Gaia: The Heart's Sanctuary

Top Ten things a Man can do

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 20:01:57 GMT

for a WOMAN in HIS LIFE to REVIVE ROMANCE or KEEP IT ALIVE

Every long term intimate relationship takes WORK to maintain

its "quality." It's natural over time for men and women to

fall into the "status quo" or to take each other for granted.

When the romance wanes, or to keep it alive, these ideas are offered for the man to help remind the couple of their "early

courtship" days.

1. Send Her A Romantic/Love Sentiment Card Unexpectedly. Sometimes the "just because" gifts, we give those we

care about mean as much or more than those given on

special occasions that are expected.

2. Arrange To Have Her Favorite Meal, Her Favorite Music,

& Maybe Her Favorite Video, On A Night When You'll Be

Totally Free & Alone. Create the atmosphere that you know

by now she loves, and make it like a complete date; the

great meal, the right music, and a romantic comedy or

film she loves.

3. If She Works In An Office Setting: Send Her A Bouquet

Of Flowers For Her desk That Will Last A Week. Include a

card, letting her know you wanted her to have something

lovely to look at that week at work.

4. Buy Her Something To Her Taste At "Victoria's Secret."

They have all kinds of helpful people there, and will

help you put together a gift package that will be

appreciated, romantic, and hopefully, used!

5. Arrange Your Work Schedules So That She And You Have

A Full Weekend Off ALONE. Take her to the nicest hotel

you can, even if in town, and enjoy room service, good

dining, indoor swimming, or whatever she wants to do.

TV is optional.

6. Tell Her You Want To Shop With Her For A Special

Present. Take her to her favorite gift stores, or ask

her what she really wants or needs. Shop with her

patiently, and allow her to choose a gift which you

tell her you would like her to buy which would remind

her of you and how much you care for her.

7. Arrange An Entire Evening Alone.

After taking a bath or shower singly or together,

give her good music, a warm, slightly scented oil

body massage, good conversation, and whatever

else she wants.

8. Write Her A Poem Or Love Letter.

If you can, compose a love poem, telling her how

much she means to you and has meant to you. If you

are less poetically inclined, write a love letter

saying the same things. Allow yourself to be soft

and generous in your praise of her. Use the kinds

of words you know she likes and would remember

from your first weeks and months together.

9. Ask Her To Plan A Weekend For The Two Of You.

Tell her you will go anywhere, do anything, and

basically, cater to her and with her, for 48

hours. Hide the TV channel clicker, unless she

loves television.

10. Remember That Actions And Gifts Are Nice And

So Are *Spoken* Words. Tell her daily, in terms

of endearment she likes, how special she is to

you, and how much you love her. Say it in the

morning, by phone, by voice mail, while eating a

meal, before bed, while helping her zip her dress

in the morning before work. Any time's the right

time for this one! Gifts are nice, and we all

love to hear the words for additional reinforcement.

written by Dennis R. Tesdell -

Copyright 97, 98, 99, 00, 2001

Top Ten Ways To Chill Out When Stressed Out and Uptight

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:38:10 GMT

Life is full of stress. We experience it in our personal and our professional life daily. We see it on television and read about it in the newspapers and in magazines. We *integrate* it into our own minds when reading and watching even if we are not personally involved! Some of the *great* movies coming out have

*considerable* stress in them, and we can come home from a a movie feeling tense or stressed as a result. Here are some time tested ways of calming down and creating some balance and inner silence and peace when times are stressful or when you are feeling stressed out and tense. Some of these, if practiced daily for life, can enhance your chances of preventing diseases, as well as adding great quality and peace to your personal and business life.

1. If Possible Leave The Situation.

Get some air. Go home if possible. Change your environment for awhile, even if for a few minutes. Give your body and mind a chance to burn off some of the adrenaline and other chemicals in your bloodstream which are causing you to feel tense or stressed or *hyper*. Take a break and eat a small snack.

2. Take A Nap Or Go To Sleep.

Sometimes, when stress from a crisis or severe situation is at a high level, we become so drained of emotional and physical energy that one of the best things we can do for ourselves is to rest for awhile and *recharge*. Humans are *not* Energizer Bunnies! A nap, where you can be in a quiet darkened place, or simply going to sleep for the nite or for awhile will not solve the problem, but it will decrease your stress level. You're not *chickening out* or running away. You are merely making it easier to work though the stressful situation at a later time with a stronger mind and body.

3. Take a Warm Bath/Shower.

Men favor showers...women usually baths. Warm water is very soothing and relaxing to tight and tense muscles, and to the mind. It also helps circulation, which will help speed getting rid of the lactic acid, adrenaline and other stress chemicals in your system. A long bath or shower, followed by a time out in an easy chair or nap without distraction, can do wonders.

4. Listen To Calming Affirmation Tapes/Music.

One of the very best ways to train your mind and body to calm down when you are stressed out is to listen to either subliminal relaxation music tapes (Louise Hay is a well known author of these) either at work or at home or in the car. The accompanying music alone is very relaxing also. The more you listen to them, the faster your "autogenic response" will be to relax you when you are feeling tense or stressed. The tapes also come in versions where the affirmations are heard and you can repeat them or hear them out loud. This is fine for home. Affirmations and music are one of the most powerful ways to change habits, and help our mind change the way we respond to the things that happen in the world as well as the things around which we might have chronic problems (illness, addictions, thought patterns, etc).

5. Learn And Practice Daily Meditation.

There are many books and tapes on the myriad types of meditation that can be easily learned and practiced daily to reduce stress and to put you in touch with your "higher self," which is totally calm and knows what is best for you. The tapes can be purchased online as well as the books through places like http://www.amazon.com/. Studies have proven that daily self-relaxation or meditation 1-2 times a day for 20-30 minutes in the morning and afternoon or early evening *greatly* improves a person's wellness from a physical and emotional standpoint. It's cheap, it's not hard to learn, and it can save you mountains of stress and even illness in your life.

6. Watch A Humorous Video or Movie.

Here the idea is to distract and distract big time with some opposite emotions. It is impossible to feel amused/happy and stressed/unhappy at the same time! So rent a video, or go see a funny movie. This will take your mind off of the stress for awhile, it will allow the body to create *positive* chemicals to enhance your mood, and it will help you to think more clearly. Laughter is great medicine. It is all around us in many types and venues. Take advantage of it in tough times, and you will come out far ahead of the game.

7. Talk To A *Positive* Friend.

Sometimes talking something out with a person who will simply listen is very helpful. The one caveat here is to be sure the person is a person who will be accepting, compassionate, and positive with you. This means you do not want to discuss your stressful situation with a parent who you know from experience will probably give you a lecture, or with a person who themselves is very poor at handling stress. Pick a person who is solid and *balanced* and who cares for you and is an easy going and knowledgeable listener.

8. Exercise.

Right now you are saying you are already stressed out...why in the world would you want to do something MANY people find it difficult or a chore to do anyhow?! The reason is simple: it is both a diversion as well as a way to burn off those stress chemicals in your system. The exercise will also tire you abit, which will have a calmative affect. It will also create brain chemicals that are good for depression as well as pain and stress. Walking is one of the best exercises if you are not into or cannot do the more intense aerobic types of exercise. Walk and view nature and notice things and keep your focus on what you see, and don't ruminate or think about your problems during your exercising. You will feel energized later, calmer, and the stress will have dissipated greatly if you do 20-30 minutes of some form of exercise when you are stressed out as soon as you will *make the time* to do it.

9. Put Things In Perspective.

Unless you are dying, or a loved one is dying or has died, whatever is going on is *not* a life or death situation. Think about how important whatever is stressing you out will be in a week, a month, or a year from now. If it is on-going, think about ways to change your situation so you do not have the continual stress from it! Realize and *trust in* the old saying which goes, *This too, shall pass.* Most of the things people allow themselves to get worked up about in life are simply not worth the cost it takes. Unless what you are stressed/uptight about is a VERY serious matter, life is too short to allow it to make your mind and body feel so terrible! As another expression goes, *Don't sweat the small stuff*. (And it is almost all small stuff if you look at the *big picture*).

10. Ask For/Seek Out Professional Support-Help

If you have tried other things, and the stress is still *killing you* or you simply cannot get it out of your mind or body, seek out professional help from a counselor, a coach specializing in stress management, a pastor, or other trained professional. There are some times when we need to admit that while we may have all the answers inside of us, we cannot always access them alone without some guidance or help. There is no shame at all in seeking out help for any physical or emotional pain. In fact, it is the wise and sensible thing to do if you are not able to handle it yourself. Stress is like a perfect snowball rolling down a mountain. If left to roll, it will grow to huge proportions. Don't allow it to grow huge before you decide to get help with it if you cannot handle it yourself so that you are not suffering.

- written by Dennis R. Tesdell -

It all depends on the way you look at things

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:20:36 GMT

One day a father and his rich family took his son to a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family.

When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "Very good Dad!" "Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked. "Yeah!" "And what did you learn?"

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon."

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!"

Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life -- you've got everything!

You can't buy any of these things, but still you can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing!

Author Unknown

Balance between happiness and sadness

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:05:04 GMT

Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word

happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far

better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.

~Carl Jung~

To Risk

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:59:16 GMT

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To hope is to risk failure.

But risk must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. If you risk nothing, and do nothing, you dull your spirit.

You may avoid suffering and sorrow, but you cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, and live.

Chained by your attitude, you are a slave.

You have forfeited your freedom.

Only if you risk, are you free.

~Author unknown

From The Book "Inner Harvest"

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:40:14 GMT

The more fully we share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, the more we learn from them.

Other people help us define and validate our

opinions, emotions, and reactions. In the process of

thinking out loud, describing my feelings, or

experiencing an event with a friend, I can often

learn more than I would have by myself. I discover

feelings I didn't know I had, I see possibilities that previously had not occurred to me, and I am aware of details I might have missed.

We are blessed indeed when we have friends who

care about us, who listen to what we have to say,

and who accept us as we are. If we have found it

difficult to trust other people in the past, we may

need to make a conscious effort to cultivate the kind

of friendship that gives us the support we crave.

What we find is that people treat us pretty much as

we treat them--if we are open, sincere, and

accepting, we will attract the same kind of behavior

in return.

We are learning that the more of ourselves we share

with others, the more we get back in return and the

more we learn.

From the Book "Inner Harvest"

by Elisabeth L.

A Practical Tool

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:33:09 GMT

Develop the power of faith and you can open the

floodgates of God's wonderful blessings, bringing

health, happiness, and prosperity into your life!

Today's Positive Thought:

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:26:10 GMT

Follow your heart and you will manifest

God's perfect plan for you.

TODAY'S POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

I AM the wisdom and guidance of God's perfect

plan speaking through my heart.

TODAY'S POSITIVE VISUALIZATION:

I close my eyes and experience the presence of inner

wisdom and direction in my heart. I imagine myself

frequently listening to this guidance. I see myself

manifesting God's perfect plan for me as I easily and

joyously follow my heart. I take a moment to enjoy

the feeling of being in perfect harmony with my purpose

in life. I imagine what my life is like as I learn

to follow my heart. I combine these thoughts with a

feeling of great joy and let them go.

Follow Your Heart

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:16:18 GMT

A 'pure' heart will heal anything. Just

follow the path that your heart chooses.

Boatrocker

What are we worried about?

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:07:54 GMT

I think these difficult times have helped me to

understand better than before how infinitely rich

and beautiful life is in every way and that so many

things that one goes around worrying about are

of no importance whatsoever."

- Isak Dinesen -

Are we distracting ourselves from the important with the unimportant?

Boatrocker

Stay in the Moment

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:58:59 GMT

"Each second we live is a new and unique moment

of the universe, a moment that never was before

and never will be again. Stay in the moment."

-Spanish cellist Pablo Casals-

Maturity

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:51:30 GMT

Maturity is the ability to express one's own

feelings and convictions balanced with

consideration for the thoughts and feelings of others.

- Hrand Saxenian -

Blame

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:46:30 GMT

When we blame, we give away our power.

- Greg Anderson -

Being Alone

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:40:23 GMT

You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with.

- Wayne Dyer-

Making the Best Of The Way Things Turn Out

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:35:41 GMT

Things turn out the best for the people who make

the best of the way things turn out.

- John Wooden -

Fly When You're Falling

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:23:25 GMT

My dad always used to say, "If you're falling

off a cliff, you may as well try to fly.

You have nothing to lose."

-Captain John Sheridan, Babylon 5-

Begin

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:16:47 GMT

Begin doing what you want to do now. We have

only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand --

and melting like a snowflake.

- Marie Beyon Ray -

Listen to Your Inner Voice

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:04:02 GMT

The more faithfully you listen to the voice within

you, the better you will hear what is sounding outside.

~Dag Hammarskjold~

Thing's Aren'y Always What they Seem

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 16:29:22 GMT

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy
family.
The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's
guest room.
Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.
As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in
the wall and repaired it.
When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't
always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very
hospitable farmer and his wife.
After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in
their bed where they could have a good night's rest
When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and
his wife in tears.
Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the
field.
The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you
have let this happen?
The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused.
The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and
you let their cow die.
"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.
"When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold

stored in that hole in the wall.
Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good
fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."
"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came
for his wife. I gave him the cow instead.
Things aren't always what they seem."
Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the
way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome
is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later...

Another Quote

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 23:21:12 GMT

When we are in pain and difficulty, we say we want our lives to be different. But sometimes we do not want to have to be any different ourselves. We want to partner with God in a way that gets us what we want but we don't want to really make any shifts. When we limit our experience of God's power, what we truly want cannot come into our experience. Our heart's deepest longing can only be fulfilled if we allow God's love to continually mold us and shape us and bend us and cause us to let go of the outdated and grab hold of a whole new way of life.

--Mary Manin Morrissey

I would only add that the reference to God should mean in whatever form we believe Him/Her to be.

Boatrocker