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A New Year, A New Way

Written by Lifecoach Brodie

What is it that truly speaks to our hearts and desires? What is it that will truly bring us happiness?

To know the riches of the world, seek out the things that money cannot buy.

As I look to my own life and to the lives of my fellow humans, it's clear to me that we are searching so hard, giving everything we have, yet we are not finding what we want...lasting joy. We are searching for something in the world that is going to make us happy or feel fulfilled. Yet, when we find that 'next best thing', such as a new car or new lover or cool new computer gadget, the feeling of fulfillment is quick to pass, most often leaving us empty again with an even bigger void to fill. We soon find ourselves back online shopping for the next thing, maxing out our credit cards to fill the pestering void or back at the fridge looking for another sweet treat, sweeter and bigger than the last.

The human family is on a relentless quest for fulfillment, yet we are looking in the wrong places. We have not been taught where to look. We learn our values from our tv's and from an onslaught of advertising everywhere we look. As we are continually searching, we hope that those billboards full of promise, prosperity, and ecstasy are in fact telling us the truth; pointing the way to our own happiness. Yet, we are being taught values and beliefs, which are based on money, greed, and consumerism.

Buy this and you will be happy. Eat this and you will be healthy. Smoke this and you will be accepted. Take this pill and all your problems will go away.

We are allowing ourselves to be guided and conditioned by the powerful influence of material wealth, when, in fact, true happiness will never come from this shallow source of perceived wealth.

What we really want is to find our place in this world and to have the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way and be recognized for who we truly are at our deepest core.

Intervention and Enlightenment in NYC

Written by Lifecoach Brodie

St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City, 2010

Rounding the street corner, we looked up to a series of majestic and intricate peaks towering above. As I look back, I now make a connection as well to the fact that the skies were reaching down to this powerful portal and hub of sacred energies.

Walking in through the massive wooden doors, the atmosphere instantly shifted from the bustle and excitement of downtown Manhattan to a rich and full depth of serenity and prayer. The smell of incense filled the air with its delicate fragrance. Standing there, looking up and around at the majesty of the grand and ancient cathedral, I noticed before me a small bath of blessing water. I dipped my finger in the holy water and for the first time ever in my life, made the holy cross over my forehead, shoulders, and heart. I felt the presence of God begin to saturate me with Her blessing. I made an offering with the intention of truly helping the impoverished and entered through the wooden gates.

People in silent prayer in the pews by my sides, intricately decorated walls and stained glass reaching up to the towering arching ceilings above, I slowly making my way up the centre aisle until I reached the place where sacred verses and rituals had been embodied for over a century.

Beneath my feet was a flower-like symbol embedded in the marble floor. I felt in my whole being a call to kneel and so I followed this inner guidance, regardless of the fact that others would be walking by and would not expect me to be there. I knelt down with my one hand holding my new 'hat of abundance' on my knee and the other outstretched to God. Bowing my head in prayer, I spoke from within, words flowing effortlessly in silence. I found so much to pray for. A flood of gratitude and eternal abundance filled me and I felt bathed in light and in love to the point of being fully saturated.

I am not sure how long I remained there, for time no longer existed, only love. I prayed for my family, my friends, my extended-Earth family and for our planet and all the animals who inhabit Her. I prayed for an awakening of our hearts and souls here on Earth. I prayed for those who are suffering to be lifted up into abundance and for us all to realize our response'ability' and to accept it as a Gift for transformation and celebration. I prayed that I be released from my tensions and for the strength, courage, will, and love to be transformed and elevated into my greatest capacity so that this power and beauty can serve transformation and beauty all around me. I offered my life over to God, opening to a new depth of service and response'ability' to my fellow animal, and plant family. In that instant, I felt tensions I have been carrying maybe all my life dissolve in my face, in my shoulders and throughout my entire body. I prayed that my service would serve not only others, but myself as well. I thought of Jesus and his dedication to his world and how he was brutally torchered and murdered for his embodiment of the truth. For the first time in my life, I connected to his pure receptivity and surrender so that we as humans could learn deep lessons from his torture. He was an amazing man. His gifts continue to touch our souls to this day, 2000 years later and will continue to do so for countless years to come. I thought my own willingness to step into my own personal path of service (not religious, but powerful) on a deeper level, and prayed that my journey would be blessed with protection and guidance into living life to the fullest for decades to come.

When I was complete, I rose up and made my way over to sit beside my friend, Howard, who was also sitting in prayer. After sitting, I looked up to the raised platform/stage area before us and the raised-turret where the priests offers their sermons and reflected upon all the sharings and rituals that had taken place there. Then I looked up to the ceiling, allowing my head to roll back until I could see back to the entryway behind. Besides the arching ceiling and stained glass windows, what struck me as most profound was the golden symbol that was embedded in the ceiling directly above where I had knelt in prayer. It appeared to be a very special and sacred symbol, which was embedded right at the intersecting point of several of the arching ceiling lines. My first thought was that it is a power vortex, bringing in the energies of the heavens and the sacred and acting to focalize these energies and project them down to the very point where I had been kneeling in prayer. Once again, I felt the blessing and significance of this experience deepen and become clearer.

It was soon that Howard and I both felt complete. We emerged from giant swinging gothic-shaped doors beneath intricate stained glass 'forward' onto the streets of New York City in silence. Howard had nearly lost his voice from all the celebration of the 4 days before we had shared as participants in Tony Robbins' Unleash the Power Within Firewalk event so we remained in silence for the next while, simply walking and observing in deep wonder, amazement, and understanding.

There was so much insight that came through on that magical walk through Manhattan to Central Park.

I could see in the eyes and postures of those around me that we are all special and are all here to fulfill our own realization and that we all have full capacity to serve our world in a profound way, accepting the response'ability' of Infinite Intelligence and Love, which is within and without in all time/timelessness and space. No One is any more special than the next, yet because of our global culture's fixation on One Saviour, our awareness has been jaded. I realized that this Belief System (BS!) allows us as individuals to avoid the beautiful and powerful response'ability' that is given to us all. It allows us to avoid the perceived pain that we will suffer if we stand up and proclaim our God-given right to be powerful and beautiful ... to be fully alive. After all, look at what has happened to countless individuals such a s Jesus Christ, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. when they stood up and proclaimed their love for, and alignment with, the truth. They were brutally murdered. No wonder we are hesitant to share our gifts and to really speak what we love and what we really truly want.

Another insight that I was flooded with was this ... earlier in the day, I had been overly exhuberant in my interactions with people, and tickled by the abundance of outer stimulation and beauty that makes up New York. I had been in full immersion of the delights of shopping and eating, yet here I was, needing nothing and feeling completely fulfilled.

I saw in the eyes and postures of the people around me that they were missing something and that they were on a continuing mission to fill that gap with the next best 'thing', whether that be food, sex, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or other consumer goods that we tend to find and illusion of fulfillment within. I saw clearly the lack of fulfillment and I watched each person and allowed my intuition to read their lack, their self-defeating quest for fulfillment outside of themselves... not something I generally look for in people, but this was the lesson for the day.

Listening to my body to find guidance and direction, we walked on in silence, making our way toward Central Park. After walking for about 20 minutes or so, I looked to my right and saw a young man, about age 15, standing in front of a tall building smoking a cigarette. The sight caught my attention, and somehow it just didn't make sense that this boy had a cigarette in his hands.

Without hesitation, and following my heart guidance, I walked up to him, stood directly before him and said, "You are already so cool. You don't need that cigarette to prove it."

The look in his eyes told me that he felt happy to be seen.

I continued, "This is not something I do regularly, but I saw you and you caught my attention. I can see what a great guy you are and how much you have going for you, and that this cigarette is not helping. I'm not going to tell you to quit, but smoking is doing you no good."

His response, with wide eyes of appreciation, "Word." (That means, 'Cool, I agree.' In teen language)

"That thing in your hand is only killing you. You might as well put it out now because you don't need ti to be as cool as you already are."

"Cool," he said with almost a surprised look.

He had been seen in love. He had not been told what to do, and I was nobody to him. We had never met before, and we would never meet again.

He turned, took one last drag and butted out.

With a fist-pound (a traditional youth gesture of connection), we parted and went our separate ways. Separate, yet connected... each with a story to tell and full of gratitude for our brief, yet powerful, exchange.

That day, I felt how it feels to live in a deep enlightened state of consciousness. I also got to witness the power of connection and acknowledgement, and how quickly it can create real change.

My passion for life continues to grow! 2010 was an amazing year, and 2011 is going to be even more incredible! It's been an honour to share it with all of you, and I look forward to our paths crossing in this New Year.

Happy New Year everyone!

Be Unstoppable and Amazing!!