The power of imagination can bring us on exciting adventures, to fantasy playgrounds and rides on rainbows. Mine certainly did, one lazy afternoon while I was at the park. There was a tree that loomed above me (see picture). As I lay on the ground and turned my head upwards, I observed that the air that surrounded the crown of ferns sitting atop the tree carried a mystical charm. The day was hot. My eyes started to feel heavy. I closed my eyes.

“The Silver Shoes,” said the Good Witch, “have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go.”
— Dorothy and the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz.

I saw myself shrinking many times over. My feet kicked off and I took flight. I hovered above the crown of ferns for a while before I swooped down. Upon landing on the crown, I was transported into another world. That afternoon, I frolicked with the wood nymphs, flower fairies, talking sparrows and purple-winged butterflies.

(photo by The 5th ape )

Time did not exist while I was away. When I finally awoke, I reflected on how the use of imagination has just allowed me a glimpse into another world. Through frolicking with the fairies and teas with the woodpecker, I ended up with a few creative ideas to take home that day! And so it is that I borrow what Jake Sully from the movie Avatar said: “I may just be talking to a tree, but if you can hear me I need to give you a heads up.”

The Power of Imagination

1. Unleash Possibilities. Utilizing the power of imagination applied to thought, we open doors to wondrous possibilities. Our mind is the canvas to which we can apply our creative imagination to. What is on the inside becomes what is on the outside. We can do much to create the beauty around us.

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
— Albert Einstein

2. Aids in Problem Solving. The use of imagination is not to be undermined because it grants us the power to change our life situation and to respond in more empowered ways. By asking what-if, we give ourselves the permission to unstuck ourselves. We create new neuro-pathways instead of repeatedly running along the same track without any breakthroughs. Possibilities are only limited by the extent to which we open ourselves to unchartered frontiers. Freedom from fear takes us soaring!

“You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created.”
— Albert Einstein

3. Stimulates Creativity into New Frontiers. Without imagination, the first plane would not have taken off, boats would not have set sail and flights made to the moon. There would be no internet or personal computers either. Of course, you can also question about the use of imagination in science and technology being used for war or unethical purposes. Well, the problem does not lie in imagination but the intent from which we are applying our creative minds to.

“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.”
— Albert Einstein

4. Connects Us to Who We Are. We are born with the faculties of imagination and creativity. Not using these faculties is like living the life of a robot. Allowing our busy careers and lifestyles run our lives kills our spirit. Yet, conventional norms will have us believe that it is okay to continue producing repetitive, boring and unstimulating work for the primary concern of paying the bills. And so it is that we feel empty. We go searching for happiness and fulfillment, never realizing that the answers all lie from within.

When we start to connect with who we are, we realize that we are beyond time, space, dimension and form. We realize that we are truly powerful. We gain access to an inner power and strangely when we ask, we gain support from universal resources. We realize that our reality can be changed when we engage our creative imagination.

“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.”
— Alan Alda

5. Key to Visioning. Imagination lets us see the possibilities of how we can represent our essence. Intention allows us to focus on where we wish to direct our energy on. Add the ingredients of focused attention, belief, expectancy and persistency to the mix, we have the formula for visioning!

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”
—- Gail Devers

Nature Tapestry Notes

Today’s post is a continuation of the Nature Tapestry Notes I had published in November last year. Going forward, I am intending to publish Nature Tapestry Notes every start of the month. First and foremost, doing so reminds me that no matter how busy I am, I am to find time to connect with nature in year 2010. Well, I hope to continue to draw love, inspiration and renewal from Mother Earth. My wish is that you will be inspired by my posts to make walks and meditation in the park a regular one too!!

Notes for The Day: Utilize the power of your imagination. It is a an important key to inspiration, creative problem solving and visioning. So, let your imagination fly and open yourself to all possibilities. And finally, when reviewing your dreams, consider the following advice….

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”
—- George Bernard Shaw

Abundance always,

What is Attitude of Gratitude?

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.” — Melodie Beatty

Many personal development practitioners tell us that gratitude is the best feeling to cultivate because it helps keep our vibrations positive and uplifted. So it is that when we adopt an attitude of gratitude, we are mindful about being thankful. We constantly express our gratitude for the blessings we are enjoying.

Admittedly if we are conditioned by past habits or find ourselves hijacked by our busy lifestyles, we may find it difficult to remember to express our thanks on a regular basis. We fall back into our old patterns of complaints, frustrations, and anger about how life sucks and is not treating us well.

We may well express our prayers of gratitude on rare or special occasions such as Thanksgiving Day. However, if we are hoping to attract a new reality, then it is obvious that saying thanks once or twice a year is hardly enough! Throughout the year, we will need to keep our engine of positive energy running. We need to keep our “energy engine” oiled with a constant supply of good vibes. Choosing to adopt an attitude of gratitude/appreciation is an excellent solution!

Wait a Minute: Gratitude versus Appreciation?

Wait a minute! If you have been reading my article closely enough, you will realize that I am alluding to a possible difference between the feeling of “gratitude” and the feeling of “appreciation”.

Admittedly, I first wrote this article using the two words interchangeably. Then, as I was at it half-way, I came into an achy feeling that something did not quite click. You may know what I mean. A torturous pain that gnaws on you, refusing to go away until you get to the root of your thoughts and feelings?

I recalled that I had watched a video sometime ago about the difference between the two. I managed to find it….

In short, Abraham Hicks explains that love and Appreciation carries the same energetic vibration. These feelings help to bring us into alignment with who we truly are. It is the absence of fear and resistance. Gratitude, on the other hand, carries the signature of past struggles that we have overcome. Abraham points out the difference between Gratitude and Appreciation is similar to the difference between motivation (makes you go somewhere) and inspiration (you are being called to who you are).

Hmmm….here is a confession: while I have always quietly preferred the use of the word “appreciation”, I admit to being swayed into using the catchphrase “attitude of gratitude” more often recently. To begin with, the phrase rolls off my tongue more easily because it rhymes better. No excuses but my subconscious must have been impressed upon from encountering the word “gratitude” more often than “appreciation” over several sites. So much so that just last week, I decided to make Gratitude a power word for me this year.

Well, I decided to sit quietly to examine my resonance with these words a while ago. I finally arrived at some thoughts.

Gratitude has more intensity compared to Appreciation. It carries with it a “push” energy as if I am compelled to express my thanks. It is as if I “should” feel it. It also captures the sensation of having experienced a favorable outcome beyond expectations. There is also someone or something that I am feeling grateful towards.

On the other hand, Appreciation is a feeling that naturally springs from within. When I am in appreciation, I have a regard for the object or person and I bring it into my presence. It is like how the Na’vi in the Avatar movie greet each other with “I see you” and truly mean it. So, Appreciation is about bringing whatever it is that I am thankful for into conscious knowing.

What is in A Word?

I did a check. According to the dictionary, the definitions of the two words are…

Gratitude
# (a) The state of being grateful; warm and friendly feeling toward a benefactor; kindness awakened by a favor received; thankfulness.

Appreciation
# A just valuation or estimate of merit, worth, weight, etc.; recognition of excellence.
# (n.) A rise in value; — opposed to depreciation.
# (n.) Accurate perception; true estimation; as, an appreciation of the difficulties before us; an appreciation of colors.

Then again, I also recognize that words by themselves can never fully encapsulate what we truly feel. What counts is the essence of our feelings and how powerfully we feel it. What is important is the conscious choice that we make when we feel negative.

My preferred choice, if I may add, is to direct my thoughts in better-feeling directions. Needless to say, the more I direct my thoughts positively and feel genuinely thankful, I find that the more I get to experience improved results.

The following are some tips to help you – and myself – shift into a paradigm of positivity through feeling thankful continuously. The words “gratitude” and “appreciation” are used interchangeably….unless otherwise specified…

7 Tips to Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude (or Appreciation)

1. Practice Gratitude Now. Indeed a sense of appreciation for the here and now is important. You may be led to believe that you can be happy only if some future event occurs. For instance, you will only feel good if you make lots of money, get a job promotion or become successful in our business. However, such beliefs keep you resonating in worry and lack. And since the Law of Attraction responds to your vibration, you will find that you are unable to manifest a new reality for yourself. You continue to attract the same life situations.

The secret therefore is to being thankful now. When we focus on the present rather than the past or the future, we realize that we are already currently enjoying many blessings. Our minds are not cluttered with misery over our past or worry over a future that is meant to salvage us from our dissatisfaction.

2. Connect With Your Feelings. It is important to FEEL grateful/appreciative. Your vibration goes up when you are experiencing a loving and positive emotion. It goes down when you are experiencing anger, jealousy, displeasure or worry. When you experience negative emotions, you are mis-aligned to who you truly are. Since the Universe responds to the vibration of your being, you will attract what you are largely feeling – whether positive or negative.

3. Be Authentic to Your Feelings. Gratitude and appreciation are feelings that expand you and should not put you in resistance. So if you express gratitude verbally even though you do not feel the same from within, you will need to stop lying to yourself. Perhaps in this case, a sense of appreciation versus gratitude helps in a greater alignment?

Even though you face challenging circumstances, there can be always something to be thankful for. I know it appears hard to feel thankful especially if the situation looks bleak! It is far easier to feel as if you are a victim of circumstances.

However, just think about it. There is no other way if you have a strong desire to change your reality. To experience a turnaround, you need to start feeling positive! You need to look at life as half-full instead of half-empty! The trick is to acknowledge what you feel, reframe your mind and bring yourself gradually into alignment. One thing to realize is that some of our best life learnings emerge from our most difficult time.

4. Every Thing Counts! It does not have to be something big for you to express your gratitude. Feel thankful as you sip your cup of coffee, take a walk or do your laundry. Say thanks for all the things that you take for granted. For instance, your family, home, electricity, water, pets, your friends, etc.) Give hugs, notes, a kind word. Thank your enemies for highlighting areas that you feel averse towards, and thus providing you with the opportunity to work on yourself. Once you start to notice beauty even in the littlest of things, you will find your life changing!

5. Make It Part of Your Daily Routine. The more we conjure a sense of thankfulness, the more the Universe will respond positively. Hence, not just for special moments, it will be good if we can make the expression of gratitude as part of our daily routine. Sense it, feel it and wear it!

Consider expressing your affirmation a morning or evening ritual, so that you do not forget. Incorporate it as part of your meditation session. Alternatively, consider expressing gratitude at mealtimes.

Other than just saying it aloud, it is a good idea to write down things that you are happy about. Keep a Gratitude Journal (featured in photo at the top of this post)!

6. Gratitude Rocks. I first learned about “gratitude rocks” from watching the movie The Secret. In the movie, Lee Brower shared about how the practice of carrying a gratitude rock assisted him in cultivating an attitude of gratitude. He began to sell his rocks and helped to spread positive vibrations around the world.

In the same manner, we can also choose to have little reminders – whether a rock, crystal or a photo of our gratitude board (see point 7 as well). The reminders help us in instilling a habit of expressing our sense of appreciation.

7. Make a Gratitude Vision Board or Photo Journal. To express your appreciation, you can make a vision board or a photo journal. Put together pictures of things that you are grateful or appreciative about. The advantage of making a gratitude vision board is that you can keep a mini photo copy of it in your wallet or bag and carry it around.

Let’s Hear it from You!

1. Since we still need to use words to communicate, I like to know your thoughts. For the practice of feeling thankful, which emotion resonates better with you: “Gratitude” or “Appreciation”? Is there a difference to you when you say “I appreciate what you’ve done for me” as compared to “I am grateful what you have done for me”? Or “I appreciate the beauty around” as compared to “I am grateful for the beauty around”? Is the nuance important to you?

2. What other tips do you have and can share about expressing thanks on a regular basis?

Abundance always,

The intent or power word that best resonates with me right now is Creation. It represents the birthing of ideas into fruition. It is about the need to be authentic to my inner vision and to trust that the marketplace will support me in my work. In being authentic, it is about claiming ownership what is inherent in me all along – my creative self. Of course, Creation and Creativity springs from Abundance – the power word which drives my overall intent and this blog.

Nature Tapestry Calendar for 2010 available at Affirmation Mart.

Creativity

For a long time, I associated creativity with artistic talents. Well, I never did not have the chance to develop my artistic abilities from young. Perhaps it was because I did okay in my academic results. So there never was a reason for me to consider studying art seriously. After all, based on popular beliefs and perhaps back in the old days for the majority of artists, the creative profession was never known to be a career that paid well. Compare that to being a banker, accountant, lawyer or a doctor. And so I never got that much of a chance to pick up the paint brush as much as I would like to have.

What was great was once I started my banking career, however, I could afford classes that encourage creativity. I dabbled in pottery, folk art, jewelry design, and graphic design in my spare time. At one stage, I also made some loose change from selling my creations; even though I did not have any proper qualifications. The beginning signs of an entrepreneur? However, I put a stop to all my hobbies with the birth of my two girls.

About three to four years back, I started focusing on inner work. I spent my available time doing energy releases, past life clearing and meditation; as first helping myself, then my family, friends and clients. There was hardly time for anything else, on top of minding my two young kids.

What emerged interestingly, was the chance to develop other aspects of creativity with the rise of this blog. Writing for it allowed me self-expression. I found myself happily designing headers, and spending hours making mind movies, creating videos, amending my photos, etc. I did almost everything on my own. In the last year, I started also using my own photos to go with the posts I publish. Okay…so I didn’t follow the rulebook of top internet marketers – that is to outsource design work to freelancers in India. But hey, I really enjoyed myself in the process!!

And so it is for me. Creativity is not just about painting a picture or designing a logo. It is how I can integrate many aspects of my life together in a creative output. Work is a seamless expression of my true nature. I still do not have all the answers on how the “final” output is going to look like. I suspect that there is no “final” product to begin with. Because my work is constantly evolving. Who I am is constantly evolving.

I make the intent to bring out the playful, creative and fun side of myself even greater this year. When I work from an inner creative space, I am connected to my feelings. In the silence, I can guided by an inner voice on how best to express myself. I am no Picasso but most certainly, my works are creations made with love.

(In a recent survey titled “I Can’t Get No…Job Satisfaction, That Is”, a survey funded by 2000 corporations around the world showed job satisfaction at lowest level. While other polls showed relatively stable numbers, this survey reported a decline. What was interesting to me was that in the same newspaper report – Straits Times Monday Jan 18 – it was said that the happiest workers are people in helping professions or doing creative work!! )

Creation

Incidentally, I received a number of “signs” that have affirmed the same power word of Creation for me. For instance, when I used my favorite pack of divination cards at the start of this year, I pulled out “Ostara: Fertility” card. On the card were the words “It is the perfect time for you to start new projects, access new ideas, and give birth to new conditions”.

Most certainly, with a card like “Ostara”, you won’t find me sitting on my butt and twiddling my thumbs for too long!

Gratitude

I started the year with the intent of “Inspiration” but had a gnawing feeling that I wanted something new to connect with. With regards to intent of inspiration, as of some time ago, I have decided that I would like to inspire others through my site. My intent is to show others the qualities with which I craft my life, inspiring others to do the same with theirs.

Then, I woke up this morning with the word: Gratitude. I realized that in recent weeks, I kept coming to the message of showing thanks and appreciation in several places. I have more thoughts to share on this. Do keep a lookout for the post!

Year of Planting Seeds

Life is one big adventure for me! Naturally so, ever since I have taken the less trodden path of becoming self-employed. I believe that 2010 will be another exciting year for me.

I have started the year with the birth of Affirmation Mart. It sure seems to be the year for planting seeds and watching them take root and grow.

Well, let’s just see how my intent of Creation, Creativity and Gratitude plays out! I look forward to the unfolding of my journey!! May the fun begin!

Any Comments

Are you working on anything new for 2010? New ideas, projects, books, programs? What seeds are you intending to plant firmly into the ground?

Abundance always,

Find yourself forgetting about the intentions or power words you have made at the start of a year? Positive affirmations on your everyday products can help you with visual cues for reminders throughout the year.

Shop from an exciting array of affirmation gifts and products with power words such as “Abundance”, “Money Magnet” or “Gratitude Rocks” at my new online store – Affirmation Gifts Lifestyle Mart or Affirmation Mart! It presents a range of affirmation magnets, T-shirts, cushion covers, stickers, keepsake box, etc to help you stay focused in your visioning process. They also come in fun colors, symbols and whimsical designs; blessed with plenty of love

It is a fact that where attention goes, energy flows! The best way to make a positive affirmation work for you is to say (and hear) it, see it, feel it or hear it – that is, engage your senses as often during the day as possible. It is not that affirmations don’t work; rather it is because we do not stay focused enough on them! Hence it will definitely be helpful if we can have affirmations or power words integrated into our lifestyle products.

Welcome Affirmation Gifts Lifestyle Mart

May it grow in love, peace, prosperity and joy! And may it assist in upholding raised vibrations for everyone around!! Please help me to welcome my new baby – Affirmation Mart – into the World!

Abundance Always,

P.S. Comments are closed to this post. I will be back soon with another post!

Setting new year resolutions appears to be passe amongst spiritually-aware personal development experts. More people are recommending using intentions or themes to guide our directions at the start of a new year.

Since two years ago, I have also personally found it more helpful to be setting intentions rather than be engaged in traditional resolution setting. In fact, I have found that the use of power words and phrases – to encapsulate the essence or the meaning of the intent – very effective.

Difference Between Setting Intentions and New Year Resolutions

What is the difference, you may ask?

Well, my perspective comes from personal experience. For the most part, new year resolution setting has been pretty much a left-brained activity for me. My resolutions were externally driven or were chosen because they would make me look good. In fact, it was easy to simply adopt a few – if not one – from a pool of widely known ones. Well, as far as I could remember, I never quite stuck to my New Year Resolutions as soon as I have made them.

On the other hand, picking the right intentions involves our intuition. It requires an awareness of our inner desires, the stirring of our heart. It is about bringing ourselves into alignment. The alignment is with a desired aspect of life that we are working on. Because it is about aligning ourselves, setting intentions also comes with addressing our resistances. Inner work may be required when we observe that we are out-of-alignment. Throughout the year, based on our ongoing experiences, it may be necessary to make any changes to our intents as appropriate.

The process does not generate any sense of perceived “failure” or not living up to our resolutions per se. Setting intents is not a once-a-year activity; rather it is a process that naturally unfolds as we evolve. Because of this, I keep an intention-setting journal by my bedside to keep track of changes arising throughout the year. It is interesting to note how my intents have shifted to today’s.

Power Words for Visioning

From studying the the science of visioning, I learn that it is a good idea to keep our intents or vision statements short and snappy. Having a power word, phrase or motto – that sums up the essence of what we desire – keeps us focused.

Indeed, the use of power words can serve as an ongoing mantra or motto. The Vision Board Book shared about the one compelling word for the Shroyers family that helped in achieving a life of their dreams. Keith Shroyer sprayed a wall – ten by twelve foot – in his living room with the word “freedom”. “Freedom” served as their guiding vision, motto and statement all rolled into one. Eventually, Keith moved from a dead-end job to a life of financial freedom. His family now lives in a boat.

While intention setting comes from within, it is not that we have to come up with something new. More importantly, choosing the appropriate power word or phrase to adopt for visioning must be able to elicit an emotional response from us. Power comes when we are able to connect deeply with the meaning behind the word, phrase or motto.

To help ignite inspiration, I came up with a list of 30 power words for those who are new to intention setting. I also provide some examples of actions that can be taken to support and activate each vision.

30 Power Words: A-Z Guide

1. Power Word: Abundance
Power Phrase: Inter-align with Abundance, Living in Abundance.
Power Action: Be expansive, let go of resistances and have a reverence for life.

2. Power Word: Action
Power Phrase: Just Do It, A thousand-Mile Journey Starts with a Single Step, Inspired Action.
Power Action: Take inspired action, avoid procrastination.

3. Power Word: Authenticity
Power Phrase: Authentic Expression, Be Who I am, Use My Voice.
Power Action: Connect to the truth of who I am.

4: Power Word: Balance
Power Phrase: Balance is Key to Wellness; Yin and Yang.
Power Action: Make time for priorities in life, restore inner and outer balance, study feng shui elements, go for yoga.

5. Power Word: Be
Power Phrase: Just Be.
Power Action: Focus more about being than doing, practice patience, just breathe.

6. Power Word: Clarity
Power Phrase: Insight, Be Awake, See Clearly.
Power Action: See big picture, avoid getting too caught up in the content of the story, practice insight meditation, wisdom from insight.

7. Power Word: Courage
Power Phrase: Live My Dreams, Fly.
Power Action: Take risks, be bold, go on adventures, master courage to do things differently.

8. Power Word: Creativity
Power Phrase: Creative Ideas on Tap, Creative Artist.
Power Action: Engage imagination, play and possibility.

9. Power Word: Dream
Power Phrase: Dare to Dream, I Dreamed a Dream, Dream Big, Dreams take Flight!
Power Action: Open myself to possibilities, engage in imagination.

10. Power Word: Equanimity
Power Phrase: Equanimity, Quality of Equanimity, Non-Attachment.
Power Action: Practice equanimity i.e. calm, centered, balanced and mindful awareness of the impermanence of things, sensations and experiences.

11. Power Word: Freedom
Power Phrase: Freedom from Fear, Financial Freedom, Freedom to Live.
Power Action: Let go of resistances, free to make choices.

12. Power Word: Gratitude
Power Phrase: Gratitude is Gold, Gratitude Rocks, Gratitude Now.
Power Action: Practice gratitude, count my blessings and share my gifts.

13. Power Word: Harmony / Peace / Serenity
Power Phrase: Let my Breath be my Guide; Love the Moment, Peace of Mind.
Power Action: Make peace with every moment, learn qi gong.

14. Power Word: Health
Power Phrase: Health is Wealth
Power Action: Practice mindful eating, make healthy food choices, exercise, stay healthy mentally.

15. Power Word: Intuition
Power Phrase: Intuitive Awareness, Intuitive Intelligence.
Power Action: Awaken and develop intuitive abilities.

16. Power Word: Joy
Power Phrase: Enjoy the Journey, Live it Up, Celebrate, Live Now, Happiness is Key to Success.
Power Action: Choose to be happy whatever the situation is, be light hearted, celebrate every small thing!

17. Power Word: Laughter
Power Phrase: Lightness of Being, Laughter is the Best Medicine.
Power Action: Look at the humor in each situation, avoid taking things too seriously, have fun.

18. Power Word: Love
Power Phrase: Love Thyself; Love is All Around.
Power Action: Practice unconditional self love and love for others.

19. Power Word: Money / Prosperity / Wealth
Power Phrase: I am a Money Magnet, Multiple Streams of Income, Financial Freedom
Power Action: Shatter limiting money beliefs, adopt prosperity consciousness, worry less but keep vibrations up.

20. Power Word: Oneness
Power Phrase: We are One.
Power Action: Let go of separation.

21. Power Word: Possibility
Power Phrase: Open to Possibility, Dwell in Possibility.
Power Action: Open to receiving, practice non-judgment, try new experiences.

22. Power Word: Power
Power Phrase: Step Into Power, Awaken My Potential.
Power Action: Let go of fears, step up, take charge.

23. Power Word: Presence / Mindfulness
Power Phrase: Live in the Now.
Power Action: Practice mindful awareness, give quality attention to the moment, meditate.

24. Power Word: Responsibility
Power Phrase: Live Deliberately, Take Charge, Power To Change.
Power Action: Commit to inner change, less blame of others, conscious living.

25. Power Word: Share
Power Phrase: Spread Love, Share my Divine Light.
Power Action: Practice loving kindness, lend a helping hand, share my gifts.

26. Power Word: Success
Power Phrase: I am a Winner, Success is Constancy to Purpose.
Power Action: Think success, dream big.

27. Power Word: Smile
Power Phrase: Window to My Soul, Language of Love.
Power Action: Smile to strangers, neighbors, etc.

28. Power Word: Space
Power Phrase: Make Space.
Power Actions: Clear the clutter, switch off TV, meditate.

29. Power Word: Spirituality
Power Phrase: Connect with God/Source/Guides, “I am a Spirit with a Human Experience”.
Power Action: Adopt good values, live consciously, mindful of ego, take wise actions, reverence for life, etc.

30. Power Word: Wellness
Power Phrase: Mind-Body-Spirit Harmony, Self Nurture.
Power Action: Make time for relaxation, de-stress, release negative emotions, let go of old baggage.

Sources for Power Words and Catchy Phrases

Still feeling stuck over what power phrases to use? The world is a huge resource. For inspiration, check out:
- Memorable Songs & Jingles. Look up The Best Songs Ever!
- Favorite Quotes. Use the keyword directory to a favorite quotes website.
- Poems. Hunt at Poem Hunter!
- Popular Advertisements. The advertising industry is great at coming up with slogans: The Advertising Hall of Fame .
- Popular Phrases. Use a tool: Phrase Finder.
- Make your own slogan. Use the Slogan Generator found here.

Less is More

Don’t make the mistake of cluttering your visioning or intention setting process with too many power words (see picture at the top of my post) either! My suggestion is to choose one or fewer than three at any one time. The picture below is a vision board that I made to illustrate the right use of power words….

Decided on yours already? What is/are yours, by the way?

In Loving Abundance,

Credit: Vision board pictures used for this post are made using photoshop software and also, with free textured images available here.

I would like to express my gratitude with today’s post. Let me first start by sharing what gratitude really means.

(A heart-shaped leaf from the Hibiscus Tree)

Gratitude Definition

Gift of giving
Remembrance of all that is good
A touchstone of global transformation
Transition of greatness
In acts of kindness
True wealth and abundance
Unyielding compassion
Divine clarity
Everlasting commitment to appreciation

Beautiful definition, isn’t it? Lee Bower, who appeared in The Secret, created his own acrostic for the word “gratitude”. The above lines were quoted in The Vision Board Book.

I Express My Gratitude

In the spirit of what gratitude is about, allow me to express my thanks. This site would not have been possible without the support of some of those closest to me. Most importantly, much thanks to my husband who has encouraged me to keep it going during some of my most challenging periods. My thanks also to my kids who keep me on my toes everyday with lessons on patience and making peace.

With much appreciation, I also note that my decision to move to a new site is met with support and kindness. In the move, I have not lost that many of my subscribers. Thousands remain. I also received many validations for what I was doing from readers throughout the year.

I am forever grateful that what initially started as a site to make money has taught me the value of true abundance and wealth. I learn this with the support of every single one of you.

Link Love

Here is a round of link love for my blogger friends (in no particular order):

Albert from UrbanMonk,
Ariel You are Truly Loved,
Nadia from Happy Lotus,
Daphne from Joyful Days,
Dani from Positively Present,
Daniel from The Daniel Richard,
Marelisa from Abundance Blog,
Katie from The Levity Project,
Chris Edgar from Purpose Power Coaching,
Lance from Jungle of Life,
Lisa from MommyMystic,
Slade from Shift Your Spirits,
Joy from EtherealJoy
Suzie Cheel from Abundance Highway,
Kaushik from Beyond Karma,
Megan from All about Joy,
Lana from DreamFollowers,
Kikolani from Kikolani,
J.D. from Sources of Insight,
Julie from Welcome to JulieWorld,
Barbara from Blogging Without a Blog,
Jenny from Healing Pain Naturally.

If I have missed anyone out, please forgive me. It is impossible to name all of you. But many of you in the blogging arena has touched me with your beautiful gift of sharing, keeping me inspired in 2009!

I also thank my clients who taught me much about myself, my values and commitments and where I need to go. I sometimes wonder if they are being sent by the Universe to teach or remind me of an important lesson instead.

Then, there is my spiritual team as well (much thanks to Mia, my spirit guide). There have been moments when I thought I was being abandoned somewhat. But through it all, they were behind me in my development….quietly coming forth only when I decided to be still and to let go!

My Gratitude to Mother Earth

Thanks to Suzie, I got to know about the following clip made by makers of The Secret. The video clip encapsulates my love and gratitude to Mother Earth as well….

Best Wishes for the New Year

Well, this post is going to be my last for the year. I am occupied with a number of projects this period. I intend to be back with a new post sometime in mid-Jan 2010.

In the meantime, please take care!
And…..To Abundance for a Brand New 2010! !!!!

During my most recent trips, I was most enraptured by the Christmas tree decorations that have been put up by the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Each tree has been specially decorated by various embassies, schools, MNCs, local organizations and government bodies in Singapore. Today, I bring you a special feature for the holiday season with photos taken at the park.

Singapore Orchid Christmas Tree Decoration
The national flower of Singapore is the Vanda Miss Joaquim, a hybrid orchid cultivar. Here is a tree decorated with sprays of Vanda Miss Joaquim, blue lights, purple balls and gold ribbons….a beautiful creation that is truly Singaporean….

Floral Christmas Tree
Flowers do very well for Christmas decorations, don’t you think?

Recycled Bottles Christmas Tree
Used bottles are recycled as Christmas decorations for this tree….

Christmas Tree Decorated by the American Embassy in Singapore
Embassies of the world submitted a decoration each. Here is the one done by the American embassy….

Christmas Tree Decorated by My Kids’ School
Well, even though they did not get to decorate it, my kids sure got excited when they saw the tree submitted by their school….

Christmas Wonderland at Singapore Botanic Gardens
All in all, the entire park has been turned into a beautiful Christmas Wonderland.

Most of my photos are taken during the day but I highly recommend that Singaporeans enjoy their experience in the night with sparking lights on the trees. Hmmm….my girl was spotted prancing around in her PJs one night…

My Vote for the Best Christmas Tree Decorations
It was quite hard to pick my favorite tree of them all. In the end, I decided that the one by the Indian embassy demonstrated sincerity in its wishes of unity, goodwill and peace. The tree was decorated with pictures of Indian faces. At the top of the tree was a star with the word “Namaste”. Here is how the tree looks like…

Here is what the sign by the side of the tree said…

This is a close shot of the tree’s decorations depicting the friendly faces of India…

And finally, an early Christmas wish:
May you and your loved ones experience magic, joy, light and beauty this holiday season!

Abundance always,

It was difficult to keep still. At times, the pain on my back intensified to an excruciating level. It was as if someone had stuck a dagger into a single blade on the lower right. It would have take a physical movement to help ease the pain. Yet, I was not supposed to move. I had to keep my back straight for at least one hour.

(The campsite on St John’s Island lies beyond the hill)

Any major physical movement would disrupt the practice of focus and concentration acquired through anapana. Breathing in, breathing out, I sat on the meditation cushion. I was only required to observe any physical sensation. So this was how it was like for most of my sittings for a continuous 10 days. I was in confinement for the most part, cut away from almost all forms of external communication with others. I was on a Noble Silence Goenka Vipassana Meditation Retreat from Dec 1 to 12, 2009.

Goenka Vipassana Meditation Retreat Stay

(Barbed wires on the fences in the surrounding background)

I felt as if I was a prisoner. While the retreat would appear to sound like a tropical resort stay because it was on St John’s island (south of the main island-city of Singapore), our living facilities were located in a prison camp built since 1955. The camp was a confined area, with enclosing wire fences and barbed wires. Historically, St John’s Island was a quarantine station for leprosy cases and a penal settlement for political prisoners and ringleaders of secret societies. (Rumors of the island being haunted still circulates today!)

Upon arrival, each of us were allotted bed and seat numbers. We were not free to choose where to sit or sleep and were told to keep out of certain areas. Males and females were not allowed to mix. We were also asked to sign sheets of paper to declare and affirm that we would not leave or make any attempts to leave during the ten days that would follow.

(Where I slept for 10 days)

There was a whole bunch of rules to comply with during the Goenka Vipassana Mediation Retreat I attended. Here were some that I had to live by:

- Wake up at 4 a.m.
- Only two meals a day; breakfast and lunch.
- No meals after 11 a.m.
- Simple vegetarian food.
- Dormitory living quarters. Shared bathroom facilities only.
- No forms of physical activity (yoga, exercise) allowed.
- Noble Silence (More explanations below in the article).

Oh yes, it felt like torture camp all right!

We were expected to follow the stipulated schedule for the day. Sittings were throughout the whole day, save for meal breaks and about an hour’s break for personal stuff. Hence, bathing or doing laundry were only restricted to certain times of the day.

I was in good humor even whilst I sat on the toilet trying to ease my constipation and swatting mosquitoes away (not allowed to kill them due to taking the Buddhist precept) at the same time one day. Additionally, I found myself having to ignore the sight of lizard fecal droppings, worms scurrying across the pavements and all kinds of insects on the ground; just to stay sane.

Practicing Noble Silence

Noble Silence simply means no communication with anyone, save for questions for the teacher (daily limit of 5 minutes). Hence, no handphone, laptops or any communication device allowed. We were advised not to look at others nor make gestures. I spent a good part of my time looking downwards or away from others in order to avoid exchanging glances. No reading of any kind or writing were permitted as well.

Why practice Noble Silence? Why were we not allowed to talk for a continuous ten days? The whole idea was to allow a period of inner exploration. We were meant to be in deep “surgical operations” of the mind. Usually in constant chatter, our minds were to be given less input during our 10-day stay. If we were allowed to talk, there was the possibility of us being affected by our interactions with other meditators. We might start comparing our sitting experiences with others, for one. And we were on a meditation retreat supposedly to reduce our mental suffering and not to add to our baggage!

My initial fears were largely unfounded. The two weeks before the actual day arrived, I almost wanted to cancel out. What terrified me most of all was the thought that I would go insane if I was going to be made to investigate my mind, without the permission to express myself externally to anyone for that many days. However, throughout my stay, I was surprised that nothing of that sort happened. I was mostly calm. Except for the pain that I was observing during sittings. Even hunger pangs that I expected to experience were hardly there!

The Body as A Laboratory

We are encouraged to examine things at the experiential level with equanimity. Intellectual knowledge is not wisdom. To understand natural laws, we start with what we already have and can truly know – our physical bodies. Hence, the method is largely a scientific mind-matter approach.

The Vipassana practice of meditation involves a careful scanning of every part of the body and observing sensations with equanimity. Equanimity simply means non-attached observation of the reality of the present moment. It refers to using the balance of the peace of mind; that is with neither cravings or aversions.

When we are feeling miserable, angry or upset, we are in suffering. To be fully liberated from all forms of negativity, we need to address the root of our suffering rather than merely dealing with it at the symptomatic level.

Much of our suffering arises from cravings or aversions. If we observe very carefully, cravings and aversions first start with bodily sensations. Sensations are either pleasurable or painful. But both forms of sensations have essentially the same characteristics – that of arising and passing. Nothing stays permanent! Sensations have an ever-changing nature.

The technique assists in the ending of past suffering and the ceasing of new ones. It does not require any of us to believe in myths, supernatural forces or an external God. Its usefulness can be felt in our everyday lives. In fact, Goenka describes Vipassana as an art of living and ultimately, an art of dying.

Who is S.N. Goenka?

According to Wikipedia, Sri Satya Narayan Goenka (born 1924) is a leading lay teacher of Vipassana meditation and a student of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. He has trained more than 700 assistant teachers and each year more than 100,000 people attend Goenka sponsored Vipassana courses. He is a wealthy and influential businessman, born in Burma to Indian parents.

S.N. Goenka is a prolific orator, writer and a poet. He writes in English, Hindi and Rajasthani. He has traveled widely and lectured to audiences worldwide including at the World Economic Forum, Davos and at the “Millennium World Peace Summit” in 2000. For four months in 2002, he undertook the Meditation Now Tour of North America.

In his talks, Goenka explains that the practice of Vipassana is the essence of the path of Dharma (the path to Truth). It is a non-sectarian universal way to understanding the true nature of things. However, he acknowledges that while he has already excellent results, the method that he uses is not the only way to the Truth. Instead, Goenka encourages students to find out experientially if the method works out for them. He also advises against simply taking on a religion based on blind faith and devotion.

“The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma – the way to liberation – which is universal.” — S.N. Goenka

My Review of Goenka Vipassana Meditation Retreat

Do I recommend Goenka’s retreat to anyone? Yes, I do….LOL! Not that I am a sadist or anything! Oh yes, it sounds like a retreat which has been largely torturous. I confess to feeling somewhat miserable on the first two days of the retreat. I recall questioning my sanity on why on earth I was giving up ten precious days of my very comfortable life to observing pain. I sorely missed the luxury of having hot water for showers. Showers during the retreat were made in cold water. They were icy in the wee hours of the morning and when night fell.

Yet, I braved on because as the days went on, I realized that the Vipassana method I was learning could potentially and truly offer a way to purification of my sangkaras – full liberation from all deep seated unconscious bodily drives to cravings and aversions from fear. I have signed up for the retreat to learn more about non-attachment to my desires and while I am nowhere near to full enlightenment, I managed to experience a fair amount of release during my stay. Going forward, I hope to keep up with regular sittings on my own. A consistent practice, as Goenka puts it, is the secret to success.

What is perhaps most inspiring of all is that Goenka is a layperson. He has not shaved his head nor has ordained to be a monk to this day. He is married, wealthy and has six sons.

While I was only watching a recorded presentation of his talks for each of the ten days, it was very obvious that Goenka exuded pure compassion, humor and wisdom. One fellow meditator later told me that his mere presence could bring a whole room in an vibrational uplift. So Goenka has this share with us: it is very possible to be liberated from our suffering even if we are ordinary householders!!

“Vipassana is not a check to be cashed later in heaven – the benefits are for this life – right here right now!”

More Information

Goenka’s retreats work on a donation basis. This means that we do not have to pay for anything at the point of registration. If we have found the method useful at the end of the course, we are invited to give a donation as a token of appreciation and hope that someone else will benefit.

If you haven’t been to any of his retreats, I challenge you to one….:-)! The same rules of living simply during the ten days should apply to any of his retreats.

Goenka has meditation centers all over the world; including America, India and Japan. For more information, please refer to its official website here. The retreat in Singapore is not a center but held on St John’s Island a few times a year. More pictures on the camp facilities can be found on this site here.

If you have survived a Goenka retreat in the past, please tell your tale in the comment box below! Who knows? Based on your feedback, I may just consider attending another retreat in a different location in the years to come.

In loving kindness,

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(My MacBook Pro in the surrounding Nature Tapestry, Singapore Botanic Gardens)

Nature Tapestry Notes started with a bang in November! The month is now drawing to a close. Here is a brief recap of blog posts:

1. Timeless Unfolding of Truths

2. How to Restore Inner Harmony

3. Awakening into Awareness

4. Make Peace with Time

Unfortunately, I did not manage to publish in November all that I wanted to share. To coincide with the triple-eleven date combination, I was sidetracked to publishing tips on setting powerful intentions instead. I hope to continue with remaining Nature Tapestry posts, say in January next year. The coming month of December will be devoted to holiday posts!

Speaking of which, I will be away on a meditation retreat, for the next two weeks starting tomorrow. Spending some time in stillness is a great way to end the year, don’t you think? Try not to miss me too much….LOL! I intend to be back in mid-December with seasonal greetings.

Comments to this post will be closed. I am busy with packing today! Don’t forget to re-subscribe to my Abundance Tapestry RSS feeds!

Take care,

There can be several guidelines to be aware of, in the setting of intentions. When applied cohesively, they can be extremely helpful in bringing your intents to fruition powerfully.

(photo by deb roby)

In the setting of intents, should you have missed the date 11-11-2009 altogether, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the coming one – 29.11.09 (add up 2 and 9 – then 11 – then add up 2 and 9 again). As I have shared in a previous post on intention setting, the triple-eleven combination of 11-11-11 has a particular magic for manifestations. The last time that presented a triple-eleven number was in the year 1901.

Based on my on-going experience with setting intentions, here is a summary of tips I have picked up that I would like to share with you:

1. Set Intentions Powerfully. Be clear and specific. Know what you want, otherwise you send out conflicting intents.

2. Involve Visioning. Instead of just visualization, consider incorporating visioning. Don’t know the difference? Here are some quotes from The Vision Board Book, to help in your understanding:

“Visioning is a self-exploration process that involves a combination of “soul searching” and meditation, and even incorporates improvisation techniques.”

“Visioning differs dramatically from visualization. Visioning is a process where your soul reveals your heart’s desires, prompted by a circle of like-minded supporters who add their insights. Traditionally, visioning is a group exercise. Visualization is more often an individual technique where you picture a desired outcome or goal.”

3. Align Your Intention. My experience has been that making intents for pure egoistical material fulfillment seldom works out meaningfully for me. I would continue to be in a state of discontent, with mostly negative experiences. While universal laws should work every single time if we apply them properly, my suggestion is to align intent with a higher purpose.

Your higher purpose invariably involves how you can best serve others while being true to yourself. You will be surprised how much universal support you garner when you bring a greater spiritual meaning to your physical experience.

4. Connect Emotionally. This is no longer a secret with all LOA (Law of Attraction) students. Create your intent in an inner environment of emotional connection. Connect with how it feels with already “owning” the desired intent.

5. Obey the 68 Second Rule. Hold the intent in your being for at least 68 seconds. Don’t know why? Read my previous post on 68 seconds miracle.

6. Gratitude Now. Be in the state of gratitude when making the intent. Acknowledge your current blessings. Acknowledge with a thank you for what-is-to-come, as if you are already in receipt of it.

7. Work with Your Resistances. If you notice a resistance, work with it first and then go back to set the intent. Surely you would not want to end up manifesting the tail enders or find yourself in self-sabotage?

I had continued to update my personal vision board in the last two weeks. While working on it one day, I started to notice a resistance inside me. Gradually, I recognized it to be a fear of living up to my full potential. Setting higher intents triggered an unease of moving out of my comfort zone. I started to recall this quote by Marianne Williamson which I have often come across……

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Needless to say, I found myself in an afternoon of doing inner release work right after recognizing my resistances.

8. Practice Art of Surrender. Surrender the “how”. Avoid getting into the mindless activity of wondering how the universe is going to bring your intent to manifestation. Have every trust that what you asked for is being worked on. The art of surrender also requires you to be non-attached to the outcome of your intent.

9. Have Gap Awareness. Have an awareness of the gap between what you are asking for and what you already have. If what you are asking for is a huge jump, do not doubt that it is not possible but at the same time, expect that you would need more time in bringing yourself up vibrationally to match the frequency of your intent. Then again, as I have read in metaphysics books, quantum leaps are very possible in the world of energy. So manifestations can be even in an instant if you manage to bring yourself into a vibrational match! What helps is also working on your beliefs!

10. Signify Your Intention with Immediate Action. This tip follows point 2. Set your intents to work by following up on your visioning process. There are a lot of action ideas that you can take. According to a number of LOA coaches, it is important that you take the obvious actions signifying your intent to the Universe. Here are some:

- If you are making the intent for a romantic partner, you may want to look into picking up extra weekend activities that allows you to meet someone.

- If you are making the intent for a new car to take you to work, you may want to look into passing your driving test first!

- If you are making the intent for a new house in a new location, soak up the atmosphere by moving there or driving round the new neighborhood regularly first. (Currently, what I am doing )

- If you are making the intent for more money, make space for creative ideas to drop in. In short, taking time out for meditation can be helpful!

Conclusion

1. Get Your Antenna Up. I always tell my friends/clients that the Universe may have already been responding to their requests physically not longer after they have made them. The problem is that they are not getting their antenna up. I call this “the antenna of awareness”. Don’t have fixated ideas of what the Universe is going to send you. Be simply aware and open, while keeping your mind focused on the qualities of what you have asked for.

2. Art of Setting Intention. As you can probably guess by now, setting intents is an art. It is not traditional goal-setting. It has been an adventure for me in getting all the elements together! When my intents are not manifesting, it is finding out which areas I have missed out on in getting my vibrations up. Universal laws always work! No doubt about it. The question is really on how properly I have applied universal laws or whether I am in resistance to something.

Recommended Reading

1. 10 Insights into the Power of Thought

2. 68 Seconds of Pure Thought: Visualize in 4 Creative Ways

3. 7 Instances Why Your Positive Affirmations Fail to Work

Share Your Tips

Do share your tips in setting powerful intentions! It will be great to learn what has worked for you too !

Abundance always,