About Friendship and Money!

A friendship is always tested when it comes to money.
The way a person relates to his or her money tells
me a whole lot about that person's relationship
to his/her "spirit."

The easiest way to make friends is to spend money on them.
People love a giver!

I've always been the type that would rather give than
get things i.e. free things from people. My greatest
day is when I can give to a friend a gift that he or
she loves and wants or needs. Money is so easy to
replace; a friend isn't. So, while I'm having
a "season" of friendship with people, I tend to give to
the best of my ability.

It's easy for me to pick up the cost of a dinner for a
friend, or throw together a dinner party. (I don't do
"potlucks" either!)

Some people are aware of this nature within me, indeed,
my entire family, and they have taken advantage of that.
But as a family, we always recited together this old
philosophy that "he who steals my purse, steals trash!
'twas mine, 'tis his and has been slain for thousands. But
he, who filches from me, my good name, robs me of that which
not enriches him...but leaves me poor indeed."

So, I feel very sad and quickly distance myself
from people who always make a big deal out of money.
People who are always counting dimes, when they
have stashed dollars. People who never give a cent extra because they
are so conscious of lack! The greatest times of frustration
for me are when I'm in the presence of stingy people, those
who want "something for nothing," those who lack a sense
of prosperity. My greatest annoyances are with those
who week by week listen to some of the greatest metaphysicians
talk about having a "prosperity consciousness," and
"there's more than enough to go around," yet they
are the stingiest people around!

Which God are THEY serving?

There are some people who have shocked me with their generosity;
others who have disappointed me with their stinginess.

The truth is, yes, we must be practical about money. Don't spend more
than you have. But sometimes, people do need a helping hand. Sometimes,
even with their best efforts, honest, hard-working people do fall down!

The questions we must always ask ourselves at those times are these:

• Will you have a friend...a person you've shared secrets with for years...embraced for years as a friend...fall down because of a few dollars?

• Is losing a friendship, or gaining one, worth the price of a dinner?

If so, then go ahead and hold your purse tight.

Years from now, when you've saved enough, you may look around
your world.

You'll see.

Empty spaces that only a friend could have filled.

A long-time, childhood friend once told me what she was taught by her grandmother: "To Have a Friend, BE a Friend!"

Embrace your Spirit of Generosity!

Embrace your Abundance!

There REALLY is Always ENOUGH to go around!

Embrace your friends with your GIVING Spirit!

Namaste',

Che'

Why It is So Important to Make "The Inside Connection."

It was so ridiculous, it became hilarious.

At first, I was mildly frustrated when my broadband kept disconnecting from my Internet Service Provider at my home office. Then, it became downright irritating.

Of course, the telephone reps wanted me to stay on the phone with them ALL day to resolve the problem. I was savvy enough to know that the issue could not be addressed over the phone; it was a wiring problem!
A technician was dispatched to my home a week ago.

All week...I've had visitors from the ISP at my home:

The Inside guy would come and do his thing; then the Outside guy would come and do his thing. They went back and forth, with each getting his supervisor involved.

I became so frustrated that the only thing to do was to detach fully from the entire situation. When one or the other would come, I'd just relay the message that the other one had told me.

Then, yesterday, I just stopped talking to both of them (they each were at my home at separate times). I just prayed...about the problem; then, more importantly, about not losing control with either.

After I prayed, I was able to start talking to them again.

Guess what happened today?

At 7:45 a.m. the Inside guy showed up.

He'd done everything he knew how yesterday.

Today, he said, he would just "wait for the Outside guy to show up."

He was here for an hour, when at 8:45 a.m., the Outside guy showed up. Both had full backing of their supervisors. (Oh. Did I mention that one had his Union representative as backup, too?)

They began to "connect" by talking to each other.

By 9:30 a.m., the problem was resolved on the outside.
Then the Inside guy did his thing...
obliterating any possible hindrance to my connection.

At 10:30 a.m. I had a fully functioning connection!

The lesson in all this?

First, make your "Inside" connection.
Then, you can connect with anyone on the "Outside."

Namaste,'

Che'

What it Means to Be "Spiritual"...

Daily, I meet individuals from all walks of life with beliefs that range widely from staunch Catholicism/Protestantism/Fundamentalism to Atheism. I guess that's reflective of the diversity of the places I've lived, my willingness to be open to conversation and my overall lifestyle. The thing that is most interesting to me is when any of my conversations turn to discussions on life and our existence on Earth, even atheists would claim to be spiritual.

This happened recently, and I did not delve into the statement, as the forum for such a discussion was not appropriate. But it got me thinking about what that person meant about being spiritual. Indeed, now I wonder what we all mean when we state we are spiritual!

For me, spiritual is who we all are! We have no choice about this. If we get up every day and are aware of the world around us, or even if we're not aware of the world around us, we're spiritual. Once, we're breathing...yes, we are spiritual. We are spiritual beings having a human experience! Our humanity and our striving for our day-to-day survival and lifestyles have made us forget ourselves.

Indeed if we were to think about the question I asked in the earlier blog, "What is YOUR purpose on Earth?" and you really got to thinking about it, you'll see it is not to express more and more of your survival or daily existence skills. Your answers to that question probably fall into the realm of those I've heard from others: to be a mother, to be the best I can be, to be kind and to show compassion..

Now I'm thinking, based on the atheist's comment, there are two distinct perceptions about spirituality: those who know they are spiritual beings having a human experience and those who think spirituality is something that happens to them from time to time i.e. they get glimpses into the inner person in passing moments.

So, now, how can some ONLY experience being spiritual for short periods of time, while others are aware of this state as being their only existence? I think those who get glimpses intuitively know there is something deeper within, but they refuse to participate in connecting and answering the invitation of their own spirit!

In order to realize and remember constantly in this world of activity and "striving to arrive," we must center ourselves daily...even moment by moment...to connect to that spirit within us!

When we get up in the mornings, we should be centered in the awareness that only the "spirit" within us allowed us to arise! We need to see that were it not for "spirit," we would have no voice, no sight, no movement in our feet or arms. Indeed, we would be a "shell" i.e. just a body.

Our body clothes our humanity. But greater than this, our bodies are fueled by our spirit...within us at all times. It is in the midst of us in ALL that we do! There is NO separation. The only separation of this "spirit" is in our minds and our thoughts. Because guess what? The spirit within us has to keep working and working and working and going on second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day 24/7/365 in order for us to keep LIVING!

That spirit within us is in the midst of us and is not aware of TIME! Spirit does not recognize 24/7/365 or 60 seconds or 60 minutes. All it knows is that it is! It is...who you are...who I am...who we all are!

Without this pulsation of LIFE racing through us...without this BREATH that we take...we would not have the opportunity to be oh, so, human. Indeed we would not have a CHOICE to be staunch Catholic, Protestant, Fundamentalist or Atheist. We simply would not ...be.

So, I invite you each day, as Oprah Winfrey does on her television label, to "Remember Your Spirit!"

Remember that Spirituality is NOT a choice. It is.

It is in the midst of you.

By acknowledging and connecting to this spirit within you, moment by moment, day by day, hour by hour, seeming MIRACLES can appear in your life! You will return to WHOLENESS!

Namaste',

Che'

Keep Your Resolution by Focusing!

At the beginning of a new year, we all make resolutions to do things differently in our lives. We may make resolutions to exercise, save more money, take more time for ourselves or even search for a new job. Why do we fail at these resolutions?

We do for several reasons, but the main one is that we are not truly focused on the intention to make a change and to live a better life.

This is the challenge we have in all areas of our lives: to stay focused on the "intention," despite the appearances and challenges to the contrary.

If we want change to happen and really intend to be different and do things differently, then GET truly focused from within.

Begin with a 10-30 minute session in the morning with YOURSELF. Whether you want to call this prayer or meditation, it's strictly up to you and your beliefs. The key is to SPEND TIME with Yourself...FOCUSED on yourself ...and where you INTEND to make a difference that day in your life.

Then, plan your day to reduce stress and frustation. For example, if you have a meeting at 2 p.m, and it's only a 15-minute drive away, give yourself at least 30 minutes to get there. Afterall, anything can happen "on the way."

If you INTEND TO EXERCISE...then plan that into your schedule.

If you INTEND TO BEGIN SAVING...then cut out the extra coffee or treats that day.

Day by day, step by step, intention by intention, you will see your life change. You WILL be renewed to wholeness.

Namaste',
Che'