Cole Mellino, EcoWatch
Waking Times

Think you can’t grow much food in an urban area? Think again. One family’s 4,000 square foot farm in Pasadena, California “not only feeds a family but revolutionizes the idea of what can be done in a very unlikely place—the middle of a city.” KCET reporter Val Zavala gives us a glimpse into the Dervaes family’s Path to Freedom Urban Homestead. “I brought the country to the city rather than having to go out to the country,” said Jules Dervaes, who created the farm with his three adult children, Justin, Anais and Jordanne.

They grow almost all of the food they need. Ninety percent of their all-organic, vegetarian diet comes from their garden. The operation involves 400 varieties of vegetables, fruits and edible flowers, which is 6,000 pounds of food a year. They raise eight chickens, four ducks and two goats, which provide them with eggs and milk. Chefs from high-end restaurants come directly to their house to buy their excess.

Open your eyes to the possibilities that exist around you. It takes so little to really see what is going on. Let go and let the magic of The Universe work for and with you. ~ Creator

Like many self-help junkies, I like to read up on all the latest theories of growth, behavior, and happiness. Unlike most people though, I like to test them haphazardly on myself, my loved ones, and on innocent bystanders. I do this for 3 reasons:

1. I like tangible, real world applications
2. I don’t like to use my clients as guinea pigs
3. I still hold onto the belief that somewhere out there is a magical, concrete theory that would explain my past mistakes, adorably neurotic behavior (yes, that’s how I describe it) and would generally make sense of the world around me.

While #1 and #2 have been helpful, #3 has gotten me into a bit of trouble. See, the problem with trying to “find yourself” is that you do a lot of unnecessary pathologizing, diagnosing, and, to put it bluntly, a lot of thinking.

The truth is that thinking isn’t always a good thing.

If the world is a real-seeming illusion, then suffering is also an illusion. I hear you say to Me:

“God, what difference does it make if my life on Earth is illusion or not when illusion feels real? What difference does it make if my suffering is illusion or not when it feels like honest-to-goodness suffering, and I suffer?

“Give me an illusion of peace then. Let me put in my time on Earth in illusion then. With all due respect to You, God, give me a pleasant illusion. If I am not made for suffering, why, then, do I have it? Make me free of suffering on any basis.

“You tell me that I do not need to suffer. Then, so, why do I? If I’m cut, I bleed. If I am hungry, I am hungry. If I mourn loss, I mourn loss. Do I need to go on? Well, one more thing. You say that if I perceived well enough, I would not suffer. Then give me, I beg You to give me, the perception that it is Yours. Make it mine, I beseech You.

“You say I will get the hang of it, that I will come to know Truth from Illusion. Give me the hang of it and release me from bondage now. Release me from illusion. Remove all pain and agony from me. If You are a God of Love, then show me Love so I love without limit, and that I love once and for all, and I am as You created me to be.

“God, I hear that I live many lifetimes. Do I need so many? Can’t I take a quick course? Please don’t tell me it’s my choice. What I presently live through can’t be my choice.

HJ: Success and happiness are not random.  They arise from specific habits and states of mind and being and you can pick these up as soon as you make a decision to do so.  If you are not getting the results you after, then simply bring your life and actions in line with these principles and you’ll get results. Period.  It really is that simple.

- Truth

7 Habits to Start in 7 Days to Guarantee a Year of Happiness

By Marc Chernoff | Marc and Angel

In our busy daily lives it’s easy to miss the forest for the trees and completely overlook some of the more obvious activities that can disproportionally affect our happiness levels.  Luckily, we can go off more than just our intuition; there are lots of proven strategies that aim to create the right behavior that leads to a happier life.  Below, we take a look at seven of the more actionable pieces of advice you can start implementing over the next week.

Here is a truth for you to consider. If someone needs to change in order to be a satisfactory match for you, it is telling you that they are not a match for you in this right now moment. You will save yourselves a lot of angst and heartache if you can accept people exactly as they are, and make decisions based on if they are a good energetic match to you, in your truth, as you are.

Some people say, “Well Gabriel, I am confused. They say one thing and they do another.” Dear Ones, people are always showing you who they really are by their actions, and how they make you feel. Does this person make you feel loved? Accepted? Honoured? Nurtured? Cared about? What is the overall essence of this relationship? We are not talking about how they treated you long ago. We are talking about how they treat you right now, in your present reality. If this is not a satisfying union why are you accepting so little for yourself? Do you have to step out of self love to continue on with this relationship?

Do not sacrifice your happiness, your joy, your opportunities, waiting for another to change, Dear Ones, because their souls are experiencing exactly what they need to experience at this time, and there is no telling how long they may wish or need to stay in that experience.