Today on Synchronicity, I spoke with author, intuitive and DailyOM teacher, Sara Wiseman, about her new book, Living a Life of Gratitude. But the discussion went much deeper than just being grateful for the good things in your life. Her book takes you through your entire life process, from birth to death, and shows you how to find gratitude for your life experiences.

As a trauma and abuse survivor, I had a lot of questions around resistance to meditation and even being able to look back on life and find things to appreciate, when the idea of remembering the past is painful.

If you have had past trauma, would like to release regrets and negative beliefs, experience more gratitude, connection and an open heart, today’s episode is for you. You can find it the November 18th, 2013 episode of Synchronicity: Talk Radio for Your Mind, Body and Soul on the podcast page (just click the link).

If you find this episode helpful, inspiring or otherwise valuable, please share it with your friends and through social media. You can connect with me on Twitter @MarieBenard and Facebook.com/SynchronicityRadio

You can also receive the most influential episodes of Synchronicity history by signing up for my mailing list, on the main page of my website.

blessings and love,

Namaste 🙂

My home page: SpiritualShow.com

I’ve said this before and I think I’m going to start saying it more often, again and again: Trust what feels right FOR YOU, no matter what any guru or spiritual leader or anyone else says. Unless you are completely mentally unstable to the point where you are not able to think clearly for yourself, ALWAYS trust your own inner guidance above what anyone else says.

You know what is best for you, you are the one living in your body and you alone have the perspective that is YOU.

I have to confess that I have been thinking of wrapping up the show for a number of months now. I am waffling and undecided, because there are so many things that I love about hosting a spirituality show. The wonderful people I’ve connected with, the amazing listeners. It is such a joy to get a phone call or email or tweet from someone who says, “What you said or what your guest said today was EXACTLY what I needed to hear.” I love knowing that, even on a small level, I’m making some kind of positive impact in the world.

However, through my spiritual journey and through all the requests of people who want to be on the show, or people whom I approach as potential guests, and in my own studies and spiritual interests, I keep coming across this inconsistencies & hypocrisies.
Then I hear about the James Ray incident, where 3 people have died so far from their participation in a sweat lodge. I don’t know all the details, as I wasn’t there, but being a person who can read the warning signs you see on any commercial sauna you step into, I know that there are very obvious risks involved with a sweat-lodge scenario.
Personally, I’d never participate in a sweat ceremony because I prefer a cool climate and get sick from the heat. But a bunch of people paid James Ray thousands in order to participate in this event. I think it’s a little harsh that the media is calling him a murderer. I’m sure it wasn’t his intention to harm anyone, he just screwed up– big time. This post isn’t directed at James and whatever mistakes he has made. It’s simply that this situation has made it even more obvious how important it is for us all to understand that we need to take responsibility for our own lives and the decisions we make. No amount of criminal action against James Ray is going to bring those people back. Ultimately, whether those people made the decision for themselves or if they were blindly following what they were being told to do, they are the ones who are dealing with the consequences of those actions. (I don’t want to discount the pain of the families in this situation and it’s not my place to judge, I wasn’t even there)

But people also need to understand that we can’t put our faith into another person and expect them to lead us to greatness, nirvana, whatever your goal in life is. It is up to US to do that for ourselves, and while it can be helpful to have people motivating us and guiding us along the way, the only person we can really depend on to make a decision on our behalf, is US.

I don’t care WHO this spiritual guru is. I don’t care how famous they are, how many times they’ve been on Oprah, how many dozens of books they have, how many millions of dollars they bring in ever year, and how many celebrities they hang out with. None of them know enough about YOU to tell you how to live your life.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t study and learn from the people you admire. There is so much to learn out there, and there are so many wonderful and inspirational teachers who have helped many, many people. But they are human. Each one of them is fallible. Each one of them has days when they say things they didn’t mean to say. If you look closely at the personal lives of many people who we all look up to, you will see that even they are not everything they claim to be.

I keep wanting to say, that doesn’t mean you need to discount everything they say. It just means, THINK FOR YOURSELF. If something doesn’t sit well with you, don’t do it! If you disagree with something a teacher has said or written, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re not enlightened enough to understand. Seriously. Anyone who says that, notice it as a BIG RED FLAG.

It’s true, sometimes there’s information that we might not be aligned with at one point in our lives and at another time it will make perfect sense. But that doesn’t mean you were wrong to disagree from wherever you were at the time.

Yesterday, I had an altercation with a popular guru that left me in absolute tears. I was so upset, as I was shocked at the behavior of this person who I have admired and respected. This is the second such incident I’ve experienced, with two different very popular, very well-respected spiritual leaders. I will not mention names as this is in no way meant to tarnish their reputations. It’s just meant to show you that even the most respected, the most powerful, the most intelligent, well-connected, “spiritual” people have bad days and make mistakes.

That is why it is SO, SO, SO incredibly important that we take what they say and use what feels good and let go of the rest. When we put our faith in another human being (even if that human claims to be channeling a spiritual entity, talking to angels, God, or anyone else), we need to understand that we are ALL human. NO HUMAN IS BETTER THAN YOU ARE. We are all equal. Some people may have made better life decisions or be in a better place of influence, but that does not elevate them to the point where their teachings are what you should base your life on.

I send this message to you with love and respect. It is just so important to me that we all are able to experience the love and light that is available to us all. Just, please, follow your instincts and do what feels right to you. If your spidy senses start tingling and your BS detectors start ringing, take notice. Don’t ignore those indicators.

If God or the Universe or evolution or chance or whatever you believe is responsible for you being here… if that force wanted you to blindly follow what other people tell you to do, it wouldn’t have supplied you with your own instincts and intuition. That indicator system is within you for a reason. So use it:) (even if you think what I’ve written is complete crap, good, think for yourself and use your own judgment!)

Love & hugs! Thanks for reading, I’m so looking forward to your comments!!

My home page: SpiritualShow.com

I want to share this book I’m currently reading. It’s called Creating Money – Attracting Abundance by Sanaya Roman & Duane Packer. I discovered this book when I was searching for their book Opening to Channel which has been recommended to me by at least 2 channels I’ve had on Synchronicity.

It’s about the Law of Attraction, so I’m sure you’ve heard it before. But it was originally written in 1988. When you read this book, I think you’ll get the same feeling as me, that perhaps many of the LOA books currently on the market were inspired by this book.

The information is channeled, much like the Abraham-Hicks material. It’s nothing new but as I’m reading it, it just feels more loving to me. It feels more gentle than some of the other books about manifesting.

I was fortunate to be able to borrow it from the local library. If you can find a copy in your library or if you have the additional money to spend, it’s worth a read.

I’m only about 1/4 of the way through the book but I already feel like sharing it with you. (I’ve also skipped ahead a bit to see what’s coming).

One of the things this book focuses is on is feeling the essence of what it is you want. Now, other LOA books tell you to do the same thing, but telling you to do something and actually provoking you to take the time and really think and feel about what you want, what it will do for you, etc, is so much more valuable. We all “know” this stuff. We all know what we “should” do when it comes to the Law of Attraction and manifesting. The idea behind it is pretty straight forward. But LIVING it is a whole other thing.

Here’s an example of two of the processes in the book (I’d recommend really going through them and writing down your answers):

Having Money

1. How much spending money would you like to have for pure play and enjoyment?

2. How much money would you like to have in savings?

3. What would you like your net worth to be?

4. What annual income would you like?

5. What do you want money for in the next year or two? List as many things as you can think of.

6. Choose one item from your answer to question 5 that stands out the most for you, and complete the following:

a. List at least three ways that this item will serve your higher good.

b. List at least three ways that your having this item will serve the higher
good of others.

*****

Joy and Appreciation

JOY:
1. List several ways you might increase joy in your life.

2. Pick one of these things. How might you use money as a tool to enhance your joy in this area?

APPRECIATION:
1. List at least five things you accomplished last year that you feel good
about. These can be minor or major accomplishments. You have probably
accomplished even more than you realize or have given yourself credit for.

2. Think of at least five things you are grateful for right now in your life.
(One woman made a mental list every night before she went to bed of
everything she felt grateful for. Her prosperity began to increase
dramatically.)

3. Think of at least three people to whom you would like to show your
appreciation for their support right now. Be specific about what you would
like to do, and then do it.

-From Creating Money by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer, a book published by HJ Kramer Inc and New World Library. Information at www.orindaben.com

Tune in Friday mornings @ 9am Pacific for my show about spirituality

First, I want to thank everyone who commented on my LOA vs Action post… I just discovered the comments, MONTHS later. Eek! Thanks for being so patient:)

This is somewhat related to my Law of Attraction vs. Action post. In that post, I mentioned how some (or many) people interpret the Law of Attraction as being able to meditate all day and things will suddenly materialize for you. That is not the case. Well, it might be for someone like Jesus Christ… I’m not saying it’s impossible, because I believe anything is possible. But I don’t know anyone who has consistently manifested through non-action and only feeling good.

I think I’m digressing here (wouldn’t it be nice if all my writing was concise? lol). The point I intend to make in this blog post is that the most important thing you can do is follow your own intuition. Spiritual books, movies, CDs, motivational speakers and the like can be VERY beneficial. But nothing is better than your own inner guidance. I’m not talking ego here, I’m talking about that gut feeling — that knowing that comes from deep within you.

I have reviewed some spiritual material (not mentioning any names) and sometimes people will say things like, “if you disagree with what I’m saying it’s because you’re not smart enough/educated enough/mature enough/ENLIGHTENED enough to “get” it.” (this is not a direct quote, just an example). Who knows, that may or may not be true, but it’s my opinion that anyone who dishes out that kind of statement is not being completely forthcoming. I can tell you that I have spoken with people who make these kinds of statements, and they have revealed to me through their actions and words that they are NOT living that life 100% of the time every day. But that is what they present to the world. I am saying this not to point out anyone’s shortcomings. We all have them. I want to share this with you because I, myself, have felt disheartened when comparing my journey to those who are supposedly enlightened. Why have I not had this experience? Why am I not happy and positive every second of every day? I simply want to share with you that you are JUST as worthy, just as special, just as wonderful as anyone else.

It’s like the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes. Everyone was told that only the most special people will see the clothes. So what did the king do? His ego would not allow him to admit he was unable to see these beautiful, magical clothes. But guess what? There never were any clothes! It was a scheme. Had the king trusted his gut instead of his ego, he would have seen past it. None of his servants or friends would admit to not seeing the clothes because nobody wanted to admit they didn’t “get” it. What’s so wrong with admitting that you don’t get it? That things aren’t perfect? I am not for a moment saying that we should dwell in the negative, but I do think we can safely get REAL, without putting too much emphasis on what we don’t want.

So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that it is GOOD to question authority. It is GOOD to question what you read and study. Just because someone is famous does NOT mean that they know better than everyone else (they might, but then again they might not).

That is one of the reasons I am so open on my show. I am the first to admit I have had struggles in my life. I would like to be able to say everything is rosy and perfect. Sometimes things do feel that way, sometimes things flow effortlessly and I can attribute it to my spiritual practices, the law of attraction, etc. And other times things do not flow so well. Maybe it’s that I’m getting in my own way or trapped in a cycle of negative thinking or whatever. But that’s what a lot of us do! I don’t think there is a person alive who hasn’t allowed themselves to get sucked into the negative. So why not admit that sometimes I do that? Sometimes I make mistakes. Sometimes I say hurtful things I shouldn’t have. Do I want to live in the moment and be positive as much as possible? Sure I do! But I’m not going to lie and say that every moment of my day comes from a place of enlightenment.

I don’t believe any of us are truly victims of our circumstances, but I do believe it’s important to be real. I take my position as host of Synchronicity very seriously. I WANT to show you the positive side of life. I want to show you and prove to you that you are the master of your own destiny. And I truly believe you are. But one thing I do not want to do is pretend I’m something I’m not.

I’m so thankful that there are REAL teachers out there, who speak and teach from the heart. They are the gems of this world, and it is my goal to be real and honest and genuine. Because if I can create the life I want, then I know you will be able to do all that and more.

I hope what I’m trying to say is coming across. This feels a bit like a rant, but it is coming from my heart. I truly want to share love and hope with the world, and through my journey I’ll teach and help others to heal and grow. And through my searching and my teaching, I hope to learn and grow within myself. My show, Synchronicity, is not “the Marie Show.” The show is about you, me and all of us working together to create the best world and the best “us” that we can possibly create. We are creating this together. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me:) In the words of Abraham-Hicks: “you are where you are, and where you are is really, really, really, really good”
Love & hugs!
Synchronicity: Talk Radio For Your Mind, Body & Soul

A lot of people following the Law of Attraction phenomenon believe that Law of Attraction is all there is. The only force in the universe and all you have to do is get feeling good and sit on your butt and things will come knocking on your door.

For me, it is becoming incredibly frustrating. There seems to be no balance in this way of thinking. We live in a physical reality. We live in an action-based reality. All of us are required to DO things in order to GET things. Some people do, do, do, do and work very hard and struggle and don’t get very far, and others do less work and accomplish much more. I believe attitude and the Law of Attraction is what is responsible for this.

But the people who are truly successful, even those who admit they focus on feeling good and the Law of Attraction, they are still DOING stuff. In fact, successful people are usually quite busy doing a LOT of physical actions in order to get where and what they want.

Perhaps the TYPE of actions they take are different than those who are miserable and unsuccessful. An unsuccessful person may spend 8-10 hours each day working for minimum wage. That is hard work, and they are not getting very much from that action.
A successful person may spend as many hours or more each day working, but they are meeting with many people, they are delegating responsibilities and they are enjoying their work. But they are STILL putting forth action.

The difference between inspired action, and backbreaking, miserable, belabored action is huge. It’s the difference between scrubbing toilets and having a staff of people who scrub your toilet for you.

But there IS action that is needed in order to get to this place. So how do we balance the positive thinking with the action? I see people from all walks of life who believe in the Law of Attraction, study it, meditate, focus on good feeling thoughts… but there is SOMETHING more that separates the good feeling poor people and the good feeling successful people.

I know many LOA students will be up in arms, saying I’m focusing on what I don’t want, or that I’m taking score too soon. But there IS something different going on here. For example, my radio show. I love my show and it’s a wonderful experience. I would like to earn my living working in radio. So what is the difference between the action I am taking with my show, and the actions of others who have similar shows and are raking in the money? Do others simply have a better business sense?

When all of us are focusing on good feeling thoughts and what we want rather than what we don’t want, what is that other variable that is separating the successful from the… shall we say somewhat less successful?

Sign up for the course here

My favourite Hay House Radio host, Summer McStravick, is going to be running a 6 month course in manifesting. I’ve taken this description of the course from the sign-up page

The Art of Flowdreaming: A Six-Course Manifesting Intensive

You’ve tried positive thinking. You’ve tried the Secret. You’ve read Abraham and all the others. And still, what you want to manifest isn’t showing up. You say to yourself:

● I’m thinking good thoughts and practicing the law of Attraction. Why isn’t it working?
● How do I know if I’m even manifesting what’s best for me, or if it’s part of God’s plan for me?
● What am I doing wrong? Because I’ve tried this all before and it didn’t work.
● I know it works, but when will the things I’m manifesting come to me?
● I’ve had success, but never in one certain area. Why can’t I change things for myself there?
● Can I learn to manifest good things for other people, like my spouse or children?

Summer answers these questions and more in her groundbreaking 6-session course that covers every aspect of manifesting through a highly practical technique called Flowdreaming. Summer’s expert knowledge as a manifesting practitioner is translated into every workshop as she teaches you what it means to work with the subtle energies of the Universe. She shows you how to harness universal Flow, and channel it toward your own desires.

Each of you is asked to come to class with a list of your deepest desires. Summer will teach you not just how to send out energy and work with the Universal field of creation, but to bring in help, guidance, and ease in obtaining each of these wishes in your life.

As part of every class, Summer gives you a 5-minute downloadable mp3 of a targeted Flowdream for practicing between classes. Those who take the whole course will receive six Flowdream mp3s to keep, and 9 hours of deeply informative, detailed instruction. A Q&A session with Summer ends every class.

Summer’s powerful abilities and understanding of universal energies has been recognized by such preeminent teachers as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Gregg Braden, Cheryl Richardson, Denise Linn, Carol Ritberger, and Colette Baron-Reid. She has emerged as a leader in the field of manifesting and has been referred to as a rare teacher of the “mysteries.”

“Summer has uncovered a brilliant method for using intention with beauty and precision. A wonderful guide to the art of manifesting.”
— Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Note: The course workbook is Creative Flowdreaming by Summer McStravick. Buy now and Save 50%! Summer will offer suggested chapters to read to strengthen your understanding between each lesson. Reading is not mandatory, but will greatly enrich your experience.

The entire series is hosted over the Internet, and you can listen through your computer browser. You can also use our toll-free number to call Summer during selected times in each class. If you purchase the series and can’t make a class date, you will still be able to listen to the entire class through your customer account at HayHouseRadio.com, at your leisure.

If you want to sign up for the 6 months course, CLICK HERE
If you don’t already have the book Creative Flowdreaming, you’ll need it for the course and can get a 50% discount if you CLICK HERE

If you sign up by April 7th you’ll receive a discount. Also, if you’re a Wisdom Community Member, you’ll get an even larger discount. 🙂 See you there!
To sign up to be a Wisdom Community Member CLICK HERE

Yesterday’s show with Lisa Sullivan from ISurrenderThis was lots of fun. I played a couple beautiful songs by Deanna Knight, a local singer/songwriter. Thanks for being on the show, Lisa!

If you want to submit music that would be appropriate for the show, check out the contact page on my website for Synchronicity: Talk Radio for Your Mind, Body & Soul

I wrote earlier that I need to create a promo for my show so that other show hosts can play it and get the word out about Synchronicity.

I wanted some background music for the ad but none of the free production music was quite what I wanted (you buy the music and get to use it as much as you like). So guess what I did? I put together my OWN piece of music! It’s just some drum beats and a few little sounds, looped together, but still… it’s my own creation and I’m very excited!!

So keep listening for the new promo. I should have it ready within the next week or two:) Yay!

If you’ve been struggling lately, I’m going to suggest you watch a movie called Office Space.
It’s a few years old and it’s a little rough around the edges but I think you’ll appreciate how the main character is able to completely let go. And it works out in his favour like you wouldn’t believe.
I’m actually watching it right now and I’m just loving it. I have struggled with letting go myself but the struggle just doesn’t help us, does it?
I know it, you know it, we all know that the struggle just brings about more pain.
But when you’re caught up in that struggle… GAWD, it feels so HARD not to just struggle some more, doesn’t it?! Just a little more fighting and I can FIND this happiness that is MISSING in my life, right?
But the MORE we struggle and the HARDER we try, the WORSE things tend to get. Because we’re feeling lousy and everything we’re doing is coming from a place of misery, fear, despair.
So, if you can, rent the movie, download it, borrow it from a friend or whatever. It’s kind of a dark comedy. You’ll laugh. It might even get you a bit angry, in a good way.
The best scene in the movie is when the song “Damn it feels good to be a gangster” is playing. You’ll know it when you see it. Ahhh…. sweet relief. You’re going to have fun watching this movie.
Maybe it will help you to release a bit of that struggle and to surrender and “go with the flow.”
Hugs!

Spirituality and wellness radio
Spirituality and wellness radio show

So I’m not sure how to sign up for email subscribing. I’ve signed up for Summer McStravick’s blog so I know it’s possible to do but I have to figure out this blog:)

I got an email from the Flowdreaming blog about how Summer experienced a series of synchronicities that led to her bumping into a particle physicist from CERN in Europe (you know, that gigantic particle accelerator?
Anyway, I had JUST been thinking about CERN and how if I was better at math I might have been a scientist because Science in Action from the BBC was playing on the air when I arrived at the radio station this morning (as it always is, early on Friday mornings).

Anyway, I just thought it was cool to come home and read about the same topic in Summer’s blog. Definitely worth reading if you’re into Flowdreaming and the LOA.

Oooh, and I just found out, Neale Donald Walsh, author of Conversations With God is going to be on the show. So if you have questions you’d like me to ask him, please email them to SpiritualShow@gmail.com
thanks!

Oh, my website is now the number one spirituality and wellness radio show site! Woo hoo!

Spirituality and wellness radio
Spirituality and wellness radio show

This coming Friday I’ll be interviewing Katherine CHE, the Flower Vibrations expert. She was on the show in 2008 and is coming out with some new and powerful Flower Vibrations meditations and an ebook just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Next Friday, Satyen Raja is on the show to talk about his book, Living Ecstasy. I’m reading it now and I’m very much enjoying his to-the-point ideas. No fluffy stuff here, just straight to the facts spiritual material you can sink your teeth into. I’m really looking forward to the interview.

Oh, and my site is finally up and running, thanks to my good friend Mike who put it all togehter for me.
Here’s where you can learn more about my spiritual talk show on SpiritualShow.com

Spirituality and wellness radio
Spirituality and wellness radio show