The Sword of Thinking

Happy Monday!

I’ve been really enjoying some much needed time off. Yay!

It is amazingly beautiful up here at my Heaven House (office) location, and at home in Vista too.

I’ve been having a lot of fun with Mana, Angie, Penny and Maggie. We have done some hiking together, playing with Mana, introducing him to new toys and books, and giving him “gym time” each day to foster his natural infant development process.

I found a lovely organic baby mat on Amazon.com, which he really likes. We were given a nice little play gym, but the materials are synthetic, and he couldn’t grab onto the mat with his toes, so he would get frustrated when trying to crawl.

Once he got on the organic mat, he was able to move much more naturally and he stays engaged in his natural expressions of movement much longer.

This past week I’ve enjoyed being in nature, reading excellent books, using my Health Mate IR sauna, and I am working on the completion of a new painting (I’ll share it below in the Show-N-Tell section).

Today in my blog, I will share:
1. The Sword Of Thinking video blog and some relevant thoughts on the topic.
2. CHEK Advanced Training Program Completions
3. Book Review: The Optimal Health Cookbook, by Suzanne Sweeney, a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach
4. Show-N-Tell with Paul
– Catching up with Mike Salemi
– Mana gets a new play station
– A mother humming bird looses battle with nature
– My new painting to express what Love IS.

The Sword of Thinking

Thinking is a powerful function of consciousness that has helped us evolve tremendously. Thinking has also been at the root of a lot of human suffering, and trauma to nature, largely because it is used in absence of sensation, feeling, and intuition.

Today, I share some of Carl Jung’s concepts on how consciousness functions in man. We can enhance our thinking capacity by appreciating how sensation, feeling, and intuition, proven modes of perception, that thinking alone can not.

I begin my vlog presentation by outlining what thinking is, and share some of the reasons and problems that thinking has caused.

As I proceed, I highlight each of the other functions of consciousness (sensation, feeling, and intuition), and I share how these functions can enhance our thinking and decision making process to make it easier to create and live our dreams.

This is but one of many very powerful teachings/methods I share with my students in my CHEK 4-Quadrant Coaching Mastery program, which is as much a personal-spiritual development program, as it is a coaching program.

I use the term spiritual to imply taking responsibility for the decision one makes moment to moment in their life, not the way the word is traded in trendy “spiritual development” circles today.

If you enjoy learning about how consciousness grows through the life process, and gain meaningful tools to help you live your dreams more effectively, my upcoming CHEK 4-Quadrant Coaching Mastery workshop may be magic for you.

Though the program is designed to teach all who perform leadership roles (collectively referred to as coaching others) how to identify common internal and external blocking factors, I take each participant through essential self-healing practices for themselves first.

Whether one is a parent, teacher, therapist/healer, physician, coach, lover, friend, or adversary to others, until we become a healthy expression of these archetypes within ourselves, we can never see, nor guide others through these exceedingly common “I – thou” challenges.

Sadly, a common tendency among people going through normal life challenges today is to search for a more advanced pill, gadget, or find yet another expert to fix the problem.

One doesn’t need observational super-powers to clearly see that this approach isn’t working, and is, in fact, amplifying the challenges we face in the world today.

The paradox of amplification (turning up the power of expression) is that just as excessive amplification in a stereo system can literally “blow the speakers”, so too, excessive amplification in a living body ultimately blows systems.

As humans, we begin having stress reactions and physical, emotional, and mental symptoms that produce so much pain and dysfunction in our lives that we can no longer ignore them.

For many, this brings them to a choice point.

We encounter a choice point whenever we come to realize that what we are doing, the way we are choosing to handle things, isn’t working.

Choice points are potentially enlightenment events, to the degree that we become more aware, take responsibility for ourselves, and develop new (often more adult) life skills.

Examples of choice points I commonly help my patients, clients and students navigate are:
– Body health and body shape challenges
– Choosing to continue to depend on others to create your happiness (being a child.), or choosing to take responsibility for create happiness within yourself and live as both an example, and as a consequence, being an harmonizing influence for others (the adult).
– Choosing to forgive those who have wounded us and grow from such lessons, or forever stay handicapped and expect others to make things right for you (the wounded child archetype).
– Choosing to do what you love to do as your life’s work, or keep doing what you’ve been told by parents and/or authority figures so you fit in, and keep needing their approval for your own sense of self-worth.
– Maintaining a religious idealism that results in a passive approach to dealing with life (praying or asking for help, but making the same choices in relationship to self and others), or choosing to grow spiritually.

Growing spiritually requires that we take an honest look at what we were programmed to believe as children by parents and religious influences.

To grow spiritually, we can choose to look into the deeper meanings of religious teachings and find sources of inspiration that empower us to develop a personal relationship with the Divine, or Spirit.

Only when we develop a personal relationship with Great Spirit can we ever understand the authentic meanings of religious teachings.

When we do make conscious contact with our own soul and begin asking meaningful questions such as, “Is it true that one can only be saved by such and such a savior, or that God burns people in hell”, we are often astonished to find that Love doesn’t act, nor talk that way, just lost people do.

We worry and stress over whether:

– To become married, or not.
– To become a parent, or not.
– To shed our skin in a midlife crisis and let the lonely child emerge and express novel creativity in our lives, or harden, go deeper into denial, and continue believing the reason our life is so shitty is because of what someone else is doing, or has done to cause you the pain you feel.

To keep believing that death is the end and our loved ones (human or animal) are gone (often feeling their death is somehow our responsibility) is futile.

When we explore the life-death process more fully with the guidance of one’s own soul and the help of teachers whose consciousness has transcended the materialistic mindset, we grow and transform.

In my upcoming CHEK 4-Quadrant Coaching Mastery workshop here in San Diego, September 15-18, 2016, I will guide you through many effective, well-tested self-healing methods and share numerous ways to enhance your coaching/therapy practice.

Those enrolling in this 4-day workshop will be given access to the complete on-line training program, which contains significant amounts of effective, supportive education to enhance your life and professional practice.

My training programs are not ideal for those looking for fast-food education, or another certificate to stick on the wall to keep the ego fed.

My CHEK 4-Quadrant Coaching Mastery program is ideal for anyone who is truly ready to honestly explore themselves and their relationships, learn, grow, and become an authentic, self-realized guide for themselves and others.

To learn more details about my September 15-18, 2016 CHEK 4-Quadrant Coaching Mastery workshop, or register before discounted registration ends, click here: https://chekinstitute.com/chek-4-quadrant-coaching-mastery-program/

I hope you enjoy my video presentation today!

CHEK Advanced Course Completions

CHEK Practitioner Level 2 San Diego, with Dan Hellman, PT

Dan Hellman just finished teaching CHEK Practitioner Level 2 here in San Diego. Dan Hellman is one of our most senior instructors, and is also a very skilled Physical Therapist.

To have Dan as your instructor is a blessing, particularly if you come from a rehabilitation background into CHEK Advanced training.

I am positive you all had a great CP2 experience with Dan, and I congratulate you for advancing your skills through the CHEK Advanced Professional programs!

Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 Chicago, with Jator Pierre, CP4

Jator has worked very hard in his own spiritual growth for many years since he first became one of my students. He has studied with a variety of self-growth experts and applies what he learns from his own honest explorations of life, holistic health and his private coaching practice as a teacher.

I’m very proud of Jator’s ongoing growth and success as a teacher. I’ve received several amazing letters from his students informing me of their successful life transitions under Jator’s guidance.

I am sure you all had a fantastic time learning from this true master of holistic health. I welcome you all with open arms to the CHEK Tribe and look forward to meeting you as you advance through the CHEK Holistic Coach Program!

Show-N-Tell with Paul

Book Review: The Optimal Health Cookbook, by Suzanne Sweeney

Suzanne Sweeney is a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and she has recently released her new, and very impressive cookbook titled, The Optimal Health Cookbook.

I’ve reached a point in my career where many of my students have gone on to write their own books, or create DVD’s and various forms of media to express their genuine interests.

It is always exciting to see what amazing things come through my students, and to watch them grow into authentic contributors to the world.

I can honestly say that the Optimal Health Cookbook, by Suzanne Sweeney is among the best books I’ve seen my students produce.

The cookbook is beautifully written, colorful, has beautiful, clear photos, and a wealth of sound information on healthy eating.

Some of the concepts she sheds light on in her book are:
– Clarifying the difference between salt that is not good for you, and salt that is good for you.
– Rotation dieting
– Sugar sources to avoid and healthy sources to use
– Food combining and digestion
– Gluten issues and how to identify what has gluten in it
– Getting clear on issues of fat and cholesterol
– Food preparation tips that help you get real food real fast
– Lots of great recipes, and much more!

This is definitely a book I will recommend to my own clients, and highly recommend it to any and all of you wanting a perfect compliment to my book “How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy!”

For those who have read my book, and completed HLC 1 (or higher), I think you’ll love all the great recipes she shares!

I can’t wait to encourage Angie and Penny to start making some of them for us!

Great Job Suzanne!

Catching up with Mike Salemi

Mike Salemi recently caught up with me via email and shared some of what he’s been up to lately.

Since his last Russian Kettlebell competition, he’s been taking an active rest and enjoying a less structured training program for a while before he gets ready for another competition.

Mike and his athlete, Ada Wong recently participated in a functional training demonstration in San Francisco.

Mike is both a great athlete, and a great coach. He trains Ada, and she’s now accumulated multiple Russian Masters achievements in different categories.

I think Ada is a very impressive living example of what a woman can be in her 40s and always get excited when I see her sharing her love with the world.

Mike enjoys rock stacking too, and shared the above photo of one of his most recent creations. What a lovely way to enhance your yard, Mike!

Great to see you living your dreams, Mike and Ada! You are both amazing living examples of the lifestyle I teach through the C.H.E.K Institute, and I’m grateful you are sharing your love with the world.

Mana gets a new play station

One of Angie’s family friends gave us this beautiful play station for Mana. Mana has grown big enough to enjoy using it now, so Penny got out her toolkit and put it together in what she and Angie said, would probably be “world record assembly time” (Angie and Penny are both fix-it ladies, which I love!).

Mana just loves this play station and it’s so fun to watch his mind and motor skills develop.

He’s really coming along fast in so many ways. Angie and I were driving home from a play day at the Heaven House yesterday evening and we were singing to Mana our 4 Doctor songs.

All the sudden, in his own special baby language, he started singing along! At first we though he was trying to tell us to stop singing (we aren’t ready to try out for The Voice just yet).

When we stopped singing, he stopped too and had a happy look on his face, so I didn’t get the impression he was irritated. We started singing the songs again and sure enough, he joined right in. It was a fun family sing-along! He really has a powerful voice for a 3 and a half moth old.

We are all having such a great time with Mana. We all love him so much, and love interacting with him and watching him grow, learn, and express himself more each day. His hair is getting more and more red, and…he’s certainly showing us that he has some of Daddy’s fire in him too.

When he wants to do something, he’s quite intense about it. When he wants to get your attention, he surely knows how to do that too! We just love seeing the little dragon in him and all his unique expressions.

He keeps my heart wide open each day, and we love learning from him each day. I never knew I’d be so happy with a child, but I’m giggling every day!

A mother humming bird looses battle with nature

Angie want went outside into the atrium at our house to let Maggie (her dog) have a pee and just happened to see a humming bird nest. She looked in and saw that a baby had just hatched. She called me to have a look and she took the photo above.

It was over 100 degrees that day, and my immediate fear for the baby was that at that time of the day, the sun shines directly into the atrium. I could see the little bird opening and closing its mouth, hoping mother would come along soon and feed it. I was worried that if the mother didn’t protect it from the sun, it would die.

We went out of the atrium so the mother wasn’t afraid to come to her baby and sure enough, she came in a couple minutes to feed and protect it from the sun. We could see her sitting over the nest in the high heat.

I could tell by watching her that holding still like that was overheating her; she was in a direct confrontation with the forces of nature. Sadly, the next time Angie and I looked into the nest the following day, the little chick had died.

The mother did a great job of choosing a nesting location safe from predators, but unfortunately, probably didn’t realize that her nest wouldn’t be covered by the foliage of the tree in the afternoon when the sun shines directly into the tree.

Angie and I felt sad that she lost her little baby. We both understand that Mother Nature sets the bar high and only allows “survivors to survive”. As challenging is this can be to witness, there is real wisdom in Mother Nature’s approach.

We are at a time in history when human beings in general could never even come close to surviving without supermarkets and electrical gadgets; many of them may also find Mother Nature’s dictates life threatening, be it a storm, cold front, hot spell, earth quake or other such “acts of God”.

I say, that now is a great time to learn How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy!

My new painting to express what Love IS (double click to open image)

As many of you who visit my blog surely know by now, I love to draw and paint.

I find painting a very healing, spiritual practice. Painting allows me to enter into active meditation.

My paintings are typically my renditions of visions I have when meditating, doing tai-chi, or shamanic journey/healing work of various types.

I was recently doing a deep meditation in which I asked my soul to teach me more about how love works. This painting is the vision I was given, but what my soul showed me was dynamic, moving and changing constantly, while paradoxically not moving at all.

My painting is only a faint representation of the very powerful visual and sensory experience I had at the time, but it does serve as a symbolic representation of what love is for me.

I haven’t finished it yet, but will see if I can finish it this week before I’m back at work full-swing next week. My painting skills are still quite basic, but I’m happy as a clam just learning as I go, experimenting, and painting because it feels good.

If you haven’t tried painting or drawing, give it a go. It is so much fun, and so healing. You have everything to gain and nothing to loose!

I love painting with acrylic paints because they are water soluble and easy to clean up. If I have the urge to express myself but don’t have time to paint, I often use marker pens, or do line drawings with a black pen and color them later when I have more time.

Human beings are naturally very creative, but we’ve become so programmed and automated to fit into an automated, scheduled, unconscious society and culture that many have lost touch with their natural creative impulse.

I’ve seen so many healing breakthroughs in my patients through the use of art in our therapy sessions, and among my students in my CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coaching and PPS Success Mastery programs that I’m constantly inspired to keep my art practice up as a very enjoyable form of meditation.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my blog today.

I look forward to sharing something new with you next week.

Love and chi,
Paul Chek