Freedom is an Inner Game

While many people today celebrate a sold sense of freedom that very few actually experience on a deep level in our country, I reflect back to 17 years ago.

As I watched the first firework shoot into the fading daylight just outside the Las Vegas Strip on July 4th, 2000, I received a call from Hospice that my mother had passed on.

While my friends broke down in tears, I celebrated deeply knowing that my mother had found her freedom from the agony and detriment of 2 years fighting cancer.

To this day, I celebrate her life and I reflect on the journey of personal freedom that I have embarked on since her passing.

I grew up trapped by my own intellect. Trapped and caged by what I thought I was supposed to do or supposed to be.

I fought aimlessly to please.

I strived to fit in and "do the right thing."

The American Dream never made sense to me. It didn't feel free. It felt constrictive and controlled.

The only freedom I felt was when I did drugs, drank excessively or rebelled against society in one way or another. That ended up leading to even more agony.

Then I found mediation and breathing techniques, travelled the world, spent 10 days in Silent Meditation (4 Times), took on a 3 hour daily practice and began to uncover a visceral experience of deep personal freedom that existed inside of me.

Freedom is an inner game. There is truly no free person in our world when they have not found freedom inside of them.

Nelson Mandela only became free locked in a cage.

People all over the world under the most harsh conditions find freedom in prayer, meditation and gratitude.

As I reflect on my Mom, My Personal Journey of Freedom and the Freedom of so many that have found it in the most unlikely places, I pose the following questions ...

Are you truly free?

If not, what could you do to be free now, in this moment?

Then, what could you do in this moment?

How would you BE in the world if you knew that you were truly free?

America is so good as sales, at marketing. Everyone prances around in a state of conceptual freedom while they follow the conditioned laws and ways of a culture designed by control (remember, it started that way, when the first settlers arrived and controlled or killed off the natives. The "Forefathers only set the intention of freedom after that, but the very foundation was counter to the intention and then echoed through the generations with racism, sexism and other isms and still echoes to this day).

And, many people don't even know they are being controlled as the media and advertising agencies have become masters at subtle manipulation.

With that said, there is also the people that are finding their way to true freedom by looking inside. Then, when they start to go outside they relate to the world on their terms and Start businesses and systems that reflect what they truly want.

I celebrate the few that are truly making their American Dream, in their way!

We always have remember, freedom is an inner game.

To keep coming back home to the only place that you are truly free.

That place deep inside that is always at peace.

I wish you the foundational intention of America within you, everyday in every way!

P.S. In the upcoming months I will be releasing a free ebook with the working title "Be Free Now - Crucial Life Lessons for Finding Peace in Uncertain Times" - Stay tuned :-)

The Story of "High"

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

It was in one of the weakest moments in my life that the melody of this "High" vibrational offering came through me.  Here is the album insert text…..

"3 years, 10,000 miles and 5,400 meters above the substance based life I lived in the not-so distant past, I found myself sluggishly pulling myself over the final pass on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.  It was in these moments that the melody of “High” came to me like a welcomed friend, there to aid in my completion of the circuit. The lyrics came as a reminder of all the blissful experiences of deep meditation that lifted me to great heights since I had given up drugs and alcohol on my 30^th birthday."

But there is much more then that to tell in this story.  This song lifted me up!  Brought me back to LIFE in many ways, musically and actually.  It was a gift. This song was a pivotal moment in my life.  

Musically, I knew it was a hit immediately.  It was the first real CATCHY melody that I had ever wrote and there was just something about it even before I wrote the lyrics.  So when the lyrics began to come, I found them reflecting the inner peace that comes from meditation and I was lifted to great heights, emotional, physically, spiritually, mentally and actually.  This song shed light on a LIFE PATH and on a deep knowing that NO MATTER WHAT, I always have the ability to go inside and feel blissful and alive.   

I began to share it and found it having a similar effect on those around me.  It was the highlight of concerts and gatherings and then when we went into the studio, which summed up went something like this …..

"Young and upcoming producer Joseph E-Shine came into the production of high shortly after finding his path in yoga and meditation.  Much to our surprise, the confident 21 year-old came into the studio and, with determination and focus, knocked out our first single in just under 8 hours. Much to his surprise, I nailed the lead vocals in 1 take, Twice. "

I knew this song, this message, this energy, this joy, this vibration was meant to be NOW!

So what to do for the video? OK, let's create a dance out of it we thought, lets get some flashmob action going.  Lets put as much fun and light behind this message as possible, because that is what the world NEEDS!  LIGHT!!!  There is so much heaviness around reflected in our daily lives.  This LIGHT, that we all have access to INSIDE is what I see to be the thread of of our lives, and if this video can trigger ANYONE to take that look, even for a moment …. well …. SUCCESS!!!  And I also believe that a SMILE is our greatest currency.

Why are we going for 1 Million here in such a short time?  Why?  Because!  Life is a game and I am here to PLAY it!  Yeah, this isn't a video of a talking cat or a stoned rainbow man, but it is one that will put a smile on your face, a bounce in your step and maybe, just maybe, make you look inside and sing ba-pa-dap-ba-dap yourself, bringing the seriousness of everyday life to that light inner joy that is accessible in every moment, INSIDE!  Let's bring that love to the forefront of the online video charade.

And speaking of INSIDE, This Love has been actualized in collaboration with many people, most importantly, the devotion, encouragement and steady stream of love and commitment from my dear partner Mai Segev.  She made the final decision on the production direction in the studio, produced the music video and has believed in "High" from the very first moment it touched her heart!

THANK YOU for sharing and for daring to look inside.

DOWNLOAD THE SONG HERE

Sunrise 365 - Day 84 - A Practice For Peace

Are you feeling peaceful today? Is the world and all of it's distractions keeping you from seeing the shining light that you are inside? If so, I have a nice practice (and quick of course, I remember that we don't have TIME these days, even though time is only in the mind, but thats for another day).

I know that everyone has seen a sunrise at some time in their life and have watched and contemplated the glorious manifestation of a new day. Well, the practice is exactly that. For a few minutes let's close our eyes, breath into that light shining inside of us and picture the light of first day. Contemplate the stillness that surrounds it and the dance of nature as it wakes up with you. See yourself as being surrounded in this peaceful energy of the sunrise for the whole entire day and when things come up that attempt to pull you into a frenzy, close the eyes again, even for 30 seconds and come back to the space. next thing you know you will be a walking sunrise and everyone that meets you will feel like they have just seen the light of a new day.

With LOVE!

Sunrise 365 - Day 33 - I AM ABUNDANT

Day 33 - I am Abundant

This morning while I walked under the first light of this spectacular sunrise, I enjoyed the expanded thoughts of Wayne Dyer. One of the main topics of the day had to do with the state of abundance. Could you ever imagine the SUN having a thought that "today I just won't shine ….." or "am I enough?" I think the answer is clear .... but .... why do we? We think that we are SO BIG that we can just dim out whenever we want even though the WORLD needs us just as much as it needs the SUN. I say we make a commitment to SHINE our LOVE LIGHT in every moment possible with acts of gratitude, compassion and inner peace…..WHO's IN? .... and ….. How will you SHINE today???