Curt Remington's Blog

Like swimming boulder-filled rapids, life can be tough! A whitewater safety course taught me some important lessons, ones that apply to swimming rapids and to making our way through life. Now you may wonder why someone would want to swim in a whitewater river. Sane people don’t really want to, but it sometimes happens, when your kayak or raft flips over. Most of us would rather avoid many of life’s difficulties too, but some are unavoidable lessons that we need to deal with the best that we can. Learning to swim in life’s turbulent waters can help immensely. If you are constantly struggling, just to keep your head above water, it can be hard to get to where you want to go. As Paul Coelho said, “you drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it.”

Curt kayaking a river

There are four ways to swim a river:

1. Look downstream in terror, then thrash around, maybe even trying to swim upstream to get away from all those scary boulders you’re being hurled towards. This technique will exhaust you in a hurry and certainly won’t help you reach safety or happiness. People that go through life this way probably haven’t chosen a practical course of action and may go from one emergency to another.
2. Float downstream without a care, and get swept under a big submerged tree (strainer) or bashed into boulders. This can result in injury or drowning and is usually a bad idea. You can usually find this type of swimmer at home, laying on the couch. This is a relaxing way to go through life, but you can’t get much done from the couch. It may make it hard to pay the bills or to accomplish great things.
3. Decide on a logical destination, then swim frantically downstream to get there as fast as possible. I often use this technique in life, and it is not the best idea. It uses a lot of energy and can leave you feeling stressed out and tired.
4. The swimming technique that works best in a river, and in life, is to pick a logical course that takes advantage of the river’s currents and eddies (watch for opportunities). Commit to your chosen path, then let the river do a lot of the work for you. When it’s appropriate, swim some powerful, efficient strokes and arrive at your destination safely and happily, often more quickly than the person who used technique number three. You might still bump against a boulder or two along the way, but that’s part of swimming a whitewater river, and of life.

Snake River, Idaho

How do we swim more like Number Four?

• When an opportunity comes along that will bring more fulfillment into your life, face any fears and take action. This could mean changing careers, starting a business, furthering your education or initiating a new relationship.
• Make a plan and work towards that plan. This one might seem obvious, but an awful lot of people seem to wander through life with no direction. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there.
• Remember that some of life’s hardships (boulders) are opportunities to learn. No matter what we do, life won’t be perfect. Instead of focusing on the hardships, focus on what’s positive in life. The law of attraction says that we attract more of what we focus our attention on. 
• When you’re moving along with the current, go ahead and float a while. Too much effort causes stress, and it can actually be a block to creativity and accessing psychic abilities.
• Have fun! Be sure that you take the time to do things you really enjoy doing.
• Meditate! It gives your mind and body a chance to relax, to be in the present, so you can go with the flow and not be thrown off by the hazards we all tend to come across along the way. Through meditation, you can also access your intuition and psychic abilities, so as to better recognize good opportunities. Meditation helps us connect with our higher self, that wiser spiritual part of us that already knows the best way to do things.

My inspiration for this article came to me as a psychic (clairvoyant) image, while I was meditating, looking for a new visualization exercise. It came as a message that I need to quit swimming like number three, inefficiently racing downstream with too many projects going at once. What came to me is described below, as a meditation that you can try at home.

MacDonald Creek, Glacier Park, Montana

River Visualization Meditation

Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Take a few deep breaths, and close your eyes. It’s always helpful to start with grounding and running your energies. Once you’re relaxed and ready, imagine a clear, clean river flowing in front of you. Raging whitewater doesn’t sound very relaxing, so I recommend that you imagine a gentler river with soothing currents to carry you downstream. Most of the way, you can float on your back.

If there are obstacles ahead of you? What do they represent? Let go of any fear, and take a few smooth strokes to get around them. Observe all of the detail. What does the shoreline look like? Is it lined with boulders, canyon walls or sand? Are there buildings or wildlife? Where would you like the river to take you? Go ahead and visualize the destination you’d like to get to. Float as long as you’d like, swimming occasionally to stay on course. Once you’re ready, gently finish your meditation or imagine climbing out at your destination to end your river trip.

Spending time in nature, keenly aware of your environment, can give you a whole new perspective on life. You might get caught up in a stunningly beautiful scene or the details of a flower or bug. If you go out in pursuit of nature photography, you’re likely to pay more attention to the details. As a bonus, you can capture an image to experience and share again and again.

Dragonfly on Flowers

Arctic Wolf

I had a new perspective, after a day at the Vancouver, BC Zoo, which is spread out and more like a wild animal park. I visited on midweek, in the middle of winter and saw only a handful of other visitors. At the Arctic Wolf display, the dominant wolf walked laps around the enclosure. Once he noticed me, he walked over and looked up, holding my gaze. I felt an incredible connection, as we psychically communicated. He posed for a few pictures, then trotted 50 feet away and began howling. Soon, the other Arctic Wolves joined in. Shortly after that, another group of wolves (Vancouver Island Wolves) joined in the chorus from a quarter mile away. They all continued with their song, as if they were sharing their love and longing for the outdoors, especially the wild places. Not only did I have an incredibly memorable moment, but I got some great pictures, one of which is on the back of my business card.

Howling Arctic Wolf

Spending time seeking photos in nature is a wonderful form of mindfulness or meditation, which basically means to reach a calm state as you find something in the present to gently focus on, letting all those other thoughts go. This can help you relax, think more clearly, let go of stress, improve your health, have fun and create artistic photos. With all those benefits, you’d think everyone would be outdoors with their camera.

Of course, you can get a lot of these benefits by just going out and tuning into the details of nature. But, if you do so with a camera in hand, it may be a more focused experience, and you can come home with beautiful images.

With a camera you may work harder to find beautiful places and go when the lighting is best. Early or late in the day tends to have warm, soft light and saturated colors. Mid-day light can be harsh with washed out colors and difficult highlights and shadows. It also makes people squint.  The soft diffused light of a partly cloudy day works well for people, flowers, wildlife and many other subject’s. If you find a good subject, consider returning when the lighting is ideal. Sitting and waiting patiently for the changing light of a sunset can pay off in the meditative state you reach and in the images you capture.

Matia Island Dock, Washington

Composition can dramatically affect a picture’s impact. Simple is usually better, so try zooming or changing angles to eliminate clutter. Be sure to scan the viewfinder for unwanted items and to check that the horizon is level, especially with pictures of water. Some pictures look best in a vertical format, so try turning the camera sideways.

Balance is an important element of composition, one which I look for in nature when taking pictures. In the photo of the dock and island, the two subjects balance each other. That photo is also an example of the rule-of-thirds. By placing your subject(s) a third of the way over from center, and a third of the way up, you have a more dynamic picture. When you offset your subject, your eye tends to travel around the picture.

Park Butte Trail, Washington

To add depth to a picture, you can include foreground details. A path, road or creek that lead your eye into a picture also give a sense of depth. This is especially effective if you find one with s-bends.

Father & Son at Sunset

The absolutely best pictures capture a feeling or tell a story, so watch for such opportunities. Pictures of people or animals work well for this.

There are great subjects for pictures all around us. If we pay close attention to our environment, we can find beautiful pictures that we might have walked right by. You might get creative and try a close-up of pebbles or insects, maybe try night photography, clouds or fascinating patterns. And of course, there’s landscapes, seascapes, wildlife and flowers.

As to gear, there are a lot of good cameras out there, depending on your needs. If you’re not making big enlargements, a point and shoot digitial might be best. They’re very compact and lightweight. I carry heavier Nikon digital single lens reflex gear. Kenrockwell.com has excellent reviews on a variety of cameras and lenses. Digital editing software, like Photoshop, can vastly improve photos. You can adjust contrast or color, darken a sky, sharpen a photo or remove imperfections. There is reasonably good software on the internet for free.

The best piece of advice is carry a camera often. The more pictures you shoot, the more instinctive it becomes. This makes it easier to let go of your thoughts and really get into the moment. Using some simple techniques, you may come home with some spectacular photos. Please be sure to visit my photo gallery for picture ideas.

Two days ago, Gunner, my eleven-year-old long-haired German Shepherd, laid his head on my leg and looked into my eyes as I gently rubbed his ears and listened to his heavy, steady breathing. My wife and daughter sat alongside and stroked his soft fur, while a veterinarian calmy talked to Gunner and injected a lethal mixture into his leg. Within a few minutes, Gunner’s steady breathing suddenly stopped. My wife and daughter cried, while I closed my eyes and psychically tuned into his spirit. Immediately, I saw an image of him running and jumping, with a renewed sense of energy and freedom. 

Gunner, resting from a game of fetch

Energy is something Gunner had been lacking, and it had been many months since he was able to jump. He’d lost his hearing, some of his sight, control of his bowels and most of the strength in his rear legs. On the other hand, he could still walk and even play a little fetch in the local park. Deciding when or if to end your dog’s life can be a very personal and difficult decision. As hard as it was, it seemed like an appropriate time to me, and I’m confident that Gunner thought so too. 

Curt & Gunner in mountains

I’ll get more to the end of the story later, but the beginning is probably a better place to start. For us, life with Gunner started when we brought him home at six weeks of age. As a puppy he overflowed with energy and enthusiasm, eagerly chasing a stick, a squirrel or our kids on their sleds. As he grew, Gunner’s love for his family and his desire to be good dog became apparent. Unlike our prior dog who would try and see what he could get away with, sneaking onto the couch late at night or off into the woods when he could, Gunner really wanted to be good, as if it was his moral responsibility. As Shepherds are known to do, he learned to communicate very well. We spoke to him in full sentences and knew that he understood much of what was said. 

Mary & Gunner near Mt Shuksan

In the house, he was my constant shadow, laying by my desk as I worked, then following me to the kitchen for a snack. When he wasn’t nearby, I found myself looking around, wondering where he was or what was wrong. I truly enjoyed his company. When work got too stressful, a walk in the woods with Gunner would quickly renew me and him too. 

His favorite times were our countless adventures, camping, playing on beaches and hiking in the mountains. Occasionally, he’d even swim along behind on a kayak outing. Like me, his favorite places included high mountain overlooks with panoramic views. I used to wonder if he was looking for wildlife or if he really just enjoyed the view as much as I did. On the trail, Gunner greeted fellow hikers enthusiastically, with a wet nose and a swishing tail. He loved people, and they seemed to love him. He got all of the compliments. Almost always, the hikers would stop to tell us what a beautiful dog Gunner was. One exception may have been the woman that screamed, thinking he was a bear charging down the trail. 

As he reached the age of 10, we started noticing weakness in his gait and by the end of a five-mile hike, his rear legs barely had enough strength to finish. More symptoms started appearing which we eventually concluded were Degenerative Myelopathy, a common disease in German Shepherds that is similar to the debilitating human ailment Muscular Sclerosis. 

Gunner with his pack, plunging into a creek crossing

His exercise got limited to short walks in the neighborhood or a quick round of playing fetch at the nearby park. He got left behind during our hikes in the mountains. He undoubtedly missed going, and we missed having him along. But it was more important to us that he avoid aggravating his condition or injuring himself. His symptoms also included dragging his back feet, sometimes bloodying them on rocks or on asphalt. Along with his physical disabilities, he started losing his enthusiasm for life.   

Heather, one of our daughters, had wanted a small dog for years. We knew that his eventual passing would leave a big gap in the family, so we considered buying a puppy. We thought that Gunner might enjoy the company too, and we’d have a new trail companion. While surfing the internet, I noticed a Mini-Australian Shepherd name Riva for sale nearby. My intuition and some psychic reading told me that she would make a great family dog. 

Riva did turn out to be a joyful, loving puppy, but Gunner didn’t seem too enthusiastic about her. In fact he got downright grumpy, growling at her regularly. She did get a lot of attention, and being so fast and mobile, she would jump in front of him or try to herd him, pushing him into furniture as he tried to get around. About the same time, Gunner started soiling the house more and acting less friendly towards us. We found ourselves getting increasingly irritated with him. How could he not like this adorable puppy? What a grump. 

Gunner looking disapprovingly at Riva

My wife Mary decided to do some clairvoyant reading on the situation. She telepathically talked to Gunner whom expressed his resentment, pointing out the Riva’s a puppy, and she should know her place. She prances around and gets so much attention even when she’s doing stuff that’s wrong, stuff that Gunner wouldn’t do. Mary assured him that we would try to be more fair. 

After talking to Gunner, Mary contacted one of our spirit guides. He told Mary that we needed to be as gentle and kind toward Gunner as we can be, and he added, “wouldn’t you be cranky?”  Gunner was losing use of his hearing, eyesight, legs and bowels. He also assured us that Gunner’s soiling the house was out of his control, and was not a form of retribution for the new puppy. 

Both Mary and I looked at our behavior and concluded that we could show more love and understanding. We encouraged our kids to do the same and to give Gunner more attention. We made sure that he got as much exercise as he could handle, mostly on soft ground. During my meditations, I would psychically communicate with him, reliving some of our adventures and sending him lots of love. 

Gunner enjoying a mountain view

Before long, Gunner started getting along better with the growing puppy, and he became more accepting of his own deteriorating condition. I became very aware again of what a big-hearted brave dog he is, as he struggled up a flight of stairs or tolerated Riva herding him into the side of a chair. He even accepted being left behind on hikes into the mountains, although I know he longed to go. With increasing frequency, his legs would just give out, or they would become tangled. He would wait patiently while I untangled his rear legs and pulled him back up onto his feet. I saw that although he became accepting, and maybe even started to like Riva a little, he just wasn’t having much fun anymore. A lot of what he was going through must have been downright miserable. We decided to discuss with him the eventual ending of his life. He telepathically said that he was tired of his old body, but that he loved his family and would continue to stay around for us, if that’s what we wanted. He emphasized that he would be fine with whatever we decided. He always placed his family at the very top of his priorities. 

We continued to enjoy his company for a number of months, while his condition slowly worsened. As his quality of life went further downhill, it made less sense to me for him to suffer anymore. We went back and forth, struggling to decide on the best choice for Gunner, since he left it up to us to decide. Finally, we just picked a date and scheduled a time for the veterinarian to come to our house. 

Gunner & Riva laying around

As the date approached, Mary and I both psychically checked in with Gunner to see how he felt about it. We both got a clear message that he felt excited about being free of his body. Apparently, Gunner knew where he was going, so he didn’t have the same fears most people have about dying. Mary saw images of Gunner visiting his mother and of him chasing a butterfly across a meadow. He also told her that we’ve been a great family, and thank you for all the adventures. He assured us that he would still be around his family in-spirit some of the time and that Riva would know when he is around, so watch for signs. 

A few days before the scheduled date, the family gathered together for a day in Gunner’s honor, spending time at the beach playing, sitting around a campfire and giving him lots of attention and treats. 

Before his appointed time, I meditated and communicated with Gunner again. What I felt was an incredible sensation of love from and for him, my bighearted companion. 

So, when his breathing stopped and I saw his spirit jumping with new enthusiasm, I felt a sense of joy for him along with my sense of loss over the passing of a wonderful dog and friend.

Mt Baker, Washington state’s second most active volcano, is a hulking mass of rock and snow that towers over anything around it. Those of us living in Whatcom county look up at it regularly, as you can see it from miles away. In June of 2005, four friends and I made our way up the Coleman Deming Glacier route, to the top of the mountain. Having stood amongst the seracs and crevasses, looking down on the clouds below, gave me a whole new perspective on Mt Baker. Since our route is visible from much of the county, I’ve looked up many times, remembering.

Mt Baker and Wiser Lake, Washington

The mountain is thickly covered with glaciers, holding the world record for snowfall. The nearby ski area got 96 feet of it in the winter of 1998/99. With all that ice and snow, climbing the mountain required specialized glacier gear & techniques.

Climbing route w/our camp and crevasses in lower right

One of the most serious dangers is crevasses, cracks in the ice that can be as deep as 100 feet. Many of these crevasses are covered with snow bridges, which have the potential of breaking as you cross them. To avoid plunging to the bottom of a crevasse, we roped together and carried climbing harnesses, prusiks and other rescue gear like snow pickets and pulleys. For traveling on ice, we also used mountaineering boots with crampons and carried ice axes. Along with all the climbing gear, we carried a lot of backpacking gear for camping on the mountain.

Actually climbing the mountain turned out to be an intense mixture of misery and euphoria. Most of the misery came from carrying all that gear through snow, trudging step after step up 7100 feet of elevation gain.

Our camp, high on Coleman Glacier

Euphoria came during the moments that I stopped, took a few deep breaths and turned to see the incredible views. By the first afternoon, we climbed high onto the glacier and set-up camp at an elevation of 8500 feet. The sun dropped beyond the mountains and San Juan Islands stretched out to the west of us.

The camaraderie of my climbing partners also added immensely to the trip. We worked well together as a team, and all us remained in good spirits, picking on each other just enough to keep things light.  

I woke up that night, having slid towards the opening of our steeply sloped tent. That got me to thinking about the snow outside, which was freezing into slippery ice. I also realized that we’d never staked the tent down. What if it starts sliding toward that crevasse field below us? I could feel that the snow wasn’t freezing directly under us. Whew! My next thought was that I really had to pee, and two other guys were blocking the exit. I sat up in my sleeping bag and pondered whether I should wake them. Instead, I laid back down to think about it some more.

Sunset over the San Juan Islands

Before long, 2:30 AM arrived, and it was time for everyone to get up and start climbing. In the early morning hours, snow bridges and the loose snow would be solid, safer and easier to cross. After a quick breakfast, we strapped on our gear, roped together, turned on our headlamps and started up the glacier, carefully watching for crevasses in the dark. And yes, we came across a few. On one snow bridge, we looked down into a hole where someone’s leg broke through. A number of crevasses required jumping over. On the far side of one, Kerry caught his crampon and did a spectacular flip, while the rest of us plunged down onto our ice axes to pull the climbing rope tight and prevent him from going deeply into the crevasse. He landed clear of the crevasse, got up and brushed the snow off.

By sunrise, we climbed over a ridge, opening up stunning views of the North Cascades. Mt Rainier glowed orange, 100 miles to the south of us, and the early sun just lit up many of mountains between us and Rainier. It felt like nothing but clear, thin air separated us and heaven. Next, I looked up at our last obstacle, the Roman wall, a thousand vertical feet of steep, icy terrain. We slowly made our way up in a line, stopping regularly to catch our breath. We used the “french technique” or “flat-footing” to keep our crampons in contact with the snow, walking sideways with ankles bent at peculiar angles. Occasionally, I looked down on the crevasses far below and realized that if we all started sliding, they would be the only thing to stop us. With that thought in mind, I placed each step, and each thrust of my ice ax, very carefully.

Eventually, the slope lessened and we reached the massive top of the dome. What a wonderful relief. We strode across with pride to stand on the knob that is Mt Baker’s true summit. I was elated! This confirmed what I had wondered most of the way up, that I could do it. We were on top of the world. My next thought was that it’s all downhill from here.

Curt, Kerry & Andre on top of Mt Baker

The downhill felt worse than the climb up. We were tired, sore and started breaking through the soft snow on the way down. But the long trudge down gave me plenty of time to reflect on our trip and to contemplate the big plate of pasta I planned to eat at Tino’s Restaurant that night.

What is heaven like? Where do our loved ones go? Many of us have pondered these questions at some time in our life. My wife and I have learned a great deal about the spirit world, through clairvoyant readings, books we’ve read and through trips to the Akashic Records, the main library in heaven. You read that right, there is an enormous library in heaven that holds records of everyone that has ever lived, every thought, word or action. The famous psychic, Edgar Cayce, got most of his information from the Akashic Records, and many modern clairvoyants access the records regularly.

My wife Mary planned to do some psychic reading and to make a trip to the Akashic Records. She generously asked if I had a question for her to read. After meditating on it, the question, “what is heaven like?” popped into my head. I don’t believe that was a random thought, but rather a well-planned question suggested by an advanced spirit. Angels and advanced spirits would like those of us on earth to become more aware of the spirit world, to help us let go of our fears and to shift our priorities in a more positive direction. These advanced spirits also knew that Mary and I would share this information with you, so Mary was provided with a wonderful tour.

For more information on similar experiences, I’d suggest any of Dr Michael Newton’s books. Through his hypnotherapy techniques, Dr Newton’s helped over 7000 people experience heaven and change their life with what they learned. You can find two of his books on my shopping page,  Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls.You can also find more information in my Science and Heaven article.

Heavenly Sunset Over the San Juan Islands

The following is Mary’s description of her trip:

After reaching a deep state of meditation or trance, my out-of-body trip began. I reached the library which looks like an ancient Greek, marble building with columns in the front and a massive entry. Inside, bookshelves line the aisle and extend a vast distance, to the end. There are offshoot aisles, leading to different rooms. Floating quickly, to the far end of the building, I found a rounded glass atrium filled with exotic trees, plants, flowers, ponds, etc.  I also saw other spirit in the library, doing their own research.  They appeared as lights or energy. I could sense them, and they could sense me. There seemed to be a curiosity about one another. Inside the atrium area, I sat down in front of a small pond to take in the tranquil beauty. Then, I asked my question.  “What is heaven like?”

A beautiful angel with translucent white wings came and offered to escort me on a tour. We entered a place that was very bright, warm and comforting. I couldn’t see much because it was so bright, but other spirits surrounded me and I felt safe and loved. It felt somehow familiar. I then went on to see such things as a sailboat out on the ocean , a canyon, deep and massive like the Grand Canyon, rushing rivers and fields of wild flowers.  Wherever we went, I got a real sense of freedom, peace and love.  There was no judgment, no anger and no resentment, just harmony. It was a place where we all could just be. 

Wherever we went, we went quickly, with no effort. We soared through the clouds, overlooking a castle surrounded by wild horses running free and beautiful tropical gardens. I saw giraffes, zebras and spotted leopards. We then flew into space, surrounded by infinite galaxies, stars and planets. From space, I suddenly began to see glimpses of the lives of loved ones back home, like watching them on a TV screen. I got the sense that we really do stay connected to those we left behind after we pass.

Next, the angel showed me some of the things we do while we are in heaven. Students and teachers gathered in a large courtyard with tables and benches. This place of learning seemed similar to school on earth.  I also saw a large auditorium, filled with small individual viewing screens, where many spirits were gathered. One could preview the potential lives they would reincarnate to on the viewing screens.  It seemed that spirits were working together on this, as if they may take a life together or to help one another choose lives where they could work on lessons they may still need to learn.

We also visited a place with pods (large spherical bubbles) that serve as a home base for different soul groups to gather. I asked to be brought to my pod, and when I arrived, I sensed the essence of many people I’ve known in my life.  It felt like I belonged there. I had a strong desire to stay, but of course, this was just a tour, and that was not possible.  

The last image I saw was that of an enormous, glowing source of energy, similar to the sun.  I saw a steady stream of spirits, one row on each side, entering the underside of this source of energy and then coming out the top on each side. The source seemed like God, or at least a part of God. I was told that they were getting cleansed, renewed. Impure thoughts were being released, to be replaced with pure love. It was an amazing sight. Describing this trip can’t begin to explain how it felt to be there, witnessing it. What I will say is this, Heaven is vast with no borders that can define it.  It goes beyond what the imagination can comprehend and it certainly is a place I look forward to returning to.

Feeling love, activating your heart chakra, is a wonderful way to improve relationships and experience more joy and happiness. This is very beneficial for the people around you too.

Heart Chakra Meditation

Curt & Mary Remington in Mountains

Once you’ve reached your quiet and comfortable place, take a few deep breaths and relax.  With your thoughts quieted, visualize a very important person in your life.  This could be a spouse or sweetheart, child, parent or close friend.  Holding their image, contemplate one or two traits that are unique and positive about them.  Maybe they’re very generous, creative, funny or loving.  If positive characteristics are not coming up, remember that person is only human and move through their traits until you find a positive one.  Everyone has some.  As you’re contemplating that trait, feel your fondness for that person.  The feeling is probably coming from the area of your heart or fourth chakra.  After feeling the warmth for that person, find someone else important in your life and do the same thing.

 As you move from person to person, sense a growing golden glow radiating from your heart, like sunshine.  Let the rays of this warmth shine for as long as you like, touching the important people in your life.  If you want, you can then expand it farther so it reaches others, that you don’t know, like everyone in your neighborhood, town or even expand it to the world.  If everyone did this, we could make the world a brighter, more loving place.  When you’re done, take a few more deep breaths and realize that you can continue to radiate some of that caring light as you go on about your day.

You Can Fly!

Soar Like an Eagle

Have you ever wished that you could fly? Well, you can! Your spirit has known how to fly all along, and it probably does so at night, while you’re asleep. Have you ever had a vivid dream of flying, or you suddenly jerked awake from a dream of falling. You were probably having an out-of-body experience. If only we could remember all the exciting adventures our spirit has had. I believe that we will, once we permanently leave our current body behind. Until then, you can use this visualization meditation to spend some time away from your body, experiencing a wonderful spiritual state.

As a nature lover, I use this technique to fly to the mountains. You might decide to soar amongst clouds, skim cornfields or slalom through skyscrapers.

Flying Visualization Exercise

At this point, I’ll share my own experiences. Please experiment and modify the technique to find what works for you, based on your own preferences and location.

Top of Mt Baker in North Cascades, WA

Once in a meditative state, I visualize myself floating up out of my body and out through the window, which doesn’t have to be open. Stretching my spiritual arms to soar, I take a short flight over houses and treetops to Lake Whatcom, just a block away. From there, I’ll swoop down to the lake and fly low, skimming its surface. On a sunny day, I’ll feel warmth on my back and the cool of the lake below. At night, the surface sparkles and shimmers with moonlight. Reaching the end of the lake, I’ll ascend up over tree covered foothills, and quickly reaching snow-covered Mt Baker. Hovering over Coleman Glacier, I’ll drop into a crevasse and experience its cold silence, seeing the blue world of ice and snow as clearly as possible. From there, I soar home at cloud level, descend into my house and bring my consciousness back into my body. Then, I’ll either stretch and get up, or continue on to another meditation.

You undoubtedly have some interesting sights within a short flight from your house. If not, feel free to take a longer one. I’ve even used this technique to visit the moon. From the air, even a small town’s lights at night are a beautiful sight.

I’d love to hear of your exciting experiences with this. Please post them below. Thanks, Curt

We need to change our priorities. Many of us Americans seem to believe that money can buy us happiness. Or maybe we think that all the stuff we can buy with it will bring us happiness. It might bring some happiness, temporarily. According to a 2006 Princeton study, moving from poverty up to middle class does result in more happiness. Beyond that, additional money doesn’t add much to happiness, and it may result in more stress.

Luxurious Yacht in the Meditteranean

All the work it takes to get more money certainly can. In the quest for money, many of us work long hours, leaving little time for family, friends and recreation. And people borrowing money beyond their means led to our record foreclosure rates and an economy that’s in shambles. The bailouts helped our government’s debt get to its current level, over $12 Trillion dollars.

I saw some signs of this back in the 90′s while appraising real estate in an affluent area. Many people were building gigantic new homes with 4000 or more square feet of living area, including rooms that rarely got used. It takes a lot of stuff to fill those houses. Some of these people were truly wealthy, while others just wanted to be. They lived beyond their means, trying to keep up with the neighbors. We’d see homeowners run up their credit cards, then refinance their house, again and again.

The neighbors probably weren’t trying to get each other to spend, but  corporations with marketing experts sure were. They really want you to buy their stuff, or take out their loan. They’re willing to start working on you when you’re young and impressionable. American kids see 40,000 commercials a year. By the age of two, they ask for products by brand name, and by three, they connect a brand with qualities like cool, smart or strong. Shortly after my daughters learned “daddy,” they learned complex words like “McDonalds.” Corporations are out to make money, and they don’t care if they turn us into a bunch of materialistic shopaholics.

Small Fishing Boat w/Happy Fishermen

These corporations don’t even seem to care about the impact on the environment. The average American uses 4.5 times as much resources as the average Costa Rican. There’s an index that measures happiness, longevity and environmental impact, the Happy Planet Index. Of 143 countries, Costa Rica ranked number one, while the US ranked 114. It’s not that we’re so unhappy, but our happiness takes a lot of resources.

Personally, I’m pretty happy, but I’ve definitely been guilty of buying and working too much. For a variety of reasons, my wife and I fell into working as many as 80 hours a week during the crazy years of mortgage refinancing. Even while working that much, I’d find time to go on Ebay or Amazon and buy something I didn’t need. Soon, it would go into storage. It was a good thing I had a fairly big house and a pole barn. During my 20 years of appraising, far too many of those years involved working long hours, with not enough time for much else.

Eventually, we both got tired of working constantly and putting our enjoyment on hold. We sold our appraisal business and moved to Bellingham, Washington. We downsized into a smaller house with a smaller lot and no pole barn. It didn’t hurt our happiness a bit, although once in a while, I miss the pole barn.

We found this area to have a healthy set of priorities. People seemed more laid back and happy. There’s a strong sense of community and caring. When I started shopping at Fred Meyers, I wondered how the cashier always seemed to know the people in line in front of me. One day, I realized that they were just that friendly. There’s also gratitude for this wonderful place and an emphasis on healthy outdoor activities and having fun, maybe more so than on making money. These are all values that people can embrace, wherever they live. On a trip to Italy, a few summers ago, what really stood out to me was the small cars, small houses and happy people.

Hard work can be necessary and even fun at times, especially if you enjoy your job. Just make sure to keep some balance, and don’t buy into the buying more will make you happy mindset. Some of the best things in life are free or close to it, like spending time with your loved ones, a beautiful view or a walk in the rain. You might even decide to work on your creativity writing, singing, playing music or starting an art project. And of course, you can meditate.

Reasons to Meditate

You are a spiritual being. There was a spiritual you before you were born, and there will be one still, after your body dies. Often, while we’re here on earth, we can get so caught up in our daily routines that we barely acknowledge that. We rush around from task to task, thinking and worrying about what we need to do next. Meditation can help us slow down, live more in the present, and reconnect with that wiser, eternal, spiritual part of ourselves. Some of the benefits of meditating are:

Mary meditating at Larrabee State Park, WA

• Improved energy, concentration and attention
• Reduced stress, anger, anxiety and tension
• Improved relationships
• More forgiveness and gratitude
• Less blocks to health and happiness
• Access to intuition and psychic abilities

Meditation is Easy

Not only is meditating extremely beneficial, it is also easy. By the end of this article, you will have the basics you need to get started. To meditate, you don’t need to stop all the thoughts racing through your head. You just need to find something to gently focus on that slows down your other thoughts, so your mind and body can relax, and you can hear the whisperings of your spiritual self. In my Connect with Nature article, I mention a variety of focal points you can find in nature, but maybe it’s rainy or cold old out. Breathing is another very natural and simple focal point, or object of meditation. For at least 2500 years Buddhists and others, have used their breath as a focus in their meditation. Breathing draws in Prana, a vital life-sustaining force. Just follow the simple steps below and you’ll be meditating in no time.

Young Bald Eagles

Simple Breath Meditation Exercise

1. If you’re tense, consider doing some stretching exercises before you start meditating. It’s also helpful to stand, let your arms hang and shake the tension out of your hands.
2. For meditating, my recommendation is that you find a comfortable chair in a quiet room and sit with both feet on the ground. If you prefer to sit on the floor in a lotus position, go ahead.
3. Close your eyes for the meditation. Start to become aware of your breathing. Take a deep breath, drawing from your abdomen, and hold it briefly, then exhale through your mouth. Relax and let your tension go out with your breath. Do this a few more times, and then return to a more relaxed, natural rate of breathing. At this point, I prefer to just breath through my nose.
4. Gently focus on the sensations or some aspect of your breathing, such as the pause between breaths or the sensation of warmth as your breath leaves your nostrils. You might visualize the path of your breath as it is drawn down into your lungs.
5. When a random thought pops in, and they will, take note of that, then let the thought go. To make this clear, I’ll  give you an example:
   1. a.      Normal Thoughts – I wonder what Cheryl meant by that remark earlier today? I’ll bet she was trying to make me look bad. You know I never did like her. Why do I even care? Nobody listens to her anyway…..
   2. b.      Trying to Meditate – I wonder what Cheryl meant by that remark? Oh yeah, I’m supposed to be meditating. Why does my mind keep wandering like this? Doesn’t everyone’s mind wander like this? I’ll bet Cheryl wouldn’t do any better. In fact Cheryl is probably the one that should be meditating….
   3. c.       Actually meditating – I wonder what Cheryl meant by that remark? Hmm… I had a thought. Let’s refocus on my breathing.
6. Congratulations, you’re meditating. Do this as long as you like, but 15 minutes is a good goal. Ten minutes might be enough to start, then consider working up to 20 minutes a day.

Conclusion

The more that you practice meditating, the easier it will be to let go of distracting thoughts. Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you. There are a number of great meditations on my web site, especially grounding and running your energies. They can be used to move quantum energy, releasing blocks to your health, emotional and spiritual well being. I use these everyday alone or before other meditation exercises or clairvoyant reading.

The benefits of meditating make it well worth your time and effort, so try to make it part of your daily routine.

Yes, you read that right. At least twice a month, my wife (Mary) or I will do a free clairvoyant reading or healing. If you’re like most people, you might question anything that’s free, wondering what’s in  it for us. Here’s what we get out of it:

• We get an opportunity to practice the skills we learned during extensive clairvoyant training with Jill Miller.
• We get the opportunity to help others and to make people more aware of clairvoyance and the vast spiritual realm that surround us.
• I get more people signed up for my mailing list. Some of you might buy my book, Simple Meditation, once it’s  published.
• With your permission, I may also get more interesting material to write about in my blog.

Okay, now that you know what we get out of it, here’s what you might get out of having a clairvoyant reading or healing:

• A clairvoyant reading can provide insight into aspects of your life or provide insight into the behavior of other people.
• You might check in on a deceased loved one.
• You can learn about your spirit guides or past lives.
• A healing can help you to release blocks to your (or whomever you request’s) physical, emotional or spiritual health.

For more information on readings & healings, please visit this page. You can also find information on the spiritual realm in my Science and Heaven page. 

In order to get a reading or healing, just follow these simple steps.

1. Sign up for my mailing list, which will also get you a free monthly newsletter with links to my latest blog, videos and more. I will not sell or give your email address to anyone else. My website also has information on how to do some of this yourself.
2. Send me an email at curtremington@comcast.net, detailing your question or related questions. We also need the full name, and a brief description, of the key person or people the question involves. This allows us to connect with their energy and perform the reading long-distance. A brief background of the facts regarding the question would also be helpful.
3. For a healing, please provide the recipient’s name along with some details regarding problems that need to be addressed, like if there is an emotional issue or they are suffering from an illness.
4. If your request is chosen, I will send you a personal email detailing the reading or healing. If you grant permission, I may also write it up in my blog, leaving out identifying details like full names, towns, etc. Let me know if you have any special requests, in that regards.
5. If you would like to comment on the reading, you may do so on my blog’s comment section or on Facebook, however I reserve the right to delete any inappropriate comments.

Thanks for reading this. Now all you have to do is formulate your request and send it off to me at curtremington@comcast.net.