Real or Imagined?

A couple months ago, I attended a fundraiser to raise money for a local charity. As with most fundraisers, it included a silent auction where we were encouraged to bid on donated items. The highest bid would win the item. The value of the item and a suggested opening bid were listed on the corresponding bid sheet. One of the silent auction prizes was a $50 assortment of scratch off lottery tickets, cleverly displayed on a wire “tree.” The highest bid I saw was for $260 ($210 over face value!) I commented to my friend that the prize would have built-in karma for the winner. She diplomatically said what a wonderful idea, if indeed it had “magic karma dust” pre-sprinkled on the tickets, and “aren’t you nice for thinking that way.”

What an interesting reply. It made me wonder what she meant by that way of thinking? Was that magical thinking? Was she questioning the concept of karma? And what made me “nice” for thinking that way?

I kept ruminating on her words: does faith fall under that way? How about the placebo affect? Is there a that way continuum – with reality on one end and wishful thinking on the other end?

Sometimes it’s nice to escape the “reality” end. Let’s use the example at the top – let’s pretend you were the high bidder on those scratch off tickets and YOU WON! Four million dollars – tax free (remember, we’re pretending!) What will you do with the money?

Time to daydream! First, give yourself permission to spend twenty minutes this first time putting together your daydream. Allow yourself the time. Now think of something you want – you have $4,000,000! It could be a new car or a vacation home or more joy in your life or fulfilling work. If you can picture it, great. If not, Google that image (simply search on “image of [fill in your desire here].”

Use that as a springboard. Close your eyes and put yourself together with that image: you’re driving that new car, top down, your favorite music playing loudly; you’re relaxing in that vacation home looking out the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows at the waves crashing on the beach fifty yards from where you sit; you’re laughing with a group of friends at your favorite restaurant and it brings you great joy knowing you will be picking up the tab; you’re collaborating with your very interesting coworkers at the non-profit you’re passionate about but could never afford the cut in salary to work there (now you can!)

Commit to doing this again tomorrow, only this time, set a timer for only five minutes. Literally. Close your eyes and allow yourself this daydream for five minutes. Every day. Put a reminder in your calendar. Schedule it like you would an important appointment. Maybe you do it before you get out of bed in the morning. Maybe you drift off to sleep this way – guaranteed it will put a smile on your face (and if it doesn’t, find a new daydream!)

That’s it. No deadlines. No pressure to achieve anything. No right or wrong. No judgement. Just you and your daydream. Five minutes. Every day. The magic will happen on its own.

Ready? Are you in? Just type YES below!

P.S. Here’s a simple technique to get your creative juices flowing – it’s called Super Brain Yoga. It was developed by Master Chao Kok Sui. There are lots of YouTube videos out there – but here’s a great place to start.

Simply put, here are the instructions: take your left hand and with your thumb and index finger, lightly squeeze your right ear lobe, with your thumb in front and your index finger behind. Now repeat with your right hand crossed over the top of your left and lightly squeeze your left ear lobe. Next, rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth. (If you want to be really thorough, remove your jewelry and face east.) Now squat 14 times, inhaling as you lower and exhaling as you rise.

Sound ridiculous? What if there is actually something to this? At the very least, taking the time to breathe deeply and squat 14 times every day will firm your butt and give your brain much appreciated oxygen.

Potential results include the ability to focus easier, improved memory, a clearer, more creative mind, and an open heart filled with compassion.

That alone is worth squeezing your ear lobes and squatting 14 times every day.