Take two aspirin? No, just stop watching the news!

I used to be a bit of a news junkie. For years, I had an editorial job that allowed me to work on my laptop from the comfort of my own home. Many days, I would have the television on in the background. I’d start the morning with the Today Show, move on to The View and then watch a few political shows on CNN throughout the course of the afternoon. In the evenings, I would top that all off with watching the ABC World News or NBC World News while I ate dinner. Not to mention, I supplemented that with reading political blogs and reading news all over the Web. By the end of the day, I'd be shouting at the television and outraged at the injustice, lies and violence. I would feel my blood pressure rising as the negative imagery and language would start triggering my emotions and nervous system.

Over the past five years or so, my life has gotten too busy to watch quite that much news or television at all. But I was still watching a considerable amount of it, including the local and national news each evening. What I came to observe more and more was how NEGATIVE, UNBALANCED AND SKEWED the news is these days. I have a hard time believing there aren’t any positive human interest stories that could be shared, and they do always seem to sprinkle at least one into the mix. But for the most part, the news has turned into one depressing, sad and horrifying story after another.

If I am to believe The Law of Attraction and put it into practice in my life, I no longer want to program my mind with negative video and audio by watching the mainstream news. So for the past few months, I’ve just stopped watching the news. The little television I do watch now is primarily focused on my two-year old daughter’s learning and entertainment. We watch Sesame Street and American Idol because we all love singing and music (we record it so we don’t have to watch the commercials).

There is so much violence on television these days. It pervades everything. It makes me sad for the world, for all of us. What we put our attention on gains strength and grows, right? Well if that’s the case, we need to stop putting so much of our focus on violence and upheaval! We need to program our minds with peace and love.

I still catch big items in the news via Facebook updates from friends and newsfeeds that I subscribe to on Twitter. But for the most part, I’ve taken myself out of the news loop. And I have to say that I haven’t missed it at all! I noticeably feel better WITHOUT that negative programming conditioning my mind! Watching all that news just gives me more things to fear, grieve and worry about. That’s not where I want to put my energy anymore. I want to raise my vibrational energy, not bring it down. So, my two cents, you’d be better off if you stop watching the news!

Welcome to "Seeking the Secret" blog

3/22/11

I’ve spent many years searching for my own sense of spirituality, reading self-help and self-discovery books, digging through ancient religious texts in search of obvious and hidden messages and meanings. All of this has led me to a loose set of universal beliefs about how the Universe works, what God is, and what the meaning of my Life is.

Much of what I believe falls in line with New Thought concepts and Law of Attraction principles, which was popularized and brought into mainstream consciousness a few years back by the book and movie called The Secret.  Words shared by authors like Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Cheryl Richardson, Pema Chodron, Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, Ernest Holmes, and Louise Hay resonate deeply inside me. But I know I have so much more to learn and so much further to go on my journey of self-discovery and self-remembering.

In the best of times, I feel pretty well aligned with the Universe and experience the pleasure of synchronistic events like always getting a perfect parking spot when and where I need it. Unfortunately, I’ve never seemed to be able to find the discipline, insight or faith to take it any further than that and truly experience Grace in any sort of consistent or miraculous way. I know there is so much more of myself calling to me to come home to it and unveil the spiritual being that I truly am at the core of my being.

I am starting this blog in the hopes that it will prod me to more deeply explore the meaning of my existence and how I can become more self-realized through the exploration of different spiritual texts and practices. I called this blog “Seeking the Secret” because I am still searching for answers and meaning in my life. I want to use this blog as a way to explore and expand my understanding of spirituality and what it means to be alive and part of the unified fabric of this infinite Universe.

If you somehow cross paths with me here, I thank you for taking the time to read this blog and hope that you will find something here that speaks to you. I hope you will also share your stories, thoughts and feelings with me if you feel so inspired. I believe there is something to be learned from everyone we meet and every moment we experience.

Namaste,
Elliana