Seeking the Truth

Intelligence without compassion is not true intelligence.

Without applying a feeling to your knowledge,  (connecting your intellect to your heart) your knowledge is superficial.........there is no true understanding of the knowledge you have gained.

Scientists now know that the heart is far more complex than originally thought.  The heart has it's own, measurable, electro-magnetic field which mimics that of the earths'.  Our hearts electrical field is 100 times and its' magnetic field is 5000 times stronger than the brain.  Yet our focus is on our brain and we tend to 'switch' off our hearts.

Our educational and religious institutions, governments, corporations and media dumb us down.  It would be impossible for those in charge to have total power over us if we thought for ourselves; if we questioned everything instead of blindly accepting and believing everything we are told.

And how do they dumb us down - by teaching us 'parrot-fashion' and spoon-feeding us information - the WRONG information which plays on our fears and insecurities.  Eventually we loose the ability to think for ourselves and expect someone to do our thinking for us.  We become lazy and complacent.   We believe the promises politicians make during election campaigns and the information companies tell us about their products in their TV commercials.  We believe everything a preacher tells us, because 'he's a man of God, so he must be telling the truth'.  But this is not how the real world works.  They are people with flaws and man's greatest flaw is his greed and hunger for money and power.

We need to start connecting heart and brain.  When you receive information, no matter from what source don't just accept it at face value.  Open your heart to that information.  Ask yourself - Does it feel right?  Does it resonate with me?  Not everything that is written in black and white or that is uttered from someone's mouth (irrespective of their training or status) is necessarily true.

Individuals and organizations have, for centuries, used information as a tool to get what they want, to satisfy their own greed.  The world is full of big lies and little truths - so continue to always question EVERYTHING you hear and read.  Seek out those little truths.  For if we continue to seek the truth with heart and mind, we will find it.  And we can then take back the power over our OWN lives.  We can then become powerful creators of our inner and outer worlds.

Be Inspired, Be the Inspiration

We are all guilty of not doing something because we are worried about what others might think, or we feel that it's too impulsive, or it's something we just normally wouldn't do.

The other day I felt like baking something different, but couldn't find the right recipe.  So I left it.  The next day I had the same urge to bake something different and realised that the previous day I hadn't done so because I was afraid it would taste lousy and I would have to throw my experiment away and waste the ingredients.  But then I realised, if I continued to procrastinate, the fresh ingredients I had bought the day before would spoil and be wasted anyway if I didn't do something with them.  So on went the apron and I got stuck in.  With a bit of mixing, adjusting and tasting I came up with something I thought was acceptable, but it still needed to set in the refrigerator.  Two hours later I was rewarded with one of the tastiest, most decadent flavoured, but still healthy, Strawberry and Coconut Cream deserts  I have tasted in a long time.  Nothing was wasted and I had learnt more than just a new recipe.

I realised -  I need to do this with every aspect of my life.  I must never be afraid to try something new or different.  For in trying you not only learn and grow but you can inspire others to do the same.  The more doors you open to new opportunities and possibilities in all areas of your life, the more you will experience and live life.  Not just exist but actively be the orchestrator of your own life.  And so what if it doesn't always work out the way you planned, or you don't get the response you expected.  Would you rather never try anything new or different and always fret about the opportunities you've missed?!  I know I wouldn't.  Trying something new and different is invigorating, exciting!

So don't hesitate, try something new, share it with someone you care about, inspire them to open themselves to wonderful new opportunities waiting out there for them and remember YOU are the Creator of your own life.

Sometimes others just need a tiny bit of encouragement to find the inspiration to try new things.  So when a friend or family member asks your opinion as to whether they should try 'that new thing' they have been thinking about, think first, before you answer.  Is it YOUR fear of trying something new that is the basis for your reply or will it be an inspired response, encouraging them to 'go for it', to open themselves up to new opportunities?

Be inspired every day and be the inspiration to others.  Do not ignore the real you that is bursting to come out and be seen and heard.............a truly unique and beautiful being with SO MUCH potential!

You Are Blissfully Unique

 'Find Your Bliss'
Artwork copyright Kim Dreyer 2011.

I believe that one of the most powerful gifts we as humans have is our individual uniqueness  - our differences.  These differences are on all levels, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  It is this uniqueness that we should all be celebrating and sharing.  But society tries to fit us all into the same box.  We are expected to think, dress, eat, feel, LIVE the same.  We are often made to believe that our uniqueness is a fault, something that needs to be changed..................we are expected to conform.  Sure society has created a number of different boxes to fit us into so we have the perception that we are different.......but our true, deeper differences are not those which we carry on the outside, but those we have on the inside and these cannot be boxed!

It is usually those who are the most fearful who will point fingers at or ridicule those who are strong and determined enough to 'walk their walk' and 'talk their talk'.  Pay no attention to people like that - often their nastiness is based on the fact that they are too afraid to follow their dreams, their truth.

Finding the true you underneath all the fashion, ingrained beliefs, fears and insecurities is not easy but it can be done.  There are people out there who have gone against the grain, gone against all odds and achieved amazing things.  But each and every one of them acknowledged their unique talents, their unique spirits.  Acknowledging and celebrating your uniqueness is extremely powerful and uplifting.  All it takes is to believe in yourself and follow your passion - that which makes you happy!  FIND YOUR BLISS in life - and you will gain access to amazing joy, inspiration and drive - it will give you purpose in life. 

There will be times when one is challenged - that is all part of our physical existence - but one must stand firm and stay true to yourself, especially at these times.  Sometimes challenges appear, to nudge us into thinking 'out-of-the-box' or to try something slightly different.  But when one is doing what one loves, challenges are no longer insurmountable hurdles and we are able to find the determination to work through them.  So follow YOUR dreams,  find YOUR bliss and be the wonderful gift to humanity that YOU are!

The Secret Flaws of Abundance

'Abundance' - artwork by Kim Dreyer.

Copyright © Kim Dreyer 2011. All rights reserved.

For a long time now I have wanted to write down my thoughts on Abundance.  In fact, ever since I first saw the dvd 'The Secret' when it came out a few years ago.  (Yes, sometimes I do procrastinate a bit much).  Anyway, since then every time I hear or see the word Abundance, I cringe!!

The basic concept behind the dvd is the Law of Attraction.  However, the further I got into watching it, the more I became concerned about the end message.  The message, running through much of the dvd was Abundance.  Fine.  But the abundance focussed way too much on money and materialistic objects - a fat bank balance, a fancy mansion, large expensive cars, tvs, fancy furniture, etc, etc, etc.  Stuff that requires, in it's manufacture, large amounts of seriously dwindling resources from Mother Nature!  And then there is all the pollution that is produced in the manufacture of all these products.  Is this what I want to manifest using the Law of Attraction - definitely not!!

What is abundantly clear, to me at least, is we cannot and must not continue on this mindless drive to own possessions to justify our worth, or feel we have accomplished something in life.  Just imagine if everyone on this planet had access to the materialistic abundance talked about in the dvd.  Take motor vehicles for instance - currently there are around 1 billion cars in use.  If every adult on this planet had a car, this number would probably rise to around 5 billion cars.  What would this do to the quality of our already polluted air, never mind the effect on the resources required to  produce all these new cars.   More and more factories would churn out more 'stuff' AND more pollution.  Would there be clean air to breathe, pure water to drink??  Would there be anything left of the natural world?  I think not!

We HAVE to get this mindset out of people when talking about abundance.  Associating abundance with materialism is NOT cool!!  Sure, I do understand that we all still live in a world where we cannot get by without money.  There are certain basic material requirements that we all need to live.  But once these needs are met, rather focus on financial Abudance in order to do something positive with it, like feeding the hungry; caring for abused animals; or cleaning up our planet, etc.  We certainly don't need it for a new wardrobe of clothes every season; a new gadget, just because there is a new version out - the list is endless.  We are slaves to our possessions and can't even see it.  Or perhaps we see it, but don't have the will to do anything about it.   We are too caught up in this vicious cycle of 'make money - buy stuff,  make more money - buy more stuff'.  But it's high time we did something about the way we live.

So how about next time we call upon the Law of Attraction and request Abundance we think a little more carefully on what that Abundance will entail.  Money and possessions?  But remember along with the materialistic possessions come, pollution and depletion of natural resources, so we'll be manifesting this too.  Or?  Health and happiness; clean rivers and oceans; pure, fresh air; forests and fields teaming with wildlife.  Things that will help us live sustainable lives, in harmony with our home - Mother Earth.  After all, if we trash her (as we are currently doing) - there is nowhere else to go.  We don't have a brand new earth waiting 'next door' for us to move to!

Which world of Abundance would you like to live in and create for your children to live in?

MORE ON SPIRITUALITY

Crown Chakra by Kim Dreyer.

Copyright © Kim Dreyer 2011.  All rights reserved.

Today I wanted to share more of my thoughts and feelings on spirituality.  The following is the result of a few minutes of automatic writing which I felt I needed to share on this blog.  Automatic writing is something I have not done for a very long time. Thanks Sue for reminding me of this!

When you lift your spirit and connect to your soul, you no longer have the need for approval from others.  The only approval worth receiving is that from your inner Divine self.

Many feel they have reached a high level of spirituality, only to still feel that there is a void, something still missing.  Deeper reflection will show that part of that spirituality is not of the heart but of the mind.  The ego is still holding on, reluctant and fearful of releasing it's host.

One may think that one is meditating enough; doing enough spiritual exercises such as yoga or tai chi; that one is thinking and saying the right things, but this very act of thinking about it often negates much of the effort.

It may seem almost impossible to let go of the act of thinking but it is not.  Connecting fully to your inner Divine self and living from the heart center may be one of the most difficult things to do, especially due to how society has shaped us (how we have allowed society to do so).  But it will be the single most important and most rewarding achievement we will ever accomplish in our lives.  For all that we are and all we will ever be, is programmed deep within our core and as long as we live a life focused on our outer being - our physical  and all that pampers to our physical existence, we will never be truly happy or content.

The materialistic aspect of our lives and even parts of our body can be removed or damaged by others or by events, but when we live fully connected to our heart and soul, no one can take that from us.  Then simply 'being' will bring us all the happiness and contentment we will ever need.

LIVING FROM THE HEART

 Heart Chakra by Kim Dreyer

Copyright © Kim Dreyer 2011.  All rights reserved.

So much of what I read and hear these days has to do with living from your heart center, not your head - love not fear.  Below are my thoughts and feelings about this.  I have found it quite difficult to put them in the right words, because for me so much of it is more a feeling than a thought.  But here goes....

It is time for us to move from a life based on fear to a life based on love.  This is something that has been written and talked about for ages.  And it seems, more and more the message is coming through stronger and stronger, that we need to do it sooner rather than later.  We cannot carry on living on this planet the way we do.

Our minds drive and control our fear.  But it is in our hearts where we need to be, where love is.  It is generally agreed that  when we live from our minds and allow our thoughts to control our lives, we fall into a pattern of fear based experiences.  Along with fear comes all the other negative emotions - anger, hate, jealousy and many more that most of us struggle with daily.  These negative emotions also bring with them stress, dis-ease and suffering.

If we lived from our heart center, these negative emotions and the miriad of dis-eases they cause would disappear.  But it is not easy to change from thinking with the head to feeling with the heart.  Especially if others around us are still living a life based on fear.  After all, we have all been brainwashed into this way of life from the day we are born, so it is what we know and what we are used to.

We are taught to live from a position of fear from our parents and as we grow up we get this same message from our educational systems, our religious institutions, from government and large corporations, even in the advertising we see on TV!  Eventually this fear effects our thinking to the extent that we can no longer see things logically, nor think clearly for ourselves.  And all these negative emotions control every aspect of our lives.  From our relationships to our careers, our happiness and our health.

But the big question is, how, after a lifetime of living from our heads and fear, do we change and live from our heart centers.  There is no easy, quick-fix.  It takes a lot of hard work and dedication as well as many hours of soul-searching.  But the most important thing is you must WANT TO!  And not 'want to' because you think it is the right thing to do, but really 'WANT TO', a feeling from deep down within you.

Most of us probably wouldn't even know when we are in our heart centers.   So we need to teach ourselves to 'think' through our hearts.  When a thought comes into our heads, we need to move it down to our heart and FEEL it.  If this thought feels right once it is in your heart, then that thought should resonate with love, if you are being true to your heart. If it does not, the thought is still being controlled by your head/mind.   You could also think back to a situation when you felt  that warm glow in the center of your chest.  When your mind wasn't thinking about anything, but your heart opened up to a feeling of joy, love, contentment.  Perhaps it was when you saw a loved one you hadn't seen for a long time; or someone did something for you when you were sick or sad that made you feel loved and cared for; or the joy you get when your pet showers you with a loving welcome when you return home from a days work; or the peace and contentment we get sitting in nature.  We all DO have these 'heart feelings' tucked away somewhere.  We just need to reach within and bring their energy, the feeling, back to the present and experience it.

I believe that if we can use our hearts to go back to a time when we felt this way, when we felt an unconditional love and then allowed that warm feeling in our hearts to grow and then learnt to keep it there for as long as we can, we are a step closer to living in our hearts.  All we then need to do is to 'go there' every day and soon we will be able to bring that feeling back in the blink of an eye.  The trick then would be to keep that feeling for as long as possible and at the same time go about our daily lives with that feeling of love held in our heart.  Even if we feel we do not have these feelings or find it difficult to bring them out, we can teach ourselves to feel unconditional love from deep within our hearts - it just takes will and practice.  Soon it would become such a natural thing to do that one would be able to stay in the heart and eventually live a life based on love and not on fear.

The Finance of Healing

 Artwork Copyright of Kim Dreyer 2008.  All rights reserved.

May not be used without written permission from the artist.

We are all caught up in the economic system that drives this planet.  Whether we believe it is the right way or not, we do not have much choice at the present time.  It is almost impossible to live without money of some sort.
But how do we not become a slave to money or worse a worshipper of money?! 
I believe that if you live from your heart center and are true to your soul, money will not be the motivating factor guiding you.  I have a serious problem with 'healers', irrespective of whether they practice in the traditional, modern or alternative fields of healing, who charge high fees, placing their services out of reach of the majority of people.  Good health should be available to everyone - not just those who can afford it.   I believe that if you are a true healer you will find a way to make your services available to as many people as is possible.  I am not saying healers should offer all their services for free nor drain all their energy trying to help every single person on this planet.  There needs to be a balance.
I am also very concerned about those giving courses, especially in the alternative healing fields.  So many claim to have received much of their knowledge from the divine or other higher sources - fairies, angels, etc.  Did they also tell them to go out and make a financial killing at the same time? - I think not.   These courses are often out of reach of the average person out there.  Sure, we all need to pay the bills, but we do not need a new gadget for the kitchen everytime a new one is advertised on TV or in a magazine.  We don't need half of the stuff we buy that sits on a counter collecting dust, or in a cupboard growing cobwebs.  What will give us more true, longlasting joy, peace and contentment  than a fancy designer handbag or pair of shoes, is the smile on the face of someone whom we've helped.
As women we are naturally nurturers, caregivers and healers.  We need to take back that power that we were given by the divine femine source - start caring for others.  Bring that essence into your heart and let it guide you in all you do.   For every living being on this planet is in need of healing and caring and it is our duty as caretakers to take care of, not only our fellow human beings, but all life on this planet.

You Can Make a Difference

Getting through the mundane tasks confronting us on a daily basis can be daunting.  Then trying to 'do your bit' - be a more loving, understanding person; recycling; eating nutritiously; being environmentally conscious; and ... and ... and...... puts so much pressure on us that we often feel we cannot cope.  Our lives are just too hectic.  The more hectic our lives are the more stressed we feel.  The more stressed we feel, the less we are able to cope.  And so a downward spiralling pattern starts taking over our lives.  So what is the answer?  How do we find a balance?  How do we cope and still feel good about life and ourselves?

I think that one of the ways to do this is to focus only on oneself.  And I don't mean becoming selfish and self-centred.  Though sometimes being a little selfish and a tiny bit self-centred can be a good thing.

What do I mean by - 'focus on oneself'? 

I think we have to stop trying to change the world, the people around us and simply change ourselves.  We need to think, speak and do what we feel is right and then hope that those with whom we come into contact with, will be influenced by our thoughts, our actions and our words.  We cannot change someone who doesn't want to be changed, but by 'walking the right walk', others may be inclined to follow our path, especially if we radiate feelings of love, happiness, joy and contentment.  But we cannot do this unless we love ourselves, are happy with our lives and are content.

 

We need to be fully committed to our higher selves.  If everyone worked on changing themselves - their own lives, then we wouldn't have to worry about each other.  We could get on with our souls purpose without unnecessarily stressing about things or people we cannot change.  We have to trust that each one of us will connect to that Divine source within ourselves and make the necessary changes.

I am not saying we shouldn't help others.  Constantly share your beliefs, thoughts and experiences.  Help others by graciously sharing your gifts and skills.  But if others do not choose to follow the same path as yourself, don't allow that to prevent you from following or put barriers in your own path of body, mind, spirit developement and wholeness.

Then comes the controversial subject of charging for one's 'gifts and skills'.  I know that way too many people are in the 'healing and helping'  fields purely for the money.  It may not have started out that way, but it often turns out that way.  How do we find a balance - earn a living, yet not keep much needed help and healing from others simply because they can't afford it.

This will be the topic of my next blog - where I will discuss my feelings on this in more detail.

But before logging off I'd like to share a poem I've written and the accompanying artwork I created to go along with it.

 Artwork by Kim Dreyer

Copyright by Kim Dreyer 2008 - all rights reserved. 

GROUND AND CENTER

from gaia's pulse of life we take

the essence of our being

and in our centre there it glows

enhancing our wellbeing

and as it flows from base to crown

a state of peace we enter

soaking up the love and light

it's time to ground and center.

poem copyright byKim Dreyer 2011 - 

all rights reserved.

A CONSCIOUS CONSUMER

Artwork by Kim Dreyer

It's been a long time since I've posted anything here, even though I have stopped going to markets, there still doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day to get done what I want to and need to.
Today I want to talk about consumerism and materialism.  I find it very hard at times to justify adding more products into the market out there - my artworks.  I believe that we consume way too much on this planet and HAVE to slow down...... but how else does an artist make a living other than to sell his/her art.  So I try to always have a deeper meaning to my art - something special I can share with everyone out there who buys my artworks.  That's why you will find most of my artworks linked to a story or a poem about conservation, healing and love.

Today, so many of us, especially those in the bigger cities fall into the vicious cycle of consuming at an alarming rate.  And it's not surprising.  We are bombarded in the print and digital media by advertising.  They constantly find new ways to persuade us to part with our hard earned money.  We are so used to it that we do not notice how totally invasive and over-the-top it has become.  Supermarkets use carefully planned techniques, tricks of the trade, in displaying and promoting products.  See Tricks Supermarkets Use to Sell Their Products   (Even though this article is written in the UK, these tricks are used world-wide.)  Print and digital media advertisers also use a number of tricks to catch our attention and encourage us to part with our money.

They use catch words that have nothing to do with the product; words like natural and healthy to describe processed foods and the worst thing is we let them get away with it.   I mean who is going to believe that a chocolate spread is a healthy breakfast to feed to your children in the morning?.....sadly way too many.   In South Africa at present there is no proper control regarding Organic products .  So retailers and producers can get away with calling a product organic, even though it might not really be.  In fact a leading organic retailer told one of their suppliers that even though not all the ingredients in their product were organic, they can still label it organic  because products do not get checked at present.  As consumers we need to educate ourselves, read and question before we blindly buy an item.  The consumer is powerful.  We can have more control over what we see in advertising and in retail outlets, but we do not use that power..... it's time we did.

So how can we make a difference?  Firstly, don't blindly believe all you see or hear in an advert.  When buying a bigger item, think about it for a couple of weeks first (or longer) - you might even decide you do not really need it.  Don't replace an item just because a new version is available.  Buy local wherever possible.  I have what I call a double-back policy.  If I decide to buy a new item, I have to donate at least two similar items to charity.  If you feel a company is using less than honest ways of advertising a product, write to the authorities, or at least boycott that product and tell your friends and family about it.

Remember producers and retailers DO NOT have your best interests at heart - all they are interested in are sales which translate back into profits - it's all about MONEY!........your money!  So take back your power and become a conscious consumer.  It's about supply and demand. YOU are the demand - so start demanding what is best for you and your family.

Further interesting reading:
Become a Conscious Consumer
Throw off the Chains of Consumerism
The Ethical Consumer