MORE SEX EQUALS MORE MONEY, TOO!

I've written extensively on this blog about how a vibrant sex life significantly benefits your physical and emotional well-being, and I've posted several pieces about the connection between your spiritual nature and your sexuality.

Well, here's a piece from the Huffington Post last year about the financial benefits that come with an active sex life. The article, entitled, "People Who Have Sex At Least 4 Times A Week Make More Money," finds a statistically significant correlation between sexual activity and financial prosperity.

Here's an excerpt from the piece:

"It pays to have more sex. Literally, new research finds. People who have sex four times or more a week earn higher wages than their less-sexually active colleagues at a statistically significant level, according to a discussion paper from Nick Drydakis, a fellow at the Institute for the Study of Labor, a private, independent organization focused on labor market research."

Now, to be clear, detached sex, sex in isolation, or compulsive sex, isn't necessarily a money maker, but rather sex that brings genuine pleasure to you and your partner, and especially sex that is combined with love and Eros, is what can be a path to prosperity.

Here's more from the piece by Nick D:

"See, people who have frequent sex tend to be happier, have higher self-esteem, better reasoning ability and are less likely to be depressed. More sex makes you healthier and happier. And happy, healthy people tend make more money."

I would add, Nick, that happy, healthy people  are inclined to have more sex, too.

This is from an amazing chapter in an amazing book, "PATH OF EMPOWERMENT," by Barbara Marciniak:

"The orgasmic experience connects you with your spirit, reorganizing and revitalizing your cells. Sex is like a rocket booster, and coupled with conscious intent, it can propel you into aspects of reality that can enrich your life. When you are having sex, you are stirring the life-force kundalini energy nestled at the bottom of the spine. Activating kundalini energy by means of sexual pleasure can create direct openings into simultaneous dimensional experiences that have a complete interface with the life you are presently leading."

Nicely said. In other words, folks, through the power of sexual expression and enjoyment, especially via the orgasm experience, especially with someone you love, you can access your creative abilities across the spectrum of dimensions. 

I know it may not seem romantic to meditate on financial abundance while making love, but then again, being broke and worrying about money can definitely be a buzz-kill in bed.

YOU ARE NOT VULNERABLE WHEN YOU'RE OPEN. YOU'RE VULNERABLE WHEN YOU'RE LITTLE!

I read an blog post a while ago entitled, "The One Quality We Often Mistake For Weakness Can Actually Make You Stronger," which extolls the virtues of being "vulnerable." Citing examples from President Obama to the Dalai Lama, the piece gives examples of the strength that comes from being vulnerable. The post refers to a book, "Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead," by Brene Brown.

While I essentially support what the post and book are trying to say, the language of the authors demonstrates a very common error which I would like to address here.

"I feel too vulnerable when..."

How often I hear individuals begin a sentence like that. Usually, the person in question who is perceiving themselves as "vulnerable" is talking about being "open" in some situation that is revealing of their inner life to another. But this common connection in one's mind between openness and vulnerability is erroneous. 

You are not vulnerable when you're open.

The definition of "vulnerable" in most dictionaries is: "susceptible to physical or emotional harm." Okay. That's pretty straightforward. So, when are we the most susceptible to harm in those ways? Well, in two situations, mainly: 1. when we are without an option for avoiding danger; and 2. when we are truly dependent on another person or persons who may choose to do us harm. And when are we most likely to be in such situations? Well, unless you are literally a hostage in a terrorist takeover, or a prisoner of war or in jail, the most prevalent time human beings are actually vulnerable to harm is - you guessed it - in childhood!

That's right. In childhood, especially early childhood, we are essentially hostages to our parents and caretakers, without options to avoid the slings and arrows of our environment. And we are utterly and completely dependent on those others for our well-being, even for our very existence. Whatever the vicissitudes of our parents' mental and emotional health, or lack thereof, we, as children, cannot protect ourselves or remove ourselves from harm's way. We can't stop adults from hurting us, nor can we trade in one set of adults for another. In other words... we are vulnerable. Truly.

Now, here's where the confusion comes in and how the erroneous connection gets made.

As children, as newly minted human beings, we are naturally open, physically, mentally and emotionally. We feel everything fully when we're first born, and to some degree, we stay that way throughout the very early years of life. However, because of the undeveloped, un-self-actualized aspects of humanity, we are injured by our environment. Our parents and caretakers hurt us. Yet, we cannot stop them, nor can we leave them.

So what do we do? We begin to shut down, distort, and/or disconnect parts of ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally in order not to feel the pain so acutely. We form a character structure, and initially, it actually does seem to mitigate the pain, which seems to validate the conclusion that open is vulnerable, and closed is safe.

See, we can't understand truly when we're little that we're little. We can't really picture that one day, we'll be adults ourselves, and have the choices adults have. In other words, we can't understand that it's being little that makes us vulnerable, not being open that makes us vulnerable. And so, stuck in the confines of our character structures as time passes, we miss the fact that nature provides the solution to the problem of vulnerability in childhood - we grow up!

In adulthood, we can realize that protecting ourselves emotionally with the armor of character defenses is very inefficient and inhibiting, and most importantly, no longer necessary. Wearing that suit of armor doesn't make for the easy enjoyment of a sunny day, let alone for making love. On the other hand, being fully open to our inner lives, which frees up the mind and body, gives us the energy and flexibility to creatively express ourselves, enjoy life and, if need be, avoid situations that would do us harm, which mainly means not engaging with negativity. Thus, in this realization, we can engage in a healing process, in an holistic self-work process, that can dismantle the armor and allow us to be ourselves fully.

So, let go of the false belief that when you love and reveal yourself to another, you are vulnerable. And Brene, forgive me for suggesting a slight change to the title of your book, but "Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be OPEN Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead" would work better for me.

IS YOUR LIFE BECOMING "TOO EASY?!"

More and more people, that I've had the joy and privilege of serving as guide and facilitator for over recent years, have reached the 4th and 5th "Stages of Healing" (Follow this link, or read Chapter 3, Part 2 in the FPL book for more info).

Because of the realignment taking place in their inner lives, their outer lives are becoming more overtly synchronistic and balanced, and their manifestation capacities are becoming more conscious and immediate. They are organically using the Law of Attraction to enhance their human experience. They are lifting the veil to 4th, and eventually, 5th dimensions consciousness.

It is a wonder to behold!

This is from "The Book of Freedom," channeled by Paul Selig:

"You have designed a life in accordance with a blueprint of the True Self, which simply means that the True Self is creating for you. You are no longer the magician trying to bring something into being. You are no longer the one who must make decisions from a list of possibilities that you have created or inherited.
"Each one of you comes to this expression with a design. The bodies you are in, the energetic fields you hold, are in fact the design that is now being re-created in accordance with the Divine Self.
The vibration of the Divine Self, who has come to be known by the name I Am, assumes your body and the vehicle of expression, which is, in fact, the will. The will, you must understand, must be assumed in totality and in agreement with the Divine for alchemy to truly occur. This does not mean you don’t make choices, but how the choices are made are so much simpler because the knowing that you now possess aligns you to what you require.
"So the battles over ideas, the shoulds and the woulds, will be gone as this is done because you have no need for them."

MORE ON: EVERYTHING GETS BETTER AS WE GET OLDER!

            Everything gets better as we get older. That’s right. The natural trajectory of a human lifetime for a self-actualizing individual is like an upward spiral, from density to light. And while the depths of density, which is the unique experience of being physical on Planet Earth in 3^rd dimensional consciousness, while that journey into limitation can be an exciting game, the crowning glory of the trip is the arrival back home to the lightness of our true being.

Like all of it, the experience of sex moves through the same passages from the highly focused intensity and dense physicality of adolescence and young adulthood to the glorious and soul-quenching adventures of mature sexual expression. Infused with uninhibited Eros and deep love and heart connection, sex in the later years of a human lifetime can literally bring you to tears from the sheer joy and pleasure as your crown chakra blows open with orgasms that are akin to giving birth. That sex later in life requires more time and care and attention to nuance and ambiance isn’t a sign of deterioration any more than the time and care that goes into producing a fine wine or writing a sonata is. As we grow, quality naturally replaces quantity as the prime directive.

It is only due to a lifetime of conditioning by social idealization of youth and fear of the illusion of death that we are led to believe that the golden years represent loss rather than the natural reaping of rewards for becoming conscious once again of who we truly are. These are the years to decant that wine, and play that completed masterpiece called a life.

For even more, check out these posts HERE!

TERMINAL LUCIDITY!

"Terminal Lucidity" - A common phenomenon known to medical professionals tending to the terminally ill in which, just before death, there is a surprising surge of energy. Doctors caution family members that this surge is not a sign of strength or remission, but rather a sign that death is near. It is the proverbial "last gasp."
Consciousness-wise, this is what we are witnessing collectively right now - the death throes of 3D and its low vibrations of separation and limitation, fear and hate, and even duality itself. Just like with the end of any illness, the final clearing is often the most messy, but it is nonetheless a precursor to better days. Take heart!

THE POWER OF DOING NOTHING... POWERFULLY!

Are you discovering the power of doing nothing? Many people are.

Remember the frequently referred to FPL post from January of 2013 - "IT'S 2013! WHICH EARTH ARE YOU ON?!" - in which the new rules of 5th Dimensional Consciousness (5D) were outlined? Right up top was Rule #1: "Murphy's Law Is Officially Reversed." (In other words, in 5D, "everything that can go right, will go right... if you let it.")

Well, 3 years later, many FPL readers, and people I know and work with, have been experiencing this new rule at work in the practical experiences of their everyday lives. So much so, in fact, that complaints are coming up in sessions that more or less boil down to: "It's too easy!" "I didn't actually do anything!" "Things just fell into place!" "Things just worked out!" Etc.

Sounds funny, right? But the truth is, synchronicity ("the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection," according to the dictionary) is the way of the Universe. There are no true coincidences, and this has always been the way things worked, only now, in 5D, we're becoming aware of it, and so becoming able to call upon it for manifestation purposes in our lives.

Many people call these synchronistic events "miracles," but here's my favorite quote on miracles:

"Miracles are the result of nature unimpeded."

Get that? Reread it:

"Miracles are the result of nature unimpeded."

In other words, things "working out" for your greatest good, for your highest excitement, for your fulfillment and self-actualization, even in ways you couldn't predict or imagine specifically, is just... natural! You don't have to do anything in the sense of forcing, willing, demanding, pleading or insisting, all approaches rooted in the ego, of course. You see, it's the ego complaining that things are "too easy," because it knows it is out of a job in 5D. It knows no other way than struggling, battling, overcoming, winning or losing, etc. Then, onto the next contest. So 3D!

But there are actually things to do in 5D. There are actions to take. It's not a passive creative process. But it looks different than the old way. The "doing" required to make things happen in 5D looks more like this:

Clear - Intend - Let go - Follow-up.

Clear your consciousness of the remnants of 3D, egoic thinking and beliefs and suppressed feelings in the body;
Intend for yourself in your meditations whatever it is you truly desire, and imagine it happening;
Let go by employing the energy of allowing and receiving, without expectations or fear;
Follow-up with action when your Higher Self and the Universe give you signs and create opportunities for you.

One of my favorite books and movies, as many FPL readers know, is "The Legend of Baggar Vance," by Steven Pressfield.

Here's Baggar:

“There's a perfect shot out there tryin' to find each and every one of us... Now it's somewhere... in the harmony... of All That Is... All That Was... All That Will Be... All we got to do is get ourselves out of its way, to let it choose us.”

                      

Thanks, BV!

IS THIS YOU? A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL, NON-JUDGEMENTAL, WISE TEACHER WITH NO MONEY?! MAYBE YOU'RE AN OLD SOUL!

This is from Joya Pope's book, "UPCOMING CHANGES," a book that I discovered, not coincidentally, exactly when I was trying to understand what makes people different from one another, even when many of their circumstances and backgrounds seem the same. Discovering the "soul age" concept was part of a significant shift in my life. If you are reading this, perhaps it will be for you, too.

Meanwhile, below is a lengthy excerpt from the description of the "Old Soul." Is this you?

Check it out:

"While Old Souls do not tend to grow into their full soul perceptivity until about age thirty-five or so, they will, even before then, be accused of stepping to the beat of a different drummer. They are unusual - two steps away from the norm - in this Young Soul culture. Because they are inclined to individualistically follow their inner perceptions and desires, they may be seen as eccentric, though usually harmlessly so.

"While there is great motivation for spiritual growth, motivation tends to be lacking when it comes to developing political or material punch. Seldom doing anything they don't want to and preferring their own unconventional pursuits, they often seek the path of least resistance as far as work, so that all energy can be poured into spiritual development. The Old Soul's essence may be willing to let him or her be dirt poor for the duration of many lifetimes as long as one is gaining the desired spiritual and philosophic lessons. Sometimes an essence actually interferes with a person gaining money when it's clear that riches would distract attention from the real inner work. Remember, you are your essence while you are astral; it is you who decides not to give yourself the wealthy Young Soul parents or the drive and ambition to go out and get powerfully rich.

"Because of the essence's richness gathered over many lifetimes, Old Souls tend to be extremely competent in a wide range of things - which often aren't pursued! They will try to find work that supports their personal growth: counseling, teaching, bodywork, gardening and carpentry being some favorites.

"Many are magnetized by philosophy and art. If higher education proves necessary in order to teach, less orthodox schools allowing more opportunities for inner exploration will be favored.

"A fancy house or car, or impressive clothes and jewelry aren't often too high on an Old Soul's real priority list. Neither is a nine-to-five job. Plain laziness on the physical plane sometimes creates difficulty paying the bills, but the material game just isn't what it used to be. However, Old Souls do have one advantage with the material world: as they begin to seek, understand and use the laws of the physical universe, goals can be attained with less effort. Thus, there is an outer, as well as an inner draw to understand the universal laws distilled in astrology, metaphysics, tarot and other ancient teachings.

"Old Souls may explore many religions and teachings, being most drawn to those emphasizing love and to those they've resonated with closely in past lives."

For MLK!

This is an excerpt from a post of mine from 12 years ago, posted during the presidential campaign that led to the election of Barack Obama. I am reposting it today to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his birthday this year:

Lately, I am struck by how much hatred has begun to infuse our public discourse around the presidential campaign, and in particular, how much hatred is being directed at the least hateful candidate, Barack Obama. Spewing so much less vitriol than either Hillary Clinton or John McCain, Obama is spreading a message of unity and hope, and yet to watch the two other candidates and the far right pundits and talking heads, you'd think he was the devil incarnate.

Why do they fear him, and therefore hate him, so much? Is there something so insidious about Mr. Obama that I am somehow missing, even after thirty years of studying the nature of human beings as a psychotherapist and sociologist? Is Barack Obama really the Antichrist? Or could it be that perhaps those individuals who hate him have become so fearful of facing how separated they've become from their own best potential, so unable to inspire anything but negativity, anger and despair in others, and so removed from their genuine capacity to love, except abstractly of course, like loving the flag or the cross or the "troops," that they must seek to denigrate and destroy anyone who puts forth a message that is positive and loving?

We've been here before haven't we? Martin Luther King, the Kennedy's, Ghandi, and of course, Jesus himself, all messengers of hope and unity, all brutally murdered for delivering that message.

King himself once said this: "Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true."

I can't predict what will happen in the public square as this election year progresses. As a species, the human race seems to barely be in its adolescence developmentally, and we know how that goes so often.

Maybe these more optimistic words by MLK can offer us some solace:

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality."

"SAY IT: RACISM IS A PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER! COME ON, SAY IT!"

THIS is a post from 11 years ago - 

Okay, now get this: The American Psychiatric Association has never officially recognized extreme racism as a mental health problem, although the issue was raised more than 30 years ago. After several racist killings in the civil rights era, a group of black psychiatrists sought to have extreme bigotry classified as a mental disorder. The association's officials rejected the recommendation, arguing that because so many Americans are racist, even extreme racism in this country is "normative" — a "cultural problem" rather than an indication of psychopathology. 

The psychiatric profession's primary index for diagnosing psychiatric symptoms, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), does not include racism, prejudice, or bigotry in its text or index. Therefore, there is currently no support for including extreme racism under any diagnostic category. This leads psychiatrists to think that it cannot and should not be treated in their patients in therapy. How do I say this? 

WHAT?! 

Could anyone who scapegoats a whole group of people and seeks to eliminate them to resolve his or her internal conflicts NOT meet the criteria for a major paranoid delusional disorder? Are you kidding me?! Am I ever going to be able to stop asking... 

"HOW STUPID ARE WE?!" If we don't start treating extreme racism, greed, homophobia, xenophobia and religious fanaticism as psychiatric disorders, we will never be rid of them. A "cultural problem" is figuring out and debating whether or not we want to watch sex and violence on public TV or celebrate Christmas as a national holiday or if Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" is more relevant than CNN for getting the real news. But hating someone you don't know because of their skin color or sexual orientation or nationality, or stealing a person's pension so you could have a $50,000 ice sculpture at your daughter's sweet sixteen party, or believing that an all-knowing creator God could truly love only your particular sect of believers is... right - 

DELUSIONAL! 

Say it!