Snake Oil
Excessive Striving
Like many people, I’ve spent a good portion of my life wondering if I am ever “doing enough.” When I was a waiter and bartender, I would often feel bad when I turned down extra shifts. This was in part, because I knew the restaurants could really use me and appreciated my competent, reliable work ethic and skills. Most of the owners, and managers I worked for were happier when I was there. The other part was the inevitable discomfort I would feel when I got my paycheck and realized it could have been a bigger one. The uncomfortable feelings I often felt were mostly about me feeling like I was being too lazy. My parents installed a strong work ethic in me and my other siblings. We’re not afraid of doing a bit of hard work, especially when we’re paid for it. We all started working at a young age to earn extra funds which was probably prompted by the fact that they never gave us any actual money. As strong as my willingness to work has always been, I have also always prioritized the value in taking equal time to rest and play. I learned early on that staying healthy involves getting enough sleep, exercise, play, and enjoying occasional vacations. This all contributes toward keeping me sane and able to return to work again, after all, all work and no play make Jack a dull boy!
Over the years, I have gotten a lot better about worrying about whether I am too lazy, yet the struggle still surfaces more often than I would like it to. The usual list of what I “should be doing” include: “I could easily get another book done. I could be months ahead on writing my columns. I should do more radio shows. I could work out five days a week instead of the 3-4 I currently do. The house could be cleaner. I should be doing more self-promotion...” While I know I am at my best when I average around 16 appointments a week for navigational consultations, I sometimes get annoyed with my self when I have slow weeks. I wonder if I should have put more energy into marketing. As of late, and more often than not, I don’t lack getting enough business and often have a full schedule of appointments booked about a week in advance. I sometimes feel badly when I have to make clients wait a week or two for their sessions when I have these busy weeks. I know they could use the insight and I hate to disappoint, yet I know I am at my best when I don’t overbook. When I overshoot too far above my average by taking on too many clients, I am not as clear and focused. Still that small voice inside still tells me I should work more, and more.
Excessive striving is not uncommon for people who have some impatience embedded in their wiring. Impatience is one of seven fears (chief negative features*) Impatience centers around a fear of being victimized by time. We tend to get intolerant of the way others do, or don’t do things and we often get annoyed with ourselves as well! In numerology we often see this tendency in people who have the number 8 prominently in their charts. The inner voice pushes at us to feel guilty if we are not doing enough. It’s like having an internal lion tamer and whip as a motivator. It often originates from familial or cultural influences, but needs no outer prompt when we become an adult because it is now firmly embedded inside. Yet, often excessive striving is not a good thing. We can get caught in the unhealthy trap of trying to do too much.
As much as I still get tormented by my own sense of whether I am being too lazy, I am extremely good at relaxing. I have truly perfected the ability to enjoy and prioritize down time. I often joke that I live like I am semi-retired in some ways. I like to buy fresh groceries every two or three days and I cook almost all of my own meals. I take one or two naps every day, in addition to sleeping 7-8 hours most nights. I go to the gym 4 days a week for an hour each time. I meditate a few times a week and I watch a few hours of television almost every day. I take baths once or twice a week (especially in the winter). I take about seven vacations every year and I take mini vacations (one afternoon, evening, and night) to my local casino two or three times a month. I often stay in the hotel and drive back the next morning. When I was told by a Michael channel years ago that I have a goal of flow or relaxation* it was no surprise.
Amidst all of this relaxation and fun, I still get a lot done each week. I write a monthly blog column. I have published three books so far, and I am working on two others. The amount of time and effort that go into editing is considerable. I do three radio shows each month. I do all of my own marketing and continue to read and research to improve my skills in my field. I put a good amount of energy into eating well and taking care of myself both internally and externally. I comfortably and easily take care of endless details of life and do it really well. As much as my “your not doing enough” voice inside taunts me with how much more I should be doing, I really do get a lot done.
While it is rarely not beneficial to make more money, most people encounter another type of discomfort when they work too much. Often they end up sick or simply exhausted from overwork. Relationships with one’s children, friends, family, and mate often become strained. Most people experience the same thing when they begin to work excessively and make more money they still don’t ever seem to have enough money! Standards for what we purchase then tend to rise and never go down again. More things require more maintenance. We rarely end up happier because we are working and making more money. We gain in one way and lose in others.
Excessive striving isn’t always about earning more money or increasing our success. We can get excessive about being ready to date after a break up. We can overreach to go back to work after a flu or accident. We can get consumed with the need to lose weight and have the perfect body. We can excessively strive to increase our knowledge, spiritual development, and to achieve the right education. We can get obsessive about finding a boyfriend or girlfriend, finding a husband or a wife, and choosing when to have children. The problem arises when our striving is based on fear as its motivation. We either never truly achieve our goal or get there and still feel unfulfilled. When we fear that we won’t ever “get there” we are unconsciously, and subconsciously programming ourselves to manifest the very thing we don’t want to happen. Overreach and attempting to reach goals we are not truly ready for often creates more problems to resolve. Of course there are times in life when we have to muster extra strength, work overtime, and go the extra mile. Crisis and a need to deal with it is sometimes a part of life. Still, crisis in the overall scheme of things is relatively rare.
Other than my adorable cat, I don’t have any dependents. I am currently happily single. I only have me to take care of me. Most people have a lot more to get caught in excessive striving about. The responsibilities of being a boss and directing others is often not easy. Taking care of a sick spouse, child, or parent can be challenging. Raising a family with all the responsibilities attached to doing that well can be a tremendous amount of hard work. The need to make money for our children's college, our retirement, pay off debt, and so many other things can push us to get excessive. The things we believe we “need to do now to have security for our future” often blind us to the joys of living in a comfortable present. Yet, if we prioritize taking care of ourselves and trusting that we will be able to manifest the things we truly need, and not the ones we think we need, we are often able to accomplish this far more fluidly! Impulses and enthusiasm will naturally spark our drive to accomplish our needed goals. When we are healthy, well rested, in shape, and take time to listen to our Higher Self and inner wisdom we make better decisions. Over the years I have radically changed the way I view what success is over the years. Now I see true success as an ability to happily enjoy the present, live comfortably, age gracefully, and trust that my creative drive is appropriately recharging when I am resting and playing.
Jim V 5-2014
Editors note:
*The Michael material is a series of channeled books that I have studied extensively. I teach classes and do private sessions that teach people about these incredible teachings. There are seven chief negative features or fears. One or two of these are acquired typically during adolescence. There are also seven life goals all sentient beings have during a lifetime. They change in each lifetime, but remain fixed at birth for every life.
The 7 goals are: Discrimination, Acceptance, Re-evaluation, Growth, Submission, Dominance, and Relaxation. They each have both positive and negative poles.
When I wrote this Snake Oil, I remembered something I was told that really illustrated an extreme example of excessive striving. I have a friend who used to work for a company whose owner told all of his employees to treat every day like you are in crisis so you are always at your best. Talk about some really bad advice! I recognize that not everyone has my goal of relaxation/flow (actually it is usually only about 6 percent of the population. Growth and Acceptance are the most common life goals), yet everyone can still tap into the benefits of a little more flow and relaxation in their lives! I will be teaching Michael classes again this fall, so you can sign up and learn more about goals, modes, and all the other things that compile understanding the Michael system. More information about this in next month’s newsletter.
Summer is here! Wishing everyone a good summer and hopefully some relaxing summer vacations to add to the mix. Cheers, Jim V
Channeled corner. I read many, many books from different trance channelers in the 80s and 90s. Unfortunately many of them are now out of print, but I still have a huge collection and will share some of the best material I have collected over the years.
In his channeled book Alexander talks about the different stages of development and the focus from early childhood through old age. A piece of his chapter on the elderly and getting closer to the death transition:
“...The elderly know this. They know that for all the frantic corporate ladder-climbing of middle age, such amounts to virtually nothing when taking stock of a life. As the elderly feel that fresh influx of energy from the nonphysical realm, cushioning their approach to physical death, they are naturally infused with the very wisdom of the ages, of their greater entities. Your professional achievements count for very little in the ledger of the universe. You do not hand your resume to your greater entity upon death and consider that the mark of meaning of your life.
What matters is how you lived. First, did you love yourself? Did you pursue those avenues of interest to you, regardless of the opinions of family and friends? Did you stand your ground when tempted to compromise your principles and integrity? Did you hold true to your beliefs? Did you treat others with respect? Did you find time to love? Did you listen to your children? Did you encourage, nourish and support them on their unique and private paths, not hampering them with meaningless strictures? Did you contribute to the life of your community? Did you make yourself available to your neighbors, to the extent they desired? Did you respect the natural world? Did you live a life attuned to the natural order? Did you make an effort to maintain contacts with those in every stage of life, from young children to the elderly? Did you listen to them? Did you seek out avenues of fresh experience and learning? Was boredom unknown to you, busy as you were exploring a world that can never be fully known? Did you laugh, long, hard, and often at yourself? Did you live?
These are the questions the greater entity seeks answers to when you pass into spirit. Your fancy car, your fancy house, your fancy title, your fancy clothes-dust...”
From Whatever Happened To Divine Grace? Ramon Stevens
_______________________________________________________
“Your life is your practice. Your spiritual practice does not occur someplace other than in your life right now, and your life is nowhere other than where you are. You are looking for answers, insight, and wisdom that you already possess. Live the life in front of you, be the life you are, and see what you find out for yourself.” Karen Maezen Miller
My Newest YouTube Video!
Current classes:
CREATING PROSPERITY
Quite a few people have struggled with some financial difficulties in the last few years. The recession/depression that began in 2008 was a difficult period for many people. The economy has continued to improve, and this is a good thing. Yet, we always have the power and ability to tap into our potential to create prosperity, no matter what is happening around us!
Learning to open a doorway to living in abundance is possible. We can manifest prosperity in many different areas: career, finances, love life, personal happiness, etc...This class will focus on many different methods for generating personal wealth. Learn how to change beliefs and perspectives relating to finances as you uncover the blocks that currently keep you stuck. This is what creating prosperity is all about!The universe will support your decision to change your reality. Instructor Jim Ventura will discuss practical and metaphysical tools to show you how to create prosperity in your life. Saturday June 28th. 10 am - 12:30 pm. A maximum of 8 people for this home class (minimum of 4 to hold). $20.00 prepaid before June 15th or $25.00 on day of the class. Current Regular clients receive $5 off on the cost of this class.
“You can safely assume your’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” Anne Lamott
Snake Oil Radio
Thursdays at 3:30 pm (there will be three live broadcasts this month)
My next live broadcast of Snake Oil Radio will be Thursday, June 5th, at 3:30 p.m. (MST -AZ doesn’t use daylight savings time). Almost every Thursday you can catch a new show. Each 45 minute show will expand on my current column’s subject matter. It will also offer an opportunity for you to call in live (or chat with other listeners in the chat room) with comments and your thoughts about the topic of discussion. Halfway through some of the shows you can even ask me for a free 5 minute mini reading with your personal question. If you miss the live show, you can catch any of my previously recorded shows on the web site’s archive. You can also catch Snake Oil Radio on I-tunes (download my pod-casts there).
To hear a live show, all you need to do is be at a computer and tuned into: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Jim-Ventura You may also access it by going to blogtalkradio.com. Type “Snake Oil” into the search option.
You can also go to the shows that are currently “On air” at that time and find me. The call in number is 646-200-3966 for questions and comments.
Here’s my contact information to make an appointment for a session, or information on current classes: Phone: (602)957-3035 text: (602)349-0746 Email: Venturasag@yahoo.com (best method for contact)
Information about the different sessions and types of readings and services, past Snake Oil columns, and how to order my books and audio CD’s can be found at my website: Http://JimVentura.com
“Friend” me on Facebook to get other extra offers and in between column extras! Signing up for my fan page will get you even more extras and first shot at reading specials. Simply click on “like” on the fan page and you will automatically get my weekly updates.
All sessions/readings for 2014 are: Full (70 minutes) $110.00; Shorter session (45 minutes) $80.00; Extended session (90 minutes) $130.00 (two people can split an extended session back to back for $65.00 each). Email me for information about my Regular Client Program for even bigger discounts on session prices with the added benefit of monthly or quarterly check-ins.
All Current Snake Oil subscribers get $5.00 off all listed prices for any 45-90 minute sessions (except when using a special discount promotion). Local in office visits receive another $5 off listed prices for cash or check payments.
I accept cash, checks, debit cards, Master Card, Visa, and PayPal for payments on sessions and for books and classes. Send me your birth month, day and year to get added to the yearly Birthday mailer promotion.
