Last year, I decided to pull out a few jewels from my bucket list, while I was motivated. One of these dreams was to speak a second language. Since I moved to South Florida, I decided to choose Spanish, because a large majority of the community here is
Latin. I began my studies with a computer program, Rosetta Stone and a cell phone App called Brainscape. About midway through the courses (3 months), I also attained a private teacher to help me on my way to becoming bilingual.
Most immediately, I had two great problems. I could comprehend the language if I could see the written words, but I was not used to hearing the many variations of the words and idiomatic instances of the words in the different Latin vernacular (Cuban, Mexican, Colombian, Venezuelan, to name a few).
I decided I would be helped greatly if I made friends with some native speakers, so that I could converse and have the opportunity to listen more often. Also, I began to watch at least 30 minutes of Spanish Television, as well. As I began to learn about the culture and their language from these lovely people, they, too, needed some advice and guidance about my language. As I have been a vocal and speaking coach for many years, I was more than happy to help them.
Almost immediately I realized how confusing English must be to any foreigner, yet most of them were trying much harder to converse than I seemed to be. They didn’t care if they were wrong, they simply plodded along using the words they knew—wanting to—needing to communicate. That was their sole objective.
But, me, I wanted to be perfect. When you think of how a baby learns, there is no perfection involved. The lessons are from trial and error. Also they are more from listening and watching, than in studying. So, at one point, I knew I would have to throw away my counterintuitive need to understand, and simply BE IN THE NOW.
When I got over myself, I began to take chances and begin to speak to people as flawed as I knew I would be. My first attempts were humbling, to say the least. My amount of specified learning of the language was far greater than most people who come to South Florida. I had one friend from Venezuela who moved here to have a better life. He actually knew about 50 English words, which he was very proud of. His favorite words were beach, which he said like bitch, and Wells Fargo, which was the street you turned on to get to his home.
I got very used to seeing his confused face as we tried our best to communicate, using our Iphone Translation App more than our brains. I learned a lot from him, as I had to explain to him things in Spanish. Because I wanted to help him, my mind began to remember words and phrases I had learned to help him understand what I said. We actually went away for a weekend together. So, I had total immersion, which was the most beneficial in learning. It was then we both realized that if we were going to have a good time vacationing together, we would have to learn to communicate.
I say all of this, because in English, for instance, we have words that sound the same, but have completely different meanings. These in any language are called homonyms or homophones. An example is in the title of this blog: Rein, Rain, and Reign. All of the words sound the same, but mean something completely different.
Because Spanish is written more phonetically than English, there are far less homophones in Spanish than in English. The list gets even less in Spanish when you are able to hear the slight differences in “v” and “b” sound, which are similar, but not exactly alike. The key, though, in any part of life is understanding the topic, so that the meaning of the words make sense when you hear them. We cannot do this without listening and being present.
But the process in understanding goes even one step further: Visualization. When you learn a word, you actually see it in your mind. When someone speaks with you, the words turn into images so that mind can comprehend faster. So, learning a language, or learning anything, takes the ability to hear something and turn it into a picture in your mind. When you can do this, you learn much quicker than someone who was, like me, trying to comprehend everything in his mind.
Spirituality is very similar. You must start out with baby steps. You are not going to know everything about the language of Spirituality without trying it and visualizing it. This is why having your morning download of insight in meditation is so important. What we cannot understand, Spirit can help support us by providing spiritual energy and comprehension through contemplation and insight.
We will learn from the best teacher, Spirit, who lives and dwells within, always guiding us to the perfect next step. The only thing that Spirit cannot do is decide to step forward—FOR you. That is where your human choice begins, just like my desire to check something off of my bucket list. Step forward into your desire, today!
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This year, if you desire to commit to a change for a New Year’s Resolution, do it with your MIND first. Remember, as in the title of my new book coming out just in time to help you with this (in March)… lol… that all change happens in your mind, first. You must change your Old Story, to make a consistent and long lasting change in Your Life.
Please be looking for “YOUR NEW STORY, YOUR NEW LIFE, Unlock Your Seven Spiritual Discoveries” in bookstores and in online bookstores in March or April 2016!
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Are you in need of Life or Spiritual Coaching? I've been a life coach and clinical hypnotherapist and minister of New Thought for 25 years. I do my sessions online, so you can even have your session in bed, so that you can go directly to sleep during the hypnosis session. You must have a laptop or a notebook to do these sessions, either on Skype or Facetime. You can give me a call at 954-253-6493. My fee is $95 for an hour.
You can find all of my Books by Category at http://www.bosebastian.com/new-page/ All of these books have been birthed from my own spiritual growth. I guarantee you'll enjoy how each will help you maintain a positive mind, body, and spirit. Also, if you click on the Amazon site, you'll see all of my 15 book— Cookbooks, Novels, Self-Help Books, a Yoga DVD! All great gifts from your friend—Bo Sebastian. Simply go to this link at www.Amazon.com or type in my name. Find great gifts for yourself, family members, and friends by supporting another friend in the process! Thank you.
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Chosen to show his new hypnotherapeutic techniques on The Learning Channel (TLC) and also given the opportunity to teach at the world conference for Learning, and received the award of excellence for Helping Overcome Obesity in Nashville, Bo Sebastian is the writer and director of Finding Authentic You and Uncommon Gay Spiritual Warrior. Go directly to Amazon/Amazon Kindle to buy any of his wonderfully inspired books: ]
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