NEVER Give Up On LOVE.............

Although ‘The Big Bang Theory’ on CBS may have helped in the evolution of giving NERDS around the world a new distinction, there have been many other incarnations of such bonded friendships that could give their crew a real run for their geek cache.  In fact, I had such a group of Awkward Heroes growing up in a suburb outside of Washington, DC.  Built from a composite of various brainiacs,  gregarious geeks, and unlucky in love lotharios, what we lacked on the ‘popularity scale’, we certainly made up for with a passionate ingenuity!!

One trait that perhaps best exemplified the glue that kept us close for most of our formative years, was our unified stand on LOVE.  We cherished it.  Desired it and fiercely defended its honor at all costs.  Poems, love letters, songs.... we did them ALL!  Nothing gave us more pleasure than conjuring the most creative ways to express our affections in the attempt to win over the hearts of the glorious gals that crossed our paths.

In fact, one particular young lady, who had caught my complete adoration, became the benchmark for the lengths to which we would extend ourselves.  Her 18th Birthday was just around the corner and I was doggedly intent on making it one she would never forget.  So after an exhaustive trip to the mall for materials, I gathered our LOVE POSSE and we stayed up most of the night creating an 18 foot ‘Happy Birthday’ banner in our college dorm's parking lot.  These were obviously more innocent times; where five guys with spray paint cans and masks after midnight caused NO concern for further investigation. LOL  After several hours of drawing and painting, when we finally finished our mission it was nearly dawn.  And that's when the real work began.......

I was gracious enough to let most of the guys get to bed, sans one.  He had the stupendous task of convening with me a little later that morning at the High School that this lucky lass attended.  In true ‘Mission Impossible’ style, I told him we had exactly ONE hour to climb to the top of the edifice guarding the building's main entrance to erect my VISION of overlaying this banner and its ‘Ode to LOVE’, plus 18 pink balloons, completely covering the school's visible namesake in the process.  That way, when all the busses pulled into the parking lot later that morning, my act of care and adoration could be seen by her and the entire school.  And ya know what, we somehow pulled it off.  Totally ‘Say Anything’ style!!

My piece de la resistance.  And........she LOVED IT!! Not only that, but I ended up escorting her to the school's end of year prom.  An amazing experience given I never attended my own! The school put out a beacon to find the culprit, but it did its job and I was never caught.  Years later, she sent me a picture of the banner, and told me it is still one of her greatest treasures!

Unfortunately, not all of my other attempts, and those of our group, were met with the same enthusiasm in the following years.  But we didn't give up.  LOVE never does.

There is a potent scene in the film Adaptation staring Nicolas Cage that completely embodied the ESSENCE of our unabashedly passionate stand on Love's elixir and its importance in our experience:

Charlie Kaufman: There was this time in high school. I was watching you out the library window. You were talking to Sarah Marsh. 

Donald Kaufman: Oh, God. I was so in love with her. 

Charlie Kaufman: I know. And you were flirting with her. And she was being really sweet to you. 

Donald Kaufman: I remember that. 

Charlie Kaufman: Then, when you walked away, she started making fun of you with Kim Canetti. And it was like they were laughing at *me*. You didn't know at all. You seemed so happy. 

Donald Kaufman: I knew. I heard them. 

Charlie Kaufman: How come you looked so happy? 

Donald Kaufman: I loved Sarah, Charles. It was mine, that love. I owned it. Even Sarah didn't have the right to take it away. I can love whoever I want. 

Charlie Kaufman: But she thought you were pathetic. 

Donald Kaufman: That was her business, not mine. You are what you love, not what loves you. That's what I decided a long time ago.

Let THAT sink in for a moment.  You are what you love, NOT what loves you.  PREACH!

Our world is in such need of Truth Seekers, Bringers of the Light, and convictions of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.  So even if you feel your wings are broken, or if your heart has been ripped apart by betrayal and loss, please NEVER give up on extending yourself toward others.  Honesty, kindness, respect.  There is simply not enough.  And always remember, what you are currently seeking is also seeking you!  

Eventually, we will prevail NOT in spite of our pain, failures, and struggles, but BECAUSE of the strength and guidance we gained from those experiences.   As Neale Donald Walsh heard from God's silent whisper, “Know, that I send you nothing but ANGELS.”

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

A LESSON In Managing Life EXPECTATIONS.......

My family laid my father to rest two years ago after his VALIANT fight with cancer.  One of the greatest decisions I ever made was taking time off from my career to assist in his daily care regimen.  What started out as a tumor in his nasal cavity, eventually found its way to his brain.  You may hear stories about the effects of this disease, but until you witness a loved one battle it on a daily basis, you simply cannot fathom the all encompassing and oppressive wrath of nature it brings to everyone involved in its wake.  NASTY...EVIL... SOUL CRUSHING stuff! 

And as a caretaker, each and every day becomes an opportunity to learn the importance of managing your EXPECTATIONS.  Learning to orchestrate and accept what may come in the kaleidoscope of  daily chaos is truly the determining factor in withstanding the momentous task at hand.  To further cement this point, let's just say projectile vomiting, daily trips to emergency rooms, and fainting spells that block entrances to popular establishments became commonplace.  Feel me?!

In fact, there is one particular story during this Journey that still stands as the most MEMORABLE, not to mention most powerful example of the importance of managing our daily EXPECTATIONS and accepting life as it occurs! 

My dad needed to have the entire right side of his face surgically removed in order to access the lemon sized tumor that had invaded his nasal cavity.  Bone was taken from his left leg to rebuild his cheek to create relative semblance of his face's pre-surgery form.  However, in the process, a new throat path was implemented for breathing and eating purposes.  As you can imagine, at his mature age, it took months of daily physical therapy for him to ‘re-learn’ how to swallow properly.  Doing so incorrectly would cause remnants to enter his lungs and not his stomach.  Serious stuff!  

His medical team put him on a grueling daily schedule that included just about anything and everything you could think a mouth and jaw could withstand, sans my dad's favorite passion of eating.  I mean nothing, nada, zilch in the food department for over three months.  Of course he was being fed through his IV lines, but let's be truthful, that does NOT a full belly make!  So I made him a promise.  I told him that the moment his doctors cleared him to finally delve back into the world of culinary delight, I would personally bring him whatever his blessed heart desired!

Several weeks later, I received a call from the hospital one early morning.  It was my Pop, and from the ebullient sound of his voice, I just knew he had been cleared for full swallowing!!   What I hadn't prepared myself for was the exhaustive list of various tasty treats he had his sights set on gobbling down.  In fact, here is the full list:  Pancakes from the local diner, a Wendy's hamburger and fries, a chocolate shake,  a whipped frap AND a regular coffee from Starbucks, jello, and “any kind of pie you can get your paws on Jeff”.  OK!  A promise is a promise.......

After the nearly two hour trek to actually procure all the items on his wish list, I finally made my way to the hospital and I now know what Santa Claus must feel like.  My father's eyes lit up like it was his first Christmas as I slowly removed one piece of food after another from the giant bag I had brought.  It took two tables to set up the entire spread, and once I was finished, I looked him straight in the eye.  

“Are you sure you are ready for all this, Pop,” I inquired.  He was much too busy scouring the buffet tables before him to give me eye contact back.  But he nodded his head in a resounding YES fashion!

And just then, the Crohn's disease that sometimes causes me urgent need for a ‘bathroom break’ hit.  And HARD!  I decided to throw proverbial caution to the windpipe, and ran straight for the toilet.  Until......relief!!  But I soon heard a most disconcerting sound.  I am known to make some interesting bathroom music, but this was....different.  Nervously, I kicked open the bathroom door, to see my father horribly choking in his chair!   His face was already turning blue!!   I immediately flung off the sweatpants and underwear that were still down around my ankles and ran back into his room, now NAKED from the waist down.   Yeah, I'm not kidding!!

There was a huge bed next to the chair where he had been eating, so I jumped up on it and grabbed my dad by his waist to start giving him the heimlich maneuver.  In between each shrug, I yelled for help toward the nurse's office with the room number where this..ummm...incident was occurring!  

One after another, nurses and doctors filled the room (nine in all), and jaws dropped each time at what they were witnessing.  Here was a HALF NAKED Mexican on a bed, shaking the hell out of a 65 year old man, bouncing up and down like a tryout for Cirque de Soleil!  Until.....POOOOOFFFF!!  The piece of food lodged in my dad's throat shot out across the room literally sticking to the wall several feet away.  I slowly, and gently put him down to rest in the bed.  The now somewhat emotionally scarred medical professionals in witness to this EVENT, rushed to my father's side as I slowly backed away.

Thank GOD, he was just fine!!   It was ME who then needed help.  The emotional charge of what had just happened starting to wear off, I remembered, I was still buck naked in a room full of strangers.  Aye Dios Mio!

Thankfully, the entire room started applauding my efforts, as I jaunted back to the bathroom where my PRIDE still resided.  Now YOU tell ME!  Could even my wildest expectations ever have conjured or even prepared me for the experiences that day brought?!  No way, Jose!  And guess what, although none of them nearly as bizarre as that day's, the Journey our entire family fought for over a year, trying to battle this cursed disease, brought dozens of unexpected delays, trauma, and scares.  We were initially told my dad's surgery and recovery process would be six weeks.    He didn't even WAKE UP from surgery for almost two months.  Looking back, I believe our biggest saving grace was learning to accept the ISNESS of our daily battles.  Through the lens of rear view perspective, the culmination of these experiences, albeit painful, costly and challenging, were also incredibly powerful lessons in how much our EXPECTATIONS play a role in determining how we deal with life.   Had we each conjured our own personal expectations for this year long roller coaster of a ride, it would have destroyed our emotional fortitude.  EXPECTATIONS are NO THING more than premeditated resentments!  Please DO NOT let them be the author of the majority of the pain and suffering in your life.  Instead, remember that Katherine Hepburn said, “Love has nothing to do with what you expect to get-only what you are expecting to give.”

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

The New Age Nerd MANIFESTO!!!!

A New Age Nerd knows we are all Spiritual beings having a Human experience.

He acknowledges the true power of his words, and thus chooses them with care, intention, and kindness.

A New Age Nerd strives to ‘practice what they preach’,  for they know that a spiritual vocabulary without action becomes No Thing more than Spiritual Entertainment.

She has the deep understanding that Energy is finite, so she does not waste hers on things she cannot control.

He knows separation is an illusion.. and that  WE ARE ALL ONE.

A New Age Nerd does not confuse kindness...  With weakness   EVER!

He understands that every soul has a purpose..  And makes it his mission to Rock This World on his Hero's Journey.

She accepts that the one thing she has full control over is who she associates with ..  As it will be the greatest  determining factor of her happiness and success. So she picks her TRIBE with a WICKED WISDOM.

The opinions of others have little effect on a New Age Nerd, for they know they only have to PROVE things to themselves.

A New Age Nerd understands the difference between Success and SIGNIFICANCE.  So they are always looking to bring more value into the world.

He believes the greatest gift we have been given is the PRESENT. 

So his favorite motto is BE HERE NOW.

She is a ‘SOULdier’ for LOVE.  A fierce Connoisseur of Consciousness.  A Ravishing Rock Star of Spirit.  And a Steward of Remembrance.  So she reminds others that they are too.

A New Age Nerd understands that they may be the only bible/torah/koran that someone will ever read.  Thus they hold each and every Co-creation as SACRED.

He strives to be worthy of his sufferings.  For his definition of a ‘Sin’ is to suffer without meaning.  

She takes RESPONSIBILITY for her actions.  No complaining, no explaining.

A New Age Nerd commits daily to become ‘The Greatest Version of The Grandest Vision’ ever held of themselves.  In this way, they worry not about being better than others, but rather BEING better than they used to be.

She knows surrendering is the highest form of ALLOWANCE.  So she surrenders her Spirit to the Universe often, as not to block the Abundance always waiting for her highest good.

A New Age Nerd has a fervent FAITH that everything and anything other than LOVE, is simply an ILLUSION.

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

The POWER Of SELF COMPASSION............

“See this guy here staring back at you?  THAT's the toughest opponent you are ever going to have to face.  I believe that's true in the ring, and I think that's true in life. ”

Rocky Balboa from CREED

A few years ago, while taking some classes toward a leadership coaching certification, I had quite an impactful experience that I still use to help me re-frame my own ‘inner critic’.   Who needs enemies when our own MONKEY MIND insists on taunting us with thoughts of blame, guilt, regret, and self-hatred,  often with a big, heaping side order of worthlessness.  And as that day's class was soon to me show, we are truly all ONE in this experience that causes so much anxiety, depression,  and pain.  Not to mention how it blocks us from the healing LOVE we need to move forward in our lives..................

After our mid-day lunch break, our class of roughly 30 seated students were each given a stack of cards with various short phrases written on the back of each one.  We were instructed to pick the ONE card that best exemplified the way we felt about ourselves most of the time.  You have to remember this was an extrapolation of people who were all on an active path toward self growth, many of us having spent years, if not DECADES, on a quest for the specialized knowledge that would allow us to coach and train others on becoming the ‘greatest version’ of themselves.

The phrases on the cards ran the emotional scale from ‘I Am Love’ to ‘Work in Progress’.  Once we all had our card picked, we were told to stand up, and with its message facing forward, held in front of our chest, start mingling with one another.   One by one, we stood up.  Suddenly, a raucous set of laughs started erupting from one side of the room to the other.  With over 20 different messages that each member in the group was free to choose from, ALL but five of us picked the EXACT SAME CARD.  That card read......   NOT GOOD ENOUGH !!

I will NEVER forget the divine feeling of oneness I felt in that moment.  Oh, I laughed my ass off like the rest, but my soul was shedding tears of joyful connection.  Up until that moment, I had often been afraid to admit the intensity of my own MONKEY MIND.  How controlling, suffocating,  and idea crushing it could be.   But as I looked around that room, and saw nearly everyone holding up that  card, with its illusionary message, all I could see was beings of perfection.  Even if THEY could not see it in themselves.  How could they not see that in themselves?!  Why could I often not see it in myself?!

Since then, I have come to understand that radical self compassion is like most everything else of   great value, a PROCESS.  Our capacity for self compassion is not unlike a muscle.  It must be trained, honed, and cared for with patience and love.  Here are 4 TIPS for practicing self compassion that have made an enormous change in helping me keep my inner critic just the way I like him,  Supah Silent :

1.  Feel your feelings, then let them GO.
When you suppress your feelings, in reality you are quelling a spiritual lesson that is trying to emerge for your highest good.  Your inner critic is going to get on stage and grab the mic(he/she LOVES attention) when something triggers you no mater how much work you've done on yourself. By allowing yourself to fully FEEL the emotions this brings up, you may just find that there is some light being shown on issues where attentive love still needs to be applied.  The key is to make sure you DO NOT make a 'broadway show' out of your feelings.  Nobody wants to buy a ticket to feelings you are holding onto that no longer serve you anymore!

2.   Meditate
When my Monkey Mind is causing me all kinds of chaos, the most powerful tool I know for calming the noise is through meditation.  If you don't currently practice meditation, NOW may be a great time to start.  There are some fantastic programs that are free online (Oprah and Deepak Chopra offer one a couple of times per year) if you don't know where to start.  By simply going within during meditation, you can reconnect with Spirit and re-member that you are a unique emanation of God, perfect and whole in every way.  As you get better at meditative practice, you will begin to carry that FEELING of being whole and worthy out of your meditation, and INTO the rest of your day.  Just be patient with the process, my meditations are STILL a work in progress.  ;0)

3.  Realize that you are NOT your thoughts

The arch enemy of your 'inner critic' just may be the watchful observer.

When those thoughts  of worthlessness and doubt arise, try this little trick.  Close your eyes, and visualize yourself in a room, alone with JUST THE THOUGHTS that are causing you trouble.  See how you are completely SEPARATE from them in the room.  Do not judge the thoughts, or allow yourself to become anxious around them.  You are simply an OBSERVER. It may take some time to achieve this space.  Thats OK.  Simply breathe   ...one ...breath... at a... time.
Once you are in a place of calm, address the thought/thoughts.  
“Thank you for coming.  I appreciate you shedding light on the places I still need work. But now, please GO!  You are NOT a part of me.  And I am NOT a part of you."

You can repeat a mantra that works for you(feel free to experiment until you find something that really resonates) again and again.  Visualize these thoughts slowly evaporating back into the ether from which they came.  You may be laughing, but TRY it!  By seeing yourself as separate from the thoughts through the power of your watchful observer, their grip on your psyche is truly lessened.

4.  Choose your TRIBE carefully
The number one thing I hear from people is how they have no control over their lives.  For the most part, that is true.  We do not live in a vacuum, and many facets of our experiences are completely beyond our control.  However, ONE thing we do have complete control over is also one of the most important aspects in determining our overall joy and success in life.  
That being WHO we choose to let into our lives.  
There has been scientific evidence that proves we become the average of the five people we choose to spend the most time with on a daily basis.  We spend SO much time dealing with our own inner critic, don't ya think it would be a great idea to make sure the people we invite into our TRIBE shower us with inspiration, support, kindness, and growth filled experiences.  So when it comes to picking new TRIBE members in 2016, CHOOSE WISELY!!

I hope this helps you quiet your ‘inner critic’ and ALLOWS IN the healing love and light that is all around you..................

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

The TRUE Purpose Of DESIRE..............

During nearly twenty years on my own Hero's Journey toward self realization, the term DESIRE has become a corner stone on which to build the foundational aspects of everything of value in life.  It shows up constantly in most of the books, mentoring programs, and teachings on the path to truly living your Soul's purpose.  But what exactly is it?  Why is it SO important?  And how can we use it to assist and guide us toward living a life that is filled with tantalizing joy and happiness, as well as pure intent?   

One of its most radical proponents is the sizzling spiritual SOULdier of truth Danielle Laporte.  In her tremendously powerful book, ‘The Desire Map’, she says. “knowing how you want to feel is the most important clarity you can have.  Generating those feelings is the most important thing you can do in your life."  So DESIRE is about our feelings.  Makes sense- feelings are the guideposts to the Soul, right?!  But if we based everything on our feelings, at all times, couldn't life become a constant roller coaster of nausea inducing ‘loop de loop's’ and frightening free falls!  And as far as DESIRE goes, do feelings alone encompass the entire story?

The teachings of Abraham, (a compendium of Universal energy channeled by Esther Hicks) spells out in their tomb, ‘The Law of Attraction’,  that manifesting our DESIRES is the reason for our Being.  Essentially, each Soul decides to manifest into the human condition in order to joyfully create their most heartfelt DESIRES.  While most of us can attest to the downright blissful rumination that bubble from our heart and soul when a deep, hard fought Desire is made manifest in our reality, we are also grounded enough to realize the pragmatic challenges we must face in between such moments of heavenly creation.  And does this mean that in the moments when I am NOT in continuous Manifest Mode, that I am doing something wrong.

Thank goodness I finally came across the ancient teachings of the VEDAS.  Consisting of a large series of texts, the VEDAS are the oldest Hindu proclamations on recording that have all been transcribed from Sanskrit.  According to their teachings, the Soul has FOUR distinct DESIRES.

The first is dharma, the DESIRE to become who you were meant to be.  It is that internal guidance system that helps us remember our ultimate destiny here on earth.  In New Age Nerd terms, it is THE HERO'S JOURNEY!

The second is artha, or the DESIRE for the means to accomplish your destiny.  Let's be honest, being more broke than a 'fritter on a fryin' pan' makes it pretty tough to start that business, or quit that job in order to ‘don the cape’ and join the Universal Team of Spiritual Superhero's!

The third DESIRE is kama, the longing for pleasure in any and all forms.  This is where our feelings really come into play.  And, NO, it doesn't mean a spiritual life in alignment with your true purpose should be constantly filled with scratching your hedonistic pleasures whenever you FEEL like it.  

(“Damn, Smithers, and just when things were getting....interesting!”  LOL)  Rather, it is the understanding that our feelings are an internal guidance system that help us navigate our authentic path.  They are one of the most powerful elements in the construction of our true DESIRE.  With a few exceptions, our feelings are what I call the GROUNDED PURPOSE of SPIRIT (GPS) for the Soul!  Got it!  Good!  :0)

The fourth and final DESIRE is moksha.  This is the want of spiritual realization and freedom.  Have you ever felt like you wanted or even needed to disconnect from the world, and get off the grid?!  As if your Soul was begging to forget about everything mundane, and commune with Source to get recharged back into the BLISS from which it came.  This is moksha in action!

The VEDAS teachings further espouse that these FOUR DESIRES are inherent to your soul and absolutely essential to assisting you on the completion of your Hero's Journey.    These teachings have become one of the core foundational aspects of my understanding of how DESIRE can be used to both discover our purpose and help us block out the barrage of distractions we all engage along the way!  

For instance, the teachings declare not all DESIRES should be pursued, and that the majority of the pain and suffering in our lives comes from the attachment we carry toward our DESIRES.  In fact, the VEDAS go as far in explaining that most DESIRES which are NOT in alignment with our purpose, result in frustration, depression, and much of the anxiety on this planet.  

If anything from above resonates with you, I HIGHLY suggest you do yourself a GI-normous favor and get your hands on a copy of ‘The Four Desires’ by Rod Stryker.  This book absolutely changed my life and is a constant companion on the nightstand nearly five years after my first engagement with its enlightened prose.  We tend to engage all four of these DESIRES on a daily basis, and Stryker helps us navigate between them with Grace and Patience.   I also love that it eschews any explanation in terms of the absolute (Right vs. wrong, good vs bad etc.), and leaves plenty of room for the understanding that spiritual principles DO NOT have to be mutually exclusive.   It further fleshes out how to use our DESIRES for our own greatest good, and in the process, not only fulfill our destiny, but bring greater Joy and Happiness into our life in the process!  

DESIRE is NOT just a feeling.  It is a daily process!  And like anything of real value, it takes  dedicated time and effort to master.   When we stop framing the Universe as our own personal wish fulfilling mechanism, and step into the true purpose of Desire- a tool to help us fulfill our destiny- life becomes much more easy to navigate and TEN times more enriching!!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Here Is My BEST ADVICE......!!!

I'm quite sure I am not alone when I declare that one of biggest pet peeves is  UNSOLICITED ADVICE!   Isn't it interesting how many 'experts' there are amongst our peers who know EXACTLY how to lose that 10 pounds, or quit smoking?!   Or what you "should" or "need" to do in order to manifest that new business, or end that relationship.  And how absolutely giving they tend to be with their knowledge, especially when we RARELY ask for it.

While I was studying for a master's degree in Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica, the law regarding this epidemic was laid down the very first day of school.  While our class of nearly 300 was mingling about, introducing ourselves to one another for the first time, I noticed one of the program's lead instructors writing something in Gi-normous letters in the middle of the blackboard on the auditorium's stage.  Although she was writing in wipe away chalk, it was etched as indelible grace within my mind.   She wrote,  ‘The Most Damaging Deed One Can Do to Another's Soul, is Give Them Unsolicited Advice’.   For many in the class, that spiritual sentiment was worth the price of admission alone!  Learn it, Live it......   Spread it!!   Please!    Spread it!!   ;0)

Does this mean that we can't offer past experiences or insight to others with the intent of assisting them during a 'bump' in their personal Journey?  Absolutely NOT!  However, there are much more caring and impactful ways that we can be of service.  Here are THREE suggestions toward not giving anymore UNSOLICITED ADVICE:


1.  Determine how you should be showing up
Much of the time, we simply have the desire to be heard in life.  Especially those of us in the beautiful world of service. (teacher, coach, care-taker)   We tend to immediately rush in with an attempt to fix a situation or try and 'coach' somebody toward their goal.  I know I'm super guilty.  Perhaps the greatest act of respect you can offer someone is to simply ask them how they would like you to show up in the moment.  They may, for instance, just want you to listen.  Without saying a word.  Now there is a thought!!  lol

The next time you catch yourself wanting to pipe in with a soliloquy of unsolicited advice, try simply asking, "How would you like me to show up for you right now?"    You may be shocked to see how grateful they become!


2.  FIRST, ask if they would be open to a suggestion
One of the reasons giving unsolicited advice can be so hurtful is because most of the time, it comes across as though the way they are currently handling the situation or issue is ‘wrong.’  Nobody wants to feel inadequate, less than, and/or stupid.  By humbly asking if they would be ‘open’ to your suggestion, their defenses will typically go down, because it won't feel as though you are directly challenging them.  
And let's not kid ourselves.  Often times, we are really making something all about US when we extend unsolicited advice.

3. Refrain from using phrases that contain the words ‘Should’, ‘Need’, or ‘Ought’ 
I hate to break it to you, but as absolutely brilliant as you probably have come to be, you do NOT have anybody else's answers.  Don't take offense.  Neither did Jesus the Christ.  
My point is that the ONLY person who truly knows another person's TRUTH, is that person them-self.  You have no idea what anyone else needs or must do.  I have found great success by implementing the phrases, "What would it feel like if you..............  or  What do you think might happen if you.....".   Plus, by not giving specific advice, you don't have to worry about being held responsible by the consequences of your own words!

If you try implementing any of these tips, please let me know your experiences in the comments section below.  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

The POWER of TITHING...........

TODAY'S INSPIRATIONAL “MYTHOLOGICAL MAGIC”

__________________________________________

We live in a World of ABUNDANCE!  The Source Creator designed it that way.  We are here to have the richest of experiences in every aspect of our lives.  Yet, how many of you can honestly say that that is the Paradigm that touches your life and the lives of those around you?!?!  If your answer is a resounding NO, I hear you.  And it makes sense.  The media images that fill our TV screens, laptops, and cell phones are inundated with stories of lack and the challenges SO MANY of us are having just trying to keep food on the table and a roof over our head.  Yet, are you aware, that if JUST the top 2% of the wealthiest individuals in the world gave just 10% of their net worth to their fellow brothers, NOBODY would ever have to go hungry or homeless ever again.  Just stop and think about that for a moment.  In many ways, it actually makes me sick to my stomach.  And that's NOT a judgement on the rich, as much the understanding that THERE IS ENOUGH.  Always and in all ways.  We have more than enough resources and money on this planet to eradicate most of the world's ills, yet BILLIONS of people go hungry and homeless every single day!  In fact one out of three people in the world wake up every morning having no idea where they are going to get clean water for the day.  ASTONISHING!  And very, very sad.  

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of knowing your Financial Blueprint.  And for those of you who have yet to read it, I highly suggest you do so because applying the principles and ascertaining what your inner truth about abundance may be is one of the most important things you can do for having more knowledge, wisdom, peace, health, wealth, and LOVE in your life.  But I decided to wait until today to address another Universal Law that is absolutely KEY to not only being of service to others, but will also do wonders for your own state of abundance.  And that is THE POWER OF TITHING!!  

By incorporating the practice of giving at least 10% of everything you make away (or tithing) you create a shift in the Universe.  This pure act of LOVE and FAITH is perhaps the most powerful manner in which to tune into SOURCE energy.  That ever abundant spark of the Cosmos that has infinite intelligence and a never ending supply of ABUNDANCE in all its forms!!  

You see, by giving away a part of your own abundance, you are declaring to the Universe a level of KNOWINGNESS that there is plenty more where that came from.  And that you have NO NEED to worry about not having enough.  Every time you tithe, you are sending out a Super Hero version of transformative energy that will not only assist others in need, but in its wake, tear open the door to your own connection to SOURCE until it eventually becomes large enough to tap into it at any time!!  And tithing does not just have to be in the form of money.  Sometimes it is just as kind and compassionate to give of our time, knowledge, or even our soothing words to others who have lost their way. 

And for those non believers in the magic imbued within this principle, I have a story of my own to share with you!  As all you New Age Nerds know by having read my posts, you are aware that I have had several periods of time in my life in which I lost it all!  But there was something I KNEW deep within my soul.   And that is, I may have been BROKE, but I was NEVER POOR!  EVER!!


That's why several years ago, when I had but $20 dollars to my name, and I had stopped off at a gas station to put a portion of it in my car's tank, I saw a young man slowly approaching me with tears in his eyes.  He told me that he needed to get to a job interview about 45 minutes away, and was almost out of gas.  He had a debit card, but it came up declined when he tried to use it.  I pulled the $20 dollar bill out of my pocket and asked him if this would get him where he needed to go and back.  He began to cry heavy tears and gave me a big hug and Thank You!  

I got back in my car and started my own drive home, having NO idea what I was going to do for money myself.  BUT, I had something more important than paper bills.  I had the KNOWINGNESS that I need not worry.  That Spirit would protect, guide, and supply me with what I needed.  And ya know what?!?   I pulled to my mailbox in the front of my house, and there was a check inside of it for over $2,000 dollars.  It was from my biological father's estate (he passed away 10 years earlier) and the money came as a complete surprise.  The envelope contained a letter from a lawyer who had discovered the account which had gone untouched for a decade.  After doing his due diligence, he had tracked me and my sister down and by California state law, the money belonged to us.  My sister got her check a day later!  Now I had received a call from this lawyer over a year prior, but nothing ever came of it, UNTIL I ABSOLUTELY NEEDED IT!! 

And while I have several other personal stories regarding the POWER OF TITHING, the point is that sharing is caring.   Truly!  And sharing what we have, no matter how little or how much we possess is the most miraculous manner of creating daily Miracles in ALL of our lives.  It's what we are actually here to do.  LOVE one another as we would LOVE ourselves.  And one of the most beautiful gestures to LOVE one another is through sharing (tithing) regularly.  Please believe me when I tell you from personal experience that incorporating this principle into your spiritual practice will be the one of the most potent and powerful things you will ever do!!  For not only will it spread the wealth that is already here at our disposal, but watch and see the ways it will bring more prosperity in ALL its forms flooding into your life!



Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez