Change Your Picture Change Your Life

I just love the way the Universe gives me messages!

I was watching a show on Netflix – Hart of Dixie. The main character is a young woman who’d been trained as a brain surgeon but was turned down for a prestigious fellowship and ends up working in a very small town as a GP.  She was complaining about things, obviously disappointed with her life, when the young man she was talking to stopped her and said “You’ve got to change the picture,” and when she looked at him quizzically went on to say “Here you are in the midst of all this natural beauty, with new friends  and  a new life,  accepted as our town doctor,  but you can’t see any of it, because your picture of yourself is a highly skilled brain surgeon in New York.  Your picture is keeping you unhappy.  Change your picture and change your life.”

Whoa – Change your picture and change your life.  This is a whole new way of thinking about this idea. I’ve learned to create a vision of what I desire and know that I’ll attract it to myself, yet how many times have I been disappointed because I’m not doing what I think I should be doing?  How much of my life did I miss because I was in that Valley of Disappointment?

Resisting what is brings mental and emotional pain.  Acceptance of what is brings peace.  Resistance comes from not honoring our choices of the moment (and yes, I believe we’ve chosen whatever we’re experiencing).  If we want to be happy, resistance is futile.    

Am I saying to drop the dreams you’ve always had?  No, not at all.  Accepting what is doesn’t mean you have to stay in it.  I am saying we might as well be consciously present right where our bodies are, and experience the now moments.  One way to get out of that valley of disappointment is to realize that the highest and best for all concerned is being served.  We can still chose those things our heart wants to do and know that the experience we’re having now is part of the process of obtaining them. 

“Bloom where you’re planted” a greeting card said.  I agree.   

AFFIRMATIVE PRAYER

I celebrate the powerful presence of the Divine.  It is absolutely everywhere.  It is the Source and substance of all that is.  It is God, and God is Life and Life is Good. 

I know there is a place for me, a place that satisfies my soul.  Regardless of what my experience is, I declare that where I am in this moment is the right place to be. I open my eyes to see, my ears to hear and my heart to feel.  I let go of what I think I am supposed to be, or supposed to be doing.  I am here for the highest and best for all concerned.  Whether I am consciously aware of it or not, I am serving humanity by accepting what is, experiencing the present moment, and letting it carry me into my dreams.  I change my mental picture and change my life.

How grateful I am to become more conscious of the ways of my heart and mind.  How grateful I am to be able to choose.  I now release these words to Spiritual Law, knowing they are so, and so it is.    

Call to Arms

One can’t turn on the TV, radio or computer, or walk into a room with other people without hearing about all the disasters in our world.   Sometimes I want to hide and cry.  Sometimes I want to run into the streets (or into Congress) and yell at everyone. 

It seems our world is terribly out of balance – ecologically, politically, financially, and in health – whether that be physical, emotional or mental.  Animals are going extinct that don’t need to. 

I think of all these things and I feel impotent.

Then I remember that there is something I can do – something I do really well.  I can pray.  I can also get lots of people to join me.  I truly believe prayer uplifts the collective consciousness. 

So this is my Call to Arms.   I’m inviting you to stand up, raise your arms, and speak YOUR word for our planet and all sentient life NOW.  Do it every day or even every hour until you KNOW things have come into balance.    

When he gave his famous ‘Sermon by the Sea’, his last talk at Asilomar,  Ernest Holmes said;  “Find me one person who is for something and against nothing, who is redeemed enough not to condemn others out of the burden of his soul, and I will find another savior, another Jesus, and an exalted human being.

Find me one person who no longer has any fear of the universe, or of God, or of man, or of anything else, and you will have brought to me someone in whose presence we may sit and fear shall vanish as clouds before the sunlight.”

Let’s be that person.  What we see in the outer will change as we do.

(Why did I ask you to raise your arms?  Years ago Hawaiian Bank had a campaign called YES … In their ad, Pat Morita was pictured standing straight with his arms up, making his body look like a ‘Y’.  I like this posture.  As I pray my whole being is saying YES!)

AFFIRMATIVE PRAYER

YES, I am ready and willing to acknowledge an Infinite Intelligence that permeates all things.  I know this Intelligence is within me.  It is the Source and substance of all that is.  It is waiting for me to use It, and so I do:

I declare our world is in balance NOW.  Everything that is necessary to the fulfillment of this declaration is at hand.  I do my part by KNOWING the Truth – and the Truth is – all there is is God.  How can God be out of balance?  I keep my focus inward, on the Divine.  Everything on the outer now reflects the Peace that I feel within me.  Life is moving forward, continually changing, but Divine Peace prevails.

This is good, very good.  How grateful I am to be able to let go of focusing on what has seemed like chaos and know the Truth.  The Truth has set us free. 

I release these words into Divine Law with a deep sigh of relief.  And so it is.         

We Are All Right

The other day I butted into a conversation between some women at the gym who were talking about “Obamacare” as if it were a highly repugnant word.  I said nicely “You know, it’s actually called the Affordable Care Act and was originally a Republican proposal under Pres. G.W. Bush.”  Well, that did it.  I heard about how I didn’t know anything, and that Obama was causing everyone’s insurance to drop them because of the costs of the Act, and now it was going to cost everyone so much more money.  I said “Really?  I’ve been reading that the costs are actually going down.”  Again a tirade came at me, and I said “Wow, that’s too bad” and turned to leave. The main person in this conversation said “See, she won’t believe me – you just can’t talk to these people, they won’t change their minds.”  I replied “No, I can’t just believe you, I have to do my own research.” and as I drove away I found myself getting angry.

Was I angry because they believed differently than I do and were so adamant that there wasn’t any other way to look at things? Was it because I had butted into a conversation that I had no business butting into?  Or maybe she was right, I have my beliefs and I won’t change my mind either. 

Later that afternoon I was looking for something in a box of papers and came across this quote:

‎"We must love them both, those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."  -Thomas Aquinas

OK, thanks God.  I realize the Truth of this quote and yes, I can love them.  I also realize we are both right. It is done unto us as we believe. Those women will experience what they believe, just as I will experience what I believe.  I’m so happy and grateful that I believe I live in a friendly universe, and so far it’s proved me right J

AFFIRMATIVE PRAYER

The I Am that I Am is fully present within me. I celebrate this awareness. I let the Truth of It flood my being. I feel the Power and the Love. I am aware of Infinite Intelligence and perfect Grace. Love blesses me as I choose to live in the present moment.

I let go of wanting people to believe the way I do.  I celebrate the One Life we are all living.  I choose wisely what I want to experience.  I choose love, peace, health, creativity, beauty and laughter. I acknowledge we all want the same. I gratefully stay in the present moment, honoring all that shows up as a reflection of the God consciousness within. God is good, and all is well in my life.

I release these words to the Law of Mind, knowing they are already so. And so it is.

Choices, Choices, Choices

I was reading an entry in an old journal about a spiritual revelation I had over 30 years ago.  I could hardly describe it then, and even when I’ve thought it since, I’ve had a hard time describing it.  However, while reading my entry, I realized the thing that affected me the most was the realization that I had CHOICE.  I could choose whatever I wanted to be, do, say, or love.  Never again would someone else’s choice for my life be more important than mine.

As soon as I realized this, I started hearing people talk about their experience.  A woman who is new to our Center explained why she cries during my messages.  No one had ever told her she could choose her reality, much less encouraged her to do so. 

I asked my new students “Out of all the churches available, what drew you to a Center for Spiritual Living?”  Each one had a different story, yet the stories were about realizing they could choose what they wanted.

At every moment we get to make little choices.  Sometimes we get to make big ones.  How do we know when we’re making the right ones? 

I believe there’s an infinite intelligence that is the Source and substance of all there is, including me and you.  This Intelligence is part of an unconditionally loving Energy that is absolutely everywhere.  All we have to do is choose to acknowledge It, place our intentions for our life into It, and know this Presence can be trusted to serve us well. 

In the revelation experience I had, I remember a feeling of wonder and awe come over me, and I made the biggest choice of my life.  I held out my hands and said “Use me God.”  In that moment I chose to trust I would be guided along my path, and it would always be for the highest and best of all.  Within a few weeks, I was embarked on the path to ministry (though I didn’t know it at the time – I thought I was just getting people together for brunch and to watch Terry Cole Whittaker on TV on Sunday mornings.)   30 plus years later, I have participated in conferences in most of the world’s power spots, started two Centers,  mentored new ministers, and my first book is in the process of published.  Everything has been a choice – a choice to live a Spirit led life and to serve humanity to the best of my ability. 

I also remember a time in my life when I chose the wrong thing and was guided back to my Path.  While studying for the ministry, I had applied for a job in an exclusive jewelry store.  I made it through two interviews, and then was told that even though I was highly qualified for the position, I didn’t have the job.  I was devastated, but reminded myself that Infinite Intelligence had my highest good in mind, and I had to trust.  A week or so later, I found another job that perfectly suited my studies .. my boss even let me do my homework in the office!  That certainly wouldn’t have happened in the jewelry store! 

Think back on your life, and realize all the choices you’ve made.  You are right where you are now because of those choices.  Where do you want to be next year or 10 years from now?  Choose now, declare your intentions into the Law of Mind, let the Universe do the work it loves to do and trust the process!

AFFIRMATIVE PRAYER

Infinite Intelligence is present everywhere in potential and in expression.  It is here for me to use consciously or unconsciously.  I choose to be conscious in my choices.

I choose to experience Life in the fullness that It offers.  In my heart of hearts, I know what I want to be, do and have.  I now state those desires as intentions for my life into the Law of Mind with love.  Love points the way, and Law makes the way possible.  I pay attention to the inspiration the Universe is constantly giving me as I walk the Path of my intentions.  I know, without doubts, fears or concerns, that I can trust Infinite Intelligence to guide me, nurture me and support me as I become all I want to be. 

How grateful I am to know I am making wise choices, not only for myself, but for all humanity.   I release these words, knowing they are already embodied deep within my subjective mind.  And so it is.

Atonement

The highest holy Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, starts tonight.  It’s a day of fasting and atonement.  Though I am not Jewish, I like using the energies of various holy days personally.  I will fast, not necessarily from food, but from all negative thinking to the best of my ability.

To me, atonement is defined as “making amends for a wrong or injury.”  How would I make amends? Here’s a little process I’ve developed for myself:

1^st:  I will take an honest inventory.  Who have I hurt?  Did I put myself on that list? 

2^nd: I will consciously let go of whatever emotional hurts I am holding onto.

3^rd: I will release myself and other people to their highest good. I will no longer belittle or judge myself, or think I am unworthy. I will now give all of us safe passage through my mind.

4^th:  I will never tell the ‘story’ again.

As I make amends with the God in All, I move into a place of At-One-Ment, recognizing nothing can separate us, because the Divine is within all of us. It is as if I am setting my world back in balance.

Whether Yom Kippur is your high holy day or not, fasting and atonement is always a good practice!

AFFIRMATIVE PRAYER

I honor the powerful presence of Love within me, knowing that God is Love – an unconditional Love that never holds anything against me or anyone else.  Love is the greatest healing agent in the universe and Love is everywhere present.

I now let go and surrender the stories of hurt, frustration and anger to this Great Love.  I let go of the stories of fear to this Great Love.  I am now empty, and in this emptiness, I am made new. In my newness, I declare I am ready and willing to be of greater service than ever before. 

I celebrate God in everyone I come in contact with from this point on. 

How grateful I am to be able to let go and let God in me, as me, and through me, do this work  I now release these words to the Law of Love, knowing they are already so.  And so it is.