THE BLOG FOR FiVE STAR HUMANS

Many years ago, sitting in a workshop room in Oregon, I listened as the workshop leader told us that human beings have 4 powers: the power to think, to feel, to decide, and to act. I wasn’t so sure about that. I thought, “Isn’t the power to decide just part of the power to think?”

But over the years, I’ve seen the wisdom in what he said. I’ve concluded that, while it arises out of both thinking and feeling, deciding is indeed a separate power. It requires will, both to decide and to put that decision into action. We may have many thoughts and feelings about something, but until we take the next step and decide what we want to do about it, we can’t move into action.

Differentiating our 4 powers this way also gives us more clarity on how to use each power. For instance, as we’re thinking and feeling, we’re gathering information. When we move on to deciding, we’re using all the information we’ve gathered from our thinking and feeling.

One mistake many of us make is that we confuse having a feeling with making a decision. We have a feeling, we mistake it for a decision, and then we act on it. But a feeling is not a decision. A feeling is the way our body-mind communicates with our conscious mind. It’s the language our body uses when it’s trying to tell us something. So we need to listen for the information contained in our feelings, but we also need to remember that a feeling is not a decision.

The same is true of our thoughts. A thought is not a decision. It may contain important information that we want to consider when making a decision, but having a thought is not the same thing as making a decision.

So remember — you have 4 powers: thinking, feeling, deciding, and acting. Be aware of which one you’re using at the moment, and don’t mistake having a thought or a feeling for making a decision.

Written by Steven Kessler
author of The 5 Personality Patterns

Discover your True Self and learn to use your powers to the fullest. You are not your pain, you are not your thoughts, you are not your experience. Learn how to transform negative feelings back to unbroken wholeness and uncover your innate clarity of mind. Emily is a psychotherapist who works with clients doing transformational therapy online and in person in Glenwood Springs, CO. Schedule a session online or in-person. Affordable, efficient, effective therapy.

For more, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives.

Quotes from the book The Addictive Organization by Anne Wilson Schaef and Diane Fassel

Basically, most organizations have addictive structures– from families to corporations to governments. If you feel caught up and ‘stuck’ in an unhealthy relationship at home or are struggling with the boss or group dynamics at work, this might be a topic worth exploring. The authors of The Addictive Organization estimate over 90% of people are codependent. Organizations of all types, including our cultures, promote this behavior. (It’s something I’ve had to work on myself!) Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA) implies codependency. You do not have to have been raised by an alcoholic to be one. You can find more resources here. Read on for pertinent quotes from the book…

“Substance and process addictions usually have a meaning beyond the personal. The society in which we live needs addictions, and its very essence fosters addictions. It fosters addictions because the best-adjusted person in the society is the person who is not dead and not alive, just numb, a zombie. … When you are full alive, you are constantly saying no to many of the processes of society: the racism, the polluted environment, the nuclear threat, the arms race, drinking unsafe water, and eating carcinogenic foods. Thus, it is in the interests of society to promote those things that ‘take the edge off’, get us busy with our ‘fixes’, and keep us slightly ‘numbed out’ and zombielike. Consequently, the society itself not only encourages additions, it functions as an addict.”

—

“We referred earlier to the scientific method and world-view as system some believe is entropic and no longer viable. One of its problems is that it narrowly defines what is worth knowing. Much of what is [considered to be] not worth knowing comes from the imagination, intuition, spirituality, and other realms of consciousness and experience. At its extreme, the scientific worldview said, If it cannot be measured and controlled, it is not real. It is easy to see how the scientific method belief system and the addictive system espouse and support the same process of invalidation. This process truncates information and knowledge.”

—

“…ACOAs [Adult Children of Alcoholics] feel they must do each job perfectly. They berate themselves for even the smallest mistake. Their self-criticism is so extreme that they disregard praise, feeling it could not possibly be true. They tend to put in ordinate amounts of overtime, in order to ensure the projects are just right.

—

“One of the most important ways the organization functions as an addictive substance is through the promise it makes and holds out to every employee. Remember that the purpose of the promise of the addictive system is to take one out of the here and now. This process moves the person from he or she knows, and fosters looking outside the self for answers, security and a sense of self-worth.

The organization holds lots of promises. It promises that you will get ahead. It promises power, money, and influence. It promises that you will be a nice guy or gal if you perform in certain ways. If you live up to what the company promotes, you make even be liked and ‘belong’.

Almost all the promises of the organization are linked to the promises of the society. They are same: power, influence, and money. They are the good life as defined by the popular culture and by advertising. This is seductive. 

The promise of the good life keeps us actively focused on the future in the belief that even if things are not so good now, they will get better. The future orientation of the promise in the organization is one of the processes that prevent us from looking at the present functioning in the system and seeing it for exactly what it is, addictive. “

—

“Another form of communication in addictive organizations is what Chris Argyris calls ‘skilled incompetence’. This refers to the phenomenon of executives who are skilled communicators, highly committed and respected by each other, using communication skills (much like disinformation?) to cover up real problems.”

—

“…it is possible to be involved and not enmeshed. Objectivity is a form of illusion and requires removal from self-awareness.”

“…it is possible to have feelings and awareness and yet remain neutral.“

Discover your True Self and escape the traps of dependence. You are not your pain, you are not your thoughts, you are not your experience. Learn how to transform negative feelings back to unbroken wholeness and uncover your innate clarity of mind. Emily is a psychotherapist who works with clients doing transformational therapy online and in person in Glenwood Springs, CO. Schedule a session online or in-person. Affordable, efficient, effective therapy.

For more, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives.

by contributing writer Roger V Schmitt of Enneathinggoes

Mental health is a broad topic encompassing a variety of conditions, treatments, and personalized techniques for improvement. An important part of nurturing your mental health is finding unconventional ways to improve it. Consider these eight unique tips to help you work on mental wellness.

1. Telehealth Psychotherapy

You no longer have to have an in-person appointment to speak with a mental health expert. With Five Star Human, you can simply schedule a telehealth appointment with a psychotherapist and get the help you need from the comfort of your home. With their help, you can find mental clarity and the courage to live your life authentically.

2. Volunteer in Your Spare Time

Volunteering is a great way to feel good about yourself. Start by looking into local organizations that could use your help. It could be a food bank or an after-school program for kids who need tutors. Assess what you’re good at and how you can contribute.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Learning to live in the moment is a great way to reduce your stress. You will start to accept yourself and pay attention to the world around you rather than worrying about the future. One way to start this practice is to focus on your breathing and meditate daily.

4. Return to School

When you think about the elements of your life that produce the most stress, is work at the top of the list? Think about making a career change. You can pave the way for success in that career by getting an online degree while you work. For example, if you are interested in helping others, you could earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. That’s a great avenue for giving back to others. Make sure you choose a program from an accredited university.

5. Start a Nonprofit Organization

Research shows that helping others even a small act of kindness can have a significant effect on your overall well-being. Consider starting a nonprofit to give back to your community. You can apply for grants and other funding through the government, and all you need to get started is a cohesive set of bylaws, including how you plan to operate the business and board meetings as well as your rules on conflicts of interest and voting.

6. Express Your Appreciation

Take the time to think of the things you appreciate about your life. You can even write them down in a gratitude journal. A great way to start is to wake up every morning and think of three things you are grateful for in your life. 

7. Practice Being Positive

Being a positive thinker is a learned skill. You have to actively train your mind to change negative thoughts into positive ones when you face an obstacle. Start by doing this daily with small inconveniences.

8. Give Up Perfectionism

No one is perfect. However, most people strive for perfection in one or more areas of their lives. This can be beneficial and bring you success, but it can also cause stress. Learn to accept that life cannot always be perfect, but you can still keep a positive attitude.

Now that you have some effective tactics to help you improve your mental health, remember that you are a work in progress. Sometimes you need to change up the strategy and use a variety of these methods to get results whether you’re volunteering, going back to school, or practicing mindfulness. Some days, you just need mental rest. Either way, self-care is always the means to your mental health goals.

“Reality is a sound, you have to tune in to it, not just keep yelling.” – Anne Carson, “Autobiography of Red”

Find many more Resources for Self-Help here; including books, free online videos and websites that offer wisdom, inspiration and direction on your journey back to wholeness.

A letter from Albert Einstein to his daughter, Lieserl, on The Universal Force of Love

“When I proposed the theory of relativity, very few understood me, and what I will reveal now to transmit to mankind will also collide with the misunderstanding and prejudice in the world.

I ask you to guard the letters as long as necessary, years, decades, until society is advanced enough to accept what I will explain below.

There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others, and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet been identified by us. This universal force is LOVE.

When scientists looked for a unified theory of the universe they forgot the most powerful unseen force. Love is Light, that enlightens those who give and receive it. Love is gravity, because it makes some people feel attracted to others. Love is power, because it multiplies the best we have, and allows humanity not to be extinguished in their blind selfishness. Love unfolds and reveals. For love we live and die. Love is God and God is Love.

This force explains everything and gives meaning to life. This is the variable that we have ignored for too long, maybe because we are afraid of love because it is the only energy in the universe that man has not learned to drive at will.

To give visibility to love, I made a simple substitution in my most famous equation. If instead of E = mc2, we accept that the energy to heal the world can be obtained through love multiplied by the speed of light squared, we arrive at the conclusion that love is the most powerful force there is, because it has no limits.

After the failure of humanity in the use and control of the other forces of the universe that have turned against us, it is urgent that we nourish ourselves with another kind of energy…

If we want our species to survive, if we are to find meaning in life, if we want to save the world and every sentient being that inhabits it, love is the one and only answer.

Perhaps we are not yet ready to make a bomb of love, a device powerful enough to entirely destroy the hate, selfishness and greed that devastate the planet.

However, each individual carries within them a small but powerful generator of love whose energy is waiting to be released.

When we learn to give and receive this universal energy, dear Lieserl, we will have affirmed that love conquers all, is able to transcend everything and anything, because love is the quintessence of life.

I deeply regret not having been able to express what is in my heart, which has quietly beaten for you all my life. Maybe it’s too late to apologize, but as time is relative, I need to tell you that I love you and thanks to you I have reached the ultimate answer!”

Your father,

Albert Einstein

Discover the Universal Love that is your True Self. You are not your pain, you are not your thoughts, you are not your experience. Learn how to transform negative feelings back to unbroken wholeness and uncover your innate clarity of mind. Emily is a psychotherapist who works with clients doing transformational therapy online and in person in Glenwood Springs, CO. Schedule a session online or in-person. Affordable, efficient, effective therapy.

For more, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives.

Turning a Mid-Life Crisis Into a Mid-Life Opportunity

by contributing writer Roger V Schmitt of Enneathinggoes

As you reach middle age, it’s common to panic about where you’ve ended up in life. We rarely follow the path we think is set out for us in our youth, and it’s easy to feel failure or regret when you stray from that old plan. Finding a sense of purpose and accomplishment will help your mid-life crisis become an overall positive experience.

Practicing Self-Care

If you feel you’ve let your general health and wellness decline over the last few years, now is a great time to start developing some healthy habits. Taking time to exercise at least once a day will help you get back into shape while also keeping you active and motivated. Rather than coasting through life, practicing mindfulness and meditation are calming ways to achieve some much-needed introspection.

If at any point you feel your stressors are becoming too much to handle, it’s advisable to seek the help of a therapist. Therapy is finally becoming widely destigmatized and is more accessible than ever with telemedicine services. Virtual visits on FiVE STAR HUMAN can be joined from home, eliminating the need to fight traffic to make an appointment on time. Online therapists offer a wide variety of specialists while saving you time and money.

Keeping Busy

If you feel stuck in a rut, you should take steps to shake up your routine. Consider taking up a hobby you’ve always wanted to try or reigniting a passion from your youth. Finding something that fills your time and gives you a sense of accomplishment can reduce the anxieties of entering middle age. You may even find a way to turn your new hobby into a side hustle.

If you’re feeling wistful for your younger days, consider reconnecting with some old friends. Entering whatever information you can remember about past acquaintances into an online search engine is a quick and easy way to catch up, usually revealing a social media page. If your long-lost companion isn’t online, looking them up in local phone books might be effective.

Taking Control of Your Career

If you want to start a company in the pursuit of some purpose for your later years, the first thing you’ll need to do is draft a business plan. This document should cover every facet of your organization, including the services or goods you intend to sell, the amount of funding you’ll require to open, when investors can expect to see a return, and how your staff is structured. Check out this resource to start a new company here. This can serve as a roadmap, eliminating any guesswork as you build your startup. 

Your plan will also serve to attract investors. Private speculators and financial institutions will want to see some evidence that your idea is viable. A solid business plan will help convince investors that your company is worth taking a risk on.

You’ll also want to conduct market research to figure out which demographics you can most effectively advertise to. With all these pieces in place, starting a business can be a great way to be a part of your community and set achievable and fulfilling goals, putting your mid-life uncertainty to rest.

A mid-life crisis doesn’t need to mark the beginning of the end. Focusing on self-care and finding purpose will get you back on track and ready to face the next chapter in your life.

‘Wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from poor judgement.‘ – Quote attributed to many

Discover many more Resources for Self Help here.

For more blog posts, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives.

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‘This is what spiritual development means— the recognition, realization and manifestation of the Spirit within. Try to remember this last definition— that of spiritual development. It contains the Truth of True Religion.’ – The Kybalion

Watch these two very different ‘Spiritual Gurus’ explain in simple terms how to access your True Self. Each video is only ~10 minutes long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCoLMlPyv2Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MiT-_XZgEQ

Discover that you are not your pain, you are not your thoughts, you are not your experience. Learn how to transform negative feelings back to unbroken wholeness and uncover your innate clarity of mind. Get inspired to live as a Five Star Human. Emily is a psychotherapist who works with clients doing transformational therapy online and in person in Glenwood Springs, CO. Schedule a session online or in-person. Affordable, efficient, effective therapy.

For more, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives.

Now Integrating Homeopathy Consultation Services for the Roaring Fork Valley– Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt, Snowmass, Aspen, New Castle, Silt and beyond

I’m not here to sell you on homeopathy, which is a safe and well-proven system of efficiently healing acute and chronic conditions. The Queen of England’s doctor is a homeopath, and many countries have nearly as many practicing homeopaths as allopathic doctors, and in some cases government insurance even pays for remedies and treatment.

So, if you are already somewhat familiar with homeopathic remedies and are looking for a local in the Roaring Fork Valley to help you with homeopathy for yourself, family, pets, farm animals and even plants (household, gardens, trees, agricultural), please reach out to me and let’s chat.

I have home offices in-between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale where we can meet, I make site visits if required, and online consultations can be useful as well.

Just recently I have begun integrating my years of practice in homeopathy into my psychotherapy services. In addition to helping with all sorts of physical complaints, homeopathic remedies can greatly accelerate psycho-emotional healing by clearing old shock and grief, relieving and curing chronic anxiety, lifting depression, healing trauma, and so much more. All without the side effects of typical medical interventions and pharmaceutical drugs.

Homeopathic remedies can also help get you off medications for depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc. which typically should not be used long-term.

If you are up against any medical issues– whether you have an accurate diagnosis or not– you may find that homeopathy has the answers you’ve been looking for. It’s also a great place to turn for injury from vaccines, toxins, and all types of mystery illnesses.

Feel free to reach out to me. I may be able to offer you a complimentary tip to point you in the right direction, or we can discuss your needs.

Please know, I am not a medical doctor. I am a registered psychotherapist and a homeopathic consultant. My consulting services are like a friend helping a friend.

The great news is that homeopathy doesn’t have side effects and generally the worst thing that happens is it doesn’t effect a cure, which just means the incorrect remedy was chosen, and so we try again. The other great news is that remedies cost around $10, and depending on how often they are taken (depending on the protocol) that bottle can last at least two weeks, if not a month. The other great news is that sometimes just a few doses is all that’s needed— and even in cases that are more long-term, we’re still generally talking months, not years of taking remedies, and once there is a healing then the remedies are discontinued.

Within my family and the circles of people I’ve been helping, these are some of the issues that have been resolved recently (totally):

Dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual periods), Chronic ankle sprain (the person was sure surgery would be required, but instead is back to skiing moguls!), All types of strains and sprains, Migraines, Chronic constipation, Acne, Diarrhea, Insomnia, Terrible lower limb arthritis, Low libido, Depression, Old grief, Seasonal allergies, Bed sores, Terrible mucus and coughing, Osteoporosis, Heart palpitations, Brain fog, Low energy and fatigue, Shock, Vaccinosis, Pain, Intense anxiety and fear of death, Disordered sense of smell and taste, Cysts, Food allergies, and more. These are not just for adults, but for babies, animals, and plants too.

For your own exploration and research, I recommend the following as a great place to start:

Joette Calabrese’s Practical Homeopathy

The Banerji Protocols

Additional Banerji Protocols

Again, just reach out to me for a chat.

The Ringing Cedars of Russia books series (also known as the ‘Anastasia’ books) are, in my opinion, a must read for all humans living during this important time.

More than just stories, they are an important ‘transmission’ for those who are living now; to help us usher in a new age, a new humanity, and a new world when all of Mankind lives in harmony with Nature, with their True Nature, and with each other.

It’s hard to find the whole book set in English. I have all of the 10 total Anastasia books in PDF format, and so I will share the complete Ringing Cedars of Russia series below for free. If there are any objections to this, please contact me directly here.

These books have circled the globe largely by word of mouth. And for good reason!

(I would be happy to pay for them, if I could find them all. But even the website gives away the first Anastasia book for free, and then only has three more of the series available for purchase in English. In theory all of the books will be available for purchase here, but for now their US store is closed. We will have to check back. *Updated- here is the OFFICIAL site.)

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 1 (Anastasia) PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 2 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 3 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 4 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 5 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 6 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 7 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 8 Part 1 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 8 Part 2 PDF

Ringing Cedars of Russia Book 9 (or 10 total) PDF

And here are all 10 Anastasia books in another format

Thank you to Vladimir Megré, the author, and to Anastasia for the gift of these books. They have impacted me, personally, and so many others in such a positive way.

If you are struggling with mental health issues of any type, or are a seeker in search of spiritual Truth, then I urge you to read these books.

Although we may call it ‘therapy’, I prefer to think of it as a treasure hunt. With a little curiosity and courage, a good dose of willingness to explore the inner terrain, and a caring guide, each of us can discover the pure gold within that is our True Self. True, it may be buried under layers of muck, but that’s where the exciting adventure begins, and the true riches can be found. Schedule a one-on-one intuitive psychotherapy session online or in-person. Affordable, efficient, effective therapy.

For more, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives here.

‘When our thoughts look real, we live in a world of suffering. When they look subjective, we live in a world of choice. When they look arbitrary, we live in a world of possibility. And when we see them as illusory, we wake up inside a world of dreams.’

— The Inside-Out Revolution, Michael Neill

A beautiful quote by a top teacher and practitioner of The Three Principles.

The 3Ps (as they are often referred to) are Mind, Consciousness and Thought. Although describing the Principles is hardly the point. The entire focus is to help others (and continually remind the self) that in this universe of mind and thought, all is ever-changing, and all we ever have to do is wait and before long our thoughts will change, our mood will change, and just like clouds passing through the sky the sun will come out again.

And when the sun comes out again, so to speak, we find ourselves in a clear mind and peaceful body. And in that clarity we have access to Infinite Intelligence (or inner wisdom, intuition, knowing– whatever words you like) and we find we have greater perspective, receive helpful insights, download great ideas, and all of life looks good again.

So simple; though not always easy!

For more resources, check out this page for links to free Three Principles videos and top books from the foremost practitioners of the 3Ps.

Although we may call it ‘therapy’, I prefer to think of it as a treasure hunt. With a little curiosity and courage, a good dose of willingness to explore the inner terrain, and a caring guide, each of us can discover the pure gold within that is our True Self. True, it may be buried under layers of muck, but that’s where the exciting adventure begins, and the true riches can be found. Schedule a session online or in-person. Affordable, efficient, effective therapy.

For more, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives here.

BELOVED OSHO, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO RAISE THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE ENTIRE PLANET? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME? DO WE HAVE A CHANCE?

“Consciousness is painful, because you will have to drop so much which you have carried your whole life thinking it very valuable.

You will have to uncover your wounds which you have covered and completely forgotten.

You will have to revive all worries and anguishes that somehow you have repressed.

You will have to face again your original face which you have lost far back. You have become somebody else. You have been somebody else so long, that now to face your original face is going to shatter you completely.

To be conscious is not a game.

To be conscious is to go through a deep surgery.

And the problem is, you are the surgeon, and you are the patient.

Consciousness is self-surgery.

And don’t ask me how can we raise …? Nobody can do it for somebody else; you can only do it for yourself.

This is the fundamental of spiritual surgery: you can only be successful on yourself. Howsoever painful it is … but there is no other way. Yes, it pays tremendously if you can pass through the test. If you can pass through the pain, if you can pass through all the misery, the suffering that you have repressed will rise again. It is like entering a house which nobody has entered for years. You will raise so much dust — and that dust is not simple dust, it covers your wounds. It has helped you to forget yourself. It has made you unconscious of yourself. It is not like taking off your clothes, it is more like peeling off your skin.

But once you succeed, then all the pain seems to be just nothing, because the bliss that descends on you is incomparable; the pain that you suffered looks so tiny and so meaningless. But that is in the end.
Gautam the Buddha used to say, “My path in the beginning is tremendous pain; in the end, tremendous blissfulness. But patience is needed.”

I told you, in this surgery you are the patient and you are the surgeon both. Remember the English word “patient” comes from “patience.” It is significant. Why is the sick person called a “patient?” He has to be patient, he has to wait. But when you are the patient yourself and also the surgeon, the difficulty is multiplied. But still it is nothing compared to the bliss.

All that you can do is to pass through this suffering, to pass through this dark night of the soul.

Reach to the dawn of your being.

Blossom. Let your blissfulness explode.

Perhaps somebody’s sleeping soul may be triggered. Somebody’s sleeping consciousness may have a shock and wake up.

But these are only “perhaps.” One cannot be certain in these matters. The matters are so subtle you cannot be certain.

Hope for the best.
And wait for the worst.
And time certainly is short.”

– From Darkness to Light, Chapter 7, by Osho

For more inspiration and free self-help resources, go here.

Although we may call it ‘therapy’, I prefer to think of it as a treasure hunt. With a little curiosity and courage, a good dose of willingness to explore the inner terrain, and a caring guide, each of us can discover the pure gold within that is our True Self. True, it may be buried under layers of muck, but that’s where the exciting adventure begins, and the true riches can be found. Schedule a session online or in-person. Affordable, efficient, effective therapy.

For more, visit the FiVE STAR HUMAN blog archives here.