Live Your Joy Institute
  • Home
    • Contact
  • About
    • Media
  • Classes / Events
  • Store
    • Authentic Kindness
    • Live Your Joy
    • Angel Talk
    • Soul Mates
  • Free Gifts
  • Newsletters

7 Ways To Fit Meditation Into Your Busy Day

8/2/2015

0 Comments

 
Meditation is the key to living a joyous, peaceful and healthy life. Everyone needs this practice to live well in our demanding world. You don't have to be a yogi or a monk to practice meditation nor do you have to devote a lot of time to it. So how do people who are devoted to spiritual practice fit it into their already packed schedule? Here are some ways that really work.  
  1. Schedule it in. Time will never magically appear. You will always have something to do and somewhere to go. Make a date with yourself and keep that date even if you have to schedule it before everyone else wakes up so you are not disturbed. Mark this time on your calendar or put a reminder on your phone. Make meditation a non-negotiable part of your day.

  2. Get it done early. Wake up, brush your teeth, wash your face and meditate. Make it a part of your morning routine, and soon it will become as familiar as brushing your teeth.

  3. Overcome excuses. As a spiritual coach, I have heard many excuses such as, "I don't have the time," "I wake up early enough as it is," "the kids are so demanding." Other clients make up bogus meditation practices to pass for an authentic practice. Real-life examples of what people have told me include, "I meditate while driving my truck," "I meditate walking the dog," "I meditate working in the garden." Are these really meditation practices? No way. Certainly these are relaxing activities but they are not substitutes for the real thing.

  4. Do it in a group. Meditating with others is more powerful than going it alone and has wonderful results. Consider scheduling a group meditation once a week at someone's home followed by lunch or dinner together. Also find support from like-minded people. Don't discuss your new practice with others who won't understand or support you. Loved ones can be threatened when you start something new because they are afraid that you will change. They are right. You will change, but only in positive ways.

  5. Designate a special place for your practice. Have a specific area in your home devoted to your practice. Put down a mat, pillows, blankets or whatever makes you feel most comfortable. Once you start meditating in this special place, you will feel beautiful energy each time you enter your haven. If its summer, consider meditating in your garden or out in nature.

  6. Find a technique you enjoy. Make sure it's a time-tested practice and one that you are comfortable with. My top choice is Transcendental Meditation, but there are excellent Buddhist practices and others you may like. For personal suggestions based on your situation, contact me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com.

  7. Think positively. You can do this. Remember, meditation is not just for yogis and mystics. Mothers can do it when their kids are napping, executives can do it before the workday begins, students can do it in their dorm rooms -- anyone can do it no matter what their circumstances. If you have resistance, push through it. Tell yourself you can do this. Even if you miss a day, don't give up. Just start again tomorrow and keep going. When we immerse ourselves in positive thoughts and people who support us, we are sure to make progress on our spiritual path.

So what, exactly, do you get as your meditation practice deepens? I promise you will feel bubbles of bliss during your daily life, a sense of calm when stressors arise, a deep feeling of abiding peace, an excellent state of health and well being, the desire to laugh, have fun and play, the ability to get more done in less time, greater prosperity and - my personal favorite -- an increase and expansion of love in your heart.

I've been enjoying the benefits of meditation for many years now -- a great feeling, that has real lasting power. You can do it too. Just follow the seven tips and you will be well one your way to infinite bliss.

Work With Me If you need assistance with meditation or any other issue, we can work together to make desired changes. Contact me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com to get started.
0 Comments

Attract Your Soul Mate in Five Easy Steps

8/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Manifest your soul mate with powerful spiritual techniques that really work

Pick up any novel, go see any movie, or look at ads on TV and you will find happy couples being portrayed. If you don't have a life partner, you may feel depressed, lonely and even hopeless when these images appear. It does not have to be this way. Each one of you can find true love by next Valentine's Day or sooner by applying powerful spiritual principles in your daily life. If I manifested my soul mate over 20 years ago, you can too.

If you have tried everything that our high-tech world has to offer in the dating arena and it hasn't worked, don't give up. Your soul mate is looking for you right now. In this article, I will reveal the five secrets for attracting true love. The first major step is to open your heart and soul to applying these spiritual principles and decide that as a child of God you are loveable and worthy of love right now.


Step One For Attracting Your Soul Mate
 
Step One on the path of true love is to use affirmations. You may be saying "I already know this. What's the secret here?" The secret is to remember why, and how, affirmations work. When you have a thought and/or when you speak, your words and thoughts go out into the Universe and collect like energy. They keep attracting energy and then come back to you with that energy multiplied. The result? Conditions in your life and your experiences. Not only that, but your words have a vibration. Negative words and phrases carry a lower vibration and positive words and phrases carry a higher vibration. So you can see that affirmations are much more than positive thinking; they are powerful attractors of what you want, and don't want, in your life.

Examples of affirmations for attracting a soul mate include:


Love is my divine birthright, and I claim it now.*
 
I give and receive love fully.*
 
I release the past and let love flow into my life.*


Add your own affirmations to this list and say them like you mean it. Keep in mind that the words Love and God are some of the most powerful words you can use to attract love, joy and peace into your life.

Step Two For Attracting Your Soul Mate

The next powerful step in attracting your soul mate is to raise your vibration. The key to finding true love is to keep that vibration high. We operate on a frequency; and when our vibration raises, we are more attuned to the spiritual realm. We can more clearly hear, see and feel angels, guides and celestial beings who will whisper instructions in your ear or your heart to unite you with your soul mate. Please listen to these instructions as they will come more frequently as you live a more spiritual life. When you live from this quickened state, you are a magnet for love because you radiate peace, love and joy and an energy that your soul mate cannot resist!

Tips for raising your vibration include:
  • Spending time in nature
  • Meditating and praying daily
  • Avoiding red meat and including more vegetarian meals in your diet. If you do eat red meat, bless it and try organic.
  • Increase alkaline foods. Eat 80% alkaline and 20% acidic (meat, starches and processed foods are acidic). Alkaline foods include vegetables, whole grains, fruits, green drinks, etc.
  • Play music. Any music will do because it creates positive energy.
  • Adorn your home and office with plants and flowers. Broad-leafed plants transmute negative energy.
  • Be in service to others. Self-less service is a powerful attractor of love. Why? Because when you give love, you also radiate love.
  • Live in gratitude.
  • Dance and play with abandon.
  • Eliminate negative speech.

Secret Three for Attracting Your Soul Mate

The third step is to use Positive Prayer daily. You can master this powerful spiritual practice and manifest not only the love of your life but the life that you love! This type of prayer always works; it's guaranteed. If you want to learn how to do this type of prayer see "The Power of Prayer" starting on page 51 of How to Attract Your Soul Mate by Barbara Gulbranson.
  Be careful not to outline when using Positive Prayer. That means we don't tell God how, we just set the intention and start the Law of Attraction working. Spirit will work out the details for us. When I met my husband 19 years ago, I did my Positive Prayer and had no idea where I would meet my soul mate. He was drawn to move into the apartment next door to me that was being used as a storage unit. He told the apartment manager to "clean it out, "I'm moving in" because he was drawn to it for an unknown reason. 

Your soul mate can be on the other ends of the Earth, and you don't have to worry about how to meet him or her. Just do your Positive Prayer and Spirit will guide you along the way.


Step Four for Attracting Your Soul Mate
 
The secret's out. Mental visualization is a powerful attractor of what you want to manifest in your life. See yourself happy and with your soul mate (but please no particular person in mind). Visualize a joyous relationship. Power your prayers with the vision in your mind's eye. Soon it will move from your mind's eye to being visible before you.

Step Five for Attracting Your Soul Mate

Forgiveness is the fifth step for attracting true love. As we hold onto grudges or resentments, we simply cannot move on to a healthy, conscious relationship. One of the main blocks in finding true love is failure to forgive. I've seen people hold onto to grudges for 50 years and they are not any happier for it.

Why is forgiveness a key to finding your soul mate? Because forgiveness creates a shift in energy. It sets you free. What happened happened, and you can't change it. But you can change the energy around it. Your ability for happiness decreases as your inability to forgive increases because you have not let go and resolved past issues. Hanging onto the past will block your future. This doesn't mean you have to love the person who hurt you, but it does mean that you accept the gift and the healing from the situation and deepen your connection with God.


Discover the Love That Awaits You

Finding your soul mate is all about giving and receiving love. These five easy, but powerful steps, lift your vibration to greater heights and open the door for love and light to stream into your heart space. Your heart is expanding right now. Just by your intention alone, you are attracting love into your life - love that is already within you waiting to be revealed in greater ways. 

Use these steps and discover for yourself love beyond what you ever imagined. The Divine Lover beckons you to forgive, release, love, and live in the higher vibratory states. In doing so, you will find love in your personal relationships greater than you ever imagined.

  
Work With Rev. Barbara 
If you are looking for a soul mate, prosperity, a new job, joy, peace or health, work with Rev. Barbara to make your dream a reality. Rev. Barbara uses a compassionate, nonjudgmental approach to counseling. Plus, she uses her gift of clairaudience to deliver Divine messages and guidance to you. Each session includes and optional angel reading and a personalized positive prayer that continues throughout the week. You will come away with spiritual tools to integrate into your daily life.

Spiritual counseling deepens your connection with Spirit and opens up the avenues of joy, love, success and peace.

To schedule your coaching session, contact Rev. Barbara at schedulemycoachingsession. Sessions take place via phone, Skype, Facetime or in-person.

* Adapted from the book, How to Attract Your Soul Mate: The Secrets of Lasting Love by Barbara Gulbranson.
0 Comments

Manifesting Your Desires -- 9 Ways We Sabotage the Endeavor

7/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Manifesting your desires is a simple and natural process. All too often, we set the intention in Mind and proceed to sabotage our efforts. Here are nine traps not to fall into when creating something new in your life. 
  1. Telling God How -- We must be specific in stating our desire without telling God how it should come about. Our job is to plant the seed in Mind and water it with positive thoughts and calm expectancy. Let God do the rest. Don't expect the result to come from one particular person or place, be open to the Divine flow and the unexpected ways in which God works.

  2. Ignoring Divine Guidance - Once you've stated your desire, you will be guided to do something. After all, we don't sit back and wait for something to happen; we are an active participant with Spirit working successfully through us. Trust and follow the guidance that comes to you. Whether you are guided to contact someone, go somewhere, do research, whatever it is, just do it. It may not even seem to be connected to fulfillment of your desire but trust and act with faith. I promise, you will see amazing results.

  3. Expecting Clear Sailing - To the contrary, making changes in your life can scare the daylights out of you. Your ego will goad you on asking you to resist change and telling you this isn't what you really want. Your ego will encourage you to maintain the status quo and not rock the boat. You may get the feeling that you're not worthy enough or smart enough and will experience doubt, procrastination or distraction. Don't let the ego play its tricks on you. Keep your mind set on your goal and know that you are a worthy child of God who deserves the keys to the kingdom (and already has them). Understand that it's natural to feel fear when you are making great strides in your life. Allow it. Feel it. Breathe it in. Because if you're not afraid, something is amiss.

  4. Letting Confusion Keep You Stuck - If you want to create something new, keep your eye on the outcome. Once the law starts to work for you, if you let confusion in, you will muddy the result. Stay focused and trust that the desire within you is from Spirit and is meant to be fulfilled. The desire contains all that it necessary for the outcome, just like the acorn contains all that it needs to become an oak tree.

  5. Allowing Limiting Thinking - Limited thinking will derail you absolutely and quickly. Abolish all thoughts such as, "I can't," "I have to," "I should." Certainly release any thoughts of being unworthy, untalented, too old, too young or not having enough money. When these arise in your mind, shift your thoughts to "I am," and follow the "I am" with a positive statement of truth.

  6. Not Saying Yes When A New Path Is Shown - What if you said yes to what you truly want? What if you took action no matter what else was going on in your life? What if you didn't delay happiness until some time in the future (when the kids are grown, when I retire, when I have so much money in the bank)? Why do we put off manifesting our dreams to some later date when we think everything will be in place? It's in place right now and all you have to do is step out in faith. Think about the path you want to walk that you've been putting off until "later" or "some day." What if you acted on that today? What would your life look like?

  7. Forgetting Spiritual Practice - As humans, we simply can't go it alone. Only by connecting to the spiritual aspect of life can we live a truly joyous life with all the love, abundance, health and peace that we were meant to experience. Make spiritual practice a daily part of your life and see what wonderful outcomes occur.

  8. Forcing The Outcome - State your desire to the Universe with love in your heart and relax. Real success comes from joy - not force or will power. Think about whether you are exerting strain or effort and let that go. Rest in calm confidence that the law of love is working to bring about the desired change in your life.

  9. Forgetting The Love - Check with your heart space and be sure your desire is coming from love. Love must be the driving force in your life for you to experience deep peace and unabiding joy. Ask yourself if there is anything you are doing without love? Are you going to a job you hate? Are you in a relationship with someone you don't feel connected to? Are you eating a diet that you can't stand? Are you hanging out with people who leave you feeling empty? Are you doing anything that comes from obligation, guilt, duty or laziness? If so, think about dropping anything that does not stem from unconditional love. You will be amazed at how your life changes and how easily your dreams come into being. You will find joy and peace and become a master of manifestation. Just imagine a world where everyone acted out of love instead of force, greed, obligation or selfishness. Giving from love is what the world needs so desperately today. After all, expressing love is why we are here so why not fulfill that purpose?

Work With Me 
The next time you are ready to manifest a life change, remember to let love in and leave sabotage behind. As always, I invite you to share your experience with me. Contact me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com. And if you need spiritual support on your path, work with me and together we will manifest your desires.
0 Comments

Time Out for Healing

6/1/2015

0 Comments

 
The pain of loss is excruciating. Whether you have lost a loved one, a job, or a community, it feels like someone has taken a hammer to your heart and shattered it into a million sharp pieces. You feel like you are bleeding from the inside out and you just can't stop the hurting. This type of pain is unbearable; and while you are still living, you no longer feel alive. You want it to go away, have it end, but you feel helpless in the clutches of your loss. There's no way to go back in time to make it all better, to say what could have been said or change what could have been changed. You are left alone, raw and naked with your bleeding wound and wanting so much to heal as fast as possible. But the healing takes too long and the suffering is too much for a human heart to bear.

When the pain of loss drives you to your knees and reduces you to a pile of tears, there is something you can do to turn the notch down on the suffering. What I am going to suggest is radically different and something everyone who has suffered loss can do. And I mean everyone. Here it is in a nutshell. DO NOTHING. Yes, do nothing. Your physical, mental and emotional selves need time to heal. When grieving, your body slows down so you can enter into the wound, feel it fully, experience the hurt and let it heal in its own time. Going full blast into motion distracts from the healing and doesn't lessen the pain. Yes, we are told to read self-help books, to volunteer, to talk to friends, to get busy and to journal. All of these are excellent methods of healing. But before we take on all the to-dos of healing, we must take a time out to feel what we feel and experience this fully and completely. As Buddhist teacher Pema Chodran says, "The only way out of the pain is through the pain." You must enter into the experience in order to come out renewed and whole (although you are always whole even in the midst of suffering).

I am not suggesting you wallow in sorrow; rather, allow yourself time to feel, to experience, to mend; and then take healing actions on a more active level. From my own personal experience with loss, one of the most healing steps to take while being in the present moment is the Buddhist practice of metta. It is the practice of loving kindness, for yourself, for the one you have lost and for all beings in the world. It goes like this.

First send loving kindness to yourself by saying the following (of course you can fill in your own words that spring from your heart):

May I feel peace,
May I feel love,
May I feel the Divine Presence within.


Next send out loving kindness to the person you have lost. Maybe this person intentionally left you or you have lost the loved one because of death. Say the following:

May (person's name) feel peace,
May (person's name) feel love,
May (person's name) feel the Divine Presence within.


Then, send out loving kindness to all of humanity because there are many beings on Earth who are suffering from loss just like you are. Say:

May all beings feel peace,
May all beings feel love,
May all beings feel the Divine Presence within.


Sending loving kindness to someone who has hurt you and to all sentient beings is a sweet healing balm that fills your entire being with the peace that hope brings. Your heart fills with love, and love is the only thing that heals all wounds. Do this for a while and then add other healing actions to your day (such as meditation, getting out in nature, journaling, serving creation, etc.). But do so slowly and carefully because to rush the process or deny it will only be a bandage over your wound instead of deep healing.

If you are currently suffering from such a loss, please keep a ray of hope in your heart because you will heal. The Divine Presence is always within you and never leaves you. God casts warmth and peace on the brokenhearted and is ever present even in your darkest hour. Make the most of the dark night of the soul by growing and expanding your heart. A heart that's been cracked open is more receptive to giving and receiving love in a beautiful and tender way.

After all, we are here not to avoid pain but to open our hearts and express God's love to others. Embrace love fully and remember what Abe Lincoln said, "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." Let's rejoice that even though the thorns of love may prick and make you bleed, the sweetness of the rose is what will heal.

Peace to all.
0 Comments

Spiritual Redirection

5/1/2015

0 Comments

 
 When I got rejected from a chaplaincy training program that I had my heart set on, I was shocked. The priest had handed it to me on a silver platter and then decided that I didn't fit in with the group he was assembling. "How could he do this to me?" I asked. "How could my plans go so far awry?" Even with the shock and disbelief there was no anger. Yes, I was sad and disappointed. For about one day. The truth is that I did not fit in with the fundamental group he was creating. What's more, I knew that when these things happen there is a greater picture - a sacred picture that holds a higher meaning for everyone involved. This was not a rejection. This was a redirection. And redirections are always for our highest good.
If you are being redirected, release all limitations and lean into it. Holding back in fear prevents you from experiencing the rich, passionate, joyous life you were created to experience. You will be forever stuck in your current conditions that no longer serve you. Once you get it that all fear is feeling separate from God, you can let go and surrender to the good that is at hand. It's best to live a fearless life allowing God to steer the ship and pave the way before you. Your job is to trust in the Universe and take that step so you can live the full life you so desire.

This surrendering to Spirit does not mean that you give up your free will or your gift of choice. Rather it means that when a door seemingly closes, it is a loving change of course -- not one to be mourned but one to be celebrated.

For me, I found myself united with a better chaplaincy school that resonates with my beliefs and, thankfully, my schedule. And I am doubly blessed because the Hospice I work for PRN extended my hours so I have the best of everything. I couldn't have imagined such a perfect situation on my own, but God knew how. This is precisely why we pray for "this or something better." We don't want to limit the all-giving God with our short-sighted human vision. Once we pray and let the desire go with love in our hearts, we don't have to know how to do anything but let God do everything by means of us.

The next time you are faced with a disappointment, frustration or seeming block in your dreams, remember there are no wrong turns only redirections for your highest good. Embrace those redirections, and live from the standpoint of faith in a power of good that fulfills your heart's desires. After all, what you desire is seeking you. Let it unfold in its beautiful and loving way in all aspects of your life.

Work with Me
Are you facing a redirection in your life? Is there a new road you would like to take in career, relationships, prosperity, creativity or anything else? If so, schedule a coaching session today and we will work together to set you on your new course with joy, love and fearlessness. Contact me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com. Special coaching packages are available for Joy Newsletter subscribers.
0 Comments

The Healing Power of Grief

3/1/2015

0 Comments

 
The only thing certain in life is that it changes. Sometimes those changes are happy ones; yet, everyone will experience tragic ones as well. These are the changes that propel us into awakening and soul growth. When loss occurs that rips us to the core such as loss of a relationship, a career, a hope, a dream, your health, how, exactly, can we navigate through such treacherous waters?

We must first remember that while life changes, God never changes. As we grieve our losses, know that the Divine Presence is always with us. Knowing this, we can begin to heal our wounds and come out spiritually stronger. Having faith does not mean that we do not grieve over our loss or that we neglect the grieving process. We can, and must, grieve our losses while maintaining our faith to come out with a heart opening to renewed love and strength.

There are phases of the grieving process that we need to move through order to process our feelings and heal. Some of the phases include:

Phase One - Expressing emotion. Whether you are a man who has been taught not to cry or a woman, crying is a healthy way to release emotion. Keeping the faith does not mean avoiding emotion, in fact, expressing feelings is good for you. Bottling emotion up will often come out later as a health issue or a psychological challenge. It's also a good idea to have people you can talk to about what you are experiencing.

Phase Two -- Allowing the sadness. A certain amount of time feeling depressed is a normal and natural reaction to grief. Give yourself this time knowing it won't last forever (if it goes on too long, please seek help). As Maharishi Mahesh Yogi says, "It may be that the clouds are gathering. Let them come and go; they go as they come. Take no notice of their coming and, you go your way. Make your way through the clouds if they lie on the way. Do not try to dispel them, do not be held by them either, they will go the way they have come. They are never found stationary, but if you like to pause to see them wither away, wait for a while. The wind is blowing anyway; it is to clear the clouds from your way. Just wait to see the clouds wither away, and the sun, the same old sun of love will shine again in the fullness of its glory." 

Phase Three - Meeting physical challenges. Sometimes our grief is so heavy that we develop physical ailments such as headaches, backaches, stomachaches, etc. For this reason, it is important to practice self-care and nurture yourself while you are grieving so that your health is not compromised.

Phase Four - Feeling guilt. We may feel guilty about the loss as if we have caused it. If it's loss of a relationship, we may feel that we said something wrong or we should have been a better person - one who is lovable and not rejected. If it's loss of a job or business, we may feel that we didn't try hard enough or were smart enough, so it's our fault for the loss. If a loved one makes their transition, we may feel that we should have taken better care of the person or resolved old issues. Taking guilt off the plate goes a long way in healing. Guilt is a useless emotion and detrimental to say the least. We internalize things and blame ourselves when generally it is not anything we said or did to cause the loss.

Phase Five - Regaining joy. When suffering the effects of grief, it's more important than ever to ramp up your spiritual practice. There is little chance of moving on in a healthy way without the aide of God and the angels. No matter how badly you feel, make prayer a priority - even if it is just a short affirmation or a quick request to your angels. You do have heavenly help during this time and are never alone because you can never be separated from God - your Source. Also sit down on your meditation mat and meditate even for a few minutes each day. A little bit of meditation practice goes a long way in healing your heart and opening up the channels to receive love.  
After all, it is not time that heals all wounds; rather, it's love that heals all wounds. When grieving, open your heart to love and watch it pour in from God, the angels, lovedones, pets and unexpected sources.
0 Comments

Take The Passion Plunge

1/1/2015

0 Comments

 
At this time of year many people take an assessment of their lives and make resolutions. They look toward the year ahead with an urge to do things better and differently. While many people have a longing for change, few have the courage to take the steps to foster meaningful growth. Making life changes takes trust in the Universe and the faith to step out and answer the Divine call.
​
Recently I was talking to a friend about such life changes and he said, "We're standing on the dock in fear when our passion is in the water." Fear is the force that will paralyze you and prevent you from diving into unchartered waters. However, when a desire arises in you, it is the call of Spirit to create through you. The desire was meant to be fulfilled. In fact, the desire is seeking an outlet by means of you. What happens if we ignore the urge or don't answer the call? We live uneventful, dull lives that don't improve because we don't have the faith required to jump in and take the plunge.

As Charles Bukowski says, "If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it's your duty to be reduced to ashes by it. Any other form of existence will be yet another dull book in the library of life."

I ask you for this New Year, "How do you want your book of life to read?" Do you want it to describe a life that was status quo never having dared to take a chance on greater expression? Or do you want to know you followed your heart's passion and crossed an unknown bridge trusting Spirit as your guide?

There's an old expression in New Thought that says, "What you conceive you can achieve." So what is holding you back from following your passion? Is it finances, relationship, job security or just plain fear to move forward? Are you afraid of what others would think if you stepped out and lived your authentic life? Give these fears over to God and know that you are not trapped by circumstances. You have the power to be free. If the choices you once made are not working for you, you are free to choose again. Never live life under the pretense of "I have to" or "I should." Ask God to show you another way. You will be guided to do something you will love, which is the most freeing thing of all.

After all, if you hold on too tightly to a part of your life, situation or relationship that is not working anymore or is holding you back, there is little opportunity for growth. The situation will only get worse, and you will not have the open space for newness and the love that it promises. Let it go. Give it to God and the angels for transformation or release. If you are willing to let go of the situation with love in your heart, it will be replaced by something better or it will heal. Don't try to control the outcome. Don't hesitate. Just leap off the dock with faith and gratitude -- and let your heart's passion come alive.
0 Comments

Seven Ways to Beat Holiday Blues

12/1/2014

0 Comments

 
There's no getting away from it during the holiday season. We are bombarded with messages to be joyful, happy and celebratory. But this is not so for many people dealing with depression, loneliness and grief. Grief is not only prompted by death but includes losses such as a job, a pet, a relationship or community. How do you transcend feelings of despair when everywhere you look you see ads with smiling faces and families rejoicing in warm traditions? Here are seven tips for surviving the holidays if you are dealing with grief, loneliness or sorrow:

  • Use your spiritual tools - To achieve eternal joy in the midst of any circumstances, we must not depend on human abilities but depend on spiritual connection. We can do nothing of ourselves; it is the Father within that does the work. The truth is that you are not alone because God lives within you. Deepen your connection with God and give your challenges over to God and the angels. When we feel lonely, it is because we are feeling separate from the Source of all Good. Take a deep breath and know you are eternally connected to the Divine and therefore never alone.
  • Request positive prayer from a practitioner or minister - Prayer is the healing balm of the soul, and when you pray something happens. A law is set in motion to bring about the result you desire. Positive prayer always gets results. If you are too despondent to pray for yourself, reach out and request prayer from a practitioner or minister or email me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com and relax knowing that once prayer is said with love and feeling, the demonstration is guaranteed.
  • Feel your feelings - When we feel discomfort, it is natural to want to run away or soothe ourselves with sensory pleasure or medication to dull the senses. But feeling our feelings helps us move through the experience, gather up the gifts and awaken to our divinity. Don't run from your feelings but allow them to just be. In the simplicity of the moment, the opening for healing will occur.
  • Don't push yourself - Honor your physical body. If you are not feeling up to festivities, don't push yourself because you think you "have to." An experience from my own life was when I was getting a divorce at Christmastime and there was merriment all around me while I was barely functional. I could not handle the celebrations. Instead I chose to attend a week-long meditation retreat. What a great decision as it expedited healing and renewed joy. Respect the fact that you don't "have to" do anything just because it's expected of you; rather, answer the call for healing in a way that nurtures your mind, body and spirit.
  • Make a joy tool kit - In the Live Your Joy workshops I teach, I recommend creating a joy tool kit. The importance of this kit is that when you are feeling down, it elevates your vibration. Get a box or container of any kind and fill it with positive items such as treasured photographs, spiritual CDs, angel cards or whatever has meaning for you. Some items in mine include photographs, angel cards, a Buddhist chanting player, chocolate, letters from loved ones and clients and inspirational stones. Create your own joy tool kit and it is sure to bring you a smile as you treasure sacred memories.
  • Reduce stress - This is the time to nurture your soul. Spend more time meditating, praying and getting out in nature. If it's cold outside, bring nature inside with flowering plants and beautiful winter bloomers. Go on a hike if the weather permits, feed the birds and relish the spectacular beauty all around you especially during this time of year. Remember to tell the plants that you appreciate their sharing their beauty with you. Also play beautiful music and dance with abandon as Spirit moves through you. (For more tips on raising your vibration see the e-book, Angel Talk: Five Easy Steps for Connecting with Your Angels available at www.liveyourjoy.org).
  • Talk about your feelings in a safe space - Schedule a spiritual coaching session or talk with a like-minded person who will really listen and who will validate your feelings. Sometimes the simple act of expressing yourself helps to expedite healing and growth.

Most importantly, be gentle with yourself this holiday season and always.

Affirm the following:
 There is a Power and Presence that is all good and all love and it is within me right now. I open my heart to this ever-flowing reservoir of love and anticipate greater peace, love and joy in my experience today. Love fills my heart and heals my soul and I am forever one with God -- my eternal companion.

If you would like prayer support or spiritual counseling, contact me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com for special holiday packages. In the coming year, I wish you all healing, love, prosperity and deepening of your connection with God. Peace to all!
0 Comments

Your Inspired Life

11/1/2014

0 Comments

 
We have all heard it said that suffering is part of the human condition. Simply by being alive at some point we encounter pain, loss and sorrow. Just when we think we can't handle what's happening and we feel that we can't bear any more, we lose hope, feel badly about ourselves and feel that no matter how hard we try the Universe has just hit us with a two by four. We've reached the end of our rope and see no way out.

When it hurts so badly that you want to cry out or strike out, this is a prime time to ramp up your spiritual practice. The most important part of the spiritual journey is not how you handle yourself when everything is rosy but how you react when the ship you are on is rocking on turbulent waters making your stomach churn and feeling there's no way to calmer seas.

Whatever you are facing in your life whether it be a minor challenge or a challenge that knocks the wind out of your sails, there is a simple formula for transcending that suffering. Develop a compassionate and generous nature and you will gain mastery over the pain of suffering.


Cultivating Compassion
Quite simply, compassion means caring more about giving than receiving. This compassion, however, must spring genuinely from your heart. It's different from trying to do "good deeds" because you are sincerely committed to helping others from your deepest heart space. In this state of consciousness, there is a letting go of selfishness and a letting go of the ego, which is called egolessness. You are immersed in the one-pointed desire to help others and your light and energy help to alleviate other being's suffering (both humans and animals). You shed everything unlike God and help others find happiness with a gentle and tender approach.

To cultivate this compassion, we first must drop attachment to form and become more attached to God. After all, forms on the relative plane of experience are always changing but the one constant form that never changes is God. What does it take to accomplish this? You gather up all the compassion you have cultivated on the meditation mat and go out into the world and put it into practice in daily life. You move away from trying to help others and simply help others as a natural result of your expanding heart. By doing so, your suffering is alleviated; yet, you are not giving compassion with that end in mind. You just help others because you feel a deep yearning to do so.


The Rewards of Generosity
When you have a generous nature, you no longer desire anything for yourself - it's a letting go or giving away. For example, it is giving others tangible items such as food, clothing or a prized possession. And it's a giving of non-tangible items such as a caress, a smile, understanding, listening, loving kindness and peace. You give not out of necessity but out of compassion and gentleness with a tender heart. Just like unconditional love - true generosity is giving without expecting anything in return.

A simple practice to help awaken generosity is to catch yourself when you say "I want" and change it to "I give." This may feel uncomfortable at first - you may feel panicky or tight -- but move through it and give it a try.

If panic arises because you feel you are not in a financial position to give, remember that you can give intangible gifts that don't cost any money. Perhaps the best thing about generosity is that even if you are not financially wealthy, you never affirm lack or limitation and you can help heal other's hearts with your gifts. In return you will see prosperity and abundance flourishing in your life. You will find that you are the inspiration that builds richness and joy in other people's lives.

The bottom line? The more you give the more you get in terms of love, joy, prosperity and alleviation of suffering. Of course, these ends should never be your reasons for giving. Once you start enhancing the spirit of generosity, you become more inspired to give and it occurs naturally and effortlessly. A giving life is indeed an inspired life.

This holiday season, I make a promise to practice generosity in new and expanded ways. I encourage you to also move away from the association with material trappings and practice a newfound compassion and generosity. Give in the highest sense. As always, I invite you to share your results and experiences with me by contacting me atrevbarbgulbran@cs.com. 

Happy holidays to all!    

​Work With Me

If you are ready to transcend suffering and live in deep, abiding joy, I invite you to work with me. We can work via phone, Facetime, Skype or in person to activate the power within you to fulfill your heart's desires. Email me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com to get started. 
0 Comments

Go to the Mats

10/1/2014

0 Comments

 
While I was visiting a high school this week I noticed banners posted on a classroom wall that the students had made. On the banners the teens wrote statements about their aspirations for the future. "I want to be a pharmacist," "I want to be a lawyer," "I want to go to medical school," some read. But surprisingly the majority of the students wrote something like, "I want to be happy," "I want to know what I want," "I what to figure out what I want."

Even as young people, the need to just be happy is a yearning desire. Beyond the desire to be happy, the longing to be clear on what one wants is equally prominent. As we grow into adults, we find the same quest for joy and the same longing to become clear on what would bring such a state of mind.

Unfortunately in today's society, we go about cultivating joy in a haphazard way. We live in a materialistic culture and think that the newest gadget, computer, car, clothing will bring us joy. Our human perception is limited and the focus is on attachment to form when joy comes from the exact opposite: non-attachment to form. Yes you can attain moments of happiness and pleasure from the material world, but the only way to cultivate true, deep abiding joy is through connecting with and nurturing of your spiritual self. You see, joy is sacred, deep and peaceful. It is not only the absence of suffering, it transcends suffering. It is a state of calmness that abides while the world is going crazy around us.

So then the only way to cultivate this deep joy that remains at the center of our being when things are going awry is through spiritual practice, specifically meditation. I heard it said that what we do with our lives - our work, our hobbies, our activities - are to be sandwiched between our morning and evening meditation sessions. We want our meditation practice to become part of our everyday routine, as natural and regular to us as washing our face or brushing our teeth.

Here's the formula for being joyous and for figuring what you want to give to life: go to the mats and practice. If you are starting out with meditation, it doesn't have to be long. Ten minutes each day will get you started on the road to joy. For some this will take discipline and others will find it so enjoyable that they do it again and again for the rest of their lives. A meditation teacher once likened the practice to eating chocolate cake. It's so good that it's not a sacrifice to eat it; rather, we look forward to eating that chocolate cake every day. For me, meditation has always been that luscious piece of chocolate cake. If a skip a session, I feel those human qualities rearing their headsand I know I have to take to the mat again, but it's the first thing I do in the morning and the final thing I do when the day of activity is ending.

My desire is that each one of you incorporate this simple practice into your everyday lives for your own personal spiritual growth and for the peace it brings to the world. This week ask yourself what would you write on your banner? And e-mail me atrevbarbgulbran@cs.com to share what you come up with.  

Work With Me
If you are ready to live in deep, abiding joy, I invite you to work with me. We can work via phone, Facetime, Skype or in person to activate the power within you to fulfill your heart's desires. Email me at revbarbgulbran@cs.com to get started. 
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Author

    Dr. Barbara Gulbranson is one of the nation's leading spiritual teachers, author, spiritual coach, ordained minister and director of the Suicide Prevention Center, a program of United Health Services.

    Archives

    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    December 2013
    July 2013
    February 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Services

Workshops
Coaching
Newsletters

Books

Authentic Kindness
Angel Talk
Live Your Joy
Attract Soul Mate

Support

About
Media
Contact
© 2018 - 2019 Barbara Gulbranson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
​Privacy Policy 
  • Home
    • Contact
  • About
    • Media
  • Classes / Events
  • Store
    • Authentic Kindness
    • Live Your Joy
    • Angel Talk
    • Soul Mates
  • Free Gifts
  • Newsletters