HOME SWEET HOME
A Bird
Grasping a Thin Branch... “A
bird grasping a thin branch” reminds me of that beautiful
song: Be like a bird, who, halting in her flight
On a limb too slight, feels it give way beneath her;
Yet sings, sings, knowing she has wings;
Yet sings, sings, knowing she has wings.
This is a lovely metaphor for a life that is full of Grace.
There are difficult times, but a person who feels upheld and
supported by Divine Presence need never be afraid.
This has been true a million times in my life. Most of my
life the branches I have perched upon have been slim to
downright twiggy. How I have made it thus far always seems
like miracle after miracle to me, as those thin branches
buckled and broke... every time there was a way out, a person
who came to help, a solution.
Over time I have learned not to panic when I feel the branch
is about to go. Singing is good, dancing too, and writing.
Sometimes flight is the answer.
When I look back at my life I remind myself that in all
these years I have never missed a meal, never had to go a
night without a bed, or a roof over my head. When I have
been in despair friends have shown up, or when they didn’t, I
found other ways to cope.
My feeling at this point is that I am going to make it. All
futures are uncertain because they haven’t happened yet. But
as each moment unfolds I will be here at the center singing
and trusting that my thin branch will hold. And should the
branch fail, trusting that my wings will be sufficient to
carry me skyward once again.
Planning
Ahead
Often
we don't think about the whole "thoughts create reality"
concept until we are in a crisis. Then we might stop for a
minute and think, "How did I ever get myself into this
mess?" and then, "How do I keep this from happening again?"
Things can change in an instant but truly "creating a life
you love" can take time and long range planning. I think
creating a beautiful life can be like creating a magnificent
sculpture... you chip away at what seems like rock solid
reality, believing and hoping that beneath it all is a
vibrant, creative human waiting to be set free.
It is January now and I have been reviewing my current
situation and thinking about what changes I want to see in
the next year. Having done this many times before I am a bit
jaded about New Year's Resolutions. I know I can write down
"Go to the gym three times a week." and "Loose forty
pounds." and then do absolutely nothing to make it happen...
and guess what? Nothing will change. One reason why nothing
changes in that area is that I am very committed to avoiding
discomfort, and to eating often. These two underlying
commitments suck me back into being a couch potato year
after year.
One of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein goes
something like this: "You can't solve a problem with the
same level of consciousness that created the problem in the
first place." Truly transforming your reality requires a
change in your thinking AND an elevation of consciousness.
To achieve this it is often a matter of finding a way to
inspire ourselves. If you attack your thoughts head-on
saying, "I am going to stop being so lazy right now!"
chances are nothing will change. I have one friend who was a
very overweight man most of his life. I know he tried many
different diets and exercise plans, reaching 400 lbs at his
top weight. What turned things around for him was meeting a
personal trainer who took a real interest in helping him get
past the stumbling blocks that had tripped him up before.
Their friendship inspired him more than any New Years
Resolution ever could.
So instead of working directly on changing your problems, I
suggest you start by finding places of true inspiration in
your life. If dieting is hard focus on really learning how
to cook delicious healthy meals. If working out at the gym
is too dull, how about ballroom dancing? Allow your emotions
and imagination to inspire your choices.
It
does all boil down to choices, and making choices is a
moment to moment thing. However it helps if you can define
some guiding principles to help you make those choices.
There are probably some guiding principles already at work
in your life. You may have decided long ago to live by the
Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you." If you are married you may have made a decision to be
committed to your partner through thick and thin. You may
have decided that being number one in a certain area of your
life would be what would define you. It is a good idea to
write these ideas down and figure out if the choices you are
making are really in alignment with what you value. One area
where I was shortchanging myself was in the area of
spending. I tend to put everyone else first and frequently
end up with not enough money to pay for my medicines. I had
to make rules to put myself first, and to put my health
needs high on the list when it comes to funds allocation.
Just making a few basic rules can really improve your
chances of making good decisions in a moment of impulse.
Another strategy of talented reality creators is having a
plan... not just a "Today" plan, or a "Year at a Glance"
plan. Try starting with a 250 year plan! How would you like
to be remembered? What is your legacy for your family, your
country? Our current behaviors and choices are already
affecting that future, and so the choice to affect the
outcome begins now with a 250 year plan, a 100 year plan, a
fifty year plan, a decade plan with annual and monthly
updates. Where are you headed? What are you living for?
Answering these kinds of questions can help you to find
inspiration to make changes in the present moment.
Envisioning yourself going sailing with your grandchildren
may inspire you to take better care of yourself today.
Happiness
Latest research
seems to point to optimism
as being the attitude of winners. In the long run,
and no matter what happens to you it is always better to
face life with a positive attitude.
Two people can experience the same event in two entirely
different ways with entirely different effects on their
bodies and minds. So the rule of thumb is
positive self-talk.
No matter what happens tell yourself why this is a good
thing, and watch your life transform.
Positive self-talk
is known to positively affect your heart and other body
functions. Apparently we are easily fooled, and in
this case it is really great to be a happiness fool.
These are some of
the things that bring me happiness:
companionship &
communication
feeling healthy
natural beauty
creating art
children
dogs
cats
making my home nice
spirit
having enough money, food, shelter, clothes etc.
and some
to share
serendipity & synchronicity
( when the universe talks back to me)
learning and discovery
What makes you happy? Finding out what you really,
really, really, really want may be the key to
discovering your own happiness.
Try using this video as
a quick meditation any time you need to center your self and
re-calibrate your intentions. Creating Your Reality
involves staying focused in a calm, creative space that is
open to possibility.
Oprah has
chosen this book for her next book club selection. She
is also offering a free 10-week interactive Web class
starting March 3rd, 2008.
The Nature of Reality The world, as we experience it, the physical planet, our bodies,
etc. are made up of particles that are responsive to our thoughts, sounds,
and images.
Suppose you have an idea about something that you want. In your
mind's eye you can see that thing clearly. You think about it a
lot and talk to people about it. Wherever you go you notice its
presence or absence. You imagine yourself, owning that thing,
playing with it, working with it. You begin to make choices in
your life based on how much closer to your desired goal each choice
brings you. Eventually the desired object becomes yours.
Why? There are several important factors in manifesting what you
want, whether it be a new car, the perfect mate, or world peace.
It all follows the same pattern because the nature of our reality is
that reality responds to our words, thoughts,
beliefs, images,
and choices.
Happiness cannot be found through great effort and
willpower, but is already present, in open
relaxation and letting go.
Don’t strain yourself, there is nothing to do or
undo.
Whatever momentarily arises in the body-mind has
No real importance at all, has little reality
whatsoever. Why identify with, and become attached
to it,
passing judgment upon it and ourselves?
Far better to simply let the entire game happen on
its own, springing up and falling back like waves,
without changing or manipulating anything and
notice how everything vanishes and reappears,
magically, again and again, time without end.
Only our searching for happiness prevents us from
seeing it. It is like a vivid rainbow which you
pursue without ever catching,
or a dog chasing its own tail.
Although peace and happiness do not exist as an
actual thing or place, it is always available and accompanies you every instant.
Don’t believe in the reality of good and bad
experiences; they are like today’s ephemeral
weather, like rainbows in the sky.
Wanting to grasp the ungraspable, you exhaust
yourself in vain. as soon as you open and
relax this tight fist of grasping,
infinite space is there open, inviting and
comfortable.
Make use of this spaciousness, this
freedom and natural ease. Don’t search any further
looking for the great awakened elephant, who is
already resting quietly at home in front of your
own hearth.
Nothing to do or undo,
nothing to force,
nothing to want,
and nothing missing.
Emaho! Marvelous!
Everything happens by itself.
Often
we don't think about the whole "thoughts create reality"
concept until we are in a crisis. Then we might stop for a
minute and think, "How did I ever get myself into this
mess?" and then, "How do I keep this from happening again?"
It
does all boil down to choices, and making choices is a
moment to moment thing. However it helps if you can define
some guiding principles to help you make those choices.
There are probably some guiding principles already at work
in your life. You may have decided long ago to live by the
Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you." If you are married you may have made a decision to be
committed to your partner through thick and thin. You may
have decided that being number one in a certain area of your
life would be what would define you. It is a good idea to
write these ideas down and figure out if the choices you are
making are really in alignment with what you value. One area
where I was shortchanging myself was in the area of
spending. I tend to put everyone else first and frequently
end up with not enough money to pay for my medicines. I had
to make rules to put myself first, and to put my health
needs high on the list when it comes to funds allocation.
Just making a few basic rules can really improve your
chances of making good decisions in a moment of impulse.
About Happiness