Access Point

It is my practice to urge those with whom I engage to connect to the Universe/All/Source as often as possible in order to assist them along their Path.  I point out that the connection and access to the All is through Love (as opposed to Fear) and that this is Chosen by us each and every day in a myriad of ways.  I offer this guidance while acknowledging that most of us live in a hectic and busy world filled with distractions, obligations, complex relationships and an endless set of to-do's.  Therein lies 'the rub' and where the majority of the work lies for most of us:  Where & How do you make this connection?

My advice is simple - find what you Truly Love and do that.  Do as much of it as often as possible and pursue it with focus, joy and a depth of spirt.  If there is something that you do not Love then by simply focusing on that which you Truly Love then it will eventually just fall away.  Full Attention on that which IS Love will immediately bring you Present - every time.  This is what I call an Access Point and something that I use as a guide or touchstone to assist me in my everyday life.  From my experience you can have a number of them but I will share Where and How I used one Access Point recently as an example.

I was meeting with an advisor the other night and we were discussing this very topic (accessing the All via Love).  As our meeting was winding up there was a small earthquake (4.1 - very light shaking of the room) at almost exactly the same time that I received an email alert notification that there was a large accident in Half Moon Bay that would impact both of our commutes home and potentially our next obligations (due to the delay).  With synchronistic events, it is my practice to use 'worldly' reminders to utilize an Access Point to ground myself to help determine my Next Steps.

As soon as I left the meeting I called my wife to tell her of the accident, find out where she was and see if she was going to be able to still pickup our son at daycare.  She said she was A-OK, still able to make the pickup and that she had a good day, asking about mine as well.  We chatted for a bit and she said that she'd meet me at home but that there might be a delay, and then we hung up.  As I kept driving in the now almost stalled traffic in the direction of the accident I saw her pass me on the other side of the highway and I could literally Feel my Access Point passing me by.

As I finally made it to the next intersection I Felt ahead to our empty home with perhaps a warm fire and a book for an hour or 2 (due to the accident).  But behind me I Felt my Access Point... and therefore my Next Step.  So, I turned the car around and joined my wife and son at daycare.  It was a welcome surprise for my wife and son and we decided to go to dinner and had a great time - my son even had French Toast for dinner (thanks to the friendly chef)!  I was at my Access Point and I was immediately Present.  Everything else just melted away... and I was Love.

All the Best,

Whitney

© 2011 All rights reserved, Whitney Merrill

LOA (Law of Attraction) for Today: Flawed Premises

"Flawed Premises Can Attract True Unwanted Evidence... Flawed premises that you have picked up along your physical trail can fall by the wayside, one by one, and you can return to the understanding that is at the core of that which you are. (But in order to discover or understand a false or flawed premise, you have to stand back far enough and reconnect with who-you-really-are before you can see it.)

If you were to hear a false premise again and again, until you yourself began to believe and repeat it, now your own activation of the contradictory Vibration would interfere with your own sense of intelligence, and you would begin to attract evidence of your lack of intelligence, in effect proving the false premise to be true. And so, it becomes increasingly hard for you to call this a "false" premise when the evidence seems to be telling you that it is true, for over time you come to believe it is true."

--- Abraham

Excerpted from the book, The Vortex, Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships

You Have Landed

Yosemite Falls and Meadow

During the time of the Winter Solstice I practice a ritual of expressing my gratitude to those who have shifted my life for the better during the past year and to set new intentions for the coming year.  In support of this I take a break from my normal patterns in order to connect 1on1 with a number of people in my community.  Through my conversations and reflecting on the year I often find myself commenting at how quickly life can change and how a simple first introduction can lead you down an entirely new Path in life.  Like a airplane course correcting in mid-flight, sometimes all it takes is a few degrees of movement to alter your vector and put you on course with someone new who changes our life fundamentally.

I also remind myself that no matter how far that I think that I have flown over the course of the year that I Have Landed right here and right now by my own choices, regardless of what has transpired.  Where I find myself pointing the finger at external sources, I turn that finger around to myself and invariably find that that is where it all starts.   This is confronting (of course) but every year I find that it gets a little easier and my Path is a little more clear.

In a quiet corner or perhaps on a walk in nature I spend some time contemplating the choices, intentions and beliefs that directed my Path over the last year.  If any of these are limiting, fearful or lack True Personal Power I set an intention to let them go.  From where I Have Landed, I consider my Next Step and seek incremental change from where I am in the direction of where I want to go.  I also seek advice and wisdom from Trusted Advisors to assist me in Seeing that which I am unable or unwilling to see from my current vantage point and to assist me in staying focused throughout the year.

I know that I will fly again but for today, I just notice where I Have Landed.  I touch the earth and ground - I am right here.

All the Best,

Whitney

© 2010 All rights reserved, Whitney Merrill

The Santa Claus Intention

The other day my wife and I had the opportunity to take our 3 year old son to see Santa Claus so that he could have a little chat with him.  As you can see he was very excited about this event and really enjoyed the experience.  For the record, I think Santa did too and may actually be a NY Jets fan!  While we were waiting in line a few minutes before going up to sit with Santa I asked my son "What are you going to ask Santa for Christmas?"  He promptly replied with a big smile "Candy Canes!"  I then made the 'novice' parent move of asking the follow-up question "Do you want anything else for Christmas?" but he just looked at me again with a smile and repeated "Candy Canes!"

We were moved by the simplicity and joy of his wish and it brought me back to the magic of the holidays that I experienced as a young child.  It also reminded me that we all come into this world with different desires and wishes for ourselves - some people want Candy Canes and some people want something else.  Furthermore, sometimes we get what we ask for and sometimes we don't.  However, it is the clarity and focus of our Intention that ultimately make the difference in this regard.  Knowing what you want and speaking your Truth comes pretty easily for children - I am always amazed at how difficult it can be for most adults.

It is very likely that after a few years on this planet that you will have experienced some disappointments and perhaps gotten a little 'gun shy' when it comes to asking for what you want.  However, I'd like to suggest that that's what Santa is for - to inspire and remind us each year to ask ourselves what we really want to experience in our lives.   Think of Santa as a magical messenger from your childhood who can connect you back to the time when your natural state was to just ask for what you wanted and expect that the Universe (Santa) would provide.

The suggested exercise here is a simple one - just to practice asking and receiving in the spirit of a child.  I recommend lighting a candle in a quiet space and as you are doing so state aloud what it is that you want in your life - then expect it to arrive.  Your Santa Claus Intention for yourself can be anything that you want as long as it is something that you really, really, really want (like Candy Canes)!  The clarity and focus of your Intention will invariably effect the time for 'delivery' but the important thing to remember is that the second that you state your Intention, Santa starts to fire up his sleigh.  Oh, and it doesn't hurt to keep lighting your candle and leave out milk and cookies - BTW, Santa told my son that his favorite is chocolate chip. :)

In this particular case, what do you think the chances are that my son is going to get Candy Canes from Santa Clause?  I think it's very close to 100% - don't you?

All the Best,
Whitney
© 2010 All rights reserved, Whitney Merrill

7 Steps to Successful Coastside Caroling

Every year my family has a neighborhood caroling party during the holiday season. People often come to our holiday parties with the intention of “sitting this one out” — but they almost always find themselves out with the group having a great time. I am sharing my family caroling recipe to inspire you to make it out this year.

1. Plan for weather.
On the Coastside, we plan for rain and fog on caroling night and treat it as a challenge. In my opinion, part of caroling is going out to share good cheer in spite of the weather. Where I grew up we would plan for the worst case, freezing rain — and every few years we’d get lucky and have snow. However, with the proper coat, boots and umbrella protection, caroling can be quite an enjoyable experience no matter what the weather. And if you have a fireplace at home, have lots of logs and remind everyone that you’ll warm them up when you return!

2. Have instruments for all.
The guideline here is that everyone gets to play an instrument in addition to singing. Many people have stage — or doorstep — fright, and having a drum, bell, rattle, tambourine, banjo, guitar, accordion, trumpet, whistle or kazoo will help to bolster their courage. Also, the instruments help to drown out those singers who are tone deaf!

3. Know your playlist.
Print out sheet music and agree upon a few “traveling songs.” It’s very easy to find and download that music from the Internet; just search for caroling sheet music and you’ll find lots to choose from. Sing a few songs at each doorstep, and have a song or two to sing between houses. Pick songs where everyone knows the words, like “Jingle Bells” or “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” — and then have a surprise song or two, like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”

4. Start singing inside first.
Starting a handful of songs and practicing with instruments indoors gets everybody in the spirit. I have found that although only a few die-hards have pre-committed to the outdoor event, you will be able to attract many more if you can get your partygoers singing and engaged. There is nothing like being out in the neighborhood at night during the holidays with everyone’s lights and decorations!

5. Plan your route.
Choose an easy and safe route for your caroling, preferably one where you can start out from your own front door. I have found that somewhere between seven and 10 houses is a great place to start and I usually tell three to four of them that we will be showing up! Also, the best time to go out is right after dinner, before people have put their younger children to bed.

6. Light your way like Rudolph.
I encourage everyone to bring a flashlight or headlamp; glow-in-the-dark tube sticks or battery-powered string lights for the little ones are essential. Open flames are discouraged, but I have been known to roast chestnuts on a small grill and cart that around on a wagon. If you’re going the wagon route, you can carry extra supplies and refreshments as well!

7. Giving is receiving.
Before we leave the house on our caroling journey, I like to remind everyone that the energy you put out will ultimately come back to you in so many ways. Just having a positive attitude and sharing a little cheer can go a long way and set the tone for the entire year.

I hope to see you out this year and wish you all happy Coastside caroling!

© 2010 All rights reserved, Whitney Merrill

This is an article that was published in Coastviews Magazine in the December 2010 issue: http://coastviewsmag.com/7-steps-to-successful-coastside-caroling

Useful Diversions

There are times when we will come up to what we perceive as an energetic 'Wall'.  Our perceived forward progress will come to a halt and we will be able to Feel the Resistance that we are encountering.  If we are unable to find a Way Through or a Way Around, sometimes the best approach is to find a Useful Diversion.

The difference between a Useful Diversion and just 'twiddling our thumbs' is that it is Useful in terms of Energy management and a Diversion is such a way that it frees our Mind from the pattern that is ultimately creating the Wall.  For some people, 'twiddling your thumbs' may actually provide an energetic rejuvenation but for many the act of sitting and and twiddling will result in stress & tension, and therefore act as an energy drainer. The key in the Usefulness of the Diversion is to find some activity or non-activity that will serve to provide rejuvenation or 'a breather' so that upon completion we have more energy then when we started.

As to the Diversion for the Mind, I will refer to the 'Ghandi equation' (as I call it) for reference:

"Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny." - Mahatma Gandhi

When we are experiencing a Wall, we are essentially confronting a pattern or belief that is no longer in alignment with where we are NOW or where our Vision is leading us.  There is an energetic break in the flow from belief through to destiny that requires repair or re-alignment - until we know what that is we are often 'stopped' at the Wall.  This is where a Useful Diversion can be an extremely powerful exercise.

I am personally a big fan of the Monterey Bay Aquarium as Water is both rejuvenating (True Rest) and grounding (True Play) for me.  The flow of the water and the movement of the sea life serves to re-connect me to the greater flow of energy in our world and Universe, thereby allowing me to step back from my own limiting patterns and See them with a new perspective.  After I visit I often find that my Wall is no longer there or perhaps I can see a Way Through or Around that I had not noticed before.

Oh, and it's fun too! :)

All the Best,
Whitney
© 2010 All rights reserved, Whitney Merrill

Personal Time for Family Time

During the holidays many of us experience a significant increase in Family Time.  We may see relatives that we have not seen for quite a while or if we live close to relatives we may experience an increased family concentration or intensity of engagement.  While often joyful and wonderful it is important to remember that Family Time can consume large amounts of energy.  The tendency for many is to over-indulge during the holidays with both food & drink as well as family interaction.  In both cases, we may feel the after-effects of an 'energetic hangover' as we come down off the high to find our personal energetic reserves drained.

While the preventative measures and remedies for food & drink over-indulgence are common knowledge (i.e. drink lots of water, Alka-Seltzer and tomato juice, etc.), Family Time over-indulgence also has it's own 'medicine' - known better as Personal Time.  This is simply what is sounds like - Personal time spent (alone) to recharge your batteries and keep your energetic reserves refreshed.   Simply taking a pause from the fray can do wonders to refreshing yourself and keeping you grounded.

If you already include a good amount of Personal Time in your daily life, the key here is to continue this during the holidays but increase it to account for additional energetic needs.  If you do not currently engage in Personal Time, the holidays is a great time to start this practice as many people often have some additional time off from work, school or various projects at this time of the year.

The prescribed dosage  for Personal Time during the holidays is 2-3 short periods of time (15-20 minutes) + 1 extended period (45-60 minutes) each day.  If Personal Time is new to you then this may seem excessive, but please note that the short and extended periods of time can be something that you may already do like a quiet cup of coffee or tea, taking the dog for a walk, doing your nails/make-up, sitting in an easy chair in a corner or a relaxing bath or shower.  The focus here is in how you engage in your Personal Time and whether it recharges you or not.  Learning what is True Personal Time for you is part of the process as well.

The suggestion here is to seek to intentionally transform your current alone periods into Personal Time moments.  By simply focusing you awareness on the activity of recharging and preparing yourself for Family Time, you will draw extra energy to you during your Personal Time.  Even if you find yourself unable to get out or to manifest an extended period, taking a short break in the bathroom to douse a little water on your face or light a small candle in quiet corner can do wonders.  Just enjoy your Family Time and your Personal Time!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Whitney
© 2010 All rights reserved, Whitney Merrill