Snafus abound but of course, it's another Mercury Retrograde! Took 3-4
of these for me to beleive there really is something to it. Never fails. But
good news is its alot easier if you are aware of it along with the fact that
AFTER a Retrograde things usually move along much smoother!
From astrologycom.com
Mercury Retrograde 2005
Retro Station
Direct Station
Return
26 Sagittarius 43Tue, Nov 30, 2004
10 Sagittarius 27Mon, Dec 20, 2004
26 Sagittarius 43Fri, Jan 7, 2005
14 Aries 06Sun, Mar 20
01 Aries 45Tue, Apr 12
14 Aries 06Sun, May 1
20 Leo 28Sat, Jul 23
08 Leo 45Tue, Aug 16
20 Leo 28Tue, Aug 30
10 Sagittarius 56Mon, Nov 14
24 Scorpio 44Sun, Dec 4
10 Sagittarius 56Wed, Dec 21
On July 23, 2005, Mercury, the cosmic magician, turns retrograde in Leo, the sign of the Lion, sending communications, travel, appointments, mail and the www into a general snarlup! This awkward period begins a few days before the actual turning point (as Mercury slows) and lasts for three weeks or so, until August 16, when the Winged Messenger reached his direct station. At this time he halts and begins his return to direct motion through the zodiac.
Everything finally straightens out on August 30, 2005, as he passes the point where he first turned retrograde.
Mercury turns retrograde three times a year, as a rule, but the effects of each period differ, according to the sign in which it happens.
A planet is described as retrograde when it appears to be moving backwards through the zodiac. This traditional concept arises in the illusory planetary motion created by the orbital rotation of the earth, with relation to other planets in our solar system. Planets are never actually retrograde or stationary, they just seem that way, due to this optical illusion.
Retrograde periods, although often problematic for us earthlings, are not particularly uncommon. Each planet retrogrades, except the Sun and Moon.
As a rule, retrograde planets presage a period of seemingly inevitable or fated events, which relate to their sphere of influence. They present us with a series of events over which we seem to have little or no control, relating especially to the sign in which the retrogradation occurs. For example, Mercury retrograde in Virgo presents quite different sets of circumstances from those generated when it retrogrades into Leo.
A retrograde period is best seen as a cycle, beginning when the planet begins to slow to a halt before travelling backwards through the zodiac and ending when the planet returns to the point where it first paused. However, during the cycle, the planet's energy is most powerful (and more likely to generate critical events of universal importance) when the planet makes a station, appearing motionless in the sky.
What does Mercury affect?
In general, Mercury rules thinking and perception, processing and disseminating information and all means of communication, commerce and transportation. By extension, Mercury rules people who work in these areas, especially people who work with their minds or their wits: writers and orators, commentators and critics, gossips and spin doctors, tricksters and thieves.
Mercury retrograde gives rise to personal misunderstandings; flawed, disrupted, or delayed communications, negotiations and trade; glitches and breakdowns with phones, computers, cars, buses, and trains. And all of these problems usually arise because some crucial piece of information, or component, has gone astray, or awry.
It is therefore not wise to make important decisions while Mercury is retrograde, since it is very likely that these decisions will be clouded by misinformation, poor communication and careless thinking. Mercury is all about mental clarity and the power of the mind, so when Mercury is retrograde, these intellectual characteristics tend to be less acute than usual, as the critical faculties are dimmed.
The key issue here is one of focus. Mercury's retro phase tends to bring unforeseen changes and blockages, but the aggravation and frustration that many of us experience during these periods is often due to our own inability to roll with the punches. Is this due to our ego-fixation? Mercury sets out to restructure our thinking processes and for many of us this is painful and frustrating. Moreover, these experiences reveal flaws in our internal organisation as well as our external planning, which can make us feel foolish and inadequate.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Shame on us
Has always suprised me how complacent our country is regarding
the benefits for working Mothers and maternity leave. I remember
what a big deal it was made of when the maternity leave rights were
extended from 6 weeks to 8 weeks. I wasn't even a mother yet
and I thought, it will be a big deal when it's 6 weeks to 6 months!
Even the so called "Family friendly" political parties have not only
done nothing for the cause, its not even on the radar screen. And its
not just small business owners. I worked for the largest radio company
in the country in Minneapolis and there was NO paid maternity leave.
None. I remember
bringing my children up later shortly after my son was born and my
daughter was just 2 and later being told "Don't bring your children here"
One of the most vile things I had ever heard. But no surprise. Given
the rough and tough, single or divorced atmosphere of the majority of
the staff.
My best friend happened to be the Business Manager. She decided to
take matters into her own hands as she was appalled and embarrassed
by the lack of benefits. She got me a single member plan under the
company for few weeks paid maternity leave and it saved us from
complete disaster. She's now a big wheel in San Francisco and still a
great friend. She'd have done it for anyone too, not just me. She just
wasn't aware of it until I became pregnant. We have along way to go.
Great book on this matter is "Price of Motherhood" - shocking really
how much we are punished in this country for becoming mothers. What
a message it sends! Here's excerpt from article I came across
that at least makes
an effort to finally show where real truly have put our Family Values:
at the bottom. - Mother's don't just accept it. Speak up! Jill
In Santa Fe, N.M., Linda Strauss McIlroy, a first-time mother, is trying to get used to the thought of soon putting her 2-month-old boy in day care so she can get back to work.
"It's hard for me to imagine leaving him," she says. "Just not being with him all day, leaving him with a virtual stranger. And then that's it 'til, you know, I retire. It's kind of crazy to think about it."
Across the border in Vancouver, British Columbia, Suzanne Dobson is back at work after 14 months of paid maternity leave.
"It was great," she says. "I was still making pretty good money for being at home."
Across the ocean, in Sweden, Magnus Larsson is looking forward to splitting 16 months of parental leave at 80 percent pay with his girlfriend. They are expecting their first baby in a week.
The United States and Australia are the only industrialized countries that don't provide paid leave for new mothers nationally, though there are exceptions in some U.S. states.
Australian mothers have it better, however, with one year of job-protected leave. The U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act provides for 12 weeks of job-protected leave, but it only covers those who work for larger companies.
To put it another way, out of 168 nations in a Harvard University study last year, 163 had some form of paid maternity leave, leaving the United States in the company of Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland.
How did it end up this way?
"In Canada, Dobson's feelings about her son, Gavin, and the country's maternity leave rules are a better fit.
"I don't think I would have been ready to hand him over to anyone at six months," Dobson says. "At 12 months, he's a little person, and he can kind of tell you what he wants and doesn't want."
There have been several attempts at introducing paid maternity leave in the United States. The Clinton administration wanted to allow states to use unemployment funds for maternity leaves, but that was shot down by the Bush administration after opposition from business groups concerned with increased contribution to state unemployment funds.
A bill introduced in the House by Reps. Pete Stark and George Miller, both D-Calif., would establish a fund that would replace 55 percent of pay for workers on FMLA leave. Contributions to the fund would come from employers.
the benefits for working Mothers and maternity leave. I remember
what a big deal it was made of when the maternity leave rights were
extended from 6 weeks to 8 weeks. I wasn't even a mother yet
and I thought, it will be a big deal when it's 6 weeks to 6 months!
Even the so called "Family friendly" political parties have not only
done nothing for the cause, its not even on the radar screen. And its
not just small business owners. I worked for the largest radio company
in the country in Minneapolis and there was NO paid maternity leave.
None. I remember
bringing my children up later shortly after my son was born and my
daughter was just 2 and later being told "Don't bring your children here"
One of the most vile things I had ever heard. But no surprise. Given
the rough and tough, single or divorced atmosphere of the majority of
the staff.
My best friend happened to be the Business Manager. She decided to
take matters into her own hands as she was appalled and embarrassed
by the lack of benefits. She got me a single member plan under the
company for few weeks paid maternity leave and it saved us from
complete disaster. She's now a big wheel in San Francisco and still a
great friend. She'd have done it for anyone too, not just me. She just
wasn't aware of it until I became pregnant. We have along way to go.
Great book on this matter is "Price of Motherhood" - shocking really
how much we are punished in this country for becoming mothers. What
a message it sends! Here's excerpt from article I came across
that at least makes
an effort to finally show where real truly have put our Family Values:
at the bottom. - Mother's don't just accept it. Speak up! Jill
In Santa Fe, N.M., Linda Strauss McIlroy, a first-time mother, is trying to get used to the thought of soon putting her 2-month-old boy in day care so she can get back to work.
"It's hard for me to imagine leaving him," she says. "Just not being with him all day, leaving him with a virtual stranger. And then that's it 'til, you know, I retire. It's kind of crazy to think about it."
Across the border in Vancouver, British Columbia, Suzanne Dobson is back at work after 14 months of paid maternity leave.
"It was great," she says. "I was still making pretty good money for being at home."
Across the ocean, in Sweden, Magnus Larsson is looking forward to splitting 16 months of parental leave at 80 percent pay with his girlfriend. They are expecting their first baby in a week.
The United States and Australia are the only industrialized countries that don't provide paid leave for new mothers nationally, though there are exceptions in some U.S. states.
Australian mothers have it better, however, with one year of job-protected leave. The U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act provides for 12 weeks of job-protected leave, but it only covers those who work for larger companies.
To put it another way, out of 168 nations in a Harvard University study last year, 163 had some form of paid maternity leave, leaving the United States in the company of Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland.
How did it end up this way?
"In Canada, Dobson's feelings about her son, Gavin, and the country's maternity leave rules are a better fit.
"I don't think I would have been ready to hand him over to anyone at six months," Dobson says. "At 12 months, he's a little person, and he can kind of tell you what he wants and doesn't want."
There have been several attempts at introducing paid maternity leave in the United States. The Clinton administration wanted to allow states to use unemployment funds for maternity leaves, but that was shot down by the Bush administration after opposition from business groups concerned with increased contribution to state unemployment funds.
A bill introduced in the House by Reps. Pete Stark and George Miller, both D-Calif., would establish a fund that would replace 55 percent of pay for workers on FMLA leave. Contributions to the fund would come from employers.
Energy Shmenergy
Here I was writing for like 3 days straight then whammo, nothing for week.
Will be much easier once the kids are back in school. They are up late for
them (1opm) and up early (8am) and am lovin every minute of it!
The energy continues to be arduous this summer. I swear half the time, I'm
"half here" as are they. But putting our feet in the grass and sitting on the
porch in the morning with my coffee and my lab brings me back!
We have hard ankle pains (like it's been hit with a mallet), shoulder cramp,
and hard tummies around here. Difficulty sleeping for weeks on end and
then stretches where we could sleep for days on end. (I hate that one!
Its hard enough being a Mom!) We have little things "disappear" completely
only to resurface right where we thought they were. In which case, it's so
nice that St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things, is so speedy! Try it,
you'll see (you don't have to be of Catholic Faith)
Jump! Jump! Jump around! Somethings lost and can't be
found, St. Anthony can you help me find__________-
Some days we are super agitated, other days as blissful as a Loon at Sunset
on a calm lake. In and out it goes. Friday my friends tell me is the Portal
of Sirius opening. Sirians are our friends so that's good. And then there's
the anniversary of the Harmonic Concordence coming as well. I just hope
it brings more of the calm, bliss energy. Along with manifestation of many
things we're waiting for. Waiting, Waiting. Literally lifetimes of waiting.
So who's all out there in the Blogosphere stopping by the Emergence?
I know you are there but many wish to remain in the shadows. But if you
wish to stand up and say hello, tell me, how is the Energy treating YOU
these days? Tell me the symptoms you are feeling and anything else new
you wish to share......
Peace.
Will be much easier once the kids are back in school. They are up late for
them (1opm) and up early (8am) and am lovin every minute of it!
The energy continues to be arduous this summer. I swear half the time, I'm
"half here" as are they. But putting our feet in the grass and sitting on the
porch in the morning with my coffee and my lab brings me back!
We have hard ankle pains (like it's been hit with a mallet), shoulder cramp,
and hard tummies around here. Difficulty sleeping for weeks on end and
then stretches where we could sleep for days on end. (I hate that one!
Its hard enough being a Mom!) We have little things "disappear" completely
only to resurface right where we thought they were. In which case, it's so
nice that St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things, is so speedy! Try it,
you'll see (you don't have to be of Catholic Faith)
Jump! Jump! Jump around! Somethings lost and can't be
found, St. Anthony can you help me find__________-
Some days we are super agitated, other days as blissful as a Loon at Sunset
on a calm lake. In and out it goes. Friday my friends tell me is the Portal
of Sirius opening. Sirians are our friends so that's good. And then there's
the anniversary of the Harmonic Concordence coming as well. I just hope
it brings more of the calm, bliss energy. Along with manifestation of many
things we're waiting for. Waiting, Waiting. Literally lifetimes of waiting.
So who's all out there in the Blogosphere stopping by the Emergence?
I know you are there but many wish to remain in the shadows. But if you
wish to stand up and say hello, tell me, how is the Energy treating YOU
these days? Tell me the symptoms you are feeling and anything else new
you wish to share......
Peace.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Lemonade Tycoons
Came home from running errands on what is another hot, humid day in the Valley. I can't recall this many upper 80 or 90 degree days in a row in a very long time. But yet, haven't seen much about it in the news. But then again, I don't watch the news!
Pulling into the driveway we noticed the neighborhood kids had set up a Lemonade stand in the boulevard part of our yard. We face the busiest street and so seemed pretty ingenious to me. Growing up, I would have never thought to actually use someone elses yard for a strategic and all important location, location, location! Of course my 9 year old daughter was more than surprised, she had coincidently already discussed having a lemonade stand to combat summer boredom doldrums. So, she said "Hey, how come they are in our yard?" We chuckled about it and told her to relax they won't last too long in this heat! It was about 3 p.m.
She pulled together an accomplice quite quick (neighborhood classmate buddy) and they decided they would make "Orange Mist" a combination of Sprite and Orange soda. I was impressed. If your going to compete, why not offer something different. By the time they got the all important signage prepared and headed out it was 5 p.m....Peak selling time! An added bonus that they hadn't considered. The competition had left and they were in business.
They lasted about a half hour and had made $1.00 and were pleased. She brought the money to me. For me? I joked. Turns out no, it wasn't for me. It was for our friends 9 year old daughter that has cancer. Her generosity never ceases to amaze me.
She's definetly a Taurus. She'll definetly be a career woman AND a mom. I just hope she's happy. I hope her generation can finally manage to manifest getting us over the chasm. Manage to do away with poverty in the world! Do away with homelessness, hatred, fear, do away with crimes against children that cause more generations of crimes against children. Do away with disrespecting and slowly killing Mother Earth. I told her that there's people who go high up in to the tree to save it from destruction.
And while they are at it, I hope they eliminate materialism and accomplish Peace, prosperity and all that is good. I believe it will happen in her lifetime. Believing is the first step. And I'm always thinking ahead. Hoping for the best.
By the way, in case you didn't know what a neighborhood stryofoam cup of lemonade goes for these days it's a quarter. Used to be a dime when I was growing up....how about you?
Pulling into the driveway we noticed the neighborhood kids had set up a Lemonade stand in the boulevard part of our yard. We face the busiest street and so seemed pretty ingenious to me. Growing up, I would have never thought to actually use someone elses yard for a strategic and all important location, location, location! Of course my 9 year old daughter was more than surprised, she had coincidently already discussed having a lemonade stand to combat summer boredom doldrums. So, she said "Hey, how come they are in our yard?" We chuckled about it and told her to relax they won't last too long in this heat! It was about 3 p.m.
She pulled together an accomplice quite quick (neighborhood classmate buddy) and they decided they would make "Orange Mist" a combination of Sprite and Orange soda. I was impressed. If your going to compete, why not offer something different. By the time they got the all important signage prepared and headed out it was 5 p.m....Peak selling time! An added bonus that they hadn't considered. The competition had left and they were in business.
They lasted about a half hour and had made $1.00 and were pleased. She brought the money to me. For me? I joked. Turns out no, it wasn't for me. It was for our friends 9 year old daughter that has cancer. Her generosity never ceases to amaze me.
She's definetly a Taurus. She'll definetly be a career woman AND a mom. I just hope she's happy. I hope her generation can finally manage to manifest getting us over the chasm. Manage to do away with poverty in the world! Do away with homelessness, hatred, fear, do away with crimes against children that cause more generations of crimes against children. Do away with disrespecting and slowly killing Mother Earth. I told her that there's people who go high up in to the tree to save it from destruction.
And while they are at it, I hope they eliminate materialism and accomplish Peace, prosperity and all that is good. I believe it will happen in her lifetime. Believing is the first step. And I'm always thinking ahead. Hoping for the best.
By the way, in case you didn't know what a neighborhood stryofoam cup of lemonade goes for these days it's a quarter. Used to be a dime when I was growing up....how about you?
Monday, July 18, 2005
Random musings
I can't believe we're on downhill side of July. This summer has really been flying by.
Wondering why I always dread it so much and so many other Mom's can't wait for their kids to be heading back to school around this time. I think our educational system is one of the greatest in the world but still, yet another area that needs a lot of work. School day is far too long for one thing. Just that much more convenient for busy Moms and Dads that both work perhaps? Kids come home spaced out and ready to veg. Yet more and more they have loads of homework when they get home too. Just a few minutes to slam down lunch, shorter and shorter recesses. Let them be kids I say! Life's hard enough as it is. More art. More music. More free time. And more interaction with Mom and Dad. Yes I know, but we must keep up with the Japanese and we're lagging. Well, who cares. The Japanese lead the world in suicide. Longer breaks and shorter school days (5 hours)
Why are alot of Mom's "sit on the side Moms" I wonder? Do they want to sit on the side of the pool and watch their kids play while they sit all primped and dry? At the public pool and at hotels I always wonder why theirs so many Moms observing but not engaging in the play time. Me, I'm a dive right in, try to go down on my belly, lets see how long we can hold our breath kinda Mom. I'm so glad and so are my kids!
Wondering why I always dread it so much and so many other Mom's can't wait for their kids to be heading back to school around this time. I think our educational system is one of the greatest in the world but still, yet another area that needs a lot of work. School day is far too long for one thing. Just that much more convenient for busy Moms and Dads that both work perhaps? Kids come home spaced out and ready to veg. Yet more and more they have loads of homework when they get home too. Just a few minutes to slam down lunch, shorter and shorter recesses. Let them be kids I say! Life's hard enough as it is. More art. More music. More free time. And more interaction with Mom and Dad. Yes I know, but we must keep up with the Japanese and we're lagging. Well, who cares. The Japanese lead the world in suicide. Longer breaks and shorter school days (5 hours)
Why are alot of Mom's "sit on the side Moms" I wonder? Do they want to sit on the side of the pool and watch their kids play while they sit all primped and dry? At the public pool and at hotels I always wonder why theirs so many Moms observing but not engaging in the play time. Me, I'm a dive right in, try to go down on my belly, lets see how long we can hold our breath kinda Mom. I'm so glad and so are my kids!
Saturday, July 16, 2005
power of love
So hard to write these days. Kinda like if you can't say nothing good, don't say nothing at all. Heavy, heavy stuff in news these days so I avoid that as much as possible as well. Saw a great bumpersticker however that I had to share:
When the Love of Power is replaced with the Power of Love the World will know Peace.
When the Love of Power is replaced with the Power of Love the World will know Peace.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Get out of the box!
I've been saying for years that in order to get to the other side of the chasm,
we must "get out of the box" specifically when it comes to do Business world.
Outdated and a system put in place in the 40's I'm always amazed at how little
the work world has changed. In fact, we work HARDER than we ever have and
leave little room for play. Taking work with us on our laptops at the higher end
and at the lower end, minimum wage hasn't been raised in years yet cost of living
has skyrocketed so workers must work 2 and sometimes 3 jobs just to stay afloat.
I've yet to meet many executives and I've met a few way up there on the food
chain of national companies in my line of work, that don't seem to be stuck "in the
box". We have to rethink how we do things on the other side. Came across this
article from Twin Cities EDGE which compliments these thoughts.
Reinventing the BoxFrom the Heart by Alan CohenBusiness guru and bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell tells of a large corporation that conducted an intensive search for employees who could think outside the box. "It never occurred to them," Gladwell notes, "that if everyone had to think outside the box, maybe it was the box that needed fixing."Still, lots of people prefer the box. Hordes of workers trudge daily to jobs they hate because their need for security overshadows their thirst for passion. Too many people stay in emotionally or physically abusive relationships because the known, painful as it is, is more predictable than the unknown. Devotees take refuge in religions that offer them refuge from a wrathful God invented by leaders seeking to control through fear. Long ago a visionary found his way out of the box, but his vision was shrunken and crammed into a jar far smaller than the seer would ever consent to inhabit. Yet millions crawl into it daily and wonder why guilt still feels more real than joy. For many people, the box works. Hollywood producers know the minimum number of explosions-per-action-film to draw adrenalin-hooked patrons to theaters. Fashion advertisers know precisely how far to drop jeans beltlines below bare midriffs to make teenage girls feel as sexy as Britney. Politicians spew carefully chosen emotionally charged catch phrases to pocket terrified voters. Newscasters methodically sift through the events of the day to select the dramas that will keep entire nations trapped in their own version of The Truman Show. Yet for others, the box is far less interesting than what lies beyond it. Some of us would rather surf on the edge of mystery than float aimlessly in a stagnant history. Some of us would prefer to make our own choices rather than default to choices made by others for us. Some of us would rather redefine the box than find a way to accommodate to it. When I was a teenager, I was immersed in Orthodox Judaism. One morning at the Sabbath synagogue service, I was given the honor to stand at the altar with the rabbi and cantor for the reading of the Torah. With great reverence, the holy scroll was ceremoniously laid out on a velvet altar cloth. The cantor brought forth a small ornate silver pointer and began to chant the ancient text. After interrupting the reading for some prayers, the cantor began to run his hand up and down the velvet cloth. Then the rabbi did the same. Finally, the president of the congregation began patting the cloth in like manner. Recognizing that this was obviously an important ritual, and not wanting to disrespect the practice or appear ignorant, I took a turn stroking the sacred cloth. A minute later the cantor smiled and called out, "Ah! Here it is!" and brought forth the silver pointer. The ritual was not a religious ceremony at all; the elders were all just looking for the lost pointer. To mistake a lost-object search for a religious ritual is humorous; to build your life on a truth other than your own is tragic. To follow the footsteps of a great person is wise; to follow them over a cliff is insane. To roll down the side of a hill in a refrigerator box is fun; to live in it is death. The most important thing to know about the box is that it is constantly being redefined by those who do not give credence to it. George Bernard Shaw noted, "All great ideas began as blasphemies." Einstein declared, "Great thinkers have always received violent opposition from mediocre minds." Joel A. Barker recognized, "Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it."Is your life prescribed by a box, or have you ventured beyond it? Is your chosen day big enough to express your potential, or has it flattened to mirror the collective fears of those seduced by mediocrity? Your only chance for joy and success lies in your refusal to live smaller than you are. Who you are cannot be contained in any box, because Spirit is uncapturable. It is oblivious to history, statistics, expectations, guilt, and social reward. It lives for only one purpose: unstoppable creative expression. If it sees a box at all, it is only to reinvent it. The box does not need fixing, because it is not broken. It does not need destroying, because it serves a purpose. Every box contains a gift. When you open it, however, take care to remove the contents rather than becoming enamored with the packaging. The best way to recycle boxes is to turn them into stairs. Open them, explore them, extract their essence until they become passé, and then find a greater one. Then go beyond Malcom Gladwell's advice to seek employees who think outside the box, and become someone who lives life beyond them altogether. Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including the best-selling The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Mr. Everit's Secret: What I Learned from the World's Richest Man. Join Alan this August in Maui for his life-transforming Mastery Training. For information on this program or to receive Alan's daily inspirational quote and monthly newsletter, email info@alancohen.com, phone 1-800-568-3079, visit www.alancohen.com, or write P.O. Box 835, Haiku, HI 96708.Copyright © 2005 Alan Cohen. All rights reserved.
July 2005
we must "get out of the box" specifically when it comes to do Business world.
Outdated and a system put in place in the 40's I'm always amazed at how little
the work world has changed. In fact, we work HARDER than we ever have and
leave little room for play. Taking work with us on our laptops at the higher end
and at the lower end, minimum wage hasn't been raised in years yet cost of living
has skyrocketed so workers must work 2 and sometimes 3 jobs just to stay afloat.
I've yet to meet many executives and I've met a few way up there on the food
chain of national companies in my line of work, that don't seem to be stuck "in the
box". We have to rethink how we do things on the other side. Came across this
article from Twin Cities EDGE which compliments these thoughts.
Reinventing the BoxFrom the Heart by Alan CohenBusiness guru and bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell tells of a large corporation that conducted an intensive search for employees who could think outside the box. "It never occurred to them," Gladwell notes, "that if everyone had to think outside the box, maybe it was the box that needed fixing."Still, lots of people prefer the box. Hordes of workers trudge daily to jobs they hate because their need for security overshadows their thirst for passion. Too many people stay in emotionally or physically abusive relationships because the known, painful as it is, is more predictable than the unknown. Devotees take refuge in religions that offer them refuge from a wrathful God invented by leaders seeking to control through fear. Long ago a visionary found his way out of the box, but his vision was shrunken and crammed into a jar far smaller than the seer would ever consent to inhabit. Yet millions crawl into it daily and wonder why guilt still feels more real than joy. For many people, the box works. Hollywood producers know the minimum number of explosions-per-action-film to draw adrenalin-hooked patrons to theaters. Fashion advertisers know precisely how far to drop jeans beltlines below bare midriffs to make teenage girls feel as sexy as Britney. Politicians spew carefully chosen emotionally charged catch phrases to pocket terrified voters. Newscasters methodically sift through the events of the day to select the dramas that will keep entire nations trapped in their own version of The Truman Show. Yet for others, the box is far less interesting than what lies beyond it. Some of us would rather surf on the edge of mystery than float aimlessly in a stagnant history. Some of us would prefer to make our own choices rather than default to choices made by others for us. Some of us would rather redefine the box than find a way to accommodate to it. When I was a teenager, I was immersed in Orthodox Judaism. One morning at the Sabbath synagogue service, I was given the honor to stand at the altar with the rabbi and cantor for the reading of the Torah. With great reverence, the holy scroll was ceremoniously laid out on a velvet altar cloth. The cantor brought forth a small ornate silver pointer and began to chant the ancient text. After interrupting the reading for some prayers, the cantor began to run his hand up and down the velvet cloth. Then the rabbi did the same. Finally, the president of the congregation began patting the cloth in like manner. Recognizing that this was obviously an important ritual, and not wanting to disrespect the practice or appear ignorant, I took a turn stroking the sacred cloth. A minute later the cantor smiled and called out, "Ah! Here it is!" and brought forth the silver pointer. The ritual was not a religious ceremony at all; the elders were all just looking for the lost pointer. To mistake a lost-object search for a religious ritual is humorous; to build your life on a truth other than your own is tragic. To follow the footsteps of a great person is wise; to follow them over a cliff is insane. To roll down the side of a hill in a refrigerator box is fun; to live in it is death. The most important thing to know about the box is that it is constantly being redefined by those who do not give credence to it. George Bernard Shaw noted, "All great ideas began as blasphemies." Einstein declared, "Great thinkers have always received violent opposition from mediocre minds." Joel A. Barker recognized, "Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it."Is your life prescribed by a box, or have you ventured beyond it? Is your chosen day big enough to express your potential, or has it flattened to mirror the collective fears of those seduced by mediocrity? Your only chance for joy and success lies in your refusal to live smaller than you are. Who you are cannot be contained in any box, because Spirit is uncapturable. It is oblivious to history, statistics, expectations, guilt, and social reward. It lives for only one purpose: unstoppable creative expression. If it sees a box at all, it is only to reinvent it. The box does not need fixing, because it is not broken. It does not need destroying, because it serves a purpose. Every box contains a gift. When you open it, however, take care to remove the contents rather than becoming enamored with the packaging. The best way to recycle boxes is to turn them into stairs. Open them, explore them, extract their essence until they become passé, and then find a greater one. Then go beyond Malcom Gladwell's advice to seek employees who think outside the box, and become someone who lives life beyond them altogether. Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including the best-selling The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Mr. Everit's Secret: What I Learned from the World's Richest Man. Join Alan this August in Maui for his life-transforming Mastery Training. For information on this program or to receive Alan's daily inspirational quote and monthly newsletter, email info@alancohen.com, phone 1-800-568-3079, visit www.alancohen.com, or write P.O. Box 835, Haiku, HI 96708.Copyright © 2005 Alan Cohen. All rights reserved.
July 2005
Take me outta the ballgame!!!!!!!!!!!!
Giving thanks and praise to the guardian angels to saved us from disaster last night
as my 7 1/2 year old son was hit in the head with a baseball at the F/M Redhawks
game. We didn't even see it coming nor did anyone near us. The pitch was 91 mph
and not sure how much speed it still has coming off the bat but let's just say you can
imagine the force and damage that ball could cause to a young mans head or eye.
Nose bleeding even though it didn't hit his nose was mighty scary. Ball stitching
imprinted in the mark. Luckily he stayed conscious.
Inches from his eye, on his right temple, we iced it and had the medic look at it and
then went to the ER for further examination of any fractures or internal bleeding.
Many prayers were silently said as we waited for the catscan results.
Happy to say all was clear.
Life can change in an instant. Parents never really need a reminder of that do we?
It's always there. One second he's talking to me and next he's
screaming oh oh oh as I ran out into concourse with medic running full speed toward
us and am left wondering what just happened???!!!
Can't keep them in a bubble but life
is indeed so precious
and fragile.
I don't need anything to happen to him to have my priorities set
they were already in proper place before it occurred. Why I proceeded to let God
know as I paced in the ER waiting room for 2 hours while he drifted in and out
of sleep from exhaustion.
My children always amaze me. Their spirit. Their heart.
At one point he said to me "Mom, I feel
bad for the batter who hit me. And want him to know I'm okay" Wow.
These kids- they are here to teach US! And later he added after saying it was the
worst day of his life "Mom, I am just glad it happened to me and not you" and
again later before going to sleep, "I'm glad it was me and not anyone else up there"
Signed baseball by the whole team and a note to the team to raise the protective
netting behind the infield and a big, huge sigh of relief and thanks that worst was
over after the impact. Will take a while before it's ever the same at the ol ballgame.
as my 7 1/2 year old son was hit in the head with a baseball at the F/M Redhawks
game. We didn't even see it coming nor did anyone near us. The pitch was 91 mph
and not sure how much speed it still has coming off the bat but let's just say you can
imagine the force and damage that ball could cause to a young mans head or eye.
Nose bleeding even though it didn't hit his nose was mighty scary. Ball stitching
imprinted in the mark. Luckily he stayed conscious.
Inches from his eye, on his right temple, we iced it and had the medic look at it and
then went to the ER for further examination of any fractures or internal bleeding.
Many prayers were silently said as we waited for the catscan results.
Happy to say all was clear.
Life can change in an instant. Parents never really need a reminder of that do we?
It's always there. One second he's talking to me and next he's
screaming oh oh oh as I ran out into concourse with medic running full speed toward
us and am left wondering what just happened???!!!
Can't keep them in a bubble but life
is indeed so precious
and fragile.
I don't need anything to happen to him to have my priorities set
they were already in proper place before it occurred. Why I proceeded to let God
know as I paced in the ER waiting room for 2 hours while he drifted in and out
of sleep from exhaustion.
My children always amaze me. Their spirit. Their heart.
At one point he said to me "Mom, I feel
bad for the batter who hit me. And want him to know I'm okay" Wow.
These kids- they are here to teach US! And later he added after saying it was the
worst day of his life "Mom, I am just glad it happened to me and not you" and
again later before going to sleep, "I'm glad it was me and not anyone else up there"
Signed baseball by the whole team and a note to the team to raise the protective
netting behind the infield and a big, huge sigh of relief and thanks that worst was
over after the impact. Will take a while before it's ever the same at the ol ballgame.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Turning point
Perhaps we are more than half way through the chasm and this is the better
and easier half to get there! Depending on your view point and where you are
along the path I suppose. Some might be closer to the other side than others!
Karen Bishop writes a terrific energy "report" called "Whats up on Planet Earth"
from Arizona at least once a month,
often times lately much more than that. Here's the latest update. Happy
July!
July 1, 2005 The Turning Point
(Although I am unable to answer your questions
and e-mails, I greatly welcome your comments.)
And now, onto the latest energy alert.....
The mid-point has been reached as of June 21
and now we are most certainly "turning" as we forge the way
for the New Planet Earth to emerge in form.
The balance is now wavering as so many have risen in vibration,
along with our planet herself, creating this now much larger
accumulation of light.
The "whirlwind", fast moving, over-stimulating,
too much coming at us energies are still here, but serving a distinct purpose
in this on-going process of human and planetary ascension,
as they will assist in pushing us "OVER".
As the energies escalate in speed and intensity, they are bringing much
to the surface for release, as always, only this time they are designed
to bring much "to a head" as much needs to "crash".
So the current theme, then, is bringing things to a head in order for much
to crash that can no longer survive in this New vibration and New world
that is unfolding for us now. How are these energies and how is this phase
currently manifesting in our lives?
We may feel that there is an unusual amount of activity going on in our lives.
We may feel that there is "too much for us to do".
If you are sensitive, you may be feeling a lot of pressure within and without
for perhaps no apparent reason. Things may feel "out of control".
Again, if you are sensitive, you may feel that things are "falling"
and a strange sense of fear that something is soon to "end".
You may even feel "attacked" as so much is coming at us now and moving so fast.
For sensitives, these shifts can really affect us as we feel so much,
even though what we sense is not particularly in our own arena and reality.
In addition, breakthroughs are also occurring. For the past several weeks,
we had that energy that seemed to be holding us back, as no matter what we did,
we seemed to get nowhere. The energies had been building, were at a sort of tidal
wave spot of an out-of-balance dance, and what was coming ahead for us
had simply not yet been prepared for us to enter into.
As the energies begin to adjust and what is ahead, then, begins to adjust as well,
things are now being more greatly matched up for much of the New to manifest
and finally unfold.
Remember, all time is happening at once.
During this time of reaching the higher realms, we can have experiences of
past, present and future occurring at intervals not matching a linear time frame.
Although unnerving at times, if you understand what is occurring,
it helps to know you are not losing it or developing some kind of mental disorder!
So basically what I am saying is that in the higher realms, all can happen at once
with no linear time, but in addition, as we are in a process of reaching
and evolving into those higher realms, we are also experiencing the evolutionary
aspects of progression with the energies. With the faster moving energies affecting us
for the past several weeks, and continuing to build in intensity,
we are most certainly being supported in this phase of the crashing of the old.
In 2004, while viewing things for 2005 in preparation for writing
the energy alert for the year to come, it appeared over and over
that 2005 would be the year of "destruction".
And remember that this will be the destruction of the old.
And know as well that the old and New are passing like ships in the night.
The crashing and destruction is occurring because, and in tandem
with the arrival and implementation of the New.
This is a perfectly designed process.
How might this unfold as things progress? For example, real estate prices
will most likely continue to escalate, go completely out of control,
and eventually crash. This will affect banking, thus beginning the domino affect
as things begin falling like a house of cards.Our tax structure here in the USA
has been preparing for a crash for awhile.
I have continually seen the IRS coming down and a New structure coming into play
involving a very simple process. One page to be exact.
And know that there are individuals on the front lines paving the way for the New
and that things will not completely implode in this area until the New structure
is completely in place.
This is the way of the ships passing in the night. As more and more of the New
comes into place, more and more of the old will come crashing down.
This is designed so that the process will be as gentle as possible
and we will have a soft place to fall.
And there may very well be a time coming when many
will simply be walking away from the old without trying to salvage a thing;
from their homes, their businesses and their relationships.
The very tiring "hoop jumping" phenomenon is now very prevalent.
Now wired for instant manifestation and creating fresh and new in any given moment
within a "living and being in the moment" reality, having to go through one thing
in order to accomplish another just does not fit us.
It seems we cannot do this until we first do that and on and on,
and this grossly goes against what we are evolving into and what
the New World is about.
The old 3D reality was based on fear and control and created for a very powerless being,
and we are no longer that. "Hoop jumping" feels like molasses,
quicksand, severely heavy and certainly not where we are now finding ourselves
as we enter these higher realms! In addition, as we move more
and more into the higher realms, we will experience more
and more of the "boundary" problem. What is the boundary problem
or new boundary experience? Basically, the veil has greatly thinned.
The density has dropped. Much is available to us now. Much is "wide open".
We think a thought and it appears in form. We are sharing space with
the non-physical beings, as we are now in their higher dimensional "home"
(you may be seeing movement out of the corner of your eyes from time to time
or colors, lights and strange shapes and forms), you think of someone a
nd suddenly feel their presence right next to you or they coincidentally call,
and so on.The boundaries we are used to living in are no longer there.
At physical levels, this can manifest in other ways.
With the absence of the old boundaries, we need only think of someone we adore,
and feel them right beside us. For me, it feels as though they are RIGHT HERE
and it feels very real indeed. While being in this experience,
almost undoubtedly that person will suddenly call or make contact.
But for me, I really feel the experience of having them right there
enjoying their company.This is what being in the higher realms is about.
This is why we will be reunited with our loved ones who have already made their transitions.
We just need to learn to navigate here and also to BELIEVE that we are here.
Once we become accustomed to these newer ways of being,
we will open the doors to even more exciting experiences.
But we must BELIEVE.
The other prevalent theme now is the group energy. As we can no longer do it all ourselves, this rapid moving energy (as well as the ascension process in general) is creating a weary human who is tiring of all the responsibilities. This sets a perfect stage for giving it up and for surrendering to some kind of help.
Letting go of the need to control and trusting that a partner or team will arrive with their own special gifts to contribute is part of the ascension process. Not a new concept here, but one that we are FINALLY ready to embrace and experience. We will go back and forth between worlds as we go back to teach and share.
So here we are, poised again for yet another leap forward in our passions and joys while we also experience this on-going process of human and planetary evolution, expansion and growth.Are you ready to create the New World? Are you ready to make your unique and special contribution through your passion and joy? I thank you for sharing in my joy of being me through this energy alert. Many blessings, much peace, and incredible joy in these miraculous times,KarenWhat's Up On Planet Earth? is a free/donation based energy alert connecting us through information about physical, emotional, spiritual and planetary changes many of us are experiencing , including inspiring stories and suggestions for living in the New evolving vibration and a view of the world soon to come (it's truly beautiful!). And know that although many of us are having similar ascension experiences, we are going through these incredible changes at a time and in a way unique to each of us. To your unending joyful creations!Your financial support makes it possible to continue offering the What's Up On Planet Earth? information free of charge on our web site and through the latest e-mail energy alerts. To make a donation, click here
About Karen: Karen Bishop has had lifelong inner knowing of human and planetary evolution and events, as well as psychic ability and multidimensional access since birth. She possesses a varied background in metaphysical studies and training. Karen left her prior career as a grantwriter, non-profit consultant and newspaper columnist to be in her joy and creativity through creating the What's Up On Planet Earth? energy alerts and web site. She is no longer giving Soul Readings, but is currently working on her book and on-line program"Finding Your Soul Purpose/A Part Of Ascension".To join the What's Up On Planet Earth? mailing list and receive the latest energy alerts, click here.
Universal Copyright 2005 is authorized here. Please distribute freely as long as the URL http://whatsuponplanetearth.com is included as the resource, the material is reproduced in its entirety and distributed on a non-commercial no-charge basis.
and easier half to get there! Depending on your view point and where you are
along the path I suppose. Some might be closer to the other side than others!
Karen Bishop writes a terrific energy "report" called "Whats up on Planet Earth"
from Arizona at least once a month,
often times lately much more than that. Here's the latest update. Happy
July!
July 1, 2005 The Turning Point
(Although I am unable to answer your questions
and e-mails, I greatly welcome your comments.)
And now, onto the latest energy alert.....
The mid-point has been reached as of June 21
and now we are most certainly "turning" as we forge the way
for the New Planet Earth to emerge in form.
The balance is now wavering as so many have risen in vibration,
along with our planet herself, creating this now much larger
accumulation of light.
The "whirlwind", fast moving, over-stimulating,
too much coming at us energies are still here, but serving a distinct purpose
in this on-going process of human and planetary ascension,
as they will assist in pushing us "OVER".
As the energies escalate in speed and intensity, they are bringing much
to the surface for release, as always, only this time they are designed
to bring much "to a head" as much needs to "crash".
So the current theme, then, is bringing things to a head in order for much
to crash that can no longer survive in this New vibration and New world
that is unfolding for us now. How are these energies and how is this phase
currently manifesting in our lives?
We may feel that there is an unusual amount of activity going on in our lives.
We may feel that there is "too much for us to do".
If you are sensitive, you may be feeling a lot of pressure within and without
for perhaps no apparent reason. Things may feel "out of control".
Again, if you are sensitive, you may feel that things are "falling"
and a strange sense of fear that something is soon to "end".
You may even feel "attacked" as so much is coming at us now and moving so fast.
For sensitives, these shifts can really affect us as we feel so much,
even though what we sense is not particularly in our own arena and reality.
In addition, breakthroughs are also occurring. For the past several weeks,
we had that energy that seemed to be holding us back, as no matter what we did,
we seemed to get nowhere. The energies had been building, were at a sort of tidal
wave spot of an out-of-balance dance, and what was coming ahead for us
had simply not yet been prepared for us to enter into.
As the energies begin to adjust and what is ahead, then, begins to adjust as well,
things are now being more greatly matched up for much of the New to manifest
and finally unfold.
Remember, all time is happening at once.
During this time of reaching the higher realms, we can have experiences of
past, present and future occurring at intervals not matching a linear time frame.
Although unnerving at times, if you understand what is occurring,
it helps to know you are not losing it or developing some kind of mental disorder!
So basically what I am saying is that in the higher realms, all can happen at once
with no linear time, but in addition, as we are in a process of reaching
and evolving into those higher realms, we are also experiencing the evolutionary
aspects of progression with the energies. With the faster moving energies affecting us
for the past several weeks, and continuing to build in intensity,
we are most certainly being supported in this phase of the crashing of the old.
In 2004, while viewing things for 2005 in preparation for writing
the energy alert for the year to come, it appeared over and over
that 2005 would be the year of "destruction".
And remember that this will be the destruction of the old.
And know as well that the old and New are passing like ships in the night.
The crashing and destruction is occurring because, and in tandem
with the arrival and implementation of the New.
This is a perfectly designed process.
How might this unfold as things progress? For example, real estate prices
will most likely continue to escalate, go completely out of control,
and eventually crash. This will affect banking, thus beginning the domino affect
as things begin falling like a house of cards.Our tax structure here in the USA
has been preparing for a crash for awhile.
I have continually seen the IRS coming down and a New structure coming into play
involving a very simple process. One page to be exact.
And know that there are individuals on the front lines paving the way for the New
and that things will not completely implode in this area until the New structure
is completely in place.
This is the way of the ships passing in the night. As more and more of the New
comes into place, more and more of the old will come crashing down.
This is designed so that the process will be as gentle as possible
and we will have a soft place to fall.
And there may very well be a time coming when many
will simply be walking away from the old without trying to salvage a thing;
from their homes, their businesses and their relationships.
The very tiring "hoop jumping" phenomenon is now very prevalent.
Now wired for instant manifestation and creating fresh and new in any given moment
within a "living and being in the moment" reality, having to go through one thing
in order to accomplish another just does not fit us.
It seems we cannot do this until we first do that and on and on,
and this grossly goes against what we are evolving into and what
the New World is about.
The old 3D reality was based on fear and control and created for a very powerless being,
and we are no longer that. "Hoop jumping" feels like molasses,
quicksand, severely heavy and certainly not where we are now finding ourselves
as we enter these higher realms! In addition, as we move more
and more into the higher realms, we will experience more
and more of the "boundary" problem. What is the boundary problem
or new boundary experience? Basically, the veil has greatly thinned.
The density has dropped. Much is available to us now. Much is "wide open".
We think a thought and it appears in form. We are sharing space with
the non-physical beings, as we are now in their higher dimensional "home"
(you may be seeing movement out of the corner of your eyes from time to time
or colors, lights and strange shapes and forms), you think of someone a
nd suddenly feel their presence right next to you or they coincidentally call,
and so on.The boundaries we are used to living in are no longer there.
At physical levels, this can manifest in other ways.
With the absence of the old boundaries, we need only think of someone we adore,
and feel them right beside us. For me, it feels as though they are RIGHT HERE
and it feels very real indeed. While being in this experience,
almost undoubtedly that person will suddenly call or make contact.
But for me, I really feel the experience of having them right there
enjoying their company.This is what being in the higher realms is about.
This is why we will be reunited with our loved ones who have already made their transitions.
We just need to learn to navigate here and also to BELIEVE that we are here.
Once we become accustomed to these newer ways of being,
we will open the doors to even more exciting experiences.
But we must BELIEVE.
The other prevalent theme now is the group energy. As we can no longer do it all ourselves, this rapid moving energy (as well as the ascension process in general) is creating a weary human who is tiring of all the responsibilities. This sets a perfect stage for giving it up and for surrendering to some kind of help.
Letting go of the need to control and trusting that a partner or team will arrive with their own special gifts to contribute is part of the ascension process. Not a new concept here, but one that we are FINALLY ready to embrace and experience. We will go back and forth between worlds as we go back to teach and share.
So here we are, poised again for yet another leap forward in our passions and joys while we also experience this on-going process of human and planetary evolution, expansion and growth.Are you ready to create the New World? Are you ready to make your unique and special contribution through your passion and joy? I thank you for sharing in my joy of being me through this energy alert. Many blessings, much peace, and incredible joy in these miraculous times,KarenWhat's Up On Planet Earth? is a free/donation based energy alert connecting us through information about physical, emotional, spiritual and planetary changes many of us are experiencing , including inspiring stories and suggestions for living in the New evolving vibration and a view of the world soon to come (it's truly beautiful!). And know that although many of us are having similar ascension experiences, we are going through these incredible changes at a time and in a way unique to each of us. To your unending joyful creations!Your financial support makes it possible to continue offering the What's Up On Planet Earth? information free of charge on our web site and through the latest e-mail energy alerts. To make a donation, click here
About Karen: Karen Bishop has had lifelong inner knowing of human and planetary evolution and events, as well as psychic ability and multidimensional access since birth. She possesses a varied background in metaphysical studies and training. Karen left her prior career as a grantwriter, non-profit consultant and newspaper columnist to be in her joy and creativity through creating the What's Up On Planet Earth? energy alerts and web site. She is no longer giving Soul Readings, but is currently working on her book and on-line program"Finding Your Soul Purpose/A Part Of Ascension".To join the What's Up On Planet Earth? mailing list and receive the latest energy alerts, click here.
Universal Copyright 2005 is authorized here. Please distribute freely as long as the URL http://whatsuponplanetearth.com is included as the resource, the material is reproduced in its entirety and distributed on a non-commercial no-charge basis.
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