Panda Heart Publishing's Official Blog

“People see things that exist and ask, ‘why?’ I see things that do not exist and ask, ‘why not?’ ” – G.B.Shaw

I have heard that our thoughts create the future reality that we will step into.  If this is the case then why not dream or envision what we desire to see in our lives, in our community, or even in our world.

Dreams are the first step in the process of manifesting our desires.  When we think of our future, what do we feel?  Do we feel fear and anxiety or inspired and hopeful?

None of us is able to predict what lies ahead so why not focus on what we can predict.  We do control how we respond to life and those around us.  Imagine a scenario where we respond out of fear and anxiety vs. one where we respond out of love and gratitude.   The outcomes would be dramatically different.

If we are dreaming about a new relationship, a new job, finding a new location to live, or finding harmony within our current lives, let us choose the dreams which hold our love, gratitude, inspiration, and hope and begin to bring these positive energies to the situations we are in now.

Manifesting the dreams of our future begins with creating them right now in all of the actions that we do today.  What are your dreams?  What actions can you take today to make them come true?

I have been reading many messages recently about really being who we are.  (Sharing the gifts of our hearts, fully expressing from our hearts, listening to our hearts, etc.)  Some people experience this as “the God within”, our souls, or our core essence, the fullness of who we really are.

However we experience this journey to our centers, our hearts,  it is what is now being called forth in our world.   As we fully step into the totality of who we are, our humanity unfolds and we  can begin to change the world into what it was meant to be.  War can only exist in the absence of the heart, and our humanity.

To emphasize this concept I would love to share this amazing video by Wisdom Inc., in the words of Marianne Williamson from her book, “Road to Love” .  http://www.wisdomfilms.com/downloads/

Let our lights fully shine and illuminate the darkness in our world.   Letting our lights shine into the world is a wonderful way to launch a new day and it truly is “holy work” to conquer our fears as we all fully step into the brightness of who we are.

I spent last Friday and Saturday attending the California Association for the Education of Young Children conference.  I was exhibiting my book and panda and sharing my curriculum for the social and emotional development of children for teachers and parents.   It is always so heart warming to be surrounded by so many dedicated and inspiring teachers.

Even in these current economic times with budget cuts and layoffs occurring, they were able to maintain their passion and enthusiasm for the children that they serve.  They went to each booth examining the potential products, that would bring more creativity and educational benefit to their children.

Many teachers made lists of different resources and carefully evaluated the cost and benefit of each one.  They prioritized and selected the ones that would best serve the needs of the children, making full use of every dollar.

What makes teachers want to spend their lives devoted to the education of children?  It certainly isn’t the money.  They rarely get the acknowledgment they deserve.  They take work home and often work long hours.

I have found with most teachers, it is the gifts that they hold in their hearts, which are bursting with the love of children and education.  It is for the reward of seeing the child’s eye up when they have learned something new, perhaps after a challenging time of discovery.  They know that they have truly made a difference in the lives of children and by extension, their families and the communities at large.

I am truly grateful for all of the teachers out there doing this wonderful work with our children.  The genuine heart of a teacher is a sacred calling.

I discovered another Zen story that I would like to share.  It conveys a powerful message.

One day the Master announced that a young monk had reached an advanced state of enlightenment.  The news caused some stir.  Some of the monks went to see the young monk.  “We heard you are enlightened.”  “Is that true?”, they asked.  “It is,” he replied.  “And how do you feel?”  “As miserable as ever,” said the young monk.

Sometimes we long to reach a state where we no longer have to feel our shifting emotions.  We would love to find that state of eternal happiness and peace.  I have finally come to realize that, as human beings, emotions are part of our physical structure and as long as we are lucky enough to keep living, we will cycle through these feelings.

Maybe we were meant to feel fear and sadness at times, to appreciate happiness and joy?  Does up exist without down, or light without darkness?  What I do know, is that my emotions are fluid.  Sometimes I can feel on top of the world and at other times I can feel overwhelmed, sad, and afraid.

Sometimes I can find the loving spirit in all of nature and feel the beauty, and at other times I cannot.  I know that we hold the capacity for all emotions and sometimes they can be created by our own thoughts.  What was I thinking just before I became so anxious?  Can I alter the way I view this situation?

Sometimes emotions, for example, sadness from a great loss, must be grieved and lived through in order to get to the other side.  Other emotions, however, may come from our perceptions, the lens from which we view things.  Let us try to view our situations through the lens of our hearts.  Bring love and compassion to whatever is happening, and be gentle with ourselves and others.  And, always remember the fluidity of emotions and hang in there for the ride back up.  Our lives were not meant to be easy, but “it sure beats the alternative”.