Posts filed under ‘Parenting’
Eradicate Illiteracy, Really? Yep! Pass It On
For those of you who are passionate about kids and education, I wanted to share something I believe is an amazing mission and goal that XPRIZE launched this week.
XPRIZE strives to make the impossible possible and have tackled some of the world’s grandest challenges. This includes private spaceflight, 100 MPGe cars, oil-cleanup technology and most recently, competitions to go back to the Moon, address ocean acidification, and revolutionize healthcare.
This week a “Global Learning XPRIZE” was launched. This is a $15 million competition to create Open Source software that will teach a child to read, write, and perform basic numeracy within 18 months without the aid of a teacher. (This is not designed to replace teachers, but to provide an educational solution where little or none exists.)
According to UNESCO figures, 250 million kids in the world today lack basic literacy skills. As you can imagine, this XPRIZE could have a profound impact on these kids and bringing nations out of poverty.
An important part of this XPRIZE is a crowdfunding campaign that they are running to raise an additional $500,000 that will go towards furthering the impact and success of the prize. This money will go towards additional testing of the finalist’s technologies with more kids in more villages and towns, building infrastructure to help teams collaborative effectively, growing a global community of developers, designers, advocates and more, and investing in an open technology platform for society that will live on long past the conclusion of this XPRIZE.
I believe this is a tremendously valuable XPRIZE, and I would like to personally encourage you to go and contribute what you can at http://igg.me/at/learningxprize/x – there are a range of perks that might capture your interest too.
You can also get involved in this worthy project yourself; spreading the word, creating a team, sharing your knowledge, simply by going to http://learning.xprize.org/get-involved.
We can do this, and together we can achieve even more!
Open Letter to Mom’s
“If every mom in the world knew how awesome they were, every problem in the world would be fixed!”
If you’re a mom, or have one, you gotta watch this! Kid President offers easy, useful advice that will make you think, laugh and cry. I love this!
Let’s Bridge the Parenting Gap Together
I want to start a conversation today about parenting in the transformational paradigm we live in circa 2014.
Many of us are being called into humanitarian service, to live from a higher consciousness than our Silent Generation/Traditionalist parents, to recognize that we are all connected, and to do our best to come from a place of love instead of fear, of acceptance and camaraderie.
As a parent for 10 years now, I have done my best to impart these thought patterns to my children. I have tried to guide them rather than force them, to appeal to their intrinsic desires. I have encouraged them to use their voices to be heard, to feel validated and loved — to know that they are never alone and to give them tools to ground themselves in who they are. Despite my efforts, they have not bypassed the drama that can come with childhood.
In my darkest parenting hours I try to remember that they are on their own journey, and it is not for me to judge…but really? How can I not get frustrated with their choice of friends or association with people who don’t make them feel good about themselves? Or bothered by their choice not to bathe or brush their teeth without a fight, or their choice not to turn in their homework assignments or study for an exam? Isn’t it still my job to deliver them into adulthood with all the life skills they need to survive in the real world, regardless of spirituality? (I often tell myself, “She won’t walk down the aisle wearing dirty underwear.”) And what if I want them not just to survive, but to thrive? To experience the magic that living in the flow of life has to offer. Is it not up to me, as a transformational parent, to help them learn how to tap into that flow?
I started reading Marianne Williamson’s new book, A Year of Miracles. Today, divinely enough, I read,
“It is not my job to monitor anyone’s journey, to know what’s right or wrong for others, or to try to control their behavior. My salvation lies in deep acceptance of people exactly as they are, that I might know the inner peace that such acceptance brings. Amen.”
Here is my quagmire friends — I fully believe this principle when it comes to the adults in my life, but is this how I should interact with my daughters? Not monitor their lives, help them know what’s right or wrong, or control their behavior to some degree?
I have no answers or suggestions today really, simply an inquiry, an examination. How do we blend transformational principles (some may even say ideals) with real world scenarios when it comes to our children?
Deepak Chopra says, “The deepest desire in a parent’s heart is to see one’s child achieve success in life, yet how many of us realize that the most direct way to success is through spirit? In our society we don’t usually make that connection–quite the opposite. We teach our children how to survive, how to behave in order to earn our approval, how to defend themselves, how to compete, how to persist against disappointment, obstacles, and setbacks. Although believing in God is often considered a good thing, spirit has traditionally been set apart from success in daily life. This is a mistake, and it has had a profound effect on all our lives, from childhood on. Our responsibility as parents is therefore to place our children firmly on the journey of spirit. This is the best thing we can do to ensure their success in life, better than giving them money, a secure home, or even love and affection. I ask you to consider this spiritual notion of parenting, different though it may be from how you see your role now.”
He offers these seven practical principles to teach our children, for them to carry in their hearts and minds.
First Law: Everything is possible.
Second Law: If you want to get something, give it.
Third Law: When you make a choice, you change the future.
Fourth Law: Don’t say no–go with the flow.
Fifth Law: Every time you wish or want, you plant a seed.
Sixth Law: Enjoy the journey.
Seventh Law: You are here for a reason.
Deepak says, “A child raised with spiritual skills will be able to answer the most basic questions about how the universe works; she will understand the source of creativity both within and outside herself; she will be able to practice non-judgment, acceptance, and truth, which are the most valuable skills anyone can possess for dealing with other people; and she will be free from the crippling fear and anxiety about the meaning of life that is the secret dry rot inside the hearts of most adults, whether they can admit it or not.”
I love these seven principles. (In fact, I’m going to type them up and put them in their room…How The Universe Works!) But will this help them brush their teeth without an argument? I can’t help but feel a gap here between the physical world I live in and the one I believe is possible.
What are some ways you bridge the gap between your spiritual principles and your everyday experiences with your children? Let’s see if we can collaborate and create some tangible practices we can use during this evolutionary parenting transition. After all, we are in this together.
Love and blessings,
Shelby
Gang Up for Good
I am so excited to have found his campaign…Secret’s Mean Stinks. If you have young girls in your life, check out their website to watch videos worth sharing, download posters and tip sheets, hear expert advice, and to get connected to a campaign causing positive change. I’m painting my pinky blue today!
Good Advice For Children
I heard something beautiful yesterday from Produced by Faith author, DeVon Franklin, and I thought it was the perfect advice to pass onto our children. We can say to them, “You are in control of two things in life: 1 – How you prepare for what might happen, and 2 – how you respond to what just happened.” The moment things actually happen, DeVon says, belongs to God.
Fracking Is Everyone’s Issue
Our friends at MoveOn.org have been busy lately encouraging us to stop Fracking in California. As a working parent of two young girls, there are things I haven’t had time to look into, this is one of them. However, after watching Sandra Steingraber’s interview with Bill Moyers, I realize now that this issue impacts my role as a parent, and it’s time to make time.
Fracking – which involves pumping pressurized water, sand and chemicals underground to crack rocks – has revolutionized oil and natural gas production in the United States. But it has not yet taken off in California, even though the state holds what could be the nation’s largest oil-bearing shale formation. Many California environmentalists want to make sure the state never experiences the kind of fracking boom that has transformed swaths of North Dakota and Pennsylvania, turning farmland into oil fields. Fracking has been blamed for tainting water supplies and worsening air pollution, although the industry insists that those fears are overblown.
It appears our politicians, including our President, are deaf to the numerous petitions from the scientific and health communities, and to it’s own citizens. This is alarming. However, I am so moved by Sandra’s commitment to providing good science, to taking a non-violent stand, and to making our water, air, and food safe for future generations, that I am encouraging each of us to:
(1) Watch this episode of Bill Moyers http://billmoyers.com/episode/the-toxic-assault-on-our-children/
Get educated and inspired by Sandra Steingraber — biologist, mother, cancer survior, and activist.
(2) Sign and share this petition with friends.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/ban-fracking-in-califoria
(3) Call Fran Pavley’s office at (916) 651-4027.
Fran is a Democratic politician who currently represents California’s 27th State Senate district, including portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties in the California State Senate. She has drafted legislation for fracking. “There is an emerging national consensus on the basic assurances the public needs around fracking operations,” said Senator Pavley. “From chemical disclosure, to notification, to water quality monitoring and an independent health study, this legislation brings the transparency and accountability needed in order to protect our air and water supply.” – See more at: http://sd27.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-03-11-senator-pavley-amends-fracking-legislation-better-protect-health-and-safety-californ#sthash.dW4mW0ZX.dpuf)
(4) Call Jerry Brown’s office to ask him to issue a moratorium at (916) 445-2841.
Governor Brown is currently on the fence about this issue, since according to a federal government estimate, the Monterey Shale, which stretches beneath the southern San Joaquin Valley and parts of the Central Coast, holds 15.4 billion barrels of oil.
(5) Watch the movies Gasland and Gasland 2.
Gasland is a documentary written and directed by Josh Fox and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2011. This film the film focuses on communities in the United States impacted by natural gas drilling and, specifically, a method of horizontal drilling into shale formations known as slickwater fracking.. It’s sequel, Gasland 2, which is currently running on HBO and at house parties across the country, shares more horrible stories. Watch the trailer. From the beginning though, Gasland has been more than just a movement to protect our environment and health. It is a movement about protecting our democracy and right to decide the future of our country. Check out their website for more information and to see how you can get involved. http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/
Let’s all make some time to research this issue and make our voices heard. We need to work together now to prevent destruction to our environment for this and future generations.
Evolving Beyond Ego
Integral Enlightenment founder, Craig Hamilton, is a pioneer in the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality. In his inspired writings, talks, and teachings, he calls us to awaken beyond the confines of the separate ego and dedicate our lives to the further evolution of consciousness itself.
I am passing on to you a recording of his encore webcast of The Key To Evolving Beyond Ego. In this seminar, Craig shares a profound but simple shift in orientation that can enable us to get past the most basic and persistent barrier to our spiritual awakening and transformation.
This primitive part of our nature is left over from our early evolution, and it acts like a ceiling holding down our highest human potential. The ego that he speaks about is not our personality or the healthy functional ego needed to navigate life, it is a specific part of the self that is out-moded and clings to a narrow idea of who we are and what’s possible in the world. This ego hampers our most earnest and heartfelt efforts to evolve our lives and the world. But by engaging the process explored in this seminar, we can leave behind the limitations of ego that have plagued humanity for eons.
I love how Craig explains it. He says, “It’s like getting a software ‘upgrade’ from these ancient instincts of our animal past into an entirely new way of being.”
He offers practical tools and practices we can try right away — to bring our daily life into greater alignment with our deepest aspirations.
You can listen to this recording online or download it here.
Lastly, please feel free to share this audio with anyone you know who might also be looking for the next step on their evolutionary journey!
Here’s to our enlightened future together!
Dads Matter. Men Matter.
Today we celebrate the dads in the world. I love this video because it illustrates just how important a man is in a woman’s life! Happy Father’s Day!!!
Speaking of Elevating the Planet
My inspiration — spiritual teacher, author and lecturer, Marianne Williamson — has said, “Transforming our own hearts is a prerequisite for transforming the world. We will not achieve any higher-minded political goals until we transform the political process, and we cannot transform the political process without transforming ourselves. We need less to get the message out than to get the message in.” In her book Healing the Soul of America, she goes on to say that there is a yearning among us to make right the world.
Do you feel that yearning? I certainly do. When I asked the heavy question, “Spirit, how do I heal the world?” The answer I heard back was “…apply love…” And so began my journey to investigate how love can save the planet.
It has been said that love is our greatest guide. That love heals because it casts out fear and melts away the darkness revealing clarity and light. That it is only through love and compassion that we experience any kind of meaningful growth. Author Resa Steindel Brown says, “Love and compassion should be the lens through which we view all life. Its range of influence should extend past our narrow definition of family and friends to all interactions and experiences everywhere. For the sake of generations to come, we must focus our attention on love…It is our greatest understanding, our finest teacher. Love is what remains when all else fades away.”
Albert Einstein proved that as we break matter down into smaller and smaller components, we move beyond the material realm and into the place where everything is simply energy. This is the Law of Vibration. In the natural Law of Vibration, the lower the vibration, the slower something moves; the higher the vibration, the faster it moves. The same is true for emotions and thoughts. Fear, grief, and despair vibrate at a very low frequency, while love, joy, and gratitude vibrate at a much higher one. Positive thoughts vibrate much more quickly than dark negative thoughts. When the mind is thinking positive thoughts and the heart is producing high level emotions like love and joy, they create an energy together that is transmitted into the universe. Here we reach higher consciousness and the closer to Spirit or Source we become.
New York Times best-selling author, health & wellness expert, and spiritual teacher Deborah King says, “When you are steeped in unconditional love—the highest emotional vibration—all your atoms are singing the song of life at its highest. You are no longer part of the problem; you are part of the solution to the problems of the planet. If you react to what is happening around you with anger or bitterness or fear, you are lowering your own vibration and sending out a low thought/emotion wave.”
When two frequencies meet, the lower one always rises to the higher one. That’s cool! It means that each of us has the power to elevate the planet simply by “applying love” to all situations and donning a more positive outlook on life. In fact, this way of being is so infectious and can do so much good for humanity, that my new hero, Angela Carr Patterson, has started a movement called Take the Vow to Love. Click here to take your vow today and consciously embrace love as a lifestyle.
There are three kinds of love: Eros, a romantic love; Philia, a love among friends; and Agape, the capacity to love even those whom we do not like…unconditional love…a love that has the power to restore the world to it’s innocence and grace.
There is a critical shift occurring my friends — a collaborative raising of our energetic vibrations and a unification of our minds and hearts. Loving ourselves and each other is the only way we are going to heal our broken families, stop the cradle to prison pipeline, and end violence among our youth. Embracing love as a lifestyle is the only way we are going to fix political injustices, stamp out poverty and make right the world. We start solving the world’s problems by loving each other and ourselves on a personal level, and on a spiritual level, then we start to align with the natural flow of the divine.
So come on peeps, get happy! Apply love as often as you can, practice agape, and take your vow to love today.
Female Film Makers Matter
Amy Pascal is Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Chairman of SonyPictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group. In a recent interview with Forbes Magazine she said,
“The most important thing in the job that we do here is to make movies about women where they are characters that have consequences in the story. They can be villains, they can be protagonists, I don’t care. But their movements, their actions, what they do in the plot has to actually matter. And that’s the most important thing, because young girls coming up are going to see that they matter that your not an appendage to someone else—that you’re not married to the person, not their sister or friend or girlfriend, you actually are the plot.”
To my writers, director’s and producers — tap into your creativity people…we’ve got some role models to create!
queen of connection | Shelby L. Phillips 