I Agree With Donald Trump

I agree with President Trump.

The other day I heard Senator Cruz warn that Republicans could see a “bloodbath” on Election Day if voters were angry and broke. There’s countless news article that refer to the election races as “battles”, and even the swing states are referred to as “battleground” states. A reporter noted that Trump supporters tuned into the last presidential debate to witness a smack down of wrestlemania-like proportions, not an intellectual discussion of policy. Trump in one corner of the ring, Biden in the other. Who will emerge victorious? Wait. Is this an election? Or does our psyche believe we are at war, and we don’t even realize it?

I watched the Vice Presidential debates and had to turn it off. Watching Pence was painful. I felt compassion for him. I imagined the inner conflict that was being waged within his soul...to be placed in a position where his reputation, livelihood, and political career required his silence on all that was wrong with the Trump administration. And I enjoyed watching Kamala speak, her words were poised and elegant but she was equally out of integrity, in my opinion. Winning political office requires that you demonize your opponent, lead with what they’ve done wrong, and rarely publicly admit to anything they’ve done well or right. There is no common ground on the battlefield...

The history of the United States is filled with countless wars and battles. Have you ever thought that this might be embedded into our consciousness? That when we look at one another, we don’t see “fellow citizen”, but instead the patterns in our energy field send a signal to our brain that says “warning”, “potential threat”, “defend”, “attack”. War Consciousness. I was surprised to discover my Spirit Guides telling me months ago that this needed to be purged from my psyche. I say surprised, because I consider myself to be a pretty peaceful person. I generally oppose the concept of war and violence, I meditate regularly, I’m vegetarian, and I condemn mudslinging in the political arena.

But when I started to create social media posts that described the ways in which I agree with Trump, I hesitated. I “hated” (an that is an accurate and honest emotion that came up for me) the idea of agreeing with him on anything. I was strongly resistant to the idea of showing any modicum of support for him. I questioned my sanity and values that we recently kept ending up on the same side of an issue. It was this feeling of “hate” that was keeping me at war alongside the rest of the country. Not hate for Trump, but for the possibility of agreeing with him. It felt like “surrender”. It felt like befriending the enemy.

And therein lies the problem. If I can’t bring myself to agree with you on anything, then we can never stand side by side, we will always be head to head. If I can’t allow myself to find common ground with you, then I will always see you as the enemy and if I go on the offense, you must respond by immediately going on the defense. Many family relationships have ended over expressing support for Trump. Many people have been defriended for acknowledging that they agree with anything he says. How can we expect bipartisanship from our leaders when we can’t even practice it with those we love?

Such an odd thing to arrive at, but my spiritual evolution...my transmuting of this war consciousness energy, requires me to consciously start to acknowledge how I agree with Trump. Let me be clear, I do not plan to vote for Trump for a very, very, very long list of reasons including his inability to emphathize which I discussed previously, but to pretend that everything he’s done has been wrong, would be deliberate blindness. To not acknowledge the things I agree with him on lacks authenticity and integrity and only serves to mirror and reinforce the divisiveness that is crippling our country.

I agree with President Trumps desire to keep jobs in America and his focus on acknowledge the pain and suffering of white people (specifically white men) who can’t find work, whose towns have been gutted, and who have been left behind economically during the process of globalization and offshoring jobs. Even though white people have historically been the one’s with wealth and privilege, those whites who no longer have that status in society deserve to have a voice. It’s clear to me that Donald Trump’s motives are not altruistic (he wants power and he wants to stay in power) and he really doesn’t care about people in other countries getting exploited by the U.S. for their cheap labor, but I won’t let that stop me from acknowledging the things we do agree on.

I think President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed has been successful in getting a vaccine ready in record time, and securing doses for the U.S. population, even if it won’t be ready by the election. It usually takes four years to develop a vaccine and his efforts are largely responsible for making that happen in a year. I’m confident that the pain from the economic recession and job losses would have been greater if he hadn’t forced the issue of reopening the economy and ending lockdown measures early on.

I agreed with President Trump when he said that his getting COVID was a blessing and that you should not let fear of this illness run your life. I thought it was an empowering message for a president to give his citizens. I have been through several chronic health issues, walked through the fear, healed myself, and came out on the other side with a similar perspective. I learned to stop looking at illness as a bad thing and something to avoid at all costs, and instead view it as a teacher, an opportunity for spiritual transformation, or even just real time feedback of where I needed to focus my attention in improving my physical health.

What I’ve learned is that sometimes there is nothing else that will shift a person’s consciousness or trigger the release of suppressed emotions that are literally “killing” them, other than going through an illness. If you have ever witnessed firsthand the power of that purging process...like someone who faced cancer and emerged completely transformed...then maybe you might understand the depth of the inner conflict I feel when I’m asked to wear a mask to protect someone from illness or even the threat of death as a way to show my love.

I would support you by having compassion and understanding for your fear.

I would support you in healing and recovering from an illness.

I would support you in lessening your physical discomfort.

BUT

Please don’t ask me to show how much I care about you by helping you avoid the process that the divine intelligence of your cells are asking for.

Please don’t ask me to deny you the liberation on a soul level, that is waiting for you on the other side of that illness.

Please don’t ask me to deny the truth of my own healing experiences.

I passed by a Trump supporter in Home Depot. She was holding an American flag with TRUMP printed on it. I wanted to speak and connect with her but I didn’t know what to say. After writing this, I know what I’ll say next time. “Hello, I don’t plan on voting for Trump but I’ve recently discovered that we actually agree on some things...”

Finding Compassion For Donald Trump

I think about Donald Trump more often then I would care to admit.  But when I sit down to write about him, nothing ever comes.  I have spent the past year genuinely contemplating why he is in my reality.  I've never publicly condemned him or criticized him, because I recognize that everyone playing a major role in the storylines of my reality are mirrors --reflections of all things conscious and subconscious.  

So I mostly paid attention to how he made me feel.  What emotions were triggered when people mentioned his name...  How did I viscerally respond to his behavior and words… Did I feel angry?  Irritated?  Powerless?  What was Trump showing me about myself that I couldn't see otherwise?

I dived deep into shadow work during my ascension process this past year.  And what was shown to me were my past lives as Trump.  Not the real Trump of course. But my lives were I treated women unfairly, where I lied and refused to listen, where I used my authority and power to promote my own self interests, where I had been blamed as responsible for the deaths of thousands of people.  And at the end of it, it made no sense to condemn Trump as it would be the equivalent of hurling rocks at myself.

I'm now left with compassion.  And at the same time I think President Trump is a narcissist.  I've spent many hours with a narcissist and I've decided that even though their behavior come across as self-centeredness and egotism, the narcissistic behavior is a super strong, involuntary, almost impenetrable defense mechanism for psychological and emotional trauma.  Having a narcissistic president is deeply problematic because people with this disorder lack the ability to 1) self-reflect and 2) emphathize with others.

And here was yet another mirror of the many lifetimes where I was the one who lacked empathy.  You know, I used to think incarnating into a lifetime with the Dharma of dedicating my life to service was a sign that I was a pretty evolved spiritual being.  Boy was I surprised to discover that this was deeply embedded into my karmic blueprint for this lifetime because I struggled so greatly in many past lifetimes with developing compassion and empathy for other humans, especially while in positions of power. 

My blueprint ensured I spent this lifetime focused on others and not on my self or on gaining fame or wealth  -- it was my soul's way of learning these lessons.  That's how hard this pattern is to "fix" each lifetime without extreme limitations or outside assistance from spiritual guides. 

I've accepted that we're not always going to have someone in the White House who agrees with us.  They are going to make decisions and take actions that would be different than what you or I would do if we were in the same position.  But there's leadership in empathy -- the ability to genuinely recognize the needs of others, speak to their experience, and put yourself in their shoes, even when you disagree.  To take the best course of action as you see fit but bring people along, pull people together, and explain how their experience and views were considered.  My issue is less with the decisions President Trump has made, or his personal antics, but with his inability to authentically express compassion and empathy for other human beings.  

Our karma often puts us in the best position to where we can see, what we couldn't see otherwise.  And from that new perspective, we can shift internally.  Trump and his wife were recently diagnosed with COVID.  It's a humbling moment when life causes you to become the person you couldn't identify with, before that moment. Tonight, I noticed there was a sharp shift in the tone of his tweets from "me" to "together".

I'm intentionally writing this post before the next series of tweets come in.  I have no idea whether Trump will self reflect during his quarantine or make any long term shifts in rhetoric or behavior because of this one moment of feeling vulnerable to a virus he can't control.  And yes, it's possible he's using the messaging of togetherness to gain sympathy votes. 

But from what I know about reality is that there is massive synchronicity in the timing of this diagnosis.  And from what I know about why we attract illness into our lives, there is a great opportunity now for the clearing out of old physical and emotional blockages.  I wish President Trump the experience that is best suited for the growth of his soul and expansion of his consciousness.

Contemplating Connection In The Age Of COVID

This COVID timeline resulted in the clearing of some very dense energy blockages in my heart chakra region.  And now my ability to feel "disconnection" has been greatly magnified.  While it was optional before, I can no longer live and function without genuine human connection, and still be happy.  I find that I feel alone without it.

This week I attended a Meetup.com hike in Phoenix.   It was my second interaction with live human beings that weren't wearing masks in many months.  I used to attend these events and honestly, I was there for the activity.  Connecting with people wasn't required.  Now my spirit guides' rules for human connection were constantly circulating in my mind...honesty, vulnerability, shared experience. Connection First.  That's my new motto.

I walked up to one guy.  He was super friendly and filled with endless facts about the area but I could sense he struggled with vulnerability.  I shared things about myself.  He shared facts that one could Google on the Internet.  There was another guy with a million dollar smile.  But energetically it felt like he was surrounded by an impenetrable force field that would deflect any and all personal questions.  We struggled to hold a conversation. 

I met a lady who was super friendly and talkative and loved to laugh.  I asked her if she had been to this place before.  She said she never knew it existed.  I assumed she was new to town but she said she'd been here for a year and a half but was so busy getting settled she never had time to get out or meet people.  I sensed she wasn't telling the truth.  I'm sure she had her reasons, but energetically I felt the disconnect between us after that.

I overheard a lady expressing how nervous she felt about completing the hike because of her weight and I thought finally!  Honesty and vulnerability!  But the more we talked, the more I realized it was non-stop self-expression. She wasn't interested in my experience at all -- only sharing hers. 

I stopped in the middle of the hike and had a silent conversation with my Guides.  "I didn't realize this would be so hard,” I said.

The group reached a lookout point and it was beautiful. We all sat together looking at the city lights.  Is this a shared experience I silently asked my Guides?  No, they said.  I realized at that moment, that I had no idea what people were thinking or feeling about this experience.  I was feeling romantic and had images of wine bottles, grapes, and picnic baskets floating through my head.  We were all together experiencing this beautiful moment and yet we were so far apart. 

The first guy that I met who shared non-stop facts, shared a story about his son.  The conversation moved onto something else, but I paused and asked him more about his son.  He then revealed a single piece of information about himself.  God, I thought.  It's been an hour and a half.  Should I have to work this hard to connect with another human being? 

In one of my recent channeled messages, it stated that things like kindness, support, proximity, and politeness are often mistaken for human connection.  I experienced all those things during the meetup, but still found myself thirsty for connection. I wonder if anybody else felt the same way….

Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I can't imagine that anyone could go through this COVID timeline...being at home...isolated from the rest of the world with little to no human contact for months or years, and not contemplate what it means to connect with another human being... 

Are You a People Collector?

My latest Ascension lesson: If you want to connect, your intention can't be to collect.

Are you a people collector? (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/465418942715273598/)

Sounds super creepy doesn't it?

It's easier if you think of it as a kid who has a bunch of dolls.  And then goes to the store and asks his mom for a new toy.  And she responds by saying: you should play with the ones you already have...

Do you look for new online friends instead of getting to know the ones you already have?

No judgement here.

I used to be a people collector too.

Our deepest desire is to connect but there's so many things that get in the way and cause us to do strange and weird things like collect people when what we really want to do is connect with them.  In addition to vulnerability, honesty, and shared experience, my Spirit Guides gave me a fourth rule for human connection: I don't need or want anything from you other than connection. 

They actually mentioned this awhile ago...but I kind of glossed over it, because if I had thought about it too deeply, I would have had to discontinue my practice of collecting people, which was basically impossible.

Let me explain...

I started collecting people when I was a member of a spiritual community called Art of Living.  The techniques I learned transformed my life and so I wanted everyone I knew to try them.  It started off innocently with word of mouth but I wanted to reach more people.  I wanted to help them. If I’m being honest with myself, I wanted to save them. 

And so I started volunteering for the organization and everyone I met became a potential prospect.  Someone I could sign up for the course.  If they weren't interested now, I could sign them up later.  Once they got to know me, they'd see the benefits of the course and what breathing and meditation has done for my life.  I could change the world one person at a time.

Then my health issues started.  I was able to heal and reverse all my symptoms by detoxing.  I wanted everyone to know they could heal themselves too.  What a beautiful purpose to have in life!  I trained with my mentor and started looking for clients.  I wasn't conscious of it at the time, but I started looking at everyone as a potential client...someone who might need my services in the future, you know, once they got to know me.

Pause

For years, I thought I was connecting with people but I wasn't consciously aware that I was collecting people until recently — when someone tried to collect me. 

When I started posting my channeled messages on Facebook, I suddenly received a large number of FB friend requests.  I sent them all a reply saying I'd love to connect with them first before accepting their request.  One lady replied and said "I'm a spiritual coach/reiki master...I have hundreds of friends that I accepted only because I one day hope they may need or want a service I may provide.". Another woman said nevermind, that's ok, "I just wanted more access to your posts." A third woman sent me a follow up message in addition to the friend request.  I thought now she must be interested in connecting with me!  I checked out her profile and the only posts she had public were of a show she produced.  I sent her a reply...but then never heard back.

I felt icky. I felt mildly horrified. I felt disappointed, like when you find out the guy you're dating who is husband material, is actually only interested in sleeping with you.  I'm not completely naive.  I know not everyone "really" wants to be my friend on Facebook.  But I didn't care before.  Now that I actually want to connect with people, it all just makes me feel a little sad.

Pause

Once I became aware of how I was treating others...collecting them, but never taking the time to get to know anything about them... I realized I couldn't stop.  I needed them to fulfill my life purpose! I needed them for my financial survival!

I don't need or want anything from you other than connection. 

Dear Spirit Guides...help me.  You have suggested a rule that I can't possibly follow.  How can I want nothing from them, when I need clients and I want to make money doing what I love?  How can I want nothing from them when I know I have knowledge that could possibly change or save their life?  Isn't human connection still possible as long as I have good intentions?  No, they said.  The moment they realize you want something from them..the moment they realize they've been collected...there's an invisible disconnect between your energy fields.

What I’ve learned is that my ability to connect with another person depends on whether I can see them as a human being or as a means to an end.  However, I believe most people are not self-aware or honest enough with themselves to truly see when they're engaging with someone as a means to an end.  It's all masquerading as some innocent or noble intention.

"I want nothing from you."  In order to be able to truly say that to another human being, what would you have to change? 

But I Like The Likes

My latest social media experiment is to 1) stop using emojis and 2) stop liking people’s posts and 3) turning off all notifications from Facebook and Instagram. I researched the origin of emojis and they first started in Japan and became popular because they added emotional subtext to flat text. Flat text? That’s doublespeak for writing that contains no expression of feeling or emotion. (Like this entire paragraph).

I started observing discussion threads on social media. They were filled with people sharing thoughts and opinion — flat text (i.e. I want you to know what I think, not what I feel.) I discovered when you take away the emoji, social media is largely devoid of written expression of feelings. How did I never notice that before?? I just had to resist the urge to add an emoji with the dude scratching his head with a puzzled look.

Is it because we are lazy? Is this a symptom of the digital age? Is it because we are too busy to type? I’ve seen people write paragraphs of intellectual debate on these discussion threads. People have time. Plus, it honestly doesn’t take too long to type “You make me feel loved” 🥰, or “I feel like crying.” 😭.

I believe that the rampant use of emojis is a symptom of a world where emotional expression is underdeveloped, uncomfortable, culturally inaccurate, stigmatized, and stunted. So what does it mean that I use them all the time? I’m embarrassed to admit that I, LaShanda Greene, am an emotionally stunted adult. (<— See how that works)

HI LASHANDA!!

The more I thought about emojis, the less they made sense. But if I stopped using emojis and likes, that means people wouldn’t know how I felt , unless I told them. Crazy, I know (I’m being sarcastic.). It would mean I’d have to meaningfully engage every time I stepped into the realm of social media. It would mean I would have to prioritize quality over quantity. It would mean that people who see our online connection as a function of likes would stop coming around so often. It means I would have to completely modify the way I connect to other human beings.

I posted a channeled message in a FB group yesterday. It had ten thoughtful responses. I usually like everyone’s message just to be polite...to acknowledge them. Not this time. Instead, I looked for connection. To my surprise, only one message contained a written expression of emotion. Only one! So instead of trying to respond to 10 people, I responded to one and I focused my attention on connecting. Being honest, being vulnerable, connecting my experience to hers. Writing out my feelings without emojis. I wouldn’t have had time to do that with 9 people. But I had time for one.

I wondered would people stop liking if I stopped liking? And therein lies the trap. I LIKE likes. They make me feel GOOD. I admit it. I want to feel seen. I want to feel heard. I want to feel loved. I’m not super picky about where it comes from. The connection is secondary. Ouch. I need likes more than I need to feel connected to you. Double ouch. Giving up the likes, means giving up all the above. But I’m at a phase in my evolution where experiencing human connection is no longer optional, so I turned off the notifications and when I log in, I focus on the comments. I am experimenting with doing things...differently. We’ll see how it goes...

COVID Love

Dear beautiful human being, how do I learn to love you?

When you look different than me

When we don't agree

When you think differently

I want safety.

 

To love you up close

Would trigger all my wounds

Is love supposed to equal pain?

Should I learn to love pain?

Is it enough to love you at a distance?

I’ve never wanted anything more.

Then to have someone stand close to me.

I understand now.

Love requires healing.

Without my wounds…

Without my pain…

Without my triggers…

I can finally be close to you.

I can finally see you.

God, you're beautiful.

So worthy of love.

Podcast Interview: Align For Health

“After being diagnosed with a chronic illness for almost 10 years, I spent two years anxiously going from doctor to doctor, trying to get them to explain to me why my symptoms were spiraling out of control, why my body was forming a tumor, and why I was suffering from everything from chronic fatigue to itching all over my body. I felt powerless, overwhelmed, and angry that they couldn’t fix me.

But all of that changed when I discovered the powerful combination of living foods, herbal botanticals, and a daily mindfulness practice – which I collectively refer to as Holistic Detox. I was able to address the true root causes of my health issues, and allow my body to heal itself in record time, instead of waiting for someone else to fix me.” -LaShanda Greene

Podcast Interview: Extreme Health Radio - Detox, Diet, Veganism

LaShanda Greene joined us today for an in studio show. She was on her way down to San Diego for a fruit fest and stopped by to hang out for the day and do a recording.

We talked about many different subjects that we hope you enjoy. I will say (as I mentioned in the recording at the beginning that I accidentally forgot to turn on her mic at the very beginning so please bear with that.

We talked about detoxification, cleansing, iridology along with being intentional with your diet while at the same time being very flexible.

Many times we get attached to labels of a particular thing. We think that we are a man or a women. We think we are our gender. We think that we are a vegan or a vegetarian which cannot be true.

Our true core and essence is spirit and soul. Our non corporeal being cannot be any of those things.

So we talked about the evolution of her dietary habits and what particular diet has been helpful and useful to her.

We also discussed spirituality and personal development. In actuality if you follow health to its fullest extent, you’ll always be led back to the emotional and spiritual connections and causes of our diseases.

We talked about how all diseases are invisible in nature in terms of their cause. The actual cause of all disease is something we cannot see. We can only measure levels of minerals, vitamins, hormones and other things that can shed light on what “might” be going on inside the body.

Our health, vitality and longevity (or lack thereof) are intimately connected to our emotional and spiritual well being. There’s no way around it.

—-

https://www.extremehealthradio.com/ep-384-lashanda-greene-being-flexible-intentional-with-your-diet-30-day-detox-landmark-forum-spirituality-veganism-tons-more/

Podcast Interview: Inspired Conversations - Detoxification is the Road to “Wellville"

ashanda Greene Holistic Health Educator, Specializing in Detoxification & Cellular Regeneration where she works with several alternative healing modalities to remove the mental, emotional, and physical toxins that are at the root of your health issues and blocking the flow of your life force energy. Her passion is reintroducing people to health, vitality, and purpose.  So getting the body healthy again is only the first step.

What excites her is when people regain the energy to start checking things off their “bucket list” and spending quality time with the people they love….

What inspires her is seeing people getting excited about life again and reconnecting with their purpose for being on the planet…

What brings her joy is watching the world benefit from people who have come alive again and begin to start sharing their unique gifts and talents with others…

Detoxification is the road to “Wellville” for those willing to travel, but it’s also a platform for reconnecting with your true Self and the things that make you feel joy, love, inspiration, and excitement.

https://inspiredconversations.net/lashanda/

My 2014:  A Year of Freedom & Living In The Present Moment

It all started with a conversation about needing more travel and adventure in my life and possibly subletting my apartment for a couple of months and experimenting with living in another country.  That train of thought ended up with me selling everything I owned (well almost everything) in January of 2014 and traveling to various parts of the world for almost a year. 

 

I didn’t have a timeframe in mind, a plan, a destination more than a month in advance, and I didn’t know where I would end up at the end of my journey.  I know a lot of people take sabbaticals, gap years, or extended trips and vacations with a goal to explore a particular country or subject like Gaelic castles.  I was personally motivated less by wanting to experience a particular thing, and motivated more by a deep desire for freedom in all areas of my life and an intense curiosity to see what happens when I simply live in the present moment and let my life unfold in real time.

 

Besides brief conversations with friends, I’ve never fully taken the time to consciously reflect about everything I’ve learned this year.  Partly because thinking about the past takes me out of the present moment, and partly because everything that’s happened this past year has already started to feel like a distant dream at this point.  But in the spirit of reflection, in order to prepare for 2015, I decided to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and share my thoughts.  If you’re reading this, I hope that you find something that resonates and inspires a resolution of your own for 2015.

 

 

Things Always Work Out

 

My natural tendency in the past was to worry.  At one point in my life, it was worrying about what others thought of me.  At other points it’s been to worry about whether a relationship was meant to last, or if I made the right decision taking a job.  I realized that no matter how much I worried, things always worked themselves out.  I learned the lesson I was supposed to learn. I had the experience that I was supposed to experience.  If I didn’t get something I wanted, I got something else instead that had its own value and benefits.  Entering this year without a plan, meant I could let go of feeling responsible for making things work or worrying about accomplishing some big goal.  I got to trust that things were always working out in my favor and that I was always being taken care of by the Divine.  It felt lighter.  It felt effortless.  It felt good.

 

My Life Is My Responsibility

 

When we’re in the middle of the grind, it’s easy to feel as if life is happening to us, instead of feeling like masters of our own reality.  Unplugging from everything and everyone that seemed to have an opinion of how I was supposed to be living my life at the age of 33, was one of the most liberating experiences I’ve ever had.  I started to feel like the Master of my own experience.  The Creator of my own reality.  What I thought, I manifested.  What I was inspired by, I acted on.  What felt good to me, I cultivated more of in my life.  My time was my own and I made up my own rules as I went, including when I worked, and what I wanted to experience.  I think that’s how we’re all supposed to experience life and ultimately why we chose to incarnate into these bodies at this particular time on this planet.  I feel overwhelmingly blessed that I had a chance to taste that level of freedom and I will continue to do what it takes to live my life by my own rules, because it’s within that space that I feel most ALIVE.

 

 

The Peaks Are Just As Important As The Valleys

 

I had some amazing experiences this year.  From partying with my best friend at Mardi Gras, to riding an ATV around the islands of Nicaragua, to biking through Stanley Park in Vancouver on a gorgeous summer day.  There was no shortage of peak moments this past year.  But there were also some really quiet moments where not that much was going on or emotional moments like finding out my grandfather had passed away and rerouting travel plans to speak at his funeral.  There were even moments where I was completely and utterly bored – which is quite uncharacteristic for me.  From all this, I gained further confirmation that all of the ups and downs are simply a part of life and they are all there to add depth to my personality and help me appreciate and focus on how each of those moments add value to my life.   For example, the boredom helped propel me into a new phase of clarity, awareness, and inspiration around my work and the message I want to bring to the world.  And for that, I’m thankful.

 

 

There Is Kindness, and It Is Everywhere.

 

The world is not a dangerous place.  I repeat.  The world is not a dangerous place.  I strongly believe that our thoughts create our reality, and if we see the world as dangerous, it’s only a reflection of what we’ve got going on internally.  In 2007, I took a meditation course and was given the task of not watching the news for a week.  At first I thought the suggestion was a bit extreme, but at the end of the week, I found out that I didn’t miss it at all.  When I spoke about traveling alone to Nicaragua or Mexico, I got lots of concern from people who watch the news…a lot.  Be careful they said.   Keep your items locked.  Don’t trust people.  Don’t go out at night.  You shouldn’t be traveling alone as a woman.  Aren’t people being killed in Mexico?  

 

To all those who were concerned, I say thank you for the intention of wanting me to be well and safe.   But I can say that the things that are fed to us on the news and in movies are not accurate representations of what’s going on in the world, and often highlight bad in a world of really awesome people and places.  I saw countless examples of rich and intoxicating natural beauty when I traveled this past year.  I met people who wanted to help me get where I needed to go, make me smile, learn from me, or show me how proud they were of their city and country.  I had lots of people treat me as if I was one of the family – and said I reminded them of their daughter or sister.   Not once did I feel like my life was in danger.  Seldom did I feel like people were conspiring to rip me off.   That was my personal experience and I don’t feel like I’m the exception to the rule.  So my advice, if you are feeling called to explore the world, is don’t let fear hold you back, and know that you will find what you expect to find.  So expect good things.

 

Happiness is Not Somewhere Out There

 

For the longest time, I’ve been hearing about how human beings are constantly searching for happiness because we have be conditioned to believe that this elusive pot of gold is somewhere outside of ourselves.  But unless we realize that the happiness is inside of us and accessible 24-7, we will spend the rest of our lives searching for the next thing or person that might make us happy. This profound spiritual wisdom has always resonated with me intellectually, but my experiences this year helped move it from being a concept to a daily reality.  For example, after visiting this magical waterfall near Whistler, staring at it for awhile in amazement, the thing I wanted to do most – the only thing I could think of that would allow me to capture the greatness of Nature’s handiwork, was to close my eyes and go inward.  How odd that my reaction to seeing beautiful things nowadays, is to close my eyes ?!?  I can only describe it as allowing myself to feel on the inside how Nature looks on the outside.  And it’s a beautiful feeling.  Having my daily meditation practice has made this year less about thrill seeking and trying to consume all of the beauty in the world, and more about cultivating the natural feelings of bliss, beauty, and happiness that are already inside of me.

 

2015 & Beyond

 

2014 has ended and many insights from this past year are still being revealed to me.  I’m looking forward to 2015 where I will be seeking a different type of freedom. My intention is to be honest about who I am, what I think, and to live authentically.   Can’t wait to see what happens when I focus more on being true to myself and less on worrying about what other people think of me.   Blessings to you and I hope that you manifest everything that you desire in the new year.

The Problem With Caffeine (Part 2)

I’m sure you would love to continue drinking your morning coffee and afternoon latte with a somewhat clear conscience.  So I have an idea.  Let’s focus instead on all the reasons why you would need an external stimulant to live your day to day life.  My theory is that the regular consumption of toxic foods or beverages is primarily fueled by toxic thoughts, emotions, belief systems, and/or habits.  And those are the things that are worth paying attention to, instead of engaging in an endless debate about whether caffeine is good for you or bad for you.   Nothing is inherently good or bad, it’s all about how you use it your life and for what reasons, that makes all the difference.

 

Your Work / Life Balance is Non-Existent

 

I used to be a CPA at a public accounting firm named Deloitte & Touche.  It’s well known that in this industry, there’s a “busy season” where you’re expected to work 60-70 hours per week.  This work standard was often made possible with the help of a little drug…I mean substance…called caffeine.  I managed to make it through busy season without caffeine each year, but there came a time when due to certain filing deadlines, my audit team was asked to work about 30 hours in a row, without going home.  Being the young and naïve peon on the team blindly following orders, I agreed to this “request” and around 4am, I proceeded to morph into a zombie where all sense of productivity came to a screeching halt, but I continued to blankly stare at my screen, while toggling between tabs on my Excel spreadsheet.  I was the only one visibly suffering, as all my teammates were wired on caffeine and powering through the night.

 

While that may be an extreme example, most people are completely out of balance when it comes to the time they devote to their job and the types of unhealthy requests that employers often make of their employees.  If you are subconsciously relying on caffeine to do your job, or for that matter keep your job, then I would seriously considering changing occupations.  You’re trading short-term remuneration for long term health challenges due to chronic imbalances you are creating within your body.  I’m here to let you know, that you can unplug, you can push back, you can ask for what you want, and you can find a job that supports a healthy work ethic.  In order to do this, I encourage you to let go of the ambition to be what society considers to be “successful” and to let go of the fear of not being able to provide for yourself or for your family. 

 

Consider asking a friend that you consider to be objective and outside your current field or industry, whether your work routine or environment seems to be out of balance, and if so, ask them to help you brainstorm some creative solutions to get you back on track and create more balance in your life.

 

Your To-Do List Is Out of Control

 

I recently talked to a friend who admits that before she started eating better and meditating, she was on a roller coaster that involved waking up in the wee hours of the morning to exercise so she could be fit and take care of body, followed by a long workday at a job that she found uninspiring which was fueled by several cups of coffee during the day to stay awake, and then at night because she was so ramped up on caffeine, she would take Benadryl so she could fall asleep to wake up early in the morning to work out and start the same routine over again.  It’s sounds insane to her now, but felt completely normal to her back then.   I have another friend who doesn’t really like the idea of drinking caffeine on a daily basis but she does it because she needs it in order to survive.  Her job, workout schedule, and housekeeping duties, combined with her children’s early wake up and after school/weekend activities is just too much for her to handle, as she ends up extremely tired a lot of the times.

 

Both of my friends had different reasons for being overwhelmed, but they both had a tendency to put way too much on their plates, and consistently operate beyond their capacity.  In addition, both of them didn’t feel like there was anything they could do to unplug from their self-created runaway train.  Is your to-do list out of control?  Leaving you with little energy and surviving on artificial stimulation?

 

Spend at least 15 minutes this week asking yourself if the number of activities on your plate are worth sacrificing your long term health?  And if the answer is no, then I would recommend identifying ways to simplify your day and your routine to where you prioritize and make time for the things that are important to you, and that nurture your spirit and build you up instead of depleting your mojo.

 

 

You Don’t Like Your Life

 

One of the first things I noticed when I quit my accounting job, was that several things quickly became obsolete.  That whole “I’m not a morning person” didn’t really hold as much weight as it did before, and I started to enjoy different parts of the morning when I had space to experience quiet time before the day starts…to watch the sunrise as it came up…and to make my breakfast without rushing out the door.   The concept of “hating Mondays” also went out the window.  When I was surrounded by tasks that I loved doing on a regular basis and had the freedom to set my own schedule by working for myself, suddenly I began to love all the days in the week again and stopped hating on poor Monday.  It was just another day in this beautiful life of mine.  And the last thing that dropped away was the idea of “living for the weekend” which is the name of a popular song and speaks to the concept of suffering through a miserable week at a job that one dislikes or simply tolerates, in order to squeeze all the things one loves to do into 2 days, before waking up on Monday to repeat the same pattern.

 

When you like your life and the people and events in it, you’ll be dying to greet each day anew and for that matter, you might have trouble falling asleep at night because you can’t wait to see what the day brings. You will not need caffeine to get you through your day or your life because you will be coasting off the natural energy that inspiration and joy brings. 

 

If this applies to you, take 15 minutes to do a self-assessment about how you really feel about your life and whether your daily routine really reflects your inner desires, hopes, and aspirations. 

 

If not, ask yourself what types of things you could be doing to bring more excitement, passion, and joy into your daily experience.   

 

I hope that you found this article helpful and learned some information about the effects of caffeine on the body, but most importantly started to dig a little deeper as to why you crave artificial stimulation in your life and what changes you might need to make to address that situation.  Blessings of love, light, and wellness to each of you on your road to healing your body and discovering who you truly are.

 

LaShanda

The Problem With Caffeine (Part 1)

I’ve always felt a bit like an alien in society, because I don’t do caffeine.  The responses I get when I tell people this range from confusion, to amazement and utter disbelief.  I was raised in a household where nobody drank coffee or sodas, and so it was just never on my radar.  And in college, when chronic procrastination finally resulted in a situation where I needed to stay up and study way past my bedtime, I experimented with caffeine pills, which was probably the worse four hours I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.   Every single part of my mind and body were asleep as I tried to review the notes I took over the course of the semester, except my eyes, which wouldn’t close.  I felt like a walking zombie.  That was my first and last experiment with caffeine and somehow I still managed to graduate college with a decent G.P.A.

 

When I speak at health seminars around the country, the subject of caffeine comes up pretty frequently and everyone is curious to know my thoughts about whether it’s healthy or not.  It’s like people subconsciously know that there’s something deeply unsettling about their daily (or multiple times a day) habit and they’re looking for someone to help relieve them of this internal conflict. 

 

Is it toxic to the body? 

Is it toxic to the brain? 

Will consuming it daily have long term negative health consequences down the road? 

Something so natural can’t be bad for you right? 

 

Sometimes I refuse to broach the topic, since so many people are sensitive about it, but when I do respond, I always pause and moderate my voice before proceeding.  So if you’re reading this now, imagine that I am speaking in a soft, loving, and non-judgmental tone.

 

There are several reasons why caffeine, consumed on a regular basis, is not good for your body.  The first is that caffeine produces a dehydrating effect within your body, and therefore the cells on your body don’t have enough fluid to do their jobs properly or flush out toxins.  And when you have cells functioning at low efficiency and toxins building up in and around the cells due to chronic dehydration, then you are setting the stage for degeneration and chronic health conditions in your body.  We all know how important it is to drink enough water and stay properly hydrated.  So it’s ironic, that at the same time we often engage in regular habits that deplete the water in our system, like eating salty food and drinking alcohol and various caffeinated beverages. 

 

The second reason caffeine is not good for your body is that you have this thing called the endocrine gland system, which contains pretty powerful energy centers (i.e. chakras) where each gland in your body is located.  The thyroid and adrenal glands are your two “energy” glands.  The thyroid gland is located in your neck area and unfortunately, most of the American population is suffering from chronic hypothyroidism for various reasons I’ll go into in another post. 

 

In addition, your adrenal glands are the two little glands that sit on top of each of your kidneys and handle your stress response, also known as your “fight or flight” mechanism.  They also control all sorts of important functions in tandem with your autonomic nervous system, that regulates how you breathe, how fast your heart beats, etc.  Glands are funny in the sense that if you overwork them, they stop functioning (surprise!), which many people do by living with constant stress and living in a constant state of fear.  And it doesn’t matter if the threat is real or not.  Have you watched the news lately?  Exactly.  Caffeine is just another factor that constantly stimulates your adrenal glands into action at a subtle level, and taxes an already overtaxed mechanism.  Plus caffeine provides an artificial and external energy source has to be artificially maintained, while healthy endocrine glands provide a natural and sustained energy source that is consistent and constant.

 

The third reason that caffeine might not be so good for you is simply that’s it’s usually added to a beverage product that is simultaneously laced with copious amounts of sugar.  The only reason I visit Starbucks these days is to use their free Wi-Fi while I travel.  But I see the things that people order and I’m shocked.  I’m not sure when it became popular to have dessert for breakfast, or during multiple times per day, but all of those pumpkin spiced lattes, and Frappuccino’s look like pretty decadent treats from my perspective.  So you’re getting this double whammy of stimulation from these caffeinated, sweetened drinks and the sugar is wreaking havoc on all the cells in your body, especially those in your brain and nervous system.

 

And the final reason to forgo the caffeine, is that is can mask serious problems with your digestive health.  You want to be having regular bowel movements 2-3 times per day on average.  I often hear that people consume caffeine because it’s the only way that can “go” in the morning.  You do not want to be in the position where you  are using any sort of external stimulant to remove waste from your system, whether it’s caffeine or laxatives – which is one of the most popular OTC items these days.  If you’re not pooping on a regular basis, most likely, you are not suffering from a  caffeine deficiency (smile).  Instead, you probably have a diet and lifestyle and imbalance that needs to be addressed sooner, rather than later.

 

But I really don’t want to make this article about demonizing caffeine.  And I’m sure you would love to continue drinking your morning coffee and afternoon latte with a somewhat clear conscience.  So I have an idea.  Let’s focus instead on all the reasons why you would need an external stimulant to live your day to day life. ..

Podcast Interview: Empowered Women's Channel - Holistic Health

Don’t know about you-but we want to live lives that are full of vibrancy, hope and extreme self care. In this episode of the Empowered Women’s Channel podcast, Sacred Circle member LaShanda Greene dishes up some inspiring tips and advice on how to really pay attention to what our bodies might be telling us (or in some cases even screaming at us) and subtle ways to start making some significant changes through diet and lifestyle. The girls chat with LaShanda about off the mainstream path healing modalities and how we all might add a little extra zing into our steps by taking the proper care of ourselves.