“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not the mind.”—Lionel Hampton
So I’m reading this fascinating book called Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain. It’s written by neuroscientist David Eagleman who presents compelling evidence that our DNA is not a blueprint, but the opening domino that kicks off the show. He says our brains are constantly reconfiguring, constantly making new neural connections, way more than any other species. We’re all hard-wired to eat and mate, of course, but after that there’s a lot of leeway.
Which is why I’ve decided to share my new response to “How are you?” I learned the word OTSA from Tippy, a wonderful ACIM teacher who recently contacted me about a group she started last year to work the Course, using the original lessons along with my irreverent version. She says there are more than 50 “bright open minds” from Estonia, Norway, South Africa, Spain, India, Slovenia, Finland, Scotland, etc. who, bit by bit, are relinquishing layers of fear. She jokingly calls it a gathering of the UN Peace Corp and reports that, after a year (and they’re starting up again), everything is becoming light and fun.
So when people ask her how she is, she answers OTSA! It stands for Off the Scale Amazing.
Which is why I decided to share two videos guaranteed to switch up your neural programming.
The first is of Gurdeep Pandher who reminds me of the power of one person to make a difference. From the Yukon, not exactly a high population center, he dances and spreads joy.
The second is a video you may have seen. I was reminded of it yesterday because Deborah Cohan, who became known as the dancing doctor, is speaking at our Awakin call this Saturday. This video went viral (Beyonce even shared it) after she created a flash mob of dancers in the OR before her double mastectomy.
Hopefully, after watching these, you can all answer OTSA if someone happens to inquire within. #222 Forever
Beware the stories you read or tell. Beneath the waters of consciousness, they are altering your world.”–Ben Okri
Kids’ computer games have undoubtedly evolved since my daughter Taz played them on the giant desktop (compared to today’s laptops, that early Gateway is a veritable behemoth) in my office.
Back then, she had several games where, by pointing a cursor at an item in a scene, it would came alive. For example, if she clicked on a cupboard door, it would open, music would play and a duet of dancing mice would pirouette across the shelf. Or she’d click on a flowerpot and it would shimmy and shake until its beautiful red petals rained to the ground.
Life is like those old computer games. When you put your attention on something, it literally comes alive. If you put your cursor on all the opportunities and love in the scenes of your life, that reality comes alive.
But if you continue to click on the monsters under the bed, they, too, are more than happy to put in an appearance. The thing is we’re the ones manning the dials. We’re the ones deciding where to point our cursors, where to send our attention.
Have the best weekend of your life, my friends! I trust it will include dancing.
Pam Grout is the author of 19 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest book, Art & Soul,Reloaded: A Year-Long Apprenticeship to Summon the Muses and Ignite Your Daring, Audacious, Creative Side.
“Children see magic because they look for it.” ―Christopher Moore
When it comes to creativity, all you have to do is channel your inner four-year-old.
Preschoolers don’t sit in front of a pail of legos thinking, “Nah! Not feeling it today.” They don’t wonder if they’re talented enough. They don’t question their ability, worry what someone will think.
They plunge in, unhindered, free, happy.
My friend Carla told a wonderful story about her granddaughter who was dancing with great abandon. A well-meaning adult who was watching said, “Wow! I’m impressed. Are you going to be a dancer someday?”
Carla’s granddaughter, without missing a beat, retorted, “I already am!”
All of us–even squeamish, frightened grownups–already are dancers, painters and writers.
Shall we begin?
Pam Grout is the author of 19 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the just-released, Art & Soul,Reloaded: A Year-Long Apprenticeship to Summon the Muses and Ignite Your Daring, Audacious, Creative Side.
“Too many blessings, too little appreciation.”–Don Henley
So yesterday, a guy from England tweeted this: “Switched my morning online news paper reading to @PamGrout’s blog instead. It’s a much nicer experience.”
That might just be the nicest thing anybody ever said about me.
And it gives me hope that our team is expanding. Our team of believers who know that love is always the right approach. That possibilities are endless once you take your focus off the one story (it hasn’t changed in many years) dispensed by the news.
So go team!
I promised to send the P.S. to Michelle’s story. Here it is:
It’s Michelle from Germany, I wrote you in April about my plans to walk the Way of St. James and how the universe sent me beautiful signs. After 7 weeks I’m now back home and overjoyed I walked the Camino. You asked me for a report about my journey, so here I am;)
First of all, I must say that this pilgrimage in general was an unique experience, because you meet so many different inspiring people from all over the world and everyone has his own personal story. You walk across a beautiful country with great nature and you learn so much about yourself, your body AND your soul. So I can really recommend it to everyone. But I wanted to tell you about my amazing manifestations and experiences with the field of potential (Or how I call it : Dschinni and I feel like Aladdin). It would take too long to talk about all miracles of my journey but I want to list my Top 5;)
1. My body: well, I’m still impressed how my thoughts influenced my health on the Camino. I wasn’t an experienced hiker but I walked the whole way with almost no pain. Nothing hurt, my legs, my back, my feet, everything was fine. Because I decided on my first day: “I can do it! I will walk the whole thing and will not take the bus. By body is strong enough”. And I repeated it every morning. And the highlight was (some pilgrims didn’t believe me): I walked these 900 kilometer without any blisters on my feet. Not one! Because I worked hand in hand with the field. To reinforce this effect, I gave away all my blistering plasters and medicines to other pilgrims who really needed it. I’m so thankful!
2. My little gift: right before the city Pamplona, I did the experiment number 1 and asked for a little gift in the evening. By the way, I listened to your audiobook E-Squared almost every day. Some hours later, I stayed in a lovely albergue and sat in the garden. Suddenly, a pilgrim who was an utter stranger to me came to me and said out of nowhere: “ Hello. I’m sorry but do you know the Law of Attraction?” How awesome was that! We talked a lot and exchanges our experiences with the field.
3. My birthday: I also spent my 23th birthday on the Camino. 3 or 4 days before I said to Dschinni: “ Alright, my dear. What about a nice birthday gift for me? It’s your choice what it will be, just surprise me!” I had a beautiful walk on my own during my birthday. In the evening I chose a very small albergue in a little, nearly abandoned village. Suddenly, six of my “old” pilgrim friends stood in front of me. It happens that you lose each other on the Camino because of different walking speeds, plans or whatever. I hadn’t seen them for almost 2 weeks! And then they stood right in front of me! All of them! Independently, we all decided on that day to rest in the same village AND in the same albergue. So we celebrated my birthday together with a nice dinner, cake, singing and a lot of wine. What a great birthday gift from the field!
4. My free night in a luxury hotel: This was quite funny. Because I decided to try out something new and wanted to manifest a certain thing. So 10 days before my arrival in Santiago de Compostela, I asked the universe for a nice costless hotel. After all these weeks in the albergues (where 30 to 40 people sleep in one room) I thought I would deserve a little bit of luxury. But I guessed, maybe this manifestation will need more time so I did my affirmation 10 days before my arrival. But Dschinni wanted to impress me. Two days later, in Leon, I was looking for an albergue and met a pilgrim friend again. She is from Los Angeles and I helped her to find the right way and the albergue the day before. And she said: “ You know what? I just booked a nice hotel here. It’s a double room and you can joy me. It’s already paid. I know you’re a student on a budget and I don’t want money from you. You helped me yesterday, I help you today” How amazing was that, I was so shocked and happy at the same time! And the hotel was really luxury, much more than in my thoughts. But I think, my Dschinni likes me;)
5. It was a very hot day and my water was used up. I sat down on a bench in a little village and had no idea where I could get new water. Everything was closed (during the siesta, it’s really like in a ghost town, nobody was there). I tried to calm down and asked my Dschinni for help. One minute later, a front door opened on the other side of the street. A very old Spanish man came over to me, smiled and gave me a glass of water. So amazing! After I drank it, he wanted me to follow him. He leaded me to a hidden drinking water fountain where I could backfill my bottle.
These were just some examples from my Camino-miracles. Every day I experienced something new and remarkable, from little to big things. And with every day, with every step I lost my fear more and more. My fear of my future, of travelling, of failure. On the Way, there is an important place which is called “Cruz de Ferro”. It’s a memorial standing on a hill of stones. The tradition is that the pilgrim brings a small stone from his home to this Cruz de Ferro and leaves it there as a sign of his burden. So I left my stone there, I left my fear of everything there and decided to replace it with hope, trust and courage. This was very emotional.
Now I’m remembering something a woman from India said to me right before Santiago. “You know, Michelle, the universe seeks the perfect point of time for everyone to send him on the Camino. There aren’t any coincidences.” I think she’s right. It was the perfect time for me to lose my fear on the Way of St. James. But I’m not sure I would have do it without your books. They gave me so much power and trust. Thank you very very very very very very much, Pam!!!!;) Dschinni and me, we owe you a lot!
Blessings and joy,
Michelle
Thank you so much, Michelle, for being an inspiration to all of us.
And with that, I’m signing off with my wishes for a weekend that gives you endless joy.
Pam Grout is the author of 18 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the about to be released, Thank and Grow Rich: a 30-day Experiment in Shameless
“What’s important is you make the leap. Jump high and hard with intention and heart.”—Cheryl Strayed
The default setting for most of us is this: life sucks, shit happens and the glass is half-full at best.
My work is about cutting off that negative feeding tube and providing a new blueprint—chiefly the TRUTH. That the universe is limitless, abundant, and strangely accommodating.
But it has come to my attention that there’s still some slacking going on in our muscle memory. That’s the phenomenon where we create a physiological blueprint. Our brains send a memo to our body that triggers our central nervous system, our muscles, our tendons, joints, etc. to perform automatic movements. There’s a continuous feedback loop from your brain to your muscles and back.
So I’ve developed this series of calisthenics to train your body, your muscle memory, if you will, to “get excited, get, get excited.” That’s a line my cheerleading squad boisterously yelled in junior high. Yes, I was an Ark City Puppy cheerleader. Don’t laugh! The high school mascot was a bulldog.
So, I hope you’re hearing the James Brown song, “I feel good, so good” playing in your head about now.
Exercise # 1: Pump your fist in the air with complete glee. Repeat five times.
Exercise #2: Pretend you’re a Latin American soccer player who just made a goal. In the finals. When the score is tied.
Exercise #3: Fist bump at least six people daily.
Exercise #4: Do the Harlem Shuffle on your way to the bathroom in the morning. Before your brush your teeth.
Exercise #5: High-five everyone you see. I can’t tell you how much fun this one is. We do it in my hometown every time our college basketball team wins the NCAA tournament.
Exercise #6: Go outside and stretch your arms wide to salute the sun that comes up everyday without you having to pay for it or ask it to.
For more inspiration and exercises, go see the movie, Frances Ha. Greta Gerwig is a maestro at leaping across streets, dancing in public and keeping her muscle memory happy.
And it never hurts to re-watch this exuberant Flash Mob that surprised the Big O.
Pam Grout is the author of 18 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the about to be released, Thank and Grow Rich: a 30-day Experiment in Shameless Gratitude and Unabashed Joy
“I want to choose again, I want to live in the Kingdom. I want to live out from my true spiritual estate, who I really am. I want to live out from eternal, perpetual health and wholeness and strength and vitality. I want to live out from the knowledge that the abundance of all good is a continual flow.”—Michele Longo-O’Donnell
Tonight is the full moon which can only mean one thing: it’s time to put on my dancing shoes.
Last year at Omega, my group made a pact that we would dance “together” on each full moon—no matter where we happened to be on the planet. It is a dance in celebration of oneness and possibility and knowing that the coming month will bring forth riches of all kinds.
You are invited tonight to join with us. Wherever you might be.
Because here’s the thing.
The world right now is crying out for a whole team of radio towers who are beaming in the cosmic energy of infinite possibility. It needs a whole contingent of human frequencies who believe in the invisible power of light and love.
In fact, I would like to suggest that there is nothing more important you could ever do for yourself, your family, your friends and your planet than to tune in to the frequency of gratitude and joy.
At every moment, whether you know it or not, you are contributing to the collective consciousness. Your thoughts, your energy field, your frequency, is putting out an electromagnetic charge that either adds to the old story—the story of lack and limitation—or beams in the new story.
I think we can all agree we could use a new story.
The old story, the story of separation, tells us our thoughts, our beliefs, our energy fields . . . don’t really matter, not in the vast universe of others. It tells us that force and control and taking action is the way to bring about change.
But there is a better way. And I feel certain it has to do with dancing. Beaming love. Living in Truth. Knowing that the headlines, the political race have nothing whatsoever to do with me. And that when I don’t fall for their crazy-making plot lines, I am a much more effective force on the planet.
I hope you’ll join me and hundreds of others who have committed to dance on the full moon. As always, we will dance for love, for possibility, for light.
Pam Grout is the author of 18 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the about to be released, Thank and Grow Rich: a 30-day Experiment in Shameless
“Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair…”
― Susan Polis Schutz
Just found out the pub date (that’s publication date) for my new book has been moved up from October to August. So, in celebration, here’s an excerpt:
Wanna know one of my most important spiritual practices?
Erupting into spontaneous dance. In places besides dance floors.
Here are five reasons it’s as important as meditation:
1. It cuts thought off at the knees. All spiritual practice is about getting out of our own way, letting go of all the thoughts that block the Divine Buzz. The majority of our thoughts are boring re-runs from yesterday, the same ole to-do lists, fears and gripes.
And the Truth is that life works just fine without our incessant input. In fact, the more we distract the yammer, the better things actually work. This may seem counterproductive, but your right and perfect path will show up once you quit trying to figure everything out. It’s all the figuring and fretting that keeps it away. Dancing shuts down the mind so Truth can emerge.
2. Dancing puts you on the same wavelength as the F.P. As I’ve repeatedly said, you can’t watch ABC if you’re tuned into NBC. When you’re joyfully dancing, you’re on the same channel as the Big Guy. Which, of course, makes it easier for the F.P. to pour out all those countless blessings with your name on it.
3. It makes other people happy. I spend a lot of time in airports. And for the most part, the thousands of people waiting for flights are doing the same thing. Staring at their cell phones. One day in the Cincinnati airport, my daughter and I spotted (well, there was really no possibility of missing him) this tall gangly young man dancing jubilantly through the terminal. By himself. We were sitting at a Chick Fil A (this is before I began boycotting them) when he zoomed joyfully by. We both began laughing and like the young children in the German fairytale, The Pied Piper, we began to follow him.
Who can forget this wonderful scene from the movie, The Full Monte, where these unemployed steel workers began tapping their feet while waiting in the unemployment line?
4. It heals your body and eliminates other ailments. My friend, Betty, is 82. Most of her peers, when they get together, discuss one thing—their health or lack thereof. What she discovered when she took up dancing, the conversation (between Fox Trots) became elevated and people forgot all about their health issues. They actually started having fun, feeling young again.
5. It jars you into a new reality. Worldview 2.0 is all about leaving ruts and mental architecture that squeezes us into a tiny, uncomfortable box. Worldview 1.0 includes dancing, of course, but, once we’re grown-up, it only occurs when there’s alcohol and a dance floor. By dancing in places where others don’t expect it, you jump out of the box and your consciousness can’t help but follow. Again, life forms around our beliefs and expectations (our consciousness), so the more we can expand our beliefs and expectations, the bigger toehold life has to flow in.
Pam Grout is the author of 17 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the equally scintillaing sequel, E-Cubed, 9 More Experiments that Prove Mirth, Magic and Merriment is your Full-time Gig.
“Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair…”
― Susan Polis Schutz
Today, I’d like to introduce you to what I consider one of the most important spiritual practices. Erupting into spontaneous dance. In places besides dance floors.
Here are five reasons it’s as important as meditation:
1. It cuts thought off at the knees. All spiritual practice is about getting out of our own way, letting go of all the thoughts that block the Divine Buzz. The majority of our thoughts are boring re-runs from yesterday, the same ole to-do lists, fears and gripes.
And the Truth is that life works just fine without our incessant input. In fact, the more we distract the yammer, the better things actually work. This may seem counterproductive, but your right and perfect path will show up once you quit trying to figure everything out. It’s all the figuring and fretting that keeps it away. Dancing shuts down the mind so Truth can emerge.
2. Dancing puts you on the same wavelength as the F.P. As I’ve repeatedly said, you can’t watch ABC if you’re tuned into NBC. When you’re joyfully dancing, you’re on the same channel as the Big Guy. Which, of course, makes it easier for the F.P. to pour out all those countless blessings with your name on it.
3. It makes other people happy. I spend a lot of time in airports. And for the most part, the thousands of people waiting for flights are doing the same thing. Staring at their cell phones. One day in the Cincinnati airport, my daughter and I spotted (well, there was really no possibility of missing him) this tall gangly young man dancing jubilantly through the terminal. By himself. We were sitting at a Chick Fil A (this is before I began boycotting them) when he zoomed joyfully by. We both began laughing and like the young children in the German fairytale, The Pied Piper, we began to follow him.
Who can forget this wonderful scene from the movie, The Full Monte, where these unemployed steel workers began tapping their feet while waiting in the unemployment line?
4. It heals your body and other ailments. My friend, Betty, is 82. Most of her peers, when they get together, discuss one thing—their health or lack thereof. What she discovered when she took up dancing, the conversation (between Fox Trots) became elevated and people forgot all about their health issues. They actually started having fun, feeling young again.
5. It jars you into a new reality. Worldview 2.0, the exciting new paradigm I write about in E-Cubed, is all about leaving ruts and mental architecture that squeezes us into a tiny, uncomfortable box. Worldview 1.0 includes dancing, of course, but, once we’re grown-up, it only occurs when there’s alcohol and a dance floor. By dancing in places where others don’t expect it, you jump out of the box and your consciousness can’t help but follow. Again, life forms around our beliefs and expectations (our consciousness), so the more we can expand our beliefs and expectations, the bigger toehold life has to flow in.
I’ve shown this one before, but it’s worth repeating…..
Pam Grout is the author of 17 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the just-released sequel, E-Cubed, 9 More Experiments that Prove Mirth, Magic and Merriment is your Full-time Gig.
“Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.” Nelson, My Hero, Mandela
Two years ago, when visiting Robben Island in South Africa, I bought a replica of Nelson Mandela’s prison bracelet. Engraved with 46664, the number he was assigned during his 27 years of prison there, this bracelet that I wear nearly every day reminds me that no matter how it might look on the outside, there is always a greater story going on.
I loved Madiba. And I think of South Africa often whenever I get discouraged that things never change. Or wonder what I, one person from Kansas, can do to affect that change?
It wasn’t that long ago that ending apartheid in South Africa seemed impossible, much like it seems impossible to fix all the rifts on our planet today.
But during my lifetime, it went from impossible to possible. Almost overnight.
Which reminds me that holding a vision, which Mandela did during those long years of hard labor, is everything. And to never give up, never lose your sense of humor and never forget to dance.
Enjoy this tribute to the great man who will always dance in my heart.
Pam Grout is the author of 16 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality.
“Spiritual practice is just training our minds towards reverence, like moving a potted plant to a sunny spot by the window.”—Lana Maree on Facebook
Okay, so I guess this topic (being the luckiest person on the planet) is now an official series. And one of the gazillion reasons it’s true is because I have the most awesome friends in the entire known universe.
I hear from hundreds of readers, who are all awesome, and I have a couple groups here in my hometown who get together with the sole purpose of HAVING FUN. And therefore attracting MORE FUN. It’s a constant reminder of why we are here on planet earth. I walk out of those groups….no, I should say I dance out of those groups buzzing with joy and love and creative ideas.
Yesterday, one of our newest members told this story. A couple years ago she made a New Year’s resolution to “never say no to fun.” That meant if anyone asked her to go to a concert or go out dancing or out to lunch, she was committed to say “You betcha!”
She had begun to notice that she was turning down invitations because well, she’s a mom and she had a busy day or she was tired or…..you get the idea. There are a million rational reasons adults can give for declining an offer to enjoy themselves.
Kids, she noted, never turned down fun. They were in constant search of the next good time. Teenagers, too, would never spurn a party…no matter how late or how much they were going to piss off their parents by sneaking out the bedroom window.
It begs the question….when was the tipping point? At what point did we begin rejecting the chance for joy and glee?
What she discovered during her year of “just saying yes” is that the energy she thought she was going to conserve by staying home actually grew. The tired feeling that had previously impelled her to give the other answer completely disappeared.
And now, she says, “I don’t even have to think about it. I always say yes to fun.”
In the comments section below, tell me what you’re going to do this week for fun?
Pam Grout is the author of 16 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality.
So yesterday, a guy from England tweeted this: “Switched my morning online news paper reading to @PamGrout’s blog instead. It’s a much nicer experience.”
Who can forget this wonderful scene from the movie, The Full Monte, where these unemployed steel workers began tapping their feet while waiting in the unemployment line?
