Hey there, friend.

Sending you loads of positive energy for the weekend ahead.

Earlier this week, I published a piece inspired by the teachings of a simple parable. It highlights how every moment, whether good, bad, or indifferent, is an opportunity to find peace and attain a state of Zen. Lofty claim, I know. This reflection brought back memories of my own experience during a health scare with my eyes over the past year.

Essentially, my overall message was:

In other words, Zen is not just a quality of the present moment; it is the present moment.

On a completely different note, I've also just published a piece this morning titled: "4 Ways You Are Shaping Reality Without Even Recognizing It." This is one of my favorite subjects to delve into, exploring how what we commonly refer to as "reality" is merely a product of our inner perception.

That's all I got for this week (besides the usual curated wisdom below).

Hope you have a great couple of weeks! Thanks for reading.

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// 1 shot of higher consciousness! 🌪️

The Wrongdoer: Possessing A Share of the Divine
​Marcus Aurelius

When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly. They are like this because they can't tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own—not of the same blood or birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. And so, none of them can hurt me. No one can implicate me in ugliness. Nor can I feel angry at my relative, or hate him. We were born to work together like feet, hands, and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are obstructions.

Source: "Meditations"​

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// 1 reminder for remembering who you really are! ✨

What We Stay Alive For
​Character John Keating, played by Robin Williams

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life.

But poetry.
Beauty.
Romance.
Love.

These are what we stay alive for.

To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?”

Answer: That you are here — that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.

That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

Source: "Dead Poets Society" - 1989 film

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// 1 nugget of inspiration for consciously creating your reality! ⚡

Your Personal Legend
​Paulo Coelho

People learn, early in their lives, what is their reason for being," said the old man, with a certain bitterness. "Maybe that’s why they give up on it so early, too. But that’s the way it is."

...The boy didn’t know what a person’s "Personal Legend" was.

"Personal Legend?"

"Yes. It’s what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend."

None of what the old man was saying made much sense to the boy. But he wanted to know what the "mysterious force" was.

..."It's a force that appears to be negative, but actually shows you how to realize your destiny. It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth."

Source: The Alchemist, A Graphic Novel​

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​// 1 tip on meditation, manifesting, & bending reality! 🧠

A Quick Hack To Train Yourself To Experience Any Desired Emotion

1. Determine the underlying emotion you desire to experience when achieving one of your biggest goals. It is likely some version of satisfaction, joy, love, or ecstasy.
2. Recall a moment in your life when you felt that emotion, visualizing this moment in your mind’s eye. See it in as much detail as possible. Don't move to the next step until you fully capture this experience.
3. Bring to mind the sensations you felt in your body that accompanied these emotions. To connect with these sensations, find something from this memory, a symbol perhaps, that captures the emotions you experienced.
4. Bring these physical sensations to your inner body in this present moment. Keep going back to that symbol from this memory that connects you to your desired emotion.
5. Breathe in the sensation of your desired emotion with every inhale.

Source: Why Your Approach To Manifesting Your Goals Is Completely Flawed (And How To Fix It)​

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// In Case You Missed It

​Become The Person You Always Wanted With The Life You Always Craved​
Identity Shifting 101: The Ultimate Way To Manifest

// Parting words: 🚀

And finally, two widely disparate quotes that might complement each other.

And that "who?"

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With gratitude. ✌🏼

If you have any questions, feedback, or want to share some of your own insights, feel free to hit reply and let me know. I read and reply to every email.
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​As always, remember:

You are a Conscious Creator of your reality!
Keep creating your best self!

Anthony V. Lombardo

https://anthonyvlombardo.com
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