Welcome to the May issue of Soul Food!

With so much going on in the world around us, it may be tempting to blame others for the dilemmas we’re in: we may accuse the mortgage industry of greed, the auto manufacturers of falling asleep at the wheel, or sanitation standards of other countries for the spread of swine flu. Turn on the news at any hour and you will get an earful of finger-pointing and blame. 

But does it really work?

Blaming is a denial tactic that avoids self-responsibility – and I believe it is that very lack of self-responsibility that has brought us to where we are today.  We all participated at some level in the creation of current conditions until, collectively, our house of cards crumbled.

Blaming and finger-pointing keeps us stuck in judgment, and it creates more of what we are unhappy about. Until we take responsibility at the levels of each individual, family, nation and as humanity for our participation in creating current conditions, we will not be able to create a different reality.

Instead of fueling blame and judgment, how about taking a hard look at how each one of us has contributed to the problem, and then choosing differently?  How about giving thanks for the many, many blessings we enjoy despite current conditions?  How about being grateful for this wake-up call so that we can start creating higher outcomes as individuals and as a collective?

When things go wrong, it may feel difficult to express gratitude.  The lead article this month looks at why things go ‘wrong,’ how we can change that and three core questions we can use to cultivate gratitude in our lives.

On May 16 & 17, I am teaching Kabbalah for Personal Growth, a weekend workshop that integrates the truths among different spiritual traditions for a practical approach to personal growth and well-being.  If you are overwhelmed by fear or worry, this workshop will show you how to stop the cycle and how to rise above it!

Be sure to check out the 1/2 day workshops on the Four Keys to Personal Growth that start again May 30th - these intensives will boost your personal growth while still leaving weekend time for family and friends.

This is a time of unprecedented opportunity for us to clear out what no longer serves us, and to step into a higher reality of living. It is not for the fainthearted; and yet, it offers a magnificent opportunity to step into higher truth at all levels.

May you find yourself drawing deeper from the Well of Life within, and may your steps be guided by truth and wisdom always.

That's it for now. Have a wonderful month!

From Grumpy... To Grateful... To Great!

The teenager at the drive-thru repeated my order: one medium coffee with two creams, no sugar.

At the pick-up window, I confirmed:  “Two creams and no sugar, right?”

“Yes,” she assured me as she handed me the cup.  After pulling into the busy traffic, I took a sip and… you guessed it: no cream and at least two sugars!
 
Now, if you’re used to eating a lot of sugar you may not notice, but I’m not and I did notice. It was annoying – even more so because this was not the first time it happened.

I was on my way to an early morning appointment and could not turn back without running late, so I had a choice to make: was I going to become grumpy about the incidence and let it ruin my day, or was I going to look at it differently?

I decided to focus on what was going right instead: the rush hour traffic was flowing, the sun was shining, and there were many things in my life to be grateful for. I chose to give thanks for all the blessings in my life instead.  Soon I felt my spirits shift from irritation at missing that first cup of java, to feeling happy and at peace.

Forty minutes later, I approached my destination and noticed another fast-food outlet belonging to the same chain. I pulled up to order a drinkable cup of coffee.  When I explained the bungled order to the attendant, she smiled and said: “I’d hate for us to spoil your day – let me get you another cup on us.” 

Wow, what a concept, I thought. She is not getting defensive – she’s choosing to make amends instead! When I thanked her, she said: “I know you’ve got a right to be grumpy about the mistake, and I appreciate it that you weren’t. Have a wonderful day!”

In the span of less than an hour, my emotions had shifted from feeling annoyed to being grateful to feeling great!  And my state of mind had a positive effect on the attendant as well!

What happened here?  I’d be the first to tell you that I’m not a saint, so something else was going on here... Continue reading on-line

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Monthly Meditation & Healing Circle

Tues., May 5, 2009 at 7 PM

Come experience an inspirational time of sharing, learning & meditation with like-minded souls in a supportive environment. Evenings include meditation, sharing, and group healing. For more information or to reserve your seat, click here.

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KABBALAH FOR PERSONAL GROWTH & WELL-BEING

A WEEKEND WORKSHOP TO RENEW YOUR SOUL

May 16-17, 10 AM - 5 PM

In the midst of a world marked by turmoil, change and upheaval... we are challenged to renew our souls by fostering our connection to our spiritual Source.

This workshop does not just add to the volume of information out there. Instead, it offers practical ways to integrate practices from wisdom traditions around the world to connect to the wisdom of your soul – that inner sanctuary from where your guidance and magnificence emanates.

The KABBALAH FOR PERSONAL GROWTH workshop can be described as the spiritual seeker’s guide to personal freedom. It offers valuable practical truths for masterful living in our changing world.

This workshop grew out of my personal search for the core truths that lead us to the treasure within.  It is the distilled essence of deeply spiritual principles I discovered along the way and which have transformed my own life.

I am now sharing these profound truths with others in this life-changing workshop to take you step by step on the journey of realizing a whole and abundant way of living.

 

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

By working with these core truths, you will discover:

* How to go beyond the limitations of thought

* Break out of self-punishing patterns

* Grow in relationship with Higher Love

* How to operate multi-dimensionally

* Watch fear and worry drop away

* Align with your highest potential

* Integrate the shadow aspects of the personality

* Identify and release obstacles along your way

* Find wholeness & healing

* Transcend the polarities of duality to tap into your Higher Consciousness

* Quick, practical ways to nurture your true nature daily

For more information or to register, please visit the workshop web page online here.

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Keys To Inner Peace

Inner peace is what we experience when there is no dissonance between our inner world and our outer experience.  In this 1/2 day workshop you will:

• Explore the true source of peace and the law of resonance;

• Identify the areas in your life that are in need of peace;

• Use hands-on exercises for self-learning and release;

• Learn more about the obstacles to peace;

• Discover the inner key that leads to peace;

• Discover the necessary steps to develop awareness;

• Gather practical tools to master the power of focused intention; and

• Develop a framework for peace in every area of your life.

Read more details or register for this workshop on-line.