Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

06-20-2007

Mindfulness in education

I came across this wonderful article about teaching school kids “mindfulness.”

Click HERE

Peace,
Lisa

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

06-05-2007

Small Changes to Prevent Global Warming

I watched Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth when it first came out.  I was inspired to make a difference and did nothing.

Yet, I heard a statistic recently that ”if every household in America changed 5 lighbulbs it would be the equivalent to taking 8 million cars of the road for one year…”

So we are in the process of switching all of our lighbulbs in our home to the compact fluourescent bulbs.

They are a little more expensive than regular bulbs yet they use one-quarter the electricity and last several years longer.  (And you can find deals on them.  For example, I got an 8 pack at Costco for only $13).

And you can do this in stages.  First I’m replacing all the upstairs bulbs, then I’ll do the downstairs and then the garage and exterior.

These are small changes that can really have a postive effect on the environment, and the cost benefit is that it’s supposed to cut down on electric bills over time.

Take the pledge to switch your light bulbs and switch them:

http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?campaign=mts&redirected=t&tagid=483

Truly, this little change that is a financial benefit to you in the long run, will have a HUGE effect on the environment.

And I have to say that if felt really GOOD to change the light bulbs last night.

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

05-24-2007

Podcast-Peace Meditation

Below is a 26 minute peace meditation recorded from a live teleconference as part of a global meditation for peace orchestrated by commonpassion.org.  It is estimated that May 15th through May 29th that one million people will participate in a meditation for peace.

Feel free to listen to this meditation online or download it to your mp3 player for listening to another time.  Know that you are joining with one million others who are meditating for peace.

NOTE: For this meditation it is great if you have a candle and something to light it with during the meditation.  If not, you can always visualize a candle just as effectively…

 
icon for podpress  Peace Meditation: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (12)

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

05-19-2007

Spirituality Learned from the Dog Whisperer

My husband and I have watched almost every episode of “The Dog Whisperer” (Cesar Millan) and we don’t even have a dog!

For those of you who haven’t seen “The Dog Whisperer” it airs on the National Geographic Channel. (Cesar Millan was just on Oprah last week).Those of you who have seen this show can attest to Cesar Millan’s way with dogs.

Episode after episode, dog owners seek out Cesar Millan as a last result to help them with their dog “issues.” Many dog owners come to Cesar after having their dog flunk out of obedience school or after having severe behavioral problems for many years. And time and time again, Cesar “rehabilitates” the dogs in a matter of minutes. (Cesar’s famous phrase is “I rehabilitate dogs and train people.”)

He primarily does this through his “energy.” He calls it calm-assertive energy. Around dogs, Cesar is always calm and centered. He is not “reactive.” He does not show fear, aggression or anxiousness.

Cesar has stated over and over on every show that the energy we put out, is the energy we get back.  If we’re “hyper” and emotional, we have hyper and emotional dogs. The way to change the dog’s behavior is to change the owner’s energy.Isn’t this interesting? And how can we apply this principle to our human relationships? Doesn’t the same wisdom apply to us?Have you ever been around someone at work who’s really high strung, stressed out and goes a mile a minute? And have you noticed your “energy” after being around this person for a while? Maybe after you left the vicinity of this person, you noticed that you were moving at a faster rate and felt anxious.

On the contrary, have you ever been around someone so peaceful and centered that you felt more peaceful and centered? (I feel more centered after just listening to an audio of Eckhart Tolle).

We reflect one another’s energy. So it’s important that we project into the world what we want to have as our experience. If we want calm and peace, it’s important to project that energy.

The other interesting thing I noticed from watching many episodes is that when owners are “reactive” to a dog’s “negative” behavior, it only reinforces that “negative” behavior in the dog.

For example, when a dog is hyper active and ready to bite the mail carrier, to yell and to freak out, only reinforces that behavior. Likewise, when a dog is hyper active and licking excessively or demonstrating some other annoying behavior, when we react by tickling or petting the dog and telling it not to do that with an excited tone, we are also enforcing the behavior.

Cesar’s technique is to withdraw attention away from the negative behavior (by using various techniques) and then when the dog is in a calm, submissive state to reward it with love and affection, thereby reinforcing that state of mind.

Cesar insists over and over that if we react with anxious “energy”–or panic energy, or aggressive energy–we are only ADDING to the negative state of the dog. We are worsening the situation.

After hearing this over and over on the dog whisperer I had the thought that maybe my “reactive” energy to situations on the news, was only adding to the “problem.” What if my “reactiveness” was worsening the situation, as is the case of reactive energy enforcing the negative behavior in dogs?

From the perspective of Eckhart Tolle (Author of Power of Now) if I’m reacting to a situation, I am “unconscious.” And that same unconsciousness is the cause of all violence and suffering.

So when I hear about a “negative” event on the news, which is the result of unconsciousness, and I “react” to it by getting all wound up (which is also unconsciousness), I am only adding to the problem.

The change in our world will come from a shift in consciousness (from unconsciousness to consciousness). Lasting, true change will come from a shift in our energy.

Just like the Dog Whisperer shows us how our energy effects the dogs we co-habitate with, our energy also has an effect on our outer environment. Do we want to be part of the problem, or do we want to be part of the solution?

Once I had this realization that my “reactivity” could be adding to the problem of “unconsciousness” or “negativity” I began to shift my energy. I went to that “calm state.”

Now I can act from this place. If I am upset about a situation, I can work to change it from that place of being, rather than from a reactive state. That way I’m not adding my “reactive” or “unconscious” energy into the situation.

And when we all “act” from a place of calm, centeredness, what will our world be like?Can we be “people whisperers” and bring our calm, peaceful energy into the world and transform our life situations?Hmmm…I’m really learning a lot about spirituality from the Dog Whisperer.

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

05-09-2007

FREE Weekly Podcasts

I am now going to be providing FREE weekly Podcasts. 

The great thing about Podcasts is you can listen to them on your Ipod or other mp3 player while you’re exercising, you can burn them to a CD and listen to while driving…And you can listen to them online.

Every week I will come out with a new podcast.

These are un-scripted, un-rehearsed talks about specific topics…

My first Podcast is titled “What is Meditation?” in honor of National Meditation Month.
The next 3 or 4 podcasts will also be on the specific techniques used to learn meditation.

Then I will do a weekly podcast on my book All I Ever Really Needed to Know About Life, I Learned from a Rubber Band.

Also, if you have a question you would like answered or a topic you would like discussed, please email me at lisa@peacefulearth.com and I will do my best to cover that topic or answer that question.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed or Itunes feed to be notified of any new content.

And please feel free to let your friends no about this FREE weekly podcast on spirituality, consciousness, inner peace and world peace.

You may want to bookmark this blog page for future reference as well.

Peace,

Lisa Hepner

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

03-26-2007

How do you handle every day “blunders?”

I’m facilitating meditation circles via telephone.  Today, March 26th, was the first day of my third meditation circle. I was using a new conference call service.

Anyway, for the first 10-15 minutes I introduced the format of the calls and other information and we had introductions of people participating in the circle.  Then the plan was to do a 10 minute facilitated meditation.  So in other words, I would guide the participants through a meditation for 10 minutes. 

Well when I muted the participants (to keep anyone from hearing any distractions) I muted MYSELF.  Of course I didn’t know this and I was going on…”Take a deep breath, etc.”  After the meditation I took the participants off mute and found out that we were ALL on mute, including myself.

I LAUGHED so hard.  Of course, I apologized to the participants and assured them that it wouldn’t happen again.  I also told them to rest assure that we would move forward and they didn’t miss anything. 

Even when I got off the phone, I couldn’t control my laughter.  It was so FUNNY.  I was snorting and laughing.  I still start cracking up when I think of it.

The reason I share this experience is because there are two very important realizations:  One for me and the other for the participants.

First, I realized that had this sort of thing happened to me before I developed the “habit” of meditation, I would have been traumatized.  Yet, now I just thought it was funny.

From developing the habit of meditation, I notice that things that used to irritate me or bother me are now laughable!  What a place to BE! 

AND, I also know that in future meditation circles I am going to go over ‘What to do in case of technical difficulties or other problems!”  So it was a great learning experience as well as the biggest belly laugh I’ve had in a while.

I also sent an email to participants, inviting them to look at what they “did” with the 10 minutes of not knowing what was going on, and yet knowing that we were “supposed” to be meditating.  So in other words, what would you do knowing that it was meditation time, and yet you didn’t hear the facilitator for 10 minutes? Would you continue to meditate?  Would you be peaceful and accept whatever was going on?  Or would your mind try to make a problem out of it?

And how would you respond after you realized the facilitator had actually muted hersefl?  Would you find it funny?  Would you accept it as it is?  Would you feel “jipped” like you missed important content?  Would it be a problem?

When we get to the place where we live from the inside out, things that happen at the level of form don’t really bother us as much.  Things happen.   Calls get muted.  Calls get dropped.  And yet it is what it is!

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

03-25-2007

Is it true?

I just finished reading Byron Katie’s book Loving What Is and the main thing I got out of her book was the power of questions.  I really love her first question, Is this true?  She recommends asking this question any time you’re feeling angry, stressed, tense, depressed, etc.  She suggests that you write down the situation and what you’re angry about.

Then she recommends exploring the topic through 4 questions.  However, I found the first one to be VERY effective in getting out of the drama.  And I also relate it to Eckhart Tolle’s work.

For example, I modified the question a little to “work” for me.  For example, if I’m angry at a situation and I fill in the blank with…I’m angry at….for such and such reason.  Then I ask myself, Is this true?  Then I dig deeper by asking is this absolutely true or relatively true?

In his book New Earth, Eckhart Tolle talks about the relative truth (that of what we are experiencing at the level of form) and the ABSOLUTE truth (that of pure presence, being, consciousness).  So I ask myself is that the absolute truth or the relative truth?

For me, the answer to this question, immediately takes me out of the drama.  If it’s the relative truth, I realize that I am dealing with the world of form and anytime I’m attached to form, my imposter has taken over.  (More about the imposter in a later article…)

The other day my cat was really making me angry because I was trying to read and he kept playing in this fake tree we have.  My thought was “Vinnie should not be trying to play in the fake tree, he should know better!”  Then I asked is this true?  Immediately, I realized that he is a cat, he shouldn’t know better.  Cats like to play, cats forage.  It was MY reaction to him that was causing my suffering.

Also, the other day my husband was feeling “trapped” in his job.  I asked if it was true that he was trapped?  He said YES. Then I asked him if it was ABSOLUTELY true?  From the absolute truth, no one is trapped in anything ever.  From a relative truth, (the world of form) yes we can be trapped.  So he immediately made the shift that he really isn’t trapped and that from a higher perspective no one is trapped.  Then he realized in the moment he was completely free where he is at.

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

03-22-2007

Looking at others

I just got back from a speaking engagement in Los Angeles.  While sitting by my gate at the airport, a little girl about two years old was walking down the aisle and just standing in front of people and looking at them.  She was just curious.  When people looked up and realized this two year old girl was looking at them ,they immediately smiled.  This little girl continued to get smiles from everyone she looked at.  Everyone brightened up looking at her, looking at them.

I thought to myself, what if WE could look at people so deeply and get that type of reaction? 

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

02-19-2007

Pure Bliss

We just finished our first 21 day meditation circle.

 I have to say that meditation is pure bliss.  It’s so powerful to FEEL your inner essence.

I used to think that meditation was peaceful.  In fact, when I first started with many different meditations, I fell asleep.

Yet learning how to tap into your inner body is amazing and truly blissful.

To really feel the aliveness of your inner body is a gift.

I want to support others in experiencing this.  I am planning on having continual meditation circles (every month or every other month).

And the amazing thing is you can feel your inner essence at all times throughout the day, not just in meditation.

For more information about our next circle go to: 

http://www.peacefulearth.com/meditationcircletwo.html

 

Peace, Lisa

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »

02-17-2007

The Secret-Clarified

So, you’ve seen the movie “The Secret” and you’ve probably seen it discussed on Oprah, but here’s clarification on…
 
The TRUE SECRET…

CAUTION: Before you go out applying “the secret” you’ll want to read this…
 
Dear Friend,

While I agree with many of the topics mentioned in “The Secret,” there are many things that merit further clarification…

I first want to say that I have personally worked with “The Secret” (or the Law of Attraction) for the last 10 years. In the past, I have read the materials or attended the workshops of most of the teachers on The Secret.

And while I’m glad that the inherent messages about consciousness and energy are getting out to the masses, I’m afraid that the true secret is getting distorted…

I WAS USING THE SECRET TO GET SOMEWHERE INSTEAD OF EXPERIENCING JOY IN THE MOMENT

For YEARS, I used The Secret to get somewhere: My goal was to be a famous author and experience all the wonderful things that come with that “title.”

I had my vision board. I had all the details written out. I did my visualizations. I tried to MAKE things happen.

But what I realized in all of this was that I was always looking to the future which would hopefully make me happy.

I was looking for my sense of self in a future event. I was looking for something outside of myself to MAKE me happy.

And how many of us, once we have accomplished our goals want something else?

How many of us, realize that ultimately, the new BMW we thought would make us happy, no longer makes us happy? How many of us realize the dream house on the ocean that we thought would be the answer to all of our problems, no longer makes us happy? Or, the new relationship no longer makes us happy?

What’s the COMMON factor in all of these circumstance?

Seeking salvation in the world of “form” to make you happy. Yet, your happiness, joy and peace come from within.

Once you live in the joy of your Essence (Presence) things of the material world may come to you, or may not, and you’re fine either way!

THE FLAW IN USING THE LAW OF ATTRACTION TO MAKE YOU HAPPY

The law of attraction as presented in the movie, is often used to gain “things.”

If we want the big house, we think about the big house, we focus on the big house and we manifest the big house at some future point, and that will MAKE US HAPPY.

The mere law of attraction used to attract something, implies lack.

If you’re trying to attract something into your life, you are doing it because you think that the “thing” will make you happy at some future point.

Nothing can be added to you. You are already perfect peace, love and joy.

Through the law of attraction we are seeking salvation in something that promises to make us whole or happy in the future.

The real secret is to accept this moment completely and fully as it is.

The real secret is to tap into your inner essence in the moment, and not seek salvation outside yourself. By doing so, you experience peace, joy and love.

And that becomes your reality. You resonate at a higher frequency and those things that resonate with you are actually drawn into your life, not the other way around!

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION?

It’s interesting that from a purely physics point of view the law of attraction really states that “opposites attract.”

A positive charge is attracted to a negative polarity and vice versa.

However, there is a law of resonance that says that like resonates with like.

Darkness cannot prevail in the presence of light because they don’t resonate.

When you resonate at a high energy, through meditation, you are drawn to people, situations, circumstances that you resonate with and people, circumstances and situations are drawn to you.

When you live from the inside out, life flows because life resonates with you.

USING THOUGHT TO ACHIEVE A GOAL

Most self-help material talks about using “thought” to achieve a goal.

Yet there are Eastern teachings and those of others, like Eckhart Tolle, that talk about “freeing yourself from thought.”

Instead of using thought to achieve something, access your inner essence–the place of no thought–and experience true peace, abundance, joy and love right where you are.

So instead of trying to “choose your thoughts” you become the observer of thoughts, and you utimately become free from your thoughts.

Then LIFE automatically starts to unfold as it should.

Everything is beauty”full” the way it is.

ACCEPTANCE INSTEAD OF DENIAL

IS The Secret teaching denial?

From the messages of The Secret, it is revealed that whatever one thinks, one attracts (thus the law of attraction).

So it is mentioned that in order to attract wonderful things into your life, you must think wonderful thoughts. And, if you have “bad” thoughts or feelings, it’s important to “shift your thinking” to “good” thoughts in order to attract good things…

Yet, really it is about allowing yourself to FEEL whatever you’re feeling in the moment.

If you’re feeling angry, or sad, it’s not about DENYING those feelings, it’s about bringing your consciousness into those feelings.

We’ve seen the effects of DENIAL: Addictions, violence, crime, broken relationships and more…

When we deny our experiences, we become like walking time bombs ready to explode or implode at any situation. What you resist, persists.

Suppression of our emotions because they are “bad” only perpetuates the problem. Those “bad” feelings are just shoved under the surface, waiting to erupt at any time.

It’s important to honor your feelings in the moment. And then it’s important to realize that you are NOT your feelings or thoughts or emotions.

You may be feeling pain and anger in the moment. This is okay. First acknowledge it.

Then, bring your consciousness into your pain. Bring your Presence into that pain. You can transmute that pain by being present with it, not denying it.

The TRUE SECRET

If the true secret could be summarized in a nutshell, it would be…
- to live in the moment
- to free yourself from thought by becoming the observer of thought
- to realize that nothing outside yourself can complete you
- to experience the joy of Being
 

Posted by lisa in Uncategorized | No Comments »