One With Life

Each new day brings more clarity of my direction in life. My goal: Time spent without ego increases each day.

As the day progresses life can take on many twists and turns. When I find myself being judgmental or in a bad mood, sometimes it is difficult to bring myself out of the negative thought process. The thought goes round and round in my head. I call this “mind screwing.” When I realize that I am mind screwing, I question myself, and the same answer always comes to the forefront. It’s a choice. I can choose to be in a good mood, or I can choose to remain in a bad mood.

During the times when it is more difficult to get out of a certain mood, I think to myself, “What makes one thought more important than another?” Out of all the hundreds and hundreds of thoughts that cross my mind in any given day, I am allowing this one negative thought to take over my mood and determine the outcome of my day.

Seems simple, doesn’t it? Just change your thoughts and you change your mood, thus changing your experience. Simple, maybe -- but not easy. The ego can be very strong and take your thoughts off into a direction where you are rationalizing with yourself, why your feelings are hurt, or why you need to be justified, or whatever is affecting you at the time and resulting in the negative emotions in the first place. Being aware of each moment as the moment happens -- opens your eyes to how to be happy throughout your day, letting go of issues or injustices and moving forward.

Not sure how to do this? Watch your pet. In one moment you may be scolding them for behavior that is not acceptable, and in the next moment they are off chasing a butterfly as if the scolding never happened. To them it didn’t because the scolding moment is over and in the Now moment, catching the butterfly is all that matters. Animals do not hold grudges or bad feelings towards others.

Each day I achieve a few moments when I have no ego. It is in the “no ego” moment I realize I do not have to be justified by anyone or anything. My judgments are not important without ego, I simply observe situations – not judge them. It is in that “one” moment that life is simple.

"There are three words that convey the secret of the art of living, the secret of all success and happiness. “One With Life.” Being one with life is being one with Now. You then realize that you don’t live your life, but life lives you. Life is the dancer, and you are the dance.”- Eckhart Tolle – A New Earth.

Take Back Your Power

In conversations with several friends throughout the years, it seems that one suggested piece of advice I gave them that really registered was, “Take back your power.” It is sad that we so eagerly give our power to someone else in any given situation. One good example: if we are having a disagreement with anyone and they are accusing us of something; as soon as we begin to defend ourselves, we have given them our power. We have fueled the situation to escalate.

I shared this information with a friend and a few days later she called me and said, “I can’t believe how easy it is to take back my power." She went on to explain that her husband was angry at her reaction to a situation and in his usual loud manner, started telling her what she had done and how he didn’t like it. Instead of her trying to defend herself, she just listened and when he was done, she simply said, “I’m sorry you feel that way.” He looked at her in disbelief. He didn’t even know what to say.

She continued to get ready for work. After a few grumblings under his breath, he left the room. He, then, came back into the room and started to list all the things he had done that week without being asked. She realized he was trying to get her to argue with him and didn’t know how to handle her unusual reaction. She replied calmly again, “Yes, you did, and it was a huge help to me. I greatly appreciated it.”

He looked at her as if something from outer space came down and snatched his wife and replaced her with an alien. He truly did not know how to react to her. As she left for work, she kissed him, told him she loved him and she’d talk to him later. His only reply was, “Love you, too,” as the confusion showed in his face.

Now, I’m not saying that it is easy to take back your power in situations all the time. Not so. It’s a work in progress, however; the more you take back your power, the easier life becomes.

I did not learn this on my own; I read a book years ago that shared this great wisdom. Take Back Your Power, by Yasmin Davidds. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to take back control of their life and no longer be a victim. When this idea is implemented in your life, you will totally change your life’s experience.

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Photo courtesy of Steve Woods at

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/727442

Do What It Takes

An excerpt from Conversations with God – Book 2 – By Neale Donald Walsch

Get close to God. Do what you can. Do what you have to. Do what it takes.
Say a rosary. Kiss a stone. Bow to the East. Chant a chant.

Swing a pendulum. Test a muscle. Or write a book. Do what it takes.

Each of you has your own construction. Each of you has understood Me (God) – Create Me (God) – in your own way.
To some of you I am a man. To some of you I am a woman. To some, I am both. To some, I am neither.

To some of you I am pure energy. To some, the ultimate feeling, which you call love. And some of you have no idea what I am. You simply know that I AM. (God) And so it is.

I AM.

I am the wind which rustles you hair. I am the sun which warms your body. I am the rain which dances on your face. I am the smell of flowers in the air, and I am the flowers which send their fragrance upward. I am the air which carries the fragrance.

I am the beginning of your first thought. I am the end of your last. I am the idea which sparked your most brilliant moment. I am the glory of its fulfillment. I am the feeling which fueled the most loving thing you ever did. I am the part of you which yearns for that feeling again and again.

Whatever works for you, whatever makes it happen – whatever ritual, ceremony, demonstration, meditation, thought, song, word, or action it takes for you to “reconnect” – do this.

Do this in remembrance of Me. (God)

A Precious Moment

"We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment, but it is transient. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. If we share with caring, lightheartedness and love, we will create abundance and joy for each other. And then this moment will have been worthwhile.” – Deepak Chopra – The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success