The Ripple Effect

Try taking a pebble, dropping it into calm water and seeing what happens. The beautiful patterns that emerge hold a huge significance for everyone. A small pebble creates the first circle, which in turn creates the next and the next, until they spread throughout the pond. 

The significance is this.

This pond represents your life. The pebble represents any one thought  you have  ever thought or any action that you have ever implemented. And every circle  that is created, one after the other, after dropping this pebble, represents different occurrences that happen in your life. 

Some you can easily see how each of these occurrences connect with the initial thought or action that you thought or did. Other times these occurrences are shocking, and you have no idea where they come from. Sometimes, you realise only after some time how all the ripples connect with each other, how one made the other and the other. How that happened because that happened because that happened. But they all originated from one thought, one action, one pebble. 

Everything happened for a reason.

Now the scale of this initial thought/action/pebble is unimportant. it could be the smallest thing you could do, or the tiniest thought you might have. A smile to someone on the street. Your first thought in the morning being 'today is going to be a good day'. All these things will create a ripple after a ripple after a ripple. And once the rippling occurs nothing and no one can stop the process. Destiny is written. the circles will form. and we will have no control.

If the pebble/thought/action is positive, then in turn, only positive ripples can be formed, only positive occurrences can happen in your pond of life. If they are negative, then the continuation of negative occurrences won't stop... until you throw a positive pebble into the water. Until you have a positive thought, or a positive action which will interrupt the negative ones, and change the course of occurrences.

I've done many things for many people. Without expecting anything back, and only with love. Sometimes I feel very very drained  after having given too much of myself. And just at that moment of need, when I need energy the most, news comes to my ears.  From a life that I changed by spending time with them, advising them or even just saying a few kind words. Just because you can't see the effects immediately, does not mean they are not rippling. They will show themselves to you, at the right time.

There are people that I have met that have completely changed my life. And there are also people that have told me I've changed theirs. 

With every positive thought/action/ stone, we are changing each other. With every single positive thought or action, slowly, we are changing the entire world.

The Circle of Savior.

There are some people that implement so much good in this world, it is almost as if, without them, this Earth would be a living hell. As if they are the super heroes, saving us all from destroying everything we have.

But what we don’t realise is, that although these people seem like superheroes, actually they are only human, just like me, you and everyone else. If they are only human, then even they sometimes need encouragement, a little hint, that what they are doing for us is actually working. It’s having the effect that they’ve been working so hard to achieve, even if sometimes they can’t see it immediately.

Praise someone special today, motivate them, give them the courage and the hope, and you will be saving them. And in turn they can continue with a fresh new motivation to keep saving us.

Here is my praise to a superhero I know.

I know a man in this world

Who is a true man of his word

A promise that is said by him

Is a promise that is kept. Always

I know a man in this world

Who has saved many lives

Through only the kindness of his heart

And his impeccable perception of wrong and right.

I know a man in this world 

Who's inspiration has reached all 4 corners of the earth.

His teachings of positive thinking

Has truly made this planet a better place to live

I know a man in this world

Who's infinite joy is so contagious

It's able to make anyone cry with laughter

At any time, in any place and in any situation

I know a man in this world

Who has sacrificed everything that he has

For his morals, his beliefs

And for the people that he loves with all of his heart.

And to know this Man(for he is a true man)

Is of course a beautiful blessing

But to have him as my Father

Is the greatest gift the universe could have ever bestowed into my life.

Dad

I will express my eternal gratitude

I will make you so proud

And from the way you have worked so hard to shape my soul, making me the person I am today,

I will go forth into this world, continuing all of your teachings to others

Forever on

And forever more.

Happy Fathers Day Daddy

My Declaration of Principles

Are we making the right decisions?

Are we being our true selves? Without masks? Without the pressures of life brainwashing our thoughts, blinding us from the amazing things that already exist in our life but that we don't appreciate?

Are we following our hearts? Are we doing the right thing?  But how do we define what is right and what is wrong? Can we write it in law books and be told by a higher power to abide them? Can it be written in a religious book by a prophet that tells us to worship him and follow his rules?

So many questions with no real solid answers. There is only one thing that we can be certain about. That no matter who makes rules for who, every single human being on this planet is complicatedly and specifically unique in every sense. From the moment we are born, just from the position of the planets at that particular time can have an effect on who we become. As we grow from then on, we start to perceive things in different aspects interpreting the world in our own way. The way you are brought into the world by your parents, what they allow you to see and what they don't allow you to see.  And then we reach an age where we all your experiences start defining who you are and who you will become. All of these factors create uncountable possibilities of personalities.

So how can one set of rules, written by one person, prophet, leader or politician, show every person the right way to live or think?

Sometimes we loose ourselves. When we ask the question 'Who am I?' We don't get a response from ourselves. At this point we become scared and so devote ourselves to live by a set of rules written by someone else. And then one day Karma comes into play. Everything that you do starts to feel wrong, as it goes against your being, your true self. You start loosing the things in life that mean the most to you, and there's so much goodness that passes you by without you even noticing.

I've grown up in a multi-ethnically family with mixed religions and ideas. And there's one thing I have learnt that works for me - Learn about every religion, every order, every way of living. And take everything that feels good to you plus what you have learnt in your personal experiences and make your own rule book.

And so below I have shared with you what I call my declaration of principles. 8 set of rules that I have chosen to live by based on what I've learnt, experienced and what is in tune with my soul. They are the light in dark phases in my life, and guide me to safety, to my precious earth, when my head is in the clouds. After you have read them, I hope you can find the inspiration to write your own, to be the light creator in your life. Create your own rule book, your own religion, your own morals, and you will eventually be without restriction, without confusion, and without fear.

You will be free.

Maz's Declaration of Principles

1.  Love. every second of every day, with everything you have, by sharing, giving, caring and forgiving for everyone you encounter, in every-way possible. and don't forget to love and be yourself because without that, you will be incapable of loving others.

2. In every day, find at least one moment in time to stop thinking, look around you, and admire the beautiful world in which we live in everyday.

3. Dream big. And when you achieve those dreams, dream some more. But be true, to yourself and others. The universe can't help you achieve your dreams if you are even lying to yourself and don't know what you want.

4. Believe in miracles. Even if they are difficult to recognize because they are often not what we expect. But all the same, they are still miracles and the mystery is what makes them beautiful.

5. Dance. Even your heartbeat is a song, a song that provides the perfect rythem for your body, to move your body and fill the soul with joy. Dancing is the ultimate connection between heart, body and soul.

6. Make it your mission to bring a smile to someones face every-time you meet them. But only help those that want to be helped, and accept the rest.

7. Be crazy. Embrace and implement change as much as possible, by doing something new, going somewhere new, or even changing perspective about something. Be like the wind, and you will be strong force of nature.

8. Enjoy the ride as much as the destination, but don't forget to follow the signs life give you, open your eyes to them with as much positive thinking as possible,  otherwise the destination will never be reached.

This too will pass.....

Ying - Yang

Fear - Courage

Joy - Loneliness

Boredom  -Excitement

Love - Suffering

What is one of these concepts without the other? Can any of these exist without it's counterpart?

Without fear, courage wouldn't exist, because the very act of courage is not to stop being scared, but to face your fear. 

Without those moments of solitude, how would we have the time to collect our thoughts and appreciate the people we spend time with in our lives? How would we have a positive effect in the lives of our love ones if we didn't have the time alone to think about how to make them happy?

And when is it when we feel the most enthusiastic or excited? What brings the butterflies to your stomach? Without the state of mind of 'waiting' or 'being bored', how will we have the time to build the anticipation for enthusiasm or excitement?

And suffering? I hear some of you say, what on earth is the point in that???? Will we ever rid the world of it? Well, aslong as their is loss, there will always be suffering. But Love is sufferings faithful partner. You have to let a wave of suffering, or a loss, pass into you and through you, to realize love and wonderful happenings are right behind , waiting for you to experience pure joy again in all its glory. It's only when we suffer the most that we long for love the most, and it then comes knocking at your door.

But of course, for us, especially this day and age, this has become very difficult to comprehend. We get stuck inside the dark negative concepts and never see the light  at the end of the tunnel. But if you don't believe that the positive counter part  is only round the corner, you won't be able to see it. It will pass you by without you noticing anything. And if you had your eyes close, in your mind it would have never even existed. 

And so the puzzle that remains is, how do we learn  to open our hearts to have complete faith in the worlds balance?

4  magic words 

This too will pass.

When we are bored, alone, scared or suffering, always believe that what ever your feeling it is ONLY  a phase. A passing time. Believe that no matter what, it has to change. In fact, it WILL change. The universe is constantly changing, from the position of each beautiful star in the sky, to the countless species of birds that migrate during the winter, moving their home and their life to a different location. Whatever your feeling, there is only one true thing that is real about it - that one day, it will pass.

But the magic doesn't stop there. What about the best moments in life? Where the joy is beyond what you can comprehend? When walking or running has transformed into flying  through the clouds? Will this 4 word phrase is just as important in these happy times as well. Say these words when you are happy and you will realise the importance of those moments. And suddenly you will do everything in your power to make them even better, creating the best moments of your life, because you know, like everything else, those moments will also pass.

Put it in your journal. Write it in your diary. Enter it onto the screensaver of your mobile phone. If you can see these words and read them everyday, in ever situation, it will guarantee to make you smile to yourself and allow anything that you want in your life to become possible.

Just from this small piece of knowledge, knowing everything will pass can give you so much peace in your life, your heart and your soul.

Amore

'I love you, because all the loves in the world are like different rivers flowing into the same lake, where they meet and are transformed into a single love that becomes rain and blesses the earth.' P.Coelho

But what is love? Unfortunately we have over-complicated this question far too much, and have all been left very confused by the concept of 'being in love'.

Some people say:

' It's when you can't stop thinking about that person.'

 But don't you think that sounds more like obsession?

Others say:

'When you love someone, they should do what you tell them to do and be who you want them to be'

Doesn't that sound a little like possessiveness?

So being in love is all about being possessive and obsessive.  It just doesn't sound right. Because it's from these two concepts that other negative emotions are formed. In particular Anger, Jealousy and Hatred.

So when so when your 'in love' like above and your soul is eventually full of all this negativity, the question changes from 'What is Love' to 'Where on earth has Love gone?' And once we are tired of feeling all of these emotions, over a period of time we start to 'fall out of love' and end relationships because there's no sense in carrying on.

The Science

The important thing we have forgotten is that Love isn't actually an emotion. Emotions are created in the brain from our thoughts and the brain transmits the signals in order for certain chemicals to be released into the body that makes us feel a certain way. Anger, jealousy  hatred, envy, sadness are all negative emotions created in the brain.

But Love is not an emotion and it is not created in the brain. It is an energy, in its purest form which gives life to all positive emotions, such as hope, happiness, joy, relief, contentedness  Without the energy of Love, non of these emotions can grow and be manifested.

So if Love is an energy, then it is a fact of science that 'Falling in and out of love'  is a false concept. Because according to science, all energy can never be created or destroyed, only changed into different forms. And when we fully embrace this energy with all of our soul, it becomes one of the most powerful forces known to existence.

Love has the power to transform. To heal, to change the planet, to rid all evil and to save the world.

How do we fully manifest the energy of Love?

First we must learn how to demolish  the ever-growing layers of negative emotion. One by one, brick by brick, it can be completely eradicated. Here's how:
Clear your mind, and start the demolition:

The Demolition

Take away Anger

You'll be left with Jealousy

Rip apart Jealousy

Possessiveness will remain

Dispose of possessiveness

Only Attachment will conquer

Clear all of your attachments

A powerful realization  occurs

That all of the above derived from one source, Pure Fear. The sole reason for every mistake made by Human Kind. People are always frightened. It doesn't have to be this way. People don't have to suffer. Fight the fear and rid it completely from your life.

When all of the above has been stripped away, there remains only a void, a healthy empty space inside of you. That is the moment when you embrace loves energy and let it fill every corner of your soul. With the Love for:

- all people on this Earth

- The birds, the trees, the mountains and all of mother natures gifts

- The infinity beauty that exists within the stars

- The healing power of the sun.

- Your life and YOURSELF in moments of solitude.

- The miracles that happen everyday in this world.

- The silences in between the craziness.

Let it grow inside of you and then spread it. Pour it into others, friends, family and strangers, into your work, into your smiles and laughter, into your words until your life is fully positively brimming with it.

Love......

- Even your enemies. Because Love is without reason.

- Not only your family, but anybody that shows you kindness of any kind.  Because Love is not blood.

- Your ex-lovers, no matter how things ended with that person.  Because even the action of letting go of that person is an act of Love, Love is not attachment, it's acceptance, it's sacrifice.

- That person you only met once but immediately felt a strong connection for. Because Love IS the special connection between two people, which can be incredibly powerful and intense, and which should never be feared, only ever embraced!

- The people that life mysteriously and unexpectedly guides into your arms, no matter what phase of life you are in, or whether you think you are ready for love or not. Because Love is destiny.

How I Love

Now I know this sounds crazy, but I am always in Love. And it's not because I crave affection or fear the darkness in solitude. It's because I can feel it all around me, and I've opened my heart up to receive it completely. 

It's because I have no boundaries in my heart that, when I meet someone that I have a strong connection with for the first time, I immediately know it's Love. I do not fear the rejection, or the loss of that Love, because Love can never be lost or found - it's always there. And so I'm not scared to tell people I Love them. 

Life is too short to keep the words 'I love you' locked in our hearts. (P.Coelho) But they are also only words, so don't forget the importance of demonstrating how you feel as well. And when you demonstrate, give love, but do so without the expectation of receiving. 

Love is an act of faith, not an exchange. (P.Coelho)

Love is being. Love is living. Love is the source of everything good that exists in your life and in the universe. Embrace it. Spread it. Be it.

The Heart Speaks Words That Minds Will Never Write

Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me

Actions speak louder than words

A picture paints a thousand words

People find it strange that some of my friends don’t really speak my mother tongue  and neither do I speak theirs. They use to ask, ‘Maria, but how do you communicate with them?  How is a friendship possible between you, if you can’t speak?’

But the truth is, they are some of the best friends that I could ever dream for. Instead of sitting and chatting all day, we experienced things together. And because we experienced together, we grew so close. We showed each other how much we care for each other through our actions and I've had some of the best times on my life with them. Because, ultimately:

- whats said between us doesn't have to be clear - just the meaning of it needs to be portrayed through our actions. And this is one of many cases where ‘words’started to lose their importance in my life.

But that’s friendship. What about Love? Are words important with matters of the heart? Well let’s have a look. In the Italian language there are 2 phrases.

‘Ti voglio bene, and ‘Ti amo’. Apparently, you only say the first phrase at the beginning of a relationship, or to family. The second is used for a ‘more serious level of love, only for your one true love.’

Well in the English language, we only have one phrase. And that’s I love you. We say it to friends, family and lovers. Radio presenters say it to people who call in to request a song!!!

 Does this mean in Italy people love others in different ways, on different levels, and in England we all love each other the same, friends, family, strangers alike?

Actually love is something that can never be truly defined in words, so somewhere along the line we have forgotten the importance of the actual feeling itself and given it lots of words and phrases depending on how scared we are to let the other person know how you really feel.

This particular fear can actually be very frustrating and can cause alot of misunderstandings sometimes. For example, Two people are together. They caress each other, they laugh together, they care about each other. They make love together. But still, the word love is not said between them, when quite clearly, it’s there. And it’s when one of them plucks up the courage to say, you know what, I love you. Does love start at that very moment that the person said those words?. Did it start when that person started saying ‘I love that person’ in their own head , but not telling it to anyone?

Absolutely not.  Love is energy which is neither created or destroyed. It was always there. And it will always be there. You only have to look into the eyes of a person that you love to realize that, as it is the eyes that are the window to the soul, and reflects everything a person is truly feeling.

Some of us talk to much. But are still afraid of words that label our feelings

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to answer the simple question of, ‘how do you feel?’  It’s because, when it comes to emotions, words are actually only labels of that emotion. not the real emotion itself.

Now what about if someone says, ‘show me how you feel’. Suddenly it becomes a lot easier to portray your emotions. You know exactly what to do. And the other person can understand better as well. Because words are just a form of communication for what actually exists.

Italian, English, Japanese. We use these languages as tools for communication, the words, accents and sounds sound different, but effectively they are all used to translate our thoughts in order to be able to communicate.

But the pure scientific fact that actually most of our communication is through the way we move our bodies is an extra reason realise of the unimportance of words in our lives.

Don't get me wrong, words can of course help people immensely. Hence why I write this blog, to inspire people with words But you must use these words to create your own experiences based on these concepts, only then will you truly understand what I’m writing to you.

 And also, words can be used for fun and for laughter. This is a tool that i will not deny. and the more laughter there is the world, the better.  

But let me tell you, if i could just stick to demonstrating goodness in the world, and how easy it is to inspire, to love, and provide as much aid as i can through only my actions, in which people would watch, learn, and repeat themselves, then not only would it be more effective, but i would also be able to reach as many hearts as i wanted in the world, no matter what language they spoke.

Next time you are in a situation that you cannot explain using words, maybe try to stop talking. and stop thinking. Just Do. Just Feel. Just Be If we do this, we will be able to understand each other, just as animals do. By a look in the eye, a sixth sense in your soul, a heart positively vibrating in your ribcage. This is emotion. This is real. This is how to live a life, alive, instead of wasting each day with words and then realising only when were on our death bed, that all we’ve been doing is labeling our lives away.

Stop speaking. Start doing. And you will see that automatically the things that you desire the most will simply fall into your lap, the people that you love will forever, show you respect and your life will be full of nothing but joy for the rest of your days.

Try it, you’ll only have words to loose :)

Accettazione

'Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. ' Professor Dumbledore - Harry Potter.

'Why's the weather so bad?'

'Why is he not as interested as I am?'

'Why won't he get back with me?'

'Why can't I get what I WANT!!!!'

These are questions that go through our head and are on constant repeat like a broken down vinyl record. We are always unhappy about something. In fact, we are the only species on the planet that I know of that usually always try to find something that makes us sad and then thinks 'oh poor me' afterwards. Somehow we manage to find some sort of comfort in this self inflicted pain. But this comfort is not only never permanent  but also isnt real either, just a perception of the mind.

We have so much potential to achieve great things in our lives and become inspiring people, creating a much better world to live. But the first thing we need to do is stop running around in circles of pain, self pity, and self destruction.

We often find ourselves in situations that we don't want to be in, or don't like. And of course our first intinct is to take action to change the situation. Some of us have huge amounts of motivation to do just that. And if its within our power to do it, then there is no reason why we shouldn't. If you want something in life, the best thing to do is go out there and get it.

However, there are times when, no matter how hard you try, things just don't seem to go the way you want them to. But some of still choose to swim upstream. But if we look at life like a river and realise that there are some very unexpected things that happen that we have absolutely no control over, then surely the best thing to do is to let the current take you.

The secret to stopping ourselves swimming against the current is actually much more simple then people think. It's a state of mind which can be reached with a little practice. And all it consists of is, complete ACCEPTANCE. Totally surrendering to the outcome of a situation. When you do it, you feel a sense of freedom like no other, and you can't help but smile to yourself.

Let go of the stress, pain and fear in your life, in the past, future and the present moment. You don't have to completely understand the situation, Only remember that

• - The universe is always trying to help you achieve what you want, even in the most unexpected ways. Just be careful what you wish for!
• - With time and patience, ALL wounds are able to heal.
• - With total acceptance, the whole concept of 'having a problem' ceases to exist  And all you are left with is a life full of opportunities instead.

Running into a brick-wall again and again will indeed, without stating the obvious, get you nowhere. But with patience, time, and acceptance, you will realize that turning your back to that brick wall, and turning into a new, unknown destination  will be the best decision you will ever make. You have only to conquer the feel of the unknown to walk down the shaded path.

When you fight the fear, accept by going with the flow, and embrace what life has alternatively provided you, your perspective changes, and suddenly you can see the whole world in front of you, shining, completely at your feet, and infinitely brimming with an indefinite amount of possibilities for you and your life.