MAY 1, 2008

Trapped: How Our Thoughts Increase Our Suffering 

There’s so much talk these days about staying in the present moment. But, sometimes, it’s not that easy in times of stress. Yet, if we were able to remain present when things go wrong, it would certainly relieve us of unnecessary suffering. The following true story is a perfect example. 

A few weeks ago, Melissa and I took Libby (our 4-year-old Lab mix) for a walk down our favorite dead-end road for walking. On our way back to the car, Libby wanted to venture off the road and onto a path in the woods, so we told her it was okay and followed close behind. After all, we were about to go on vacation for a week without her, so we were trying to get in as much “Libby time” as possible. 

The path went into a wildlife sanctuary, so it's a really beautiful wooded area. We didn't have time to go far, as the sun was already setting, so we let Libby venture maybe 25 feet up the path. Melissa just got done saying to me, “I love just watching her sniff around and enjoy herself.” Seconds later, everything took a turn for the worse. 

Melissa and I can't believe our eyes. A trap hidden under the leaves? Is this even possible… legal? Freaking out, we frantically run up to Libby who is still screaming in pain. Melissa puts her arms around her, trying to get her to stop pulling away from the trap, at which she’s somewhat successful. I immediately begin trying to open this contraption, but the springs are so strong that I can't get it to release by merely trying to pry open the jaws of this thing; so I begin looking for some kind of lever or switch. 

Seeing Libby’s paw in the clutches of this cold-hearted device is heartbreaking. Her toes are being crushed and I fear what kind of damage the teeth of this thing have done to her paw. I’m having visions of rushing her to the animal emergency clinic (because all the vets are closed by this time), as well as thoughts of her not being able to walk on her bandaged paw for months. 

“What are we going to do?” I think to myself. “We can’t possibly go away on vacation now.” 

As I continue to investigate the trap for a release, Libby panics and begins shrieking at the top of her lungs again and pulling on the trap and chain. Melissa calms her one more time by hugging her tightly and talking to her quietly. At this point, I’m angry with myself for having no idea how these things work. All I can see is one possible lever on the opposite end of where Libby’s paw is jammed into this thing, so I push down on it really hard and the trap opens a tiny bit. Unfortunately, we still can't get Libby's paw out, but it seems to have eased some of the pressure. 

At this point, I notice that this trap doesn't have any teeth--it's just a nasty clamp with no claws. “Thank God for that,” I think to myself. By this time, Libby is calm but obviously still in pain, and the metal jaws are still crushing her paw. As I hold down this lever, which is taking all of my strength, Melissa calls the police on my cell phone. The desk clerk is little help by phone, but I’m hoping a police officer might know how to open this damn thing when he or she arrives. 

Melissa stays on the phone with the desk clerk while holding onto Libby to keep her still. The clerk tells Melissa that traps are still legal but are carefully regulated, and she didn’t think they should be located in the middle of a path. Libby--now calmer, possibly a little in shock--decides to lie down. As she moves her position, I can now see there is a lever under her paw on the other side of this trap. So, at the risk of making things worse, I grab both levers and press down with all my might, releasing Libby's paw. 

Not knowing how badly injured her paw is, Melissa keeps Libby lying down. Still envisioning a long night at the animal emergency hospital and a long road to recovery, I run to the road to guide the policeman, as I can now see his car arriving. As he and I get back to where Melissa and Libby are located, I see that Libby’s now sitting upright, actually putting pressure on her right front paw. I’m amazed. We are all amazed. It’s a really good sign. 

Cautiously, we encourage Libby to stand up and try walking. I’m scared to death of the pain it might inflict. I can tell from Melissa’s facial expression that she fears the same. Yet, surprisingly, Libby is able to walk. She doesn’t even limp. In fact, as we all reach the road again, you'd never know she was just traumatized. Instead Libby skips around, completely happy that she’s free, and begins flirting with the police officer. 

That was three weeks ago and, today, Libby’s fine as can be. We got her home that night and she went right to bed. We checked her paw out immediately and even the next morning. I'm sure she had some pain; but, going by our Vet’s recommendation, we wiggled all her digits and nothing made her flinch. Miraculously nothing was broken, though I think we're all going to feel the trauma of that incident for a while. 

My own personal distress during the incident was surely made worse by my projecting into the future. Had I stayed in the present moment only, I wouldn’t have seen Libby suffering during the 45-minute ride to the animal emergency clinic, I wouldn’t have envisioned the teeth of the trap piercing the toes of her little paw, and I wouldn’t have imagined her limping on a bandaged paw for weeks or months, barely being able to make it outside to go to the bathroom. 

If I had kept my imagination at bay by remaining in the present moment, I would have experienced fifteen to twenty minutes of trauma and it would have been over (like Libby). Instead, I experienced hours of stress on the way to the clinic and at the clinic, and weeks of stress at home during Libby’s recovery. Yet none of that happened; none of it was real. But the body and mind doesn’t know the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined. Physically and emotionally, we react just as equally to both traumas. And, as a result, we suffer unnecessarily and, therefore, our stress levels increase—all because we haven’t learned how to stop projecting into the future of what “might” happen. 

Living in the now: It’s an idea worth practicing. And it’s so easy even a dog can do it. 

Warmly,
Bob Olson

PS, Although we had never seen them in the four years we’d been walking Libby, we actually ran into the US Wildlife employees the next time we took a walk. They told us that they have the traps in the woods in order to protect the piping plovers, a bird that is on the endangered species list. Because the fox and coyote eat the plovers, the US Wildlife folks feel it’s a good idea to trap and then kill the fox and coyote in that area. In fact, the reason we happened to run upon them this particular day was because they were also shooting crows in order to protect the plovers. 

When we told someone who lived in the area about the traps, they said that other dogs had been trapped, as well, in the past. They weren’t as lucky as Libby and ended up with severe injuries. These residents of the area also said that because the fox were being killed, they were now inundated with an overabundance of ground hogs. Lucky for the groundhogs, they aren’t a threat to the piping plovers.

APRIL 2, 2008

Conscious Coffee

A couple months ago, I go the flu. It took me down for a full week. Since I hadn’t enjoyed any coffee for the week, it seemed a good time to quit—I had a bit of an addiction to it. 

I had tried quitting before, more than once; but the mind-splitting headaches and afternoon depressions were stronger than my desire to be free from the gods’ nectar. This time was different. Thanks to the flu virus, I’d already been through the worst of it—the first week—and I didn’t even feel the withdraw symptoms. So I thought I’d give it a go.

After six weeks of coffee-free living, I realized that I hadn’t just been using coffee for its caffeine pick-me-ups; I also enjoy the flavor. And I felt that I could enjoy a cup-a-joe occasionally for the pleasure of it without turning it into an everyday habit. So I promised myself that I would only have a coffee once a week if I could sit and drink it consciously (rather than while driving or shopping, for instance). Hence, the idea of Conscious Coffee was born.
Coincidentally, while I was thinking about Conscious Coffee, my friend, Trish Whynot, sent an article to us about her own experience giving up coffee in the past. Don’t you love synchronicity? In her own way, Trish talked about going back to coffee later, but being more conscious about it, rather than drinking on the go. After the coincidence of this article, I knew this Conscious Coffee idea was going to be powerful.

My wife, Melissa, decided to join me for Conscious Coffee on Sundays. And since I enjoy Starbucks coffee more than any other, we decided to take our Conscious Coffee Sunday to the Starbucks café. Little did either of us know what a precious ritual this would become to us. We’d order our drinks and treats (you have to enjoy a Conscious Coffee with something tasty), and we’d find ourselves a table where Melissa could sit in the sun and I could sit in the shade. Then we’d just nibble, sip and be with one another.

At first, I focused on my coffee and iced lemon loaf. Little by little, I’d take a bite and then take a sip. My awareness was on my taste buds. Had Starbucks improved their brewing process even more? Then I expanded my awareness to Melissa. It was nice to just sit and soak in her company. I noticed how striking she looked, how calm and peaceful she appeared, and how she moved with grace. My consciousness then expanded once again to the other people in the café. Children giggled. Students studied. Adults drank their beverages in quiet solitude. And then there was the music: Van Morrison, James Taylor, The Beatles and James Blunt. How often am I simply oblivious to the music, I wondered? I hadn’t felt so aware of my surroundings in years. Even after the caffeine kicked our jaws into gear, Melissa and I enjoyed a conversation that was magnificent.

I’m sure it’s no coincidence that, two weeks after beginning our Conscious Coffee Sundays, we began reading A New World by Eckhart Tolle and watching the Tolle interviews with Oprah online. Sure enough, the book and online interviews are all about being conscious in our lives. Tolle encourages us to be in the present moment by eating, working, exercising, driving, walking and even sitting consciously. Rather than continue the rat race by living on automatic—moving through our lives unconsciously—we need to stop doing and begin being in the now without thinking, that is, without focusing on regrets about the past or worries about the future, says Tolle [my paraphrasing].

I’m not sure I would have absorbed the book and online interviews as quickly if not for my Conscious Coffee on Sundays. These were the perfect segue for understanding the value of being in the moment, being conscious of what I’m doing and with whom I’m doing it, and taking time to stop rushing through my life to get somewhere else. Tolle and Oprah taught me while my Conscious Coffee showed me that what is most important is whatever and whoever is right in front of me at any given moment. What a waste to be thinking about work on Monday while being unmindful of our time off on Sunday. What a waste to be thinking of our issues with another while we sit unconsciously with our children, spouse or friend.

Conscious Coffee Sunday has become a valued event. Melissa and I look forward to it all week long. But it’s important to point out that it’s not about the coffee. It could be Conscious Nephews, where we sit and be with our nephews, Ryan and Liam. Or it could be Conscious Dinner, Conscious Cleaning, Conscious Dog Walking or Conscious Massage. The point is to be present, soaking in the sounds, feelings, smells and flavors of the moment.

For beginners, like myself, I think it helps to start with a comfortable environment. The cafés we choose have a clean and relaxing energy about them. You have to take into account that we live in Maine. I’ve been in a few Starbucks in Boston that I wouldn’t go to for Conscious Coffee Sunday. Not that we couldn’t enjoy that, too; it would just be a different experience. A busy, hectic location might be a lot to take in for someone who is trying to keep the mind silent.

I’ve never been one to read a book and entirely change my life based on its teachings. But I do believe that Tolle’s A New World has that potential for some people. For me, it’s put what I’ve learned from my Conscious Coffee experiences into perspective. I now understand why Melissa and I spent two hours at Starbucks this past Sunday. All we did was sit and eat and talk—together, consciously—but it was the highlight of my week. Perhaps there is something in all of this for you, too. So I thought I share it with you.

For anyone interested in listening to the Oprah/Tolle interviews (over 2 million people have watched these 90-minute episodes weekly), you can download them or watch them via streaming video at Oprah.com (or Itunes.com).

Warmly,
Bob Olson

MARCH 5, 2008

The Stages Of Enlightenment: One Man's Belief

Many people have asked me what I know about the stages of enlightenment. My first answer is that I know nothing; nobody really knows until we cross-over. But I will share with you my belief.

I believe that we are all energy beams that reach out from the Source, the light and love of God, like rays of light that reach out from the sun. When we first leave the Source, we are blank slates, eager to have experiences that will teach us all there is to know. At first, our energy is low and dense because we are new and inexperienced. As we have experiences that teach us universal wisdom, our energy vibration (our frequency) increases. And slowly, after many lives and many experiences, our vibration slowly increases so that we work our way back to the Source—the One with the highest vibration.

I believe that we increase our energy and our knowledge by experiencing the polar aspects of all there is to know. Our knowledge gives us an appreciation and understanding that makes us ever more complete with each new experience. In other words, we learn from experiencing both sides of every possibility. In order to fully understand and appreciate kindness, we must experience cruelty. In order to fully understand and appreciate joy, we must experience depression. In order to fully understand and appreciate health, we must experience sickness. In order to fully understand and appreciate comfort, we must experience discomfort. And so it goes for every possible experience that exists, we experience both sides of the spectrum in order to understand and appreciate the opposite.

As we reincarnate from one life to another, we can only take on so many experiences at one time. In one life, we might learn about loneliness and poverty. In another, we might grow to understand addiction and codependency. In another, fame. In another, companionship. In another, being needed and taking care of someone in need. In another, mental illness. In another, unconditional love. Sometimes we can handle two or three, or maybe several, lessons in one lifetime. Sometimes one major lesson may be all we can take and our life might be very short. And some lives may even be strictly for the purpose of helping someone else’s spiritual growth, although we always benefit energetically whenever we help another soul in their journey.

As we complete each lifetime, our energy frequency increases and we grow closer to the Source. After several lifetimes, we are vibrating at faster speeds and we have gained an understanding and appreciation for many facets of being. It is my belief that if someone finds themselves passionate about helping the homeless or foster children or the mentally impaired, that they have likely experienced that condition in a past life. This is why they have compassion in this area and for these people, because on a cellular and subconscious level they understand and appreciate the circumstances and conditions that these people know. This is why God, our Creator, has unconditional love, compassion and understanding for us. He knows all sides of every experience.

Some people may choose not to return to earth for another lifetime because lessons can also be learned in the spirit world. We can help people on earth as spirit-guides ourselves, assist in helping souls cross-over, comfort pets while they await their earthly owners to return to heaven, or any number of possible “jobs.” However, from what I have learned, we reincarnate because spiritual growth is much faster here on earth. Similar to the “No Pain, No Gain” philosophy regarding physical fitness, the struggles we endure on earth are like going to the health club to exercise. With each grueling work out (each life), we return with rapid growth.

Every time a life is ended, our souls return home to heaven. And each time we return to the spirit world, we are instantly freed of all pain and sickness, all fear and all earthly concerns. We are instantaneously bathed in the comfort, joy and love of the Ultimate Light. Regardless of how difficult our last lifetime was, we sigh in our emancipation and think to ourselves, “Wow, what a relief!” And as we discover the immense growth we gained from that lifetime, we think, “Hey, that wasn’t so bad. I can do that again.” And before we know it, we are planning our next human journey.

With each lifetime voyage we are even closer to reaching God’s vibrational frequency—the ultimate, final destination. Then, at some point we know all there is to know and have experienced all there is to experience. We have the highest understanding and appreciation attainable. And upon that last lesson, the final earthly existence that completes us, we merge again with our Creator to an eternity of euphoria and ecstasy.

That is my interpretation of life and the afterlife according to my experiences, research and beliefs over the last few years. I can’t prove it, but it helps me to understand why bad things happen to good people, why children suffer, and why God allows the tragedies and sufferings of innocent human beings to exist. Although it doesn’t make negative experiences any less tragic or difficult to endure, and in no way do I intend to make light of anyone’s suffering or hardships or suggest that we stand idly by and watch people struggle—we should always do what we can to ease the burdens of others—it helps me to believe there is a spiritual purpose to life’s challenges. By believing that we learn to know love as much by experiencing hate and suffering as we do kindness and compassion, it helps me to make sense of this world and trust that every person’s suffering will be relieved and rewarded in the end. 

Warmly,
Bob Olson

FEBRUARY 7, 2008

Are Your Fears Creating Your Reality? Let Coincidence Guide You

A couple weeks ago, I began to worry about a potential problem that might occur with a new project I was creating—a project that was near-and-dear to my heart and was something I’ve wanted to do for years. For some reason, my fears took over and I became focused on this potential problem that might possibly occur someday, though it was most unlikely. 

That Saturday night, I got together with three friends whom I particularly trust and highly respect their opinions. So I presented the potential problem to them in order to get their feedback. They, of course, already knew about the project, since I had shared it with them over a year ago.

The conversation then focused on this topic for over an hour. Different people had different opinions, and some even changed their opinion as the debates continued. At one point, we even discussed the proper wording of how the new project should be marketed so as to avoid the confusion and misunderstanding I feared might happen, thereby avoiding the potential problem. And that was the end of it. After an emotionally driven hour of talking, I was worn out from the conversation and asked to move on to another discussion—still feeling fearful about the issue, maybe more so. 

The next morning, I checked my email and couldn’t believe my eyes. A complete stranger in some other part of the country had read an article I wrote several years ago in reference to my new desired project. And wouldn’t you know it, she misunderstood how I worded it and challenged me to explain. 

I knew instantly that the energy and emotion I had given the issue the night before—while discussing the subject with friends for over an hour—had attracted the very thing I feared into my life. 

A couple hours later, a psychic medium from my newest site, BestPsychicDirectory.com, called and left me a voice message. I had talked to this medium a couple times on the phone, but I didn’t know her well. She said, “Bob, I was meditating this morning and I thought of you when I was given a message. I don’t know who this message is for, but I know I’m supposed to deliver it to you. The message is: Your spirit needs you to do something, so stop making excuses and just do it.” 

She was right. I was using the potential problem that might possibly happen as an excuse to not move forward with a project that was near-and-dear to my heart. I had let fear steer me to avoid doing what my spirit needed me to do. There are potential problems down the road with any new project. The only reason I got focused on this one was to avoid doing something that scared the heck out of me. I wasn’t afraid of the potential problem. I was afraid of all that was entailed in fulfilling one of my lifelong dreams. 

The coincidence of both the email from the stranger and the phone call from the medium—both within a couple hours of one another—awakened me from my absurd thought pattern. I stopped being fearful and felt supported and encouraged by the Universe. 

This event got me thinking about the power of attention versus intention. We’ve heard a lot about the power of intention lately. Intention is when our thoughts and actions manifest things, people and circumstances into our lives from the field of Cosmic Consciousness. But there is another side to the law of attraction that few people discuss—attention. Attention is when we focus our thoughts and actions upon something, thereby activating its energy field. Attention puts energy into the subject of our focus. And, therefore, whatever we focus upon expands. 

So, in the words of Deepak Chopra “As our attention creates energy, intention brings about the transformation of that energy.” 

When it comes to attention or intention, everything begins with a thought. Thoughts, of course, include everything we think about, but also the feelings (emotions) we associate with those thoughts. The higher intensity of emotion associated with a thought, the more powerful it is.

Actions are the result of thoughts and take our attention one step further. Actions include writing, talking and doing. In order of the intensity of energy projected, we think about it, we write about it, we talk about it, and we take action in response to it. And with each new concentration of attention (and the emotion attached to it), the subject of our attention expands.

In my case, I thought of a potential problem that might occur. First I thought about it, and nothing happened (not yet anyway). But then I put more energy into it by talking about it with my friends. Talking, our conversation, was an action. The conversation increased the emotions I was feeling in reference to it. Plus, I now had four heads thinking and talking about it instead of just one. 

The energy of attention had now multiplied exponentially (from thinking to talking, from one person to four people, from low emotion to high emotion). And that’s all it took to influence one stranger to just happen to find an old article of mine, read it, find the exact wording that I feared might be misconstrued, and email me about it. Voila! The potential problem I focused upon became a reality. 

There was a time in my life, long before my eight years of researching spirituality, when I would have written off that email I got on Sunday morning as a mere coincidence. I now know that coincidence often shows up to tell us something. In the case of this story, this coincidence proved to me the power of attention—the power my thoughts, emotions and actions have in my life. 

One might also say that the incident of the psychic medium who called me with the message, “Your spirit needs you to do something, so stop making excuses and just do it” is also just a mere coincidence. What my experiences have taught me here is that this coincidence was a direct message from someone in spirit trying to get me on track—or keep me from getting off track. Whether it be a deceased loved one in spirit or a spirit guide, someone in the spiritual dimension was tired of my excuses and used this precise incident to deliver a potent and timely message. I’m grateful for receiving it. 

I recently read a book about coincidences. In the book, the author states that when we begin to pay attention to the coincidences in our lives, we experience more of them. Once again, we see the power of attention that follows the principle that whatever we focus upon expands. While reading the book, a few interesting coincidences took place, all within a two-week span of time.

In one case, I was introducing a client to the subject of Indigo children and the next day I got an email from a stranger about a project underway on Indigo children. I hadn’t read or seen anything about Indigo children in years. What’s even more interesting is that the project was being done at the Columbia University Institute of Spirituality & Children and the client I was talking with grew up on the campus of Columbia University because her parents were both professors there. Isn’t that cool? 

In another case, I had been talking with friends about an old CD I once heard by Tony Robbins on the six human needs. When my friends went to a library’s audiotape section the next day to see if they had it, that same Tony Robbins CD on the six human needs was laying flat on the top shelf because someone had pulled it out and left it there. Ooh, that gives me chills. 

In still another case, I quit drinking coffee a few weeks ago. Just two weeks later, a writer whom I hadn’t spoke with in months, and whom had no idea I’d quit drinking coffee, recently wrote an article about her own experience quitting coffee years ago and sent it to me. What she taught about her experience giving up the caffeine addiction helped me in my own journey. 

Those three coincidences, plus the first story of coincidence I told you, all happened within two weeks of one another—while I was reading a book on coincidences. Did spirit and the Cosmic Consciousness use my focus on coincidence to communicate with me or are we given coincidental communications all the time? Hmmmm. 

If you read an old article I wrote titled, The Grief And Belief Connection, I offer you another powerful and detailed story of a time when I was considering stopping my research of mediumship when an entire series of coincidences occurred, which delivered me the message that my research was meaningful and important and needed to continue.

Coincidences like these occur all the time in our lives. Some are the result of attention. Some are the result of intention. Some are guiding messages from spirit. And, yes, I guess a few are mere happenstance. But unless we pay attention to them and attempt to interpret their meaning, they are useless to us, regardless.

If you watched or read The Secret, have read any book on the law of attraction, or even watched an Oprah or Larry King episode on the subject, you’ve probably heard a lot of people touting vision boards. This is where you paste words, images or representations of your desires onto a poster board of some sort, which then serves to remind you to think about these things more often—it helps in the attention and intention manifestation process. The truth is, me being slow to jump on board any new trend, I haven’t finished mine. I carved out the magazine cutouts a year ago, but haven’t got around to gluing them onto the board yet. Nonetheless, for the sake of experiment and curiosity alone, I plan to do it this week. I trip over my skepticism all too often, and to my own detriment. 

My point is to encourage you to create your own vision board as an experiment in attention, intention and the law of attraction. Then stay alert for the various forms of guidance that show up in your life: coincidences, animal totems, divination cards, emails that arrive, songs that come on the radio, billboards that speak to you on the highway, whatever works for you. Only go with what feels right and is aligned with your most effective guiding system—your intuition (gut feelings). Then keep a list of how many items on your board show up in your life: things, people and circumstances. It might just change your life. PS, I’d love to hear about them. 

Warmly,
Bob Olson

JANUARY 22, 2008

I initially began investigating spirituality in 1999. In the year 2000, thanks to experiences in mediumship, past-life regression and spirit writing, I was just beginning to consider the possibilities that accompany having an eternal soul. Below is something I wrote in that year, which I continue to believe today. Read it with a friend as a catalyst for discussion. Enjoy. 

Here is something to consider…

What if we charted our life’s events before we made the transition from spirit-form to human-form? What if we really do live more than one life and our home is really the spirit world? If this were true, then perhaps our life issues, struggles, illnesses and major obstacles are all of our own making, all within our carefully designed plan. Like courses we enroll in at college, each tragic accident, every financial struggle, even the relationship issues that affect our lives could be part of the curriculum. If this were the case, would it mean that all our suffering is part of the course for which we signed up, and in the end—when we cross back over to go home—we will be rewarded with greater spiritual growth for enduring these trials?

If you allow yourself to fantasize for a split second that this is true, does this not ease some of the fear that accompanies these life struggles? Does it not relieve you—for just one fleeting moment—of the burden you place upon yourself by thinking you are unlucky, weak or ill-equipped to handle these problems?

Assuming that these obstacles were charted as part of your learning process, then wouldn’t it be logical to assume that your higher self knew you would be capable of handling these challenges? Otherwise, you would not have signed up for these courses. Isn’t it empowering to know that your higher self believes in you enough to enroll (you) in such challenging hardships? I know that it makes me feel stronger, more powerful and better able to deal with life, to know that my higher self believes in me—perhaps more, sometimes, than I believe in myself. If that works for you, too, what harm is there in going with it?

Warmly,  
Bob Olson

JANUARY 3, 2008

Crystal Clarity: How I Overcame a Long-term Block To Abundance

I had been struggling with an issue for about seven years that I was beginning to think I might never overcome. So I went to see a counselor named Dr. Trish Whynot who specializes in personal transformation, self-healing and self-empowerment. I wrote an article about Trish a couple years ago and have since gained a deep respect for her gifted abilities. I’ve recommended her to many friends and colleagues who have since experienced incredible results from her services. Hence, I decided to see if she could help me with my issue. 

About a month ago, I had been to see Trish a couple times and was working on the homework she had given me. At the same time, my wife, Melissa, was also seeing Trish to work on an issue of her own. Trish is able to help people by telephone as well as in person, but since we live fairly close to Trish’s office, Melissa and I like to go to our appointments in person. Trish has such a powerful energy that Melissa and I feel it is a healing experience just to be in the same room with her.

One Friday afternoon, Melissa had an appointment with Trish. I needed to get out of the office, so I went with her even though I didn’t have an appointment myself. It was a perfect sunny day to do some work on my laptop in the car while I waited. After Melissa’s appointment, Trish mentioned to me that she had some time if I wanted to get a crystal reading. Trish uses various tools in her counseling to release and identify the hidden obstacles in our subconscious minds. Crystals happen to be the tool that Trish enjoys most because they are as fun to use as they are revealing. 

I’m kind of an old-fashioned guy who usually prefers more traditional methods of therapy: a punching bag, a journal or self-improvement tapes. So I was a little apprehensive about the crystals. They were a little “out there” for me and I didn’t really understand them. But hey, I had been dealing with this issue for a long time, so I saw no harm in giving the little rocks a try. 

The truth is that working with the crystals was actually quite fun. All I had to do was come up with a question that I wanted answered—naturally related to the issue I was working on—and then choose any five crystals that jumped out at me from a glass case that is filled with the colorful stones, which Trish has in her office. Obviously, they didn’t really jump out at me, but when I looked at all the crystals in the case, one-by-one my eyes seemed to gravitate toward five of them. It was like each crystal that I chose appealed to me in color, size and shape at that very moment, so it was easy to choose. 

I should mention, too, that Trish has set up a website that allows anyone around the world to do this right on their own computer. You can look at thumbnails of numerous crystals, click on each one to see them in a larger size, and then choose your crystals exactly as I did, but while in the comfort of your own home. 

The order that you choose each crystal is an important part of the process, so once you have chosen your crystals, you then tell Trish what crystals you chose and what order you chose them. With this information, Trish explains what each crystal reveals in reference to your question and in reference to the order they were selected. The whole process reminds me of a Tarot card reading. But what I really like about the crystals is that they hold an energy vibration, so our own energy of body, mind and spirit actually resonates with the frequency of certain crystals, thereby assisting us in choosing the crystal that will best reveal the answers we seek. Because there is evidence to indicate that crystals really do hold energy, it helps me to understand why crystals are so effective in this work. Plus, for those who are interested, the energy of each crystal can also be useful in helping you overcome your issue simply by holding the crystal in your hand, pocket or within a piece of crystal jewelry. 

My understanding is that each of us already holds the answers to overcoming our issues inside our Higher Conscious mind. We just have difficulty accessing those answers at times because they become hidden by the chaos and confusion of our thoughts and emotions. We can’t see the solutions to our issues because our inner vision is clouded by our beliefs and fears, which are hidden deep within our subconscious mind like obstacles that prevent these solutions from making their way to our conscious mind.

Saturday, the day after my crystal session, I felt a little more relaxed than normal, but nothing too out of the ordinary. I thought about what the crystals revealed regarding my issue and decided that this crystal work wasn’t all that “out there” after all. I realized that it simply allowed me an awareness about myself that I hadn’t been able to obtain with any other technique. And with awareness comes clarity. 

When I woke up on Sunday morning, I immediately sensed a release had taken place before I even got out of bed. There was something different about me—something lighter. I felt an instant clarity like I had not experienced in my entire lifetime. I saw myself, other people and the entire universe in a new light. For the first time in years, I knew I had overcome the issue that had tormented me for so long. For seven years I had sought to learn something new, thinking that I must be missing a piece of the puzzle that I needed to learn. Instead, what I needed was to release something—a limiting belief or fear that had been filtering my vision. And now it was gone. 

I have no doubt that my recent breakthrough resulted from an accumulation of all the personal, spiritual and emotional work I have done over the last few years. We grow in stages, not in one single step. But no one is more surprised than me that a crystal reading was the final step to expose this stubborn obstacle lurking in my subconscious. And the awareness it gave me resulted in a clarity for which I am most grateful. Who would have guessed that some pretty little rocks of various shapes, colors and sizes could do all that? I can honestly tell you that this old-fashioned guy would have never believed it if it had not happened to me.

I highly recommend a crystal reading with Trish to break through any issue you may be dealing with, including health, relationships, career, financial, emotional or spiritual. It's both fun and effective!

Warmly,  
Bob Olson

NOVEMBER 17 - DECEMBER 1, 2007

Purpose: What's The Purpose?

Webster’s Dictionary says that purpose is “the reason for which something exists.” 

It is not uncommon to hear of an elderly person who passes away shortly after the loss of their spouse. We sometimes hear this happening after the loss of their pet. While one could argue that this is merely a coincidence, I would surmise that they lost their will to live because their spouse or pet was their last reason for living—their final purpose that gave their life meaning. 

Many people talk about finding their purpose in life when the truth is that we each have many purposes, not just one. The more reasons you have for living, the more meaning you have in your life and the quicker you get up in the morning. When you lose your reasons for living—when you no longer feel meaning in your life—you have no purpose to get out of bed each day.

People find meaning in their work, in their children, in their partner or spouse, in their hobbies, in their travels, in their volunteer work or clubs, in their classes, in their art, writing, crafts, and even in their pets. We don’t have just one purpose in life; we have a hierarchy of purposes. Some are more important to us than others, but all fill us with a sense that our lives are meaningful. Our catalog of purposes teaches us that we are important in this world, that we have a reason for living; and this sense of importance gives us our will to live. 

As we get older, our purposes drop off on the wayside. We retire from our careers. Our children grow up and move away. We either lose interest in our hobbies or we lose the physical ability to continue them. Our gardens go to weed and we leave our homes in trade for the elderly community or nursing home. Sometimes, if our multitude of purposes has dwindled, all we have left is our spouse or our pet. So when either leaves this world before us, they leave us alone with no reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Michelangelo lived to the age of eighty-nine at a time when most people didn’t make it to forty. Here is a man who was a sculptor, a poet, a painter and an inspiration to others. He never lacked a reason to get up in the morning. He took on huge projects that took years to complete, even in his elderly years. The Sistine Chapel alone took four years, and he painted it while lying on his back! But he made a commitment, and that commitment gave his life purpose. 

We all know a Michelangelo in our life. It is that person who is bound with vitality. They don’t mope around with their shoulders reaching for the ground. These are the people who are up early in the morning singing and whistling and excited about their day. They say hello to their neighbors and even talk to strangers in the streets. They are fascinated by the wonders of nature and they seem to feed off the energy of children. Yet, in reality, it is actually nature and children who feed off their cheerfulness, verve and spirit for life. And that is why we are attracted to such purposeful people. 

If you want to feel more alive, commit yourself to purposeful endeavors. A life without commitments is a life without purpose. A life without purpose is a life without meaning.

Begin projects that will take weeks, months or years to accomplish. Accept responsibilities that you may even regret in the future. Take a stand for a cause you believe in, and hold true to it regardless of what other people think. If it fills you with passion for life, then it will balance off the mundane obligations that once filled your days. Committing yourself to purposeful endeavors does not just add color to your life; it is the lifeline that connects you to the Source of all that is beautiful and meaningful.

If you are unhappy, give yourself over to making others happy. Do volunteer work at hospitals, shelters or nursing homes. Visit the sick, elderly or terminally ill. If you are shy or uncomfortable with people, do the same for animals. Animal rescue leagues and shelters are filled with cats and dogs that suffer from a lack of love. Just a simple smile, hug and a little attention can do wonders to heal and comfort any soul.

It doesn’t matter what you do. What matters is that you do something. Whether you help people or pets, create paintings or books, grow gardens or plants, the only requirement is that you make a commitment and follow through with a smile. Be willing to open your heart and put love in all that you do. By simply showing up and following through with your commitments, your presence, intentions and passion will be felt and appreciated throughout the world. And the ripple effect you create with your zest for life will fill your own heart with an abundance of love. In effect, you will have found happiness from a single purpose. Imagine the power of several new commitments. 

If a lack of purpose can eliminate our will to live, then adding purpose into our lives can increase our vitality. It doesn’t matter if we are helping millions or a single individual, the simple act of making one other person’s life a little more comfortable, happier or filled with love is empowering beyond belief because we get back what we give to others. On the other hand, we can’t give what we don’t have. So your purpose may be to bring peace and comfort into your own life. This, too, will create a ripple effect that will influence the entire world. Yet it all begins with one step—one commitment. Before you are faced with the loss of your final meaning in life, plan ahead to surround yourself with many reasons to jump out of bed each morning with enthusiasm!

Warmly,
Bob Olson

OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 17, 2007

Surprising Spiritual Activity At A Psychic Development Workshop

Melissa and I once attended a workshop offered by a psychic medium named Gordon Smith from Scotland. I didn’t go intending to discover any profound ability in myself--in fact, I really stunk at it--but I was curious to see how other beginners would rate. I was quite surprised by what took place, so I thought I’d share with you what happened that night.

The $40 workshop was presented at the First Spiritualist Church of Quincy, Massachusetts, on a Wednesday evening. About forty people attended. Gordon took us through several workshop experiments to test our abilities. The first was an exercise where we attempted to learn something about a stranger (our workshop partner) by picking up information through their aura.

I was astounded at how well some people did. One attendee picked up on his partner’s childhood trauma, another on her partner’s honeymoon memories, and a third on her partner’s work-related problems. In my case, my mind went completely blank. The best I could hope for was that my partner had no past, but that wasn’t the case.

The second exercise involved psychometry. Attendees held something personal that belonged to a perfect stranger--like a watch, piece of jewelry or a scarf--and they would see what information they could pick up from that object.

Dawn, the girl who held my watch, said it was a gift I had given to myself in celebration of something, but that it no longer held the importance it once had when I first bought it. Not bad, I thought. The watch was a gift that Melissa and I had purchased in celebration of overcoming my five-year depression. The watch had lost its significance to me because, at the time, it had been several years since I overcame that horrible depression and I was allowing myself to move on from it after having made peace with that growth experience in my life.

Finally, Gordon tried our hands at mediumship. I happened to get paired up with a guy named Craig for this exercise. I didn’t know Craig personally, but I knew he was a healer at the church. Craig wasn’t a medium, but had been offering his healing gift to the church for years. The night of Gordon’s workshop, Craig told me that he came to the workshop to see if he might have mediumship abilities, as well.

Craig was the first to give mediumship an effort. I would go second. When Gordon gave the signal to start, Craig sat with his hands palms-up on his knees. This isn’t how most mediums work--most mediums just start talking--but Craig was obviously using his healing meditation methods to connect with spirit. I think it was the best way he knew to clear his conscious thoughts. Next, Craig’s eyelids began fluttering. Then his fingers started twitching. He sat like this for a few minutes while I waited and watched.

Slowly and peacefully, Craig opened his eyes. His fingers stopped twitching. He told me he had linked with a man in spirit. I thought to myself, jokingly, "Sure you did Craig; and I’m Superman." I figured he was getting caught up in the moment. Then he gave me some unexpected messages.

"The man here has a ruddy complexion. He’s rugged looking. He’s wearing a plaid flannel shirt. I don’t know who he is to you, but he is sitting beside you to your left with a hand on your shoulder," said Craig.

I wasn’t sure whether to get excited or not. I knew that this would probably be my father if it were anybody at all. He certainly fit the description; even the plaid flannel shirt was about all my father would ever wear. But this was pretty vague information so far. I just listened without saying anything. Craig didn’t wait for me to respond. He went back into trance for thirty or forty seconds with more eye-fluttering and finger-twitching.

When he opened his eyes again, Craig said, "He’s telling me he had a problem with alcoholism. He’s very sad for what that did to you." Right there I knew it was my father. This is a message my father sends me every time a medium gives me a reading, beginning with the first reading I ever had. I keep telling my father that I forgive him for the alcoholism, but this is either an issue my father continues to struggle with or a signal for me to identify him as the spirit coming through.

"He’s very emotional," said Craig, visibly feeling choked up by my father’s emotion. "I think he died about four or five years ago," he added. At the time of this workshop, that was correct. I was now really impressed that this newcomer to mediumship was so accurate on his first attempt. "He is still sitting beside you. I don’t know why, but he is down low to your side." Craig quickly went back into trance as if to ask my father why he was showing himself so low to my side.

Craig opened his eyes again. "He has a hand on your shoulder. He tells me he is down low to your side to represent how he looked up to you while he was here. He says the two of you changed roles sometimes. Does that make sense?" Craig asked.

It did make sense. My father suffered with severe depressions that led him to self-medicate with alcohol. We changed roles because of my father’s alcoholism. Sometimes I had to be the adult even though I was a teenager because my father had reduced himself to a vulnerable child drowning in a sea of despair and confusion. As I sat with Craig, I recalled a recurring scene in my family’s dining room as a child.

My father sat crying as he soaked his white t-shirt in tears. He