July 3, 2009
Many of us on a spiritual path have a great
desire to be of service. There is a deep inner calling to serve.
You know, to help each other and be there for each other. Our
ego tells us that if we do certain things and sacrifice our lives
for some cause that that is service. True service is not
about doing anything. It is "Being," period!
To be or not to be, that is the service. Service is Being.
It's not what you do. Now, when you are Being, things are certainly
happening. But this "doing" comes from a totally different
place then we would expect it to come from. It is coming from Being. It is coming
from the Heart. From
the Serene Center of Being within the Heart. Not from a sense of building
up brownie points toward our eventual admittance into heaven.
Nor is it from, "I am doing this service for you."
On the contrary, there is a tremendous sense of gratitude toward
the other for the opportunity to Be-in service. Just by Being
we are serving one another at the highest level.
In Being, the other really ceases to exist.
Even you cease to exist as the doer of the service. Only Being
exists, only God exists.
Only Love exists.
To Be God is service.
To have recognition of our Divine nature and live it constantly is service. To dissolve all separation
is service. To exist as the Oneness is service.
In Being, others get the opportunity to experience their greatness as God. That is service.
Now, there really are no others. But you may know what I mean.
I'm talking about those aspects of ourselves that believe we
are cut off from God. In Being, eternity shines brightly as the
never-ending present. Past and future have ceased to exist. Only
this moment is. It is seamless and complete unto itself. In true
service there is no ego. Only Being exists.
Posted by Wanda El
June 17, 2009
It is now a time for releasing and forgiving.
Have you ever heard of "soul loss" or "soul theft"? Briefly: It's
commonly noted as a "shamanic practice", I think of it as a "spiritual
practice".
Soul loss could happen in a variety of ways, love, divorce, death of a
loved one, and various other emotional and physical traumas and
stresses that "wound" our spirit in some way.
Some people who experience this "soul loss" (loss of chi/ki/prana) may
feel like something is missing, a huge void, unable to cope, depressed,
loss of vitality and connectedness to life. They are
unable to create a path of joy that was once available to them.
Soul theft is usually brought about by another person as in the case of
mental, physical and/or emotional abuse. There is a facilator in this
aspect that "wants control", or power over the individual. A person who
is willing to relinquish their personal power to someone else is at
risk for having it "stolen" from them.
I know wounds can run deep on many levels and in many cases traumas are
buried in the subconsious or one just decides to "not think about it".
And yes, much work could be done by the person to regain a balance. And
it may not be easy.
However, I would like to address this on a very broad scale of our Own
personal choice to heal on a level that we can do fairly easily. Perhaps YOU have stolen a part of someone's soul and not know it? Has
there been someone in your life that YOU have emotionally effected? How
do you know who? Have those painful situations and circumstances in
your past been healed? How do you know which ones? Have you forgiven in
your heart and by your spirit those that have harmed you mentally,
physically and emotionally? How do you know where to find forgiveness?
YOU could very well have created someone elses soul loss and you "could
be" a thief to that person by spiritually holding their energy captive
and not know it. How do you know?
Now being a "thief" is not negative because often we do not know what
we do and we do not know the full emotional impact we may have on
someone. So we cannot be "blamed" or judged in that regard because all
souls are learning. There are times we don't mean to do
something by ill intent. In this case this would be unconscious
ignorance.
Any traumas relating to soul loss, fragmentation or energy holdings,
however small, are held within the energy-body and can be cleared
quickly. "The trauma of an event is set in place
virtually instantly, in the fraction of a second before our
self-awareness can notice it. Years later, energetic regulatory systems
continue to scan for this section of held-energy roughly 10
times/second (with each brain wave). Remarkably, stored trauma can be
resolved as quickly as it was set in place." So, if there is a *slight* possibility that you took someone's soul
energy or you harbor residual energy from others for whatever reason,
knowingly or unknowingly, even spanning years and years, ..isn't it time to release and forgive?
How do you know you've participated in "soul loss" or "soul theft".
Simplistically speaking you don't. Since one may not know. For overall
healing and health we have to say that we just don't know. In order to aid in healing "what we don't know" I'm asking that you
simply say while breathing slowly and deeply with feeling the following
exercise mantra while in meditation or in your special quiet place of
the mind and heart...
repeat 3 times with heart-felt intent
I release any soul energy that I may be holding captive for whatever reason.
I return the energy to the light and back to the person from which it came.
I release any hold I have upon another to restore to them what has been missing.
I forgive myself and the person I've been holding - unconditionally and with the heart of compassion.
I ask that your peace, love, light and joy fill my very being.
Upon the Wings of Light, it is done. This is just for releasing other's energies not calling back or working
with your own soul loss. However, one aspect of healing is first
releasing, then receiving anything is a bonus. When energies are given
back with compassion and feeling this facilitates our own
healing energies and a transformation occurs automatically within us. A
shift takes place.
It is time to give back what is not "ours".
It is time to restore and do our part in healing others.
It's imperative that we "clean up" our spiritual energies.
It is time to release and forgive.
Can you imagine all those soul energy fragments returning?
How much stronger this would make the energy matrix?
How much clearer the vibrations would be?
Can you imagine the impact this would have?
Posted by Wanda El
June 4, 2009
The reason why we choose to live our lives through
God is a very simple one. When we read the word of God, when we hear
His voice, we are accepting the medicine of truth. In the modern world,
where over six billion people compete for territory and are prepared to
use any means possible to survive and succeed, and where media and
communication has become the most important (and lucrative) of all
industries, it is vital that we have something we can trust, something
we can use as a test of veracity.
Who or what do you believe in? Is it
something that has authority, a history, a good reputation, a massive
following? Does it work in your life every day for the good? God the
father is all of these things and does all of these things. Without God our life is like a shop without any lights on. We stumble about
bumping into the furniture, can´t see the faces of our customers, can´t
trust any transaction that is made. Come into the light with God, the
father of Jesus our Saviour, and you have sudden bright illumination.
You have an ally to navigate you through the confusion of modern life.
We live in a society that has only the semblance of righteousness. It
attempts to show that it cares. But at its core, it is primarily vain,
selfish and ultimately self destructive. Get off that train. With God
the mist clears. In the Lord all the things that are important become
highly defined, beautifully appealing, easily attained. Life is easy,
uncomplicated, straightforward, joyous, sensitive, peaceful. The moment
you organise your life according to God´s priorities all the irrelevant
trash of your previous life becomes cumbersome and unnecessary. You can
put it all in the bin. You don´t need it to be happy. When you wake up tomorrow morning, thank God, breathe in the air He gave you, and start to turn your life around. In His Name.
Most people go through their whole lives without
realising there is a better way of doing things. Many bump along from
day to day, getting tied in knots, getting irritated, losing sight of
the things that are important, and can´t see a way out. Others find
themselves in intolerable situations with loved ones, exes, bosses,
perhaps unable to pay bills or get satisfaction from the simplest
tasks. Before they know it, their life has passed them by and they are
left with an emptiness, alone, unloved. They wonder where it all went
wrong. The stop and think too late about life and its deeper meaning.
Don´t let this happen to you. Yes, it is easy to become
distracted, to take your eye off the ball, when you have a life to
live, a job to do. But ask yourself a simple question. How much of what
you do is absolutely necessary, and how much of it is just chasing
empty goals? We at times manage to convince ourselves of the importance
of what we do, that we need to hit such and such a financial target,
that we need to consume x amount of goods. But rarely do we stop to
meditate on the true relevance of all this. If we do, for more than a
few minutes, we realise that probably as much as ninety per cent of the
things we have to do in a day actually have no inherent meaning in
themselves. They may even be described as ludicrous. If you feel this
about your life, take stock. How much time do you spend commuting,
queuing, reading trivia, waiting for someone? It all adds up. Even
important jobs like being a doctor or a policeman can often get bogged
down with mindless trivia preventing these people from doing what they
are good at, a vital job for the community. Why do we allow
ourselves to even get to this point? The answer is ridiculously simple.
The answer is we listen to the lies people tell us. The best way to
focus on what your life should be about is to forget the advice other
people give. Listen only to those people you have respect for and whose
lives you wish to emulate. Seek people who are at peace with themselves
and who have successfully extricated themselves from the rat race. God
did not create the rat race. Man did. There is no reason on earth why
your life should be no more meaningful than a rat´s. You have
understanding, creativity, an urge in your heart to attain spiritual
enlightenment, and when you have done so you will have found a better
way to live through God.
Posted by Wanda El
May 29, 2009
Self-acceptance and self-knowledge indicate that you're on track. Don't constantly attack yourself for being human and imperfect. Stop using phrases such as, "If I had done this..." or "If I had done that..."These are useless and waste energy. Take care of your body. Take pride in ownership. Don't deal in the past; this can be very debilitating. Don't become overly emotional over small things. If you do, then when the time comes for you to use that emotion for a larger purpose, you may feel that the "well has run dry." Intellect never runs dry as emotions.When emotions run dry, a vacuum is created and it sets up an identity crisis. Then, you only feel like half of a person. But rejuvenation follows as you wait for the emotions to build back up again. Thus, expend emotion wisely.Do you realize how often you create things? Throughout your life, you create and you alone are responsible for your destiny. Your life was fully planned by you, prior to you coming in. All of life's joys and sorrows were known beforehand. This is your chosen way to reach perfection. You can change your life only when the soul knows that it's time to move to a different experience.Ultimately, you'll experience everything you planned on, however painful, for the evolvement of your soul. You never change your main path... just the little off-shoots. The main highway always runs on a direct course. You can take "sightseeing" trips off to the side, but you'll always return to the main road. You view every single avenue and nuance of your path before you incarnate. You see all the shortcuts and detours, and what you would do with them. And you always ask yourself, "Will this add to my purpose?" This is why if you are veering too far off course, depression sets in. The soul tries to remind you, through depression, that you're off track. Physical illness may even occur if you get too far off. For example: if you do one trying task, you may get a headache. If you do something else, you may get sick to your stomach. What someone else can handle, or struggle with, doesn't necessarily mean it's something you must also handle.Everyone has their own path to take. Don't pattern yourself after someone else. You may endorse someone or have great respect for someone, but your own path is your own path... as well as unique. In this world, there is no one else like you. You are unique and so is your path.
Posted by Wanda El
April 24, 2009
You need good light to make a movie, is it not so? And then you need
good darkness in which to show it. Isn't it funny? The cameraman says,
"Oh, there is not enough light; we can't take the picture." But when
they want to show the film, they turn off all the lights. So, what is
important for a movie? Both. Light to take it, darkness to show it.The
minute you learn to respect and see both sides of the coin as equally
good, you can enjoy both. You never hate anything. It is only a matter
of your understanding and acceptance. Then you enjoy everything in
life. Everything! There is nothing that is terrible, bad or negative in
this life.Let us have that light of understanding. Accept
things as they are, people as they are. Don't demand anything. Don't
put conditions: "Only when you do this does it prove that you love me."
Rise above all this. Our attitude, our approach, our love should be
unconditional. Simply accept people for what they are, as they are.
Learn to love everyone and everyone will love you, no doubt. Then, life
is worth living. The world becomes a heaven on earth for you.
Posted by Wanda El
April 15, 2009
WHERE DID I COME FROM?
I did not come from anywhere, because I was always here; just in a different realm; a different vibrational level. The body comes and goes, but "I" am always here. Where I come from, is a place that has no beginning in time and no end. Where I go, is the same place. There are no particular locations in space and time. In a non-local universe, there is nowhere to go.
What
is my purpose in life? To be happy, to joyfully participate in the
creativity and evolution of the universe. Life is conceived and
imagined by universal spirit, or consciousness... and all realms are
imaginary forms of the spirit, which is doing it's "play."
What
happens to me when I die? Nothing happens, because I do not die. Pure
consciousness cannot be destroyed; it can only be expressed. And
knowing this, forces us from the fear of death because nothing in the
universe is ever lost; it is only transformed. So... when physical
death occurs, nothing happens to us. Certain lines of communication
that use a certain nervous system have temporarily been disrupted.
However, we are still here. The Soul doesn't go anywhere; it's the body that dissolves and returns to the earth.
Then...
where is the Soul? One of the biggest misconceptions is that the Soul
resides in the body. People may say, "This person died, and the soul
has left." That's not true. The Soul is not inside the body... but
rather, it projects itself "as the body" and the mind. It finds a
location in space-time, and broadcasts or telecasts itself through the
body. Just as the characters in a movie are not inside the television
set when we're watching it, and musicians are not inside the radio when
I'm listening to it... our Soul is not inside our bodies. My Soul is merely localizing or expressing itself through my body.
The
Soul doesn't exist in space or time; it is beyond space and time. Yet,
everything we call "physical" seems to occupy some little place in
space-time. Our body occupies different locations in space-time. Our
thoughts occupy different locations in space-time. We can therefore
say that the Soul is transcendent (lying beyond the ordinary range of
perception).
So
when the question is asked: Where is the Soul? We're not asking the
right question, because "where" implies a location in space-time. The
Soul is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It's everywhere in
general, and it's nowhere in particular.
The
life force expresses itself through infinite transformations into this
or that form, into this or that phenomenon... now appearing, now
disappearing. But the life force itself, is eternal; it's unchanging;
it's all-pervading... and we are that force. And the most outstanding
characteristic of this field of intelligence is its aliveness. When
we go "on" we are born. When we go "off" we die.
Without the off,
there would be no on. In every off, the universe re-creates itself.
The off is also called the discontinuity (a break or gap). Everything
that we can think of... a chair, a color, a mountain, a thought, a
rainbow, etc., is a different vibration of the same essence. Something
is vibrating and creating everything, and that vibration is happening
in the presence of the Soul. The Soul vibrates, and creates thoughts.
The
Soul vibrates, and it creates the body. The Soul vibrates, and it
creates the whole universe. To create is to bring into being, or
existence. And to create something new, we have to die to what is. If
we don't die to what is, then there is no creativity. Something has to
die for something new to emerge, and our Soul is constantly taking
quantum leaps of creativity.
How
did I get from here to there? I don't know. And not only did it get
from here to there, it got form here to there "instantly." There was
no "time" for it to get from here to there... because it's a quantum
leap.
Every death is an opportunity for a quantum leap of creativity. Through death, we re-create ourselves at every level: the material level of the body-mind; the intellect; the personality. All of these have to die, in order to re-create ourselves. With every death, we store the wisdom of our experiences since the beginning of time and take quantum leaps of creativity so that we can look at ourselves again, as if for the first time.
This
means.. the Soul lives on after death. But does the personality
survive death? Truth be told... the personality doesn't even survive
while we are alive. The individual we think of as "me" is different
from hour to hour, day to day, week to week, year to year. The
transformation after death is not a movement to some other place or
time; it is just a change in the quality of attention in
consciousness. It is a condition or state of vibrational quality of
our own awareness. The world that we are experiencing with earth, the
sky, plants and people... the sun and the moon, is a particular
expression of consciousness at one particular frequency.
During
material existence (in a physical body), our bodies are the expression
of our Soul at a lower frequency, giving us the appearance of being
localized in space-time. We also have an astral body that accompanies
our physical body... and mirrors all of its informational and energy
content. In death, the physical body disintegrates, leaving the astral
body as the expression of our Soul at a higher frequency.
The
essence of your being, is a changeless reality that creates an energy
pattern that comes and goes. This pattern, which is born and dies, and
is constantly changing its name and shape, is the person you confuse
yourself with. You may think that a personal "I am" is the cause and
source of all that happens to you, but this is not true. You must let
go of the idea that you are a set personality, fixed in space-time.
The personality is just an illusion. What appears to be the personal
"I am" is the universal "I am." The real "I Am" is the whole endless process of pure potentiality, expressing itself in different disguises.
I am pure potentiality. I am the universe. I am whatever is
happening. If I look outside and see the stars and galaxies, that is
what is happening... and that is me. I am the light, I am the eyes
that perceive it. I am the music. I am the ears that hear it. I am
the wind and I am the bird's wings that fly on it. There is no other
"I am" than the one Being, the entire universe.
That which you call "yourself" is constantly undergoing change and transformation. All is transforming, yet nothing ever dies. So,
too, we do not lose our Soul... our true essence, as we transform into
all of these molecules, all of these minds, all of these bodies, all of
these relationships. Just as in life, so beyond death, there is
continued transformation of that which we call the "individual."
What does all of this mean? It all means one thing... and that's Being
manifest by becoming. Birth and death, and on and off, and pleasure
and pain, and night and day... and the cycles of the seasons are just
the cycles of Being and becoming. When you know your true essence, you
get in touch with that part of yourself that is beyond time and
space... and the source of both.
By
and by on this journey, you shed your habitual and conditioned
responses. As you do so, you become a spiritual master and transcend
all suffering, including the fear of death. You realize that the real
you was never born, and therefore, can never die. Only that which has
a beginning has an ending. That which never began, is eternal and
always... and it is you.
Posted by Wanda El
April 1, 2009
For most of us, judging ourselves and others is so ingrained in our
constitution that we are not even aware that we do it. It’s just a way
of life.
We gossip about other
people. We assign value to individuals before we even speak to them,
determining if they are worthy of our time. We make assumptions about
people by virtue of their skin color or the work that they do. We
complain about our coworkers, colleagues, relatives, lovers and even
friends! We are critical of the way people do things, what they think,
how they talk, who they hang out with and what decisions they make in
their lives.
We assign judgment to actions that happen to us,
to experiences we have, to opportunities that come our way. Everything
is either good or bad and when we do judge it to be bad, our response
is not one of acknowledgment and discernment, but rather worry, fret,
fear, disappointment or annoyance. In other words, we assign negative
connotations and attach negative vibrations to things we cannot
change…things in the past.
When it comes to ourselves,
we are almost inevitably overcritical and judgmental. How often have
you thought of yourself as not good enough, not smart enough, not
accomplished enough, not attractive enough, not appealing enough, not
fit enough, not healthy enough, not outgoing or adventurous enough, not
graceful or feminine enough, not masculine enough? Before long, you
really believe those things about yourself. You create your reality.
Judgment is everywhere in
our lives. Wouldn’t it just be easier if we just accepted everything!
If we could embrace everyone and every experience with equanimity.
Simply the observation of an observer! “Oh isn’t that interesting?” And
meet every new person and experience with a welcoming energy and
intention. And if an experience complicates your life, you simply see
it as a valuable “redirection”-- the Universe showing you that it is
time to find alternatives, or that you must try harder to find a new
approach. No action is inherently good or bad—it just is!
After wrestling with many
of these issues myself, I began to create a new mantra, an affirmation
that has helped me greatly and I want to pass along to you. When I find
myself judging someone, myself, or an experience, I simply repeat to
myself the phrase, “Love, Not Judge!”
This
is an ideal reminder that if I choose to vibrate love instead of
judgment, it automatically opens me up to acceptance. By opening
myself to acceptance, I stand to receive more love. It’s a wonderfully
perfect circle! And when I open myself up to acceptance, I become a
powerful magnetic force for spiritual blessings and material benefits.
When that happens, we’re really humming along!
So I encourage you to try it on everything! So that food you were served by your host was a bit too spicy? Love, Not Judge! The suit your favorite uncle is wearing at Christmas is pretty ratty. Love, Not Judge! Your boyfriend
gave you a sweater that you just cannot ever see yourself wearing. Love, Not Judge! You note the love handles on your hips and the wrinkles on your face. Love, Not Judge!
Your boss is often demanding and unyielding. Love, Not Judge!
Your wife asked you to stop by the store on your way home--again. Love, Not Judge! You are stuck in traffic and running late for a meeting. Love, Not Judge! You didn’t get that proposal of marriage that you so desperately wanted. Love, Not
Judge! You were not invited to the cool kids’ party. Love, Not Judge! Your crop of garden tomatoes just didn’t make it this year. Love, Not Judge!
Let go of judgment and open yourself to accept using this magic little mantra.
It is amazing the
transformation that this phrase can create. Maybe not overnight, but it
will unfold. When you get in the habit of spotting your negative
critical judgments, and consciously eradicating them, you begin to
raise your personal frequency. When you add the element of love and
acceptance, then miracles happen!
So tuck this phrase in your
pocket, hold it in your heart, stick it on your mirror and your
computer, and write it on a piece of paper in your wallet. Do whatever
you have to do to remind yourself that you have a choice of being a
judge or being an accepting force for love!
Posted by Wanda El
March 31, 2009
For those of you who are not familiar with
this common condition – entitle-itis is when we feel that someone owes
us something, and we take action in our life based on this belief. Most
folks believe they don’t suffer from this condition; however anyone
with an ego can exhibit symptoms of this dreaded disease!
Entitle-itis occurs when we are so centered within our own dream of
life that we cannot see what is happening in someone else’s life. Often
we ask for favors from others without considering first what effect our
request might have on them. We only know that we need something and we
are going to get what we need in the moment. However this is ego
expressing itself as we are not necessarily being thoughtful of others. It’s amazing how many people exhibit this condition in reference
to their parents. Often we feel that our parents should behave the way
we think they should and/or be available for baby-sitting or whatever.
Or we expect our family to bale us out of every unpleasant situation we
get ourselves into or give us money. Others feel their parents owe them
an inheritance or that because their parents were unkind to them in
their childhood (from their point of view of course) that their parents
should have to pay for the error of their ways for the rest of their
lives. I often observe people who are snippy and cutting whenever they
can be as a way to get back at their parents. Truthfully, most folks
don’t even hear the way they speak t their parents because they have no
awareness of what they’re doing or why. But when others witness you in
action you may be asked: Why do you talk to your parents like that?
Another example of entitle-itis takes place within relationship. For
example, when we expect that our partner should know what we want or
need, or that they should be there to please us or make us happy.
Perhaps we expect that we are entitled to sex, a clean house or a daily
meal. Maybe we feel that our partner should want to do the things we
want to do, go to the parties and social events that we enjoy, or even
have the same opinions about things that we do.
Another example of entitle-itis relates to my personal websites. Many
people will email me to ask questions about information that is clearly
displayed on my website. Why? Well because it is easier for them to
email me than to take the time to look the information up themselves.
Often folks get upset with me because they cannot open the newsletter,
audio file or a download. But the truth is they have not taken the time
to understand how their computer works and are projecting their
frustration and impatience out on me. We do this same thing in our
lives when we interrupt others to ask them where something is when we
could have taken a minute to try to find it ourselves. There are so
many examples of entitle-itis, the list is endless. The key is
awareness. As students of spirituality it is up to us to take
responsibility for our behavior and to stop this dreaded disease in its
tracks.
Here are a few helpful things to help keep your ego in check:
• Understand first and foremost that no one owes you anything!
• When you ask someone for something, ask yourself first if you really need their assistance or are you being lazy?
• Just because you haven’t taken the time to figure something out, it
doesn’t mean that others should take away from their time to teach you.
• Be aware of how you feel when you do not get what you want, and take
responsibility for your unmet expectations rather than projecting your
irritations outward onto others.
I encourage you all to invest in yourselves and do your best to become
intelligent participants in life. This requires us to be responsible
for ourselves and not to depend on others or feel like they owe us.
Only a victim of life behaves this way.
Of course you can ask for help if you need it, but ask without
expectations, and if you don’t get what you feel you need, then ask
someone else without projecting your anger. If you do this, you will
notice that people want to do things for you and your needs will always
be met with love and grace. But this can only happen once you are
generous and are no longer operating from your needy ego.
Posted by Wanda El
March 29, 2009
"How do I let go, God?"
God whispers, "Simply let go."
"HOW do I let go?"
God whispers again, "Just let go."
"HOW do I LET GO!?"
God whispering, "..open your hand."
"How do I love, God?"
God whispers, "Simply love."
"HOW do I love?"
God whispers again, "Just love."
"HOW do I LOVE!?!"
God whispering, "..open your heart."
Do we get so caught up in the "act" of doing and end up forgetting
about just "being". We may hold something in our hands soo tightly in
the cookie jar we forget, in order to get the handful of cookies we
need to let go, in letting go we obtain what we most desire, albeit,
one at a time...
We may hold angry and hurt feelings, emotions that hinder us from
becoming who we are meant to be. In order to find that love we
most desperately need, (human and divine love) we need to open our
hearts, in letting go we obtain what we most want and desire, it is
our inheritance.
How do we know if and when it comes time to 'let go' we won't be
dashed to bits by unseen malevolent forces...the scary UNKNOWN!!
What is the UNKNOWN?
How do we know when to "let go"?
I believe the answer is found deep within. It's very subtle until you discover it by opening the eyes of your heart.
It's time to let go of any desire to possess. What does this really
mean? Is it possessing feelings, emotions and ideas? Or locking
yourself into what you perceived to be true? In clinging in order to
possess, we cannot get our hand out of the cookie jar, in other words,
we are unable to see any higher dynamic at work. We fail to see there
is more for us waiting. Clinging too tightly does not allow for divine
harmony and synchronistic events to occur for expansion of
consciousness and the soul's growth. When we hold something so very
true and dear to us, we fail to see other truths and opportunities
knocking at our door.
Just because we don't sense things by the normal senses, we can simply
"know" there are things beyond the norm on various levels. We don't see
them, but they are real. We don't see the other side of the
UNKNOWN because we have not learned to trust ourselves to look past
any "walls" out of fear. In letting go we are saying "I trust you
Spirit".
Trusting in Spirit of things we cannot tangibly see as a whole because of
the vastness it encompasses, can be extremely tough for our minds to
handle. When the heart speaks softly we listen more intently. We need
to shift our focus to the heart for guidance when our minds cannot
make sense of what is happening around us. Does this sound familiar??
I believe this "knowing" transforms into internal peace which lends
us the courage to somewhat understand that.
"It's ok to let go"
"It's alright because you are most loved"
"You are protected and cared for"
"You are never alone"
"I Am always with you"
If Spirit says that, who are we to second guess the Divine? Yes we
may stutter and say, "But, but, but, but..you have to be kidding me!"
After a while when the mind slows we understand and "know" it is the
integration of Heart and Mind working together to let go *willfully*
with strength and courage. I believe our lives our trained for such
so when the time does come we can "let go" and "love unconditionally
and consciously" to the very depth of our souls.
Remember the meaning of true Love and just "let go".
You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain!
Posted by Wanda El
March 25, 2009
Respect
is love in plain clothes
Besides being ‘love
in plain clothes,’ respect is a gift most people hunger
for. Songstress and diva Madonna confesses: "I became an
overachiever to get approval from the world." Unlike Madonna,
however, most people don’t admit they desperately yearn
for approval, appreciation, recognition, and respect. If I were
to claim people are starving for recognition, would I be overstating
the case? American psychologist William James (1842 ~ 1910) didn’t
think so, for he wrote, "The deepest principle of human
nature is the craving to be appreciated."
Take another
look at what William James wrote. He taught that we CRAVE approval;
he didn’t say we NEED it. This is an important distinction,
for just because we WANT approval doesn’t mean it’s
necessary for our happiness. True, some psychologists teach that
we NEED approval, but the problem is they are confusing the needs
of a child with that of an adult. When I was an infant, I needed
diapers, but as an adult I don’t need them any more (okay,
that may be in bad example, for in a few more years, I may be
needing them again).
Joking aside,
an infant’s need for approval is genuine. After all, we
have all read about cases in which infants have been disposed
of in garbage containers by their confused and desperate mothers.
Had enough time passed for the parent and child to bond, throwing
the baby into the garbage would have been unthinkable. The need
for approval doesn’t end with infants. For young children
also need approval from their parents to develop confidence and
feelings of self-worth, without which they’ll be unable
to cope in the world as adults.
Mature adults
are independent and do not need the approval of others. How many
brilliant thinkers, visionary leaders, imaginative inventors,
and creative artists were laughed at and scorned by the then
unappreciative masses? Fortunately for the world, those who were
ahead of their time did not let the disparaging remarks of others
stop them. If the world is to benefit by our contributions, no
matter how small they may be, we must follow the examples of
those brave souls who did what they thought was right with no
regard to the criticism they received.
When you look
for approval from others, you lose the freedom to be yourself.
The Latin Poet Claudius Claudianus, who wrote nearly 1600 years
ago, expressed the same idea, "The person who seeks all
their applause from outside has their happiness in another's
keeping." Even more to the point was The Tao Te Ching, which
was written in China about 2400 years ago. In it, it says, "Care
about people's approval and you will be their prisoner."
Yet, many people
still believe they NEED the approval of others for their happiness.
Their minds are full of destructive thoughts such as: "I
CAN’T STAND IT when people disrespect me. I HAVE TO be appreciated
by others because if I am not, that means I am WORTHLESS. I MUST
get the recognition I deserve from others." As adults, we
are capable of rational and critical thinking, and we need to
use it to dispute and challenge any ideas that threaten our happiness.
Let’s
begin by using critical thinking to analyze the above negative
thoughts. "I CAN’T STAND IT when people disrespect
me" really means "I AM UNHAPPY when people disrespect
me." Who says you can’t stand to be disrespected? Who
says you CAN'T LIVE without approval, CAN'T STAND being rejected,
HATE to be ignored, and MUST get attention? You do! You make
your own rules for life. But why would you want to make rules
that work against you? Don’t you realize it’s impossible
to be appreciated by everyone? Isn’t it impossible to go
through life without being disrespected by someone? So, if you
believe that you MUST be appreciated to be happy, you automatically
condemn yourself to unhappiness! Does that make sense? Is that
rational? The lesson, then, is don't demand approval. Don’t
expect it. Simply prefer it. We don't need approval from EVERYONE
any more than we need an unlimited amount of food. Obviously,
we need SOME food for survival and happiness, and so it is with
approval.
Besides, what
is this nonsense about not being able to stand it? What exactly
will happen if someone disrespects you? Will you melt? Change
into a pillar of salt? Explode into a thousand pieces? No, you
will simply fume. Why will you get angry? Because you made it
your rule. So, change the stupid (irrational) rule. Change it
to: I not only CAN but WILL tolerate disrespect and criticism
from others because my happiness is more important than their
weaknesses. Aren’t others rude to you because they feel
threatened by you, feel insecure, lack confidence, or are jealous
or envious? Why get upset about THEIR weaknesses?
Let’s
anayze the second negative thought, "I HAVE TO be appreciated
by others because if I am not, that means I am WORTHLESS." The
first part of this thought means, "I will be UNHAPPY unless
I am appreciated." That’s just a stupid (irrational)
rule, so change it for the reasons already given. The part about
being WORTHLESS is equally irrational. Will the value of the
Mona Lisa decline if you do not appreciate it? Of course not!
Why will your value disappear just because someone does not appreciate
it? The answer, obviously, is it will not fade or disappear,
but remain intact. So, give up that silly notion.
Now, let’s
look at the third, and final example of a negative thought: "I
MUST get the recognition I deserve from others." The first
part is based on an irrational rule ("I MUST"), so
change the rule. As for the rest of the negative thought, what’s
the problem about getting the recognition you deserve? I always
get the recognition I deserve. I get it from myself. Why would
I need someone else to tell me what I already know? Don’t
YOU know when you do something worthwhile? Isn’t that enough
recognition? Admittedly, it’s always NICE to be recognized
by others, but it isn’t NECESSARY. So, don’t make your
happiness contingent on the whims of others. As long as we strive
to become a VALUABLE person instead of a RICH person, we will
receive all the self-approval we hope for.
It is helpful
to remember how much others want to be accepted and appreciated.
Why? Because armed with that knowledge, we can make their lives
more pleasant by treating them with respect. Not because we are
obligated to do so, but because we want to do so. For like St.
Francis de Sales (1567 ~ 1622), we will come to realize that, "God
is present everywhere, and every person is his work." So,
you see, when we become bearers of gifts and offer our approval
to everyone we meet, we become more than kind; we become Godlike.
A worthy ambition, don’t you agree?
Posted by Wanda El
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