The Answer in the Question

Go to your bosom, knock there and ask your heart what it doth know. ~ from Measure for Measure, by William Shakespeare


“I am dating two men who have both proposed to me. Which one should I marry?” the woman asked Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, author of the classic book, The Power of Positive Thinking.

“Neither,” he answered in his gravelly voice.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you are not in love with either of them.”

“How do you know?”

“If you were, you wouldn’t be asking me whom to marry; your heart would speak to you directly”

As divine beings, we contain the knowledge of everything that is right for us. At any moment we can turn within for guidance and discover the next step on the path of our highest good.

Others may illuminate the way or remind us of what we already know, but they cannot give us something we do not already have.

A consultant is someone who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is. More valuable than a good consultant is the ability to read your own watch.

Experiment with agreeing to only those activities with which your whole heart resonates. To enter into a venture with half a heart will create half a result.

If you have doubts, do not try to override them. Lay them out on the table, and look at them in the light.

If you sincerely ask for guidance, the doubts will either reveal themselves to be important factors to be dealt with, or they will dissolve and give way to full participation.

Do it with a full spirit, or do not do it at all!

Desire vs Require

Desire is a powerful force that can be used to make things happen.

"Marcia Weider said that, and she was right. Yet do not confuse desire with expectation, or with need.

Desire has an entirely different quality to it. You can desire something without needing or requiring it. That little difference makes everything work. That little difference is the whole trick.

Desire, do not Require.

To desire propels. To require compels. Life will not be compelled, but it can be coaxed...

Whoever or whatever you are trying to compel today, stop it. Just...fall back into the soft cotton of desire."

~ Neale Donald Walsch

Nothing to Protect

"When my mother was undergoing chemotherapy, she lost all her hair; and at first she joked about it, but then she became self-conscious and bought a wig, which she wore at all times. During the final weeks of her life, she was too ill to care about how she looked, and she renounced the wig. I felt jarred to see her without hair, and yet in my heart I applauded her for going beyond her concern for appearances. She was finally free". ~ Alan Cohen

Children and older people are the most honest because they have no investment in the games other people believe they have to maintain.

The elderly and the very young do not have a vested interest in power, money, sex, prestige, status, and appearances.

They are not trying to change the world or get a lot from it.

They can tell the truth without fear of losing.

Their delight in being what they are far outweighs any glitter the world may offer.

Some of the greatest wisdom is uttered by the young and the elderly. While we usually notice children’s jewels, often we overlook the wisdom of the aged.

One of the great tragedies of our culture is that we do not respect our ancestors. By not doing so, we dishonor the elderly who live among us, and we hurt ourselves by missing out on the wisdom and blessings they have to offer.

A Japanese friend told me that every Oriental home has a place of honor for the family’s ancestors. The family prays and makes offerings daily to the memory of their forebears.

Let us learn from the young and the old, that we may be as free as they are and rise above the distractions of the years in between.

Is anything really worth compromising the truth?

Bless our young and elders for the wisdom and legacy they impart.

I pray to keep the flame of truth burning above all other desires.

In the truth I am free.

When the Time Is Right

To everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

It was C.Y (Charles Yelverton) O’Connor’s dream to build a water pipeline to irrigate parched terrain east of Perth, Australia. And after many years of planning and labor, the aqueduct was constructed.

A large crowd of people gathered closely together at the mouth of the huge conduit to see the first drops of liquid life, but when the valve was opened, nothing appeared.

The next day, O’Connor was found dead in his home; the failure of his dream was too much for him to live with.

Several days later, a trickle of water appeared at the mouth of the pipeline, and before long, water was gushing abundantly.

It seems the only thing that went wrong; was his idea of when it would happen.

The early Bible, recorded in Greek, uses two different words for our word time. Chronos is the Biblical word for the time of day, which we translate into hours, minutes, and seconds. The other word is kairos which means, “in nature’s time,” or “in due time.”

There is a divine order to life, and timing is a part of it.

If you feel frustrated or disappointed over lack of results on a project, hang in there and have some patience. If your venture is a good one, you will see the results. Perhaps not in chronos, your idea of the right time, but in kairos, the right time appointed by Spirit.

If you have done all you can to make something happen, and nothing seems to be coming of it, turn it over to God.

Nurture your Spirit, and trust the universe to support you.

Trust that all things are working in your favor, even when it does not appear to be so. Move beyond discouragements to see your dreams through to completion.

Know that God’s timing is perfect, that Divine order is operating now.

A Better View of the Sky

Now that my house has burned down, I have a better view of the sky. ~ Zen saying

The above quote reminds me of a successful Los Angeles artist who stated: “During the recent fires, my house was leveled, along with my entire collection of paintings.” The artist went on to say, “Now I am free! I am packing to go to the island of Kauai, where I will fulfill my lifelong dream of leading wilderness adventures.”

When an apparent disaster strikes and our life as we knew it is undone, it may be a blessing in disguise. The event could be clearing out an old pattern to make way for a new and more fulfilling life. See the situation not as a curse, but as an opportunity.

The Chinese language character for crisis is a combination of two other symbols: danger and opportunity.

If you talk to gardeners they'll tell you that gardeners in colder climates have an advantage over those in the tropics. The winter frost kills all microorganisms in the soil so that next spring’s crops are not subject to contamination from the previous year’s pests. Even when life seems frozen and desolate, growth and good are occurring behind the outer appearances.

In the Hindu religion, the god Shiva, ruler of destruction, is revered as much as Vishnu, the creator. The old must be cleared away to make way for the new.

Trust that changes beyond our control are working on our behalf. Surrender to change and call it all good. Release the old to make way for the new and better.

Don’t Miss It

What is essential is invisible to the eye; only with the heart can one see rightly. ~ from The Little Prince, by Saint-Exupery

As French dissident le Bodoyere stood before a firing squad, he gently touched his hand to his heart and advised the firing squad soldiers, “This is what you must not miss.”

We would do well to remember le Bodoyere’s advice throughout our entire lives.

We may have all manner of material success, but unless our heart is fulfilled, we have nothing.

It is said that when someone dies in ancient Egypt, the priests remove the bodily organs they consider unimportant and save the organs they believe to be sacred.

They discard the brains but keep the heart. They believed that the seat of true wisdom was not the mind, but the heart.

The power of the heart goes far beyond feeling and emotions; in the heart lies great wisdom and peace.

In our culture, we tend to try to think things through. Certainly the rational process is important, but it must be tempered with intuitive understanding.

If asked to point to yourself, it is interesting that nearly all of us will point to our hearts. Although we have a choice of many body parts, it's as if we (99%) sense that we actually live in our heart?

Do we, on some level, remember that our hearts contains the essence of who we are?!

Perhaps we would be well advised to practice consulting our hearts before we speak or act?

If we're not sure what to say or do, perhaps we should take a moment, draw a few deep breaths, and feel what is happening in our chests? Maybe it is there that we will find the most valuable guide to right action?

If we find ourselves upset or unhappy, pause to ask our hearts, “What would you have me know?”

No doubt we should employ all the worldly wisdom available, but when we want to know the most important truth, return to our hearts.

For just as le Bodoyere said, right before his death,“This is what you must not miss.”

Guilt and Responsibility

Love and guilt cannot co-exist, and to accept one is to deny the other. ~ A Course in Miracles

To become more famililiar with my client base I attended a cancer support group. I was intrigued by the guest speaker who addressed the group; she explained that we shape our lives by the thoughts and attitudes we hold. She further explained that illness is the universe’s way of getting our attention so that we can realign our life with the perfect pattern we deserve. "Because our thoughts and energies have a role in manifesting disease, we can facilitate healing by shifting our vision toward wholeness". Wow, I thought!

After the lecture, a sponsor angrily told this guest speaker that he didn’t like her making his people feel guilty for their cancers; that "they felt guilty enough as it was!"

I was stunned; she had not said anything about guilt? To the contrary, I thought. I stood at a distance to listen as she explained calmly to the sponsor - it was her intention to empower the patients - to know that they were worthy of being healed, and to open up to the possibility that they could take an active role in their healing.

She explained that the ego, which thrives on guilt, does not understand responsibility, for the separated mind cannot conceive of being at cause. Its very existence is built on the illusion of being an effect. The notion of creatorship threatens the ego’s platform of victimhood.

Someone who feels guilty will fight the notion of responsibility, as the ego cannot see beyond the blame game. In the game of creative living, however, each of us has the power to manifest the world we choose, regardless of the worlds that others are choosing for themselves or would choose for us.

Guilt is debilitating, while responsibility is liberating.

Guilt focuses on what you did in the past, while responsibility looks at how the choices you make now will affect your future.

Guilt is shrouded with blame; responsibility empowers us toward greater possibilities.

Guilt is emotional and implies sin; responsibility is reasonable and points toward laws of success.

Guilt calls for punishment; responsibility calls only for correction.

We are all responsible. Let us reclaim our power to be healthy and live the lives we choose.

The power of my life is in my hands. I choose to love and be whole.

Don’t Think

A man needs a little madness, or else he never dares cut the rope and be free. ~ Zorba the Greek

“Are you really going to jump from there?” our friend asked Mike as he stood poised on a rock at the top of the Dolime cliff rock. “Sure, it’s fun, you’re going to join me, aren’t you?” Our friend looked over the edge of the precipice. “I don’t know.” “You’ll love it!” Mike exclaimed, and took a flying swan dive into the turquoise waters below.

Our friend stood atop the ridge looking down, adrenaline shooting through his system. “Can I do this?” he asked himself. His inner voice replied, “Don’t think about it, just do it.” He gazed for a few more seconds, then felt as if a big hand nudged him from behind. So without further delay, he leaped - and loved it!

Somewhere inside him he knew that if he jumped, he would enjoy it, but he also knew that if he thought about it, he wouldn't do it.

Sometimes we have to override our reasoning mind and just go with the energy at hand.

As my friend climbed back up to the top of the ridge, I wondered how many times I too have used my mind to talk myself out of doing things that would make me happy?

I am not suggesting that we do anything foolish or do something that would be injurious to us. The place of knowingness inside us is always giving us good advice.

When our heads are in a quandary and our hearts says yes, follow our hearts. Use our minds to empower us, not limit us.

The heart without the head is chaotic, and the head without the heart is a tyrant. My friend Don taught me this, and I thank him dearly for his insight.

Break free of the tyranny of overthinking. Raise the volume of our inner voices of truth so that we might experience full freedom and happiness - where it knows no bounds.

In Their Best Light

The following is an excerpt taken from Alan Cohen's meditation book, A Deep Breath of Life.

"It was probably a grace that Brenda passed away, I thought. My elderly neighbor was a severely addicted alcoholic, and, from what I saw, her life had little meaning. The few times I attempted to converse with Brenda I looked into her eyes, and it appeared that no one was home. She had to be in a better place now, I imagined. Then I talked to Marvin, a man whom Brenda and her husband had taken in as a caretaker. Marvin felt a great sense of loss in Brenda’s death.

“She was so good to me,” Marvin tearfully confided. “Like a mother. I will miss her a lot.”

Through Marvin’s words, I gained a profound realization: I saw only one limited aspect of Brenda’s life.

Even while I judged her life as empty, she had riches. She loved someone, and someone loved her. Her life, broken as it appeared to me, was a blessing to at least one other person. In spite of the ravages I beheld, God lived through her.

The Bible tells us not to judge - not because we should not judge, but because we cannot judge. When we hold a judgment about someone, we are focusing on one moment from one angle. At another moment or from another angle, we would see an entirely different person or story.

While visiting a children’s zoo, I watched a man become very abusive at the snack bar, ranting and raving at the clerk over a minor mishap. I thought, This guy is one ornery hombre. A few minutes later, I saw a man feeding a fawn through a fence. As he tenderly stroked the deer’s nose and gave it love, he reminded me of St. Francis. When he turned his head, I saw that it was the same man who created the scene at the snack bar.

When we release judgment, we find God in every person. Moreover, we free ourselves to be lovable and forgivable.

Judgment is illusion, and love is real".

I focus on the good and let all else go.

Perfect

I used to think I was a perfectionist, I would constantly find flaws and errors that other people seemingly overlooked. If there were many aspects of a job that were well done and one that wasn’t, I would point out that one.

But now I realize I was an imperfectionist. If I were a perfectionist, I would have found perfection everywhere I looked; instead, I saw only imperfection.

Whatever we focus on, we will find more of. The world we live in is the one we choose by virtue of the vision we use.

Are you a perfectionist or an imperfectionist?

I am reminded of when friends were caught up in a lineup of cars on an 8 lane section of the 401 highway, sandwiched in an alternate merge at a construction zone. “This is hell!” a friend complained. “We’re creeping along at a snail’s pace.”

My other friend pointed out, “Isn’t this great!”

“What’s so wonderful about this?” replied my irritated friend.

“It’s really inspiring to see how people are cooperating here. One car goes ahead from this lane, and then one from the other lane. It shows me that people know how to work together when there is a challenge.”

What she showed me was that we can discover good in any situation if we choose it.

A Touch Can Change a Life

In the midst of her long personal battle, a friend of mine recalls feeling tired, numb, and discouraged. Waking up every morning seemed dark and cold. One particular morning she recalls not being able to make it through another day; she wanted to give up, and walk away.

She recounts her life changing moment, the wonderful moment that lifted her out of her depth of despair. A moment she happily retells time and time again.

That morning as she joined the line full of other early rise coffee drinkers, a woman behind her placed her hand comfortingly on my friend's shoulder. “With that touch I felt renewed,” she explained. “Although the woman did not speak a word, I felt her tell me, ‘It’s okay. I know you are having a hard time; hang in there." From that moment on, my attitude was transformed, and I went on to complete the day.”

Kindness is powerful, contagious, and transformative. Never underestimate the potential of a friendly smile, gentle touch, or supportive word.

So many people walk the world in pain and self-doubt. Your simple gift could make all the difference in a friend’s or stranger’s day, and even save their life.

Integrity

Have a purpose in life, and having it, throw into your work such strength of mind and muscle as God gives you. ~ Thomas Carlyle

The telephone repairman showed me the cause of the terrible static on my line. “Do you see where all these wires come to-gether?” he asked, pointing to the junction of wires from my four house telephones. “This one wire is faulty, and it is polluting the rest of the circuits.” He removed the one wire and let me listen to the other lines, which became perfectly clear.

When one area of our life is out of integrity, it affects all the others. When we compromise or live a lie in an important area of our life, it creates static in our relationships and our careers. When we clean up that one area that is out of harmony, the other areas will advance at rocket speed

One with God, I am united - with my purpose. My life must succeed in every way.

My Invisible Partner

After Mr. Taylor experienced several business failures, in exasperation he turned to God and declared, “Okay, I give up trying to do it all by myself. I invite You to be my partner in all future endeavors. If You want something to be, I trust You to manifest it; if it is not Your will, I will not struggle.”

Mr. Taylor’s next venture was a small department store. True to his promise, this time he proceeded with ease and peace, knowing that with God as his partner, he would not have to fight for his good. As a result, the store flourished, and Mr. Taylor went on to create a hugely successful chain. Lord and Taylor.

Trying to do it all yourself leads to frustration, exhaustion, and failure. While it is important to be responsible and self-reliant, it is equally important to be open to receive support.

Everything in nature gives to other living beings; we cannot do it all alone. All good things are overseen and supported by a higher power. Do all you can do without anxiety or struggle, and trust Spirit to do the rest.

I Love You

A half hour into healer Patricia Sun’s lecture, a man arrived and announced, “I came in late, would you please tell me what happened?” This interruption seemed rather rude, considering that Patricia had spent time developing her theme for a thousand eager listeners. But Patricia did not play the judgment game; she smiled at the man and told him, “I love you, that’s what happened.” Patricia paused for a moment for him to receive the gift; then he replied, “Thank you,” and sat down.

The man was not really seeking information, but love and acknowledgment. He felt left out and wanted to be included. Giving him the love he sought cut past the game he was playing to get it, and everyone was served to observe the gift Patricia gave him.

One of the most powerful ways to deal with irritating behavior is to reinterpret is as a call for love. I am fascinated by teenagers who drive up and down city streets blasting car stereos so loud that one can hardly carry on a conversation within a hundred feet. With each passing year, the speakers grow larger, now to a point where many of these aficionados have removed their back seats to fit in two giant speakers.

When I hear one of these cars passing, I translate the gross noise into, “Please pay attention to me! Please listen to me! Please know that I am here!” I am certain that a sociological study would reveal these car owners to be children who have felt unseen and unheard by their parents or society.

If we gave our kids more love and attention at home, they would not need to buy huge speakers to demand attention from the world.

The next time someone asks you for attention in an inappropriate way, stop, take a breath, and sincerely tell them, “I love you".

How Much Do You Want It?

Thy strength shall be according to the measure of thy desire. ~ Arab proverb

A young man came to a guru and asked him what he would need to do to become enlightened. The master took the student to a lake and pushed his head under water for a long time. Finally, the man became desperate for air and forced his way to the surface, shouting, “Are you trying to kill me?”

The guru calmly replied, “When you want God as much as you wanted air, you will find enlightenment.”

While this world seems to be a place of haphazard results, each of us is getting exactly what we are asking for at any given moment. If we truly want freedom, we shall find it, and if we’re not ready, so shall we remain bound.

If you seem stuck in any situation that is less than fulfilling, ask yourself if you are receiving any perceived benefits from staying where you are.

While no one would reasonably choose illness, the subconscious perceives many hidden benefits: it gets us out of work, we get sympathy, we do not have to face the issues in our life that trouble us, we may be receiving some kind of monetary reward for our disability, and on and on. While no one would consciously admit to choosing illness, on some level we do.

Many people complain about their dysfunctional relationships, yet staying in them often seems to outweigh the benefits of leaving. One thing is for sure: The moment leaving becomes more attractive, staying will not have its way.

We are free to choose, and we always are.

Get Real

In a dream I saw myself as a great and colorful butterfly; now I am not sure if I am Chuang-Tsu dreaming I was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming I am Chuang-Tsu. ~ Chuang-Tsu, Chinese Patriarch

Over the past decade, the word real has come into vogue. Coca-Cola insists that it is “the real thing.” Our friends tell us to “get real.” Before entering into business ventures, we do a “reality check.” We can’t help avoiding the questions, “What is real?” and “Who is the real me?”

I am reminded of younger years when nearing the end of summer camp, or more recently the return from sunny vacations. I find myself saying the same thing each time, “Too bad we have to go back to the real world now.”

But the truth is; this is the real world.

The wonderful experiences at camp; the fun, the adventure, the genuine friendships. The calming experiences of lazy vacations, the love, the honest communication.

These qualities reflect our true identity much more than the world we usually call ‘real.’

What world is real to you?

The world that most people consider real is fraught with illusions. Money, fame, power, sex, and material security do not offer true reward and substance; they dissolve as soon as the tiniest light is shed on them.

While the “real world” tells us that these commodities are worth living and dying for, those who have them are often desperate for love, relationships, communication, community, and peace of mind.

The real world is the world of kindness, caring, vision, and service. All of these qualities are attributes of our divine nature.

As children of God, we can be only what God is, and that is everything that is good. We are born of light, and we return to the light. To live in light is to live in the real world.

Divine Discontent

Lord, let me always desire more than I think I can do.

~ Michelangelo

There is a part of us that will not let us be content until we become all that we are capable of being.

Life is not about resting on our laurels and hanging out in our comfort zone; it is an adventure from good to better to best.

Rev. Jack Boland urged, “Do not let good be the enemy of better.” Your current situation may be good, but if a greater opportunity presents itself, you must be open to expand.

This does not mean you are to run away or violate your integrity. If, however, you can step ahead with honesty, honor, and peace, you will enjoy the benefits of living in a larger universe.

Muscles stay strong and flexible only by use and stretching, and so does our mind. Challenge is the universe’s way of showing us that we are bigger than we thought we were.

Bless your dreams, your desires, and your sense that there must be more. There is more because you are more.