I'm OK - A Journey in Personal Discovery

Energy Bubbles Meditation

2012-01-04T04:49:00.000-08:00

Try Reiki

2012-01-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

Events

REIKI I CLASS
Saturday - Jan 14, 2012
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

FIRST DEGREE REIKI CLASS (REIKI I) (12 hours of hands on instruction held over 4 days) (each class is held on a Saturday)
This class provides the foundation and prepares the student for a journey of health and self discovery. The class includes Reiki History, Traditions, Precepts, (4) attunements and initiations, hand positions for self treatment and an opportunity to discover a natural healing system that will bring balance and well-being to your body, mind and spirit. Also included are 2 healing sessions 1 hour each. The cost for this class and healing sessions are $155.00 to be paid in full before attending.
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My not so famous quotes

2011-10-26T18:39:00.001-07:00

“If everyone focused on the strengths within themselves and others, there would be no weakness.” - J. Tippett

Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll

2011-10-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

For some, sex, drugs and rock and roll are as American as apple pie, yet increasingly it is becoming Porn, overdose and Emo Music. The internet and high tech cell phones have made sex a public sport, the drug problem is almost everyone’s problem and music with self defacing and violent lyrics are gaining in popularity. How we react to these influences speaks volumes about our susceptibility to outside forces. This article is intended to examine these traditions of our culture.

First Sex, we often hear of the school teacher, the priest, the judge or the governor ending up in trouble over some sexually related miscue and these are just the stories that have been newsworthy. Most are appalled at these behaviors yet when we engage in discussions about what are normal versus deviant sexual desires the debate continually encroaches on significant gray areas. We as a society then attempt to set boundaries or express feigned abhorrence. There are many resources on the subject of sex, from plain old missionary sex to the wildest of unimaginable perversions, coupled with beliefs ranging from abstinence to polygamy; like it or not all are a part of our world.

It is no surprise that searching the simple word “pictures” on the internet not only produces numerous social networking sites but an ample sampling of pornographic web sites as well. Let’s not be so ignorant as to blame the porn industry, or the internet, or whomever else we want to make a scapegoat to deflect and blur the true vision. The billions of dollars are coming from somewhere. Similar to all social ills, whether it is sex drugs or rock and roll, it is not the media itself, but the available and willing participants on both sides of the producer / consumer relation that allows it to thrive. We find these media replacing our need for caring, nurturing, touching and feeling with artificial emotion and simulated connectedness. When our basic physiological and psychological needs are not met through what popular opinion would consider normal, the pleasure centers of our mind often induce very powerful compulsions to act in ways that may ignore basic safety and or mute our realization of consequence in our quest for acceptance.

I am not advocating censorship, puritanism, or abstinence for that matter, I am advocating responsibility. It is in our very nature of our survival to have sex, but like electing not to shop at a store you don’t like, you can shun the impact of the degrading and relationship destroying porn, by taking it for what it is, a business out to make a profit, not a portrayal of loving relationships.

It is imperative to continually work to build healthy open relationships in which sex is as natural and enjoyable as drinking a glass of water, defined only by the consenting participants not encroached on by social stigma or stereotype. I realize that is a relatively simplistic solution, the lure of the “Dark side” has offered feigned adoration to all genders, races and creeds. But the quicker it is revealed as overt, albeit well masked, manipulation and control, the better able we are to resist the degrading onslaught and restore our balance.

But let’s leave the shadowy behind the screens world and emerge to mainstream society. Effective advertising has and hopefully always will rely on visually stimulating images to entice us to buy things. It is commonly accepted that sex is used sell, and yes sex is used to sell to women the same as to men. This is perhaps the most universal of truths in our culture. Whether it is an attractive model, male or female, or suggestive wording, advertising with sexual connotations is the most effective. Five dollar foot longs? I rest my case. But my case is, so what? It’s as plain and natural as the dance of the prairie chicken; it is what makes us human. None of us would be here were it not for some hot steamy animalistic gyrations. Let’s face it, when our desires, any desires, are left unsatisfied, our drive to satisfy that desire intensifies, this is basic human nature. It can even be argued that the more one abstains or suppresses the urge for sex, the more perverse the addiction becomes.

Now I am not saying that relationships are all about sex, but a good portion of the mix is, at least the psychological bashing we give ourselves when the sex part isn’t up to someone’s par. Given all the commercials for Viagra and Enzyte there must be something to this reasoning. Add in engrained childhood beliefs, the latest sexually transmitted disease statistics and conflicting pressures from friends, school officials and parents, and coping becomes even more challenging. Continually we just don’t talk of such things. That is unless we are in the company of our nonjudgmental friend the computer, or within the security of our lives back alley.

Drugs next, I find it interesting to note the similarities to sex, remembering that “human” thing. Drugs are all around us, caffeine, aspirin, pain pills, nicotine, prozac, viagra, marijuana, and crack cocaine, all are drugs. Some legal, some not, some available off the shelf, some only by prescription, others only on a shady street corner or your nearest high school, but each can be as damaging as the next depending on the extent of the use. Water can kill if you drink too much of it.

The joys experienced with most of these drugs, similar to sexual stimulus, are powerful forces indeed. Our escape from reality, our need to focus, our need to sleep, the lack of inhibition, the power rush or enhanced performance are all behavioral re-enforcers augmented by these little helpers.

Notice however, that it is normally only a temporary solution, soon the effects aren’t as great as they once were or the cost becomes too high. Unless you really screw up and your self inflicted suicide attempt works, the world and all its wonderful problems will still be there when you wake up from the daze. The sellers are truly in a buyer’s market aided by the media, evolving societal standards of what “good performance” should be, the pharmaceutical companies “save the world theme”, and aggressive underground back alley marketing techniques that put Mary Kay to shame. Like porn on the internet and prostitutes on the street, drugs are there because someone is buying them, from the scope of the problem lots of people are buying them. I can’t be so hypocritical as to tell you what you should or should not do, this is about knowing the difference between moderation, which you control, and obsession which is controlled or at least nurtured, by others. They influence you to do something that benefits them, and eventually destroys you, if you let it. It is your choice, and only your choice. You can surrender or choose to defend your self by taking control of your current reality and the manipulative forces in your life.

Lastly Rock and Roll Music, all music for that matter, has always carried a message, but some artists in recent times appear to be taking on more of a main stream violent and self degrading nature. Yes there has always been, and hopefully will continue to be, a stand up to “the man” theme, but like the internet there is a dark side. But to think that by listening to a song we will start to act like a mindless robot is ridiculous, even though the artist may relish in that outcome. Music can indeed have an influence over us. It has been shown scientifically to influence mood, perception, actions and even physiological reactions within the body, both good and bad. Yet I would argue that if something as simple as a song can influence our life experience to the cellular level, why can’t we? Well the answer is we can! We have control Houston, yet many continually look to their rock star hero to define their life. Realize that in all these situations, you are being manipulated to some extent, whether by emotionless sex, the lure of drugs, holiday cash or songs with “my life is in the pits”, self defacing, hypnotizing lyrics. Their goal is to take your money and/or destroy you. Some want to end your marriage, some want you hooked on drugs and some want you to buy their music, they care absolutely nothing about you. But if that’s your thing just make sure you are not capsizing the relationships that matter most to you.

The intent here is to identify one area of our existence that will provide continued sources of turmoil if we are not willing to have open, honest and non judgmental discussions with those closest to us. Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll will always live on, it is human nature. But the more we suppress these discussions of our reality, the more they become dirty little secrets and mental afflictions.

By; James D. Tippett – jdt@imokyourenot.com

Dark Energy Part II

2011-08-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

So how did your reflection on the three scenarios go? In the first scenario you may argue that your eyes and ears provided all the information you needed to process the situation and stimulate your resultant thoughts and physical reactions. But what if that your response was founded in energies that were transferred from a prior experience built off your individual natural energy contained within your DNA at birth? That would explain many things. You may have received these energy scripts from past arguments that you observed in person, in a movie or on Television. You may have even found yourself in one such argument in your life and the response was recorded deep into your energetic memory banks located all throughout your body. Note that all experiences are recorded in this way, the good the bad, the mundane and the traumatic.

Your reaction to the scene is the result of the brain searching these energetic blueprints and pulling the most appropriate file to respond, sending millions of electronic impulses throughout our bodies and beyond, mostly without us needing to really think too much about it. In other words the energies that bombarded your body during some prior event(s), regardless of how long ago the event(s) took place, fire their energetic scripts again as Ivan Pavlov proved when trying to save a few bucks on dog food. A part of you has returned to the moment in history and the energy script from that event replays itself, merging with the current event to either strengthen or diminish the earlier blue print. The current moment is rarely the same as the last and how the energy flows is still ultimately under your control. But the initial response, the fight or flight, has to be built off an existing script. Without this wonderful human element we would not have lasted long in a world of predators and we could certainly never remember a language or learn to play an instrument. To bring it back home, if the energy imprints we have received let’s say from our parents, intentionally or unintentionally, has an energy script that doubts our abilities to do or be something, chances are that this engrained, self-defeating, negative energy script will fire first. How often it is fired, and how often it is affirmed, will determine how difficult the frequency is to alter and the ultimate physical and mental impacts that will result.

What was your recollection of the last scenario, who was the confrontation with? Who was in the position of power, who was the subordinate? As in a confrontation with parents, older sibling, bosses or authority figures, you can see how which side of the debate we are on influences the charge of the energy and the nature of the transference. You can be the recipient of negative energy or you can be the originator. Regardless of whether you won or lost a particular debate there was an impact to your beliefs. You either became more resolved in your belief or you began to further question them. If stronger you will approach future situations with greater confidence than if you perceive that you lost the last exchange. Your energetic blueprint will provide a powerful, grounded and more confident base. The opposite, as always, is possible. Negative bombardments can build on layers of prior imprints solidifying the damaging energetic frequency of the script. This is but one example of how dark energy functions.

There is also an important middle ground that may present itself in future similar situations in that you may overcompensate during the next similar exchange. You may realize the fragile nature of your opponent and soften or you may become more aggressive to overcome a perceived loss or weakness. Note that in these situations you are, through conscious intent, working to alter the energy script, this is the same way protections work.

Now back to the other two scenarios from Part I. In the second scenario, no one was physically apparent in the room, there was little for your dominant senses to respond to. Perhaps the room was a little warmer than normal, or perhaps the air was a little stale from all the bodily exhalations that took place and perhaps the energetic waves were still reverberating off the walls. While we do not consciously detect these manifestations, our mind and body are none the less picking them up, and the search for a script to fire begins.

As for the last scenario, where you found the strength to calm the storm, you obviously had the benefit of a strong energy script. This script, also built off a past experience, served as a defense, a shield in that you produced your own counteracting waves to meet the Dark frequencies and transform their wavelength. Your emanations also served as an energetic bucket of water to interrupt their intention.

Now let’s recall a more subtle crossing that we have all had, a time when you have felt the energy when someone entered a room. The energy that was being exuded reaches you and you had a reaction, either subliminal or intense, either good or bad. That reaction sent a return wave of energy back along the same path to either reinforce or counter the energy flow from the other person. And, you guessed it; this can be either Dark or Light energy frequencies, all typically occurring below our conscious level of thought. Have you ever simply looked at someone and made and assumption as to their character, status or potential? Of course you have. What you may also realize is that the person you are looking at in turn may be making assumptions of your character, status or potential. So is it not reasonable to conclude that these thoughts set up intention, which in turn results in some level of energy exchange or transference. As this energetic volley occurs, your scripts are fired and an opportunity to affirm or alter them presents itself.

So we have seen that energy can be transferred between people, among groups of people and that we can consciously influence both the energy we send and the energy we receive. There is however ambiguity to these points of clarity, that being, did the impact radiate Light or Dark energies? When we stand up for a cause or win a battle, few would declare that they were the ones on the dark side, but there are obviously two or more interviews to be had. So what is the collective energy in your household, your work place, your community, your country and our world? Can you personally influence it? You already do, whether you acknowledge it or not. How you influence it, and how it in turn influences you, is the intent of this entire series.

To take us to the next level we need to think deeper about the detection of energy frequencies to which our primary senses are not attuned, those we cannot consciously discern and their source which, like the ones generating the signals received by your cellular phone, we are not even near. These energies surround us and they are indeed detected by our body, our mind and our soul, and they can produce the same responses. An example of this is contained in a simple question for you to ponder. Have you ever felt the need to call someone, regardless of their location, and when you did come to learn that they were calling you at the same moment? This may not have been sheer coincidence. As in our scenario with the energetic battlefields in part I, our thoughts and intentions can be very powerful indeed.

Now let’s bring water back into the equation for some scientific validity. While the space around us is mostly empty space, the mass of our bodies is comprised primarily of water. In just one of a growing number of experiments Dr. Emoto of Japan exposed water to different music and light and then photographed the individual water molecules crystallized under a microscope. In two continuing experiments he first collected water samples from different areas of the globe and next collected samples from jars onto which he had placed a simple word on the outside which were then observed by random passersby. The results are to say the least thought provoking. You can see a video highlighting the experiments here Emoto Water. (If the link does not work, simply go to You Tube and type in Emoto) Remembering that by mass, human cells consist of 65–90% water², and that this experiment shows that energy frequency set up by intent can influence the molecular structure of water, there is little doubt that the energy, in which we bathe each day, has a definitive impact on our species. Is it a stretch to connect the collective energies of our environments causally to our life experiences and further to mental and physical afflictions?

My intent is not to make you paranoid about barrages of negative energetic frequencies from those wishing to do you harm or to provide you with an excuse to blame your parents, your siblings, your boss or your neighbors dog for all your shortcomings and ailments. The intent is to grow awareness and to engage you in an active campaign of both sending positive energy and in creating environments that nurture our minds, our bodies, our souls and indeed our world.

Still however, there is a major stumbling block that we have not fully nailed down. Again, how do we know, or more so who decides on, what is Light and what is Dark? In the next part we will delve into perspectives that encompass and transcend our common thoughts of Light and Dark that may help to move us to a higher plane of consciousness. Few could argue that the current state of affairs on our planet does not demand it.

“Only through the darkness can you see the light!”

Up Next - Part III – A world unto the Divine

Meditations 1

2011-07-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

Meditations 1

Dark Energy

2011-07-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

By James D Tippett

This piece of writing is not about proving that undetected forms of energy exist around us; many before me have already done that. The intent here is to stimulate further discussion and to delve deeper into a range of energy frequencies often referred to as negative or dark energy, and its nature. This is the first in a series that will explore Dark energy, what it is, how to recognize it and perhaps most importantly how to protect ourselves and loved ones from it. I do not profess to be an expert, far from it, but I do present a strong interest in exploring this concept more given the undeniable impact on our daily lives and on society. I thank you for joining me in this quest for knowledge and understanding.

Some call it bad luck or karma and some view certain manifestations as physical or mental afflictions, yet I feel that these are rather random, ill defined excuses for what may be actually happening. I am simply asking questions and putting forth hypothesis’ that are no more implausible than the existence of a God. I will admit that there is much more available information on the topic than I had imagined when I began writing. Astronomers, psychics, the religious, political activists and George Lucas have all expressed their views on Dark energy and it is easy to become lost in thought and mired in philosophy or religion when exploring this topic. I have none the less attempted to connect these perspectives given the fundamental intent of this series, which is to illustrate that the energy is the same and universal to all, the difference being how we use or channel it.

First a review of what we do know. Our bodies, our world and the universe are largely viewed by the common observer as being comprised mostly of water and/ or empty space, empty being a word developed by mankind to explain that which exists beyond our perception. Water aside for now, the space between objects, which we call air, appears generally empty to us. We can only perceive a narrow range of stimulus frequencies through our commonly thought of sensory organs consisting of eyes, ears, tongue, nose, and skin. A simple example of this is presented by sound. How we hear is explained as an impact which causes vibrations. Vibration exists because there is matter to vibrate against, in our case air that is comprised of 21% oxygen molecules and 79% (or so) Nitrogen molecules. Sound as we know it is the result of billions of molecules impacting one another to create formal well defined waves of energy.

These invisible waves travel from the source of the sound through space to our ears. If this sound is within the frequency to which our ears have been attuned, or functionally capable of detecting, we hear the sound. Radio waves, magnetic fields, radiation, Wi-Fi and a host of other energy frequencies operate in the same way but largely exist beyond our sensory perception, void of a specially attuned device, i.e. your I-Pod.

If we think of that which we can detect, most of these frequencies have some sort of impact on us. Music frequencies stimulate endocrine secretions that can make us feel happy, sad, energized, confident or mellow. Our brain, below the radar of conscious thought and foot tapping, sends millions of undetectable impulses throughout our body’s electronic network orchestrating shifts in blood flow, breathing and a host of physical reactions. Colors, temperature and tasty food all produce similar bio-physical responses; it is a wonderfully complex, effectual system. Another aspect we must discuss however is that which we really do not know at this point. How about our feelings such as love, hate, fear or our level of self-esteem? They produce roughly the same bio-physical responses as the sensory based stimulus frequencies do, the difference being these manifest on a more cerebral level, or so we presume. When we think of our spiritual or religious beliefs, do our physical bodies not respond? So what stimulated these mental based responses? Is it a stretch to think that frequencies which we cannot readily detect could have similar impacts producing positive or negative reactions? The question then is from where do these frequencies of energy emanate?

For this let’s start by asking ourselves what “good” is. A simple question and some may say the opposite of evil as coined in the historic phrase “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. In this quote Edmund Burke verifies a commonly held belief that there is good and there is evil. For our purposes we will interchange good with light energy, or The Divine, and evil with dark or negative energy. Simple terminology, I know, but an important distinction for this work.

In our world, the view of which side of this statement we are on is commonly in the eye of the beholder, defined by a variety of different societal norms and values, created by mankind. We do not like to talk at any real depth about it and we surely are never the ones that are on the dark side yet it exists as surely as we do, the concept of light would not exist without dark. For mankind generally there is one side or the other, us or them, our ego demands it.

To examine this a little further without hopefully getting too far off track, consider political parties, Republicans and Democrats, or the prejudicial views that exist in all races and creeds, or the numerous battling religious sects in the world, who is dark and who is light? The definition by which these groups generally justify their actions by is typically “for the greater good!” This is not to be confused with the higher good which I will discuss in the next segment. This greater good is of course for the good of their group defined again by societal norms and values created through a mental evolutionary process. This process produces energy frequencies that stimulate reinforcing bio-physical responses within the members of the group. The key question is then can these bio-physical responses also produce barely perceptible waves of energy, at a specific frequency, that emanate from individual to individual throughout the group? Can these frequencies also travel beyond the group sending out a collective wave of energy? How Far? All questions for which there may or may not be quantifiable answers.

A part of these answers may lie in the feeling you get when you walk into a room where two people are having a heated debate. Each spewing forth their energy volley’s in an effort to sink the others energetic battleship. Facial expressions, tone of voice, body posture and motions all enlisted into their arsenals. As you pass through the door into the room your being is bombarded by these negative frequencies, you an innocent bystander become a casualty of the war, collateral damage. At some level you are unavoidably impacted. In this situation you are witness to the event, your sensory organs do the bull work in processing the waves of energy being given off, making the bio-physical response produced within us understandable. Yet there are, as with love and hate, other energy frequencies impacting us at a level below our conscious perception.

In preparation for the next segment, think of these three situations. First think of a time when you have entered a room as above. Next recall a time when you may have gotten a sense that something was just not right, only to find out later that a similar situation had happened before you arrived. Lastly recall a time when you found the calmness and inner strength to intervene in such a situation to disperse the volatile energies. For each of these situations recall how you reacted, how your body reacted, the thoughts you had, how it impacted your day and your relationships with the individuals. Once you complete this task you should be able to see energy a little differently than before you began reading just three short pages ago. The next segment will further explore these situations and provide additional thoughts on energetic transference.

In Search of Perfect

2011-05-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

Is the definition of perfect for a frog the same as perfect for a giraffe? Obviously not, but if the giraffe adopts a vision of perfection as defined by a frog, as in their perfect ability to hide from lions, or the perfection of their ability to survive on a staple of flies and bugs, the giraffe will quickly become disenchanted. The giraffe will soon lose self-esteem and perhaps plunge into a deep dark depression once the realization hits that (s)he will never attain this elusive vision. The frog will revel in the folly.

The only view of perfection that is relevant is the one you hold in your mind’s eye.

Not so famous Quotes

2011-03-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

"I find that those who criticize others the most, have the most flaws to hide." Jim Tippett

Famous Quotes

2011-01-11T10:19:00.001-08:00

"Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them." - Epictetus

Light Switches, Windows and Doors

2010-11-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

This is not an article on home remodeling, just an article on remodeling how you pursue opportunities and perhaps your life. As I anticipate the coming of the New Year and my obligatory resolutions, I keep coming back to these simple concepts, more so realizations, on how, with the use of a little metaphoric liberty, they hold the key to our success and quality of life.

Light switches are used to control the flow of energy; windows are used to allow light and fresh air to come into our lives and to allow us to gaze out into our world or into others. Doors are used to provide a walkway into or out of different areas of our lives. Doors can be locked to keep us safe or they can be barred from the other side. As with light switches and windows, we select to fling the door open to new opportunity or simply keep it shut. The important thing to understand is that the opening and closing is controlled, or at least strongly influenced, entirely by you.

First, light switches. We have all attended an inspiring seminar or class, and we have all come up with that really great idea or resolved to manifest a New Year’s intention. The moment truly inspires you, your mind is alive with possibilities, and you feel in touch with the way things are supposed to be. The light switch is on and the juice is flowing, every neuron is firing with potential, you cannot wait to get to “IT”. You leave the moment through a different door and as you pass through you notice a different world than the one you left just a while ago. The air is fresher, the colors are brighter and you are walking with a new confidence. You can view a new day, a new you. You can see each step of the path and the way around every obstacle is clear. What happens from that point forward is the basis of this article.

The light switch, when turned on, allows energy to flow through your chosen channel. The full energy flow is constant and focused, until the switch is turned off, or until another switch is turned on. If we only have one switch turned on, our energy is projected through a single window and the door to our vision easily opens. I will call this the nirvana switch.

Unfortunately, as is more common than not, the more time that elapses from the moment you had your vision of brilliance, the greater is the tendency that you will be called to turn on more light switches, or at least divert some of the energy back to your already established energy needs. The family light switch, the work light switch, the relationship light switch, or the survival light switch, all diverting your finite human energy.

With each throw of a new switch, the focus of energy going through the nirvana switch diminishes, the window clouds and the door begins to creek shut. Decisions made as to which light switches to turn on, and which ones to turn off, are based on any number of factors dependent on your current situation. Your moment may have provided insights or techniques on how to be or do better, but a few days after, you may find yourself mired in the same old, same old. The energy flow is diverted by you to other daily demands, and away from your rapidly dimming Nirvana switch.

Is it perhaps that as you exited the doorway from your nirvana moment you found no windows or doors that allowed a clear view of your path, or perhaps that you did not chose to do what was needed to open them? Perhaps you did not see connected light switches or the sequence of door openings that would have focused multiple resources in support of your Nirvana switch. The reason for this lack of focus and commitment is simple; you were not focused or committed. Not to insult your intelligence but it is as simple as that. You chose to turn on other switches, close the shades, and walk through more familiar doors, or you defaulted to those that were opened for you by others. Or perhaps you are awash with Nirvana visions and have selected to open multiple switches, windows and doors to compound your chances of success. Unfortunately like a dog that runs faster to catch his tail, the results disappoint regardless of effort. This may not always be a negative thing and there is no need to wallow in self-pity, but it does lead us to a new way of thinking about opportunity. So, before you spend another dollar on a seminar, class or brilliant Nirvana vision, you need to consider a few things first.

First and foremost you need to listen to what your gut is telling you, but do not confuse your gut with your ego. Your gut will allow you to focus an inner passion, whereas ego must be fed by the praise and accolades of others. Once you are confident in the gut vs. ego distinction, it’s time to engage the left side of your brain a little bit. You now need to write your vision of Nirvana down. Our minds are easily distracted, like a monkey in a room full of bananas, so we must be sure to leave ourselves reminders of the messages and brilliant revelations that we receive. Try answering a few of the following questions to start your exploration. As you continue this process, more questions and more answers will emerge, write them down also.

What will the financial, personal and spiritual gain be?

What will the financial, personal and spiritual investment be?

Will it be worth it?

Who will need to be involved?

What will you need to give up?

What will you need to invest in?

Are your personality, traits and talent switches wired to release the energy needed for the pursuit?

What switches will you need to turn off to divert additional energy if needed?

What will the extent of the transition be, for you and those closest to you?

How will you gauge your progress, what milestones will you use?

How will you know if you opened a wrong door or turned off the wrong switch?

Paint as clear a picture as you can to visualize all the elements, the more detailed the better, perhaps more importantly, the more realistic the better. Not to be a killjoy, but speaking from personal practice, a lot of time and energy, both of which are limited, can be wasted if you do not give these elements consideration. If you think this exercise, which may take a couple hours, is a waste of time, how do you expect to provide the needed energy to travel the path to your vision of Nirvana? In the simplest of terms, how bad do you want it?

Keep your journal close to you at all times, even next to your bed since some of the most brilliant ideas will come to you in your sleep. Easily said, easily understood, yet if you cannot grab your journal within 30 seconds of reading this, you need to do better. No Nirvana in mind? Try answering this question.

What would you attempt to do if you knew that you could not fail?

It is also a good idea to start a file for each of your nirvana switches. Be aware of underlying similarities and synergies that each of these light switches, windows and doors may share. You should also look to discuss your Nirvana journey with those who may help sharpen your clarity or gain needed knowledge. But as I reflect on my own experience perhaps I missed a step here, not unlike many others. Why are you at the seminar or why did you have the moment in the first place? There is obviously some motivation to be or do more as you gazed through some window. If everything is going well in your current situation, you most likely are on this journey to enhance the results you achieve in your current situation. The other possibility is that you are unhappy or restless in your current situation, and are looking for a new doorway to tomorrow. Either way, when we consider things from an energy management view point, if you are going to take a good portion of your day to plan, attend or invest in anything, shouldn’t you have weighed the benefits ahead of time?

You should be starting to see the tip of the iceberg as to why our light switches dim. Most of the initial thrill of our big idea is based in emotion and ego. That’s not all bad, emotion is a huge factor in any pursuit, but we all know where ego got General Custer. While most give him all due credit for his resolve and his ability to motivate people at Little Big Horn, he is none the less a prime example of someone who chose to pass through the wrong door. It is OK to make mistakes and have setbacks, for if your vision is clear they will serve as opportunities for learning that will strengthen both your resolve and results. But unlike General Custer, you need to pause and re-evaluate when things just don’t seem to be working out as planned.

I do not profess to know your situation or have your answers, the only one who does is you, and this is a reality you need to become comfortable with. Once you have hashed things out, mind body and spirit, you will be able establish clear focus and undying commitment. So get out there and energize your Nirvana switch, clean your windows and fling open your doors, the future is, and always has been, yours.

Your Healing Space || Massage Therapy || Myofascial Release || Reiki

2010-11-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Your Healing Space || Massage Therapy || Myofascial Release || Reiki

2010-11-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

I Know It, But I Don't Believe It

2010-10-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

I know I am a good person, but I don’t believe it!

I know I am the best at what I do, but I don’t believe it!

I know that I will find that dream job, but I don’t believe it!

I know my family loves me, but I don’t believe it!

I know I love myself, but I don’t believe it!

I know I am OK, But I don’t believe it!

After reading the statements above, think hard; think down to your soul. We all know many things; things about ourselves, things about others, things about our chosen profession and indeed the world. We all know our skills and abilities; our limits, our likes and dislikes, at least to a certain extent. We all know what “Ideal” would be. Some may indeed reach this ideal yet many do not, for they do not believe they can.

We have all been aggravated in our personal relationships or at work and we have all thought we could do better. We all know that we are better than or deserve more than our current situation provides, but we do not believe it; we do not believe it in our soul, and we do not believe it on our hearts. We hold ourselves back, we sabotage ourselves, or we let others do it to us. We look for reasons why things will not work, after all “I could never do that” or “the change is so uncertain, too much at stake to take the chance”. We know we can do or be more, but we do not believe it. More accurately, we do not believe in ourselves. Perhaps we have been conditioned by the beliefs of others as to what our ultimate role in life will be. Driven by their beliefs of who we are or what we are capable of. Maybe we are paralyzed by the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, or the fear of the unknown; all are situations where we have let negative beliefs, ours or someone else’s, dominate us. Or perhaps we find ourselves in a somewhat comfortable place and have grown apathetic, telling ourselves, “This will do”, an ultimately more mentally defeating place. But we can change this; it is within each of us.

Think of anyone you know of that has achieved greatness; Gandhi, Michael J. Fox, Jay Leno, Marvin Hamlisch, or let’s say Sun Tzu. All did not only know they could do it, they believed. They embraced the vision in their head, the energy, and the focus that pointed them to their universe.

Where did it come from? What is their magical formula? Where did they buy the pixie dust to sprinkle on their heads to take them from knowing to believing? Many books on the topic, I have read most of them. Many movies, I have watched them also. We may begin to believe that it is simply a script, a fantasy created to make us feel good for those fleeting minutes that we are engaged with the source. Deep down we believe these stories are about others, not us. Our accomplishments seem pale by comparison and we discount them. We know that these people are just like us, but we don’t believe it could ever be us.

So again I ask, where does belief come from? The concept of belief is usually equated to religion. If we look to religion to help us define this we see that belief is more of a mental process or spiritual affirmation as opposed to an observable, quantifiable truth. Our mental process and spiritual affirmations are also influenced by past experience and perceived reality. With this realization perhaps we are getting a little closer to where our belief in ourselves comes from, whether positive or negative. Typically when we think of belief we look up, but what we need to do is look in. Looking in is often easier said than done. Looking in requires quiet contemplation, a recollection of past success, an exploration of current opportunity and strengths. We may find that we have been caught in the trap of reflecting only on that which is negative from our past or present. Or perhaps we allow others to influence our beliefs of the world and our belief in ourselves. Even if this belief is nurturing and positive, it will not make a difference until WE believe it.

“We can not value our accomplishments, or believe in our potential, until we value and believe in ourselves” James D. Tippett

I knew I could put a new window in my house, but until I did it I did not believe it. I knew I could make the sale, but until I did, I did not believe it. In these scenario’s you found a belief in yourself through the accomplishment of a task. I knew I could find true love, but until I did, I did not believe it. I knew I was OK, but until I saw me, I did not believe it, with these scenarios the meaning is less quantifiable. What is true love? What is OK? Until you realize that these elements are defined by you and only you, you will wrestle with your belief in yourself.

Belief is when you look in the mirror and smile. Belief is when you just know things will be OK, when you nurture your soul, when you believe you are right; Belief comes from the very roots of the soul, from the deepest crevice of your heart and the whole of your brain. It cannot be read about, it can not be touched or held or put on a shelf. Your belief in yourself comes from within, from your conversations with yourself. If these conversations are negative, you will have negative beliefs, when they are positive the world will open to you. That is where belief comes from!

James D. Tippett jdt@imokyourenot.com

Why Do We Do What We Do?

2010-09-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

Did you ever hear, “I can’t believe they, or I, did that?” Well believe it, for in that persons mind it seemed to be a perfectly logical or at least balanced choice at the moment. Whether inspired by emotion, hardship, training or calculated risk, the action that was taken was the best option apparently available to reach some desired outcome. I should obviously add one element to the action equation and that is failing to fully assimilate all relevant factors prior to taking action. But isn’t that the game of life, a game we all must play?

As depicted in the diagram the way we respond to a stimulus is predicated on a combination of our current environment, the society in which we live, our previous experiences, and our current work. Our response to a situation is first influenced by our current environment, driven by our home and family life, the current dominant influences of those closest to us, and our physical, and mental, health and fitness.

Next our societal views, influenced by the prevailing views of those closest to us, the media, our perceived social status, our religious beliefs and the morale majorities latest point of view. Our views on society are constantly updated by these sources. In some situations these may have the greatest influence on our values and behaviors and can be at the root of some of our most dramatic actions, or inaction.

The next building block comes from past experiences that include our education, whether formal or informal, our upbringing, jobs or ventures we have had before , experiments we have tried, failures we have experienced, and our prior social interactions with bosses, co-workers, friends, parents, siblings, and others that we look to for behavioral cues.

Finally, our current work and our performance t here, which influences our feeling of security at work. These perceptions are shown by many studies to be influenced by our feelings of belonging, the workplace norms, and our level of satisfaction, not only with the job but with those whom we work. Do you feel secure in your job? If so, you are likely to invest more in your happiness, a new patio set, a family vacation or another child, and in general feel better about yourself. Note that the opposite may also apply.

All these factors combine to influence our processing of any given situation at that split second we make one decision over the other. They are all intertwined, and combine to provide some powerful compulsions to act or believe in one way or another, with consequences for better or for worse. This does not imply that all our reactions and decisions are from the gut, quite the opposite, if anything this better defines our “Gut”. Even if we have the time to contemplate our next action these elements coalesce to develop our unique response, action or behavior. By reflecting on our actions, or at least better evaluating why we do what we do, we can get closer to embracing who we are.

As with all decisions, there are consequences. These consequences, both good, and those perceived by us as bad, as in “Geessh, I won’t do that again!” provide continued growth and awareness into our decisions and how we have been impacted by the consequences of others decisions. So stop beating yourself up over the bad decisions you have made, or the impacts of others, they are in the past. You now know that you have the ability to more consciously evaluate why you or someone else acted in one way or another and embrace, or work to enhance, any of these factors. You can now get over it and move forward,
You’re OK.

Are you Stymied by Stigmas?

2010-09-24T05:26:00.000-07:00

Stigmas; many definitions, most relate to something bad, or socially unacceptable, like a stigma against people with mental health issues. At this I must laugh. For if we examine our lives deep enough we all may exhibit some stigma evoking trait. It is not too far of a stretch to expand the definition of a stigma to include “a prejudicial thought, response or act that is evoked in response to another person associated with a physical, observable trait”. What ever your impression of my definition is, it is at least as good as the ones out there now and perhaps closer to how it is used in society.

Need some validity, lets go to the source, you!

After you read the following words, what is the first thought, image, or visualization that comes into your mind? No thinking or reasoning allowed, just gut reactions please: Try jotting down a few related thoughts, no more than a sentence. You really don’t even need to jot them down; you know what you are thinking.

Overweight

Beard

Muslim

Politician

Police

Blonde

Protestant

Wheelchair

Psychotherapy

Lawyer

Black

Long hair

Handicapped

Republican

Garbage Man

Californian
Short

Mustache

Mexican

Italian

Democrat

Depressed

Catholic

Bi-Polar Disorder

Southerner

OK that’s enough, you can stop jotting.

Every thought you had, no matter what it was could be considered a stigma, your stigma or your groups stigma. While normally associated with the negative aspects, note that even your positive thoughts may indeed be negative in someone else’s mind, but for now we don’t care about “Them”.

Where do stigmas come from? Are they passed down from generation to generation, those closest to us, or do we develop them on our own from our past experience with a specific individual or some representative group? Is this not at the root of prejudice? Are we queued to act in a certain way due to engrained stigmas? Are stigmas different in different communities, Cities, States or Countries? Of course they are.

Can we be stymied, shut out, ridiculed, laughed at, taken advantage of, passed over, or ignored by others because of who, what, where, or how we are? Of course we can.

Can we ourselves act in a certain way because of our perception of a societal stigma if we have that particular trait? Deeper question, but same answer; Of course we can. In turn does this build on the validity of the stigma. A quick example; sitting next to each other is a blonde and a brunette. Each is asked a question, each give a stupid answer. The stigma of dumb blonde is enhanced while the brunette can claim to be having a bad day, or that they did not understand the question.

But who is to say what stigma is to be applied? Which ones are never to be spoken of, but still pervade everything we do, in our views toward others and in others views toward ourselves? Do stigmas portray our primordial upbringing when we discount reason and pull out our clubs to start the beating? Stigmas prevent us from getting by that all powerful, and often damaging, first impression when outwardly applied and that “I can’t do it!” when inwardly applied.

As a people, race or species, we may never be able to change this, though many will try. But why? Our differences are what make us unique the problem is we haven’t learned how to embrace these differences and leverage the diversity. We instead feel threatened, territorial, we feel the need to flex superiority, or on the other hand feel predestined to a certain way of life, or grapple with what’s “Wrong” with us. Those that live to apply stigmas, and perpetrate the negative connotations so often associated with them, are simply trying to advance their own cause, and perhaps even keep the focus off of their traits that may be the target of some other societal stigma.

Much of our mental health issues, phobias doubts and fear can be related to some sort of stigma, either implanted by others or the ones we let loose on our own. We lose our job, there is a stigma, we get a divorce, there is a stigma, we move to a new town coming from Buffalo, NY, there is a stigma, we are a lawyer, there is a stigma, or we seek help for a mental health issue, and there is yet another stigma. When the damage occurs is when we fail to get over it, fail to say “what in the heck?” or fail to realize, I’m OK, You’re Not!

My Reiki Journey

2010-09-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

My Reiki journey started before I even knew the term. The journey, the path if you will, was unfolding in front of my wife and I even before we were aware of the powerful healing that lay ahead. Healing that we had no idea could even occur at our point in life.

My soul was reaching, searching; in large part due to several personal failings that I came to realize were destroying all that I had ever thought was precious, all I had held as my true values, all that I envisioned my true self to be. It was a vision that had become jaded, verging on narcissism and my family was becoming the casualty. This awareness resulted in significant but needed turmoil. My wife and I questioned if we were on the same path, a critical and painful analysis that thankfully revealed the first few steps of the one true path.

I have always said that before you start anything you must know where you are when you begin. Fortunately I started capturing my state of being over four years prior to my first Reiki attunement. For those who are not familiar with Reiki other than how to spell it, relax, that will be covered shortly. All you need to realize at this point is that it is not the work of charlatans nor snake oil salesmen. Reiki is perhaps the most powerful life experience you will ever have, no matter from where you have come, no matter to what you have been subjected. The divine energy is just that and you are already immersed in it, you have just not been attuned to it. Hence the term Reiki “attunement”, hey, I get it now! The energy cannot be avoided and it cannot be shielded, it is already there. Reiki simply makes you aware of its beautiful presence.

I would like to add that a large part of my growing understanding and acceptance is due to being able to share the journey with my wife. In fact she is a large part of what turned my cynicism into belief. Yet what anchored the belief were the numerous personal experiences which cannot be denied. While an inner circle is important for support and growth it is you who will experience the emotions and the change in your paradigms. Just as it is you who must work through, cast off or heal and embrace the layers of your life.

Simply being at a point where I can share these thoughts will attest the power of the divine energy and Reiki. With the help of Suzan Lupejkis, my Reiki Master and the founder of your Healing Space, I have faced my demons and I have slain them, or at least dealt a mortal wound. Whether created through my own intent, passed down through the generations, or propelled through prior life energies, my war has been won. The only intent of this work will then be to reach out to others who may find themselves on a parallel or similar destructive path. It is not to offer bible thumping salvation, but an opportunity to be true to yourself and your life potential.

For those who may be curious but concerned that they will lose some positive elements, some edge or some part of their being, as I feared would happen to me, it is simply not the case. The only thing you will lose is the mental and physical baggage that has been deposited over the years, either by yourself or more likely by others, that has held you back from your true being, and your true potential. For those who think I have lost it I will accept that, since I had similar thoughts. If I indeed have lost it all I have to say is “aquí es la vida loca!”

Now back to the beginning. With my first ever publication, I'm OK, You're Not, A Journey in Personal Discovery, coupled with the many articles that I have shared, and perhaps more importantly the ones that I have not shared, I have a large body of documentation as to my state of being before and during my transition. I'm OK, You're Not was a scream for sanity, a grappling with a current state of reality and more importantly the start of the healing process. The journal notes that led to the audio book all coalesced to portray to me, not anyone else, my current direction. A major under taking to be sure, but worth every one of the countless hours it took to produce. While it will serve as an excellent journey guide for others, as that was the books intent, close friends have pointed out that I wrote the book primarily for myself, lucky me. It allowed me to grow to the point where I could take the next step in my journey, and be able to embrace a whole family’s healing. Perhaps most importantly it allowed me to evaluate my perceptions, my views and my beliefs of the world. Much is still relevant, but the title in and of itself, placed blame on others, when in fact it was my own weakness that precipitated many of the realities that were explored. I say realities because indeed they are an unavoidably wonderful element of being human.

I am quickly coming to find that what I initially felt where insurmountable hurtles have been baby steps up to now and no doubt why many fall off their path. The perception may be that the journey to healing is too difficult, too demanding, much like changing careers, quitting smoking or saving a marriage. In reality they pale in comparison and just the opposite is true, not taking the first step, not learning, not growing, results in compounding difficulties that may ultimately spin out of control within yourself or those around you. Rest assured you will fall off the path occasionally, but to lose your way allows you to better appreciate the splendor of finding it.

Along the path chaos turns to calm, fear and worry turn in to strength and self-confidence. But perhaps the most phenomenal discovery is the awareness of the energy that surrounds us all. This energy has no thought; it has no intent, and no judgment. You find that judgment, as with the answers to your problems, come from within. I have come to realize that Reiki allows you to embrace and accept the universal truths. Worries that used to dominate your every waking moment fall away and are replaced with a quiet confidence that everything will work out, if you truly believe that it will. The outside influences are still there, fighting to regain control, yet for each battle you now have an unbeatable weapon. Once you experience the energy, once you are attuned to it, belief is as simple as breathing.

Simply start here.
Just for Today
Don’t worry
Don’t get angry
Work hard
Be Grateful and
Be kind to others

By James D. Tippett
jdt@tipsonxl.com

Layers

2010-08-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

The layers of our mind, body and spirit build up continually throughout our lives, weaved of our daily experience. Every time we laugh, every time we feel joy, do well, help another or nurture our relationships a layer is placed, the greater the joy, the thicker the layer. Our layers have been placed to protect us, defend us, help us gain acceptance or move us toward some perceived goal. Layers are also placed every time we are hurt, every time we are manipulated or intimidated, lied to, abandoned or deceived, and every time we discredit ourselves through self defacing acts. This normally occurs when we are the ones doing any of the later mentioned above.

The buildup of these layers is largely unavoidable as much of the deposit occurs at the cellular, some may say spiritual level. The thickest layers are laid during our formative childhood, yet experience and genetics can add much to the wonderfully ornate matrix. It is most important to understand, as is the intent of this article, that we have the ultimate control over the placement, removal and management of these layers, especially if you come to find that some are leading you to uncomfortably dark tunnels, hurting those closest to you or holding your true potential at bay.

Eventually layers manifest themselves in physical or mental characteristics. The more you exercise the stronger you become, the more you read or meditate the more enlightened you become, the more you interact, the stronger your social skills become. The more you are deceived, the more shielded you become, the more you try to gain acceptance, the more you accept the layers of others, the more ….(you enter your own special circumstance here), the thicker the layers become. Like a gently falling snow, inches turn into feet.

Layers, as with anything, can be good, bad, or any shade in between depending on your particular life experience and perspective. Yours are a mixture of conscious experience and barely perceptible sensitivities, they are uniquely you. With every stimulation of our hippocampus, each release of dopamine, or energy spike, a microscopic layer of memory is laid to memorialize the event, and the results of our reaction to it.

These layers become who we are, influencing our actions, reactions and urges, and ultimately how we impact others, in mind, in body and in spirit. Our individual perceptions of our true being are dependent on our awareness of our layers. Sounds easy but the problem is that few of us are actually even aware of these deposits. Can you see all the trees in your forest?

This understanding will allow you to examine your layers so you can build on the positive ones, better manage the ones that give you that special edge, and remove the ones you have come to detest. Do not think that I am sending you on a demon hunt or advocating some manner self sacrifice, this is not about guilt, this is about freedom, understanding, strength and a tomorrow that is a little better than yesterday.

This leads us to our insight on the deeper process of deposit and more importantly the journey that must be followed to peel off the unwanted layers, once you consciously agree that something is clouding your true being. Let’s start with a simple examination of one of the most common cause of built up layers in our lives, food. You will hopefully note that the same process discussed here is at the root of most of our layers.

Eating food stimulates many things in our life. At the most basic level, it provides assurance that we will live another day, drawing on just the right nutrients to satisfy the needs of our body. Miraculously the cells in our bodies go to work on each bite of food you take, looking for all the needed pieces, just as if they were building a fortress. These cellular workers add the acid to breakdown that piece of food just right or a few white blood cells to take care of that unwanted bacteria. A little vitamin D from that bite will be taken to the bones, and the salt is just right for our fluid balance and nerve conduction needs. Just enough carbohydrates to throw into the furnace, the rest they will store for colder days. Our bodies and minds unite to operate as a perfect machine, making split second, imperceptible decisions for our well being.

Our minds, consciously or subconsciously, influence our actions to select the next meal built off the experience of the last. This is no doubt how cooking our food came to be as the roasted meat and gristle has a more pleasing, stimulating taste, and why we eat fried chicken instead of fried skunk.

We now find that we have advanced to the point where food is no longer viewed simply as our next life giving meal; it has transcended its basic function and taken on a whole new social and entertainment value, which in its self produces reactions within the body and mind that are pleasurable, oh so satisfying, and potentially addicting, in some cases having nothing to do with the food itself. Much of our social world is built around food. Bagels at meetings, our next date at the most impressive restaurant, chomping down the biggest portion we can possibly get our picture taken with, new colorful, benefit promising packaging, or the urge for the latest advertised food like product, all move food into a new social playground. The layer is added to our being and our waistline.

I am not trying to delve into an examination of addiction here as I believe it is a well known concept, which unfortunately is not well understood. When, as a society, our primary treatments for anything are pills and hypnosis, it is a clear sign that we do not understand something, and perhaps this is another layer of its own. More so an explanation of the difficulty we may run into when we try to confront troublesome layers. If we do not embrace how they were laid, the paint we use to cover them will eventually fade.

The miracles of modern science sure have produced some very effective means of fixing the particular thing that ails you physically or mentally. Yet as the lengthy disclaimers attest to, the unanticipated effects are not well understood. What is understood, and very well by the way, is our own ability to cast off even our deepest, darkest, unwanted layers. It is the most effective solution to discard the unwanted baggage of your life and allow your positive, untarnished layers to rise to the surface.

The first step is obviously to identify the layers and what people or events helped form them, hopefully before the negative ones totally consume you. Do not be discouraged if you feel they already have, for they too can be cast off, it takes a little more work on your part, no magic pills or miracles here, but they can be shed. Now it is time to do some deep soul searching, and for this you may need an outside tour guide to help you through your personal discovery. You can start this journey simply enough, working through questionnaires or checklists and making entries in journals, perhaps a relaxing massage and some meditation to help your mind find the answers it seeks.

As you continue to do these activities on a regular basis you will be preparing yourself for the deeper questions, and the more important answers. Answers that at first you may not understand nor even hear, until you are sufficiently along in your journey and ready to hear them. Each answer will unfold at the correct time, allowing yet another layer to fall off, to be replaced with a more enlightened one. Eventually these answers will resonate beyond your mind, moving throughout the cellular structure of your body to align with the energy of your spirit. In closing, regardless of where you are in your current journey, you are in control, you’re OK.

Crossings

2010-07-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

“They totally changed my life!” It may be a spouse, a close friend or a public figure, or it could be a single act, a single encounter or fleeting glance. Regardless of the complexity of the encounter these crossings occur every day of our lives, throughout our lives, and they all influence our lives. Crossings can lead us to unlimited joy, lift our spirits, give us hope, re-assure us, teach us and send warm waves of connectedness through our bodies. Crossings can be subtle and barely perceptible or so powerful that they can rescue us from certain physical or mental tragedy.

Few would argue that we find ourselves in challenging times, whether a result of the economy, strained relationships, or lack of relationships. Regardless of how dismal our current moment appears to us, that moment will be replaced by a completely new moment,….in just a moment. That next moment is influenced largely by you, but perhaps even more so by the opportunity for new experience, new connections, and new crossings.

Before I get too much farther I should clarify that crossings for our purposes are seemingly random events as opposed to planned strategic or manipulated events. I acknowledge that these too are crossings, and will most likely be covered in the next piece, but for today I am simply examining that random, odd, unexplained karma like events that occur in all our lives. It could be a simple observation, a random act of kindness, a past acquaintance, or a random introduction to the friend of a friend. These random events occur continually and unavoidably in our waking hours, unless of course you spend your days locked in your room or other metaphoric dark place. If that is the case, you need to take this with you to the book store, find a place to sit comfortably, and read it again.

To better illustrate, let’s take a peek at the crossings that may occur during this trip to the book store. To get there you will walk, drive, take a cab, ride the bus or your bike. On your route you may first see your neighbor, do you like them? Why of why not?

Next in your path is a glimpse of someone you have never seen. Who are they, where did they come from, what are they like? Your assumptions will most likely be formed in a split second at the subconscious level based on any number of attributes. Clothes, hair style, body type, and the way they walk, the way they stand, the car they are driving, and whether they acknowledged you.

The crossing could be as simple as that, or perhaps you give them a nod to acknowledge their presence, or stop to help them with an apparently difficult task, or comment on the weather or the book they are reading, (without being a creeper). I could continue to lead you through your journey but that would take away your fun. The point is that often we are oblivious to those around us, perhaps a societal influence but a choice we make none the less. Crossings are often subtle and you need to be open and aware of others in your world for there to be any effect.

As you think about the crossings that have or may occur in your life, realize that you are actually comparing them to yourself; your views, your self-image and your numerous social stigmas. Note that you may not even know the person, and probably never will, but in that moment, you have, consciously or subconsciously, made a judgment. A judgment about them and yourself, it is unavoidable. With this knowledge we can open up new opportunities, new directions or simply confirm our affirmations.

The crossing may occur in a store, when you acknowledge a common, reaffirming, viewpoint on pricing, quality or availability. It may be a simple comment you make to someone who appears to be having a bad day, a simple “let me help with that”, no major commitment and no expectation. Yet the simple crossing may have restored a person’s faith, it may have affirmed that there is still a good side to people. In this split second you have taken a little coldness out of the world and benefit from the good feeling as a result of the act. I will admit this type of crossing is often imperceptible and you most likely will not bring it up at the dinner table, but there is no denying that the crossing had an effect and left an impression at some level.

We witness a kind act, the simple holding of a door, or a nod that acknowledges a presence in this world. These simple crossings may be merely a fleeting moment of cognitive affirmation or they may lead to new lifelong pursuits or friendships. Someone who has absolutely no understanding of our current situation or our “Issues” ultimately may provide an opportunity to start anew, to reframe our current experience, to give us a fresh new perspective based in a view of another’s reality, or simply to make us smile. Despair can be replaced by hope in a fleeting unplanned second. A crossing may be a new face in the crowd, a never approached neighbor, a stranger on the street, a reconnection from the past, someone that has been in our life all along that we simply choose to ignore, or the friend of a friend that totally changes our life for the better.

“A stranger is a friend we have not met yet” - William Butler Yeats
(“But the same applies to enemies, so beware” – Jim Tippett)

How many times have you randomly bumped into an acquaintance from the past? It is common to explore each other’s journey through the years. Where have your mutual friends ended up, what’s their latest take on life, why did we fall out of touch? In these scenarios we automatically rewind our life to the period of time that we were acquainted. We then push play and relive the times between the then and the now, we take a journey reliving the period and then see how we have grown, how we have fared and how we are positioned for the future. In this wonderful social networking age, bumping into those from the past is much easier. It may be less authentic and open to manipulation than looking into someone’s eyes, but it works. You may find how they vaulted hurtles in their life, how they achieved, or how they failed. We may think we have it bad, but soon find that our crossing has similar problems or worse, perhaps providing an opportunity to reach out, to grow, to find comfort and support or simply commiserate. This crossing may even present an opportunity to build a new, rekindle missed opportunities, or launch a future life altering journey.

We may even simply just reflect on crossings that have led us to where we are now, a good friend, a casual acquaintance that became our spouse, the supportive boss, or perhaps we crossed with manipulators, liars and cheats. To be true to ourselves, we do need to look at the bad crossings with the same reflective thoughts as the good. Many may find their lives shattered, along with their self esteem, as the result of a negative crossing. The sooner the individual can grip the reality of a negative crossing, the sooner they can enjoy the positive crossings.

Some of the most influential crossings occur when we just happen to be in the right place at the right time. These may include introductions between friends or acquaintances, a new job or the view of a new career, a delay that keeps us from harm, or places us next to a life changing crossing. Our perspectives on the world can be changed and enlightened in a simple moment, a single look, a single hand shake, or blown by the wind off a butterfly’s wing.

I now challenge you to go out into your world and for at least one day, be aware of the crossings in your life. Chances are you will not be able to capture or count them all, but allow for some quick reflection on the ones you do. Remember this requires no planning or manipulation on your part, just let it roll. The crossing itself is random, what happens from there is up to you.

Classic Crossings

You really did not want to be there, (the wedding, the meeting, the event) but during the event you became a part of an interaction that had a positive impact, or you influenced some element of the event that would not have been the same had you not been there.

Where did you meet your spouse? It was a crossing. Where did you get your current job? It was a crossing.

A driver’s frustration as viewed in the rear view mirror makes me laugh, especially when there is absolutely nothing they can do about the jamb. The crossing reaffirms my calmness.

We have all meet someone who some may say “have it all together”. But when examined deeper they have the issues as every one of us. They have either masked the other element s or are narrowly focused on a simple life task.

We see a visually pleasing scene or a visually disturbing scene, the model or the bag lady. It could be the blonde or the brunette, the fat guy, the kid, the trouble maker, the house wife, the business man, the crook. All leave us with an impact or an affirmation. In observing another person we may find that we tend to “classify” them under one of our preconceived notions or stigmas. But in actuality we are classifying ourselves.

Sporting events are full of crossings, positive crossings if you are sitting on the home side, potentially negative if you selected the visitor’s side.

We meet in kindergarten and our life paths are intertwined forever.

We meet at work, on a project team, after a week or so we either like each other or start to scheme on the others demise. Lifelong friendships can emerge from a single assignment.

We hear a new song, a new voice, a tone, or we key in on something no one else hears. Concentrate on the sounds around you. A fire truck siren leads to someone who is having a worse day than you.

Have you read an article or visited a website that interests you? Send an e-mail to the person or contact asking for more info or give your feedback on their work. Or simply forward it to an acquaintance who you feel may gain benefit. The newer the relationship or the quicker the crossing, the less judgmental it is, and the less the baggage deposit. Realize however that in a good relationships there is no baggage, or at least the persons “issues”, or past are not viewed as baggage. They are viewed as a positive element in the molding of who they are.

You may meet someone with a totally different perspective on an issue, or life for that matter. At first you may mutter “What in the heck are they all about?” Later, if you happen to reflect on the crossing, you will most likely find an element of wisdom or usefulness, a tool to help you in your own journey of understanding.

I am sure you can continue this list with many of your own experiences. Please feel free to do so at my blog - http://ioyn.blogspot.com/

Get Over it - What do you need to get over?

2010-02-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

Often times we get so wrapped up in the little aggravating stuff that it distracts us from living life to its fullest. We may get distracted or aggravated by things we really can't control or do anything about.

When we can't get over "it" we are stuck in the past. Instead, get over it and move ahead. Many of the things we need to get over seem innocent on the surface, yet in our mind may be major psyche changing distractions, evoking seemingly irrational actions or behaviors. Are these driven by our perceptions gone wild, or are we acting in line with some preconceived or expected script? By working through the get over it worksheet, or simply jotting your thoughts down in your journal, you come closer to the real answers.

There are many other issues that fall into the “Get over it” classification, and the idea is for you to start generating your own list of the silly little things that you let distract, dissuade or even devastate you. Ask yourself how often these annoyances have diverted your focus to things that are of little consequence in your life? Unless you plan on doing something about it, and I am not saying you should not, the anger and negative emotions are simply eating you up. There are plenty of things that truly require our attention, focus there. The main message here is that things are never as bad as we think they are and much of our worry is overrated and generated by outside influences. What will my friends think? What will my family think? What will my boss think? All valid questions, but they should not drive us to the point of paralysis, psychosis, ongoing bad feelings or even worse doing something stupid. By getting over the stuff, that in actuality is relatively minor, we can focus on the issues that truly impact our lives. Once you begin to do this consistently, you will begin to get a better understanding of how you view things allowing you and your loved ones to get closer to you!

We all have recurring thoughts or themes in our lives. Realize that this is part of who you are. The people you hang out with, the intensity of your religious and various personal beliefs, the clothes you wear the pictures on your wall, your thoughts toward your fellow human beings, both those closest to you and strangers. Are you more trusting or suspicious? When the cashier gives you too much change, what do you do? All indicate the direction that our morale compass points. You can change direction if you think you are lost, but to change direction you need to fully understand what direction you are headed now, and more importantly, who is guiding you. Now that I have you grappling with moralistic issues, Get over it! You know how to live your life, you know what you like, what you believe, what your morale and ethical limits are, it’s you, stop questioning it.

Start by jotting down the things that you feel you may need to get over, list a few options outlining what you can do about it, if anything, and by what date you plan on doing this. Once you have gotten over it, place an X next to it. Make copies and stick this on your refrigerator as a constant reminder of how great you are.

GET OVER IT WORKSHEET
1. What bothers me?
2. What can I do about it?
3. Action plan / deadline
4. I Got Over It! (X)

This is an important first step and will identify many of the psychological pressures you currently deal with allowing you to better handle them without freaking out

Broken Hearts, Broken Minds, Broken souls

2009-12-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

One building on the next until despair is our daily reality. A difficult cycle to break, but once you realize that the breakage is a result of others, we can rise above. You have been left in an emotional wake. A wake built by what we think the world should be; portrayed to us by others. You must realize that what ever it is, it is simply a minor set back.

OK I will admit that some seem like major set backs, but you need to realize that we all face them. You are not alone, you are OK. You are on this earth for a reason, a very good reason, if your heart is breaking, if your mind is fading and if your soul is sinking into the abyss, what is happening is you have forgotten about who you are. The set back is a way of letting us know we are on the wrong track. I find we sometimes rely too heavily on others to define us. When we don't live up to others definitions, the questions and self doubt start.

Seldom do our plans turn out the way we like, but we had a plan, go make another plan. Loved ones and friends let us down, jobs don't pan out, companies fail, we loose someone close, our enemies win the battle. But we must be realistic and open to setbacks or we will indeed become a casualty, a statistic, another part of the headlines.

Some say life is eternal, but let's face it, most of us are more concerned with the here and now. It narrows our vision. As unpopular as my opinion my be, the lord above is not your savior, YOU are. We may find some strength in a heavenly entity, but at the end of the day, it is us and our actions or inaction's that set our course. We let minor annoyances consume us, we allow ourselves to be pushed through transitions by inertia, instead of picking ourselves up and making a new plan.

Life may not be easy, it is not a video game, we don't win at every level. But until you take your last breath, you have a purpose, you just haven't realized it yet, or temporarily forgotten it, and you have worried too much about what everybody else thinks your direction should be. The path to broken soul is the easy path that anyone can take, but you are always being led down that path by someone or thing other than you. Right now, you need to find your path. The one that is inside us all. You're OK! Don't let them win.

My (almost) Famous Quotes

2009-07-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

“We can not value our accomplishments, or believe in our potential, until we value and believe in ourselves”- James D. Tippett

“It’s not knowledge by itself, but the application of ones knowledge to affect beneficial outcomes, regardless from where it is gained.”
- James D. Tippett

“If everyone focused on the strengths within themselves and others,
there would be no weakness.” - James D. Tippett

“The views of this company are not necessarily mine, but for now they pay the bills” – James D. Tippett

“When the storm is pounding, open the door and face it. You will find that the fiercest of storms subside to a drizzle once you face them”
- James D. Tippett.

“Our good people must be celebrated, not driven into the ground!” -
James D. Tippett

“I’m OK, You’re Not” – James D. Tippett

PRESS RELEASE

2009-06-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

Press Release

June 1, 2009

Tipson Enterprises releases I’m OK, You’re Not - A Journey in Personal Discovery, an audio book by Self-Discovery Author James D. Tippett.

We all have a journey, are you living yours or one guided by others? What started as self-therapy for the author, somewhat effective therapy, has grown to an entertaining read as well as a guide for self-discovery among individuals who may find themselves besieged by some aspect of their own reality, struggling to cope in our world today. This work is intended as a lighthearted, non-PhD view of the influences that guide and manipulate us. It serves as the ultimate guide to self discovery and awareness leading the reader to understand just how great they are, the way they are, resulting in the ability to better deal with the psychological and social pressures we all face. The work also provides a fleeting glimpse into the realities that may be at the root of many of our personal and social problems today, an unanticipated benefit. The audio package includes three audio discs narrated by the author and a fourth disc containing the complete 14 chapter E-Book and other resources developed during his journey. Available through www.imokyourenot.com , other inquiries related to workshops and seminars to jdt@imokyourenot.com, Samples available at http://ioyn.podbean.com/

ISBN -978-0-9822181-0-5 US $25.00

Someone To Talk With

2009-04-09T15:11:00.001-07:00

Written by Jim Tippett
Wednesday, 08 April 2009 10:20

Is simple conversation, or the lack of it, at the root of our mental health? We all need someone to talk with, but the quality of the conversation and the dynamics that occur during the interaction can yield a variety of outcomes. Simple, unstructured conversation, even with strangers in the checkout line or at sporting events can send a warm feeling of connectedness through our bones. Conversations with those closer to us may tend to be more probing, manipulative or judgmental, and can create many of the chilling impacts at the root of some of our most common social dysfunctions. The intent of this article is to explore the impact that simply talking with our children can have on mental health, both theirs and yours.
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Psychotherapy techniques explored by Carl Rogers in his book "On Becoming a Person", show a distinct connection between the quality of the conversation and the success in moving the patient closer to what he terms as actualization. In actualization a person moves toward what they would like to be, or more toward the person they truly or naturally are. His work, in part, emphasizes the quality of the relationship, built off the nature of simple conversation, as a key factor in the effectiveness of his approach. Further work by Edward L. Deci in his book "Why We Do What We Do", explores in part, how the nature of a conversation effects motivation.

We have all read, or at least heard of books on negotiation, selling techniques and parenting that instruct us to look for and respond to reactions and in general how to have a conversation. Unfortunately, the very structure of this coaching may degrade the overall outcome as it is often viewed by the receiving party for what it typically is, manipulation and control. However well masked, when we were on the receiving end, we perceive the conversation as manipulative or coercive, or that we are some how being told what to do. It makes us feel foolish when our thoughts and concerns are simply cast off by the other with a simple statement to make our problems seem so trivial. "Well, be happy you don't live in Biafra" or "You don't appreciate how good you have it!" or "When I was growing up we had to eat worms!" We may not be able to define what we are feeling, but we know it is there, and we shut down, rebel, or worse look for a potentially undesirable resource to explore our issue with.

As parents we think we need to control the situation, be the strong one or be the one with all the answers, but this causes us to be shielded and less authentic. Once we admit that we may not be, the conversation becomes more real. Many times an issue will be beyond our ability to cope, we do not have to have all the answers, but we do need to listen and work to become a part of the situation, and hopefully the solution, at its root. Realize that we can all learn, and we can all grow. This learning and growth occurs when each is open, and non judgmental. This is a scary place for many, the world is a scary place but we can not hide from it. It is OK to speak of our feelings, and listen to others feelings, we are not all the same, we are all individuals, no matter the age.

I have two sons, raised in the same house, I have a sister, raised in the same house as I, my wife has two brothers, raised in the same house, and each is wonderfully different and unique. Even in the same house our experiences, our feelings and our views are different, and that is OK.

As parents, my wife and I have found few right answers but we have found many best answers, and the best answers are born from both sides opening up, listening, absorbing and exploring. We have worked to become less judgmental, less reactionary and more focused on just talking. We are coming to realize that the issues one may be facing are indeed issues facing us all. Our child's exploration of their particular issues may in fact provide a mirror reflecting our issues, the discussion of which makes us all stronger.

We have also become better at listening for a conversation. Conversations do not start at a set time nor do they always start when they are convenient. If you have to make a schedule to talk, you may have lost the moment, the intimacy, and now made it a more bureaucratic schedule. You have now diverted the need for your children to talk with someone, to someone else. The ones they turn to for these conversations may in fact be manipulative or incomplete in the conclusions that are reached void of our knowledge and experience. While some may scorn the texting craze and the so called web 2.0, it has given our children someone to talk with, almost immediately. Some of us do not have big families or many friends, often that makes the idea of finding someone to talk with a little more difficult, but no less important to our well being. This technology may indeed prove beneficial at some level, but we should be cautious not to let these sources replace us. If you are beginning to feel as though they have, you need to examine your current style of communication.

If your past discussions have been strained you need to find an ice breaker. Start by striking up a conversation related to an issue you may be having and ask for their advice. If you don't have one already, schedule a family night to play a game or watch a movie. I strongly recommend Good Will Hunting but I am sure there are many other mutually engaging ones. Conversations should be a sharing event, both learning and reaching for who we are, no one is in control, both are open, neither is judgmental or controlling. I am talking about the need for a simple exploration of what is going through our minds. Be in the moment, there does not have to be a topic, no direction, no starting or ending, but the end result will be a deeper communication. Someone to talk with is a process, not just one chat. We do not always solve things in a single conversation, sometimes a sounding board may be all that is needed. How fantastic it would be to have some one to just talk to about things, openly, without judgment, without expectations, without argument, without repercussions, without fear. How big a bonus would it be if it were our parents?

If all else fails, don't be stymied by getting outside help, or one day you may awake to a scene you do not want to imagine. For parents the question is not "where did I go wrong?" It is "where do we go from here?"

2009-02-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

The Gift

2009-01-27T18:25:00.000-08:00

If someone offers you a gift, and you decide not to accept it, whose gift does it then become?

The answer is the giver of the gift retains possession.

The same goes for insults, rude comments, criticism and manipulation. So if you refuse to accept their gifts, the abuse stays right with them. Know that you do not have to accept gifts of this kind, and in fact those that are trying to give them to you deserve to get them returned, even without a receipt.

Yet even gifts with positive intent can bear treacherous content under their attractive wrapper.
Politicians run into this all the time. Campaign dollars come from those expected some manner of return for the gifts they bestow. Similarly, an expense paid trip to Disney of the Bahamas may be an attractive gift indeed, but if in return your parents of in laws expect to be able to drop by anytime, name your first born, or tell you what friends you should be hanging out with, you need to reconsider the Bahama Hook.

Yet we continue to feel obliged to accept all gifts, and feel indebted to comply with future demands. Demands that in our mind may exceed the value of the initial gift. The result is a departure from being true to ourselves.

Trust me, soon enough you will be able to manifest all gifts that you desire on your own, and probably quicker and with less mental wrapping paper than if you accept the manipulative gift giving event.

If you would like to get the entire audio book, fourteen chapters in all, before it hits commercial distribution, feel free to visit the books website http://www.imokyourenot.com
or e-mail me at jdt@tipsonxl.com Thank You

Psychosis Shmycosis

2009-01-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

Just as there is a name for every medical ailment there is a name for every mental ailment and they seem to multiply daily. There are obviously all ranges and severity of mental distress¹, and I am not trying to delve into clinical psychology, I am more referring to the functional causes, as opposed to the organic causes, of psychosis, i.e. freaking out. Many ailments such as bipolar disorder², passive aggressive personality disorder³, anorexia⁴, certain stages of schizophrenia⁵, depression⁶ and even obesity⁷ can be linked to social issues; In other words our reaction to the world and people around us. More and more these mental states are being used by some as crutches, excuses for all sorts of commandment breaking behavior. If they had taken the journey herein, at least one may have not succumbed to the mental stress so often highlighted as a precursor to these mental states.

A quick slap of reality however shows us that regardless of the time or generation, there have always been world affairs that gnawed at our sense of security and well being, nuclear threats, wars, crime and civil unrest. There have always been pressures to balance pay with living expenses and uncertain employment futures, the difference is that there are as many new and wonderful gadgets to buy as there are mental ailments into which we can classify ourselves.

The more society classifies these alleged diseases, the more justified we are in hiding behind them. I believe strongly that this book will result in the saving of one or more people from one or more of these ailments, without a penny of insurance cost or taxpayer expense.

You may need some guidance, the role of this book, but be very careful on the guidance you receive, and always, always ask yourself, is this really the answer for me. How do you find the answers, let alone the questions? I am somewhat convinced of the power of meditation⁸. Our brains are wonderful things, we need to shut up long enough to hear the wisdom coming from within, the only way to do that is to quiet down, relax and let your brain roam, you will find the answers.

I will venture to say that if you are sane enough to read this book, that you should try chanting, “I’m OK, You’re not” at least five times before asking your doctor for some of those Life’s Little Helpers. By doing so you may find that you are better able to handle challenging situations rather than retreating and hiding from them. If you question chanting as an option, realize that the things you are medicating yourself to cope with will still be there when you wake up from the daze, so it is better to at least try to handle them straight. It may not be easy, but it will be you. Let’s try. More pills? Say I’m OK, You’re not! Five times please.

We all have a Journey, are you living yours?

2008-12-21T16:23:00.000-08:00

...Or someone else's?

I’m OK, You’re Not, A Journey in personal Discovery, is intended as a lighthearted, non-PhD view of the influences that guide and control us, and also provides a fleeting glimpse into the realities that may be at the root of many of our personal and social problems today, an unanticipated benefit. What started as self-therapy, somewhat effective therapy, has grown to an entertaining read as well as an opportunity for self-reflection among all individuals. The work is available in both print and audio book formats.

During the book I challenge the reader to examine the elements in their own personal lives, I guide them in their journey and ask the questions, but they must provide the answers. Answers based solely on their current reality. The intent is to encourage the reader to launch a journey of personal discovery and reflection, which is the only true way to enjoy life, the world, and be confident of your role in it.

If you would like to get the entire audio book, fourteen chapters in all, before it hits commercial distribution, feel free to visit the books website http://www.imokyourenot.com
or e-mail me at jdt@tipsonxl.com Thank You