Anybody Resolutionizing?

Hey, are you resolutionizing these days?

You know, making New Year's resolutions - or thinking about making New Year's resolutions? I know, everyone does it, they make "resolutions" and set goals that THIS year they will: eat healthily, make more money, lose fat/gain muscle, spend more time with family and friends, quit drinking, quit smoking, go to the gym three times a week, iron their clothes, clean their closet, de-clutter their home, watch less TV, be the league MVP, read more, start meditation/yoga/tai chi, go to church, buy a new car, buy a new house, find their soul-mate, become a sex god...

The resolutions are adamantly set in stone on January 1st (usually with the help of multiple servings of a bubbly drink) and they are smashed to smitherines as only a faint guilty memory by January 10th (and often sooner). It's sad, because with a little bit of direction, those resolutions could become goals that lead to greater success and happiness within one year!

I recommend starting with a list just like the one above.
-What?!
With one small difference... the list is for your entire life, not just the next year.
-Uhh, ok. So what's the difference?

Here's the deal.

If you think you have too much to do in too little time, you'll feel disillusioned and say that everyone who tells you to go for your dreams is full of crap and cruel to make you feel so much pain because you can't see any way to get what you really want. No fun for sure. But there is a way.

Here's the simple plan or recipe:

#1. Start by writing down e-v-e-r-y s-i-n-g-l-e goal and desire that you have for the rest of your life, no matter how big or small it may seem (be warned, this could be a very long list, so give yourself a few hours or some time over a few days to get this done). And make sure that you have goals for every area of your life, especially Health, Wealth and Relationships. You could also include goals for your Life Purpose, Learning and Just For Fun. There will be some overlap between the categories, but the important point is to put your true desires down on paper in order to acknowledge them instead of pretending that you really don't want them that much. That way you can start finding ways to make them come true!

So go nuts! Write down everything you ever wanted, or wanted to do or be. There should be so much there that just reading that list and thinking about what kind of person you will be and how you will feel at the end of your days makes you smile and sigh in complete satisfaction. LET YOURSELF DREAM. NO LIMITS. WHATEVER YOU WANT. DON'T SHOW IT TO ANYONE.

#2. Now that it's all on paper. Go through your list. Mark down when you want that goal to be achieved. Is it something that you NEED to do this year, or in 2 years? Put a "1" or a "2" beside them. Are these goals to achieve in 3, 5, 10, 20 years or more? Set those numbers beside the goal. Set a time frame for when you think you will have these done. And if you don't have goals for every few years, find some. Or put down "improve _____ by 5%" or any number for things that you will be working on.

#3. Next, look at your 1 year goals. Are they really things you feel you absolutely MUST achieve this year? Be brutally honest with yourself. How will you feel in January 2009 if you don't achieve them? How will you feel if you do? Do you have too many goals for the year? Too few? there should be no more than 3-7 big goals (one for each area of your life) to work on all year and maybe a dozen or so small ones that you can do in a month or less. Shuffle things around until you know it's a good list and you can make it happen... at least most of it (it's good to challenge ourselves).

#4. Now that you have your list for the year, figure out what the FIRST step would be for each goal. What's the first thing you would need, or need to do, to start moving? Write it down.

#5. Over the next few days, DO that first thing. Then, when it's done, figure out what the next step would be, and ... what's the answer here? ... come on, you know it...

DO the next step. And so on. All year long.

You will have to fine-tune your approach and your steps along the way, but that's the essence of goal setting an achievement. That's the basic recipe. Follow it and you will succeed.

And if this all sounds like WAYYYYYY too much work, remember:

This is YOUR life we are talking about here. Don't you want to make it the BEST that you can?

No one is going to do it for you. They have their own life to worry about. It's up to you. Say it, "If it's going to be, it's up to me". Believe it. And you can make it grand.

Giddy up!

CHB

P.S. That's me in the pic taking a short break from cross-country skiing. It's fantastic for cardio and conditioning because you use pretty much all the muscles in your body at the same time!

Copyright © Charles Begin

If you would like to reprint these articles or pictures in part or in whole, please include my name (Charles Begin) and website (www.CharlesBegin.com) so that others know where they came from and the copyright is respected. Other than that, feel free to share... and thank you for reading!

What's It About?

So what IS Christmas all about? Sure, there's the gifts, and the tree, and the feasting, drinking and having a great time with family and friends... and many will say it's about celebrating the birth of Jesus ... but really, what has Christmas become?

What do people do at this time of year?

What do you do?

Do you eat and drink yourself into a stupor and hope to recover in time to go back to work or school?

Do you get stressed out because you want everything to be perfect and everyone to get along?

Do you eagerly await gift-opening time?

Did you answer yes to some or All of the above? Most people living in a relatively wealthy part of the world would. Although the Holiday season is also one of the most difficult and depressing times of the year for many. They may remember others who have passed on, or dread being around certain family members, or feel horrible because they have no one "special" to share these experiences with. Or, they may have no home to celebrate in, no food and drink to celebrate with and seemingly nothing to celebrate. And hearing others live well and celebrate when you are suffering deeply is very difficult.

So what? What can I do about it, right? I'd rather not think about that because it makes me feel bad and I can't do anything about it anyway. Right?

Or maybe you're saying to yourself, "I know I should do something to help, but I don't know what and thinking about it just makes me feel bad so I don't".

Sound... or feel familiar?

Thought so. We all want to feel great and be happy. We don't want to feel bad. We tend to feel bad when we become aware of others suffering and even worse when we feel we can't do anything to help them. So what do we do? We block it. We push away those thoughts. We hide them. We change the channel.

Don't worry. I won't tell you to donate money, clothing, food, or volunteer somewhere. If you feel inspired, go ahead and do those things. If not, don't worry about it. I also won't tell you to stop drinking, feasting, buying gifts and celebrating outrageously. Celebrating and feeling deep gratitude is essential for living an extraordinary life.

The extra secret element to this equation is CONTRIBUTION.

Find a way to contribute to society in some way. It will make you feel better and hopefully improve the world... even just a little bit.

Here's a simple example:

Smile.

Smile to everyone you meet. Smile to yourself in the mirror (I do that all the time and usually end up laughing at myself!). Smile and mean it. Think about just one thing you are grateful for today and smile. Or do something silly. Feel the smile in your face. It will brighten up your entire physiology and that of everyone you meet (if they are open to it). Just smile on everyone and everything without cause, just like the Sun shines its light everywhere.

Brighten up someone's day and feel grateful that you could shine a little more light in the world. And if you get the idea to do more, go right ahead!

Christmas may have started as a pagan festival that was then taken over by the Christian Church and implanted with Scandinavian and Dutch folklore coming from ancient stories of a Saint from Turkey...which has continued to transform into it's present day over-spending and over-indulging emotional roller-coaster fest... but that doesn't mean that we can't continue to transform it into something really special. Hehe. Personally, I think any type of celebration is a great time for expressing gratitude and finding ways to contribute to the healthy evolution of this planet.

Let's make this world a better place, one tiny action at a time.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

If you would like to reprint these articles or pictures in part or in whole, please include my name (Charles Begin) and website (www.CharlesBegin.com) so that others know where they came from and the copyright is respected. Other than that, feel free to share... and thank you for reading!

Relax and Get Everything Done!

With all the Christmas preperations around this time of year, it is easy to feel overloaded and stressed out because of everything you believe you have to do. When something like this happens - when people feel they have too much to do in too little time - they usually turn to multi-tasking in an attempt to get more done in a given period of time. The problem, of course, is that we each only have a fixed amount of conscious awareness, a certain number of attention units if you will, with which to accomplish our work. That means that as soon as we resort to splitting our attention between two tasks, each task can only receive a part of our full attention. And as you try to do more and more things in a given unit of time, you can place less and less attention to each task until you are so distracted by all the different things to do that you start making mistakes and forgetting important details.

Here's an example.

Let's say you still have a few gifts to get for Christmas. You also have to finish decorating, baking cookies in the shape of elves, wash the floors, do the laundry, workout and write a 5 page report for a course. And it all has to be done THIS weekend. How do you go about it?

Well, some will think of everything they have to do and get stressed out and try to do everything at the same time by looking over their notes for the report as they are driving to the mall to find gifts and those elf-shaped cookie shapes. They'll be thinking about the dirty floor as they walk by the baking section in kitchen wares and ask a cashier for a brand name of jeans. Then they see an exercise bike and remember that they still need to fit in a workout today. That makes them rush and pick a few more gifts before heading home and arriving frazzled because they nearly rear-ended a minivan while they were glancing at their report again. That makes them so stressed and adrenalized that they can't calm down and try to rush to write their report and get it over with. The problem is that they are sitting in front of the computer and thinking about washing the floors and then they remember that the laundry has to be done so they get up and put in a load to wash. Yesterday's load is dry and they start folding and putting those away. Then they remember the report and go back for few more minutes. Then they look at the time and notice that friends will be over soon and the floors still aren't clean. They rush to get the mop and bucket and stub their toe on the edge of a table. Ouch! Dammit! Now they're in pain and the floors need to be cleaned and the report needs to be done and ... and ... oh no! They forgot to get the elf-shaped cookie cutters! They need to go back to the store! And... but there's no time! And they need to get dressed and ready! Hurry! Clean the floor!

They grab the mop and soapy water and splash it all over to quickly wash the floor. There's too much water on the floor! Press the mop first! They try to corrall the water back into the bucket. The doorbell rings. What!! Are they here already?! They're early! And I didn't finish decorating! And I'm still not dressed yet!...

I could go on but I think you get the picture.

Trying to do everything all at once is a recipe for disaster. When we try to focus on too many things at once we forget much and under-achieve on whatever we DO accomplish.

The only way to truly achieve excellence in something is to give 100% of yourself and your focus to that one thing while you are doing it. That being said, here is the better way to multi-task:

1.Make a list
2.Prioritize
3.Focus 100% on the present task

When you make a list of what you need to do, you won't forget. And you won't have to spend half your day trying to remember all the things you thought about that morning that you wanted to do.

When you prioritize the items on your list you will then accomplish the most pressing, important things first and will not have to rush because you were working on something that can wait and suddenly you are "late" for something else. Do what needs to be done first, first.

When you focus 100% on the present task, you are in the moment and mistakes will be far fewer than when you are doing one thing and thinking about something else you have to do. Be in the moment. Be present. If you are doing the laundry, just do the laundry. Do it well. Finish it. Then bring your attention to the next task. If it's driving, just drive. Get to your destination safely. Then check your list and do the next task. Do that for everything and everything will be done much better.

That's how you get things done. And if your multi-tasking is more compressed, like if you have to jump back and forth between different tasks, have 100% of your attention on whatever it is that you are doing. Reading emails? Just read emails. Then go to the kitchen to check on the roast. Just check on the roast. The go to the laundry. Just do the laundry. Then back to emails. Then on to decorating. Just decorating... be aware of where each finger and toe is. No decorating while thinking about the roast!

I think you get the idea...

You can flip back and forth between tasks... just be 100% present in whatever you are doing RIGHT NOW at all times and everything will be fine.

And remember to breathe as deeply as possible to relax at all times and to drink plenty of water.

Do this and you just might have the most relaxing holiday season of your entire life!

Well, at least so far...

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

If you would like to reprint these articles or pictures in part or in whole, please include my name (Charles Begin) and website (www.CharlesBegin.com) so that others know where they came from and the copyright is respected. Other than that, feel free to share... and thank you!

Do You Want To Be Free?

What if everything you believed was false?

Would you be able to let it all go?

Could you release your attachment to everything you believed to be true?

Tough question, isn't it? Well, I can tell you right now, there are many things that you believe right now that are not true. They are often called SELF-LIMITING BELIEFS. They are things which we somehow came to believe because of circumstances in our life and now we accept them as true.

There are all kinds of ways to learn to let go of our attachment to the things that hold us back. There's the Sedona Method, Ho'oponopono (from Zero Limits), EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique, hypnosis, NLP, NAC, and I could go on...

The point is that once we become aware that some things inside of us are keeping us from achieving our full awakening and being the greatest we can be, it is time to do something about it. Once the veil of ignorance has been pierced, it is your responsibility to take your personal growth into your own hands and free yourself from the chains that bind you.

We all want to be FREE.

Learn to clean all the crap that clogs your life.

Release the emotions that prevent your energy to FLOW freely.

Let go of whatever you are holding on to, to make space for that which you truly love.

And if you are still holding on to cherished beliefs and specific forms that you believe you need to thrive or even survive, I have only this to say:

HEY! Would you rather be right, or be FREE?
Stop arguing, quit complaining and FIND A WAY! Choose your direction and jump! Take the plunge! You'll never know until you try, and the only way to correct your course is to start moving in the first place. You will never know it "all" so don't wait to get all the answers before you act. Go for it!

And that's all I have to say today.
(Cool, that rhymes!)

CHB

P.S. Yes, that's me in the picture above...diving several meters off a rock face and into beautiful clear water in Sweden.

Copyright © Charles Begin

Christmas is a Comin'!

So Christmas is only a few weeks away now (yes, only a few weeks), and if you haven't decided on gifts for some of the people on your list yet, here's a tip for those you have no idea what to get:

Set an intention that you will find the best gift for that person, at the best price, easily and effortlessly and well in advance.

That way, you unconsciously walk around all day with your "radar" on and within a few days (it could even be minutes) you will probably see, hear about or get an idea for the perfect gift for that person. When that happens, when the inspiration of intuition hits you and you "know" in a flash that that's what you need to get them, act.

As Dr. Joe Vitale says in The Secret:

"Don't delay. When the inspiration is there, when the intuitive 'nudge' from within is there, act. And that's all you have to do."

So that's it.

This season, take your shopping and holiday preparations and turn them into an opportunity to exercise your conscious intentions and that intuitive muscle that always has the right answer.

1.Set the intention (decide what you want).
2.Be aware.
3.When the answer comes, ACT on it. Right away.

The more you practice this, the smoother you will find your life. That's what being in flow is all about.

CHB
Copyright © Charles Begin

How to Win a Grey Cup?

It's been a big day for football:
Over a dozen games for the NFL and the Grey Cup for the CFL.

I'm not a crazy sports fan but I love to see great athletes and teams put on exhilirating and inspiring performances (don't we all?) .

Thinking about the Canadian championship between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, there were a few questions that kept playing in my mind all day: what makes teams win? What makes a good team lose? What goes on in their bodies and in their minds to determine how they play as individuals and how they play as a team? And how can you condition the players and team over a season so that they become unstoppable? What makes a team lose in game seven of the Stanley Cup like the Edmonton Oilers did last year? And what allowed the Edmonton Eskimos and Oilers of the '80's to win all of those cups year after year? What changed? That was just my train of thought...

Now, the answers to these questions can be simple or extremely complex.

First, what makes teams win? A desire to win, a belief that they can and deserve to win, and a vision of victory that takes them through all the hard times. The greatest leaders and coaches will create an environment where these elements grow.

Of these, the greatest element is the VISON of victory. It all starts with a vision, and the vision is what gives the person or team the energy to go on when things are difficult. It's what pushes us to learn what we need to learn, to practice what we need to practice, and to do what we need to do.

Why?

Because with a powerful vision, the pain of NOT achieving victory is much greater than any pain you will feel on the journey. All the training, all the discipline, all the sacrifice is nothing compared to the agony of NOT achieving your vision. And the pure bliss of victory is oh sooooo sweet!

The vision of victory is what drives us on. It's also what aligns the Universe to your cause. Remember, what you focus on grows. You reap what you sow. Imagination is the most powerful nation in the World.

However, that doesn't mean sit on your ass, visualize and expect to wake up with all your dream realized!

If the Saskatchewan Roughriders didn't train hard all year, show up and play hard all season, and keep going and going no matter how things were, they wouldn't have won the Grey Cup today!

As one of the winning players said it:

"Tough times don't last. Tough people do."

Get the VISION you want for your life. Make it clear, vivid and powerful. So powerful that it pulls you magnetically to DO everything you need to do in order to achieve it. And no matter what, KEEP GOING.

Do this, and sooner or later, you WILL succeed. And the Love and Joy you will feel will be more than worth all the pain and suffering you may have to endure along the way.

Here's what another teary-eyed player said after their win:

"We faught so hard. It was a hard game. This is a dream come true."

Go for it. And... keep... going.

Now, if only we could condition our beloved athletes and sports teams to BELIEVE in their dreams a little bit more. How far could they really go?

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

How To Change The World

Many of us want to change the people and the world around us.

We see all the things that we think others should change about themselves. We notice everything about the government that we know should be different. We look at celebrities, teachers and leaders and make comments about what they should or shouldn't have done. We notice everything wrong with the environment and with war and with the economy.

Does any of that help?

I'm sure you all know the answer.

No. Complaining and wanting the world around you to change so that you can stay the same will only bring about more frustration and pain because your reality will not change until YOU change.

Those who change the world do so by changing themselves and how THEY interact. They don't sit there and complain. They don't even write letters or books to complain about the state of the world (although that's an action more than just talking about it). No. Those who change the world start by changing themselves. They ACT. They DO something instead of complaining about it not being right.

And believe it or not, they actually become what they idealize.

Remember, what you focus on grows. Energy follows attention. The more you think about an ideal, the more you are pulled to embodying that ideal.

All the greatest leaders (think of your favorites) have been people who embodied the teachings they were promoting. In other words, they walked their talk. They got things done. They LIVED their dream. That's why people followed them.

If you are the type of person who goes about with the "do what I say, not what I do" attitude, you will not inspire others. After all, if you can't even believe enough in something to live it... why should they?

For those who wish to make a difference, to change the world, even if only in the eyes of one other person... you must BE the example for others. We learn by imitation as much as anything else, so we all need examples to follow and practice until we find our own way. Don't just talk about change. We all talk, and most of us do only that. The ones that make a difference do more than talk. They ACT. They become the greatest that they can be. They ARE the greatest that they can imagine themselves to be... and that inspires others to do the same. You can never change another against their will. The only way to change others is to change yourself.

This doesn't mean that you need to be perfect and never make a mistake, no way! We all make mistakes otherwise we would never learn. And that's the key point: make all the mistakes you need to make, to learn what you need to learn. And for this to work you must LEARN from your mistakes!

Not one of us is 'better' than anyone else. We are all the same, all ONE at our source. We are all everything that we see and experience in our reality. Everyone we meet or hear about is a reflection of something inside of us...

Believe it or not, we can all be great leaders. We can't all be the leader of everything, but we can all be great leaders in something... each in our own area of burning passion and desire. We can all be great leaders in that which we love most. It's up to us to decide what we are willing to do, to BE, to achieve it.

Have the courage to transcend mere talking. Instead, BE.

As Gandhi (pictured above) said it:

Be the change you wish to see in this world.

Make the commitment. Change yourself. BE the change you desire. After all, why would you have the desire if you wouldn't be able to achieve it?

If the desire is there, it is possible for you.
You just have to find a way.
And keep trying until you get it. Even if it takes thousands of tries, or more.
Show them how it's done.

Wishing you the deepest peace,

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

I Remember

Whether you agree with the war(s) or not is irrelevant. Rememberance Day (Veterans Day in the States) is for remembering the sacrifice of everyone involved in the World Wars, and everyone since then who fights for peace and freedom.

Although I am not a soldier, I grew up surrounded with examples of heroes giving their lives for the powerful causes they believed in. It is something that resonates with me and was instrumental in helping me transcend my fear of death. Still, I can only imagine what it must have been like in those wars...

Thank you to all who gave their lives, and all who work for freedom.

Let's remember that many died so that we may live. That those who fought sacrificed everything in some cases, so that we may have a better world. Well, lets do them proud. Let's make this world a better place, so that they will not have died in vain.

I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

Flowers and Pixies and Stars, Oh My!

I just spent probably the better part of an hour writing a rant against people promoting "airy-fairy" type of new-age spiritual beliefs and practices. I was going to post it here. I just deleted the whole thing.

Then I wrote a short note about why I deleted the first text and how I forgave everyone who does the "airy-fairy" thing. I deleted that too. It sounded too airy-fairy.

So now I'm just going to say this:

We are all here for a reason. We all have our roles to play in this world. Go with whatever works for you. If at some point it no longer works, go deeper, or find something else.

Nuff said.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

What's Holding You Back?

A few days ago I attended an event with my friend David (that's him, in blue, with one of the teachers, John Assaraf). It was "Quantum Quest - an evening with teachers from The Secret". A few weeks before that, there was meeting Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. These types of events can be very powerful if you are in a state where you can allow yourself to open up and expand. That's the whole point. To learn from the best in order to grow yourself. To have those who have done it give you a boost.

So did I get my boost? You bet. I even told my buddy after Jack Canfield's talk that there would be "no more foolin' around" and again reinforced that statement after Quantum Quest.

The truth is that no matter how much we think we can do something on our own, we all need to surround ourselves with positive people and influences as much as possible. We can all benefit from meeting others who can help us expand our awareness of what we believe we can achieve. Either by reading their books, watching their dvd's, listening to their cd's, taking their courses, meeting them at seminars and events, ect. Even choosing more positive, encouraging and mind-expanding people to hang out with has a HUGE influence on the type of thinking that you will get into the habit of doing and the type of person you are.

On the flip side, and I don't want to sound like a jerk saying this but, to be the best that you can be, you must eliminate or at least greatly reduce the amount of contact you have with anyone who holds you back, pulls you down, discourages you and is otherwise negative, whiny or complaining. If it's someone in your familly or at work (and the rest of the people at work are great) then just see or talk to them only if you absolutely have to. If you don't have to see them, don't.

Don't be an ass about it either! You can still be cordial and polite with them, silently wishing them all the best in their journey. It just won't be with you, at least not as things are now.

Anyway, surround yourself with books and dvd's and people and things that help you to believe in your dreams and help you to achieve them. That was the message of all the speakers of these events:

We can all achieve anything we can imagine... when we remove our own self-imposed limitations.

Each had their own way of removing the obstacles in our path, the things that are stopping us from being who we most desire to be. It could be our actions, our thoughts, our beliefs, our subconscious programming, our hierarchy of values, our fear... The energy is always there, most of us just have our foot on the brakes.

What's holding you back?

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

The Real Fountain of Life - Part 2

*To read part 1 of this series, see below.

As I said last week, to change your life, you must change your vibrational frequency/consciousness so that your state of being now matches the reality that you desire. Meaning that to be rich you must find a way to feel rich right now. Or to have a strong and healthy body you must find a way to feel strong and healthy right now. When you feel it, you are in that state. And as you spend more time in that state, your reality shifts to match.

I also mentionned that there are two general points from which to start:

From an exterior-based practice that moves deeper. Or starting deep inside and allowing the inner transformation to permeate every part of your "external" reality. The fastest way to change would be to do both internal and external "work" on yourself, and that's what many do, but for our purposes here I'm going to stick to the two categories.

Last week I spoke about physical exercice being the real Fountain of Life as far as "external" practices are concerned. This week, it's meditation.

When you hear the word "meditation", what comes to mind?

The Dalai Lama? Buddhism? Monks chanting sacred mantras? An old man with a long white beard sitting alone on a mountaintop?

I know many people do. I do too, although these things form only a small part of everything that can now be included in the term. The truth is that the foundation of all forms of meditation (and there are as many as there are types of dances, music, or belief systems), is a quieting of thoughts. It is finding the stillness and silence that is our true being. The only difference is in the technique used to silence the mind. Some focus on the breath, a mantra, a visualisation, or an activity of some sort (like tai chi, yoga or walking), but the end result sought is the same. Inner peace and clarity.

And as the mind rests, allowing worries and stress to dissipate, the body relaxes. Which makes meditation one of the greatest practices for healing and rejuvenating one's health. And the REAL Fountain of Life as "internal" practices go.

Integrate some form of physical exercise and some form of meditation into your daily or weekly routine now and as the years go by people will marvel that you seem to age very little or not at all. You will smile or laugh, remembering how this journey all began... being grateful that you went with it and never really stopped. And now that people notice, it is your turn to guide those who ask.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

The Real Fountain of Life - Part 1

Last year, a very powerful (and some say, confusing) movie came out. It's called "The Fountain". The film is directed by Darren Aronofsky and the main characters are played by Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. What is it about? It's about a man searching for the Fountain/Tree of Life to save his love, and this happens during three different time periods (and, one could say, levels of consciousness) that eventually merge in infinity.

The reason I bring it up is that the search for a cure to aging, disease and death - the Fountain of Eternal Life - seems to be eternally elusive.

And yet... we do have everything we ever needed to remain young and vibrant, even to reverse aging, for the entire span of our existence... right in front of us. It is a common phenomenon, to not see what is right in front of our noses, that some have appropriately named "the elusive obvious".

Allow me to explain it for you as best as I can.

The Universe, the whole of reality, is energy moving back and forth from a formless state to varying degrees of form. These forms are characterized by varying degrees of vibrational frequency/consciousness. This means that to transform one thing into something else, the vibrational frequency/consciousness of that form must change.

Kind of like changing the temperature of water.

If you remove heat and the temperature drops below zero celcius, the water molecules slow down (slower vibrational frequency) and the water freezes into ice, a different physical form of water. If you add heat to the ice, that means that the water molecules start to move faster and faster, until the ice melts into water and eventually into steam at 100 celcius, when the water molecules move so quickly that they expand . That's another physical form that water can take.

The good news is that we, and everything else in the universe, work the same way.

Our life and our bodies are pure energy that has taken specific physical forms. To change our bodies, we must change our vibrational frequency/consciousness.

There are two general approaches here:

1. Starting from inside and working your way out.
2. Starting from outside and working your way in.

An example of inside-out vibrational transformation would be meditation.
An example of outside-in vibrational transformation would be physical exercise.

Today I read about a new study done by the Buck Institute for Age Research titled: Resistance Exercise Reverses Aging in Human Skeletal Muscle. It explains how resistance exercises - that build muscle - reverse aging in muscle cells. Yes, reverses. That means that with resistance exercise, your body and YOU... become younger. And the study was conducted over a six month period with subjects 65 and older, proving that we can become physically younger at any age.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the less muscle you have, the more fat your body will gain over time, even if you eat less.

The reason why this happens is that muscle is a metabolic tissue, it's active, it's alive, it burns calories. The less muscle you have, the less you are able to burn calories, and the more fat you put on over time. It's fine to be thin (if it's healthy), but if you're thin and you have no muscle on your body, you will put on fat... and you will not feel very alive. In fact, you'll look and feel old.

To reverse aging and look and feel young for the rest of your life, train your body to build muscle. And if you train your muscles intensely enough, your heart and lungs will get strong too.

Starting from the outside-in, physical exercise is the REAL Fountain of Life!

So find some kind of resistance exercise you enjoy (yoga, pilates, running, weight training, sports, martial arts, ect.) and start now. In six months time, with more muscle and less fat on your body, you'll look and feel younger and more alive than you have in years.

*Next week, I'll address the topic of more inside-out training for the Fountain of Life.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

Ponder This Paradox

Here's a paradox for you to ponder:

How can you love and desire something with all your heart and soul, and also be able to let it go completely and not worry about it?

...

Why would this be important? Because it is the secret to manifesting all of your dreams.

Allow me to explain.

*
There is an old story about a young man who is searching for wisdom. This young man goes off and one day finds a great and wise master. He asks the master to be taught the ways of wisdom. The master, watching, motions to the young man to follow. They walk down to the waters' edge and kneel. The master turns and asks, "do you really want wisdom?", to which the young man replies, "yes". Suddenly, the master grabs the youth's head and pushes it under water. At first he is alarmed and tries to escape the master's hold, but then realises that this might be a lesson. So the young man, with breath held, waits underwater, trying to grasp the lesson.

But the master was not letting go and the youth's breath was running out. In desperation, the young man starts pushing back a little bit, and then more an more violently in an effort to avoid drowning. Still the master holds his head under the water.

When the youth was spent from struggling and just about to black-out, the wise master released the hold and allowed air to once again fill his lungs.

As the wet youth finally got enough breath back to speak, the master asked him, "when you were struggling, towards the end, what was it that you wanted most, more than anything else in the world?", to which the young man answered, "to breathe!". The master then stared intensly in the exhausted youth's eyes, and replied, "only when your desire for wisdom matches your desire for a breath of air a moment ago... only then you will find it".
*

What is the lesson here?

Only when you truly desire something, as much as a drowning person desires a breath of air, will you be ready to do all that is required to reach your goal. If you don't want it that bad, you won't go far enough to succeed, past the point where you cease to struggle...finally letting go and "just do it" as Nike says. It's the "massive action" that Anthony Robbins refers to, or the proverbial "swift kick in the pants" we all seem to need at times to get ourselves to move.

In other words, how bad do you want it?

And there is another famous story:

*
A seeker of wisdom goes to see a Zen Master one day. The seeker asks for wisdom, for true eyes on the world, for enlightenment/nirvana. So, the master invites this person to sit with him and have a cup of tea.

The master prepares the tea with full awareness on every movement, gesture and proper placement of the table. He then begins to serve the tea, pouring it into the other's cup as the seeker once again asks many questions about wisdom and finding nirvana. As the seeker speaks, the cup slowly fills and suddenly overflows. Alarmed, the seeker tells the master to stop pouring because the cup has overflowed.

Calmly, the Zen Master explains, "your mind is like this cup. It is filled with thoughts. To add more thoughts is to overfill your cup. If you seek true wisdom, you must first empty your cup so that it may then be filled with wisdom. "
*

What this story points to, is the essence of meditation. To empty or quiet the mind of thoughts, so that true wisdom, from the depths of your being, may rise to the surface and fill your mind. It's where inspiration comes from. It's where true knowing comes from.

What does this have to do with achieving your desire?

It has to do with the second part of the paradox stated above: how do you let go of that which you most desire?

This is how: release all attachment to your thoughts.

What!

I know it may sound strange, but the truth is that we are so attached to our thoughts and ideas that we believe that we are nothing without them. We believe that thinking brings us our ideas. Actually, not thinking is where ideas come from.

Huh?

Haven't you noticed that you get your best ideas when you are not trying to think about something? It happens when you "sleep on it", when you are relaxed, when you are playing, when you take a shower or go for a walk or when you do something different to "clear your head" and let go of trying to find a solution. Those can all be forms of meditation, if we generally define meditation as "emptying the mind of thoughts", or "a state of inner silence or stillness".

The reason why letting go of your attachment to thoughts and ideas is so important for your life, is that when we truly desire something, bad enough to do whatever it takes, we must also remain open to the opportunities and possibilities that there may be better ways to achieve our desire than following the ideas we originally had.

In other words, let go of wanting it in a specific way so that you may be open to your true desire manifesting in the best possible way.

And the best possible way may not be one you have thought of, hence the wisdom in not attaching ourselves to thoughts.

So this is the secret.

Want it badly enough to do whatever it takes, and at the same time, be completely open to new opportunities as you move forward. Just keep moving forward.

It is both a paradox - a deep truth that seems contradictory on the surface - and an act of balance - like the eternal symbol represented by the Yin and Yang. Integrate it into your being and watch yourself begin to soar.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

True Strength

This past weekend I was visiting a very good friend of mine, and since we both have an interest in strength and bodybuilding, I brought along a few DVD's from my strength collection to watch: some of Ronnie Coleman's training (he is gigantic!), some footage of Mike "the Machine" Bruce doing his thing (incredible!), and some of Dennis Rogers' DVD's (unbelievable!). You know, visuals to get us really pumped up to train.

Anyhow, as we were going from dvd to dvd, I noticed that these guys were all really different physically (Ronnie is 300 lbs, Mike is 200 lbs, and Dennis is 170 - up from 150 in his younger days) but they all had one thing in common: they were all superhumanly strong.

That got me thinking.

When we can see three people with outward appearances that range all across the board, and they all display seemingly super-human strength and power, that should tell you that true power comes from somewhere other than what is immediately perceivable.

I'm sure everyone has had the experience at some time or another of seeing someone who looked strong, but really wasn't, and also of meeting someone who did not particularly stand out physically, but was as strong as a bull. And what about the stories of tiny, 90 lb women lifting the ends of cars to rescue a trapped child? Where does that power come from?

True strength comes from the inside. That means going beneath the skin and muscles (which are also necessary) and delving deeper... to the bones, tendons, ligaments, the nervous system, hormones, internal organs, and the infinite... MIND. And bigger is not necessarily stronger. It can be. But you can find some pretty small people who are ferociously strong. And some pretty big ones who are as weak as a wet rag. And when it comes to matters of the mind, size is pretty much irrelevant.

True strength comes from inside.

And by "strength" here I am not only talking about physical strength. I am referring to all types of strength: power, courage, willpower, faith, focus, toughness, confidence, vision, wealth, clarity, health, love...

Yes, it is possible and often desirable to develop the outer appearance of strength and power for it can lead to better health and attractiveness in all areas (through developing good habits) and it can also open the door to greater, deeper development. Yet so few have the courage to dive deep enough inside to find their own true strength, that extraordinary power to move mountains.

Take some time right now for these questions:

How can I develop greater strength inside of me, in my body and in my mind?
How can I develop strength with roots that go deep inside of me?
How can I awaken the deep inner strength that is already there, waiting, sleeping?

And how can I look and feel great at the same time? (hey, we ALL want to look and feel great!)

Have fun and bring forth the tremendous power that lies within.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

What's On Your List?

I just saw a short, 7 minute video about John Goddard- "The World's Greatest Goal Achiever", that got me thinking about my own list of goals... and had me dreaming up new ones.

Check it out (it's midway down the page) at:

http://johngoddard.info

Then, pull out a pad of paper and start jotting down every crazy, stupid and "impossible" dream you ever had, from the most gigantic desire to the tiniest want. In ten years' time, you just might surprise yourself - and everyone else - by how many of those goals you actually achieve.

Like John said: "a goal is a commitment", not something you forget about. Plan, prepare, save money, get training...do whatever you have to do to make it happen. Just keep moving forward and soon enough you will be putting a nice star or checkmark next to those life goals.

And remember, if you can imagine it... there is a way for you to achieve it.

You just have to find the way.

Go for it.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

Curing Restlessness

I've been feeling a little bit restless lately.

All summer long I've been kept very busy with constant weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and the like, and about two weeks ago all of that suddenly stopped. Not that I have nothing to do, far from it, it's just that the pace of everything changed dramatically and changing gears hasn't gone as smoothly as I had hoped. Last week I cleaned pretty much my entire appartment, and my car, and then met with my cousin to watch movies over the long weekend... actually, that was only on one day!

And the worse was that the entire time I was feeling very restless... like there's something that needs to be done and I'm not doing it right now.

I'd go over my list of things I wrote down that I wanted to do, and seeing everyting on there, I didn't know where to start. I'll tell ya, going back and forth and not getting anything done for two hours is not very productive!

I did finally start cleaning though. And today, I woke up and again felt restless because there was so much I wanted to get done and didn't know where to start. So here's what I did.

First, I took the time to breathe. I started by breathing very quickly through my nose for about 30 seconds, to raise my energy and wake me up (I do that every morning) and then I inhaled deeply and blew all the air out of my lungs. I took another three or four deep inhales and exhales until I felt myself filled with oxygen. Then I just felt my body and concentrated on breathing deeply and letting go of as much tension and stress as I could. I relaxed my body and mind as much as possible.

Aaaahhh, yes. Much better.

And from that state of relaxation, from that calm and clear mind, inspiration comes. This morning, it told me to go for a walk. That may sound like a waste of time when there is so much to do, but trying to get things done when you are out of sorts-flustered-restless is a perfect recipe for screwing things up. Or hurting yourself. Or getting into debt.

So I went for a walk.

I went to a second-hand bookstore, looking for some books I wanted to buy for a while (so I guess it was kind-of on my list). I didn't find them. Once again, that feeling of restlessness surfaced, along with thoughts about being in a hurry and to stop wasting my time. I was even about to buy one of the books I had picked up. I wasn't really going to read it, it would have been just an impulse buy because I had the cash in my wallet and I could have told myself that my walk wasn't a waste of time because I brought back a book. I caught myself, and started to breathe deeply once again. I asked myself, "do I really need this book right now, or can it wait?". Something inside of me told to just take another deep, relaxing breath. I did. Then I knew that I didn't need the book just now.

The voice of impatience started talking again. If you're not going to buy anything, then let's go. This is a waste of time. That's what it said. So I took another deep breath and relaxed into my body even more.

Everything is fine, I am here for a reason. Even if it is only to learn to be more present and relaxed, and comfortable just taking everything in... without needing to take anything home.

However, as I continued to browse and breathe, feeling better and better, I found a rare two volume set of hardcover health and fitness books from the 1920's. Called MacFadden's Encyclopedia of Physical Culture, and originally written by physical culture pioneer Bernarr MacFadden in 1911, these beautiful hardcover editions are something that I would never have ever imagined finding in that store. I love collecting these types of old and rare mind and body power gems, so this was a fantastic find.

You see, you never know what you will find, or what experiences you will have, so always follow you gut (intuition). And that is my only advice for you on this topic. Actually, it could be my only advice on any topic. You are feeling restless for a reason. Listen to your intuition and you will find yourself exactly where you need to be. And to listen to that inner prompting, you must learn to relax, to release or dissolve all tension in your body and mind, so that the inspiration can flow freely into your awareness.

That's it. Practice that for the rest of your life and you will be happy.

That's my plan.

I know some of you might want a few more "practical" suggestions to help you be on your way when you feel restlessness, so here's the first "trick" you can use (I do):

Make a list. That helps because you don't have to try to remember everything now. Just look at your list.

You might then reply, "yeah, but you said that you were looking at your list and not knowing where to start, so how does that help?". Very true. So here is the second tip:

Prioritize. What do you want to get done right now, and what can wait? What will make you feel better once it's done? All of it you say? C'mon now, be honest with yourself.

OK. So now you have a list and you've prioritized what's on there. Now what? Here's technique number three:

Do it. I know may sound too simple, but if you just go with your number 1 on the list and start doing it, it will get done. Duh!

There is however, another very important step here, and it is this:

Think of nothing but what you are doing until it is done. That's what what making me feel restless even when I was doing something. I kept letting my mind think about all the other things on the list and then I'd jump from doing one thing for a bit, then another, then another, then back to the first... and meanwhile not getting anything done. Once you've picked your task or activity, do it until it's done. Then, cross it off your list (or put a checkmark beside it) and go on to the next task.

Yes, there are ways to "multi-task" and get more than one thing done at a time, like the laundry and working out, but that's only when one thing can be set to run on automatic. Anything that needs you to be there, needs you to be there fully. Yes, once we know a route like the back of our hands we can drive and listen to a self-help CD or MP3, or talk with someone, but only because the unconscious part of our mind puts our driving on auto-pilot. We still need to be aware enough to handle anything unexpected that comes up. And when that happens, all of your attention returns to the driving, or you could die. That's an extreme example, but the point here is that whatever you are doing, do it with your full attention, always. Be fully awake and aware at all times (yes, it's even possible to be fully awake and aware while your body is sleeping at night...but that's for another time...hehe).

There you have it, how to cure resltessness. And the answer is:

Relax completely and follow your intuition.

Try that and see what happens.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

Zero Limits

I was in Montreal last weekend and loved the opportunity to get away from the computer completely for five days. I love the computer, and I love the internet, both for the opportunities they bring and the possibilities for learning and communication. And I also love to take time every once in a while do to something completely different from my usual routine. It helps me expand my thinking.

Anyway, this week I just wanted to mention that I read Joe Vitale's new book Zero Limits ... and I have to say that I felt my awareness shift, open and expand with every page. My body felt so relaxed as I was able to let go and forgive myself for so many things I have been carrying with me.

The central message is that you are your reality and when you accept that and take full responsibility for it, forgiving yourself and using love to heal yourself heals your reality. In other words:

You are your world. Heal yourself and you heal your world.

It's the first book that I've read that promotes the idea that one person is responsible for, and can heal, the entire planet. And that person is YOU. There is nothing outside of you. Your world is in you. Heal yourself, heal your world. I love it!

Most people my age (and especially guys who want to act tough), scoff at the idea of forgiveness and saying "I love you", and even at the idea of healing yourself. That's for sissies, right?

Just try it, for real, and you'll see. There is nothing sissy about it. You don't even need to say it out loud. What this book is, is a doorway to power. True power. A reality with Zero Limits. I don't know about you, but I love that idea. Total freedom, Zero Limits. Oh yeah.

After consistently using what I learned in this book for the past few weeks, I am already feeling relaxed to the point where my entire body is comfortably warm and the energy flows consistently throughout my arms and legs. I am calm with an easy smile and added brightness in my eyes. My breathing is deeper and more relaxed. I know I am powerful. Finally. I knew it all along. Now I feel it. Now I can start living it.

Thank you for this.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

A Swift Kick - Part 2

Ah yes, fear.

The greatest block to everything in the universe. It acts like a thick cloud of darkness that stimulates all kinds of strange and horrible images of all the worse that could happen.

You could trip. You could fall. You could get hurt. You could die. You could lose everything... People could laugh... Aren't those the sort of thoughts that prance around in your mind when you start to feel the fear of the unknown? Isn't that the sort of thing you worry about when you're afraid? You say to yourself, "what if I fail? What if I miss something and it all goes horribly wrong? What if I can't do it? Why do I even bother? This is stupid, I always get my hopes up...". And that's how we defeat ourselves.

We fail because we feel the fear and convince ourselves that all we can experience is failure... or petty success that feels just like failure.

Of course, there is an answer to the question of fear. To overcome fear, or at least move forward in spite of fear, focus on its opposite. It is a movement towards courage. That is the first step. To "feel the fear and do it anyway" as Susan Jeffers encourages. To find our power and move forward. In other words, to give yourself a swift kick in the rear and get going. That's usually something that happens only when people reach the breaking point, where they think, "I can't go on like this... I've had enough!" and they move into what Tony Robbins called "massive action" and total life transformation.

And that's how it starts. First, we feel tremendous pain that pushes us to the edge. Then we find courage. Eventually, we move deeper and deeper into greater courage through many stages of acceptance of personal responsibility for everything in your life and releasing of attachment to specific outcomes until finally we arrive at total fearlessness.

Yes. Total Fearlessness. Where everything could happen as before, or 100 times worse, and you feel no fear at all. You are just a watcher, although perhaps slightly curious...

Fearlessness is very near the opposite end of fear on the emotional spectrum. Yet it's still not quite it's opposite. Fearlessness is an absence of fear, it isn't really anything itself. It's more like a vacuum which needs to be filled with something, otherwise it will revert back to its opposite - just like the relationship with the yin and the yang.

So, what is the opposite of fear?

"The opposite of fear... is love," as Steven Pressfield writes in Gates of Fire.

The opposite of fear is love.

Take a deep breath and think about that for a minute.

...


What does that mean?

The opposite of fear is love.

It means that instead of thinking about all the bad things that you fear about making the changes that you desire, focus on all the good that you love that will come out of that change. The more you think about what you love, the more your mind will get into the habit of thinking about what you love. And thinking about what you love will fill you with the energy and joy to make it happen. And that's how you get over fear and actually accomplish something.

Focus on what you love. It will envelop your mind, and soon, your entire reality.

JOYGASM!

Haha!

Go for it. Be fearless.
Life is your garden, cultivate all that you love.

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

A Swift Kick - Part 1

Most people want to change something about themselves. Whether it's something that has to do with their health, their wealth, or their relationships, there always seems to be something wrong with everyone (I do include myself in this critique, by the way).

There is a very tiny, minuscule, infinitesimally small portion of the population throughout history that has realized that everything in the universe is perfect and exactly as it should be in every single moment... yes, even that rude woman who cut you off, and even that cat who comes and shits in your flowerbed.

You would not be the person you are right now without all of those experiences... good or bad. And those experiences have led you here. To the place where you now have the desire to change for the better.

Face it, if you feel comfortable, you want to stay were you are. We need pain to push us forward. And it comes in different ways.

There is the physical discomfort of being unhealthy or fighting disease. There is the psychological pain of having a body that is perceived as being ugly. There is the suffering of wanting something and being incapable of having it, or losing it. I could go on, and on.

So what now? You feel the pain, and it sucks. You don't want to feel the pain anymore. So what can you do?

Well, there are two options:

1. Resort to drugs or alcohol or any other substance or activity (like losing yourself playing games online, or shopping, or training, ect.) to try to take your mind off the pain or numb it.

2. Face it head on and figure out what you can do to improve your situation and move forward towards the ideal that you dream of.

Class, can anyone tell me which one of those two options will be better for you in the course of your life? Wow, look at all those hands up in the air! It seems that everyone knows the answer to this one!

But if everyone knows the answer, why are there still so many who live with this constant pain?

It might have something to do with fear.

To Be Continued...

Copyright © Charles Begin

Learn From This Misktake

I made a mistake and only just realized it.

What's more, it's a mistake that pretty much every single person in the world has done, or does. What is it?

I made the mistake of telling myself that I was just too busy right now to write something for my blog, and I even convinced myself (temporarily), that I was taking a break from writing these posts so that I could write something really really good. In other words, instead of living fully now, and simply taking a minute here and there to write a short message every week, I set it aside and told myself (and you) that I was working on something really big (*see last post).

I meant it when I said it. At least I thought I did. I even said the same thing about practicing my guitar (I haven't touched it in three months!), "I'm too busy... too tired... not enough time...I'll catch up later...I'm focusing on what's more important for the moment, ect".

The truth is that each and every one of us make up excuses for not doing the things we really want to do, or have to do to reach our chosen destination. Yes, there are always things to do. Yes, it can be difficult sometimes to find the time. But there is a solution.

This solution is in 3 parts:

1. Know what you love and enjoy.
2. Eliminate/delegate or outsource what you don't love and enjoy.
3. Do more of what you love and enjoy.


Very simple, yes?

Complete? In the general sense, yes.

The whole point is to create space for yourself. To create space and time (or 'spacetime' as they would say in physics) so that there is room for the good and the fun to enter into your life. Just like the old Zen story about the overflowing cup of tea, most of us have way too much going on at the same time, and we cannot see the beauty that surrounds us. When our lives are full, there is no room for anything new. Just like the cup, we must empty ourselves so that we may be filled with new life.

To experience something new in your life, you must make room for it.

You must clear the clutter, give away the old clothes and possessions, and spend less time in activities and with people that are burning you up or not enriching your life in any way. Once that space is made, only then can it be filled with other objects of greater beauty, loving people and even more wonderful experiences.

And don't wait for the time to be "just right".
Don't say "later I will", or "someday, when I have more of...".

Know what you love, what you enjoy, what you really want for yourself. Then take whatever steps you can think of to start moving towards the realisation of that reality. Do something. Anything, to get started. To get some momentum. AND KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING.

It may take some time, so start now. Right this instant. Be honest. You know the first thing to do. Go do it.

Now that I've gotten back to my writting, I'm going to play a little bit of guitar...

Charles

Copyright © Charles Begin

Who Are You?

I have something good coming very soon. The ideas are coming together and appearing here and there, filling in the gaps. The time is not yet ripe.

Actually, I've been really busy lately.

I DO have something good bubbling up closer and closer to the surface as well. Patience my friend. It is always worth it to take a deep breath and to feel the energy inside of you while you wait.

In the meantime, here is the super-powerful probing questions I am repeating to help me go further:

Who am I?

What is the greatest I can be?

How can I be the greatest I can be?


Keep these thoughts in mind at all times to remain awake amidst the chaos of life and to find the resonance that carries you across Eternity...

I'm serious.

These questions are so powerful that if you honestly spend time exploring them, you will find yourself moving forward with much greater confidence and power, and perhaps even changing directions completely. No matter what, carrying these thoughts within you will help bring out the very best, the greatest, that lies deep inside of you.

Simple, right?
Complete? Try it and see for yourself.

Have a great day everyone,

CHB

Copyright © Charles Begin

More Than Just Superficial

As we look around us in the world today, we notice two things:

1. There is more opportunity than ever before.
2. There is more confusion than ever before.

Why?

Because now that we are all so more connected to each other (via the internet, cell phones, and other media) we find that the connection is only skin-deep, superficial. There is just so much out there in the world, and we don't want to miss anything, which results in us spreading ourselves thinly over and into as much as we can... missing all that is to be found in the depths. Kind of like the expression "jack of all trades, master of none", we flit continuously from trend to trend, from sensation to sensation, from new idea to new idea, in order to stay on top of what is fashionable and cool. I have nothing against being fashionable and cool, actually, I like to look good - like most people - although there must be substance beneath that surface beauty.

And this problem of "superficiality" arises because once again, we float from distraction to distraction just enough to keep us distracted from the real issue. Which is what, you ask? The real issue underlying all of this is being happy in this world. And it is only found by being yourself.

Sounds simple, right? Everybody says it, right? Just be yourself, you'll do fine. Well, it is and it isn't. It's the easiest thing in the world to be, but only once you have dropped all the crap about how we should look and act and live that our culture has hypnotised us into believing.

First you must realise that everyone on the planet is searching for happiness, in one way or another, and that they all do what they believe is necessary for them to be happy. Always keep that in mind. Second, most become brainwashed into believing that fame and fortune are the way to happiness, and that having more and more money will allow them to outdistance their current problems. The same beliefs happen to come up about relationships. People think that when they find that "perfect" mate all of their problems will magically disappear. Or that when they lose that weight or build that muscle and reach their "ideal" weight that they will no longer have any issues. Well, its true that some issues will be taken care of by these changes, but remember that "with greater power comes greater responsibility". Which means that you will have all kinds of other issues to deal with when you reach a new level of achievement.

So fix your issues right now, before you gain more reponsibility, or else it will all just compound. If it continues to compound, eventually you will crack. A new car, or shoes, or mate, or whatever... will not fix your problems. Issues will be there until you do something about them.

And that's why it is so important to realise that when we just follow the crowd, or chase after trends, we are chasing air. Nothing. Why? Because you will realise sooner or later that those things mean nothing to you. You chase, you get, and you get bored. Then you chase something else hoping to finally find what you were looking for, and even then, most don't even know what it is that they are looking for. So that cycle continues, until you wake up... or until you die.

Once again, let me say that there is nothing wrong with anything anyone would chase after. As long as you are aware that happiness is not to be found anywhere else but inside of you. As long as you know who you are, deep down, and you have found that place of inner peace... you can do anything you like, because it all becomes just a game. The real work, the real truth, is only found within. Everything else is a game, for fun. Although most think the game is real and the inner world is fake... funny how that works, eh?

Anyway, about all of these distractions. What can we do? Well, for one, we can turn off, throw out, give away or somehow get rid of anything that is not helping you focus on what you desire for yourself.

How? Only watch TV shows and movies that help you improve in the direction you would like to go. If there is nothing like that on TV, don't watch it. I stopped watching and reading the news a long time ago because I noticed that I always felt worse afterwards. Other than the occasional short uplifting story, the great majority of news reported anywhere is bad. Why? Fear sells. It appeals to the illusion that by thinking about it they can somehow avoid it. Whatever. All I know is that I feel so much better and get so much more work done now that I do not watch those depressing updates. If you absolutely must get your daily fix, just keep it to a minimum. The same goes for any other TV show. Radio too. Chose wisely.

Next, clean your house.

I'm serious. You don't have to do it all in one day... just pick a room or a corner of a room and clean it. A little bit every week. And get rid of everything that you have not used in the last year. And if you haven't used it in more than a year, either start using it or get rid of it. That's it. No questions. There are too many distraction in life already. Get rid of all clutter. Simplify.

The next thing is to turn off and tune out as many distractions as you can from day to day living. that means clubs that are distracting you from your goals, people, places, music, websites, whatever. If it's not helping you, get rid of it.

Now that you have cleared the clutter and simplified your life (a little at least), you will find it much easier to find that inner peace... and you will feel so much better. And from the inner silence arises great wisdom from the deepest reaches of your being. Wisdom that will allow you to awaken to who you truly are, and finally be who you are. Then you will know what you truly desire, and get it, and it will come from a deep knowing, something that does not change every week, or every season... and you will be much more than just a superficial follower of the crowd.

Charles

Copyright © Charles Begin

Living in Paradox

It seems to me that everyday I am swimming in an ocean of paradox. And it becomes more and more encompassing as I delve deeper and deeper into the mysteries of the universe... and find ways of applying them to everyday life.

It all has to do with the merging of the physical (world of form) and the spiritual (world of formlessess). Yes, we can walk in both worlds at the same time. All you need is a little bit of practice.

Just the other day, I was plugging away on a particular issue at work, when I got a phone call. That in itself is not unusual, I get calls all the time. The thing about this particular phone call was that the person on the other end of the line was in a state of utmost frustration, so much that off-colour language was exploding at me as if I was running through a mine field.

Immediately, my consciousness shifted from simply an understanding of the work to an understanding of that person's state of being. A voice in my mind whispered soothing words and I became very calm. Words came out of my mouth without me having to think about it. As a result, the person seemed to wake up from a dream ... or nightmare, and calm down. The next day they apologized.

These are the kinds of events that happen all the time. I take a deep breath and let my greater wisdom take over. As a result, I become simply a watcher, a witness, to whatever is happening. It is a very peaceful experience, because you are detached from the situation. Your attitude becomes one of curiosity... as if watching a really interesting movie.

The paradox is that I am the one talking, acting, and yet... I am not. Something else has taken over. I have given myself completely to a power greater than my little self. One that knows what to say, what to do, so that everything turns out for the best.

Some have called it the subconscious/unconscious mind, the spirit/soul, or even the Self with a capital "S". Others have named the experience "flow" or "being in the moment" or "allowing". No matter what the name, it is a beautiful and powerful experience.

As far as I can tell, from personal experience, as one rises in consciousness, one lives more and more in paradox. And not only in the sense that you become simply a witness to yourself, but also that everything you do, everything you are, becomes a paradox. It is the yin and the yang co-existing in perfect harmony. For example:

-The more you release/let go/give, the more you end up having.
-On one level, every little thing matters, and on another, nothing matters at all.
-We are all different/unique, and we are all one - exactly the same.
-Anything can be ugly and beautiful/perfect at the same time, depending on the perspective.
-We are mortal in body and immortal in spirit, living as one.
-The body and the mind are the same.
-One can make tons of money and be enlightened at the same time.
-One can be both physically strong and intelligent (hehe).
-Humour is the best way to teach something serious (haha).
-Sex , sports, combat, or anything else can be the first step to superconsciousness (hoho).
-Reality is fluid.
-The opposite of fear... is love. The more you love, the less you fear.

There are many others, these paradoxi - seemingly contradictory truths- which become visible as one's level of consciousness rises. Eventually, there is no distinction. The fact that both extremes are actually different perspectives of the same circle or sphere is evident.

Then, all there is... is Being.

Charles

Copyright © Charles Begin

Fearless and Sexy

And now, for something completely different.

Well, maybe not...

Let's talk about CONFIDENCE.

Why? Because it is the sexiest thing in the world. Confidence is the number ONE quality that people are attracted to. We are all attracted to those who exude pure confidence. Notice that I said confidence, not arrogance. It's not about believing that you are better than others, that's not attractive. What's sexy is believing in yourself. Knowing your abilities and your power and what to do in any situation.

But is it possible to know what to do in every situation? Well, maybe if you confine yourself to situations where you already know what to do... but when you stop learning and growing (which happens by trying new things) you become fearful and part of you starts to die. So I guess that it's impossible to know what to do in every situation. There are just too many possibilities.

Does that mean that supreme confidence in yourself is impossible? No. There are other ways. One of which is to focus on the basics.

In all situations and all fields of endeavor, there are fundamentals. These fundamental principles are the foundation upon which everything else is built. And knowing the basics like the back of your hand is a sure way to build a strong foundation whithin yourself, a foundation that can withstand any storm.

For example, in mathematics, everything begins with the foundational principles of addition, substraction, multiplication and division. Without them, you can do nothing. With them as a base you can climb to the highest reaches of computational complexity and universal genius. Another example would be learning to stand on your own two feet. If you cannot stand, you cannot fall forward into a walk, or a run, or a dance. With a strong base in well-balanced standing however, you can progress to the most extraordinary spectacular acrobatic display in existence.

The point is this: Master the basics in whatever you are doing and your confidence will grow.

Another important point is that there are a few basic things that you can learn that will make you a well rounded individual, confident in every situation.

These are:

1. Math and Science
2. Reading and Writing
3. History and Geography
4. Music, Dance, and Art
5. Health and Healing
6. Survival and Combat
7. Business and Money
8. Sex and Spirituality
9. Physiology and Psychology

Now this isn't an exhaustive list, and you can add or subtract anything you want. I just find it a good starting point. You'll also notice that some of these things we learn in school (1-4), and some we do not (5-9). Yet how many people walk around in fear of being attacked or killed, or have health issues, or money problems... or are in the dark (sometimes literally) about healthy sex and spirituality? And how many have no idea how their body and mind work, and they spend their entire life with them?

Does it look like wayyyyyyy too much to learn? Maybe at first. But you have to remember... you only need to learn the b-a-s-i-c-s.

That's the key.

Master the basics to handling yourself in any situation and your fear will diminish as you confidence soars.

And finally: you don't need to learn anything at all.

What?

You don't need any of this.

Is this guy mental?

All you ever truly need, to know exactly what to do in absolutely every situation is... to still the mind. From a still mind comes spontaneous mastery in the moment. That is the essence of what we call "intuition" or "gut instinct". It is the goal of all meditation. It is how the greatest individuals in all fields have accomplished their masterpieces, from sports, to science to art. It is being in the place where ALL IS GOOD. Cool. Relaxed. Effortless. It is inspiration. It is being in the "flow". In the moment. In the now.

The difficulty here is that we have not developed a society which supports the finding of inner stillness and the awakening of spontaneous wisdom and mastery. Therefore, developing this skill in yourself demands practice, and lots of it.

In the meantime, why not learn the basics in many fields to become a well-rounded individual?

So you see, there is no contradiction in what I have told you today. A paradox perhaps, but not a contradiction.

Follow these suggestions, and your experience will be of fear melting away... and confidence soaring, more and more and more. Believe in yourself, and believe in others, and the natural irresistible sexiness that you have inside will come forth.

Who would have thought that meditation could make you fearless and sexy?
But only when you have the courage to go... DEEP.

Charles

Copyright © Charles Begin

This Might Be Too Powerful

As some of you know, one of my primary objectives in life is to uncover the most powerful truth(s) and to distill the totality of what I learn and experience into the simplest and most complete package possible.

I know that everything always changes but the mind loves to try to understand.

Anyway, this week I was focusing on the idea of the "best" way to live, as in a "code" or "laws" to follow. The question I asked was:

Is there one way to live, one code or law to follow, which will always, 100% lead to the greatest life possible?

Now, you have to go very deep for this one.

I started on the surface, searching out past cultures: the acient Samurai and their Bushido code, the Spartans, the Monks from different religions, sages, the Jedi Order... And I realized that their code, their laws, were too stiff. There was not enough freedom. Whenever someone tells you that you cannot do this or that and that you must behave like this or that, we are all bound to rebel at one point or another... or destroy ourselves from the inside out trying to fit the mould.

Anything that hampers our freedom in any way is setting itself up to be rebelled against.

So what's the answer? Anarchy? No. The answer lies in finding our true selves. Who we are, and what we are here to do. It is not about following a person, or a career path, or leaving the world a better place than it was when you arrived... unless it is your deep, heartfelt desire to do so.

We cannot force anyone to do anything, including ourselves. I mean, we can try, and it might look like it's going to work, but sooner or later you will have burned up all of your willpower and your fake self will colapse. Either that or you will be miserable, angry and fearful for the rest of your existence here.

So what am I saying?

I am saying that any way of life that puts chains on you will eventually be rejected. I am saying that the only laws that ultimately survive are those which allow us to regain and enjoy our own true freedom. I am saying that the only "best" way to live is to know who you are... and follow your heart.

So I guess for those of us who love something concrete and "set in stone" to follow, these are the simplest and most complete "laws" I have come up with. The ultimate freedom. Something that might be said to come from God, the Universe Itself.

God's First Law: Know Thy Self
God's Second Law: Be Thy Self

Simple, right? Complete? Maybe. Heard it before? Yeah. All I know for sure is that anyone who follows these two laws fully will live an extraordinary life. The only thing is... what does it take to live these laws fully? This might be too powerful for most.

Hmm.

Meditate on this, I will.

Charles

Copyright © Charles Begin

Spiritual Materialism

There seems to be three main groups of people on this earth:

-Those who focus on the purely physical and material (which is most).
-Those who focus purely on the spiritual and immaterial (very rare).
-Those who are in between these two groups (a growing group).

All valid research done on quality of life and happiness clearly demonstrate that those who have a perspective which includes some sort of spirituality or 'higher' values (like a willingness to trust in something greater than themselves and to love others) live more fulfilling lives.

The question that I keep asking myself is, how can we help others awaken?
What do people need to start paying attention?

The answer: people need to be attracted. They need to feel attraction for something, to want something, and to believe that this 'awakening' will help them get it. That's actually how I got into the spiritual dimension. I had a desire to become something more... and the more I searched the deeper I got into teachings about life and enlightenment because everything pointed to the fact that once you reach a certain level of enlightenment, anything truly is possible... effortlessly.

Now, spiritual masters have been saying for ages that we should not seek the attainment of powers or success in any way, to be able to release all resistance to who we really are... yet that is exactly the point that will attract most people. What does everyone want? More success, more wealth, more wisdom, more power, more freedom, more love. Why not attract people to the path with these so that they may taste awakening and thus be hooked for life?

Is it ethical? That depends on how it is presented. Is it needed? Maybe not. But it might help those who are lost to find their way if they know what is possible, what's 'out there'.

Should marketing be used to draw people to the path of enlightenment?

Is'nt it simply the universe talking here when we get these kinds of ideas in our heads? I believe that many people are ready for this. There is much more talk about spirituality in the world these days. It is spreading to all walks of life, permeating all work and play.

Besides, it is high time that we finally merge our reality into a coherent whole.

It is time to combine the highest spiritual truths with day to day work and play. It is time for us to become masters of both the spiritual realm, as well as the physical world, instead of spending only part of our time in each.

Or, as the well-known spiritual teacher Osho described it, to become new human beings (which he called "Zorba the Buddha"), who are "capable of enjoying both the earthly pleasures of a Zorba the Greek and the silent serenity of a Gautama the Buddha".

So do not be afraid of loving all of life, even the material. Just permeate all that you do, all that you have, and all that you are, with powerful spiritual truth and you will find yourself exactly where you have always desired to be.

Charles

Copyright © Charles Begin

God's Failsafe Mechanism

A very wise man once said that if an ordinary person had access to all of his/her true power as a spiritual being, that person would most likely destroy the world.

Anyone who has heard about the Law of Attraction eventually realizes that it does not matter whether it is used for 'good' or for 'evil'. It is a Law, like gravity, which acts equally no matter what kind of a person you are. So whether you use your power to attract peace, like Gandhi, or to create war, like Hitler, the Law works the same way in all cases. You attract/create for yourself a reality that matches your vibrational frequency. In other words, we become what we think and believe.

So what about fun?

Isn't it more fun to "crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the women" as they claim in Conan The Barbarian, than to make peace?

For many, the answer would be "yes". Hence the allure of the "dark side" and its seemingly total freedom from all restrictions or contra-indications. In the Star Wars movies, the Sith are always tempting confused Jedi with promises of hidden knowledge and forbidden secrets. The Emperor is forever telling Luke Skywalker that he must harness his anger and only then will he know the true power of the dark side.

But is that in any way true? In the movies, Master Yoda answered that the dark side was not stronger. What about in the 'real' world?

Well, to come back to the reference about the very wise man, we are all very, very, very, very, very, very... (ad infinitum) much more powerful than any of us has ever been able to fully comprehend, much less express.

As so many have taught before, we are basically UNLIMITED in potential power.

Notice that I wrote "potential" power. This is important. In theory (metaphysical/spiritual, and more and more Quantum scientific theory), we can all be, do, and have absolutely anything we can imagine. Do you want to fly like a bird or like Superman? You can. Do you want a trillion dollars? Go ahead. Do you want a nice, cold, beer? Get up off your a** and get one!

The point is that in theory, we are gods. In practice... well, why aren't we gods?

Think about this for a second. If that high-strung co-worker of yours could harness the power to fart lighting bolts at precise targets, what do you think they would do with it when they are having a "bad day"? Nothing? No, those lighting bolts would be hitting targets right, left and center. And what if we could all manifest such powers? The world would be one giant battle-ground and the battle would last all of half-a-second before the entire planet would be destroyed.

You probably also heard about Indian Yogis or Saints or the like, demonstrating special powers (siddhis) or miracles. And then saying that these things (like levitation, healing and 'psychic' abilities) are totally natural and available to all of us. Upon closer examination, do you know what else these 'Masters' all have in common? They are calm, content, and deeply loving of all life... otherwise known as "enlightened".

It seems to me like this is more than a coincidence.

The people with the most extraordinary personal power in the world, also being the least likely to use it to destroy? My, my, my. Could it be? Could there be a failsafe mechanism to this infinite universe so that only true unconditional love unlocks the door to the unlimited power that is our birthright?

In the works of Dr. David Hawkins, consciousness is calibrated on a power scale from 1 to 1000. Anything that is life-negating scores very low on the scale, and the more something or someone is life-affirming, the higher the power available. In other words, learn to love like Jesus loved, and you shall have the same power that he did. The only catch here is that if you try to love like Jesus just to get the same powers, it will never work. To pretend to love to get power would mean you could still use that power to destroy. Your entire being must resonate truthfully with the infinite power of love.

Then, you too can be a god.

And that is why the 'dark side' can never be stronger. Only Unconditional Love can unlock our true infinite power.

Copyright © Charles Begin