As many of you know, I have been posting about my 21-day mediation challenge. The challenge was started by Deepak Chopra accompanied by my girl Oprah and is designed to help you unravel, open up and let love and prosperity come rushing in. Mediation has more that just these benefits of unlocking what lies within; there are medical benefits as well as spiritual. If you have decided to take the challenge with me—it’s only a few weeks long—then you are already a few days into it and may feel the benefits already. If not, you may need some inspiring information about meditation and what it can do for you and your body.

Meditation can truly help when it comes to organizing your thoughts and conditioning your body for the stress factors to come in your life. Meditation goes hand in hand with mindfulness and when we are mindful of our body, our thoughts and our actions it becomes much easier to distinguish our feelings, ailments and the little things we could change in our lives. Here are some wonderful benefits below that will come your way when you decide to take the challenge:

1. 1. Reduces stress
   2. Helps harvest and support creativity
   3. Improves focus and drive
   4. Can help reduce respiration issues such as asthma and bronchitis.
   5. Can help with weight loss
   6. Improved mood
   7. Cultivate patience and endurance in any situation
   8. Can help with attention deficits
   9. Help you understand your emotions and work through them.
   10.  Helps you sleep better
   11. Increased immunity
   12.  Support you in accomplishing your goals

Many of our ailments and life stresses can be lessened if we just listen to our bodies. The problem is, that most people don’t know how to do that. Meditation is the key to becoming mindful and learning how to listen when your body speaks to you. Who knows, you may be able to lower your medical bills and find that spark for life that is waiting to be acknowledged. So join me in the three week challenge and find out how meditation can help you.

There are four books I’m currently reading that continue to inspire transformation in my life. Take a look at how I use them and maybe you will be inspired by the written word to move into your practice as I have done.

The first book is the “Miracle of Mindfulness” by Thich Nhat Hanh. This wonderful book helps guide me in my meditation. It offers a simple approach to being mindful and living my life open and awake to my place in the Universe. I use it because it gives me examples of meditation practice that are easy to hollow and they make sense. Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us how to be mindful when we are washing the dishes, waiting in line at the grocery store, to when we are walking out along a path in nature. Mindfulness is the miracle, if you are willing to see it.

This next book reminds us that we are the divine emanation of LIFE, moving, living and having our being in God. “This Thing Called You” by Ernest Holmes was one of the first books I studied when I began my journey of discovering metaphysics. This was the first book that helped me truly understand my divine connection. It is my favorite “go to” book for my new clients that are on the path of transformation. Ernest invites us to examine our lives, to know that we are connected to something greater and that we have a divine experience.

“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz invites us to live by four simple spiritual principles: 1. Be impeccable with your word,2. Never take anything personal, 3. Never assume anything, and 4. always do your best. My favorite agreement is number 4. Always do your best. If we approach our life setting the intention to do our best, then we are in integrity within our soul.

“Spiritual Liberation” by Michael Bernard Beckwith is the final book that I highly recommend. This is the book that has helped me to deepen my spiritual practice, from up-leveling my meditation to understating what is meant by, “Dark Night of the Soul.” One of the greatest lessons Micheal teaches is that we are not our thought, we are what is listening to the thoughts. We are not our emotions, we are only having an experience. We have the power to liberate ourselves from the paradigms of lack, limitation, doubt, worry and fear. Through the practice of prayer, meditation, sacred study, affirmations, giving, service and fellowship, liberation is attainable.

The practice of Sacred study will empower your life. Take some time to explore these books and expand your consciousness. Remember, everything that you desire is already within you. Take the time for self exploration. It is time to activatethe power that lives within you.

When we talk about independence, we want to think about being spiritually and physically independent from everything that does not serve us. We want to be able to remove ourselves from anything that is holding us back from being out true authentic self. For the body temple it might be something that you’re dealing with emotionally and or mentally. There are many things that can block our transformation of the body temple, such as putting our families before our health, putting our jobs before our health, or placing food before our workouts. We must learn to take care of ourselves before we try to help others.  If there is an emergency on a flight and the oxygen mask drops, we must first put our on mask on before trying to help someone else. Being healthy is the number one priority–an active pursuit and nothing should stand in the way of achieving your goals.

Mental blocks can hold you back and keep you from following through when it comes to engaging your healthy lifestyle. Thoughts that block your mental independence are things like: I can’t do that or I’m not good enough, strong enough or powerful enough. We want to shift away from these mindsets and embrace a positive way of thinking—we are strong, we are good enough, we are powerful enough and worthy to be health wealthy complete.

Here are 10 Affirmations to help empower your transformation.  Happy Independence.  I bless you on your path to absolute  FREEDOM!

1. I am Abundant = free from financial challenges.

2. I am Love = independence in relationships, freedom to Love wholeheartedly.

3. I am Joy = freedom of emotional domination.

4. I am Healthy = independence from Body Temple Challenges.

5. I am free to be what I am meant to be = freedom and independence to be ourselves.

6. I am Amazing = independence from self-doubt.

7. I am strong enough = freedom to overcome anything.

8. I am Powerful= freedom from Lack and limitations.

9. I am Enough = freedom to move forward.

10. I am Blessed = freedom to receive blessing.

There are times in our lives when we feel like giving up. There are moments when we can’t see the benefits of the transformation work we have said “Yes” to. There are days that we think that nothing is happening and we don’t even want to get out of bed. You must not give up. You must keep moving no matter what. When you hit that fork in the road, you have 2 choices: to give up, or to keep on pushing forward. You have to believe that you can make it through anything.

Your are at a very important point in the journey. You are at the edge of your personal breakthrough. The power to transform your life is within you, waiting to explode. Don’t kick yourself or beat yourself up, this is part of your character building. I call it, the “Power to Stay With It” attitude. You are on a journey with no destination. Yes, we set goals but this race is never won by the fastest–it is won by those who stick it out! This week I want to give you the tools to help you push past your blocks and empower your transformation.

1. Keep your eyes on the vision. Think about what goals are; what are your desires in life? Look in the direction you are headed instead of where you have come from.

2. Do something everyday to move your transformation forward. Do something that will empower your intention, no matter how you are feeling. This will level-up your vibration and your energy.

3. Don’t beat yourself up. If you fall, get back up and push the restart button. Start again, and again, and again…

4. Get a coach or a transformation buddy to help you stay accountable.

5. Change it up a little. if you are bored you won’t stick with it. Do something new for your transformation.

Remember you have the power and you always did. Use it to wake up and change you life. Get moving Boo! Keep Moving Boo! and never give up.

The blog this week is about your early inspirations, going back to the first memories. Who first inspired you to shine above all else?

In honor of my mother Rebecca Jennings’ 80th birthday, I’m reminded that she was the first person who taught me about health, fitness, and living right. She was the very first person who talked about herbs, supplements and the holistic approach. She introduced me to exercise, getting outside to play, and staying active in my every day life. Mom Jennings, as everyone calls her, told me to staying away from smoking and other vices that would jeopardize my health. She was my inspiration to spirituality and taught me about mindful thinking. I remember her telling me once that, a man is as a man does.  I live be that affirmation to this day.

You could say, My mother was my first transformational coach.

When I think about my mother, I am reminded that she has always been about health and fitness. The most important value she has passed down to me is my is consistent spiritual growth and the cultivation of my relationship with God. My mother has inspired me to work hard, creating the life I want, and to never take no for an answer.

Mama would say: “Never give up son, God has a plan for you.”