The Conscious Connection Exercise

A new and powerful practice to raise your own level of consciousness and the collective consciousness at the same time.  Tap into your own power.

*  It is simple, powerful and effective!

*  Do it with a friend or loved one.

*  Or do it with a mirror.

*  Or do it alone with your eyes closed.

It's simple and effective.  It is and will remain free.

The Conscious Connection Exercise

When you see this icon, it is suggesting that you close your eyes and pause for               reflection/heart connection as you read this for the first time.

Please read this entire process before starting to practice it.

My intent with this exercise is to provide an enjoyable spiritual health practice that you find worthy of your time and commitment   As a culture, we are still learning to practice mutual support effectively.  By support, I mean the simple showing of respect for, love for and agreement with others.  Practicing these things expands our communal consciousness.  Expanding this consciousness is, I believe, at least a large part of what we are here to do.  It is really about what the road to 2012 is all about.  In the time leading up to December 21, 2012 we are learning how to connect more fully with our loving selves and each other.

I believe that it is spiritually helpful to accept as truth the idea that all virtues are anchored in the heart. And that we simply are challenged to identify with the heart as who we are at depth.  I see the heart as the pulsing of my soul.  In choosing to conceptualize it in this way, I get a higher level of clarity and comfort with the mystery!
Please pause and consider this with your heart: How do I identify myself?

Is identifying with my heart an effective way of conceptualizing who I am?

If growing in awareness of what is truly important---becoming more loving, for
example---how do we conceptualize our essence in the most effective way?

How do we get better in touch with the callings of the heart?  It makes sense to my heart that it would serve me to make such an understanding with the heart a priority in my life.    So I ask you now to pause with me and consider whether it makes sense to your heart to prioritize---put at the top of the list----the unfolding of your loving nature.

Here is how the practice unfolds:

Day One:
Take a look at the list and choose one of the attributes or virtues that you would like to expand within yourself.  Or choose another word that fits what you intend to be more of in your life.

• Love
• Courage
• Trust
• Compassion
• Heart
• Wisdom
• Patience
• Presence
• Joy
• Clarity
• Generosity

Use the word you chose to fill in the blank below.

I am this ____________________. 
With closed eyes and one hand on your heart, repeat this short sentence out loud for a few minutes when you are alone, pausing briefly between each repetition.    When you affirm that you are this virtue, you acknowledge your resonance. I call this a power statement.

As you slowly repeat these words, just listen to what you are saying, hearing with your heart.  Focus your attention there.  Feel your heart AS you.  If it feels right, you might choose to do this for up to 3 minutes.  As you smile during as much or as little of this pactice as you wish, notice how your sense of power and confidence grows.

Day Two:  Repeat the same power statement using the same word as on the first day, saying this power declaration for three to ten minutes, whatever feels right to you. There is no need to use a clock unless you are concerned about getting totally lost in time!  Which might be a good thing!  It helps to have a smile on your face during some or all of this time.  Do that to the extent that it feels comfortable, and notice any mood changes.

Day Three:  Repeat the same power statement again, looking deep into your own eyes in a mirror, getting your nose within a foot (or even less—play with it) of the mirror, if possible.  Two minutes this time will be fine.  Trust yourself to know when enough is enough.

Day Four:  Repeat the practice with the mirror.  Again, two minutes is sufficient.

On Day 5, you begin looking for an ally in this practice, someone who will initially simply sit with you as you gaze into each others’ eyes with a loving feeling in your hearts, each taking a turn to express your power statement.  On the 5th and 6th days, choose a friend who agrees to simply sit with you and lovingly absorb the power of your intent as you express the same power statement for just one minute.  The person chosen has the opportunity to simply agree to be with you for one minute, two days in a row.  (This can be done by phone or videophone, if necessary.)

Please do not get into the potential ongoing aspects of this practice with any prospective practice partners who are just becoming familiar with it.  That can be discussed after you have completed the two days of one minute practice with them.

Each of you agrees to admire and respect the heart of the other, intending to project  love to each other and to accept that love deeply at the same time.  You explain that this small process is something that is important to you and that they are someone you trust and appreciate.  These alliances are intended to foster the loving unfoldment of each person participating.  If the person you ask to join you in this is not willing, please quickly back off.  It is always an unquestioned choice absent pressure.

There is absolutely no pressure on you to find a partner in this process on this fifth day.  If you do not create a partner, simply repeat the mirror part of the practice until you do enroll a partner.  No pressure ever.

After you have expressed your power statement on the 6th day, your partner, should they accept, is then given the opportunity to learn the process.  You simply refer them to this website or give them a printed copy of this practice.  On the same day that your prospective partner agrees to experiment beyond the simple sitting with you, they start from Day One as you did---by their self---choosing a word to create their own power statement.  Alone, they continue through another day of saying the statements and two more days of saying them with a mirror, just as you did when getting started.  During this time, you might choose to practice alone with the mirror.  On the fourth day, if they are willing, you connect to reflect each other and/or they can find another partner.

After a few days, you might talk about whether If your you both are willing to agree to join in this regularly.  If that looks like a fit, then you can choose how often to meet.  Early on, some may wish to do it daily.   Some might choose once or twice weekly.  Come to a mutual decision and also commit to how many weeks you are willing to do this.  Consider keeping the initial agreement to a week or two.  You can always choose to renew it. The key is to set commitments that you know you will keep.

You trust yourself.

How the Practice Works With a Partner

First, each spends a minute projecting their power statement, with the other absorbing in a loving, receptive way.  Having a timer can be helpful.  Trust your sense of how to deal with timing.  No worries, please, if you do a little less or more than a minute.

On the phone or internet voice communication

As your partner expresses their power statement, you softly whisper it with them.  Feel your connection with this person.  Project love.  You each take a turn in expressing.

In person

Being with your partner in the flesh is preferred but not necessary.

As you sit with them, whisper the words they are saying along with them.  See the other as they express their power statement as now having that attribute or virtue.  Feel that you have it, too!   Let your eyes show your acceptance, respect, love and trust of the other.  Let your body posture and facial expression project calm power: Smile, shoulders back, chin up. Project love.  Maintain eye contact to the extent that you are comfortable.

You each take a turn in expressing.

Note: the virtue or attribute can change each time you do this, or you can stick with one of them indefinitely.  It is suggested that you stick with your original attribute for at least a week.

The total time with each partner once you have established the desire to meet regularly is 3 minutes.

• One minute for each of you to express you power statements, and
• One minute for each of you to, with the other, silently sending loving energy to a person or group of your choosing:

Take a very brief time after both of you have expressed the first part to tell the other to whom you will be sending loving energy.  Remember, as you choose, that the so-called “bad guys” and challenging people in your life are worth loving. Each partner expresses aloud to the other to whom they will be sending loving energy.

Then, silently, both envision a white light projecting from their own heart to a person or group.  The targets of your loving intent can change each time or remain the same for as long as you wish.

Hugs or a warm handshake are great ways to complete your partner practice.
Practice this for at least two weeks before creating additional partners for this one-on-one practice.  Pick up to seven people with whom you agree to do this, never pushing anyone in the slightest of ways to do this if they do not wish to do so. 

There is no pressure to add practice partners at any particular pace.  You will tend to sense the right people to approach.  One or two may be just right for you.

The last part of this practice is completely optional, but highly recommended:  Each participant, every morning will remind themselves of something or someone for whom they are grateful.  And then each evening think of something that they forgive in themselves or another.  This might be easiest to remember if you place a small sign on either side of  bedroom mirror or some place you will see it upon arising and before going to sleep.  One sign is “I am grateful for…..”  The other, “I forgive….”

Time spent on this can be as little as 10 seconds or as long as you wish.  You may start a meditation with it, or just briefly choose the idea.  You might send out loving energy from the heart to the focus of your forgiveness or gratitude, especially if the target is yourself.  In this case, you might choose to focus all your loving energy on your heart as you feel it radiating its love throughout your body and mind. 
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Sharing your experiences with this practice would be appreciated.  Please write
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Thank you.

-

Carlo Ami