I’ve been reading, or rather watching videos, of Ekhart Tolle (Author of The Power of Now and A New Earth). The part of his teachings that resonate most with me is the part where he talks about transcending the ego. The ego is that voice that talks to itself in my mind. It judges everyone and everything. It uses past experiences as the only measure for what can happen. The ego seeks self gratification that reinforces the illusion of separateness. Transcendence of the ego happens as the ego becomes subservient to Consciousness. Consciousness is the awareness that All is One. All of these things are Universal Truth that resonates deeply within me.

For so long, I felt trapped in my mind. I felt imprisoned by the voice that speaks like a broken record, repeating stories of guilt for not following the ‘rules’, blame for the things I deemed as ‘bad’ and judgment of everyone and everything. When Ekhart introduced the idea that I didn’t have to listen to, believe or respond to that voice in my mind (the ego), I felt FREE! When it begins its usual negative self talk… its favorite word is ‘should’… I can hear it but not entertain it. And the less I entertain it, the freer I become, the quieter that voice gets and less it talks. This is so liberating!

healing for sure.

i want to live and flourish off of my music. financially and joyfully. what the heezy is holding me back? i think i wrote the answer to this question in a song. “its only you holding you back from you… that thing you think you cannot do.” its me, my belief system…these rules that i made up for my life. my beliefs about life and how things work just don’t fit anymore. its time for some serious deconstruction. keep what works and get rid of the rest. create anew.

destructive belief #1: “i can only have a successful music career if i work really hard and struggle and have lots of setbacks, then overcome them. i have to be broke and come from nothing. a cinderella story is the key to sucess!.”

who made up this shizzzz? somebody told me this crap, i believed it and then i just keep repeating it to myself over and over and over and over again. ugh! its time to let this one go. i think that at the base of this belief there is a power issue. there i go giving mine away again. why do i have to do what other people do? why do i willingly submit to the beliefs of others? why must i always follow follow follow… its fine for other people to believe that they must work really really hard in order to have the success that they desire. but that ain’t gotta be me!

how do i rebuild this one? let me try this success comes to me easily without effort. whew! i feel a bit of resistance to this. no one goes around teaching their children this . its actually quite the opposite. most parents intentionally make their kids “work” for things by withholding whatever it is that they desire. this is how parents introduce their children to “the real world.” perhaps if i was never taught about “the real world” then i wouldn’t find myself in this current conundrum…shoulda coulda woulda…

i base my beliefs upon of experience, but my experience is based upon my belief. what a loop! now that i’ve injected a new belief into the loop of belief – experience, how long before i experience the change? i have been reinforcing the old belief for years. other people say it and believe it.then i repeat and have conversations about it. make goals and think about how much “hardwork” i’ve got to do before i am successful. this thing could go on FOREVER! definitely time to let that go. as much as i have affirmed and reaffirmed the old belief, i’ve got to nurture the new one just as much.

success comes to me easily, with little to no effort on my part. its like i just walk down the street and next thing i know, someone is helping me get to where i am going. AND they don’t even ask for anything in return. the universe is conspiring on my behalf, all i do is live and breathe and let it. there are no rules to being successful. just because other people think that there are rules and live that way doesn’t mean that i have to. i make my own rules. and for me, there aren’t any. all i know is that i get up in the morning and have breakfast and then boom! i’m succeeding! all kinds of things just come my way out of nowhere. i don’t do anything to get this stuff. what a cool world i live in. i don’t even have to be doing anything directly related to my music/career. it just happens for me. i guess you can say i’m lucky!

that was so much fun! next time, i’ll be deconstructing another one of those suckers and rebuilding a new one. now i’m gonna write this new belief on my mirror. affirm. reaffirm

“the revolution must begin!”, “oh big business!”, “oh the environment!”, “oh war!”, “what a tragedy!” these are all the cries and pleas of Avatar viewers as they leave the theatres and rant on blogs and with their friends; all fellow “revolutionaries” in training, or at least in theory. the spiritual implications of this movie were far more exciting and enlightening than any of the military bashing, pro-environment plugs, or ‘big business is evil’ messages.

A women, and her spiritual prowess, was the most prized and honored person of the Na’vi. She represented connection to the divine. Her example lead everyone to know that spirit is to be respected, acknowledged and embraced. When Neytiri introduced Jake Sully to The People, she said this is my father, but THIS is my mother (Mo’at which is very similar to Ma’at. hmmm…). Their most sacred places were spiritual power points where the wisdom of the ancestors was downloaded like the latest ke$ha single. the Na’vi’s respect for “the balance of life” moved me beyond words.

shouting “revolution!” and working within the confines of a fundamentally flawed system is one way to change the world and a necessary rung on the ladder of awareness, growth and enlightenment. however, total transformation of our minds and world is my chosen route. it starts with self-transformation. and that is definitely the most trying yet benefic journey ever to be taken.

but somehow the spirituality that moved me so in Avatar has to be translated into solid action on the material plane. i don’t know what that looks like on a massive scale, but i know for me it begins with living wholly in my passion and being the vehicle for love and healing i know that i am called and desire to be.

did you see avatar? what are your thoughts?

This is a clip from my Dec. 17th show at Betty’s Blue Star Lounge in Chicago.

Check it out! Thanks to Butta for uploading and sharing this video.

by Laura Trice

Check this out…interesting.