Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Judgment

I am a parent council representative for my child's class. Once a month, parent council gets together to discuss anything from dress code to how to bring our community closer together. At one of the meetings, we were discussing nutrition and kid's lunches. Lots of us who pack lunches take tremendous pride in packing a very nutritionally sound lunch for our children. One of the women there mentioned how she helped in the classrooms and noticed that a particular lunch looked somewhat odd. A few weeks later, she had the same child over to play and realized that he had a swallowing problem which explained the contents of his lunchbox. She never judged the contents of the lunch box for a moment. I would imagine she would have felt terrible later if she had passed judgment on him or his parents.

I read a Facebook comment the other day that said "those of you who say God won't give you more than you can handle then I want their God". I thought about that statement a lot. Is God also being judged? The perception of some is that God will give you only what you can handle, some believe that God will give you more than you can handle and some feel that God doesn’t have anything to do with what’s coming your way. Some actually believe that you are the creator of your destiny and God is the all-encompassing being lovingly guiding you along the way.

I feel it is human nature to notice things and compare; she’s got this but I don’t or I have that and he doesn’t. After I lost Isabella, someone asked me if I found it hard to look at pregnant women or newborn babies. Although the thought of that had really never crossed my mind, I still answered "Isabella's loss for me may be the birth of a fourth child for someone else". In other words, for someone else the challenge may be in having more kids.

I feel that when a judgment is rendered, a boundary has been crossed. I love the phrase; “to each his own”. It’s so simple yet so true. If we all lived with an awareness of doing what is right for us without worrying about anyone else that would allow us to live with incredible inner peace.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this so please comment below, email me to mary@marysalfi.com or find me on facebook by becoming a fan of marysalfi.com

If you’d like to learn more about events and classes please sign up for my newsletter at www.marysalfi.com

In peace,
Mary

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Clutter Be Gone

I attended a fantastic book club last night. It was a group of people who came to discuss Ram Dass' book "Be Here Now". As with any group of thinkers we discussed the book some and then moved into many other thought provoking topics.

The one idea that really stuck with me is when someone said "when you change, then your perception of others also changes". In other words, if I'm happy then I see everyone around me as being happy and vice versa. Wayne Dyer talks about changing the concept of yourself to be able to elevate your life to a higher place. You must change the concept of who you believe you are. Maybe when we’re happier then people who do not carry the “happy” vibration become invisible to us or maybe their unhappiness is what becomes invisible to us.

I truly believe that we attract what is a vibrational match to us which is why I like to always take an inventory of who and what is in my existence. I also believe that there is a constant exchange of energy going on between ourselves and our environment. You know the times that you walk into a room and all of a sudden you feel that there’s a pit in your stomach because the energy is so thick. My favorite is walking in the mall around the holidays when everyone is frantically trying to buy the perfect gift. I can tell you that I don’t last more than 30 minutes in that space without getting a headache.

This morning when I walked into my office I realized there was no way any thoughts coming to me unless my space was cleared. By going through the mail, paying the bills and filing away papers I was able to energetically clear my space. Your closet is a perfect example of where energy may become stagnant. As adults, we don’t tend to fluctuate in weight or shoe sizes much which also allows us to hold on to so many items that we are just waiting for to come back in style because sooner or later they must. I say “donate them” It’s time to de-clutter and move the energy. De-cluttering allows space for something new and better to enter into your life.

We recently took down all the child gates we had up. One afternoon I was walking into the house with our 4 year old, he stood right at the spot where the gate had been taken down and declared “mom I just love this house, it feels so good”. What was interesting about that was that I had the same thought of how much better the house felt without the gates up. It felt more serene than it had in years even though we have 2 rambunctious football-loving boys! The simple act of removing the gates allowed the energy to flow more freely and create a better feeling environment.

The concepts of Feng Shui will talk to us about arranging furniture in a certain way or using colors in certain rooms or clearing areas … etc. to enhance the energy of our space which in turn will affect our life. So if you’re single and would like to be in a relationship then maybe you could clear out a space in your closet or you may start sleeping on one side of the bed only dedicating that space to the partner you’d like to have. We may find that a fresh coat of paint in the kitchen encourages us to cook more or rearranging office furniture inspires us to write and so on.

I would recommend that you take a look at the energy that is part of your life. Everything has energy associated with it. What kinds of shows or movies do you watch? Are the books you are reading serving your highest good and elevating your energy? Are the people you hang out with uplifting and great for your soul? So many times we do the same things over and over either because we don’t know how to get out of the situation we’re in or don’t know how to say no because we don’t want others to feel bad. I would encourage you to start checking with your gut as to how things feel and only allow into your experience that which propels you upward and into that fantastic vibration you’d like to be in.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this so please comment below, email me to mary@marysalfi.com or find me on facebook by becoming a fan of marysalfi.com

If you'd like to receive information about upcoming classes and events please sign up for my newsletter at www.marysalfi.com

Less cluttered!
Mary

Monday, January 18, 2010

Taking a break!

Have you ever had the feeling of being totally out of control or of not having enough hours in the day to accomplish your goals? Well that's been me this afternoon. If I could, I would’ve extended the hours of today by about 5 to finish everything on my to-do list.

I'd like to spend a moment talking about that never-ending to-do list. Doesn't it seem like that list never gets finished? All that happens is that things keep getting added to the bottom of that list. I had a very relaxed morning followed by a fantastic time at the National Western Stock Show with my kids. For some reason though, as soon as I walked in the house I decided that I needed to get everything done. I’ve always believed that we can take on the energy of everything around us. Maybe the buzz of the stock show turned into a buzz in my system where I felt like things were spiraling out of control.

I really don't like this out of control feeling so I decided that the best remedy for this would be a meditation. My husband walked through the door this afternoon and suggested that I go take some time to "chill" after one look at me. I took advantage of his gracious offer and took about 45 minutes to come back to center. I sat in a chair and did nothing but relax allowing myself to dispense of the buzz.

It took me years to recognize when it was time to take that break and just sit down. My mom has told me to stop working and "doing" at 7 pm for years. She says the work will be there in the morning but your grumpiness will have gone away. I joke about mothers being a know-it-all but we are! The wisdom of a mother especially one in her sixties is priceless. If only I had listened to that wisdom when my kids were babies maybe my memories wouldn't be about being tired all the time.

Allowing myself to let things go has been one of my major lessons in life. My husband will recline his chair, look at me and say "this is how it's done” with a smile on his face. He's been trying to get me to "chill" for about 12 years now and tonight I can say that I passed the test! I reclined my seat and sat in it as long as it took for me to feel rejuvenated and guess what the laundry basket was in the same exact condition I had left it in but now I was folding without the grump.

My sister-in-law says she hasn’t gotten sick in years because she stops everything she is doing and takes a break when she feels something coming on. I have thought about that statement since she said it to me 2 months ago. I decided to try her theory out and guess what it worked! My remedy now for feeling run down is a hot, bath with detoxifying bath salts. I sit in that tub until I feel that my body completely sweats out everything that is not serving it. Maybe the inventors of the sweat lodge were onto something.

I have meditated daily for at least 4 years now but sometimes it feels like I need a little TLC from me to me. Tonight was certainly "a be nice to yourself night" and I am so glad I was.

I would love to hear your thoughts on how you treat yourself kindly. Please leave a comment below, email me to mary@marysalfi.com or find me on facebook by becoming a fan of marysalfi.com

If you'd like to get news about classes and events please sign up for my newsletter at www.marysalfi.com

With Peace!
Mary

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Dreams

Have you ever woken up in the wee hours of the morning going what in the world was that dream all about? Well that was me at 4:30 am this morning. I felt like I was taken on the most incredibly convoluted ride ever. My friend Jacqueline and I are "dream interpreting" buddies. I was so close to calling her at 4:35 am but decided I would let her sleep being the super thoughtful friend that I am.

It got me thinking about how many of you out there are having wild dreams without any way of interpreting them. This blog is going to be more of an informational guide to interpreting dreams. It will not be complete by any stretch of the imagination but it should get you going.

Dreams are a great way for our Spirit Guides to communicate to us and offer us guidance. A dream may be a premonition, an answer to your question/problem or a reflection of what your subconscious is really up to. I've told many a client if you'd like to know the answer to a question then meditate on it 5 minutes before going to bed and within a few days the answer will be revealed to you.

We have a dream about every 90 minutes so depending on how long we sleep for we could have up to 7 dreams a night. The dream we have in the early hours of the morning (5 am) is usually the longest and most significant. I find though that if you are meant to remember a dream you will wake up regardless of what time it is. We tend to forget the majority of our dream about 10 minutes after waking up so having a dream journal next to your bed and recording it right away may be a great idea. Having a journal may reveal to you a trend in your dreams which may be helpful as well.

A great introductory book to dreams is "The Mystical Magical Marvelous World of Dreams" by Wilda B. Tanner. I found it very helpful and insightful when I first started tapping into this realm. I would also highly suggest you get a book called "Animal Spirit Guides" by Dr. Steven Farmer. Many times we dream about animals and having a book interpreting their message for you seems to help out a lot. Also, I would highly recommend a book on numbers. I use "Simply Numerology" by Anne Christie as well as "Angel Numbers" by Doreen Virtue. We sometimes see numbers in our dreams so a book helping with that is also helpful.

Dreams may have so many components to them that breaking them down into pieces is a great idea. So if you see yourself being guided by a lion and then see the number 1845 then a way to interpret this dream is to look up what lion means in your animal book and then what the number 1845 represents in your numerology book.

What I found interesting was the thought that every person, thing or animal we see in our dreams is a representation of some aspect of ourselves. So if you see bird and you interpret that as freedom then that may represent your side that cannot be contained. This is a key point in interpreting dreams; it’s how you feel about it. A friend of mine dreamt of caring for a cat instead of a dog. For her cat meant being more selfish because they are more self-sufficient. For me, a cat is sneaky and aloof where dog represents loyalty, unconditional love and best buddies. Think about how you feel about what you’re seeing in your dream as well as your feelings during the dream.

There are some common themes in dreams that most dream interpreters agree on and I'll include those in the following paragraphs:

Finding ourselves in the dark in dreams is an important clue which suggests we don’t have enough information. We may see a train coming off the track when we ourselves are “off course” or “off track”. I used to have a recurring dream where I was driving up a mountain an all of a sudden the mountain turned into a cliff where I was driving upside down on the cliff and was going to fall at any moment. I dreamt this on and off for years and it finally stopped when I quit my job as an Engineer and started doing all of my psychic work. I think the meaning of that dream for me was that if I kept doing something I didn’t enjoy it was going to be like falling off a cliff and possibly dying. The dying would be an emotional death and not necessarily a physical death.

A dream of getting into an accident may mean that you’re driving yourself too hard and you’re not taking the time to contemplate and address issues. It could also be telling you that if you don’t slow down then you will end up in a wreck. Dreams of death could represent a rebirth for you or the death of a phase in your life; the ending of something. Dreams of being chased are a reflection of the dreamer’s feelings of insecurity. The dreamer is running away from something.

The scenery or feeling of a dream is important to look at as well. If you see an ocean with big, crashing waves then that may represent a turbulent time in your life or emotions. Water is a representation of emotion so seeing clear, beautiful water is very different then seeing murky, dark water. If your dreams are fragmented and inconsistent then that may indicate that your emotions are all over the place and you may need to regroup and start fresh. Seeing yourself sedentary in a dream may mean that you are not motivated. Seeing an animal not acting in a characteristic manner is important to look at as well. For example, seeing a squirrel not moving may mean that you are sedentary as well.

In our dreams a building or parts of it could represent us. Some interpretations say that buildings represent the dreamer's body or the thoughts we feel about something. Seeing a basement may represent your deepest thoughts whereas dreaming of an attic represents your higher self. Seeing a factory may represent your thoughts about work, a church may be your religious views and a cottage could be your feelings about family life.

The condition of a building or room is important to look at as well. If the building is new and pristine it may mean that you’re on the right track with something or that your thoughts about it are too sterile. A building that is old and run-down may mean you need an overhaul to your thoughts or that you are tired and worn out from thinking about something. I once dreamt that I was in the basement of the house we’re currently living in but I kept finding hidden rooms that were massive and really nice looking. I took that to mean new ways of thinking were coming my way or that I needed to be more open-minded to ideas.

I know this was a lot of information to look at but it certainly was not entirely comprehensive. I wanted to give you something to get you going and thinking about your dreams and what they may be trying to tell you. They are a fabulous source of information available to you every day and best of all they are free!

If you have any comments or questions I’d love to hear from you either by leaving a comment below, emailing me to mary@marysalfi.com or finding me on Facebook by becoming a fan of marysalfi.com

As a side note for those of you living in Colorado my classes are starting up this month. Join me for a Morning of Meditations on January 23, 2010. Check my website at www.marysalfi.com/Classes.html for more information.

Dream well,
Mary

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

When did it all change?

Do you remember when you came home from school one day and you told your mom "nobody likes me!" and she replied "everyone loves you!" Or when you told her "I can't do this!" and she said "of course you can; you can do anything you put your mind too!" I’m sure some of you totally relate to these questions.

My oldest son is 6 years old and he is extremely anxious about being late to school. Our mornings are spent trying to prevent the anxiety attack from coming. This morning on our way to school he starts freaking out declaring that we’re going to be late so I of course started explaining the concepts of quantum physics to him. I told him we just needed to warp time to get there when we wanted to. I continued to say to him that life is about faith; it's about believing that you can accomplish what you want and you will. I got our youngest son involved too and we all started saying the phrase "we are going to get to school on time" over and over until we moved to the phrase "we are on time" which is a declaration of the accomplishment. I explained to my son that if you truly believe that you will get there on time then the light will change to green as you're approaching it and traffic will magically move faster allowing you to reach your destination on time. Of course, my son was skeptical about the whole theory as he was chanting "I think I can" of course I corrected that to become "I know I can". I bet you're wondering if we got there on time.

I thought when does this idea of being able to accomplish anything we set our mind to start changing? Is it when we're teenagers and our mom's are giving us the same pep talk but we're too "smart" to listen to "her". Really what does she know anyway? When did we move from "the world is my oyster" to "I have to be reasonable, accept the situation I'm in AND be thankful for it"?

My brother and his wife had a beautiful baby girl a couple of months ago so we went to meet her in Arizona recently. As a side note, she is too cute and the whole family is in love with her. Her toothless smile makes you realize that joy is truly in the simplest things. My brother and I decided to work out so we go to his neighborhood facility. He was shocked to see that every machine was occupied until he realized that the date was January 2 which is when he declared nonchalantly "New Year's resolutions". I'll have you know that I went back on January 3rd to see only half the machines occupied and I'll bet today less than a quarter will be occupied.

Do we really need a calendar to get us motivated for our goals? That’s going to be tough if we have to wait for that one day a year to really put our mind to accomplishing what we want only to have that declaration fizzle before the month is done.

In his book Resurrection Neville says “the essence of prayer is faith; but faith must be permeated with understanding to be given that quality which it does not possess when standing alone”. In the book Your Faith is Your Fortune he says “we can be to others only that which we are to ourselves”. I would love for you to combine that 2 thoughts and have that be your New Year’s resolution for every day of 2010.

Ask yourself “what is it that I’d like to accomplish and what needs to change for me to do so EVERY single day for the rest of my life?”

It’s January 6, 2010 and I’d like to declare that I’m going to love, adore and play with my children, love and adore my husband, nurture my business, hang out with my friends, eat sensibly, workout, find the joy in life … EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this post so please leave a comment below, email me to mary@marysalfi.com or comment on my Facebook account by becoming a fan of marysalfi.com

The world is my oyster!
Mary