The best host the Oscars ever had was Hugh Jackman. The man did 3 live musical numbers, for crying out loud! And managed to be funny without being crass and poked fun without being cruel.  I sure did miss him this year.  He brought in the spirit of why the performing arts are so wonderful and why millions of people love them so much. He was truly entertaining and celebratory without letting the ceremony take itself too seriously.  He  – as a gracious host – actually told guests they looked beautiful instead of calling them names – now there is a concept.  A true class act.

I went home with a bit of a thorn in my side last night. The whole thing really bothered me. I think part of it was watching people who I admire and respect for their great work get kicked in the teeth over and over again.   It seemed so pointless and empty. And, I think it bothered me because all the films and performers up this year seemed to really be interested in sharing something really valuable with the audience – things that were each moving and important and their performances were brilliant and beautiful.  I tuned in because I wanted to share in the celebration of that in a good-humored way.  That certainly didn’t end up being the case last night!

So, why is this rant in my website?  I don’t want to come off as “above it all”.  I’m not. I’ve had my moments of low self-esteem and thinking if I trashed someone else I’d feel better. It never ever worked.  I use to work at some places that were incredibly unfriendly.  There was the back-stabbing, the gossip, the malicious insults, the name-calling and the constant complaining all the time.  I never felt good, better, or like I was advancing in any good way when I joined in. And, my body would physically hurt after being around it for an extended time. When people aren’t open to looking at why they are speaking in cruel and insulting ways on a regular basis- it’s really difficult to be around.  It just sucks the life out of the room completely.   And, I grew up around some amazing people – people who consider the impact their words will have on another person before they speak.  Words are chosen carefully to land gently and to retain the dignity of whoever they are speaking to and apologize abundantly  if that failed to happen – people who were interested in living just good simple values like kindness and sensitivity. I am so glad that people modeled this for me – and that I saw how it affected people.  I remember one family member in particular who has a profound knack for generosity of spirit. One time we were at an ice cream shop and the server was being rude and caustic. I went to the rest room and when I came out, the server was sitting in the booth with the member of my family, crying her eyes out. My family member had said “It looks like you are having a really bad day. What’s the matter?”  and the server poured her heart out about breaking up with her boyfriend. My family member just quietly listened, gave her a tissue and a hug. And things like this happened all the time with her. She taught me that it really mattered if you were kind or not – that we have an impact on each other – even if we don’t even know each other’s names. Even if we are just getting an ice cream cone.

And, when I went to seminary school there was a rule of no gossip and it actually was so refreshing. If we had a problem or issue with someone, we had to deal with it directly.  We had to face our own insecurities and inner demons and had to stop taking people down just to try to appease our own fragile egos.  It was sometimes really confronting to have to be that real.  And it also created a sense of real communion and safety and we were all the better for it. It left a very deep imprint on me as well. And, I think it takes a measure of courage not to join in with a nasty crowd, to decide “I don’t care if you make fun of me for not joining in. I am not interested in this. I want real interactions. I want real, rich dialogs. I am interested in sensitivity. I know that it matters and it’s what I want to be apart of.”

I know there is the importance of having a thick-skin. I know the world isn’t all roses and fairies and Charlotte Church songs- nor would I want it to be. I could hold my own in a fight if I had to and I enjoy a juicy debate. I like being around people who don’t take things too seriously or too precious.  I understand the art of a good razzing.  But, I think our words have power. I think having a foundation of care and consideration matters.  I think the tone we set affects the people around us.  I don’t think we ever grow out of appreciating a kind word or jester.  I think no matter what position we are at in life having a little heart and soul in what we do is never out of style.  And, authenticity is always sexy.  Hearing “I am really unsure of things right now” over “that girl looks so stupid in that dress” is always incredibly attractive and will win a true heart every time.

Tonight I watched “Something New”. It’s a drama-comedy and it’s about inter-racial relationships – it’s so well done – such a beautiful gem of a movie!

I also saw this weekend The Fall – Oh My God! What a film! While watching this film I experienced a sense of pure euphoric delight that I haven’t remembered feeling since I was a child – it’s really exceptional.

You are a fingerprint of Universal Intelligence and it is infinitely creative. If this force can create galaxies, billions of human beings with not a single one exactly the same, and an infinite variety of plants and animals, then it is very clear that it is impossible for this Source to run out of creative genius. It is Creative Genius embodying in form constantly. And because you are made in the likeness of this Genius, there is no limit to what you can create.

It does not matter if the majority of your life so far has had tremendous tragedy, sadness, trauma, grief, and quiet desperation. YOU HAVE THE POWER RIGHT IN THIS VERY MOMENT TO BEGIN TO CREATE PEACE, LOVE, JOY, CELEBRATION, AND ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT MAKES YOUR HEART SING. And even if you have had plenty of peace and love in your life, there is truly NO CEILING on how much you can keep experiencing. THERE ARE NO LIMITS ON HOW MUCH HAPPINESS, LOVE, FULFILLMENT, ECSTASY, JOY, AND PEACE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WHILE YOU’RE ON EARTH.

If your life so far has played out like a horror movie or a tragic drama, that does not mean you ever have to play out that “movie plot” again. You can turn it all around and live the rest of your life as an inspirational story, a romantic comedy, a triumph-against-the-odds story. You can be any character you want to be. You are not bound by who you have been in the past. It is a character and you are free to change it.

When you were a child in a single day you were a pilot, a tiger, a royal figure, a super hero, and a magical creature. Recall how fully and easily you embodied these different characters. It was a rich, techni-color experience. You knew that you were an unlimited, dynamic, multi-dimensional, holographic being just as matter-of-factly as you knew your name and the color of your hair. You never completely loose that knowledge. It goes underground and can be resurrected.

Childhood is a preparation to play the same game actively in the world during adulthood. You are the writer, director, and lead actor in your own story. It is a story that Universal Intelligence is creating through you to experience. You are an individual and Universal Intelligence at the same time, just as a wave in the ocean is unique yet inseparable from the water. You are the waves and the ocean. You are free to end the story you are living right now. Free to throw it all out and start over. You are free to end the story in whatever way you can imagine.

Imagine right now a situation that you are ready to put an end to. Close you eyes and imagine a movie screen in front of you. See the scenarios of this situation play out like a movie you are watching, put songs to different scenes in your mind. As it ends, watch the credits roll, hear the final soundtrack. Have fun with it, make yourself laugh. Remind yourself that the situation is a movie and you have chosen to end it and start something new.

We create our reality through feeling and attract and repel through emotion. Whatever has a strong, focused charge around it is what solidifies into physical form. It is important to focus your attention on what it would feel like to play out a new story line to your life. For example, you don’t like your current job anymore and are longing to do your dream job. What would it feel like in your body to have your dream job? Would you feel peaceful, happy, and fulfilled? The more time you spend generating those emotions inside of you, the faster you will attract your dream job. It is a scientific fact that everything is energy. Peace, joy, happiness, and fulfillment are specific frequencies of energy. If you feel those ways when you imagine your dream job, then your dream job lives at those vibrational frequencies. If you hang out consistently in emotions of anger, frustration, cynicism, and fear you will stay right where you are. Emotional intensity creates physical density. Live as if what you already desire has happened. Step into a new character. Keep at it. Clean up excess baggage. The time is now. Don’t waste another minute. See what it is like to accept everything that is written here as if it were as natural as “The sky is blue. The floor is solid. The ocean is wet.” Know it matter-of-factly, something you almost take for granted because you are so sure of it.

Play with this, see what happens, stay open to paradox, and practice humility, gentleness, and wonder.

He talked about practicing instead self-acceptance – where we relax into a deep knowing of our true nature – where we approach ourselves with love, curiosity, kindness and respect.

I feel that perhaps this self-improvement comes out of the fact that we are deeply caring people and it can be so disheartening to see that the vast majority of the problems on the planet right now came out of human behavior. It can trigger a feeling that we must improve ourselves to turn things around – that we have to fix ourselves because we keep messing things up so terribly on this planet. But, if you are around someone who is in the mindset of self-improvement and one who is in the mindset of self-acceptance which is more inspiring, healing, restorative to be around? The great mystics are approaching their path from the viewpoint of self-acceptance – even if they are doing many of the same practices as “self-improvers” their consciousness that they bring into the practice is one of deepening self-acceptance.

I am listening right now to the singer John Legend – he sings “Save Room for me. Save room for my love. Save room for a moment to be with me. ” It’s so powerful to drop into that safe, kind place of self-acceptance where we have saved room for ourselves – to live, to breath, to make mistakes, to grow, to love, to fall away from love and return again. That is the Divine within us because truly who we really are needs no improvement – we’re not cars or computers – we are incredible direct manifestations of the Divine.

*As you will see on this blog/site I love to share things I’ve found that I find delightful, useful, profound, enlightening.. In that spirit -

- Check out Robert Holden – Shift Happens Audio CD – order from www.onespiritinterfaith.org. He also has a book Shift Happens that you can buy at at OneSpirit as well.

- I HIGHLY HIGHLY Recommend “Once Again” CD – John Legend – it’s so luscious and beautiful.