Random Thoughts...Feeling Sooo Good!

Exercise and Living The Secret- What a combination!
The Rewards: It Does Make you feel Good

Just finished exercising –wow! I feel good. Don’t let anyone fool you. Efficient exercise (we’ll define ‘efficient’ below) does make those endomorphins flow - so that you do experience a ‘feel good’ feeling after a session. The body has been worked; its fully relaxed which communicates to the brain a clear, anxiety free state of mind. It erases all that anxiety,depression or even fear- all those negative feelings that too often fill our minds when we look at the world we live in- at least temporarily. It takes your mind off all that ‘shit’ in the world or things you feel you have to worry about. The more you focus on what you are feeling …the more powerful it becomes…almost like a meditation- the feeling expands and feels better and better and better.

I always felt that the biggest issue I have with yoga classes (I really enjoy them) is that after you have truly and beautifully worked the body with all those wonderful stretches and positions to a point of it feeling gloriously relaxed- we end the session. Some classes do a 1 minute meditation but that’s it. For me its time to meditate here or relax and just focus on those feelings for at least 15 minutes and expand them. It is amazing how deeply one can meditate after an efficient exercise session because the body is so relaxed and will connect so easily now with the mind.

Now add to this that wonderful feeling of accomplishment (I actually did that dreadful exercise) – I know I should do it…even though I hate it… I don’t want to do it…Here’s a pat on the back because I did it. Feels good to put a check next to something on your ‘to do’ list. Doesn't it ? And then what about balancing all that food you shouldn’t eat- its healthy. Yes it does burn calories and fat and its good for you. It certainly makes you look better than you would if you didn’t exercise. And we all know when we look better, we feel better. Call it vanity, but most of us look like shit when we feel like shit.

My efficient exercise session is one where I challenge myself. I do 20 minutes of cardio on the bike or stepper- try to break a bit of a ‘sweat.’ Then I lift weights for another 20minutes (alternating one day my upper body and the next day my lower body). And not to forget the situps- probably about 200- I’m 60 and refuse to watch my mid-section expand- which started around 40.

Tell us about your ‘ideal’ exercise session and how it makes you feel. JOANNE

Mark Your Calendar- March 3rd

I highly recommend you join Oprah and Eckhart Tolle in a web seminar on his book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Own Life's Purpose March 3rd- a great opportunity to be enlightened and learn how to live the joyful life you have been meant to live. Sign up now on http://www.oprah.com/ for the series. We'll be there ! [Note: see our posting- February 9th describing the book and its philosophy.]

Happy Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day right around the corner... what better time to think about giving the greatest gift of all- LOVE... by spreading joy. Remember, the Law of Attraction tells us, that which is like unto itself, is drawn. In other words, what we send out into the universe comes right back to us in one form or another. We wish you all the joy of giving on this holiday.

From Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook

Chapter 17: THE JOY OF GIVING

You’ve heard the phrase, the joy of giving. And chances are you probably have experienced it too; that wonderful, warm and happy feeling you get when you’ve given that perfect gift or performed an act of kindness or simply gone out of your way to help someone in need.
Giving can take so many forms. It can be a gift, a donation to a charitable cause, an act that benefits others, or an act that provides value and service to the world. It can be a compliment, an expression of love, words of appreciation or a simple smile.
Giving is a great opportunity to experience positive feelings of happiness and joy and by virtue of the Law of Attraction bring more of the same to you. Acts of kindness and caring benefit both the giver and receiver. They produce instant good feelings for both parties as each is lifted into a state of feeling happy. Giving is a chance to feel the positive energy flow through you. You are ‘going with the flow’ towards joy and well-being. Since the universe (including you) has an infinite supply of love and happiness, your acts of giving and sharing only make room for more to come to you. It is the giving that keeps that stream of positive energy flowing to you so you may receive all that you want.

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose - A Must Read !

Thank you Oprah for choosing this bookfor your book club selection. I am currently reading it and only wish I had more time to get through it even faster. It is an awakening experience for its readers. It reinforces the importance of living now and connecting to the higher you to find joy.

Here is a wonderful review from Amazon of the book that I feel reflects its message:
"We are clearly living in an insane world. As Eckhart says, we killed 100 million members of our own species just in the 20th century; we are busy destroying the ability of the planet we live on to support human life; murder, rape and hate blare at us every night from the TV; the government pays farmers not to grow food while children starve to death. There is only one problem and there is only one solution for that problem and Eckhart has more lucidly presented this than any author I have ever read. The answers we crave CANNOT be found through thought. They can only be found in the stillness, in the present moment. What matters is this: will we take this message and use it in our own lives? Or not? There is all kinds of evidence that species of animals and plants have suddenly taken a quantum leap up the evolutionary ladder. There is a 'critical mass' that is reached when enough members of a species adopt a new way of being. At that point, the rest of the biological group is brought along and the numbers required to bring this about aren't really that high. There is no doubt that we humans are on a course that will ultimately end in our extinction if there are not fundamental changes. The solution lies in each one of us taking responsibility for our own consciousness. We have countless opportunities every day to practice living in the Now, just as Eckhart teaches. When I don't want to cook dinner, or wash the dishes, or weed the garden, or mop the floor, I can resentfully do these activities - or I can use them as opportunities to practice. My life is filled with increasing bliss and ecstasy. I constantly focus on JOY, just as he teaches. Instead of grumbling, I seek the joy in every mundane chore and, just as he says, the power of spirit flows into what I am doing. Of the billions of people on this planet, only a relative handful of us will have the privilege of reading Eckhart Tolle's two awesome books. If you 'grok' what he is saying, then practice, practice, practice. If enough of us evolve spiritually, one of these days we will all evolve into beings that we can't even imagine right now. This is the greatest contribution we can ever make. Personally, I have been reading spiritual books for 30+ years. I knew even as a small child that something fundamental was missing in my life, but I couldn't seek it because I didn't know what to look for. Now my heart is now full and I am at peace most of the time - and when I'm not, I know what the problem is and I know how to restore the peace. I am living in a heaven on earth! Thank you, Eckhart Tolle. "

A Valentine's Day Give-Away: Join In and Win

Valentine's Day is coming- We're happy to announce a holiday give-away, an autographed copy of our book, Living The Secret Everyday: Our Secret Workbook. Every person posting a comment during the month of February to any of our blogs will be entered in the contest to win the book. Make as many posts as you'd like, to any or all blogs- we 'd love to hear from you and we will respond to as many as possible. Each post will serve as an entry for the contest; the more posts, the more chances you have of winning. One winner will be announced and a book sent at the end of February. This is simply our way of introducing ourselves and our book to you and thanking those of you who have already been attracted to it and making it a part of your lives. Please visit our website to learn more about it : http://www.livingthesecreteveryday.com/ .