Giving Up the Need To Be Right

We all love to be right. The recent trends in our culture have exacerbated that tendency, from excess litigation, to the common phrase of "it's just business", we are fraught with excuses that give us the green light to do whatever it takes to achieve that "win". We choose our "side" first, then decide how to back it up to make us feel right.

In the political arena, we see it constantly. Those who are "against" a candidate or leader send blazing emails to everyone they know to bring him/her down, rarely taking the time to check the validity of what they are sending, simply interested in being right. This comes from BOTH sides, because both sides are so focused on winning the "wrong" or "right" argument that they take little time think about finding truth or compromise, little time to get to the heart of how we can solve problems, engrossed instead on how our side can win the next election.

This tendency is not confined to the political arena...it is in most everything we do. Is is paramount in our religious and spiritual conversations. These, to me, are the most important ones, because if we can grow spiritually...truly growing, rather than just focusing on winning...our other problems, both individual and collective, will begin to disappear. It is our constant need to fight to be right that fuels our problems. There is a saying that "what we resist, persists", when we go against something, it is given power. This is what JUDGMENT is all about. When we judge something, we are actually contributing to it. When we take a fighting stance against it, we are in a negative energy; when we accept others views with respect - even if we disagree - our energy is positive and can usher is a light that will create miracles.

But where do we begin? Our world is so caught up in being right that it sometimes seems that it would be impossible to create any lasting effect. However, numerous studies on energy (done in scientific fashion) have indicated that having a mere 3% of positive thought can have enough impact to tip us in the other direction (that tells us a little about how our positive vs. negative thoughts stack up right now!).

Mother Teresa said, "I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there." This is an example of choosing positive thought over negative thought. When we are against something, we are pointing out that someone else is wrong...we are caught up in our need to be right. When we shift our thoughts to a positive one, such as "pro-peace" it changes the entire perspective, minimizing the resistance. A single positive thought is exponentially stronger than a single negative thought, which is why it would only take a small percentage of truly positive thinkers to change the world.

YOU can be part of that 3% by simply changing your thoughts from negative to positive. Expect the best rather than the worst, see the good in others rather than the bad, spend your time building on positive things rather than tearing down what you oppose. You will notice a change around you...you will begin to attract more positive people...those who are excessively negative may not be able to handle the shift, and may even attack or become hostile to try to get you back into the negative camp, but will simply drift away if you persist in a positive light. I say this from my own experiences, where I felt the need to be right, the desire for validation, but instead shifted into detachment from that necessity. It brought peace to me and eliminated the conflict. It lifted me up and opened the way for greater things within me.

At this time of year when we think of peace, love, and giving...choose to give the gift of positive thought...give up the need to be right, show respect without personal attack when you debate an issue, or simply agree to disagree when it seems that differences cannot be resolved. Detach your ego from the discussion. We often say that we want peace in the world, yet the only way to achieve that is to have peace within ourselves...we cannot encourage peace if we do not have it within us. Conflicted hearts bring on conflicted ways, but contented hearts bring on joy and harmony. Find peace and serenity in yourself and your surroundings, and you will help change the world.

Revisiting St. Francis

One of the most beloved prayers from which many of us derive comfort is the Prayer of St. Francis (of Assisi). It offers an avenue to our Higher Selves by reminding us to be a vessel for giving and allowing..."for it is in the giving that we receive". It is an example of not praying for something to be brought to you, rather that things be brought to others through you. If we adopt these thoughts and live them on a more daily basis, we soon realize that BEING love, BEING compassion, BEING forgiveness, brings the same back to us.

When I have difficulties in my life or struggles that seem to hold me down or cause me glimpses of doubt or uncertainty, I try to rely on the Prayer of St. Francis as a reminder that everything I need is within me - by giving it, it is mine. If I feel unloved, giving love changes that. If I feel sadness, giving joy to another changes that. By giving light, I change the darkness that may be around me, turning despair into hope...hope into faith. We often forget that we are capable of making change around us - simply by living change, living a new light, a new way. This is how St. Francis lived - giving of himself.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

No matter how many times I have read or recited this prayer, it always gives me a warm feeling, a wash of warm love, courage, empowerment. On a previous blog post, I wrote about my own "encounter" with St. Francis and how touched I have been by his powerful presence around me. This post is entitled, "How Spirit Speaks" (click on title to link to post). It was an incredible example of how God and Spirit are there, waiting to connect with us, if we find the faith to step outside of our tight boundaries and seek that greater connection. It was a powerful moment of faith for me, and is one of the many moments of grace that have helped me follow this journey of healing and connection, helping others find their way through sharing my experiences...in turn, helping me see more miracles through them...helping me feel the power of God more readily by being a vessel for that unconditional love, that energy that heals all things. By sharing faith, I receive more faith, just as St. Francis did.

(Click here for link to previous St. Francis post).

Behold the Turkey Vulture

A few years ago, when I felt led down a new path of a deeper spiritual journey, I encountered a turkey vulture, not on the roadside cleaning up remains of a dead animal, but up close and personal, diving and circling all around my house within about 10 feet of me. This went on for several minutes before the bird soared away, and somehow I knew that this unusual display was more than chance, that some higher power was trying to get my attention. I had had several previous odd, direct, and profound encounters with birds or animals several times. With each occurrence, I had known from the feeling that came over me that there was some deeper connection or meaning, some presence and power surrounding the event. This time, I did not even know what kind of bird this was as it soared like an eagle in front of me, because I had never seen a vulture so close up in flight, had never imagined that a vulture could be this graceful and beautiful, but I was able to ascertain what it was because of it's distinctive red head that looked a little like a turkey (hence the name).

Ancient cultures understood how God and Spirit can speak to us through animals. Native Americans also used animals in their spiritual practices, or looked to them as symbolic messengers. I knew deeply that these birds and animals that came to me in unusual and undeniable ways were calling me to a greater purpose, each providing some sort of guidance or wisdom. My discerment has not led me incorrectly, rather it had connected me to deeper serendipidous events or guided me down my path. Knowing this, I started reading about the Turkey Vulture to derive more meaning from my messenger.

I learned that the turkey vulture's wing span is approximately 6 feet wide (I can vouch for their incredible size from this animal soaring within 10 feet of me on my deck!). Their task in life is to clean up the mess, but an even more interesting aspect of the turkey vulture is that it is the only bird (or presumably only animal) whose feces is disease free. So the turkey vulture kindly cleans up dead carcasses or rotting flesh, then purifies them from any bacteria - making them perhaps natures most perfect cleansing animal. They struggle with take off and appear awkward in early flight, but once they are off the ground, they soar like eagles (often mistaken as such at a distance), and can fly for hours without ever flapping their wings, riding thermals and currents. The turkey vulture that appeared to me did absolute acrobatics around me, looping effortlessly in glorious flight.

They are gentle and non-aggressive creatures, never killing, only cleaning up the mess of what has already been killed. A turkey vulture's means of protecting itself is not to fight or caus harm, but to regurgitate on itself in order to keep its attacker away. It is a meek and gentle being. Since this up-close visit from the turkey vulture, I have often pondered how we tend to judge this animal on its outward, "ugly" appearance and its "gross" habit of being drawn to and eating roadkill, not taking the time to be grateful for its continued deed of being nature's garbage man, gladly cleaning up the messes that others have left behind. We usually fail to see its absolute beauty - glorius flight, peacefulness, and contributing to the good of the earth. I have wondered if some of those "less desirable" humans (in our judgmental eyes) are our turkey vultures, knowing secretly how to soar...knowing things, doing thing that we never take the time to see.

The turkey vulture is symbolic of soulful cleansing, reaching a higher spiritual place...overcoming obstacles that we may encounter when trying to fly, but then soaring like an eagle when we get off the ground...cleansing the world bit by bit, day by day, by offering ourselves in service...being peaceful and non-aggressive, defending ourselves from attack, but only in ways that do not harm others. We should all be more like the turkey vulture. I see the turkey vulture as being much like Jesus and other great spirital masters - peaceful, cleansing, non-agressive, often considered down-trodden or less than desirable by society at large - all the while being a Divine model for us to emulate.

The next time you encounter this bird, see it as beautiful...be grateful to it...acknowledge and thank it...then be more like it in your daily life. The world will surely be a better place if more of us do so.

More On Gratitude...

Last week, I wrote a post about gratitude, and very shortly thereafter, a friend shared an idea on facebook for posting something that we are thankful for every day until the end of the month (the synchronicity of positive thought!) It was a great idea for getting us in the regular habit of consciously being grateful for all of the things around us, rather than focusing on negatives as we sometimes do.

Around that same time, another friend suggested a facebook group called "Days of Gratitude" with the concept of being grateful for something every day. This is a group of three women who are promoting the concept of adopting daily gratitude into your life as a way to usher in change, with the belief that by doing their exercises for 30 days, you will see positive changes. This is a simple way to begin to see and appreciate all of the gifts around you, instead of seeing the obstacles in your way.

To join this group or download their book, search fo "Days of Gratitude" on facebook...or go to their website:
www.daysofgratitude.com

Likewise, if you would like to challenge your facebook friends to post something every day until the end of this Thankgiving month that they are thankful for...it is very simple way to get those closest to you thinking in grateful terms. Spread the gratitude and spread the love!

Living in Gratitude

In the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday at the end of November is a time for being grateful for all that we have. It has become traditional to enjoy a feast in celebration of blessings. The act of gratitude carries a powerful energy, not only in making one realize how much there is to appreciate around us, but also in generating more things to be grateful for. Yes, gratitude generates more blessings, if approached in the proper way.

Many of us have been taught to be grateful, but it is often with the overshadowing idea that we should be grateful because we dont' deserve the things we have. How many times have you heard, "Everything you have is God's...Everything you receive is only by His grace"...This thought process dilutes the power of gratitude. It plants the idea that we do not deserve anything, that we are not worthy of our blessings. While it is great to appreciate God's goodness or the blessings of the Universe, we also need to remember that we are deserving of goodness. It is only when we feel that we are not deserving, that we are bad or unworthy, that we BECOME less.

Guilt makes us feel that we are less than the magnificent beings that we are. It prevents us from feeling God's love. It creates our SEPARATION from God, not our CONNECTION to God. Until we release guilt, love ourselves, and remember our perfection beneath the negativity, we cannot be ONE with God. If Hell is a separation from God, then we create our Hell through guilt, which also tells us that we do not deserve more. Hell is not a place we go to after living a "bad" life, it is what we create in our minds from feeling guilt and unworhtiness.

To return to God/Source and to our own greatness as the Divine beings we were created to be, we must give up guilt and live in true gratitude - a gratitude that includes full acceptance that we deserve our blessings. Once we begin to practice this and believe it, we know that we are here to do more, that we have a greater purpose in this world. We then remember our Oneness with God and return to Heaven, leaving behind the Hell that is simply our own creation.

In this month of giving thanks, make a list of the things you are grateful for, and do so with the thought that each and every good thing you are listing is deserved. Move beyond the things that are easily seen as "good", and become grateful for the "bad" things or the difficulties you have experienced, understanding that they were opportuntities for growth or an avenue to get you where you are now. Forgive others who you may have perceived as doing you wrong and instead be grateful for what they taught you. It will lift burdens and open you up to experience deep joy.

True and complete gratitude will bring you gifts and blessings beyond what you have ever imagined. Make your list...add to it daily....see the good in the hardship...and more importantly, see the good in yourself and know that the best is yet to come and that you deserve it. After you have listed the things you are currently grateful for, make a list of things you will be grateful for in the future...a wish list of sorts. Feel gratitude for them in advance...and watch them begin to unfold.

One of the many things I am grateful for is those of you who read my blogs and have been touched by these thoughts. You are helping me live out my purpose to love, share, and heal. Thanks to each and every one of you.

And the Walls Came Tumbling Down

Tomorrow will mark the twentieth anniversary of the Berlin Wall, built by communists to divide Germany, eliminating freedom, open travel, and personal opportunity for many. During the 28 years that the wall stood, 136 people were killed trying to cross it, while a divided nation felt isolated, restricted, and controlled by the barrier. The celebration upon the opening of the wall was monumental, with many Berliners dancing atop the structure while others crossed in awe and disbelief, excited for the return of personal freedom.

We build many walls in our lives, whether personally or as a society. On a societal level, we have had so many things dictated to us from such an early age that we don't ever even question many of them or examine them for their worth or validity. On a personal level, we succumb to these models for how to do things, rarely thinking from or following our hearts.

Many of us are feeling shifts in thought occurring, particularly relating to our spiritual paths, as well as feeling them in the greater community and world - a change in awareness, consciousness, and vibration that beckons us to seek more, that excites us with its potential for human growth, in a shift from fear and judgment to a place of more acceptance and love. Many Germans never imagined that the wall they had come to accept would ever come down. Most never challenged it but just lived with it as a part of their lives that could not be changed.

Throughout history, significant human change has come when a few committed souls were audacious enough to expect more, to expect change, even in situations where it seemed impossible. Ronald Reagan dared to utter, "Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!" Many, including some of his senior staff, criticized Reagan that his speech was too harsh or "unpresidential", concerned that it made his sound crazy or that it would damage his standing. But he left the remark in his speech, delivered it forcefully and with conviction, going on to declare that it WOULD occur...

"As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner, 'This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality.' Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom."

Reagan ignited the hope of those who believed in a better world, and inspired new faith in those who had not believed.

Many of us feel these shifts in energy and see miracles occurring through faith. We believe that there are changes coming in the world. Many others try to discredit us, dismiss our experiences, or even worse, label our thoughts as evil or dangerous. But we KNOW better. It WILL occur, if we declare it forcefully and bravely, giving others around us the courage to believe, to expand their thoughts, to open themselves up to a greater God, a greater Self, and a greater earth, in spite of the resistance or the nay saying. For, as Ronald Reagan said, it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall of self-limiting thought or controlling religious and social edicts cannot withstand freedom that comes from opening our minds to more.

There are many examples of healing, miracles, joy, and faith that are occurring for those who have changed their thoughts. Science and spirituality are being shown to work hand-in-hand to reiterate the same ideas, rather than disproving each other or being at odds. Those who dare to read, experience, and explore will find more...their walls will come down...their universe will open to more than they ever imagined. Those who do not will be left behind the walls of limitation, of their own choosing. It is simply a matter of which we choose...to live in a new and brighter world that encourages the personal freedom to know God more deeply, or in a world where restricted spiritual thought limits God in our lives, or limits our own greatness.

Be courageous...tear down that wall.

Heal Yourself...All Else Will Follow

My friend Andrea posted a comment on Facebook that I thought was worth expanding. Her comment was "Don't run around and try to heal all your friends and family, do your own work and heal yourself.This will do more good for those around you than anything else."

She practices Reiki and other methods of healing and spiritual exploration, as I do. I think her comment is a beneficial one in examining where we need to focus most. It is wonderful and rewarding to help others around you, whether it be with healing work, assisting them with their troubles, or offering advice; but it is even more important to heal yourself. Ultimately, all healing comes from within, so until one is ready to get real and honest with their own issues and needs, no true and lasting healing can take place. Recurrent problems, even if momentarily minimized or squelched, will rise again, either in the same form or another.

One thing that I have found with healing work is that when others begin to think you have all the answers, it is easy for them to begin to lean on you for all of their fixes, forgetting that each of us always has the answers within ourselves if we are willing to go to our Higher Selves and Source to connect with those answers. Part of helping others is often giving them the morsels that they need, then sending them on their own way, setting them free to learn on their own, like a mother bird sends her young ones off to fly. It is similar to the adage, "Feed a man a fish and he will be nourished for a day..teach a man to fish and he will be nourished for a lifetime"...Show them a way, then let them nourish themselves.

It is important that each of us who is on a journey of healing or who desires to embark on a spiritual path takes the time to heal and nourish ourselves first and foremost. Even if we desire to help others, we must realize that they have to want help (and it is not our place to push it on them), and that they have to be willing to do much of the work themselves, to accomplish healing deep inside. Once one goes within and heals their own body or soul, their light will inevitably touch, inspire, or heal others around them - whether they are actively seeking this or not. Simply being in the right light and vibration has a positive effect on all those around us.

So..if you desire to help others, to be a light to the world, or to contribute to a positive movement in anything, first, heal yourself, take care of yourself...love, value, and appreciate yourself. Then go out and BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

Muddying the Waters

It has become a widely used ploy in our society to muddy the waters over hot issues to prevent them from truly being discussed. Indeed, confusing the topic by changing the subject or stirring up fringe issues is often effective to squelch ideas or eliminate the debate....If you want to get the true debate off the table or avoid a subject directly, throw in a few tangents that will cause the spotlight to move elsewhere.

We see this in politics and government, where many seem incapable of just getting down to the facts, instead, confusing the important topics by throwing in irrelevant garbage or a lot of posturing. We see this in education, where layers of non-sense seem to permeate every facet, instead of just focusing on the issues that need it. We see this in religion, where a sure fire way to sidestep discussion is to throw in a few Bible verses to try to stamp out the discussion without any true communication or meaningful experience. We see this in families and relationships, where those who don't want to deal with issues create turmoil in other ways so that the tough subjects get avoided. If there are other distractions, no one has to face the deeper issues, making it easier to deny their existence.

We also do this in our individual lives. Rather than addressing our own issues or moving forward in our purpose or calling, we think of other things that suddenly need our attention..."I will do it after this dies down... I just can't do it now because of all of this other stuff..." It amounts to mere excuses. We all use them, we all lean on them. They are simply ways to change the subject from what we know we need to do by focusing on why we cannot do them. Others in our lives sometimes use the tactic on us when we try to move forward, applying fear, guilt, or other control tactics to muddy the waters, confuse us, or keep us off of our true goals or the issue at hand.

Once we begin to recognize the tactic rather than getting caught in its confusion, we are able to sidestep the distraction and stay focused. Think about your own life and surroundings...Are there common barriers that come up when you try to take charge and move ahead?...Are there resounding obstacles?...Are there others that tend to get in the way or discourage you, or situations that continue to crop up to prevent your progress? If so, those may be muddied waters, creating illusions to mask the reality, to prevent us from seeing clearly. Once you can see through them, they will no longer get in your way, or at least not as easily. Identifying them is the first step in moving on to a greater place that is more real, less illusion...a place of clarity that moves us beyond the murk and helps us identify our greater purpose.

Take the time to identify the ways in which your waters get muddied, either by you or by others. At first, they can be difficult to identify because we have become so accustomed to succumbing to them, but with time and practice, we become better at recognizing them for what they are. This process can lead you to a more direct path to your Higher Self, a place where clarity and peace will be yours.

Excessive Celebration

I like college football. I love the collective energy, the excitement, and the team spirit that propels players and teams on to be better. Within the last few years there has been a crackdown on what is called "excessive celebration," meant to discourage players and teams from taunting in ways that incite violence or fights on or off the field. While I can appreciate that the rule is designed to encourage sportsmanship and has a purpose, I think it is too often applied inappropriately by the officials. How can a player not show excitement when they have just scored a late-in-the-game touchdown that puts their team ahead in a big game? Celebrating with your teammates in those moments should be part of the game, not something you get penalized for, yet too many times the flag is thrown for simple joy that has nothing to do with taunting anyone.

Recently, I watched an interview with an NFL administrator about this topic. He explained that in the pro league that they would never interfere or penalize someone for praising the Lord (by going to one knee as in prayer, or crossing themselves, raising their hands to heaven...and exhibiting other "accepted" religious behavior). So if I am understanding this correctly...you can celebrate excessively...as long as you are doing it in OUR way...you can "taunt" as long as you do it in the name of God?! :)

The reason I am writing about this sports topic is that I think it is a metaphor for how we lead much of our lives, being discouraged from living in true joy and passion. We are taught the way to do everything - the way to worship, the way to be excited (but not too excited), the way to pray (in a stoic manner), the acceptable plan for life (2.5 kids, a stable job, a house in the burbs...or some similar formula that shows we are successful and stable). It does not take long until our lives are robotic...and we don't even REALIZE that they are robotic because it was hammered into us so early and for so long.

I think this is especially true in our spiritual lives. So many people have been so well trained in their approach to God and spirit that they have lost the magic and of the Universe that is there for our enchantment and joy. (Even the word "magic" is considered bad by some staid religions). I believe that when we are in a true and unencumbered connection with God, that our joy will be overwhelming...our celebration excessive and often difficult to contain. I have had those moments myself, and have even felt the stare or disapproval of those who would be "referees," so eager to penalize anyone who shows too much happiness in their spiritual connection, or who dares to want to share that openly with the world.

Find your moments of excessive celebration, even if in private. That feeling of joy and gratitude will fuel greater things in your life. The more you celebrate what is around you, the more you will see new things to celebrate, new avenues to grow, new opportunities to live out your purpose...to make the world a better and happier place.

The warmup clock has ticked down...Now it is time to kick off your new joy and new life. Will you play or will you forfeit?

Preventative Healing

We hear a lot about Preventative Medicine in our culture, be it well care checkups, immunizations, or tests and scans that are recommended to catch the physical problem before it becomes a bigger problem. I believe we need take that a step further, and heal ourselves from within so that medicine is less likely to be needed. This can be in the obvious form of adopting a more healthy lifestyle or in a deeper form of spiritual healing and nurturing that soothes us so profoundly that we don't manifest outer disease.

Spiritual healers such as Louise Hay and Wayne Dyer refer to disease as dis-ease, meaning that disease is the result of our bodies being "ill at ease" with something...with our path, our relationships...our own inner resistance to our outer situation, which then creates tension and stress in our bodies and ultimately manifests itself in disease. Louise Hay has certainly lived that idea in her own healing of cancer in her body, as well as through the many people who have been helped by her books or those of other Hay House authors. There are many examples in which these spiritual leaders have shown through their own experiences that one can heal physical illness through faith and by ridding the body of things that have caused dis-ease.

While preventative medicine is a wonderful avenue for staying healthier, we should not forget other measures that do not have to do with medication or medical practices, delving into ourselves to find our true path and course, which will then put us as ease, rather than dis-ease. Our health issues can be wonderful clues from above as to what we need to work on, or which directions are not working for us. All that it requires is that we pay attention, in earnest, and take steps to correct our missteps or alter areas that are incongruent with our true plan or purpose. When we begin to live our lives more accurately on our path and rid ourselves of the obstacles (self-imposed or otherwise) that steer us away from our Higher Selves, then our bodies will become more at ease with our choices, through better health, fewer physical problems, looking younger, and other noticeable physical responses.

I speak repeatedly on this blogsite about spiritual guidance through connection to Source, to God, to angels and spirit. I do so because I have seen so many wonderful and miraculous things in my own life and many of those that I have worked with, so I KNOW that it can have an immediate and profound impact on one's life. I feel that I must share that with as many as possible, as many as are willing to listen or open enough to consider the possibilities. There is a great energy that is touching many people at this time to examine their lives, to search for a deeper spirituality, to find and live their real purpose...rather than just living out a routine existence. It is a truly exciting time. If you have ailments that are bothering you, understand that they may have a deeper root than just the medical implication, then search beyond the pills and medicine to try to go to a deeper place within yourself and a higher power beyond what you have known so far. (This does not mean to ignore the medical options, but simply not stop at those for all of your solutions!). If you search earnestly and faithfully, I believe you will find your answers, your healing, your peace.