Welcome to the Lake Tahoe Spiritual Living Center!

Sometimes living inside one’s own head is akin to walking  in a dangerous neighborhood.    Alone.   In the dark.

It’s difficult sometimes to look on the bright side, make a gratitude list, do the next indicated right thing, meditate, connect with Spirit, journal about positive stuff, help another, or even get out of bed when life just doesn’t seem to be cooperating.

And I don’t know about you, but if life isn’t cooperating, I venture even deeper into that dangerous neighborhood, comparing my insides to other people’s outsides and going to that old familiar place of low self esteem, and even wallowing in self pity:  laying in bed in a fetal position, hiding under the covers, crying my eyes out.

Ever been there?

Sometimes even chocolate doesn’t help.

I admit that sometimes it is necessary to blow off a bit of steam and have a pity party.  Someone once told me that it helped to give herself a specific period of time to do the pity party thing.  She gave herself an hour, or maybe a day,  no more, and then moved on.  So if you are in a low point, allow that pity party….for a little while.  Then move on.

While it may seem like too much work to make a gratitude list and actually FEEL the gratitude for the things on the list, I can tell you that this tool is particularly valuable during low times.  While wallowing in self pity may sometimes seem like comfortable place to be, it is true what Jerry and Esther Hicks say about vibration:  we set up that low vibration and then attract more of that into our lives.  It is critical to go to a place of gratitude during those times when life seems bleak.

It is also extremely important to not walk the journey alone.  Reach out, pick up the phone, call people, visit, do social stuff.  Invite someone over for dinner, or cook a casserole for someone who isn’t feeling well physically.  Bake cookies for the local firehouse.

Another helpful tool is to take action.  One of my favorite sayings is “responsible acts build self esteem.”  If you are wallowing in self pity, the best way to feel better about yourself is to do something positive and productive.  And don’t beat yourself up because it isn’t enough.

And above all, here’s what I know about life and Spirit and manifestation:  We only receive that which we are capable of receiving.  Life, Spirit and things move through us, as us.  If we want more or better or whatever, we first need to BE that which we want.  When we BE, then Spirit can move in and through and as us.  Then it seems as if magically things begin to turn around.  It really isn’t magic though, it is simply ancient spiritual laws in action.

So if things aren’t going so well, apply those spiritual laws and then watch them work to co-create with you wonder and beauty and majesty and great things in your life.

“You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and truth. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You’re not meant for crawling, so don’t. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.”
Rumi

Have you learned to use your wings yet?  Do you even know that they are there?  Yes, you have the potential to live life to the fullest, and you can!  It may seem a bit frightening to contemplate living to your fullest potential, to spread your wings and fly, as high as the sky.  But think of the bird, just learning how to fly.  He doesn’t allow fear to stop him from learning.  He just continues on, fluttering his wings, making short little journeys of flight, until soon he is strong enough, and has the skills, to soar through the skies.  Do not allow fear to prevent you from living to your potential.  Take short journeys at first, and develop your skills and your strength, and pretty soon you will be flying too!

Lately there’s been a lot  of talk about humility in the places I go and with the people I see.  The last three classes/book studies/meetings, the talk turned to  humility.

I did a bit of research on the net, and it was no surprise to me to discover that most definitions of humility contain words like self abasement.  I totally disagree with all of those definitions. 

I think humility is a wonderful thing, if viewed from a different perspective.  Years ago, someone gave me a leaflet.  It’s unattributed, if anyone knows where it came from let me know  I have it in a frame on my desk at the studio.  This is what it says:

“Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no troule.  It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing against me.  It is to be at reast when nobody praises me, and when I am despised, it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness when all around and about is seeming trouble.”

Over the years I have taken this saying and applied it to my life with a New Thought twist, of course.  I do have a blessed home inside myself, and I go there quite regularly, but it is not necessary for me to kneel to myself.  I do not have a God separate from me, it is within me.  I do not consider Spirit my father, nor do I call it a name with a gender.  You can determine whether it is appropriate for you to kneel to go to that blessed home within yourself.

I think humility has to do with honesty.  All of this introspection we do, the journaling, the looking at ourselves, exploring our reactions, our thought patterns, discerning our part in things; if we look at ourselves honestly, without boasting and without shaming, that, I think, is humility.  To be able to honestly know who and what we are, who and what we are worth, to acknowledge the good and change the bad without shame, that is humility.

Whatever your concept of God is, I do not think that magnificent being ever wants us to feel ashamed, less than or unworthy.   In fact, I think that is the exact opposite of humility.  In hanging on to feelings of unworthiness or shame or guilt, we are feeding that side of us which would keep us in bondage to lack, limitation, or unhealthy behavior.  I do not think that is our reason for being, and I do not think that any conceptual idea of God would want us to feel or be that way.  I think that in honoring ourselves, we also honor God.  When we are honest with ourselves about who and what we really are, and are able to acknowledge when something is no longer working for us, and then work to change it without shame, that is humility.

Let’s change humility from a dirty word to a wonderful word, a word filled with good stuff, with sacred meaning that will bring us closer to peace and understanding of ourselves and our concept of God. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic!  If you don’t want to post a comment publicly for all to see, then send me an email!

“Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours.”  Richard Bach, author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull

“If you spot it, you got it.”  Unknown

I’ve never thought I argued for my limitations, but I totally agree with the sentiment that if you spot it you got it.  What that means is that it’s one of those spiritual truths that if you are seeing behavior in someone else that is bothering you, most likely it is because you do the same behavior yourself, don’t much appreciate it, but are unwilling or unable to change it in yourself.

I can spot  limitations in people a mile away, it’s one of  the things that makes me an effective Practitioner.  But yesterday I was speaking to another Practitioner who told me I was arguing for my limitations.  And I have to admit that she is right, because I am experiencing some limitation in my life.

So, let’s say you’ve become aware of something in your life that you wish to change.  How do you go about doing that?  Well, I can tell you first of all that change always, without exception, starts within.  Not only does it start within, but that’s where the majority of  change occurs.  It simply is not effective to change outside circumstances if we expect a permanent change in our lives.  We must change the insides.  By changing the insides I mean the beliefs and the thought patterns.  Beliefs are a biggie.  Thoughts are a bit easier, at least for me.  Beliefs are deeply rooted and it takes some digging to get at them, expose them to the light of day, and change what is no longer working.  I don’t know about you, but I have never been successful at changing a belief without help.  I plan to hire a Practitioner to help me with this.  Thoughts are changed one thought at a time.  Simply change each thought as it comes, until you find that you are no longer having to do it.

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution and are already finding that it’s difficult to keep it, or perhaps you’ve not even begun implementing it in your life, perhaps it is time to look at approaching it from a different angle.  Go within.  If you need help digging, get it.  Then, expose that  belief to the light of day, and change it. 

We form beliefs usually based on happenings in our lives.  But we also form beliefs based on how we percieve things at the time.  Our perceptions change with maturity and wisdom, but our beliefs do not.  So we find ourselves in the position of having a belief based on the perception of an immature child!  One who views the world through the eyes of self centeredness!  I don’t know about you, but I would like to think that I’ve matured a bit since I was a child, and that I now percieve things a bit differently.  So why on earth would I base a belief on the inaccurate perceptions I had when I was a child?

This is the kind of exploration of beliefs that is needed in order to effect change in our lives.  I wish you happy digging, and happy excavating!

At this time of  year, many of us have decided to do it differently.  It doesn’t really matter what “it” is, for the purposes of our discussion here today “it” could be anything.

But how many times have you decided this?  How many times has the New Year come along and you’ve made a decision to do it differently, and even acted on that decision for a month or two, then fallen back into old ways of doing things?

Let’s make this year different. Let’s make this year the year that you implement the change you wish to see in your life, then you become that change.

In order to make a change in your life, I believe it is necessary to examine yourself.  I believe it is necessary to know what makes you tick.  What’s your story?  What’s your history?  What are your beliefs and the pattern of your  thoughts?  It is your beliefs and your thoughts that create your outer reality, and if  you want to change your outer reality, you must first change your beliefs and the pattern of your thoughts.

There is one other piece of the puzzle:  it is easier to change beliefs and thoughts if you know that you are safe and well cared for.  You may think that this comes from a relationship.  You may think that a feeling of safety and being cared for should come from a partner, lover, spouse or parent.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Expecting our love ones to make us feel safe or happy or anthing else places an unfair burden on them, and turns us into victims.  Instead, try placing the responsibility on feeling safe and well cared for in the loving arms of the one power that is capable of handling it:  The One.  Whatever you want to call it:  Spirit, The Universe, The Force, Mother Nature, God.  Wherever that Power lives, connect with it, feel it, know it.  Then you shall know yourself, and then you shall be able to safely and effectively make a change in your life.

So the formula for successful change becomes this:

1.  Examine yourself, particularly your beliefs and fears and how  you react when you are in fear.

2.  Connect with whatever-you-want-to-call-god, or deepen that connection, so that you feel safe.

3.  Change your thoughts, the general pattern of them, and change your beliefs.   Do this through a daily consistent regime of connection with that Power, and a conscious effort of replacing those  thoughts that  don’t serve you with thoughts that do.

4.  Envision how you want the new you to be.  Then affirm that.  Use affirmations, visioning, meditation, whatever works for you.

Soon you will find that you have indeed, become the change you wished to see in yourself.

To help with the process, I have scheduled  a Treasure Mapping Playshop at the end of this month.  Join us on January 30, from 10 am to 4 pm at the Center for Spiritual Living in Carson City.  Cost is $34 if you preregister, $39 if you register at the door.  At this playshop we will go through the process of visioning the change we wish to see in ourselves, and then playfully make treasure maps to guide us through that change.  Contact me for more information and to register.

In the meantime, prepare by examining yourself  and deepening your connection with Power.

Do affirmations really work?  The short answer is yes.  However, it’s a process.

If you religiously do your affirmations every day, that’s good.  But if you don’t follow them up with action, affirmations are simply wishes, nothing more.

Affirmations are a tool in manifesting your desires.  First you must decide what you want, then develop the affirmations and say them consistently.   Saying them consistently has the effect of helping you to believe and feel that what you are saying is true.  You literally change  your energy.  Remember, it all comes from within. 

Once you have your affirmations in place, you must take action.  The cool thing is that because you have been doing your affirmations, you are now willing to take the action.  Once you are taking the action, you are well on the road to manifesting your deisres.

“If you sit in the closet and pray for a hot dog, God is not going to shove it through the key hole.”  Anonymous

“Treat and move  your feet.”  Ernest Holmes

The word for today is action.  Yes, it all starts within.  The inner work that we do, the meditation, the journaling, the introspection, is where all the magic begins, it’s where we set in motion the journeys of our lives.  Inner work is where we create the peace and happiness that is so essential to our living full and productive lives.  But if we don’t follow that inner work up with action, we are practically guaranteeing a lack of results from all our inner work.

In this philosophy we talk a lot about changing our thinking to change our lives, but it doesn’t stop there.  That is only the beginning.

If you want good health, treating and praying for it is good, and changing your beliefs to allow for good health is essential, but you must also do the outside physical things that the body needs to be healthy:  exercise, good diet and plenty of rest, medical treatment if necessary.

If you want financial abundance, you must know that you are worthy of it, but then you must also do the outside work.  If you are self employed, you must charge enough for your work.  If you are unemployed, you must go out and do the process of finding a job.  If  you are under employed, you must find additional work.  You must manage your money well and develop multiple sources of income.

If you want a good relationship, an intimate partnership with another human being, yes it is essential that you first have a good intimate relationship with yourself before you can accomplish it with another, but then you must do the outside work.  Create a life for yourself that has room for another.  Put yourself out there so that you have the opportunity to meet others.

What is it you are striving for today?  It is right and good that you do the inner work first.  But then you must take action.   A little bit, every day, consistently.  A few steps each day towards your goals.  Combine the inner work with action and you have a magical formula for results!

Affirmation:

Today, and every day, I have done my inner work.  I am peaceful and happy and connected with my Source, fully prepared and able and willing to take the action necessary to get results.

Today’s meditation fits right in with what I have been doing lately in my spiritual practices.  Because of an assignment from a mentor, I’ve been adding visioning into my daily meditation routine.  The answer that I’ve been getting so far in my visioning work has been to continue what I’m doing now, only more of it.  So that’s what I’m doing.

The title for today in and magazine is Inspiration and the quote it references from the textbook is a goody:

“Man’s mind should swing from inspiration to action, from contemplation to accomplishment, from prayer to performance.”  It’s from page 477.  I like to go and read the entire section of the quote for the day, it puts things a bit better context for me.  And, I also love to study this book!  Anyway, the quote is from the chapter titled From the Teachings of Jesus; it’s one of my favorite chapters.  The particular section in which the quote lies is called  The Three Panes of Life.  I’m going to pull another quote here:  Man’s mind should swing from inspiration to action, from contemplation to accomplishment, from prayer to performance.  This should be a well balanced existance.”

I just love that!  What it is telling me is that I am responsible for my entire life, I must not only do my daily spiritual practices, but I must also take action on the guidance I recieve.

We can sit in the closet and pray all day long, and become very spiritual, but God is not going to shove a hot dog through the key hole.  Sooner or later we will have to come out and take action.

So, today I take time to meditate and do my spiritual practices, but I also take action.  Action is the key to putting it all together.