Author: The Author

Are You Focused or Other?

by The Author, posted in Blog

It used to be that when we opened our e-mail, there was one, monolithic column of e-mails to go through.

Now, there are two: Focused and Other.

It’s interesting and worth keeping an eye on because, in the future, perhaps there will be more columns or perhaps we, the so-called end users, will be given the ability to create columns of our own.

Whatever the case, if you want to Take it to the Next Level, you must be focused and nothing other.

To be focused means ruthlessly cutting out of your life anything that is a stopper toward growth, fulfilment, and joy. This kind of behavior will rub people the wrong way, but in the final analysis, it’s your life. We live in order to achieve a certain amount of success that is couched in quality of life.

The pandemic has forced us to focus more. In order to survive, we find ourselves prioritizing more. Do I go to the grocery store now or do I wait until tomorrow? What task is more important, blogging for my business or writing a reflection for class? In the end, we can do it all, but the key is to pace ourselves within a structured framework and not allow current circumstances to overwhelm us.

A steady pace

A structured framework and a steady pace are important  in maintaining balance these days. Keep your chin up, don’t despair, organize your affairs, and maintain your focus. Everything will be alright!

You must develop the ability to immediately separate the ‘wheat from the chaff,’ so to speak. Put aside—perhaps into the other column—that which does not merit your immediate attention, or never will.

The amount of junk mail that I find myself flooded with is amazing. Not a day goes by that someone isn’t trying to sell me something or promote an idea that is more fanciful than anything else. This is the bombardment of falseness that must be weeded out. In the end, the truth—represented by everything that is valid and true for us—prevails. Always.

Keep it simple

In our focused state—the only state that leads to attaining our goals—simplicity works best. When we do this, everything becomes clear—instantly.

Are you retired and perhaps feeling anxious or a little disconnected because of the pandemic? Unsure of what to do next? As an experienced chaplain in a first class retirement home and psychotherapy intern at the University of Toronto, I can help you.

Let’s Take it to the Next Level together. Book your appointment today,

Luba

Follow Take it to the Next Level on Facebook here.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

The Power of Imagination: How to Use Your Imagination to Get Through the Pandemic

by The Author, posted in Blog

The pandemic has forever changed the way that we live our lives.

Perhaps we should coin new abbreviations: B.P. (before pandemic) and A.P. (after pandemic).

Life B.P. seemed easier and more free-flowing. Obtaining goods and services happened relatively seamlessly, as did moving through dynamic processes involving multiple individuals and going places.

This is no longer the case.

When we can’t obtain what we desire in the expected but no longer extant B.P. modus operandi, what can we do?

In Freudian theory, there is something call the primary process. This process involves forming a mental image (imagining) an object that we desire (but cannot immediately obtain) in order to satisfy our desire for said object.

Beach Scenario

Let’s say that you’re dreaming of being on a favorite beach but that this isn’t possible right now in the A.P. world.

Close your eyes and imagine it. See the beach in your mind’s eye. Remember the time you were there. Feel the hot sand under your bare feet. Feel the soft, cool breeze that blows a slight ocean spray onto your body as you enter the water and slowly move deeper and deeper into the sea.

Can you hear the voice of the children playing on the beach? They suddenly scream for joy!

You’re in the water now, moving your arms rhythmically in order to stay afloat. You’re a ways off from the beach and can see the umbrellas lining the sand—blue and yellow blobs. The cicadas on the hanging vines that climb the surrounding cliff are loud and their ‘song’ reaches you intermittently, in cycles.

‘Ouch,’ you exclaim as you jerk your leg. A little fish bit you! But it’s alright. You’re here, at the beach, in the water, swimming and letting all your cares slip away.

This is an example of how you can imagine a favorite place and de-stress during these strange times.

The idea is that ideas, known in psychological terms as imagoes (idealized mental images of persons, the self or objects), can be willed in order to satisfy unmet needs.

Comparing Worlds

Lately, I’ve been wondering how children born A.P. will experience the world. For them, the B.P. world will be unknown. It was a world that was more carefree, less ecologically minded, less thoughtful, and perhaps more ‘real and physical.’

Perhaps A.P. kids will be more spiritual, less impulsive, more thoughtful, and prone to discover new inventions to help us adapt to the new, A.P. world. Perhaps these children will lead us into a new era.

No Regrets

Facebook came up with a new design. It’s sleek and elegant and we have until September to accept it. When September comes, we won’t have a choice; we’ll just have to accept it—or learn to live without Facebook.

It’s the same way now. Everything seems new. I deliberately use the word ‘seems’ because in many ways nothing has changed. Like Facebook, we can only repackage something so many ways—but it’s essentially still the same.

Spiritual Authenticity

Spiritual authenticity is what will enable us to move through the changes. In many ways, we can obtain this by replacing physical things with spiritual ones. It’s not as hard as you may think. With a little stretch of the imagination, even food can be obtained in this manner as the ancient Israelites were fed heavenly bread called manna.[1]

The pandemic is elevating us to higher thought and belief levels. We may feel as if we’re being pushed beyond our ability to cope, but this isn’t the case. There is a primary process that we can use to satisfy our needs.

Let’s Take it to the Next Level together. Book your appointment today.

Luba

Follow Take it to the Next Level on Facebook here.

Photo by Joel Casilla on Unsplash

[1] Exodus 16:4.

Everything is Going According to Plan

by The Author, posted in Blog

I become inspired—infilled with creativity—when I sit on my balcony.

I become lost in the ‘hum’ of construction, the occasional chirping of birds and the steady oasis of lush, green trees that permeate the urban landscape and selflessly absorb carbon monoxide from a depleted environment and transform it into O2.

Earlier I listened to a vulnerable and powerful conversation on race between Dean Helen Easterling Williams, EdD and Greg McKeown of the ‘Essentialism with Greg McKeown’ podcast here.

One of the points brought up among many is that out of the chaos and violence that the world is currently experiencing, something new and better will emerge.

Righteous anger is bursting at society’s seams. The stitches are becoming loose.

What I liked most about Dr. William’s expressive style is the calm and clarity with which she speaks about an explosive topic. Her life experience including having worked in a sharecropper family as a child in South Carolina—a reality that her Baltimore, Maryland school teacher whom she admired denied—gives Williams the authority to navigate between two worlds—black and white—and activate changes that will, perhaps sooner than we think, bring inequity to an end.

In Kohutian psychological terms, the disappointment Williams experienced from an idealized other (her teacher) contributed to lessening her grandiose exhibitionistic (expansive) self’s sense of worth and diminishing the integrity of her nuclear self. Fortunately, Williams overcame this via the compensatory path of becoming the first African American, female dean of Pepperdine University. If, however, we imagine this kind of soul-damaging trauma happening to—being replicated on—countless other black children, we get a glimpse into how this denigration of one’s personal story, one’s intimate, lived life experience devalues all of us (blacks, whites, and those of other races) in the societal matrix of our shared human experience.

As I observe the sky from my  balcony, dark clouds are interrupted by bursts of sunlight. It is a cycle in which the sun makes strides, but clouds appear once more. This metaphor applies to how the fight against racism and racial injustice has progressed over the years.

As painful as dismantling old, inequitable, and iniquitous structures and building new, better, and righteous ones is, the time for this to happen has finally arrived. And I believe that this is happening on more than one level of society.

Our Creator is doing a new thing.[i] The tables are turning and sooner than we had ever imagined.

When all of these thoughts occurred to me on my  balcony, so did the title for this piece, ‘Everything Is Going According to Plan.’

Let’s ‘Take it to the Next Level,’ book your appointment today,

Luba

Follow Take it to the Next Level on Facebook here.

Photo by Ian Parker on Unsplash

[i] Isaiah 43:19.

The Time is Now

by The Author, posted in Blog

The Bridge

by The Author, posted in Blog

Lately, my mind has been generating images of bridges as I consider the pandemic[1] we are in.

The virus has created ‘bridges’ of opportunity between people, things, ideas and even worlds.

The virus has caused bridgeable physical divisions through physical distancing; and bridgeable spiritual divisions through the ether—the airwaves.

The point of a bridge is that it can either be crossed, or not. The space—depicted by what the bridge spans, whether physical space or mental/etheric space—represents the divisions generated by the virus. There are many such divisions and the virus appears to crystallize them acting like a kind of magnifying glass that enlarges our defects, our weaknesses.

Although it is easier to see and lament the physical divisions that ensue from the virus, spiritual divisions are harder to see, yet equally real.

Bridges act as facilitators that offer opportunities to ‘cross over’ and unite. They also act as separators.[2] And they can be dangerous, too, because you can fall off a bridge and get hurt and even die.[3]

To prematurely cross a bridge of physical distancing at this writing could, potentially, lead to death by catching the virus. Wisdom and discernment, therefore, are in order before crossing such a bridge. A certain amount of preparation is called for (i.e., wearing a mask and washing our hands), although sometimes, no matter how much we prepare, the consequences of crossing a bridge that we are not meant to, not ready to, or should never cross could be deadly.

The pandemic, therefore, presents us with choices within our quarantine. Having been involuntarily thrust into a kind of ‘survival mode,’ we consciously debate in an ongoing fashion what action is essential versus what is merely desirable.

Do I call that person or not?

Do I write a blog post or do I food shop?

Do I spend time with myself or get busy with an activity?

The questions will vary from person to person, as will the answers, though essential human needs remain the same.

As we journey through ‘Pandemic Land,’ it is important to remember that the ‘bridges’ we encounter on a daily basis also connect the known to the unknown.[4] We do not know what the consequences of crossing a particular bridge may be. We are not sure what is on the other side.

Risk

Life is risky and life in Pandemic Land particularly so. Nevertheless, without risk there is no gain. Remaining in lockdown minimizes risk; but without pushing forward—step by careful step with the utmost precaution—we shall never leave home. Without recognizing favourable opportunities, we will never venture out. Without allowing ourselves to feel the unseen spiritual forces of protection working toward the greater good, we will fall into paralysing fear.

The pandemic has forced most of us back into a psychosocial ‘womb’—a cozy and comfortable environment that feels risk free. But we need to emerge to see the cues.

Clarity

Good decisions can only be made when we are thinking clearly, when our minds are free and clear like a sunny day. Walking across a bridge may involve a balancing act. This is because some bridges, like the Sword Bridge, are narrower and more precarious than others.[5]

Commitment

When we perceive that an opportunity has been afforded us to safely cross a bridge, then we must courageously commit to doing so.

What bridges are you facing during the pandemic? What moves should you be making?

Let’s ‘Take it to the Next Level,’ book your appointment today,

Luba

Bibliography

 Badescu, Sanda. From One Shore to Another: Reflections on the Symbolism of the Bridge. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009.

Notes

[1] I refer to the COVID-19 pandemic declared as such by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020.

[2] Badescu, From One Shore to Another, 2.

[3] Badescu, 2-3.

[4] Badescu, 3.

[5] Badescu, 2–3.

A Powerful but Necessary Transformation

by The Author, posted in Blog

We are all languishing right now because of the global lockdown.

We can’t go outside unless it’s essential—needs or services—and find ourselves at home, perhaps wondering what to do.

Although Take it to the Next Level is about people reaching up and striving to attain higher ground in life, so to speak, the situation is such that the Next Level seems to be coming to us!

Who would have predicted some of these strange, positive and unexpected outcomes of the novel coronavirus: the atmosphere becoming cleaner, waterways  becoming clearer, and animals emerging while people stay inside, waiting for the ‘corona tide’ to wash over.

Today, I finished Module 8—Deep Introspection—for my upcoming book, Take it to the Next Level, How to Rise in Life.

This book will be a go-to resource for my clients, as well as others seeking more information, more details as to how to get there.

We’re living in very strange times indeed. Instead of making us stop and question whether we should take things higher, move up in life, we ought to be seeing the turn of events as a unique opportunity for personal growth and transformation.

The novel coronavirus—a wimpy little thing that dies when wiped down properly—is powerfully sweeping our planet. It is transforming the way we think, do business, communicate, teach, learn and live. We cannot help but react as it mercilessly kills thousands, and spares thousands.

I’ve heard it said that the reason for such strong emotional reactions to this virus, which is the sixth in a series of corona viruses, is spiritual. There’s a spiritual element to this. Some are falling into fear and despair, whereas others are strengthened by their faith in our Creator and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s easy to forget that this is Holy Week for Christians and that yesterday was the first day of Passover. Can a wimpy little virus overshadow such great feasts? I should hardly think so.

Lately, to distract myself—and distraction is good since we all need to take a break from deep introspection which I describe in Module 8—I’ve been watching YouTube battles of super heroes. My favorite one is Superman versus Hulk – The Fight (Part IV). This spectacular video was viewed 157,609,421 times to date.

In many ways, the violent scenes depict a struggle between two primordial, archetypal forces vying for predominance. Which will win? Which will overcome?

The old biblical story of David and Goliath is analogous.

David—who would become king and replace a corrupted Saul—in spite of his small, physical stature compared to the giant Goliath, easily obtained victory. He didn’t do it alone, though, he had supernatural inspiration and backing. David famously said to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)

If we are to understand the times we live in, it is imperative that we look back.

David defeated Goliath with faith, and we can defeat coronavirus in the same way.

Let’s take it to the Next Level, book your appointment today,

Luba

Follow Take it to the Next Level on Facebook here.

Fear or Hope?

by The Author, posted in Blog

We can’t help but read about the coronavirus. It’s all over the news.

It was recently declared to be a pandemic—which means ‘sustained and continuous transmission of the disease.’[i]

The virus is spreading, but should it spread fear, too?

There are two types of fear: healthy fear that prompts fight or flight and saves us from very real and impending danger, and unhealthy fear, a pathological, unhelpful, nagging kind of anxiety that does nothing but feed into negativity.

You may experience this as an empty feeling that grips your abdomen or courses through you in waves of fear, or worse, panic. You may wonder, Am I going to die?

In no way does the latter type of fear help us Take it to the Next Level. On the contrary, it brings us down levels. Take it to the Next Level is about moving up in levels, not down!

Don’t misunderstand. I advocate taking precautionary measures against coronavirus, but please don’t add fear to the list. Fear is optional.

You may wonder, How can I take my life to the Next Level when there’s coronavirus?

Perhaps you should consider Next Level moves precisely because of the coronavirus.

For example, I decided to fly with Air France this summer. I made my reservation and purchased the tickets. Coronavirus will not stop me from traveling to Paris.[ii] Coronavirus will not limit my freedom—physical or psychological.

Whatever the origin of coronavirus, it seems to be provoking disproportionate reactions that adversely affect the way we see the world and live our lives. It appears to be reinforcing fear in those who place more of an emphasis on the temporal nature of life versus those who focus on that which is eternal and permanent.

But what if we turn the tables on the coronavirus. What if, instead of succumbing to the fear or panic that this pandemic appears to be spreading, we see coronavirus as an impetus to do those things we’ve always been meaning to do?

I mentioned earlier that I will not allow coronavirus to limit me physically or psychologically. Psychology is key in how we respond to coronavirus and other negatives.

Thankfully, the opposite of fear is hope. Hope for deliverance. Hope for a bright future. Hope for a vaccine which some are actively working on[iii] and which may come out in a few weeks. Hope for the beautiful days ahead that God has given us.

Where do you lean? On fear or on hope?

Let’s take it to the Next Level, book your appointment today,

Luba

 

[i] Ignacio López-Goñi, ‘Coronavirus: Ten reasons why you ought not to panic,’ accessed online on March 11, 2020, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-ten-reasons-why-you-ought-not-to-panic-132941?utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3NhCpnqy0m6xv_H_uBO0KDIt1WrBZqJl74jCSxGRAkxd5OT1teqC0s0N8.

[ii] I admit that I am powerless over the decisions of others to restrict flights between nations.

[iii] Lauren Neergaard, ‘Behind the scenes, scientists prep for COVID-19 vaccine test,’ AP, accessed online on March 12, 2020, https://apnews.com/6744922daee56af18aef0c10de394740.

The Courage To Carry On

by The Author, posted in Blog

Life is hard.

It is the courage to carry on, however, that matters.

In the face of obstacles, disappointments and hardship, it’s important to keep the faith and remember that we’re not alone in this story.

Our Creator is always by our side, ready to help us at any given moment. Isn’t that a wonderful thought?

There is an expectation, though, that we reach out, make some effort. It doesn’t happen magically. There is an element of co-creative participation that reveals itself in our efforts to ‘get out of our shell.’ We are full participants in the enterprise of our own ‘rescue.’

When I returned to Toronto after having spent a decade in Bulgaria, I was stunned by how many people suffered in the midst of wealth. In the midst of great material wealth, I noticed that people were ‘spiritually atrophied,’ living in their personal, isolated wastelands, hungering for human contact.

I saw more spiritual poverty than I’d ever seen in Bulgaria.

It doesn’t have to be this way

I don’t shy away from saying that the entire purpose of Luba Rascheff Consultancy is to help people leave that ‘wasteland’ and enter into a completely new arena of hope and joy. Taking it to the Next Level is ultimately about personal transformation.

Next  Level joy is happy, fulfilled.

Next Level hope means that what you need already exists in the Creator’s storehouses and all you have to do is ask.

We fail to realize that it’s already been mapped out and that in the midst of our pain and despair lies the answer.

The gold is not at the other end of the rainbow, it’s here, right in front of our eyes. Can you see it?

A different way of seeing

In order to see the beauty that surrounds us, there has to be a change. Yet this change can only come when we courageously step away from that which drags us down and energetically drains us and move forward into our new ‘home.’

Home is Where the Heart Is

I’m using home as a metaphor to describe inner psychological processes. I’m talking about feeling at home psychologically.

Our new home is different from the old. It’s not a dark, damp basement. It’s elevated and spacious with large windows through which sunlight streams in. The sun is so bright that it makes us laugh, squint our eyes and shade them with our hand!

This home is different. The furniture almost seems ‘alive’ and whatever we touch ‘speaks’ words of joy and positivity to us. The very atmosphere of our Next Level home is conducive to helping us develop and grow our God-given potential to the level it was always meant to be.

Where can I buy such a home, Luba? You may be wondering.

You can’t. It’s not for sale. You won’t find it on RE/MAX.

The home I refer to is one that you carry with you. The home I’m talking about is inside of you. This home is the Next Level you.

Let’s Take it to the Next Level, book your appointment today.

Luba

Stepping stones toward your unique destiny.

You Are More Than Your Job, Title or Degree

by The Author, posted in Blog

Healthy self-esteem is vital to moving forward well in life.

Losing a job or retiring can trigger feelings of doubt, insecurity as well as a dip in self-esteem. You may wonder, Am I still valuable and worthwhile?

Did you know, however, that categories, jobs or titles do not make us who we are? We are much more than that!

It’s been said that we are great spiritual beings having a physical experience. It’s also been said that this life is a testing ground for the next—the ultimate Next Level.

So what does that mean to me, Luba?, you may wonder.

Viewing life as a glass half full instead of half empty means that losses are stepping stones to new, better opportunities.

When we really hope for something that doesn’t happen right away or doesn’t happen at all, or lose something to which we’ve ascribed much meaning, we may feel sad, despondent and even begin to despair. But the truth is that this non-gain or loss happened in order for something more fitting and much better to fill the gap.

In many ways, life is like a playground. Some people will play with you, and others won’t. Some will bully you, and some will offer unexpected gifts. Sometimes, the game itself changes midstream. Adaptability works much better than rigidity, in any case.

Figuring out how and what we want to play means doing the inner, spiritual work. Figuring out who we really are and what we really want out of life.

We need to change the definitions and terms that society uses to define us. Instead of saying ‘unemployed,’ we should say ‘free to pursue dreams.’ Instead of saying ‘retired,’ we should say ‘ready for new adventures.’

We are more than outward physical, observable signs of success.

Time is the most important commodity that God gives us, and how we use it vital in aspiring to our goals.

Have you asked yourself, Who am I really?, What do I really want? and What should I focus on now?

These self-identification questions are key to determining next steps, steps that will take you to the next level.

It’s important not to go through life blindly but to walk gently with sensitivity. Take time to smell the roses! If you run, you will miss seeing the surrounding beauty. If you hurry, you won’t taste the richness of life.

Each of us is unique, as is our life destiny. No two people are created alike. Do not compare yourself with others because your path is unique.

5 Questions That Will Help You Decide What’s Next

  1. What do I dream to be, to have, and to do? (Write a list.)
  2. Where is my intuition leading me?
  3. Has a particular path been blocked? (If so, what else can I do?)
  4. What answer is forthcoming when I pray about the direction I’m to go?
  5. How do I feel about the path I’m choosing now?

Let’s Take it to the Next Level, book your appointment today.

Luba

The Heart of the Matter

by The Author, posted in Blog

Photo by Daan Stevens on Unsplash

Our hearts know much.

They inform us about what makes us happy, and what doesn’t.

They speak to us regarding what we are versus what we could be.

The ancient Maya believed that the heart could ‘think’ and, contrary to the brain, was the sacred center of our being. You can read an article I wrote about this in Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global called ‘The Power of a Grateful Heart.’

In a materialistic society, the temptation to fill the empty ‘hole’ in our hearts with ‘stuff,’ material goods, is strong.

The hole represents the dissatisfaction I refer to in the introduction to Take it to the Next Level. It’s the hole or emptiness—even in the midst of great material wealth—that, if it could speak, would say, ‘I feel really empty right now. I seem to have it all, yet I just don’t understand why I feel so depleted.’

The main image I chose for this article is a tunnel lined with hearts. The tunnel represents movement toward the center of your being; the hearts represent loving thoughts, feelings and attitudes; and the lights at the top are pointers to what is good and true. At the end of the tunnel is the center of your being.

The title of this blog post, the heart of the matter, implies that at the center of the matter is the heart. This can also be phrased as, at the heart of all material ‘stuff’ is the heart because without the heart, matter is mere emptiness.

Black Friday, Boxing Day

We are bombarded with advertisements that promise fulfillment. We are falsely led to believe that shopping is the panacea to loneliness and isolation. ‘The more things you own,’ the voice seems to say, ‘the happier you’ll be.’ But the truth of the matter is that buying stuff isn’t going to fill the hole. You’ll only start to feel better when you decide to talk about your feelings in order to know yourself better—the person you’re with 24 hours/day—and drop the pretenses.

Pretenses are the sum of those things, attitudes and facades that, together, make up the fake self that you present to the world.

The reason that we present a false self to others is because we deeply doubt that people will like us for who we really are. This is pathological thinking—or faulty schemas—that needs correction. That’s because the core of our being is, according to the Maya, filled with compassion, love and beauty. (Source: ‘The Power of a Grateful Heart’)

The truth is that the Creator equipped you with everything you need to be content and complete. That which you seek is within you, within the core of your being, the core of your being itself.

When you’re able to tap into the compassion, love and beauty that are the core of your being, you’ll be able to feel the same in the world around you. When you’re able to do this is when you’ll fill the emptiness on the inside. Doing so fundamentally has to do with finding real meaning in your life. Is your life meaningful? Have you discovered the true purpose of your life?

If you ever hope to rise in life, to move up in levels, you will need to drop the mask. You’ll need to cut out everything that is phony in your life.

Real Talk

I can only help you if you are willing to allow yourself to be helped. If you are able to admit that the life you’re living—although quite high by worldly standards—is an empty shell.

In a world where we like to hear sweet and lovely, ‘honey’ words of comfort, what I say in this piece surely sounds harsh and bitter to your ears.

Wealth is a perspective; growth is a direction; and non-manufactured contentment and satisfaction are the aim of taking it to the next level.

Let’s Take it to the Next Level, book your appointment today,

Luba