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DARE TO SHINE!

Submitted by on December 1, 2010 - 11:21 pm

A few weeks ago, I went to the DMV here in Santa Fe to get my new license plate and drivers license. It’s amazing the feelings that can come with commitment!

While I waited, I glanced occasionally at the TV (which I normally never watch) that was on in the lobby. I managed to ignore the “news” (read my book instead), but when the commercials came on, I was mesmerized.

Thoughts ran through my head like, “That looks like it was shot in LA. Ahhh, familiar streets and cafes. Everyone looks so good!” I even made a game of guessing what neighborhood each commercial was shot in.

Then I volunteered for the local farmers market, and at the meeting I was giving all the women makeovers in my mind. I thought about it and realized it’s not that the women in LA are all naturally more attractive; they just seem to put more attention on their appearance.

I remember living in Boulder before living in LA, and Boulder was more like here. When I got to LA I felt like I needed all new clothes. I drove 45 minutes to take some of my old ones (all in good condition) to Buffalo Exchange, where the woman working made a face and refused it all saying, “Sorry, nothing here is in style.”

Back in my singer/ songwriter days, I had a photo shoot for my CD. When the photographer asked me to wear my own makeup I said proudly, “I don’t own any makeup.” I remember being embarrassed when I saw someone I knew at the mall.

I was into my “natural” look but what I didn’t realize was there are ways to use “natural” products to enhance one’s “natural” appearance– native people were doing it long before L’Oreal came along!

I had no concept of beauty being a gift to the world that would allow my soul’s light to be seen more easily. I wore baggy clothes which hid my body, and even felt irritated at times when I was noticed.

So in many ways I have come full circle, because now I so wish everyone I see would shine! I’m excited when I find a great boutique. I get so sad when someone seems to be hiding their beauty, because I used to do that.

I am forever and deeply grateful for what LA showed me. Yes, it is a very materialistic culture, and yes, materialism has at times gone hand-in-hand with greed, control, and cruelty.

Yet the earth is material. Our bodies are material. Are they “bad”?

Our physical selves are the form through which we express ourselves. So, besides the obvious benefits of physical health, when we cherish our bodies we support ourselves in being more fully all we are in the world.

Imagine the sweetness of a bright-colored rose in full bloom on a gray day– what a gift it is to see and smell! Many people would stop and notice the rest of the garden or even the whole day, just because of that rose.

I have never known a rose to hide, or apologize because it’s so beautiful, or that it stands out on the street. Yet I meet people with these attitudes.

The advertising industry, however, gets it. Put a beautiful woman on any ad and people will look, listen, and likely buy the product.

Santa Fe is known as being a “spiritual” place. Ironically, since I’ve been here, I am less interested in “spirituality”. Maybe it’s the altitude, but I feel more drawn to living a grounded life.

Again, I feel like I’m coming full circle because I have been into spirituality since I was 14 and am in most people’s eyes a very spiritual person. And, with the recent experience of living in a very materialistic city, I see all this in a new light.

Historically, most spiritual traditions have been masculine and they have emphasized transcending the body. Women weren’t allowed (too distracting :) )

In my early studies of Buddhism, yoga and psychic development I received many beneficial things, but very little help with my feelings. I certainly didn’t learn to shine love through my body and bring every cell up to bliss (I figured that out later!)

I realize that for someone new to spirituality, who sees life as black-and-white and completely physical, spirituality might seem “better”. I know in my early days of meditation, I accessed such bliss states that seemed to have no place in my daily life.

But we can only polarize spirit and body, love and money, masculine and feminine for so long before they want to come together. In fact, I think some of the greatest wisdom comes from honoring each unique piece while celebrating all of it!

So, let me ask you, if you imagine a gauge for how much (0-100%) you are “OK” with shining fully in your body right now, what do you get?

If you get less than 100%, perhaps turn it up in your mind’s eye, and see how high you can go. Perhaps ask yourself what you might do today to shine more?

No one ever asked me this, so I am asking you. Shiny people, I hope to see you sparkling, and I bless you in gifting the world with ALL your light!

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Want to use this article in your E-Zine or Web Site? You can, as long as you use this complete tag with it:

Intuitive Healer Ann O’Brien publishes the “Flowering Sol” email newsletter to help you blossom into your light. If you’re ready to open up your intuition and creative power to fulfill your dream life, get your free gifts at www.FloweringSol.com.

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copyright 2010 Ann O’Brien- All Rights Reserved.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

Submitted by on August 13, 2010 - 6:27 pm

At the retreat I attended recently at the Tree of Life I heard Gabriel Cousens talk many times about moving from the Culture of Death (where much of society is) to the Culture of Life (his vision for a healthier possibility). This seemed to so clearly describe something I’ve seen throughout my life, and especially as I’ve traveled this summer.

For almost 20 years I’ve chosen to live in places like Santa Cruz, Boulder, and Topanga (LA) where organic food and spiritual seekers are commonplace. So whenever I leave these spots I admit I have some culture shock!

Since leaving LA 2 1/2 months ago, the thing I miss most are all the bright and shiny, radiant people. I know LA gets criticized for being superficial and materialistic but since living there I am convinced that being beautiful and radiant is the NORMAL way to be.

I’m not talking about fake boobs and plastic surgery.

I have also heard the term “spiritual materialism,” usually used as a criticism, but I am coming to feel like a proponent of spiritual materialism… perhaps in a new way!

I think those who use that phrase critically are talking about those who pretend to be spiritual out of greed, or who are all talk and no action, as an ego-boost rather than a deep soul calling. I’m not a fan of that.

But as I’ve been traveling, I am so yearning to see more light shining through people’s bodies! We are light and so often I’ve wanted to scream, “Let it out!” I love to see people with their lights turned on who are also grounded in their bodies.

Seeing so many people and places, I’ve realized unfortunately how uncommon that is. I’ve witnessed what a mass agreement there is to, to use Gabriel’s words, “the Culture of Death.”

For example, visiting beautiful places like Yellowstone I was saddened to see the cafeterias serving Cokes, chips and sandwiches (white bread and processed meat and cheese), and how grumpy lots of the tourists were. I’d be grumpy too if I ate that! And I’ve seen how having money and opportunity does not always mean enjoying or really HAVING what one has.

We are what we eat and when we eat foods filled with light (living, raw foods) we shine more radiantly. When we eat grounding foods (which may include proteins, root vegetables or whole grains), we tend to be more grounded.

For the record, I have also seen many raw foodists and spiritually-oriented people who seem so far “out there”, in denial or rejection of the body and I’m not a fan of that either!

Every food has energetic qualities which, when ingested, enhance that same energy within you and your body. For example, this is why root vegetables help us root, or why bee pollen and seeds are said to increase fertility.

When one eats mostly processed food with little life force, one has little life force and a feeling of numbness. There is no blame in this. Most of our culture agrees to do this, and so in addition to the vulnerability that comes with feeling, there is also a fear of being alone and disconnected if we don’t go along with everyone else.

The truth is though that once we feel, we connect so fully with ourselves that the world begins to mirror this connection. We may need to make new friends, but those friends are out there!

I’ve realized that most people haven’t even experienced other options. Never mind Yellowstone, go into the typical grocery store across the country and there is very little organic, chemical-free, unprocessed food!

Go into a typical gathering and people are bonding over suffering, complaining together as a means of connecting (if the TV is off and they’re even talking)! When I notice this happening, with my clients or in my life, I tend to redirect the energy because I see so many more life-enhancing ways of connecting and expressing our precious energy.

So perhaps today, ask yourself what type of feeling would make you feel good (for instance: grounding, cleansing, or stimulating?) and then ask what foods seem to match that feeling. Try them and see how you feel.

Ask yourself what patterns you feel stuck in and see if you can cut back on foods you’ve been choosing that seem to match those patterns. For instance, the term “couch potato” is quite telling!

Food or otherwise, are there choices you’ve been making that have been bringing you down? Perhaps today, ask yourself what new choices you could make to enhance your life?

If you don’t know, or need support, I love this stuff and I can help.

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Want to use this article in your E-Zine or Web Site? You can, as long as you use this complete tag with it:

Intuitive Healer Ann O’Brien publishes the “Flowering Sol” email newsletter to help you blossom into your light. If you’re ready to open up your intuition and creative power to fulfill your dream life, get your free gifts at www.FloweringSol.com.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

copyright 2010 Ann O’Brien- All Rights Reserved.

GROUND YOUR DREAMS NOW!

Submitted by on - 5:48 pm

You’ve said your affirmations, made vision boards, and gone to healers and cleared up your childhood and old pain. You feel guided and worthy and you think you do all the “right things” but still your dreams still may not have manifested. Hmmm…

Sound familiar? I have been there and it can be so frustrating!

What I have learned is that we need to not only do our visioning, praying and healing, but that we also need to get into our bodies if we really want to enjoy life. As I see it the Universe is always delivering everything we ask for, but if we are not home (in our bodies) to receive it, it will seem to get delivered elsewhere.

Where would we be but in our bodies? Well, most of us (especially we sensitive types… I know from experience!) daydream a lot. When life pales in comparison to our dreams we plod through the day feeling “spaced out” and in those moments (or hours, or years… hee hee hee) our energy is “out of our body” and even though we have the grandest dream, as long as we are out of our bodies in the dream, it never has to land in our lives. There is no need!

As I shared with the Sweet Surrender class last week, I used to date on the astral (in both my dreams at night and my imagination during the day) because it was easier than dating in real life. Because I am so aware of my psychic experiences, I have felt them to be real and then wondered why my life was the way it was.

For you, it may be your finances, your health and body image, your career or something else. What do you most dream of and where does your life not match?

Now, being naturally sensitive with a big imagination is not all bad and can actually help you bring your dreams into being, if you know how to bridge the two. We are going to address that on the call next Thursday.

Besides getting grounded, if we want to in manifest our dreams I find it hugely and increasingly important to connect with others and open to support. It’s not only easier and more fun, but in these accelerated times creating alone is just too slow, not to mention out of alignment with the community-minded world we are fast becoming!

When I work with clients every week it’s like night and day watching their shifts in just a few months time! For others, months or years may go by before they ask for help.

I don’t think we have months or years anymore to step onto our paths and start living our dreams. That doesn’t mean we need to be perfect, but it does mean start now. Start whatever your heart longs to start and see what happens.

I understand this because I’ve been the one suffering for years before I asked for help, usually because I didn’t even know I needed help or that something else was possible! And then some of us think it’s noble to suffer, or we don’t want to bother anyone by asking for help.

We bother people more by not asking. We bother people by suffering in their presence and we bother people by not living our greatness and not serving in these times of great need.

So if you’re feeling a pull like more is possible in your life or that you could be more fulfilled in ANY way, consider reaching out for support. You don’t need to be suffering first; in fact, if you give yourself regular support you may never suffer again! Can you handle that?

There are many sources of support, of course, but if you’ve read this far I imagine you’ll like the “Ground Your Dreams Into Reality” Meditation mp3. The sooner you commit the quicker your dreams can find you!

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Want to use this article in your E-Zine or Web Site? You can, as long as you use this complete tag with it:

Intuitive Healer Ann O’Brien publishes the “Flowering Sol” email newsletter to help you blossom into your light. If you’re ready to open up your intuition and creative power to fulfill your dream life, get your free gifts when you sign up now.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________copyright

2010 Ann O’Brien- All Rights Reserved.

From Independence to Wholeness

Submitted by on August 1, 2009 - 1:38 am

When I was a singer/ songwriter, I loved driving around the country on my own. I used to compose songs into my tape recorder as I drove (the same one I use now to record readings :) and often had spiritual revelations driving through mile after mile of open space, mountains and wilderness.

That was a great creative period in my life. What I didn’t really see at the time was how much protection I had around me, and how much my identity was build around my distorted concepts of being “independent” and strong.

Sometimes we can get a great healing by revisiting the past. Whether it’s visiting family, an old home or an ex-lover, returning can help us see how we’ve grown as well as helping us call back parts of ourselves we may have forgotten.

Increasingly over the past few months, I have been going through a creative rebirth. I’m thrilled to say that even though I have devoted my life to my creative pursuits in the past, I think my creative energy is higher now than ever before in my life! And it feels like I’m just getting started…

So what has changed in these last few years? Of course, years bring wisdom and for me one of the key shifts has been around updating my concepts of protection and letting go of walls around my heart.

Now, I am discovering a simple alignment with my innate strength, my passion for sharing and the worth of my path, and then opening my heart to co-creation. Truly, there is so much more creative energy available to us individually when we let the Universe dance with us rather than trying to maintain our separateness.

This opening I’m experiencing is even more profound because of all my years of meditation, intuitive training and really “landing” in my body. Before learning how to honor and manage my sensitivity, I wasn’t present enough in my body to have a healthy sense of self, so I think the walls had a purpose. Now, Hallelujah, they don’t! And the party begins.

Because I’m clear on what I’m here for and what I agree to, protection is effortless because I can simply say yes to what aligns with that and “no, thank you” to what doesn’t—whether that means relationships, opportunities, psychic agreements, or daily habits.

Growing up, and certainly before this lifetime, I received a lot of messages that said it wasn’t safe to be feminine, creative, or to shine my light too brightly. I had lifetimes of being controlled, tortured, or burnt at the stake.

This time around, my mother was teased by her brother and controlled by her father, and learned from her mother to say “Yes, dear” and have dinner on the table at 5 o’clock. That may have worked in the ‘40s and ‘50s, but decades later, when she was raising me, women were wanting more yet there were no role models of how to have it.

At that point women went to work and started demanding all the same rights as men. Many women, like my mother, “matched” the male energy of that time to varying degrees, because that seemed like where the power or safety was.

My father grew up poor and had to work hard for what he had, so while he is very creative he felt unable to spend his time that way, nor did he know how to handle his intuitive abilities. Little did he know what he was getting into in having me!

As a bright and shiny little girl I came to him with my paintings and stories and got the message, “Not now, dear, I have work to do.” While he was trying to support us, what I heard was, “Turn down the volume if you want love,” and so I did.

And, we had frequent fire drills and lessons about where to kick a man if he attached me. Again, the intention was to protect but what I got was to be on guard and expect danger… not quite the way I now experience or prefer to be protected, but times are changing!

The night before I left for Colorado I was looking for my maps, and ended up finding old photos from my 9 years of living there. Looking at the photos, I could see so clearly the protection around my body and my energy field, and how it lightened as the years went on.

I had no idea at the time! I kept begging God (or cursing, depending on the day), pleading for love and success but had little idea how I was pushing it away.

Through those nine years I healed myself a lot through singing, dancing and performing. Just to do it and not get burnt at the stake was huge!

That night before I left I also found a home recording of songs I’d written. It was so much fun to listen to that as I drove on this recent trip! I “called back” that creative juice as well as let go of old emotions and attitudes that I heard in the music, or that I remembered as I repeated an old action (taking a road trip). Much of this “calling back” and “letting go” I had already done in spirit, but reviewing the songs, the images, the experience of driving and the geographic terrain really made it REAL for me and has readied me for my next steps.

Since that time in my life I have gotten brighter and shinier and more feminine, so it was almost startling to be out there alone again and see that while according to the old paradigm I might seem like more of a “target,” in fact I had a whole new experience where I felt most free and most powerful—actually SAFER– when I remained shiny and radiant and heart-connected to everyone I met.

Even at the gas station with the bullet holes in the glass in Gallup, NM. Even at the Super-Walmart where families were just getting off work and stocking up on gallons of milk at 11 pm. Even climbing mountains in wilderness with no one in sight.

I recently read an interview with Alberto Villoldo about 2012 in an issue of Awareness Magazine, and was fascinated with these words: “One of the interesting things the Inka say is that there’s “no place in the world” where we’ll be safe. Absolutely no place. But there will be safe people. You can become a safe person.”

I so love and resonate with this, and I am thrilled at having the experience of it. To me it is a feeling of inner wholeness which, on the surface is just a shade away from “independence,” but truly is a world apart.

I know that as more of us find our inner wholeness, and that inherent safety that comes with shining our brightest lights and respecting our worth, the more the world is becoming BEYOND safe… It’s becoming a creative playground and Divine love-fest!

Sometimes it helps to have someone cheer you on. And energy tools such as meditation are indispensable at this time!

If you aren’t sure why you’re here, if your thoughts and feelings merge with other people’s so you’re not sure whose is whose, or if you feel surrounded by negativity and are having trouble keeping your energy up, I have been there and I can support you. It can be scary or the mind can come up with all sorts of excuses why we don’t need help, but what I’ve learned is that the longer you wait the worse it gets and the more it costs- financially, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Give yourself the support you deserve today!

To your radiance!

Ann

copyright 2009 Ann O’Brien- All Rights Reserved.

Getting Free of Old Habits

Submitted by on July 1, 2006 - 1:06 am

This 4th of July I have been spending time with my family in a place they’ve been going for 40 years. Here I am very aware of how much energy can be spent unconsciously repeating outmoded patterns from the past, and how this can hold us back.

Everyone’s on vacation in a small town, but still they find things to stress about. For example, as I write, I am distracted by my mother talking in the hallway. Apparently my 91-year old grandmother has lost her bra, and it’s very important, so four people need to look for it. The way my mom is responding, you would think she set the house on fire.

Earlier this week, my grandmother asked my husband to hang the doorbell out on the porch. This is not a modern doorbell—but literally a bell, about 6” wide, with their name painted below and a rope you pull to ring it. He looks all through the kitchen and finally finds a little bag of screws that say “doorbell screws”. Ah-ha. That took about half an hour. Then he screws the bell back onto the porch.

“Nana, why does the doorbell come down every summer?” he asks. “I don’t know,” she says. But she insists that it has to come down and go back up! Let me mention that no one who comes over ever rings the bell. Today, we asked my uncle why it comes down every year. He said, “I think that’s because it comes down every year.” No reason, of course.

Observing this, my husband told me a story he read somewhere. A man went to for his first holiday meal with his girlfriend’s family and observed her cutting the end off the ham before baking it. He asked why she was doing this, and so she asked her mom.” Her mother said, “I don’t know; that’s how we’ve always done it“ so she asked her grandmother.

Her grandmother revealed: “When I was growing up, our first oven was too small, so in order to fit the ham in we had to cut the end off.” Ah-ha. Never mind that that oven was long gone, and that they had plenty of space now. Never mind all the lost food and energy that went into this year after year. It was ritual, and until then nobody had bothered to question it.

These things may seem little, but as I read people I observe that those who get stuck on one thing like this are susceptible to getting stuck all the time. There are many reasons. Family or cultural programming is a big one. Underneath that is often a fear of really being present, or of not having control. If we constantly keep busy trying to control little details, how much energy is left to really live?

If you ever get stuck in effort, stress over little things, or simply feel you want more out of life, here are a few helpful questions you might ask yourself:

What unnecessary rituals or habits do I repeat? (Look not only at the obvious ones like addictions, but also at the subtle ones like states of mind. If you’re not sure, think of something your partner or someone close to you has told you about yourself recently. They are probably on to something.)

  • Why am I repeating these patterns?
  • How much is this my energy, and how much is it someone else’s?
  • What purposes did/ does this serve?
  • How much of these purpose(s) is based on present time desires or needs, and how much is from the past? From when?
  • Would it serve me to let some of these habits go?
  • IMPORTANT: What would I like to do with my energy instead?

Enjoy what you learn, and blessings on your journey forward as you reclaim your energy!

copyright 2006 Ann O’Brien- All Rights Reserved