You are NOT your Ego! (From Righteousness to Compassion)
Hello Friends!
Has anyone noticed an intensification of emotion these days?
Like judgment, anger, joy, passion?
As the spiritual energies continue to increase upon our planet, the aspect of our humanness, our ego personality, is the part of ‘us’ that is taking the heat….
And for some of us, its gotten pretty hot lately!
Amidst the highs and exuberance, I’ve also found myself getting more pissed than usual; its taking a concerted effort at times to stop, breath, and come back to center.
It happened again this morning… I was reading a comment that someone posted on one of my Facebook threads last night, asking a question of why hasn’t the work I have done ended the dolphin hunt? I wasn’t sure if it was a sincere question or a bit sarcastic, but I took some a lot of time to give a thoughtful reply…
After I posted my reply, I found the same person had posted similar comments on other FB conversations… As I read them, the sarcasm was obvious… WTF? As I’m reading this and reacting in angry (I felt the sweat pouring from my armpits), a little window pops up and says this person just commented on my reply…
I clicked on the icon and sure enough, another sarcastic comment…on a thread of conversation with over 80 comments.. so his comments have gone into the emails of everyone…
By now my blood is in a boil and my mind is formulating a reply… (I can say it pretty straight!)
Enter another deep breath… enter compassion…
A lot of us are feeling triggered lately, and twice in the past month I’ve been too quick to give someone feedback about the inappropriateness of their actions. Let me get this straight, their actions were totally inappropriate, but my righteous reply only added fuel to the fire…
Knowing this, and remembering the regret of speaking while in reaction, I let the anger pass, I stop taking his attacks personal, and can then see that this man is obviously upset…
And from this place of compassion, I look up his email address and send him an email telling him I understand he’s upset and that a conversation with 80 comments is the wrong place to use sarcasm…
And then I see my righteousness in pointing out his sarcasm…
Let me be clear – I was totally entitled to call him on his sarcasm. Its just that it would probably have closed the door on any productive communication. So… did I want to be right, or did I want healing?
So I delete the comment about sarcasm… and just acknowledge that he is upset, and extend an invitation to talk…
It doesn’t matter his reply…. What matters is how I feel, and I feel filled with peace and compassion…
As the heat in the kitchen increases, it serves us to respond to our brothers and sisters with compassion.. I invite you to take the five breaths or ten minutes it takes to release your reactions to the triggers around you…
Every time we do, we bring more light into our bodies and our world…
Every single time we do, we strengthen the morphic field of Oneness that is growing in our collective awareness in leaps and bounds…
Namaste!
Joe
PS PS PS!!!
I have found that APPRECIATION is a valuable ally in shifting energy!
Everyday Ecstasy
email: joe@planetarypartners.com
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Radiant Heart Energy
Radiant Heart Energy
by Owen Waters
The gateway to spiritual consciousness is through the heart.
The Creator designed the human experience to consist of twelve stages of evolving consciousness. As I detailed from the original research in my first book, The Shift: The Revolution in Human Consciousness, these range all the way from basic survival to the ultimate state of spiritual consciousness.
Much of the 20th century was devoted to the fifth stage of human consciousness, which is intellectual development. Today, people are migrating in droves to the next stage of human growth, which is heart-centered consciousness.
When a person focuses their intellect through the lens of heart-centered consciousness, they see how much the world needs help and healing rather than the old ways of competition and destruction. The initial stage of heart-centered consciousness produces a constructive, global outlook. It also places a person just one short step from the later stage of heart-centered consciousness and the dawning of spiritual awareness.
“Love your neighbor as yourself” is a guideline that has been with us since the early days of human development. Today, it’s no longer a distant ideal to be sought. The mass shift to heart-centered consciousness means that unconditional love now comes to people naturally.
The complete love and acceptance of yourself and others is the heartbeat of the New Reality.
Feeling unconditional love towards others is the key to successful, meaningful interactions with everyone with whom you meet in any situation. Feeling unconditional love towards yourself fosters a healthy sense of self-esteem which builds a positive reality based upon mutual support.
Even if there are outer behaviors that need improvement in yourself or others, it is unconditional love that is the key that will find the solutions that will bring positive transformation to those behaviors.
Once you begin to think with an open heart, you are stepping from basic human consciousness into the spiritual stages of human development. This is exactly what we came to earth to accomplish because finding spirituality is fundamental to the human experience. It may take courage to move into heart-centered consciousness, but once you acquire the expanded view of a life filled with love, you will never want to step back to the way things were.
You will soon find that any worries or fears that arise in your life can be transformed by the greatest power in the universe – that of unconditional love. It is the power of love that holds the universe together. It is a force of attraction that permeates every cell of your body and constantly reminds you of the love of the Creator for all of life.
*If you enjoyed today's article, forward it to a friend! They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Owen Waters is the author of Spirituality Made Simple, which is available both as a paperback and a downloadable e-book, at:
http://www.infinitebeing.com/ebooks/simple.htm
by Owen Waters
The gateway to spiritual consciousness is through the heart.
The Creator designed the human experience to consist of twelve stages of evolving consciousness. As I detailed from the original research in my first book, The Shift: The Revolution in Human Consciousness, these range all the way from basic survival to the ultimate state of spiritual consciousness.
Much of the 20th century was devoted to the fifth stage of human consciousness, which is intellectual development. Today, people are migrating in droves to the next stage of human growth, which is heart-centered consciousness.
When a person focuses their intellect through the lens of heart-centered consciousness, they see how much the world needs help and healing rather than the old ways of competition and destruction. The initial stage of heart-centered consciousness produces a constructive, global outlook. It also places a person just one short step from the later stage of heart-centered consciousness and the dawning of spiritual awareness.
“Love your neighbor as yourself” is a guideline that has been with us since the early days of human development. Today, it’s no longer a distant ideal to be sought. The mass shift to heart-centered consciousness means that unconditional love now comes to people naturally.
The complete love and acceptance of yourself and others is the heartbeat of the New Reality.
Feeling unconditional love towards others is the key to successful, meaningful interactions with everyone with whom you meet in any situation. Feeling unconditional love towards yourself fosters a healthy sense of self-esteem which builds a positive reality based upon mutual support.
Even if there are outer behaviors that need improvement in yourself or others, it is unconditional love that is the key that will find the solutions that will bring positive transformation to those behaviors.
Once you begin to think with an open heart, you are stepping from basic human consciousness into the spiritual stages of human development. This is exactly what we came to earth to accomplish because finding spirituality is fundamental to the human experience. It may take courage to move into heart-centered consciousness, but once you acquire the expanded view of a life filled with love, you will never want to step back to the way things were.
You will soon find that any worries or fears that arise in your life can be transformed by the greatest power in the universe – that of unconditional love. It is the power of love that holds the universe together. It is a force of attraction that permeates every cell of your body and constantly reminds you of the love of the Creator for all of life.
*If you enjoyed today's article, forward it to a friend! They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Owen Waters is the author of Spirituality Made Simple, which is available both as a paperback and a downloadable e-book, at:
http://www.infinitebeing.com/ebooks/simple.htm
The Pages Long Forgotten
The Pages Long Forgotten
Mike stepped into the used bookstore, smelled the age of old pages and smiled.
Here was a wealth of old stories, history waiting to be read, and a host of other joys. On a back shelf, he found what he was looking for, two tiers crammed with the forgotten. They'd served their use to those who once held them dear, but now gathered dust in the darkest corner of the store.
There were Italian, American, French and Greek. They contained secrets from around the world. There were collections of chicken, beef, pastries, bread, and desserts. They waited, hidden in a little explored part of the store, and hoped someone discovered their treasures.
Mike knew what to do. He picked one up, held the spine in his hand and let the book fall open. They always opened to the most used pages, the recipes loved by lost generations. The page in front of him was for a recipe called, "Beef-filled cornbread". The picture showed a delicious layer of meat and cheese, layered with cornbread and covered with a hot sauce. The pages were stained with splatters of tomato sauce. It was obviously a favorite of the previous owners. He'd try this one.
Those used the most are the best.
He found several other books, each with its own marked pages, carried them to the counter and made his purchase.
"I hope you found something you like." The cashier said.
"Oh yes. Very much! I'm sure these are exactly to my taste."
He paid for his purchase, left the store and carried them in a bag on his way to work.
In the locker room, he placed his books on the top shelf and changed into his scrubs. The recipes would wait. He had a duty.
Freshly dressed, he walked his floor. "Hello, Mrs. Smith!" He smiled at the elderly lady sitting in the sun-room reading a book. In her day, she must have been a beautiful woman. She still was, for a woman in her eighties. "How was your day?"
"Horrible!" she growled. He sat beside her, held her hand and looked into her eyes. "My grandson didn't visit me," she continued. "He promised me he'd be here today." She adjusted her shawl and tried to hide the tears about to spill from her wizened eyes.
"Maybe tomorrow." he replied. "You know how busy these young people are." He noted the tear in the corner of her eye and changed subject. "Mrs. Smith, didn't you tell me you lived during the great depression?"
A smile came to her face. "Oh, yes. What a time that was. There was no work, ya know. But we survived."
"How did you get by?"
"Well, we all worked together. Everyone worked together. We helped each other." She frowned. "It's not like today, where people are too busy to worry about anyone but themselves. In those days, we worked together. If you didn't, you starved."
"It must have been a hard time, Mrs. Smith. I don't know how you did it."
"I didn't." she grinned. "We did. We did it together, the neighbors and my family."
He left her smiling and hoped her grandson paid a visit the next day.
He moved down the hall and stepped into Mr. Walker's room. "Hey, Walk! How's things?" He used the name Walk, as all the others in the center called him. It made Walk feel comfortable.
Mr. Walker looked up from a puzzle he leaned over. "Could be better, Mike. This damn puzzle has me stumped. These eyes aren't what they used to be."
"I know, Walk. Just take your time. There's no rush."
"There is too." Walk chuckled. "I need to finish it before I die."
"Not too soon I hope." Mike said.
"Soon enough. Be glad not to have to work on this darn thing anymore anyway. Say! Have I told you about the guy who walks into a bar with a giraffe under his arm?"
Mike chuckled. Walk loved a good joke. "I don't believe you have."
Walk's face broke out in a smile. "You see, this guy walks into a bar with a giraffe under his arm. He has a few beers. The giraffe falls asleep on the floor. The bartender looks down, sees the giraffe and asks, 'What's that lying on the floor?'
"The guy says, 'That's not a lion! That's a giraffe.'"
Walk broke into a laugh that turned into a coughing spell. Mike slapped him on the back. "Come on, Walk. Cough it up."
Walk got himself under control. "Thought I wasn't going to finish this damn puzzle after all."
"You're OK now. I got your back."
I know about covering someone's back." Walk sat straight his seat. "I was in WWII ya know."
"I heard that. Did you have a hard time?" Mike asked.
"Mike, you have no idea. It was the winter of '41, or was it '42. I can't remember now. Snow was up to here." Walk pointed to his thigh. "We were on the front. The enemy was close ."
Thirty minutes later, Mike said, "WOW! That's a story, Walk." He paused. "Walk, I knew you were in the war, but I don't think I ever thanked you. I want to say, 'Thank you.' You made us safe."
"Ah, stop it. It was nothing." Walk turned to his puzzle, too embarrassed to continue their talk. He and others knew what they did, but don't want to take credit. It's an unspoken rule between the veterans. They did what they had to.
Mike continued on his rounds, held hands, shared hugs and listened.
Here they were, like the cookbooks, sitting in dark corners, ignored. Mike knew what to do. He held them, let their hearts fall open, and found the pages stained with use.
They are the most valued. They are the pages long forgotten.
Michael T. Smith
Michael lives with his lovely wife, Ginny, in Caldwell, Idaho. He works as a project manager in Telecommunications and in his spare time writes inspiration stories. He has recently been published in two Chicken Soup for the Soul Books (All in the Family and Things I Learned from My Cat), in "Thin Threads - Life Changing Moments" and in Catholic Digest.
To sign up for Michael's stories go to: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1101828445578&p=oi
To read more of his stories, go to: http://ourecho.com/biography-353-Michael-Timothy-Smith.shtml#stories
Mike stepped into the used bookstore, smelled the age of old pages and smiled.
Here was a wealth of old stories, history waiting to be read, and a host of other joys. On a back shelf, he found what he was looking for, two tiers crammed with the forgotten. They'd served their use to those who once held them dear, but now gathered dust in the darkest corner of the store.
There were Italian, American, French and Greek. They contained secrets from around the world. There were collections of chicken, beef, pastries, bread, and desserts. They waited, hidden in a little explored part of the store, and hoped someone discovered their treasures.
Mike knew what to do. He picked one up, held the spine in his hand and let the book fall open. They always opened to the most used pages, the recipes loved by lost generations. The page in front of him was for a recipe called, "Beef-filled cornbread". The picture showed a delicious layer of meat and cheese, layered with cornbread and covered with a hot sauce. The pages were stained with splatters of tomato sauce. It was obviously a favorite of the previous owners. He'd try this one.
Those used the most are the best.
He found several other books, each with its own marked pages, carried them to the counter and made his purchase.
"I hope you found something you like." The cashier said.
"Oh yes. Very much! I'm sure these are exactly to my taste."
He paid for his purchase, left the store and carried them in a bag on his way to work.
In the locker room, he placed his books on the top shelf and changed into his scrubs. The recipes would wait. He had a duty.
Freshly dressed, he walked his floor. "Hello, Mrs. Smith!" He smiled at the elderly lady sitting in the sun-room reading a book. In her day, she must have been a beautiful woman. She still was, for a woman in her eighties. "How was your day?"
"Horrible!" she growled. He sat beside her, held her hand and looked into her eyes. "My grandson didn't visit me," she continued. "He promised me he'd be here today." She adjusted her shawl and tried to hide the tears about to spill from her wizened eyes.
"Maybe tomorrow." he replied. "You know how busy these young people are." He noted the tear in the corner of her eye and changed subject. "Mrs. Smith, didn't you tell me you lived during the great depression?"
A smile came to her face. "Oh, yes. What a time that was. There was no work, ya know. But we survived."
"How did you get by?"
"Well, we all worked together. Everyone worked together. We helped each other." She frowned. "It's not like today, where people are too busy to worry about anyone but themselves. In those days, we worked together. If you didn't, you starved."
"It must have been a hard time, Mrs. Smith. I don't know how you did it."
"I didn't." she grinned. "We did. We did it together, the neighbors and my family."
He left her smiling and hoped her grandson paid a visit the next day.
He moved down the hall and stepped into Mr. Walker's room. "Hey, Walk! How's things?" He used the name Walk, as all the others in the center called him. It made Walk feel comfortable.
Mr. Walker looked up from a puzzle he leaned over. "Could be better, Mike. This damn puzzle has me stumped. These eyes aren't what they used to be."
"I know, Walk. Just take your time. There's no rush."
"There is too." Walk chuckled. "I need to finish it before I die."
"Not too soon I hope." Mike said.
"Soon enough. Be glad not to have to work on this darn thing anymore anyway. Say! Have I told you about the guy who walks into a bar with a giraffe under his arm?"
Mike chuckled. Walk loved a good joke. "I don't believe you have."
Walk's face broke out in a smile. "You see, this guy walks into a bar with a giraffe under his arm. He has a few beers. The giraffe falls asleep on the floor. The bartender looks down, sees the giraffe and asks, 'What's that lying on the floor?'
"The guy says, 'That's not a lion! That's a giraffe.'"
Walk broke into a laugh that turned into a coughing spell. Mike slapped him on the back. "Come on, Walk. Cough it up."
Walk got himself under control. "Thought I wasn't going to finish this damn puzzle after all."
"You're OK now. I got your back."
I know about covering someone's back." Walk sat straight his seat. "I was in WWII ya know."
"I heard that. Did you have a hard time?" Mike asked.
"Mike, you have no idea. It was the winter of '41, or was it '42. I can't remember now. Snow was up to here." Walk pointed to his thigh. "We were on the front. The enemy was close ."
Thirty minutes later, Mike said, "WOW! That's a story, Walk." He paused. "Walk, I knew you were in the war, but I don't think I ever thanked you. I want to say, 'Thank you.' You made us safe."
"Ah, stop it. It was nothing." Walk turned to his puzzle, too embarrassed to continue their talk. He and others knew what they did, but don't want to take credit. It's an unspoken rule between the veterans. They did what they had to.
Mike continued on his rounds, held hands, shared hugs and listened.
Here they were, like the cookbooks, sitting in dark corners, ignored. Mike knew what to do. He held them, let their hearts fall open, and found the pages stained with use.
They are the most valued. They are the pages long forgotten.
Michael T. Smith
Michael lives with his lovely wife, Ginny, in Caldwell, Idaho. He works as a project manager in Telecommunications and in his spare time writes inspiration stories. He has recently been published in two Chicken Soup for the Soul Books (All in the Family and Things I Learned from My Cat), in "Thin Threads - Life Changing Moments" and in Catholic Digest.
To sign up for Michael's stories go to: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1101828445578&p=oi
To read more of his stories, go to: http://ourecho.com/biography-353-Michael-Timothy-Smith.shtml#stories
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
drop 40: perception… the intellectual changeling
I should have done it this way! You are doing it wrong! My way really works, do it now! You can’t be an expert without a degree. They really aren’t working very hard. That was a stupid answer.
One of our 6 intellectual gifts – perception – is the one that is always changing based on new information. The six are perception, intuition, imagination, memory, reason and will. Perception, or our point of view, changes constantly! When we judge another by our standards and ideas (perception/point of view) we are saying ‘our way of doing things is the best way.’ But it’s not forever and in many cases it is only momentary.
Perception like the other gifts must be exercised – exercised like a muscle. When it is weak, we don’t even see it is changing and rely on our old point of view in judging situations. When strong, we can track the changes in our perception and take action based on the change in real-time.
We each have our own distinct perception of everything and anything. No two points of view are precisely alike. And I believe my way works for me and you believe your way works for you. So should you judge another by your perception, just know that they are not using your point of view, but their own.
How does one ‘exercise’ the mental muscle of perception? For it is via exercise that we begin to see that there is never a reason to judge someone by our own point of view. Often telling another they should do it a certain way, has them feel that you are ‘making them wrong.’ Why they feel this way is about their limiting beliefs, which I have written about in the archives of this newsletter.
If you accept the law of polarity (one of the universal laws) you know that for every yes, there is a no. For every up there is a down. No outside, unless you have an inside, and so forth. Whether you embrace this law or not, it does work each and every time without fail, like gravity. If someone is doing something you consider ‘wrong,’ remember it is ‘right’ for them.
If you can ‘catch’ yourself judging another by your perception, that is a start. Just realizing you are doing it is step one. Even if you would bet a week’s salary you are RIGHT about this topic, STOP and say nothing. Remind yourself that your being right only works for you… no one else. With tens of thousands of bits of information coming to us via our five senses every day, catching yourself once a day is perfect.
Because repetition is the first law of learning, haphazard practice or exercise of this mental muscle does not work. You must actively make an effort each day, or every other day, or 3 times a week in spaced intervals to take this action. Now and then is a waste of your time, it doesn’t ‘stick,’ or become a habit for you – the habit of grace – letting others have their own way of doing things!
If you commit to doing this consistently over 90 days, you will find you no longer push your point of view or perspective on others because 1) you know they have their own unique perspective, 2) you see your own point of view changing as you get new information, and 3) you can then open the door to a discussion about both your points of view for a synergistic effect.
No one likes to feel they did are doing something wrong. It feels bad. And to be in harmony with the abundance of the universe is to feel good – our natural state. Before you speak to judge another – smile, stop yourself, (bite your tongue if you must) and just listen to the other person. Then you can pat yourself on the back because you have just taken your first step in developing that mental muscle – perception – which distinguishes you from more than 90% of people who are simply unaware of this gift and how it can be developed.
Leslie Flowers
Drops of Awareness and the Leslie Flowers Logo are registered trademarks of Leslie Flowers Enterprises Inc.
Leslie Flowers Enterprises - 232 Hanover Place, Cary, NC 27511 ph 919-271-4948
One of our 6 intellectual gifts – perception – is the one that is always changing based on new information. The six are perception, intuition, imagination, memory, reason and will. Perception, or our point of view, changes constantly! When we judge another by our standards and ideas (perception/point of view) we are saying ‘our way of doing things is the best way.’ But it’s not forever and in many cases it is only momentary.
Perception like the other gifts must be exercised – exercised like a muscle. When it is weak, we don’t even see it is changing and rely on our old point of view in judging situations. When strong, we can track the changes in our perception and take action based on the change in real-time.
We each have our own distinct perception of everything and anything. No two points of view are precisely alike. And I believe my way works for me and you believe your way works for you. So should you judge another by your perception, just know that they are not using your point of view, but their own.
How does one ‘exercise’ the mental muscle of perception? For it is via exercise that we begin to see that there is never a reason to judge someone by our own point of view. Often telling another they should do it a certain way, has them feel that you are ‘making them wrong.’ Why they feel this way is about their limiting beliefs, which I have written about in the archives of this newsletter.
If you accept the law of polarity (one of the universal laws) you know that for every yes, there is a no. For every up there is a down. No outside, unless you have an inside, and so forth. Whether you embrace this law or not, it does work each and every time without fail, like gravity. If someone is doing something you consider ‘wrong,’ remember it is ‘right’ for them.
If you can ‘catch’ yourself judging another by your perception, that is a start. Just realizing you are doing it is step one. Even if you would bet a week’s salary you are RIGHT about this topic, STOP and say nothing. Remind yourself that your being right only works for you… no one else. With tens of thousands of bits of information coming to us via our five senses every day, catching yourself once a day is perfect.
Because repetition is the first law of learning, haphazard practice or exercise of this mental muscle does not work. You must actively make an effort each day, or every other day, or 3 times a week in spaced intervals to take this action. Now and then is a waste of your time, it doesn’t ‘stick,’ or become a habit for you – the habit of grace – letting others have their own way of doing things!
If you commit to doing this consistently over 90 days, you will find you no longer push your point of view or perspective on others because 1) you know they have their own unique perspective, 2) you see your own point of view changing as you get new information, and 3) you can then open the door to a discussion about both your points of view for a synergistic effect.
No one likes to feel they did are doing something wrong. It feels bad. And to be in harmony with the abundance of the universe is to feel good – our natural state. Before you speak to judge another – smile, stop yourself, (bite your tongue if you must) and just listen to the other person. Then you can pat yourself on the back because you have just taken your first step in developing that mental muscle – perception – which distinguishes you from more than 90% of people who are simply unaware of this gift and how it can be developed.
Leslie Flowers
Drops of Awareness and the Leslie Flowers Logo are registered trademarks of Leslie Flowers Enterprises Inc.
Leslie Flowers Enterprises - 232 Hanover Place, Cary, NC 27511 ph 919-271-4948
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Reader’s story: The perfect heart
Paulo Coelho's Blog
Sent by Priya Sher
A young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it.
But an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said,
“Your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”
The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly but full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in … but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. The young man looked at the old man’s heart and laughed.
“You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine … mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”
” “Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking … but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love….. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them … and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges.
“ Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away … and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges … giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too … and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man.
The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart.
It fit …. but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.
Paulo Coelho's Blog: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/10/04/readers-story-the-perfect-heart/
Sent by Priya Sher
A young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it.
But an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said,
“Your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”
The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly but full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in … but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. The young man looked at the old man’s heart and laughed.
“You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine … mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”
” “Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking … but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love….. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them … and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges.
“ Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away … and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges … giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too … and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man.
The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart.
It fit …. but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.
Paulo Coelho's Blog: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/10/04/readers-story-the-perfect-heart/
Friday, February 11, 2011
How Flexible Are YOU?
How Flexible Are You? - By Cari Murphy
Stretching Our Spiritual Flexibility Muscles
Life is absolutely filled with unexpected twists and turns that present us with challenges at each bend in the road. Our ability and our commitment to moving WITH the current while opening our hearts and minds to new ideas and options is the key to harmonious living. It is only when we resist the flow that we encounter stress, drama, and problems. When we shift our focus into the limitless realm of possibility, previously unseen doorways magically open before us and reveal the treasures that are linked together with growth and positive change.
As long as we are focused on narrow, limited views on life and living, we cannot and will not see solutions. Solutions are discovered when the mind is open, the heart is available, and the spirit is leading the way. When we approach all people and situations with eyes of love and positive expectation, we allow for the beauty of every challenge to present itself with ease. When we choose to remain flexible, we will engage a renewed sense of vitality, understanding, and compassion that allows us (previously denied) access to the necessary resources and wisdom within us to guide us through and beyond change.
The more flexible and balanced we are from a spiritual perspective, the less prone we will be to spiritual problems. Flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend. Spiritual flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend, to be open-minded, and teachable. Those who are not spiritually flexible are often described as being stiff necked and obstinate. The cure for this dis-ease is to listen. The person who listens is spiritually flexible. He/she is open-minded and teachable. He/she allows for growth. When we embrace the importance of being spiritually flexible and balanced, we recognize that the alternative is to be stubborn and unbalanced. An individual who is stubborn and unbalanced will not experience joy, inner peace, and spiritual victory and will find constant conflict in their relationships with others.
To integrate spiritual stretching into your daily routine, here is a quick checklist to empower you to redirect your focus and create new, more fulfilling experiences by adopting a more flexible attitude and outlook:
* Is my body tense or rigid? If so, breathe deeply and consciously relax whatever is rigid.
* Do I believe there is a steadfast rule-that something must be a certain way to work well? If so, challenge yourself to break that rule just to see that there are other possibilities.
* Am I open to making adjustments in the behaviors I am choosing so that I can learn and grow? If not, go inside and contemplate the cost of remaining resistant and inflexible.
* Am I overly invested in a certain mood or state of being to the degree that I am defined by those moods or states? If so, consciously choose to respond in a different way. Instead of being angry, choose an alternative emotional state such as compassion.
* Am I agenda driven? An example of this would be trying to persuade someone of our view points or beliefs with such rigidity that we create stress for those who are on the receiving end of our persuasive attempts.
* Do I allow myself the opportunity to expand beyond traditions to embrace new experiences and ideas outside of my psychological and cultural comfort zones? If not, challenge yourself to expand.
* Do I get easily fixated and become a creature of habit to the extent that I find it hard to shift out of certain behaviors or expectations? If so, choose new and different ways of doing things.
Often times, we develop an internal rigidity and do not realize that we have lost our flexibility until challenges in life occur. Every person and every situation is a teacher for us, offering the opportunity for growth, understanding, compassion, and healing, When we approach life in this manner, without resisting these circumstances and individuals, life takes on a broader, more expansive meaning. When we can view our challenges as beautiful covered jewels offering growth and healing, our experiences transform in phenomenal new ways.
Go out and stretch those spiritual muscles today and then notice how laughter, joy, and love flow into our experiences with ease. You deserve this.
** To comment on this article or to read comments about this article,
go here.
About the Author:
CARI MURPHY, YOUR SOUL SUCCESS COACH
Client Care Phone: 1-800-704-SOUL (Toll-Free)
Email: Cari@CariMurphy.com
Web: http://www.CariMurphy.com
Working with me as your coach is unique. I say this because I've been in this industry for over 17 years. I combine my educational and professional background in counseling psychology, my energy medicine and wellness/fitness background with my life and business coaching certification and skills, my broadcasting skills as the host of the "Create Change Now" Radio Show, and blend that with my history as a best-selling personal development author and my spiritual awareness and deep intuitive skills (heightened after my near death experience 15 years ago) to help you shift from limitation to expansion in every area of your life. I love watching my clients as they thrive and flourish in ways they never even imagined. My approach as a life and business coach is a HOLISTIC (BODY, MIND, SPIRIT) one. This provides the balance and awareness I feel is essential to creating lasting fulfillment and success that flows from the inside-out. Your expansion awaits!
Email me to set up a complimentary coaching strategy session so we can illuminate your soul's path and purpose and get you on the path to pure and authentic soul -driven success! Cari@CariMurphy.com
Stretching Our Spiritual Flexibility Muscles
Life is absolutely filled with unexpected twists and turns that present us with challenges at each bend in the road. Our ability and our commitment to moving WITH the current while opening our hearts and minds to new ideas and options is the key to harmonious living. It is only when we resist the flow that we encounter stress, drama, and problems. When we shift our focus into the limitless realm of possibility, previously unseen doorways magically open before us and reveal the treasures that are linked together with growth and positive change.
As long as we are focused on narrow, limited views on life and living, we cannot and will not see solutions. Solutions are discovered when the mind is open, the heart is available, and the spirit is leading the way. When we approach all people and situations with eyes of love and positive expectation, we allow for the beauty of every challenge to present itself with ease. When we choose to remain flexible, we will engage a renewed sense of vitality, understanding, and compassion that allows us (previously denied) access to the necessary resources and wisdom within us to guide us through and beyond change.
The more flexible and balanced we are from a spiritual perspective, the less prone we will be to spiritual problems. Flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend. Spiritual flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend, to be open-minded, and teachable. Those who are not spiritually flexible are often described as being stiff necked and obstinate. The cure for this dis-ease is to listen. The person who listens is spiritually flexible. He/she is open-minded and teachable. He/she allows for growth. When we embrace the importance of being spiritually flexible and balanced, we recognize that the alternative is to be stubborn and unbalanced. An individual who is stubborn and unbalanced will not experience joy, inner peace, and spiritual victory and will find constant conflict in their relationships with others.
To integrate spiritual stretching into your daily routine, here is a quick checklist to empower you to redirect your focus and create new, more fulfilling experiences by adopting a more flexible attitude and outlook:
* Is my body tense or rigid? If so, breathe deeply and consciously relax whatever is rigid.
* Do I believe there is a steadfast rule-that something must be a certain way to work well? If so, challenge yourself to break that rule just to see that there are other possibilities.
* Am I open to making adjustments in the behaviors I am choosing so that I can learn and grow? If not, go inside and contemplate the cost of remaining resistant and inflexible.
* Am I overly invested in a certain mood or state of being to the degree that I am defined by those moods or states? If so, consciously choose to respond in a different way. Instead of being angry, choose an alternative emotional state such as compassion.
* Am I agenda driven? An example of this would be trying to persuade someone of our view points or beliefs with such rigidity that we create stress for those who are on the receiving end of our persuasive attempts.
* Do I allow myself the opportunity to expand beyond traditions to embrace new experiences and ideas outside of my psychological and cultural comfort zones? If not, challenge yourself to expand.
* Do I get easily fixated and become a creature of habit to the extent that I find it hard to shift out of certain behaviors or expectations? If so, choose new and different ways of doing things.
Often times, we develop an internal rigidity and do not realize that we have lost our flexibility until challenges in life occur. Every person and every situation is a teacher for us, offering the opportunity for growth, understanding, compassion, and healing, When we approach life in this manner, without resisting these circumstances and individuals, life takes on a broader, more expansive meaning. When we can view our challenges as beautiful covered jewels offering growth and healing, our experiences transform in phenomenal new ways.
Go out and stretch those spiritual muscles today and then notice how laughter, joy, and love flow into our experiences with ease. You deserve this.
** To comment on this article or to read comments about this article,
go here.
About the Author:
CARI MURPHY, YOUR SOUL SUCCESS COACH
Client Care Phone: 1-800-704-SOUL (Toll-Free)
Email: Cari@CariMurphy.com
Web: http://www.CariMurphy.com
Working with me as your coach is unique. I say this because I've been in this industry for over 17 years. I combine my educational and professional background in counseling psychology, my energy medicine and wellness/fitness background with my life and business coaching certification and skills, my broadcasting skills as the host of the "Create Change Now" Radio Show, and blend that with my history as a best-selling personal development author and my spiritual awareness and deep intuitive skills (heightened after my near death experience 15 years ago) to help you shift from limitation to expansion in every area of your life. I love watching my clients as they thrive and flourish in ways they never even imagined. My approach as a life and business coach is a HOLISTIC (BODY, MIND, SPIRIT) one. This provides the balance and awareness I feel is essential to creating lasting fulfillment and success that flows from the inside-out. Your expansion awaits!
Email me to set up a complimentary coaching strategy session so we can illuminate your soul's path and purpose and get you on the path to pure and authentic soul -driven success! Cari@CariMurphy.com
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Believers in Small Graces
Believers in Small Graces
There are those who search God in the quiet places -- no churches, no public displays of piety, no dramatic or flamboyant rituals.
They may be found standing in humble awe before a sunset, or weeping quietly at the beauty of a Bach concerto, or filled with an overflowing of pure love at the sight of an infant in the arms of its mother.
You may meet them visiting the elderly, comforting the lonely, feeding the hungry, and caring for the sick.
The greatest among them may give away what they own in the name of compassion and goodness, while never once uttering the word “God” out loud. Or they may do no more than offer a smile or a hand to someone in need, or quietly bow their heads at a moment of beauty that passes through their lives, and say a simple prayer of gratitude to the spirit that has created us all.
They are the lovers of the quiet God, the believers in the small graces of ordinary life.
Theirs is not the grand way, the way of the mystic or the preacher or the zealot or the saint. Some would say that theirs is not a way at all. All they know for certain is that life has beauty and a joy that transcends all the darkness that surrounds us, that something ineffable lives beyond the ordinary affairs of the day, and that without this mystery our lives would not be worth living.
I honor those who search for the quiet God, who seek the spirit in the small moments of our everyday life. It is a celebration of the ordinary, a reminder that when all else is stripped away, a life lived with love is enough.
--Kent Nerbern
There are those who search God in the quiet places -- no churches, no public displays of piety, no dramatic or flamboyant rituals.
They may be found standing in humble awe before a sunset, or weeping quietly at the beauty of a Bach concerto, or filled with an overflowing of pure love at the sight of an infant in the arms of its mother.
You may meet them visiting the elderly, comforting the lonely, feeding the hungry, and caring for the sick.
The greatest among them may give away what they own in the name of compassion and goodness, while never once uttering the word “God” out loud. Or they may do no more than offer a smile or a hand to someone in need, or quietly bow their heads at a moment of beauty that passes through their lives, and say a simple prayer of gratitude to the spirit that has created us all.
They are the lovers of the quiet God, the believers in the small graces of ordinary life.
Theirs is not the grand way, the way of the mystic or the preacher or the zealot or the saint. Some would say that theirs is not a way at all. All they know for certain is that life has beauty and a joy that transcends all the darkness that surrounds us, that something ineffable lives beyond the ordinary affairs of the day, and that without this mystery our lives would not be worth living.
I honor those who search for the quiet God, who seek the spirit in the small moments of our everyday life. It is a celebration of the ordinary, a reminder that when all else is stripped away, a life lived with love is enough.
--Kent Nerbern
Monday, February 7, 2011
best definition of love, part 2
best definition of love, part 2
Abraham-Hicks
So we would say the best definition of love is awareness of self and its determined decision to be in complete alignment with that which is Source, that which is who I truly am. And appreciating every rascal who challenges it, and makes it more and more important for me to do that.
Love is not looking at despicable and unlovable, and loving it. Love is the discipline to know that if there is a question, there is an answer. And if there is the unwanted, there is the wanted. And having the self-discipline to focus into the vortex where the solutions are.
Denver 9/11/10
Abraham-Hicks
So we would say the best definition of love is awareness of self and its determined decision to be in complete alignment with that which is Source, that which is who I truly am. And appreciating every rascal who challenges it, and makes it more and more important for me to do that.
Love is not looking at despicable and unlovable, and loving it. Love is the discipline to know that if there is a question, there is an answer. And if there is the unwanted, there is the wanted. And having the self-discipline to focus into the vortex where the solutions are.
Denver 9/11/10
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Being Careful
Being Careful
Tammy Saltzman
“Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dreams." - Lao Tzu
Tip 56 is on Being Careful. Are you someone who tends to be careful and cautious or are you someone that jumps in with both feet and throws caution to the wind? There is a good argument for both perspectives. Webster's New World College Dictionary defines the word careful as follows, "acting or working in a thoughtful, painstaking way; cautious, wary, or guarded." And the word carefree as, "free from troubles or worry." I do believe that there is a time to be careful and a time to be carefree. Feeling carefree is a gift that we should all enjoy whenever we can and it is usually a reward that we get from being careful. Ben Franklin once said, "Distrust and caution are the parents of security." It is only when we feels most secure that we can throw caution to the wind and enjoy a carefree moment.
As a lawyer it is really my job to look for all the things that can go wrong. It is our job as attorneys to let our clients know what is their worst case scenario. We are trained to look at the upside and weight it against the downside. It is our job to make sure that the client knows the worst possible outcome of each decision they make so that they can make an educated decision. I try hard not to be this pessimistic in my real world, but when a client pays you to play the devils advocate it is our ethical responsibility to perform. Ralph Waldo Emerson will remind us, "A man is usually more careful of his money that he is of his principles."
In business we are always cautious. Buying businesses, taking in partners, hiring employees, and securing vendors. It's a risky business out there and checking out the reputation of the people we do business with makes perfect sense. With today's technology everyone's information is just a click away on Google. The Better Business Bureau and Daily Business Review have all their records available on line. Court records and deeds are all public documents that are now available on line at most court houses throughout the United States. When is comes to financial matters we need to be as careful as possible. Not only do we consult our lawyers, but we now consult our CPA's, financial planners, and our estate planners. Unfortunately, no matter how careful we are are many of life's lessons end up costing us money. Do your best to try and learn the expensive lessons from the mistakes of others. Remember this by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, "Every step of life shows much caution is required." I think that is another way of saying the older we get the more jaded we become.
As a parent I am always cautioning my children to be careful. We start when they are very young. Don't touch the stove, look both ways when you cross. Be careful!! We are worried for our children and don't want them to get hurt. Even as adults our parents are worried and still tell us to be careful. Adam's mom Joan just told him to be careful when he told her all about me this past week. I have heard the same advice as well from my well meaning friends and family. Joan doesn't know me and my friends don't know Adam, but everyone says the same thing, "We are so happy for you. Go slow, be careful." When it comes to matters of the heart it is so much harder to be careful. The excitement and the hope take over and just sweep you off your feet. Aren't we all looking for ever lasting love?? Bertrand Russell once said, "Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness." Yet e.e.Cummings reminds us, "Be of love a little more careful than of anything." I would like to think that what he meant was that once you find love be careful with it, preserve it and cherish it so that you don't lose it. Sorry Joan, it's too late - if it doesn't work out it will probably hurt, but if it does work out - G-d bless and thank you Lisa.
“It is better to err on the side of daring than the side of caution." - Alvin Toffler
Tammy Saltzman
“Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dreams." - Lao Tzu
Tip 56 is on Being Careful. Are you someone who tends to be careful and cautious or are you someone that jumps in with both feet and throws caution to the wind? There is a good argument for both perspectives. Webster's New World College Dictionary defines the word careful as follows, "acting or working in a thoughtful, painstaking way; cautious, wary, or guarded." And the word carefree as, "free from troubles or worry." I do believe that there is a time to be careful and a time to be carefree. Feeling carefree is a gift that we should all enjoy whenever we can and it is usually a reward that we get from being careful. Ben Franklin once said, "Distrust and caution are the parents of security." It is only when we feels most secure that we can throw caution to the wind and enjoy a carefree moment.
As a lawyer it is really my job to look for all the things that can go wrong. It is our job as attorneys to let our clients know what is their worst case scenario. We are trained to look at the upside and weight it against the downside. It is our job to make sure that the client knows the worst possible outcome of each decision they make so that they can make an educated decision. I try hard not to be this pessimistic in my real world, but when a client pays you to play the devils advocate it is our ethical responsibility to perform. Ralph Waldo Emerson will remind us, "A man is usually more careful of his money that he is of his principles."
In business we are always cautious. Buying businesses, taking in partners, hiring employees, and securing vendors. It's a risky business out there and checking out the reputation of the people we do business with makes perfect sense. With today's technology everyone's information is just a click away on Google. The Better Business Bureau and Daily Business Review have all their records available on line. Court records and deeds are all public documents that are now available on line at most court houses throughout the United States. When is comes to financial matters we need to be as careful as possible. Not only do we consult our lawyers, but we now consult our CPA's, financial planners, and our estate planners. Unfortunately, no matter how careful we are are many of life's lessons end up costing us money. Do your best to try and learn the expensive lessons from the mistakes of others. Remember this by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, "Every step of life shows much caution is required." I think that is another way of saying the older we get the more jaded we become.
As a parent I am always cautioning my children to be careful. We start when they are very young. Don't touch the stove, look both ways when you cross. Be careful!! We are worried for our children and don't want them to get hurt. Even as adults our parents are worried and still tell us to be careful. Adam's mom Joan just told him to be careful when he told her all about me this past week. I have heard the same advice as well from my well meaning friends and family. Joan doesn't know me and my friends don't know Adam, but everyone says the same thing, "We are so happy for you. Go slow, be careful." When it comes to matters of the heart it is so much harder to be careful. The excitement and the hope take over and just sweep you off your feet. Aren't we all looking for ever lasting love?? Bertrand Russell once said, "Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness." Yet e.e.Cummings reminds us, "Be of love a little more careful than of anything." I would like to think that what he meant was that once you find love be careful with it, preserve it and cherish it so that you don't lose it. Sorry Joan, it's too late - if it doesn't work out it will probably hurt, but if it does work out - G-d bless and thank you Lisa.
“It is better to err on the side of daring than the side of caution." - Alvin Toffler
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