Blog Posts

How I Tame Anxiety - In the Midst of a #VolcanicEruption in #Hawaii

5/11/2018

I haven't posted in a while, as we live on the Big Island of Hawaii, where the lava flow is erupting about 7 miles uphill of our home... so we're in survival mode as we may need to evacuate.

I feel my heart in my throat from the anxiety and have to remind myself to do deep breathing and positive visualization. If you have any anxiety in your life that you'd like to tame, please listen to my FREE 10-minute Chakra Meditation if you haven't already done so.

I'm trying to remain calm, and to send calming energy to Madame Pele, so she will return to flowing into the ocean in Volcano National Park, away from inhabited areas.

If you'd like to learn more about the threat from living on a volcanic island, my friend and editor, R. R. Harris wrote a novella about our last lava scare that gives great insight into the people of Hawaii and why they choose to live on the side of a volcano. It also has thrills, mystery and romance in it as well... You can download On the Edge, now reduced in price for a short time to just $1.99.

Namaste!

Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet

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Conquering the Fears Associated with Love

2/22/2018

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I've been working on my heart chakra, since February is the month of love, and I came across this book that helped me immensely in realizing why I was having trouble with relationships of all kinds...

Rediscovering Love: An Intimacy Restoration and Growth Journey Guide can help you identify how hidden fears and learned behaviors from as far back as childhood are undermining your relationships. Page after page, you'll start to understand why your relationships have played out as they have, and how your subconscious can trick you into acting out of fear instead of love.

Reading this book has truly been an eye-opener, helping to set me on a path towards discovering and enriching my connections with both my self, my husband and my world.

Roy Rawer’s truly transformational lessons are packed with mindset-altering ideas and stories that follow the progress of three of his clients. One of his recommendations to them and to readers of Rediscovering Love is to cultivate inner clarity through journaling, so we can see how our thoughts and feelings activate one another in a less than loving way. Then he relates how to learn and practice new ways of thinking, feeling and relating, so that we can consistently hold thoughts of love toward our partners, and consistently express them.

By the time you're done reading the book and answering the Self Help Exercises at the end of each chapter, you can't help but feel your heart growing with love and compassion for yourself and your loved one.

“Sometimes as we rediscover love, we rediscover ourselves.” ~ Roy Rawers

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH ROY RAWERS ON REDISCOVERING LOVE

Who is this book written for?

In the introduction, I write that this book is “for all those who refuse to think the best days of their relationships are behind them and who have the courage and willingness to try to repair the relationship.” My original intent was focused on helping intimate partners stay or grow more connected, but what I’m learning from the feedback I’m getting from the readers has pleasantly surprised me. I’m hearing that not only are people using the book to help with their intimate partner relationships but also applying the principles with family members, significant friends, and co-workers. Usually unintended consequences don’t work out so favorably, but in this case, I’m happy to report positive results.

What would you most like readers to take away from Rediscovering Love?

I like to think that there are a few themes woven into fabric of the book that I hope stick with the reader:
a) The value of self-examination, introspection, and gaining insight into how one’s own unique experiences can influence both positively and negatively the quality of their relationships.
b) The reality that it can take a significant amount of emotional courage and energy to grow relationally, but I haven’t run into one yet that has said the reward wasn’t worth the effort.
c) Hope. Another quote from the book hits the center of this, “It doesn’t matter so much what cards we are dealt as much as it is to learn how to play them as best they can.” Meaning that no one is disqualified from participating in the journey, but some may have more challenges than others.

What is the "Lover's Dilemma?"

The “Lover’s Dilemma” is the tension between the desire to be and feel connected to another and the sacrifices or hardships that come with the relationship. A simple example might be when a husband chronically leaves his dirty clothes on the ground for his wife to pick up. It’s not a “deal-breaker” or true threat to the continuation of the relationship, but it’s annoying and creates an “emotional cost” to staying in the partnership. Annoying is nothing to ignore, but the tension can become more intense when issues of self worth, rejection, acceptance, abandonment, or inadequacy enter the relationship. All relationships experience the Lover’s Dilemma to some degree, what’s important to take way is understanding when, to what degree, and how one mal-adaptively reacts to emotional pain so that more effective problem solving processes can replace old responses.

How can one best handle unmet expectations in a relationship?

Every relationship will experience unmet expectations; how they are responded to is the key. Not to oversimplify the process, but I think the best defense is a good offense. When a couple can proactively work on developing their abilities to: 1) have early identification of both what is and isn’t working for them in their relationship; 2) the ability to appropriately communicate those issues within an atmosphere of emotional safety; and 3) avoid settling on solutions that are overly burdensome toward one side or that could create resentment over time.

When pro-actively addressing our life situations, it’s harder for small problems to grow into big ones.

How can we change unconscious habits that keep us from a loving relationship?

By being very intentional to do otherwise. Learning to anticipate situations when an old habit would occur, and intentionally replacing it with a new response, meaning purposefully and premeditatedly practicing an outcome different than the unconscious pattern. Many find it helpful to create a script of how they would ideally respond and mentally rehearse the new outcome in preparation of a real life opportunity to practice. Over time and with perseverance, the new pattern will begin to override the old programming.

Why do you recommend journaling?

I could possibly write an entire new book on the value of journaling, but some of my favorite benefits are:

Learning things about yourself you would otherwise miss or deny
Providing historical evidence of growth, and reflect on changes in attitudes or perspectives
Capturing verbally unexpressed thoughts, feeling, and emotions that may be helpful to address vs. avoid
It’s an emotional gym, a ritualized place to develop one’s intimacy with self and others

What exactly is the new process of journaling recommended - the Captain and Terrorist method?

This is a new way at looking at an old problem, namely, how to examine and counter mal-adaptive internal dialog patterns.

Why do intelligent people sometime make terrible relational decisions? In most cases when we feel unsafe or unsure when faced with an emotionally threatening situation, the fear control center of our brain tries to take our decision making process away from the executive functioning part, the pre-frontal lobe. The Captain and the Terrorist represent the two forces battling inside one’s head for control over the prevailing narrative and how to respond to a threatening situation. By listening, or studying, the dialog that goes on between the fear based and rational/logical parts of our thoughts, it is possible to understand how our past traumatic experiences and perspectives are used by our fear-based side to promote choices that are relationally destructive. For example, a husband might conclude to not talk to his wife about something that is bothering him, because when he thinks about it, a fear-based narrative, such as, “she’ll only think I’m weak,” overrides an opportunity to be intimate through sharing his feelings.

There is an ancient Chinese saying that goes, “Know yourself and know your enemy and you need not worry in a hundred battles.” Certainly if one has a keen understanding of both their Captain and their Terrorist, the Captain will have an advantage in knowing the enemies strengths.

Why is it better to live in the gray zone than in strictly black and white?

Here’s what a relationship loses when we choose to think in black or white terms:

The desire, interest or ability to understanding another’s thoughts or feelings (loss of empathy)
Resilience and openness to criticism (loss of authentic self examination)
Nuance. Meaning all is reduced to either “good” or “bad”, requiring a winner and a loser (loss of accurate discernment)

You might be able to see how the Lover’s Dilemma fits into this situation, as giving up the comfort and familiarity of a black and white perspective could easily require an unspecified amount of emotional turmoil. Living in the gray offers greater potential to attain deeper levels of intimacy, with oneself, and with others.

You say, "...as we rediscover love, we rediscover ourselves." Can you explain that?

The best gift that I find my clients receive toward the later stages of rediscovering love is a clear and restored sense of “okay’ness” with oneself, despite being openly able to discuss their personal shortcomings. Not rationalizing or justifying the dysfunctional parts of themselves that could still benefit from ongoing work but understanding that they are lovable and acceptable while still having flaws and room for personal growth. For many, it will be the first time in their lives that they actually felt authentically “okay” about themselves.

Do both partners in a relationship need to follow the self-help tools you recommend to rediscover their love?

Let me start by saying that I don’t think you need to be in an intimate relationship to begin learning how to have more satisfying and connected relationships. The Rediscovering Love self-help tools can be very helpful for a single person looking to make sense of past relationships and what can be done to not repeat the process with a new face, or someone who has never been in a serious relationship but wants to gain an understanding of healthy intimate partner relationship dynamics.

For those in a relationship, one of the benefits of the self-help tools is that they don’t require a partner’s participation to be useful toward rediscovering love. Even less enthusiastic partners get an opportunity to develop their ability to rediscover love when their mate shares and demonstrates their own journey. While I never recommend taking responsibility for another’s intimacy development, being vulnerable and exposing one’s own journey can spark a partner’s interest in participating at greater levels, but don’t be surprised if their pace is slower than you would like it to be.

Rediscovering Love: An Intimacy Restoration and Growth Journey Guide is available on Amazon.com.

Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance the Chakras, Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet

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Put a Rainbow on Your Plate for Healthy Eating

1/30/2018

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Deanna Minich, PhD, has a new book, The Rainbow Diet, which makes full-spectrum healing easy, vibrant, and delicious. Dr. Minich outlines specific colorful foods, supplements, recipes, and activities to help you heal and flourish.

She has also put together the color-coded 7 Systems of Health that will help you see your health in a refreshing, new way. It supports all I teach in The Chakra Energy Diet, and takes it a step further, associating your glands and your 7 chakras. Here’s a quick snapshot of the associations with color:

RED represents the adrenal glands and instinct;
ORANGE represents the reproductive glands and creativity;
YELLOW represents the digestive system and transformation;
GREEN represents the heart and love;
BLUE-GREEN represents the thyroid gland and truth;
INDIGO represents the pituitary gland and wisdom;
LAVENDER represents the pineal gland and connection.

Whatever diet you follow, vegan or paleo, it’s important to make the majority of your diet nutrient-rich, full of colorful vegetables and fruit to support your chakra balance. Here’s to balance!

Namaste,
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance the Chakras, Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet

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INSIGHTS INTO THE #AFTERLIFE: The Dreaming Road #BookReview and #AuthorInterview

1/13/2018

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We all want to know what happens after we die and what has happened to loved ones who have gone before us.

Well, The Dreaming Road provides answers.

What started as Elizabeth Moore's diary to express her grief after the suicide of her teenage daughter, turned into The Dreaming Road, a beautifully written novel with parallel stories of the daughter’s experience in the afterlife and her mother’s spiritual epiphanies.

The novel is extraordinary -- a heart-wrenching yet uplifting exploration of the theme that love never dies.

Elizabeth Moore writes of the mother contacting her daughter’s spirit through mediums, angel guides, lucid dreaming, and automatic writing of her daughter’s voice in her head. Her daughter Cassie, called Callie in the novel, shares her experiences in a part of heaven called Summer Wind and her training by the Angel Seraphiel, all told with the same voice and wise-cracking personality she had in life. Her description of the afterlife gels with some of what we’ve heard before, but there are also many surprises.

We learn from Callie that life is not the end, but part of an eternal journey. She finds that her death was just a transition; it did not end her “life” or what she still needed to learn...
"You are not imprisoned by your history. You can own it and then let all of it go and move forward with faith and courage. You have the power to forgive everything and everyone, even yourself, and this will truly set you free. Believe me, things on Earth are not what they appear.... Everything happens for a reason -- to help you know you're love."

Seraphiel explains how Callie’s life on Earth (thus everyone’s life) is just a dream: “In the beginning, nothing existed except oneness and wholeness, but in your desire to know yourself, you dreamed yourself into existence as separate beings…. You are all love, but often you express yourselves as fear and judgment. Remember, nothing exists that you have not created…. Your true power is in remembering that you have created your experience.”

The mother also interacts with Seraphiel, channeled during Angel Awakening Classes, and learns the secret to feeling joy in life again. In her Acknowledgements, Moore says that she wrote this book to share the understanding she gained that “life and love go on forever, the dawn will break and the sorrow will be washed away.”

Elizabeth Moore explores profound concepts for those seeking spiritual awareness, from parallel lifetimes to insights into the angelic realm. I found it a good reminder, something I have heard before, when the Angel Seraphiel says, “We can’t help you unless you ask.”

Remember to ask for help when you need it. And I believe The Dreaming Road will provide help and solace, to those who have lost a loved one to suicide, and actually to ALL of us in this human experience who need to find understanding in the midst of inevitable loss, sorrow and pain.

Author Elizabeth Moore, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Nursing at a university in the south-central U.S. Her nursing research has focused on strengthening the bond between mother and baby immediately after birth by skin-to-skin contact, while her novel explores the eternal bonds between mother and child that continue even when one of them has passed on. Here, she answers my questions about The Dreaming Road:

What message would you like readers to take away from reading The Dreaming Road?
The message in my novel is that our connections with those who have passed on are eternal and can remain vibrant, ongoing and continuous even though they are no longer with us on earth. They’re not gone forever when they’re buried or lost to us until we too cross over. But to reestablish our relationship with them, we need to let go of the need to have their physical presence with us and focus instead on communicating with their eternal soul.

Your daughter's suicide was certainly a tragic occurrence in your life. But, in the book, many important spiritual gifts are received. What was the most important thing you learned?
I think the most important thing I learned was how to let go of my guilt and despair over my daughter’s death by suicide. I learned that if I clung to all the pain from my past, I robbed myself of joy in the present moment. I forgave myself by understanding that I wasn’t responsible for my daughter’s death. Everyone is on their own individual path of destiny. We are all passing through this physical reality, traveling on a winding and sometimes difficult road home. Life on this side of the veil, by its very nature, is fragile and transient. And Cassie’s not gone, she just exists in another dimension.

As your book is described as a novel rather than a memoir, how much of the communication with Callie in the afterlife and with angels actually match the experiences in your real life?
The communications through dreams with my daughter were written exactly as they occurred. When I woke up I wrote everything down, so I wouldn’t forget anything. The information I received about Cassie’s experiences on the other side of the veil were written exactly as they were communicated to me. I heard what I felt was her voice in my mind and wrote down what she told me. I also talked with her through a medium and these conversations were edited to capture the essence of our communication. I did attend a class that was taught by a woman who was a physical channel for what we believed was an angel. The spiritual truths communicated by the angel were edited slightly to make them more understandable for readers. The characteristics of the setting and the individuals were modified to protect the anonymity of those involved.

So many people want to communicate with those who have passed. What would you recommend as the best way to proceed?
My communications with Cassie began in dreams and they just happened. But later, in a waking state, I found if I went into my flower garden, lay down, and let myself be at peace, I could ask her questions in my mind and she would answer them. As we continued our conversations, words became images and vivid scenes unfolded behind my closed eyelids.

So, I would recommend to first start some type of meditation practice, whatever resonates with you. I found that communication was easier if I was in a state of calm receptivity and if the love connection was strong, and more difficult if I was immersed in grief. You must also believe that this type of communication is possible. Light a candle, have a photo of your loved one, paper and pen nearby, say a prayer and ask the angels for guidance. When your mind is calm and open, ask them a question and wait for an answer. Don’t get hung up on whether it’s real or your imagination, just write down what you hear. Once you open the door and continue to set aside time for a conversation with your loved one, you’ll find that communication gets easier.

Your character is taught that she can create her own reality. Can you share more on this subject?
I believe we create our own reality by how we experience the external events that are happening in our lives. I believe we set up certain challenges that we will face before we cross over to this side of the veil. But our reality becomes how we meet these challenges, for example, with courage, faith and hope for a better day or through bitterness and despair.

I also think we can learn to manifest a more positive dream by the steps I mention in The Dreaming Road: visualizing it in in our mind, smelling it, tasting it, hearing it and imagining that it has already occurred.

But we can’t circumvent our destiny. So from my perspective, our experiences evolve from both free will and destiny. Cassie contends that manifesting is much easier on the other side of the veil because we are no longer in that time-space reality and when we imagine things there, they happen in an instant.

It was certainly a long process to work through the grief caused by your daughter's suicide, but was there one thing that helped you the most?
It took me quite a while to find the joy in life again and I started taking small steps by just appreciating the small things in life, the scent of new mown grass or a rose from my gardens, wall-to-wall sunshine on a beautiful day, how happy my dogs were when I walked in the door. Then I moved to remembering the good times I shared with Cassie, climbing daffodil hill in spring, drawing colorful pictures with sidewalk chalk by the pool, dressing her in a mermaid costume for Halloween, hanging bubble lights on the Christmas tree or baking gingerbread cookies. These images began to replace the horrifying picture I had in my mind of finding her lying dead on the floor of her bedroom.

Now I actively try to seize the moment by doing things that bring me joy, like swimming in the ocean with the dolphins or snorkeling along a tropical coral reef and watching the fish swim in beautiful, intricate patterns.

How did the writing of this book benefit you personally, and how can reading it benefit anyone -- whether or not they have experienced the type of loss you did?
I think The Dreaming Road serves as a gentle reminder for everyone that life can change on a dime and to cherish our loved ones who are still with us on this side of the veil. It reminds us not to take anything for granted and to focus on the things that bring us joy and make our lives meaningful before it’s too late. Because I began my novel as a diary, I was able to write my heart out without censoring myself. I found it difficult to be authentic in my grief around other people as there’s such a taboo around death by suicide and many are uncomfortable talking about it. Looking back, I now know how I survived and am hoping that by sharing my road map with others who have suffered similar losses, it will help ease their pain.

For resources on teenage suicide, grief and loss, as well as after-death communication, see Elizabeth Moore’s website, www.TheDreamingRoad.com.

The Dreaming Road is available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback.
Namaste!

Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet
www.theChakras.org

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#FreeKindle of THE CHAKRA ENERGY DIET - Download Today

1/6/2018

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Happy New Year! Everyone seems to have a resolution for the New Year to eat healthier. But what does that mean for you? Paleo, vegan, or either one, as long as the rainbow of colors are included in your food.

Take the quiz for each chakra in your FREE COPY of THE CHAKRA ENERGY DIET, and learn exactly what foods YOU personally need to nourish yourself, banish stress, and help achieve your optimal weight.

This information and more is in THE CHAKRA ENERGY DIET, free for download today on Amazon.

If you’re blaming yourself for not being your “perfect weight,” stop. It’s not your fault. Rather, the way our bodies are programmed to handle stress is the problem. Stress is a double whammy for weight – it increases our appetites and leads to overeating or poor food choices, then makes our bodies hold on to the fat. The solution is not extreme dieting, which causes more stress, but knowing how to stop the stress reactions.

STRESS, THE NOT-SO-SILENT SABOTEUR
Stress adversely affects weight both physiologically and psychologically.

When you’re under stress, your digestion is impaired and you can’t receive the nourishment from the food you eat. Once the effects of adrenaline wear off, cortisol, known as the “stress hormone,” stimulates your appetite to replenish your food stores.

Excess cortisol also slows down your metabolism, because your body wants to maintain an adequate supply of glucose to deal with the next “threat.”

The disruption of cortisol secretion during the “fight or flight” response may not only lead to weight gain, but it can also put that weight exactly where you don’t want it – in your belly. Studies have shown that stress and elevated cortisol tend to cause fat deposits in the abdominal area, which is strongly related to Syndrome X, the cluster of risk factors associated with heart disease.

When under stress, doesn’t your willpower go out the window? Most people are driven to eat comfort foods when stressed out, even if they’re not hungry. And comfort foods are usually high-fat, sugary or salty foods. You may be eating whatever is within reach to fill an emotional need, or cruising to the closest fast food window because you have no time to shop and cook a healthy meal.

Download your FREE COPY of THE CHAKRA ENERGY DIET to find out which of your chakras is under stress, and learn the best foods, relaxation techniques, yoga and exercise to balance your chakras and have a vibrant, healthy and beautiful New Year and New You.

A review of THE CHAKRA ENERGY DIET:

A Balanced Recipe for Vibrant Health and Well-Being ~ Mary Jo Shaffer

"There are so many things that I love about this book; first and foremost is that Becca Chopra shares her extensive wisdom to help you optimally feed not only your physical body, but your subtle, or nonphysical body, as well. And she does this in a very balanced way, providing a virtual treasure chest of tools that include real, health-giving foods; meditations and breath work; affirmations and healing activities, and specific yoga poses."

Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet

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Oracle Messages to Transform Your Life

12/17/2017

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What is your plan for transforming 2018 into your best year ever? Have you thought about it? Do you have a plan? Imagine if you could have a year of inspiration mapped out for you. Well, Darity Wesley, a Modern Day Oracle™, has done just that for you.

You Can Transform Your Life was written as a guide to support your personal and spiritual growth over the course of 52 weeks… so it’s a perfect time to start using it at the beginning of a new year. Of course, you can start at any time, go at your own pace, or even open the book at random for an Oracle message to answer a question on your mind in the moment.

The first Oracle message relates to Creating a New Way of Life, with the affirmation mantra: “I AM releasing the old so I can build the new…And so it is!!!” There’s also a circle for you to draw your goal or intention as a simple symbol.

Each Oracle message is followed by space for you to answer four questions of self-inquiry – to explore what the message means to you, to create your own personal mantra, to plan how to integrate the message into your life, and to direct your attention to any messages from your own inner voice.

The book’s design is so well thought out – I found that answering the questions and using this space to journal my emotions and thoughts on the Oracle message made it so much more powerful for me than just reading the message. This personal writing is therapeutic, helping you let go of the things that are holding you down, inviting you to freely express how you feel – which will make you feel better.

At the end of the 52 Oracle messages, there is a guided Personal Transformation Journal template that takes you even further, offering inspirational prompts for your writing. I think you will be amazed at how far you’ve come on your personal journey by the time you reach the last journal page, which prompts, “Free yourself from what is holding you back! Be who you truly are!”

What a great way to start 2018 with this book in hand or gifted to others!

Many thanks to author Darity Wesley for answering my many questions about her work here…

Can you explain what Oracle messages are?
I feel that the Oracle messages are communications written to stimulate and encourage thoughts and feelings that will support and assist us in our personal and spiritual development. I think of the Oracle messages as signposts. They point the way for our own consciousness, our own Soul self to discover, guide and change our behavior, our way of thinking, our way of feeling. Everything is possible and Oracle messages support whatever resonates with the heart of its reader.

What inspired you to become an “Oracle?”
In the late 1980s early 1990s I enjoyed a book by Shakti Gawain entitled Reflections in the Light. This book contained inspirational messages for every day of the calendar year. It felt good to think about or contemplate whatever she had written for that day. I liked it very much and thought it may be of value to others.

In 2006, I heard of the social media site called MySpace which was gaining in popularity in the tech industry I was working in. I put up a profile on MySpace and began posting what I called ~The Daily Oracle~: Inspirational messages by Shakti Gawain, Louise Hay, Eckhart Tolle, Ram Dass and many others. I allowed my spirit to be my guide in picking what to post for each day. At some point in the postings, someone asked if they could receive the messages by email and I said “Sure” and began the email subscription service. I stopped posting on MySpace somewhere along the way but continued with the email subscription service sending the messages of others.

In August of 2012, my treasured friend of many years, Cristina Smith, suggested I might like to write the Oracle messages from my own spirit as opposed to using the work of others. I was flabbergasted and immediately rejected the idea that I do that on my own. “Who, me?”

That “suggestion” was a seed that grew and blossomed, so I faced my fears and decided to do exactly that. Well, to at least give it a try! So, on September 5, 2012, I launched Oracles from the Spirit of Darity. While that space was always there, within me, it was my friend Cristina who inspired me to become a Modern Day Oracle™.

How do you access these messages or divinations?
Having been on the path of self-discovery and inquiry for over 50 years, I have experienced much support from my angels, guides and Spirit. Because I have “tuned in” for so long and “turned up the volume,” I feel I recognize and, therefore, trust, the voice within me. So what I do is just tap into that place where I hear Spirit and say “What?” “What are the energies and directions for …?” I then write or type the words or directions that come through.

How can the reader best use your Oracle messages?
Each Oracle message focuses on some area of self and/or spiritual discovery. Since inner work is very personal, the Oracle message will simply help the reader’s own intuition look at what they need to look at in that area or what they can focus on as a tool, a process, a step to work on, integrate or a practice to include in their life to support them along the way. As I said earlier, Oracle messages stimulate thoughts and feelings for us to investigate or assimilate or even relegate to another time if it causes us any resistance when we are reading it.

That is what the companion workbook: You Can Transform Your Life – Go Deeper (available on Amazon on December 26) will add to the process. It is intended to help us navigate these changing times and facilitate our journey to becoming our True Authentic Selves.
What are the benefits of using the affirmation mantras?
Affirmation mantras are the seeds of our intentions. We use them to support us. The main benefit of an affirmation mantra is its ability to bypass the “monkey mind,” the “ego,” the “personality” … that part of ourselves that is “rational” and “controlling” and caught up in the illusion of the way it really is. That part of us which will surely tell us why it won’t work or why it is something other than “love and trust,” for instance, or “I firmly stand in my determination to …” or “I am kind to others and myself.”

Another benefit of affirmation mantras is their support of the transformational energies of self and spiritual discoveries. They help us access higher levels of awareness. No matter how you use them, affirmation mantras have the ability to bring the seed of your intention into full bloom to support what it is you are wanting to do, be or have.

What are the different ways readers can use your book?
A reader can use the Oracle messages in the book however they feel drawn to use them. The book, and its companion workbook, is structured as a 52-week program beginning any time you want, however, they can be used and applied randomly, you can skip around, and let your very own spirit be the guide. Mix and match or go in order. It is all up to the reader.

You write of the New Reality – can you explain that and offer an example of that in action?
The New Reality is a term that comes up a lot in the Oracle messages. Quite simply, it is a shift in focus. This shift is from an external focus, which has been the way of life on this Planet for a very long time, to an internal focus that is a new way of life. The New Reality is a focus on an internal, higher level of consciousness. That “higher level of consciousness” may be your own creative sovereignty or that of a higher power or energy or just All That Is, the Universe, God, depending on your particular belief structure. When we step into consciously allowing that creative power to move through us, rather than resist it or not acknowledge it, we find such things as fulfillment, balance, happiness. What you need, what you want, comes from within, not “out there.”

As more and more of us step into the New Reality, as often as we can, we will feel there is more to be discovered about ourselves and our world. That can bring a calm joyousness and excitement to our lives.

An example of that would be my personal experience when I came to the realization that nothing “out there” was really responsible for my happiness. Not money, not things, not relationships. No. Nothing outside of me. I realized I was responsible for making me happy. I am the creator of my own reality and I choose, from inside, my happiness. That is stepping, a wee step for sure, into the New Reality.

What brought you to the decision you say you made, “to wear my heart on my sleeve and the world can just get over it?”
I will never forget the experience so many, many years ago. I was 33 years old. At that time I was a person who wanted everyone to love her. Mostly because I felt so unlovable. I had no real sense of myself. My need for love and approval was so great that I was like a chameleon. I had no opinions of my own. I would assume the likes and dislikes of whomever I was with. I was a Republican with Republicans and a Democrat with Democrats. I went along with whatever was happening. God forbid I would say what I thought or felt in a social setting.

Having been exploring myself and growing spiritually for many years prior to this, I was not totally devoid of self-inquiry, self-discovery and spiritual growth and so this was, evidentially, my next step.

At that time in my Buddha year, 33, I had a life changing experience at the foot of Mt. Shasta in California. Part of that life changing experience was “I am going to wear my heart on my sleeve, allow myself to be vulnerable, people will like me or not like me but they will like me or not like me as I am.” No more pretending, no more affectation, no more not saying what I think or feel. Nope! I began to step more and more into my True Authentic Self.

What would you most like readers to take away from this book?
Whether someone desires a complete life makeover or just wants to learn new ways to feel more in harmony with themselves and their world, this book and the companion Workbook, provide processes, tools and practices to take your life to a new level. Self-discovery and self-awareness are critical tools for these changing times and absolutely support our evolution as conscious beings.

As we evolve as conscious beings, we not only change ourselves, we change the lives of those around us and as that change energy moves out to world, it changes the world. That is my desire for my readers. To grow and change. To feel better, to feel more alive, to feel more at peace with themselves and all that is going on in the world. To become more self aware and to grow spiritually. To become more and more who you really are.

How can one subscribe to your Modern Day Oracle™ messages?
If someone would like to subscribe to ~The Weekly Oracle~™ they can email me at [email protected]. Simply put “Subscribe” in the Subject Line or go to our website www.DarityWesley.com and subscribe there.

You Can Transform Your Life is available now on Amazon, and the You Can Transform Your Life – Go Deeper Workbook will be available on December 26.

Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet
Becca's Inspirational Book Blog
The Chakra Blog

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Win a Year's Worth of Inspirational Books

12/2/2017

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Happy Holidays! On Becca's Inspirational Book Blog, I am listing many of the favorite books I've reviewed this year. The authors have been kind enough to donate their paperbacks, so the winners of the HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY will have a bevy of books as New Year inspiration or to gift to just the right family member or friend.

To be entered to win, please comment with a wish for the world in 2018 on the blog post by December 10. If you'd rather comment anonymously, send your comment to [email protected] to enter.

On December 10, my son will draw the names of the two lucky winners who will each receive several books in time for Christmas, ranging from inspirational adult and YA fiction to profound books on finding happiness and health.

Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet

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Mind and Soul-Satisfying Puzzles: Yoga for the Brain

11/24/2017

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The Word Search Sage is the second book in the series of word puzzles, known as Yoga for the Brain, that offer a creative, fun, meditative respite from the busy chatter of the mind... while flexing your brain.

You can read my review of The Word Search Oracle, which won the 2017 Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, and download a sample puzzle here.

The Word Search Sage takes you a little deeper into your thoughts and spirit, as the solutions to these word puzzles are called Meta-Thoughts, providing insights and deep wisdom.

I like to open the pages at random, and undoubtedly, Cristina Smith's introductory comments on the topic of the puzzle and mystic Ingrid Coffin's Meta-Thoughts are always relevant to my life at that moment in time. In fact, each word in each of the clever puzzles put together by Rick Smith relate to the Meta-Thought and help you discover your own truth, your own purpose in life.

For example, the puzzle on Love is introduced with a note that includes:
"Affirm your love for yourself. Shed all of the self-negatives that life has draped over you. When we fear criticism, we are not free to be ourselves. If we feel less than, our lives reflect that."

The Love puzzle on page 30 is a little harder than those in the beginning of the book. You'll see that after you've found all the applicable words in the puzzle, the letters remaining make up this Meta-Thought:
"Be thankful for being yourself."

These puzzles sound magical and mystical and they are. I'm amazed at how they are both relaxing and good exercise for the mind, while providing inspiration and profound introspection for the soul.

Strewn throughout the book are also beautiful photos with words of wisdom from Ingrid Coffin like, "You are the finest puzzle in your life.... Enjoy putting yourself together."

Enjoy this book whenever you need a little time to yourself, a break from work, to keep entertained while waiting for someone or something, or as a daily ritual to give you food for thought and inspiration.

INTERVIEW with Ingrid Coffin, author of the inspirational Meta-Thoughts you reach at the end of each puzzle in The Word Search Sage…

The solutions to the word searches in these puzzles are called Meta-Thoughts. Can you explain that term?
Meta-Thoughts are broader, more abstract thoughts that address life from a higher level than the thoughts we might have about what to have for lunch. They are intended to be a bit cheeky. Kind of like a sassy Jiminy Cricket reminding us that we create our own world and that much of what we create begins with our thoughts.

Where do you get the inspiration for the Meta-Thoughts?
I communicate a lot and hear myself saying Meta-Thoughts almost every day while working with other people. The trick is to catch them before they float away. I’m finally getting pretty good at that after more than 15 years of practice.

How can the reader best use these Meta-Thoughts?
I use Meta-Thoughts in a variety of ways. Often I write them in my journal. Sometimes I just print them from my computer and post them in strategic places in my home and office. Of course, they are also there every Monday waiting for me on my phone. The secret is to place them as a constant reminder of what I am working on.

For instance, if I am starting a new venture, I might post “First Feet. Then Wings” to encourage myself to start at the beginning and carefully navigate my way to successful completion. Or I might choose “Have I left myself out of my schedule?” to remind me of my priorities.

The way you can use them is limited only by your imagination.

What do you think is the most important benefit of the Yoga for the Brain puzzle books?
Keeping your brain sharp and active is crucial to enjoying a long life.

Exercising the mind is the way to do that, and Yoga for the Brain provides the exercise it needs.

Personally, I use the word puzzles to help me relax at night and get to sleep, to keep me occupied in waiting rooms and on airplanes and just generally to enjoy a pause that refreshes.

Cristina Smith, author of The Word Search Sage, describes you as a "mystic." What does the description mean to you?
Everyone is part mystical and part magical. The right-brained people are more mystical. The left-brained more magical. I am a right-brained, mystical person, which means I create the image of the result I desire in my own imagination, using my intuition as a drawing board.

Fortunately, I have been trained to work magically as well as mystically. I am able to take the vision from within my imagination and craft it in the physical world. In my opinion, a cooperative relationship between mystical and magical is what works best for everyone in all aspects of life. This is what I teach to those who work with me.

How can readers learn more about Meta-Thoughts?
It’s easy to subscribe to my weekly Meta-Thoughts. Just go to www.Meta-Thoughts.com and provide your name and email address.

What other ways can readers connect with you and learn about your work?
In addition to my love of Meta-Thoughts and The Word Search Sage, I am an evolutionary astrologer, a teacher in the western esoteric tradition and the founding director of Blue Sky Ranch in Lakeside, California. More information is available at www.ingridcoffin.com.

The Word Search Sage and The Word Search Oracle are both available on Amazon.
Namaste!

Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet

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Are You Happy Enough? Here's How to Experience Joy, NO MATTER WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD...

11/17/2017

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The subtitle of Joy! Joy! Joy! says it all. Read this book and you’ll discover 7 Mind Body Spirit Self-Help Practices to Relieve Stress, Reverse Memory Loss and Live Happy – I Did It! You Too Can Bust the Blues.

Ellen Wood, author of the award-winning Think and Grow Young, now shares how she transformed her many physical and emotional problems to remain peaceful and joyous by making these practices into daily habits: observing your thoughts, releasing toxic emotions, using affirmations, power posing, dry brushing your skin, meditating and doing something good for someone.

Her gripping memoir of depression, Alzheimer symptoms, cancer and other distressing situations are interwoven with how she coped, and then miraculously freed herself of chronic stress and the blues.

Ellen cites many experts and clinical studies that show how these quick and simple Mind-Body-Spirit practices help people remain calm, productive and joyful no matter what is happening in the world around them.

She also sprinkles words of wisdom throughout her story:

“When something bad happens, say ‘Something good will come of this,’ then expect something good and watch for it.”

You can take charge of your thoughts and emotions, says the author, for example…

“Stress doesn’t come from what’s happening to us, but from our response to what’s happening.”

The book is entitled Joy! Joy! Joy! because if you put these techniques into practice, you’ll find yourself, like Ellen Wood, filled with joy for no reason, with a closer connection to your inner knowing and to spirit.

“Love is often an action first, then a feeling. You love yourself by taking actions in the direction of your wellbeing.”

Ellen Wood, at 80, is an inspirational speaker and writer, and I encourage readers of Joy! Joy! Joy! to follow her blueprint, using the bonus Daily Practice Checklists in the back of the book to help you anchor new habits that will transform your life too.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Ellen Wood, author of Joy! Joy! Joy!:

What would you like readers to take away from your new book?
In just minutes a day, by making these 7 mind/body/spirit practices into habits, you can change your life forever. If you’re stressed out and have the blues, and it seems like the whole world is going crazy, these habits can calm your mind and help you access inner peace and joy. If you are experiencing mild memory loss (and perhaps worrying about Alzheimer’s because a parent died of it), take heart: through these practices I was able to reverse early Alzheimer’s – even though I have the Alzheimer’s gene, APO-e4. Meditation alone has been proven in scientific studies to reverse memory loss, in addition to reducing stress, anxiety and depression, among other benefits. Some of these studies are cited in my book.

You write of reconnecting to your true nature. How does one do that?
By practicing Meditation (Daily Practice #6) and by experiencing “life” in the present moment through our senses (as explained in Daily Practice #7) – inviting our divine nature to see through our eyes, hear through our ears, taste with our mouth, smell with our nose and feel through our skin or fingertips – we can reconnect to our true nature. Observing our thoughts (Daily Practice #1), Releasing Toxic Emotions (Daily Practice #2) and Affirmations (Daily Practice #3), especially surrendering control and allowing our Inner Self to lead, are also techniques for reconnecting.

How can a person have joy – no matter what?
Our essential nature is JOY and we have access to that joy when we stay rooted in the present moment. Joy and love are innate. (On the other hand, HAPPINESS is dependent upon a situation or circumstance – often fleeting – that delights our human nature.) We suffer when we dwell on something terrible or regretful that happened in the past or we fear something that might happen in the future. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychologist and author of the book, Man’s Search for Meaning, survived and even experienced BLISS in the concentration camps of the Holocaust.

Why is it so important to be in the present moment?
There is POWER in the present moment. And we can access that power when we still our mind and experience the NOW moment.

Can you summarize how we can love ourselves just as we are, when we want to be better people?
Loving yourself just as you are is part of the PROCESS of creating a more magnificent you. I’ll give an example of why I say we can love ourselves just as we are AND want to do practices to CHANGE the way we are: Suppose you buy an old house – one that had been neglected and has a garden that is nothing but weeds. Shortly after fixing up the house and moving in, you go to the nursery and bring home flower seedlings. As you stand there for a moment and look at that garden full of weeds, if you’re like most people, you won’t think: Oh, I hate this garden. It’s so ugly.

No. You feel a thrill of creation as you decide which patch of earth to start on. Then you kneel down and pull out the weeds, turn over the soil, dig some holes, put the seedlings in, cover the roots with earth and pat around each one with both hands. And you love the feeling of creating your beautiful garden. In fact, you love your beautiful garden already even though most of it is still full of weeds.

Think of yourself as a garden you’re creating. Love yourself just as you are as you weed and till and plant the seeds of a more magnificent expression of you. Celebrate every sprout and the eventual flowers. Loving yourself just as you are is essential for creating happiness.

How would you recommend this book be best used?
Read it all the way through once or twice, then commit to making those 7 practices into habits. In the back of the book is a section that contains 12 weeks of daily checklists to prompt you as you go about each day. (Or request a Word doc of the checklists by writing to [email protected].)

Start with just two practices. Choose the two you feel will be the easiest for you to do for 21 consecutive days. Then after three weeks with the first two practices, add two more for another 21 days and three weeks later add two more and when you start your tenth week, you’ll integrate all 7 practices into your daily routine. If it works better for you, aim for 5 days a week for three weeks instead of 21 consecutive days. Check the box to the left of each practice to indicate which practices you’re working on that week. This is the process I used for myself beginning 13 years ago. It totally changed my life. I no longer need the checklists or sticky notes or other reminders. Well, actually I still have sticky notes in my life, like the ones on my desk that say, “Something good will come of this” and “What marvelous things do you have for me today?” Here’s one I recently put by my TV, “Where my attention goes, energy flows. (Do I really want to be stuck in politics?)”

To sample Ellen’s inspiration, sign up for her free gifts, including Affirmations to Grow Younger, plus sample Chapters from Think and Grow Young and Joy! Joy! Joy! at http://bookofjoyjoyjoy.com/. Both her books are available at Amazon.com.

Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet

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#Love and #Forgiveness Learned through Multiple #Reincarnations

11/1/2017

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IMPLICIT: Soul Invictus contains both wildly imaginative stories of a woman’s many incarnations, worlds, and adventures, and a profound discussion on the meaning of life, love and forgiveness.

Maya Lee is a law professor holding a grudge, which we might all do if we were in the same situation – being unjustly fired. But as we follow her soul through many other incarnations in both ancient and modern times and places, a theme emerges – about forgiveness, about love, about what is real and what isn’t.

“It’s not what happens in life, but our opinions about what happens that trouble men… Or women,” she learns in one of her incarnations.

In another incarnation, as a lawyer in ancient Rome, the protagonist Marcus learns, “…try your best, right? But then just let it go. Stop thinking about it.”

As the reader, we learn along with the characters – “Forgive, and only love remains.”

The life and death stories in this novel touch on everything that makes life profound, beautiful, absurd, and heartbreaking. We follow each incarnation of Maya into the afterlife and learn:

“Love is. Love doesn’t go anywhere or come from anywhere. No thought of love is ever lost. You take it with you. Love is all that there is. And love is everywhere.”

Thanks to author Mark Tiro for this inspirational novel, and for answering my questions here about IMPLICIT: Soul Invictus…

AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Have you incorporated any of your own past into your writing?
A lot of people ask me after reading the book if the character of Maya Lee is real. Before I started to write, like Maya, I had worked as a public defender in Los Angeles. I’ve tried to incorporate snippets of a lot of things, personalities and places, that I’ve gotten to know – to see – close up… Once I was able to sit down and reflect on it all though, I realized just how deep and profound – how much of an impact – some of these things I’ve seen have had on me.

“Still waters run deep,” as Marianne Williamson used to say. And so, the closest thing I can say about Maya is that she’s arguably the best lawyer I’ve ever known… But of course, maybe that’s why I ended up a better writer than I ever had been a lawyer. Somewhere deep down, I’ve always known not to get in a fight with Maya because she’d probably win.

What inspired you to write IMPLICIT?
I used to work out at the gym, years ago, a lot more than I do now. One day, a friend of mine who lived within walking distance invited me over for lunch, after our workout. Well, on his bookshelf, he had all these books – some I’d heard of, some were new to me. Everything from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance to Way of the Peaceful Warrior to Paolo Coehlo’s The Alchemist.

He also had a tattered, old paperback copy of Richard Bach’s Illusions. He lent it to me that day, and I took it home and read it. That book – the ideas in it, I think, was what really set me on my life path.

I then read The Celestine Prophecy, The Prophet, Man’s Search for Meaning… even Mitch Albom’s Tuesday’s with Morrie. Eventually these all led me at some point, to a trip to Temecula and a quiet afternoon where I was able to meet Ken Wapnick. I really did come to appreciate his non-judgmental/forgiving take on A Course in Miracles.

What would you like readers to take away from the book?
I wanted to, above all, let readers get to know characters they would actually care about. So many spiritual parables seem to be so wooden. And so much spiritual non-fiction is just not as easy – at least for me – to read today as it used to be, years ago, before the internet.

Most of us now, because of the internet, Twitter, Facebook – being so interconnected – our attention span’s basically shot. The cardinal sin or maybe ‘cardinal rule’ now of anything, whether it’s a book, TV, a movie or a Facebook post, is just this: ‘Don’t be boring.’

And after years of ‘searching,’ I’d finally hit on something that helped lift the heaviness, the depression… something that helped me to just relax and not feel self-conscious when I was with people. As far back as I could remember, I’d always been on my own elusive search for the meaning of life, always trying to find an answer that just ‘felt right.’

I tried to show how this stuff actually looks in life – in this world we all seem to live in here.

Also, a lot of people don’t catch it the first time they read IMPLICIT: Soul Invictus, but I was curious how it would look in the real world, as someone goes through the stages of the ‘development of trust’ that A Course in Miracles describes. Maya’s journey takes her through all of it, and I was as surprised as anybody by the time I got to the end. It turned out that Maya’s journey didn’t look anything like I’d expected it would when I first sat down to begin writing.

In your Author’s Note, you say some of Maya’s lifetimes involve real people in history, such as the Greek stoic philosopher Epictetus. Why did you want to include them?
One of the themes that runs through and permeates the book is that in reality, time is not linear. Epictetus taught what we call ‘stoic philosophy.’ But Epictetus’ stoicism was only about one step removed from the Freudian Vedanta of A Course in Miracles that we know today. It’s also quite in line with a lot of the Gnostic teachings, and had quite a lot more in common with the Gospel of Thomas and non-dualistic Buddhism, than with what we think of today as ‘stoic.’

Plus, here was this great teacher – he was a giant, even in his own time, who at the end of his life, settled down with a woman he didn’t marry, and whose name has been lost to history, in order to raise the child of a friend (one who’d presumably died or been sent off) so that the baby wouldn’t die or be sold off into slavery. It was such a human thing to do – it really embodied all his teachings. I was really excited when I discovered I’d have an opportunity to write about that.

And of course, it just so happens that I knew of someone [an incarnation of Maya], who by complete coincidence, happened to be on a ship sailing to just the right place, at just the right time…

How is IMPLICIT connected to the next book you’re publishing in December and what can you tell us about that book?
A lot of people don’t know this, but IMPLICIT: Soul Invictus is actually the second novel I’ve written about Maya Lee. The first one I wrote actually slots in perfectly right behind it. So while IMPLICIT: Soul Invictus really is the beginning of Maya’s story – of the entire Spirit Invictus Series for that matter – in December, Book Two, ALL THESE THINGS: Maya Invictus, comes out. That book will actually go even deeper into Maya’s younger (and slightly wilder) years.

That book will tell the story of Maya and David [a client and spiritual teacher], and how Maya’s toughest and most brilliant courtroom battle jettisoned her off on an unplanned detour into her own personal dark night of the soul. The favorite feedback I’ve heard from my early readers is this quote: “Inner peace with an attitude – could be called Way of the Peaceful Lawyer!”

I’m also giving away a free novella called ONE MORE THING: The Lost Interview. It’s a small little snippet of Maya’s life after the events of – and complimentary to – ALL THESE THINGS.

You can download the free novella and learn more about the Spirit Invictus Series at www.MarkTiro.com.

IMPLICIT: Soul Invictus is available on Amazon Kindle at the special price of just $.99 through November 4, so download it today.

Namaste!
Becca Chopra

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