Innerspace

God again...

2011-09-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

I actually get a kick out of trying to define "God." I guess in a way I'm always searching for answers, and also trying to find the best definitions of that creative awesome force that we call "God."

I'm reading Peace Pilgrim again, the book compiled by some of "her friends" - "Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words." I love this book. Check the site dedicated to her and her work: http://www.peacepilgrim.org/book/index.htm (you can even download an electronic copy of this book there). In one of the chapters you can read something she said about God: "Intellectually I touched God many times as truth and emotionally I touched God as love. I touched God as goodness. I touched God as kindness. It came to me that God is a creative force, a motivating power, an over-all intelligence, an ever-present, all-pervading spirit - which binds everything in the universe together and gives life to everything. That brought God close. I could not be where God is not. You are within God. God is within you."

Another favorite writer, Chuck Gallozzi wrote:

"By being ever mindful of the nearness of God, our hearts are filled with gratitude. Bitterness is replaced with happiness. The greater our awareness of Him, the lesser our attachment to the things of the world. With detachment, insatiable greed and frustration are replaced by serenity.

When we live as though we believe in God by practicing His love, our example inspires others to do the same and spread the happiness everyone yearns for."

Jalal Al-Din Rumi (1207 ~ 1273) wrote, "By practicing God's remembrance your inner being will be illumined little by little and you will achieve some measure of detachment from the world."

Menachem Mendel Schneerson said: “Connecting to God is the only way to truly free yourself from fear. By recognizing that you are an integral part of God’s plan, that your existence is significant and your participation is vital, you can wean yourself of the doubts that feed your fears.”

Joshua Loth Liebman wrote in his book "Peace of Mind:" "We can master fear through faith - faith in the worthliness of life and the trustworthiness of God; faith in the meaning of our pain and our striving, the confidence that God will not cast us aside but will use each one of us as a piece of priceless mosaic in the design of His universe."

Millions of people have had "near death experiences." These people were pronounced "clinically dead" and when they came back to life, they said what they experienced "in the light" was a "higher intelligence" - they feel they were in the presence of God.

They felt unconditional love, caring and compassion beyond what they had ever known. There was knowledge of everything, their questions were answered instantly. They understood the whole of everything. They were part of the whole and the whole was part of them, everything is connected to everything. The whole was God. He was the "oneness" of all creation.

Susie Shellenberger wrote: “Think of God as an eternal power outlet. When you take time to plug in to his power, you automatically receive new energy, new life, new power. Trying to run on reserve can only be temporary. A run-down person is unproductive and ineffective. Just as our physical bodies need to be replenished, our souls also need to be revived. "

I firmly believe that too, that God is like an amazing Power Source. We can choose to be connected to that source, by tapping into the energy of God and being “in the light” or to be disconnected and live “in darkness”. It’s really up to us – we have a choice (we always have a choice!).... We can be like a plant or flower who, desperately needs the sun and yet, never gets that needed sunlight because it was placed in a dark area (in darkness) – so it withers and dies; or like the sunflower who follows the light wherever it goes and gets enough sunshine. This plant will be beautiful, strong and happy, and admired by all. What is your choice?

Let's become warriors of light...

2011-02-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

"A warrior of light knows that he has much to be grateful for."

~ Paulo Coelho

Lately I've been thinking about the concept of becoming a "warrior of light." What does this mean? Why am I even thinking about this? I read too much sometimes... Let's think for a moment about the game for the Nintendo DS, The Warriors of Light, also known as Light Warriors. I've never played this game and truthfully, I'm not interested in video games, but when I Googled "Warriors of Light" online, I found out about it and thought that we can even learn something positive from it. In this game four heroes are chosen by the Crystals, by a prophecy, a will, or by fate, to go on the dangerous journey to fight evil, or simply restore balance to the world.

What inspired me was something that I heard while watching Caroline Myss' video on "Being Fearless" (in YouTube). She mentioned something like: "The inability to forgive keeps you avengeful, bitter - a person that lives in a war zone. You are a warrior... You are not a strong one... you are someone that makes war. You are one of the reasons there is a war. You are a participant in war. The 'unforgiving' are the reason there is war..." I deducted -and thought at the time- that in reality "we are all warriors by nature - we like to make war, we like to fight." But we must learn to become warriors of "light" not of "darkness" - warriors of peace.

It's easy for us to be unforgiving and ungrateful - when we must strive to be the opposite (forgiving and grateful). It's also easy for us to believe that we're always right, isn't it? So as usual, I checked online, and realized many others have had this same idea before... the idea that a warrior of light is a kind of "hero," someone who promotes peace and harmony. I just finished reading "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho (great book!) and noticed that one of his books is called "Warrior of the Light" (I will have to check it out) - I'm curious now... I'm also reading some of Joseph Campbell's books ("Myths to Live By" and "Hero with a Thousand Faces") - where the idea that we all want to become heroes and warriors, in some capacity, is explored.

We are warriors by nature, by instinct. We want to protect ourselves, protect our loved ones, protect our beliefs (at least we like to think that we want to protect what's important to us). But ultimately we have a choice: we can become peaceful warriors, warriors of light, warriors of peace; or we can become warriors of darkness, evil warriors, without concern for the well-being of others. Can you see the difference? In the game, the warriors of light fight for PEACE, they restore balance and fight evil.

We can also become warriors of light in our lives. We can catch ourselves when our anger, pride, hate, judgments, and warmonger instincts take over and we purposely or inadvertently hurt others (causing physical or emotional pain). We must remember that love, peace, compassion, kindness, understanding, tolerance, patience, etc. are the virtues that we must strive to possess - the virtues of the Light Warriors.

Instead of causing chaos, or contributing to the madness, let's become peacemakers. It is our duty to get along with our fellow men (our brothers and sisters of this world); to uplift instead of demean, by respecting and valuing others. By listening to what they have to say. We must teach others to be peaceful by being peaceful ourselves; by example. We must be at peace by being peaceful. We must embrace peace and love above all, and practice peace and loving-kindness at all times. Not easy things to do. We know all this deep inside, sometimes we just forget... It is our challenge!

It's so easy to assume that we are always right, even when we are not. Sometimes we are, of course, but we cannot assume the arrogant attitude that we have all the answers all the time. It's so easy to take things personally too. Yes, we are only human, and we have a lot to learn. Socrates once said "I know that I know nothing." We cannot know anything with absolute certainty. We have to give others the benefit of the doubt and learn to be humble. Humility is another important virtue that we must learn, and forgiveness is essential. Without a forgiving heart, we cannot truly get along with others.

Let's put our pride aside, our desire to always be right, our need to say the last word... and let's choose to become loving individuals and live in peace. Let's restore balance in our lives and teach our children, friends, relatives, co-workers, students and those around us how to truly be at peace and live in peace. Not easy challenges... but I dare you! Let's learn from others and just do our best...

"If you want to make peace, you must be peaceful."

~ Peace Pilgrim

Check: The Manual of the Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho (if the link doesn't work, you can "Google" it). I was able to download a free PDF of the manual.

Love and Fear

2010-12-29T17:09:00.000-08:00

"God isn't separate from us, because He's the love inside our minds. Every problem inside and out, is due to separation from love on someone's part." "Love heals all wounds." (Marianne Williamson "A Return to Love")

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear..." (I John 4:18)

"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

If we are suffering, it may be that we are in a place of fear, not love... David Kessler wrote: "It’s true that there are only two primary emotions, love and fear, but it’s more accurate to say that there is only love or fear, for we cannot feel these two emotions together, at exactly the same time." Oreon and Arianni Masters in "Awaken to Oneness" similarly wrote: "Love and fear are mutually exclusive. You can not experience them at the same moment." They also mentioned "Love offers peace and fear offers suffering... Fear is not the opposite of love because that which is all encompassing has no opposite." It is normal (or I should say common) in my opinion to feel at times deep emotions of love, and at other times deep emotions of fear. When we feel love, we feel good, at peace, excited, happy, confident... "Love is the total absence of fear" (many authors have expressed this in their writings). Fear, on the other hand, is a bad feeling. When you are fearful, you feel bad, stressed, anxious and/or depressed, not at peace, upset, judgmental, critical, not confident. Think about other emotions or feelings that are involved when you live "in love" and when you live "in fear." You may be surprised at your own answers. Pay attention to your actions, reactions, thoughts and intentions. Do you feel that you act and think mostly in a place of love or in a place of fear? It's really our choice to live "in love" or to live "in fear." The goal of course is to learn to live "in love." Fear paralyzes us and if we let it, it will control our life. I hope you wake up every morning with the commitment to live with love and in love!

Love is light, fear is darkness... You can find a lot of information in books and online about this topic. Leo Buscaglia and Gerald Jampolsky are two of my favorite teachers. They both wrote many wonderful books on "love." Also check: http://timelessmiracles.com/LightGuide/love.htm and http://timelessmiracles.com/LightGuide/oh.htm (beautiful sites from Frank Sant'Agata), or just enter "love and fear" in Google. You will be guided to other great sites. This is how I found these ones... I love to do this, just take a chance and find something beautiful online or in a bookstore! I wish you love, I wish you peace...

You attract what you love and you attract what you fear... so love, think and act with love and stay "in love."

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres... Love never fails." (I Corinthians 13)

"We are Drops in an Infinite Sea..."

2010-08-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

"God is a source of pure unconditional love and light, and we are here to try to manifest this love in our every thought and action. This is our birthright because God is within each one of us."
~ Michele Livingston

Rabbi and Dr. Joshua Loth Liebman wrote: "Detachment gives us the understanding that we are born into a world that is larger and more important than we; that we are drops in an infinite sea; that we are marvelously distilled globules of Divine rain and dew; that we cannot last forever; that all of our priceless values are at the mercy of time..." (Peace of Mind, 1946). He made this comment in his book after discussing the opinion of a distinguished American philosopher, Charles Morris, when he described the necessity of having "proper detachments and proper attachments" in our lives.

I love reading this book! Dr. Liebman was a very intelligent, wise and prolific person. This book spent more than a year as number one on the New York Times Best Seller List. I was introduced to "Peace of Mind" back in 2002, when I was organizing and packing my Mother-in-Law's (Bebe's) apartment; since we sadly had to move her into an assisted living place, and later on into a nursing home - due to her Alzheimer's disease. Finding this book was a true treasure. Since then I had bought a few extra copies, and read it once in a while (different sections - never all at once). I really appreciate the Rabbi's knowledge and insights. Sadly, this amazing man died at the young age of 41. He also wrote: "Hope for Man" and "Psychiatry and Religion." Mom (Bebe) bought this book before her wedding, April 1948 (in December 1947); so it has a very special meaning to me. I like to believe that she wanted me to read it, to learn to live a better life, and learn to find inner peace.

I love books that make me think and reflect; this is definitely one of those. His messages are even relevant today, 64 years later. I understand why so many people abandon their religious traditions; why they get turned off by the old fashioned and outdated ideas and beliefs of their religious organizations. Rabbi Liebman wrote: "... the time is coming when we have to bring our idea of God into harmony with the new realities of our life." We cannot continue seeing God as a Divine tyrant, and a powerful and scary being. Religions shouldn't be based on the premises of fear, surrender and submission. I agree with Rabbi Liebman when he said that we must have "confidence in life and in the God of life," and also that "we must think of ourselves as responsible co-workers with God." We are co-creators with God. God wants cooperation and partnership not submission!

So who's God? How do you define God? That's the million dollar question. Think about it... Is your idea of God outdated? Is this why you don't trust God or religion? We are drops in the Infinite Sea that is God... The energy of God (Love/Life) is inside each one of us; we have one of the seeds of God within us. "He made man a vessel of His energy, endowed with unlimited powers of good an evil." God is infinite energy... God is life...

We have complete free will and must believe in our individuality; in the value of our independent growth, our independent thinking, and our personal responsibility and freedom. This is why we don't want to believe in a God that decides what's best for us; He/She/It is not a puppet master, and we are not his puppets. We decide what's best for us... and we create our life, with God's help. We have the power (which emanates from the God seed) to create a beautiful life for ourselves. We must learn to believe in that power and learn to love life, no matter what! When we embrace the good qualities of our soul - kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, love - we find peace and we find God.

Embracing Open-Mindedness

2010-03-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

"Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself." ~ Desiderius Erasmus

To be open-minded is to be receptive to new and different ideas or to the opinions of others. I personally feel that it's essential to have an open mind, especially in today's world. It would be arrogant to believe that we are always right. No one is... There's so much diversity, so many countries, so many people with their unique customs and beliefs, so many different opinions, so many differences between the human beings that inhabit this Earth... We must learn to be more open-minded, tolerant, understanding, patient, flexible, forgiving.

We must concentrate in the good and beauty of others, their accomplishments, their uniqueness, their specialness and not in their differences. Let's find common ground and embrace our similarities. We're not that different after all. Why is it so hard to try to accept others the way they are? Of course, it is hard to see injustices, abuse, hatred, evil... It's hard to understand how and why some people only embrace negative attitudes and behaviors. Why do they want to harm others? Where is their conscience? Are they in so much pain themselves, or are they so ignorant, that they prefer to ignore the suffering of others and are willing to cause pain to relieve their own? Don't they feel the pain of others? Why can't they get along with the rest? Why can't they find peace? Why do they have to hate so much?

It is hard for me to understand how others at times enjoy causing pain. Why so many people want to seek revenge for what they believe were wrongs that others inflicted on them. We must learn to let go. We must learn to forgive. No one is perfect!

In many ways it is selfishness. They're so concerned about being and feeling like victims, that they become blind to the needs and suffering of others. Life would be so much better and simpler if we all got along. Why do we sometimes have to prove that we, and only us, are always right? That we always know best? No one is all-knowing. Humility must be learned, and patience must be cultivated. Above all, love must be the feeling that moves us, not fear, not hate... ONLY LOVE! And in order to truly love we must be open-minded... and flexible. We must remember that our actions, thoughts and intentions will have positive or negative consequences in our lives. We are responsible for creating a happy or a miserable life!

I think Oprah Winfrey hit the nail on the head when she wrote: "Your relationships with others reflect your relationship with yourself. You can't give love if you don't have it. And you can't receive (or even perceive) it because you won't recognize it when it shows up. You've got to care for yourself in order to be able to care for others." (The Oprah Magazine, April 2010 Edition)

I also love Peace Pilgrim's messages, like when she said: "Judging others will avail you nothing and injure you spirituality. Only if you inspire others to judge themselves will anything worthwhile have been accomplished." Let's learn to be less judgmental. It's easy to believe we know it all...

I highly recommend the book "The Power of Patience" by M. J. Ryan (author of "Random Acts of Kindness"). We all need to learn to be more patient with ourselves and with one another. Check it out!

Reminders for the New Year

2010-01-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

May you laugh a little louder, fear a whole lot less, dream a bit more often and always do your best...

I recently found some of my notes and quotes (I'm not sure who the authors are) about affirming God's presence in our lives and the importance of our thoughts. I want to share them with you:

One of the most powerful concepts, one which is a cure for lack of confidence, is the thought that God is actually with you and helping you. This is one of the simplest teachings in many religions: "God will be your companion, will stand by you, help you, and see you through." No other idea is so powerful in developing self-confidence as this simple belief when practiced. Simply affirm: "God is with me; God is helping me; God is guiding me." (Or you can say "Spirit" or "My Guide" or use another word that suits you). Spend several minutes each day visualizing His presence (the presence of unconditional LOVE). Then practice believing that affirmation. Go about your business on the assumption that what you have affirmed and visualized is true. You are safe, you are with God.

Affirm it, visualize it, believe it, and it will actualize itself. The release of power which this procedure stimulates will astonish you... Affirmations are very important! What we tell ourselves day in and day out matters and is reflected in our lives. I firmly believe that we are responsible for our life and what we create in it. Our thoughts, our words, our actions and our intentions determine our fate and create outcomes in our life - create our life!

Practice the following affirmation (repeating it out loud if possible): "I can do all things through God which strengthens me." That statement is the most powerful antidote on earth to inferiority thoughts.

Put yourself in God's hands. Simply state: "I am in God's hands." Then believe you are NOW receiving all the power you need. "Feel" it flowing into you. Affirm that "the kingdom of God is within you: in the form of adequate power to meet life's demands. Remind yourself that God is with you and nothing can defeat you. Believe that you now RECEIVE power from Him. With God you are STRONG and anything is possible!

In Romans 12:2 Paul states: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

“You are not what you think you are; what you think, you are.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Renew your mind, pay attention to your thoughts and put positive thoughts there. Practice emptying your mind of fears, hates, insecurities, regrets, and guilt. Fill your mind with creative and healthy thoughts. Then, when old fears, hates, and worries that have haunted you for so long try to edge back in, they will find a sign on the door or your mind reading: "occupied."

"The words we speak have a direct and definite effect upon our thoughts."

"You create your thoughts, and your thoughts create your life. Do you like what you have created? Contemplate yourself each day and you will unravel the mystery of not only what you are but who you are."

"What you find in your mind is what you put there. Put good things there."

"You cannot control the world outside, but you can choose what you will bring into yourself. If you do not see anything of value in your life, begin by finding one thing of beauty every day until it becomes a habit."

"God is the light and love of the world."

"Be at peace with yourself. If you are not at peace with yourself, you are at peace with nothing."

"How often is peace a place within your mind and your world? Learn to maintain a peaceful state of mind at all costs. If you do not, it will cost you in the quality of how you experience life."

"The way of inner peace is through love..."

"If you want to make peace, you must be peaceful..."

"If you want to make friends, you must be friendly..."

"To love forever is to live forever..."

"The ten most powerful two-letter words: If it is to be, it is up to me."

A Thanksgiving Blessing

2009-11-25T18:54:00.000-08:00

May an abundance of gratitude burst forth

as you reflect upon what you have received.

May thanksgiving overflow in your heart,

and often be proclaimed in your prayer.

May you gather around the table of your heart

the ardent faithfulness, kindness, and goodness

of each person who is true to you.

May the harvest of your good actions

bring forth plentiful fruit each day.

May you discover a cache of hidden wisdom

among the people and events

that have brought you distress and sorrow.

May your basket of blessings surprise you

with its rich diversity of gifts

and its opportunities for growth.

May all that nourishes and resources your life

bring you daily satisfaction and renewed hope.

May you slow your hurried pace of life

so you can be aware of, and enjoy,

what you too easily take for granted.

May you always be open, willing,

and ready to share your blessings with others.

May you never forget the Generous One

who loves you lavishly and unconditionally.

~ Joyce Rupp ("Out of the Ordinary")

Check: http://joycerupp.com

May you have a Blessed Thanksgiving...

"Perfection in Imperfection"

2009-10-24T20:47:00.001-07:00

So here I go thinking that I had a great thought about finding "perfection" in "imperfection;" and of course many have already written about it. Oh, well. So many of our ideas and thoughts have already been thought of by someone else. Isn't it amazing? It must be true that we're all connected to one another. So many times we tap into that outer (or inner?) dimension of creativity, ideas, and great thoughts; that what we countless times think are our own unique ideas, are not really "ours;" they have already been taken or written about or expressed by others. Nowadays it's easy to check, we can just Google our thoughts and ideas and discover if others have written about them. Is anything "original" any more?

I punched "Perfection in Imperfection" in Google and found some very interesting websites. The first one, http://www.spiritual-happiness.com/sosh36.html, introduced me to a book written by Sharon Janis ("Secrets of Spiritual Happiness") that seems to be worth reading. The web page starts with the following quote by Michelangelo: "The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection" - what a great quote! I particularly love the last paragraph on that page:

"The awareness of perfection in imperfection is an inner knowing, an inner trust, and a soothing place of inner rest. We all know this perfection deep inside, because we are all one with the universal flow of perfection deep inside. It is like a thread, and we are all like beads on that one thread. Everything in this whole magnificent universe - from the tiniest revolving electrons to massive exploding galaxies - is strung on this thread of universal perfection. When you know that you too are an integral element of this amazing dance of universal perfection, then spiritual happiness is in your hand - and you are in the hand of spiritual happiness." (Beautifully expressed!)

I'm always struggling with my "perfectionism" and my challenge has always been to learn to just let go and relax; to remember that nothing and no one is truly perfect. We have to learn to live with imperfect things and imperfect people (and our imperfect selves), there's no other way. Another important lesson is to accept that we're not always right, we are not perfect, we all make mistakes. In fact thinking and believing that we're always right is an arrogant stance.

I also discovered that Carole Straw wrote a book with that title: "Perfection in Imperfection" (about Gregory The Great). I disagree with Gregory's belief that change is bad: "Change is deeply disturbing, for it represents a lack of control over the chaotic forces that can shatter man's integrity and destroy his freedom." I cannot disagree more, change is imperative... in my opinion (humble opinion) it must be an integral part of our human condition. I believe we must accept our faults and weaknesses - our imperfections - and, whenever possible, try to change for the better... try to improve ourselves. In fact, the biggest challenge we face in this world is to work on the improvement of one's self, thus becoming better human beings (and better spiritual beings). Then again, I only read a small section of the book "Perfection in Imperfection" (in Google), so I'm not going to pretend that I'm prepared or have the authority to contradict his beliefs - I'm just expressing my immediate thoughts on the matter. Besides, it can just be that I interpret change differently. To Gregory The Great "reason" must rule one's life if we want to be closer to God, and "change" is the opposite of reason. He considers "change" a representation of matter and physical existence, and in his view these are evil. He came to view the world as clearly divided into realms of purity and impurity, the righteous and the unclean; the righteous, in his belief, must retain a sense of separateness.

I personally believe that we can be "reasonable" people while embracing "change" with open arms, and accepting the "differences" amongst our human family while working "together" - not in "separate" ways - even when we have to follow our own path. We shouldn't feel that we're "better" than others, we're all here at different levels of spiritual growth. Change is necessary for our existence. We can embrace "reason" and still believe that "change" is always necessary! Even if we believe that we are spirits in a material world, we chose to be here for a special reason (probably many reasons) - to learn many lessons and become better "spiritual beings." Change is essential to grow... We must keep an "open mind" and "united" improve our world and improve ourselves. What I want to note here, anyway, is that many others gave this topic a lot of thought already. Very interesting indeed! Maybe many of us struggle with this same challenge, just like I do. Many of us are trying to be "perfect" in an "imperfect" world. Are you one of us?

Beyond Perls...

2009-10-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

When I was 15 years old or so - I could have been 16 or 17 - I thought the following poem ("Gestalt Prayer") was really cool; so I wrote it down in one of my notebooks:

I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you and I am I;
If by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful
If not, it can’t be helped.

(The Original “Gestalt Prayer” by Fritz Perls, 1969)

A couple of years ago I found Walter Tubbs' response to this so-called “Gestalt Prayer”:

BEYOND PERLS

If I just do my thing and you do yours,
We stand in danger of losing each other
And ourselves.

I am not in this world to live up to your expectations;
But I am in this world to confirm you
As a unique human being,
And to be confirmed by you.

We are fully ourselves only in relation to each other;
The I detached from a Thou
Disintegrates.

I do not find you by chance;
I find you by an active life
Of reaching out.

Rather than passively letting things happen to me,
I can act intentionally to make them happen.

I must begin with myself, true;
But I must not end with myself:
The truth begins with two.

(Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 17, No. 3, 77-79)

I now prefer Walter Tubbs version; but let's think for a moment about the differences between the two... In my opinion, the first version sounds a little too selfish. "I do my thing and you do your thing." "You are you and I am I." Of course we're all very different in many ways; but at the same time, we're very much alike. Ideally, we should concentrate in one another's similarities, in those things that unite us instead of the things that divide us; because as human beings we have a lot in common, even though history some times tells us a different story. There have been many wars through our human history; and we are still at war in many countries. We fight with others, others fight with us, and others fight with others. There's always a lot of division amongst nations, prejudice against different religions and/or different races, intolerance, lack of compassion and understanding - division, division, division...

So, I agree with what Tubbs writes, which could be summarized as follows: even though we are not here to live up to the expectations of others, we must "confirm" one another, just as we need others to "confirm" us. We need to value others, and we need others to value us (and we need to value ourselves as well). We need to work "together" and expect the best from one another (and the best from ourselves). We need to work as team players, united, together, with a vision towards a common goal: which should be PEACE!

We should relate to one another, reassure one another, find common ground. We must reach out to others, and appreciate and respect them, no matter what their beliefs are. We should not be so judgmental, so critical and so arrogant - believing or pretending that we are better than they are or that we're always right. Let's find peaceful ways to solve our conflicts, peaceful ways to communicate. We have the power to make things happen. We shouldn't stand or sit still just waiting for others to take action, change starts with ourselves. It's certainly better to work together!

Celtic Blessing

2009-07-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

I love the following "Celtic Blessing" and want to share it with you:

May the light of your soul guide you.
May the light of your soul bless the work you do,
with the secret love and warmth of your heart.
May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul.
May the sacredness of your work bring healing,
light and renewal to those who work with you
and those who see and receive your work.
May your work never weary you.
May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment,
inspiration and excitement.
May you never become lost in the bland absences.
May the day never burden.
May dawn find you awake and alert,
approaching your new day with dreams,
possibilities and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.
May your soul calm, console and renew you.

("Anam-Cara", p. 200, John O'Donohue)

Acceptance

2008-12-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

"Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we truly understand and accept it - then life is no longer difficult."
~ M. Scott Peck

Yes! Life can be complicated, unfair, hard and even miserable at times... but I believe that no matter what, we have to concentrate in the "good things" - in the positive. We have to be willing to accept what life throws at us and know that the trials and heartaches will pass - they're just part of life. If our actions, thoughts and intentions are positive - the outcome will be positive too. "Acceptance" is the key word. We have to learn to accept our circumstances and know that whether we can change them or not, we have to learn to live in gratefulness. We have to learn to appreciate all the important things in our life!

We're all given lessons to learn, life experiences to master, "cards to deal with;" but we have the freedom to choose our attitude towards life every day. We are free to create the life we want, no matter what our circumstances are. We can overcome the difficulties, the challenges, the problems; as long as we continue believing in ourselves and continue with faith and optimism, accepting the "tests" as just part of life. When we embrace "acceptance," life becomes more fulfilling, happy, exciting, purposeful and rewarding; especially when we learn to accept that all things happen for a reason - even when we don't understand what that reason is...

Let's keep an open mind and let's take it one day at a time. Let's make the right choices and let's simply accept that this is what life is - a challenge! It's up to us to make our life happy!

"Acceptance does not mean that you cannot take action to rectify the situation you are in. What is important is to drop resistance so that you let the moment be, and that any action arises from deeper awareness rather than from resistance. The vast majority of pain in a person's life comes from resistance to what is."
~ Eckhart Tolle

Devotion

2008-11-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today while listening to a radio program, in the Classical Music Station, where they were interviewing the creator of a play called "Simple Acts of Devotion;" I started thinking that one of the things we need to learn in life is to become more "devoted" individuals. Not only in a religious or spiritual kind of way, but also in general - in the way we live. The dictionary defines "devotion" as "profound dedication," "adherence to something to which one is bound by a pledge or duty," "a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone or something," and "belief and trust in and loyalty to God." We should ask ourselves if we are truly "devoted" persons: are we devoted to our family, to our school, to our job (work), to our friends, to our country, to a good cause, to life? Are we devoted to the improvement of ourselves, so that we can become kinder, friendlier, more loving, forgiving, understanding, patient, compassionate, and tolerant human beings?

Good questions to ponder. Devotion is like passion in many ways. Passion: "a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything" - a passion for music. We should strongly desire to become passionate about living, and dedicated to a cause greater than ourselves; to be the best that we can be; to treat others as we want others to treat us; to work loving what we do - even if we have the kind of job where we cannot love every aspect of it (but we can try our best); to find and always look for the best in every situation and in every person. Not easy things to do, but a great challenge: to become "devoted" to life and to live passionately with a grateful heart, no matter what!

What are you devoted to? I am definitely devoted to my family, my friends, my students, my job, my dog... Devoted to taking care of the environment and appreciating nature... Devoted to improving and taking care of myself... Devoted to God and the awesome mystery of life... Devoted to finding meaning and purpose in my life... Devoted to creative pursuits... Devoted to finding and embracing happiness...

On LOVE and GOD

2008-10-24T18:58:00.001-07:00

We all have so much LOVE to give
Love that comes from GOD
So give it freely
To EVERYONE
We all need love
We all have the power
To GIVE love
Love is the greatest
GIFT God gave us...

These are a few of my thoughts that I have written in a couple of notebooks. I found them today and want to share them with you...

Don't fear God, fear the consequences of your actions. Every action has a positive or negative consequence. Every thought and every intention has a positive or negative reaction, as well. Remember that you -and only you- are responsible for your actions; you are responsible for the choices you make! You create your world...

Always be in touch with your feelings; if something doesn't feel right - don't do it. Don't do things that you know are wrong; don't do things just because others pressure you to do them. Follow your heart - follow your inner feelings (you "gut" feelings). Don't do things to hurt others - you will only hurt yourself; and don't do things to hurt yourself - you will only hurt others... Don't chose to live in the "black hole" of close-mindedness, blaming everyone else for your problems, and distancing yourself from "the light" and your fellow brothers and sisters in this world.

Embrace "the light" and your life will be miraculous! Embrace "darkness" and "negativity" and you will create a miserable life for yourself. Rise above negativity by trusting that better things will come. Be strong and find your truth within. Create a beautiful life and don't ever lose your sense of awe and wonder!

We are all interconnected to one another and we have the power to change others with our behavior and our actions. We can impact others in a positive or negative way with every action we take and every word we say. Pay attention to your intentions, actions and reactions; pay attention to how you treat others. Pay attention to your feelings and emotions. Are you being compassionate enough? Patient enough? Loving and kind enough? Understanding enough? Do you easily judge and criticize others? Remember: what you see in others may be your own weaknesses - no one is perfect. Let's not be so hard and harsh with others; we all make mistakes. We all misunderstand the intentions of others; we all assume things; and get hurt at times and take things personally. We are not all that different from one another. We all act in foolish ways some times - with pride, with anger, with distrust, with fear. Why is it so hard to have a forgiving heart?

Some people have been hurt so many times, or have allowed others to hurt them so many times, that they have a hard time trusting others. Some have hurt others so much themselves, that they simply cannot trust others; they think everyone is just like them - they measure others as they do themselves. They just don't know how to love - they have fear in their hearts. It's always easier to blame others for our problems than to blame ourselves. It's always easier to believe that we are the victims and that "others" are against us and cannot be trusted.

Henry Grayson, Ph.D. wrote: "When we begin to realize our interconnectedness, that everything we think, feel, say and do affects those around us in some way, then we begin to own our magnificent power to influence all our relationships. We awaken as if from a bad dream, no longer able to view ourselves as victims to others' feelings, behaviors, or actions."

Let's also remember that "negative emotions," such as anger, jealousy, guilt, envy, hurt, and rage, ALL grow out of fear. "Positive emotions," such as joy, happiness, delight, and affection, ALL grow out of love. If we make a commitment, we can stay away from "negativity" and embrace only "positive" actions, words, and intentions - ONLY GOOD THINGS...

Let's put LOVE in our hearts - NEVER FEAR! Love is of God - fear is not. FAITH will protect us, unite us, and bring us peace, joy and eternal LOVE.

I just started reading a book by Robert Holden, Ph.D. called "Happiness NOW" - I highly recommend it. There he mentions a beautiful prayer written by Macrina Wiederkher (a Benedictine Nun):

"Oh God, help me to believe the truth about myself, no matter how beautiful it is. Amen" (1991)

"To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name." Thomas Merton. New Seeds of Contemplation (New York: New Dimensions Press, 1961)

"Know love - no fear
Know joy - no pain
Know light - no darkness
Know wholeness - no dis-ease
Know now - no past
Know truth - no lies
Know God - no separation
Know self - no other"

(Also from "Happiness NOW")

More on "God" and Serendipity...

2008-09-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not live by the truth: if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another..." St. John

"God is light... God is spirit... God is love..." St. John

"God is mystery..."

"God is Life."

"God is everything and ALL."

I believe it's important to consider which is our concept of God. How do we define "God"? Do we define "Him/Her/It" at all or do we think He/She/It is not real? Maybe you consider yourself an "atheist" (defined as a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings). Maybe you consider yourself an "agnostic" (defined as one who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God, or one who is skeptical about the existence of God - but doesn't profess true atheism). Maybe you simply choose not to believe, not to be bothered, not to even think about it. Maybe you just don't agree with the definition others have given you and choose to ignore your own intuition about WHO God really is... and don't want to be bothered to find God within you. I believe that God is "unity." God unites us all. We are somehow interconnected through our spirit. I personally picture God as an ocean of wisdom, love, compassion, creativity, kindness, goodness, etc. and we are droplets of that ocean... God is within us! We have the power to connect to God, if we choose to do so. We connect to God through faith, through prayer, through reflection, through meditation, through good deeds, through inspiration...

God is alive in you! God is right here, wherever you are. God is within you and everywhere around you. God is kindness and benevolence. God is LOVE. God is the love that is breathing for you, the love that is beating your heart. We are NOT separate from God... we are ONE with God. It doesn't matter if you call God - God or something else, God is always there no matter what; even if you don't believe in this awesome power, He/She/It is everywhere, within us and around us. Open your eyes!

Are you moved by nature, by music, by life? Do you believe in a power greater than yourself? Just some questions to ponder. Of course we have complete free will; but if we concentrate in the goodness of others and our own "light" and goodness, we would certainly lead happier lives. The universe is full of mysteries, full of synchronicities, and full of unanswered questions, I know... My advice is: whatever you believe - don't dwell on the "negative." Rise above it! Trust your intuition (your most inner feelings) and believe that you have the power to create a beautiful life for yourself! Don't ever lose your sense of wonder (like the song says...) and learn to be strong and to recognize "God" in all things. Listen to your heart...

I love what Rabbi David Aaron says: "We are a Masterpiece - a piece of the Master. We're an aspect of His very self. God is the ultimate reality." Check him at: http://www.youtube.com/davidaaron.

"God, adds the apostle John, is love. Love has its source in God. It belongs to His essence, to His very nature..."

"We are all truly connected! We are all different and yet we are all the same." Do your best and be your best, and life will reward you. I wrote in my website www.TeensSelfHelp.com an excerpt from "The Mountain Story" that goes something like this:

Like an "echo" - our life is simply a reflection of our intentions and actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life...
Life will give you back everything you have given to it!
Your life is not a coincidence - it's a reflection of you!

Check: www.inspirationalstories.com for inspirational stories. Don't forget that life is an adventure and that it is up to you to make your life happy!

All the best to you!

"Even More on Spirituality..."

2008-07-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

YES! I'm a firm believer in the importance of becoming a "spiritual person" in this world, in our life... to achieve not only happiness but also peace of mind. Truthfully, I don't understand how some people can live without spirituality in their lives. How can you learn to be truly compassionate, loving, understanding, patient, tolerant, forgiving, positive, happy and peaceful without spirituality? How can you find meaning in your life without spirituality?

Rabbi Simon Jacobson wrote in "What is the Calling of our Time?": "The only force that will infuse our children (and ourselves) with higher values and empower them (and us) to face the challenges of a material world is not more materialism, but (surprise: what is the opposite of matter?)... "spirituality": A deep sense of the soul within each of us and the mission of the soul's journey in this life. No child on earth should be deprived of the need to discover meaning in life. Every boy and girl must know, ingrained in his or her psyche from the youngest age, that he/she must ask the question: 'What is my calling?'

Spirituality has to become an essential ingredient in the education of every child, and an absolute necessary study for an aspiring leader, teacher or clergy person. The message of the soul is the single most relevant message you will ever hear...

You (we) are indispensable. Every one of us was created in the Divine Image with an exclusive imprint, unique to you and you alone. Only you can fulfill your role and play your special music. And the whole world apprehensively waits - and cannot be complete - until you actualize your life's calling, and make your unique mark and contribution."

Beautiful words! I believe in them... They sound true to me. Deep in my heart I know we should strive to find meaning in our lives, to find our "calling" - our "purpose"... to do the best that we can and learn the most that we can. And, just to BE... to be happy, to be peaceful, to be free... Do you feel the same way? I hope so.

May you always find the strength needed to overcome the hard times (and problems) in your life, through faith, hope, peace and love. May the peace within you always be the source of comfort and security. Remember: There's always light for us to access, whether it be the light of God (a power greater than ourselves) or the light of a close friend, a close relative, or even the light within ourselves that is the power and the strength with which we've all been blessed.

We all know that
no matter how many clouds
get in the way,
the sun keeps on shining...
No matter how many times its rays
are blocked from our view,
the sun will reappear on another day
to shine more brilliantly than before.
It takes determination
to outlast those dark clouds
that sometimes enter your life,
and patience to keep on shining
no matter what gets in your way.
But it all pays off eventually.
One of these days
when you least expect it,
you'll overcome your difficulties,
because you and the sun
have a lot in common;
you're both going to shine
no matter what.
(Poem by Barbara J. Hall)

"More on Spirituality"

2008-04-10T18:16:00.000-07:00

"We can confidently say... that spirituality is fearlessness. It is a way of looking boldly at this life we have been given, here, now, on earth, as this human being."
~ Elizabeth Lesser ("The Seeker's Guide")

“Spirituality is more than meditation. It is the fundamental building block of physical health, emotional balance and sustained feelings of joy and well-being. Find the nature of your own sacred connection, find ways to integrate body, mind, and spirit for healing and spiritual awakening, and open your deep heart to the direct experience of love which is the essential path to happiness.”

“Spirituality means the ability to find peace and happiness in an imperfect world, and to feel that one's own personality is imperfect but acceptable. From this peaceful state of mind come both creativity and the ability to love unselfishly, which go hand in hand. Acceptance, faith, forgiveness, peace, and love are the traits that define spirituality for me.”
~ Bernie Siegel

I believe that to find happiness and emotional balance in your life you need to have and embrace “spirituality.” Spirituality is “longing” - craving and searching for meaning in our lives, for the truth, for God, for something greater than ourselves...

I don’t expect you to believe what I believe, but I hope you get inspired...

Inspired to find happiness in your life…

Inspired to always do your best…

Inspired to follow your dreams…

Inspired to believe in yourself…

Inspired to get up when you fall…

Inspired to live a fulfilling life of meaning and purpose…

Remember that YOU ARE AMAZING, each one of us is an amazing person with incredible gifts; gifts and talents that we can share with the world – especially when we find “meaning” in our lives. Yes! Our lives can be full of “meaning,” when we let go of fear and when we follow our dreams… The meaning of life is to live that dream; but you can only live that dream if you believe that you can; so, believe in your dream!

We have to take responsibility for our lives. We cannot consider ourselves victims and blame others for our mistakes. We are co-creators with God; so we have to take responsibility for our creation. At every moment, we are creating our reality with our actions and our thoughts – positive actions and positive thoughts will bring us positive results. The opposite is true, as well: negative actions and negative thoughts will bring us negative results.

Chuck Gallozzi (www.personal-development.com/chuck) wrote: “What then is meaning? Meaning is a personal reason for our existence. It’s a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It is not a matter of searching for some ethereal, profound, and mysterious meaning, but merely of choosing what to dedicate our life to, for the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. In other words, the meaning of life is to live a meaningful life. We create ourselves with the power of thought, and we create our meaning with the power of choice.

The meaning of a word is its role in a sentence, and the meaning of a person is their role in society. When we take on a role and contribute to society, we become meaningful by being
useful. Our role gives us value and significance. No role is too small; all roles are vital, and every role is an opportunity for someone to find meaning.”

Our purpose is to become “useful”. Useful to others, useful to our world... To contribute our talents and gifts in some positive way. In order to have meaning in our lives we must learn to make the right choices and decisions for our lives; fill our lives with “positive”actions. So see yourself as an important “contributor” for the betterment of this world and learn to act appropriately to fulfill your goal of finding meaning in your life. Your actions will create your life - your positive and negative experiences. If you act with kindness, compassion, patience, tolerance, respect, understanding and love - you will receive all that in return, and more, and accomplish your greatest dreams and goals. When you cause great pain to others by your negative and destructive actions, you will only hurt yourself (and your loved ones); you will only create negative effects. Find inner peace by living your best life! IT'S UP TO YOU!

Always remember that YOU MATTER. Your life and what you do with it matters. You are indispensable to this world! Also remember to keep an open mind and an open heart at all times…

"Only as we learn to accept and cherish ourselves as we really are, can we tap our innate wisdom."

Exercise: Create a “collage” in order to explore visually what might bring meaning into your life. You can discover what gives meaning to your life by creating a picture of your ideal life, filled with the things you'd like to do and the things you'd like to have - the things that are important to you. Gather up magazines that have pictures you like, get out scissors, glue stick and paper, and begin to cut and paste; or create a collage using PowerPoint, Photoshop or another favorite computer program.

Reflections

2008-03-31T17:23:00.000-07:00

Thomas Merton wrote:

"Our vocation is not simply to be, but to work together with God in the creation of our own life, our own identity, our own destiny… This means to say that we should not passively exist, but actively participate in His creative freedom, in our own lives, and in the lives of others, by choosing the truth."

"To be born again is not to become somebody else, but to become ourselves.”

I'm a firm believer that we are responsible for creating our own life, our own identity, and our own destiny like Merton said. The first paragraph says just that... that we actively participate in our own creation when we choose the truth. We don't have to become someone else, we don't have to be copycats simply mirroring others - we have to become our own "originals" even if we are full of imperfections and weaknesses. The goal: to become the best person that we can be, but to become ourselves, no matter what. Maybe better said: to find ourselves - to find who we really are...

The person that many times we think we are is not really us. "There's a silent self within us (Merton also said) whose presence is disturbing because it is so silent: it can't be spoken. It has to remain silent." He mentions that the problem in our culture is that we are surrounded by sound and generalized noise; so we live in a state of constant semi-attention. We cannot be fully present and yet we're not entirely absent; we're not fully withdrawn and yet not completely available. Let's pay close attention to these wise words.

What is your Concept of God?

2008-02-24T18:21:00.000-08:00

"How would you define GOD?"

It seems that everyone has a different definition of God; but how would YOU define Him/Her/It?

"God is the creative life of the universe..."

"God is reality..."

"God is magical and mysterious..."

"God is infinite light..."

"God is consciousness - the Eternal Sea..."

“Think of God as an eternal power outlet. When you take time to plug in to his power, you automatically receive new energy, new life, new power. Trying to run on reserve can only be temporary. A run-down person is unproductive and ineffective. Just as our physical bodies need to be replenished, our souls also need to be revived."
(Susie Shellenberger)

To me God is undefinable, God is infinite and pure love, infinite and pure joy, and infinite and pure peace... God IS. God is everywhere, around us and within us. God is the life force that surrounds us and the life force that is within us. God is consciousness, intelligence, creativity, beauty, harmony, all-goodness, all-knowing - an ocean of wisdom... LIFE. God is real. God is absolute. God is unique. God is eternal. God is ONE. God is transcendent and immanent. God is awe, wonder, mystery... God is an amazing energy or power source of infinite love and peace within our Universe, that we can tap at will when God is at the center of our hearts. We have the choice to choose "light" - God or "darkness" - Suffering (Hell).

Rabbi Abraham J. Heschel wrote: "God is the center toward which all forces tend. He is the source and we are the flowing of His force." Thomas Merton wrote: "At the center of our being is a point or spark which belongs entirely to God, which is never at our disposal, from which God disposes our lives..."

We have the power to connect with God. God is like an amazing power source. We can choose to be connected to that source and be "in the light" or to be disconnected and live "in darkness." It's really up to us. We can be like a plant or flower who, desperately needs the sun and yet, never gets that needed sunlight because it was placed in a dark area (in darkness) – so it withers and dies; or like the sunflower who follows the light wherever it goes and gets enough sunshine. This plant will be beautiful, strong and happy, and admired by all.

God is infinite love and infinite joy. If we want to be truly happy we need to live searching and finding God. God is harmony...

Menachem Mendel Schneerson said:

“Connecting to God is the only way to truly free yourself from fear. By recognizing that you are an integral part of God’s plan, that your existence is significant and your participation is vital, you can wean yourself of the doubts that feed your fears.”

How can we see the beauty of creation, the beauty of all things and not believe in a power greater than ourselves?

How can I/we connect to God, you may ask? You connect through faith, prayer, reflection, and meditation. You connect to God by loving others, being compassionate, kind, forgiving, tolerant, patient, understanding, peaceful... You connect to God by communing with nature, and appreciating the beauty in people, in animals, in our universe, in our world.

I truthfully feel sorry for those who reject God; who reject the awesome spirit of love and peace that surrounds us all and that lives within us. I have a hard time comprehending their close-mindedness; then again, like I always say: "It is up to them!" I personally feel happier feeling closer to God. I feel happier believing in this amazing and mysterious power that is much greater than ourselves and that unites us all. I choose to believe in magic... I hope you do too!

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."
(Mother Teresa)

"God is not confined to one mode of revealing his truth... God is not confined to our definitions nor to our structures."
(Father Ivan Kaszczak)

"As we look within at our natural powers, we see the imprint of God on our souls."
(St. Bonaventure)

"God is something greater than which cannot be thought. God exists in such a way that one cannot even think of him as not existing."
(St. Anselm)

"Love of God is not something that can be taught. As soon as the living creature (that is, man) comes to be, a power of reason is implanted in us like a seed, containing within the ability and need to love. Since we received the command to love God, we possess from the first moment of our existence an innate power and ability to love. The proof of this is not to be sought outside ourselves, but each one can learn this from himself and in himself."
(St. Basil)

The spirit of God (God's essence) dwells within us...
Wisdom and truth exist within us...
Our essence is of God...

Remember: There are many paths to God... God doesn't belong to anyone - no one has a monopoly on God. Unfortunately many believe they do. God is one to all. God is found within, in everyone (regardless of religion, race, sex, differences, beliefs, etc.) The irony is that men (men an women) driven by their egos create divisiveness; especially when they believe that their way is the right and only way. When arrogance, fanaticism, ignorance and intolerance is their mode operandi. Then again, we're only human and God understands this and forgives us; because God is love and love in forgiveness. People and religions interpret God differently - they have different concepts of God. The important thing is to be "united" by our belief in God and not "separated;" because whether we believe it or not "we are all one."

“The deep secrecy of my own being is often hidden from me by my own estimate of what I am.” (From No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton)

“There is a stage in the spiritual life in which we find God in ourselves – this presence is a created effect of His love. It is a gift of His, to us. It remains in us. All the gifts of God are good." (From Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton)

"We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another."
(From Love and Living by Thomas Merton)

"Every created thing is a mirror of life and a book of holy teaching, for there is no creature so small and worthless that it doesn't show forth the goodness of God."
(From The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis)

"Yes, that mighty life force is ever at our side, but how do we tap into it? We do so by meeting it halfway, by acting as if we have the power, by taking the first step. As we move toward it, it moves toward us. This great power is always available, but like the sun, rain, or wind, we are free to harness it or ignore it."
(Chuck Gallozzi)

I love what Rabbi David Aaron says: "We are a Masterpiece - a piece of the Master. We're an aspect of His very self. God is the ultimate reality." Check him at: http://www.youtube.com/davidaaron.

Spirituality

2008-02-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

"You don't have to be religious to be spiritual. Spirit is everywhere - in people and in animals. Spirituality is hard to explain; you can't touch it, but it surrounds you every day. You feel your spirit when something touches you so deeply it moves you to tears, when you are so excited you get goose bumps, or when you are just happy to be alive."

Beautiful words by Amanda Ford in her book "Be True to Yourself - A Daily Guide for Teenage Girls." Check: http://books.google.com/books/be true to yourself.htm

You can feel and hear your spirit, you can feel and hear someone else's spirit... It is essential to find some quiet time during our busy days to be silent and listen; to pray and reflect; to rest and listen to our body. We will certainly feel more relaxed, replenished, restored and at peace. Little by little we will discover our true nature and we will become more compassionate, kind and loving human beings. We will also feel amazingly HAPPY. Try it!

May You Be Happy...

2008-02-06T16:59:00.000-08:00

Today I found a great little book called "Be True to Yourself" by Amanda Ford. One of the titles is "A Prayer for All Things" where the author mentions a well-known Buddhist mantra (prayer) that we should all say or think often to feel better:

May I be happy
May I be peaceful
May I be free...

We can also repeat "May (fill in the blank) be happy; may (fill in the blank) be peaceful; may (fill in the blank) be free." Add the name of the person you want to send loving thoughts to. We can actually change this beautiful mantra in many different ways. We could add "May I be healthy, or May I be strong, or May I be patient, or May I be confident, etc. We could also add "May I be free of suffering, or free of anger, or free of pain, or free of worry, etc.

The important thing is to repeat this mantra throughout the day. A sense of peace and happiness will fill our hearts. Let's remember that what we tell ourselves throughout our day affects how we feel, and affects others, in a positive or negative way. Our thoughts are powerful! Our beliefs create our reality. We are what we think... and much much more, of course! We are the awareness behind those thoughts. We are...

Also check www.HowToBeHappy.org for more great ideas on how to be happy... (you can download the e-book too).

"The Mastery of Love"

2008-01-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite books is "The Mastery of Love" by Don Miguel Ruiz. It is truly one of those "must read" books - a practical guide to the Art of Relationships (not an easy art to master). In fact, it may be one of the most difficult arts to master in our lifetime, and most of us need all the help we can get in this area. We read and hear everywhere about failed marriages and relationships; about some of the terrible things people do to other fellow human beings, regardless of race, color, origin, nationality, religion, etc. Parents abusing children, men abusing women, women abusing men... wars, hate, crime - lack of love. A world consumed with "fear."

I highly recommend this book, please check: http://www.scribd.com/doc/104593/.

We're approaching February, the month when we celebrate "love" and "friendship" - Valentine's Day. A very special month for us - we celebrate our Wedding Anniversary (23rd), and my birthday (besides Valentine's Day...) We usually go to our favorite Mexican Restaurant with the best Margaritas in the world - in my opinion - "Tequila's", http://www.tequilasphilly.com/ (I'm not a drinker, but I do love those Margaritas!) Great food, great ambiance, great place! I highly recommend it.

Don Miguel Ruiz wrote: "Happiness never comes from outside of us." We cannot depend on others to make us happy. We have to make ourselves happy first, to be happy and to make others happy. In other words, we are responsible for our happiness. If we enter a relationship expecting the other person to make us happy, we're asking too much! "If you take your happiness and put it in someone's hands, sooner or later, she/he is going to break it. If you give your happiness to someone else, she/he can always take it away. Then, if happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of your love, you are responsible for your happiness." Powerful words, powerful advice!

He also writes: "We can never make anyone responsible for our own happiness... It doesn't matter how much you love someone, you are never going to be what that person wants you to be."

When we base our happiness on others and make promises we simply cannot keep, we are setting ourselves up for failure. The myth of the "right person," "prince charming," or "princess charming" is just that, a MYTH. We have to become the right person first! In order to have healthy, loving, fulfilling relationships with others, we have to be the best that we can be. Our insecurities, our low self-esteem, our baggage is definitely going to affect our relationships with others (friends, partners, spouses, significant others).

The most difficult challenge in life is that, to learn to love ourselves first, in order to be able to love others then.

"Love has no obligations. Fear is full of obligations."

"Love has no expectations. Fear is full of expectations."

"Love is based on respect. Fear doesn't respect anything, including itself."

"Love is full of compassion. Fear is full of pity."

"Love is completely responsible. Fear avoids responsibility."

(Every human being is completely responsible for her/his actions, whether she/he wants to be responsible or not.)

"Love is ALWAYS kind. Fear is always unkind."

(Anger is nothing but FEAR with a mask.)

"Love is unconditional. Fear is full of conditions."

Don't ever be in a relationship just because you feel that you have to - be in a relationship because you want to. You feel free, you can be yourself, you can dream... you have no fear; you just love without conditions, without expectations, without judgments; and honesty, respect and communications are the main ingredients.

"The only way to master love is to practice love. Practice creates the master."

And of course my hero of all times is Leo Buscaglia. He taught, breathed and spoke love wherever he went and in everything he wrote. Great teacher. (My favorite books are: "Living, Loving and Learning", "Loving Each Other", and "Love".)

"The time to love is Now...
The time to forgive is Now...
The time to live is Now...
What are you waiting for?" (KF)

My "Innerspace"

2008-01-24T16:00:00.001-08:00

I've decided that it would be nice to own a blog where I, and maybe others, can express our beliefs, ideas, thoughts, concerns and feelings about different subjects dealing with spirituality, and ask questions or share poems, prayers and anything our hearts desire. I remembered the sci-fi film "Innerspace" (1987) with Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan and Martin Short and thought that "Innerspace" was a very appropriate name for a blog that will serve as a medium to express my inner feelings, concerns, beliefs, dreams and hopes... I hope it will help answer some questions or just provide some interesting or different points of view to be taken into consideration - some ideas that will sound true to you or motivate you to explore further, thus helping you and me to continue growing as human beings.

Love,

Karol