Compassionate Consumption

What we buy, use and eat has an impact on our planet. We need to be aware of all of these things not just for our own health, but for the welfare of future generations.

You can do mini-meditations each day, or when you are feeling like your spending is out of control, to remind yourself of the interconnectedness of all beings and things. This will also help you to stop mindless consumption and becoming a victim of our consumer driven society. When you purchase less toxic products you are lessening the burden on our planet. This meditation practice is not to make you feel guilt but to heighten your conscious and to make you feel empowered that you can actually make a difference.

I read a book about how to make change in the world. It all comes down to 7 words in 3 sentences.

Be Healthy. Be Kind. Respect Your Environment.

It's so simple yet we never put it first when we are making choices.........   until now.

Using these steps you can remind yourself of the impact that YOU are having on the planet and to help you change your consumer habits to be more compassionate.

1. Sit on your own. Be comfortable. Remove any distractions that may interrupt you.

2. Visualize yourself being connected to all other living things, the sky, the earth, water, rocks and plants.  Feel a sense of love emanating from your whole body and a sense of gratitude for all of the beauty and those life experiences that you have had, that make you the person you are.

3.Imagine the effect that you have every time you consume something. The people who grow and manufacture the materials and resources, the distribution those products,  All of the energy and interaction that it takes to supply that item.

Think of the limited resources that this planet has. Oil, minerals, water. Think of how we deal with the    wastes of that product and the by products of manufacturing and distributing. Think of how we deal with disposal of things that cannot be recycled.

When we are talking about consuming meat, consider the animal that it came from. The conditions that animal went through on a farm and how it was slaughtered and processed. Remember that it was not that animals choice to live such a life. Send your gratitude to that animal that has given its life to be your nourishment. Stop being disconnected from the truth that all meat, was once a living being.

Think of all farming and food preparation practices using chemicals and machinery and cheap labour.

4. Bring this consciousness of the effect of your consumption on the planet, to your everyday life and try to make more compassionate decisions regarding what you consume.

5. Be Aware, Be Grateful.

No matter how long the mess has been there,

no matter how powerful the urge is to leave it there,

make the effort to clean it up.

It's worth it.

It opens up new horizons.

It brings freshness.

It opens up new perspectives

P.L.

Love and Gratitude,

Lisa xxx

Living with your words

I try so hard to be aware of the words I use. Not just in the sense that I am not being misunderstood, or that I am not being tactless, but that my actual words aren't becoming a negative mantra to myself or others. How many times do you hear yourself say -

I would kill for a cup of coffee.
That food is to die for.
You are being a pain in the neck.
At work today I had to bust a gut.
... you get the picture..   there are millions more...

These may seem insignificant however they become your way of thinking in the subconscious. I have become a bit of a word policeman and try to stop these negative words being used so flippantly. This can even come down to the basic level of softening some words or phrases such as replacing "should have" with "could have".  This became so easy to change once I became aware of it. Listen to what you are actually saying, not what you think you are saying, you will be surprised by the amount of times you could be more positive. Even the times when you are just joking around.

I also realised how I was talking to my children. My intention was to encourage them, however in doing that I was constantly talking about what they shouldn't be doing. It was pure negativity coming from me. I have turned it around and now only use the positive examples to get my point across. This was difficult because I think of the words embedded in me from the influences I had when I was growing up. It certainly wasn't encouraging words, it was trying to steer me out of fear.  That negativity stops here and I am creating what I, and my children, take into the future.

Keep your thoughts positive,

because your thoughts become your words.

Keep your words positive,

because your words become your behaviours.

Keep your behaviours positive,

because your behaviours become your habits.

Keep your habits positive,

because your habits become your values.

Keep your values positive,

because your values become your destiny.

Gandhi

Love and Gratitude

Lisa xxx

The Seeker

I began the journey of my life on this day, 43 years ago and so thought it would be the perfect day to add another aspect to that journey. I hope that you will allow me to share with you my thoughts on lifes path and together we will grow with wisdom, love, faith and charity.

With any journey there is a beginning, whether it be the spark of inspiration to start it or taking the first physical step, it is the moment that you commit to moving forward. The first card in a deck of tarot symbolises this very movement. Card number 0, The Fool (or The Seeker). Why fool ? not because you are foolish but because it is with the act of faith you begin a journey into the unknown. This naive, innocent beginning, watched by your guardians, offering you the world if you are prepared to the take the risk of the first step. Why the number 0 ?  This number represents pure potentiallity as all numbers start from here. So our journey has potential, it has faith, it has willing, but does it have a destination ? of course......     How can you travel a path unless you know where you want it to take you?.  That is the first part of the journey, the goal, then you have to work back from there to work out how you are going to achieve your goal.  My immeadiate goals change all the time. They are influenced subconsiously by the people around me,  any strengths that I currently recognise in myself and even moments of inspiration when I learn new things. My long term goals are totally set in concrete.. no moving these big boys.... To Love, To Give, To Inspire and To Live With God.

All great athletes seek personal bests.

It's a wonderful approach to life.

Always seek new challenges,

especially those that stretch your capabilities.

But remember, it's not the goal that's important:

it's the quest that brings the benefits. 

Patrick Lindsay

Join me in this journey, share with me your thoughts and your stories. Open your heart, your mind and trust that we are all heading into an incredible future.

Love and Gratitude,

Lisa xx