Tag: optimism

See if you can spot the key lessons in this story…

The legendary founding father, Thomas Jefferson, planted a tree outside his bedroom window in 1807. We know that fact because he recorded it in his journal. Around 1870, a photograph of Monticello shows the poplar tree Jefferson planted, now healthy and tall. But by 2008, the tree became diseased and had to be cut down to protect Jefferson’s famous home.

But all was not lost.

U.S. President Thomas Jefferson

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation contacted two guitar builders in Virginia by the name of Huss & Dalton. They wanted to see if they could make guitars from the 200 year old fallen tree. This would be a bold and risky move, as poplar is not a wood normally used to create guitars (though some builders have done it). It’s considered very hard and difficult wood to work with.

Still, the builders wanted to try.

Monticello Edition OO Guitar #3

They succeeded.

Huss & Dalton worked hard and created three guitars from the historic tree. All three were being sold through the Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. The first two guitars left without my even knowing they had been built. But by the time the third one was in progress, I knew of it and wanted to be one of the first to see it when it was completed.

When it was ready, it was loaned out to Artisan Guitars in Nashville. Artisan was to introduce the historic collectible guitar to the guitar world. One of the first loyal customers they contacted was me.

I saw all the photos of the guitar, read the description, and knew it was for me. That 200 year old wood would have a resonance to it that would sing. The fact that Jefferson planted the tree made it even more significant. Plus I already owned two Huss & Dalton guitars and love them. (One guitar inspired the song “Ghost Train” on my fourth music album, The Healing Song.)

Some people buy stocks; I buy guitars. I knew this would be a sound investment.

Thomas Jefferson visits me

I wanted it.

But I also knew others would be seeing it, such as famed country western guitar slinger Brad Paisley. I needed to act quick. I did, by fed-xing a cashier’s check for the full amount for the guitar. I wanted it alright.

NOW.

When it arrived the next day, I was so excited I asked Nerissa to film the unveiling. (You can watch it below.)

“Do not neglect your music. It will be a companion which will sweeten many hours of life to you.” – Thomas Jefferson, 1790

The guitar is a small body size OO style, a little bigger than the 1867 parlor sized Martin I own. The Jefferson guitar’s wood is Red Spruce from Virginia on top, with back and sides made from the gorgeous tulip poplar Jefferson planted in 1807. The bridge and fretboard is persimmon while the neck wood is black walnut. The lower fretboard has a wood burned engraving of Monticello, and Jefferson’s signature, by artist Kenny Farmer.

Jefferson Monticello Guitar Close-Up

The sound of this little steel string is smooth, surprisingly loud, and resonant. Playing it is easy. Right out of the case, and after tuning it, I started playing it effortlessly, smoothly, pretending Jefferson was sitting in the room, eyes closed, smile on his face, soaking up the heavenly music in the air. Since Jefferson was a musician who played the violin and bought guitars for his family, I know he would love this special guitar and it’s magical sound.

Obviously, I love the guitar.

Mathew Dixon with "Jefferson"

But what does all of this have to do with the Law of Attraction and attracting what you want?

The brief answer is this: There’s nothing in me interfering with guitar collecting. I have no beliefs saying anything negative, limiting, or counter to my desire.

Of course, it wasn’t always that way.

When I was struggling in poverty in Houston, trying to get published and feeling frustrated, collecting guitars never entered my mind. I was into survival. As I kept working on myself — through countless books, seminars, audios, and finally with coaching — I was able to break free.

Daniel Barrett with "Jefferson"

And that’s the point.

People trying to attract something into their lives often don’t realize they first need to get clear of any unconscious beliefs about what they want to attract.

I’ve spoken and written about this insight for almost two decades now, but it doesn’t hurt to convey the same message through a different story. This story about my attracting the famed guitar reveals what it takes to attract whatever you want.

Here are some key lessons:

1. I knew what I wanted. (Do you know what you want?)

2. I took action. (Are you taking action?)

3. I kept clear. (Are you getting clear?)

That’s it. When you know what you want, take action toward it, and remove any limiting beliefs about having it, you will tend to attract (and move toward) what you want fast and easy.

I created Miracles Coaching years ago to help people in this area. I’ve learned that it is way too easy not to see your own limiting beliefs. You are living within the beliefs, so unless someone points them out to you, you may never realize what they are.

“Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.” – Thomas Jefferson

If you’re drooling to get a guitar like this of your own, Huss & Dalton plans to make two more. Go see their site.

Meanwhile, listen to the music of your soul – and act on what you hear.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS– You can hear the wonderful guitar being played (not by me) at http://artisanguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/images/H-D-Monticello.mp3 You can watch me receiving the Thomas Jefferson Monticello guitar made by Huss & Dalton right here:

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One of the most powerful ways to transform your mind and body is something I learned four decades ago from the classic self-help book, The Magic of Believing, written in 1948 by Claude Bristol. It’s called The Mirror Technique.

I’ll explain the basic method to you, and then give you my breakthrough hi-tech add-on to it. With this new combined and upgraded approach, you’ll feel like you have superhuman powers.

Imagine what you would aim for if you had the power of a super hero. Let that roll around in your mind as you continue reading…

Bristol wrote an entire chapter on The Mirror Technique in his famous book (which is still in print today). This excerpt gives you a clear idea of how the method works:

“Many great orators, preachers, actors, and statesmen have used the mirror technique. According to Drew Pearson, Winston Churchill never made a speech of importance unless he made it before a mirror first. Pearson also declared that Woodrow Wilson employed the same technique. It’s what I call a supercharging method of stepping up the speaker’s subconscious forces so that when he or she appears before an audience, those forces flow out also and affect the listeners. By using the mirror in rehearsing the speech as you are going to deliver it, you are creating a picture of yourself, your words, the sound of your voice, and your sight of the audience, to which the immediate future is to bring reality. By looking into the mirror, you increase the mental vibrations by which the force and meaning of your words will quickly penetrate to your audience’s subconscious minds.

“This mirror technique gives a possible clue to the power and personal magnetism of certain evangelists. I knew Bill Sunday in his heyday and often heard him preach, but in those days, knowing little or nothing about this Mind Stuff, I was puzzled as to how he and other great evangelists were able to influence people to such a remarkable degree. However, we now have proof that Billy Sunday was versed in the use of the mirror technique; it was given by Eric Sevareid in his book Not So Wild a Dream, published in 1946. Mr. Sevareid tells how he – as a young newspaper reporter – secured an interview with Billy Sunday: “’He bounded about the hotel room, now peering intently out of the window, with one foot on the sill, now grasping the dressing-table firmly in both hands while lecturing his reflection in the mirror.’”

In short, you stand before a mirror big enough to see your face and torso, stare into your eyes, and then speak out loud about what you want to have, do, or be. You give yourself the pep talk of all time. You reprogram your mind with your voice and your own authority.

Reveals Mirror Technique

I was reminded of the technique while watching J. Edgar, the movie by Clint Eastwood about FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. There’s a scene where Hoover’s mother coaches him to realize he can dance by urging him to look into his mirror and tell himself he could do so.

Believe me, this works. When you first look into the mirror, you may cringe or feel weak. But when you stick with it, and truly command yourself, you can transform into a powerful Law of Attraction super being.

But let’s not stop there.

Now, what could be better than The Mirror Technique?

Brace yourself.

During the recent making of my fourth album, titled The Healing Song, the band and I spontaneously created  an original piece of music that is so engaging, it is virtually entrancing. It’s mesmerizing.

Just listening to it can put you into an altered state. I can’t explain how we actually created the music, as it feels like we were guided by Divine inspiration. Whatever the case, it is a riveting, mood altering track.

When we played the music back in the studio, famous drummer Joe Vitale — who has almost five decades of experience with rock and roll legends such as Neil Young and Joe Walsh — said the track wouldn’t allow any other sounds or instruments added to it.

Except one thing.

Creators of The Healing Song

My voice.

“It wants you,” Joe told me.

At first I didn’t know what that meant. But that night, as I was driving home from a long day in the studio, I received even more Divine inspiration. I almost pulled off the freeway to write down my thoughts. But instead I turned on my iPhone and recorded the words coming to me.

When I went back into the studio, I told my music producer, Daniel Barrett, to cue up that mesmerizing track and turn on the microphone. I then recorded the most empowering commands of my entire hypnotic career.

These statements go beyond mere affirmations and feel-good self talk. These are truths about the almost supernatural power you have inside yourself to attract By-God miracles.

These commands move your attention from your little self to your all powerful big Self — yes, the Self with a capital S for Superhuman or Spiritual Human.

At the end of my spoken words, Daniel said, “Oh My God! That was phenomenal!”

With the original enchanting music and the empowering commands combined, I knew we had a track that could change lives. I knew it would be a stand-out on the new album.

But I wasn’t done.

I was inspired with one more step.

The morning I was to pick up drummer Joe Vitale from the airport, I told Nerissa how he is proof of a parallel universe. She was still half asleep and didn’t process what I said. She thought I was talking about some sort of mirror. I had to explain that since the other JV was coming, it was proof a mirror universe existed.

But her confusion led to a breakthrough idea.

I thought, “What if I created a mirror that you could look at yourself in, but that also had speakers and that empowering music track already in it?”

You could step up, look in the mirror, push play, and then listen to the most empowering commands of all time as the most entrancing music of all time riveted you on the spot.

This would combine the best of all self-help and self-improvement methods to truly re-wire your brain to attract and achieve amazing results.

And all you would have to do is look in the mirror!

Talk about easy!

Whew!

Right then and there, I knew this was a hi-tech improvement to Bristol’s famous Mirror Technique.

I knew I wanted “The Empowered Mirror” — the name I coined for it — right then and there.

When I told the idea to a couple of select friends, they said the same thing: “That’s brilliant! I want the mirror, too!”

I then did some in-depth Google searching but couldn’t find anything even close to my idea. I found some baby monitors that had mirrors and played soothing music, such as the Brica Day and Night Light Musical Mirror. That was for babies.

And I found a couple shower mirrors that could play your music via a wireless transmitter, which seemed complicated. And that was for in the shower.

Neither was what I wanted.

I wanted a portrait-sized mirror with built-in speakers and pre-programmed with my empowering music track. It might even have the capability to allow people to record their own commands, or to upload their own music. But my basic idea was to have a vanity mirror that could play Empowered!, the incredible track from my new album, The Healing Song.

What I needed was a manufacturer.

I then went and contacted the people behind the fitness equipment I love — the Nexersys — to ask their advice on how to create such a mirror. Terry Jones, developer of the Nexersys, is a genius at developing products and bringing them to market. I had interviewed him for my Hypnotic Gold subscribers, and knew he could point me in the right direction. So I told him my story.

Terry told me about the Alibaba site at http://www.alibaba.com, where I could post my need and manufacturers in China and other places around the globe could respond. I did just that. I received two dozen emails from people who didn’t know how to type or understand English. It was funny and frustrating.

But one woman in the pack of oddities seemed professional, persistent, and polite. I decided to wire her $120 to make a sample of what I had in mind. It took four weeks just to get the wire exactly right so her bank would accept the transfer. But you and I both know persistence is a key to success. I kept at it.

When her company finally made the prototype for me in China, and shipped it to me, I was disappointed. It was a clunky woman’s makeup compact case with a USB port and built-in speakers. I didn’t think people would want yet another heavy item to carry around. And the USP wasn’t as easy to use as it sounds to transfer music tracks. I decided to pass on the idea.

While there are still ideas I might play with — like creating an app that does what I want and plays the Empowered track for you — probably the best straight line to success is to simply suggest you go buy the album and transfer the Empowered! track wherever you want it. You could then play the track on your phone, or iPad, or any device you preferred. And you could look at yourself in the mirror as you did so.

Again, this is one of the most powerful tools you can use to transform yourself. Just look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself a pep talk as you listen to the music that inspires you the most. For me, the Empowered! song off my new album does the trick. But you can use whatever music makes your heart sing and your feet dance.

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

Check out The Healing Song.

Ao Akua,

joe

PS — You can listen to samples of all 11 tracks, download the title track, and/or buy the entire album on CD by going to The Healing Song.

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Now that my fourth music album (The Healing Song) is complete and ready for the world, I thought I’d give you a little background on each song. This one has three Grammy winners involved, legendary band members, and is a true labor of love.

Credits for "The Healing Song"

You can hear samples of the 11 songs at The Healing Song and of course you can order the audio CD there, too.

“Ghost Train” came from playing around with a brand new Huss & Dalton acoustic guitar made in part from 100 year old “sinker” mahogany, meaning the wood had been under water in Belize for a century. All guitars have something to say. I was holding this Huss & Dalton, fooling around with chords and words, and suddenly a unique strumming pattern emerged, along with my moaning. I never realized the moaning was a train whistle until weeks after recording it. This is a protest song, about ending war, and came from the depths of me. I don’t consciously focus on war, but apparently my unconscious does. When we recorded it, both famous drummer Joe Vitale and renown bass player Glenn Fukunaga said if they heard this on the radio, they’d stop whatever they were doing and turn it up. It’s haunting.

“Pray the Devil (Back to Hell)” erupts from my soul as a type of catharsis. It was almost the title of the album. The idea is to truly beat the devil back into the bushes with rock music and prayer. The rock tempo and impassioned lyrics are a healing in music form. You’ll feel it. It’s intense.

“Faith” came as a tie-in to a book I have coming out in 2013 titled, well, Faith. I don’t seem able to control music, but I can request it. This song came from my prayer to write something that would co-promote the book. The muse honored my request and gave this upbeat yet stern song. The beach music vibe is in stark contrast to the minor key chorus asking you where’s your faith when things turn bleak. Who needs faith? You do.

CD for "The Healing Song"

“Glow” came to me as I worked with my guitar teacher, Mathew Dixon. I wanted to remind people that joy was in them and with them no matter what the world presented. You could “glow” no matter what. This is the kind of song I feel a parent could sing to a child, to convey wisdom about life. It has a Jim Morrison or Black Keys feel. I love it.

“What’s your Name?” is a long and in your face terse song about a woman who betrays you. But the woman is really the muse. She messes with you. You ask for one thing, she gives another. You play a certain style of music, she makes you play another. I’ve learned to obey her, but I still wonder who she really is. I’m the puppet and she pulls my strings. Disturbing yet freeing.

“Empowered!” is a stand out. It triggers inner strength. I’m talking walk-on-water power. Listening to it can make you feel superhuman. It began with me playing a 1960s Danelectro amp-in-the-case vintage electric guitar, trying to improvise the opening of the famous Janis Joplin song Summertime. You won’t hear Janis, though. You’ll hear my band — Glenn, Joe, Daniel Barrett, me — improvising some of the most mesmerizing music EVER. Glenn played the most hypnotic ukulele I’ve ever heard. I then went back and added my vocals; statements of empowerment that are addressed to your big Self not your little self. These are reminders of your God-like power. I’m telling you, this track can change your life FOREVER. The result is hypnotic. I play it daily. Whew.

Cover of "The Healing Song"

“Sunny Side” is my version of the public domain classic, “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life.” Daniel and I kicked around ways to record it. Almost everyone does an upbeat rockish gospel version. I wanted something different. My spoken word, then softly sung chorus, is the ticket. You’ve probably never heard such a soothing version of this famous song. Healing.

“Smile” is a step in the direction of my being a crooner. I love Dean Martin’s approach to this 1954 hit but wanted my own. This is it. While it can be seen as a song of despair, it’s actually a song of hope. It’s barely a minute and a half long, but its message warms my heart and makes me, er, smile. I’m proud of it.

“The Healing Song” is a hypnotic ode, created with my spoken words and the cello playing and original music of Grammy winner David Darling. I kept a lot of things in mind when composing the poetry to this, from the healing mental treatments of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby to what I’ve learned from my forty plus years in hypnosis. This is a powerful track. We recorded this one first, not knowing what the other tracks would be at the time. You can listen to it whenever you have a challenge, and let it help you vanish the issue. It’s magic. (It’s also free to download at www.thehealingsong.com.)

My band for "The Healing Song"

“Perfect Love” is for fun. I had it when I recorded Strut! (my first singer-songwriter album) but didn’t feel it was worthy of being recorded. It seemed silly and confusing. But when I performed it for my music peers, they loved it. So it went on this album. It’s not about anything more than self-delusion and then self-acceptance. You are good enough.

“Put Your Pants Back On” is all fun but with a message. I wanted to warn parents that if they weren’t careful in April, they’d make a Christmas baby. I’m a Christmas baby (born December 29) and know the pain of growing up getting two presents on Christmas day: one for my birthday, one for Christmas. You may think that’s no big deal, until on your birthday there isn’t a gift or a party. People think there were several people in the studio when we recorded this one but it was just Daniel Barrett and myself. It’s spontaneous and fun, and I chuckle whenever I hear it. I dare you not to enjoy it.

You can hear samples of the songs over at The Healing Song and of course you can order the CD there, too.

All four of my albums were created out of my fiery passion to enjoy life and create music that can heal. I’m hoping it inspires you to pursue your own dreams.

After all, isn’t that what life is all about?

Ao Akua,

joe

PS — My other healing music albums are at —

http://www.GetUpandStrut.com

http://www.HealingMojoMusic.com

http://www.AligningtoZero.info

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A few weeks ago I met a tiny dog. She’s a Chiweenie, a cross between a Chihuahua and a Dachshund, and maybe one month old. If you follow me on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/drjoevitale), you saw the photo of her there. She’s in the picture with me here:

Meet a Chiweenie puppy

We already have a dog, an elderly girl named Wolfie who has a lot of pain and needs a shot every Friday to help relieve it. We also have a senior citizen cat, Nona, who has been on Animal Planet TV, and who likes to be the only feline in the house. After all, she’s a star.

Still, I was drawn to this little puppy in the photo. Turns out, she has a brother.

I asked about the brother and learned he needed a home. His mom was a stray who was rescued and then had a litter. The pups from it were being adopted. The sister was adopted. The brother was still available. Despite the circumstances in our home, I was drawn to him. The owner sent me a photo of him and I took it with us on a trip to Canada. Here’s the pic she sent to me:

Meet the little brother

I looked at him every day. I used to enlarge his picture so I could look into his eyes. Something told me to meet him.

When we returned from our international trip, we called and arranged to meet the little guy. We did and it was love at first sight. We brought him home and introduced him to the family. We called him Taco. I fell in love.

Lonely No More

Not everyone was happy.

Our TV star kitty ran upstairs and moved up there. She wouldn’t come back down.

Our elderly dog didn’t like a little Tasmanian Devil snipping at her face and wanting to play.

Wolfie meets Taco

After three days of this, we realized it would be a mistake to keep him. Even our vet told us not to have a puppy. It would hurt our great-great-grandmother of a dog. It didn’t help our cat. The writing was on the wall.

With tears in our eyes, we made some calls. As it turned out, the friend who introduced me to the little girl puppy told me that her friend visiting from Dallas was interested in the little brother. Within thirty minutes, they came over, met Taco, and fell in love. Taco now lives in Dallas, has a home that adores him, and is happy. His new name is Bugsy.

Taco is now Bugsy

But here’s the rub:

Why did we take Taco to begin with?

Why was he led to us?

And why did we have to give him up?

This bothered me for a day or so. I look for the signs and signals in life that tell me where the flow is. I then usually follow that flow, and all is well. I felt in the flow to hear of Taco, meet him, adopt him and love him.

But letting him go hurt.

Why did it all happen?

I finally realized that our home was simply the stop over in an unseen chain to get Taco to Dallas. Had we not adopted him, we may never have been in a position to find the Dallas home for him. In a way, we were a delivery system. Our job was to get him for a weekend and pass him to the woman visiting from out of town that very same weekend.

Wow. There’s the flow. We just didn’t know it.

Some Divine current was directing me to do something, and directing the woman in Dallas to do something. It all worked out in Taco’s favor. It all ended up being good. Even great.

But during the weekend we had Taco, we didn’t know that. There was a script being acted out, written by an unseen hand, and we were playing our parts. We just couldn’t see the end result. We were caught in the moment and thought the moment was permanent.

The lesson, at least for me, is to trust the flow and the process.

It all leads to happiness, and is happiness, even when you think or want otherwise.

Just ask Taco.

Ao Akua,

joe

PS — Stay tuned for a blog post revealing the secret stories behind The Healing Song, my fourth music album.

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You may remember that Daniel Barrett and I are coming out with a book tilted The Remembering Process (Hay House, Feb. 2013).  It’s the first ever description of a breakthrough new creativity method for stretching your mind and altering time. It’s an advanced Law of Attraction technique. Recently I gave my first presentation ever on the subject, to my peers in the Transformational Leadership Council. You can watch the entire 45 minute talk right here. (It ends with a track from my new music album, The Healing Song.) I remember you loved it… 🙂

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