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

What is success by: Jeremy McDonald

What does it take to become a success? What is success? What does success mean to you? These are three very powerful questions! If you really think about this, and you are truly honest with yourself, you may discover some very important things about yourself. What blocks us from achieving success? Why do many people spend their lives dreaming about what they would like to achieve, but they never quite get there? What would make you happy? That is a question that only you can answer. You are the only one who knows what will make you feel happy and complete inside. So why are most people unhappy?

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I have spent a great deal of my life teaching others how to find that completion in their lives. I have found that many of the people that I work with are very busy trying to make other people happy, and not working on their own happiness. I know because I used to be just like them. I used to try to make other people happy because I thought that this would then make me happy. The truth is that if you are not happy, then you cannot make others happy.

I used to teach a class where I would have people set priorities in their life. The exercise required them to include themselves in that prioritization. More times than I can count, my students would list themselves lower on their list than their family, friends, job, god and children. Try telling a single mother that she should rank herself before her children! She will shoot darts at you with her eyes until you can show her that this does not mean that you do not love your children! What this means is that a parent is responsible for guiding and teaching their children, and loving them, but ultimately, in the end, the child is responsible for his or her own life and happiness. This is the right and responsibility of every human being! We cannot make another person happy! Next, try to tell people who are religious that they should be first in their priorities, before God! Making yourself the number one priority is to place trust and faith in the Creator. Because he/she wants you to grow and develop. Most importantly he/she wants you to be happy!

So, are you looking for success? Well then, first you have to start making yourself the number one priority in your life! Not second, not third, but number one! By doing this you are setting a standard that will make your goals and dreams a priority. Then achieving your goals can become a part of your life, and not just a distant dream.

Rev. Jeremy McDonald

www.lamplight-group.com

Universal Law of Unity by: Laurie McDonald

The Law of Unity says that we are all family, that all living creatures are part of the same Universal Consciousness. Namaste is a Hindu greeting that says that our souls are the same, and I recognize the god consciousness in you, as is in me. Yet we are also individual beings with our own thoughts and free will. Let's think about that, We are able to think for ourselves, and control our own lives, and yet we are part of this collective consciousness, able to tap into all of the collective knowledge and memories of all who have ever lived! Wow! As we become more spiritually aware, we become aware of this universal consciousness, and it changes us. We become aware of the fact that we are all part of one family. The child in a war torn village, half way across the world, whose parents were just killed is also us! The enemy soldier, or terrorist who just killed the child's parents, is also us. The woman in New York who was just attacked and raped is us, and so is the rapist who just attacked her! We are all part of the Creator! Jesus taught us that God is in all of us. The idea that we are a part of everyone, and they are also part of us kind of boggles the mind doesn't it. It also makes wars an violence give us a kind of sick feeling. The very idea that you are attacking another yourself, well it's just unthinkable! We can then begin to understand the neccesity of unconditional love and compassion for all. We can embrace our family! Think of the limitless possibilities that we could accomplish in the world then. We can celebrate our uniqueness, and our unity all at once. The world is in the process of becoming more spiritually aware right now. 2012 will be a positive change for all, real hope for the world! What a fabulous time to be alive!

Rev. Laurie McDonald

www.lamplight-group.com

Universal Law of Choices by: Laurie McDonald

Reclaim your power! Humanity has been blessed with free will, we control the path we will take through life. This also gives us great responsiblity, this power of choice. Our future is determined by the choices we make now. We may not be able to always control our circumstances, but we can control how we respond to any given situation. The Law of Choices tells us that decisions are made with our actions, not our words. We can choose to follow our internal guidance system, that little voice you have, or that gut feeling, or we can resist. If we resist what our higher self is trying to tell us in favor of instant gratification, then sometimes there are consequences to our choices. Some of the choices we make lead down the easy path, others lead us down paths that have hurdles, and lessons to learn, but allow us to grow spiritually. Eventually, we will be led back into alignment with Universal Law. We must recognize that each choice that we make, either action or inaction, will have consequences. Our willingness to accept those consequences gives us Complete freedom of Choice! You have the power to choose who you are, where you will be, and what you will do! No one can take that from you if you do not allow them to! Once we realize and accept this, then life changes from an obligation, a reality that others control, to a blessing, full of opportunities! That is when you can make miracles happen! So don't wonder if you are in the right job, the right relationship, or if you are on the right path, examine each thing, think about how you feel about it, and make your choices! Live each day by choice, and live it to the fullest. Take control of your power of choice!

Namaste

Rev. Laurie McDonald

www.lamplight-group.com

The Universal Law of Balance by: Laurie McDonald

Balance is the key that unlocks the secrets of the Universe, it applies to all levels of our being, body, mind, and spirit. Every Human secretly yearns for a state of inner balance and peace. Most of us are so out of balance, that being out of balance feels normal to us. Anything that we do can be overdone, or underdone. What may people call neuroses, are actually a state of imbalance. Once we achieve a state of inner balance, it acutally may feel odd to us. You should really examine what you have achieved, and how it really makes you feel. Does it feel good, and peaceful? Now you know what it feels like to be balanced, then you will know when you need to make an adjustment, to come back to that center point. If the pendulum swings too far one way, it will inevitably swing back the other way. The universe strives for balance in all things. Chinese medicine teaches us that we need a balance in all things. Restoration of the flow of qi, and balance will assist the body to heal disease. This applies to physical, emotional, and spritual imbalances. Many severe illnesses, such as cancer, can be traced back to a severe emotional trauma suffered by the patient. Treatment must apply to the physical body, the energetic body, and the spiritual body in order to achieve complete healing. Balance begins with breathing. Sit quietly, breathing in slowly. With each inhalation, breathe in peace, energy, healing, calmness, with each exhalation, release negative emotions, such as anger, fear, guilt, etc. When life's situations bring these emotions, allow yourself to feel them, but then sit down, and begin your deep, even breathing, relasing tension, and negative emotions, and bring yourself back to balance. Remember balance in all that you do. Too much of anything, even good things, will not work.

Rev. Laurie McDonald

www.lamplight-group.com