Mastering Your Mind: The Most Effective & Direct Path To A Happy, Empowered, Successful Life

 Mastering Your Mind: The Most Effective & Direct Path To A Happy, Empowered, Successful Life

She Made Me Angry! Really?

It can be truly shocking to realize that our mind is the ONLY obstacle to our inner peace, well being, happiness and success in life. If the majority of us fully understood this, we'd be living in a radically different world. Our current world reinforces the belief that things and people "out there" have power over us and they "make us feel" a certain way that keeps us trapped and powerless. But do things "out there" really have the power to "make us" feel anything without our consent? Let's explore this.

Believed Thoughts Change Your Body Chemistry

Happiness or unhappiness originate in the mind. It all starts with a thought, a story or a belief that we either accept as "truth" or reject. Every thought we believe - whether it's helpful or stressful, acts just like a hypnotizing spell. For every single thought believed, the body creates corresponding physical sensations of comfort or discomfort. A fearful thought will trigger contraction, tension, rigidity or loss of energy in the body. On the other hand, a loving thought will instantly create a state of harmony, flow and well being in the body. 

Physical Sensations Are Expressed Externally As Emotions, then Behaviors

When our body sensations of comfort or discomfort become very strong - sometimes overwhelming - we release this "energy in motion" (e-motion) as emotions that are always expressed externally via our body language. We may decide to act on these emotions with behaviors. Remember, a single thought that we believe triggers the following chain reaction: 

• Believed thought / Corresponding physical sensations of comfort or discomfort / Emotion / Behavior. 

Others Don't Have the Power to Make Us Feel Anything!

Without that prior conscious thought (or subconscious memory) that is assumed to be true, there can be no feelings, emotions or behaviors. If others can't control which thoughts we will accept or reject as untruthful - which will prevent the emotional chain reaction from happening, then we can logically conclude that others don't have the power to make us feel anything. Of course, mastering our mind is a skill that requires discipline, practice, self-awareness and knowledge.

Time For Accountability! Happiness or Unhappiness Originate in the Mind

Once we understand how our own brains and bodies work, we become fully accountable for the way we think, feel and act. Imagine if everyone became accountable this way! There would be no more blaming others for the way WE feel. We would no longer feel victimized or powerless about our state of mind, our rage, our depression or our anxiety. This is very good news! Our happiness or unhappiness originate in the mind, which means we've always had the power to control how we respond to all the unpredictable things life will continue to throw our way. Will we be able to gracefully accept "what is" in this moment? - which doesn't prevent us from taking action in the next moment, or will we believe resistant, angry, hopeless thoughts that argue with what has already happened? Stressful, resentful thoughts will raise our discomfort level, drain our energy and darken our mood. Will this help us to get what we want in the end?

Don't Underestimate the Power of Your Subconscious Mind!

Not only do our thoughts directly change how we feel and perceive the world, they also have enormous creative power in our lives. Maybe you've heard the accurate saying "thoughts become things"? There is a simple explanation for this. The thoughts we accept as true with our conscious mind become deep seated-beliefs that get stored in our subconscious mind. If only we realized the extent to which our subconscious programming is driving our actions, behaviors, beliefs and expectations! If only we could see the direct relationship between most of our life circumstances and what our subconscious has accepted as truth or facts! 

We Are Our Own Worst Enemies

Day by day, the negative, stressful thoughts we believe without questioning insidiously slip into our subconscious mind and then we wonder why we constantly sabotage ourselves and experience less than desirable outcomes. We are our own worst enemies because we constantly underestimate how incredibly powerful our mind is! Our negative self-talk is extremely toxic and destructive! It changes our body chemistry, our mood, our behaviors, and it may very well end up as a permanent program lodged in our subconscious that can impact us for life! 

If You Don't Believe Me, Try This...

Are our kids aware of the power of their thoughts and beliefs? Have they ever been educated about the constant mental chatter going on in their minds? Do they know that their thoughts are not facts, and most thoughts should not be believed? We truly have no idea how powerful our mind is! If we did, we would make a conscious effort to use it constructively and we would be blown away by the results. If you don't believe me, try reprogramming your subconscious with words like "joy, peace, vitality, health, wealth, success, love, harmony...etc." right before you fall asleep at night and immediately as you are waking up. Simply say these words to yourself for the next two weeks and see what happens! I dare you.

You've Had The Power All Along...

Once you master your own mind, you also master your body, your emotions, your perceptions, your (re)actions and you will have more control over many of your external circumstances that are largely influenced by your subconscious beliefs. If mastering your own mind is not the most effective, direct path to a happy, empowered, successful life, then what is? It's time to stop looking for answers "out there" and instead, look "in here".

How Can We Learn To Master Our Minds?

I believe this is THE most important thing we should be teaching our children (and ourselves). It's not that hard to learn, it just takes a little practice. I have written a complete manual for kids that teaches the following steps to self-mastery in a simple, gradual way through short stories and fun activities (Wise Willy's Secret Manual To Become a Mindful Superhero):

1) Become aware of your thoughts (mental chatter)

2) Become aware of your body sensations

3) Understand the relationship between thoughts, body sensations, emotions, behaviors and perception

4) Understand how your brain and body work (rational brain, emotional brain, emotions)

5) Develop self-awareness of your thoughts and feelings

6) Increase your tolerance for discomfort

7) Learn how to question your stressful thoughts, release uncomfortable feelings appropriately and self-regulate your moods.

8) Use your focus to harness the incredible power of your conscious and subconscious mind.

New Printable Mindfulness & Emotional Intelligence Cards!

I have recently created 40 printable mindfulness and emotional intelligence cards from Wise Willy's Secret Manual that are great reminders for daily practice. Thanks for taking the time to read!

Lise Villeneuve

www.lisevilleneuve.com

Wise Willy's Secret Manual Available Worldwide!

Wise Willy's Secret Manual Available Worldwide!

(See French Below) 

It's truly amazing what you can accomplish when you set clear, consistent, daily goals for yourself and you stay off Facebook! (because Facebook is a HUGE time-sucker!) Manifesting our goals is something we can all achieve. However, what I have learned over the years is that when we align ourselves with a higher power and say: "please show me how I can serve, how I can use my talents to create something for the greatest good", then the manifestation process becomes joyfully miraculous. Creativity then arises directly from the heart, in a detached, high-frequency, love-filled flow that guides our thoughts and actions.

In January 2021, I truly had no idea that Wise Willy's Secret Manual to Become a Mindful Superhero would emerge from this creative flow! My intentions were to polish up the Conscious Kids Program I had previously written and offer it in a new format. But someone unexpected stepped into my life: Wise Willy! I kept an open mind, went with it, and now his Secret Manual is available on Amazon worldwide. The entire process has been completely unpredictable, and it continues to be every day! I am in AWE.

Wise Willy truly has a mind of his own! He decided to release half of his book on YouTube, in video format. He also insisted on being his own Publisher in order to release his Secret Manual as soon as possible - even though his manual is still being reviewed by two major American Publishers at this time. He's a strong-willed little dude on a mission to help kids around the world develop their Superpowers! He brings out the inner-child in grow-ups and invites them to be playful, creative, authentic and spontaneous. 

I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to help Wise Willy get his Secret Manual "out there." Now I'm going to have to help him deal with his addiction to Facebook.

Thanks for reading!

Lise Villeneuve

www.wisewilly.com

Le manuel secret de Wise Willy est disponible dans le monde entier!

C'est vraiment incroyable ce qu'on peut accomplir lorsqu'on se fixe des objectifs quotidiens clairs et qu'on ne passe pas tout notre temps sur Facebook! La manifestation de nos objectifs est quelque chose que nous pouvons tous accomplir. Cependant, ce que j'ai appris au fil des ans, c'est que lorsque nous nous alignons à une puissance supérieure et nous disons: "s'il vous plaît, montrez-moi comment je peux servir, comment je peux utiliser mes talents pour créer quelque chose pour le plus grand bien", alors le processus de manifestation devient joyeusement miraculeux. La créativité naît alors directement du cœur, dans un flux à haute fréquence et rempli d'amour qui guide nos pensées et nos actions de façon détachée.

En janvier 2021, je n'avais vraiment aucune idée que le manuel secret de Wise Willy pour devenir un super-héros conscient émergerait de ce flux créatif! Mes intentions étaient de peaufiner le programme Enfants Lucides que j'avais précédemment écrit et de l'offrir dans un nouveau format. Mais quelqu'un d'inattendu est entré dans ma vie: Wise Willy! J'ai gardé l'esprit ouvert et maintenant son manuel secret est disponible sur Amazon dans le monde entier. Le processus a été complètement imprévisible et continue de l'être tous les jours! Je suis épatée!

Wise Willy est vraiment sa propre personne! Il a décidé de publier la moitié de son livre sur YouTube, au format vidéo. Il a également insisté pour être son propre éditeur afin de publier son manuel secret le plus rapidement possible - même si son manuel est encore en cours de révision par deux grands éditeurs américains en ce moment. C'est un petit mec têtu qui a pour mission d'aider les enfants du monde entier à développer leurs super pouvoirs! Il fait ressortir l'enfant intérieur chez les grands et les invite à être ludiques, créatifs, authentiques et spontanés.

Je suis très reconnaissante d'avoir l'opportunité d'aider Wise Willy avec son manuel secret. Maintenant, je vais devoir l'aider à gérer sa dépendance à Facebook!

Merci d'avoir lu!

 Lise Villeneuve

www.wisewilly.com

5 Life Hacks I Secretly Experienced in Cuba

Photo credit: Yvon Loiselle

I was recently in Holguin, Cuba, with a small group. I left Edmonton feeling tired, stressed and in need of some serious physical rejuvenation. I returned home after one week in Cuba feeling like a kid on Christmas morning! It's been over three weeks since my return and I can still feel the positive effects from this trip of a lifetime!

What was it about this trip that made it so special? I've been to Cuba many times before and have travelled all over the world, but there was something uniquely different and refreshing about my recent experience in Holguin. It's no mystery actually. This trip was extraordinary because of the wonderful, spontaneous, crazy, hilarious, generous, brilliant friends I was so fortunate to travel with. The chemistry in our group was deliciously electrifying! Every day was a sweet fiesta, and I have to mention that nobody in our group drank alcohol -except for me, I like the occasional cold cerveza.

I had SO much fun, and I also had realizations that deepened the sense of peace and contentment I still feel from this unforgettable trip. Charles, Catherine, Yvon, Nadia...here are the five life hacks I secretly experienced in Cuba:

Number 5:
I really enjoyed our little stretching and mindfulness sessions by the beach, but my experience was that mindfulness doesn't have to be done formally to be effective. It can be your little secret. During the entire trip, I was practising mindfulness for a few minutes here and there. I felt deep gratitude every time I saw a bird, a flower, a butterfly, the gorgeous ocean or when the breeze caressed my skin. I'm sure you all did too, right? I mean, it was difficult NOT to find a reason to be grateful in this paradise. It may sound silly to even mention, because gratitude comes so naturally when we immerse ourselves in something different and special. The trick is to keep it up every day, especially when we are back in our routines at home, because an attitude of gratitude radically changes our perception, alters our brain and enhances our mood. Now that I have experienced the sublime power of gratitude in Cuba, I am reminded to keep practising it at home. After more than three weeks, I still feel like I'm on fire (in a good way, not talking about inflammation here :)

Photo credit: Charles Tanguay

Photo credit: Catherine Kubash

Here's another little secret. Every time I walked down that cobblestone path that led to the beach, I breathed deeply, one step at a time. I felt the heat under my bare feet, and I noticed what I was feeling and thinking. Nobody had to know I was doing a "micro-meditation," I was simply bringing my awareness into my body in the present moment. I also did this while snorkeling, eating and floating in the pool. Back at home, I do this while I'm doing the dishes, gardening, walking...etc. No need to sit quietly on a cushion in a dark room. Life offers endless opportunities to practice mindfulness in a way that is integrated to our everyday activities. I think it's even more effective this way.

Photo credit: Lise Villeneuve

Number 4:
It was my experience that taking good care of the body (regular movement, eating well, sweating a lot and drinking gallons of water) allowed me to really feel grounded in my physical vessel. It may sound obvious, but sometimes I have a tendency to be more in my head and less in touch with the body. This very embodied awareness I felt in Cuba made it easier for me to physically feel and release any passing emotions that wanted to arise. As a result of this practice of letting go of old emotional "stuff", the mind quickly became a lot quieter and peaceful. I remember just sitting on the beach one morning, feeling overwhelmed by this strong wave of gratitude. I felt the emotion move through me and it spontaneously moved out as tears. There was no hesitation or resistance. I felt absolute peace. At home, I am reminded of the importance of daily physical movement to feel fully grounded in my body. This really does make a huge difference in our physical and emotional well being.

Photo credit: Charles Tanguay

Number 3:
I realized that from this place of grounded presence in my own body, it became a lot easier to remain aware of the stressful thoughts that inevitably came up now and then. In a state of embodied awareness, I found that it was much easier to question the validity of my stressful thoughts and, more importantly, to be able to notice the immediate negative impact these thoughts had on my body (contraction, heaviness, rigidity, lethargy). The connection between thoughts, the body and emotions became crystal clear to me and any emotional tension could be spontaneously released through this awareness. The result of this was a lot more energy because emotions were not being repressed or suppressed in the body. At home, I am reminded to question my thinking anytime I start to feel physical tension or contraction.

Number 2:
Hanging out with this bunch of clowns in Cuba, I was reminded that no matter how mature or refined we think we are, we are all children at heart. We should give ourselves permission to sing, dance, play, laugh our butts off and enjoy life. Every. Single. Day. Not just on special occasions. Once we start allowing ourselves to shamelessly express our joy again (like we spontaneously did when we were little), we realize how naturally intoxicating it feels to be fully alive! Why the heck do we cut ourselves off from our own passion and playfulness? Yvon, Nadia, Catherine, Charles: you could give seminars on how to unleash the inner-child. I laughed so hard it hurt. At home, I am reminded to live joyfully from the heart, to follow my creative impulses (no matter how embarrassing that may look), and to seek the company of people who are not afraid to live fiercely and freely.

Photo credit: Yvon Loiselle

Number 1:
To quote one of my very favourite authors, Dr. David Hawkins: "Nothing in the universe happens by chance or accident. The universe is a coherent concurrence and interaction of innumerable conditions attendant on the infinite number of energy patterns."

Photo credit: Charles Tanguay

Photo credit: Charles Tanguay

I believe everything we experience serves our evolution. Everyone we meet is our teacher and our mirror. I don't think we have as much control over "our" life as we think we do, so we might as well enjoy the ride! Worrying is a waste of time anyway. All this to say that this experience was perfect in every way. Catherine, Charles, Yvon, Nadia: is it just me, or do you also feel like this trip was meant to be? I feel like my heart was broken wide open. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude. A quand le prochain voyage?

Warmly,

Lise Villeneuve
Mindfulness Teacher
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Are You in Edmonton? Do You Have a Spiritual Community?

My Deepest Desire
For the longest time, I have had this vision of being part of a loving, supportive community of spiritually aware and earnest individuals. This has been one of my deepest desires, because I have often felt like there were very few safe spaces in this society where I could freely express my non-dual way of perceiving reality without being judged or misunderstood.

Craving Genuine Connection
My heart and soul craved ways to truly connect with others on a profound level. By that, I mean having conversations and interactions that sometimes go beyond the current content of what's happening in our individual lives. I'm talking about not being afraid to dive right into the essence of our being. Who, or what are we? What are we doing here? What really matters? How do we reach our full potential as spiritual beings? What can we do to heal our hearts and our planet? What role does the ego play in our lives?

What Matters to Most...
My experience has been that for the majority of people, these topics are of little interest. What seems to be more important are things like "How can I experience more pleasure and less pain?" "What can I do to distract myself from those repressed negative thoughts and feelings I never want to face and feel?""How can I improve and reinforce this idea of a separate me by gaining more power, status, wealth, success...etc." Of course, nobody has these thoughts consciously, but these give us a glimpse into the basic survival programs that run most human behaviours on a very unconscious level.

Our Civilization Built on a False Premise
Spiritual devotees eventually discover that ultimately, there is no self, and there is no other. We don't "have a life". Life, or consciousness itself lives through us, but the ego takes credit for everything that happens and it completely distorts our perception of reality. Thanks to our neurotic and controlling egos, our entire civilization is built on a false premise of separation and individuality. This illusion is the source of the totality of our suffering!

The New Earth?
The ego was a natural part of our evolution and now we have reached a point where we are ready to transcend it. Our survival depends on it, actually. Many people nowadays are waking up from the ego trance and they understand the difference between the self and the Self. Still, it takes perseverance, willingness and courage to want to break free from the ego's old habits, thought patterns and conditioned programs -especially considering how unpopular this is in our modern narcissistic world. There are not many "I want to break free from the ego" support groups at this point in time!

We Are Stronger Together, as One
Over the years, I've had some wonderful experiences here and there that provided opportunities for genuine soul to soul connections with people who are brave enough to want to transcend the ego, however, they were not as frequent as I had hoped. The internet has allowed all kinds of spiritual groups to flourish, but let's face it, it doesn't compare to interacting face to face with another human being. We are social animals and we truly need each other. Communities have always allowed us to thrive and to survive.

A Dream Coming True
What we hold in mind tends to manifest, and so I am extremely grateful for the community that is growing and blooming at the Himalayan Meditation Centre here in Edmonton where I now work. I met Amchi Kunga -the owner of the Meditation Centre who was a monk for 15 years in Tibet- back in October 2018, and things have really been evolving since then. I teach mindfulness to kids and their parents on a weekly basis there and offer a variety of other classes / workshops / meditations. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to go to this welcoming place on a regular basis and participate in the meditations with other like-minded souls. It's so refreshing to be in a space of total acceptance and open-heartedness. I have made some wonderful friendships and I look forward to meeting other members of my extended soul family at this joyful centre.

Please Join Us!
We offer all kinds of conscious events for people of all ages (many of which are free or donation-based), so if you'd like to know more about the centre and/or be kept up to date with what's happening, please visit my website or sign up directly here.

Thanks for taking the time to read,

Lise Villeneuve
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Are You A, B or C Today?

Which One Are You Today: A, B or C?

-A-

Some days I feel so inadequate.

My heart is restless, forlorn and heavy.

Like a prisoner trapped in a cell made of flesh and bones,

I am unable to escape the dissonant noise of my own cruel mind.

My past wounds and fears keep me confined, confused and paranoid.

Life feels like a burden, my days are filled with angst.

Self-loathing, I begin to wonder if there is something deeply wrong with me.

-B-

Some days I feel so confident.

My heart is filled with joy, I feel competent and fortunate.

The world is my oyster, I have everything under control.

My mind flatters me with kind words, I feel fantastic!

My past wounds and fears have been tucked far, far away from my consciouness

I feel strong and invincible. 

I am in love with all these positive aspects of myself.

-C-

Some days I feel so very aware,

My heart is peaceful, I feel alive and present.

I hear the noise in my mind and watch the thoughts go by without clinging to any of them.

I notice the positive and negative feelings in my body and let them pass right through.

I observe my unconscious human programming and feel compassion for myself and others.

Instead of running away from them, I allow my past wounds to come up to the surface.

I fully feel the trapped emotions, surrender and release them so they can permanently heal.

Life feels more gentle and more predictable from within

I remember that I am a spiritual being living in a temporary human body.

I am not my thoughts, my emotions or my conditioned responses

It makes no sense for me to cling to these or to even want to defend them

With this understanding, I remember to be patient, kind and forgiving with myself 

Especially when I fall back into the trance of duality (A,B or a mix of both)

What I truly am is a Love so pure, so powerful, so miraculous that -when allowed to shine through the layers of ego, instantly obliterates this illusion of who I think I am. Once the illusion is shattered, there no longer is a personal self. No more suffering. Only freedom, joy and deep peace.

Which one are you now?

Peace, my friends. Peace!

Lise

www.lisevilleneuve.com

A Story About True Love (and chocolate)

For Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fun to share a little story I wrote for the Conscious Kids Mindfulness Program with you. It's a story about true love - a notion many of us mix up with attachment. Whether you have a partner or not on Valentine's Day, remember that Love is what you're made of, so there is no need to look for it outside of yourself. However, chocolate is one of those things that is harder to find within ;)

All jokes aside, I hope you enjoy this story!

A Lesson in True Love

Unfortunately, the town of Lonesome had the highest divorce rate on the planet (98%). The citizens of Lonesome had a meeting one day and agreed that something had to be done about this, for the sake of their children and grandchildren. One man had heard about a wonderful True Love teacher who worked in a nearby town called Mystic. Surprisingly, Mystic had the lowest divorce rate on the planet (7%).

The Lonesome man proposed “since the people in Mystic seem to have figured out how to make relationships last, maybe we should contact their True Love teacher and ask if he’d be willing to move here and help us. It sounds like there’s not much work left for him to do in Mystic anyway.”

The following week, this new teacher – Mr. Hawkins – was giving his first True Love lesson at Sacred Heart School in Lonesome. The walls and ceiling of his classroom were decorated with giant hearts, and there were many pictures of people posted everywhere. There were pictures of people hugging and looking happy together, pictures of people getting married, as well as pictures of people fighting and arguing.

He asked the class “can anyone tell me what love is?”

Maria raised her hand. “Love is an emotion we sometimes feel when we’re around someone we really, really like.”

“Who agrees with Maria?” Mr. Hawkins asked the class. “Raise your hand if you do.”

Every single person in the class raised their hands. “Wrong!” said Mr. Hawkins. “You are all wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!”

“Nice effort, Maria,” he continued. “What you said is exactly what most people in the world believe. It turns out that love is not an emotion at all. Repeat after me, class: love is not an emotion. Love is not an emotion. Love is not an emotion.”

At this point, the students thought Mr. Hawkins was a little strange. “Do you want to know what love is?” asked Mr. Hawkins. The students were unenthusiastic. He walked around the class with a box full of large rings and distributed them to every student.

To read the rest of this story from Conscious Kids, Lesson V, ****CLICK HERE****.

Thanks for reading, and lots of LOVE to you!

P.S. If you'd like more mindfulness stories for kids with practical activities, check out Conscious Kids. And if you receive too much chocolate, please send it my way.

Lise Villeneuve
www.lisevilleneuve.com

When the Steam is About to Blow...

Part 1: Top 5 Life-Changing Facts About Emotions

Part 2: Helping our loved ones through an emotional storm

Part 3: Practical tools and techniques to deal with negative emotions at home, at work and in the classroom.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Part Three:

Practical Solutions When the Steam is About To Blow

Part 2 of this article was about what we can do to help our loved ones through an emotional storm. We went over the following five points:

1) Start by teaching and practising prevention of negative emotional states;

2) Understand the real cause behind any emotional upset;

3) Address the internal, emotional problem first;

4) Remember to anchor yourself, don't take things personally, and

5) Be a catalyst for healing

If you've read parts one and two of this article, you will probably know the answer to this question: what is the best and only way to permanently release our negative emotions?

The Best Way to Deal with Negative Emotions

The answer is to face them consciously. That means fully feeling the emotions without adding more thoughts to them. It means observing and breathing out this wave of emotional energy as it passes through our body. Instead of trying to change it, attempting to escape from it, hiding it from ourselves or blaming it on external causes, we simply sit with it, surrender the uncomfortable emotions and let them go. This process of releasing can sometimes be over in just a matter of minutes, and the end result of consistently letting go of these toxic emotions will completely heal your life. It's extremely beneficial to practice this technique daily, either for minor annoyances or for deep wounds -but having access to a safe space is preferable in this case. Once the emotions have been released, it’s helpful to make a conscious decision to focus on something uplifting afterwards.

The Letting Go Upgrade

The letting go technique is surprisingly simple and powerfully effective, yet we have been conditioned to follow the “seek pleasure and avoid pain at all costs” program. When we become more conscious, we discover that we have the possibility to re-write our programming. If you’re reading this, you have already been upgrading from “Survival 101” to “Thriving 007.” You rock!

The Fine Print

BUT. When deep, dark and heavy negative emotions are stirred up, practising the letting go technique requires a safe, intimate, space. You can imagine how awkward and inappropriate it would be to "let go" in the middle of a conference call with your colleagues, in line at the grocery store or during an exam. Maybe the day will come when the world becomes so conscious that it will be socially acceptable for everyone to practice this technique in public, but until that day comes, we also need some other, less disruptive strategies to help us deal with our darkest pain -when it shows up in public!

Socially Appropriate Substitutes

If you are a parent, a teacher, or even a human being wanting to effectively release negative emotions (because we all know that parents and teachers have a certain super-human quality), you will soon discover that finding a balance between the authentic letting go technique and a more socially appropriate substitute is truly an Art. How deeply will you be able to facilitate healing while at the same time remaining practical and realistic about the environment you are currently in? Sometimes, the best we can offer is a band-aid solution, a temporary fix, but if this is done consciously, then it’s better than many alternatives - such as shaming our loved ones for the way they feel, or forcing them to suppress emotions. Also, when dealing with children who are not your own, it may be best to avoid diving in too deeply into the source of their pain, especially if there is a history of trauma.

So what are some socially appropriate substitutes to the letting go technique?


Physical Space 
Sometimes, just having a little physical space to process discomfort can go a long way. If at all possible, allow your loved one to sit quietly in a calm and comfortable area. Let them breathe it out with their eyes closed. You can remind them to just watch what is happening inside them without resisting it, or feeding it more mental energy. Gently show your support by stating that, as uncomfortable as they might feel, negative emotions are important because they give valuable feedback. You can help them verbalize their emotions and thoughts if they are open to that.

Baby Steps
When access to a quieter space is not possible, or when it's not appropriate to fully feel and release the motherload of negative emotions, you can focus on a single aspect of what's causing the discomfort (as opposed to diving deeply into it). Try to let that single thing go and then use any of the distraction ideas below to move on. For example, if you are heartbroken about a relationship ending, pick a single thing about that person you are able to let go of (such as taking walks together at lunch time). Fully feel the pain related to that specific situation, release it, and then focus on something else.

Distractions
As most of us already know very well, distraction is our best friend when it comes to avoiding our pain. Sometimes it's OK to consciously choose distraction, and we can use it as a tool with our loved ones when their environment is not appropriate for deep healing. Some great distractions are: taking a break, playing a game, having a snack, engaging in some kind of physical activity, going for a walk, listening to music, having a good laugh, talking to a friend, thinking about your latest or greatest success, noticing what's right, or doing something creative.

Beyond Emotions

Emotions and thoughts are important, but as we raise our consciousness, we start to understand that who - or what - we are, transcends even our thoughts and emotions. Ironically, as our awareness increases and we become more detached from the thoughts and emotions we used to derive our sense of identity from, the emotions we experience become increasingly positive. Why? Because as we release our negative baggage, our level of consciousness increases, and we become a match to the higher frequencies on the scale of emotions : which are all the positive emotions! Denying the presence of our negative emotions by merely thinking positively actually keeps us trapped in lower negative states. There is much healing to be done in this world, my friends, so now that we know how to help ourselves and others to release negative emotions, let's get started!

More resources:

• A short story and relaxation meditation that teaches kids how to manage their strong negative emotions: Conscious Kids, Lesson D.

• A short story and fun activity that teaches kids about the scale of emotions and how they can self-regulate their emotions: Conscious Kids, Lesson E.

• A short story and creative activity that teaches kids about the three reasons why their thoughts are so powerful: Conscious Kids, Lesson F.

• A short story and empowering activity that teaches kids how to turn any negative situation into a positive affirmation: Conscious Kids, Lesson H.

• A short story and creative activity that teaches kids about the nature of their negative emotions, as well as what triggers them: Conscious Kids, Lesson L.

• A short story and practical activity that teaches kids about three choices they always have that allow them to keep their cool in any situation: Conscious Kids, Lesson M.

• A short story and powerful activity that teaches kids how to release their negative feelings: Conscious Kids, Lesson U.

Do you know of other techniques or strategies that work well to manage strong negative emotions? Don't hesitate to share them in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading!

Warm regards,

Lise Villeneuve

Creator of Conscious Kids

www.lisevilleneuve.com

The Priceless Gift Our Pets Give Us

The kittens are now six weeks old and extremely playful. They are fully litter trained, eating dry kitten food and still drinking milk with mama -although Mitsy has slowly started to wean them off. They explore all over the house now, including up and down the stairs with no problem. Above is a picture of the only little female in the bunch. She makes this adorable little chirping sound.

Mitsy continues to be a wonderful mom. She's extremely sweet and dedicated to her little ones. She has always been a very vocal cat, and even more so now. All day long, we hear her chatting with her kittens.

Look how much they have grown in six weeks! They each have their unique personalities, and we love them all!

We set up a little Christmas village under the tree this year, with a railroad, a train that really moves, and the three little cardboard houses we made for the kittens. They enjoy derailing the train, playing tag and jumping in through the windows of the houses. I'm surprised they haven't attempted to climb the tree (yet!)

In the picture above is kitten Archie with his auntie Precious -our Bengal cat who has impressed us with her acceptance of the new little family. In fact, the kittens have made (sometimes grumpy and temperamental) Precious more playful. She enjoys watching them and often joins in the fun.

I think it's safe to say that co-raising these kittens has been one of the best experiences in our lives. The little fur balls remind us of what's most important each and every day: love, joy, aliveness and presence. They mirror our true essence back to us. That's priceless.

With Love,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Calling All Soul Brothers and Sisters

We Don't Live in the Same World...

Each one of us perceives the world in accordance with our current level of consciousness. Some of us see and experience pain, misery and injustice, while others see beauty, harmony, perfection and Divine order everywhere. Some experience frustration, jealousy and pride on a daily basis, while others live in a constant state of peace and joy. How can this be? These huge variations are not so much a result of our individual wordly circumstances, but more the natural consequence of our spiritual evolution over lifetimes.

Does That Sound Like Nonsense?

The previous paragraph you just read will not even make sense to at least 80% of the population. If it makes sense to you, you probably understand that once we are willing to change the way we look at ourselves, our entire Universe changes.

Divine Surrender

This is unbearable for the ego to hear, but WHO we think we are -our persona, our body, our mind- is nothing but a very convincing illusion. There is no "I", no "me", no "mine." What then, is there left to "do" here? Life actually unfolds spontaneously and miraculously on its own once we surrender our personal desires to the Divine Will. We continue to serve, to enjoy life, but it is no longer our personal agenda that is being fulfilled. Once we realise that we were never really in control in the first place, it becomes easier to just release the resistance and go with the flow. Then life becomes intoxicating and sweet. But it's not "my" life, it's just life. Everything suddenly becomes so simple, so clear.

Calling All Soul Brothers and Sisters

There really isn't much else to say. I have no desire to convince anyone, however, I always enjoy meeting others who are also experiencing this process of Divine surrender. If that's you, I would love to hear about your journey in the comments below (or via email). How would you describe a typical day in "your" life? What has changed? How is it challenging in today's world?

You can email me at: consciouslivingsolutions@gmail.com

With Love,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

My Spiritual Diary: Week 4

Day 1:

As I turn another year older, I  can say that the way I feel inside is increasingly similar to how I felt as a child. It feels wonderful! This journey of honouring and freeing the true Self is not an easy one. Pretenses and masks all get ripped off one by one -exposing a vulnerable, wounded inner-child that needs much healing.- I am more attuned to that child now, and life feels more joyful, colourful, even magical at times. This process has actually awakened childhood memories -pleasant ones- bringing back a familiar sense of wonder, flow, simplicity and inner-peace into the present. It's certainly reassuring to know that life can improve with age!

Day 2:

I feel so peaceful these days, and I naturally want to extend these good vibes to my neighbourhood. So... I decided to paint a sign that says "Deep Breath" and I put it out where passersby can see it. Everyone benefits from taking a deep breath, right? I enjoyed painting it, so I created another sign with 3 mandalas, as well as the words gratitude, joy, love and harmony. These words hold a very high vibration, therefore they will benefit whoever reads them (like you!). The law of attraction will determine who notices and appreciates the signs -or not! Only the people who's frequency matches the frequency of the signs will be able to experience them as a "pleasant occurrence." Those who are not a match may never even see the signs, or they might feel repelled by them because of the energetic dissonance they feel. Should be interesting to see what happens!

Day 3:

I am so content to just be here at home this summer! Each day is lazy and delicious. I am enjoying the here and now like never before!

Day 4:

Lately I have been applying the principles from this book written by Thich Nhat Hanh. I think I'm a model student :)

Day 5:

I am learning that when the mind is still -when there is no neurotic commentary going on that usually has something do to with the past, the future, shoulds, musts, regrets, or just random mental noise- life becomes peaceful and effortless, nomatter what external circumstances I might find myself in. I think that when we say we need a vacation, what we are really looking for is the switch to turn off the mental noise, so that we can fully, truly RELAX into just Being. The distractions we occupy ourselves with are certainly entertaining and they have their place, but they don't quench that thirst for true, lasting inner-peace. Do you agree? What do you hope to get from a vacation?

And on that note, I am now turning the switch to "off". I wish you a wonderfully lazy week! Thanks for reading!

Kind regards,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Anyone Else Feeling Like Crap Lately?

Feeling Like Crap...

For the past couple of days, I've been feeling a little down, sad and fearful of our future. At the core of these negative emotions was a feeling of powerlessness towards the state of our planet. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, as I sense that this feeling of powerlessness is embedded in our collective consciousness right now. The negativity is simply overwhelming. 

"Us" Versus "Them"...

Everyday, we see examples of people reinforcing the illusion of our separation from each other. Whether we like to admit it or not, most of us have bought into the "us" versus "them" mentality. The "me" versus "you" mentality is exactly the same, by the way. Science now confirms we are all connected in a unified field of consciousness. We are all One. 

This means that when our brothers and sisters thrive, this positively affects us. It also means that when they suffer -whether on a physical, mental or emotional level - this negatively affects us as well. We may not be consciously aware of this entanglement, thanks to the ego's mechanisms, but we are indeed electromagnetically connected to each other (look up the quantum entanglement experiment). It's no wonder that we can all feel the heaviness in the field right now.

Apples and Oranges...

So how can we deal with this negativity? Personally, I've been feeling confused by three overlapping issues that I think should be addressed separately:

1) What is the best, most effective way to actually take a stand for what we believe to be right in the world? Can we make a difference?

2) How do we deal with our own negative emotions? How can we remain aware of what's going on in the world without constantly feeling depressed, powerless or numb? 

3) How can we decipher truth from falsehood? Are we being told the truth? Are we being manipulated on a large scale? How can we explain the apathy of so many people?


Hocus Focus...

Let's start with #2 -How to deal with our own negative emotions. It all starts here. First of all, we control what we focus on. Emily Maroutian's quote beautifully explains this: 

"Energy is the currency of the universe. When you “pay” attention to something, you buy that experience. So when you allow your consciousness to focus on someone or something that annoys you, you feed it your energy, and it reciprocates with the experience of being annoyed. Be selective in your focus because your attention feeds the energy of it and keeps it alive, not just within you, but in the collective consciousness as well."

Our Digital Addiction...

Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we get exposed to stuff that brings us down. Since we're all interconnected, particularly through the internet nowadays, our focus is largely influenced by the collective focus. These days, it ain't the most uplifting! 

When we're not feeling resilient, when we are emotionally vulnerable, we should probably be extremely careful about what we expose ourselves to. I'm not saying to live in a vacuum, or to be in denial about the world, but to CHOOSE the best moments to educate ourselves about current events that have the potential to suck the energy right out of us. When we feel powerless, depressed, numb or apathetic, we can't make any positive changes, and in fact, we bring down the collective energy of our planet, making it harder for others to find solutions.

Oops! Too Late...

But many of us get contaminated with fear and negativity on a daily basis! Now what? The only way to release negative emotions is by embracing them and expressing them appropriately. The 4-minute video below beautifully illustrates how emotions get stuck in our body, and how to release them: 

Recharge Your Battery...

Once we are back in alignment with our higher-self, we feel better, and we become much more resilient, empowered and inspired. It's only in this state that we can truly make positive changes in the world. This answers question #1 -What's the most effective way to make a difference in the world? 

Spiritual-Emotional Armour...

If we want to be activists, peaceful warriors or freedom-fighters, we have to be dressed properly for the job! We have to plug into the Source that creates our shield of power and emotional resilience. We can't go out on the battlefield in a vulnerable, wounded state of anger, fear, sadness or resistance and expect to make a positive difference. 

Here is a 30-second video that teaches a heart-coherence technique to instantly neutralize the effects of stress and negativity. It works!:

Did You Forget?

When we get overwhelmed with negative emotions, including apathy, it's especially easy to forget or to underestimate that our greatest power is within. By creating a loving, compassionate, empowered energy field that emanates from our heart, we affect everyone around us. We are literally changing the world by saying "no" to the negativity and fear that we are being fed daily. 

This brief video with Gregg Braden lifted my spirits instantly:

Illuminati? New World Order?

Now what about question # 3 -How can we decipher truth from falsehood? Are we being told the truth? Are we being manipulated on a large scale? How can we explain the apathy of so many people? I recently discovered the very well produced documentary called "Thrive" (see preview below). Although it was released in 2011, it's still very relevant today. 

Could we be controlled by a powerful elite, a cabal? Should we take the Illuminati's plans of a New World Order seriously? I thought this was just conspiracy-theory fiction, until I started hearing it over and over again from an increasing number of respectable sources. I'm not sure what to think at this point. I would love to hear what you think, but please do NOT watch this if you are feeling emotionally vulnerable right now! Although this documentary proposes solutions to the problems they are exposing, it can still be very unsettling to watch.

That being said, you can watch the entire movie for free -available in 27 languages- by streaming it right here: http://www.thrivemovement.com/the_movie 

Join the Force, not the Dark Side...

Regardless if we are being told the truth or not, it's important to remember what we discussed in questions # 1 and # 2. How we respond to our circumstances positively or negatively influences the field that connects and affects us all. 

Feeling negative emotions is not bad in itself. Feeling crappy is an important signal that tells us we are off track. We are simply not aligned with what serves our best interests -from a spiritual perspective. To release these negative emotions, we have to become very aware of them and we have to stop feeding them with more negative thoughts and focus. Once we free ourselves from the negativity and get realigned with our Source of power, we are then in the best position to change the world. 

Here's What You Can Do Now...

Please join me today in creating a beautiful field of love, compassion and joy around ourselves. This field will extend out to our communities, our countries and our planet. Breathe deeply in and out of your heart area, focus on something that makes you feel joyful. Let that energy radiate around you. Thank you for making a difference! Thank you for sharing this with others.

Much Love,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com