An Attitude of Gratitude Doesn't Always Work

In keeping with my recent post on the Laws of the Universe, I wanted to share this very insightful video from Esther Hicks. You may recognize her from the movie, "The Secret". 


In this video, Abraham, speaking through Esther Hicks explains why appreciation is so powerful in transforming our experience, as well as how we can cultivate appreciation, how we can use it, and why an emphasis on gratitude is less effective.


Enjoy!


Esther & Jerry Hicks are the authors of numerous books based on the Teachings of Abraham and their latest book, "Money and The Law of Attraction", reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

For over 20 years, Esther has translated blocks of thought from "Non-Physical Source Energy" - which she also identifies as her "Inner Being" or "Soul" - and who refer to themselves in the plural as "Abraham" (no relation to the Biblical figure).

An Introduction to the Laws of the Universe

The Law of Vibration: says everything vibrates and nothing rests. This means that like attracts like energy. Everything has an energy to it, including your thoughts and feelings. Focusing on a particular thought or idea attracts its vibrational match. So you can focus on what you want instead of what you don’t want for this to work in your favor.

The Law of Relativity: says nothing is what it is until you relate it to something. Things can only be measured in relation to another object so if you are having a bad day for instance relate your situation to something worse than yours, and you will feel good about where you are. Things are only as bad as you allow them to be.

The Law of Perpetual Transmutation: says energy moves into physical form. Your thoughts and feelings are a powerful energy. The more you focus your thinking on the images of what you want, the more your energy will make that want come into physical form.

The Law of Cause and Effect: says for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If you are giving off negative thoughts, you will get back negative things. Positive thoughts beget positive results. Think positively in every way.

The Law of Rythym: Says that everything has a natural cycle. The tides go in and back out, night follows day, and life regenerates itself. Nothing stays the same and change is constant in every thing. If life throws you a curve, know that better things shall follow.

The Law of Gestation or Gender: Says everything takes time to manifest or grow. Thoughts are like seeds planted in our minds and they become physical if we have fed them. Know that things will happen when the time is right and ready for it. Keep your focus on the goal.

The Law of Polarity: says everything has an opposite. Look for the good in people and situations. Know that whatever you focus on becomes more in your life.

These universal laws are not in any particular order, but they can account for a large shift in the successes in your life by embracing them. Over the next posts I will be delving into each Law more in depth so that we can all better understand how to use these laws for our benefit.

Increasing Your Life - Thoughts from Michael Beckwith

       I am sure that by now you have heard of “The Secret”. Michael Bernard Beckwith was one of the featured teachers in The Secret movie and the bestselling book by the same name that followed the movie. Dr. Beckwith is the originator of the Life Visioning Process, which he teaches throughout the country along with meditation, scientific prayer, and the spiritual benefits of selfless service. His books include: “Inspirations of the Heart”, “Forty Day Mind Fast Soul Feast”, and “A Manifesto of Peace”.

      Dr. Beckwith beliefs and teaching hit home with me. He believes that each of us is full of the gifts from God and that by not accepting who God wants us to be, you cannot continue to grow. You will not develop into the person that God has created. Without your gifts, you cannot increase your life.

       Much of the acceptance issue is fear. Do you agree? In many churches where we grew up, fear was taught as a means of following God. Many wars are fought using the name of God. He did not ask us to fight for him. God wants us to bring the people to Him. You cannot do that using fear or fight.

       God really wants only a few things from us. 1) To be known and 2) to be manifested and revealed to others through us, as us. God is not war and fear. God is beauty, abundance, health and wealth and so much more. By knowing God in you, you will be able to glorify God. And with that you will bring yourself abundance, prosperity, joy, happiness, harmony, wealth.

      Embrace your gifts and become who you are meant to be and God will thrive in you, through you, and around you. Even those gifts you feel may not be of God, are exactly that ones you need to develop in order to fulfill your life's potential.  Poverty and lack is a limitation that we put on ourselves. God wants us to be wealthy, in every meaning of the word, so we can give and take care of others and bring them to Him. God’s field is rich and if you accept it, you will be amazed at what God can do in you and what He has in store for you.

       So, what can you do to look inside yourself and find your gifts that God has given? How can you embrace these gifts to improve your situation and turn that business around? Prayer is a mighty sword. Use it affirmatively and you will find that you are truly increasing your life.

 Note: Dr. Beckwith's books are available for purchase in my "recommended reading" section at the bottom right on this blog page. :)

Stop Tryna Be More Spider Than A Spider

Okay, so, first I got me a new little part time gig today (Yay for me!). I'm a receptionist at a nail salon and spa. It's kinda like being a hostess or maitre'd at a restaurant, only its seating people for manicures and pedicures instead of meals. It's a little bit of an adjustment, but I like it.

So anywho, I  get home from a full day of training and guess what greets me on my door....? A 3-day notice to pay rent or deliver possession. But wait, it's not even the 1st of the month you say? Well this letter isn't from my landlord, its from the Homeowner's Association and apparently, my landlord hasn't been paying her HOA fees, or her mortgage for that matter. As mad as I could be, and should be, I'm too tired to care about it tonight, so I grab a 6-pack of Yuengling Black and Tan, some pantyhose and heels for work tomorrow and head for my favorite think tank, my garden tub.

While in the tub, drinking beers and soaking my cares away, I notice that a spider has built a web in the space between the bottom of my toilet and the wall. Now, granted I don't like spiders, but I've been having an annoying case of gnats and fruit flies so I'm thinking, "This is GREAT", my new eight-legged friend can eat these fruit flies! No sooner did I come to this realization that two of those pesky little Bzzzers flew right past me. So, I decide, I'm going to help my spider by catching his meal for him.

Well, long story short, I damn near broke every mirror in my bathroom trying to catch this fly. I tried trapping them in cups, towels and blocking them with paper, to get them close to the web. The I tried using my computer screen to attract and kill one to drop onto his web. I succeeded in mushing one gnat, and even dropping him on Spidi's web, but he didn't even register anything had touch his web, it wasn't alive, and he was dependent on his web to do its job and catch his food, alive and viable.

Okay, so here's the big aHA I got from this experience, drunken in the tub, tryna be more spider than a spider.... sometimes we try to be more God than God, more Spirit than Spirit. more spider than a spider. We chase things down, damn near breaking every part of our lives and barely get excited about things just "dropped" onto our webs, that we didn't have to catch ourselves.....

Lest we forget that, Spirit has enabled us to build strong webs?

And with these webs, if we are only patient and methodical, like the spider, then we can trust what we need will land in the web, right?

Another thing, I noticed, is that whenever the flies did get close to the spider's web (naturally, without my "help"), that he would react immediately, scurrying quickly to try to grab this opportunity he could sense was close at hand, before it got away. When he didn't catch it, he just went back to waiting, patiently, for his web to do the job.

How quickly do we react to opportunities that we sense are near our web? How frustrated do we get when they allude us even though we did our best to capture them? Stop tryna be more spider than the spider, and just build a strong web. If you don't catch anything, perhaps build a bigger web. Then wait, and trust, something you need will fly into it.

I'm willing to bet my spider friend will have a meal by morning, with no assistance needed from me.

Forgive to Live: Being Unforgiving Can Be Fatal

     The subject of forgiving and letting go had been continuously laid on my Spirit for days earlier last week. Forgiveness and releasing our hold on events, memories, and transgressions from the past is extremely vital, and yet can be so very difficult to do. I start each morning listening to "Touching the Stillness", a prayer and meditation radio show hosted by , Rev. Paulette Pipe on Unity.fm. I subscribe to the podcast of  Touching the Stillness, so I have all the shows archived in my iTunes. This particularly morning, with the Spirit of forgiveness and release heavy on my mind, I found a podcast titled, "Time to Take 'Em Off the Spit." I could tell this podcast would be just what I needed to hear to help me alleviate this pressure to let go of some things and forgive myself and others.

In the podcast, Rev. Paulette shared the story of a young woman who discovered that by not releasing and forgiving things from her past, she had inevitably been giving herself reoccurring bouts with Cancer! I would encourage you to take a listen to the entire podcast and just listen to what being unforgiving can do to us, as well as how healing forgiveness and letting go can be.

Lastly, I want to share this article, that was shared with me during a class I took last year. I am not sure who the original author of the piece is, but, anytime I find myself needing to forgive, either myself or others, I refer back to this piece. I use it to gauge whether I am truly able to "forgive and forget" according the guidelines that its sets for doing so. I believe that this piece encompasses the essence of what it means to truly forgive and forget. So I hope that it will be a help to you all, as it has been to me.

12 Steps of Spiritual Freedom

From the February 2011 Issue of Horizons Magazine

12 Steps of Spiritual Freedom by Rev. Tom Sannar

One Heart One Mind Center for Spiritual Living

1. Recognition - God is First. I recognize that there is an Infinite Power and Presence greater than I am. This Presence is on purpose and knows the answers to all of my questions and has the ability and the willingness to fulfill all of my desires.
2. Unification - I unify my consciousness with the consciousness of God. I am willing in total faith and trust to allow Spirit to guide me and direct me in my daily affairs.
3. Willingness To Change - I am willing to assess my life, to honestly look at and face all my fears.
4. Dominion - I take dominion and responsibility for my life. I give up blame and judgment. I accept myself and all others.
5. I Live On Principle - I know that I am a Spiritual Being. I live my life with honesty and integrity.
6. I Live On Purpose - I am willing to commit to the process of purposeful living. As I discover my purpose and live it with courage, I am transformed.
7. Forgiveness - I forgive myself for any past mistakes and I forgive all others who I think have harmed me.
8. Positively Present - I maintain a positive attitude, regardless of what is occurring in my life. I know that behind every seeming crisis, there is opportunity for good.
9. Persistence - I persist through faith. I maintain focus and discipline.
10. Service - I know that the floodgates of opportunity open wide by my giving myself in unconditional service to others.
11. Gratitude - I am grateful for my life and all aspects of my life. I see all people as the goodness of Spirit in form.
12. Tithing - I come to understand and embody the principle of tithing, so that I freely and unconditionally give one tenth of my time, my treasure, and my talent to my spiritual source. 

"Expect a Miracle. You are divinely guided in all that you do."

GodSpeak . . . Are you Listening?

This is somewhat of a follow up to my post yesterday, ManSpeak.

 For many women, the language of men, is another language indeed. They may as well be speaking Klignon mixed with Kryptonese. At times, I feel like no matter how much I study the male mind, listen in on barbershop conversations, and read Steve Harvey books, my female mind, as divine as it is, just will never fully grasps the simplicities of ManSpeak.  Likewise, understanding GodSpeak, can prove to be difficult, however, I've found that it is far easier to decipher once one dedicates themselves to listening in the right way and for the right response.

For example, meditation, intuition, sudden thoughts, these are all ways that God, Spirit, Divine, whatever you want to call or not call it, speaks to us. The main key though, that many of us fail to add into the equation, is that you have to know the subject of the conversation. There's no point in sitting in silence, expecting to "hear" something if you don't even know what you are listening for. That's like getting ready to run a track race, or a swim race, and not knowing that the gunshot starts the race...or being in a nascar race and not knowing that the checkered flag means last lap. If you don't know that the checkered flag means last lap, you will keep driving, or in this case, you'll totally miss your guidance, your answer, because you just didn't know what to listen or look for so you could recognize it when it showed up.

I'm using all this metaphorical analogies to say this, First you have to ASK. Yes, God knows the intentions and desires of your heart, but you still have to come out with it and ASK.Then, when you ask God, Spirit, Divine, whatever, a question, or  ask to receive something, EXPECT a reply that directly correlates to exactly what you asked. Just like if you went online and ordered a product, you expect it to show up at your door, when you ask something of God, expect it to come, be on the lookout for it, or it just may pass you by without you even noticing.

The Spirit of this Morning is Upon Me

 Perhaps it is because I am fasting (Day 5 of 21), and my body is more aware and sensitive to Spirit vibrations. All I know is that as I lay in my bed this morning, before opening my eyes, I could literally feel the movement (and weight) of Spirit over and around me. I said in my head, "God is here right now, I feel it." Outside my window, there was no noise at all, I heard no cars hurrying to work, I heard no grinding from the lawn crew that is usually up and att'em keeping the grounds early in the morning. Everything was still, and as the scripture says, "Be still and know..." It was literally as if someone pressed pause on the world around me, quite amazing and difficult to really express in words.

I am eager to receive what this day has in store. With such a powerful morning, I expect powerful and miraculous movement today. Whatever is mine to do, I walk the path with gratitude and ethereal awareness.

Sun Day of Being

   Today was easy like...well.... Sunday morning. My thermostat stopped working so I woke up to an icebox where my floor use to be, (so cold, so cold, so cold) but thankfully I live in South Florida, so even though my tile was freezing, the outside was very nice. The Sunday bus schedule is so limited that getting to church would have been like that movie "16 Blocks", but again, thankfully, the church I would have attended, has a live UStream broadcast, so I was able to attend virtually, from the warmth my bed.

After services, I tackled a few more things that were left on my Simpleology target list including shredding some papers,  the a/c guy came and fixed the thermostat, and I went for a walk around the block, just to get out.

All and all, it was a simple Sun Day of Being. Tonight I'm going to brave another chapter of , "Thought Vibration" by William Walker Atkinson. It was written in the early 1900's, so while it has very good insight on the Law of Attraction, it can be very dense reading because of the old school language.

Its okay, I welcome the challenge.

Vibration, Meditation, and Visualization (Oh My!)

     Today is the 3rd day of a 21- day period of fasting, personal reflection and meditation. Recent events in my life have called for the need for me to eliminate the "noise" in my life; to reevaluate what I want, and what is mine to do at this time in my life. I desire to gain, or rather re-gain control of my mind and my thoughts because I know that everything that happens to me is a result of a thought and/or feeling that I have either consciously or subconsciously. I am beginning to notice that it is more so the subconscious, the unseen, that has me blocked from receiving my good or allowing what I deeply desire to be attracted to me. Therefore, I felt that this time of fasting was necessary and rightly timed. It is amazing, how everything comes together in its own time, not always the time we desire it to arrive. I am certain this is part of my lesson.

    Yesterday, I began study of the Law of Attraction, the Law of Thought, "The Secret" or whichever name you may want to call it. I have access to a program that was written and developed by Dr. Joe Vitale and Mark Joyner, the founder of the amazing Simpleology programming. In Mark's "Great Teachers Series" Dr. Vitale, author of "The Attractor Factor", teaches the Law of Attraction and how to use this law in order to manifest the life that I desire, while fully living within my purpose. Of course, I am not new to the realization of this law, and I have used it in practice many times with great results. Nonetheless, the dynamics and specifics of utilizing this "law of thoughts" have yet to become a solid, second nature for me. I want it to be where, I no longer have to focus on thinking constructive, positive thoughts, because I naturally do so as a result of training and conditioning my mind to stay on that wavelength, no matter what. Far too many times as of late, I have allowed external forces to bring me down to lower levels of thinking which have, as promised by the Law of Attraction, delivered more of exactly what I did not desire. I know that I am capable of mastering my mind which will allow me to fully engage the Laws of Attraction to my benefit.

    During this time of fasting (My fast of choice is The Daniel Fast), I resolve to spend more time in meditation, listening for guidance from my higher self, and also releasing the subconscious barriers that are still trapped, limiting my ability to attract my desired results, or better. I have also made it a point to add visualization to my practice as recommended by my results with Smart Attractor , a short quiz that shows how well one is using the law of attraction to his/her benefit. This is an area that I had not really focused on or practiced as much as meditation, and yet I know that, "whatever one can see in the mind, one can have in the hand." I have a list of 2-3 things that I have the desire to manifest in a relatively short amount of time and I visualize myself not only having those things, or better, but I picture in my mind exactly what they look, smell, and feel like. With regular practice, the Law of Attraction states that my mind will have no choice but to obey and manifest my visualization. I have much confidence in this promise.

 It is now up to me to hold up my end of the bargain.