Humility

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less."

Rick Warren

Interesting that during a recent session of Scalar Heart Connection 'humility' came up as the opposite of anxiety or worry.

It gave me pause for thought.

Is it ego then that pushes us to think we can do something about our concerns, goads us to take control, convinces us action must be taken when maybe it cannot in the moment. I imagine this is the kernel of anxiety or worry. The question comes up "What can I DO?"

Humility's question might be "What can I ALLOW?" or "What can I become open to?"

It is a softer more loving energy that creates flow rather than tension, blockage or harshness.

I have been keeping this in mind since it came to my attention and as the quote above invites, I have been attempting to think of the needs of those around me and trusting that everything is conspiring for the good. It feels healthier.

It is not what I would have thought of as humility previously, but it makes sense to me now.

What do you think?

Listen

Listen.
What do you hear?
Right now I hear a bus passing outside and a child turning the page of a large book.
I listen some more and I can hear a newspaper being folded and as I close my eyes to eliminate distractions I become aware of my breathing. I cant hear it but I feel it.

How often each day do we actually feel our breathing, maybe with a sigh, or a yawn.
Breathing is one incredibly powerful way to control our stress levels and consequently impact our health. And the best thing is - its free!

Listening and becoming aware of our breathing is the first step to body consciousness. So often we are unaware of our bodies. I know this has been so for me for most of my life. I am a head centered person, thoughts running me here and there and keeping me occupied for hours on end. What can I read on the internet, what can I watch on TV, find me a good book, write me a journal, who can I call...OMG it wears me out! And there's more.

Probably over 20 years ago I made my first attempt to meditate. It was a disaster! Yet I knew there was something there for me. I came back to it after a decade had passed. Slowly, slowly I began to release myself to it's benefits.
The benefits to me are the release of fear. When I sit and simply be, allowing what is, being with my body and beyond that the ether/energy/life. Imagining the universe is breathing me, I allow the knowing, that the spacious place within me is the same place I came from and the place I am going to, beyond this life. Its not a scary place of oblivion with which my ego/mind fights. It is a peace that goes beyond understanding.
Meet me there.
Listen.
Do you feel your breathing as you close your eyes.
This is the gateway.
Come on inside.
Listen.

Last Days of the Old

I just heard the news of the passing of an old family friend who had reached the spectacular age of 102. She let go of her body after already letting go of so much, including friends and loved ones. We all must let go of so many things along lifes road.
In these last days, of what is soon to become the old year, it is a great time to reflect on what you would consciously like to leave behind you. 

Its also a great time to set intentions. Wayne Dyer wrote a beautiful book called The Power of Intention. He says the intention we set must not be self serving or material, it is more about a state of consciousness. 

“ Its not about attracting what you want, but attracting what you are. You have to just be. You have to let go. You have to allow. You have to be free and make this your consciousness. Basically, what you would see is a frequency (of energy) that manifests itself through the process of giving, of allowing, of offering and of serving. It asks nothing back.”

I think this is a worthy intention; to be true to oneself, with honesty, and kindness, in reverence and consideration for all life and in service to humanity. Being in the flow of life as our unique selves, with the gifts we have to share and the blessings we give asking nothing in return but the simple joy of showing up, fully present to life. That is my intention this year, to release any efforts at forcing, or feelings of struggle, to let go of efforts to control or manipulate outcomes, to make no judgment of good or bad but to adopt a Buddhist mantra;

"Everything that happens to me is the best possible thing that can happen to me."

I know this wont always be easy when things dont go pleasantly but I do believe I can grow from every experience that comes my way and I allow this to happen. I attract what I am by letting go.
What are you intending or allowing in the New Year?

Hope springs eternal!

“Hope is the dream of a soul awake.”
French Proverb



Have you ever come to that place of feeling a situation was hopeless. It seemed like nothing could make things better, either you were out of ideas or someone involved just didn't seem to have the heart or incentive to change their choices. Well, let me tell you from personal experience, be prepared to be surprised, because hope does spring eternal.



When I come across this type of situation in my own life now, or in the life of someone who has come to me for prayer, I absolutely know that nothing is impossible in Spirit. No matter how bleak or impossible the situation may seem. I have been astonished too many times to give credence to what I see with my eyes or even feel anymore.



Our feelings are not realities, they are just the result of what we are telling ourselves. For example if we are saying to ourselves "This will never work, don't even try" or "She'll never change." or "I give up, its hopeless" then you can just imagine how these words do not serve to increase our feelings of well being or allow us to envision something new! Very often we don't see the entire picture, our narrow perspective doesn't encompass the immense possibilities always available.

If we can let go of our declarations of doom and disaster for a moment and open to Spirit's vision, simply allowing for alternatives for just a moment, I think we will be pleasantly surprised. I guarantee it actually. It has never failed me. Have you ever had a similar experience? I'd love to hear about it.


“In all things it is better to hope than to despair.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Jury Duty

“I think a man's duty is to find out where the truth is, or if he cannot, at least to take the best possible human doctrine and the hardest to disprove, and to ride on this like a raft over the waters of life”
Plato (428 BC-348 BC)

The attorneys acknowledge everyone wants to be out of the courtroom. When we get the notice and have to call in and see if we are required, we pray to be released from the burden and the disruption to our lives of the dreaded jury duty! We resist and complain and moan loudly! We think up excuses and discuss strategies to evade it. We give it a lot of energy.
Naturally I prefer to get on with my life too and I understand the frustration but isn't it a bit like a child's tantrum when he is told it's bedtime. Isn't resistance futile! Might it not be a great opportunity to practice non resistance and allowing the flow.
Emmanuel Teney said “As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.” This includes jury duty as much as you may resist it! If you are meant to be the one to hear and judge the validity of the testimony of someone accused of a wrong or someone trying to escape the consequences of his action then you will be there. And your world will not fall apart though it be disrupted. If not, you will not.
This is my truth that I "ride on like a raft over the waters of life." It's not so much, what will be will be and things are preordained but that I have control of my response to what happens to me. What I think is right for me is often out of self preservation or wanting to maintain the status quo but in the bigger picture there is so much more going on. I affirm today that we let our greater good prevail and loose the ties of our small thinking. And may you be most pleasantly surprised by the results.