The Power Of Saying Yes In Your Life

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The Power Of Saying Yes In Wholeness

YES is powerful.

But, too often, we think NO is more powerful.

No to others. No to ourselves.

That's an illusion.

YES is what gives us the power to support ourselves, to affirm ourselves.

YES has movement in it. NO is full stop.

The challenge, and yet elegant part of the process, is that when you must say "no" – how do you do so, and still say it as an affirming "yes" to Wholeness?

Ahhhh, now that is the tricky part, isn't it?

Yes Means Yes?

Elna Baker explored this notion in one of her personal life-stories entitled Yes Means Yes? and presented it on stage at The Player's Club, filmed with The Moth, in New York City.

I heard her entire monologue on my car radio while listening to NPR, cruising down darkened roads after seeing the super full moon on San Francisco Bay. It somehow seemed fitting to have this story accompany me on my ride home. (Caveat: there is a "spicy word" spoken, but only at one point in the story.)


Elna Baker discovered that sometimes when she says "no" – she is, in fact, saying "yes" to herself. She is affirming her life choices.

Now Wait Just A New York Minute

You might be saying to yourself, but wait, there are a lot of things to which we need to say "no."

True.

Whenever you say "no" – you could phrase it in a way that supports you. It can be as simple as: I'm not going out tonight (no), because I am going to stay in and rest and care for myself (yes). Obviously, this is an internal dialogue. You don't have to explain this out loud to others.

Furthermore, it doesn't have to do with being a "yes-person" which carries a negative connotation.

Merriam-Webster defines a "yes-person" as:

 
“a person ... who agrees with everything that someone says: a person who supports the opinions or ideas of someone else in order to earn that person’s approval. ”
 

The YES affirmation we are referring to is something that contributes to our well-being. It's based on what is important inside of us, not on someone else's approval. 

How Do We Bring The Energy Of YES Into Our Lives?

For students of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) – Dr. Barbara Ray offers a wonderful, practical way to explore the energy and the meaning of YES in our lives. This applies to whatever degree of TRT® you have studied, because the supportive TRT® hands-on is used by students of all degrees.

In The New Expanded Reference Manual of The Radiance Technique®, Authentic Reiki®, Third Edition by Dr. Barbara Ray, Ph.D. – the entry on YES! is found on page 267:

YES! – A powerful affirmation expressing certainty and emphasis.  Use all twelve TRT® Hands-on positions while saying aloud 'YES' with each position. This exercise will give you a powerful experience of affirming your entire Beingness on all planes and of expanding your Consciousness. Doing the practice on a regular basis will open you to profound Healing/Wholing experiences.

Saying Yes In Many Languages

If your maternal language is not English, just substitute the word in the language that has the most emotional meaning for you.

Or, explore YES in the various languages you speak. Maybe you'll find that one has more meaning for you.

Say YES to your life in Wholeness.

 

Full Moon On San Francisco Bay

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The View From San Francisco Bay

On 12 July 2014, we all celebrated a Super Full Moon. A full moon receives this designation because "the centers of these full moons and the center of Earth are less than 361,863 kilometers (224,851 miles) apart." (In case you're counting...)

According to Science News at NASA:

 
“The scientific term for the phenomenon is “perigee moon.” Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon’s orbit.
The Moon follows an elliptical path around Earth with one side (“perigee”) about 50,000 km closer than the other (“apogee”).
Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon’s orbit seem extra big and bright.”
 

For this auspicious event, I had the good fortune to watch the moon rise from a boat in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Here are a few photos:

San Francisco Bay Works For A Living

As we departed from Sausalito and headed out on the water, a container ship was spotted. Its presence served as a reminder that the Bay is not just for looks and entertainment; it is an active, deep water, working port.

The sun settled down for an evening rest after a long day's work. One of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, touched by the sinking rays, kissed the sun goodnight.

The Fog Comes On Little Cat Feet

Everyone living in San Francisco, for any length of time, becomes familiar with the poem, Fog, by Carl Sandburg. Although he was inspired by fog he saw over Chicago harbor, San Franciscans claim it as their own.

Fog

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

From the clear skies on the Bay, we observed its tendrils quietly stretch over The City. It was a vivid demonstration of how strongly someone's perspective is shaped based on where they are (literally and figuratively).

The Sun Sets Over San Francisco Bay

As the sun set more deeply, a layer of pink icing was added on top of the fog over The City, making everything rosy. Yes, on San Francisco Bay, you can see through rose-colored glasses, without the glasses.

Brightness Of A Full Moon

The full moon was so brilliant, I was almost convinced that it generated its own light. In this photo, it looks like it could be day. I had to remind myself that all this light was in actuality the sun shining off the moon's surface, quietly exerting its influence in the background. In essence, the sun touches both our days and nights.

Back To Sausalito

The boat headed back to the dock in Sausalito. Pink streaks in the sky welcomed us home and the delicate wisps of clouds comforted us as a good omen.

On The Water With The Radiance Technique®

What a gift to have the hands-on of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) when out in nature. On this sunset boat trip, I used my TRT® hands-on in my heart center and in the solar plexus; relaxing with the inner light as I watched the outer light fade from the sky.

My heart was expanded with directing energy to the San Francisco Bay itself – connecting with the super full moon and the sun, and the animals that live in the bay.

Two More Super Full Moons Coming

If you missed this super full moon, don't fret.

Two more super full moons are still to come in 2014: those dates are 10 August and 09 September. Of the three super full moons we will have in 2014, the one in August will be the closest to the Earth.

My rendition of the super full moon across the water.

Moon over the bay

 

Happy Fourth Of July

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Independence Day – Fourth Of July

We love you, Great Britain, but we've got to go.

It's not you, it's me.

No, actually, it is you. And we don't want to pay your taxes. Especially without representation.

We're celebrating our independence from the rule of Great Britain and the birth of a sovereign nation – the United States of America.

A Federal Holiday

Although Independence Day has been celebrated since the 18th century, it was in 1870 that the U.S. Congress made 04 July a federal holiday. It then became a paid federal holiday in 1941. 

We like the paid part. To this day, I can remember my joy at having my first paid holiday. There I was, at home, eating bonbons (well, not really, but it sounds good) and getting paid for it.

Do you remember some of your first paid holidays?

The Declaration Of Independence

Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were among the key players in the creation of the Declaration of Independence. They are considered the founding fathers of the United States of America.

It is noteworthy that Jefferson wrote, "We hold these truths to be sacred and un-deniable..." and it was Franklin who changed it to the phrase we all know:

 
“We hold these truths to be self-evident...”

On 02 July 1776, the Continental Congress of the American colonies voted in favor of independence from Great Britain. Two days later on 04 July, the delegates ratified and signed the Declaration of Independence.

The 4th of July is the day celebrated as the birth of American Independence. As a significant patriotic holiday, its most common symbol is the American flag. The word “patriotism” comes from the Latin “patria” meaning “fatherland.”

Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson working on the Declaration of independence.
Painter, Jean leon gerome ferris, 1900

 

The 2nd Or 4th Of July

Humans wouldn't be humans without disagreement. Some founding fathers, John Adams in particular, believed we should celebrate the 2nd of July, when Congress first voted in favor of the resolution.

In fact, as a protest, even when personally invited, Adams refused to join any 4th of July celebrations. 

Oh my.

But here's a little Twilight Zone moment.

John Adams died on 04 July 1826 at the age of 90. 

Coincidence? Or did his spirit, in some fashion, relent and claim the 4th of July by dying on that day?

However, the plot thickens. Thomas Jefferson also died on the exact same day at the age of 83, just hours before John Adams. 

04 July 1826.

Relax Into The Red, White And Blue

For the Fourth of July, students of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) can relax and enjoy some TRT® hands-on. You might even bring the principles of the Declaration of Independence to your meditations. What do they mean to you?

 
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
— Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
 

This preamble is considered an enduring statement of human rights and a moral compass for the United States. All men are created equal has been called "one of the best-known sentences in the English language."

Students who have studied The Second Degree of The Radiance Technique® can direct energy to the founding of this country. You could also direct energy to a person from the past who helped create the Declaration of Independence.

Do you have a favorite founding father?  

Thomas Jefferson? Benjamin Franklin? Or fiercely stubborn John Adams? 

Enjoy your 4th of July holiday.

And oh, by the way, we still love you, Great Britain.

I remember singing this song with the high school choir, our music director waving his arms with gusto. Over these many years, I would often sing the opening line to myself.

Be sure to take a listen.

 

Happiness In Balance

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Happiness In Balance

A fellow meditator on Insight Timer shared with us:

“Happiness is being free from Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness, Grief.”

Immediately upon reading this, questions started to percolate inside me. I launched an exploration of ideas.

Happy Or Sad

Happiness is part of a pendulum that swings from happy to sad, always in motion, always with the knowledge that no matter where you are on the pendulum of happy, sad is on the other side, waiting for you.

The same is true when we are in sad, but from that perspective, it is sometimes hard to remember that happy is also waiting for us.

As long as we are in a human form, we are never free from either sadness or happiness. These feelings are conditions of the emotional body. If our emotions cease to exist, so too, will the human form.

The fact that we are here on this planet, means we are going to experience happiness as well as anxiety, depression, loneliness and grief. It's all part of the package.

We seem capable of getting stuck on sad for a long time, but it's interesting to note there are not so many reports of getting stuck on happy. 

The Story Of A King

The idea of impermanence and the pendulum of our emotions is often captured in the Zen phrase "this, too, shall pass."

Sufi and Zen stories, and biblical parables as well, tell of a great King who was given a ring with this phrase inscribed inside. In either moments of joy or sorrow, he would look at it and be reminded of impermanence.

Here is a link to one version of the story:

“According to an ancient Sufi story, there once lived a king in a Middle Eastern land. The king was continuously torn between happiness and despondancy. The smallest things could make him really upset or give him an intense emotional reaction, so his happiness easily turned into disappointment and despair. One day the king got tired of himself and started seeking a way out.

He sent for a wiseman living in his kingdom. The wiseman was reputed for being enlightened. When he arrived, the king said to him, “I want to be like you. Can you bring me something that give balance, peace and serenity in my life? I will pay whatever price you like.”

The wiseman replied, “I may be able to help you, but the price is so great that not even your kingdom would be enough payment for it. Therefore I will give it to you as a gift, if you will honor it.”

The king gave his assurances, and the wiseman left. A few weeks later he returned, and handed the king an ornate box carved in jade. The king opened the box, and found a simple gold ring inside. The inscription on the ring read, This, too, shall pass.

”What is the meaning of this?” asked the king.

The wiseman replied, “Wear this ring always. Whatever happens, before you call it good or bad, touch the ring and read the inscription. That way, you will always be at peace.”

Balance Between Happy And Sad

With ongoing use, The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) provides a supportive tool for deepening and expanding your awareness. 

Whatever you are experiencing – happiness or sadness – TRT® is there for you. With your use of TRT® hands-on, you access universal energy to apply to your own personal situations. Use of TRT® helps bring balance to your emotions, helping you to center yourself and see the bigger picture.

Use of TRT® provides you inner support and balance whenever you find yourself in a position that you need to say, "this, too, shall pass."

This, Too, Shall Pass

Walking carefully, we realize that enlightenment does not eliminate our human daily life. Someone may be enlightened, and yet they still have a human form and still experience the wide range of human emotions. 

All of our emotions, however, are not who we really are. They are something happening, almost accidentally. They are on the periphery. We are in the center, the observer.

"This, too, shall pass" is a bridge to higher wisdom. It can take us to a point of transcendence in our awareness.

We may even find that happiness embraces sadness and sadness holds within it happiness.

 

Summer Solstice Abundance

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Summer Solstice Is Here

Summer kicks off with the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year.

During this time of expanding light in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun pours out its energy. As we move deeper into summer, the Earth responds with greater abundance.

Abundance Of The Farmers Market

One of the joys of summer is the farmers market in Davis, California. In this part of the state, we benefit from the wide variety of produce from the Central Valley basin as well as its long growing season.

Now that I've started canning and preserving, it's a blessing to have organic produce. Turning a delectable bounty into delicious jams means we'll have a bit of summer sunshine during the winter.

Canning Cherries

The organic cherries have just finished at the market. I was able to find time to make cherry-chocolate jam, cherry-port wine jam, and cherry-lemon marmalade. The cherry-chocolate jam is spoon-worthy. It's so good, you can eat it by itself, right out of the jar.

If someone ever gives you their own home-canned cherries, know that they hold you in high esteem. Canning cherries is a labor of love when you pit each and every one of them by hand.

Happily, even with all the detailed work involved, the Radiant Touch® that is within the hands-on of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) was there with me while I held each cherry to extract the pit. The radiant energy accessed by TRT® went right into the jams I made.

What a loving gift to bring to our food.

Summer Time And The Living Is Easy

How do you experience the summer season?

More time for vacations? Spending more time outside? Gardening?

How about a summer solstice at Stonehenge?

The Abundance Of Summer

An abundance of sunlight translates into long, warm days. Summer stone fruits and berries fill our markets. We luxuriate as we swim in pools and lakes and read books while we swing in hammocks. We take extra time for rest and relaxation. 

Our hearts respond to the abundance of the season.

In The New Expanded Reference Manual of The Radiance Technique®, Authentic Reiki®, Third Edition by Dr. Barbara Ray, Ph.D. — the entry on Abundance is found on page 27:

“ABUNDANCE – Means great plenty and overflowing quantity. In higher consciousness, “abundance” is a quality of universal energy. With this technique you are accessing an energy which is limitless.
You can use this technique any time, any place as frequently as you choose and there is always universal, Radiant energy abundantly available to support you on all planes of your Being!”
— Dr. Barbara Ray, Ph.D.

As students of The Radiance Technique®, we can set aside a bit of vacation time for some dedicated TRT® hands-on to expand the energy of abundance in all areas of our lives. 

Enjoy the abundance of summer.

 

Marsh Wren Competes With Van Damme

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A Marsh Wren And The Joys Of Nature

This humble marsh wren is certainly talented. I adore its little mouth, wide open as he sings at the top of his voice. With gusto, as they say. All this, while doing the splits on cattail reeds.

No one can accuse this little bird of not fully participating in the moment. It warms my heart every time I see his photo.

Nature And The Radiance Technique®

Connecting with nature is one of the more healing things we can do. Deepen that connection by using The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) while in nature.

With The First Degree of The Radiance Technique® – apply TRT® hands-on for yourself and expand your awareness and love of nature.

With The Second Degree of The Radiance Technique® – you are able to direct radiant energy to different animals or flora without the need to actually touch them. This gives you freedom to serve and help in many ways.

Jean Claude Van Damme In Epic Volvo Ad

When I saw the marsh wren tweet by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah – I couldn't help but think of the Jean-Claude Van Damme video with his epic splits on two Volvo trucks. Van Damme's splits are crazy impressive, but I must say this little marsh wren is giving him some competition.

Personally, I find Van Damme's splits compelling at the age of 53. The Volvo advertisement picked a captivating choice of music, Only Time, by Enya. Two perfectly positioned 18-wheeler Volvo trucks roll smoothly backwards with early light gleaming off golden paint as the sun rises across the landscape of Spain.

All rather epic.

I Confess, I Used To Drive A Volvo

To be honest, I'm probably a bit partial to the Van Damme/Volvo video because I drove a Volvo S-40 T5 AWD for nine years, that I first picked it up in Germany.

I drove that Volvo all over Europe for 4 wonderful years. What an awesome piece of machinery on the German Autobahn. I definitely miss driving 100 mph in the early morning on an empty, silent Autobahn that had no speed limit. But, that's a story for another time.

Traveling the highways in Europe, I was always a bit surprised to look up to see big rigs with the mark of Volvo or Mercedes Benz. I'm used to seeing those marks on cars in the U.S. – but not on long haul, transport trucks.

In the video, Volvo shows off the impressive and steady precision of its big rigs.

Back to the topic of splits – I dutifully acknowledge anyone who can do the splits, no matter the species. I will admit that I (at any age) can't do anything vaguely resembling proper splits, even standing still in my living room, much less on moving trucks or slim reeds in cattail marshes.

Between the two of them, Van Damme and the marsh wren, I'm not sure which one has outdone the other.

Here's a link to the song of a Marsh Wren so you can be alerted when one is near and perhaps observe its lovely splits.

 

Hummingbird aka Kiss-Flower

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Hummingbirds And Honey Bees

Getting ready for work one morning, I looked out my kitchen window and spied a hummingbird flitting amongst the flowering bushes in my backyard.

As the hummingbird lifted up from sipping a flower, it stopped mid-air. A honey bee had appeared and the two of them hovered in space directly facing one another. Long moments passed while they had, what appeared to be, quite a serious conversation.

Inter-Species Conversation

It was amazing to see this take place, suspended in the air, right in front of me. Remarkable, because hummingbirds and bees are some of the rare species that can actually hover.

They both flew a few inches further and then stopped again, bee nose to hummingbird beak. It would appear there was more to say. It really did seem that they chatted with purpose and intensity.

Then, the honey bee buzzed off into space and the hummingbird zipped back to another tempting flower. I couldn't tell who had the final word.

For the rest of the morning I wondered what that conversation was all about. Perhaps they were discussing the merits of the nearby flowers. Perhaps they were disputing territorial rights. Or, perhaps, it was a simple inter-species conversation of, "Hey, I see you. You can hover too!"

One of the unsolved, only witnessed, mysteries of nature.

Also Known As Kiss-Flower

One of my friends, whose heritage hails from Portugal, informed me that the word for hummingbird in Portuguese is "beija-flor."  This translates literally into "Kiss-Flower."

Talk about poetic language. "It was delightful to see a Kiss-Flower in my garden today."

Connecting With Nature With TRT®

When you're outside, you can use The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) to expand your awareness of nature. It's possible to deepen your connection with plants and wildlife through the use of TRT® hands-on while observing the many creatures who share the planet with us.

There is much to be learned from nature, even in our own backyards. As we watch hummingbirds and honey bees flit from blossom to blossom and listen to their buzzing sounds as they zoom here and there, our hearts are reminded to rejoice in the natural beauty that surrounds us.

May you be blessed with many Kiss-Flowers (beija-flores – hummingbirds) and honey bees in your garden.