FEARLESS or FEARFUL

There is a popular quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt about fear. He says, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, nameless, unreasoning, unjustified, terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugrul Address, March 4, 1933.) I like the quote from Pallius in the first century, "What we fear comes to pass more speedily than what we hope". In other words what we give attention to really expands. Frederick Bailes talked about this in 1941 when writing Your Mind Can Heal You....When (someone) glimpses the truth that all the Universal Power flows through their body, they are able to to sit back in quiet assurance with a total absence of fear at the appearance of illness. For their fear has been created by a picture of themselves invaded by an enemystrong, cruel and merciless. What do you picture? How do you see your next year? Which is greater your fear pictures or your hopeful and promising pictures?

Fear is like a bad virus. At first it moves quietly into our psyche. After awhile it begins to fester and infect other thoughts and plans, until what might have been a great thing becomes something to frightening to even try. Sometimes we say that everything is good while we have just beyond the smile the thought of how it all can go terribly wrong. Living with hope and expectations of great things is healthy, wise and opens up things in us that can draw real life, joy, happiness and peace.

We shortchange our lives whenever we don't do all that is in us to do. Do you have a dream? Do you often wonder how much greater your life can be? Step out, get rid of fear. You know that FEAR is false evidence appearing real. Everything you need or want is available without fear.
Peace!

Lessons in Loss and Grieving

I was speakiing to a friend of mine yesterday and she was recounting the death of her dog. We had not been in touch for quite awhile because I had been away during the illness and final transition of my mother. My friend was obviously quite upset about her loss and I realized that what I had to share were the lessons I learned during my grieving process. There are many ideas about how to go through grief. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote a book sbout the stages of grief and how to proceeed through each stage. My conversationos with others who have suffered loss seem to confirm there that there are definitely different periods and degrees of grieving.

We live in a society that spends a lot of time and money telling us how we should grieve and what our funeral traditions should be. I came home from my experience wanting to tell everyone that they should adopt a particular pattern for their grieving. What I have now learned is that none of us should determine how any of us should grieve. Even though I think the process should begin before the loss actually occurs, I no longer am willing to say that everyone can do that. So much of our behavior is attached to our experiences growing up and what we have been taught or have been socialized in. I will say that whatever way you decide to grieve - loss is loss. Whether it is a relative or pet, a friend or neighbor every loss takes something from us. That leaves us with the question of when will we see that loss as an experience for which to be grateful and the door to change in our lives. I so seldom get to see people glad that someone who was suffering (animal or person) has now moved to a better situation that relieves them of their painful life. Gratitude and great memories become the gift that plugs our loss. It may not be a perfect fit or replace the lost peice but it can be good and life renewing. Peace!

Lessons Learned in Loss

I was speaking to a friend on yesterday and she was recounting the death of her dog. We had not been in touch for quite awhile because I had been away during the illness and final transition of my mother. She was obvioiusly quite upset about her loss and I realized that what I had to share were the lessons I learned during my grieving process. There are many ideas about how to go through grief. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote a book about the stages of grieving. My conversations with others who have suffered loss seems to confirm that there are definitely different periods

Tiger Woods acknowledges the need to return to his spiritual roots

The Saturday after Tiger's apology, I heard a news commentator remark that he was surprised to hear Tiger throw in that "stuff" about Buddhism. I do not know if the tone he used or the words he used were about the fact that it was a surpirse to him that Tiger was talking religion and spirituality or that Tiger had been raised a Buddhist? Either way, why should he have been surprised that Tiger would acknowledge that his behaviors were not in sync with his spiritual upbringing.

We are not separate from our spiritual selves. We would like to live as if our choices don't matter, and that we can do whatever we want without doing harm to our spiritual self. This is not possible. Some refer to this kind of living as being unconscious. Being unconscious does not mean that we don't do harm to our spirit when we ignore it. Tiger acknowledged the great harm done to his spirit and the need to find balance, or the need to come into alignment with his source.

I would hope that our commentators would take more seriously the need for anyone (star athlete or not) to acknowledge that they are more than the thing they do or the part they play. The more that persons acknowledge their need for balance, the more the world we live in will change. Imagine if each person really listened to their spirit and chose behavior that honored their spirit, the world would be a different place. Peace!

NOT JUST POSITIVE THINKING

Recently, I have read and heard several newscasters make disparaging remarks about "Positive Thinking". Not only journalist speak derisively about this idea but present day theologians do too. But as one reads these contemporary writers, an important part of what was written in the 19th century material is missing. It was not just the idea that one should keep a positive thought in mind in order to see change in their lives, but that positive thought had to be filled with the emotion of great desire. Napoleon Hill called it a "burning desire" filled with faith, a sure belief that what was being held in mind was indeed something that would improve the life or situation of the person holding the thought. Many people think that they can wish for what they want and they will receive. Positive thinking must be backed by great desire and wrapped in a strong faith that informs the holder that without a doubt they will receive.

Is your thought wrapped in burning desire and held in strong faith?

Is God really the Source?

Hello everyone, I'm sorry I am a day late this week. I have just returned from the grocery store. It is amazing how much food cost have increased in three weeks. As soon as I saw how much everything was, I started counting and figuring what I would need to do to make my money spread over all of my needs. How do I get all the regular groceries and still pay all the bills.

We are socialized to think immediately about what we can do. My first thought should be my God does supply all my needs. My second thought should be gratitude to God for all I have and all that is coming my way. It is easier to say that than live that. We need a new mind, one that has a burning faith and sure knowledge that God is already providing what we do not see. Some believe that what we miss is because of our faithlessness. If you don't expect it it will not come.
Can you hold with a steady faith and a sure knowledge that all you need is on the way? It is not by your action alone that you have, but by the power of God. God is working in you, through you and as you. Your source is God.

Parenting the Spirit-led child

We often think about our spiritual lives. We often forget how important it is that children nurture their spiritual lives. Someone said to me recently that children don't understand what it means to be in alignment with Source. THEY DO! They know better than we do. They have only recently come to this world, away from the love and security of another place. They have not been here long and have not become so jaded and cynical. They have a natural desire to do what is good, to function in love and safety. They are like video cameras, playing back what they have seen and experienced.

Parenting is only difficult for some because instead of simply loving, respecting and gently guiding our children; our family baggage, or personal stories often get in the way of what we choose to do. If not our own bad stories, the bad advice that some educators and psychologists give us as the latest fad in parenting. We get caught up in what everyone has to say about parenting. Spirit speaks to you and to your child. Learn to sit quietly and hear what Spirit says to you and teach your child to sit quietly and hear what their Spirit is saying to them. If they are young hold them so that both of you can sit and hear from Spirit.

Lately, I had been putting more pressure on my teenage grandson to do more, produce more, I finally heard Spirit say that my angst was the problem not that he couldn't or wouldn't be able to do and be what he needs to be when the time comes. Yes, he does have to know what the expectation is and he does have to participate in learning, but the worried energy that pushed me to shout and be short with him are unnecessary.

Listen to your Spirit and make room for your child's Spirit. Listen!