Emmanuel

I want to begin, dear reader, with an apology for being away for so long. You know how we all forget things sometimes. No, not the little every day things like picking up something from the grocery store. I mean the really important things. The things that caress our Souls and help to make life worth living. I lost sight of an important piece of that and it got in the way of my writing to you.

In my heart of hearts I love to write. Even more precisely, I get a charge out of sharing information that might uplift, encourage or educate others. And each morning and evening I cherish the time I spend being on the receiving end of communication by contemplating what others have penned ~the written word comes full circle as I am uplifted and encouraged.

It's not like I haven't been thinking about writing to you, but honestly, self-monitoring got in the way. Don't we all do that at times? Watch over our own shoulder like a harsh teacher who is going to give us a failing grade? Hmmm. We all have one of those internal watchmen. In my dissertation (and perhaps forthcoming book) I call it The Judge: a long-standing and potentially useful member of our Internal Committee.

So I have felt the loving pinch of my consciousness telling me to return to my blog, my home base. It is my hope that when you read it you may find just what you need today. After all, there are no "coincidences."

This morning I reached for something new for my own morning inspiration. I came across Emmanuel's Book. It is a cherished favorite given to me years ago by a very dear friend. I would like to share with you from the Prologue:

The gifts I wish to give you

are my deepest love,

the safety of truth,

the wisdom of the universe

and the reality of God.

With these four things, nothing will deter you.

You will follow your hearts swiftly to your destination,

which is Home.

I hope that speaks to you and gives you what you need today.

For me it did, for it reminded me of the "safety of truth". That truth being that what each of us has to say is important..... Don't judge yourself harshly but rather, love yourself...... Put out your best intentions, and God will take care of the rest.

Until next time

Remember that you are guided, protected and loved.

Dr. DyAnn

d.buechler@yahoo.com

Connect the Dots

Garage sale stickers ~ you know, those little colored circles you can buy in the paper/office section of any store? Did you realize they can be used to boost your energy as well as your sense of happiness?

As you walk around your house, yard, and work place, strategically place a dozen of them on that which you are thankful for. It's not necessarily about the "things" you put them on but what they represent. For example you might place one on your refrigerator, representing gratitude for having enough food to eat. I have one on my appointment book because I am thankful for the relationships I have with my clients, another on a patio chair (for the beauty of Nature) and one on the bedroom dresser so that when I wake up each morning I am thankful for the day. You get the idea.

At a deeper level what the dots do is to empower us. Remember the principle of cause and effect. It is always in operation. Our thinking (conscious mind) leads to our beliefs. Our beliefs lead to our actions. Our actions impact our thoughts - round and round in a cycle that creates what happens in our life moment by moment.
If I think it will be an awful day because I overslept it WILL be an awful day. What will make it awful will not be the oversleeping but my thoughts/attitude about it. Here I am at a decision point. The awfulness could end right there with the oversleeping if instead I say, "Okay I overslept, but my mind can think of ways to deal with it. " I would then be more calm and relaxed. Being calm and relaxed frees up my creative subconscious mind which is virtually limitless in ideas it presents to me. And that includes problem solving the over-sleeping.

Our subconscious mind (the real powerhouse and seat of creation) can not think. It "obeys" the conscious thinking mind. So, if I oversleep and sarcastically think "Oh crap! Great start on the day. I'll never catch up" the subconscious mind is geared to follow up on that line of thinking. And thus it is the thought process that makes that day not such a good one - or finds the way to overcome the time issue and create a good day.

Cause and effect of thoughts can be subtle and hard to catch but it is very powerful. Our thinking/conscious mind is always on and always chattering. It isn't that the thinking mind is bad or wrong, but it can be like a crazy monkey in a gift shop - wreaking havoc to say the least. If we don't train our mind, the gift shop (our life) can become an utter mess. And we would assume we had nothing to do with it ~ but we are NOT powerless!

One of the ways to empowerment is keeping our thinking mind at peace. This is the road to what seems like miracles happening in our life. It isn't that some people are born "lucky." We create our luck. But we can't do it with negative thinking. Thoughts create. Add feelings and you have the key to major power.

That is why I invite you to utilize the idea of the garage sale stickers. When we try to make our conscious mind do a certain thing, such as "think peaceful thoughts" it can be as though someone turned on the wrong switch and all the worries and stresses rush into our mind. Yikes! Where did that come from? Or we attempt to meditate and our to do list demands attention, ceaselessly nagging at us. Don't worry if you think you can't meditate/relax. There are easier ways, I believe, than training with a guru or reading all the self-help books available. If those work for you that is great; but if they do not help that is perfectly fine.

Each of us is a unique individual. Not only do you have your own unique purpose in life that no one but YOU can fulfill but it makes sense that there is a unique way in which your mind works. At the same time there are some basics about the mind and how we are created that are universal. What the garage sale stickers do is to bring forth gratitude. You might be rushing around trying to get something done, stress begins to rise, negative thinking is inviting itself in, when your eyes scan one of the garage sale stickers. Your more powerful subconscious is automatically reminded about something pleasant that you are thankful for. This interupts the circuit of the less than positive thought > feeling > belief > action. In its place is a pleasant feeling. The brain baths you in positive chemicals. This now begins its own cycle which literally follows a different circuitry in the brain. In reality, you have the ability to train your brain and master Energy. This is one of the easiest ways to do it.

Until next time~
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn

Namaste

In India when we meet and part we often say "Namaste" which means ~ I honor the place in you where the entire Universe resides; I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where, if you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.

I don't know who wrote that beautiful quote but it sits in a place of honor near my computer. It reminds me to return to "that place in me." That place of beauty and peace where disagreements and hurts seem petty ~and we can bid them to easily drift by like clouds in the sky. But how do we get to that place during those times it seems so distant and impossible to reach?
Sometimes our world flows freely ~ the parking spot is available, the relatives are all getting along, and things are just fine at work. But what about other times when it seems as though nothing is going well in life: we suffer disappointments or people let us down. Something we claimed as our own is taken away: a pet dies, a relationship diminishes or our health gives us problems. It is at these times that it is most difficult to feel as though we are "at one" with the Universe and one other.

But it is precisely at these times that we need one another and that sense of "oneness." We need to feel as though we are connected. If we are lucky those around us will reach out to us. Ah but how often in my work as a healer do I find that those who are hurting the most are wearing a smiling mask that denies any problem! All in all it is an individual challenge to find that connection.

"Treat every heart as though it were breaking." I have yet to find a truly negative response when I offer the hand of kindness to the most crotchety sort of individual. Maybe that person who is checking out your groceries has a sick child at home but has to come to work to make ends meet and keep the bill collectors at bay. I pretend that the person who cuts me off in traffic is late for an important appointment. I claim my inner peace and connection as One.
I urge you to keep your radar out. There are many people around us who need our simple offering of kindness ~ some recognition of them as a real flesh and blood person, not merely the store clerk, co-worker, neighbor or even family member. Not only are you sending them positive energy and an invitation to "Oneness" but you thus claim your own inner peace with your acts of kindness.

Certainly there will be those times when it is you who is hurting. What can you do when no one seems to notice that you are in pain? Fortunately we can connect to what we need via our own volition and internal abilities. This holds true even when we feel very small and the situation seems quite hopeless. When my husband and I relocated there were many things that did not turn out as planned. Not only did the problems seemed insurmountable but it was as if someone turned on a faucet that had troubles and heartaches freely flowing in our direction.
If we keep a deep connection to spiritual reality we know we are not alone. Somehow deep within we sense we are guided, protected and loved. We are connecting with that wonderful something out there in whatever way we best understand it: Nature, God, angels, guides, the Universal Energy of Creative Love.
Dr Joyce Whitley Hawkes was once a highly successful physicist, publishing many manuscripts and working as a research scientist. Following a near death experience she was inspired to change careers, subsequently earning a degree in pastoral ministry. In her book Cell-Level Healing she shares one way in which to make that connection of Oneness. It is called the Jabez Prayer:

Lord bless me, indeed

Before the day begins, before envisioning action,

make a conscious choice to become still.

Stay with the first line of the Jabez Prayer until your mind settles,

becoming naturally quiet.

Maintain your clear state by receiving this blessing

at the beginning of the day.

Expand my territory.

The connection to Spirit creates a natural flow of energy

that is available for service.

It shines with the true gifts of the individual.

Expanded opportunities for service will show up unexpectedly

as you pray the second powerful line of the prayer.

The words "I am willing" may be added.

Place your hand upon me.

How many times have you embarked on a worthy project

only to run out of enthusiasm before it is finished?

Pray for sustained connection and energy

in addition to inspiration.

"Place your hand upon me" can sustain you and keep you on track.

Keep me from evil that I may do no harm.

This line of the Jabez prayer can be individually interpreted.

For example, "Let me not waver from

integrity in myself, my thoughts, and my actions."

At the end (page 33) Dr. Hawkes thanks Bruce Wilkinson for writing about the prayer found in 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10. How inspiring.

May you truly feel your connectedness as One. All that is needed is your invitation.

Until next time~ blessings and love to you and those you love.

Namaste

Dr. DyAnn

Signs Along the Way

Life is a series of choices. We do not need to live a life that is haphazard at best, miserable at worse. What you do today impacts what your life will be tomorrow. There are some essential things to know if you want to build a life of success.

Life is what you make it. For example, a student who does not do her homework will quite possibly find herself in a problematic situation the next day in class or certainly at test time! Someone who skips meals and doesn't get enough rest is creating a situation whereby his immune system will likely be compromised in the near future. A woman who decides to ignore her husband's abusive comments will have to endure more of the same in the future.

When we realize and truly grasp that we create our tomorrows, life becomes something that really is our own choosing. No one is the victim of fate. It is not our circumstances that determine what kind of life we will live; it is what we do with those circumstances.
There are wonderful success stories available to us in this regard. "Blind Side" is currently a popular movie based on the true story of a boy who is literally taken from the streets of poverty as a homeless youth...we fast forward and see him playing on the pro football field! Someone intervened in his life to change his circumstances, enabling him to use his raw talent. There are so many beautiful lessons in this inspiring movie.

But what if you have had no one who reached out and offered to change your circumstances? It doesn't matter. In the end you are the one who changes your own circumstances and thus your life path.
There are countless stories of people who may not be famous but nonetheless who are living their own success story. They changed their own circumstances or found the gift within them. Jamie is one such person. Born with a serious birth defect, he was coddled by his family. "Clearly" he revealed in a session, "they not only felt sorry for me but they felt ashamed of my disability. I remember they tried to hide it in family photos."
Jamie did not let his circumstances stop him. He went on to build a successful corporation which is thriving even in today's tough economy. He is one of the most dynamic people I have ever met. It takes about five minutes of sitting with him before his disability melts from view. All that is left is someone who loves life and any challenge thrown his way.

Life is what YOU make it. But just how does one make life successful? How do we know what to do?

The Universe, God, Divine Matrix (choose whatever term works for you) provides everything we need in order to have a happy, successful life. We don't have to find our way alone. Look for signs along the way that inspire you as you make your daily choices. I recently had a conversation with a client with whom I felt the need to clearly emphasize this point. "Watch for the signs. I am sure they will come to you." She E mailed me with the exciting news that not only did she get a sign but it was shockingly specific and unique. What made it even sweeter is that it came from the last person she expected it from ..... and the person from whom she needed it most. What a happy ending. The Universe wants us to be happy and successful.

Ask for help and inspiration along the way. Then don't forget to watch for the signs that your request has been answered. And last but just as important, be sure to follow thru. The Universe is not going to gives us more signs if we hold in disregard that which we have already been given.

Until next time ~
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn

"Calm Down!!"

No matter how smart, educated or advantaged a person is - no matter how great a thinker they may be, the more powerful subconscious mind will ALWAYS trump the cognitive mind. Furthermore, no matter how powerful a person's resolve or will is, the subconscious mind is immeasurably stronger. There is a little trick to this which I am going to share with you.

The subconscious mind "believes" what we tell it. Here is a typical example. I was in a well known coffee shop (B&N) recently and overheard two young women talking about their New Year's resolutions to exercise. "Ya, but I won't last more than a couple weeks. That is what always happens." Yes, that young woman is absolutely correct! She might have all the well-intention and desire in the world to keep exercising, but she sunk herself with that simple statement.
Our subconscious mind is always listening to us - hearing what we say, think and believe. It as if her inner mind said, "Oh okay, the cut off point is two weeks." I would guarantee that her exercise program failed.
But it did not need to! We don't need to fail at our resolutions year after year. And we don't need to "fail" at anything else. Our history does NOT need to predict our future... if we know how to use our powerful subconscious mind.

One of the reasons the subconscious mind is so powerful is that it is the seat of our emotions; our emotional brain is much more powerful than the cognitive (conscious) brain. Unless we calm the mind and what is called the sympathetic nervous system we can't hear our own wisdom. Want some proof? Just try to "think straight' when you are in a panic over something. Frustrated because you are late and can't find your car keys? You won't be able to recall where you last put them if your emotions are running high. If you know how to calm yourself you will remember that odd place where you last set them down... believe me, I know this works!
Relaxation is the key.
Thru relaxation we access all parts of the brain and our being... including memory. All memory as I mentioned in my last blog, as well as our emotions, are seated in the subconscious mind. But when we are overcome (literally) by emotion, our brain goes into stress reaction. "I can't find my keys! I'm going to be late -where the heck are they?! Now I'm going to have to deal with explaining why I am late. I'm never going to find them #$%^**!!!!"

In the above scenario we literally block the memory of where our keys are located. Any situation in which we need to think, or even be reasonable is not going to have the best results when we are less than calm and relaxed. Think of the last time you were in a heated discussion with someone. The more our emotional level goes up, the less reasonable things that come out of our mouth! We tend to lose control.

It all circles back to relaxation.
When we are calm and relaxed, our emotions are calm or can be calmed down. We can center ourselves. We can rise above the emotions, take them into consideration, say reasonable things and make more reasonable decisions.
There are many self calming techniques. Here is one to try. Roll your eyes up to the ceiling, breathe slowly....and close your eyes. Take your time doing this. Then ask yourself how you want to respond to the situation.
The point is to calm your system down. You are moving out of the fight/flight stress response. That is not where you do your best thinking! When you calm yourself down you are in control of your thoughts and your emotions.

You are in control of your life.
So whether it is those keys you can't find, someone that is pushing your buttons and getting an emotional response out of you, or the dull panic of something you are worried about, the key is to calm yourself, thereby accessing the powerful subconscious mind. We have unlimited wisdom within, but we cannot access it in a hyper state.

Have fun practicing self-soothing, calming techniques. That is where your real success lies!

Until next time,
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn

2010 ~ Success in Meeting Goals

May I begin with an apology if you have been looking at my blog, hoping for a new entry. I'll admit I do feel a little guilty. The holiday season this year has been especially busy for me: ten days at a mind/body conference, a week in the Green Bay area, plus traveling to spend time with family. So, here I am on the last day of 2009 sharing my thoughts with you. Thank you for sharing time with me.

Here we are hours away from the bridge that carries us from one year to the next. It's a natural opportunity for reviewing our life and determining what about it we would like to be different: a new year means a fresh start. It matters little when you are reading this ~ you can "make up your mind" about your goals when ever you decide to do so.
The important point is this: if you don't decide what you want out of life, it is as if you are living what I would call an "accidental life." Remember, our mind listens to what we say. If we don't give ourselves any instruction, any goals or dreams, our greatest gift (our mind) is left to wander aimlessly.

We are living in an incredible time in history. New information and the ability to be in touch with others near and far is growing phenomenally. But what is even more exciting is something that some of us have known for quite some time ~ it is ancient information that has been all but lost. But soon, very soon, it will be discovered and accepted by the masses: science is now proving that our thoughts create. Literally. Talk about power!
As we begin to realize and utilize the power of our minds, the new gizmos and gadgets that connect us and give us information will be like toys that are left in the sandbox.

Some of you who know me and have been my clients have experienced a taste of how the minds works by utilizing hypnotherapy. This is just one way to begin to harness the power of the mind.
It all begins with relaxation. When we relax, the true powerhouse within us is made available. Our subconscious mind is so awesome. For example, your mind stores detailed memory of every experience you have had since you came into existence: what it was like to be born, what your cake looked and tasted like for your fifth birthday, how you felt when you made your first friend, everything about your first kiss, the bond you felt with your pets.... Better than a computer, your inner mind contains not just the facts (you all have a photographic + memory) but the deep inner feelings of all experiences. It's all there and it can be accessed. It's a great "hall of records."

I believe that we will also get to the point of being able to feel and understand the impact we make on those around us. In other words, when you do something "nice" (or not so nice) you will come to the point of being able to feel what they feel. That either will make you look forward to it, or squirm a little. Thus the adage of be careful what you say --- and do unto others.

But I digress. The point is, you can have the benefit now of using your mind in a more productive way, making life what you want it to be. There are many ways of doing this: setting goals and repeating them daily, making a collage of a goal and keeping it where you can see it regularly, using affirmations, thinking about your goal as you are falling asleep at night, using visualization, imagining how you will feel when you meet your goal, etc.

Don't let your mind wander aimlessly. It is searching for something to think about and if you are wise you will feed it your Best Life Instructions.

When you relax the conscious chattering mind, the subconscious powerhouse part of your mind will accept the suggestions and imagined results you give it. Plain and simple; this is the "magic" of hypnotherapy. The power of suggestion in a relaxed state. Use the above techniques when you are calm and relaxed. Enjoy the process! This is how you will succeed in making your dreams come true.

Try it. What have you got to lose but the opportunity for successfully meeting your goals and creating the wonderful life that is waiting for you.

Blessings and love,
Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn

Giving Thanks

There are many things to enjoy about Thanksgiving... gathering of family, friends and neighbors, all the delicious food, and the kick off for the holiday season. Perhaps your family has favorite traditions such as the Macy's parade, watching your favorite football team, or volunteering to feed the hungry or those who might otherwise be alone.

One of the things I absolutely love about Thanksgiving is the very fact that for this one holiday we are reminded to pause and think about what we are grateful for. Too often in our busy life we just don't take the time to do this ~ or we may have something that draws our mind toward situations or events in life that we are anything but grateful for.

When you think about it, for the most part it is often the people in our life that we are thankful for... people, not things, make all the difference. As you count your blessing there are always those special people that make your life sweeter. But have you ever thought about the difference YOU make in the lives of other people? Sometimes we forget that who we are and what we do DOES make a difference for other people. I think it would be so neat if there could be a way that you could see that... if at the end of each and every day YOU could see where you made a difference just by being YOU.
We hear of people who do extraordinary things to help others. And of course their story is amazing and should be applauded. But it is the little guy - people just like you, who quietly do their share on a regular basis without applause; likely even without the realization that you have made the difference to someone.
Maybe you have a boss who doesn't express thanks (or worse yet does nothing but complain or even has you feeling like a number). But each day you go to work, do your job and help your company or organization stay afloat. Don't let the bad supervisor cheat you out of your realization that you are of value. What you do counts. Or maybe you pulled an extra share of duty while someone was out sick, or welcomed the new person, or just greet your fellow workers with a smile. You DO make a difference, even if they forget to tell you!
Family --- oh yes, my sessions and e-mails are so very often about family. I learned a long time ago not to say "I've heard everything!" Because about the time I think that, someone offers up a new and kind of pathetic example of how those with whom we would hope to feel the closest feel instead anything but. Kind of leaves people thinking what on earth a particular situation, remark, or general relationship is all about! "What am I missing?!"
For you, remember that some people are just not as enlightened or aware of their impact on their fellow souls. Makes me kind of wish that just for a day those caustic family members could see the real pain that they inflict. Sometimes I think that maybe the reason for their lack of any consideration and just plain meanness is that they really just DON'T GET IT!

They just don't realize that not only do you have feelings.. but that they are important. If people realized that they are important (and influential) I think they might be better family members. I offer that insight to you in the hope that it will take away some of the hurt and pain. It won't change the family member, but perhaps it can soften the blow especially since many of you will be spending time with family members during the next month or so. (I have seen some pretty miraculous things happen as people finally did realize that they are of value.)
Remember that how people treat you says a whole lot more about them than it does about you. So, just work on forgiving them.
As a counselor I have had the advantage of advanced training and practice in what is called Systems Theory. One of the fundamentals of this work is the realization that if one can change part of the system, then the system itself is changed. I use the example of a hanging mobile. If you lightly touch just one part of it, the whole mobile (system) is moved. The same is true in any system including our family.
I invite you to be that change. Certainly we are powerless to change anyone else, let alone an entire family. But if you change something about you, the system will change even if ever so slightly. Susie, who I talked to recently, has been working on being less judgmental of her family. Yes some of their faults are pretty obvious. But Sue realized she had fallen into playing the role of the judge, who could point those faults out much too often. All it got her was more frustration and even her turn at being the one who was "wrong". :)
When she determined to change the system by changing herself, she got results. She can now see when she is being baited or "invited" to react in her same old way. Remember her reactivity had only served to strengthen the dysfunctional system and increase her unhappiness when she tried to help by pointing things out. No, her family has not changed and perhaps never will. She just wanted to get along better and have a "happier" family. Well, she laughed, when you can't be so easily provoked you just plain feel happier. You really do!

Someone once said that happiness is an inside job... and Susie is definitely happier. She is even beginning to see some of the positive characteristics of her family members....remember ~ what we focus on grows.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving, please know that I am thankful that you have found my blog. I count you, my readers, among my blessings.

Remember, that you DO make a difference in life ~ even if no one remembers to tell you this.

Each night lull yourself to sleep counting your blessings. Not only is it a wonderful spiritual practice, but science now has shown how it helps our physical health as well. It all works together.

Until next time
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn