Archives for September 2014

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“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.” – John Muir



Hello spiritual warriors!!! And welcome to a new week of Life Tools!! This week, we explore meeting our needs. Since one of the most popular definitions of stress is how you respond when your needs are not met, if we can figure out more effective ways to meet our needs, we will have less stress.

Just putting some attention on these life tools will quickly make a difference in how we feel in each moment and ultimately how we feel about our life in general. In-the-moment tools that I have shared such as 16seconds will quickly shift your stress response. But it’s the deeper work –specifically, the mastery of our needs- that shifts us internally so we have fewer unmet needs. Fewer unmet needs = less stress, which applies directly to our interpretation of life and our perception of stress.

What Are My Needs?
Each of the eight billion people on the planet have eight billion unique interpretations of life, eight billion unique combinations of needs & desires, and eight billion unique expressions of reality through our thoughts, words, and actions. Yet, with all that uniqueness and individuality, all eight billion of us seem to share the same basic categories of needs.

Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training
Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training

In the 1940’s, the American psychologist Abraham Maslow wrote A Theory of Human Motivation, in which he outlined five universal categories of human needs that all individuals possess – a set of motivation systems unrelated to rewards. These basic needs are said to motivate people toward fulfillment when they are unmet. And the longer they are denied, the more we are motivated. (For example, the longer we go without water, the thirstier we get!)
He prioritized the various categories of universal needs based on the importance each of us organically places on fulfilling them. And, that our lower order needs must be fulfilled before higher order needs can be realized.

Envision a pyramid with five levels. At the base of our needs “pyramid” are our survival needs – what we need to stay alive. These are our basic physiological needs of breathing, drinking, eating, sleeping, peeing, pooping, and having sex. Once we meet those basic biological needs, we can aspire to meeting the next set of needs in the pyramid – our safety needs. We need to be able to have a roof over our head to protect us from the elements; we need to know we can go to work without being shot at; we need to feel that our possessions are safe; and that we are protected by some social codes or laws.

The next level is our social needs, which include belongingness, love, our relationships, and all that comes with that, essentially the needs of our heart – attention, affection, appreciation, and acceptance. Once this core group of needs are met, we can move on to a more evolutionary grouping of needs known as our esteem needs, which include personal self-esteem, status, titles, prestige, positions, achievement, managerial responsibility – even mastery of our chosen field. And lastly, once these four sets of needs are met – survival, safety, social, and esteem – we are primed for the fifth and final stage in the hierarchy – self-actualization.

Set Your Course for 2015!
Set Your Course for 2015!

Meeting our needs
All the levels of needs are interrelated rather than sharply separated, which means we can work at fulfilling multiple levels of our needs simultaneously. So this week, pick an unmet need of yours, and place your attention on fulfilling it. Start small – remember bean by bean the bag gets filled! And please let me know how meeting your need is easing your stress and what it has empowered you to do. Keep meditating and your needs will unfold with greater clarity and join me this week on Hay House Radio and we’ll take it deeper.

In the meantime, I’ll see you in the gap!! Peace. -davidji

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“The one ‘I Am’ at the heart of all creation, Thou art the light of life.”
The Upanishads

Happy Weekend Spiritual Warriors!

I am blessed to be in the crest of my Masters of Wisdom and Meditation Teacher Training this week – here in the SweetSpot of the Universe. I thought I’d share one of the many beautiful “sweet sunsets” with you. Please get comfortable, gaze softly at the sunset, and let the bowls of Damien Rose lull you into a state of restful awareness. No matter where you are in the world, take a trip to the edge of the earth with me and, together, let’s enjoy the magnificence of this California sunset.

Aham Brahmasmi – I am the Universe.

Peace. -davidji

Don’t forget to hit FULL SCREEN!

LET’S KICK OFF 2015 TOGETHER IN THE SWEETSPOT!
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“Aloneness, solitude is positive. It is overflowing joy for no reason. It is our very nature to be joyous; hence there is no need to depend on anybody else. There is no other motive in it, it is simply there. Just as the water flows downwards, your being rises upwards. Just give it a chance — give it solitude. And remember again, solitude is not solitariness, just as aloneness is not loneliness.” – Osho

Hello Spiritual Warriors!!! Welcome to another week of Life Tools. We’ve spent the month honoring the masters of ancient wisdom and this week we explore Osho…so buckle-up…he’s sure to push a few buttons. Osho was born Chandra Mohan Jain in 1931. When he turned 30, he went by the name Acharya Rajneesh; in the 70s, he changed his name to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh; and in 1989 to Osho. He died in January of 1990, a month after his 60th birthday.

Osho is one of the most controversial spiritual leaders to have emerged from India. His message of sexual, emotional, spiritual and institutional liberation and the pleasure he derived in causing offence ensured that his life was surrounded by controversy. Osho was known as the “sex guru” in India and the “Rolls-Royce guru” in the United States (because of his fleet of almost 100 Rolls Royces. He attacked the concept of nationalism, was contemptuous of politicians and poked fun at the leading figures of a number of religions.

Osho’s ideas on sex, marriage, family and relationships contradicted traditional views, arousing anger and opposition around the world. His movement was feared and despised as a cult; he lived “in ostentation and offensive opulence”, while his followers (most of whom had severed ties with outside friends and family and donated all—or most—of their money and possessions to the commune) did not.

During his early days as Acharya Rajneesh, a correspondent asked Rajneesh for his “ten commandments”. He noted that it was a difficult matter because he was against any kind of commandment, and any kind of religion, but “just for fun” he presented this list:
1. Never obey anyone’s command unless it is coming from within you.
2. There is no God other than life itself.
3. Truth is within you; do not search for it elsewhere.
4. Love is prayer.
5. To become a nothingness is the door to truth. Nothingness itself is the means, the goal, and the attainment.
6. Life is now and here.
7. Live wakefully.
8. Do not swim—float.
9. Die each moment so that you can be new each moment.
10. Do not search. That which is, is. Stop and see.

He underlined numbers 3, 7, 9 and 10 as the core of his belief system.

Perhaps his teachings irritate you. Maybe you find them irreverent. That was always his purpose – to allow you to reach deep within your soul and find your own constrictions – turn everything upside down and perhaps peel away one more layer of this existence. As much as Osho irritated and offended people, his message of love was the over-riding one that he taught every day when he wasn’t being interviewed or trying to stir up the world’s consciousness. This week, select one of Osho’s “commandments” and see if you can live it, own it, share it, and become it.

In the meantime, keep meditating. I’ll see you in the gap!! Peace. -davidji

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“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.” – Deepak Chopra

Only 2 spots remain! Expand & transform with me in Tulum this November!
Only 2 spots remain!
Expand & transform with me in Tulum this November!

Happy Weekend Warriors!
Let’s spend the weekend leaning into our dreams by practicing present moment awareness (attention), planting our dream seeds (intentions), and fully detaching from the outcome. Be free, stay positive, and remember, where attention goes, energy flows! Trust that this moment is exactly as it should be – pure, perfect, and infinitely abundant.

Saturday – Law of Dharma (what are your unique gifts & special talents?)
Sunday – Law of Pure Potentiality
*scroll down to watch this week’s video on The Seven Spiritual Laws!

peace.-davidji

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MeditationV

exploring-spirituality
“The most creative act you will ever undertake is the act of creating yourself.” – Deepak Chopra

Hello again Spiritual Warriors!! And welcome to another week of Life Tools! This week, we explore Deepak Chopra’s timeless classic The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Each law is so powerful by itself; but collectively they allow us to weave a fabric of success and fulfillment.

Plant your seeds of intentions with me this November! SPACE IS LIMITED!
Plant your seeds of intentions with me this November!
SPACE IS LIMITED!

On page 73, regarding the Law of Intention and Desire, Deepak writes that, “Intention is the real power behind desire. Intent alone is very powerful, because intent is desire without attachment to outcome…And intention combined with detachment leads to life-centered present-moment awareness. As long as your attention is in the present, (and you are detached from the outcome) then your intent for the future will manifest, because the future is created in the present.”

This echoes the guidance of Krishna to Arjuna in Chapter 2 Verse 48 of the Bhagavad Gita when he tells him “yogastha kuru karmani.” In English, this means “established in yoga (one-ness or present moment awareness), perform action.” So let’s settle ourselves with meditation…and then move into action!

Click image to download your favorite davidji guided meditations!
Click image to download your favorite davidji guided meditations!

To make our most powerful moves in life, we must plant the seeds for the future, yet be detached from our expectations of what the future will bring. In essence, stay present — right here, right now — and nurture the garden so the seeds can unfold. But our desires for the seeds to grow more quickly, or in a certain way, can create expectations.

Having expectations is a very common thought-form during meditation that drifts our minds into the future, spawning even more thoughts. Many expectations we have are illusions we’ve created based on years of conditioning – decades of developing thought patterns and refining behaviors that have sculpted our sense of Self. We are continuously expecting. Sometimes what we expect is exactly what is delivered; other times, it’s a surprise.

In the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, Deepak and David Simon write: “Embrace uncertainty as an essential ingredient of your experience and watch how creative solutions to problems spontaneously emerge out of the chaos. Cultivate an attitude of curiosity and innocence as you live your life and notice how a deep inner security develops within you, independent of things around you.”

So let’s live this week with an attitude of curiosity and innocence and let’s allow that inner sense of security to blossom. Join me Thursday on Hay House Radio and we’ll take it even deeper.

Keep meditating, and I’ll see you in the gap!
Peace. -davidji

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“Like all explorers, we are drawn to discover what’s out there without knowing yet
if we have the courage to face it.” – Pema Chodron

Happy Weekend Spiritual Warriors!
I’ll see you in the GAP.
Peace.-davidji


Having trouble? CLICK HERE

Anywhere, anytime! Guided Meditation mp3's  are NOW AVAILABLE!
Anywhere, anytime!
Guided Meditation mp3’s
are NOW AVAILABLE!

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“The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves.” – Pema Chodron

Hello Spiritual Warriors!!! And welcome to another week of life tools. This week we celebrate the American Buddhist nun Pema Chodron who teaches at the Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, Canada. She is the author of the classic When Things Fall Apart and the magnificent life guide Comfortable with Uncertainty. And, her teachings are core to my Masters of Wisdom & Meditation Teacher Training, which I hold twice a year (16 weeks online and then a week right here with me at the Meditation Nest in the SweetSpot of the universe).

Pema Chodron teaches that we can use our difficulties and problems to awaken our hearts; that this moment is the perfect teacher; and that when you feel like running, instead lean into the pain, the hurt, or the discomfort. She is a powerful teacher of heart-based living and one of her core teachings is that true compassion does not come from wanting to help out those less fortunate than ourselves but from realizing our kinship with all beings – our one-ness.

She advises that before we take on the suffering of others, we develop compassion for our own wounds. That can be difficult for some of us as we run around serving everyone else in the world and forgetting about our own emotional wellbeing. But, it is our unconditional compassion for ourselves that leads naturally to unconditional compassion for others. And, if we are willing to stand fully in our own shoes and never give up on ourselves, then we will be able to put ourselves in the shoes of others and never give up on them.

This week, I invite you to forgive yourself for one mistake you’ve made this year and treat yourself gently about it. Feel free to choose a big or a little “mistake”; just choose one thing you have been beating yourself up over and act kindly to yourself about it. Can you do that? Can you love yourself just a little bit more? (don’t worry – it’s just a little bit) Can you forgive yourself? (finally) Can you give yourself a second chance? Or third? (just one more time). Don’t do this alone. Forward this email to anyone you know in emotional pain and watch the impact of your compassion ripple out into the world.

After you’ve read this, sit with your fear, disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, or jealousy – own it. Sit with your sadness and feel it. Allow your feelings to become so deep that they pierce your heart. A magnificent experience will unfold. You will die to the past. You will step into the now. Your love will become true. Your heart will expand as will your ability to have compassion for yourself. I know…easier said than done. But if we take the time to just allow one emotion to ripple into our heart, a powerful cleansing will occur. Be gentle. Be loving. Be forgiving. Keep it real, keep rippling, and keep meditating. Email me your experiences at and let me know how this practice feels to you.

In the meantime, I’ll see you in the gap. Peace. -d

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“You don’t need to justify your love, you don’t need to explain your love, you just need to practice your love. Practice creates the master.” – don Miguel Ruiz

It’s a transformational weekend warriors!
Let’s stay present with The Four Agreements.
Peace.-davidji


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mp3’s-cd’s-books-events

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“Every human is an artist. The dream of your life is to make beautiful art.”
– don Miguel Ruiz

Hello Spiritual Warriors! And welcome to September!!!!! And another week of Life Tools.

The Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz, shares four simple truths to commit to and practice to create more love and happiness in your life. The process is transformational – ultimately evolving the way we think!!

Spiritual Reboot Camp Registration closes this week!
Spiritual Reboot Camp
Registration closes this week!

The Four Agreements are:
1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don’t take anything personally
3. Don’t make assumptions
4. Always do your best

These four simple agreements are powerful change agents and require diligence in the early days of the practice. Sometimes it’s really tough because you feel like you’re going against everything you’ve ever been taught…but the results happen quickly and powerful shifts begin in your life at a rapid pace.

Through years of conditioning, we often fail to see the nuances in the evolution of the ways we express ourselves. Our words…our speech…our emotions…our physical body…our voice…our tone…even our attitude is so often automatic, habitual, knee jerk – we are blind to being the person that everyone else experiences; but as they react to that being, and we react to them, we refine our agreements a bit more tightly. Do you see that this can be a path to inner constriction and UN-conscious behaviors?

Over the years our mind has filled with beliefs that generate a running parade of thoughts. In all that thinking there are many assumptions that we are not aware of. We even make the assumption that what we think is true. We imagine and assume we know what others think of us and how they will react. We also assume that the judgments and self-criticisms we have are true. We have learned to make so many assumptions that we aren’t aware of. These assumptions are not the truth. These assumptions and the faith we express in them is just one way that we are not impeccable with our word.

Through our own personal domestication we have learned to take things personally. We assume that other people’s opinions about us are valid and when those opinions don’t agree with ours, we choose to dislike that person, second guess ourselves, or change OUR own opinion. Their opinion becomes our belief about our self. We end up having an emotional reaction to our own belief because we assumed their opinion is true. We can also take our own opinions personally. Our own self-judgments are also simply assumptions. Even though we have made them up and they are not necessarily true, we make assumptions and take them personally.

music - mantras - meditations
music – mantras – meditations

This week on Hay House Radio, I invite you to join in me in creating an opening within us to allow these new agreements to flow freely. Bean by bean the bag gets filled; so why not make a commitment this month to practice one of the Four Agreements each week; and if you are gentle and consistent, your life will unfold with greater grace and greater ease. One agreement each week – don’t reach for more. See if you can bring single pointed intention to your personal evolution.

In the meantime, I’ll see you in the gap!
Peace, -davidji
And, as Peaches teaches – adopt your next pet!

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