The other day I was thinking about the word insanity.
You ask, "Really, Lori. What were you thinking?"
I was thinking how the word insanity is used to describe people who are out of sanity...not in it. You know? in-sanity. So, why don't they call it outsanity?
This thought then morphed me to thinking about one of the definitions of insanity: doing the same thing and expecting different results.
Okay. So none of the above seems too ground breaking. What I felt is interesting is where my thoughts morphed next.
It would seem to me then that when one begins to think and feel differently about life (you know like consciously deciding to affirm certain new things about them self) while somehow expecting their life will not change or being surprised when their life begins to change, would also be a definition of insanity.
Okay, I could write more and expound on this idea. Instead, I'll simply say, "think about it".
P.S. I enjoyed the Wikipedia page for insanity. I found it interesting they made the distinction that insanity is not a disease of the brain but a mind thing.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Sensational Soul Food
I write as the L.A. Sightseeing Examiner for examiner.com. I basically duplicate those articles in my blog, CaliforniVacation: SoCal Style, as your SoCal gal. The intent and content for these venues is meant to be about places to go and/or things to do in the greater Los Angeles area.
I mention this because on March 24, 2010, I visited a venue almost literally in my own backyard...that's how close it is to where I live as I write this blog post. This venue is South Bay Celebration Church, also the location for Teen Challenge Los Angeles. I'm not going to take the space here to rewrite about this venue. Instead, I'll simply this link, here, to the examiner.com article if you weren't already directed to this blog from there knowing this is where I share some of the soul food Sheila Raye Charles dished up in her amazing testimonial. Ms. Charles has an autobiography, Behind the Shades, and a music CD with the same name.
I feel Ms. Charles would agree that her main dish of the evening is the message, "God sees no evil in her or any of us." We may see evil in our self or in other brother and sister children of God. God does not.
So, what does God see? Not simply that we are good, but straight on to seeing the perfect divine love intelligence in each one of us that we were created to be.
I loved Ms. Charles' side dish message which includes speaking about her stint in federal prison when she prayed and was answered by God, who she refers to as Big Daddy. She mentions after feeling like she lost everything and she means everything as she goes through the list, she was puzzled about what God might possibly wish for her to give. For indeed, God mentions God wants something from Ms. Charles.
What does God want? God wants us to give up all of our pain to God. God wants us to give up all of our mistaken ways we identify our self that aren't the same as the way God sees and identifies us. Thus, in a way it is not even a matter of forgiveness. God never has nor ever will see evil in us. NOthing to forgive. So give it up.
I was a little worried about what Ms. Charles mentions when it comes to homosexuals until she ended this side dish with a little helping of non-judgment and loving one another. I mean if God sees Sheila Raye without evil (even after all she has done and been through), in other words divine; what if I saw her the same way? What would there be about Sheila Raye for me not to love? For that matter, if God sees Sheila Raye without evil, I feel fairly certain God must see me the same way. What would there to about me then, for me not to love? Can I? Of course, I am capable. Will I give up to God all the ways I currently think, feel or believe I am unlovable? That's a whole 'nother can o'beans now isn't it?
I found it entertaining that Ms. Charles is so certain of her conversations with God and the way she regales these conversations. It had me wondering a little about my self (who I like to think is definitely and willingly on the path of spirituality and being the best, most divine me I feel I am able to in any given moment) since I don't feel I have such overt interactions with the Creator of all.
Surprisingly and delightfully, a thought popped into my mind that I may not identify what I "hear" as the voice of God; but, I tend to feel that thoughts of things to do or insights I feel I receive (almost as if from left field, if you know what I mean), might just as easily be considered divine messages as Ms. Charles' conversations with God.
All of these soul dishes are very powerful messages in my opinion. One last thing Sheila Raye mentioned that really got to me was when she shared God's plan for her. Part of that plan she mentions (while using my own words and interpretation), is people will be lured to see her because they are curious about this daughter of Ray Charles, the famous, now departed from earth, blind singer. Once in her presence, it is the perfect opportunity for God to speak through her his message of love for all of God's children.
This Bjork must admit she was definitely sucked into the plan...appreciatively and happily so. I enjoyed every morsel of the tasty soul food served. We are so loved. We are so blessed. Message received. Mahalo, Sheila Raye. Gracias, Dios!
I mention this because on March 24, 2010, I visited a venue almost literally in my own backyard...that's how close it is to where I live as I write this blog post. This venue is South Bay Celebration Church, also the location for Teen Challenge Los Angeles. I'm not going to take the space here to rewrite about this venue. Instead, I'll simply this link, here, to the examiner.com article if you weren't already directed to this blog from there knowing this is where I share some of the soul food Sheila Raye Charles dished up in her amazing testimonial. Ms. Charles has an autobiography, Behind the Shades, and a music CD with the same name.
So, what does God see? Not simply that we are good, but straight on to seeing the perfect divine love intelligence in each one of us that we were created to be.
I loved Ms. Charles' side dish message which includes speaking about her stint in federal prison when she prayed and was answered by God, who she refers to as Big Daddy. She mentions after feeling like she lost everything and she means everything as she goes through the list, she was puzzled about what God might possibly wish for her to give. For indeed, God mentions God wants something from Ms. Charles.
What does God want? God wants us to give up all of our pain to God. God wants us to give up all of our mistaken ways we identify our self that aren't the same as the way God sees and identifies us. Thus, in a way it is not even a matter of forgiveness. God never has nor ever will see evil in us. NOthing to forgive. So give it up.
I was a little worried about what Ms. Charles mentions when it comes to homosexuals until she ended this side dish with a little helping of non-judgment and loving one another. I mean if God sees Sheila Raye without evil (even after all she has done and been through), in other words divine; what if I saw her the same way? What would there be about Sheila Raye for me not to love? For that matter, if God sees Sheila Raye without evil, I feel fairly certain God must see me the same way. What would there to about me then, for me not to love? Can I? Of course, I am capable. Will I give up to God all the ways I currently think, feel or believe I am unlovable? That's a whole 'nother can o'beans now isn't it?
I found it entertaining that Ms. Charles is so certain of her conversations with God and the way she regales these conversations. It had me wondering a little about my self (who I like to think is definitely and willingly on the path of spirituality and being the best, most divine me I feel I am able to in any given moment) since I don't feel I have such overt interactions with the Creator of all.
Surprisingly and delightfully, a thought popped into my mind that I may not identify what I "hear" as the voice of God; but, I tend to feel that thoughts of things to do or insights I feel I receive (almost as if from left field, if you know what I mean), might just as easily be considered divine messages as Ms. Charles' conversations with God.
All of these soul dishes are very powerful messages in my opinion. One last thing Sheila Raye mentioned that really got to me was when she shared God's plan for her. Part of that plan she mentions (while using my own words and interpretation), is people will be lured to see her because they are curious about this daughter of Ray Charles, the famous, now departed from earth, blind singer. Once in her presence, it is the perfect opportunity for God to speak through her his message of love for all of God's children.
This Bjork must admit she was definitely sucked into the plan...appreciatively and happily so. I enjoyed every morsel of the tasty soul food served. We are so loved. We are so blessed. Message received. Mahalo, Sheila Raye. Gracias, Dios!
How To Turn a Parking Ticket Into a Positive
Not only did I not see any gray whales, I got a parking ticket too.
I shouldn't be too upset about the ticket I told my self. I know better. I parked in a known "no parking" area because I didn't want to drive back down to the parking area on Westward Beach Road. Plus, I told my self that where I parked looked as if I wasn't the first to park there and probably wouldn't be the last. Not to mention I wasn't staying very long. And the other myriad of all the justifications I played in my mind as to why it was okay to park in the no parking zone.
I am not too thrilled about paying the $50. As I placed the ticket into my purse, I vowed there must be some way for me to "spin" this to my advantage as I move forward in my life. How might I do that?
Ask the question. I believe the Universe loves and supports us so much than an answer always shows up. Maybe not right away. Maybe not an answer I'll recognize or appreciate. But an answer will present it self.
My answer to "how do I do that?" came in the form of "ask the question". So I did. "How can I turn this parking ticket into a positive?"
I attempt now to share the answer in a way I hope makes sense and may benefit others too. In other words, if you are reading this I am going to assume you were directed to this blog because the words will enhance your life in some way or even answer a question you've asked of the Universe.
Here goes.
A ticket or citation, if you will, seems to be an effective motivator for people not to do something. You know, if you do it (and get caught), you will be fined, ticketed, cited. And if you ignore the citation, the fines pile up. Soon what may have been alleviated by simply paying the ticket may turn into jail.
What if I used this same sort of system towards spiritual mastery? Spiritual mastery begins with self discipline and self dominion over one's personal self consciousness.
Each of us is endowed with a Divine Right of Consciousness. No one has ownership of what plays on the "screen of our mind (our consciousness)" but our self. We have the ultimate final say over what we will allow to play on that screen. What truths we will agree with. What beliefs we will buy into.
You've probably heard it said before that doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result is a definition of insanity. Well, if you continue to hold the same vision on the screen of your mind while simultaneously hoping for different results in your life, I put it out there that this too is insanity. Personal creation of our life's experiences begins with what we envision on the screen of our minds. We have ultimate authority.
I know it sounds ominous, but every thought...every feeling matters. We may know better. We may feel others before us have thunk (you like that?) the same thoughts and gotten away with it...so to speak. But in the same way as a "no parking" sign and then parking there resulted in a citation, what if when we know thinking/feeling/visualizing our self as poor, ill, ugly, unloved, unblessed, unlucky (you get the gist I trust) only creates more of the same in our experience...well, what if we saw the result of such thoughts/feelings/visualizations as us receiving a ticket or citation with the fine being continued experience of the lies we tell our self regarding how we identify with our personal health, wealth, beauty, blessings, well-being and so on?
Thoughts matter. Feelings matter. They create.
The good news is that every moment is a new opportunity to clean the slate (so to speak) of the screen of your consciousness starting fresh with new visions and feelings of your self the way you desire your self to be. There is a first time for everything.
We are spirit first. Spirit made manifest. Spirit in form. Thoughts made manifest. Feelings made manifest. Thoughts into form. Feelings into form. Look to your screen of consciousness and make sure it only includes thoughts, feelings and visions of you and your life that are in alignment with how you wish to create your life until this becomes the life you manifest. The more disciplined you are with this practice, the faster it may be expressed into manifestation.
While technically I feel there is no punishment in God consciousness, simply intepretation of what is on the screen of our own personal consciousness (why clarity and confidence are such wonderful practices)...if we know we (for instance) wish to create and experience unlimited abundance, the "no parking" zone for unlimited abundance would be thinking or feeling poor, poverty or scarcity. If we park in that zone with our thoughts and feelings, the ticket or citation is that we can not experience wealth, riches or unlimited abundance we desire when we are parked in the unlimited abundance "no parking" zone.
Now if you find yourself in the unlimited abundance (to extend the metaphor) "no parking" zone, you immediately pay the fine (take responsibility and forgive yourself for this mistaken thinking/feeling/seeing) and move your vehicle to the unlimited abundance parking zone right away, the damage will be minimal. Stay too long and pretty soon you succumb to the spiritual untruth of poverty. It is as if you have been placed in poverty prison forgetting that you are the only with with the key to release your self.
Here is a side benefit that occurred to me from this experience. You know how many times (myself included) we find ourselves saying we can't afford something? I've often noticed that in a way the "I can't afford ____" statement is a cop-out. If I really desire something and feel justified and deserving of having it, I somehow can afford that something. I also noticed that when it comes to paying tickets and things like that which I feel "I have to do" (mostly because I am afraid of the consequences of not paying it), somehow I find the money even if I don't necessarily admit I can afford it. I know somehow there is a way to apply this observation in a beneficial way. Although, maybe this observation becomes a moot point when I am disciplined about staying out of the unlimited abundance no parking zone while living joyfully and firmly in the unlimited abundance free parking lot.
What if Lent is More Than Giving Up Chocolate?
This is a duplicate of a post from my Bjork's BLEEP Blog, which I am abandoning because there is some sort of glitch that immediately redirects someone who wants to read the post somewhere else. Welcome to the reincarnation of Bjork's BLEEP Blog.
As I write this, tomorrow is Fat Tuesday aka Shrove Tuesday, 2010. The day after lent begins.
Almost ten years ago when the book, "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz was published, I was right there buying my copy from my local bookstore. Once in hand, I devoured every word.
Back then (and today) I felt if I simply followed the first agreement (be impeccable with your word with impeccable defined as without sin), not only did the first agreement seem to incorporate the other three, but my life had to change for the better.
Why?
For the most part, we can only think one thought at a time. Every time I think about my self as being impeccable is a moment I am not thinking of my self as unimpeccable. That probably sounds like a big, "DUH!" Yet almost ten years later I realize how many of my thoughts of my self have been and continue to be unimpeccable in whatever way, shape or form.
Then in 2002 I made a written commitment to my self to become 100% impeccable in the way described in the book, "The Four Agreements". I didn't really know how I would do this or how long it may take. At the time, I also thought I somehow would not be allowed to consider my self...label...identify my self as impeccable until I was impeccable in manifestation 100% of the time.
In other words, I was functioning under the illusion that I look at the outer (physical manifestation) and review who I have been, what I've done, stuff like that. Then in my mind if I wasn't perfect, I would not be allowed to declare my self impeccable without being considered a liar.
Since...I've come to realize (okay and granted I have no proof and can only speak for my self...yet I am so much more happy now than I have ever been...so, something is working/helping.) as I stand firmly in the power of the present moment to affirm and agree with the truth of who I am in the sight of Divine Love Intelligence (and in the sight of Divine Love Intelligence I am now and always have been impeccable); this practice is what allows the Universe to make this so for me as my physical experience.
Get it? I can't continue to affirm, "I am unimpeccable" and have the Universe manifest me as impeccable.
I also like to think of it like the following: You tell someone you love them and they are awesome. You honestly feel this way about them and believe this with all your heart and soul. Yet the person you share this love and sentiment with doesn't believe you are being truthful with them. Or you love your teenager. You know they are awesome, beautiful and talented...a divine, child of God. You know with all your heart and soul this is who they are. Yet they just don't see it. They just can't buy it. It doesn't mean you are wrong about them.
There are mantras like "om namah shivaya", which means "God is in me as me". Or quoting Rumi, "We are the ocean in the drop". Or the Bible, "Be still and know that I AM GOD". Our Creator knows we are divine, impeccable, without sin. This is how our Creator created us, "In His Image". This is how our Creator sees each of us. Yet imagine if our Divine Creator was human, how it might be hurtful (and unimpeccable) every time we thought, saw, agreed, defined or identified our selves as something less than we are in Divine Truth?
About now you may be thinking, "Lori. Lori Bjork. Girl, what does that have to do with lent?"
I feel it is a safe statement to make that for most who still practice lent it has become a time to give up something for the lent season (in 2010 lent is 46 days ending with the celebration of Easter, Sunday, April 4th) as a way of honoring what Jesus gave up as he prepared to go through the death/resurrection prophecy.
What if through the years we stopped seeing the story of Jesus the Christ as allegory/metaphor and began taking it way too literally?
"What do you mean, Lori?"
Let's say for argument's sake that the truth is we are already 100% impeccable. Not convinced this is the truth, when lent begins we currently find our self identifying our self as impeccable about 20% of the time (to use a random number for the sake of example). This means the other 80% of our present moments we are technically committing "self identity theft" by thinking/feeling/declaring/agreeing we are something less than the truth or om namah shivaya, God in Us as Us, Divine, ocean in the drop.
Let's say for argument's sake that on Ash Wednesday (the first day of lent), we are fairly attached to this 80% of our identity. Often we find ourselves saying things like, "I would never do that. It's not who I am!"
Are you still with me?
Now if you are, what if the true intent of lent was to give up during this period of time (as much as we are capable or will allow our self) our thinking/feeling/declaring/agreeing about our self in unimpeccable ways? After 46 days of being focused on replacing unimpeccable with impeccable, in theory, our self identity MUST change from what it was when lent began. That old way of identifying our self would have to die and be let go of in order for more of our truthful, Divine self to resurrect in its place in our physical manifestation experience.
I offer the following from the Catholic Encyclopedia for your consideration, "the real aim of lent is, above all else, to prepare men for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ...the better the preparation, the more effective the celebration will be. One can effectively relive the mystery only with purified mind and heart. The purpose of lent is to provide the purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God's will and to make His Kingdom come by making it come first in all of their hearts."
What if God's will is simply for us to identify us, our selves, as the amazing, blessed, beautiful, magnificent, wonderful, impeccable, children of God, healthy, wealthy, Well-Beings we are in truth?
What if instead of being afraid to let go of our "less than" self images feeling we must do this or that to "get better", all we ever had to do is be, declare and agree with the truth of who we are as Divine, impeccable, Children of God? Because we declared it and agreed with it in consciousness, the laws of the Universe must make it so for us in manifestation?
I thought about all of this last lent season. I set the intention to practice lent 2009 being more impeccable in every present moment. I declared the image of the Laughing Buddha as my touchstone. After all, I find it is a little bit funny or laughable that what I have been striving to be is who I always am and have been. I also thought that this Buddha, upon achieving enlightenment, had to laugh (or else he'd cry) knowing how easy enlightenment may have been had he trusted in his true self-identity.
I'll be honest, in 2009 I didn't last all lent. Maybe about two weeks. And if I remember correctly, I only caught about 10% of my unimpeccable thoughts/agreements/ways I self identified me as "less than" the truth of my Divine self (spirit made manifest, spiritual being having human experiences).
I also had a simple mantra for my lent practice.
"Thank You, God, for restoring me to the impeccability from which I emanated."
This year I added a mantra to my practice, which I say before the appreciation mantra.
"I am the Glory of God in perfect expression in body, mind, emotion and Spirit."
It has been estimated we have about 60,000 thoughts per day. If all you did was repeat this mantra once an hour 12 hours of each day...well, that may be 12 more times a day affirming, agreeing and declaring your true identity to the Universe than you had been. And it is 12 more times a day when you are not affirming something negative about your self.
I don't know about you, but I find it exciting to think that this practice of giving up some of my unimpeccable self for the next 46 days of lent is not only harmless, but empowering. And it won't cost one legal tender cent. Only time and focus to change one's personal self consciousness. Sounds like a win/win to me. Sounds like a reason to celebrate my newly resurrected self Identity when Easter comes to pass.
P.S. The Laughing Buddha photo is not one of my own. Click the Laughing Buddha link above for photo credit. Thank you.
As I write this, tomorrow is Fat Tuesday aka Shrove Tuesday, 2010. The day after lent begins.
Almost ten years ago when the book, "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz was published, I was right there buying my copy from my local bookstore. Once in hand, I devoured every word.
Back then (and today) I felt if I simply followed the first agreement (be impeccable with your word with impeccable defined as without sin), not only did the first agreement seem to incorporate the other three, but my life had to change for the better.
Why?
For the most part, we can only think one thought at a time. Every time I think about my self as being impeccable is a moment I am not thinking of my self as unimpeccable. That probably sounds like a big, "DUH!" Yet almost ten years later I realize how many of my thoughts of my self have been and continue to be unimpeccable in whatever way, shape or form.
Then in 2002 I made a written commitment to my self to become 100% impeccable in the way described in the book, "The Four Agreements". I didn't really know how I would do this or how long it may take. At the time, I also thought I somehow would not be allowed to consider my self...label...identify my self as impeccable until I was impeccable in manifestation 100% of the time.
In other words, I was functioning under the illusion that I look at the outer (physical manifestation) and review who I have been, what I've done, stuff like that. Then in my mind if I wasn't perfect, I would not be allowed to declare my self impeccable without being considered a liar.
Since...I've come to realize (okay and granted I have no proof and can only speak for my self...yet I am so much more happy now than I have ever been...so, something is working/helping.) as I stand firmly in the power of the present moment to affirm and agree with the truth of who I am in the sight of Divine Love Intelligence (and in the sight of Divine Love Intelligence I am now and always have been impeccable); this practice is what allows the Universe to make this so for me as my physical experience.
Get it? I can't continue to affirm, "I am unimpeccable" and have the Universe manifest me as impeccable.
I also like to think of it like the following: You tell someone you love them and they are awesome. You honestly feel this way about them and believe this with all your heart and soul. Yet the person you share this love and sentiment with doesn't believe you are being truthful with them. Or you love your teenager. You know they are awesome, beautiful and talented...a divine, child of God. You know with all your heart and soul this is who they are. Yet they just don't see it. They just can't buy it. It doesn't mean you are wrong about them.
There are mantras like "om namah shivaya", which means "God is in me as me". Or quoting Rumi, "We are the ocean in the drop". Or the Bible, "Be still and know that I AM GOD". Our Creator knows we are divine, impeccable, without sin. This is how our Creator created us, "In His Image". This is how our Creator sees each of us. Yet imagine if our Divine Creator was human, how it might be hurtful (and unimpeccable) every time we thought, saw, agreed, defined or identified our selves as something less than we are in Divine Truth?
About now you may be thinking, "Lori. Lori Bjork. Girl, what does that have to do with lent?"
I feel it is a safe statement to make that for most who still practice lent it has become a time to give up something for the lent season (in 2010 lent is 46 days ending with the celebration of Easter, Sunday, April 4th) as a way of honoring what Jesus gave up as he prepared to go through the death/resurrection prophecy.
What if through the years we stopped seeing the story of Jesus the Christ as allegory/metaphor and began taking it way too literally?
"What do you mean, Lori?"
Let's say for argument's sake that the truth is we are already 100% impeccable. Not convinced this is the truth, when lent begins we currently find our self identifying our self as impeccable about 20% of the time (to use a random number for the sake of example). This means the other 80% of our present moments we are technically committing "self identity theft" by thinking/feeling/declaring/agreeing we are something less than the truth or om namah shivaya, God in Us as Us, Divine, ocean in the drop.
Let's say for argument's sake that on Ash Wednesday (the first day of lent), we are fairly attached to this 80% of our identity. Often we find ourselves saying things like, "I would never do that. It's not who I am!"
Are you still with me?
Now if you are, what if the true intent of lent was to give up during this period of time (as much as we are capable or will allow our self) our thinking/feeling/declaring/agreeing about our self in unimpeccable ways? After 46 days of being focused on replacing unimpeccable with impeccable, in theory, our self identity MUST change from what it was when lent began. That old way of identifying our self would have to die and be let go of in order for more of our truthful, Divine self to resurrect in its place in our physical manifestation experience.
I offer the following from the Catholic Encyclopedia for your consideration, "the real aim of lent is, above all else, to prepare men for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ...the better the preparation, the more effective the celebration will be. One can effectively relive the mystery only with purified mind and heart. The purpose of lent is to provide the purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God's will and to make His Kingdom come by making it come first in all of their hearts."
What if God's will is simply for us to identify us, our selves, as the amazing, blessed, beautiful, magnificent, wonderful, impeccable, children of God, healthy, wealthy, Well-Beings we are in truth?
What if instead of being afraid to let go of our "less than" self images feeling we must do this or that to "get better", all we ever had to do is be, declare and agree with the truth of who we are as Divine, impeccable, Children of God? Because we declared it and agreed with it in consciousness, the laws of the Universe must make it so for us in manifestation?
I'll be honest, in 2009 I didn't last all lent. Maybe about two weeks. And if I remember correctly, I only caught about 10% of my unimpeccable thoughts/agreements/ways I self identified me as "less than" the truth of my Divine self (spirit made manifest, spiritual being having human experiences).
I also had a simple mantra for my lent practice.
"Thank You, God, for restoring me to the impeccability from which I emanated."
This year I added a mantra to my practice, which I say before the appreciation mantra.
"I am the Glory of God in perfect expression in body, mind, emotion and Spirit."
It has been estimated we have about 60,000 thoughts per day. If all you did was repeat this mantra once an hour 12 hours of each day...well, that may be 12 more times a day affirming, agreeing and declaring your true identity to the Universe than you had been. And it is 12 more times a day when you are not affirming something negative about your self.
I don't know about you, but I find it exciting to think that this practice of giving up some of my unimpeccable self for the next 46 days of lent is not only harmless, but empowering. And it won't cost one legal tender cent. Only time and focus to change one's personal self consciousness. Sounds like a win/win to me. Sounds like a reason to celebrate my newly resurrected self Identity when Easter comes to pass.
P.S. The Laughing Buddha photo is not one of my own. Click the Laughing Buddha link above for photo credit. Thank you.
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