_Jennifer O'Neill is a psychic and spiritual teacher whose bio says she devotes most of her time to teaching people how to live a healthier, happier life. "Inspirational Quotes" does this so well, she can now relax while we all take advantage of the wisdom, the universal truths she inspires us with in this wonderful book.

Even if you read the book cover to cover, you'll want to use the book as O'Neill suggests - turning to a page at random whenever needed for just the right message to help you believe in yourself and achieve happiness in your life.

The book's overall message? That no dream is too big, life is easy and meant to be happy. The author presents Universal Laws, such as "Happiness is not bought, given, earned or learned - it is a state of mind based on your perspective. Happiness is simply a choice."

There are many quotes on how to find happiness within yourself, your relationships, and in all you manifest in your life. And O'Neill inspires us to manifest greatness by following the Laws of Attraction, with quotes reminding us "...your thoughts send out energy waves. Want to know what you've been focusing on? Look around your life."

I intend to use this wonderful book as oracle cards, to inspire me daily with just the right message to keep me on my path... a path that we're all on, a path that O'Neill has beautifully laid out in this book.

For your free copy on Kindle, today and tomorrow, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BTRADI

Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries

_The Happy Place is part poignant memoir, part self-help. It's a quick read, but can have profound long-term effects on your life. What Gosselin does so well in her book is to take the most recent neuroscience research confirming that the brain is capable of change, tell us how she changed her own brain circuits, and then simply explains how the reader can too.Gosselin recounts how her expectations were creating her reality and how we're all doing that every day. Once she realized that she was programming her mind with her "words" or "feelings" every morning, she learned to correct the negative programs she was running in order to lead a more happy, healthy and fulfilling life.

Like the characters in The Chakra Diaries, she needs to revisit her past, recognize and change her "story."

"Don't live as if the present is the past," she writes. Instead, check in with yourself every morning, asking "How do I feel?" Then she explains how to follow the feeling to its root - usually in childhood to the first time you felt this way. Once you become aware how your brain was "wired" early in childhood and became addicted to certain feelings, you can then choose a better feeling and change your words. Doing this every day for 28 days will rewire your brain, explains Gosselin, so it's a good daily practice.

Taking Gosselin's journey with her as she discovers why she is unhappy, or always feels second-best, and then dramatically changes her life by processing her own feelings, is very inspirational and can guide anyone along the same beautiful path.

The Happy Place is available in Kindle version on Amazon.com.
Happy reading,
Becca Chopra

Thanks, Becca, for your recent post on being in the moment, the only time one can experience happiness. Any other suggestions?
Miss-step

Dear Missy,
Having just finished a Hawaii Health Getaway on "The Art of Stress Management," I would first of all suggest lowering your stress level. Excess stress can put a damper on even the best conditions and create tension in your body that can lead to pain, and excess cortisol levels that can lead to a host of health problems. Therefore, if you're in a state of chronic stress, it's much more difficult to enjoy life. Find a stress-reliever you can incorporate into your life on a daily basis, e.g., deep abdominal breathing, yoga, meditation, relaxing in nature, and finding time to nurture yourself.

On the physical level, keep yourself healthy, an important criteria for happiness. Explore healthier nutrition, as well as a green lifestyle where you are not exposed to the toxic chemicals in fragrance products, household cleaners, pesticides, etc.  Despite the ad claims, these chemicals can cause depression and damage your nervous system and skew your hormone levels. Choose natural alternatives whenever possible.

If you feel emotional stress, let go of any anger about the past or fear about the future.

If you feel mental stress, give up criticism of yourself, and anyone or anything else. Focus on what you like, what you love, what does make you happy and ignore the rest.

On the spiritual level, find a purpose or meaning to your life. People are generally happier when they're living a life of meaning. Perhaps volunteer to a cause that you believe in - whether you have the time or money to donate to a cause, there are so many in need around the world, so many organizations with worthwhile goals.

Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries

Becca, I'm concerned that I'll never be happy, no matter how much I try.
Miss-try

Thanks for contacting me. Believe me that everything is perfect right here, right now.

Are you trying to be happy or worrying about not reaching your goals? Take a look at your life right now and appreciate all the good you can focus on - it's the only thing there is... right here and now.

Forget about past mistakes or hurts. They do not exist, except in your memory. Drop them. And don't worry about how you're going to get through tomorrow. Life is going on right here, right now - pay attention to the beauty of life all around you and all will be well.

I always recommend yoga and meditation to get you into the present moment and open your body, mind and soul to all the infinite possibilities in front of you. Try listening to my Chakra Meditations, free for downloading.

Namaste!
Becca

Why is the Dalai Lama always smiling? Meditation has been shown to increase the left frontal lobe of the brain - the happiness center. Plus, more and more research delineates the stress-relieving benefits of meditation...

• Fewer stress-related physical symptoms - including headaches, digestive disturbances, back pain, inflammatory disorders.
  
• Increased energy, vitality and creativity.
• An ease and calm to your day as you face its various challenges. Heightened & palpable connection to your inner self, to others and to Spirit.
• Regular access to synergy and guidance to help you easily make decisions.

Joan Borysenko just posted a 5-minute video on the science behind meditation. Check it out here.  To try the benefits of meditation, listen to the free Chakra Meditation from The Chakra Diaries on our Meditations page.
Namaste!
Becca

Dear Searcher:
It's best to start at the beginning, balancing yourself so that you will be the perfect mate for the one you seek.

As the seat of passion, the base chakra builds a white-hot fire under our excitement, hones our instincts to a razor’s edge and dips our lover in irresistible aromas and hues that scratch our itch. Although fantasizing about our lover may fan the flames of wanton desire and fill our Blackberrys with salacious text messages, too much can create an inability to settle and a hyperactivity of the mind. Enter the grounding of the base chakra, otherwise known as the point at which the ladder to heaven rests.

Ironically if our base chakras are imbalanced, we may have a hard time accepting love or pleasure. There may actually be a large gap between what we could have, and what we allow ourselves to have.

As Saraha Doha has said, “…there are no other temples as blissful as our own bodies.”  We must make a pilgrimage to them, enter and come to know them. Our bodies await our acceptance, our validation, our love and deepest understanding.

Let us build our path to meaningful love brick by brick, forging ourselves into a lightning rod of spiritual growth and development by eating a diet replete with protein, avoiding heavily processed foods and those made with simple sugars. Let us stabilize and anchor by practicing the warrior pose, dance and drum to strengthen our bodies and spirits and nurture a regimen of daily meditation to release any excess activity from our ever-inquiring minds and wondrous bodies.

May we go boldly forward on our journey with resolute focus and unwavering faith. We will rid our minds of disbelief that love does not have our name on the list for as William Shakespeare has been quoted, “Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win.”

The stories in The Chakra Diaries start with Estrella's story, where she balances her root chakra. Like all the characters, her love life is a mess until she achieves balance. But, succeed they do, and you can too!

Namaste! Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries

Heart chakra balancing can help you release your anger to let love and compassion live there. First, you have to realize that forgiveness, even of something unspeakable, is necessary for you to live a healthy, loving life. You don't have to forget or condone an action or behavior, you just have to let go of its importance in your life. As the Buddha said, "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned."

Most of the characters in The Chakra Diaries had to deal with forgiveness, of themselves and others, to release the tension in their bodies and allow the healing power of love to flow. Put your present happiness first, and forgive past transgressions - drop the hot coal.
Namaste!
Becca Chopra