Always look on the Bright Side of Life!

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. - World Health Organization

Positive mental health is a presence; the presence of positive emotion, the presence of engagement, the presence of meaning, the presence of good relationships and the presence of accomplishment according to Martin Seligman in his book "Flourish." He goes on to explore physical health as it is affected by our mental state and how when we are optimistic and feel we have some measure of power/ input in our healing we are more likely to recover from illness.

If we have had experiences in our lives where we had no control over our circumstances we may have "learned helplessness." Cant you feel the weakness in that state of feeling as if there is no point, that we have no power. It goes hand in hand with pessimism and pessimists generally underachieve in their jobs, in sports, in the classroom and they are more prone to depression.

So there's a lot to be said for looking on the bright side of life, to knowing what you say and do matter, that you have the power to change things. I keep coming back to meditation and that step back we can take as we observe our thoughts and be present to ourselves. Thoughts dictate or lead to our emotions so if we can detach from the thought, knowing we are not victims of them, we can prevent the spiral into fear, gloom or helplessness.  Knowing we have the power to do this gives us mastery of our attitude and can lead to more positive emotion, to engagement and to meaning, those requirements to flourishing and health.
So no matter what circumstance we face in life there is a course of action we can take in becoming present and acknowledging our own power as Spiritual beings. As Seligman concludes "When people flourish, health, productivity, and peace follow."
I can say yes to that! Can you?

Change is the Only Constant

"There are 6 billion belief systems in the world" - Andrew Newberg

Its so interesting to me the way we make sense of the world, each of us doing our best to be at peace with our version of how things are and work. Newberg also says there are huge gaps between the world out there and our inner worldview, so the brain stays busy revisiting its cognitive maps selecting some perceptions, ignoring others and filling in the blanks with conjecture. Busy brains!

No wonder in these times of media bombardment more and more people are turning to meditation. I just attended the Scripps Institute Nursing Conference  in San Diego and witnessed the latest ideas in healing. I was part of the Chakra Pavilion as an artist and Practitioner with Centers for Spiritual Living. I spent three days in a room full of energy healers and it was a delight to see and hear the nurses talk about the work they are incorporating into their medical practices.

Dr. Mimi Guarneri, heart surgeon and head of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine and Healing Hearts Program believes in treating the whole patient - mind, body and soul. She works with cardiac patients using treatments such as biofeedback, acupuncture, guided imagery and hypnotherapy, healing touch treatments, kundalini yoga, cooking classes, stress reduction and meditation!

Beliefs are changing as part of the expanding consciousness of the universe. Are you open to it?
As we meditate, we take a step back from the routine thoughts that may have us stuck in a groove. Try it today and be willing to allow new in. Life can get better, experiences can be expanded, healing can come in unusual and unexpected ways. Just be willing today and see what transpires as you loosen your hold on old beliefs.

What to do for the best.

"In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation... even if it requires having skin as thick as the bark of a pine."—Great Law of the Iroquois


My English friend uses a phrase - its sometimes hard to know what to do for the best! When we pray in Science of Mind we often affirm and pray for what is in the greatest good of all, this is what she means I think, for the best for all concerned including herself.


When we make decisions do we consider everyone in the equation including our planet or do we just consider our own good? Unfortunately too many decisions are made from a selfish perspective, shortsighted or without consideration of the ripple effect.


The Iroquois have a great philosophy I admire. The Ecologically aware community have adapted this idea of seven generation sustainability, a concept that urges the current generation to live sustainably and work for the benefit of the seventh generation to follow. What a difference it could make to think this way.


Our society is more and more consumed with instant gratification, I want it and I want it now. I recall a comment flippantly thrown out by a 19 year old when I commented on the damaging effects of CFCs in spray cans - "Who cares about the ozone if you cant have nice hair." I wish this lack of any deep thought about their actions could be attributed to the young only, but sadly it's not so. I cried when I read about the salmon on the California coast dying out because of run off of chemicals from the farms in the area. What are we doing to our planet! Oh you who hold dominion, ask yourself the question, what can I do for the best? And I don't mean the business owners or industry moguls, though they are included, I am asking you; the everyday consumer of products. Act with your buying power, with the seventh generation in mind. Just change one product to organic today or refuse to buy shampoo with parabens in it. The biggest impact in buying organic is not on your own health but the health of the land we depend on for future food. Think about it.
Let me know if you have suggestions or tell me what you have done lately with the good of humanity in mind.