I am reading Kundalini Rising, which is a thoughtfully curated collection of essays of peoples experience with awakening.  In Barbara Harris Whitfield essay she shares her view on the voice of the ego and the voice of the soul. It is a fascinating and wonderful guide to help us engage with our selves and others with compassion and love. I am always excited when I find a new tool to help me practice happienss. Here it is for you to explore.

Voice of the ego and voice of the soul, by Barbara Harris Whitfield

 Enjoy this experiment called life!

- Nancy

Recently Michael invited Linda and me to redefine our perception of success after they observed us being a bit gritchy and frustrated by our perceived lack of feeling a sense of accomplishment, when over lunch one day we were recalling the times in our lives when we felt successful and accomplished by landing a sale, completing a project, getting a promotion, etc., and we wondered what is wrong with us? Why aren’t we able to make things happen now like we did before?

 Are you feeling gritchy and frustrated too?

Gently Michael helped us to understand that in fact we are indeed very successful. And for me they indentified my major accomplishments over the past 2 years:  1) I released a relationship in which I felt dismissed.  2) I embarked on the hardest and longest journey – switching from operating from my head to operating with an open heart. (Years ago I read somewhere that the longest journey one can take is the 17 inches from the head to the heart. I didn’t understand what that meant when I read it then – now I do!) And 3) most importantly, my children are happy. They watched and learned from me as I engaged in my happiness practice. (Happy Mom = Happy Children. Who knew?)

What are your accomplishments?

Indeed, the rewards of these accomplishments of what I call ‘my self work’ are far greater then any rewards and recognition of my past achievements. The knowledge that my children are equipped and empowered to create happy lives is my greatest achievement and the answer to my deepest hearts desire. Who would have thought that one of the gifts of divorce would be happy children?

 What are your rewards? What requests were answered by your ‘self-work’?

Michael helped me understand that these accomplishments amount to being in a sense ‘reborn’ and that I am now engaging in the world in a completely new way and they invited me to co-create with the universe from this new place – with my open heart. Michael also encouraged me to bring a sense of accomplishment to my conversations and activities and it is amazing what is unfolding as a result.

What would you like to co-create with the universe with your open heart and feeling accomplished?

With Lovitude,

- Nancy

Usually when Linda connects with Michael, and after they lovingly greet me, they then ask me to share with them how I am feeling. (I must admit that after three years of practicing the 5 Principles of Happiness that it can still take me a while to locate how I’m feeling in any given moment.) However, last week they asked me to identify what I was thinking and more specifically to share what thoughts were running around in my head. (Even my thoughts took me a while to locate!) They gently reminded me that consciousness is the head and the heart working together, and in order to create a happy life we need to feel first and then act. It’s when we act first and then feel that create our challenges. And then they shared this:  

 “You can not release what you do not acknowledge.  As soon as you acknowledge your thoughts and feelings then you have the power to release them.”

Michael then worked with me to help me acknowledge that one of the mental tapes I have playing is a belief that there is always “just enough”. This seed of belief was planted early in my childhood – there was always just enough;  food, money, time, attention, even love and I have continued to water this belief daily throughout the years - all on my own. Now my hearts desire is to live with abundance – on all levels.

And so my homework from Michael is to say an affirmation for the next 30 days first thing in the morning and also whenever I realize that the old mental tape is playing.  Doing so will allow me to first acknowledge that my old mental tape is playing now and with consciousness release it by empowering myself to play a new mental tape, there by planting a new seed of belief.

Below you will find the affirmation Michael gave me. If you have mental tapes playing that are no longer serving you I invite you to experiment with this for 30 days along with me and share what you are learning and experiencing with others.

I realize that in the past I have viewed myself as _______, but now I realize that I am ­­­__________. I celebrate my skills of _____, _____ & _____ and today I will make every effort to put them to use in a confident, caring, and committed way without appearing for feeling arrogant.

Happy Practicing!

- Nancy

I find it fascinating that every day serves up new opportunities to put my happiness practice into action.  I am very grateful for this because it requires no extra planning, energy or special attire on my part to practice the five principles of happiness as I go about this thing called ‘life’. And then occasionally there are those unique experiences that seem to push me into a whole new level of practice – like family holidays and celebrations. I understand the concept that we are all mirrors to each other however, it is more like being in a house of mirrors when the family is gathered and I find it hard to stay centered at times.  Can you relate to this?

It’s during these unique ‘practice opportunities’ as Linda and I call them,  that I find myself digging deeper into my happiness toolkit for more insight and tools from Michael such as; releasing expectations of self and others – for expectations are the breading ground of all disappointment.  Another one I really like is forgiveness, which is the gift we give ourselves by allowing the other person to be exactly who they are – which is not always the person we want them to be! This past weekend I also practiced being open to receiving -  if someone offered to do something or take care of something that needed to be done I gratefully and graciously let them. WOW! Did that feel good!

As the summer festivities unfold I invite you to look at these special events as opportunities to practice happiness at a deeper level and encourage you to share with us your practice tips.

In gratitude,

- Nancy

Much of the Conversation with Michael at Old Arizona Theater last night focused on the need to release our feelings of insecurity – which is the other side of the same coin as the fear of failure. Can you relate to this one? If I took the time to list when my fear of failure and concern about how others will perceive me held me back from doing what I really want to do throughout my life the list would reach to the moon and beyond.  And when Michael said “If you just stopped judging yourself you just might do something magnificent” it felt like the flood gates opened. For at our core I believe we all have the hearts desire to do many magnificent things in our lifetime and I try my best to support my family, friends and colleagues in their efforts to engage in things that make them happy and reveal their unique gifts, beauty and truth, however the key to last nights conversation for me was the awareness that I rarely support myself in the same way. Do you support yourself in doing what you know you want to do?

As we all know (yet need to be constantly reminded), change starts within us first then it ripples out to others. So starting today I am adding to my happiness practice the mediation Michael they gave us last night on releasing feelings of insecurity and will focus on being more aware during the day when I find myself not doing what I want out because of my feelings of insecurity and release the fear by stepping into conscious and compassionate action.

How do you release your feelings of insecurity?

With new awareness,

 - Nancy

In a recent conversation with Michael, I asked a question on behalf of Linda and myself: “What can we do to serve the highest good?” thinking that there was something that we should be doing for others. Surprising Michael shared with us that what serves the highest good is what serves us —- and what serves us is learning our life lessons. OMG!  All these years of believing that my needs don’t matter – that what makes me happy doesn’t matter – who knew that learning our life lessons is what serves the highest good? Did you know that?

Then Michael went on to share that Linda and I are both stepping into a new life lesson of believing we are worthy of receiving the abundance that the universe has to offer and more specifically in our case releasing the belief that we are unworthy. Can you relate to this?

Several days later I was reviewing a few of my Co-Creation models and I found myself compelled to change the language from “I want …” to “I am worthy of…” and it was like an internal switch was turned on. What I recognized in that moment was I shifted from co-creating from my ego (and sense of lack) to my heart and out of love of myself. And then it was crazy — within 10 hours things started to come in and I consciously focused on opening up to receiving from this new belief of feeling worthy.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to just practice adjusting your language slightly and as often as you can say “I am worthy” then enjoy the unfolding.

In appreciation,

Nancy

Funny thing. So many people ask me, “When you channel, is it REAL?” My response is, “Well, it’s as real as anything I’ve ever experienced.” Afterall, when it comes down to it, there is no such thing as reality – only a momentary perception of what we as individuals create. And in terms of channeling, what I can share is that Michael came to me when I needed them most – to honor my request for help, and to guide me in creating a happier, more loving and fulfilling life. Was it expected? No. Was it necessary? Yes.

I, like so many, was fortunate to receive spiritual guidance when I needed it most. I was the biggest skeptic of all, saying, “This is nonsense. This cannot be. This is not real.” But rather than bowing to my inner skeptic, I decided to take my ego out of the driver’s seat (a strange, new thing for me at the time) – and to be open to Michael’s insights and suggestions, and consciously attempt to put them to work in my own life.

What happened next was nothing short of remarkable. Gradually my health improved, my sadness lifted and my capability for dealing with the day-to-day rigors of the world increased. I FELT my heart, I FELT my soul and with a bit of practice, I FELT empowered to be truly happy, from the inside-out.

So, why do I share this experience? Am I special? Am I unique? No. I am a spirit embodied…just like YOU. Because of my own awakening, my life has changed in positive ways on virtually every level. I  believe in my heart that everyone has access to spirit, Source Energy, guides, whatever you want to call it. And, like air, just because you cannot see it, it doesn’t mean that it’s not there or that you don’t need it. So instead of rejecting your own “spiritual experiences,” why not embrace and explore them? In them, I believe you are likely to find exactly what you need, exactly when you need it most. Michael has this wonderful saying, “When you open to new energies and allow them to work in your life, you exponentially expand the palette with which you can create.” To me, that’s the point – not to know the answers, but to expand the creative experience. Open to your gifts, beauties, and by all means, take none of this perceived reality too seriously. Namaste.

Ok, here’s the deal. Not too long ago, I was running into major walls relative to manifesting. I’m not talking little hiccups, but BIG STUFF with the potential totally wreck my day! Humph…what to do? Channel with Michael, of course!

I asked Michael about what was going on in my life and their answer was so helpful for me – and I hope that in sharing it, it will be helpful to you as well:

“Linda, like all people, has hopes and dreams that she hopes to realize. And yes, right now she is encountering barriers that appear to impede her. Yet, it’s vital for her to realize that most of the barriers she perceives are illusions. The only true barrier to Linda and all other people manifesting effectively is a sense of unworthiness. You see, when a person feels unworthy, no allowing can occur. And when there is no allowing, nothing can be gracefully received or manifested.

Therefore, the simplest and fastest way to begin manifesting again is to pull out the “I’m not worthy” belief and plant a new “I AM WORTHY” belief in it’s place. Once this is done, all a person has to do is consciously behave from this new, worthy place; and in doing so, those things you wish to manifest will soon begin to flow in.”

As much as it bothered me to admit it, yes, I had been feeling unworthy and acting from that place! No wonder why I was having problems accomplishing anything. So, instead of getting all hung up on why I’d been feeling unworthy, I took Michael’s advice and just decided to BE WORTHY. Since then, I’ve been trying to ensure that every action I take is out of a sense of self-love and genuine worthiness (which Michael explains is completely different than ego-driven entitlement). Guess what? I’m having more fun with everything, I’m feeling more energized and finally, I’m beginning to manifest again. Yippie!

Maybe I’m just a slow learner, but I’d never made the connection between worthiness, allowing and manifesting. What a powerful idea! So, dear readers, pay attention. Are you feeling worthy? If not, remember that you truly are. Give yourself the gift of acting from worthiness and report back how this changes your ability to manifest as well as how you feel about yourself. Have fun practicing!

Love,

Linda

Dear Ones,

As spirits embodied, it is natural and highly desirable for you to manifest (Co-Create) that which brings you joy in the physical dimension. Your desire to manifest is in no way a selfish thing, but a magnificent aspect of who you are!

In an effort to help you manifest with greater joy and ease, we offer three simple suggestions. If you consider each carefully and practice with intention, you will feel blockages in your energy unlocking and releasing; and as a result, more of your desires naturally flowing into your life:

1. Co-Create With An Open Heart. Remember that your heart’s desires (not your ego’s) form the basis for what you really need.If you are Co-Creating from fear (ego), you will find manifesting to be a challenge. If you are Co-Creating from love (heart), manifesting will become increasingly easy.

2. Gain Clarity About “What” vs. “How.” Knowing what you want and articulating it clearlyis much more important than determining how it should come into reality. In fact, if you get too controlling about how something is supposed to present itself, you will likely to create barriers to its entry – simply because control is an ego-based illusion. Knowing what you want and staying open to how it presents itself will serve you on all levels.

3. Engage Your Energy Consciously. Co-Creation requires not only the energy of the Universe mobilizing, but also your own. Once you are clear about what you want, become equally clear about how you will consciously focus
your energy in order to bring it into being. Know that just a bit of focused energy is far more effective that a huge amount of scattered energy.

We invite you to experiment with these suggestions and to go easy on yourself. Co-Creation, like many other things, requires practice. Do not judge your results harshly. Try to stay open and bring your joy to the moment – because the greater the joy, the greater your results shall be.

Love,

Michael

Hello Everyone!

Hello and welcome to the first Experience Happiness blog entry of 2010! Many of you have asked us to offer more events, but also to make Michael’s Happiness teachings available via the web. We are thrilled to say that we are now doing both; so whether you’re in Minnesota or Malaysia, you’ll have access to insights and tools to build and expand your personal happiness practice. Here’s short list of some new offerings we hope you’ll explore and enjoy:

AT LAST! The Five Principles of Happiness MP3 downloads are here!
Now you can learn The Five Principles of Happiness with Michael on your iPod. The principles form the basis of Michael’s “Happiness Practice.” When applied consistently and consciously, your life transforms into an exponentially happier and more loving experience. Each lesson includes a beautiful guided meditation led by Michael. Only $4.95/lesson. Please visit our online store to download.

NEW! Happiness Coaching!
Want to create more happiness in your life? Then happiness coaching with Nancy O’Brien can help! Working as your personal happiness coach, Nancy will help you understand and practice Michael’s happiness insights and tools so you can confidently and courageously manifest, learn life lessons and of course, expand your happiness! Regularly $35/half-hour session by phone – now only $25 thru February. Please contact michelle@experiencehappiness.net to schedule.

NEW! Upcoming Classes!
Co-Creation Mastery  – January 30th
Get clear on what you want to manifest in 2010 and
how to do so more joyfully and effectively. In this workshop, Nancy O’Brien will teach you Michael’s Five Steps of Co-Creation in order to help you more easily manifest your desires. You’ll leave energized and equipped with The Co-Creation Experiment Model – a powerful planning and management tool for proactively creating a life you’ll love! $20/person. 10-Noon. Old Arizona Theater, Minneapolis, MN. Please contact michelle@experiencehappiness.net to RSVP.

Happiness 101 (February 11th & March 11th)
What is happiness? Why is it important? How do I create it? Happiness 101 is a perfect place to explore these important questions and their answers. Nancy O’Brien will step you through an overview of Michael’s happiness fundamentals, including:

• Co-Creation
• Soul-Evolution
• The Five Principles of Happiness

Have fun, meet new people and familiarize yourself with Michael’s happiness teachings and tools. Only $5/person. 6:30-8 pm. Old Arizona Theater, Minneapolis, MN. Please contact michelle@experiencehappiness.net to RSVP.

We look forward to connecting with you soon and thank you for creating happiness that heals the world.

Love,
The Experience Happiness Team