Yesterday, Nelson Mandela, South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, philanthropist, President of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, passed away at the age of 95 years old. Nelson Mandela was the first black South African to hold the Presidential office, and the first elected in a fully representative election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalized racism, poverty and inequality, and fostering racial reconciliation. After an international campaign against apartheid his oppressors were forced to release him.

Now you would think that somebody after 27 years might have quite a grudge and want revenge? Most of us would take this approach, I’m sure of it. This man took the high road. He forgave those that oppressed him. Think about it… 27 years locked up with nothing to do. Revenge would be the Hollywood version most people would expect, no, crave for that matter! What gives us that vengeful bone in our body? What makes us feel that justice must be served? If we are such a Christian nation, as we so boldly and arrogantly claim, why don’t we follow the teaching of Jesus Christ and turn the other cheek? Where do we get the audacity to exclude certain things out of a bible that we claim to be the word of God? Oh yeah… I forgot. We’re ‘sinners’. Sorry, but, $#^% that!

I don’t profess to be a Christian. I would consider myself more ‘Christ-like’ or ‘Buddha-like’. Jesus wasn’t a Christian, nor Buddha a Buddhist. Their followers are. The ones that pick and choose which teachings suit them instead of including all of them. Mandela was no different than Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammad, or any other that we’ve put on a pedestal. He professed peace. When do we, as human ‘be’ings stop following and start ‘be’ing?

Forgiveness. And most of all… forgive yourself. That’s where it starts.

I am humbled to have had such a person as Nelson Mandela living during my time on this earth. Someone who could teach me this through example. During this holiday season lets see who we can forgive. Lets see all of those old wounds healed. They are not serving us. They never have. Once we do this, once we forgive ourselves and those around us, we will eventually see Governments change, just like they did in South Africa. Anything is possible.

Peace,
D

Magic happens when you want it to happen.
I’m a believer in this fact. Today could be magical or it could be just another day. What do you choose it to be?

December 21, 2012 was a new beginning for a lot of people. We’ve watched relationships end and new solid ones begin (myself included). We’ve watched people put their foot down, deciding that the time is NOW for real change. We’ve watched the Earth changes as well. We’ve seen an Island appear off the coast of Africa, Flooding in Colorado, a Typhoon in the Philippines, a Hurricane on the East Coast, etc. All a reminder that change is inevitable. So, in a way December 21, 2012 was in fact what the Mayan’s predicted. It was an end of a cycle. A new beginning. Not the hyped up version of the end. Like in the movies, or like doomsday theorists declared. That’s all fear based. And that is the old paradigm. The acronym for fear is; False Evidence Appearing Real. Some love the drama of false evidence. I’m not sure why. I never understood why dreaming of a better life has always been considered pollyanna. As Wayne Dyer once said, ‘Thoughts Manifest Reality’. Not the other way around. Whatever you believe in, whatever you focus on becomes your reality. If you don’t like what your reality is, focus on something else. Pretty simple in theory. Difficult in practice. Why? Ego. The Ego hates change. To the Ego change is the end. ‘I like my miserable life. It could be worse. What if? Blah Blah Blah…’

Back to where I started from. Magic happens when you want it to happen. I already see the heads shaking. Oh David… won’t you ever learn? I’m sure the naysayers have more than enough ammunition to throw in all of our faces. Telling us that we’ve ‘failed’ in a lot of areas in our lives. So… are we going to let that stop us? I know I’m not who I was 10 years ago. Hell… I’m not who I was six months ago! I’m sure you’re not either. At least… I hope not. I hope you are growing and changing daily. I hope you are growing and changing daily for YOU. Not for anybody else. How do you expect anybody else to change if you won’t first? Do as Gandhi said; Be the change you wish to see in the world. Ok. I digress.

Magic happens when you want it to happen. Declare today that magic happens. Declare today that miracles happen in your life. Remind yourself every minute if you have to until you start recognizing the magic in your life. Recognize that you are a miracle. Truly you are. I mean… out of 200 million sperm YOU decided you wanted to be here. So start living YOUR truth. Not somebody else’s.

11/12/13 is a Magical Day. Because we said so.
Peace,
D

There have been people in my life who have have told me that I ‘can’t’ do something or that something is ‘impossible’. I have (for the most part) never fallen into that trap. I know that anything is possible. The only time anything is impossible, or you believe you can’t do something is when you start believing you can’t. Tell a baby it can’t walk after the first dozen tries. Does the baby eventually walk? Or does the baby sit there and say to you, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

When someone tells you that you can’t, that its impossible, that nobody has ever succeeded doing it, etc….. Smile, nod your head, and walk away. The second you try to convince them is the second you doubt yourself. It takes practice and surrounding yourself with people who you aspire to be.

Reminds me of an old joke.
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
Practice, Practice, Practice.

Namaste,
D