12 Keys to Life

1. Do not be guided by fear.

There is nothing more detrimental than making decisions out of fear.

2. Seek not to be loved, but to be loving.

My clients are generally single men and women in their thirties and forties. And most of them are unhappy. The rest of my clients are in relationships, and guess what? Theyre unhappy too. So whos happy? Well, I know a few and their happiness has nothing to do with a partner or lack thereof. We have been programmed to believe that if we just find the right partner our problems will be solved. But Im sorry to say it is an illusion. Sure, you can be fulfilled with a partner but you can also be fulfilled without one. What you seek is within. Everyday my prayer is the same, “Help me become more loving.” Let go of the need to be loved and seek instead to be loving. Only then will you find true fulfillment.

3. Pick a spiritual path.

And stick to it. All of our problems would disappear if we committed to daily spiritual practice. Truth is simple. You can read about this in an earlier post.

4. Read great writers.

Studying people who are smarter than us is crucial because there is nothing more important than realizing we may not be right. Here are some books I like.

5. Listen to music.

Crank up one good song a day. Start with this video of Unity by Trevor Hall featuring Matisyahu. I just saw his show the other night. He glows. He said he was headlining a tour in February so be sure to catch him when he comes through your town. You won’t regret it. Buy his music here.

6. See a hypnotherapist.

Release your past. Clean yourself up. And don’t spend a ton of time and money trying to do it. Hypnotherapists can help you do that. The best way to find one is through referral. E-mail me if you cant locate a good hypnotherapist and I will be happy to help you. Check out these interesting statistics on my website.

7. Surround yourself with people who can teach you.

This is easy and the pay-off is huge. Wise people push you. They hold you accountable. They dont necessarily coddle you, they elevate you. Theres a reason a lot of enlightened people have gurus. Every smart person had a teacher.

8. Give away what you don’t need.

Good feng shui and good karma. Your house is a reflection of your mind.

9. Maintain integrity.

Your self-respect is all youve got. Treasure it.

10. Become vegan.

Becoming vegan is like volunteering. Thats how I see it. There seems to be a sacrifice involved but its really a gift that comes back to you a hundred-fold. I have not experienced a single choice that has had such beautiful and far-reaching effects, not only into the world but in my own life as well. Start small.

11. Don’t procrastinate.

The world awaits your gifts. We need your vision, your talent, your perspective, your ideas. I guarantee you, depression is inevitable if you don’t apply yourself. Reread number 1.

12. Be of service.

Adopt a pet, or a child. Volunteer. If there is no love or joy in your life it can only be because you are not giving love or joy.

All of these keys have one thing in common: they are challenging. In this world of complacency and complicity, we have gotten lazy. And it shows. I understand the huge pull towards indolence, I fight it on a daily basis, but it is a battle that must be fought. It is only through challenging ourselves that we heal, that the world become a better place, and that we achieve greater things. If not you, who? You are the who we are waiting for.

I’d love to hear your keys to life.

12 Keys to Life by Cynthia Morgan.

Creativity Calls: The Art of Green

The art of going green is as simple as rethinking the every day things we do (often without thinking). While many have the recycling basics down to a fine art, now it’s all about taking it to the next level for the sake of the environment and your wallet.

Compassion & Music Merge

With the success of the recent WorldFest-a healthy living, vegan, music festival held annually in Los Angeles-The Green Dove spoke with Media and Marketing Director Bettina Rosmarino to get a recap on the festivities.

THE GREEN DOVE: How did WorldFest begin?
BETTINA ROSMARINO: In 2001, members of the current production team were involved in the first WorldFest. It started out of a desire to bring compassionate living to people in the form of a fun and relaxed music environment.

Get into the Spirit

The upcoming Raw Spirit Festival is literally heaven on earth for those whose focus is health and wellbeing.

Visitors from around the world attend to hear from the greatest minds in healthy and eco-living, such as raw food guru David Wolfe, raw food chef Juliano, naturopath Dr Jameth Sheridan, performer Tonya Kay and others. Starting next month, the festivals will be held in Santa Barbara, California, Washington D.C. and Prescott, Arizona respectively.

Set amongst nature, each festival features music, educational booths, an organic farmer’s market, creative children’s program, raw restaurant food court, raw vegan demonstrations, art gardens, dancing, poetry and theatre, yoga and meditation. There’s even a job fair.

Santa Barbara, CA: June 5 – 7. Washington D.C.: August 29 – 30. Prescott, AZ: September 26 – 27.

Find out more at www.rawspirit.com

WorldFest Music Festival on May 16

WorldFest, a solar-powered, vegan, and sustainable music festival is set for May 16 in Los Angeles.

The event is expected to be celeb-central-especially for those interested in animal welfare, the planet, and a healthy lifestyle. Tippi Hedren, actress and founder of the Shambala Preserve, Kathy Freston, bestselling author of Quantum Wellness, Captain Paul Watson from Animal Planets Whale Wars will be guest speakers.

Other speakers and celebrity attendees include actress Linda Blair who runs animal rescue organization WorldHeart Foundation, child actress Saige Ryan Campbell, and health advocate Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Musical guests at WorldFest include The Chapin Sisters, Bonne Musique Zydeco, and others.

WorldFest is a much-anticipated by those who are active in the local community-and for those who would like to become more active. Fest organizers say they also welcome those who simply want to enjoy the music, food, sights, and sounds of the event.

“We have great exhibitors this year with some amazing food booths and the celebrities and bands are all energetic and fun to watch,” says WorldFests Exhibitor Coordinator Andrea Gullo.

The Soloist: Healing with Music

While the film The Soloist brings attention to homelessness and mental illness, it also highlights the importance and impact music can have on our lives. In this exclusive interview, L.A. Times journalist Steve Lopez tells how his friendship with Nathaniel Ayers changed his life, how the film made him more self-aware and how music impacts him.