I Think I'm Becoming A Psychic

My mom said something that struck me as hilarious, and I couldn't stop
laughing! But before I tell you what it was, I want you to know that she
gave me permission to share our conversation. We were driving through
the Texas Hill Country's winding roads and having a nice conversation.
It was one of those moments when suddenly and unrelated to anything
we were discussing, a zinger one liner came out. Ok, so here it is. She
said, "I think I'm becoming a psychic...I know things that aren't going
to happen!" Well I almost broke a rib and wrecked the vehicle I laughed
so hard. But mom couldn't understand why I was laughing. I said psychics
usually predict things that are going to happen, so what do you mean that
you can predict things that aren't going to happen? (I could tell she was
serious about this.) "Well, for example," she said, "When Kathy (my sister)
was planning to take me to New Jersey this year...I knew it was never
going to happen. And it didn't." Of course, I had to agree with that one.
Quite a few other things got in the way of that trip. And it really didn't
happen. And then she said, "You know Patricia was supposed to move
this weekend and she didn't...well, I knew it wasn't going to happen!"

Oddly enough, the more we talked, I started to move closer to
understanding what she meant. What's interesting is that I can't seem to
get that line out of my head..."I think I'm becoming psychic, I know things
that aren't going to happen". It's such a rich and compelling statement.

What if we all had the ability to know with absolute certainty that
"something wasn't going to happen"? Well, it would save us a lot of hardship,
suffering, and wasted time. We could redirect our energies appropriately.
Instead of saying affirmations, setting intentions, and taking action towards
something that will never come to fruition, we could focus on other areas.
For example, you may be interested in pursuing a particular job, a trip, a
new business venture, or a new love. You start dreaming, wishing, planning,
and then acting on this thing you want so badly but...bam! A psychic prediction
suddenly flashes into your brain! NO this is not for you! This will definitely
not happen. Now, it may be disappointing and even painful for a little while,
but then the possibilities of what you can have become clearer, more real,
more defined, and more in focus. In other words, knowing what we can't
have makes what we can have clearer!

Remember being a child? There were all kinds of things you couldn't have
or allowed to do. It's like being in a toy store. You're hooked on wanting
one toy, maybe a new train, but your parents say "Nope, no way! It's not
going to happen; you are not getting a new train!" At first you're upset, but
guess what, we just eliminated one toy you can't have, yet there are still
endless satisfactory alternatives. There are electric guitars, drum sets, video
games, and on and on. Some may be even better than what you originally
wanted. Knowing what you're not going to get is very powerful. It allows
you to choose other things that you can have!

By process of elimination, you become very clear in what you want and
can have because you've removed the things you can't have from your
visual field.

I'm a huge believer in possibilities. Mind over matter, believing in yourself,
overcoming the odds, having high expectations, miracles, eradicating limiting
beliefs...well, you get the point. But I also know that there are some things
that won't ever happen and I don't have to have psychic abilities. A 90 year
old will never have the body of an Olympic athlete. This doesn't mean he/she
shouldn't exercise, lift weights and strive to improve their muscles and health.

An apple tree will never produce bananas no matter how intensely we
believe, pray or try and will it to happen.

One should strive to accomplish their dreams but clean up the things that
are cluttering up their lives, and impeding success. Stop focusing on what
we can't have...it wastes time, energy and limits growth and possibilities in
other areas.

Why generate a lot of strife and bemoan a lost job, opportunity or love?
Forge on. Create something else that you can be assured of having success
with.

Much like gardening--clean up the weeds to unveil the beautiful flower
that lay hidden. Care for it, nurture it and allow it to blossom. Get rid of the
weeds in your garden that are stifling the beauty and magnificence in you
that is waiting to be set free.

Clearly define what you don't want, but put your attention on what it is you
really do desire. Maintain enthusiasm, stay grateful for what you do have
and take specific action towards what you desire. As we have all heard
many times before--you create your reality. What are you creating today?

I'm not sure I'll ever become psychic and know things that aren't going
to happen, but with an endlessly abundant Universe, the things that are
possible are astronomical!
Have a blessed, prosperous and healthy New Year!!

Dr. Rick Barrett

Buy my new book, Give to Live, The Secret to Manifesting Life's Rewards
with the star of The Secret, Joe Vitale at http://www.lulu.com/content/5434310

Visit our websites:

www.givetolivebook.com

www.barrettchiroclinic.com

www.missionsofhope.com

Visit our blogs:www.barrettchiroclinic.blogspot.com

Remembering to Give...Thanks and More!

This Thursday as Americans, we celebrate and hold dear a special day that provides us an opportunity to give thanks; a day to unite with friends and family… a day of peace.

Thanksgiving is uniquely American but the ideals that it embodies are something that all countries and all peoples can embrace.

Our Thanksgiving started humbly in the early 1600’s by English settlers who endured many hardships, having fled from religious persecution.

Not the least of which was an extremely harsh New England winter that killed nearly half the colonists.

The survivors gave thanks to God for their new home, freedom, bountiful harvests and their new Indian friends that embraced them and aided their survival.

Though many Thanksgiving days were celebrated over the years, it wasn’t nationalized until President Abraham Lincoln made it so.

This glorious tradition continues to be held the last Thursday of November.

For many the history has been forgotten. For others it is simply a day to rest from hard work. For others it is an opportunity to see family that they otherwise may not see due to distance or time constraints. For others it is a day of true spiritual connectedness and gratitude to a loving God. And to others it is a day of peace and tranquility as all pause for a moment in time. Still others use it as a day to serve and give to those less fortunate and in need of help.

Those of us who “have” … can share… can give… can serve and… can pray for those who have not.

My sincerest wish is for all of the inhabitants of this planet to experience an abundance of love, health and wealth.

While this day is uniquely American, I hope that its message can be adopted and embraced by the world. A planetary day of Thanksgiving!

And yes, I know there are countless people who would find it extremely hard to be thankful or grateful even for one day.

I pray that even the poorest of people can locate one thing to be thankful for. To be able to say…thank God, I have this shelter, or my family, or my body, my eyesight, my hand or whatever it may be. To acknowledge this to their friends, family, God or just to their inner self is powerful.

Without even one thing to be thankful for, there is no hope. But if there is just one thing to be thankful for, a person’s spirit can be elevated!

A new attitude is adopted energy creates more energy and then self worth and inspiration dispel despair. Suddenly, magically, the doors are flung open for goodness of all kinds to enter into their life.

As their attraction increases, life becomes more fulfilling.
While I firmly believe thanksgiving and gratitude should be practiced daily, especially remember it this Thursday.

This Thanksgiving holiday see who you can give to. Challenge yourself to do a little extra even if you think you’ve done enough.

You will find that you open yourself to receive more by being and doing more for others. The giver is always blessed with reward.

For the last fifteen years at my office we have collected food for the needy families in East Fort Bend County. It’s been a huge success thanks to the generosity of my patients and it’s been a blessing to my patients, community and myself. We love every minute of it. This is just one example.

Do your own thing. Be inspired! Inspire others!

Count your blessings. I’m definitely counting mine!

Every one of you helps me to grow and challenges me to be better.

I am thankful for each and every person in my life.

With sincerest gratitude—thank you!
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Joe Vitale and I are still giving away Give to Live e-books for free at www.givetolivebook.com. For those who purchase books, we are also giving away partial proceeds to our charities like Rudy and the stoves www.missionsofhope.com and Joe’s homeless project—Operation YES www.operationyes.com

I love when people call, e-mail or write to me that Give to Live has changed their life and that they are buying books for family and friends.

One of my patients humbled me the other day by buying books for his seven children. But not only that, he has committed himself to do more for our community and the world. Soon, he will be going on a medical mission with me as part of his commitment. This is from a man who is already very giving. I am grateful to him and others who do their little piece to benefit mankind. It helps us all.
Thanks again to all of you!

P.P.S. For a fun and simple way of opening your life up for more abundance and prosperity to flow Give Away A Dollar A Day! It's just like it sounds - you give away one dollar, every day. The best way to do this is anonymously, and in a public place. But what really makes this practice so genuine and empowering is that you decide where and how to give away your dollar to whomever and however you want. Check out Todd Silva’s website at http://giveawayadollaraday.com

T.V. Interview

Joy In Our Town is a segment hosted by Genet Chenier of KETH-TV 14 in Houston, Texas. I spent a few very enjoyable hours at the station being interviewed by Genet. The topic was "back pain". Genet is very gracious and the interview went great.

In fact, they've invited me back in January with the intention of doing a longer segment on our book, Give to Live and the mission work I participate in. I'll let you know when that takes place. In the meantime, watch the Back Pain program. The air dates and time for Joy In Our Time are:

December 7, 2009 10:30 a.m.CST
December 8, 2009 2:30 a.m.CST
December 10, 2009 2:30 a.m.CST
December 11, 2009 12:00 p.m.CST
December 12, 2009 2:30 a.m.CST

http://www.communityedtv.org/KETH_houston.htm

Serving You,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. I've also attached a couple of photos from the River Oaks Bookstore book signing!

Pleasing Pacaya

Who or what is Pacaya? Pacaya is one of three active volcanoes in the Antigua area of Guatemala and gives a beautiful display of lava for all who get close enough to see.

I was privileged to have hiked Pacaya one night last week and I'm sure I could see Pacaya smiling at us.

Indeed if there is a Pacaya god, she must be very pleased with the group of people who visited her and provided medical care to her people.

At least I hope so.

I and a group of fellow medical missionaries just returned from spending one week amongst the beautiful people of Guatemala.

We provided chiropractic, acupuncture, dental and medical care to over 600 people a day in the towns of San Andres Ozuna, Guanagazapa, and Escuintla.

The region has over twenty different Indian groups all with their own language.

Two that I can remember are Cakchiquel and Mam. Many of the people only spoke their native tongue so English to Spanish to Indio translation was often needed. But it all worked well.

In San Andres Ozuna, I treated a very colorfully dressed Mam Indio husband and wife. Pedro Jeronimo Lorezo was his name. They both wore the traditional garments of their people.

Pedro translated for me as his wife only spoke Mam.

May you ch (spelled phonetically) is the Mam word for relax. Pedro taught me this to help his wife be at ease as I treated her.

Chinkotano and Oosh te neek are a few other words in different Indio languages that I was able to put to good use that week.

It was a beautiful experience and they had fun listening to me attempt to speak their language. Just a slight change in emphasis or inflection apparently is important.

After a dozen or so times repeating the words, they figured I was as good as I was going to be.

While we laughed and had fun with it, I could also tell that their was a genuine appreciation for attempting to connect to them in their own language.

This appreciation can be felt in words, gestures and actions amongst all the people.

We and they know we have limited resources and ability to provide all the medical care they need.

But I believe that we do change lives forever. Theirs and ours.

It's questionable who receives the greatest rewards. I would suggest, likely, it's us--the caregivers.

As our lives intertwine for a mere moment in time a genuine and lasting connection is formed. I suppose only God can judge the extent of benefit to those involved.

In any case, as always, I wouldn't trade the experience.

Though each mission trip has an overall sameness to it, there still is a newness, and uniqueness to each trip.

It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it. But there is a richness that comes from the ingredients of a different area, the spirit and personality of the individuals, the environment, the weather, new medical team members, these and other elements that all combine to make beautifully rich and rewarding mission experiences.

In Spanish, the term, "Que Rico" comes to mind. They say this when a food or an experience is fully enjoyed. What richness it brings!

To our team, I am always indebted. The friendships and commaradie are priceless.

To the people of Guatemala, the Mams, the Cakchiquels and others, I am thankful, grateful and honored to have been allowed to be a part of their lives.

I invite you to view our photos from Guatemala Mission 2009.

Go to http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d5449794e444d784e44453d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_instructions_directurl_makeyourown

If you have an interest in joining or supporting our mission work please visit www.missionsofhope.com

Thank You!
Dr. Rick Barrett

Do I Smell Like Smoke

This question was asked of me one day by a patient before we began treatment. So I know her fairly well. She has participated in our medical missions and I consider her a friend, I’ll call her “L”.

When “L” asked the question, “Do I smell like smoke?”

I was confused because I knew she didn’t smoke. I just replied, “What do you mean?” with a puzzled tone to my voice.

She asked again, “Do I smell like smoke?”

All I could say was “No, what are you talking about?”

“Good”, she said, “Because I just came here right from a fire.”

I didn’t see that one coming!

Now I was shocked. “What happened?” I asked.

She was reluctant to speak to me about what she did and was really only interested in knowing whether she reeked of smoke. But because she asked such a strange question, I was compelled to find out why she asked it.

My persistence paid off and she gave up her story.

In fact, she was very humble and almost self-conscious while telling me the story. She said, “The morning news reported on an apartment fire and requested Spanish speaking volunteers to lend assistance. So I went down there to help out.”

She began to tell me that before leaving the house, she gathered up some supplies like water, clothing and other basics to take to the victims of the fire. She was sure that they would need those things since the news reported many families were displaced from their apartments.

Arriving at the scene, “L” put her Spanish speaking skills to use. She told the authorities about all the items she brought to aid the fire victims. Unbelievable as it may seem, she was told they couldn’t accept what she had brought. They had no one in charge to handle donations. Unwillingly to accept that answer, “L” found one of the victims and put her in charge of organizing the people and distributing the needed items to them. This turned out to be very successful.

“L’s” selfless act of giving comprised of two components—the giving of material goods and giving of herself through service.

“L” really didn’t see the enormity of her action; she down played it quite a bit. Not wanting to be recognized for her good deed.

She even said, “Anyone would do the same thing.” I pointed out to her that not just anyone would do that. Most people, the great majority, in fact, would watch the news, hear the request and go about their business. I illustrated my point by asking if any other translators showed up.

Her answer—“No”.

I said, “There are four million people in the city, so a large percentage of the population had to be watching the same news broadcast. Yet out of perhaps hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even a million or so, you were the only one to show up. And you took action beyond what was asked because you brought some very necessary supplies!”

“This is no small thing,” I said. “Don’t minimize its value and your worth! Not everyone would do it. Only one did it. But that one made quite an impact.”
Then she told me she felt that a good deed should be unpublicized.

I didn’t agree with her, citing these reasons. While I agree that shouting from the roof tops, “Look at me, look at what I just did!” is in bad taste, boastful and perhaps self-serving. Humbly talking about a need and filling it is quite different.

The intention is the difference.

“Do you think it takes away from giving if you tell some one about it?” she asked. I said, “I believe it helps to inspire others.”

Every giving action doesn’t have to be revealed. But some should. I also felt that by telling others it sheds light on a particular problem. It also nudges others to take action. Perhaps next time someone else will remember what she did and feel encouraged and strengthened to take action themselves.

Sometimes we need to read a story or hear how someone else participated in giving and serving which could enable us to believe that we, too, can do that! Perhaps it will inspire someone to look around their own family or neighborhood and spot a need that they can act on.

This is how relationships are built, goodwill is fostered, barriers fall and love is spread. The essence of our existence is to love one another.

To love a stranger can sometimes be difficult, to do this unconditionally, all the time takes effort, to do this only when it is convenient and under ideal circumstances takes little courage.

I told “L” that our work with the medical missions and helping Rudy build stoves for the Nahuatl people wouldn’t be possible if we kept it a secret. Throughout my office are photo albums, and pictures on the walls from each medical mission I’ve participated in.

Photos of beautiful children, the elderly, toothless people, people carrying bundles of wood, colonias and churches made of wooden shipping pallets and other discarded materials, photos of all our mission participants—dentists, nurses, medical doctors, translators, clergy, chiropractors, vision care, acupuncturists, massage, occupational and physical therapists and support people.

You can’t walk anywhere in my office without coming in contact with some reminder of a mission trip. I have pottery, blankets, walking sticks, and a host of different gifts given to me by people who I’ve served. I even have an extremely old wooden crutch hanging on the wall that a woman in Mexico gave to me after I treated her.

Why do I have all this? To be boastful? No! To draw attention to me? No! It serves several purposes.

For one, I enjoy the mission work totally. It is a passion for me. Some people like golf vacations or lying on the beach and then displaying photos of their trips.

The mission trips are my vacation. I love them. I enjoy looking at the photos. I enjoy the feelings they bring and the memories. Even the feelings of pain and discomfort about the hardships these people endure are important and welcomed.

It is also an “in my face” reminder of how fortunate, blessed, lucky—you pick the word, I and most people are. It is a reminder that at any moment, a tragedy could occur in my life and I could be one of those people. There really aren’t that many steps from having to not having.

These photos of wonderful people captured in their environment keep me humble, and keep me grounded in reality.

I also told “L” that because of the pictures, and the writing and speaking I do about the missions, people continually donate money. And many have been inspired to participate in the mission trips. In fact, our mission team in Sugar Land started because one of my patients inquired about the photos, and we created The Medical Missionaries of Divine Mercy.

(You can see more photos at http://www.missionsofhope.com)

My patients routinely deliver clothing, shoes, crutches, wheelchairs and toys to my office for me to bring on the mission trips. Soon I’ll have to build a bigger garage just to store it all! The photos, also, encourage people to do more and afford them an opportunity to be blessed by giving.

It allows them to “be” more. I have seen my patients find and fill a variety of needs in our own community because they were inspired by our photos and stories.
If we don’t see or hear—we don’t know. It’s important not to boast. But I believe it’s vital to tell the stories! It calls our attention to a need and screams to the universe—“Now who’s going to step up and help?”

I reminded “L” of the section in scripture which teaches; just as you wouldn’t hide a light under a bushel basket, you must allow your light to shine out for others to see your good deeds which glorifies God!

This is not ego talking, but simply showing by example. Being a good role model for others to follow even at the risk of making ourselves feel uncomfortable with the attention it may garnish.

This is why Joe and I wrote Give to Live, The Real Secret to Manifesting Life’s Rewards. And will continue to promote the timeless message of Give to Live—to stand for something more, to inspire and to motivate others. To fortify those that are “doing” and encourage others to join and revel in the experience!

“L” and I had a great conversation. She then opened up and told me about some other selfless acts she was performing quietly within the poorest areas of our community. Though I won’t tell you what those things are, I will say, she absolutely inspired me!! She truly has a giving heart.

I know “L” is making a huge difference in our world by spreading hope and love. She really lives the giving message and exemplifies the ideals set forth in my Affirmation of Service.

I choose to carry out my day as if it is my last.
I will give freely and unconditionally that which I can.
I will provide service to one or more persons
With or without their knowledge.
Thought coupled with action equals change, therefore,
As I think and act, I can and will create positive changes in my community and world.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve humanity today.

“L” is an inspiration to me and I believe I am to her as well as many others in my life. We inspire one another to reach within ourselves to find ways to improve the human condition and in the process, force our own growth.

A tool to help monitor one’s daily life of giving is the Acts of Service Journal.

It’s described in Give to Live, The Real Secret to Manifesting Life’s Rewards. Use it to keep a personal accounting of the goodwill services you provide. It is a nice way to stay grounded and periodically reflect on your daily life. I encourage you to get one and utilize it.

You can download a free Acts of Service journal at http://www.lulu.com/content/5526047)

Get a free digital Give to Live book at www.givetolivebook.com or purchase books at www.amazon.com or at http://www.lulu.com/content/5434310

With Love and Gratitude For All You Do, Known and Unknown,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Who you are, makes a huge difference…Thank you!

Blood Drive

Your blood is needed! Someone always wants something...right?

Please join us in saving some lives.

On Wednesday, September 30th, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center will have a donor coach in the parking lot in front of my office.

Time: 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

330,000 to 340,0000--that's how many units of blood is needed to meet the demands of community per year.

1,000--that's the units of blood needed per day!

Help if you can.

To schedule an appointment, visit www.giveblood.org and login in to Digital Donor. Enter sponsor code S784 or contact Dafney Alvarez at(281) 499-4810.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, September 30th!


Barrett Chiropractic Clinic
2853 Dulles Avenue
Missouri City, Texas 77459

A Huge Blessing From Rudy

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Recently I was able to deliver $1000 more to Rudy to build ecological
stoves for the Nahuatl families. These funds are from donations by
people who have read about Rudy's work in our book,
Give to Live; The Real Secret to Manifesting Life's Rewards.

Those of you who have donated are making a huge impact on the lives
of the Nahuatl people.

One blessing of the internet is that we can stay in touch with Rudy on a
regular basis and continually update you on his work.

He sent me the following e-mail specifically to give his thanks to you.

I know you'll enjoy it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Dear Friends,

Yes, the money got here. I went to the ATM this morning and withdrew
half of it. I shall do the rest tomorrow. I have already gone to the
hardware store and have paid for tin pipes, elbows and four bags of
cement.

Thank you very much for this help. Like I said yesterday, I will do four
stoves per village to start with, and later do the rest. I hope I can stretch this money and do 40 or 44 stoves. I will take pictures as it makes progress, and send you some so that you can show them to the people there. I know they want to know where their money goes and what is done with it.

The NAHUATL natives and I thank you very much for this great support. Without your aid, we would not be doing so well in stoves or anything else. It all takes pesos, and we do not have any.

Your help is much appreciated.

On behalf of all the NAHUATL families who have been benefitted with an ecological stove, through these years, I want to thank you so much for all your help and support.

You and your people have made a big difference in the lives of many
women and children.



Thanks to the generous contributions, you have made a pleasant change in our lives. I mention women and children because it is they who spend much time in the cooking area of their houses/huts. It is they who have to inhale the black smoke from the firewood.


It is they who get ear, nose, eyes, and throat infections.
They also get asthma and lung cancer.



Thank God there are still nice people in the USA and throughout the world who care and help those who are less fortunate. We hope (and pray) that all of you will continue helping us. We need you.

We pray to God to reward you plenty.

We need your helping hand, always.We have no other source of support.

Only you.

It is my pride to say that, as of this date, I have made over 1,400 stoves in four counties, for the last eight years. This means counties in our State, and also in our neighbor State of Hidalgo.

There are many NAHUATL families awaiting their turn to have stoves made. As you may remember, I have the will, the time and the vehicle to continue doing my work with the natives. But I do not have the money.

Please help me so that I can help them.



Right now, I have requests for about 600 stoves, in many villages. Word got out that I am making a stove that uses very little wood and the smoke is no longer in the cooking area. And now, many more people want one.



The NAHUATL love their women and their children very much, and if there is something that will improve their lives, they are willing to try it.

But they do not have the money to buy the material with. Neither do I. So, we all turn to you and to your good-will and generosity. And to your warm hearts.

Dear amigos, Tamazunchale alone has about 62,000 NAHUATL natives in 158 villages. The severe drought that we had this year made things much worse for all of us.

The natives just barely have enough pesos for black beans and corn. Minimum wages in this area is 80 pesos per day. That is about seven US dollars.

Thank God it has begun to rain now, but it is going to take a long timeto get back to normal.

Thanks again, for spreading the Give to Live message around the world.

Through this book, people who never knew about us and our great needs, have been graciously and generously sending money through my dear amigo, Dr. Richard Barrett to assist us all. Some of the money from the book sales also comes our way, and this is very helpful.

PEOPLE FROM THE WORLD, PLEASE HELP US BY BUYING THE BOOK.

(available at http://www.lulu.com/content/5434310)

We need all the help we can get.

I cannot thank everyone enough. All the faceless people throughout the world, are easing our suffering that we have had to carry on our backs for so many years.

We thought we would never find somebody who would look down upon us, analyze our needs and lend a helping hand. Such as Dr. Barrett.

Thank you, all of you.

Here is a NAHUATL thought for all of you to share:
TLASKAMATI MIAK. TU TOTIOTSI MU MITZ TIOCHIHUA.

Which means "Thank you very much. God bless you".
Greetings and best wishes to all of you, dear amigos.


Bye now,

Rudy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Rudy said, help is continually needed. By telling everyone you know via e-mail or regular mail or even phone calls about Give to Live, not only will the Nahuatl people benefit but the entire world.

We don't say this casually. Give to Live is making significant changes in the world. But we must keep sending out the message. Please get your friends and families on board to create the movement that will change them and others.

Tell them they, too, can have their own Give to Live e-book by signing up at www.givetolivebook.com. Once they sign up, they will receive a confirmation e-mail to confirm their subscription to Give to Live.Once they confirm, they will receive an e-mail with the link to download the Give to Live book.

Serving You,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. If you would like to donate to the Stove Project please visit www.missionsofhope for more information. Thank you!

Honored by Toastmasters!

Last week, I spent a delightful evening with a group of people from the Sharpstown Toastmasters Club.

I was privileged to receive an invitation to deliver a talk about the book, Give to Live; The Real Secret to Manifesting Life's Rewards. Of course, I was happy to accept.

Toastmasters Clubs are international with a diverse membership. I fully support any group of people who are dedicated to self-improvement--and they are!

Sharpstown Toastmasters Club mission statement is very powerful! It states that they "provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth".

I was genuinely impressed by the caliber of people in attendance and the quality of their meeting. Loving to talk about a few of my passions made my speech easy to deliver.

I explained how Give to Live was born into existence and the messages revealed within. Remember, Give to Live reveals that an open heart and a willingness to serve not only changes you, but also the planet.

It teaches perhaps newly for some and reinforces for others, the importance of giving their time, money and resources to a power higher than themselves. Readers also learn that once they start giving unconditionally, they'll manifest and receive personal rewards they couldn't fathom prior to giving.

Another passion and one of the themes in Give to Live is the idea that serving is the highest form of giving one can express. I use my involvement in medical mission work to illustrate this in the book and spoke of it at Toastmasters. As well as speaking about my friend, Rudy, who builds special ecological healthy stoves for the Nahuatl indigenous of Mexico.

Rudy taught me to speak a few Nahuatl words. One phrase I shared with the group was Amu Xi Maj Mahue--don't be afraid!

While we've all likely felt the joy and experienced the rewards of helping another human being, I'm also sure there were plenty of other times when we've all stopped ourselves from giving.

Giving money, sharing a talent, or personally serving someone. Because of finances, prejudices, lack of time or just plain fear.

We create a belief that we feel serves us. A glass ceiling, a threshold of giving that we are unwilling to pass through.

In doing so, our own growth is stifled.

So we must find a way to break through this in order to receive abundance in life.

Amu Xi Mah Mahue. Do not be afraid.

Push through--find ways to give, to serve and create change in this world.

It was great fun for me to deliver those messages to the Toastmasters club.

I was quite surprised when at the end of the evening, they honored me with the "best speaker of the night" award.

It was an exciting night!

See every life fulfilled!

Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Please continue to send the Give to Live message. Tell everyone you know to get their free e-book at www.givetolivebook.com or books can be purchased at amazon.com with 20% of the proceeds going to charity.

Two weeks ago, I sent a message about "The Prayer Card". I am so pleased to have received a plethora of responses. Even from people who disagreed with me. After all, voicing our opinions is how we learn to see life through another's eyes, foster understanding and learn to live in harmony.

The ability to safely share information, support, criticism and opinions is a beautiful thing. I know I have grown from this interaction and am grateful for it.

Thanks again!

My sincerest wishes for health, happiness, freedom, peace and success in everyone's lives!

Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Remember this old epitaph:
What I gave, I have;
What I spent, I had;
What I kept, I lost.

My Prayer Was Rejected…And I Was Shocked!

I was attending a book signing with a few other authors at the One Woman Business Conference held at the Omni Hotel in Houston, Texas when the strangest thing happened.

Many years ago, I created a postcard with a prayer I wrote and a photo I had taken of a beautiful waterfall—the same prayer that appears in my book, Healed by Morning.
I have thousands of these prayer postcards that I have given out since 2000.

They are in my office; we give them to patients, when I give a speech I hand them out. In other words, I am very liberal with them. While at the conference, I had them at my table and when I walked around the hotel, I gave them to everyone I came in contact with—hundreds of people!

I always asked, “May I give you a prayer?”

Everyone was always excited and usually said, “Oh, yes, I love prayers.”

Everyone but one! He was a porter that helped me transport my books to the table.
I said to him, “I’d like to give you a gift.” As I stretched out my hand towards him, I said, “This is a prayer that I wrote.”

Immediately, he literally backed up, shook his hand in a negative way as to stop and oppose the gesture. And what he said absolutely shocked me…

He said, “I don’t want the prayer, I’m Muslim." He then continued with, “I pray five times a day.”

As he was saying this, he was attempting to walk away.

Though I couldn’t believe my ears, I walked towards him stretching out my hand.
I said, “That’s wonderful, this prayer is not about any one religion”. “I think you’ll like it but if it doesn’t resonate with you, pass it on.”

I then also gave him the Affirmation of Service postcard and explained the Give to Live book principle and our intention of helping everyone in all countries, of every faith.

He took the cards and went on his way. What he did with them I don’t know. This was the first time over all the years of handing out thousands of cards, that I encountered this.

I live and work in a very diverse community. My patients are Christians (of all types of denominations), Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus. They are all loving, accepting good people who embrace their faiths, life and community.

I guess I was so shocked (even though he did accept the cards because I persevered), that I told several people about it that day.

Everyone was as amazed as I was and shared their thoughts on it with me. One person even said, “I guess the praying he does five times a day isn’t working!”

I suppose I have to agree.

For me, I’m honored and happy when someone gives me a prayer or says a prayer for me.
I want as much of this as I can get, from every source possible.

I wouldn’t tell someone, “Oh, don’t bother praying for me, you’re a Buddhist.”

How quickly this man reacted and seemed offended was, as I said—shocking. I don’t know what went through his mind or what life experiences he’s had to cause that reaction. My hope was that when he had a moment to think about it, and read the cards that he was enriched in some way.

And I hope that if they didn’t touch him, that he passed them on to another who might benefit.

Here is the Affirmation of Service and Prayer…

Enjoy, use them, and pass them on:

Affirmation of Service
I choose to carry out my day as if it is my last.
I will give freely and unconditionally that which I can.
I will provide service to one or more persons
With or without their knowledge.
Thought coupled with action equals change, therefore,
As I think and act,
I can and will create positive changes in my community and world.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve humanity today.

Prayer
Lord God, you are my Creator. I love you. I am party of you,
Therefore I cannot fail! I cannot fail, because you cannot fail! I am capable of everything,
Ultimate health, happiness and success.
Because I am part of you and you are completely capable, every good wish I have, I can have,
Because you wish it for me.
I will not linger in darkness and doubt because the Spirit of Your Light illuminates my way!
You are in me and I am one with you,
Together we can accomplish miracles.

We must all find ways to serve one another—to love and be loved.
Serving You,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Two movies you might enjoy are Emmanuel’s Gift and Kundun. http://movies.tvguide.com/kundun/132586
Remember that giving begins with you! Go and serve someone today! It's a great way to "Give to Live"!

P.P.S. Please remember we still need your help sending the Give to Live message around the world. Would you help us? Simply tell everyone you know that they can get their freee e-book at www.givetolivebook.com Tell ministers to have their congregation download it. Tell teachers to have their students download it; tell hospitals to get it for their patients; have hotels put it in the nightstand; tell Oprah! Tell Diane Sawyer!
Finally, an easier to read printed copy of our book can be had simply going to http://www.lulu.com/content/5434310 or at Amazon.com

(20% of the proceeds are donated to charities such as Rudy building stoves for the Nahuatl Indigenous. Donations for Rudy can also be sent to Dr. Rick Barrett.)

A Lesson In Receiving

I just relearned a valuable lesson. One I've known and also teach. I talk about it, lecture on it, and have even written about it in Give to Live; The Real Secret to Manifesting Life's Rewards. Yet, I still struggle with it personally. What is it? One word--RECEIVING. Receiving what? All kinds of things. Compliments,gifts, and help to name but a few.

What prompted this confession?

Well, I was given a beautiful gift. The gift I am about to tell you about may seem huge to some and to others rather small.

But let me caution you. As I've learned, there are no small or insignificant gifts! A gift is a reward. It is born of love, an expression of love, and love is
purely of God. So in spiritual terms, no gift is small. I see them all as equal, all a divine blessing. A tiny morsel of bread though physically small,can be a life saving morsel and huge in the life of the person who needs it. And it is huge in the gift of love of the universe.

The gift I received didn't save my life, but it certainly rejuvenated and enriched it. So in a way, since it added to the quality of my life, it may have contributed to the ultimate saving of my life.

To be honest, at first I struggled to accept this gift. What was it?

A completely paid vacation to a fabulous resort on the Mayan Riviera including airfare, food, beverages, and private transportation!

It was given to my wife and I by Jay--a patient of mine who owns a travel agency. Why? Because he values the work we do in the office, our community, charitable work and our years of medical mission service. He simply wanted to say "thank you" and reward us.

What a beautiful, loving and generous gift. One that should very easily be accepted. You would think! But for me it tripped a lot of circuit breakers within. I actually struggled internally with this. My first comments to Jay were "no". "I can't accept this", "you didn't need to do this", "it's not necessary".

Wow!

Did you get all that? Those are terrible things to say out loud or in self mind talk. What kind of message am I sending to myself? Perhaps I am not worthy? What was I saying to Jay in rejecting his gift? How would it affect his self worth? What was I telling God, the universe, the Divine? I think I was shouting loudly--Don't bother ever sending good things my way because I'll just cross my arms, reject it and send it right back to you!!

Oh, no! That's exactly the opposite of what I want. Of course, I want as many blessings, abundance, gifts, rewards, love, etc. that God can send to me.

It's said--ask and you shall receive.

But then when it shows up, don't reject it, like I started to do! This is not good. How many times a day, a month, a year, do each of us do this? We reject the very thing we want because it makes us uncomfortable, or we perceive it comes from a source we didn't expect.

Now if I had won the trip in a contest that would have been easy to accept. But this was different.

So immediately I had to put the brakes on, backup, erase the negative thoughts and accept Jay's gift. Though as you can tell, I didn't exactly swallow it with ease.

As hard as it was, I graciously accepted. I needed to...

I needed to honor rather than minimize or invalidate Jay's generosity, kindness and love.

Also...and this is important; I needed to allow Jay to experience the gift of giving and thereby give him the opportunity to receive his own rewards for doing it. Essentially this was a gift back to him from me, and critical for his personal growth.

Also, I needed to accept his gift to promote my own growth.

And I needed to tell God..."Whatever you send my way, I lovingly accept. I am open to abundance of every kind and as much of it as you're willing to send from whatever the source."

As I said, I've found it's easier to be on the giving end than the receiving end. But I will continue to work through my unreasonable discomfort in this area, and confront this head on. The more gifts I willingly receive, the better able I am to grow and give to others.

So now to make it real...I am writing publicly for all to see.

That I am willingly, graciously, and cheerfully accepting any and all gifts.

(Don't thing it wasn't hard to write this...it was.)

Now I want you to confront your blocks to receiving and allow abundance to flow to you and through you.

Wishing you every abundance in this life and the next.

Yours In Service,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Check out an audio clip from Joe and I at:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/nevada45/rickandjoeinterview.mp3

P.P.S. If you need help with a trip, consider Jay! Check out his website at
www.grandtravelcruise.com

Swine Flu in Peru

Recently I travelled to Peru where surprisingly I was confronted with the absurdity of swine flu overreaction, useless false protection and propaganda once again. I thought that the media and governmental hype to the swine flu pandemic had subsided. Not so. I guess like a bad urban legend, it continues to course through communities throughout the World. I’m not sure if the fallacies will ever totally die or the truthful realities ever rise to the top.

So why was I upset about swine flu in Peru? Because they are perpetuating misinformation and fear in people.

While in route to Lima, the flight attendants handed out the usual entry documents to be filled out along with an extra one. This was a mini health history regarding the swine flu. Did I have it? Was I being treated? Do I have symptoms? Where do I live? Have I been in contact with anyone who has it? I was shocked! Then after landing, they restricted us from leaving the plane until we listened to a message from the Department of Health regarding swine flu. I can’t understand what is said when they speak over the intercom in English let alone Spanish! So it wasn’t helpful.

I was also given this little guide. What are your thoughts about it? Is it helpful? Does it give enough information to prevent or fight the flu? Was it really worth the manpower, energy and dollars they spent to produce it? Personally, I think it’s worthless.


I was shocked going through the airport to see how many people were wearing masks. Not just travelers, but airport employees. Guess what else? Some wore latex gloves! Were they required to do so? Or was it their own idea? I wondered.





The next day, I went to a supermarket near the hotel to purchase water and explore a Peruvian grocery store. Once again, I was shocked to see store employees wearing masks! By the way, wearing a mask does not provide protection. Perhaps those who wear a mask already are contagious and graciously trying to protect the rest of us from—whatever they might have. But I don’t think so.

What will our future look like…I wonder? Will people be working in full blown HAZ. MAT. suits with portable decontamination equipment and isolation tents? Maybe they’ll have syringes in holsters like cowboys ready to inoculate anyone at the first hint of a cough, sneeze or other symptoms.

A few days later, we flew to Cuzco. There, I saw no one wearing masks. Perhaps Cuzco citizens are immune? Back in Lima, I inquired to some of the Lima airport personnel regarding how long they needed to wear the masks. Answer: everyday, all day for an indefinite period of time. I really wonder when this will die down and logic will prevail.

Since the swine flu problem surfaced, I’ve been trying to quell fears in patients, friends and family. The death and doom mongers really have done a great job creating a worldwide fear that I’m not certain will ever disappear. Is this flu really that devastating? Should we be on a heightened alert? Can our immune systems fight it? Is it a creation of drug companies to sell more medications and vaccines? These and other questions can be answered most satisfactorily. I’ll get to that in a moment.

As with most things, there is always going to be lots of opinions, some facts, and lots of fiction. Deciphering these can often times be difficult. Whether you analyze this swine flu situation, or the next flu, cold or public health risk is…remember some basic truths…You are an amazing, incredible being with power to overcome, heal and be well! Health comes from inside you. While it’s true, we do need outside help from time to time, the quality and kind of intervention is extremely critical. Most of the time, the answer is not in the drug of the day that the pharmaceutical companies are trying to push.

I was never concerned about the swine flu for myself, friends or family. Nor am I concerned with seasonal flues, bird flues or the like… and I don’t get flu shots! I travel to Mexico frequently and so do friends. In fact, I have friends that live there and I’m still not concerned as long as their immune systems are strong. Some of my patients were truly panicked about the swine flu and some are still very concerned, but what people still don’t understand is that it’s the strength of the individual’s immune system to fight off and kill invaders of the body—daily—twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for the rest of our lives! If our nervous and immune systems are compromised, weak, failing, susceptible…you pick the word…then we are in trouble.

Why haven’t I ever received a flu vaccine and never will? Because it is useless! There are too many strains of the influenza virus. I care for my nervous and immune systems naturally, to keep them as healthy as possible. When my body has been exposed, then I again, work at allowing my body to fight it naturally. How? With immune system builders like vitamins, herbs, acupuncture, massage, body detoxification and chiropractic spinal adjustments to name a few.

Why does one person get sick and another not when exposed to the same foreign invader?--simply, the strength or health of that individual. There are many ways to safely fortify our selves daily and mount ineffective counter attack to foreign invaders safely without turning towards risky medications that are unproven and have deadly consequence. Or at the very least, cause the same symptoms that the flu
virus causes begin with.

During the 1918 flu pandemic that ravaged the world and killed upwards of twenty million people, several of our family was counted amongst the dead. Though I wasn’t alive then, my father was. We discussed what happened many times. The swine flu is nothing like that pandemic.

Returning from Peru, I received a call from my cousin. His daughter spent a week at the hospital in ICU due to swine flu. While this hits close to home, I realize we must be vigilant in creating health and strong immunity in our bodies. Swine flu is not what the media and government has purported it to be. I am less concerned about it than the other seasonal flu strains that kill thirty to forty thousand people
every year!

Building health, maintaining wellness, allowing our bodies to experience life with all its dirt, grime, colds, flu, etc. creates immunity, strength and builds our natural defenses.

At my office, regular chiropractic adjustments for proper nervous system function are vital. A good multivitamin especially with B vitamins is crucial for the nervous system and whole body health. Anti-aging, preventative measures impact and targeted nutritionals for those times when we are exposed, and weak.

Some products I use and recommend to patients are: Nutriwest and Douglas Labs
Immuplex
Total VirX
Total Flu-Cld Nasal Spray
Ultra Preventitive X
Youth Juice

These are just a few. Contact me if you need help or go to our website to learn more about what I use to stay healthy.

Don’t think I’m indifferent to realistic concerns and fears or naïve about the swine flu or any other. I’m not—but let’s not panic. Do your research, use common sense, listen and react to legitimate sources of information.

One of the best resources for straight and truthful swine flu information comes from our friend, Dr. Mercola. Please read his article then pass this information on to others so we can stop needless panic and learn the truth. Not just for the swine flu, but for the next ______demic.

Go to mercola.com

Serving You,
Dr. Rick Barrett

Phantom Encounter...

The other night, I connected with the other side! Encountering and interacting with a spirit-- a Phantom. It was a moving experiencing. Three others experienced it too. But I believe I had the best vantage point. In fact, I was the one commanding the Phantom to do my bidding. Directing her to follow my lead. With a mere gesture of my hands she went where I wanted her to go.

What did she look like you might wonder? She was blacker than the darkest night. Black on black. She was sleek, sweet, with beautiful lines and whispered as she glided from one place to the next. She was a marvel to behold as she enveloped us and allowed us to play with her.

This may not exactly be the mystical experience you're imagining. Though my experience with the Phantom was quite magical even heavenly.

The Phantom wasn't some disembodied etherial entity that couldn't be touched. No, she was solid in form, the Phantom was a Rolls Royce.

This perfectly crafted automobile is the other side of everything you've ever experienced in a vehicle. The other side of mundane, the ordinary or normal.

I had the extreme pleasure and fortune to be her driver and become one with her. For a little while at least. A very special Mastermind took place in this Phantom Rolls Royce with my friend, Joe Vitale. Two other special guests had the privilege of being chauffered in the car and delivered to and from an exquisite, sumptous dinner at a fabulous restaurant.

For five hours, we brainstormed business ideas, product development, book writing, inventions, achieving ones full potential, breaking from lack and limiting beliefs, experiencing gratitude and much, much more.

Joe is an author, entrepreneur, writer and a Phantom rider. He enjoys riding in his beautiful Rolls. Oh, Joe likes to drive too. But I really love to drive. I am a driver. I've been a car guy since childhood.

Loving them ( I know you can't love something inanimate, but I do), rebuilding them, appreciating them, racing them. Cars are beauty, power, passion, art. They are exotic, classy, exhilerating and so much more. The Phantom Rolls Royce is all of these.

Joe created a unique opportunity for a select few. A Mastermind to take place in his Rolls Royce. He has successfully helped people break through to new levels.

Anything from improved personal lives to improved businesses.

When I was invited to be Joe's special guest and drive the Phantom, I was thrilled! Not merely to drive the car, but to contribute to the Mastermind.

I enjoyed interacting with two very special, intelligent, spiritual and lovely people.

The Rolls Royce Mastermind is hard to explain. It's one of those things that until experienced, you don't realize to what magnitude it impacts your life.

I've driven the Phantom before and loved it.

But this was different in some way. The energy was different--better.

I've been in Masterminds before, but this went beyond the usual. Certainly it was unique.

I've also known Joe for over fourteen years. We talk, discuss life and brainstorm frequently. But there was something magical that occured by putting all these different elements together; the handpicked people, the car, the private dining room and an intention to create something extraordinary from this night. It was a focused high energy. Something like mixing chemicals in a lab and watching an extreme reaction occur.

I know every one of us grew from the experience.

One truly has to live it to comprehend the benefit realized from the experience. I highly recommend this Mastermind to everyone.

I know Joe can be persuaded to bring the Phantom experience back to Houston. However, his schedule is unbelievably busy and booking up rapidly. He's booked to go to Russia, Poland, Ecuador, and do a book signing with me in Wimberley, Texas on August 1st, and more...I can't even keep track. But there may be a few spots still open.

The Phantom rider Mastermind is limited to only two people. If you desire to be a future candidate to experience this Phantom Mastermind phenomenon in Houston, Texas, let me know. I'll speak to Joe and see what can be arranged.

P.S. Hope to see you at the book signing for Give to Live; The Real Secret to Manifesting Life's Rewards.

It will be held at Rancho Deluxe in Wimberley, Texas on Saturday, August 1st from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Happy Independence Day!!

My prayers are that you and your families enjoy the 4th of July. As we celebrate in our own ways, please remember and remind those who have long forgotten--we celebrate our freedom. The small ones and the big ones. Freedom from oppression and tyranny. Freedom to worship and practice our religious beliefs. Freedom to voice our opinions, even against our own government. Not many countries experience this blessing, this gift, that doesn't come easy. It is worked for daily. And fought hard for with much sacrifice.

We must continue to stay strong, stay ever vigilant to protect our freedoms and while we are not perfect, I don't believe there is another land where so many, with such diversity of color, ethnicity, ideas, and religious beliefs enjoy so much.

May we stay independent, free and continue to work towards freeing others from the bondage of poverty, oppression and tyranny.

May God continue to bless us as we continue to praise and honor God.

Love and Blessings,
Dr. Rick Barrett

What's a Four Letter Word for Magnificent?

What’s a four letter word for magnificent? Peru!

How about for genuine? Peru!

And what about gracious? Peru!

Where in the World can you eat a fabulous meal at a world class restaurant under the stars literally at the edge of an Incan archeologically site? Peru! Of course!

You’re probably noticing a theme here. All the answers seem to be…Peru! That’s because I recently returned from an incredible journey to Peru with friends, Joe Vitale and Mark Ryan. Joe was the main reason we were in Peru.

He along with Bob Proctor was in the movie and book, The Secret and invited to speak in Lima.

The event in Spanish was billed as El Secreto.
Mark was along as a friend and videographer to capture Joe on video 24/7--kind of an “all about Joe” reality show.

Mark did a first rate job and was able to get some awesome high definition video. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I know you’ll love it too. I was along as a friend, chiropractor, partial tour guide, (I’ve been to Peru before), and to have fun.

Also, I was able to promote our book…Give to Live, The Real Secret To Manifesting Life’s Rewards.

It was an incredible journey on so many levels. Gastronomically, intellectually, inspirationally, spiritually and emotionally to name but a few “ly” words. But what touched me the most was the love and spirit with which the Peruvians embraced us.

From those that knew who Joe and his companions were to those who didn’t; people at a top notch hotel and restaurant, to those in a small market, to train, and airline personnel, to tour guides and translators…as well as service people of all kinds. Everyone with very few exceptions seemed to genuinely care about how we were treated and displayed personal pride in how they acted and spoke! I was overwhelmingly surprised and pleased by the level of service and love in the service. This is something that we used to have in the United States but has long since vanished, or at least is rare. But Peru was a breath of fresh air. It is what I remember we used to be like, and can be again. Genuine caring is transparent. For example, I experienced it with a woman who sat next to me on a bus and recommended a typical Peruvian restaurant to me. And the guide to German tourists who showed me the best place to sit on the train for an excellent view and great photo opportunities.

So to Peru, its people, go my compliments. It is a land of diversity and wonder. This was my second time to travel to Peru and yet I still haven’t experienced enough of it. There is so much more to see and do. I would surely travel there again—just invite me.

Though the journey seemed long in some respects, it was lightning fast in others. Each day was brimming over with activities.

Joe was met by promoters, groupies, news people, reporters and fans with great anticipation. It started the moment we landed and didn’t stop until we boarded the plane for home.

We were in Lima for several days then flew to the city of Cuzco—the navel of the World. Of course, airport personnel spotted Joe and asked for autographs—it was amazing and fun. Everyone seemed to have a bootleg copy of The Secret for Joe to sign.


They obviously didn’t know who I was. The author of four books, wellness practitioner, public speaker, award winning chiropractor, humanitarian, medical missionary, and co-author of Give to Live with Joe Vitale. And depending on whom you talk to, a double for Joel Osteen or Richard Gere. (In Mexico especially, everyone thinks I’m Richard Gere.) In fact, a whole restaurant thought I was Richard Gere, but that’s another story.

Restaurant where I was mistaken for Richard Gere!

Anyway, getting back to Peru…so here I am schlepping bags and taking pictures with no one asking for my autograph—only Joe’s. Oh, the pain of it all! But, I got over it quickly…or maybe not if I’m still writing about it.
Photos were taken and then on to Sacred Valley.

Cusco’s elevation is 11,000 feet so we suffered from some massive headaches and difficulty breathing for a while. After all we live at sea level so it was quite an adjustment. We combated this by drinking coca tea and chewing coca leaves. Did it help? I’m still not sure. Probably yes.

From there we traveled by train (Peru Rail) for several hours to the town of Aguas Caliente at the base of Machu Picchu.

A short bus ride on switch back roads put us just a few hundred feet from the entrance to the ancient Incan city and the beautiful hotel, The Sanctuary Lodge. It has just two suites and twenty-nine rooms and is the only hotel there. Having been to Machu Picchu before, I was familiar with the lodge and knew that this would be the ideal spot to stay and, of course, afford the best views and continued access to the ancient city.

Here most people go for day hikes around the ruins or on the Incan trail. Maybe even ascend Machu Picchu and Wana Picchu. It was well worth it. They treated us like royalty. Amazed again! Several hotel staff recognized Joe from The Secret. We all posed for photos. Joe signed more autographs and yet again, no one recognized me. The pain deepens. Though I did, however, give out several of my affirmation and prayer cards. Joe and I also told everyone about our Give to Live book.

On this trip, we all seemed to be experiencing strange coincidences reminding us yet again of how small the World is. Besides Joe being recognized at this tiny hotel, over 3,000 miles from home, we also ran into a woman and her husband who has attended one of Joe’s seminars in Austin, Texas!

While hiking through the ruins of Machu Picchu, I met a young man and his wife from New Jersey. They live a few miles from where I was born. He is Peruvian but moved to New Jersey when he was ten.

Mark met two people working at different hotels who were from New York State where he had previously lived.

I also met some wonderful translators and their friends. One of which has a boyfriend who lives in a small New Jersey town close to where I lived and my great grandfather was a miner! This was getting strange.

Machu Picchu was spectacular! It is one of those trips everyone should try to do in their lifetime. I was amazed again by the feelings one experiences there—by the ingenuity of the Incans, the improbability a stone city on this mountain never found by the Spaniards, the feeling, a greatness, of smallness, of oneness, and of unity.

I was amazed that two thousand to three thousand people visit this ancient Incan city per day. It is a confluence of humanity, different races, religions, ideologies, and languages. I met people from all over the United States, France, Poland, Germany, Asia and Argentina.

Machu Picchu invites peace, harmony, and unity. It seems to be a place that connects us all. I say go, visit, enjoy…and go again!

From there, we retraced our steps back to Cuzco, on to Lima and home—the United States. It was a truly exceptional trip!

I hope you enjoy the photos and create your own journey and memories.

Be open…

Live life now!

Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. A big “thank you” goes to Jay Islam in coordinating this exceptional trip. Visit his website at http://www.grandtravelcruise.com/.

Hawaiian Healer Astounds Austin!

A few hundred people jam packed an Austin hotel room this past weekend. They came from Hawaii, France, Switzerland, Canada, Puerto Rico, all over the continental United States and more.

Why?--to heal, to grow and to learn the ancient Hawaiian secret of healing Ho’oponopono, from the Master, Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len. Mary and I were there to witness and get a deeper understanding of the technique from Dr. Hew Len. This event was created by Joe Vitale, one of my dearest friends and co-author of our new book, Give to Live, The Real Secret to Manifesting Life’s Rewards.

Joe is also the co-author of Zero Limits, The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace and More.

The event was billed as Zero Limits III, and the last time Joe and Hew Len would put on a teaching/healing event. It was a very powerful weekend, eyes were opened, minds expanded, personal breakthroughs were achieved and there was an incredible energy for two days.

I witnessed a wonderful, loving, enthusiastic group of people from all walks of life. Hungry for self improvement, they were willing to work on themselves, not only taking full responsibility over their own circumstances, but also responsibility for everyone and everything on the planet. This gives me great hope!

“Ho’oponopono, is a self help methodology that removes the mental obstacles that block your path, freeing your mind to find new and unexpected ways to get what you want out of life.”

It works to clear out unconsciously accepted beliefs, thoughts and memories that you don’t even know are holding your back.
Dr. Hew Len is credited (which has been validated) for helping heal an entire ward of mentally ill criminals in Hawaii without ever seeing them professionally. He used an unusual healing method called Ho’oponopono.

This is a mind bending, core shaking idea.

Simply repeating the words, I Love You, I’m Sorry, Please Forgive Me, and Thank You is so easy. It is done silently; no one will hear it or know you are saying it. You are simply talking to God and accepting or owning up to your responsibility. The goal is to achieve a state of zero, a state of total freedom and a return to God.

I’ve read the book, been to two Zero Limits events with Dr. Hew Len and am still working on understanding the process. As he says many times, trying to understand the how and why may only interfere. We just need to do it.

Certainly it couldn’t hurt to practice this. So if no harm is done and the potential is only positive, then I say do it. Learn to clean our world by taking responsibility for the garbage we created.

Dr. Hew Len is a traditionally trained psychologist but broke away from his training after he learned this technique and saw the results. Now he travels the globe teaching Ho’oponopono. So if you missed him in Austin, you can catch him next in Japan.

How each of us shows up in our own life influences everyone else on the planet. Just as there are many paths to take on our life journey, there are many tools to create a wonderfully, rewarding experience. I believe Ho’oponopono is one of these tools. It works with the subconscious to serve one self and all humanity, but I also hold in high regard serving on a conscious plane in a physical way.

The idea of giving of oneself from the bank of all our resources is very powerful. The rewards are great for us individually and for the world as a whole.

That’s why our book, Give to Live was written—to be a useful guide, an inspiration and a tool, to stimulate thought, create conversation and cause action. The people who want to hear its message will hear it and benefit from it. I’m probably no different from you, continually searching for ways to live life better. Maybe you have some tools I need to know about, if so, please share.

I wish you continued success on the journey of your life.

Serving You,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. If you haven't done so, you can download a free e-version of Give to Live at http://www.givetolivebook.com/ Once you sign up, you will receive a link to approve your interest. Once you approve, you will receive another link to download the book.

The Virtue of Gratitude

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. And so it is with this one. We wanted to share it with you. It was found in a magazine--photographer unknown. The caption reads..."Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." The photograph is as beautiful and thought provoking as are Cicero's words. It felt right to share it with you. Enjoy it.

Sometimes it is hard to be grateful when one is mired in pain and suffering. Loss and hardship will affect us all in our life times. It is part of the human experience. For some certainly, unfortunately, more than others.

But even during the worst of circumstance each one of us can truly find at least one thing to be grateful for. And if we can feel a true, real visceral emotion attached to this, a positive, higher energy will be created. Thus begins an attraction of other things to be grateful for and allows goodness, love and light to penetrate the darkness, despair and hopelessness we felt.

More opportunities, better circumstances, the right people start to flow into the void. Opportunities that perhaps didn't exist before! Now mysteriously almost magically appear!

Life energy begins to radiate from you as you blossom again and allow your goodness, love and light to spill out of you into others lives becoming a beacon of hope for them.

Now you are helping, giving, and serving others, perhaps not even realizing how your life has changed. You have been elevated to a higher level of consciousness and now have even more to be grateful for.

So it is with gratitude. Focusing on gratitude works hand in hand with giving. We (Dr. Rick and Dr. Joe) continue to be grateful on so many levels; for the love you have given us on the Give to Live book. For the beautiful e-mails. For sharing and continuing to send messages to others to get the book. For the giving/serving that you are doing in the World. For sending donations to continue Rudy's Stove Project with the Nahuatl Indigenous of Mexico... and much, much more.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

We love you and are truly grateful to each and everyone of you.

Sharing our life stories not only keeps us connected on a human level, but more importantly, on a spiritual level.

We received so many touching e-mails and can't possibly share them all. But from time to time, we'd like to open up a window to the World and have you look at the view from another person's vantage point.

This is a beautifully, inspiring e-mail that we are grateful for. You will love it...

"Dear Dr. Barrett,

My name is Esty and I live in Israel. I would like to thank you and Dr. Joe Vitale for your heart warming book. For years, I have been giving Reiki to my family, my friends and my pupils as my service to my community. Since one is not allowed to give Reiki treatments for free, everyone paid me the same fee: two kisses and a hug. It felt great!

Two years ago, I had a car accident and I lost most of my ability to see. The worst part, was that I could not read. For the first time in my life, I needed the help of others. Believe me, this is not easy. I was very fortunate to meet a wonderful man who ordered a special pair of glasses for me and he practically saved my life.

Your book reminded me how much good I have in my life and how much I should be grateful for...and yes, how much I still CAN give!

Thank you both again for showing me the way. I was lost."


Serving You,
Dr. Rick Barrett and Dr. Joe Vitale

P.S. We need more people like you and so does the planet. We are confident that you will continue to send the Give to Live message and live the Give to Live life! Always remember to use the Acts of Service Journal, read the daily affirmation, tell others to get their freee e-book at http://www.givetolivebook.com/ and printed books can be purchased by simply going to http://www.lulu.com/content/5434310