aashiq's Blog

An ingenious spiritual teacher, Lester Levenson, shifts people out of old, crippling emotional patterns with the simple suggestion: “That was Then. This is Now.”

This statement of truth reminds us that our pain and suffering occurred in the past—and brings us into the present to see if the experience is actually still occurring. And, in fact, that old experience of life is never occurring in the present—unless we drag it into the Now. That is, unless we unconsciously re-generate the expected, habitual past experience into the present moment. As another sage, Harry Palmer, expresses it, “The past only exists to the degree we re-create it in the present.”

We often set ourselves up for this unconscious carry-over by saying things like, “Oh, Jake’s always negative!” But does Jake “always” have to be pessimistic? What if we approached Jake today with the willingness to be open to the possibility that he may be different, new, fresh? What might happen?

The Prison of the Past

In study after study, researchers have found that when one schoolteacher is told a new group of students is “intellectually challenged,” those students will test very low on objective exams. When a different schoolteacher is told the same students are “geniuses,” those same students will test very high on objective exams in her class.

What’s Up with That?

We experience our expectations. We cruise the road of life projecting our beliefs ahead of us, only to arrive exclaiming, “Oh, wow. It’s just as I anticipated!”

Who Are We?

The same unconscious dynamic occurs with our own self-image! If we’ve come to believe that we’re not artistic, then we continually prove it by seeing our creations as crude, uninspired or amateurish. If we’ve decided we’re not “athletic,” we’re not surprised when we don’t catch the ball. If we’re not a “dancer,” we trip on our own feet.

As long as I can recall, I’ve never been a “morning person,” so, “God, I’m tired this morning. I just can’t wake up. You know what I mean?”

The Filter of the Past

Our unconscious beliefs about ourselves act as a filter, only letting in those perceptions of ourselves that “fit” our set image of ourselves. If we should accidentally happen to do anything “out of character,” we either won’t even perceive it—or we’ll rationalize it away as an aberration, a fluke, a one-time chance occurrence.

And we’ll even solidify the past by exclaiming, “That’s not me! I don’t know how that happened. I’m not usually like this. Please excuse my behavior.” We even apologize for being spontaneous and inventive!

Disguised as “facts” these unconscious old beliefs filter our perception of every event, distorting reality to fit into our rigid, preconceived framework. Lord, save us!

The Truth Will Set Us Free

The liberating truth about these self-convictions is that they are totally arbitrary. Our limiting beliefs about ourselves are only past experiences that over time have become so-called fact. These “facts” are only old personal perceptions that we have come to believe are “the way I am.”

The Maintenance Project

I refer to this unconscious perpetuation of past experience into the present as the “Maintenance Project.”
And, boy, does it take a lot of energy to sustain our “Official Self-Image.”

One day I watched young kids running repeatedly up and down a steep mountain trail. It takes me all the energy I can muster to scale that climb once a day! I asked myself, “Where did the vitality go that I had as a kid?”

Whamee! The realization hits me like a Mack truck. I see that I still have all that vigor! But now that energy all goes into preserving my belief system about myself and my world—my own “Maintenance Project.”

I’ve bought into the notion that I’m older and can’t do the things I used to do as a kid. Unconsciously, I’m invested in being right about my beliefs about aging, and having less and less energy as I grow older. Hello?! Why would I want to do that?

The Poison of Our Positions

Do you really care that much about your beliefs in your limitations? Is your dogged defense of your old, restricted “self-image” making you any happier—or the world any better?

What is the personal cost of your “Maintenance Project?” Greater than the 2006 U.S. Defense Budget? Probably!

Are your justifications for your old ideas of yourself really just rationalizations? Or worst, simply old habits that you are unconsciously keeping alive? Are you arguing for limitation … or possibility?

Unmask the Bandit!

Unmask the bandit that has stolen your personal power and joy. Expose these “facts of life” for what they really are—fantasies of an adult who has forgotten who wrote the script of life. A grown-up who can no longer live life unrehearsed. A “mature” big person who has lost the ability to play and create fresh in the moment.

Be the Master of Your Fate

Being the master of your own self is having a real choice about what beliefs—and therefore what realities—you choose to empower. By becoming aware of the unconscious beliefs that are creating your reality, you then give yourself the conscious choice of which beliefs you want funding your reality. You can withdraw your creating energy from the unconscious limited self-images that no longer nurture your happiness.

When you take back your power from old, restricted ideas of who you are, you can create and evolve in any way at any rate you choose. You free yourself to invent anew and unfettered. You become the Conscious Creator of your own destiny.

Re-tell Your Story

Start a fresh dialogue with the Universe about what it means to be you. Energize new personal stories—and realities. Envision—and then experience—fresh, different ways of expressing your unique spirit. Create a new vision of yourself that is more alive, resourceful and self-compassionate.

Options Abound!

Opt out of beliefs—and realities—that don’t serve you. Opt into beliefs—and realities—that do serve your deepest aspirations.

Create a future from present passion, not from past perceptions. You don’t have to let your past experience get in the way of your present happiness. Awaken to fresh choices, options and solutions you never saw before. Re-seed a renewed sense of peace, well-being and wholeness.

Master the Present—and Your Future!

Victor Hugo wrote, “There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” What ideas have come just in time to break you free of your self-imposed prison? What ideas will you allow today to lift your spirit into a new world, a fresh start?

While there are various modes and modules available for weight loss, not many are actually successful in causing loss of weight. Among the few means which are considered to be effective in leading to weight loss are weight loss surgeries. Surgical procedures however are governed by certain factors fulfilling which an individual is allowed to undergo a weight loss surgery. One of the various weight loss surgical procedures that are available today, a prominent one is known as the lap band surgery. In case of the ;lap band surgery, what its simply done to ensure weight loss is that the size of the stomach is reduced accordingly as required so that after a certain point, an obese individual feels full and therefore terminates food consumption at that point instead of excessively consuming food. By means of the lap band surgery a small pouch like form is created on the upper part of the stomach. This has several advantages. Firstly, this pouch on the upper part as created by the lap band surgical procedure is filled with food within a shorter period of time and since the passage to the lower part of the stomach has a narrow cavity, the food takes longer time to empty into that part thus suspending hunger for that period of time aiding in less consumption of food and therefore facilitating weight loss. Before indulging into lap band surgery, it is suggested by all physicians and dieticians that only such individuals should undertake lap band surgical procedure who are obese and are increasingly at risk of being affected by other fatal diseases. Otherwise such rigorous surgical procedures are not usually suggested for treatment. The best way out is to go for a check on the BMI or the Body Mass Index and realize the gravity of the situation.

In case of the lap band surgery, the upper section of the stomach is wrapped by a silicon band which in its turn divides the stomach into two separate parts. The upper part forms a small pouch and the lower part has a narrow passage to the lower part of the stomach. There is also a gastric band which is placed on the stomach by means of the lap band surgical procedure and it is a cylindrical structure which can be inflated or deflated according to will. After the surgical procedure is completed, certain adjustments are needed by the patients in the first year.

The Port of Los Angeles, SoCal's gateway to international imports and exports, is situated just 20 miles from the city center. The burgeoning port not only maintains its competitive edge with innovative cargo operations, but is renowned for its groundbreaking environmental initiatives, well-known security measures and diverse recreational and educational facilities. Also known as the Los Angeles Harbor Department, Port Los Angeles occupies more than 7,500 acres land and water along 42 miles of waterfront.

The south-facing San Pedro Bay was originally a shallow mudflat, not solid enough to support a wharf. Arriving ships had two options, remaining out at anchor and have their cargo ferried to shore; or beach themselves. Phineas Banning greatly improved shipping when he dredged the channel in 1871 to a depth of 10 feet. The port handled greater than 55,000 tons of shipping that year.

After Banning's passing in 1885 his sons continued his interests in marketing the port, which handled 500,000 tons of shipping in that year. The Southern Pacific Railroad desired to create Port Los Angeles at Santa Monica, and constructed the Long Wharf at that location in 1893. L.A. Times administrator Harrison Otis and Senator Stephen White insisted on federal support of the structure to be built at San Pedro Bay. The issue was resolved when San Pedro was certified in 1897 by a government commission. With government support construction started in 1899 and the area was annexed to Los Angeles in 1909. The Harbor Commission was established in 1907.

In 1911, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its first significant wharf at the port. In the 1920s, the port passed San Francisco as the region's busiest port. In WWII the port was primarily used for building ships, employing more than 90,000 workers. The opening of the Thomas Bridge in 1963 significantly facilitated access to Terminal Island and allowed for increased traffic and further expansion.

Currently the port is the busiest in the United States when measured by container volume, the 8th busiest in the world, and the 5th busiest internationally when combined with the nearby Long Beach Port.

This year, the top 5 imported materials were furniture, apparel, auto parts, toys, and computers. The top 5 exported goods were soybeans, paper, cotton, animal feed and metal scraps.