May 18, 2009

What's on Your Mind?

This blog has a low readership, and so I am considering stopping to keep it current, even...perhaps...closing it. I have now enabled comments, and and I would appreciate your feed-back. Is this blog meaningful to you? Do you have any ideas about how it can attract more readers? Please let me know what's on your mind.

May 16, 2009

Being Oneself



When you don't play roles, it means there is no self (ego) in what you do. There is no secondary agenda: protection or strengthening of your self. As a result, your actions have far greater power. You are totally focused on the situation. You become one with it. You don't try to be anybody in particular. You are most powerful, most effective, when you are completely yourself.

"How can I be myself?" is, however, the wrong question. It implies you have to do something to be yourself. But 'how' doesn't apply here because you are yourself already. Just stop adding unnecessary baggage to who you already are.


The ultimate truth of who you are is not I am this or I am that, but I Am.

(Eckhart Tolle)

May 12, 2009

Unhappy? Check Your Thoughts.



The only thing that makes the difference in the way you feel right now is the thought that you are thinking right now. It doesn't matter how much money you've got; there are joyful people with no money, and there are unhappy people with lots of money.

How you feel is about how you are allowing the Source that is You to flow. So when we talk about the Art of Allowing, we're talking about the art of living; about the art of thriving; about the art of clarity. We're talking about the art of being who you really are. (Abraham-Hicks)

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Sometimes it's much easier to understand principles when observing them at work in others. In my volunteer work I assist others to obtain food, clothing, and bits of financial help. I find that there is no relationship between their attitude and their actual situation. No matter how dire their actual circumstances are, there are people who have gratitude, hope, and faith, while others with more resources and options see themselves as victims. It's NEVER someone else's fault! You are always in charge.

May 10, 2009

Prayer

May my heart become my only perceiver and my eyes be full of light.
May angel wings be lent to me, that I might fly above
the noise and turmoil of the world.
With every moment's flight may something beautiful be revealed to me
and become part of who I am.


(Marianne Anderson)

May 7, 2009

Awakening

An essential part of awakening is the recognition of the unawakened you, the ego as it thinks, speaks, and acts. When you recognize the unconsciousness in you, that which makes the recognition possible IS the arising consciousness, IS awakening. You cannot fight against the ego and win, just as you cannot fight against darkness. The light of consciousness is all that is necessary. You are that light.
(Eckhart Tolle)

May 5, 2009

Kindness & Integrity

I love simple definitions which are easy for me to remember. Recently, I found definitions for two vague terms: Kindness, and integrity. We all have an idea of what those words mean, but that idea is kind of fuzzy, isn't it? I think that this lack of clarity makes our actions "fuzzy" as well, enabling us to slide by. I'm sure one can add a lot more to the definitions I am going to give you, but why not begin by getting clear on just a few? For those of you who want clarity, here it is:

Components of kindness are:
Compassion
Respect
Generosity


One component of having integrity is honesty:
Stand up for what you believe in.
Stand down from a position where you feel compromised.
Stand back from a situation that doesn't feel right.

May 1, 2009

Working Through Transitions


The elation we feel when we have learned an important lesson, achieved a goal, or had a big breakthrough can sometimes be met with a period of downtime afterward. During this period of transition, we may feel unsure and not know where to turn next. Many people, during the pause between achievements, begin to wonder what their life is about. These feelings are common and strike everyone from time to time. Human beings are active creatures—we feel best when we are working on a project or vigorously pursuing a goal. But there is nothing inherently wrong with spending a day, a week, or even a month simply existing and not having a plan. Just be. It won’t be long before you embark upon your next voyage of growth and discovery.

The quiet lull into we which we fall between ideas, projects, and goals can make life seem empty. After accomplishing one objective, you may want to move immediately on to the next. However, when your next step is unclear, you may feel frustrated, disconnected, or even a mild depression. You may even perceive your lack of forward momentum as an indicator of imminent stagnation. To calm these distressing thoughts, try to accept that if your intent is personal growth, you will continue to grow as an individual whether striving for a specific objective or not. Spending time immersed in life’s rigors and pleasures can be a cathartic experience that gives you the time you need to think about what you have recently gone through and leisurely contemplate what you wish to do next. You may also find that in simply being and going through the motions of everyday life, you reconnect with your priorities in a very organic, unforced way. (The Daily OM)

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Most of us are so accustomed to charging from one thing to another, we feel truly lost when we are in transition.....when we are finished with one thing, and not yet begun the new thing. The first step is to notice that we ARE in transition, that there is really nothing at all "wrong". We need to remember that it's human to feel discomfort, sometimes acutely. It's a period which can be used for introspection and great personal growth if you will allow the gap. For creative people, it is a period of incubation. Lastly, we need to keep in mind that gaps are always temporary, and so is any discomfort we feel.