Articles and Blog Posts
Table of Contents:
May, 2012: What does it really mean to be "free"?
March, 2012 Have you Noticed these Signs?
January, 2012 In Surrendering, we are freed
September, 2011: How to create Peace; part one
September, 2011; How to create Peace; part two
March, 2011: Steadfast in our knowing
July, 2010: The way I see things...
May, 2012: What does it really mean to be "free"?
Our Introduction to the Game
From a very early age, we learn that there are certain rules important to successfully navigating our journey here. Our well-intentioned parents, caregivers, and teachers pass along their unique perceptions about the rules of the game, wanting us to be successful, and safe.
As young’uns, in order to get what we “want”, we quickly learn to play the game. We learn that within this game, there are certain “roles” that we “play”, and specific rules to follow.
Our “reality” becomes the game!
One of the most basic rules of the game is: Do what others want and expect you to do, and you will be rewarded. If you don’t do what others want and expect you to do, you will be punished.
This elemental rule of the game has insidiously infiltrated itself into the fabric of our lives! Even if you have resigned from the game, and don’t play by this rule anymore, you are still affected by it.
The game certainly does not encouragefreedom of authentic self expression!
Those who don’t play the game “well” are judged in certain ways, by all segments of society. This is often where the perception of “success” and “failure” get their meaning. And why the connotations of “success” and “failure” have gotten so confusing.
As adults, we are often still playing these roles, and living by these rules. They have always been a part of our experience, to one degree or another, and it is easy to forget they are even there.
We naturally assume that other people in our life are also playing by these rules. This leads to certain expectations, assumptions, and collective beliefs.
These expectations, assumptions, and beliefs create conflict and discourage harmony.
So, if you think about what it means to you... to really be free... it would be wise to consider how these rules may be limiting your truest expression!
What rules and roles “feel” right and true?
What rules and roles “feel” limiting or imposed?
At this point in your life experience, you may have discovered that there are some rules of the game that you see right through. You know they do not “feel right”, and you have taken them off your list of “instructions”.
Some people recognize the game right away, and choose not to play. These are the John Lennons of the world, the Martin Luther Kings, the Suffragettes.
We all know how they were treated by the rulers of the game!
Choosing not to play the game comes with its own set of challenges. We may be ostracized, criticized, and very often, completely misunderstood. Collective conformity is a powerful impetus for many decisions. So, go easy on yourself if you choose to walk this path! It is definitely not for the faint of heart!
When you walk the path of freedom, you resign from the game.
You create your own rules, based on your soul’s unique architecture, your own divine blueprint.
As you walk the path of freedom, you create an energetic template
of divine authentic expression. This energetic template is clean,
and true, and uncorrupted by the rules of the game.
You then automatically “gift” this energetic template to the people in your life who choose to receive it. Remember the butterfly effect?
Ultimately, those who walk this path of self mastery, achieving a new level of freedom as a result, become the way-showers.
You may choose to be one of these way-showers!
Or, perhaps your perfect path is a more subtle one. Ultimately... knowing you have a choice, and making it consciously, also creates a new level of freedom.
Some of us will simply begin to make new choices based on a new level of wisdom, accessed through awareness of self.
My Experience...
A few years ago, I decided I was not going to buy Christmas presents anymore. I was going to make the holiday season more peaceful and more of a celebration of life than anything else. And... now I enjoy my holiday season more than I ever have. I look forward to it, as a time of reflection. I feel free to make it whatever I am inspired to, without letting “expectations” intrude upon this sacred time.
I stopped saying “yes” to invitations that I previously would have accepted through a sense of obligation.
I stopped doing things, simply because others expected me to, and now I do only what inspires me.
Did I lose a few “friends”? Maybe. My true friends simply released their expectations of me.
Did I gain peace of mind... and a new expansion of freedom in my life? Absolutely!
What about your experience?
Just for today... what level of freedom do you choose?
In this moment... what are you willing to let go of... so that you can breathe more freely?
Right now... what feels “uniquely authentic” for you?
Until next time... I encourage you to...
Keep your eyes wide open to everything in your life experience.
What feels like a perfect, true expression of you?
blessings of freedom,
patti
March, 2012, Have you noticed these signs
Have you noticed these signs?
First... there is that annoying sense of unease: Sometimes slight, and almost imperceptible, sometimes LOUD and in your face. You know you’re missing “something”, but you are not able to name it, or make it tangible enough to explain to yourself.
Consider, that...
Your higher heart wisdom may be trying to get your attention,
poking a hole, and shining a light through ~ one of the many veils of illusion.
Your ego, who likes things small, safe, and predictable, will do its best to distract you from paying attention to this light.
Some signs your ego is attempting to distract you include:
- lots of drama
- internal dialog that sends a message like...
- “there is really nothing wrong; “everything is ok” (fabric in the veil of illusion)
- “other people have it a lot worse.” (self-punishment programming)
- “you can live with this; everybody has their cross to bear” (more energetic programming)
- the “when/ then” game: “when (the kids get older, the job gets easier, ... ) then... I’ll have time to figure it out”. (belief system and another form of distraction)
- “life isn’t easy, just deal with it” (collective belief system)
- “at least we know what we’re dealing with now” (fear of the unknown programming)
- and on and on and on
- a sense of obligation, (from an erroneous belief system) causing us to commit to too many things, leaving us with a tired physical body, a tired mental body, and no time or energy to do our spiritual homework
- the thought/belief: “this is what my mother/father always did; it’s just the way “I am” (ancestral erroneous belief from unbalanced masculine/feminine energies, capitalizing on your emotional connection to your parent(s))
If you recognize any of these signs, you have the power, in this NOW moment, to make a critical, conscious decision.
You can choose to stay the more predictable path of limitation, and make your ego very happy.
Or,
You can choose to pay attention to that light from your higher heart wisdom, and follow the path of Self Mastery.
The first choice is definitely the one most people take. If you are still reading this, however, you probably are looking more carefully at the implications of your choice.
If you want to hear what your higher heart wisdom has to share with you, the following are helpful:
- quiet the mind
- live in a state of conscious awareness
- set a clear purposeful intention to connect with the deeper aspects of yourself,
- pay attention; keep your eyes wide open to see the truth
- stay out of judgment
- release all expectations and assumptions
- release all attachment to outcomes
- release fear programs
- recognize belief systems, (individual, collective, and societal)
- address ancestral energies to heal and clear them
- heal the emotional body
- develop discernment
- become familiar with your energetic anatomy to help you “know” who you really are
In the process of doing this Self-Mastery work, we expand our awareness of self, and begin to sense the limitless of our being. We have the opportunity to reclaim and integrate aspects of self that have been fragmented off. We move toward the knowing of a higher truth.
The hole in the veil gets bigger, and bigger. Our intuition becomes clearer and stronger; we sense a new peacefulness, a new connection. As we do this work we develop our own discernment. What feels right and true? What feels misaligned? We learn to feel into the energy of things, and learn the sensory language of energy.
We truly become our own best counsel.
Doing this work helps us to clear fear programs, allowing us to see the bigger picture. And, the bigger picture is not the “fairy tale version of the truth” many would have you believe. Once you break through the first veil of illusion, you realize lots of people stop there. However, the way I see it, this is only the beginning.
The way I see it, awareness of the bigger picture, is the only way to truly be free.
January, 2012 In Surrendering, we are freed
this life experience for many of us is challenging, painful, filled with moments of doubt and fear… as we are presented with challenge after challenge…
and yet….
when we surrender… truly surrender all of it… to divine will, to truth… to our diamond heart and the heart of God. when we surrender it all…
there is peace, and connection, and a knowingness of purpose… and a feeling of clarity and truth…
this gives us a whole new perspective on the challenges; the doubts and fears cannot exist in this place of truth… the pain is transmuted instantly… and joy emerges… as the song in our heart is given the freedom to sing its divine song of truth.
this can happen in an instant.
it is in the surrendering that we are freed.
"love is a constant state of being.
freedom is a constant choice of surrendering."
you can intend this, and understand this, and have a cognitive awareness of this...
and then... there comes a day... when all of that intending shifts...
into a knowing that is undeniable.
this undeniable knowing shifts our perspective .... raising our vibration... to new levels of awareness.
so that we may surrender again.
patti cook ~ january, 2012
Patti Cook
Article: How to create peace; part one
How to feel more peace… part one.
Many of us have been experiencing “unsettled energies” over the last few months. This unsettled energy may feel like … your mind has a mind of its own! When our mental body gets on a roll, unless we have tamed and trained it, we are going for a ride. A ride to places we really don’t want to be. This can look like looping thought patterns, obsessive worrying, incessant “what ifs”, or just being very distracted.
Coming from an Energetic Perspective, there are some basic power tools you can use to create more peace in your experience.
First, learning to be fully present, in this moment, is key. In this moment we have the fullest capacity to connect to ourselves, to access our innate wisdom. If we step out of this moment… even just a little bit, we are not fully present. This means, all of our awareness must be fully present to create more peace in our experience. Practice makes perfect. There is a free meditation offered on the home page of my website that can begin to help with this.
Now, what can distract us from being fully present? Our mind, and our emotions. 
Another power tool to create more peace in your experience, to help you be fully present in this moment… is to tame the mind. Easier said than done, I know. One way to get started is to monitor your thoughts. Become the observer of your thoughts. Begin to identify yourself as the core, energetic essence of you, rather than your thoughts. You are not your thoughts. You can tame your mind.
The last power tool I will offer here for today… is to be aware of your emotional energy. We all have had experiences that were traumatic; some much more than others, but we all know pain on some level. This emotional energy can distract us by creating hot buttons, or triggers that take us OUT of the present moment. We then access our pain from the trigger and swim around in it. Not fun. Also, emotional triggers have the power to take our awareness out of the present moment. How do we clear these? First, be aware of them. Meditate. Keep your eyes wide open. Ask your higher self to support and assist. Pain needs to be acknowledged before it can be cleared.
Honor your process. Go easy on yourself and others. Breathe.
Patti Cook
Article: How to create peace; part two
“Know thyself, and you know everything” Pythagoras
In order to feel more peace, it helps to remind ourselves who we really are. What can help with this is to be able to discern who you are not. And…
You… are most definitely NOT your thoughts!
Thoughts are things. They are not you. You are a complex energetic being of light, encompassing many layers and levels of soul consciousness.
There are “thought forms”, or energies of thoughts, flying around all over the place. If you have a resonance with, or a weak spot for a thought form, it can “glom on” to your energy field. For example, if you are a worrier, thought forms about future cataclysms can fill your mind with an overwhelming sense of doom. They are not even your thoughts. You simply become an energetic magnet for them because your energy resonates with them.
As you systematically become the observer of your thoughts, your point of perception shifts to your conscious awareness. This takes diligence. It is very easy to get caught up in repetitive thoughts, which creates a kind of “blind spot”… it is very easy to get caught up in repetitive thoughts, which creates a kind of “blind spot”… ;)
This repetition allows our mind to create a reality that is the opposite of peace.
Peace is a result of being in this moment, fully connected to our core essence. Being fully present and connected allows us to achieve a sense of mastery over our “mental body”, our “negative ego mind”, our thoughts. This mastery then gives us the capacity to use our mind as a tool to serve us, rather than enslave us.
In order to create more peace, monitor your thoughts. Be aware in each moment if you are slipping into auto pilot. Disengage from identifying yourself by your thoughts… especially those thoughts that are critical, judgmental, or are filled with “better than” or “lesser than” energies. Be fully present in each moment. Once you stray into the past, (woulda, coulda, shoulda) or into the future, (what if…) you have stepped out of the moment… and you lose your capacity to be the observer. This does not mean you can never plan for your future, or connect to the energy of your past… you just set a time and a place to do this, and stay present while doing so.
The meditation link at the top of this page (above) is a way to help you get connected to your core. When you are connected to your core… all of this is easier. You begin to sense the energetic flow, animating the physical. More and more, as you connect to this truth, you can align your thoughts with your truth. You can choose your thoughts. You can recognize beliefs that are clearly not in alignment with your truth. The more you do the work, the easier it gets.
If you don’t do the work, things stay the same. We all have free will; it boils down to: what do you choose to experience?
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March, 2011: Steadfast in our knowing
This life is simple, and complex.
We are here, on this planet, playing out a drama for the ages. Being. Walking our way toward the fullness of knowing.
The distractions and the interference teaching us to fortify our muscle of the present moment. The muscle of the neutrality of the present moment. The muscle of loving detachment from outcome. The muscle freeing us from others’ perceptions.
Always walking our way to the truth. Walking our way to God. Walking our way to oneness with all that is. With all that is within our own hearts. With all that is… God.
Here we play out the drama of the ages for our galactic families, for our biological families, for our communities, for the loved ones we share our days with.
With each perception as individual as each experience.
Here, we play out the drama of the ages.
We walk toward the ending and the beginning. The threshold between is one of the void, which purposes us to remain steadfast in our mission.
The void, which is the untold version of the truth.
With the infinite layers and levels of our hearts opening and breathing new life, the world around us changes… in surreal snapshots of craziness.
Steadfast in our knowing, we are calm.
Steadfast in our knowing, we are one.
~ patti cook
The way I see things…
I have always believed there was much more to this life than what was readily apparent. Through many years of questioning and seeking, searching and researching, life experiences and observations… certain insights have evolved. Here are some of them, in no particular order:
Now is the only time that exists. This moment is ever unfolding and expanding, yet it is still “this” moment. Only when we hold our consciousness completely in this moment, are we able to access truth, God, transcendence, the universe. We are all made of the same stuff… and we are all connected as one. We are all whole and perfect, just as we are. We do not have to “do” anything to earn our worthiness. Your level of awareness or enlightenment, intellect or financial assets, does not determine your worth. We are worthy simply because we exist. There is an endless, divine supply of unconditional love and acceptance for everyone. The source from which we’ve come is called by many names: God, Love, the Divine, the Creator, Consciousness, Mother Earth, the Universe… No matter what name you use for the creative source, it is still all the same source energy of everybody and everything.
Transformation happens when we let go of everything we think we know. This is very challenging for most of us. When we can truly open our hearts and our minds to truth, acknowledging that what we have always “believed” may in fact carry many untruths, we are freed. When we can detach from the outcome of a situation, we are freed. When we claim our sovereignty, we are freed. We all have a direct connection to God; we embody our Creator. We do not require any type of intermediary to access this divine, innate, blessed connection.
We all embody both divine feminine and divine masculine energy. (fodder for many a blog post!) This is reflected in various ways in all cultures. The immensely powerful beauty and grace of the divine feminine energies are reclaiming their place in our world. The purity and strength of the divine consciousness of the masculine is in the process of an immense healing at the same time. The rapid evolution of human consciousness is shaking things up. We all experience ups and downs, times of action and reflection… the yin and yang of things. The dance.
We all face challenges. An inherent opportunity lies within all challenges, usually about equal in size. Everything serves a purpose, including pain and sadness. There are no accidents or coincidences. Guilt is a waste of time and energy. There are powerful, innate connections between your body, mind, emotions and spirit; this divine connection allows for the complexity, and simplicity of your overall health and wellness. Your body knows how to heal itself. The power of intention is a very real earthly phenomenon. Purposeful, fearless action… accompanied by clear, inspired intention, will produce results.
There are countless paths to enlightenment. We're all gonna get there eventually.
Our relationships always reflect something about our relationship to ourselves. Random acts of kindness can change the world. Change is inevitable and challenging for many. Stepping out of your comfort zone neutralizes fear and empowers divine expression. Everything in the universe, including all of us, is made up of energy. All energy carries a certain frequency, and is organized in a certain way. Beliefs we hold have a powerful affect on our energy. (These beliefs can be conscious or subconscious.) Many subconscious beliefs were created out of fear, and shared willingly by well-intentioned caregivers. We can choose beliefs that serve our expression of truth. Our thoughts and emotions have a direct effect on our perceptions. Our perception creates our "perceived" reality. Again... the dance.
The law of attraction is a complex, simple truth… relating to resonance of energy ~ Like attracts like. This is only one of many universal laws. You may, in fact, attract experiences and things that do not ultimately serve your highest expression. The law of cause and effect is also a universal law. If you embody your soul and connect to your God-Self, all which serves your highest truth will be organically expressed.
Trauma, daily stress, and toxins in our environment can contribute to energetic blockages. These blockages can create high levels of stress, anxiety, illness, and disease. Many of us take life much too seriously. Laughter is beautiful. Love, compassion, and gratitude carry the highest of frequencies. We are responsible for everything in our lives. No other person, nothing outside ourselves… can do anything to harm us or help us. This can be a challenge to accept, but once we do, we can never again be a victim, and we are empowered with allowing our authentic, divine expression to emerge. Sovereign, and free.
This moment is the only time that truly exists. We can only effect change in this moment. God is present in this moment. This moment is ever expanding. We can experience past, present, and future existences… all in this moment. Each existence affects the others, as a piece of the soul’s evolvement and learning. All experiences are for the sole purpose of our soul’s evolvement. We teach others that which we must learn ourselves. We travel in soul families. Commonly held beliefs create a mass consciousness… of a person, place, thing, or idea. Often, it is beneficial to disconnect from mass consciousness and take a higher vantage point; be lifted into higher truth. Allowing higher truth to be known makes life so much easier. Stepping out of mass consciousness requires courage.
Many cultures do not understand or honor emotions; many people do not know what to do with them. (more fodder for blog posts!) We all have a specific purpose. We can know and express this purpose as we embody our truth. Many people do not feel worthy of their dreams and desires; this keeps them from fulfilling their specific purpose. Fear of failure stops many people from pursuing their life’s purpose. When you remove the energetic blockages keeping you from knowing your divine self, you are on your way to living your truth ~ and fulfilling your purpose. That is when you can hear your heart sing. That's when everybody can hear your heart sing.
We can communicate with the language of energy. We can become aware of and cultivate our own energy. We can learn to naturally recognize people, places, and things that resonate with our energy. Everything in our lives either raises or lowers our frequency. We can learn to be discerning with the energies we chose to surround ourselves with. We always have a choice.
Through this, we are empowered. We are enlightened. We evolve. We grow to know the truth of who we are. We take full responsibility for our lives. We give ourselves permission to live our truth. We allow our truth.
Surrender is key. We are simply surrendering to our truth. We can put everything through our own personal “truth filter”. If it resonates as truth… we can keep it. If it does not, it’s healthier to just let it go. Arguing about who is “right” and who is “wrong” serves no purpose.
You already know what to do. Your heart holds all the answers you seek. You already know what your truth is. You are always divinely protected and treasured. My purpose is to help you remove the energetic blockages that are keeping you from that awareness.
I am humbled and honored to be a part of your journey.
Wishing you ease and grace as you allow your destiny to unfold ~ in love and gratitude.
Patti
* You can join our email list to be informed about new articles and blog posts.
*Many years ago, I came across a different version of this prayer, but do not know who the original author is. (If you do know, please email me the author's name so I can post it here.) I have updated it over the years, and when I find myself in a lack of abundant universal flow, saying this prayer is very helpful. I share it with you here in the spirit of abundance for all.
Abundance Prayer
From the Light of God that I Am.
From the Love of God that I Am
From the Power of God that I Am
From the Heart of God that I Am.
I Decree:
I dwell in the midst of Infinite Abundance.
The Abundance of God is my Infinite Source.
The River of Life never stops flowing.
It flows through me into lavish, exquisite expression.
Good comes to me through unexpected avenues, and God works in a myriad of ways to bless me. I feel these blessings in every cell.
I open my mind to receive my good. Nothing is too good to be true. Nothing is too wonderful to have happen. With God as my Source, Nothing amazes me.
The past and the future do not exist in this, NOW moment.
By the power of my knowing, together with my purposeful fearless actions and my deep rapport with God, my future is created and my abundance made manifest.
I ask and accept that I am lifted in this and every moment into Higher Truth.
My mind is quiet.
From this moment forward I give freely and fearlessly into life and Life gives back to me with magnificent increase.
Blessings come to me in expected and unexpected ways.
God provides for me as I embody the truth of God. We are all one.
I am indeed grateful. I allow this to be so.
And so it is.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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