The World
by Dr. Joseph Costa
Founder of the Institute of Thought
and the World Healer Institute
I live a fresh start by doing "TNT" -- that is -- I "take no thought." Let me explain "TNT"! "TNT" means metaphorically, to some (me) beware the dynamite explosion!
"TNT exclamation" being a notice of a possible problem.
The message in all this is "living a fresh start" which says stay fresh and clear in your thinking.
Be opened and aware of what comes to you as opportunity to find your "way" joyfully!
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A Fresh Look
by Cory Cochiolo CHt, AST
Co Director of The 15th Step Program
“Living A Fresh Start”
When I think about February and this month’s topic my mind is showing visions
of England. While I write scenes are coming to me of what I would have seen
for most of my life until I moved to the States back in 1996. The thoughts of
my past override my thoughts of today or the future, I wonder why?
If I close my eyes right now, I can see the snowdrops popping up through the hard cold earth. I see just a faint glimpse of new life, a new year; I then see a chance for a clean slate, a fresh start to my life. I see all my years as a child quickly fly by and my wonderful mind stops and allows me to see the events I have chosen to keep hold of. I see my family; cold yet playing and having fun trying to stay warm in a house that was so cold your breath was visible. I see my Dad smacking my sister and my legs after being told time and time again to go to sleep; yet we just could not stop laughing. We would quickly move our legs away from his purposefully terrible aim; he always seemed to only hit the big lumps of covers, which was ok with him and enough for me and Kelly to quiet down, and go to sleep. I remember falling asleep laying on top of my sister, facing upwards to the sky feeling warm, and loving the moments that she allowed me to be close to her, puberty can be so cruel, and her 5 years ahead of me back then seemed more like 20. Her period pains were so bad that she would use the weight, and the warmth from me to ease her poor tummy.
I move forward some years to watching a scene of myself being completely
spoilt by my father and at the time being totally oblivious of his efforts. I
was in my early 20’s and had just moved back home after breaking up with my
boyfriend. My dad would wake me for work; make my breakfast, which was always
frozen ahead of time as I liked my Weetabix (cereal) cold. My work shoes and
coat would be laid out on a chair in front of the fire so they would be toasty
and warm when I was ready to leave, and the car would be running, ready and
warm with widows scraped and cleaned so I could just drive away. I never
really acknowledged all of that, I would say thanks and kiss him goodbye in
the morning but I never really appreciated these things until years later. His
love and acts of kindness always prepared me for my 15-minute walk to work
those cold February mornings. The city streets were always busy and you had to
park miles away from the city center where I worked at that time... ”Thank you
Daddy.”
Every time I say the words “Fresh Start” my mind takes me to a past event in
time - my wedding, the birth of my children, the times I retreated to the
wardrobe not wanting to go on with my life. Some visions are good and some are
painful yet I go back... you would think I would look forward, that’s the idea
of this title right? Maybe for me to live a fresh start I first have to
acknowledge who I am. What secrets does my diary hold that I’m still hiding or
holding onto? What do I want to wipe clean? The word “fresh” implies clean, it
sounds clean, crisp, new and pure.
Ok! I just got it (Thank You Mind) - those things came to me so I could take a
fresh look at everything that was happening in my visions. Each event holds a
learning for me and has great value, now that I can see the gifts of my
experiences. I see all the scenes with different eyes, my understanding cleans
them for me and as I move forward, without the weight of confusion. I can
“Live A Fresh Start”. In fact each moment I live is me “Living A Fresh Start”,
nothing has to stay the same or be a certain way, every moment can be what
ever you want it to be… |
Three Tools
by Carol Knoll CHt, AST
Where can I find fresh start?
If I need a fresh start I go to the 15th Step. At the end of a recent
15th Step session I asked, “Is there anything that I should ask that I haven’t
asked?” I always end a session asking this question.
They answered me, “Ask: why do I not believe in myself?” I
was surprised, but not surprised at this question and so I asked, “ Why do I
not believe in myself?”
They then said, “You do not trust yourself to give the right answer.”
They were, as always, very cheerful as they delivered this message. They went
on to say, “We have the right answer,” which is exactly why I go to them, for
advice, learning, right thinking, and healing. I go for all the loving
support and wisdom that they always give to me.
I asked them if I should go back to the time when I stopped trusting myself
and they answered, “All should do this as it would help them.”
We are now all living under fear, as we have been conditioned to do so since
we were little children – by our families when we first entered the earth, by
our teachers, our friends, anyone seemingly against us, by the news, by all
the systems of money, medicine, education, transportation, and many everyday
things. We have become so accustomed to living in fear we don’t
realize it.
I have been given three tools that are very helpful for a fresh start.
The first one is the practice of, “Take no thought,” the second is the
question, “What is right thought?” and the third is past life regression
therapy. Once I recognize the fear, I can also see it is merely a
thought form and I can choose not to take it. Hence, “Take no thought.”
Having done this, I can go to the 15th Step and ask the Guides, “What is right
thought?” Furthermore, I can ask them if the fear has its root in
another life. If the root cause is in a past life I can do a past life
regression from the 15th Step to resolve the situation, balance the karma, and
transform the fear. In the end, I am free to be who I am and live
joyfully.
So what is the fresh start? Going to the 15th Step. Try it! You might like it!!!
In Oneness,
Carol
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Are You Alive?
by Maggie van Staveren, LCSW, CHt
I like the words of this phrase: “LIVING a Fresh Start”. It
connotes to me that one can live a fresh start each moment or each day or
every other day or every month. I have a small card on my dresser to remind
myself in the morning to make this new day a happy day and to do it for
myself. Not too long ago, Dr. Costa made a comment during one of our
Female classes to decide each morning to truly enjoy being a female that day.
Culturally we tend to start fresh every year when we talk about making a
resolution on New Year’s day. We do something different. We live
differently in a small way. We also do it seasonally when spring comes or the
light changes with winter. In the old times there were rituals in which
we celebrated and danced together as the seasons changed. We helped each other
be mindful of the change or new season. We do it when we have a
birthday. We give the birthday person best wishes for the coming year.
The birthday person is now 1 year older and therefore living in a new way.
The word LIVING is interesting to me. This word has an energy to it that I feel when I say it. Every time we do a past life regression session or a 15th step session we get new information or understanding. When we take that information or understanding and apply it to our life or put it into practice we are LIVING in a new, different way. We are thinking differently. Sometimes we have an experience in either of these kind of processes that stays with us. It may be that we saw beautiful gold energy or a Guide. Or we became aware of a past life personality that we did not know about and now we are aware of qualities we have because of that personality. We have changed in some way
and carry the new energy as part of us.
A couple of weeks ago I taught the IARRT – International Association of
Regression and Research Therapies, Inc. Level 1 Hypnosis class at the
Institute of Thought in San Diego. I was aware how exciting it is for students
to learn basic hypnosis techniques that open a new door. As a teacher it
is delightful to see the face of a student light up when they get a concept or
figure out what they can do with an induction process. In this
particular
class there was excitement when a bilingual student did an induction process
and knew she had put another student into a trance state. The student
stood up and said: ”I did it!” The realization of being able to hypnotize a
“client” will never leave this student. She is now LIVING in a new way,
different than before. I was in awe of another student who tracked a
concept throughout a discussion and was able to ask a question about it.
These happenings in a classroom make me feel I’m living, that I’m alive and it
is so fun.
I get excited and feel ALIVE when there was a fruitful, productive therapy session with a client knowing that I gave it what I know to give. I also feel alive when I am brushing my cat Bella in the evening and energetically feel connected to her. I felt alive this morning when I cleared one of my rain gutters, which had weeds growing in it, and amazed to see the root system it had developed in the gutter. I felt alive when I changed the light bulb on the front porch. There are so many ways in which we LIVE each moment through our daily activities. Are you ALIVE?
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Health Changes and Living a Fresh Start
by Dr Charles Knoll MD
How do you embrace change in your life? So often with illness and health issues, this is a painful thought, maybe even an impossible one. But change is constant, persistent, and unavoidable. We change in all ways, consciously or unconsciously, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not. Our unconscious minds pull change into our lives, especially through our health. We can resist and fear change, or we can walk forward with calm reassurance, knowing that we are guided. We can deny change, remain static and slowly stagnate, or we can accept the changes as opportunities for transformation, growth, and wisdom.
We are often opposed to major change. Instead, we find ourselves living our same old lives, slowly integrating new ideas in only small bits and pieces. We cling to the old ways of doing things, because they feel familiar and secure, and sometimes even fun. We try to incorporate change in our lives, but we have so much invested in our previous ways, that we find ourselves holding tightly to the past. Frequently, this inner conflict of trying to move forward while clinging to the past makes change painful.
Embrace change by shifting your perspective. Let go of the past, free yourself
from expectations of the future, and live in the present moment. Think of
every change as a fresh start in life, but only for that moment. Making
resolutions works for some people. If it doesn’t work for you, skip the
Resolution, or the New Leaf. They have their places, but you may try a
different approach. Think of yourself as ultimately flexible and entirely
free to live as you choose, moment by moment. The mind is comfortable with
whatever needs to be done, but the brain likes more gradual change, and feels
challenged by the thought of abruptly leaving old ways. Therefore, living a
fresh start in each moment is easier for both mind and brain.
Let's look at some examples.
When the change is by choice, set yourself up to succeed by focusing on the present rather than the future. If you're working on weight loss, and you decide it's time to cut out cookies for snacks, try deciding that minute by minute. What happens with a plan to change all the moments ahead of you? You end up setting enormous expectations of yourself. You could make a grand resolution and decide to cut out cookies forever. If you then eat cookies next week, your brain says, "See that? I'm weak. I can't make a real commitment to change." When you do that, you reinforce restrictive patterns of thought, such as self-judgment, perception of self as unable to follow through on commitment, and perhaps even identification of self as an overweight person, rather than a person who has liberty to be anything at this moment.
Instead of that approach, live each minute as a fresh start, separate from all
of the rest of your life in the past or future. You could say, "Right now, I'm
in a whole new life, unrestricted by any of my other behaviors, free from any
of the other versions of me that have ever been or are yet to come. Right
now, I choose to live life without cookies." Don’t worry about whether
you lived the last moment without cookies, or whether you’ll live the next
moment, or even how many moments you can string together like that. Just
live each moment as a fresh start, free from the psychological burdens of the
rest of your life.
Let’s look at another example. What if the change is imposed on you? Let’s say
you've had a stroke, and you're unable to speak clearly, remember things well,
or move the right side of your body. You could sit and wish for the way
things were before the stroke. You could resent that you now need help
getting dressed, or that you're not allowed to make your own decisions
anymore. Instead of looking back for the good old days, let the past go.
And rather than looking forward and fighting an image of continued disability,
release any expectations for the future. This is not to say skip your
rehab therapies, give up all idea of changing your health, and do nothing.
The point is to be actively engaged in where you are now in the course of your
journey, rather than putting life on hold until your health changes “back to
normal.” If your soul’s journey includes the stroke experience, it
includes it for a reason. Gain the wisdom from the experience.
In the case of a stroke, if you wait to live in the future, you are missing out on the life you are living now. Stay right in the present and live each moment as a fresh start. Rather than defining yourself as a disabled person who will always be disabled, or practicing denial and pretending the disability isn't happening, choose another option. See yourself as living a fresh start, in this moment only. See yourself as someone who has chosen to live an entirely fresh new life in this moment as a person who has had a stroke, who has difficulty speaking, who has hemiplegia, and who relies on others for help. Embrace it as a choice of this moment, and ask the universe to give you the wisdom to see the good in the experience. All the moments past and all the moments ahead may be completely different from this moment. The more fully and readily you embrace this moment with the disability as a life you choose to live, the more quickly you gain whatever it is you need to gain from the stroke. Wisdom is obtained, karma is balanced, and the soul learns what it needs to from the stroke experience. Once you accept the lessons, there is better possibility of moving on from that stroke to other experiences. Likewise, when the time comes for healing, whether it be from physical therapy, speech and language pathology, regression therapy, Reiki, a new drug, stem cells, prayer, surgery, or the mind itself simply doing its work, live that moment as a fresh start as well. Let go of the past pattern of being a person with a stroke.
Everyone can benefit from the idea of living a fresh start. This concept can be applied to any health issue, whether it be an acute injury or a chronic pain, regardless of what organs are involved, and regardless of whether the change directly affects your health or that of someone you know. Simply allow the process of change,. Encourage the process by getting out of your own way. Let go of the way things were last year. Even the last minute no longer matters when you live in the present. Also, free yourself from future expectations, the way you want things to be next minute or next year. Live this exact moment as an entirely new life, free of the way you have been experiencing the world, and embrace your current health and life as a fresh start. Choose freedom, accept change, and release your old self. Willingly experience your journey, readily live your life, moment by moment.
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A Joyful Fresh Start
by Susan Landtroop
For the last few years I have known that I need to change my address but every
foray into the outside world has been redirected to something else. With
the help of a few more past life regressions I was really getting eager to get
this move going. So after a 15th step process to narrow the hunting
ground I got a definite YES for South Escondido – about 30 miles North of IOT
offices in San Diego. This area would shorten my drive time to IOT and
allow me to still be near my adult daughter in San Marcos. I also got a
go ahead to rent a mobile home.
A lot of mobile home parks here have the policy to rent land to the homeowners
but few actually rent the homes. I had previously looked around and knew
a few places I liked but didn’t know if they had any places for rent. When I
got to my first choice I walked into the office and found the manager, a very
pleasant lady also 55+. I asked of there were any units for rent and she
told me that they don’t allow the residents to rent their homes but they just
happen to have 1 home that the former manager lived in which was now vacant.
It became available just this week. Hmm, I thought, must be my
day!
After taking a tour and finding plenty of room, a nice big porch, a gas stove and a pleasant feeling about the place I told the manager I would like to rent it. I also mentioned that it looked like I came in on just the right day!
There was one area of the home that I thought was pretty strange – that’s nice
for a bathroom covered in silver wallpaper with black palm leaves that made my
eyes crazy. It must have been snazzy back in 1979. The other issue
I had was the rent amount. It started out innocently enough but the
added fees took it to the outer limits of my budget.
I went home and thought about it a few days then came up with a plan. I called
the manager and suggested a proposal for doing some updating in exchange for a
lower rent, starting the rent a little later than originally discussed and to
keep rent increases tied to Social Security increases. Without batting an eye
(even though I couldn’t see her) she agreed to each proposal with no questions
or comments. Then she said that she had an appointment in about an hour
but that she’d have time to type up an agreement now. Could I come in to
sign it and make a deposit at my convenience? Well sure, I thought, and
this really must be my day!
Now I can begin my real fresh start in my own space in my own time, the
further unfolding of who I am. Ready to step into Spring.…..and with
many thanks to all my unseen help.
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Stepping Into Spring
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Hope Is the Thing with Feathers
by Maggie van Staveren, LCSW, CHt
“Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune
without words, and never stops at all.” by Emily Dickinson
I heard this quote for the first time tonight at the
conclusion of the television show Criminal Minds. A mother, whose son
had been missing and found by the detectives, asks them how they are able to
do their work. One of the detectives points to a set of parents being
reunited with their little daughter and says: ”Hope is the thing with
feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and
never stops at all."
These words stirred my soul as I heard them and reminded me of Spring. I love Spring; the rain, the budding trees, daffodils and all the wonders in my garden. Just before the last week in January I planted a variety of seeds in my garden such as red beets, lettuce, carrots, kale and onion starts. I covered them with dead leaves figuring they would be protected and warm. The following week I was in San Diego to teach a Hypnosis class for IARRT and it was a stormy week in the Bay area. Lots of rain and wind. When I came home I looked in my garden for the start of seedlings and there were none. The onion starts had been snipped off either by the squirrels or the rain. Not sure, but out of two rows only 3 little onion plants remained. I kept looking and up until this past weekend there was nothing visible from all those seeds I put in.
What did I do this past weekend? I bought new onion
starts and put in rows of carrots, beets, kale and lettuce seeds. I also
planted small lettuce startup plants. This time I covered them with
wiring so the squirrels and birds can’t get to them. The rain of the
last two days has been wonderful and not too wild.
Do I have HOPE in my heart? I sure do. I expect my seeds to come through the dirt and the lettuce to grow and to have big beautiful yellow onions by fall. I will pull weeds and water these plants and most of all watch them grow. I expect that when I want to eat a carrot, I can pull it fresh from the dirt, wash and eat it. Oh, fresh carrots are tasty.
Our mission to the world is not all that different if we keep HOPE in our hearts. As you know, I am in the birthing pangs stage of my doctorate thesis. It has been a long time in getting done and at times it has been painful. Last week I did a 15th step session and wanted to know why I needed this PhD. Jesus was there and he put this big, old book in my hands. It was beige and the binding was old and tattered. As I held the book, I could see before me many people and there were sound waves going out from me to these people. The answer was that I could be heard. My hope has been that there is meaning to my thesis and that somehow it is connected to my work and purpose. I have also known during the last 14 years that somehow it would get finished. Is that HOPE? I think so.
This feeling in my heart, HOPE, stirs when we have
meetings about our work, when I teach, see clients and when I hear Dr. Costa
speak about his vision on the World Healer call. I love to hear the
messages that Jesus gives the group. This stirring in my heart lets me
know I’m on track and it revitalizes to work to keep HOPE alive that we are
successful in changing the collective consciousness from self destructiveness
to Oneness.
Do you hear this tune of hope in your heart?
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Spring and New Beginnings
by Katy Redmon, CHt
ISpring and New Beginnings
I found it easy to consider Jesus and Joe’s message of new beginnings for this
Spring of 2010. I had been thinking about it anyway for personal
reasons.
My birthday was February 27th, on the full moon, and Sunday, February 28th, I moved into my new office. I am a Certified Hypnotherapist now. I received my certification through the Institute of Thought and the Better Life Center in Berkeley.
This may not seem world-shaking to some, but it is for me. I have always been a salaried employee. To me, being self-employed was terrifying. Besides, I have been a teacher for years. My new beginnings were always in the fall, in September. The spring was the beginning of the end of a school year.
And, I have moved from doing the 15th Step at home, secretly, to placing it on a business card. I stopped hiding my hypnotherapy training (I used to tell people I was going to Berkeley to visit friends) and have handed-out my card.
This spring, the inner doctors, on the 15th Step, use bright daffodil yellow on my upper torso for physical healing. I am to get daffodils and put them all around my house. I am to see this clear, spring yellow every where I look. They asked that I tell you in this article.
Actually, they asked that I tell you about this 15th Step experience:
Top of 20 stairs, going down, 15 steps: white, liquidy steps. On the 15th, asked why.
You move closer and closer to us, your vibration. This week, clear-out old stuff.
How?
Every day, do the 15th Step, look around with new eyes.
Spring, what do I need to know about spring and new beginnings?
Focus on the feeling on the 15th Step. Feeling younger and stronger. Talk about this 15th Step experience.
I feel yellow on the upper chest area, the torso, the breast area. I feel younger and younger, lighter and stronger. I feel this vibration. I feel the white liquid. Am I the white liquid?
Yes.
The image I saw then looked like my guide was coming out of the white and taking form from it. What does this mean?
We are all One. You choose a vibration of light yellow, very light yellow.
Remember, do not watch t.v.
On this journey of becoming a hypnotherapist and a 15th Step facilitator, I
have used the 15th Step often. I need the support! I have been
told that I am a World Healer. (Me? Really?) I was told that I can
begin being a hypnotherapist “any time now”. Since then, I have asked
where to look for a space, what chair to purchase, what to charge. I
don’t often ask why they are giving me certain advice, but the 15th Step
advice has been sound. Every time, there has been a very good, practical
reason for buying a particular chair, etc. I have gotten intense support
from Maggie van Staveren and Christine Bartlett also. I don’t want to
discount that. But, I would not have moved into the world in this way
without the inner guidance.
And, as I write, I realize this is a new beginning in a deeper way, besides asking for office or chair advice. I use the inner guidance constantly now. I have moved from thinking that it was acceptable to ask the inner once and a while to using it all the time. I have support there for me whenever I am at One and ask for help. This is a new beginning for me.
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