Moving into a Higher Vibration

Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of Agape Spiritual Center, sent this letter to me this week. I found it cheering. May it cheer you!

Dear Dr. Corso,

A friend of mine in Africa once told me a story about how he was becoming an elder in his village in West Africa.

There were many complex rituals and ceremonies with meditation and prayers, and it was very intense for him.  On the seventeenth day of one particular ritual, as he was doing his inner work he could hear the voice of Nature.

He suddenly understood the language of the birds and the trees, and the animals in the forest.  And he heard the voice of the Earth, and the voice told him that the planet is becoming more conscious and its vibration is being lifted to a whole new frequency.

This information has now been corroborated by quantum physics and by kinesiological testing –the planet is now vibrating at a higher frequency.

And then we have the understanding that there are some evolutionary triggers going on on the planet right now.  There is the high pollution that’s in the air, the soil, the rivers.  There are wars and rumors of wars, there’s disenfranchisement, there’s disease and disharmony on the planet.

All of this serves as a kind of trigger, backing humanity up against the wall.  The only way that we are going to make it through is to raise our collective vibration.  And our vibration IS being lifted – through prayer, through right focus, intentionality, right action, right resolve.

It is through our spiritual practices that we are becoming more conscious, more awake, and more able to withstand the changes taking place on both individual and collective levels.

The truth is that you have God’s image in you, God’s nature in you.  And that you are here to activate the nature of God, to reveal it in your life and as you, to represent it here on Earth so that not only will you be able to stand the vicissitudes of the evolutionary triggers that are on the planet at this particular time in human history, but that you will become the representation of the presence of God on Earth, revealing the next stage of human evolution.

And that next phase of human evolution will be about surrendering your life to wholeness, to love, to beauty, to excellence.  You will not longer be afraid of losing anything, because you will be realized in the fullness of God’s perfection, the presence that heals all blockages both internal and external, both personal and for all of humanity on our planet.

Peace and richest blessings,

Michael Bernard Beckwith

Founder and Spiritual Director

Agape International Spiritual Center

and author of Spiritual Liberation:  Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

Broken—A Love Story by Lisa Jones

Lisa Jones had no idea she would be broken by her Smithsonian magazine assignment to interview horse-breaker Stanford Addison, but she was. Oh, not during those few days, but in the years following. Lisa was drawn to Stanford in a way she didn’t understand, in a way most of us wouldn’t understand. Stanford Addison “gentled us,” horses and humans alike.

When Lisa met Stanford, he had “emerged from a small life into a big one.” That emergence included emergency. A bad boy Northern Arapaho clad in native beauty, Stanford was a player in his tribe in Wyoming until a car accident left him quadriplegic. Watching him train people to break wild horses, Lisa learned a valuable lesson, “The only way to endure confinement is to accept it.” It was perfect wisdom—for the horses who were indeed easily, and some, not so easily broken. It was also a perfect explanation for how Stanford dealt with his post-accident life—eventually.

What Lisa learned was to “wait and watch.” She learned that what she thought she was learning from outside herself was really inside herself. Stanford was a shamanistic mirror. He showed horses and people who they really were and he dealt with who they really were rather than with whatever they thought they were.

Lisa had grown up in a broken family, never really feeling like she belonged anywhere. Enter the Northern Arapaho, and more specifically, Stanford and his immediately family. It was a family that showed up for one another—always. And a tribe that did the same. Lisa was caught out in her own longing for belonging. Eventually, she did.

Stanford Addison is descended from “White Antelope, a prominent Cheyenne peace chief.” From the time he was a young man, he had repeated encounters with nature spirits. He didn’t like it, and he continued in his playboy ways until the accident changed everything. His spinal cord was severed at the neck. As with all cataclysmic events, it took time for the young Indian to adjust, to figure out his new way of living, supremely different from his former way. In that process, he became a healer.

Lisa was “taken with his combination of gentleness and power.”  She travels on the road with Stanford and others to Iowa to make a healing ceremony for a tribe ripped apart by anger. She drives back and forth to Wyoming countless times just to be in his presence, and to wait and to watch. She struggles with her partner and their commitment through this growth journey.

Lisa encounters loneliness, depression, alcoholism, diabetes. She sees devastating life on various reservations. She meets sisters, mothers, nieces, daughters, many of whom tell her their stories. He boyfriend moves to Asia to see if he wants to be a Buddhist monk. He betrays her with another woman. She nearly betrays him with another man. And all through it, Stanford sits in his wheelchair in silent, and sometimes, not-so-silent witness to her process of becoming herself.

The subtitle of Broken is A Love Story. And a love story it is. A love story about bodies, no matter how “well,” or how “ill.” A love story about health, a love story about healing, a love story about gentleness, a love story about truth. Stanford says, “Our word is more powerful than our body. That’s how we communicate with the Creator. We need to get our word as true as we can ….”

Lisa Jones has written a transformative book about a journey of transformation. Her word is as true as it can be. If you ever need a reminder that you can, as Stanford calls it, “find your center,” read Broken—A Love Story. I can guarantee you’ll find it, and you’ll remember who you are.

Learn more about the remarkable work at the Stanford Addison Ranch—Intuition. Compassion. Persistence.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

Selling Shoes

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Seed: Selling Shoes

Two marketing representatives were sent to Africa by two different companies to test the prospects for selling shoes.

Here are their telegrams to their bosses:

“Situation is hopeless; no one wears shoes.”

“Glorious business opportunity; they have no shoes.”

It all depends upon your perspective, now doesn’t it?

Be passion,

Susan Corso

Dr. Susan Corso

Seeds are remarkable gifts. Sown in consciousness, they bring you to the most important part of your being—your Divine Spark.

Check out the Seeds Archive for past messages of inspiration.

If  you would like to be added to the Seeds e-mail list, visit the sign-up page..

For spiritual nourishment, please visit my website www.susancorso.com, and my blogs

Seeds for Sanctuary, Ode Magazine, and The Huffington Post

and

join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter: @PeaceCorso.

Bloggers Unite for Gulf Coast Fishing Families

Fishing holds a special place in my heart. Not the kind of fishing these families do, but fly fishing. My grandfather was a fly fisherman. He belonged to the New York Anglers’ Club, and was he serious about it.

About the greatest compliment anyone ever got from him was an invitation to go fishing. That meant you were on the in, held a special place in his heart, and that he was sharing his deepest treasure.

Truth is, I can’t imagine what the Gulf oil spill means to these fishing families. Fishing, if my family is any indication, runs in families. I have two brothers (of three) who jump at the chance to go fishing, any one they get.

But I do understand that these fishing families need our help. Their livelihoods are impacted in a very scary way. Here’s what CitizenGulf Impact says we can do to help:

1. Attend Or Host Local Events Around the United States.

With the help of local chapters of the Social Media Club, members are volunteering to organize New Orleans-themed events with live jazz, blues, or Zydeco music along with speakers who will talk about the environmental consequences in the Gulf. Event hosts are asked to suggest a $10 donation as a cover charge, which will be donated to directly benefit fishing families.

2. Donate Direct To Citizen Effect CitizenGulf.

Citizen Effect has created a donation page, with a goal to raise at least $10,000 by Aug. 25. These funds, which will also be donated to Catholic Charities of New Orleans to help fund educational programs and provide hope for the future, will directly touch more than 10,000 lives.

3. Vote For Gulf Coast Solutions On Pepsi Refresh.

Currently, the Pepsi Refresh Project is committing an additional $1.3 million toward ideas that specifically benefit the Gulf Coast. These ideas will be open for voting on Aug. 2. Votes will be tallied through Aug. 31. Please vote for the Gulf Coast Benefit.

4. Write A Post Or Tweet About The Event.

Another way to help generate awareness for this event or the dozens of local events taking place across the country is to write a post, share a tweet, and tell your friends. Together, we can help fishing families that have lost businesses that have been around for generations find new opportunities through education, good will, and support.

So here’s my post, and here’s a prayer for the fishing families:

God Almighty, the ocean has been wounded and in her wounding so have the families who earn their livelihoods from her. Restore the oceans, O God, and restore the true work of these dedicated seafarers. In the Highest of Names we pray, Amen.

Want to know more? Go here: CitizenGulf National Day of Action August 25, 2010

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

The Secret of Motivation

Okay, I’ll admit it, when I got the IRS Proposed Changes to two years of my personal taxes, I was relieved and very angered. The examiner had not listened to me.

For two days, I wallowed in an emotionally mucky swamp. Angry, hurt, sad.  Guilty, blaming. Oh, I touched all the uglies. Drat! That judgment thing again. Not uglies, not really, just humans.

Anyway, when I finally got into the actual document, it occurred to me that if I did this process earnestly with every effort I could make to feel kindness in the process, I would perhaps spare others in the same situation these difficult feelings.

Instantly, I was fine, and could work without rancor.

What happened?

What happened was that I was able to apply, not just ape, the Golden Rule. Yep, do unto others as you would have others do unto you. How did I want to be treated? Fairly, professionally, promptly and courteously as the IRS promises in the publication they send with Proposed Changes.

I decided I wanted to be an ideal citizen, responding with clarity and kindness, not anger and outrage. And while I couldn’t decide to do this in my own behalf, I could and did decide to do it for unnamed persons who will deal with the IRS in the future.

I’m in the process of writing my response letter now. I’ve taken as many of the outraged barbs out of it that I can. I even asked my sweetie to listen to me read it aloud so I could be sure of its barbless state. I have stated simply the facts in my letter, and I have contested those disallowances that feel wrong to me or those for which I have paperwork.

I got motivated to do this right because of other humans who might find themselves in the same boat. Maybe it’s not the perfect motivation, but it worked for me big time.

The next time you find yourself in a situation where you can’t motivate yourself because you yourself aren’t a good enough reason to feel motivated, don’t despair. Instead think of others you might spare by going through the experience, and do it for them.

You, like I, will be glad you did.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

The Judge

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Seed: The Judge

Dr. Wayne Dyer is the vessel for this powerful quote:

“When you judge other people, you do not define them; rather, you define yourself as someone who needs to judge.”

Ah yes, judgment. Running into the inclination to judge others is a bugaboo of the spiritual life. Oh, we all do it. In fact, we’re taught to do it in school. Judgment is the moral version of comparison. This is like that. That is not like this. We are singularly warned against judging others. Why?

Because of what Dr. Dyer says. We do not define others by our judgments. No, instead we define ourselves as needing to judge. Judgment pigeonholes people and things. People and things aren’t really pigeonhole-able. People, especially, and even some things, are unique.

I’ve found it helpful to rely on a character Flip Wilson created on Laugh-In many years ago. Remember the Judge? Flip, in a barrister’s peruque, would announce himself, “Here Come De Judge!” When next you catch yourself judging, summon The Judge. Give over, and let Justice have its perfect way instead of judgment.

Be passion,

Susan Corso

Dr. Susan Corso

Seeds are remarkable gifts. Sown in consciousness, they bring you to the most important part of your being—your Divine Spark.

Check out the Seeds Archive for past messages of inspiration.

If  you would like to be added to the Seeds e-mail list, visit the sign-up page..

For spiritual nourishment, please visit my website www.susancorso.com, and my blogs

Seeds for Sanctuary, Ode Magazine, and The Huffington Post

and

join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter: @PeaceCorso.

Snipers

Anybody else know these sorts of folks? Snipers. Those who load up, shoot from a high altitude (read: safe) place, and then run. I’m talking less about snipers like the one above and more of emotional snipers. Emotional hit and run artists.

I had encounters with two of them yesterday. One was via phone and the other via email.

The issue isn’t whether there are snipers, but what do we do with them when they show up?

That depends.

Ideally, we become holy, polish our halos, and rise above the sniper and her/his situation.

But what do we do if we can’t/don’t/won’t?

Can’t? Well, in one case, I was able to rise above and in one I wasn’t.

When I was, I still felt slammed but my reaction caused a deep breath which helped me to think twice about what I was about to write in an email that could have been forwarded all over hell and gone. I saved it as a draft for a few minutes, said a prayer, revised it to just the fact, ma’am, and sent it off, glad that I’d taken the time to sound at least civilized. It was copied to a slew of folks.

When I wasn’t [able to rise above it], I was on the phone, thinking on my feet with a person who had really been trying to mess with me and my red-haired temper flared a bit, not as much as it could have, but more than I wanted it to. In fact, I was shaking when I got off the phone. In rage, and helplessness, and fury, and I don’t like it that this can still happen in me.

Ho’oponopono to the rescue. Thank You. I’m Sorry. Please Forgive Me. I Love You. Four simple sentences that restore sanity. I said them over and over again until I calmed down enough to have some lunch and think clearly about these two situations.

Then I went off to Visions knowing that all, if not was, would be, well.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

Keep Moving

Having passed the half-century mark age-wise a couple of years ago—I’ll be 53 this year—I spent some time looking back on what I’ve learned. One of the clearest things is that human bodies are meant to be in motion.

I know, Exercise. Ugh.

I don’t like it any better than most folks. Exercising for the sake of exercise seems like a colossal waste of time to me.

And yet … and yet … bodies are meant to be in motion. In fact, at the risk of a terrible pun, it’s vital.

Bodies that hold still all the time atrophy. Muscles are meant for motion and we have a lot of them.

This was brought home to me in a painful way. I was told I have circulation problems and neuropathy in my feet and legs. The danger is, of course, that I could lose my legs. Don’t want that … so … I tried all kinds of exercise.

I discovered that I really can’t do any weight-bearing exercise without my legs caving on me any more.

So my sweetie, that clever thang, got me this.

Would you believe that other than times when I’m not home, I do it seven days a week for an hour? No exceptions.

It does not require weight-bearing. It moves the lymph, which is the only system in the body that has no pump. It gives me energy, besides feeling holy because I’m exercising.

If you don’t like to exercise, dear one, take heart. There’s some form of it that you’ll love like I love my little peddler. Keep looking!

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

Beatles’ Theology

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Seed: Beatles’ Theology

Believe it or not, that same Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford, who coined the term of last week’s Seed, Serendipity, is now largely remembered for Strawberry Hill, the home he built in south-west London. I planned the Seeds I would write this weekend more than a month ago—talk about serendipity—because, of course, Strawberry Hill reminds me of The Fab Four and I’d chosen Beatles’ Theology for this Seed.

The idea for this Seed came from Dr. Wayne Dyer in the movie The Shift. He says The Beatles’ had it right—there will be an answer—let it be.

Paul McCartney said he had the idea of “Let It Be” after a dream he had about his mother. He explained that his mother—who died of cancer when McCartney was fourteen—was the inspiration for the “Mother Mary” lyric. McCartney later said, “It was great to visit with her again. I felt very blessed to have that dream.” He also said in a later interview about the dream that his mother had told him, “It will be all right, just let it be.”

Great Mother advice. Let it be. This is surrender.

I consider it the cornerstone of Beatles’ Theology.

Be passion,

Susan Corso

Dr. Susan Corso

Seeds are remarkable gifts. Sown in consciousness, they bring you to the most important part of your being—your Divine Spark.

Check out the Seeds Archive for past messages of inspiration.

If  you would like to be added to the Seeds e-mail list, visit the sign-up page..

For spiritual nourishment, please visit my website www.susancorso.com, and my blogs

Seeds for Sanctuary, Ode Magazine, and The Huffington Post

and

join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter: @PeaceCorso.

When Resistance Means Go

Have you ever really wanted something and then gotten it?

A job? A part? A gig? A romance? Even, a car?

This happened to my sweetheart this week. She got something she wanted, and then walked straight into her own internal resistance. What she finally said was, “I want already to have done this.” We laughed ourselves silly.

So, what to do?

It’s a subtle process to discern through resistance.

What does resistance mean?

Does it always mean the same thing?

What is the nature of resistance?

Well, first, it’s always uncomfortable. The issue is: what’s creating that discomfort? Is it that you hold beliefs that need changing? Is your life exactly what you want it to be? If not, then it needs some changing.

I think some resistance means go and some means caution and some means stop. I most interested in the resistance that means go because it’s usually the kind of resistance that means I’m being lazy, cranky, don’t want to change, or, want the goodies but don’t want to change to get them. You know the feelings I mean.
Here’s a way to deal with resistance: talk to it. Give it a voice and have a conversation.

Hi, Resistance, how’s it going today?

Not so well. I’m uncomfortable.

Really? Me too. What are we going to do?

Do? Nothing. We’re going to wait till it goes away.

I don’t think so. I’m going to make some changes.

At this point, unless there’s something to the resistance that’s protecting you on a safety level, the resistance itself will melt away. That’s what happened with my beloved. She went off to her event and is delighted.

You know it’s resistance when it happens in anticipation and you get into the situation, it dissolves. Trust, dear one, and keep going.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?