tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87007054901754715502023-06-20T21:50:10.588-07:00Freedom for familyAngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-14204115019830285262015-06-20T13:48:00.003-07:002015-06-20T13:48:23.773-07:00Elementals<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<u><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Elementals<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<u><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Feel the draw of the
Elements;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The voices of the Mountains,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Lapping shores,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Swaying trees,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The brightly Shining sun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Ageless is the Rock,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Fleeting is the Wind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Cleansing Water,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Warming Fire<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Gathered ‘round as One.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Earth, it grounds the
Chaos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Wind, it scours it
smooth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Fire burns,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Water cools<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Tempering it – The Tool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Tool is then released<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">To bring about the Law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">What is to come?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Wild watches<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">As new-born eyes are opened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">II<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Hear the howls of the Wind<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Mourning the day we came.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Whipping wildly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Past sharp corners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Flowing through grass
nevermore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Feel the Earth’s grumbling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Shuddering destructive
shrugs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Never left in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Peaceful aging;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">New skin left all bare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">See the Waves crashing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Upon a barren shore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Black waves killing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">All within reach<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Retreating to attack again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Light burning through the
night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Destruction all around<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Orange and red<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Blue and grey fog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Searing live and dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">We sought to control the
Powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Instead, we freed the Chaos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In fear, we run<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Fighting futile<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Battles to extinction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">- Angela Gallant,© 1996<o:p></o:p></span></div>
AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-15763211843532411512014-08-06T09:49:00.001-07:002014-08-06T09:49:28.321-07:00Our Emotional TriggersIt has occurred to me that humans have a capacity to make changes in their lives through a technique we often accidentally use to our detriment. I mean, all things that our bodies and minds do are natural, proper occurrences that develop through evolution in order to help us survive. When we don't understand those processes, we tend to let them use themselves like the path of water streaming downhill with no choice of direction beyond the easiest path at each and every moment.<br /><br />An example is our muscular structure. When we don't understand how our structural muscles work, we will stand/sit in ways that cause them damage, or weakens them until they are no longer able to do their 'jobs'. This creates situations when our strength, or supporting, muscles must do the structural work and that is how they get injured, giving us chronic pain, and sometimes disability. I learned this the hard way after my third child and my hips and back were in agony for years after. A physiotherapist introduced me to the structural muscles I had allowed to weaken by not taking care of them throughout the 3 pregnancies and my recovery time. While I don't know if I'll ever get back to belly dancing fully, I am in a lot less pain these days, just by simply working on strengthening those muscles.<br /><br />Mentally, we have all been introduced to the concept of the <a href="http://thesecret.tv/" target="_blank">Law of Attraction</a>. I have, some years ago, posted a blog entry on my thoughts regarding the <a href="http://angelagallant.blogspot.ca/2010/03/law-of-attraction-and-cynics.html" target="_blank">negative use of this Law</a>. I concluded that this is a capacity, a tool, that can be used like a knife. Itself, it is not a positive nor negative thing. It can be used for useful, practical things, or it can be abused to harm others. If the Law of Attraction is not used consciously, it can bring great harm without intention, simply because we have no understanding of what it is and how it is to be used. The long term effects can be great pain and agony. To fix the situation takes a lot of hard work and determination with the possibility that we may never get back in full what we lost.<br /><br />So what is this capacity, this technique I started on about? I was first introduced to it through Anthony Robbins as <a href="http://nlp-wiki.wikispaces.com/Neuro+Associative+Conditioning" target="_blank">Neuro-Associative Conditioning</a> (NAC). I believe it has expanded and evolved into Neuro Linguistic Programming. In very simplistic terms, our brains use our emotions to link survival behaviours to muscle memory so that we don't have to actively think about whether to fight, flee or freeze. Our primal emotions are centered on our <a href="http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/p/Amygdala.htm" target="_blank">amygdala</a>. This organ is the origin of our strongest emotions and our brain links these emotions to memories, behaviours, etc. without having to go through our filtering or judgement portions of our brains. Seriously, if we had to actually pause and think completely through what do with a bear charging towards us, weighing the pros and cons of each option, we'd have been extinct a LONG time ago!! NAC speeds up this process and gives us a conditioned response so we can survive long enough to make decisions that CAN be weighed and thought out.<br /><br />I'm sure you can see this is leading into habits. Yes, NAC, if not understood can very much lead us astray. Humans are emotional creatures, and if NAC is allowed, we can become creatures of habit, too. Habits have this funny way of lasting long after they are no longer useful, and then we have to go through the process of identifying the habit and breaking the cycle of it. Habits can be as useful as handwashing, they can be detrimental such as imbibing in toxins (pick your poison!), or they can grow to such things as allowing ourselves to get involved with abusive relationships and avoiding helpful situations for reasons unknown (self-sabotage).<br /><br />Examples of positive conditionings includes our responses to seeing an old friend, seeing our loving partner all decked out in our favourite outfit, the feeling of love when we are held by someone we trust and care for. We get excited or relax into a positive mindset. I recently experienced a situation where I have been struggling with self-confidence and stage fright that prevented me from singing loudly and thus reducing my ability to perform in front of others. I have been out of a medieval association (<a href="http://sca.org/" target="_blank">SCA</a>) for over 10 years. I use to perform quite well in the SCA, but experiences over the last 10 years left me feeling shy and nervous. This last weekend I went to an event. By the third night of attending the bardic circle, I had gained all my old confidence back and managed to sing and talk myself hoarse. I had such a great time! All the positive feelings of performing amongst my friends and in the bardic circle filled me and left me refreshed and ecstatic!<br />
<br />The fastest way to break a negative habit is to actively and consciously set in a NAC that creates a positive habit, overriding the negative. Using our emotions, we can set in triggers to change our thoughts, our reactions and thus our actions in certain circumstances. Ingrained, strongly negative habits usually require an experienced professional to help us. However, simple, positive changes, we can do ourselves with some determination and basic understanding of NAC. This can (and SHOULD) be coupled with affirmations, visualization work, vision boards, etc. Putting ourselves into a strong positive emotion and then associating that emotion with a positive trigger and goal, can give us an easy way make constructive changes in our lives.<br /><br />The trick with this tool is to recognize when NAC has been allowed to run rampant and unsupervised in our lives. Once we realize the triggers and our habitual responses to them, we are able to direct our choices and responses to what we want to see. We can become our own path's guide, instead of acting as the stream of water and taking the easiest route downhill.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-47347381384017279862014-08-06T08:12:00.003-07:002014-08-06T11:05:55.363-07:00Societal Change<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Today's epiphany: Our society is changing...it is slow, but it's growing momentum. Ever since the start of the</span><a class="ot-hashtag aaTEdf" href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23Occupy" rel="nofollow" style="color: #427fed; cursor: pointer; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;">#Occupy</a><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> Movement, agencies, people, Managers, corporations and cities have been making changes.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" />
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">What I have seen so far:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Ohio started to house the homeless for a reasonable percentage of their income....and if they didn't have an income, they still have a home.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">At least a handful of managers have decreased their sizable salaries to increase the wages of their employees.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">A few corporations have begun paying their employees a living wage.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Summer Meals program has started in Washington to feed children without prying into the families' privacy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">People have gone into department stores with layaway programs and paid for other people's layaways, giving children better holidays and special times.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Park/bus benches in certain areas have been redesigned to create shelter at night for homeless with advertising of where that person can then find better shelter/help.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Many celebraties/business people with far more money than they need even at a high maintenance lifestyle are speaking out to their peers to change how they view the impoverished and to begin helping. Paying it forward in great amounts.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">A focus on ending violence within domestic/social situations through dance, song and other peaceful methods. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Speaking up, refusing to accept through silence wrongs of our humanities.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">I'm not saying these are solutions in and of themselves. These aren't even half the efforts that are being made. These are starts and that is what is important to see. It has started. No longer are we content to turn away and say it is someone else's problem. We have begun to see that our neighbour's problems are ours because if our neighbour is gone, they can't help us when we have need.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">We are the change. In little, consistent, practical acts, we make a change in every thing we do, every day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Love is the answer, Love is the key, Love will conquer and make strong you and me.</span></span>AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-23474373848388963992014-06-18T20:50:00.003-07:002014-06-18T20:51:23.860-07:00It's been a whileIt's been a while. Life has a way of waxing and waning. I accept this and won't beat myself up over it. With life changes, I get to focus or refocus what I'm doing at the time.<br />
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These days, I've added crafter to my list of who I am. I've accepted the notion that I'm a singer/song writer/musician, poet. I've also added backyard farmer to my list! LOL I kinda had to when I realized I'm planting, not just tomatoes and peppers, but potatoes, corn, beans, peas, salad greens, squashes, pumpkins, watermelons...and then there's the herbs! Can you imagine?<br />
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I plan to explore these little things as I go and continue my thoughts of things that interest me. Feel free to follow along and maybe what I post will interest you in trying something new for yourself.<br />
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Love and blessings,<br />
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AngAngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-35048414005554745852012-08-10T18:38:00.000-07:002012-08-10T18:38:33.737-07:00Learning to be social..again.We all have those times in our lives. Suddenly, things happen and we find ourselves coccooned into our homes with little to no contact "out there." Whether it's for the winter or for a few years, whether it's due to SAD or because the kids or finances make it almost impossible to get out, we tuck ourselves into our homes and barely ever see daylight. Recently, I went through almost a year of that. It's amazing how that year looked. I couldn't even bring myself to get the toddler to the park. Play was just not something high on our priorities. Definitely, exercise and overall health wasn't focussed on at all!<br /><br />While there is Facebook, Google+, Twitter, MMORPGs and a bazillion and one forums and online contacts, it just isn't the same. You can often tell if someone is isolating themselves. The trend of their posts, chat, etc. is one of surface expression. Rarely do they post about themselves or anything deep or meaningful. They go from chatty, friendly openness to redirecting the conversation on to anything except themselves. Their Facebook or G+ go from their latest adventure to being full of reposted memes and links. Trying to go for coffee with them is met with refusals, excuses, explanations and it's like trying to pull teeth without anesthetic.<br /><br />For almost a year, we had a big problem. It was a problem that is spreading around North America like crazy. Bedbugs. And our landlord wasn't too keen on spending the money to get rid of it properly. Bedbug infestations are happening more often around our society and social contact is spreading it faster than anyone can get rid of it. With that in mind, our family kept home as much as possible. My older kids were homeschooled, we didn't go to friends and we certainly didn't invite anyone over. Outings are costly in the winter, and being on a tight budget, were not really an option. We got into the habit of not getting out, not socializing, not talking or being with friends and family. It went on for so long, it became a habit.<br /><br />Parents can feel like this when a new baby comes along. When a person loses a job for any reason and the finances are nil for a while, again, not much one can do without a lot of effort to be out with friends that have incomes. Illness and injury can create this. And it becomes a habit that continues even after the circumstances have alleviated.<br />
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With a lot of help from friends, family, charities and politicians, we got out of our bug infested place, cleared what we did take with us of the creepy critters and moved into a great place. It's open, light, clean and healthy! You would have thought with our freedom that we would be back to being sociable again. Nope. It's an effort to remember to invite friends to visit. It's an effort to remind people that we are available for coffee. Their schedules have moved on and the places that you used to be in have filled because nature despises a void. Everyone has to make the effort to make the changes to include you, including yourself.<br /><br />This is all well and good in the realm of thought and theory. It's a different story when you are in the thick of it. When the finances balance out, when the children are old enough to be with sitters or at playdates without their parents, when the illness or injury have subsided, we regain our freedom externally, but we forget to free ourselves internally. We forget to release those experiences into the past and step out the door. Our habits are of staying in and isolating ourselves. We need to let those go, they served us to make our lives simpler and easier for that time, but now is the time to move on to other behaviours. Behaviours that help us grow and be happy.<br /><br />Ever since we were mostly settled into our new home and were absolutely certain we hadn't brought the critters with us, I have actively invited friends and family to come visit. I have made others aware that we are available and want to share time with them. It's not as easy since it's not just my behaviours I'm encouraging change for, it's the whole family. Sometimes, if there is an activity or behaviour we want to participate in more regularly, we have to do it consciously and deliberately for a while before it becomes natural-feeling. Some people navigate the social realm with the ease of a dancer, but even a dancer must practice to regain their balance and steps after an injury. <br /><br />I have felt odd about inviting people over or accepting invitations out, but I know this is exactly what I need if I want to enjoy my friends and family again. It would be easy to make excuses and stay in my habit of staying home and isolated. I have to spend a moment double checking why I want to say no...is it because I truly want to stay home or am I merely giving in to my habits?<br /><br />I firmly believe we all need to be aware of our friends and family and watch for the signs they are isolating themselves. While their choices need to be respected, keeping some time open to spend with them and never giving up on them is just as important and helps them come out of their shells if life has thrown them a curve ball. We don't need to rescue them, there are usually very good reasons they are keeping close to home. We do need to keep a line out to them to help them pull themselves out of whatever pitfall life has tripped them up with.<br /><br />I am very grateful to the friends and family that kept those lines open for us. Slowly, we are reconnecting and enjoying some fun. Making it a habit to check in with friends and family we don't hear much from is an awesome way to let them know you care and haven't forgotten about them. It keeps the line open, the line that just might be what they need to pull themselves out.<br /><br />Thank you. You know who you are.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-54300225059463418442012-06-07T07:38:00.001-07:002012-08-10T18:39:36.968-07:00What would you give?I walked past a gal at a train station being honest, wanting a couple bucks for a pop. I only saw the vending machines and pulled out my only change…4 quarters. I apologized as I handed it to her. She beelined for the convenience store behind me. I realized the possibilities and called her to wait, saying I was also thirsty (true). She tried to grab only a can of pop, but I waved her off and bought her a bottle, then grabbed her a bag of chips (not the small bag). She was shocked and thankful. When I asked her if she wanted a flavoured bag, she was poking at the bag as if she couldn’t read it saying she only wanted plain….was this bag the plain ones? (it was). So for her honesty, she got far more than she bargained for and she was extremely thankful. She then got on the train and left. Honesty pays.<br />
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Judging people for “lying” because they want a beer when they can’t afford food most the time, nevermind the beer, is not paying attention to our society. Our society is sooooo judgemental for someone looking to ease the stresses of their lives. After a hard day, I like a beer. Their entire lives are hard…why shouldn’t they get a beer now and again? They’re human. Not cast offs, not garbage…human. They aren’t some sales guy trying to make you buy something you don’t need. They might be alcoholics, but it’s not up to us to change them. They need to make that choice for their lives. Unless something changes (their luck, their opportunities, their choices), they are at the end of their lives…any day they could die. What would you give a dying man if he asked it?<br />
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They just want to remember what it’s like to be human and to have something nice when nice things don’t come along at all.<br />
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That said, I don't change my actions when they just ask for change. I give what I have to give. Her circumstances changed things because I realized could give more and meet her immediate needs a bit more than I originally thought. I have gone into a liquor store near by and bought the guy a beer (or bought a half sack of beer for myself and handed the guy one).AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-53902772885835099342012-02-28T12:32:00.001-08:002012-02-28T12:45:59.075-08:00When Corporations go against FamiliesWe all know how corporations resolve disputes that require mediation or judgement. Each corporation gathers up all kinds of fluff and measure it up in front of the mediator or judge and a decision is made based on who made the better pile of fluff, whether there is complete and total truth or not. Spinning the truth is what they do. The corporations don't have a vested interest in winning or losing, beyond the fact that winning is obviously better than losing. If a corporation loses, it pays out of its profits. If the profits aren't enough then there is the choice of dissolving. No one worries too ever much about this. A corporation always has the options of either reforming under different terms, scattering to become parts of other corporations or just simply dissolving and disappearing. This is considered acceptable to our society and part of the risks of being in business.<br />
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When a corporation goes against a family, it doesn't change its tactics. It doesn't change because to it there is only winning or losing and it's just not that big a deal. It'd rather win, of course, but if it loses, it pays and it moves on. A corporation isn't a person, it doesn't have feelings or ideas of compassion.<br />
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A family is not a corporation. There are feelings involved. It's the foundation of our society and is centered on the very real human experience of emotions, compassion and bonds, sometimes even spirituality. A family can not just dissolve and disappear if a dispute is lost. A family can not just reform under different terms. A family can not just scatter to become parts of other families. A family can't do these things because, for all intents and purposes, a family is as a human being; living, breathing, growing, and loving. <br />
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When a family loses to a corporation, it is left intact with all the debt tied to it with no way of dissolving that loss in any way without dying. Dying as a human dies is very different in our society than dying as a corporation.<br />
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When a family loses to a corporation, they become destitute in a very real, permanent, debilitating, irrecoverable way. There is no dissolving the debt by simply dissolving the life that the debt is attached to. There is no way to simply walk away, the debt follows irreversibly tied to each individual that gave that family life. Our society abhors human death, thus the idea of a family dying, or even dissolving is abhorrent to us as humans.<br />
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This is why corporations are wrong to go against families as they do other corporations. There needs to be compassion and indepth understanding as to the consequences when a family loses to a corporation. There needs to be a change in how the processes work when a family is involved. There needs to be caring that the family doesn't become destitute, a duty required of the process that the family isn't left without options, isn't left trapped in debt and a useless burden to society.<br />
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Corporations need to reach to their human leaders and remember that they serve a society of humans and those humans do not have the options to simply disappear and not exist.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-33521840313847896702012-02-13T14:40:00.000-08:002012-02-13T14:40:05.153-08:00Making a statement with an act.<div class="mbs uiHeaderSubTitle lfloat fsm fwn fcg"><span class="timelineUnitContainer"><div class="uiSelector inlineBlock audienceSelector timelineAudienceSelector audienceSelectorNoTruncate dynamicIconSelector uiSelectorNormal uiSelectorDynamicTooltip"><div class="wrap"><a class="uiSelectorButton uiButton uiButtonSuppressed uiButtonNoText" data-hover="tooltip" data-label="" data-length="30" data-tooltip="Your friends of friends" href="http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150609791765412#" rel="toggle" role="button" title="Custom"><span class="uiButtonText"></span></a></div></div></span></div>Had a moment a bit ago where I seriously wanted to both keep on keeping on and at the same time hide under my shawl. <br />
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Bus driver was more than a little judgemental of an older guy with no money. Something was hanging out of the far pocket and the driver assumed the guy must have money for "that" but not for fare so he could just get off and stop trying to get a free ride. I don't know what "that" was, it was out of my sight. The turbaned driver would not stop lecturing the guy.<br />
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I stepped up and asked loudly, "Is there a problem with the fare?" and started dropping money into the farebox. The older guy moved to the back of the bus and hid his face. The driver had to be prompted to give me the transfer I had just paid for. I looked around and walked the distance to the back and handed the guy his transfer. As I walked up back to my seat, a few people grinned and one young gent started calling out that "that is what this world needs! More people like you! Good on ya!" Others muttered more of the same loud enough to be heard.<br />
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When I realized how many people were paying specific attention to me, I realized the statement I had just made with my act and just how "loud" and public it was. I was both feeling good and yet very shy and exposed. It bothers me that someone asking for help is so pre-judged as being lazy, wasteful and useless, a thrown away piece of offal to be thrown to the streets and the garbage heaps. It is an offense to me against my humaness (not humanity....humaness...that which is so very human) that a person is judged for having a pack of cigarettes with them (could have been given!), or that they should ask for a few dollars for a beer while poor. Why shouldn't they? Why should a person of priviledge be allowed to escape the day's stressors and pain with a drink or ten, but a person whose entire life is a struggle to just survive be denied an hour of relaxation, a touch of pleasure? Are they not human, too?<br />
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How dare we judge or pre-judge another when there is not one of us that is more than a single accident, illness or misfortune away from suffering the same fate? In this economy, that is all it takes to drive us into poverty. How dare we allow another to suffer for the sake of a dollar or two when we have beds to sleep in, food to eat and the priviledge of the occasional drink or smoke or whatever other vice we might have? How dare we judge the many by the one or two that do scam?I have given up. I have given up the chance that this or that person might be one of the few scammers. No more. I will not risk not giving when it is needed on the rare and off chance that the person *might* be a scammer. The scammer can learn, too and that also is a chance I'll take. What if the person is a crook? I don't care any more. What if they are not? It is far far more likely that the person is in need that I will not gamble that they are not.<br />
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I don't care what religion you practice, I don't care if you're atheist, christian, hindi, buddhist or pagan. I don't care if you believe in heaven, hell, the summerlands or nothing at all. All these are trappings and decoration for the one thing that matters. The one thing that has the only value in life. The one thing that if you have it, you have everything. It is called LOVE. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor or somewhere in between. Feel free to believe or not believe whatever you want but the one thing that has the power to change this entire era around is LOVE.If they have the gumption to ask, I have the gumption to give what I can.<br />
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If someone has the gumption to outright ask me for a beer, I'll walk them over to the liquour store and buy them a freakin' beer! And I'm not being fascetious.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-37312602614002173532012-01-03T18:33:00.000-08:002012-01-04T15:06:07.390-08:00We don't need to learn to Give<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">I just recently had a convo about this with a cashier. A person ahead of me was shy just under a dollar...for that ever taboo thing call booze (/sarcasm). I immediately handed over a dollar and waved away the change. When the cashier gushed about how it was so nice of me, I explained my thoughts on it. <br />
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Giving is necessary. There was a time when people gave out of religious requirement. They never thought it was needful except that "God" required it. In this day of post-religion and a growing atheism or agnoticism, it is still needful to give. The reason is that we can not open ourselves mentally/emotionally/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>spiritually to receive if we do not open ourselves to give. It is a cycle that can not be broken without disasterous results. "Altruism" is required for the benefit of our society's survival.<br />
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This also means that we must be open to receiving. When people say no to "charity," being too proud to accept gifts and help, they close themselves to giving. This is where I believe we have gone wrong. By being too prideful and independant to receive the blessings and care of others, we have prevented ourselves from being able to give. We can not give to those that will not receive.<br />
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Universal law states what is good for one is good for all. We live in a reciprocal society. If we say no to receiving then we close others off to receiving from us. As universal law dictates, if we do not allow others to give to us then they can not allow us to give to them. Reciprocation. If we say no to giving to others then others must say no to giving to us. This is what our society functions on. Reciprocation.<br />
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An excellent example is of the payments of KMart layaways by anonymous people. By giving to others who were open to receiving, the receipients became open to giving (some were able to give a christmas to their kids, some used some of the money to "pay it forward") which continued the cycle. We all understand the principle of "paying it forward." Reciprocation of gifting and receiving frees us to move forward and really live. If those who had their layaways paid for refused the gifts, KMart would have to reverse the payments and pass it on to someone else...or be holding money they can't account for which would put them in a legal bind. So those people were open to receive and we able to give in return to others.<br />
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</span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">I firmly believe that the change our society needs most has nothing to do with learning to give...we are desperate to give, we know how to give, we love to give. I believe we need to learn how to receive...with grace, with dignity, with love. Open ourselves to the blessings and gifts of others. It is not greedy, it is not selfish. It is loving to allow others to give to us, for that opens them up to receive from us our blessings and gifts...which we all LOVE to do.</span><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Spring is in the air, the energy bursts forth and you feel the stirrings and awakenings of …what?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">It is a similar feeling at the New Year…whether we celebrate it at Samhain, Yule or the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly the feeling arises to make a change, have this year different from last, better, improved, and made over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reflect on this social phenomenon every time it occurs in the people around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I have stopped making those resolutions pressured on me by others in the spirit of the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it because I feel the uselessness of it all, self-defeat overwhelming me into apathy?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">We often feel the obligation to make another promise to ourselves and to others that we will do better this time around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we do, do we really feel the need to change?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we ready to change?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or are we just doing as we are told to by our peers and society?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we conditioned in our upbringing to play the same ritual out, without feeling; play-acting out our role in a time-honoured tradition that no longer has any meaning to us or any joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an advanced society, we already know that to make plans to change when we aren’t prepared to do so equals failure in our mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is lip-service to the trendiest trend of self-improvement.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">We listen to stories of people who have made changes in their lives; extraordinary changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We reflect how wonderful it has made their lives and wish we could do the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I notice one tiny detail…they certainly didn’t wait for New Years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t wait for Spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just did it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that seems to be the marvel of it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They begin to live their lives with meaning, adding energy and life to every step, every word, and every task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their world is open and they look for the next challenge with anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear has been put to the wayside; there is no time in their lives for fear or indecision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dreams are rekindled and lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what is the phrase we hear?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No time like the present because tomorrow may never come.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Usually, these people are awakened by some tragedy in their lives or in the lives of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small child escapes the ravages of a fatal disease…or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A family is removed from our world suddenly, without warning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The person is diagnosed with cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, they live as if they are living their last days…maybe they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder why people wait for that wake up call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why wait on the right season, the right inspiration, the right person to come along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just what are we waiting for anyways?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Every day is a new opportunity to make goals, achieve them or just enjoy life as it’s presented to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day can feel like spring if we want it to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every moment is a new opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after just eating that last piece of chocolate cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because we make an oops one moment, doesn’t mean we are doomed to make it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we don’t succeed, we get to try, try again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we reached for the cake instead of an apple this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s called practise and it makes us perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can practise good health until we get it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can practise our game until we succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can practise our writing until we get it just write…err right.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">“But, I need to <fill blank="" in="" the=""> first.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></fill></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Sometimes we have to wait for something to happen to get on with our goal…maybe it’s finances, maybe we need to get better health before we can even get into the game, maybe we have to reorganize our time and that means getting others to agree to change timing, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, then there *is* the waiting...or is it preparation?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">We know that successful changes take being prepared to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These preparations don’t just occur; we have to do them ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we want to run a marathon, we have to get in shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get in shape, we have to get up off our butt and do something, either walking on a regular basis or joining a gym.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can either wait to run the marathon for when we are in better shape, or we can prepare to run the marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we want a great job, we have to make ourselves ready to take it on. It sounds like symantics. It is, but that is what our brains work on. Waiting puts our brains on pause, preparing puts it into gear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">When we set our goals, we have to look at whether or not we are ready to achieve them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we have all we need in order to walk that path?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I want to travel the world, I can cast whatever spells I want, implore Hermes to bless my ambition, and put up pictures of places I want to see on my Vision Board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will mean absolutely nothing if I don’t mail out my Passport Application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s about being prepared to achieve the goals we want instead of waiting about for some mythical time and place to align itself to our vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we are prepared to achieve, all goals are easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preparation can start now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">So what are we waiting for?</span></div>AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-14641727011785178822011-03-07T10:46:00.000-08:002011-03-07T10:46:31.950-08:00From Creative to CreatorWhat is the difference between someone who makes it through life and someone who sails through life? One is a creative person because it takes creativity to make it in these days, and one is a creator, not just being creative but creating their own reality into what they desire.<br />
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What's that got to do with freedom and family? What if you were to take your dreams and create them in the real world? How would that affect your family? Would you like to have those dreams come true? We aren't Cinderellas to have a Prince Charming come sweep us off our feet. If you're looking for a hero, the best one for you, look in the mirror. There's no one better!<br />
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How many seeds of ideas rattle about in your brain and heart? How many would you like to plant and nurture this year? It doesn't matter how small or large the seed or harvest is. What matters is the action and the will of doing it.<br />
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My goal this year is to plant a few of those seeds myself. I've made a list of what is reasonable and easy (because it's better when it's easy!). The easier it is to complete, the sooner the next seed can be planted. The more seeds I plant, the more successes I have. The more successes I have, the more confidence I gain and the more momentum I carry forward with. It's not about motivation...it's all about momentum!<br />
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How do we get through each day whether we will or no? Momentum. We get up, have our coffee, get our food, out the door to work/school/shopping...whatever is the requirement of the day. How do we do that when we really just want to go back to bed on a cold rainy day and sleep? Momentum. The impetus that pushes us forward on autopilot. Some say autopilot is a bad thing. I say it's a tool and everyone should use it. If we get up enough momentum, we can be like a freight train. If you've set the tracks on the goal you desire and the path you wish to take, why not blaze through if the terrain is just not pretty enough to warrant looking around? Once you've got the momentum, you can feel free to look around you. It's easy to regain when you have that many successes to build on.<br />
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Here's some of what I'm doing:<br />
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1) Organizing my home. We have spent several years moving about finding the balance between affordable housing, work/school and appropriate community. This means that before we got to finish unpacking in one place, we were often packing again. Also, since affordable housing in this day and age is hard to come by, we've downsized our space a lot. By not fully unpacking, there's lots that hasn't been sorted thoroughly. We've now been in this place for over a year and it's working out at the moment. It's time to really sort through these last bits and get the pile of boxes organized and gone. This will mean some reorganization, some recycling and some creative sorting and placement. We might need more shelves since li'l miss (who's 17 months) thinks anything small enough to fit in her hand should be on the floor. I want to really declutter.<br />
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2) Balcony garden. I've had a desire to grow my own food, certainly this is possible. There are tons of sites showing the balcony gardens supplementing food and flavour for families all over. I've a friend who has been composting and growing his own veggies in his backyard for years, so we've made a deal. I take him my compostables and he gives me back composting as I need it. He's also helped me with some ideas of how to organize the planters for maximum efficiency. Which means remembering to plant the perenials in something that is relatively permanent...he's made me promise not to bring in the oregano, thyme and chives again...oops! As for planters, I'm not going to buy those expensive planters. See, part of the reason for the home clearing is to empty the totes. They'll make perfect planters! And then I can't use them for storage of unnecessary stuff. I'm also going to buy a huge garbage can and grow potatoes. My friend got me on to this idea. If you plant a couple seed potatoes into such a bin with only 6-8" of dirt, as the sprouts comes up, you pile more dirt around them. Keep doing this until it comes closer to the top and then let them leaf and flower. The root system will have grown all through the can to create a huge bunch of potatoes! We also have metal railings for training up beans and peas. I'll have the greenest balcony in the building! This should be fun and show the kids how to grow our own food. Our goal in the long term is to get a hobby farm, so this is a nice lead in.<br />
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These seem like really big tasks and big changes. But these are dreams of mine I have put off over and over. It is time to put action and will to words. It is time to make it happen. Not only do the kids need a routine, but so do I. If I make sure of at least one area getting a once over each day, I'll have it done in no time. I will give myself time to rest and have fun, but I will also make myself work for it. I did this for my eating habits so I know I can do this for my time management. If I want to have a sit down at the computer, I must complete one major task for health and home first. Same for my eating habits. If I want a piece of cake, I have to eat a healthy meal first. I have that momentum going now. Now I'll build on it.<br />
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I will go from merely creative to creator, day by day, step by step. You try it!AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-74254837226365047152011-01-07T18:17:00.000-08:002011-01-07T18:17:00.382-08:00Change: Good or bad?Change is stressful. It takes time to adjust and energy to make it a part of your life. Whether it's a change forced upon you (being downsized out of employment), or a change you chose (eating healthier), it's a lot of work. How you approach the change makes a large difference of how quickly you adjust...if you adjust at all.<br />
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Of all things in life, there is only one thing that is assured: change. Taxes are not an absolute depending on your investments and income, and death is a kind of change; from life to afterwards. In life we experience all sorts of mini-deaths as things end and new things begin. Once that idea is embraced, life becomes a series of changes, small and large, and we are able to view life in a much different perspective. Life boils down to a choice of having changes happen to us (as victims), or chosing the changes and thus guiding our lives to a chosen goal. It's all about the journey and never about the final result, for there is never a final of anything.<br />
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As we look to the stars, we can watch the pattern of the universe unfold before us and apply that pattern to our own lives. Planets and stars all condense and harden, becoming less and less maleable and flowing. They become less able to change with what is happening around them. As comets and debris fly into their space, they are less able to allow it all to just flow past or embrace it. Eventually, such obstacles hit....hard. As planets and stars become even more solid, instead of absorbing the impact or allowing it to flow through, they crack and pieces break off. Such is a huge change that can be quite traumatic.<br />
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Something about forced change vs. chosen change is that when it's forced on us, we can't chose what we "lose". We must accept what we are given and live our lives getting battered about and always being swayed one way then another. We are tossed about with no control of where we are going and thus never get to where we want to be or get the things we want to get. When we chose the change, we are able to let go of what we really don't need, that which no longer serves us, and make room for something better. If we don't make room for good stuff, how can we accept it into our lives? If our plate, or cup or port is full, how can we get more? I tell my daughter, if you want new clothes, you have to make room for them by donating that which is too small, or not loved as much. That works for us all.<br />
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What is the lesson? The more maleable we remain, the better we are able to go with the flow. We are able to pick and choose our battles and guide our changes to create what we want. That is the magick and control we have as thinking entities. We are not objects. We have the power to choose. Looking far enough ahead, we are able to change ourselves so that we don't need to suffer a traumatic hit. We are able to embrace it, accept it and become more...or different. <br />
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When life sends us a change, we can either mourn what we've "lost" and miss whatever opportunity or growth is coming, or we can embrace it and make room for the neat stuff on it's way. We can get excited for change, for the growth and opportunities that are available to us. Do we really need to carry around the excess baggage anyways?<br />
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So really, is change all that bad? It's all in your perspective.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-45334086093357078202010-11-09T09:33:00.000-08:002010-11-09T09:33:33.402-08:00Of all the changes I thought to make...I have often dreamed of changes I would make to my life. Healthier eating, walking and playing more. Travelling the world. I have even dreamed of owning my own business and owning my own home with a small "hobby" farm.<br />
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Never have I imagined, or dreamed, or thought of becoming a Runner. That was always out of reach for me. I'm too plain, too wide, too short, too homey, too slow, too old, too geeky, too nerdy....I am not a runner and never will be. Vetoed that thought even as it crossed my mind watching others. Wish I could be, but my body is just not built for running. And that's that.<br />
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Have you ever heard of "fake it 'til ya make it"? or how we build walls to protect ourselves only to find we've limited our ability to grow and flourish? Have you ever heard of the "Red Ball/Green Ball" strategy of dealing with negative self talk?<br />
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Here's the thing. There are many things I have dreamed of doing, but I had these walls limiting me. These brick walls are tough and tall and block out a lot of good stuff. I've known for some time there was better on the other side, but I didn't know how to break down the walls. So I "faked it". I pretended to live life as if I was getting out of these walls. When I started to slip back into my old habits, I would "Green Ball" it and override the habit with the actions I wanted to be true. <br />
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Green Ball? When you do or say something negative and destructive, that is called a "Red Ball". You can do nothing with the Red Ball or you can hold on to it. You can toss it away or you can choose not to catch it in the first place. But whatever you do with it, you then override it with a "Green Ball". You do or say something about the situation that is positive and constructive. So everytime I slipped up or ran up against my walls, I tried to remember to throw a "Green Ball" at it.<br />
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The last couple of years have been tough for me. New learning, new ways of doing things, I have a new baby! I've had to make some new changes to make things succeed. As much as I had to make changes, I kept running up against negative, destructive actions and talk...and not all of it was my own! For every "Red Ball" I was presented with, I struggled to fire a "Green Ball" against my walls. Imagine, if you will, bouncy balls...lots of them...bouncing around in a small round room at high velocity. Standing in the middle of that been my life for the last while.<br />
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Today, I realized..I am a Runner. Today, I jogged for half of my 30 minute "walk" in 5 minute stints. I felt great! I felt powerful. I felt the surge of adrenaline and endorphins hit in the last jog as I rounded the corner to see my home just that little distance away! I felt like I was crashing through a finish line in a marathon! All this time, all those bouncing balls were weakening my walls. A whole wall of my existance has crashed down around me in rubble and dust and all those balls escaped. As the dust clears, I look out to see a new horizon. For now, there are no "Red Balls". For now, I don't have to fire back anything. I stand in awe of the magnitude of this change.<br />
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It's amazing!AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-803049404479699232010-11-04T08:50:00.000-07:002010-11-04T09:41:11.921-07:00Can you handle the truth?Recently, I've been introduced to C25K. What is C25K? It's one of those phone applications and it's short for "Couch to 5km". It's intention is to slowly ramp you up in activity until you eventually run 5km. This seems almost impossible to anyone who thinks they can't run or just can't....<br /><br />I was one of these people. For decades I have stated in no uncertain terms that I am not a runner. Running hurts me too much to even think about it. Only those with light bodies can run because shin splints are painful!! I lied to myself.<br /><br />I didn't realize I was lying to myself. I thought it was the absolute truth! What I discovered recently was that it is very likely that we are all lying to ourselves. A friend of mine who admits herself that she was very much a voluptuous shape (to be gentle) discovered this application and started following it. Her results have forced me to reconsider my "truths".<br /><br />Now, I'm not saying it's easy. Some people have injuries they may never recover fully from. There could be health concerns like my dad. He had his heart and kidneys replaced 20 years ago. I sincerely doubt he's going to be running 5km any time in this life time.<br /><br />Consider then, two facts: <br /><br />1) The Paralympic Games that run with the Olympics was designed for people with disabilities that prevent them from competing in regular sports. These people could have given up when they lost their legs or arms (or never had them to begin with). They could have said, "I can't" and they would have had a million people agree with them. Are those million people telling the truth? <br /><br />2) Any movement, any progress is good. Anything is better than nothing. How slow the start is or how short is of no consideration. Progress is the only success to be measured. The Paralympics were founded as a therapy to give those with physical challenges a goal to work towards. As we all hear from all Olympians, their biggest and hardest competitor is themselves.<br /><br />Look at those parathletes now? Is "I can't" really truthful? Since they obviously can and can do it better than I can with all my working limbs, I'd have to concede that, "I can't" is a lie.<br /><br />I take the bus and walk most places already, so the early stages of C25K aren't really workable for me. It literally starts you out with doing 5-10 minutes of activity. So if you really not ready to do more than a little at a time, you can do this. <br /><br />What was that? you don't have a phone so you can't have the app? That's ok. There are online versions of this all over the place and you can cut and paste it into a Word document to follow it. All the phone app does is make it more fun by adding music and alerts to when to walk and when to jog...it takes the thinking out of it for you. <br /><br />Oh, you don't have a watch to time yourself? Dollar Store. They have a ton of cute bands and pins. In this activity, the most expensive expenditure is going to be a good pair of walking shoes and a watch..and the watch is only gonna cost a buck...maybe two.<br /><br />So, I finally kicked myself out of the house for a solid walk. Not carrying bags to go to the store. Not pulling my rolling briefcase. Not pushing the baby buggy. This is MY time. Fifteen minutes out and fifteen minutes back. That's all! How far I got isn't what mattered. The fact that I got out at all was what was important. I didn't even try speed walking. It was just a walk. When I got home, I posted on my FB my "success" and got a huge response from my friends. I even got a little giddy from the praise.<br /><br />Next day, I did it again with the same results. I felt pretty good. I kept doing it every day and getting praise and getting a little faster in my walk so getting a little further and getting more praise. You can see the cycle. Then a rainy day hit. It was cold, it was wet, it was absolutely horrible. That was when I was introduced to the "Donwannas". You've heard of them I bet!<br /><br />All I could hear in my head was "I donwanna go out in the cold and wet...ick!". Then I heard my dtr whining that she didn't wanna go to school. I despise whining. I turned to tell her that she's not made of sugar and won't melt. I heard in my head, "and neither are you." Oops...truth time. I've always prided myself on being a good example to my kids. If I use that statement to my kids, then I have to apply it to myself. Once they were out the door, I put my shoes and jacket on and out I went. I warmed up real quick and then it wasn't so bad. Got home, had a cup of hot lemon and ginger tea, curled up with a book. Felt really proud of myself and I felt I earned that little bit of quiet time.<br /><br />After a couple of weeks of walking, I was feeling good and while on a walk I was re-evaluating my "truths". I had already proven that I could stick to a regular activity. I wondered. Could I? Was I being truthful about not being able to run? My friend was up to jogging 5km and more already! If she could do it, could I? hrm...so I upped the pace to a slow jog and did that for a minute, then pushed a little more for an extra half. I got back to walking and realized that wasn't so bad. A few minutes later, I tried again. Again, not so bad. Then I realized, what I do in one direction, I had to do in the other because if I didn't, I wouldn't be back on time and I had things to do! So, on the way back, I jogged a couple of times, walking between them. When I posted, my friends got really excited for me. I got all giddy again.<br /><br />A few days later, I got smacked up side the head by the donwannas again. This time they brought ammo. I had a ton of things to do, the baby was up early and I was going to be walking a lot already (in between busses). The donwannas won...two days in a row! I justified myself saying that I was doing a lot of walking with all I was doing already! But the truth just kept poking it's head out from around the wool. Truth was, I was letting the donwannas win.<br /><br />I talked to my friend and she's heard of the donwannas, too. Her understanding seemed to give me the strength to beat them and out I went the next day with the donwannas chanting at me for 2 whole minutes! It was like a child stomping to their room. They went silent as I heard the truth chanting back, "I can I can I can". Ten minutes into the walk, I moved up to a jog. By the time I got home, I was high as a kite on the adrenaline! Didn't need coffee that morning!<br /><br />This morning, the donwannas were back. But I have ammunition, too. They were strong, but I'm stronger because I know the truth. Truth is we can convince ourselves of anything, that includes "I can't". What is the truth? Are you ready for it? Do you want the truth? I do.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-30674739997879440872010-08-26T20:02:00.000-07:002010-08-26T20:12:52.322-07:00What Guides taught me - a songThe following song was sung at campfires when I was only 12 years old. I learned then what it meant to be a warrior of life. This is the song that plays in my heart every day. When I made that promise as a Guide to follow the Guide Law, I really made it. I didn't say just to become a Guide. I made that promise to myself, to my family and to my community. Little did I know where it would take me...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >On My Honour - author unknown<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><br />On my honour, I will try<br />There's a duty to be done and I say, "Aye!"<br />There's a reason here for a reason above.<br />My honour is to try and my duty is to Love.<br /><br />No one needs to know my name.<br />If I've hurt someone then I'm to blame.<br />If I've helped someone then I've helped me<br />And that's the way that it should be.<br /><br />I've tucked away a song or two.<br />If you're feeling low, there's one for you.<br />If you need a friend then I will come.<br />There's plenty more where I come from.<br /><br />Come with me where the fire burns bright.<br />We can see much better by it's own light.<br />We can find more meaning in a campfire glow.<br />Than we've ever found in a year or so.<br /><br />We've a promise to always keep<br />And sing "Day is Done" before we sleep.<br />We are Girl Guides together and when we're gone,<br />We'll still be a-tryin' and a-singin' this song.<br /><br />On my honour I will try.<br />There's a duty to be done and I say, "Aye!"<br />There's a reason here for a reason above.<br />My honour is to try and my duty is to Love.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-20766127910123694512010-07-06T23:07:00.000-07:002010-07-06T23:25:55.331-07:00Law of Attraction and PassionAnother observation I have made about The Law of Attraction is of confusion on what is meant when we say to apply our thoughts with <span style="font-style:italic;">passion</span>. What do we mean by <span style="font-style:italic;">passion</span>? A man hollering at the top of his lungs, his face turning purple, is using passion to apply his thoughts. Is this the sort of passion we are talking about? A woman weeping bitterly, begging for the electrical company to give her another week to pay the bill is using passion. Is this the sort of passion we mean?<br /><br />I would like to turn thought to a time when we were <span style="font-style:italic;">in love</span>. Remembering that time; the happiness, the beating of the heart, the glee that filled the day? Remember when in those first few days, how excitement filled us as the time of the next date approached? The thrill we felt, the all consuming passion we lived life with? The senses were alive, awake; all of life seemed to sparkle. There was an awareness of what was said, the tone used, the way we dressed and the way everything seemed to take on a life of its own. The body seemed to just vibrate with intensity; indeed, literally shivering with sensuality and anticipation. When with the object of love, the feeling of connection enhanced; they understood like no one has before, so completely. It was like they heard on all levels, the vibrations reaching to the core on all frequencies.<br /><br />In communication classes, we are taught how humans communicate on more than one level. They use several frequencies to put across their meaning. When relationships break down, often counselors are sought to help reconnect the communication. Couples are often instructed on the use of different frequencies to communicate and suddenly find themselves experiencing the throes of passion, they are again <span style="font-style:italic;">in love</span>.<br /><br />In those first few days of a budding romance, we are receiving and sending our communications on all levels. Thus we catch every nuance of every communication. This creates an attraction with the object of our passion and this draws our Desire to us. We are literally vibrating as one, attracting each to the other in harmony with our desires. We are happy, we are fulfilled, and we are at one with all things at this moment. Being <span style="font-style:italic;">in love</span>, is the perfect passion; positive, creative, communicative and blessed.<br /><br />Remember again that moment of being <span style="font-style:italic;">in love</span>. Fix that feeling, that exhilaration into the heart, mind and soul. When the feeling of being <span style="font-style:italic;">in love</span> fills the senses, think then of the desire, the wish to be attained. The Universe can not help but bring us together with our desire. At this moment, we are communicating fully and completely with our desire and are expressing our full passion and Will to the Universe to attain it. It can not be refused. This is the Law of Attraction.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-13969217943009800152010-03-27T09:35:00.000-07:002010-03-27T10:00:51.993-07:00Law of Attraction and CynicsOne observation I made about the Law of Attraction was when I met up with skeptics and cynics. These are people who have focused so much on the negative view that they immediately latched on to the negative aspects of this principle and have convinced themselves that the Law of Attraction is bunk and useless. The example they often use to illustrate their conviction seems almost classic in that it is identical from cynic to cynic. They describe a scenario of a young child, abused and neglected on the streets, and ask how she might have attracted such misery. She is too young to have any thought of positive or negative, her mind in much the state of neutrality. How then can we believe in the Law of Attraction if a child is taken from their beds, abused and murdered? How can we believe innocence has attracted such horrors?<br /><br />I think of a time when people have attended a spiritual gathering, be it a church, a temple or a synagogue. Perhaps while there, it is announced that a congregant is ill, perhaps with a stroke, or heart attack, pneumonia. What happens? The congregation prays or gathers energy to send...they pray for health, for healing, for blessings upon the afflicted person, and indeed that person is usually returned to health in very short order.<br /><br />So what happened? Each and every member of the congregation set into motion their own personal Law of Attraction in congruency with others. This created a large magnet of Attraction for the healing of the ill person. Thus we learn of the power of the Law of Attraction when applied by a group of people. We all do it. When we gather and talk of our successes and cheer each other on, we are applying this principle of a group Attraction. When we need some extra energy to get through a tough spot and we ask our friends and loved ones to wish us well, we are enacting the power of a group Attraction which we know as the strength to exponentially attract what we desire.<br /><br />This is why we must be careful of the affiliations we make. No matter how positive we might be. No matter what we work to attract in our lives. If we continually affiliate ourselves with people whose attraction is at crosspurposes to our own, we will fail. This is because the power of the many overpowers the strength of the few. We all affect others with our Attraction. It is part of the ripple effect of action. What a group of people attract can affect what we individually work to attract. If we align ourselves with people of like purposes, we create a larger magnet to attract our desires and ambitions.<br /><br />What of the child on the street? Of course they did not attract such misery. The people around them did. Society has attracted it. Each group of people consistently living together creates an Attraction that is the sum of the positive and negative energies they create. A community can have an Attraction. A State or Province can have an Attraction. A Society can have an Attraction. Why do bad things happen to good people? Because the people around them have attracted it to themselves and innocent people get caught in the crossfire.<br /><br />This is why we who know about the Law of Attraction have a responsibility in its use and teaching. For every privilege, there is an equal responsibility. We can see the outcome of the Law of Attraction applied negatively. We know what is causing it. We know that action is contagious, whether positive or negative. As such, we have a duty to make a change, however small, to help turn the tide so that terrible things do not happen to the innocents...the children.<br /><br />Does the Law of Attraction really work? Look beyond ourselves. Negative and positive in application create war and beauty everywhere we go. The Law of Attraction is not just for our individual pleasure. It is for the guidance and benefit of our world.AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700705490175471550.post-17428362953419973272008-12-12T12:26:00.000-08:002008-12-16T08:29:50.758-08:00Introducing myselfHi all!<br /><br />This is an opportunity for me to say hello, and let you all know who I am and what I'm doing.<br /><br />I'm a nurse, specifically an LPN. I usually work with people who have lived long hard lives working long hard days. They have used and abused their bodies just to make a living for their families. I've seen the worst...and the best. One lady I met was 99 years old and on virtually no medications. Not too surprisingly, she walks all the time, eats healthy food and takes good care of herself...she's likely to make it over the Century mark and still keep walking. Did I mention she's not in a wheelchair or uses a walker? She walks faster than I do sometimes and fully upright. She's shown me that the usual bent over, senile, coughing picture we have of the later years is not necessarily to be expected.<br /><br />I'm also a mom. My children are the centre of my world. Anything I can do to make their world a better place, I'm happy to explore. From health to wealth, from family time to family values. My choices affect them and so I do my best to make those choices worth their time.<br /><br />As a mom and a nurse, I do a lot of reading, study new science and options and find what best works for me and my family. I hope to share some of this with others. If it helps others find better choices for themselves, I'm happy.<br /><br />Love and blessings,<br /><br />Angela Gallant<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">www.angelagallant.info</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">PS. This site is new for me so expect that it will change as I tweak and evolve it more to suit my tastes. Check back lots and feel free to comment and give me some feedback. I love getting other people's ideas.</span>AngelaGallanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02889174541819733845noreply@blogger.com0