Start Each Day with 'Thank you'
This is one of the most uplifting videos I've seen. Ever.
Which is right?
Zorba came upon an old man planting an apricot seedling and asked why he, an old man, was planting a new tree. "I live as though I would never die," was his reply.
"And me, I live as though I might die tomorrow, " said Zorba, "which one of us is right?" -Nikos Kazantzakis
Asking for what you want
Melinda taking flight!
What does it take to get what you want?
The scratching stopped abruptly. Could it be that all it took to get the wild animal to stop scratching was to ask him to leave?
The other night, as I got ready to go to bed, I heard a loud scratching noise in the wall. There was something moving around in the wall between my bedroom and the bathroom and it was much bigger than a mouse! Ugh.
I banged loudly on the wall right where the noise was coming from. The scratching continued. I did it again - no change. I tried this several times and then I sat down and thought for a minute. This noise had been going on for several hours - what was the animal trying to do? Who knew? I just wanted it to stop or I wouldn't get any sleep!
I decided to try a different approach. I decided to put my energy toward what I wanted very clearly and directly: Rather than focusing on what I didn't want, I'd simply invite the animal to leave. So - I said very clearly: "Mr Wild Animal - I invite you to stop scratching and go somewhere else. Thank you." I said it again.
Almost immediately, the scratching stopped and there was no more noise. Within seconds of my request, the animal went away! I went to bed. No more noises.
What happened? I simply made a clear request as I focused my energy on exactly what I wanted.
Now, if asking something to leave my life can work this well - what do you think that inviting something I want into my life would accomplish!
Lost
Stand still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you
are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here.
And you must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers.
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
where you are. You must let it find you.
By poet David Wagoner
Purpose
Recently, I've been acutely reminded that 'reality' is just a perception and that by being human, we're often caught up in wanting proof and science to help us believe what is so. We want evidence.
One of the fundamental principles of Quantum Physics is that the simple act of observing something changes the behavior of that 'thing'. By observing the behavior of an electron, the electron limits it's behavior. We only see what we look for, in other words. And if we don't know to look for it, we won't find it. We will find what we expect to find.
And, since we have set ideas about the way things work and what is possible as well as what form things take... we limit what is possible in our world by the small-ness of our thinking and our beliefs about the universe and how everything works.
What do I have to say about that right now?
'I am open to all possibilities each and every moment and I will receive with openness all that this human experience has to offer. I am thankful for this extraordinary experience to be human and I want to experience fully the joys of this life.'
The way it is.
Two years ago, my world was blown apart with the break-up of my relationship with my significant other.
I'd sacrificed many things to be in relationship with him and I felt devastated by the events of his leaving and my lack of control over them.
My business was suffering and my well-being was in question. I had a long way to climb to be the vibrant, happy, independent woman who had entered that relationship several years before.
Today I am happier than I've ever been in my whole life. I remember people telling me that I'd pass through the pain and that I'd look back and feel gratitude for the journey... and I knew they were right, but I didn't see how it was really possible to ever feel any different than I was at that moment. And I didn't see how it was possible to ever forgive him or to love again or to move forward.
How did I get from that to where I am today? One step at a time. One step at a time, I made my way to a new world in which I live today - one that is much, much larger than the world in which I lived a few years ago. A world that I've created for myself with intention and possibility.
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Here's what I've learned about forgiveness: There is no forgiveness. There is nothing to forgive when one truly takes responsibility for one's own experiences and life. There is no one to blame. There is no one to forgive; unless it is to forgive oneself. I am responsible for what I make of things, of events, of people. I am responsible because I create my thoughts, feelings, experiences... I am the source of all that I perceive. Others do what they do. I feel however I feel about what they do; no one is responsible for my feelings, except me. And therefore, no one is to blame for my reaction to what another did; I am responsible for it.
Thus, there is no forgiving another... the only thing is to give thanks for the lesson.
I am so thankful for my lessons. I am so thankful to the man who left - through his actions and my reactions, I have learned so much. Thank you.
There are so many things for which I'm grateful now that I have my life back. I have more love in my life than ever before - and I am the source of that love. I feel a profound connection with my surroundings and I have faith that I will always be taken care of exactly as I require.
Thank you, creator, for providing me all that I require.
Valentine
Is Valentine's Day another 'Hallmark' Holiday or is there more to it?
Valentine's Day is whatever you want to make of it!
Whether you're in a relationship, or on your own, the idea behind Valentine's Day is to share love and brighten the day by giving and receiving.
So, what better way to spend the day than giving your smile, your warmth, your love, and your compassion.
What a beautiful way to spread joy and happiness; by being joyful and happy.
If you are struggling in this moment, you are struggling against the entire universe because it took the entire universe to create this moment.
Let go. If you really want something, let go of it. Surrender. Experience ease.
Begin at the End
Are you setting goals, or resolutions for the New Year?
Maybe you did that last week - and you've already forgotten about them!
Most resolutions are stated in terms of what we'll lose, give up, or stop doing. There's a certain negative connotation within the resolution (such as, needing to lose weight or quit something.)
How about setting a goal that has to do with an action? Like what you want to be able to do, or be... not about losing, but about gaining something for yourself.
If you want to stop smoking, you could state your goal like this: "I am making healthy choices for myself every moment of every day."
If you want to lose weight and plan to go to the gym - state goals that are about what you want to accomplish with your body - how much weight do you want to lift? How fast do you want to run the mile?
And, HOW will you feel when you've accomplished your goal? -- start feeling that way NOW.
'Begin at the end' refers to feeling the way you'll feel when you've reached your goal.
Try it!
Keys
The key to peace is to let go of resistance to what 'is'.
What 'is', is. Resisting 'what is' takes energy, time, effort... and usually anger or some other negative emotion.
If you gave up resistance - what would be present?
Post thoughts to comments.
