Daily Inspiration 2-28-18

"The ego is our best friend." 

-- Anita Moorjani 

[Classic post from 11-15-16]

Yesterday, I mentioned that I would write about an enlightening view of the ego in Anita Moorjani's latest book, What If This Is Heaven?

Her chapter structure is based on accepted myths and she offers a different point of view for each. Chapter eight is Myth: Spiritual People Don't Have Egos. It's a common idea for spiritual people to overcome or rise above the ego as if the ego is something undesirable and therefore to move away from.

During Anita's near-death experience, she saw and experienced unconditional love, and a oneness, a world without the duality we have here. There an ego has no reason to be, but in recognizing this difference from the life here, she realized that "the ego gives us our sense of identity, our individuality. It's what allows us to know who we are as individuals and to express our uniqueness." She adds, "In fact, were it not for our ability to discriminate--to differentiate through comparison and contrast--nothing would exist in this world." 

Anita states that "When we come into our bodies, we have consciousness and we have an ego. That's why we call this a state of duality." Then after some more discussion with others and their curiosity, she comes to a part that I love because it has it make sense in a simple and visual way.

She says that when we are born it is as if we have two dials, like the volume dials on a stereo, with marks from zero to ten. One is called awareness (another word for consciousness), and the other for the ego. She says that "Having the awareness level set to full blast means we are well aware of our connection with the universe and everyone and everything in it." 

At birth, she says that both dials are turned to ten. But, after a while in this environment with other people influencing us in many ways, one or both dials are more often turned down. We might call this shyness, or one way up and one way down, where if the ego was up and awareness down, this is where we call people egotistical, or full of self.

She adds, "it's not that they have huge egos or have become more egotistical. It's just that they appear that way because their conscious awareness knob is turned way down while their ego knob is still on full. Our empathy for those around us is muted. We believe the ego is who we are." 

If the awareness dial was brought up to the same level, the egotism goes away, allowing the awareness of those around us and for us to be confident in that awareness, and at the same time, our uniqueness.

With the awareness knob way up and the ego way down, we might be a recluse, or could even become a doormat for others so to speak, where we don't consider our own needs and allowing others to take advantage. We need both awareness and ego, and when they are aligned equally, we are at our peak of allowing our own unique expression, and aware of and allowing others that same privilege.

Anita realized that she spent the majority of her life trying so hard to fit into other people's expectations while rebelling at the same time. Both her awareness and her ego knobs were very low. This is also the breeding ground for shame, depression, unworthiness, and powerlessness.

She goes on to explain some ways to see these indications within our own lives and those of others, and where and how we might be of service to others to help them balance their awareness with their ego without trying to fix them. They aren't broken. They are just a bit out of balance.

In the space I have here, I've given but an overview, and I highly recommend this book is worth picking up, even if only for this one chapter. It has certainly opened my mind to a better way of visualizing my own past and present, and how other people may be affecting me, with some methods of creating even better relationships within and without.


Diverse Points Of View Can Lead Perfectly Toward Greater Understanding. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing your own uniqueness to thrive.

Daily Inspiration 2-27-18

"How did we come up with the notion

that life is not okay just the way it is, 

or that it won't be okay the way it will be? 

Who said that the way life

naturally unfolds is not all right? 

The answer is, fear says so." 

-- Michael A. Singer 

[Classic post from 11-14-16]

The questions and answer above are one of the more powerful things that I have learned from Michael A. Singer. The other is to not shut off part of ourselves by resisting.

I was rereading a bit from Bashar about beliefs and how powerful they are, and, as well, how malleable they are, and he came to a place that seemed to mirror Michael Singer's thoughts. He said, "feelings are a reaction to a belief; they are secondary to beliefs. Feelings are not the primary experience of reality; beliefs are the primary interface. First, you believe something is true; then you get the feeling; then you have the reinforcing thoughts--which may re-reinforce the belief; and then you regenerate more of the same feelings." 

There was an objection to his explanation about how many negative thoughts come up and the voices in his head saying, what about this, and that, and the other, etc.

Here's where he mirrors Michael Singer. He said, "Let them come up! So what?!? You see, you are trying to shut portions of yourself off. You think that when you integrate, you will never hear those voices again. and that's not true; you will always hear those voices. As a matter of fact, the more you integrate, the more you will hear them because you are accepting everything, every way you are, into your life. And those are some of the ways you can exist. They come up not to show you you have failed, not to show you you are stuck; they keep coming up to give you the opportunity to realize how much you must have changed. You don't relate to the them same way you used to--unless, of course, you choose to do so." 

As I read that and remembered what I learned from The Untethered Soul, I realize how much I've grown even though the negative talk persists in my head. I think that I must have been thinking that once I get to a certain level of awareness, that the positive would be predominate and that I would overcome. I see now that is not true. Yet it is true that I have become a much calmer, more enlightened person who loves life openly. It is not one or the other, it is simply how one is allowed to pass through without resisting, or turning it into a problem, or stuffing it to chew on later and such. You could say accurately that it is just less resistance, and more allowing. The talk remains, but I simply watch it go by just like sitting at the airport watching people come and go.

In most of my reading of this type of material, it has seemed to me that one big goal was to overcome the ego. As Wayne Dyer said, "EGO is an acronym for Edging God Out." It seemed that the idea of more enlightenment is to negate the ego or rise above it, but in Anita Moorjani's newest book, What If This Is Heaven? she says that the ego is a primary part of us which is what makes us unique in this plane of existence, that we don't want to overcome it. I'll write more about that tomorrow because it is absolutely fascinating and a radically different point of view that makes a lot of sense.

To think the talk will stop is sort of a false objective I think. What is more important than trying to shut it off, is to allow it to pass through without getting stuck inside. Just like the airport analogy, here they come, here they are, there they go--oh, and here comes another and another and there they go. How interesting. . . And just like sitting at the airport watching the diversity of people going by, we have this tendency to like ourselves better and better, and this is equally true as we allow those monkey mind thoughts to flow unobstructed. 


I Am Not My Thoughts; Although, They Are A Part Of Me. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by resisting not. There is no joy in resistance.

Daily Inspiration 2-26-18

"The privilege of a lifetime

is being who you are." 

--Joseph Campbell 

[Classic post from 11-13-16]

I cannot think of many other statements than this one by Joseph Campbell that express the magnificence of life as we know it. We may not always appreciate our lives in this way, but we are certainly worthy of that appreciation.

Wayne Dyer in his book, Living An Inspired Life, states that "it's imperative to eliminate self-perceptions that might cloud our vision or makes us question our Divine magnificence. . . If we want to move from disenchantment to inspiration, or from apathy and indifference to passion and enthusiasm, then it's necessary to alter our awareness of ourselves." 

A Course in Miracles, states in lesson 94 of the workbook an empowering thought for peace within: "I am as God created me."

In all of these thoughts, here is a wonderful affirmation to print out and put on your bathroom mirror, or on your wall, in your purse, or wallet. It is three huge words:

I Am Enough. 

How often do we allow our 'monkey mind' to say how many ways we may not be enough? Words and phrases like 'should,' 'could.' 'need to,' 'ought to,' drag us away from being enough. It might be saying that we aren't slim enough, not smart enough, have made poor decisions in the past, wishing we were healthier, could fit into clothes we still have in our closet but haven't been able to wear for years, have the wrong job, don't make enough money, and the list is pretty much endless left to our monkey mind's own devices.

Let me affirm: I am enough. I am as God created me. 

Whether we believe that this life is the only life we will ever have, or that we have been here many times and many more to come experiencing all manner of lives, in either case, to affirm that we are enough and that we are as God created us, and accept our Divine magnificence, and appreciate the privilege of being who we are at this time in this life, are among the most worthy thoughts we could state as true for us. 

I think that is what an affirmation is. It is a statement of truth for us, even though we may have been ignoring it for some time, or simply forgotten it temporarily. In any case, affirming your Divine truth will bring you back to your magnificence in short order.


You Are Enough. You Are As God Created You. You Are Magnificent. 

Spread Some Joy Today--as you know it is your own true natural state.

Daily Inspiration 2-25-18

"You must learn that nobody can control

everything in the flow of life," said Dart. 

"Control is something we all strive for--but you will find, 

as you become more experienced with magic, 

that you gain more control over yourself 

by releasing your need to control life." 

-- A. Grace Martin, Spirit Rider 

[Classic post from 11-12-16]

Last Tuesday's election is among the most fascinating in U.S. history--at least in my studies.

I have to say that I didn't vote for the president-elect, and I was aghast at his rhetoric during the campaign, but I also feel similarly about the other party. Negative political messages are sickening to me and thank God, I don't have cable TV anymore, but that negative stuff often works, just like sales manipulation often works, although, I think it is condescending.

But, as I have thought about this turn of events in the last few days, I am excited, enthusiastic, and I find myself in great anticipation of how life will unfold in the near future.

I could not think of a President in history that had no political experience, or who was not a military leader. To have one upcoming who doesn't have that experience is quite interesting. He's not experienced in this job, but he does know how to lead, and as with many of us taking on tasks with which we have no prior experience, we most often rise to the challenge, as I know Trump will. I can hardly wait to watch this unfold.

I watched a short video of the meeting on Thursday of Trump and President Obama. I was surprised to learn that they had never met. How strange it is, and so very real how we can demonize someone that we have never even met. All we know is what we've seen in the news, or word of mouth, or through their writings and public accomplishments. It made me laugh and remember one of my top ten quotes of all time by Abraham Lincoln: "I don't like that man. I must get to know him better." I know I can appreciate that wonderful advice and probably I am not alone.

There's a lot of anguish from what I see online or in the newspaper; albeit, I'm not really giving it any attention. Some are still waging the war I think. Albert K. Strong says, "fighting for and fighting against are two very different things, and yet in one thing they are the same, and that is, struggle, resistance, and fear. Peace contains no struggle. Joy contains no resistance, and love contains no fear."

I am amazed at how I am feeling about this election, and though much that I did vote for did not come to pass, I am joyful, peaceful, and loving toward everyone and everything. I've learned that there is a flow of life and we can either flow with it, or struggle, resist and be fearful.

I learned from Abraham, Esther Hicks that life is much like a river flowing, and that we can try as long as we want to go against the current or to swim upstream, push against the tide, but they say, "everything you want is downstream."

I learned from Michael A. Singer, Eckhart Tolle, Buddha, and others that though the mind never stops in its chatter, if we will but let go of our attachment to that and the problems that are created in that chatter, we will rise above and have a more enlightened view.

Though there are many things that I may have disagreed with, the flow of life has demonstrated that it is in charge, and I know that I am in full control of my own choices to flow with that flow of life, or to struggle against it. As I flow with it, I find myself looking for things to appreciate in all of that flowing, and as I appreciate those things and people, I find myself loving all of it.

A few days back, I ended a post with this quote from Brother David Steindl-Rast, which I fully understood as soon as I read his delightfully brief and loving quote: "Joy is the happiness that doesn't depend on what happens." I find myself joyful as I flow with what life is bringing, and I am in joyful anticipation as I flow with it.


"Change Always Comes Bearing Gifts." -- Price Pritchett

Spread Some Joy Today--by flowing with life. There is joy in the flow because everything we want is downstream.

Daily Inspiration 2-24-18

"I have hope 

in who I am becoming." 

-- Charlotte Eriksson 

[Classic post from 11-2-16]

This morning as I was considering my message of the day, I had a Facebook message with some photos from the 50th high school reunion. I don't know why exactly, but I scrolled through them. I think it was because my 50th is next year. These were images of what all those young kids have become after 50 years of living life.

Then, as I was perusing some quotes, I ran across this wonderful bit from Abraham, Esther Hicks, and I thought it had a timely message and delightful perspective wherever you are on your journey:

"Before the contrast and before the summoning, and before the answering of Source Energy, the Universe was less. So rather than thinking in terms of time, think in terms of expansion, and then you will understand time in the way we understand it. We never think about how long anything takes. We are just enjoying the expansion. And so, our now is always powerful in our anticipation of what is becoming." 

I loved this perspective on expansion as becoming. Not necessarily about growing, although that can be the case, expansion, and I don't mean our bodysuits, although that certainly can be the case.

Becoming. Expansion. Movement. I think it is simply and exquisitely life moving through us more than we moving through life. Wisdom? Who knows? Maybe. Wisdom I think is just a perspective, don't you agree? What have I learned? But, I don't think it is about learning. We are all learning, some more, some less, but all, yes.

Expansion. Becoming. Allowing life to flow through us. Do we have a choice in this? Of course. We can struggle with it, fight it, complain about it, and any number of ways attempt to control it, but in the end, I think it is simply, and exquisitely flowing. I think also, that as we allow, appreciate, recognize this flow and the resultant expansion, we may choose to enjoy, even delight in the becoming.


Going With The Flowing As This River Of Life Leads The Way. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by untying the rope from the dock. Feel the anticipation!

Daily Inspiration 2-23-18

"How long 

will you keep pounding 

on an open door 

begging for someone 

to open it?" 

-- Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya 

[Classic post from 11-1-16]

Back in the mid-1970's, I was listening to a radio talk show self-help teacher, who said something I've never forgotten, and have come to a much deeper understanding in later years. He said that we need to "own our own feelings."

What that meant then is that no one can make us feel anything. We make ourselves feel whatever we are feeling by what we are thinking. Of course, our thinking is often infected with volumes of beliefs and other influences of all that is around us and all that we have experienced until now.

It's a simple edict. We are in charge of how we feel. Simple, and yet not so easy to really grab hold of. There's a lot of history in each of us and then there is also that mystical sense of normal response that we probably accepted somewhere along the journey to where we are this moment.

My somewhat deeper understanding of this platitude to own our own feelings is stated a bit differently: Don't give your power away. You have more control than you are imagining right now. You get to decide everything.

I wrote about this earlier in October quoting Alan Cohen who was a graduate student and had two friends who were the best of friends, and then they had a parting of the ways, and Alan was so very upset by this that he was distressed and unhappy about it. His teacher said, and I will paraphrase here, that you were happy when they were together and then you were unhappy when they were not. If they were to get back together, would you then be happy? Then he said not to give the power of your happiness to others because they are constantly changing. He said, instead, put your trust in God, who is unchanging, who is love.

Isn't this the norm--to be happy when things are going as you would like and to be unhappy when they are not? Whoever said that life is like a rollercoaster said it very well in the life of the normal person. Whatever that really is.

The political candidate wins the election and he or she is happy, and if they lost it, they are not happy. Your candidate won and you are happy, they lose and you are not. The neighbors do what you think is appropriate and you are happy, and then someone doesn't and you are not. The love of your life or at least this portion of your life says yes, and you are happy, and she says no and you are not. This is all quite normal, or at least that is the way we see it all around us. And they are all knocking on the open door begging for someone to open it. Please make me happy. Please tell me what I want most to hear. I need your help. You complete me. Blah, blah, blah.

Happy feels good. Not happy not so good. But to give our power away means we are subject to the whims of others. Since no one, not the most beautiful or buff lover, the candidate, the neighbor, can make you feel anything because only you can choose your thoughts and thereby reap the feelings that respond to them, taking back your power to make yourself feel the way you want to feel is probably the most empowering thing you can do for a glorious life.

We choose our own happiness or lack of happiness by our thoughts. We feel those thoughts in how they resonate or don't resonate within. When we pay attention to that inner alignment with that which is unchanging by how we are feeling, our guidance will lead us to more of what we want and ignoring the things that we do not want. This is owning our own feelings. This is owning our own power over ourselves.


And, This Place Is Pure Joy. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by taking your power back.

Daily Inspiration 2-22-18

"When angry, 

count four. 

When very angry, 

swear."

-- Mark Twain 

[Classic post from 11-3-16]

I was privy to some melodrama yesterday at the bank. I was fascinated with it, being completely outside of it looking in.

There was this older guy on a very cool motorcycle. There was a girl on the back. I saw them go by as I was walking Charlie and his pipes were gloriously loud and 'poppy,' which I'm sure was much to the owner's pleasure. He had a scarf over his face to protect himself from the wind as he must have been on the freeway earlier or something. It was about 71 degrees, not cold at all.

Then, as I put Charlie back in my pickup to go, I saw the motorcycle again going past me in the parking lot, a bit fast for a parking lot, of course. Then I heard all manner of swearing as the motorcycle guy was yelling at someone in a car near the entrance to the parking lot.

He went on and on yelling something about the car coming right at him and mother-f-ing this and mother-f-ing that and dah, dah, dah-dah, dah. So the car moved down toward me and I saw who it was. She is also very pregnant with her first child, not too far from the time. The motorcycle had turned around and stopped her almost in front of my truck, doing some more mother-f-ing and dah, dah, dah-dahing. I couldn't hear a word if there were any from the driver of the car, but I'm guessing there were defensive notes if nothing else. She was really under attack.

The motorcycle moved along and there was a security guard nearby and he decided to do some more dah, dah, dah-dahing to him. As the woman got out of her car, and as I was driving out, she was yelling at the guard to get his license number. She was also visibly upset and angry.

So, here's a perfect example of anger management, or rather, the lack of anger management that goes on all around us every single day. Sometimes we hear it, sometimes they are in their vehicle cussing us or someone without that noise escaping the vehicle. Many, many, many, more times, it is people swearing in their thoughts not vocalizing anything but visibly they are obviously distressed.

For what? Did anything damaging really happen? No. No one was hurt or injured, no ambulances were called, no police cars breaking it up, just one angry biker causing someone who may or may not have done something inappropriate to become defensive and then exercise her right to be angry back. Anger for anger. Dust to dust. Fear for fear.

The only place anything happened was in his head, affecting his rider's head, defensively exciting the pregnant woman's head, affecting physically her baby's head, affecting the guard's head, then of course, I was watching this amazed at all of this affection, and who knows who else was close enough to witness this. It was over the top and it was also absolutely unnecessary. The anger didn't help anything, but it infected everything. There was no resolution, only carrying anger away and stuffing it and saving the remnants of it for another encounter of justified release.

Here's a great question to ponder: How easily do you turn to anger in offense or defense? How long do you hang on to it? How many people do you tell about how inappropriate that situation or that person was?

But, here's a better question on your self-development journey: How fast do you realize that you're angry and recover to peace by letting the whole event go? This has been the key for me. I would go to anger in detail and even drag it into depression in my justification of my righteousness. Now, I let it go. I lay down the rope. I stop resisting. Yes, I feel anger, but a dinky amount in comparison with my past, and as soon as I recognize it is happening, I begin visibly in my head laying down that rope, and finding peace and well-being.


That, My Friends, Is Progress! 

Spread Some Joy Today--regardless if there is anger all around you. Plug into the feelings you would rather have!

Daily Inspiration 2-21-18

"The world we have created

is a process of our thinking. 

It cannot be changed 

without changing our thinking." 

-- Albert Einstein 

[Classic post from 11-7-16]

Many times I have said how I am watching a movie and a line or part of a dialogue grabs my attention to the point that I have to stop the movie and write it down. Here's another one.

This is a short dialogue from the movie, A Hologram For The King, with Tom Hanks, where Tom Tykwer was the screenwriter. It is a short conversation between Tom Hanks as Alan Clay, a U.S. businessman, and Alexander Black, as Yousef, his guide, interpreter, and mentor in Saudi Arabia:

Alan: Are you thinking of joining the army?
Yousef: Maybe.
Alan: Nah--No don't--don't.
Yousef: Why not?
Alan: You should go to college and finish and give yourself some options.
Yousef: There are no options here, Alan. You know that.
Alan: Well. . . then leave.
Yousef: I prefer to stay here and have things be different. 

This is a perfect demonstration in very few words of what goes on all the time all around us and probably also within us. We want things to change, but we are unwilling to change, or we expect the world to change, or the other to change, or circumstances to change. 

James Allen said, "Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they, therefore, remain bound." He said this a different way also by saying, "As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains." 

But, the most telling quote by James Allen I think is this: "A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses." 

Of course, things are always changing every single minute, hour, day; albeit, they may certainly be changing to the same thing that was, as our thinking may also be. I think it is fair to say that absolutely nothing changes for us without a change in thought. It need not be a major thought leading to a life-changing movement, but it must change. As well, and again, we certainly have the option of rethinking the same thoughts, doing the same things, reliving the same patterns.

It is all choice. For Yousef to stay or leave is his choice, and to change his thinking is his choice also, but the only way things will be different is if he would change his thoughts, which will lead to a change in activity. Then things will be different.

How many times do we think the same way as Yousef? I want things to be different, but I don't know what to do. Not knowing what to do is okay. There is nothing wrong with not knowing, but it pretty much guarantees that things will not be different anytime soon.

The first step for things to be different is to think different thoughts. Sorry, it's the only way. I have to change my thinking first in order to change my circumstances. I like how James Allen says, "Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself." And, if circumstances are not to our liking, the place to look first is our thinking.

This leads me back to the sign that has spent years on my wall so that I see it all day long: What is My job. How is God's job. It is my job to think about and choose what I want. As I think about what I do not want, do not like, wish were different, what am I telling God or the Universe? As Abraham, Esther Hicks so often teaches, the Universe and the powerful Law of Attraction doesn't recognize wanting something different by pushing against what is. It is a total contradiction, and in this case, will only respond to the most dominant thoughts and then bring more of that into our lives.

If we want to change for the better, toward well-being, we need to direct our thoughts there. It matters not that they are a current fantasy in comparison to our perceived reality. It only matters that we do that. We have to tell God or the Universe what we want, and the more energy we put into that by picturing it happening as if it is already accomplished, the faster it comes. Even if that is only for a few moments with our eyes closed to our current visual reality, it is enough to get the change coming toward us.


Thoughts Become Things. Not The Other Way Around. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting go of the idea of where you are this moment if where you are is not where you want to be. Instead, finding things to appreciate will lead to more beneficial thoughts in general and more releasing of resistance leading toward what we want.

Daily Inspiration 2-20-18

"If God is love, 

then therefore 

I am love." 

-- Terry Minion 

[Classic post from 11-6-16]

As I was finishing yesterday's post about unconditional love and how Anita Moorjani gave such a great explanation of what it is, I had a life revelation.

You know how people will say that they were born to do this or that, or that they have found their life's purpose, or rather their life's focus, or that there is something that we have all come here to do, be, create, experience? I've so often wondered what that grand purpose was for me--that thing that I came here to do. And, then this morning, as I glanced backward only for a few moments, it became crystal clear to me, like all of a sudden the blurry picture came into focus.

I now realize what my life purpose was, is, and will be. I am here to learn about, experience, and teach love--and especially the concept of unconditional love. 

Until I read and took to heart Wayne Dyer's definition of unconditional love, I don't even remember when, but I expect in the last 15 years give or take, I didn't realize that this was the idea I was searching to understand and practice. His definition was this: "Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you." And yet, as powerful a definition as this is, it is lacking. What about those that you don't care for as an example?

So, I began redefining it, such as, "love is the ability and willingness to allow all others to be what they choose for themselves, without any insistence that they satisfy me." This makes it universal, or all inclusive. The first one is easier than the second one, don't you think? In fact, the first one is sort of another definition of a less conditioned, yet still slightly conditioned love. But, in all fairness, I'm certain that Wayne was saying that in reference to a situation where he was interacting with people he cared for, such as family. I'm certain that he practiced the second definition in his life as fully as he could, and that is evident from his books and other teachings.

I could take it a step further and include inanimate objects, things, situations, events, or in other words, all of life. This would be in my estimation the love of God, demonstrating that love is a state of being and not an emotion as Anita described in her book, What If This Is Heaven? And, yet another excellent way to say what unconditional love is would be to say that it is being without any resistance at all. 

As I glance backward, I can see so many stepping stones on my journey, sometimes called learning experiences, where I learned of the disappointment and problems associated with conditional love. I saw it in two divorces before I was 16, as well, I saw it all around me, on screens and off screens. Each of these caused me to ask more strongly for something better, something not so temporal. 

Then I began practicing. Even in my own divorce after 16 challenging years, I set into motion my own practice of unconditional love. There were many challenges to my desire for love to be love and not change into something else, and through them all, I have persevered. As well, I began expanding this to my work environment, and all of my life. I missed the mark so many times allowing my tainted thinking to prevail for a time, but in the end, I let go of the resistance in relief, as I turned back toward love. As I turn back toward love every time, I turn faster each time as I have practiced the art of allowing more fully and universally. It is now becoming a habit so that I don't even have to think much about it, I just turn.

I wrote so many songs and sang them in church expressing this theme better with each attempt. It is strange that I was even led to become a 'worship leader,' which was way out of my comfort zone, and to write songs of love, but I wasn't hearing much love in the sermons, but a lot of bowing to and looking up to, as well as shame and berating sinful behavior, but not so much practicing love with each other. I felt there was a need and that I was led to do it, and while it lasted, I rose to the occasion and expanded within myself as well as touching those I was meant to touch. 

Then a bit later, I began this Daily Inspiration project to share my thoughts and those of others on inspiration, appreciation, releasing resistance and a whole lot of love. My oh my, I cannot even express how much I have expanded and grown in this monumental and joyful endeavor.

And so, I have now realized that I really am fulfilling my life purpose as I write, as I speak, as I share love in every way I can. As I become more proficient in my practice of unconditional love, or as Abraham, Esther Hicks says, the Art of Allowing, I feel the expansion within me. As I love, I am healed, and as I love, I heal the world in a tiny, yet powerful way, although in this love I know it is not broken. All of the things I have gone through on this learning and practicing journey have led me to this place right here and now.

Last but not least, I want to thank you for being a part of this journey on your own trail. I expect that you too are sharing the love that is shared.


We Each Have Something Special To Share

Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing yourself to love others by allowing them to be what and who they are, and by loving yourself in exactly the same way.

Daily Inspiration 2-19-18

"Unconditional love 

is a state of being, 

not an emotion." 

-- Anita Moorjani 

[Classic post from 11-5-16]

I'm so enjoying Anita Moorjani's new book, What If This Is Heaven?. I'm listening to her read her book on audio while reading along and highlighting what resonates with me. I'm going slowly on purpose to absorb it more fully at only a chapter a day, and so far, there are highlights on almost every page. I highly recommend getting her book, on audio or the book, or both. There is something so much more powerful about the author reading the book to me.

There is so much I could discuss, so I will begin with unconditional love. In her first book, Dying To Be Me, she explained how she had a near-death experience (NDE) and learned about unconditional love, and especially loving herself unconditionally, and this is in the end what healed her.

We, in this physical plane on earth, know of love, but generally what we know of love is that it comes and it goes, that it is balanced by not love in this world of duality; i.e., white and black, hot and cold, day and night, forward and backward, etc..

Learning from her NDE, she says, "I realized that I'm loved unconditionally just because I exist! In fact, even the word unconditional is superfluous, because love, by its true definition, is unconditional. Conditional love is an oxymoron--a contradiction in terms. As soon as we put conditions on love, it becomes something else entirely." 

She was asked to explain in more detail the difference between conditional and unconditional love, and on page 30 of her book, she gave a very interesting comparison:

"It would almost be like comparing the soft, cool glow from a firefly to the blazing heat and light from the sun. When the sun is shining, we are bathed in glorious warmth and light that completely wraps us up in its brilliance. It's unconditional. The sun doesn't choose to whom it's going to give warmth and light and to whom it's not. The sun just is." 

She continues, "The firefly's small glow, on the other hand, has much less power; and it's much more discriminating, more selective, and more conditional. You have to be in a direct line of sight with the firefly to see its light, and even then it's really easy to miss or lose sight of. It's beautiful in it is on way, but rather paltry compared with the sun." 

Because all my life I have had so much experience with conditional love, falling in and out of love, loving me as long as I draw within the lines, watching parents loving and then hating each other, and so much more, I have been on a journey to experience and promote love in the unconditional sense. Wayne Dyer's definition of unconditional love has guided me, and I have practiced it every day in some way, even if only sitting here thinking. I have also been turning it on myself and practicing loving myself unconditionally too. It's working, and I also need more practice. It's a worthy endeavor--and, has become my number one objective.

I love Anita's comparison and this chapter on love. I especially loved the sun comparison and the statement, "the sun just is," as in unconditional love just is. We get to choose to bathe in its warmth and light and share that place with all others, or we can choose to stay indoors so to speak. It just is, but we need to line up with it, allow it in, feel it as a state of being rather than simply an emotion. This, of course, doesn't mean there isn't a certain feeling of unconditional love because so far in me, there is nothing to compare that joy to. It is beyond words.


"Unconditional Love Just Is. It's Not One Side Of The Coin--It's the Whole Coin!" -- Anita Moorjani 

Spread Some Joy Today--by practicing a love that is the love of God, that which never fails, and is completely and wonderfully without condition.

Daily Inspiration 2-18-18

"I think I can, 

I think 

I 

Can. 

I thought I could 

and see, 

I did." 

-- The Engine That Could 

[Classic post from 11-4-16]

Here's a telling bit from Abraham, Esther Hicks: "The more you say "I don't remember," the more you cannot remember. You cannot find something that's "lost". When you've decided that it's lost, when it's lost to you, it is lost. The Universe could not possibly show it to you." 

Affirmations are often more powerful than we might imagine. To say, "I can't," or "it's too hard," and such is like building a huge wall in front of us while that thing that we want that is so hard, or that we have so little confidence in attaining, is on the other side. The more we say it, the taller the wall gets.

Here's an important insight, I think: All of that is resistance. The more we resist, the more resistance is given. Just as in the tug-o-war game, we pull on the rope and the 'other side' pulls back and we resist more and so on. The key to getting to where we really do think we can is first and foremost, to lay down the rope, cease resisting, or in a really simple word, relax. Let all that resistance go. Chill. Take a break. Consider instead, all that you can do, have done, and how smart you already are.

There are always new things coming down the pike. Older people seem to resist so much more because they don't want to change, but no change is no life. Change is life. Life is constantly in motion.

Take technology for example. Fresher humans have been born cable ready so to speak. They came in or are coming into a world that is quite different from when I came in. Television was brand new when I came in, and color TV didn't come out until I was around 12 years old. A fresh human has cell phones, watch phones, computerized this and that, the Internet, social media, texting, coding, and all manner of technology that didn't even exist when I was young. So the older ones have way more resistance to these changes. It is a given.

What is not a given, is to say 'we can't,' when we absolutely can. Why? Because all of that power to do and power to resist is in our head. It's not real, except it might feel real. The resistance begins as resistance to change, becomes an affirmation, and then it becomes an attitude, and in more resistant cases, it can become a lifestyle.

I know this and I often have resistance myself. I try to be aware if I might respond to something by saying, "I don't remember," etc. Instead, I rush to say something more powerful and empowering such as, "I know this, and it will come to me." Or I might say, "I can do this, and though I feel this inner resistance, I will relax in my own true power." Or, I might say, "I want to do this, and I will learn how." Or, "I know it is around here somewhere. I probably just put it in a different place than I normally do. I'll find it very soon."

It is common to struggle with things, ideas, new gadgets, change. The word struggle is the embodiment of resistance, isn't it? The solution? Relax. Let the stress walk on by. Let the pressure out. Let go of that rope.


Relax. You Got This. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting go of the resistance. Joy is on the other side of that wall you're building. Resistance created the wall, and peace will dissolve it. And there it is: your joy.

Daily Inspiration 2-17-18

"Enveloped in Your Light, 

may I be a beacon

to those in search of Light. 

Sheltered in Your Peace, 

may I offer shelter

to those in need of peace. 

Embraced by Your Presence, 

so may I be present to others." 

-- Rabbi Rami Shapiro 

[Classic post from 11-22-16]

I would like to share just a bit of my day yesterday when I was out doing errands. I needed just a few things, so I stopped at the grocery store. The parking lot was almost full, and still, I found a spot near the door. I went in, pulled out a cart and was a bit surprised how many people were in there. It was actually kind of crowded, so I thought, well, this is interesting, and it must be people getting ready for Thanksgiving.

I have a smile on my face and I am having a good time being courteous to cart traffic, looking people in the eye and smiling at them. Almost everyone in there had such a serious look on their face. This made me smile all the more. To be so serious looked out of place. A few who recognized that I was looking at them smiling, chose to accept some of that love and smiled back, if even for a few moments.

I wasn't trying to change them. I was enjoying watching them. I wasn't smiling at them so that they would smile back, I was appreciating each one, as each was unique. It was fun for me, and it was also pleasing when one would return the smile.

I got what I needed, check out was busy yet timely, and I got in my truck to go home. As I pulled out into traffic there was enough space in front of me that I had the opportunity to look up. We've had a bit of rain and cloudiness for the last few days, and today was mostly sunny, but in the afternoon, there were some clouds coming through the area.

As I looked up, in one moment I took in a cloud formation in front of me that the setting sun's light hit just so that it was like the grandest painting you could imagine. Parts of the cloud formation were shaded and part was brilliantly lit up, and it took my breath away. It's funny how clouds do that quite often to me these days.

My day, although very good, instantly went from a seven to a ten. And, it was only a moment because I had to watch the traffic in front of me. As I drove, I wanted more, but it wasn't the same. It was good, but nowhere near the spectacular sight, I saw just moments ago.

Then I thought, isn't that fascinating! It is amazing how much power, joy, and depth of experience I can notice in but one single moment. It caused me to think of so many things that I experience and how when something feels really special in some way that I want to experience it longer, wanting it to last, to savor it. Sometimes I can and do, because, why not? But, what I realized during this experience is that I don't need to. Yes, I want to, I would love to extend that joy, but even only to touch it for a moment is a full experience. I had never realized that fullness before. And as I contemplated all of that, I was in pure joy.

I experience these events throughout my day now. Whether I am glancing at the squirrel in my courtyard chewing on a succulent, birds feasting, the sun setting, the sun rising, the rain--it pretty much doesn't matter what I see anymore--I see beauty, magnificence, and I'm enchanted with it all. It makes me feel like I have arrived at this place where I want to savor it all, even if many are but moments in time.


"Every Natural Object Is A Conductor Of Divinity." -- John Muir 

Spread Some Joy Today--by finding things to appreciate that are all around you every moment of every day. Delight in them or not, but joy is in the delight.

Daily Inspiration 2-16-18

"There is such a thing 

as a life without fear." 

-- Michael A. Singer 

[Classic post from 10-31-16]

Perhaps my teacher, Tony Robbins, was the one who opened my mind on the idea of choosing a different and more helpful and even healthy perspective rather than accepting fear, despair, and the practicing of denial. He used a few simple questions to do this. Here's two of them:

1. What is great about this problem? 
2. If there could be something great about this problem, what might they be? 

Number two is after the typical denial that there isn't anything great about the problem. He calls these Problem Solving Questions, and they are on page 201 of his great book, Awaken the Giant Within. The book was published in 1991 and ever since reading it way back when and I am faced with a situation that is commonly responded to with pity, or feeling sorry for myself, or fear, I would remember that I don't have to follow the norm of how the majority might respond to one of these events. No, I can choose to respond differently. I cannot express with enough enthusiasm how empowering this has been for me. 

Death is the biggest fear in life for most everyone, and when someone close to you dies, you're supposed to mourn and feel sadness, cry, seek the sympathy of close friends, and more. That's what we're taught; albeit, mostly by copying what we see of our parents or on TV, etc. But, there are so many other choices than this.

The same is true for any major life event, such as a diagnosis of a major disease, or so-called incurable disease. As the one getting this news, we could choose the typical responses we've seen on TV or in our family, or we could choose something else entirely. There is no requirement to be sad. Equally, there is no requirement to be happy. We get to choose how we will feel in any situation. We can go with what we've learned, or go on auto-pilot with the norm, or we can begin a celebration instead.

Michael A. Singer said it this way: "The natural ups and downs of life can either generate personal growth or create personal fears. Which of these dominates is completely dependent upon how we view change. Change can be viewed as either exciting or frightening, but regardless of how we view it, we must all face the fact that change is the very nature of life." 

The more I learn about life, the more fascinated I become. It seems to me that there are things I can control, and things that I cannot, but there is one thing I can always control, and that is my perspective, how I view an event, situation, person, or thing. In this way, my feelings become a guide to know what my thoughts are meaning to me.

We all get to choose our perspective. Choosing the norm is fine. Being sad is fine. Being upset is fine. It is all fine. As well, choosing to think and feel different than the norm is fine too. They are all real. And, the best part of that reality is that we all get to choose as we will.

One of the best questions that I think we could ask is this: If I were given six months to live, how would I choose to think and feel about this? What would I choose to do? How would I live the rest of my life?

What if I got excited? What if this caused me to realize what is really important in my life? What if what I've been doing was not nearly so important as I thought? What if I changed? When you have six months to live, would you spend that time in fear and despair? Wouldn't it be so much better to get excited?


Sometimes Getting Excited, IS The Cure. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by falling in love with yourself and your life. What a glorious day that will be!

Daily Inspiration 2-15-18

"Who are you? 

Who, who. . . Who, who?" 

-- Pete Townshend 

[Classic post from 10-30-16]

After almost 40 years now, I still love the chorus of that song, Who Are You? by The Who, released in 1978. Plus, it is among the greatest questions we could ever ask of ourselves and others. Who Am I? Who Are You?

Most people would answer the question by stating something about themselves, such as, their name, what they do for a living, something they have done to make a name for themselves, and more. But, none of that would be them. We are all so far beyond all of that trivia. In truth, we simply are.

I want to share an insight of the many insights I gleaned from Michael A. Singer's powerful book, The Untethered Soul. In this book, he gets to the simple depth of answering who am I, and in a very short book, explains so much about understanding ourselves, and aims to help encourage a much more satisfying journey for each of us in our lives.

To simplify who we are after we let go of all the layers of labels we have for ourselves, he says, "Eventually you will get to a point within yourself where you realize that you, the experiencer, have a certain quality. And that quality is awareness, consciousness, an intuitive sense of existence. You know that you're in there. You don't have to think about it; you just know." 

And here's the part that I want most to share this morning. He says:

"To make this more experiential, let's try a consciousness experiment. Notice that with a single glance at a room, or out a window, you instantaneously see the full detail of everything that's in front of you. You are effortlessly aware of all the objects that are within the scope of your vision, both near and far away. Without moving your head or eyes, you perceive all the intricate detail of what you immediately see. Look at all the colors, the variations of light, the grain of wood furniture, the architecture of buildings, and the variations of bark and leaves on trees. Notice that you take all this in at once, without having to think about it. No thoughts are necessary; you just see it. Now try to use thoughts to isolate, label, and describe all the intricate detail of what you see. How long would it take your mental voice to describe all that detail to you, versus the instantaneous snapshot of consciousness just seeing? When you just look without creating thoughts, your consciousness is effortlessly aware of, and fully comprehends, all that it sees."  

I was fascinated with this paragraph--fascinated because it resonated within me. Right after I read that, and ever since I read it, I often just look and pay attention to see, hear, feel, smell, and yes, even taste all that I am aware of in that moment, or as I string moments together into larger blocks of time. It is a glorious, mind-opening sense of awareness that is bordering on magical.

It doesn't matter if I am in or near nature, or I am in my truck, or at an event, or our doing errands, or sitting here typing. There is so much around me wherever I am, and now I notice it all without thinking about it or trying to explain it. It simply is. Certain things get more of my awareness or attention, but even without turning my head, moving my eyes, I sense this grand awareness of being.

Try it for yourself. Look without thinking and sense the depth of your own awareness of all the intricate detail all around you. I'll bet that you too will sense it all in that moment without needing to describe anything. It just is. I'll also bet that this will change the way you look at things, and especially expand your wonder and delight, as it absolutely has for me.


"Behind It All, There You Are." -- Michael A. Singer 

Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing your awareness to help you find joy where you only saw issues and problems before.

Daily Inspiration 2-14-18

"Words are but the vague shadows

of the volumes we mean. 

Little audible links, they are, 

chaining together 

great inaudible feelings 

and purposes." 

-- Theodore Dreiser 

[Classic post from 10-28-16]

Long ago, I read that you can count your intimate friends, those with whom you can speak your heart without fear of embarrassment or other concerns, on just one hand. I now understand this more completely.

I attended an annual event yesterday where I know a lot of the people there, and many I have also worked with, and some are active clients in my business.

I have almost always been a quiet type of person, uncomfortable in social situations. I used to see these gatherings as a sort of competitive environment of who's doing well, growing, becoming more, and who is not, who is popular with the many and who is not and so on.

I can make small speak and listen to small talk, and yet it satisfies me not a bit. So, when I am not being engaged, I've done something new. I look at each person in the room and feel love for them. Some of them I hug and feel deep love for, and others I may only have just met, or didn't even get around to meeting, and I love them already.

If you've been reading any of these Daily Inspirations for a while, you know that this idea has been coming to me and in practice for quite some time, but when you realize that you are actually doing it without even thinking about practicing it, well, this is a whole new feeling, and yesterday, this feeling came alive in me.

I think the change within me that has caused all of this to come to pass in all its glory to me is that of those that I can count on one hand, the number one is my inner sense of connection with God, or All-That-Is, or the Universe. From this one connection which I find any time I desire by simply relaxing, letting go of resistance, and dropping the rope, I feel somehow connected to all, each in their different bodysuits, and manners. It is a strangely mystical and absolutely delightful feeling.

I love Theodore Dreiser's quote above because it speaks to me of how I used to feel at these kinds of events, seeing people once a year, or with even more space in between sightings. And, even though mostly those inaudible feelings and purposes go typically unexpressed, I find a way to express some of those feelings and thoughts with one or two or three regardless. But, even that doesn't really matter because they already knew.


There Is A Far Deeper Connection With Each Other In All Of Us. Relax In Its Glory. 

Spread Some Joy Today--OK. Let's call today, Joy Day 1. Tomorrow will be Joy Day 2. String a few more of those together and you've got a Joy Month, then a Joy Year, then a Joyous Life.

Daily Inspiration 2-13-18

"Example is not the main thing

in influencing others. 

It is the only thing." 

-- Albert Schweitzer 

[Classic post from 10-29-16]

Perhaps you've had an experience as I have recently where a place you've been doing business with for quite some time has a manager change, and then the entire feel of the place is off from what it was. It is said that as goes the leader, so goes the pack.

I go to my bank at least ten times per month and sometimes more. It is a small branch of a manager and typically three tellers. Earlier this year the branch manager moved to another location and one of the tellers was groomed for that position and it was given them. He was a very happy man, always smiling or laughing, had great banter, had a unique way about him and it seemed that the whole place was in that flow with him. He was also a wandering leader in that he was not holed up in his office most of the time.

I was happy for the person who moved up, and at first, there wasn't much of a change, but then it came to feel quite different.

Because I am a happy man, I bring that into the bank with me. I aim to be bright, cheery and have an enthusiastic, yet calm manner. One of the tellers used to be very light and happy and now has a busy, serious look. I used to love to go to her window, but now she's always busy and I have to go to the others. They are all great, so that is fine.

Yesterday, my ego was saying to me, "did I say or do something to offend her? Her demeanor has changed significantly." So I let it rant just a little. I wondered if I should say something to the new manager or the old manager even. I wondered for the first time, what they might be saying or thinking about me after I left. Then I quickly put my ego back in his cell where he belongs and asked, "what is my best role here?"

Here's what came of that. My role is to be the best authentic me that I can be. My role is to be happy. My role is to send love to all of them, lifting them up in my mind. That's pretty much it. Simple. 

Here's why: First, it is none of my business what anyone else thinks or says about me. I cannot control that, and if I ever tried, it would only mess it up. I have no power there. Second, I can't control how anyone else acts, or how they do their job, or how they choose to respond to the demands of their job, or how they choose to feel. I have no power there. 

Where I do have power is here: I can only control myself. I can only control my own thinking. I can only control my own actions. I can only control my demeanor. I alone choose how I will feel in any situation. 

So what's my best role? To be me. To love. Without conditions. To not try to change others for my benefit. To keep my ego on a short leash and not let him rule because he is a chaotic leader. Love is a better leader. I learned this long ago being a manager since I was twenty-five. Love is the best leader. It never fails.


We Can Be So Much More Valuable By Focusing On The Power We Do Have Rather Than The Power We Don't Have. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting love be your leader.

Daily Inspiration 2-12-18

"Seemingly all of a sudden 

I realized that I had the capacity 

to love every person and thing." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

[Classic post from 10-26-16]

More practical Spirituality, which I now realize is what I've been sharing all along.

Compassion. It's a word that is bandied about with ease. And my understanding of the word is different than the definition in the dictionary that I just read: "a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering." That's like saying, "I feel sorry for you and your affliction(s), here's my ten-step method for curing your ills and releasing your suffering." Silly.

Compassion to me is a grand word, filled with practical and powerful selfless love without any agenda on repair. What a radical difference.

I have to share this beautiful and insightful quote by one of my favorite old "new age" thinkers, Albert Einstein.

"A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." 

I take issue with only one short phrase: "Our task must be to. . ." There really aren't any rules, and any observant person of the world around us can see that not so many are accepting this task, regardless of the stature of the person suggesting it. No, it's not a must. It's a potential choice. I say potential because we can choose yes and we can choose to ignore it completely.

I have been on this journey of learning to make use of what Abraham, Esther Hicks calls the Art of Allowing. This art or activity is the essence of compassion to me. As I allow others to be what they choose for themselves, and as I don't insist that they be a certain way on my behalf, I am loving them without condition. There is no better way to define the Art of Allowing to me. 

I've been practicing for a long time, but it is only in the most recent years that I have taken off the training wheels so to speak. In releasing myself to practice my own version of compassion in the Art of Allowing, and in expressing and feeling unconditional love, I have come so much closer to the person I truly want to be inside and out.

I'm not 100%. Even so-called Saints have an ego that sometimes pretends to influence. There is no end to the journey as in reaching the destination, but there is greater and greater allowing, becoming, expanding. I would even say that in just the last year, there has been a substantial expansion in me. It is ongoing, and I am in love with the process.

So where's the practicality in this? Let's say you're a salesperson, and do you suppose there would be value in loving your prospect that is in front of you, allowing them to be who they are as you do for yourself? As you are choosing love, the other cannot help but feel it in some way. This helps bring you together in purpose as co-creators of the event called the sale. I know a lot of salespeople look at the transaction with the prospect as overcoming objections, using manipulative words and phrases, with self-focused motives.

Let's say you work on a team, and something comes up that isn't your job and yet you have the opportunity to serve the team or not. What does love do? It serves. Easy choice from a certain perspective. These are just a couple of ways your Spirituality can be made practical.

What about homeless people? Criminals? Terrorists? Heads of State? The neighbor who refuses to take care of his lawn? The potholes in the streets? The flat tire you notice as you're in a hurry to get to an appointment? The guy driving slow in front of you? Friday afternoon traffic? A mistake on your paycheck? A leaky roof? A power outage? Can you love them? Love those things and events? You can if you choose to. Some may be a bit easier than others, but all doable.

Whatever is going on in and around our lives, we always have and always will have the choice of our perspective on them. We can exercise compassion, love, acceptance, allowing, appreciation, or we can choose fear, disgust, hatred, violence, irritation. I have chosen them all and many more. I now practice my definition of compassion. In doing so, I am changed and have released myself from my own prison. The vision of that is like after a week of rain, the sun is shining in all its glory with the clearest deep blue sky, and that sweet smell of that change.


"One Man Practicing Kindness In The Wilderness Is Worth All The Temples This World Pulls." -- Jack Kerouac 

Spread Some Joy Today--by turning your love light on high beam.

Daily Inspiration 2-11-18

"Keep a light, hopeful heart. 

But expect the worst." 

-- Joyce Carol Oates 

[Classic post from 10-24-16]

Continuing with the idea of practical Spirituality.

I love the quote above because it is so silly, but I don't think she was laughing when she wrote it. Sure, "keep a light, hopeful heart," is a grand platitude, but then to negate it with, "but expect the worst," is bizarre, and yet, it is how many of us live in the world today.

It is said that we get what we expect, and so to expect the worst is to attract it to us and then how long do you suppose a light, hopeful heart will last? Until you turn on the news? Pick up the newspaper?

Does it even occur to us that to expect the worst and then try to keep a light, hopeful heart is so much work? It's got to be tiring, stressful to contradict ourselves all day long. A house divided cannot stand?

We think, 'well, this is life. This is how it is. This is my lot. I can't imagine how I could _________. There's no use in ____________ because ________ is ________.' And, all of this is trying so desperately to have a light, hopeful heart while expecting the worst, isn't it?

That's when people say, 'all that Spiritual stuff sounds good, but it isn't real, and it isn't practical. All that philosophical stuff is bunk.' They agree with Amit Kalantri when he says, "lovers tend to be philosophical, achievers are practical." We want practical. It's like Tony Blair, when he said, "What matters is what works." 

So one of those Spiritual, philosophical things is that Law of Attraction idea: What is like unto itself is drawn. Yeah, so why isn't the money in my bank account yet? Why hasn't my life changed for the better? I've been thinking positive thoughts. . . well, sort of. . . I mean when I think about it I do. . . when I have time to set aside to think. . . but I'm so busy. . . I got so much to do. . . I gotta pay the rent. . . I don't have time for this crap. . . I want results! Now!

Perfect. Results are what the Law of Attraction is all about. It always, unerringly, unfailingly produces results. You think thoughts, and more thoughts like that are drawn, and the more focus or attention is given to a thought to the point that emotion is felt, the more like it are drawn. You could think of that as the gas pedal in a car. The more you press the gas pedal, or the stronger the thought, the faster the car goes, or the faster and more powerful are the like things drawn. 

A strong thought doesn't just draw another like thought, but it also begins acting on the strength of the thought by helping to create opportunities, ideas, circumstances. In other words, those thoughts now become things and those things that match the strong thought become new circumstances, meeting people with similar goals, opening doors that we didn't even know existed.

However, as we work so hard to keep a light, hopeful heart, but expect the worst, we immediately negate the idea of improvement. Instead, the more powerful thought, which in this case has to be to expect the worst, the Law of Attraction goes to work on that, or best case is that we simply stand still and nothing much happens to change. We desire to change, and then we expect to not change if that makes more sense.

Simplicity is the way the Universe works. Simplicity rules. So to keep it really simple, as we focus on what we want, more of that is drawn, and as we focus on what we don't want, more of that is drawn. We can go back and forth, back and forth at will. We can wonder why these bad things keep happening to us when that is not what we want and wonder why our positive thoughts don't seem to help. But, that doesn't change the fact that the simplicity and consistency of the Law of Attraction are at work 24/7/365.

Realizing this is always working on our behalf is all that is needed to understand what we are getting. If we are not getting what we want, follow the trail to our thoughts and expectations. Expectations are only thoughts that have more power, and that is why we get more of what we expect than what we think. 

Practicality and the Spiritual Law of Attraction are one in the same. It is eminently practical, and it is also completely Spiritual. Make use of it or ignore it as one might wish. It doesn't care. Use it to benefit yourself or bring more and more hardship. It doesn't care. It is completely and exquisitely neutral.


Your Wish Is Its Command. Wish For. Wish Against. Your Choice. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by making the simple choices. I recommend the ones that feel good.

Daily Inspiration 2-10-18

"Many think Spirituality 

is a buzz word 

for that mystical unknowable 

 which is beyond 

that which we live, 

but Spirituality without practicality 

is impotent." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

[Classic post from 10-23-16]

When I think of Spirituality, I think not so much of some idea to attempt to explain the depth of our being, or even the connection of all beings, or even the eternity of life, but I like to see how I can have it relate to my actual living day to day on this blue planet called Earth spinning in space in the middle of nowhere.

In other words, how does considering Spirituality help me in my daily life? So, as I study this thing called Spirituality, I seek to use that knowledge in my life to improve, grow, expand, understand. As well, when I write my thoughts out here, I always try to say it in a way that can be useful right here, right now to help us live life more fully. And, last, it has to be simple to be practical, otherwise, it will remain esoteric, or only for those who are enlightened and have risen above the practicality of the life most of us live.

The only prerequisite is to realize and accept that there is something more than we. I didn't create me that I am aware of, nor did I create you, nor any other, so there is something going on beyond us.

Regardless of our age, if we but allow, we can sense within us that there is some kind of connection to something more than we are. Some call it a soul, some Christ Consciousness, others call it Spirit, the Universe, All-That-Is, God, and hundreds of other choices. What we call it is not important, only that we recognize that there is some sort of connection however mysterious that may be to us or not fully understanding it. We all know it is there.

As well, in realizing this connection, we sense without a doubt that it is benevolent and that it is like love, even a very deep love, as we allow ourselves to feel more of the intensity of our inner Spirit.

So here's the simple practicality in its simplest form to consciously connect that mysterious Spirit with our practical mind and body: It is our guide. It doesn't control. It is not like an auto-pilot, or a dictator, however benevolent. All it does is give us advice via our feelings of what might work for us rather than against us. A guidance system so to speak.

Wayne Dyer in his book, Living An Inspired Life, says it this way: "It's important to understand that each and every one of us represents God or Spirit revealing Itself here on our planet." He then demonstrates the practicality by asking, "In what direction are you moving? Being in-Spirit is a direction we take, rather than a destination to be reached. . . It's imperative for all who seek an inspired life to assess the direction of their thoughts and behaviors in terms of going toward, or away from, Spirit." 

Abraham, Esther Hicks uses the analogy of being in alignment with or out of alignment with our Inner Being, or our Inner Guidance System. I love both Wayne Dyer and Abraham's visual explanations, and I have come to use them both in my daily life, every single day now.

Love is a perfect example of being in alignment, and fear being out of alignment. As well, love is moving toward Spirit and fear is moving away. Appreciation is in alignment, while complaining is out of alignment. Peace is moving toward Spirit and feeling despair or unworthiness is moving away.

This is not religion. There are so many religious beliefs. My experience with religion is that more often than not, the Spirit is lost in the dogma, although religion can be helpful for many, and Spirit is within all because Spirit is within us all. Each of us will know whether the rules, laws, and dogma are helping us connect within to our Spiritual connection, or not by how we feel. Feeling good is connecting, feeling off is disconnecting.

So the key or the communication aspect of our inner Spirit is our feelings. As we feel good, relief, improvement, we are moving toward Spirit or coming into alignment with our Spirit, and as we feel not good labeled in so many ways, we are moving away from our Spirit, or out of alignment.

The simple practicality of Spirit is paying attention to how we feel when we say something, do something, think something. How do we feel when we complain? How do we feel when we dis somebody, put them down, talk behind their back? How do we feel when we appreciate someone, something someone did or created? How do we feel when we are saying yes to love and no to hate? How do we feel when we are afraid? How do we feel when we are at peace? Moment by moment, we know where we are in relation, in conjunction, in partnership with our physical mind and body, and our Soul, Inner Spirit, Immanuel or God within as we accept this very simple understanding of practical Spirituality. 


"Out Of Clutter, Find Simplicity. From Discord, Find Harmony." -- Albert Einstein 

Spread Some Joy Today--by realizing that joyful connection to All-That-Is within yourself. You only have to let go and breathe.

Daily Inspiration 2-9-18

"Inspiration has nothing to do 

with whether we win or lose." 

-- Wayne Dyer 

[Classic post from 10-22-16]

In his wonderful book, Living An Inspired Life, Wayne adds, "Attempting to do something, even if it doesn't succeed is inspiring because we don't tend to regret what we do, we regret what we didn't do. Even following a futile attempt, we're inspired because we know that we gave it a shot. It's wondering whether we should or shouldn't try something that leaves us feeling stressed and incomplete." 

Who won the World Series in 1935? Who lost it in 1947? Does it matter? Does it really even matter who made it to the World Series, or the Super Bowl? What really matters is that people showed up, and came together to do, to be a part of doing.

What does it mean to be number one? It means nothing after the contest is over. What does it matter if you got into the Hall of Fame? After you got there, it doesn't. It really doesn't matter what we did, but only matters what we are doing. I have, as all others have, a long list of things we have done. We have judged them while doing and after they were done. Sometimes we hold on to them and carry them like baggage for long periods. Some feel good, some don't. And, none of that really matters because it is over. Done. Used to be. Was. Not today. Not now. History.

What matters only is now. What are we doing now? Are we bringing the fullness of ourselves to what we are doing right now? The more we let go of what was, and what may be, the more fullness we can bring to what is. 

When we connect with the fullness of who we are in the moment of now, we cannot help but be inspiring to others. What is important in the now moment? Pure experience. Learning. Loving. Being. Caring. Respecting. Sharing. Giving full attention to others. Enjoying. Whatever the tasks in front of us, they are no bigger, nor any more important than can fit in the moment. There is no stress because stress is a reflection of the past and a projection of the future. Stress cannot exist in the present moment.

What is interesting to me about the present moment is that it contains all of time. It is as if time is vertical rather than horizontal. It is as if there is no such thing as time. There is only experience, awareness, and as we are in this physical body, there is doing, and the only time that we can do anything is the present moment. I cannot do anything in the past. I cannot do anything in the future. I can only do right here, right now.

This is the value of inspiration. It is being in the present moment as much as possible. To practice it, to live it. The future which doesn't really exist will take care of itself. It will do that in the present moment. The past which is sort of an illusion--a memory will be what it was when we release our hold on it. The only time we can do that is right now.

There is nothing but now. Now is the place we live. If we are actually present in the now moment, we are inspired, and we are inspiring. As we drag around the past and project the future, we are cloudy, uninspiring, out of sync, and we miss the fullness of ourselves and the fullness of the present experience.

What will people remember most about you after you're gone? They will remember when you were present with them in the moment, and the more of those moments you were present with them, the grander the memory. Will they care if you were number one in your job? Will they care how hard you worked, and how many hours you put into it? No. They will remember when you were fully present with them.


The Only Real Value Of Living Is To Be Here Now As Freely And Fully As Possible. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by paying attention to your moments as they are here now.