Self love - By: Laurie McDonald

How important is self love? How does it affect you ability to love and serve others? It was stated to me this morning that one can love and serve others without loving yourself. On the surface that seems correct, many people live their whole lives doing this very thing. Is this really true though? Let's examine this concept. When you are in a state of being in service to others, always loving and giving to others, but never receiving anything back for yourself, you become co-dependent. You never truly achieve joy and peace in your own soul. You live through your service to others. It becomes your identity. You build expectations of those whom you have served. You think, " I have given them so much, and sacrificed so much, they will surely do well and be happy." You judge those whom you have served. When they do not live up to your expectations, then you are disappointed, and unhappy. How does this make the ones you have served feel? Think about your relationship with your parents, how did you feel the last time they were disappointed in you. Did you feel guilty, and bad about yourself? Evetually did you become angry at them for making you feel this way? How did that damage you? So let's get back to ourselves and the assertion that we can be of service to others, without learning to love ourselves. In retrospect, have we really been of service to others? Or did we really end up making others feel bad when they could not live up to our expectations? When we can learn to love ourselves, then we can truly give compassion, and love to others, without expectations of them. Then the people that we serve can also learn to love themselves, and can give unconditional love to others, and so on, in a ripple effect out to the world. The world would eventually learn to love one another, without judgement. Then you can truly be the changes that you wish to see in the world.

Namaste,

Laurie

Commander of the Universe by: Jeremy McDonald

As human beings, our relationship with the Universe/Creator is so powerful that we can not ignore it. This is the single most important relationship that we will develop. I hear people saying all the time we all must be humble, and show humility. I do not like these words. Humility? This word alone sounds so negative. Humbleness? Why do I have to be humble? I am not telling you to go out and be arrogant, as that is the direct opposite of what I believe. I believe you should be confident and sure of yourself as an individual, but not arrogant. If you become arrogant, and you think you know everything, then you can no longer grow and develop as an individual.

One of my favorite sayings comes from a speaker by the name of Walter Bond a former NBA player for the Dallas Mavericks. He says: “Confidence is Arrogance under control.” Basically, what he is saying is that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. If you cross the line into arrogance, then you will stop growing and developing as a person. Notice that he does not say you should be arrogant, and neither do I. We are both telling you to be confident in yourself, and your own ability. These thoughts come up in my head because as I teach my students, I frequently notice that they are not sure of themselves at all. Instead they are full of self doubt and criticism for themselves. In the long run, they are defeating themselves before they get started, because they do not believe they can be successful. When you start a project, you must be sure that you are already there, that you own that goal, and you have already achieved it. In our everyday lives we are surrounded by well meaning people who keep telling us that we can not do things that we must think realistically, and not reach for such lofty goals. In the end, other people’s opinions do not matter. The only person who can say whether or not you are right is you, and you will know whether or not your plan is right for you. You are responsible for your own life, and your own successes or failures.

As I was developing myself intuitively and spiritually, some of my friends made fun of my beliefs. At first I was upset and tried to convince them that I was right. What I finally realized is that it does not matter what they think or what they believe. What matters is what is in my heart. There is an old saying that goes like this: “One third of the people will love you, one third of the people will not like you at all, and the last third will be indifferent”. So my question to you is, why waste your energy on trying to convince people that do not believe? It will only continue to drag you down and keep you from achieving your goals in life. Keep like minded people around you so you can share your experiences with each other and learn from each other. Like minded people will give you encouragement, and help you along the way.

Recently a good friend of mine told me that she had been told that she was a commander of the universe. I said to her, “That is awesome”! She told me that this statement makes her feel uncomfortable. She does not feel that she should tell the god/universe/goddess anything, and if she asks for anything she should be polite. I agree that you should be polite but that does not make you any less a commander of the universe. My point is, whoever told her she was a commander of the universe has probably used a bad choice of words, but I believe we can be commanders of our universe and have the power to control reality. The god/goddess/universe/creator, or whatever you want to call the higher being wants a relationship with us, we are all spiritual beings of the Universe! Would you treat your mother with disrespect when asking her for something? Would you treat your best friend or spouse with disrespect when asking them for something? I would certainly hope not. So you should also treat the higher beings with respect as well, right? You see, you are a “God” as well, and part of a bigger family and as a result you have to treat that family with respect as you would anyone else. When you ask the universe for something you should know and expect that it will come, but you should also realize that the universe/creator/God/Goddess will be working on your request, right along with you.

So let’s go back to humbleness and humility. I think that this is a bad choice of words, and we should really look at what we are saying. Should we approach the universe with such humbleness and humility that we are not sure if we deserve what we are asking for, and not sure that we will get it? I do not think so. I believe we should be confident and sure that we will receive what we ask for, and love and respect ourselves enough that we should certainly be sure that we deserve what we ask for. Be courteous to others and treat them with respect but do not be humble.

Blessings,

Jeremy

Paradigm Shifting by: Jeremy McDonald

A key skill to changing your world and environment is to change your paradigm of the world. Not sure what a paradigm is? It's the way you view the world around you. So basically, if you are not happy with where you are in life and you want to change things, then you will need to change your paradigm. You need to change how you view the world in order to create the life that you want.

The first thing that you must do is to closely examine your life. What is it that you want to keep in your life? What is it that you no longer want in your life? Next, you need to have an idea of where you want to go, what are your goals for your life? This is very important to creating a map of the direction that you want to take. Don't rush this process. Take your time and get in touch with what you truly desire. You are in total control of your life and your environment.

When you have your plan in place, then relax, and take that first step forward, and set your plan in motion. The world will start changing for you. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: "Take the First Step in Faith. You do not have to see the whole stair case, just take the first step". I know it can be scary to not know all the facts as you go forward, but that is where the joy starts. Creation starts with the excitement and joy of what you will be learning and experiencing next. Joy comes from appreciation of what you have and what is to come. The solid foundation of joy brings more abundance of what you want in life because it is what positive creation comes from. Do not be afraid. Joy and completion in life come from having faith in yourself and the universe.

As you proceed forward remember to relax and let life happen. You don't have to try so hard, or overanalyze things, because your higher self already has everything figured out. After all if you knew everything that will happen in the future, then where would be the fun in life? What would you learn if you knew everything before moving forward? You can relieve major amounts of stress in your life if you just remember to relax and let life happen.

Don't be afraid of mistakes or detours along the way. This is how you learn and grow as an individual. Life now becomes your classroom and mistakes become your teacher. If you knew everything in advance, then life would go into a state of stasis. This is a state that no one wants to be in, because then you would stop living and growing.

Overcome your fears, master them, and make them a positive part of you. This will challenge you to learn and grow as a spiritual being and bring you closer to enlightenment. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life." So master your fears, use them to learn and grow.

Be open to your own potential, it is most certainly greater then you will ever realize. Always know that you are more powerful and your gifts are far greater than you realize.

You must realize that you are a powerful being. Tell yourself this everyday so that it rings through your mind and is in your thoughts every minute of everyday.

Appreciate the miracles that are happening around you everyday. This will help you to change your thought patterns, so that you stop dwelling on the negative. This is very powerful. Appreciation tell the universe what it is that brings you joy. The rewards that you are getting now will help you truly appreciate the rewards that are yet to come. So look at the small victories and really appreciate them. Be thankful for them because they are not the only victories that are coming to you.

After you have been practicing these principles for awhile, if you were the half is glass empty type of person, then you will be shifting your paradigm to the glass is half full. Then you will see the rewards and abundance that will come from it. In turn you will be helping others to grow by following and watching your example. This is the type of disease that should be contagious.

Practice, practice, practice this is all I can say to you, because nothing happens over night. But the first step happens in an instant, and it is the most important step of all because it has just changed your world. Now everything will start to become clearer to you, and you will reap the joys of your future success. So go out there and start practicing, and reap your joy and abundance!

Good luck, Namaste.

Jeremy McDonald

www.lamplight-group.com

Love yourself by: Laurie McDonald

Just had some thoughts about self love and self forgiveness. I know you all have heard much about this, but here is a new twist on it. For those of you who are Christian, and even those of you who aren't, Jesus is an ascended Master, and a great teacher, whose teachings most of the world does not really understand. In the Bible, in Mark, chapter 12, Jesus is asked what the greatest commandments are, and he says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your might, and all of your soul. And, Love your neighbor as yourself.There are no commandments greater than these." Now let's take a look at these. In essence he is telling you to do three things, Love God, love your neighbor, and Love Yourself! Most people just gloss right over that part. Pastors talk about this in church, and no one talks about the love yourself command! Most adult human beings are their own worst critics, and they expend alot of energy thinking negative things about themselves! If you are familiar with Masaru Emoto's work in "The Hidden Messages in Water," then you know that our thoughts and intentions, words, have a profound effect on water, and can change it physically. Now think about the fact that your body is 65 to 70 % water, and then realize just how much physical damage you are doing to yourself, not to mention psychological damage! You have heard of stress induced disease, and now you know why! We hold ourselves back from achieving our fullest potential because we do not believe in ourselves! We are capable of producing miracles! Jesus taught us this! In John 10, we read where a group of Jews were asking Jesus if he was really the Christ, why didn't he tell them plainly, and he replied, "I have told you, but you do not believe! The miracles I have performed speak for me! You do not believe, because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to me, and they follow me. My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all! I and the Father are one. The Jews then picked up stones and were going to stone Jesus, and he said wait a minute! For which of the miracles I have performed do you stone me? The Jews replied, we do not stone you for miracles, but for blasphemy, because you claim to be God! Jesus' answer to them was " Have I not said it is written in your Law you are Gods!" Just think about that, We are Gods! When Peter a disciple of Jesus got out of a fishing boat and walked on water, he proved that! But when Peter saw the wind and waves and became afraid, he sank into the water. When Jesus pulled him out of the water he said to Peter, "Oh you of little faith, why do you doubt?" Jesus was not asking Peter if he doubted Jesus, it was obvious he did not doubt Jesus, he cried out to Jesus to save him! Jesus was asking Peter why he doubted himself.! Jesus also said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, and you say to a mountain, move here, it shall move! NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO YOU!" Listen to him people, and hear! You must believe in yourself, stop beating yourself up, and forgive yourself! Another great teacher, The Buddha taught us that no one is more deserving of forgiveness than ourselves. The universe is open to you, go out and exercise your power! I want to leave you with the quote that Jeremy put on an earlier blog, and really apply this to what I have just said, " Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other pople permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatiacally liberates others." (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a "Course in Miracles", Haprper Collins, 1992)

With much love and Light,

Namaste,

Shaman Laurie

Make Life a Mission by: Jeremy McDonald

My Father once said something to me that has stayed with me ever since he said it. He said, "Son, there are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who let life happen to them, and there are those who make life happen. What kind of person do you want to be?" Of course my answer was that I want to be the kind who makes life happen! I've always been that kind of person. However, even with that kind of attitude going for you, you will still need a clear plan in order to achieve all of your goals in life.

I have found that success is really finding that place in life where you feel complete. Where your worries are handled and you feel safe, relaxed and content for the most part with where you are and where you are going. Now I did not say that you were stagnant and no longer growing. I meant that you are happy with your life, and guiding it in the direction that you want to be going.

Many of us have a feeling of incompletion in our lives or a feeling like we are missing something. How did we get here? What causes us to continue down paths in our lives that prevent us from achieving a high level of bliss and happiness? There are several things that can factor into this, such as making life choices to please parents, loved ones, lovers or others out of guilt. What happens to us when our whole life has been spent pursuing other peoples dreams but not our own? Are we left with a sense of not knowing what to do next? How does this make us feel?

I have said it time and time again to my students. If you want to change anything in your life you have to start with yourself. Stop worrying about what is going on with other people and start focusing on yourself, and what makes you happy. This does not mean that you stop caring about other people. It means that if you want to be happy, then you must begin to make changes within yourself. The only person's life that you can effect change in is your own. You cannot control other people, or make choices for them. You cannot make them happy, and you cannot expect them to make you happy. Happiness is a choice that you must make for yourself. The next step is to discover who you are and where you want to be in your life. This can be a time consuming process of self analysis, critical thinking and being truly honest with yourself. This can be very difficult, because you must spend time clearing out what everybody else has told you about yourself, and truly examine yourself with your heart. I think that this is the hardest thing I have ever done is to make this journey of self discovery. This self analysis helped me to discover who I really am, and what makes me feel happy and fulfilled. This self examination is a constant mission, because the road ahead will hold many surprises that will help shape who you are as an individual. Regular self analysis of where you are at any given moment will help you to stay on target or adjust your course slightly if needed. If you have taken the initial time of self discovery then you will have a clear picture of what you truly want in life so slight adjustments will only enhance what you are doing, and will not take you off track overall.

The most important thing is to remain positive and not let the small set backs get you down. We must look at the past as a learning experience and not let it keep us from going forward in life. All of my seminars are geared towards helping people find happiness in life. I think that if more people found happiness, then we would have less problems in the world. This should our mission in life, to find our own happiness.

Jeremy worked professionally as a corporate trainer and speaker for many years. He has also been successful in the mortgage, banking and real estate industries. While recuperating from a very bad depression, Jeremy decided to pursue a path that he had always wanted to take, to start the Lamplight Group. Teaching people is Jeremy's first love. " Nothing makes me happier then to see the light bulb go off in a student's head." Jeremy has won several sales awards and has been awarded the "Outstanding Corporate Liaison" award from Junior Achievement, a charity that teaches kids the financial skills they will need for the future. He is also a well known Psychic in the new age community.

Rev. Jeremy McDonald

http://www.lamplight-group.com / http://www.myspace.com/lamplightgroup