Over the course of the past few years I have been going through many personal changes. Some have been relatively superficial, while others have been very deep and profound. There has been one thing however, that has accompagnied all the steps in my ongoing transformation. Pain.
Now that may be something that scares most people out of embracing change and transformation because pain is generally something that we want to stay away from, but allow me to explain myself a little bit.
When I say "pain", what I really mean is "resistance".
Many have spoken and written about this before. What it means is that what we generally call "pain" is only a perspective or attitude about a sensation. It is an illusion.
If you go through a gruelling physical workout, for example, what you generally feel is some kind of hot sensation in your muscles, and perhaps also in your heart and lungs, and maybe some pressure on your skeleton if you lift extremely heavy. There will also be cramping and loss of limb control because of fatigue and your arms or legs will feel like jello with high repetition and endurance work. The next day or two will probably bring with it deep soreness, stiffness, and heightened nervous sensitivity.
Now, this is an extreme example, and training so much that you can hardly walk or move the next day is never a great idea, unless you really want to push yourself beyond what you have ever done before, and only then to do it infrequently. However, the point I want to make here is that "pain" is only resistance to change.
How so?
Well, when you are training, that is a change in the state of your body. You therefore feel a certain pain, which tends to grow as the magnitude of the change grows. The more you try to change at the same time, or the greater the change you try to make, the more "pain" you will feel... as long as there is resistance inside of you.
Let me give you another example.
Think of a lighter. What causes the spark? It's the friction between the metal and the flint when you strike it that causes it to spark and ignite the fuel in the lighter. Did you catch that? It's the friction (which is a form of resistance to movement or change) which causes the spark. So people who have a "short fuse" can be said to be highly resistant to whatever sparked their anger. Even the littlest things really "grate on their nerves" and that friction is the spark that can cause them to explode. Fuel here is whatever they have built up inside themselves.
There is also the highly graphic example of someone going to a proctologist. The more you resist, the more it is going to hurt. Dude! If you've got to go through it, at least allow it to go smoothly by relaxing and thinking about something nice! And don't forget the lube! The less resistance, the better!
Now on a more toned down level. Suppose that you are changing a major situation in your life, one that brings with it lots of uncertainty. You are going into a new job you have never done before, or you move to another city you are not familiar with, or you suddenly find yourself with new people or without the people that you have come to depend upon. What happens? Fear. And "fear" is just another way to label the pain that we feel.
So, in essence, all negative emotions derive from that basic sensation of pain inside of us. And the pain is once again a resistance to change, or to put it another way, it is a resistance to what IS.
And this brings us back to the universal topic of being fully present in what IS. In the moment. In the real power fo NOW. Allowing everything to happen as it is. Going with the flow of Life. Not resisting what is. Life is change. Do not resist Life. The friction caused inside of you when you try to resist change will be very painful. The more you resist, the more painful it becomes.
And how can this be applied?
Well, a change in attitude or beliefs is the best place to start. Affirm to yourself until you really believe it and live it, that you are aware and present in the moment, right now, and that you allow everything to flow into, and out of, your life in a positive, healthy way and for the highest good of all. Then keep your goals in mind and move forward.
Do what is necessary. Release any resistance you have about it. Just figure out what you need to do or to learn, and do it. And always remember to be fully in the moment - like right NOW - at the same time. Even when you push yourself past your previous limits in training. If you remain fully in the moment, you will feel the sensations, they may be very intense, but there will be no pain, only inner peace... and extraordinary power.
If I had known this stuff 10 years ago, I could have saved myself a whole lot of pain and made progress much faster. So if you want to save yourself a decade or more and get ahead, learn from me.
And remember, as long as you keep learning and moving forward, pain is fine. Or as motivational speaker Tom Hopkins said it, "pain of change is forgotten when the benefits of that change are realized". And that's another great attitude to have to eliminate resistance about what you think should be.
Whatever happens, just let it be.
It's ALL good.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Is A Life Without Struggle A Life Without Celebration?
"A no-effort victory yields no emotional and celebratory excitement." - Anisa Aven
I read that sentence yersterday and I asked myself, Is that true? Well, it certainly is true that when we triumph over great obstacles the sense of achievement is extraordinary. But does that mean that we need to struggle our way to victory to have that feeling of accomplishment? Is a life without struggle a life without celebration?Well, that depends.
It depends on whether you are still looking for happiness in something outside of yourself, or if you figured out that it can only be found within.
If you are looking for something outside of you to make you happy, then triumph and victory over situations, people and things is very important and needed to allow yourself the pleasure of celebrating life.
However, for those who have found true happiness within, the outside world is simply an illusion, an experience, or a game. It does not matter in the context of Eternity, who wins and who loses.
What really matters then?
To live. Whatever that means to you. To grow, to experience, to awaken, to play your part in the evolution of the world... you choose.
In this way, life can proceed with little or no struggle, and be the greatest celebration of joy. Instead of celebrating once in a while when you surmount great obstacles (which may or may not matter at all, depending on your perspective), find the lasting happiness within and celebrate Life all the time. No matter who "wins" and who "loses".
Just a thought.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Monday, March 26, 2007
To Live or To Die - That Is The Question
I don't know if anyone is gonna care, but I need to get this out. The seed for this message has been growing at super speeds in my mind and sprouting in my personal journal since I saw the movie 300 a few days ago, and now it must be expressed fully.
Here goes.
Heroes. Greatness. Life. Death. If I could sum up in four words the entire focus of my personal research and studies, and interests, since I was a very small child...those four words would be it. My driving ambition since I am too young to really remember, has been to one day become one of the greatest heroes of all time. This led me on a quest to discover what makes one a hero, what makes one great, and how the greatest heroes live and die.
Just like others have said before, and the movie Braveheart echoes:
Copyright © Charles Begin
Here goes.
Heroes. Greatness. Life. Death. If I could sum up in four words the entire focus of my personal research and studies, and interests, since I was a very small child...those four words would be it. My driving ambition since I am too young to really remember, has been to one day become one of the greatest heroes of all time. This led me on a quest to discover what makes one a hero, what makes one great, and how the greatest heroes live and die.
Just like others have said before, and the movie Braveheart echoes:
"Every man dies, but not every man really lives."
I knew from my yougest days that I wanted to be one of those men who "really" lived. But what does it mean to really live?
Well, for one thing, it means being more than mediocre. It means doing more than the majority who go to school, to get good grades, to get a good job, to get married, to raise a family, to grow old, retire, and then die. If that is something you want, then do that, do like everyone else and do your best to be happy. All I know is that many people I talk with want more than that. They want their life to actually matter. They want to make a difference in the lives of others. They want to, essentially, have their part to play in changing the world.
Now, I know that some of you just laugh when people talk about changing the world, because others have talked about it since humans have had the ability to talk. And if you look at history, the world has been changing. It is always changing. And people will always talk about changing the world because the natural change can, and is, directed by us. So we do change the world, all the time, it just will never stops changing so we will always want to "change the world" and improve it. Even when we realise that it is, and always has been, perfect...from the standpoint of Eternity.
Anyhow, back to the topic.
The point here is that people want to know that they didn't waste their life. And they want to know that when they do leave, others will miss them. Really. Don't you want that?
When I saw the movie 300 last friday, it brought back so many fantasies and imaginary adventures I told myself and acted out as a child. I used to always imagine myself going off with a select group of elite warriors of all types and together we would defeat an ennemy of impossible size and power. Those voyages to fantasy worlds always made me feel powerful and motivated me to train and learn skills that would make me a great hero.
That's great Charles, but in 300 all the great heroes die at the end, so you're not following the script.
Quite right. And that critical voice in my head used to take those examples, as well as Bruce Lee, Jimi Hendrix, even Jesus, and tell me that to become one of the greatest heroes, you have to sacrifice your life too.
Fine, as long as its for something so big that my name will live forever. That was my answer. I was even looking around for some way to actually die a glorious death and be immortalised as a great hero. I used to compare this choice to the one made by the great greek hero of the Iliad, Achilles. When told by his mother (who was a sea-goddess) that he had two choices in life: to live simply and live long, raising a family, but be unremembered, or to go to Troy and die young but have his name echo in eternity... We all know what choice he made. But lately I have been asking myself if that the only way?
Are those who die young always put on a higher podium than those who live a long life?
No. The Buddha lived to be over eighty. Einstein was 76 when he died. And both Morihei Ueshiba (founder of Aikido) and Joseph Greenstein (aka The Mighty Atom, legendary strongman) achieved their most extraordinary powers in their later years (after 40) and lived a long life, still performing into their eighties. Beowulf also lived a long time after killing Grendel and his mother, and he got his glorious death as a wise old king killing a dragon. Not bad.
So it isn't really a question of "live fast, die young", but simply about how far you go. It's all about progress. The greatest are always those who have achieved more, advanced more, above and beyond what was accepted as true before. They are the ones who make the impossible possible. They are the ones who surpass all previously held limitation, and forever change the world because of it. And if you live longer, that means that you have more time to find the answer to that great thing you want to be known for, to achieve more great things, and make it even greater.
So, sorry Achilles, but I'm going for both: long life and a name that echoes throughout eternity. Lets make that impossible possible.
Live long and achieve greatness!
Charles
Well, for one thing, it means being more than mediocre. It means doing more than the majority who go to school, to get good grades, to get a good job, to get married, to raise a family, to grow old, retire, and then die. If that is something you want, then do that, do like everyone else and do your best to be happy. All I know is that many people I talk with want more than that. They want their life to actually matter. They want to make a difference in the lives of others. They want to, essentially, have their part to play in changing the world.
Now, I know that some of you just laugh when people talk about changing the world, because others have talked about it since humans have had the ability to talk. And if you look at history, the world has been changing. It is always changing. And people will always talk about changing the world because the natural change can, and is, directed by us. So we do change the world, all the time, it just will never stops changing so we will always want to "change the world" and improve it. Even when we realise that it is, and always has been, perfect...from the standpoint of Eternity.
Anyhow, back to the topic.
The point here is that people want to know that they didn't waste their life. And they want to know that when they do leave, others will miss them. Really. Don't you want that?
When I saw the movie 300 last friday, it brought back so many fantasies and imaginary adventures I told myself and acted out as a child. I used to always imagine myself going off with a select group of elite warriors of all types and together we would defeat an ennemy of impossible size and power. Those voyages to fantasy worlds always made me feel powerful and motivated me to train and learn skills that would make me a great hero.
That's great Charles, but in 300 all the great heroes die at the end, so you're not following the script.
Quite right. And that critical voice in my head used to take those examples, as well as Bruce Lee, Jimi Hendrix, even Jesus, and tell me that to become one of the greatest heroes, you have to sacrifice your life too.
Fine, as long as its for something so big that my name will live forever. That was my answer. I was even looking around for some way to actually die a glorious death and be immortalised as a great hero. I used to compare this choice to the one made by the great greek hero of the Iliad, Achilles. When told by his mother (who was a sea-goddess) that he had two choices in life: to live simply and live long, raising a family, but be unremembered, or to go to Troy and die young but have his name echo in eternity... We all know what choice he made. But lately I have been asking myself if that the only way?
Are those who die young always put on a higher podium than those who live a long life?
No. The Buddha lived to be over eighty. Einstein was 76 when he died. And both Morihei Ueshiba (founder of Aikido) and Joseph Greenstein (aka The Mighty Atom, legendary strongman) achieved their most extraordinary powers in their later years (after 40) and lived a long life, still performing into their eighties. Beowulf also lived a long time after killing Grendel and his mother, and he got his glorious death as a wise old king killing a dragon. Not bad.
So it isn't really a question of "live fast, die young", but simply about how far you go. It's all about progress. The greatest are always those who have achieved more, advanced more, above and beyond what was accepted as true before. They are the ones who make the impossible possible. They are the ones who surpass all previously held limitation, and forever change the world because of it. And if you live longer, that means that you have more time to find the answer to that great thing you want to be known for, to achieve more great things, and make it even greater.
So, sorry Achilles, but I'm going for both: long life and a name that echoes throughout eternity. Lets make that impossible possible.
Live long and achieve greatness!
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
A Closer Look At The Law of Attraction
For anyone who has seen the movie or read the book "The Secret", you have heard of the Law of Attraction. You heard or read about how our thoughts are really real things that attract into our life what we constantly think about and truly believe. You know all about gratitude and visualization to focus on and attract more good into your life, right? Well if you're such an expert on the theory now, why can't you make it work?! Why am I still struggling to make ends-meet and why am I not living the life of my dreams yet?!
I completely understand.
In fact, I go through that myself from time to time as I find myself having no problem whatsoever attracting extraordinary circumstances in one area of my life... and running in circles, feeling frustrated and wanting to just give up in other areas.
Now, I love "The Secret". It is doing so much to help people awaken to the possibility of a greater reality and helping the world rise in consciousness. And as a friend of mine aptly pointed out, it is only the beginning.
The truth is that our thoughts are only part of the process.
The real power of attraction comes from being.
More than just thinking positive thoughts of what we want, we must become the kind of person that naturally attracts our desire. This creates the real energetic resonance inside of ourselves that has us "vibrating at the right frequency" so that what we desire is magnetically attracted into our life. That's why there is such an emphasis in "The Secret" about being grateful, being happy, and really feeling those feelings of gratitude and happiness.
It is ALL about BEING.
How do you be?
There are three ways:
1. Change all of your conscious and unconscious beliefs to support the person you wish to be. This takes work but is very easy to do with consistent affirmations for example. The key for this is to be consistent and repetitive. Repeat until you believe it. Then you are that.
2. Focus on the feelings of gratitude and happiness, or other things you wish to attract, like love, peace, beauty, health, harmony, strength, wealth, ect. Use visualization boards and other tools here. The key here is to focus on the feeling... not some object, like money. Find the feeling. Feel it. Be it. Be happy to attract more happiness.
3. Let go of everything, even thought, and simply "Be Here Now", in the moment. This is the simplest way, yet many are afraid of letting go - especially of thought- because they think not thinking is being a zombie or something. Not true. The inner silence found when thoughts stop is the deepest relaxation and the "only true freedom" as others have called it. And you can always start thinking whenever you want to. The mind is a tool, use it only when you need it. And since there is no more constant stream of thoughts, there is no more negative thinking. Nothing to stop you from achieving something when you set your mind to it.
Think about that one!
For most people, a combination of each is appropriate.
And remember, your job is to BE who you desire to be. Find out what that means to you and do it. Once you ARE that, you RESONATE it wherever you are and everything that matches that is attracted to you.
And that's how you be.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
I completely understand.
In fact, I go through that myself from time to time as I find myself having no problem whatsoever attracting extraordinary circumstances in one area of my life... and running in circles, feeling frustrated and wanting to just give up in other areas.
Now, I love "The Secret". It is doing so much to help people awaken to the possibility of a greater reality and helping the world rise in consciousness. And as a friend of mine aptly pointed out, it is only the beginning.
The truth is that our thoughts are only part of the process.
The real power of attraction comes from being.
More than just thinking positive thoughts of what we want, we must become the kind of person that naturally attracts our desire. This creates the real energetic resonance inside of ourselves that has us "vibrating at the right frequency" so that what we desire is magnetically attracted into our life. That's why there is such an emphasis in "The Secret" about being grateful, being happy, and really feeling those feelings of gratitude and happiness.
It is ALL about BEING.
How do you be?
There are three ways:
1. Change all of your conscious and unconscious beliefs to support the person you wish to be. This takes work but is very easy to do with consistent affirmations for example. The key for this is to be consistent and repetitive. Repeat until you believe it. Then you are that.
2. Focus on the feelings of gratitude and happiness, or other things you wish to attract, like love, peace, beauty, health, harmony, strength, wealth, ect. Use visualization boards and other tools here. The key here is to focus on the feeling... not some object, like money. Find the feeling. Feel it. Be it. Be happy to attract more happiness.
3. Let go of everything, even thought, and simply "Be Here Now", in the moment. This is the simplest way, yet many are afraid of letting go - especially of thought- because they think not thinking is being a zombie or something. Not true. The inner silence found when thoughts stop is the deepest relaxation and the "only true freedom" as others have called it. And you can always start thinking whenever you want to. The mind is a tool, use it only when you need it. And since there is no more constant stream of thoughts, there is no more negative thinking. Nothing to stop you from achieving something when you set your mind to it.
Think about that one!
For most people, a combination of each is appropriate.
And remember, your job is to BE who you desire to be. Find out what that means to you and do it. Once you ARE that, you RESONATE it wherever you are and everything that matches that is attracted to you.
And that's how you be.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Monday, March 19, 2007
What Can You Learn From Islam?
There are many things we can all learn from Islam (and any of the major religions). Today I am going to focus on only one thing: the word "Islam".
What does Islam mean?
Literally, the word means "submission" and refers to surrendering completely to the will of God/Allah.
I know that at first this might sound like prostating yourself and saying things like "I am not worthy" over and over again. Some people do that yes. But that isn't something I endorse because it is not very empowering, and I am all about empowering people.
What I really want to point out here is the concept of surrender.
Surrendering to the present moment, and therefore to All-That-Is, or the Universe, is a recurring idea in all major spiritual teachings. It is called the power of now, the art of allowing, surrendering, releasing, letting go, awareness, mindfulness, meditation, prayer, gratitude, forgiveness, healing, being still, relaxing, and many other things I'm sure.
So many names have been given to try to capture the essence of something that one must DO, not think about. It is something to experience, not argue for or against. No one can really do it justice with words anyway, it is something to stop resisting, so that we can allow ourselves to just "go with the flow" (there's another one).
It is not about being submissive.
It is not about following orders.
It is not about giving your power and your responsibility away to some entity in the sky.
It is about awakening to the true power and love of life. It is about being conscious without judgment. It is about hearing the calm inner voice that knows that you are far greater than you have allowed yourself to be. It is about listening to your intuition/gut and following your heart.
In essence, it is about dropping all doubts, fears, resistance, energy blocks and tension or stress that you are holding on to, so that you can actually BE who you really are.
It is really about living life to the fullest.
Go ahead, surrender completely to the joy of living.
There is nothing you need to drop all your accumulated baggage and chains.
You can do it... right Now.
Just breathe.
Feel better?
You would if you had done it.
Don't be afraid.
Once you let go of everything that was holding you back, all is well.
But don't take my word for it, experience it for yourself.
Breathe.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
What does Islam mean?
Literally, the word means "submission" and refers to surrendering completely to the will of God/Allah.
I know that at first this might sound like prostating yourself and saying things like "I am not worthy" over and over again. Some people do that yes. But that isn't something I endorse because it is not very empowering, and I am all about empowering people.
What I really want to point out here is the concept of surrender.
Surrendering to the present moment, and therefore to All-That-Is, or the Universe, is a recurring idea in all major spiritual teachings. It is called the power of now, the art of allowing, surrendering, releasing, letting go, awareness, mindfulness, meditation, prayer, gratitude, forgiveness, healing, being still, relaxing, and many other things I'm sure.
So many names have been given to try to capture the essence of something that one must DO, not think about. It is something to experience, not argue for or against. No one can really do it justice with words anyway, it is something to stop resisting, so that we can allow ourselves to just "go with the flow" (there's another one).
It is not about being submissive.
It is not about following orders.
It is not about giving your power and your responsibility away to some entity in the sky.
It is about awakening to the true power and love of life. It is about being conscious without judgment. It is about hearing the calm inner voice that knows that you are far greater than you have allowed yourself to be. It is about listening to your intuition/gut and following your heart.
In essence, it is about dropping all doubts, fears, resistance, energy blocks and tension or stress that you are holding on to, so that you can actually BE who you really are.
It is really about living life to the fullest.
Go ahead, surrender completely to the joy of living.
There is nothing you need to drop all your accumulated baggage and chains.
You can do it... right Now.
Just breathe.
Feel better?
You would if you had done it.
Don't be afraid.
Once you let go of everything that was holding you back, all is well.
But don't take my word for it, experience it for yourself.
Breathe.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Friday, March 16, 2007
Make Music Work For You
Many things can affect your state of mind/level of consciousness and physiological frequency.
Things like words, images, sensations, and sounds. And, more specifically, music.
Music plays a huge part in most, if not all, cultures around the world. Since the stone age, humans have assembled different sounds with different rhythms to create different results, like getting into a shamanistic trance, or celebrating with a feast. Some types of music energize us. Others soothe us. Some make us angry, some make us sad. The different sounds caused by different instruments or technologies influence us in certain ways. The rhythm and beat of the music affects our own rhythm and frequency of vibration, our heartbeat tends to synchronise with the beat of the music, and our breathing speeds up or slows down accordingly... affecting the oxygen, nutrients and overall vibration of every cell in our body. Not to mention the fact that the sound waves also actually hit us physically and affect us that way too. And when you add words to the mix, they also have an effect on our thoughts and consciousness, especially when they are repeated.
The point here is to be aware of the music you listen to, and to choose wisely.
Having your music selection on random can be fun, especially if you treat it as an experiment in entropy - or to practice your ESP as you "guess" which song will show up next. And listening to the radio is great when you want something different or want to hear a human voice every once in a while. But there are some times when you need to put yourself in a certain frame of mind, and only a certain type of music will do it. Then it's good to know what you need and where to get it.
Here are some guidelines:
-Classical music in the 60 beats per minute range - one per second- (Baroque style), with high frequency sounds (like a high note on the violin), are the best for learning and being creative. Since most people's heart rate is around 70-80 beats per minute, they calm the body and simultaneously stimulate the mind. Allowing our brainwaves to reach a more alpha pattern... similar to meditation. This also recharges and refreshes your brain due to the effect that these high frequency, rhythmic, soothing sounds have on certain structures in the inner ear. So when you need your brain working optimally, go classical.
-Music with a rhythm of 80, 90, or more beats per minute will boost your heart rate and breathing artificially and make your energy level go up with it... if it doesn't make you feel anxious. It all depends on how much you are willing to get into the same rhythm. If you resist it, like some people do when they don't like the music, they don't synchronize with it and end up really not liking it because their heart rate still goes up. At the unconscious level, a rising heart rate causes many reactions in the body. All of them pointing to a need for some ACTION. So if you just sit there with your heart racing, you won't feel good. With this music, you need to MOVE. Great for getting pumped up and excited! As long as you choose the right speed for what you want to do... and make sure you play something slower every once in a while, just to give yourself the chance to recharge a little.
-Music that has a very slow beat at less than 60 (50,40 or less) is perfect for total relaxation of mind and body. This can help you drop all the tension you have accumulated, and just let go. Great for falling asleep.
-If you are listening to or using songs and music with words, be aware that the words will be seeping into your mind, consciously or not -especially if you synchronize with the music- and therefore it is wise to steer yourself towards songs with lyrics that empower you or support your goals, and make you feel really good, instead of ones which make you think and feel like crap. Sometimes, it's just better to go with pure sound and instrumentation to avoid negative lyrics.
Well, there you have it.
Take this as a starting point and find out more of what works for you.
When something as simple and easy as playing the right music can change your mood and your physiology to better suit a certain situation, why not take full advantage of it.
It's so easy, and so much fun too!
Enjoy!
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Things like words, images, sensations, and sounds. And, more specifically, music.
Music plays a huge part in most, if not all, cultures around the world. Since the stone age, humans have assembled different sounds with different rhythms to create different results, like getting into a shamanistic trance, or celebrating with a feast. Some types of music energize us. Others soothe us. Some make us angry, some make us sad. The different sounds caused by different instruments or technologies influence us in certain ways. The rhythm and beat of the music affects our own rhythm and frequency of vibration, our heartbeat tends to synchronise with the beat of the music, and our breathing speeds up or slows down accordingly... affecting the oxygen, nutrients and overall vibration of every cell in our body. Not to mention the fact that the sound waves also actually hit us physically and affect us that way too. And when you add words to the mix, they also have an effect on our thoughts and consciousness, especially when they are repeated.
The point here is to be aware of the music you listen to, and to choose wisely.
Having your music selection on random can be fun, especially if you treat it as an experiment in entropy - or to practice your ESP as you "guess" which song will show up next. And listening to the radio is great when you want something different or want to hear a human voice every once in a while. But there are some times when you need to put yourself in a certain frame of mind, and only a certain type of music will do it. Then it's good to know what you need and where to get it.
Here are some guidelines:
-Classical music in the 60 beats per minute range - one per second- (Baroque style), with high frequency sounds (like a high note on the violin), are the best for learning and being creative. Since most people's heart rate is around 70-80 beats per minute, they calm the body and simultaneously stimulate the mind. Allowing our brainwaves to reach a more alpha pattern... similar to meditation. This also recharges and refreshes your brain due to the effect that these high frequency, rhythmic, soothing sounds have on certain structures in the inner ear. So when you need your brain working optimally, go classical.
-Music with a rhythm of 80, 90, or more beats per minute will boost your heart rate and breathing artificially and make your energy level go up with it... if it doesn't make you feel anxious. It all depends on how much you are willing to get into the same rhythm. If you resist it, like some people do when they don't like the music, they don't synchronize with it and end up really not liking it because their heart rate still goes up. At the unconscious level, a rising heart rate causes many reactions in the body. All of them pointing to a need for some ACTION. So if you just sit there with your heart racing, you won't feel good. With this music, you need to MOVE. Great for getting pumped up and excited! As long as you choose the right speed for what you want to do... and make sure you play something slower every once in a while, just to give yourself the chance to recharge a little.
-Music that has a very slow beat at less than 60 (50,40 or less) is perfect for total relaxation of mind and body. This can help you drop all the tension you have accumulated, and just let go. Great for falling asleep.
-If you are listening to or using songs and music with words, be aware that the words will be seeping into your mind, consciously or not -especially if you synchronize with the music- and therefore it is wise to steer yourself towards songs with lyrics that empower you or support your goals, and make you feel really good, instead of ones which make you think and feel like crap. Sometimes, it's just better to go with pure sound and instrumentation to avoid negative lyrics.
Well, there you have it.
Take this as a starting point and find out more of what works for you.
When something as simple and easy as playing the right music can change your mood and your physiology to better suit a certain situation, why not take full advantage of it.
It's so easy, and so much fun too!
Enjoy!
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
How To Know Exactly What You Want
Do you know what you really want?
I mean consciously.
Because unconsciously we all know exactly what we want and how to bring it into our lives.
Did you ever think about that? Quite a thought isn't it?
But think about it. You know what you want. Right now. You always knew. Unconsciously, you know everything you will ever need to know. Plato said it, thousands of years ago, and people have known that long before and since.
Now, the question is... how do you become conscious of that which is unconscious?
Very simply, you tune into your body. You pay attention to how your body reacts to your thoughts and your environment, and what emotions come up.
The unconscious knowing will show up through your body's reaction to whatever you are considering. So that way, you can ask yourself a bunch of questions about all kinds of things that interest you and, by noticing how you feel - relaxed or tense, fearful or excited, etc. - you can get clues as to where you really stand on certain questions... deep, deep, down.
Everybody who goes through life not really knowing what they really want haven't gone deep enough inside themselves to find the answer.
The answer to your question can always be found within. It may show up on the outside as a sentence in a book or article, or as a line in a movie, or even as something someone says in passing. The answer you seek may come from anywhere, and if you still miss it, it can always be found within. In the quiet that explains all.
So no more excuses.
You know what to do.
As the saying goes: you either go within, or go without.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
I mean consciously.
Because unconsciously we all know exactly what we want and how to bring it into our lives.
Did you ever think about that? Quite a thought isn't it?
But think about it. You know what you want. Right now. You always knew. Unconsciously, you know everything you will ever need to know. Plato said it, thousands of years ago, and people have known that long before and since.
Now, the question is... how do you become conscious of that which is unconscious?
Very simply, you tune into your body. You pay attention to how your body reacts to your thoughts and your environment, and what emotions come up.
The unconscious knowing will show up through your body's reaction to whatever you are considering. So that way, you can ask yourself a bunch of questions about all kinds of things that interest you and, by noticing how you feel - relaxed or tense, fearful or excited, etc. - you can get clues as to where you really stand on certain questions... deep, deep, down.
Everybody who goes through life not really knowing what they really want haven't gone deep enough inside themselves to find the answer.
The answer to your question can always be found within. It may show up on the outside as a sentence in a book or article, or as a line in a movie, or even as something someone says in passing. The answer you seek may come from anywhere, and if you still miss it, it can always be found within. In the quiet that explains all.
So no more excuses.
You know what to do.
As the saying goes: you either go within, or go without.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
The Tree Monkey
Why did the monkey fall out of the tree?
...
Because it was dead.
Hahahahahaha!
What?
What do you mean it's not funny?
You just have to use your imagination and get a story behind it.
OK.
I guess you just have to be in a certain frame of mind... or fatigue.
Some people will find this joke funny for the simple reason that it is totally unexpected or absurd. Others will not find it funny at all. And some might find it funny only when they are tired or drunk and see it in a totally different way.
Which brings me to my point.
Our state of mind, whatever it is, affects how we perceive the world. I used a dumb joke here as an example, but this applies to everything.
When you are in a bad mood you take things differently than when you are in a good mood.
Sometimes you like doing silly things, other times you get irritated.
I could go on, but I'm sure you get my point (you might even be irritated right now).
Now, we've known this for a long, long, time. Artists and thinkers from all times have searched for ways to alter their state of mind, their consciousness, to be able to find creative solutions to questions they were asking. People have used all manner of drugs and alcohol, physical activity and exhaustion, gibberish, prayer, sleep deprivation and all forms of meditation and ritualised behaviour to get into what is today called "flow" or "inspiration".
And after a certain period of practice, all of these things seem to more or less work. Although many have harmful effects on your health and wellbeing so I do not recommend them. However, if they all pretty much can work, then the question here becomes:
What is the one element common to all?
What is the key to true inspiration?
Well... if you have ever studied these things at a deep level, like I have, you come to notice that the one thing common in all situations is that the thinking mind is completely silent at some point. Soon after this, ideas rush in like a stream. Great ideas.
Coincidentally, this is the true ideal and purpose of meditation. To turn off the chattering monkey that is our constant thoughts.
Contrary to popular belief, we do not get creative ideas from thinking. We get creative ideas from the silence between our thoughts. In the stillness of presence, as Eckhart Tolle would say. That is why people are told to "sleep on it" when they need to make a big decision. Sleep gives you a rest from thinking all the time and allows true creative ideas and solution to come to the surface. Otherwise they would get blocked by the wall of constant thoughts that we normally have.
This is also why most creative ideas come in times of relaxation. Great thinkers like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell would take short power naps in their favorite chair when they faced a particularly difficult problem. Often they had the clue they needed when they woke up. Or it would appear in a dream. Nietzsche and many other philosophers would take walks, especially in nature, to "clear their head". Einstein is also known to have placed a writing board on his bathroom wall because he noticed that he would often get great ideas while taking a shower.
So, learn to open up the space between your thoughts for more creative ideas.
Learn to relax, to meditate, to look at things without thinking about them. Allow yourself to let go of trying to "think". Do something you know relaxes you. Something you love, that takes your mind of the problem. You might not find the tree monkey joke funny - even in a different state of mind - but you just might be able to find the perfect solution to that problem you've been working on ... by letting the chattering monkey of your thoughts die and fall away.
Namaste.
Charles Bégin
Copyright © Charles Begin
...
Because it was dead.
Hahahahahaha!
What?
What do you mean it's not funny?
You just have to use your imagination and get a story behind it.
OK.
I guess you just have to be in a certain frame of mind... or fatigue.
Some people will find this joke funny for the simple reason that it is totally unexpected or absurd. Others will not find it funny at all. And some might find it funny only when they are tired or drunk and see it in a totally different way.
Which brings me to my point.
Our state of mind, whatever it is, affects how we perceive the world. I used a dumb joke here as an example, but this applies to everything.
When you are in a bad mood you take things differently than when you are in a good mood.
Sometimes you like doing silly things, other times you get irritated.
I could go on, but I'm sure you get my point (you might even be irritated right now).
Now, we've known this for a long, long, time. Artists and thinkers from all times have searched for ways to alter their state of mind, their consciousness, to be able to find creative solutions to questions they were asking. People have used all manner of drugs and alcohol, physical activity and exhaustion, gibberish, prayer, sleep deprivation and all forms of meditation and ritualised behaviour to get into what is today called "flow" or "inspiration".
And after a certain period of practice, all of these things seem to more or less work. Although many have harmful effects on your health and wellbeing so I do not recommend them. However, if they all pretty much can work, then the question here becomes:
What is the one element common to all?
What is the key to true inspiration?
Well... if you have ever studied these things at a deep level, like I have, you come to notice that the one thing common in all situations is that the thinking mind is completely silent at some point. Soon after this, ideas rush in like a stream. Great ideas.
Coincidentally, this is the true ideal and purpose of meditation. To turn off the chattering monkey that is our constant thoughts.
Contrary to popular belief, we do not get creative ideas from thinking. We get creative ideas from the silence between our thoughts. In the stillness of presence, as Eckhart Tolle would say. That is why people are told to "sleep on it" when they need to make a big decision. Sleep gives you a rest from thinking all the time and allows true creative ideas and solution to come to the surface. Otherwise they would get blocked by the wall of constant thoughts that we normally have.
This is also why most creative ideas come in times of relaxation. Great thinkers like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell would take short power naps in their favorite chair when they faced a particularly difficult problem. Often they had the clue they needed when they woke up. Or it would appear in a dream. Nietzsche and many other philosophers would take walks, especially in nature, to "clear their head". Einstein is also known to have placed a writing board on his bathroom wall because he noticed that he would often get great ideas while taking a shower.
So, learn to open up the space between your thoughts for more creative ideas.
Learn to relax, to meditate, to look at things without thinking about them. Allow yourself to let go of trying to "think". Do something you know relaxes you. Something you love, that takes your mind of the problem. You might not find the tree monkey joke funny - even in a different state of mind - but you just might be able to find the perfect solution to that problem you've been working on ... by letting the chattering monkey of your thoughts die and fall away.
Namaste.
Charles Bégin
Copyright © Charles Begin
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Did You Say "Try"?
"Do, or do not. There is no try." - Yoda, Jedi Master
For those of you who may have heard that the movie "The Secret" and the universal Law of Attraction can give us the life of our dreams, but still hold much skepticism about it, I have only one thing to say:
Do it. Honestly. Every single day for one month. At least. Try three months, or a year. And make sur you really pay close attention to everything that happens. This is key.
Would a scientist be credible if he "tested" something only once?
What about if he didn't pay close attention to the results?
Or if he just thought about it and said "naw, that wouldn't work" or "that's just a coincidence".
Would you really trust those "results"?
That's what many are doing right now in regards to the law of attraction.
In this world, we can only truly understand something by living it fully.
And to really make a difference, we must look at things long-term.
And that means making a commitment, which most don't like.
The forces which govern your life tend to accumulate momentum.
For your life situation to change, you need to focus on the new reality you desire until the momentum that your life has been gathering so far has changed towards what you want.
It is like a large ball or bolder rolling away in one direction (think of the huge boulder chasing Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arc for a powerful visual). If you want to improve or transform your situation, you are pretty much slowing down that huge ball and sending it into another direction, the one you want to go. That takes focus.
Either a lot of focus and effort and a little time.
Or,
A little focus and effort and a lot of time.
Either way, it will not happen overnight. Or if it does, it will take practice to maintain it. In other words, if you "try" to attract something into your life once, and it doesn't happen right away, that is not "proof" that the law of attraction doesn't work. It just means that you are not willing to make the necessary long-term changes to your thinking.
In all scientific research, long-term studies are always more valuable than short-term ones. Because some results will not appear until much later... and can completely change conclusions.
All lasting life transformations are caused by permanent changes to deep, foundational beliefs that thereby affect all subsequent thoughts and actions.
That means ... no more flimsy"trying". In whatever you do... do it. Or not.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Monday, March 5, 2007
Mind-Body Power
"To keep the body in good health is a duty... Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." - Buddha
The health and strength of the body is paramount to those who understand natural laws.
What do I mean by that? Simply that without a healthy body, we cannot achieve our true potential. The mind is powerful yes, and it is a tool we should develop to it's fullest. Yet the body and the mind are so intimitaly connected that when studying any living organism on the molecular level, it is impossible to distinguish effects and changes that are purely from the body or purely from the mind. They really are one. Even if you think of the mind as the physical brain, the central nervous system which comprises the brain and spinal cord branches off into the periferal nervous system that extends throughout the entire body. The nerves are everywhere, and they are all connected to the brain. So the mind, however you choose to define it, is present throughout the entire body.
We can literally think with any part of our body. You can place your consciousness in your feet if you want. Try it. It's kinda cool. And you can explore any part of your body with your mind.
The point is, to enjoy the maximum benefits of a strong, healthy mind, we must also develop a strong, healthy body. On the physical level, strength and fitness improve the signal strength and clarity of the nervous system. This makes the body and the mind more responsive to each other. Which also means that there is better control.
Kind of like getting a car with a more responsive system. The control is better and the performance potential is much higher. If the driver is also very skilled, that means he can get extraordinary performance out of that car.
Your body is the car, your mind is the driver. They are connected. To improve your performance:
1.Increase health for a clear signal
2.Strengthen the body for physical power
3.Meditate for a clear mind
4.Focus only on that which you want, for attractive power
Do these four things starting today, learing and improving all the time, and soon you will become unstoppable. In whatever you choose to do.
Charles
P.S. If you would like to receive personal or group coaching for Mind-Body Power, contact me: charlesbegin@gmail.com
Copyright © Charles Begin
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Let Yourself Dream
*If you could be anything, do anything, and have anything,
and money and time and everything else was NOT an issue...
what would you choose?*
and money and time and everything else was NOT an issue...
what would you choose?*
It's really important to allow ourselves to dream.
So sit back and allow yourself to play with this question for a few minutes. And do it often, once a month or even once a week.
If you just let yourself relax and go with it, you will feel incredible.
And you just might get a few really great ideas.
Charles
P.S. If you want to hire me as your personal Life Coach to help you achieve your dreams, let me know.
Copyright © Charles Begin
Friday, March 2, 2007
Know the Destination, Live the Journey
When I ask people about their goals, very rarely do I get a straight answer. Some goals are private, and I respect that, we don't have to tell everybody everything. But mostly people don't "have" them. It seems like too much work.
That's too bad, because goals are a great help in really living this journey we call life.
Let me explain.
While most people might not have written goals (research suggests only 5% or less of people actually have written goals - the same 5% that outperform the rest of the 95% combined), with a little bit of probing with specific questions I can usually get to some of the things that people would like to experience in their lifetime. Things like being comfortably wealthy, finding love, being healthy, and making a genuine difference in the lives of others are common themes. So the goals are there. They just don't think of them as goals, or don't think of them at all.
Now, some people like to live in a very spontaneous way. They tell me that setting goals takes the fun and adventure out of life. That if they know where they will be in five years there are no more suprises. I completely understand. I love suprises, who doesn't? And setting goals does not in any way ruin suprises.
In fact, setting goals and being on the path to achieving them is the most amazing adventure that you could ever imagine!
Why? Because you take out so much of the stress that we feel from day to day living. Yes, there is a suprise at every corner, but is it always a pleasant surprise? I salute you if it is, and it shows that you are living according to universal laws, whether you realise it or not. But for most, pleasant surprises are few and far between. Day to day worries and stresses crowd the mind and dull the senses. There is no end in sight to this cloud of negativity that surrounds them. To them the world is a damned place! The only time they feel better is when they escape their presently painful reality by way of drink, sports, drugs, books, music, movies, clubs, friends, daydreaming, and many other avenues. Sound familiar?
Well, here is where the beauty of goals comes in.
Setting goals makes you take a sometimes brutally honest look at your situation, and compare it with the life you would really love to live.
Now, there may be soooooo much difference between the two realities that the very thought of trying to bridge the gap leaves you feeling like a failure even before you start. But there is always a way. And the way is to start small. You want to find out what one little thing you could do, the smallest thing ever, that would help you feel like you have taken a step in the right direction.
If taking out the garbage will make you start to feel like you are taking a step, no matter how small, to taking charge of your life, then do that. If getting a skipping rope will make you feel like you are taking one step toward improving your health, then do that. You don't have to sign up at a gym if you are not ready for it. Just go for a walk. If you want more money but have no clue how to get it, your next step would be to keep your eyes and ears open for clues on how to do that... or to go do some research.
Then, keep taking those steps.
Just keep moving.
Whatever you need to do to feel like you are moving in the right direction, do it. It really IS that simple. You will learn and find everything you need along the way. You will become the person you need to be to reach your ideal as long as you keep learning and moving forward.
If you continue, within a year you will be amazed at how far you have travelled. Within two years you will be moving with extraordinary momentum. Within ten you will be living a life that most people only allow themselves to dream about.
I want you to notice that I have not said that the journey will be completely smooth and constant. There will be bumps and falls and turnarounds. But as long as you always get back up and get moving again in the right direction, failure does not exist. Only learning experiences on the way to guaranteed success.
So, to come back to the reason why having goals and being on the path is the most amazing adventure you could ever imagine...
You can never know everything that will happen, if we could, there would be many more lottery winners. So there will always be surprises. What goals do, is allow you to believe in your dream. You believe in it because you are living it. You allow yourself to move into it more and more. And because you believe in your dream and you move forward constantly with the faith that it will be your reality... many of your day to day worries will simply melt away.
You fully enjoy all the pleasures of this adventurous journey called life because you already know how it is going to end.
Your life becomes like a great book or movie you heard about. One that you know everything works out at the end. That takes away the fear for the hero, yet you still want to dive into the story to live it's every twist and turn.
As has often been said - life is a journey, not a destination.
Figure out the end, the destination first, so you can then focus on the amazing journey you are taking to get there.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
That's too bad, because goals are a great help in really living this journey we call life.
Let me explain.
While most people might not have written goals (research suggests only 5% or less of people actually have written goals - the same 5% that outperform the rest of the 95% combined), with a little bit of probing with specific questions I can usually get to some of the things that people would like to experience in their lifetime. Things like being comfortably wealthy, finding love, being healthy, and making a genuine difference in the lives of others are common themes. So the goals are there. They just don't think of them as goals, or don't think of them at all.
Now, some people like to live in a very spontaneous way. They tell me that setting goals takes the fun and adventure out of life. That if they know where they will be in five years there are no more suprises. I completely understand. I love suprises, who doesn't? And setting goals does not in any way ruin suprises.
In fact, setting goals and being on the path to achieving them is the most amazing adventure that you could ever imagine!
Why? Because you take out so much of the stress that we feel from day to day living. Yes, there is a suprise at every corner, but is it always a pleasant surprise? I salute you if it is, and it shows that you are living according to universal laws, whether you realise it or not. But for most, pleasant surprises are few and far between. Day to day worries and stresses crowd the mind and dull the senses. There is no end in sight to this cloud of negativity that surrounds them. To them the world is a damned place! The only time they feel better is when they escape their presently painful reality by way of drink, sports, drugs, books, music, movies, clubs, friends, daydreaming, and many other avenues. Sound familiar?
Well, here is where the beauty of goals comes in.
Setting goals makes you take a sometimes brutally honest look at your situation, and compare it with the life you would really love to live.
Now, there may be soooooo much difference between the two realities that the very thought of trying to bridge the gap leaves you feeling like a failure even before you start. But there is always a way. And the way is to start small. You want to find out what one little thing you could do, the smallest thing ever, that would help you feel like you have taken a step in the right direction.
If taking out the garbage will make you start to feel like you are taking a step, no matter how small, to taking charge of your life, then do that. If getting a skipping rope will make you feel like you are taking one step toward improving your health, then do that. You don't have to sign up at a gym if you are not ready for it. Just go for a walk. If you want more money but have no clue how to get it, your next step would be to keep your eyes and ears open for clues on how to do that... or to go do some research.
Then, keep taking those steps.
Just keep moving.
Whatever you need to do to feel like you are moving in the right direction, do it. It really IS that simple. You will learn and find everything you need along the way. You will become the person you need to be to reach your ideal as long as you keep learning and moving forward.
If you continue, within a year you will be amazed at how far you have travelled. Within two years you will be moving with extraordinary momentum. Within ten you will be living a life that most people only allow themselves to dream about.
I want you to notice that I have not said that the journey will be completely smooth and constant. There will be bumps and falls and turnarounds. But as long as you always get back up and get moving again in the right direction, failure does not exist. Only learning experiences on the way to guaranteed success.
So, to come back to the reason why having goals and being on the path is the most amazing adventure you could ever imagine...
You can never know everything that will happen, if we could, there would be many more lottery winners. So there will always be surprises. What goals do, is allow you to believe in your dream. You believe in it because you are living it. You allow yourself to move into it more and more. And because you believe in your dream and you move forward constantly with the faith that it will be your reality... many of your day to day worries will simply melt away.
You fully enjoy all the pleasures of this adventurous journey called life because you already know how it is going to end.
Your life becomes like a great book or movie you heard about. One that you know everything works out at the end. That takes away the fear for the hero, yet you still want to dive into the story to live it's every twist and turn.
As has often been said - life is a journey, not a destination.
Figure out the end, the destination first, so you can then focus on the amazing journey you are taking to get there.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Thursday, March 1, 2007
The search for lasting happiness
As much as I have been able to ascertain in the past few years, deep down, everyone just wants to be happy. And we all do what we believe will allow us to do just that. However, this is where everybody flies in different directions, like when a class of school children all release their untied, air-filled balloons at the same time and they all take a different path.
Why is that?
We all want basically the same thing, right? So why are we all going in different directions?
Well, on the surface we could say that we are all different and so we need different things to make us happy. Fair enough. That makes sense right? Until we look at the situation more closely and realize that very few are actually finding the happiness that they seek. Now why would that be? How can true happiness be so difficult to find?
With everyone searching everywhere, how can it be that we haven't found the key to happiness yet?
The truth is that most search for happiness where it can never be found. On the outside. Externaly. Those who have found true lasting happiness know that it is only by searching inside that we can find what we are looking for. It is by learning to quiet our mind and be present now that lasting happiness is found.
And only then can we truly appreciate all the other individual pleasures that life has to offer.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
Why is that?
We all want basically the same thing, right? So why are we all going in different directions?
Well, on the surface we could say that we are all different and so we need different things to make us happy. Fair enough. That makes sense right? Until we look at the situation more closely and realize that very few are actually finding the happiness that they seek. Now why would that be? How can true happiness be so difficult to find?
With everyone searching everywhere, how can it be that we haven't found the key to happiness yet?
The truth is that most search for happiness where it can never be found. On the outside. Externaly. Those who have found true lasting happiness know that it is only by searching inside that we can find what we are looking for. It is by learning to quiet our mind and be present now that lasting happiness is found.
And only then can we truly appreciate all the other individual pleasures that life has to offer.
Charles
Copyright © Charles Begin
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