Ruth: Defying Bitterness

“… For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” ~ Ruth 1:20

Ruth the Moabite widow of a Judean, no doubt felt great sadness and grief. Yet, her mother-in-law Naomi, also a widow and left childless, moved through her desolation and loss by blaming her God. When we are in great pain, especially the pain of loss, we want to reach out and blame someone for that pain. And though we must have our grieving time, we must not remain there; lest we get stuck in a sea of bitterness.

In the throws of these moments of desolation, stop, take a breath and ask not why has this pain of loss come upon you; but ask what are you to learn from this time of great sorrow. Then continue to journey through the sorrow, receiving your lesson, your blessings, and your great strength and courage.

Healing Our Emotions: A Journey with Ruth and Esther

This week marks the anniversary of my widowhood. And though I no longer walk in the valley of darkness, I have entered a new light. So many thoughts and feelings swirled in my mind as I remembered. Part of the gift of my time of grief, pain and loss, is the ability to journey with the countless women who have lost their way in the darkness of the emotions that threaten to envelop them. This week, I share my gift of hope, light and faith with those women (and men). May you be blessed by it.

Two of my favorite women of the Hebrew Scriptures are Ruth and Esther – one, a pagan living in a God-fearing country and the other, a God-fearing Jewess living in a pagan land. Both women were divine instruments of peace, love and fidelity to those they came in contact with – displaying a great love of God and the people.

Although both women were of great strength and loving kindness, both confronted those unsettling emotions we all oftentimes battle with – fear, grief, pain, loneliness, anger and desolation. This week, we shall journey with these two amazing women of Scripture as we heal our own unsettling emotions.

The Law of Success

“Infinite resources are at our disposal. There are no limits to our possibilities.” ~ Raymond Holliwell

If we have the desire to succeed, then why don’t we just succeed? Instead we him, we haw, we get bogged down in the muck and mire of doubt and fear and we do not progress. As Dr. Holliwell says we have an infinite number of resources at our disposal. So, why can’t we make the progress we know to make?

Because of our subconscious blueprint. We have been conditioned as children to think, feel and believe one way; and that way is not the Certain Way that Wallace Wattles speaks of in The Science of Getting Rich. We sabotage ourselves instead of building ourselves up and moving forward.

“Do you wish to succeed? You can. You possess all the essentials within yourself; all you need is to gain a right understanding of the principles and laws upon which success is based, and then to apply the right methods of operating these causes until success is earned.” ~ From Working With the Law

Dr. Holliwell says that great things are no less possible than small things, and it is the great things that will follow whoever uses the law with faith and understanding.

This takes consistent effort with feeling. Once will not gain you success. It takes repetition with emotion. You must know what your heart’s desire is and go after it with all your heart, mind and soul and strength.

The Law of Increase

“When someone praises you for your efforts, you feel like expanding and doing better, trying harder to be more perfect.” ~ Raymond Holliwell

“When we are praised or praise ourselves there is a physical response within our bodies. Doctors tell us that the cells of our body respond to the Law. They seem to know and expand in strength, in capacity, and even in intelligence. Of course, we know that it is the mind working through every cell that causes the expansion.” ~ From Working With the Law

Know how you feel when you are praised or honored in some way? Feels good, doesn’t it? Not only do your cells expand, but so does your smile! Think about that feeling and pass that feeling on to another.

Help others expand… without the carbs!

The Law of Thinking

“Are we controlled by our thoughts, or are we controlling our thoughts?” ~ Raymond Holliwell

So, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about what you think about?

“The Law of mind is in perpetual operation, and it works both ways. Persons who dwell on thoughts of failure or poverty will gravitate toward like conditions; they, in turn, will draw to them people who accept failure and poverty. On the other hand, we can think on positive conditions, on success and plenty, and in the same manner, enjoy full and plenty. What the mind holds within takes its form in the outer world.” ~ From Working With the Law

Everything is created twice – first in the mind, then in the world. Extremely powerful!

Watch your thoughts… they become your reality.

The Law of Receiving

“No matter what we want of life we have to give up something in order to get it.” ~ Raymond Holliwell

This week, we are looking at Dr. Raymond Holliwell’s Working With The Law: 11 Truth Principles for Successful Living.

“He who seeks the Father, with “getting” as his objective, does not seek Him in trueness of spirit….

“In a state of limited understanding, we reason what we must get before we can give, and then we turn and walk in the same mental rut as before by reasoning that we must give before we can get: but in our lack of understanding, we continue to leave the “getting” idea foremost in out thought and we shut out the spirit of giving.”

This law is about reciprocity – it is in giving that we receive. It is time we stop focusing on being go-getters and become “go-givers”. I loved the movie, Pay It Forward. It spoke to unconditional giving and no ego or judgment; almost a utopian existence.

Can you give without expecting anything in return?

Working With The Law

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” ~ From Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

One of my favorite books to study is Raymond Holliwell’s Working With The Law: 11 Truth Principles for Successful Living. In the book, Dr. Holliwell explains eleven spiritual laws that are principles to learn, understand and apply, and that the natural consequence of applying them is a happy, harmonious and prosperous life. His main point is that working with the spiritual laws, not ignoring them or forgetting them, is what leads to success in life. His opening statement is deeply profound and worth reflecting on. I have changed the language to be more inclusive.

“The question uppermost in the world of thought today is whether you have the capacity, equipment, and power to control your life; whether you can be what you want to be; or whether your are a drop in the great ocean of life. Millions are affected by unemployment, poverty, and want. Can they help it? Where we have thousands of homes broken on the rocks of matrimony, can such a breach be repaired? Millions complain of sickness and disorder in countless forms. All this gives rise to the belief that we are victims of circumstance over which we have no control. Such belief makes of us fatalists and karmic addicts instead of masters and controllers of our destinies. A fatalistic belief is contagious, and when you submit to its influence, believing that the circumstances around you are stronger than the power within you, then you are defeated before the race is run.”

Dr. Holliwell says what so many other great thought leaders have said time and time again: that you are the creator of your life, you are the maker of your reality. You may not be able to change your circumstances, but you definitely have control over your reactions and interpretations of those circumstances. When you allow your circumstances to control your life, you become a pawn to the dictates of your external world. Being a victim of circumstances, you have relinquished your power to those circumstances. 

It All Takes Awareness

To meditate, to consciously breathe, to listen and to be still – all takes awareness. Yes, you can try to do it with your blindfold on, but is that what you want you life to look like? Most of the time, we show up in life unconsciously; we walk through life on autopilot.

So often I hear someone say, “Yes, I know that!”

Okay, you know, but is it reflected in your life story? Because to know and not to do is not to know. If you are not living the life you want to live, then there is something you do not know; there is something you are not aware of. Like breathing – yes, you are breathing, but you are probably breathing very unconsciously.

Watch the things you do on a day to day basis. Be more mindful in the things you do – especially the things you seem to do mindlessly. You would be amazed at the incremental changes you make in your daily activities and how you day plays out.

Just for today, be more aware!

Breathing Brings Awareness

“When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.” ~ Svatmarama

The most vital piece to getting centered and being present is the breath. You can do absolutely nothing without your breath. Yet, breathing is something you do both consciously and unconsciously. When you breathe deeply and consciously, you are present and aware. 

It is the more shallow breathing that we are used to because we are constantly in a state of high alert and fear. We must become more mindful of our breathing.

Breathing is your gateway to your Inner Divine Wisdom – this is where all of your answers lie. As the quote above implies, when your breath is unsteady, so is your mind and your thinking. You have difficulty making rational and conscious decisions; you are unfocused and have trouble concentrating; and your creativity level is at an all time low.

STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and BREATHE!

Silence Brings Strength

“Silence is a source of great strength.” ~ Lao Tzu

There is something very healing in silence. When you can step away from the noise and the chatter, you can embrace the calm. One of my readers, Emme, asked if I would speak more to this concept of silence. Thank you, Emme! This is an important topic and one I believe quite neglected in our world today.

Personally, I have been chastised more for being silent than I have for being too talkative. This is the state of the world at present. Years ago, I seriously considered becoming a contemplative nun. I loved the idea of being in silence most of the time. Needless to say, that wasn’t my path but I still maintain my silent moments. As a public speaker, I cherish those moments when I can just be still and know….

As Lao Tzu so wisely said, silence is a source of great strength. I can definitely see that in my daily encounters. There is certainly something very calming in the silence, but also very powerful as well. As I began this week’s topics, I shared about being able to tap into your Inner Divine Wisdom by listening. In order to listen, one must have silence. If you are that person who loves to talk, think about what you are talking about. Just for the moment, STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

Is what you are saying necessary and does it need to be heard?

Sometimes we think that just because we have a great thought, everyone else needs to hear it as well.

And most times, no one needs to hear it!

Remember: do not speak unless it improves the silence.

Meditation Brings Wisdom

“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of mediation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” ~ Buddha

According to Wikipedia, meditation is a holistic discipline during which time the practitioner trains his or her mind in order to realize some benefit. The focus being to train the mind.

My definition of meditation is the practice of becoming present and centered. If you are anything like me, you have the very active monkey mind – where your thoughts swing here and there. So, to try and sit still to meditate was not happening. But the great thing is you don’t have to sit still; you can meditate while walking in nature, while walking your dog, while jogging, while doing the dishes. It is about being in the present moment while you are training your mind toward some benefit.

I started serious meditation to relieve chronic pain. This morphed into gaining increased creativity, heightened awareness, more focus and concentration, and being able to make better decisions about my life. As the Buddha says, meditation brings wisdom while the lack of meditation leaves ignorance.

Time to Touch the Stillness

“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

This week, we will look at being in and with silence and stillness. I am a huge devotee of both silence and stillness. If I could become a hermitess, well….

The only way to know what your Inner Divine Wisdom is telling you is to listen; and you cannot listen if there is constant noise. Constant noise seems to permeate our days and lives. But you will never find the quiet or the stillness unless you make the conscious choice to step away from the noise.

I know what you are saying, I can hear the complaints: But I just don’t have time! Listen, you have time for what you make time for. Heaven forbid you discovered you had a serious illness; wouldn’t you make time for treatment? Well, how about making the time before the illness hits; and believe me, if you don’t make the time now, you will be forced to make the time later.

To make this a bit easier, begin with those moments when you are already forced to stop: when you go to the lu (bathroom, that is!). Just take a moment and take a few deep breaths. This will center you and bring you back to the present moment. Deep breathing also lowers the brainwaves bringing you from the alert beta state to the more sedate alpha state. In the alpha state, you can tap into your Inner Divine Wisdom. It is in this state where you also access your creativity.

Stay tuned for more on being with the stillness. 

Just for today, stop, take a breath and listen!

Vitamin Z is for Zippy!

Well, what does that mean?

Zippy: alert, quick, energetic. Like a beautiful gazelle. Remember those days? Think hard... it'll come to you!

Just for today, remember being zippy!

Vitamin Y is for Yummy

When I say “Yummy” what do you think of? There is no shortage of images, but I will guess that your thought was of something good… mmm, tasty, perhaps?

Yeah, me too. And he’s 6 foot 2 with dark hair and blue eyes.

Just for today, live yummy!

Vitamin X is for Xenial

Xenial means being hospitable and friendly, especially to strangers and foreigners. This reminds me of one of my favorite books of the Hebrew Scriptures, The Book of Ruth. Though Ruth was a foreigner and a stranger, she was to be divinely woven into the bloodline of the Christ. You never know who God is using to manifest a miracle in your life.

Just for today, be xenial to everyone you meet!

Vitamin W is for Wonderful

“I'd rather have a moment of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.” ~ From “Steele Magnolias”

Just for today, have a moment of wonderful!

Vitamin V is for Vibrant

"I think that it's our time. We're interesting women, and we're not dead women, we're very much alive, we're very sexy and intelligent and vibrant. Hot flashes and all." ~ Blythe Danner

Oh yeah! I think that says it all, don’t you?

Just for today, be sexy, intelligent and vibrant! Hot flashes and all!

Vitamin U is for Unique

“A human being is a single being. Unique and unrepeatable.” ~ Eileen Caddy

Why be a carbon copy of someone else when you can be a unique original? There is no one like you on this planet. Perhaps on another planet… but not on this one!

Just for today, enjoy your uniqueness!

Vitamin T is for Transparent

“I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom.” ~ Simone de Beauvoir

When you can be totally transparent and there is nothing to hide, then there cannot be the chance of scandal.

Just for today, be totally transparent!

Vitamin S is for Silence

“True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.” ~ William Penn

One of my all-time favorite quotes is by Gandhi which says, speak only if it will improve the silence! Totally brilliant! Spinoza also said that nature abhors a vacuum. This is so true. People in general cannot stand silence. They would rather chatter on mindlessly than reflect on the silence of the present moment.

Not that I am a social snob, okay maybe just a little, but I rarely do dinners and social get-togethers because they are filled with mindless chatter, which I don’t do. As a professional speaker, I am very cautious about my words, my speech, and my voice. They are extremely priceless to me and I refuse to waste them on drivel. There, I said it!

Just for today, reflect on the silence!

Vitamin R is for Reliable

“A true friend never breaches the trust of his companion or stabs in his back. He is trustworthy and reliable. One should therefore always try to be a true and reliable friend. ” ~ Sam Veda

Dependable, faithful and trustworthy – these are the words that come to mind when I think about being reliable. Though we live in a less than reliable society, being reliable is still seen as a necessary virtue for relationships of all kinds. Many things are no longer reliable, job security being one. Though, never really reliable, it did give the impression.

Don’t just give the impression of being reliable, because one day you will be found out. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don’t say it mean!

Just for today, be reliable!

Vitamin Q is for Quotable

“I might repeat to myself, slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound; if I can remember any of the damn things.” ~ Dorothy Parker

Yes, but we do remember! I believe that everyone can quote someone. Who do you often quote? Why do you use that particular quote?

More importantly, is someone quoting you? What are they quoting? Are you proud of the quote? Or is it just repeatable gossip? Watch those words; I bet you someone else is watching as well!

Just for today, be quotable!

Vitamin P is for Persistent

“Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure.” ~ Edward Eggleston

My favorite definition for persistent is refusing to give up or let go. Far too often, we end the task too soon or quit moments before the miracle. If it is your heart’s passion and desire, then there is not “right time” to quit. Remain persistent if you want to realize your dreams. No dream has come to pass from someone who quit and gave up.

Just for today, be persistent!