Always Had It, Always Will

Always Had It, Always Will
by Alan Cohen

Not this crude leather; luminous beings are we!
- Yoda

What would you do if someone swore that you knew the secret of life and put you on a stage to tell it? The Totally Hidden Video television show set up a hysterical prank on precisely this theme. For the gag, a Federal Express driver was asked to deliver a package to a religious temple (fabricated by the television show). Unknown to the driver, the pranksters had taken a photo of him and replicated it as a painted portrait, depicting the young man dressed in the royal regalia of the fictitious sect.

When the delivery man arrived, the disciples (actors hired by the program) took one look at him and began buzzing excitedly.

They ushered him to the front of the sanctuary and invited him to sit on a plush cushion of honor. Then they revealed to him that he was the chosen one, the long-awaited prophet foretold in their scriptures. To allay any doubts, a servant parted the altar curtain where, lo and behold, hung the majestic portrait of the deliverer, "painted by a visionary centuries ago."

"Please," begged a disciple, "give us some words of wisdom."

The driver surveyed the portrait and looked over the throng of expectant devotees. A hush fell over the assembly. He sat down on the pillow, took a deep breath, and spoke: "Life," the sage explained, "is like a river."

The disciples "oohed" and "aahed" on the heels of his utterance, hanging fervently on every sacred word.

"Sometimes life flows easily, and sometimes you encounter rocks and rapids," the guru illustrated, "but if you hang in there and have faith, you will arrive at the ocean of your dreams."

Again the students swooned with ecstasy. More "oohs" and "aahs." This was indeed the day they had been waiting for!

"Well, that's about it," Swami Fedex curtly concluded, "I have to go now and make some more deliveries."

Reluctantly the devotees rose, bowed reverently, and sheepishly cleared the way for the anointed one. Amid profuse veneration he made his way to the door.

Now here is the amazing postscript to the story: the program played the same trick on several Fedex drivers, each of whom found profound words the moment he sat on the cushion. The invitation to wax profound brought forth the inner wisdom in these unassuming fellows. Deep within our heart, each of us knows the truth. The answers we seek, the power we strive for, and the acknowledgement we attempt to gain, abide inside us. Given the opportunity (being placed on the cushion) or the challenge (being pushed against a wall) we know what we need to know, to do what we need to do.

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Always Had It, Always Will Imagine this prank were played on you - what would your deepest words of wisdom be? When receiving the honor that the drivers received, how do we also keep their awareness that deliveries have to be made, and avoid getting trapped by the attention we get? Can you share a personal story of a time when you were expected to share your deepest wisdom, and what arose in response?

"Think what it would be like to go about your day with your mind filled only with happy and loving thoughts..."

"Think what it would be like to go about your day with your mind filled only with happy and loving thoughts. Everyone you meet has a smile and a glow of happiness about him or her. There is no sickness, no hunger, no conflict or lack, no time and no death. Peace has replaced fear everywhere. This is our world when forgiveness has come and we are free to love again."  - The Miracle of Real Forgiveness by Tom Carpenter

The Forgiveness Movement

How Gossip, Complaints & Swear Words are Good for Manifesting

How Gossip, Complaints & Swear Words are Good for Manifesting

Deliberate creators are often advised that in order to maintain a high vibration we should eliminate all gossip, complaints, swear words and anything else negative from our conversations.

Most of us would consider that good advice, and many of us have attempted to practice it for long stretches at a time.

But the thing is sometimes a little bitch session, trash talking or wisely chosen expletive is exactly what we need to improve our alignment.

Not convinced?

You’ve probably already experienced this. Have you ever laughed out loud when a friend swears inappropriately? Or when you have? Or felt relief when you suspended your “good behavior” to give someone a piece of your mind?

Or maybe you’ve hung up from a little girlfriend gossip session feeling better than you did before you conversed?

If not, you really must try it. It’s all the rage for leading edge manifestors. ;)

Gossip, complaints and swear words don’t always feel better - but sometimes, depending where we’re at on the vibrational scale, a little four letter word or an “inappropriate” comment is just the ticket to a better vibe.

Even Abraham says sometimes being negative is what you’ve got to do before you can feel better. It’s what they mean when they suggest going from “specific negative” to “general negative.” As in: “I am sick and tired of being underpaid for what I do” to “actually, my entire industry is under-appreciated. It’s not just me.”

After you make that transition, then you can get to “general positive” (“But we do do important work“) and on to “specific positive” (“I love the project I’m working on now.”)

Sometimes the ticket to movement in your feeling state is to let yourself do what savvy creators aren’t “supposed” to do - complain about the neighbor or swear at the traffic or gossip about the in-laws.

It’s not pretty, but sometimes it is just what the doctor ordered. So if you’re stuck in a bad vibe, try on a little gossip, complaining and/or swear word to see if you can find a bit of relief to kick start your upward spiral.

Jeannette Maw

Jeannette Maw is a Master Certified Coach and founder of Good Vibe University. Catch up with her latest LOA ideas at www.goodvibeblog.com.

To respond or to react, that's the question.

To respond or to react, that's the question.
By Pam Thomas
Phoenix Life Coach Examiner

Think about the last time you were involved in a discussion or argument where you reacted. How did you show up in that exchange? Prickly? Angry? Defensive? Powerless? Personally, when I am being reactive I become susceptible to all sorts of negativity.

As a matter of fact, I have to raise my hand and admit that I have fallen prey to the guiles of victimhood/reactive-ness most recently. I allowed someone else’s poor behavior and negativity to throw me into a bit of tizzy. (What a tizzy it was too with f-bombs included.) Fortunately, during my little visit to the dungeons of victimhood/reactive-ness I remembered something very important; I have a choice as to whether or not I want to allow someone else’s crap behavior (which I have no control over) to impact me. I also came to the realization that the negativity that was making my heart heavy and zapping my power was also leaving me susceptible to getting sucked into further drama, chaos, and unhealthiness of the situation.

The bottom line; when we don't react, we detach from the negative charge. We hold on to our own personal power, a.k.a we don't allow something or someone else to make us feel small or insignificant or worse yet a victim to the circumstances.
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So here are few things to try when you find yourself reacting rather than responding:

During "heated" times try taking a deep breath, sit quietly for a moment, and give yourself that time to settle your emotions. Doing something as simple as breathing deeply will help you to come from that place of responsiveness where words are chosen with care and thoughts are clearer.

If you have to, excuse yourself from the conversation by letting the other person know that you would like to table the discussion and give it some thought.

Allow your emotions or the signals of your body (i.e. tension) to serve as your trigger and then ask yourself the following question, “What do I choose right now?” When you remember that you have a choice, you take back your own personal power to respond.

Whatever you choose it can be truly liberating and rather powerful to come from a place of responsiveness rather than reactive-ness. In addition, you avoid the drama and chaos and experience much more peace and positive well-being so here's to the power of responding.

Riding Out Life's Tsunamis

Riding Out Life's Tsunamis

It has been over a month now since a powerful magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan. The confirmed death toll is over 13,000 and continues to rise. In the midst of all the horror stories are occasional heroic tales of survival and rescue. One of the most fascinating is that of Susumu Sugawara.


The 64-year-old Sugawara is the owner-operator of a small boat named "Sunflower." After the massive earthquake and in view of the tsunami warnings being broadcast, he had to make a quick decision. Should he head for high ground on his island of Oshima? Should he put his boat to sea and try to ride out the fury? His chose to launch his boat and head for deep water offshore.


"I knew if I didn't save my boat," he told a CNN reporter, "my island would be isolated and in trouble." So he ran to his 42-year-old craft that can hold about 20 people at a time and went full-throttle toward the deadly waves that would kill people whose names and faces he knew. Then he saw the wall of water.


Accustomed to waves ten to twelve feet high, this one was fully 50 to 60 feet high. Sugawara knew that he and his boat could easily wind up at the bottom of the sea. He drove straight for it - "climbing the wave like a mountain," as he put it. And the mountain seemed only to grow bigger and bigger. There was a huge crash of water over him. Only then could he see the horizon. He had survived!


Sugawara made his way back to his now-devastated Oshima. For the month since, he has been a lifeline by making hourly trips to the mainland to ferry people and supplies. If people can help pay for gasoline, he accepts money. If they have lost everything and can pay nothing, he still welcomes them aboard.


I'm no sailor or boat captain. I don't know if the Japanese captain made the reasonable and right decision on that fateful day. I can only report and rejoice at the outcome.

He lived through the ordeal and is helping others with a sense of sensitivity to their suffering the rest of us can only admire from a distance.


Here is the lesson from this story for me: Against my hesitation and fear, it makes more sense to ride into the teeth of life's challenges than to run away.


There is a cash-flow crisis. There is an unexpected problem with a product. A major supplier has failed, or a major customer has bailed. Some executives kick into denial mode or ball up in a fetal position. Their companies fail. Leaders steer right into the problem and act with integrity to name and face the problem.


Or maybe the problem is far more serious. A spouse says the marriage is over. The police or hospital calls with a parent's worst nightmare about an arrest or accident. Maybe you get a diagnosis that sounds like a death sentence. Do you run and hide? Self-medicate with drugs or alcohol? Or do you steer into the teeth of the storm and pray for courage you have never had to display before?


"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face," said Eleanor Roosevelt. "You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next one that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

Rubel Shelly

Rubel Shelly is a Preacher and Professor of Religion and Philosophy located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In addition to church and academic responsibilities, he has worked actively with such community projects as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, From Nashville With Love, Metro (Nashville) Public Schools, Faith Family Medical Clinic, and Operation Andrew Ministries.

The Power of Gratitude

The Power of Gratitude

Realize the Power of Gratitude is very tied to the Power of intention in that both of these actions help to activate the Law of Attraction and energize your thoughts to stay grounded in the positive light. This Power of Gratitude as but one important aspect of creating the happiness and Abundance you deserve.

Through quantum physics we now know that everything there is, is vibrational matter. All matter is energy made up of sub-atomic particles and atoms. Through this unified energy field, our thoughts resonate and project. Based on our feelings, emotions and thoughts, this determines our vibration frequency that is broadcast from us out into the universe. This is our own unique, vibrational signal. It is the personal signature that we resonate that is answered and returned to us. This is how the Law of Attraction works, plain and simple.

Imagine we are magnets that are attracting to us Gratitude, sadness, happiness, grief, confusion, clarity, wealth and scarcity. We attract to us what we feel, think about, dwell upon, focus on and get emotional about. When we are not centered, we are scattered. When we are scattered, we send out a lot of mixed signals that become confused. If your life right now is confusing, look to see if you are centered in positive thought and actions.

What we send out, broadcast, is a frequency pattern that is matched, then returned to us by this Law that we all have. This is why it is so important for us to raise our vibrational frequencies and stay there, to bring more happiness, wealth and prosperity into our lives.

When we are using the Power of Gratitude , we are engaging the Universal Law s to work more for our well being. By becoming truly grateful, we begin to uplift our energy so it will resonate higher into a level of true peace and happiness; so then, this is what we begin attracting to us.

When you are expressing Gratitude , you are reinforcing the higher frequencies and keeping them up there. When you are not expressing, you are resisting. By not being grateful, you are creating resistance. Resistance will lower your vibrational frequency. Then you are experiencing life in disharmony again. Resistance places the focus on what you do not wish to experience rather than letting things go.

Real Gratitude is based on accepting the way things are then moving on. Grief is a real thing, yet when we do not begin excepting the way things are, we can't move on passed this until we except this loss in our lives, then we are able to move on. Moving past the resistance is to begin being grateful for what you have.
The Power of Gratitude is a blessing for us. It can be cultivated and nurtured until it becomes who we are. Gratefulness is more than just a state of mind, it is a state of being we are all capable of reaching and becoming.

The state of resistance has us living in the past and afraid of the future. The Power of Gratitude allows us to live in the now, the present. This is a state of grace. The past is gone and the future, some of us live in fear from has not arrived. Isn't life a lot easier, realizing that right now you can be grateful about letting go if this resistance you created and being at peace right now?

It is our perceptions that can either make, or break our life. Would you rather experience heaven, or hell? This should not be a choice, yet it is one that many people make every moment of the day.

Realize that you are the author of your life and you create you very own reality. Everything unfolds around you, the way you perceive it to be. If you are living in darkness, fear and scarcity; then you are dragging the past into this moment with you.

Develop Gratitude by practicing it. Letting go of behavior patterns and ways you respond to life can seem like an insurmountable obstacle to do, but it isn't. When you begin to fall into old resistant patterns, it helps to stop yourself and begin thinking of anything you are truly grateful for, then giving thanks to that. Think of something else to be grateful for and give thanks to that. Make a list of things you are grateful for and keep it with you to pull out when resistant seems to pull you down.

Developing a Power of Gratitude within you will allow you to maintain a higher vibrational frequency and attract a well meaning life. It is not enough to want this; you have to make it happen. This is the only way to use the Law of Attraction with intent as a regular part of your life to expand it.

Joseph Rettig

Mary Manin Morrrissey ["We create our life in two ways..."]

We create our life in two ways; one is out of design, and the other is out of default.

If we don't design a dream for our life, then our mind will default to old patterns and shape our reality based on existing seeds of thought. You might wish for a different crop, but if you don't plant different seeds, you will get the same result as before.

A seed will always produce the fruit of its kind. The Universe delights in giving you whatever dream you want. All you have to do is choose, focus and follow through.

Let The Universe Be Delighted,
Mary

http://dreambuilderblog.com/mary-morrissey/delight-the-universe/

Life works like a GPS Device

Life works like a GPS Device
Posted in Analogies, Top Secrets for Success by Gustav S on the October 19th, 2007

Sometimes I like to write analogies to make my points clear to people and I am sure that if you pay attention to what happen during your life you would be able to understand them either.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading an article from one of my best friend’s blog called How to manifest a House on the coast

And after reading the article I emailed him my thoughts and this generated a nice exchange which I decided to convert it in a post:
I really enjoyed your post about your house at the beach… I think you did great but I would like to tell you that the reason you have to go so down under with yourself is because of all the things you are dragging from your past, but at the moment we are AWARE things can only go up up up up … so do not worry…

Just to let you know that LONG TIME AGO I GOT TOTALLY CONVINCED that there is not BAD or GOOD ,,, even though we feel terrible when something doesn’t go the way we want it THAT IS JUST OUR EGO, but the truth is that GOD or the Universe is working things out for us the BEST WAY possible… it is our fault if we are not listening and for that reason things have to be harder
GS

Aaron’s Reply:
Gustav,
Thanks for the words of wisdom!
And I am totally with you on there being no such thing as “bad” or “good”. It is all about the perspective of the viewer, and the viewer’s beliefs.
We are our own worst enemies, and that is definitely true when it comes to manifesting something that we want, but possibly feel that we can’t actually get.
I’m glad that you liked the beach house story, Gustav! Now it is on to the next stage!
Aaron

I replied:
I am happy for you, do you know what I also believe? that the universe works like the GPS of your car,,, I don’t know if you have seen how a GPS works, for example you give the GPS (the Universe) the FINAL destination (your wish) the GPS will calculate the SHORTEST ROUTE to reach your destination, then the GPS starts talking (God’s signals), ok lets go right, Turn left, so many meters here and there. It could happen (and happens a lot) that you MISS some of GPS signals and the GPS HAVE TO RECALCULATE THE ROUTE and this new route could take longer than the original route, but in the end you are being taken to your final destination…. get my point? Sometimes when we feel things are taking too long is because we are missing some SIGNALS! … but at the same time it is important that it is so because it gives us FREE WILL you see, I contribute to our discussion and I am automatically given ideas, isn’t life great?
GS

Aaron’s reply:
Gustav,
You’re right - that IS a great analogy! It sums up the process very nicely. Thank you so much for sharing it with me!
Aaron

My reply:
You are more than welcome, I do enjoy to share with people that understands me
GS

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

Love for No Reason

Love for No Reason


Through the train window, she watched the villages and vineyards of the Italian countryside go by. It was 1942 and Sussi Penzias, a young Jewish woman who’d fled Nazi Germany, was traveling alone, hoping to remain unnoticed. Since she’d arrived in Italy three years earlier, she’d been moving from place to place, staying with friends and friends of friends, hiding from the authorities. Now she was on her way to yet another safe house in a new town.


Suddenly, the door at the end of the train car swung open and two police officers came in. Sussi’s heart beat wildly. They were wearing the black uniform of the Fascisti, the government police. To Sussi’s horror, the policemen began making their way down the aisle, stopping at every row to examine the papers of each passenger.


Sussi knew that as soon as the policemen discovered she had no papers, she would be arrested. She was terrified she’d end up in a concentration camp, and would face unimaginable suffering and almost certain death.


The officers were getting closer, just a few rows away. There was no escape. It was only a matter of minutes before they would reach her seat. Sussi began to tremble uncontrollably, and tears slid down her cheeks.


The man sitting next to her noticed her distress and politely asked her why she was crying.


“I’m Jewish and I have no papers,” she whispered, hardly able to speak.


To her surprise, a few seconds later the man began shouting at her, “You idiot! I can’t believe how stupid you are! What an imbecile!”


The police officers, hearing the commotion, stopped what they were doing and came over. “What’s going on here?” one of them asked. Sussi began crying even harder.


The man turned a disgusted face to the policemen and said, “Officers, take this woman away! I have my papers, but my wife has forgotten hers! She always forgets everything. I’m so sick of her. I don’t ever want to see her again!”


The officers laughed, shaking their heads at the couple’s marital spat, and moved on.


With a selfless act of caring, the stranger on the train had saved Sussi’s life. Sussi never saw the man again. She never even knew his name.

* * * * *


When Sussi’s great-niece, Shifra, told me this story, I was in awe. I wondered, What is it that inspires someone to extend himself, even risk his life, for someone he doesn’t know? The man on the train didn’t help Sussi because she’d made him a great breakfast that morning or had picked up his dry cleaning. He helped her because in that moment of heroism he was moved by an impulse of compassion and unconditional love.


I’m not talking about Hollywood or Hallmark-card kind of love, but love as a state of being—the kind of love that is limitless and doesn’t ask to be returned.


Is it possible to live in that state of unconditional love all the time?


That was the question I set out to answer when I started writing my most recent book, Love for No Reason. And what I learned through my research is that each of us can grow in unconditional love, the kind of love that doesn’t depend on any person or situation. Imagine loving people, not because they fill your needs or because their opinions match your own, but because you’re connected to a state of pure love within yourself.


This simple but profound shift creates remarkable changes in every area of life. Instead of feeling a little hungry all the time—for love, security, more stuff, more recognition, more everything—people who are unconditionally loving feel full and complete. It affects how they show up in every moment. In fact, though a person’s life might not depend on making this shift, the quality of his or her life does. When people live in unconditional love their world turns from black-and-white to dazzling Technicolor.


By Marci Shimoff. Adapted from Love for No Reason: 7 Steps to Creating a Life of Unconditional Love (Free Press, December 2010), which offers a breakthrough approach to experiencing a lasting state of unconditional love. www.TheLoveBook.com

"Paid in Full"

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry and so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strengthened also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later, that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly* was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, he went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested from the business office to pass the final billing to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words:

"PAID IN FULL WITH ONE GLASS OF MILK..."
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly

*Dr. Howard Kelly was a distinguished physician who, in 1895, founded the Johns Hopkins Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Johns Hopkins University. According to Dr. Kelly's biographer, Audrey Davis, the doctor was on a walking trip through Northern Pennsylvania one spring day when he stopped by a farm house for a drink of water.

The Awesome Power of Kindness...
From: Motivation in a Minute

Heart to Heart

Heart to Heart
Marilyn Jenett

In brief, the researchers had followed the lives of many heart transplant patients. And even though the patients did not know who their donors were, they incredibly took on the personality traits and preferences of the donors. The findings were most often based on accounts from family members of the patients.

Here is just one example that was shared...

A man received a heart from a young black man who died. After the transplant, the patient suddenly developed a strong passion for classical music. His family couldn't understand what had happened as the man's life began to revolve completely around classical music. When asked his opinion about the kind of music young black men enjoy, the patient said he had always assumed it was rap music. But what the patient never knew was that the young man who gave him the heart was returning from his violin lessons when he was hit by a car and died. The donor's life had completely revolved around classical music.

According to the details of the radio interview, it was obvious that this was a common occurrence. The doctor went into much detail about their findings.

I spent some time assimilating the information and waiting for insights of my own about this subject. So many thoughts were going through my mind...

It would appear that our heart is not just our bodily organ. I have learned and teach that the subconscious mind has a perfect memory of every cell in our body and can heal us. It is also a perfect record of everything we have ever heard, said, felt and experienced. This is common knowledge in psychological and metaphysical circles. In fact, in metaphysical terms, the subconscious mind is known as the "heart."

But the thought that the actual physical organ of our body - the heart - is also a living blueprint of our personalities that can transcend the body - is a striking revelation.

And then I thought...perhaps every living cell of our bodies contains our personalities. Could this mean that any transplanted organ would carry the personality traits of the donor to the recipient? Or is our physical heart truly the center of our most passionate, beloved desires, spiritual ideals and aspirations that it will carry with it wherever it goes, even if it leaves its original body?

And what if the donor is not a positive loving person with high aspirations - perhaps a criminal donor? Would those personality traits carry over to the recipient patient? Would the patient's own personality traits be able to buffer any negative potential?

And of course, we can even conjure up a bit of Twilight Zone. If the donor's passion for a kind of music can transfer to the recipient, could the donor's passion for a particular person be transferred - if the patient were to meet that particular person? Yikes...my imagination was going wild. Except....except...


Heartfelt


I did catch a movie on television shortly afterwards about a female heart transplant patient who had an irresistible attraction to the young daughter of a man whose wife had died. She was accused of stalking the young girl but could not stay away from her. Long story short, it turned out that the patient had received the heart of the father's wife - the young girl's mother. Oh well, it was only a movie. Except...except...


As I researched the subject, I found someone who had read a book by a woman who was one of the first heart and lung transplant recipients. The patient was a classical dancer, but after the transplant surgery, she immediately started craving beer and hot dogs and driving fast cars. She later discovered that her donor was a teenage boy who died in a motorcycle accident. She eventually was able to meet his family and everything that she now craved were things that were important to him. And this was a TRUE story!


A little more research and I found the book. Claire Sylvia's story was made into a feature film for television in 2002 titled Heart of a Stranger and starred Jane Seymour. (You can google Claire Sylvia to find more details)

This paragraph from the book jacket says it all:

This is a story that must be told and heard...a fascinating example of how cellular memory can outlive physical death. -- Deepok Chopra


You Gotta Have Heart



Now I ask you to think about this...



If a physical heart can travel to another human body and carry with it the passions, preferences, and desires of its former owner, what is the impact that your own heart has on you? What kind of influence does your heart have on your life experience, your circumstances and the manifestation of your desires?



In studying prosperity laws, we learn that our words and our thoughts create dominant ideas in our mind that become our circumstances. But if your words and thoughts are infused with feeling - specifically the feeling of the end result - you possess the greatest manifesting tool in the universe, indeed.



When we put real feeling into something we are doing, isn't it said that we "put our heart into it?"



We can say all the words and affirmations we want...we can even fool ourselves - and others - with our words and actions. But ultimately the greatest impact in our lives and in the results we gain from applying mental and spiritual laws will come from the "whisperings" of our heart. That's where the truth of the matter lies. It's in the whisperings of our heart - and the seat of our subconscious.



You can't fool your heart. It knows the truth about you.



But to me the most amazing thing in the world is that we can have a change of heart (of course I don't mean a transplant but that's equally amazing!)



What's in your heart right now? Could you use a change of heart?


Take heart


~ Marilyn

© Copyright 2010 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved

The Awakening, by Sonny Carroll © 1999

"That which we persist in doing becomes easier - not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability has increased."

Ralph Waldo Emerson


An Inspirational Reminder…..


The Awakening, by Sonny Carroll © 1999


A time comes in your life when you finally get it. When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice in your head cries out - ENOUGH!



Enough fighting and crying, or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes.



This is your awakening.



You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter). And that any guarantee must begin with YOU, and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.



You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect, and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are and it's OK. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions.) And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself, and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.



You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that not everyone will always be there for you, and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.



You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to over look their shortcomings and human frailties and in the process a sense of peace and contentment are born of forgiveness.



You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the crap you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you shouldn't weigh, what you should wear, where you should shop, what you should drive, how and where you should live, what you should do for a living, who you should sleep with, who you should marry, what you should expect of a marriage, the importance of having and raising children, or what you owe your parents.You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.



You learn the difference between wanting and needing, and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with, and in the process you learn to go with your instincts.



You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive and that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you rnext fix.



You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideas of a by gone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.



You learn that you don’t know everything; it’s not your job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility, and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry, and that martyrs get burned at the stake.



Then you learn about love, romantic love and familial love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable, or important because of the man or woman on your arm or the child that bears your name.



You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations, and outcomes.



You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and you learn that you don't have the right to demand love on your terms, just to make you happy.



And, you learn that alone does not mean lonely. And you look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a perfect 10 and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you “stack up.”



You also stop working so hard at putting feelings aside, smoothing things over, and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want things and to ask for things that you want and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.



You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity, and respect and you will not settle for less. And you allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you, to glorify you with his or her touch and in the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect.



And you learn that your body really is your temple. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water, and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul, so you take more time to laugh and to play.



You learn that, for the most part, in life you get what you believe you deserve and that much of life is a self-fulfilling prophecy.



You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen.



More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success, you need direction, discipline, and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone and it’s OK to risk asking for help.



You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears, because you know that whatever happens you can handle it, and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms.



You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve, and that sometimes, bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening.



And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state: the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy, and resentment must be understood and redirected, or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.



You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.



You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things you take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: A full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.



Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself, and you try to make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart's desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.



Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin, as best as you can, to design the life you want to live.



[This is an abridged version of the poem.]



Peace and Joy,



Lynne Namka, Ed. D.


"Choice is focused intent. It triggers belief, attitude, feeling and decision-making. Choice is the keystone to creation and manifestation. Choice changes neural pathways. It can engage the unconscious to override the subconscious. Choice opens gateways to the future, to the possible and to your many possibilities."

Lazaris

Questions regarding the content of this newsletter, comments or written contributions can be directed to inspirationcontact@yahoo.com. Please remember that I cannot provide you with any advice of a personal nature. But help is out there somewhere! Do reach out and get a qualified professional to help you sort through your issues. Please check out my web site www.AngriesOut.com for ideas and numerous downloadable articles on a wide range of subjects. You can also click on the ‘Finding a Therapist’ link to take you to the section entitled, “Finding a Competent Therapist with Great Training.”

Distinctive Ring Tones

Distinctive Ring Tones


So we see, to play successfully the game of life, we must train the imaging faculty. A person with an imaging faculty trained to image only good, brings into his life "every righteous desire of his heart" - health, wealth, love, friends, perfect self-expression, his highest ideals.

— Florence Scovel Shinn


In the film Tin Cup, Kevin Costner’s character proclaims, “When the defining moment comes along, you define the moment or the moment defines you.” We have been led to believe that life determines who we are, when at every moment we determine what our life is.

One strong metaphor for attuning to your unique guidance is the cell phone. Most people have a unique cell phone ring tone. We choose melodies and songs that we enjoy and that represent our unique taste and style. When cell phones first became popular, there were no distinctive tones, so when I stood in line at an airport, for example, a cell phone would ring and five people would each reach for their phone, in case someone was calling them. Now the rings are so distinctive that you reach for your call and not someone else’s.

Your soul’s calling also has a distinct tone. When your inner voice speaks to you it bestows a feeling of peace, ease, flow, aliveness, and a sense of coming home. By contrast, the voice of the ego, or fear, is burdensome, demanding, and disquieting. When considering whether to hearken to a voice within you, test its frequency. Is it broadcasting from fear, or love? Practice picking up the phone for love calls and refuse to answer the fear calls. As a Chasidic sage nobly stated, “Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength.”



Do you recognize the frequency of your own true inner voice?

Considering a decision before you, what does the voice of love say to you?


I listen to the my own true voice and I act on it with confidence.

I am always guided to my greater good.



Wisdom for Today © 2010 by Alan Cohen www.alancohen.com

Which Box Will You Check?

When the defining moment comes, either you define the moment or the moment defines you.

―From the movie Tin Cup


In her delightful book, Let Go of the Shore, musician Karen Drucker describes a pivotal moment when she was about to sign up for a subscription to a trade magazine. At that time Karen was just starting her career and she did not have a lot of money. On the subscription page of the magazine she found two different forms of subscription: One for "Regular Subscriber" and another discounted rate for "Starving Artist." Karen was tempted to check the "Starving Artist" box, but she realized that if she claimed the identity of "Starving Artist" she would affirm that definition of herself, and that is who she would become. So she decided to take a leap of faith and pay for the regular-rate subscription as an affirmation that she could afford it.


The next day Karen received a number of checks in the mail and several invitations for music engagements. Her affirmation of herself as an abundant being, she maintains, drew to her the material abundance.

Every time we think or speak about ourselves or anyone, we are affirming who we or they are. So take care to choose the adjectives and labels you place upon yourself and others, for those descriptions will come true. Never speak of yourself as less than you would like to be, and afford others the same courtesy and empowerment.

Every choice you make reflects who you believe you are. Make choices that reflect and honor the best that you are and the best that you deserve, and your statements will become self-fulfilling prophecies.



How might you describe yourself in ways that

honor your magnificence and expand your good?


Affirm:

I accept prosperity by making choices as one who is abundant.


Alan Cohen
http://www.alancohen.com

To thine own self be true

Shakespeare said that many years ago. Being true to yourself actually is the first step to doing anything for others. You can only give out what you have so fill up on love, joy, self respect. When you are aware of your own needs and meet those within yourself you then have that to share with others in your life.

Often people deal with burn out from doing too much and spreading their energy too thin. We live in a very fast paced world and it’s easy to just do too much and not take care of you. You are important. As a mother your patience, wisdom and understanding are dependent upon your taking care of yourself and your emotional, physical and spiritual needs.

A long bath with a good book, sitting in the back yard watching the birds, going for a long and relaxing walk are all wonderful ways to connect yourself to balance.

Buy yourself a vase full of flowers and delight in their color, texture and scent. Love yourself well.. I say that to each person I meet and for a very good reason. You will have more to share with others when you are being good to yourself.

Making sure you get food that satisfies the body, mind and spirit, rest that restores physical and mental energy, down time to restore the soul; all these fill you up with energy and the more full you are the more you have to give and the more you enjoy your life experience.

The reason so many are creating experiences they don’t enjoy is they are just plain tired, worn out, drained and that gives way to frustration. Frustration creates more to feel that way about.

Being good to yourself is the fastest way to create beauty in your life and guarantees you have plenty of love, respect and kindness to share with others.

How do you feed your soul?

Donna DeVane
http://secretdesigncreationsblog.com/

The Heart of the Matter

The Heart of the Matter

One day a few years ago I was driving and listening to the radio. Sometimes I listen to music when driving, but more often I check out the talk radio stations to see if there's anything of interest.

Well, on that day I tuned into the middle of a talk radio show and the guest was a physician who shared something I found absolutely incredible. As the days went by, the topic kept returning to my mind and I couldn't help ponder the fascinating information until I had to do a bit of my own research.

The radio guest was a doctor who specialized in heart transplants and research. He explained the discoveries of the research and offered specific real life examples to support it.

Heart to Heart

In brief, the researchers had followed the lives of many heart transplant patients. And even though the patients did not know who their donors were, they incredibly took on the personality traits and preferences of the donors. The findings were most often based on accounts from family members of the patients.

Here is just one example that was shared...

A man received a heart from a young black man who died. After the transplant, the patient suddenly developed a strong passion for classical music. His family couldn't understand what had happened as the man's life began to revolve completely around classical music. When asked his opinion about the kind of music young black men enjoy, the patient said he had always assumed it was rap music. But what the patient never knew was that the young man who gave him the heart was returning from his violin lessons when he was hit by a car and died. The donor's life had completely revolved around classical music.

According to the details of the call, it was obvious that this was a common occurrence. The doctor went into much detail about their findings.

I spent some time assimilating the information and waiting for insights of my own about this. So many thoughts were going through my mind...

It would appear that our heart is not just our bodily organ. I have learned and teach that the subconscious mind has a perfect memory of every cell in our body and can heal us. It is also a perfect record of everything we have ever heard, said, felt and experienced. This is common knowledge in psychological and metaphysical circles. In fact, in metaphysical terms, the subconscious mind is known as the "heart."

But the thought that the actual physical organ of our body - the heart - is also a living blueprint of our personalities that can transcend the body - is a striking revelation.

And then I thought...perhaps every living cell of our bodies contains our personalities. Could this mean that any transplanted organ would carry the personality traits of the donor to the recipient? Or is our physical heart truly the center of our most passionate, beloved desires, spiritual ideals and aspirations that it will carry with it wherever it goes, even if it leaves its original body?

And what if the donor is not a positive loving person with high aspirations - perhaps a criminal donor? Would those personality traits carry over to the recipient patient? Would the patient's own personality traits be able to buffer any negative potential?

And of course, we can even conjure up a bit of Twilight Zone. If the donor's passion for a kind of music can transfer to the recipient, could the donor's passion for a particular person be transferred - if the patient were to meet that particular person? Yikes...my imagination was going wild. Except....except...


Heartfelt

I did catch a movie on television shortly afterwards about a female heart transplant patient who had an irresistible attraction to the young daughter of a man whose wife had died. She was accused of stalking the young girl but could not stay away from her. Long story short, it turned out that the patient had received the heart of the father's wife - and therefore the young girl's mother. Oh well, it was only a movie. Except...except...

As I researched the subject, I found someone who had read a book by a woman who was one of the first heart and lung transplant recipients. The patient was a classical dancer, but after the transplant surgery, she immediately started craving beer and hotdogs and driving fast cars. She later discovered that her donor was a teenage boy who died in a motorcycle accident. She eventually was able to meet his family and everything that she now craved were things that were important to him. And this was a TRUE story!

A little more research and I found the book. Claire Sylvia's story was made into a feature film for television in 2002 titled Heart of a Stranger and starred Jane Seymour. (You can google Claire Sylvia to find more details)

This paragraph from the book jacket says it all:

This is a story that must be told and heard...a fascinating example of how cellular memory can outlive physical death. -- Deepok Chopra


You Gotta Have Heart

Now I ask you to think about this...

If a physical heart can travel to another human body and carry with it the passions, preferences, and desires of its former owner, what is the impact that your own heart has on you? What kind of influence does your heart have on your life experience, your circumstances and the manifestation of your desires?

In studying prosperity laws, we learn that our words and our thoughts create dominant ideas in our mind that become our circumstances. But if your words and thoughts are infused with feeling - specifically the feeling of the end result - you possess the greatest manifesting tool in the universe, indeed.

When we put real feeling into something we are doing, isn't it said that we "put our heart into it?"

We can say all the words and affirmations we want...we can even fool ourselves - and others - with our words and actions. But ultimately the greatest impact in our lives and in the results we gain from applying mental and spiritual laws will come from the "whisperings" of our heart. That's where the truth of the matter lies. It's in the whisperings of our heart - and the seat of our subconscious.

You can't fool your heart. It knows the truth about you.

But to me the most amazing thing in the world is that we can have a change of heart (of course I don't mean a transplant but that's equally amazing!)

What's in your heart right now? Could you use a change of heart?


Take heart

~ Marilyn


Visit the Feel Free to Prosper Website
www.feelfreetoprosper.com
Contact Marilyn
marilyn@feelfreetoprosper.com
310.475.0211


© Copyright 2010 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved

Marilyn Jenett, an accomplished business owner in the corporate arena, founded the Feel Free to Prosper program to mentor and teach others to become aligned with Universal laws and accept their right to prosper. For more information, visit
http://www.FeelFreetoProsper.com.

Marilyn's book, Feel Free to Prosper: Two Weeks to Unexpected Income With the Simplest Prosperity Laws Available, is her first release.


Feel Free to Prosper, 1933 Manning Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA

Love money happiness - what everyone wants

You want to experience love, have money and be happy. You are not alone. These are desires common to mankind. We yearn to be loved, to feel special to someone, to have money to live well and to be happy. It’s normal to want these things. The question many people ask is how to find love, get enough money and be happy even until the love and money show up.

The easiest way to find love is to discover self love. Realize all your gifts and talents. This isn’t saying to be a snob, but to be aware of how caring you are. To show yourself respect and love that you would like to experience with another person. There was a study done a few years ago about what men found the most sexy about a woman. The winning answer was “a woman who knows she’s sexy”. The same is true for what women find attractive. How you feel about yourself is a signal you give out to other people. They respond to that self worth signal you send out. Sit down and be honest about what you think about yourself. What areas can you improve on? How you feel about yourself will result in who you attract into your life.

Money is another main topic of conversation. Everyone wants more of it. Money is energy, the energy of abundance that is all around. There is only abundance. There’s plenty of everything. You are the stream of consciousness that the energy of abundance moves through. Using your thoughts, feelings, knowing combined with action opens the windows and doors of your life allowing the easy flow of more money. Remember, abundance is the natural state of life itself, always seeking to expand and experience more of itself. By placing your attention on abundance of what you do want rather than paying attention to what you don’t want.. well.. you get the point. Where your energy goes.. creation soon follows. So pay attention, notice abundance. Be aware of how much abundance there is. Look around you right now. See the abundance of everything you could ever desire. Now realize that you are the channel that everything flows through.

Happiness is another of the main three desires of all mankind. We enjoy feeling good. We like to feel connected to life and at peace with our surroundings. Taking note of all the beauty around you is one way to increase your happiness level. Picking conversations that uplift and inspire is another. Movies, books, and music are also wonderful mood elevators. Going for a long walk to commune with nature or sitting quietly watching the birds and listening to their songs will bring up your level of happiness and connection.

Often there are community activities that you can join to meet others and learn a new skill or hobby. Check your communities leisure center, they often have classes in yoga, martial arts, painting, dance, etc. These are a great way to meet new people and fling open the door to opportunity. The more involved you are in your life the more possibilities you discover.

Be open to your life. Live it fully. Grab each day and dance through it. You are the only one who has the power to hold you back or move you forward.. What’s stopping you? Ready Set GO!!!

Donna DeVane
Secret Design Creations
http://secretdesigncreationsblog.com/

How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Relationship

How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Relationship

Several years ago Pat Love Ed.D. and Sunny Shulkin Ph.D., two Imago trainers and therapists, published a book titled How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Relationship. Below is part of their list of some behaviors they identify which can, indeed, ruin a relationship:

• Control everything and everyone
• Never take the blame yourself; instead, make your partner wrong
• Make it a habit to spend more money than you have
• Win every fight, even the ones you couldn’t care less about
• Keep score
• Use threat often
• Find your partner’s weak spot and use it against him/her
• When your partner tries to please you, find fault with their efforts
• Hold fast to the belief: “If you loved me you would know what I want”
• Demand your partner remain faithful but refuse to meet his or her sexual needs
• Use silence as a weapon
• Pretend that you don’t hear
• When your partner tries to apologize, bring up more complaints
• Refuse to give information
• When you realize you haven’t given your partner some important info, insist that you did
• Claim to be the only one interested in the relationship
• Never ask for help
• Confide only in friends
• Take it personally when your partner wants time alone
• Discount your partner’s physical complaints
• Give advice where it isn’t welcome
• Never pick up after yourself
• Refuse to seek help for your depression
• Refuse to talk
• Focus on changing your partner
• Focus all your needs on sex
• Take all problems as further proof that the relationship will not work
• Put your friends before your partner
• Keep romantic gestures to a minimum
• Focus on your partner’s faults and deny your own
• Let days go by without a kind word or loving gesture
• Practice verbal abuse
• Do not listen to your partner’s ideas or suggestions
• Ask your partner to share feelings and when s/he does, EXPLODE
• Start conversations when your partner is busy, or better yet, exhausted
• Let disagreements fester
• Say what you think your partner wants to hear, then do as you please

Two Sides of a Prison Wall

A young Japanese man named Shui was riding on a crowded train when a belligerent drunk made his way through the train car and began to rough up passengers. Shui had studied martial arts for many years, yet never before had he been forced into a public confrontation. Shui felt his blood begin to boil, and realized the ruffian needed to be stopped before he hurt someone badly.

Shui stood up, blocked the fellow’s path, and the two exchanged angry words. As the men were about to square off, Shui felt a hand on his arm. He looked down and saw a frail old man. “Let me handle this,” the elder insisted.

Shui watched in amazement as the old man invited the heavy to have a seat next to him. Strangely, he acquiesced. The elder began to engage the fellow, asking him questions about his life and looking him in the eye with kindness and compassion. After a while the thug confessed that his wife had just died and he was in great pain; he had gone out and gotten drunk to numb his agony. The old man placed a comforting hand on the fellow’s shoulder, and he began to weep. Before Shui’s eyes the intruder was transformed from a villain into an innocent child.

When the train arrived at the next station, the tough guy thanked the old man and exited the car. Shui, stunned, sat down next to the old man and asked him, “Why did you stop me?”

“You were about to meet that man’s violence with your own,” answered the old man. “In true martial arts, if you hurt your opponent in any way, you cannot call your act a victory.”

We have all encountered people whom we feel we must protect ourselves from. Yet there is a way to keep ourselves safe without hurting others. It is the strongest way to protect our peace. Although we have been taught that we must wield pain as a weapon to keep others at a distance, it is not so. We gain all together or not at all. To wish ill upon anyone is to hurt ourself.

I used to visit a prisoner named Ron. Years earlier, in college, Ron had a girlfriend named Jen. One night the couple had an argument, and in a fit of rage, Ron beat her up. Tragically, she died. Ron was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to many years in prison.

I met Ron when he was up for parole after nine years of incarceration. In contrast to his violent act, I found him to be a gentle soul. He was contrite about his crime and he had used his time in prison to advance his spiritual growth. Ron studied A Course in Miracles, he was active in the prison church, he was liked by the other prisoners and staff, and he had worked his way up to a responsible position managing the prison laundry. When I visited Ron, I sensed no cruelty in him and he certainly did not seem like a dangerous criminal to me.

Ron told me that he had been denied parole repeatedly because Jen’s parents had mounted a citywide campaign to keep him in jail. Each year when Ron was eligible to be released, Jen’s parents took out newspaper ads, exerted their political influence, and orchestrated a concerted community effort to “keep this killer off the streets.” Yet, looking at this man, I did not see a killer at all. I saw a basically good man who had made a heartbreaking mistake.

“So how are you dealing with Jen’s parents?” I asked Ron.

“I send them love and prayer,” he answered. “I understand that they are very angry and they must be in great pain. If I could go back and undo my act, I surely would. More than anything, I wish I could bring Jen back. But I can’t. So I am just deepening my relationship with God right where I am and trying to be a blessing to the world.”

As I left my meeting with Ron that day, I wondered who was really in prison. Ron was locked up physically, but his soul was soaring. Meanwhile, Jen’s parents were quite wealthy and enjoyed unlimited physical freedom, yet they were consumed by anger and vengeance. It seemed to me that their wrathful thoughts were creating walls more formidable than those encasing Ron.

Because we are spiritual beings at our essence, what we do with our spirit influences us more profoundly than what we do with our body. Heaven and hell are not places we go or conditions the outer world imposes on us; they are experiences we create with our thoughts and beliefs. A Course in Miracles tells us, “I am affected only by my thoughts.” Where our mind goes, there we are. The desire to hurt brings us instant pain, while the desire to heal brings us instant freedom.

If you are angry with anyone, or involved in a conflict, keep reaching for a solution that leaves everyone whole. If you feel you need to hurt someone or take something away from them to make things even, you do violence mostly to yourself. Instead of seeing them as a villain, regard them as wounded or calling for love. No one does anything mean or foolish unless they are in great pain. To try to inflict more pain only exacerbates their sense of disconnection. As you connect with your own sense of peace, you invite them to claim theirs. Only then can you say you have won.

by Alan Cohen

www.alancohen.com