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If the future is found in the present moment, it is
in our hopes and dreams. It’s in the goals we set for
ourselves, the things we desire to do and be, and the
mysteries unraveling from our dream state, our
meditations, and those intuitive feelings within that we
sense should not be ignored.
With the new year here and an atmosphere of
resolution in the air, I thought we could explore this
rich aspect of ourselves that we call our future and get
a clearer view of how where we want to go, and what we
want to do and be, can shape the present moment of our
lives.
Most of us are focused on getting ahead from a
survivor’s viewpoint, rather than from wonder and
vision. It is why so many of us are in a miserable state
while trying to get ahead. Simple restructuring of
thought and conception can account for huge differences
in our day-to-day experience. Raising our awareness of
our hopes, our dreams, and our goals, is all the daily
work needed to align our reality with that which we
envision.
Priorities In pursuing goals, if we are to feel fulfilled and
whole, we need to include a complete vision of
ourselves. Health, happiness, freedom, support, family,
community—all have a place in the vision; but if we
don’t take the time to draw out this aspect, we can
find ourselves ahead with much to hold, but little in
our hearts.
Knowing our priorities sets the stage not only for
the future to unfold but also for the present moment to
form. When looking to make your dreams come true, ask
yourself not only what you want to do or have, but how
you dream of feeling and living, as well.
In making our dreams comes true, our lifestyle and
how we decide to behave not only colors the reach of our
goals, but are critical elements in the overall
fulfillment of our creations. A conscious workplace, for
example, contributes to a successful business and
spreads the vision of harmony between work, play, and
home for all those doing business with you—be they
employees, customers, or strategic partners.
For me, the present moment has always been filled
with these kinds of priorities, and what I lacked in
pursuing my dreams were the details of place, career,
money and the like. Life moved gracefully ahead based on
fleeting feelings and amorphous images. It was not until
my late thirties that my goals became concrete.
Likewise, I know many who have envisioned firm goals but
have paid little attention to lifestyle and feelings. It
is only as they approach a certain age that home, family
and communication is addressed. But times are changing
and the necessity for a marriage of the two is weaving
its way into society—and more importantly, into your
life. Now is the time to bring the quality of your
future into the present moment so that you can create
consciously and prosperously—with the same acts of
will and intention—both your qualitative and
quantitative desires.
You see, the thing about goals such as peace of mind,
honest communication, and quality of life, is that the
success of them is based entirely on your own actions.
The rewards they bring build sense of self and
self-esteem. Goals of attainment that we set for
ourselves require hard work, yes, but also luck, timing,
and a whole bag of skills that, even when executed
perfectly, may not always bring the results desired. The
process involved in reaching qualitative goals makes for
riches that balance out the ups and downs of fortune and
success; they bring sweet relief to any part of life,
and make it easier to love yourself and others. And even
this love of self will spill into a passion for making
your dreams come true, because in loving yourself you
discover your value, and through your value you will
learn to believe that the realization of your dreams is
not only possible, but well earned and well deserved.
Time Alone There are places to go, things to complete,
accomplishments we strive for that are waiting within to
be planned, prioritized and taken into account. But much
of this list takes some thinking through, and thinking
through takes time alone.
Time set aside to be alone is time that will birth
awareness. And awareness brings thinking through to a
whole new level. If you fill your alone time with TV,
pulp fiction, and telephone calls, you will miss the
communication from your soul.
On a regular basis take time alone to stroll in the
open air, sit quietly with your pets, or do some light
gardening if you have that option available. At these
times, your mind will empty and your dreams can arise.
Note what passes through your mind and separate the
inspiration from the worries. There are daydreams to be
recorded that are worth their weight in gold: fantasies
of faraway places, memories of childhood friends,
impulses to do and go that otherwise lay dormant, never
to see the light of your conscious mind.
Find a ritual that works for you and record these
impressions—be it MESHE Charting, journaling,
list making, or something else you’ve created or
discovered for yourself. The dreams that arise from
still and quiet time are the material that the present
moment uses to build your future. All you have to do is
get quiet enough to hear it, honest enough to repeat it,
and brave enough to let it work on you.
What You Want To Do Before You Die
When you get to a certain age, I am 44, you begin to
understand how time works; that it will tick away, with
or without your day being planned. 2003 has come and
gone, whether we made any use of the time or not. 2004
will do the same.
Quite often the time it takes to do and make change
or the threat to our homeostasis when we attempt
something new and desirable, keeps us from putting these
meaningful items on our "to do" list. But when
we think of death, it puts life into perspective.
What are the things that you wish to do before you
die? Are you willing to record these desires in spite of
your beliefs that they cannot come true? Are you willing
to wish to walk on the moon, create world peace, fly
with the eagles?
What about the things that you want to make happen
before the day you die? Things that you believe are
possible if only you committed the time and effort, but
you aren’t so sure you want to work that hard? Are you
willing to admit that you want to run a marathon, hike
the Amazon, or build a business of your own?
Not all of what we want to do before we die is so
large or bold. Some things can be completed without
leaving our homes. Perhaps we want to clean out the
basement, organize the garage, or repaint the hallway?
It’s frightening to think that something as simple as
fixing a bathroom tile would have to be on a list of
things to do before you die, but many a brave and
honorable soul went to their grave with less than that
undone. The question is simply to ask yourself if you
want to get it done or not. Take it off the proverbial
list if it isn’t where you want your time and energy
going. But put it onto the list in bold letters
if it is, so that it can be taken care of and you can
move onto more heartfelt dreams.
Things you want to do before you die may also appear
in sleep. I remember at one point, spending two years
dreaming about walking alongside a body of water. One
night, while still in the trance of sleep, I said to a
character in my dream, "I must move to the ocean so
that I can stop having all these water dreams!" And
so I did—move the ocean, that is—and the recurring
dreams stopped.
In making your resolutions this year, how about
adding to your list a commitment to dream, to ritualize
what you discover, and to set aside as much fear as you
are able so that you act in the world at the same level
as you dream. This is something you can commit to in the
present moment. And the more awareness of your hopes and
dreams and goals that you have in the present moment,
the more informed your actions will be—it is called
living a truthful live.
Oh, yes… And don’t forget to include one very
important item on your list of things to do before you
die—BE HAPPY. The happiest of new years to you all!
© Copyright 2004 Karen Deborah
Farris. All Rights Reserved.

Read
Karen's Past Columns:
December
2003 - "Graceful Living - Confessions of a
Professional Speaker"
October
2003 - "Serenity: As Calm, As Clear
May
2003 - "What are Your Needs?"
April
2003 - "Techniques for Clearing the Space for Communication" - Part
II of II
February
2003 - "HESHE & Clearing the Space for Communication" - Part
I of II
January
2003 - "Body & Soulful Living"
November
2002 - "Getting Into MESHE with Your Home Through
Minor Adjustments"
October
2002 - "Being in MESHE with Clearing Clutter"
September
2002 - "Discover Going on Retreat"
July
2002 - "Build Your MESHE - Seek the Space: A Process for
Reclaiming the Shadow"
June
2002 - Revisiting: "The MESHE Concept - A Path to Soulful
Living"
May
2002 - "Bodywork 101"
March
2002 - "Being Present Within Your Prosperous
Life"
February
2002 - "HESHE and The Third Bird"
December
2001 - "Manifesting Your Perfect Partner with
Personal Truthz"
November
2001 - "Remembering What We Already Know"
September
2001 - "Be Led By What You Are Trying to
Avoid"
August
2001 - "Draw Your Way to Clarity, Health &
Balance"
June
2001 - "Tending to the Negative Mind"
May
2001 - "Gentle Conscious Living"
April
2001 - "MISON and The Moment"
March
2001 - "The MESHE Concept - A Path to Soulful
Living"

Karen Deborah Farris is a successful counselor, healer, and bodyworker. For more than fifteen years she has taught extensive workshops based on MESHE, HESHE, MISON & ORBIT as well as many other self-discovery topics.
Farris began developing her integrated bodywork and counseling techniques in 1984 under the tutelage of many prominent doctors and healers throughout the United States.
Her education into the spiritual and physical aspects of the human experience served as the foundation for her own private practice and the development of a new philosophy. She combined her techniques into four guiding principles, which she shares in her book,
MESHE, HESHE, MISON & ORBIT: What My Grandmother Taught Me About the Universe. She is currently touring with a companion workshop series, where she creates an interactive environment demonstrating the material from her book with tangible, life altering effects. In these workshops, individuals discover a deepening of their relationship to self, others and the world around them.
Through individual counseling and group workshops, she has taught her results-oriented programs to many different types of people
including those confined to mental institutions, substance and food abusers, and generally, people in life transitions, struggling with intimate relationships, or who lack direction in their lives. Karen lives happily with her husband in Southern California.
Visit www.MESHE.com.
For more
information, contact Karen at: info@MESHE.com
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