved beyond comprehension. God became human in you, unfolding through you, everyday. And while you will always have free will to choose your path, just like the ultimate loving parent, God will protect you from going too far off from your personal destiny, one that is not confined within your personal story of birth and death. When you dream, God dreams with you. But sometimes what you want right now is not what is in your best interest, especially when your desires are heavily influenced by socio/cultural conditioning, marketing messages, personal pain or fear.

So how do you manifest your dreams when you don’t even know what the right path is for you? Surrender. Surrender your dreams to God. Pray. Pray in the right way. How to pray? Here is how…

First, go into deep meditation. Meditate to the point where all noise dissolves away. Meditate to the point where you no longer have a name. Meditate to the point where you feel the absolute joy of being One with God. Keep saying “Father, I am your son. You are my Father. We are One. Love me Father. Love me Free. Open my heart so I can feel You. Open my heart to Love. Open me to Love. Love me free my Father so I can feel you, hear you, see you, touch you.” Keep praying till you absolutely feel the joy and love of being One. When you feel it, God is listening to you. It’s the right time to pray.

(Replace Father with Mother if that’s what you are comfortable with, it’s the same thing; choose the one that makes you feel the closest to God in a very real sense. This is not a clever formula to make things happen quickly but to be one with God. When you do that, miracles happen but there is no faking it.)

Second, state your desire. Say “This is my desire I am willing to work for it and grow through it. This is what I think will make me happy. But I realize I don’t know what the best is for me. So guide me my Father. Guide me towards the right path. Show me the right way to take. Send me signs, inspirations, guides and teachers. Open my eyes so I can see. Above all else, I want to love You and be One with You. Guide me my Father through all these dreams and desires so I can find my way back home again. This is what I want, I surrender my dreams to You. Guide me my Father. Show me the way…”

Third, keep praying until you see the signs. They will arrive very fast. But not always what you thought it would be. Follow the signs, no matter how scary. This is detachment. This is surrender. If you follow them, miracles will happen. You will always, ALWAYS win. Sure the path will test you beyond belief, sure everyone will think you’ve gone mad, but you will constantly receive signs and help and teachers and guidance to lead you on the way, through the darkness of the unknown, to a destiny so fantastic that no one could ever imagine. But above all that something more unbelievable will have happened: the world will be a better place because you followed your dreams. Whole humanity will take a step forward because you have awakened. Entire human consciousness will awaken a little more because you opened your eyes.

That is the difference between white magic and surrender. The difference is simple yet it is most difficult to make a part of our life. The difference is realizing that we are all One. That God is truly within us, around us, IS all that there is. That the divine plan is inconceivably bigger than our 3 dimensional existence between life and death. That when we awaken, we will realize, when we realize, we will be able to relax, but until then… we need to surrender, or love, which is really the same thing, when you think about it.

With you always on the way to miracles and love!

Shafin

—
Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
www.redefineyourreality.com

PS: Thanks to Francesca from Singapore for asking the right questions which helped me bring about these answers.

PPS: Suggested further reading:

1. Who Is God?

2. Miracles & Patience In a Spiritual Life

If you are like the rest of the world today, when you hear the words spirituality or spiritual life, you probably imagine monks in a monastery or a naked yogi up on the mountains. We are living in a time when most people don’t even prefer to talk about the word spirit in public as its considered too controversial. Most people, it appears to me, think of a spiritual life to be one that requires sacrificing everything and allows no fun, freedom or passion. The truth is couldn’t be further away! Ironically, as you will realize eventually, a true spiritual life not only takes you to heights of ecstasy you have never dreamed of, it also brings you freedom you could never imagine.

While many schools of thought hold many different ideas, basic spirituality can be summarized as follows:

a. There is an omnipotent intelligence that is the Source of this universe.

b. All creation comes from this divine Source or Energy.

c. The universe exists for a reason and a purpose.

d. Very simply put the reason is evolution. The universe evolves itself from lower states of intelligence and energy to the higher and higher levels until it merges back with the infinite Intelligence that created it.

e. We as human beings have always felt the painful separation from God or the Divine Intelligence since our birth into a body of flesh and bones. Trying to distract themselves from the pain of separation (or more appropriately unawareness), humans have struggled in many different ways. Some of these unfruitful ways are trying to control other people, food, drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, making money (yes that too can be a major distraction) etc.

f. When we find our way back again and reconnect with God, we experience an absolute sense of freedom and peace.

g. Once someone experiences this bliss and enjoys the direct blessings of God, he or she is automatically driven to help others experience the same.

This is the essence and goal of a true spiritual life.

Fascinatingly, as you awaken spiritually more and more, you begin to discover that there are many hidden forces that shape the way your life unfolds! These invisible deeper forces begin to make a lot of beneficial things happen to you, things you may have not even asked for or imagined! These are the miracles that people commonly experience on their spiritual journey. As you focus more and more with discipline and dedication on your spiritual journey, these miracles and serendipities begin to happen at ever greater extents. It’s like God, in a very realistic way becomes a part of your daily life on this physical plane. No prayer is too small, no wish is too insignificant. In the most extraordinary ways all prayers are answered and fulfilled. Something that is beyond the wildest dreams of most people, you begin to enjoy a freedom that is simply incredible!

When people see the yogi on the mountain what they do not see is here is someone who has given up silly little material gains and received a kingdom full of treasures. Someone who has bargained with by giving up the false sense of physical freedom with a freedom beyond time and space. Someone who has traded paltry physical pleasures to receive divine ecstasy! Looking at it this way we may suddenly understand the absurdity of our corporate culture and our struggle to exchange our life for a credit card and a house. This does not mean that to live a spiritual life, you have to give up all your material gains. You can keep whatever you want to, but sometimes it just makes no sense to keep the unnecessary chains of our materially focused societies.

A real spiritual life trains your mind and your senses to go beyond the material obvious and perceive the deeper spiritual truths. Slowly you begin to understand the deeper laws of the universe and use them in your own life. When you get there, your life becomes filled with real magic and miracles. The whole universe seems to conspire to help you achieving your dreams. For now, your dreams and dreams of the universe has become one. They have become the dreams of God.

Shafin

—
Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
www.redefineyourreality.com