Stream Blog - Page 14 of 67 - Janet PearlmanJanet Pearlman | Living in the Stream of Yes

September 6, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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The Power of Seeing Innocence

Many of us judge ourselves. Our culture shaped us that way. Then we may avoid the pain and fear of that judgment.

Let’s make it ok to feel uncomfortable feelings including fear, guilt, shame. Making it ok to feel our feelings is a foundational step in our self-awareness and growth. These discomforts tip us off that a habit of thought is operating in us, and we know we can shift those bit by bit.

In that gaze inside, can we take the stance of our innocence, view ourselves as a deeply loving figure would?

Some use the phrase “See as God Sees”

The Fear Reaction

Kaleigh was following one teacher on line and enjoying the inspiration and growth the woman sparked inside her. In a podcast recently K listened and reacted with fear.

The teacher seemed to be deviating from her key message: encouraging the listeners to do inner work, reaching past hurts and acculturations to align more and more with pure love. Instead, this leader appeared to recommend very specific actions from her followers with a warning if he or she did not there would be dire consequences.

Kaleigh heard this person recommend actions that were very time consuming and difficult. K rebelled inside. Earlier the leader had crafted messages wanting each “student” to think for his or herself and check out recommended actions with individual personal guidance internally.

Our heroine felt confused, uncomfortable, threatened.

What did K do?

First of all, she made it ok to feel thrown off her game, to experience all those feelings coming up. The swirl of K’s strong response did not clear in just one day or two.

Kaleigh made that ok.

She proceeded to focus on other activities, ones she enjoyed: eating out, juicy conversations, trips to local beach, gripping novel and more. Additionally, she made lists of people for whom she was grateful to have as friends and she recalled some qualities of hers she delighted to offer the world.

As she did this, our star felt good and happy again.

And after several days when she then put focus on what had troubled her, Kay could proceed, assimilate what she liked, discard the rest. She felt her own power and she felt strong.

Seeing herself as innocent during this process represented such a fundamentally important first step. In making it ok we know the judging voice is not true. We know that we always have a Loving Figure inside us accepting us throughout our journey of unfolding.

On top, we discover that we are easily able to see others in our life as innocent too and release our judging habits.

Do you want to report on an occasion where you accepted yourself and then were able to shift your thinking? Please share!

August 30, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Reframe That Thought Part II

In building our mental muscles empowering ourselves, we have many habits of thought to release and replace. We want to lay down new neural pathways that affirm that Well Being Abounds and Forces of Good prevail. Integrated into our living and unfolding, reading the account of one person’s reframing thoughts inspires us all.

One Example

Mary Patrick was listening to an inspirational recording where the speaker was confident and upbeat. Though the orator meant to rally the listener to actions more courageous and self-assured, at that moment Mary P felt irritated and resistant.

“Get Away from Me!” thought this protagonist. “I could no more feel like this speaker is modeling than leap from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other! Grrr”

MP admitted she could track the teacher intellectually. The podcaster was saying, “You can take on what you want to do. You can be , do or have anything you desire.”

“Yeah, yeah.” stated MP internally, “Meanwhile, I am going out for a beautiful walk.”

Returning, Mary Patrick said, “Well alrighty. I do notice I feel snarly. I am aware of this inner voice ‘You cannot possibly feel that confident. You are not good enough for that. The ideas are beyond me.’ “

Pause, pause—Mary in the kitchen making breakfast. “Wait a minute! I admit I don’t feel good now. I can reframe to at least feel a little better.”

Ok and Beginning

Forthwith, this protagonist took herself to her contemplation corner, writing tools in hand. Mary P started where she could.

First, our star stated a few times to her dear self, “It’s ok to be where you are. Right now you feel uncomfortable and afraid. Ok to have those feelings.”

Breathe with that a bit. Then this dear woman listed what she knew to be true about herself– all kinds of good stuff, an assortment of appreciation. She thought, “I have:

Grown enormously

Raised my self esteem

Increased my awareness of my thoughts and feelings

Developed much more self-confidence

Used my intuitive and creative gifts daily

Allowed myself to feel more and more loved

Notice my successes regularly

Become aware of the value I add to others, the world around me.”

Second, this Dear One reminded herself about big picture truths that uplift:

The put downs are habits of thought. They are from the culture around me and I am practicing creating new empowering thoughts bit by bit. For sure that outdated litany is untrue and does not reflect my true value.

This is what a growth journey looks like.

Nothing is going wrong

I am aware and alive expanding constantly.

I am surrounded by and composed of Love.

Before too long our star’s thoughts felt easier, and she noticed her affect rise. “Hey I feel more optimistic and energetic,” she realized.

It shifted everything when she accepted where she was now. Wow so great to invest the time to shift, to pivot inside herself!

Did MP forget again after that refocusing? Yes, and then she reached for accepting herself again. Humans require much repetition to build new patterns of thought.

Here has been an example of the process of becoming more and more consistent in feeling good :). Over and over again, we notice the unwanted feelings and thoughts, use compassion, gently recall what is Good now in ourselves and the world around us.

Want to try it out? We know you will enjoy the pay off! If you experiment with this kind of thing, please report in! Other questions? Please comment! We all are alchemists of ourselves!

August 23, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Self-Love and Compassion

Such a worthwhile practice: instead of buying into those habits of thought that continually criticize ourselves, we could focus more on appreciating our strengths. Wow what a thought!

Read here about a woman’s process and some powerful pay offs she brought to herself. Among them we can feel much lighter, a loftier mood, feeling in tune and flowing at a higher frequency.

One Person’s Story

Hazel wanted to feel better about herself. Over many years of growth work she followed self-empowering teachings, danced, listened to unusual music, used color in visual arts, kept going.

When H learned the technique of appreciating, this woman really dove in, relishing the practice. To her it was easy to notice beauty and bounty: she readily expressed her gratitude. She made lists morning and night and voiced appreciation when interacting with her friends and associates.

Before too long our star started appreciating herself more and more. She loved recognizing the specifics of what she observed, the spike of good vibe, the things that began to flow to her.

Some Landmarks

What a gas when Hazel became more aware of how much and how often others expressed her value!

This heroine noticed feeling a higher mood more often and more readily. She felt freer.

More of the time H became aware of her interior world with thoughts like, “Hey wait a minute! I am thinking, ‘I am not enough: Not up to this task, don’t have what it takes, etc.’ Wait! I know that is not true!”

Wow life became so much easier! H loved less drama, more energy, more inspiration going forward.

Pay Offs

With this appreciation practice, our star realized:

She functioned with quite an improved level of self esteem.
She could offer a higher quality of attention to others.

Hazel could listen attentively, with no agenda. Most importantly H did not have judging on her mind. Instead, she could see her companion as innocent, precious, and doing his or her best.

So many people want to be heard and understood. They crave being accepted as they are.

Hazel heard those who confided in her say, “When you and I speak, I express myself as I rarely do with others. Gosh, I feel these conversations are so special, so valuable.” In loving herself, H now had the vibration to offer a space where others feel a deeper love for themselves.

Do you want to comment or ask a question? If so, do please contact and converse with the author. There are so many ways to share our love.

August 17, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Step by Step, Trusting and Receiving

Living with faith might look like this: a bright idea pops, doing research, and planning step by step. We will receive assistance along the way. Let’s trust the process of life.

Abilene flinched. Some critter destroyed a plant in her garden again! She felt disappointment and hurt. Gosh she worked hard on creating that plot—chopped off stems were so annoying!

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What could A do? Hmmm how about fencing? She started her strategic thinking. What type and size animals were the most destructive? What kind of fence would work and what kind did she want to look at? Our heroine lived where the views were magnificent and certainly, she want to continue enjoying those vistas. More pondering.

Also in her life, she owned an old truck—oh gosh at one time she adored that vehicle and had had many good times with it. At present the truck sat idle and was used as a storage unit.

Un-related circumstances? On the surface it might appear so. Abilene received two inquiries: was she selling that truck? If so how much did she want for it?

Hmm, she was considering how to handle the truck.

As life flows, one of the gentlemen who wanted the truck, worked near her home and had tons of experience with putting up fences. Bing! A fun possibility popped in A’s head.

What if our star traded the truck for the fence job? This sharp female would make certain, she got an advantageous deal: materials, labor and maybe some cash in the transaction. One of the interested parties was very experienced in electric fencing. He had created many fence enclosures which would be invisible—a key fact for protecting the view from her property.

Abby’s enthusiam was rising on the venture. What else did she need to research before she started having conversations with the relevant players?

Pause Pause.

This dear woman used her time that week for clearing some unwanted items from her abode. That undertaking involved taking a load to the nearby recycling shed. There, items with some value are exchanged, Each contribution finds a new home.

Recently A took a car load over to that shed. While there, another local was leaving off some goodies and they took a moment to chat.

Since it was on her mind, our protagonist shared that she was plotting this electric fence endeavor. The other woman spoke with enthusiasm. “We put up an electric fence that is working great for us. Golly, would you be interested in coming over to have a look at the way we did it, the materials we used, what we have learned about structure and placement?”

Abilene had to focus to close her mouth. “Wow, that is so generous of you. I would love to view your set-up and listen to some pointers on what you have learned. That would be so helpful”

A was in awe! This offer was perfect timing for her next steps, for her to get a good chunk clearer of precisely what she wanted to create and how. What were the chances of running into an opportunity like that with no effort at all?” she pondered.

For this project Abilene had not struggled with the idea, was not rushing into anything. A was taking her time and letting things come to her. Wow again! Without “trying hard” she got assistance unexpected and treasured. What a world! Abby was so grateful!

What stories can you offer that resonate with this tale? Please share in the comment section. We inspired one another!

August 10, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Rescue Tool Box

Sometimes the environment around us is filled with news and attitudes we don’t prefer. Wow it is so easy to find ourselves in some kind of mood that has been affected by the surrounding conditions. This post makes a suggestion for what we can do to lift our spirits as we can.

Dallas Empowers Herself

Dallas woke up and did not feel particularly bright or loved. The day before in a video call with a new interesting fellow D had wanted to feel more appreciated than she did during that transmission.. As she reviewed the situation letting her habitual perceptions run, her feelings did not improve.

Wake up moment: D realized she had to stop going over unwanted. And, wanted to shift her perspective to feel better. In her mind our heroine called for help. This dear woman went back into her contemplative state. Pause pause.

Up popped positive sensations from a walk that occurred after that call. Dallas had not seen this woman friend in person for several years. Oh my! These two women connected so well—so much appreciation flowed back and forth, lots of stories from the same wavelength. Hey, Dallas was on to something, “Gosh I felt so valued, validated.”

“Duh, why don’t I bask in this, “ our star thought with clarity. She continued. “What other memories hold that kind of juice?” Our star got curious.

Soon she had grabbed a pad and brainstormed some favorite memories, those worth relishing.

Michael Beckwith, the Founder and Spiritual Director of Agape International Spiritual Center, suggests such an accounting which he dubs “Moments of Remembered Radiance.” He recommends those empowered folk who want to feel better to make such a list. Create a roster of those occasions went wonderfully for that individual, times when we felt really good.

Dallas called up two recent episodes, moments really, when a friend viewing her latest painting expressed delight. That thrilled her: her work hit a glorious spot for these two others. This protagonist can feel that any time!

Take Away

We can create these lists at times we can easily bring forth good memories. We find it easily to do when we already feel pretty good.

When we feel a variation on miserable, we can distract ourselves with something easy to do until we have shifted into the range of positive emotions.

We can benefit from even one juicy thought—right there lies our path of empowerment.

Have any questions? Please comment! We uplift one another!

August 3, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Awake to Delivered Miracles

We reach to affirm what we do want. Then we release it. The habit many of us feel to keep checking on whether or not we “Got it” is a form of resistance. With faith and relaxing, we can and will see some things delivered.

Example I

Dori was friends with a couple, closer to the wife. There was a complication in the relationship to the wife who was an individual who required a lot of support. Her husband passed away and Dori had not received much information beyond the notice. There was no service.

Dori became aware time was passing and she noted on her list to call the wife. The very next day, Dori was making stops to pick up various food items she needed. Realizing she wanted one more foodstuff, she swung over to a store she had not used in a long time.

There in the check out line was the daughter of this couple, Gwen. Wow, this dear woman wanted to chat as much as D did.

The two went back and forth with enthusiasm for a bit, then there was a glitch in what D was purchasing. Dori paused to handle it. In the meantime Gwen left.

Waking up to the fact that D had just been abrupt to Gwen, she paid for her food and proceeded out to the parking lot. Gazing at one car with an open door, our star scanned to reconnect, but Gwen was not there. Ok into her own car she got and sat.

Pause, pause. Then in another beat Dori turned her head to the right and there was Gwen in the very next car! What were the chances of that!

Both got their windows down and continued to share. Particularly, Dori was called to talk about how much she admired the husband’s goodness: his patience, his persistent generosity, his success at reaching to feel as good as he could.

Gwen looked deeply touched by hearing such praise for her dear dad.

What a gift to have this chance to pass on this appreciation and support!

Example II

Dan enjoyed swimming and relished the summer days of exercising in the nearby lake. For the month of June he went two or three times a week.

Suddenly due to some circumstance with lifeguards and the county, the authorities closed this beach till further notice. For one day Dan’s spirits sunk in disappointment. His whole summer was organized around his swims!

The next day our hero realized that he was not going to feel down the whole summer. This was silly. He started a plan to hike trails in nature he really enjoyed and did that instead. Very satisfying. The dear man let it go.

Weeks passed. Wasn’t it great when a chance to swim in a friend’s pool showed up! He drove over to a distant lake. And, the hiking was genuinely good.

On the fourth week, D received an email that the local lake would be open for a couple of weekends. What a kick! Delight pulsed through Dan’s veins!

Two illustrations here of wanting, letting go and feeling the thrill of the Universe delivering. Feeling good anyway and then more juice for joy.

Do you have some stories to tell us all? Please comment.

July 26, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Focus to Practice More Ease

We have been taught to work hard and to push through feelings of fatigue or distraction. That mode means we are living with a lot of resistance to the flow of life. Are there ways to act with more ease? Yes, there are!

Instead, let’s pursue what we want with balance and good feeling. Life can be more fun!

Moment of Shifting toward Ease

Recently Elaine was having quiet time. Many thoughts drifted up, some related to next steps for projects, she jotted them down.

E picked up the notebook, started her to do list, and put down some thoughts that had appeared in the last few minutes. “Oh My, “Our Star sighed, “I have forgotten the one that prompted my starting the list! Uh oh, drat!”

For some seconds this dear woman began both to grumble and to “try harder” to call up that item that has slipped away. That method was not producing results.

Instead, Elaine returned to her quiet time, let her mind drift. Definitely she felt better relaxing again and hanging out.

A couple of minutes, then Pop! there it came. E remembered the task she had wanted to pull forth.

What’s the big deal?

It’s true. Many of us know that phrase “Oh I will remember that in a minute.” Many of us are aware that letting go of that “push” to recall can assist us.

Intellectually we may “know” that taking a respite for a chunk of time produces results. Maybe we can apply this principle in more areas of life than we realize.

Other Kinds of Relief

Cool off from an intense discussion. Clear my Head with a walk around the block.
Writing all morning. Get up for a break
Twisted ankle. Stay on the ground for a bit till find calm again.
Take two days for a long car ride instead of one.

Leonardo Technique

In How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci[1] author Michael Gelb describes how daVinci advocated strongly for shifting the focus. DaVinci recommended use of juggling physical objects. He found pausing in a concentration got his mind and body working differently, resting of attention. After the break, returning to the creative task we can access new vigor, new creative prowess.

Take Away

Notice when we need to take breaks.
“Easing up on the pedal,” may allow us greater productivity
Run experiments.
Have more fun.

Please comment to report on discoveries. Did you create more enjoyment of your days?

[1] Gelb, Michael, How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, New York, New York(Delacorte Press, Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc, 1998)

July 20, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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The Flow and What We Want

Yes we can receive answers to our prayers, attract aspects of what we want, even when we do not feel very good. We rest in the moment, doing the best we can, sometimes feeling blah, while reaching for better. So much Love abounds! On cat feet in walk some of what we have been asking for. So enriching to notice!

Darlene became aware that she missed more social contact. Her life of friends, meetings, activities, got dramatically reduced with the constraints of the last few years. Still, she rose to making do with circumstances, doing her best and reaching for better feeling thoughts.

At this juncture D felt some fatigue and recognized her feelings. Over the years she had learned to make the present as “ok” as she could. Can she pause and receive what comes to her?

Yes she can. This woman had needed a new dentist for a few months now. The former dentist and she came to a parting of the ways. What would she do for another dentist?

Darlene got a name from a girlfriend, called that practice and discovered the price to come into the practice higher than she preferred. Hmmm. She kept putting it off.

D wanted a greater number of people with whom to socialize. One morning she sat in quiet time and put it out there again. Just barely complete with the quiet and she read a new text. A girlfriend had sent it while she asked—a request to walk together very soon! Wow answered request!

Soon it came to her that she had the name of a dentist tucked away, a recommendation from a dear friend who had recently passed over. Darlene called that practice, told the receptionist who had recommended her and D felt a warm blanket of welcome thrown over her! Those people missed her friend as much as she did. And they would be delighted for Darlene to come for a hygiene appointment—problem solved.

Two days later, unexpectedly a student from one class sat to visit with our heroine. What a satisfying conversation! Socializing was flowing to her.

At one point our star had made lists of people to whom she could reach out and plan some contact. She kept thinking it over almost in monkey mind: not much happened. When this dear woman relaxed and let it flow, yet another friend texted her for an outing to swim that day.

We have access to help more than we realize. Release effort, accept what is, smile where you can. We are already ok.

Two small plants, seedlings really, were planted though they looked on their last leg. One of them had a small stem and half a leaf, the other appeared quite droopy. Darlene watered them every day for two weeks along with those appearing with greater vitality.

Let’s celebrate the outcome: those two plants against the odds recovered and flourished.

They were assisted by the same force that produced some companionship for this protagonist.

Take Away Message:

Stay in the flow, aware of our feelings and reach for the best ones we can each moment.

Flow with blips in our path.

Allow ourselves to receive what we want.

Have faith in the Source that gives us life and provides results!

Please share a resonating story in the comments. We support each other!

July 12, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Yes to Parenting

So many of us carry some thoughts introduced in our past that no longer serve us—perhaps from parents, church or “what everyone seems to believe.”

Isn’t it great that NOW we have the power to sort through that mental pile, as thoughts arise from experiences, and then to discard what hurts and limits us today.

Amy is a vibrant woman age 43, married to a solid man, raising a young son age 6 y o. Currently she is devoting herself full time to care for her child and the home.

She met a wise older woman in the park and started chatting about life. This older woman Tasmina, who lives into the formulations of this blog, speaking about about her life, recounted that T had chosen not to bear children. Instead, she worked full time, and in her free time developed herself as a clear minded person, an artist and healer.

Amy Questioning Herself

Amy responded to T’s thought on mothering.

“Yes I worry that I made a poor choice in deciding to be a mother. Perhaps, as some others think, I should be working on improving the environment. Here I am adding residents to a planet already overcrowded.”

Receiving Soothing Response

Tasmina enjoyed her opportunity to respond and soothe A.

“Oh my Amy. You are putting energy into nurturing a person who will add to happiness of this society! How glorious and productive to raise a child to be excited with life! Each person alive with power and spirit bestows a gift that benefits all of us.

T continued, “Being someone who creates herself to beam a positive vibration in this world is offering the most important of contributions. I encourage each of us to embody that ourselves and allow it to flourish in our children. Of course, children will glow with positivity if left to feel their natural enthusiasm for each day and activity.

Take Away

No need for any mother to put herself down for adding to the population! Those parents filled with love for life, who raise young ones who bring vivacity and grace, are adding mightily to this dear planet.

Light the Candle in a Dark Room. Promote the Glow of Ourselves in this world. What a great value to add!

Want to recount a tale of contribution? Please comment and enlighten us all!

July 7, 2022
by Janet Pearlman
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Inspiring Formulations

Isn’t it more and more fun to live into inspiring formulations? We can soak up the beautiful language in which Ernest Holmes, spiritual teacher and author, expresses some of what we are coming to know.

We are spiritual beings.

“Since the only life you can have is the Life of the Spirit Within You, you need but permit Its radiance to flow through your thought into Self Expression. You are immersed in and saturate with the vital essence of Life. Its presence permeates everything binding all together in one complete whole.” [1]

We are more powerful as we reach for a better feeling thought throughout our day.

“That which God is, God has given fully unto me to enjoy….. That life is God’s gift to me. Therefore, this fullness is within me, ready to manifest through me as I partake of it, since I am self-choosing, even though Divinely endowed. I partake of my Divinity only as I let it through. I am always in the midst of plenty everywhere.”[2]

We understand a purpose to life.

“The sun never really stopped shining in the River of Life. The experience of all people is an attempt to merge their own being with this eternal river, not to the loss of their identity, but to the discovery of that self that has never wholly left its heaven.”[3]

Our choice of thoughts is key

“As Source Energy creates worlds and peoples them with all living things, so does our thought make our world and peoples it with all the experiences we have had. By the activity of our thoughts things come into our life, and we expand as we take in the truth: we are not controlled by outside things. We have within us the power to alter everything and free ourselves from all manner of bondage. “

What amazing pay offs result from our practice!

“Just as the warm rays of the sun will melt the largest iceberg, so a persistent inner perception of the abiding Over-Presence will heal our fears whether the be conscious or subjective; will straighten out our repressions be they every so deeply buried in the unconscious…. To live in conscious communion with Life even for a short time will convert our fears into faith, our doubts into certainty, our hurt and sense of failure into something triumphant.”[4]

Did you find this post inspiring? Please comment with your thoughts and appreciations.

[1] Ernest Holmes, 365 Science of Mind, (New York, Jeremy P Tarcher/ Penguin, 2007) 231

[2]Ernest Holmes, 365 Science of Mind, (New York, Jeremy P Tarcher/ Penguin, 2007) 148

[3] Ernest Holmes, 365 Science of Mind, (New York, Jeremy P Tarcher/ Penguin, 2007) 232

[4] Ernest Holmes, The Art of Life, (New York: JeremyP. Tarcher/ Penguin Books, 1997) 42. originally published by Ernest Holmes 1947