Looking for Inspiration in the Most Obscure Places

By Jillian Maas Backman

The world is running on an inspirational empty tank of fuel right now. An unknown source is depleting our natural energy resource of hope and desire for better days ahead. The good news is that inspiration is an abundant organic supply and available to anyone willing to take the initiative to re-fuel.

Stop, Look and Listen to those around you.

We all have friends or family that sense the negative in every situation. This can be more oppressive to your own energy source than imagined. It is like being slimed with “spiritual grey gunk.” It coats every emotion, thought and action with a tainted view of reality. If you live long enough in this state of slime it will separate you from all internal soul’s hopes and inspirations. In exaggerated cases, it can appear as if someone is walking around dead to the outside world. Recipients of this kind of constant aggressive harassment are also affected by second-hand negativity. You may take on their spiritual grey gunk and distract your intentions to live an inspirational path.

Know when to step away from the toxic energetic relationships.

We have become a society of relationship junkies. Always planning to be somewhere with someone, doing some kind of activity to occupy our minds, bodies and spirits. We stay in these unhealthy pairings out of obligation. Even when it means spending time with others who are inspiration and hope stealers. It never ends unless you make a decision to change.

Alone time is special time

We have adopted an all-or-nothing mentality to our personal relationships. Either we throw ourselves emotionally, mentally and spiritual all in OR we totally retreat with the same conviction. You do not have to make this abrupt turn-about and leave the relationship entirely, unless of course, physical harm is involved.

Instead, opt to minimize your time spent together. Know your energetic limitations. Set boundaries of how much time you spend in direct contact. I reference back to the last July post and the energy sphere diagrams. As demonstrated, close contact with this kind of energy will eventually suck your spiritual light right out of you. Not leaving an ounce of personal inspiration left and you will be the one searching aimlessly for hope. When this happens, text instead.

Host an Inspirational Intervention:

It is sad to be a witness to this kind of detached hopelessness. You end up giving in on everything that brings one happiness. Intimate connections of all kinds, career dreams and above all, the promise of a peaceful soul. When one reaches this point of emotional devastation, it is an uphill battle to conquer alone.

Of course, we all want to reach out and give them a healthy dose of hope and inspiration medicine, but know that is unrealistic. We can, however, bring a source of inspiration directly onto their path.

Intervention reality television is a favorite of many who watch shows regularly. You know the scenario. A professional, along with family and friends, stage a pretend outing with the potential “lost soul.” Upon arrival to the event enlist them into a pre-assigned program of wellness. This kind of intervention works for many who are dealing with their own inner demons of choice, drugs, alcohol and any other sad addictions.

Plan the same kind of intervention for those who have lost their inner connection to happiness. This kind of interventions should incorporate activities that encourage and stimulate both hope and inspiration. Think about your significant person. What makes them feel energetically alive? What kind of outing would bring your friend or family member peace again? Be creative with your ideas. Look for obscure and unique ways of triggering that hope button again for someone. Tap into your own inspirational pool of thought and share it with the world.

Positive People Unite

Those of us who have our inspirational energy fuel tanks full need to reach out and help those in inspirational need. We need a positive electric jolt to energize our communities. All human beings have an incredible ability to change the polarity of energy from negative to positive in an instance. For example, holding the hand of another human being while in prayer or singing circles can pass the energy from one person to another. A perfect example of how to light up a friend who is going through hard times. Share the energy, do not hold on to it. One human body can only handle so much before it start leaking out the sides.

I know when my energy needs an inspirational fill- up from a friend. If you need help to get motivated again ask those in your inner circle who are happy to share. The universe is ready to give at a moment’s notice to anyone who asks for this blessing. Search for a group that is willing to bring you into their clasped hands and make room for one more pair in their closed circle.

Healing circles of all kinds have been associated with cultures throughout the centuries. Walking intricate labyrinths in England, medicine wheels from ancient times and ceremonies of all spiritual backgrounds incorporate the sounds of music. They can mend emotional hearts and sooth a crying soul. I have included one of my favorites from the past few days. ………

 

Listen as many times as you can throughout your day and feel the goose bumps of hope and inspiration return.

“Music is a historical muse for many an inspirational healing. Unpredictable tones inner- woven by musician and melodic instruments, sending out sound waves that inspire the coldest of souls to peace. “

Living with inspired grace,

Jillian Maas Backman,

Author, Beyond The Pews, Breaking with Tradition and Letting Go of Religious Lockdown.

Music track provided by Michael Suess, Fire Circle Drum and Crafts, Drum Across America Movie, www.drummingforpeace.com

I Will Never Do That Again, Part Two

By Jillian Maas Backman

This blog post is part two of a series I began last month entitled: I will never do that again! It is never easy to let go of significant relationships of any kind. It becomes even more intense if it is embroiled in abusive behavior. There are layers of complexity that come along when severing this tortured existence. The good news is can be done and should be done right away!

I am always on the lookout for things that spur my inspirational internal muse for writing. Even though this subject matter is very heavy, I found a key when watching a random reality-based cooking competition on television. The culinary chefs were instructed to de-construct familiar conventional recipes and transform these classics into a rejuvenated contemporary counterpart. I am going to “borrow” this cooking term and apply it to this discussion on relationships.

RELATIONSHIP DE-CONSTRUCTION

You must break down people pairings into the most intimate details in order to re-construct a mutually exclusive loving energy exchange.

To accomplish this goal I deliberately started this series with the sole focus on relationships first before addressing the individual. Conventional wisdom would tell you otherwise. Learn to love yourself first before venturing out to love others. When you are analyzing relationships from an energetic perspective I have found people have an easier time “sensing” others energy before their own. The first diagram represents a healthy energetic relationship we all secretly desire for ourselves.

More often than not, however, the majority of people end up a relationship closer to this unhealthy and unbalanced configuration.

The first diagram represents a healthy energetic relationship we all secretly desire for ourselves.
 

More often than not, however, the majority of people end up a relationship closer to this unhealthy and unbalanced configuration.

 
They become consumed in finding the holy grail of relationships. They eat, sleep, and dream of falling in love with one special person forever. Ultimately, spending more time chasing the quest of falling in love with another instead of spending this valuable time falling in love with themselves. Somehow, vicariously assuming if they center their love intentions on someone else, by default, will also fall energetically love within. In the end, settling for less than what they deserve out of love.

The Chemistry of Love

What is the initial statement most people report when they are falling in love with someone else? “I feel different when I am with them. We have good chemistry together, like we have known each other forever!” They have falling into “kinetic touch” with other’s energy before knowing their own sensations of love.

How many of us can turn that same statement around and apply that love chemistry to ourselves. “I feel differently when I am with myself, like I have known myself forever!” Can you identify or feel your own kinetic energy within?

In part one of this series I requested you to spend the last thirty days observing the energetic relationships you have in your life right now. This is a crucial starting point if you are willing to heal your own energy field and stop the vicious cycle of repeating negative relationships. You need to know what you are energetically putting out there and what others perceive on your behalf.

Close your eyes and feel your own energy around you. For many of you this will be your first time ever, so cut yourself a break. Take mental notes of any sensations coming to the forefront of your mind. Please do not worry if you do not feel anything at first. The energy force in the body runs vertical, up and down. Unhealthy relationships are usually stuck in a temporary condition I label “Energetic flat-lining.” This occurs when someone gives so much energy away to others their energy begins to run horizontally rather than the normal vertical flow through the body. Their energy is a jumbled- up mess with other sick and unhealthy people. You cannot sense or feel where your energy begins and ends with anyone around you. Creating a complete dis-connect to individual vertical energy. The more you live in the state the more energy pieces are given away and result in unhealthy, unbalanced energy circles.

Notice the energetic gaps and chunks missing out of the enclosed circle. If you relate to this picture, your first order of business is to STOP what you are doing and take a self-imposed time- out for yourself to heal before jumping back into another serious relationship. If you continue to operate with this kind of broken energetic pattern in place you will surely open yourself wide open to repeat your past regrets. As demonstrated in this diagram every lingering piece of unhealthy exchanges nibbles away at the invisible shield around all of us. Over time it will function in the world at half-life status. Meaning, this incomplete energy structure will begin to “feel” normal to you and everyone else. Other incomplete and unbalanced energetic people will seek you out like a moth to a flame. You are sending out energetic red flares to the world to come find you. Rest assured, they will!

It is not fair that we feel obligated to give energetic pieces of ourselves away so others can feel complete in their inner circle. If one continues this sad pattern for too long energetic fatigue will eventually set in. Like a boat with thousands of wormholes in the hull, only a matter of time before it sinks with exhaustion.


Relationship Re-Construction

Decide to change your configuration with exaggerated intention. I am mad as hell and not going to take this kind of stuff from anyone anymore!

Step One: STOP the energetic depletion.

You cannot control the obsession from others to tap in and drain your energy, but you can control how much you let someone take from you.

Healthy relationships never drain energy from each other; they bestow energy upon each other.


Step Two: Retrieve your pieces back from the ones that stole them!

I understand this is a harsh statement coming from me. My words are usually encased with calm quiet underlying recommendations. In this case, however, strong statements are needed to convey the severity of this kind of dangerous energetic existence. If you live your life with an open sick shell in this world you will get hurt again.

In theory no one can really steal your energy pieces from you without your permission. The problem is most people are unaware this is happening. Forgive yourself and complete this exercise instead of dwelling on the pre-existing open energetic wounds.

Find a quiet spot where you can be alone for a while. Sit or lie and get into a meditative state of a calm mind, body and soul. Once you reached your energy equilibrium, it is time to go to work. You are going to relinquish as much anger, resentment, pain and sorrow as you can muster up into the atmosphere. These are the wormholes in the bottom of your etheric boat. Scream it out if you have to. Pound on the floor with your closed fists as many times as it takes. Wiggle your body if that helps release the pinned up emotional energy. Do whatever it takes to let go of this destructive energy. Note: please refrain from hurting yourself physically during this exercise. Always pick an environment you know you are emotionally and physically safe to do so. Repeat as often as you need until you feel completely empty.

Next, visualize your energy circle as completely enclosed without any gaps or energy chunks missing from the structure. Pick a color if that helps with the process. Like a well-designed personal energy coat-of-arms, impenetrable by one no ever again without your consent.

There may be a sense of loss after you complete this exercise. In reality, to some extent it does echo the same feelings one can have after a loss of a loved one. It is always hard to let go of someone out of your life. When you let go of the energetic pieces you shared together in the past it will feel uncomfortable for a while. Their energy will no longer be in your energetic circle, but the memories will remain. Just because the dysfunctional remnants have been cleared away does not de-value the good times from the past. Remember, the original goal of this exercise was to replace all the missing energy pieces and become energetically whole once again.

Break the Cycle and ask the Universe for Help

As you grow in the complete circle, you will become very comfortable with your own essence of energy. In fact, you will become quite attached to the feelings of being in the center of your love attention and enjoy your own respective place. Be very selective going forward with your exchange of energy. Understand each relationship should support a healthy and balanced energy exchange. Each sphere holds the energy of only one human being at a time, and that should always be YOU!

Relationships will come and go, but your Soul will always remain the same.

In love and respect, Jillian Maas Backman

Author, Beyond the Pews: Breaking With Tradition and Letting Go of Religious Lockdown (August, 2011)  www.jillianmaasbackman.com

Your Road to Healing: Simple Steps to Get You Off to a Great Start

By Pamela Chapman

It’s easy for coaches, ministers and experts to tell you it’s important to find your way and life-purpose. It’s easier said than done. Isn’t it? In my previous blog, I told you that no matter how difficult or challenging your journey, you lack nothing. Every good thing has already been prepared and given to you for your healing. Today, I’d like to share some road-trip steps that have assisted me. Remember, this is my experience. These tools helped me and continue to be a part of my path to abundant living. However, I am confident if you follow, are consistent and dedicated you will see and begin to live the change.

Become Aware - You must first become aware of the dysfunction, unhappiness, and chaos in your life. I like to call this the drama in your life. Here are a few questions I’d like you to contemplate.

1)                  Are there traumatic, stressful, debilitating, and catastrophic events always occurring in your life?

2)                  Are you always worrying about something and when there’s nothing to worry about, you worry because you don’t have something to worry about?

3)                  When life is calm, are you bored?

4)                  Are you often asking, “Why me?”

5)                  Are you always the martyr, always the victim?

You need not share your responses with anyone, but the next step to finding your road to healing, your road to abundant living, is honesty. If you can’t be honest with yourself then who can you be honest with? Bill Watterson puts it this way. “It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.”  Humorous? Yes. But, not when it begins to negatively affect your finances, impede your happiness and stifle your abundance. Why pretend you’re fearless when you’re fear-filled? Why say you’re free, when you’re oppressed? Why say and recite truths when, in reality, there is very little evidence that what you’re reciting is having influence. Is it just mindless utterances you are in the habit of quoting?

Once you’re honest about what you’re wrestling with, get an understanding. If you struggle with debilitating fears, attempt to get to the root. Did the fear come from mom, dad, or another authoritative figure? If you settle in your relationships, work, or affairs ask why? Usually this stems from low self-esteem. How do you really feel about yourself?

Don’t be afraid to go inward. The answers lie within. Yes, God is Almighty, All Creator. Yes, He is in complete control. But, it is also finished. It is my belief that all things have been prepared. It is either finished [completed, ended, done] or it’s not. This means your path, your life-purpose has already been created. It is up to you to find it. You must find your own yellow brick road. God is not behind a magic curtain or invisible hemisphere waiting to react to your every wish, whine or whim. You have the power, all the power you’re ever going to get. You have the authority and ability to co-create for your life. Thwarting responsibility—either waiting for God or blaming the devil—can leave you needy, wanting, and powerless. Go within. Find the God-given power within. Be relentless. God power is in each and every one of us. Empower yourself.

Take Action. While God helps those who help themselves is not an actual Scripture, in every example of Christ healing or helping others, an action was required. For example, the woman with the issue of blood had to press through the crowd and touch the hem of Christ’s garment. The blind man spoken of in John 9, after Christ made a mud/saliva salve and put it on the man’s eyes, he was told to wash in the Pool of Siloam. Even when there was no affliction but a party, action was required. Christ’s first miracle of turning the water into wine, Mary, His mother told the servants to do whatever He, the Christ, told them to do. He instructed them to “fill the jars with water,” and then “draw some out.”

You can’t stand idly by waiting and hoping for your healing. Yes, change is a process, and your road to healing is a process; but, isn’t “process” a course of action? Ask for divine guidance which requires quiet time with you, and then MOVE with unbridled faith and energy.

Raise Your Energy. EVERYTHING is energy. You want to raise the abundance in your life, raise your energy. How? Incorporate lively, positive music into your life. Dance like you’ve never danced before. Shout life-changing declarations at the top of your lungs with great enthusiasm. Pray, Mediate. Laugh. Sing. And, when life tries to slap you down, jump up and slap it back. Declare, I AM Invincible, I AM an Overcomer, I AM more than a Conqueror. Get excited. Be excited, and Remain excited.

If you take these first steps, remain consistent, dedicated and focused I promise you will embark on a life-changing journey of happiness, love, and abundant living. YOUR SATISIFCATION IS GUARANTEED.

2011: The Year of Expansion, Prepare Now!

By Jillian Maas Backman

We are quickly approaching upon the last 30 days of year’s end, 2010. This should be signaling your inner self to prepare for some good old fashion reflective moments. Unfortunately, that time arrives spontaneously around midnight on New Year’s Eve. Only then, it becomes a peer- pressured hurried task of index, file, and by default, repeat. We jot down the first “opportunities” that comes to our heads on what we want to create differently in 2011. With no sincere intentions of following through on our so-called “New Year’s Resolutions.” Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we all decided to break from this habit and do something out of the ordinary? For instance, start the process RIGHT NOW!

The greatest holiday gift you could give yourself this year is the gift of Proactive Contemplation. Literally, force yourself to detach from the barrage of holiday hustle and bustle. Seize the next 30 days to become selfishly insightful. Annex yourself from the culture- imposed expectations of gifting only to others. The cost for such a worthy present to yourself is minimal compared to the trade-offs if you do not. Potentially losing you in the expectations of pleasing others, it is so easy to push our needs to the bottom of the shopping list. However, there are eventual consequences from this type of personal neglect. Over time, our gifts become tainted by hidden negative attitudes. If you throw a sliver of self-honored gratitude in the basket for yourself among the gift buying, your entire way of thinking will shift immediately.

True proactive contemplation is about taking an intuitive stock of the last year and applying that same intuitive sensibility into the next. The way to figure out what that entails is by examining two energetic influences that affect all human beings. The first is always your own intuitive soul searching. The second is a bit more subjective from the outside world. It is the soulful energy of the year in passing and the year forthcoming. For our purpose, only two years in particular 2010 and 2011.

Every year contains its own energetic theme. It is widely understood there is some kind of energy surrounding all living creatures. Many refer to this as an energetic sphere. We have all felt some kind of strange sensation when intersecting with someone’s energy circle. This kind of energy is not exclusive to living objects. It applies to other items as well, and in this case, years. A good example of this right now is the enormous discussions about 2012. It is just a year like any other, but great conversations are being discussed all over the planet about the “energy” that goes along with this year in particular. In actuality, this kind of energetic essence applies to all years.

Year 2010 is a time of substantial transitions. A year filled with modifications, alterations, and changeovers of all proportions. Transitional years bring exaggerated highs, lows and leave behind a wake of uncertainty. There is a tendency to lose sight of accomplishments quickly because the awards are not immediately apparent. Thus, creating a life in “continuous limbo.” Social challenges remain unsettled and relationships evolve with undefined closures. The most obvious transitional unpredictability was the way in which the economic hard times hit many Americans personally. Even global indicators are signaling the identical patterns of an energetic shakeup. There was a cohesive political voice screaming for economic revisions. We were soulfully smitten by the engagement announcement of two significant world figures, Prince William and his lovely bride to wed next year. A subtle nudge from the universe to awaken our dormant romantic heart center within each one of us. All of these experiences designed to channel our energies towards achievements in 2011.

Do not be deceived by this transitional energy. If you were one that seized the last months to do the grit work, you will thrive with the energy associated with 2011. Keeping your head down, following the destined path with un-coached perseverance, you have insured success in laying the groundwork for the coming months. You will be very pleased that you vesting the time it took to lay this tedious track wisely. Your endeavors will expand three fold. On the other side, if you are one of those who stood back and watched your destiny track pass, there will be a few more challenges in the coming year.

I believe 2011 will be a year of expansion. A year jammed packed with intriguing contradictions. Expansion years pick up where they left off the year before. In other word, any personal, professional, or spiritual seeds sown this year will root and prosper in the next. If you are one of those people who dedicated efforts towards sincere goals, expect the process to open up. On the counter side, if you are in the group that decided not to partake in significant transitional work, expect expansion of a different kind. As the old adage goes: What you reap is what you sow. You can be the true judge of this in your heart for the coming year. Expansive years are known for bringing with it buckets of hopefulness. There will be barrels of new beginnings and healthy quarreless closures. Optimism will be available to enjoy and global confidence will begin to re-inflate slowly throughout the year. Personal soul work will continue to be at the forefront leading the pack ONLY if we choose it. Our pretentious veils will continue to shear away. Lovingly exposing the uncovered truth of who you are for everyone to witness. Take the moments we all have left in this year to prepare for the dawning of next.

This is not the year for categorizing everything into a strength or weakness.

For the most part, you will end up more frustrated with the progress than you originally thought. Many times people have a tendency to hastily miss-label both strengths and weaknesses. This is especially true for energies during transitional times. There is no way of gauging genuine success until enough time pass to compose a qualified assessment.

I want you to look over the past months as if you were playing a rousing game of chess on a chessboard. This game requires well thought out strategic moves for the sole purpose of winning the game. Apply this same logic here.

What transitional strategic moves did you open this year?

Break them down into three categories. Personal, professional, and most importantly soulfully. Rank all three in order by which you transitioned the most. From there, take each individual category and describe in one- line sentences the most significant experiences you consider unfinished business. I suggest no more than four or five key moves in each category. After you have completed that task, place the punctuation of a semi colon (;) at the tail end to every item listed. This symbolic punctuation represents in the literary world a continuation of the prior phase. Here we are using it to represent the continuation from the transitional year into the expansive year. How are you going to expand your individual efforts into the future? Go back to your original written list and add the 2011 expansion statement to every sentence after the semi colon. After you complete this task, you will feel energized about the work in progress. See the pattern develop before your eyes and an authentic plan of action for 2011.

My personal request for all of you.

While penning your list for the coming year please include one significant selfless expansive task you will in act for the good the universe.

“One can only achieve their greatest dreams with the assistance of others.”

Here is the good news;

You have been fore- advised on the pending year ahead. Those of you in despair and feel you need to adjust your visions accordingly to capture the essence of expansion you still have thirty day in which to do it. Those of you, who feel this year was filled with useless idleness, fear not. You might have simply over looked your transitional achievements.

In holiday grace, Jillian Maas Backman 

http://jillianmaasbackman.com

Re-Setting the Energy of Anger

By Jillian Maas Backman


As I sat and pondered my topic of discussion for this blog entry, I kept coming back to the idea of “energy of anger” and its advanced stage, the “energy of rage.”


How many of you hold onto the energy of anger, mindlessly exploiting this erratic behavior as a catalyst for getting ahead on your path to success? How many of you are in an ANGER RUT?—unwilling to consider the thought of relinquishing this detrimental pattern while fearing you will stagnate in your own inadequate resentments.


The energy of anger often masks itself behind other emotions and obscures our vision of the world around us.  Dominating and relentless, it will ultimately suffocate all other emotional energies.  It will subject you to a life of surface dwelling—an inability to commit to intimate connections with those around you.  Instead, you shuffle though relationships like an old set of “hand-me-down playing cards” for the sole purpose of avoiding the possibility of feeling vulnerable. At some level, we all can relate to that. Living in a state of vulnerability is very risky business. You must open your heart and your soul to all sorts of subjective, painful passages.  In a suspended state of anger, you may be able to avoid the human fall-out of uncontrollable experiences.  But ask yourself this question; what blessed events are you missing because your veil of anger is holding you back?


I want to share a few thoughts on how you have the opportunity to shift that anger into a moldable paradigm of reality.  From childhood on, we are taught to use this statement when we are unhappy with others:  “I am angry with you.”  If you remove two simple words from the statement, you’re essentially left with “I am Anger.”  After years and years of repetition, one begins to accept the possibility that this is true.   You are anger, and anger is you.  You become one with the anger. In the old paradigm, human emotions such as anger, are characterized as personality traits.  Unfortunately, the chances of reversing a characteristic trait are very rare.  It takes years and years of commitment and accountability. 


Moving into adulthood, I began to perceive human emotions as human conditions, which are curable.  When you start accepting this truth, wonderful events will begin to occur.  One can experience human emotions without being overtaken by them.    This can be accomplished by “re-setting your emotional paradigm”.

Many teachers, including myself, encourage others to make decisions from a place of love, not fear, human- based emotion.  It helps to give yourself permission to detach from the emotional components of your personality.  Think of the process of detachment in terms of an archery target.  The target is composed of concentric circles of different colors, rings inside of rings, all encircling the core center, which is always pictured in red.  The red represents your soul center.  This center is steadfast and grounded in the pure essence of love, peace, calm and balance, and most importantly, isolated from outside forces.


The outer rings represent human emotional conditions, accumulated over time as protective mechanism.  These accumulated emotions can be either positive or negative.  As a functional person, you have complete control over human conditional emotions.   Are the emotional rings of your target negative, positive, or perhaps a mix of both?    


It's all right to experience both positive and negative emotions.  What is important is to remember that the soul, the center of the target, never wavers.  It is the essence of who we are, even when we feeling a myriad of human emotions.  By becoming aware of the separation of the “rings” we can develop more conscious control over our emotions.


In loving gratitude, Jillian.


Jillianmaasbackman.com


Listen online every Sunday 9 am to 10 am, central standard time,  www.lake961.com.

The “New and Improved” Version of New Year’s Resolutions

By Jillian Maas Backman


This time of year always brings out the best in our “new and improved” versions of New Year’s Resolutions.  It really doesn’t matter what chosen dysfunction you have selected to improve upon; the more pertinent question to ask yourself is: why this one?  What events in the past years have brought you to the conclusion that change is a must in this area of your life? What structures are you going to put in place to ensure success so this year’s resolutions do not end up with the rest of your buried and uncompleted proclamations?


Before I lay out a few suggestions of my own on how to follow through with your resolutions, let’s examine the positive first: 
 
The New Year’s Resolution ritual is the one time throughout the seasons the majority of the people on this planet; stop to; engage in a reflective moment and take part in one big universal “Internal Check-Intake Evaluation;” like the kind we’re all subjected to every time we go to a physician’s office.  Assessments of where/what we have been in the past; where/what we want to be in the future; willingness to move forward with a new attitude and plan of affirmative actions towards a higher quality existence.

The next part of this inspirational rite of passage is the fact that we are all bound together in one distinct voice to announce publically to the world: I AM NOT PERFECT, BUT I AM A WORK IN PROGRESS TO PERFECTION.   Ahhh, that feels so much better!  Now, we can all take a big sigh of relief.  Somewhere along this timeline of humanness we’ve lost our ability to grant each other the patience and time to fully embrace an adult learning curve together. You must say to yourself: Yes, I am willing to accept my challenges.  Yes, I will work on them, year round if necessary. Sometimes, we have a lifetime of make-over’s to live up to, underscored with the commitment to live a more loving lifestyle than year’s past and a promise to recommit for years to come, if that’s what it takes to be at peace from the inside out.
 
So where do we go from here?
  
Unfortunately, many of us do not make it past this point in the progression unless we are forced to do so.  Here comes the reality of the situation: it is time to buckle down and do the supportive work it takes to succeed.  

Support your new proclamations with new measures:

Surround yourself with new people and new experiences.  Break the energy bond you have with those around you.  The reason we keep repeating some of our outward behavior is because we are used to the energy of the company we keep.  There is an exchange of force that builds between all relationships; the closer the bond, the more fixed this energy gets between yourself and friends.  There can be both positive and negative exchanges, so you need to get very clear on who in your life has positive influence and who in your life has a negative influence.  Be honest with yourself and ask the question, “Is this person supporting my intentions and in return, am I supportive of their intentions?”  If not, trust and let go.  Your intentions of living a more pure life will bring forth those that have the same convictions as you do.  

Run your own experiment here; test this theory on your own: let someone go out of your life- with love, not anger- and see what transpires. You will be amazed at who stumbles into your path, by accident! 


Select a friend’s New Year’s Resolution proclamation to support.

I get so tired of over-working my own issues, on all levels of MBS (mind, body, spirit).  It is so easy to get myopic, tangled up in your own issues, concentrating solely on your growth that you lose sight of the rest world growing with you.  It feels good inside to lend your MBS know- how to someone else for awhile. Doesn’t seem like their issues are easier to resolve than your own? Pick a friend in your inner circle to support in their New Year’s Proclamations.

Self Motivation: The glue that holds your intentions in place:

It seems some people have an easier time of following through on their intentions?  I suppose so.  What have they tapped into that you have not in this moment in time?  Self-motivation, that’s what. It is the key to grounding your intentions in a solid foundation. It is one of those strange and illusive traits that have to be practiced over and over until you hit the bull’s eye of what you want to accomplish. 
 
People ask me this question all the time. How did I get to be the lucky one that has this special trait?

I ask myself this question all the time as well!  What am I doing differently than others, what motives me to keep moving forward? I have spent countless hours dedicated to connecting with inner seeker, part of me that many label as the inner child.  I see it differently; this part of me is an adult, functioning as an adult, curious to the world and all that it has to share with me, part of myself.  That sense of self that does not adhere to someone else’s expectations does not resonate with someone else’s time clock. My inner voice keeps asking relevant questions, like what’s next?  I treasure the connection of knowing myself more and more each day I serve here on this planet.

Here is a good example:  those of you who have made resolutions for this year or even in the past have picked up and dialed inward to the private line known to the world as your inner voice only for you, by you, and only you can keep the dialog going throughout your life. 


Years ago I went out for a walk with several dear friends in the woods.  I was complaining that all I could hear was ringing in my ears.  My friends, being my friends, quietly told me to pick up the phone!  I realized that day, that my internal self-motivation mechanism had been there all along reaching out to me, and I was the one avoiding the soulful phone call.
 
I applaud you for taking the initial stance of declaring your yearly resolution, encourage you to shake up your support system and focus on helping others achieve their own resolutions.  Lastly, I ask you to commit to dialing in your own self-motivational landline to keep you going throughout the rest of this year and beyond. I know there is always a sense of urgency to change everything at once, but THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME TO TAKE YOUR TIME!  

In loving gratitude, Jillian

“Follow Your Passion-----------Crime of Passion”

By Jillian Maas Backman          

Funny how one word (passion) can transform a person’s reaction from radiance to rage in a matter of a few strategically placed phrases…..  I make this point to stress the importance of understanding how language transmits an energetic force into the world.  Think of how you felt when you first read this caption.  Was your initial reaction to the first phrase joyful and then engaging your mind with the second part, anger or confusion?

This written example demonstrates how powerful words- both written and spoken - create a reactionary energy inside each one of us.  In a time when communication technology is super heightened; texting, instant messages, social networking and more, our natural filtering seems to be at an all-time low.  Meaning, we say want we want, when we want and how we want without any consideration of the energetic transformation that piggybacks right along to the receiver at the other end. Eventually this pulls us energetically further and further apart from the feelings of empathy, responsibility and oneness from our neighbors, communities and eventually society. 

More often, all crimes of VIOLENCE start with vicious words towards each other.  This kind of word-full abuse slowly permeates into the soul of a human being from the inside out.  The result of this kind of word-filled energy attack leaves a person with feelings of self- worthlessness, powerlessness and pain, a true indicator of a slippery path to destruction of everyone directly involved. 

Assignment:

Be accountable for what you say, and present, to your loved ones this week.  Motivate yourself to replace old words with more elevated vocabulary choices, such as replacing victim with victor, survivor with thriver….

WORDS HURT.

Your profound awareness of this can change the world

one phrase at a time! 

In loving gratitude, Jillian