Methods of Manifestation

When it comes to manifestation, there are two methods that work better than all the rest…  

The first is to make a step outline of everything that would need to transpire to make your goal a reality. Then take action on each step, crossing each one off as they are accomplished, and of course, remembering to enjoy the ride towards your desire along the way. In my past, a take action plan was essential for things like producing a movie or writing a book. In both cases, I was initially intimidated by the size of my to-do list, but crossing off each step is a wonderful feeling, and when your ultimate goal or desire is about to manifest, it will no longer seem like such a daunting task, it will only seem like what it has become; the next logical step. Method # 1 is basically the “cover your ass technique” for manifestation. One reason it works so well is because there is a great deal of power comes along with writing things down.

Method #2 is to write down or affirm what you want, have absolute faith it will become your reality, and completely detach yourself from the outcome. Trying to figure out the “how” or “when” only focuses you on the fact that what you want still hasn’t arrived and delays it from showing up. So what do you do until your desire shows up? Follow your bliss, of course! I’ve actually used manifestation lists for over a decade. Simply make a list of everything you want and cross each one off as they manifest.

Years ago, when I was pursuing acting in Los Angeles, I made an attempt to “help” my career by contacting some former acting associates of my father’s. His connections got me a few parts over the years, but fame somehow eluded me. Anyway, the last man to meet was well known character actor, Harry Dean Stanton. Harry had been in over 100 films, 50 TV shows, and graduated from the Pasadena Playhouse with my father. I wrote his name down and turned it over to the Universe.

Several months later, I stopped at a branch of my bank I normally didn’t use. I was the only customer until the door opened, and in walked Harry Dean Stanton! I couldn’t believe my eyes, but all I could really do was laugh. When he finished banking, I met him outside and told him who I was. He had no memory of my father whatsoever and looked at me like I was completely nuts. So much for the acting connections! Anyway, that’s not my point. My point is that I actually crossed Harry Dean Stanton off my manifestation list!!

Never underestimate the power of writing things down, and remember, regardless of where you are at the present moment, you can get anywhere you want to be as long as you take things one logical step at a time and enjoy the ride to your desires along the way! 

The Happiness Factor

At the end of the day, we all want the same thing out of life, to feel good. Every action we take is on some level an attempt to feel better. The neighbor with the loud, blaring music may seem inconsiderate, but it is only being played in order to make the person playing it feel better, not to piss you off. And the person who just cut you off in traffic did not leave their house with the secret agenda of agitating you at that given moment. As nice as it would be to think the world evolves around us, it doesn't. We are all doing the best we can at all times based on our present level of awareness.

People aren't going to change in order for you to be happy. Anything or anyone that's ever pissed you off didn't really piss you off. You pissed your self off. Since the majority of life is based on our reaction to things, the only solution is to change the way you react to the things that aggravate you in the first place.

What kind of world do you live in? How do you expect people to treat you? How do you treat people? Since like attracts like at all times via Law of Attraction, it makes total sense that we get what we expect. If you allow and expect well-being to flow into your life, you can have as much of it as you want. We all create of our own destinies.

Our emotions are excellent indicators to let us know at all times if we are headed in the right direction or not, providing a built-in guidance system along the way. Anger is very powerful, and not always easy to overcome. Nonetheless, you should be appreciative of it, for knowing what you don't want makes it all the more clearer what you do.

In my younger years I was a sports fan, but I got tired of letting them dictate my mood based on whether my team won or lost. Ultimately, I learned that we are born to create, not to compete, and that all comparison leads to unhappiness. If you are a sports fan who is serious about feeling good, try eliminating them from your life for a while and see if you feel any better.

For me personally, it took not only avoiding sports, but also the news, certain movies, TV shows or websites, and even certain people. I had to get way, way out of my comfort zone, but in the end, it led to feeling much better than I did before. I learned to admit mistakes, appreciate contrast, and love myself unconditionally. In turn, it allows me to accept others for who they are and love them unconditionally as well, as faulty or distorted as their realities may be. Remember, we all do the best we can at all times based on our present level of awareness.

So raise a glass and let's toast! Cheers to the happiness factor!!

Blissful Thinking

When “The Secret” became an international best seller, it opened up many people’s eyes to the Law of Attraction. But the truth is, it never was a secret. In fact, it’s public domain, and authors have been writing about it for centuries.

The average person has over 60,000 thoughts a day, and like it or not, we get what we think about, using these forces to create our realities. The art of “Blissful Thinking” is to develop a mindset of happiness by consciously choosing thoughts that make you feel good, and following your bliss on a regular basis. We are all creating all the time, whether we realize it or not. Most people do it by default, but by becoming a Blissful Thinker, you can master the art of deliberate creation, and permanently change your reality for the better.

The first step in achieving this mindset is to become consciously aware of your emotions. They provide a built in guidance system to let you know at all times if you are headed in the right direction or not. There are really only two emotions. One feels good, and the other doesn’t. Feeling negative emotion means you’re swimming against the tide, and away from the things you want. Positive emotion means you’re heading in the right direction, and all you have to do is let the current take you down the river.

It’s also essential to eliminate all things from your life that stir up negative emotion in the first place, including the news, certain movies or TV shows, or even certain people, for that matter. This may not be easy, but there are many benefits to getting out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid of change. Not only a good thing, it’s the natural way of the Universe. When you go with the flow of it, the things you want will show up even faster.

Another difficult, but essential step is to give up caring what people think about you. It’s okay to like, or even want approval, but when you don’t need it anymore, the amount of freedom and joy you’ll experience will be off the charts.  

Next, make peace with your present reality and decide to love yourself unconditionally. In turn, this will allow you to love others unconditionally, regardless of how faulty and distorted as their realities may be.

Lastly, as life gets better and better, don’t feel guilty. Just be grateful and appreciative, and Law of Attraction will only send more things your way to appreciate. Remember, like attracts like! So raise a glass and let’s toast! Cheers to the Art of Blissful Thinking!! 

Giving Back To Our Pets

In May of 2009, my 14-year-old cat, Erica, started acting strange, and meowing very loud. She demanded to drink water from the faucet, and her thirst appeared unquenchable. I took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with chronic renal failure, or “CRF.” It’s common among older cats, but virtually undetectable until a major percentage of the kidneys have already failed. They put her on antibiotics, but said her condition was so severe, she would need daily injections of subcutaneous fluids, have to go on a low protein diet, and special medications.

While CRF is terminal, my vet said she could live weeks, months, or even years depending on the response to treatment. I was also given the option of euthanasia, but Erica and I had been through too much together to give up on her, so I decided to do whatever it took to nurse her back to health.

I scoured the Internet and educated myself extensively about her condition. Other than occasional nausea, there’s no pain associated with CRF, except in the final stages. Lack of appetite was a potential problem, but she showed no signs of that, and enjoyed the KD diet very much.

The injections were a bit of a challenge at first, especially with Erica’s “hiss-tory.” But she seemed to know instinctively that I was saving her, so she was a lot more agreeable than I thought she’d be. The vet charged $25 for one bag, or ten-day supply of sub-q fluids, but thank God for Costco, where I discovered you can get a box of 20 for the same price! Little by little, I became very efficient at giving Erica the injections without causing any discomfort. She actually looked forward to them and felt much better after receiving them.

For several months, everything was cool. However, on Dec. 27^th, 2010, Erica woke up and couldn’t see a thing. I knew blindness was a potential side effect of CRF, but remembered reading there was a fifty percent chance the vision could return if the cat was put on blood pressure medicine within 24 hours of the onset. My vet prescribed the medicine over the phone, and I picked it up right away.

Three weeks later, Erica’s vision miraculously returned, and if you think I’m grateful and appreciative, imagine how Erica felt! A once hissing, growling, raging bull of a cat was now an appreciative, purring, picture of peace, and she remained that way for the duration of her life, which came to an end on April 21^st, 2011. It was also my 38^th birthday, so it was taken as a sign not to grieve, but to celebrate the 16 years life and love we shared.

In the end, I was blessed with almost two years of extra Erica because of the choices I made, and she even inspired me to write a book! Though her story will now live on forever, the real point of this article is inspire others to do the same for their pets, should they ever find themselves in a similar situation. Yes, it takes getting out of your comfort zone, costs, money, and is not always convenient. But in my opinion, our pets do so much for us, it’s the least we can do in return!  

Blind Cat Restores Vision

In May of 2009, my 14 year old cat "Erica" was diagnosed with kidney failure, also known as CRF, or chronic renal failure. It's common among older cats, but virtually undetectable until about 70 percent of the kidneys have already failed to function. While CRF is terminal, your cat can go on living a comfortable life for months, or even years, as long as it maintains a strict renal diet, proper medication, and daily injections of subcutaneous fluids.

However, one potential side effect of CRF is the onset of blindness caused by a sudden spike in blood pressure. In Erica's case, it happened six months after her diagnosis. Though I was devastated, I remembered reading an article by Dr. Gary Norsworthy in Vet Forum Magazine from June of 1996. He said the vision can return once the blood pressure is lowered providing the cat goes on blood pressure medicine within 24 hours of the onset. The retinas can potentially reattach once the pressure comes down.

I immediately called my vet and she prescribed the medication over the phone, though she admitted never hearing about the potential of such a miracle occurring. I also called eye specialists and advised them of the situation, but by and large, the feedback was about the same. I scoured the Internet and found some articles and forums that verified the possibility, but could not find success stories on an individual level. Regardless, I knew I had to stay positive and have faith anyway. I also prayed for the first time in my life.

Erica adapted surprisingly well to the blindness. I carried her in and out of bed every night and she slept tight by my head. And then, three weeks to the day after she lost her vision, she woke up and could see again 100 percent! Every day was already a gift as far as I was concerned, but this was single handedly the greatest moment of my life. And if you think I'm grateful and appreciative, imagine how Erica felt! She started acting like a kitten again and became more affectionate than ever before. So if you have a CRF cat or know anyone that does, please spread the word about this amazing and miraculous little known secret!!

The information provided in this blog is for educational reference purposes only. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Watch Erica Get Vision Back