Category: Celebration

Say, "Yes!"

4/12/2019

"When you say ‘yes’ to Spirit you are saying ‘yes’ to the Universe. Trust that, have confidence in that. Trust that when you claim it the Universe steps in and supports you."

"Be willing to dare different things and try different things. Comfort zone and rut are synonymous. There is nothing wrong with being comfortable, but when you get stuck in a comfort zone you are in a rut."

-Red Feather

I just finished reading what is a pivotal book for me, The Surrender Experiment, by Michael A. Singer. It found me, through a friend who offered it. I almost said, “No, I’ve got too many other things to read.” Which is an enjoyable instruction because the book is all about saying, “Yes,” to whatever the Universe offers. It is about recognizing and releasing the inner voice that tells you, “I prefer this, and I don’t prefer that. I want this. I don’t want that.” It is about awareness of that inner dialog that is a culmination of all your past experiences and is an attempt at controlling and manipulating your outer world so that you can feel safe. It is about acknowledging that when you close yourself off to experience and what is offered anew each day by the Universe because of your preferences based on past experiences, you close yourself to the river of joy which is your true self. He teaches that preferences and self-concept, limit us. That voice in my head that speaks of preferences, judgments, good and bad, want and don’t want, is the voice of my ego. It lives in the past.

Michael A. Singer writes about learning to release his preferences and saying, “Yes.” He teaches about accepting requests made of him even if they don’t fit in with his self-concept, even if they interfere with his idea about how he wants things to be. He writes of the incredible experiences that come to him because he said, “Yes.”

"Life opens up opportunities to you, and you either take them or you stay afraid of taking them."

-Jim Carrey

This idea is wonderfully demonstrated in the movie, Yes Man, starring Jim Carrey. It is a humorous and touching story of an emotionally closed man who opens his heart by reluctantly saying, “yes,” to each experience the Universe offers him. I highly recommend it.

So, what would it be like if we started each day anew? If we released the past and experienced what the Universe offers us today? What would it look like if we said, “Yes?”

I choose now to say, “Yes.” I choose now to say, “OK, let’s see what the Universe is offering me with this experience today.” I choose now to begin each day anew.

Your Spiritual Toolbox

How about allowing each day to be a new beginning?

How about releasing your ideas of your self and your self-concepts?

How about if you release your ideas of your role, what you do and don’t do, even what you like and don’t like?

What if you choose to accept, be available, feel vulnerable, feel joy, feel scared, feel open and not closed?

What if you say, “Yes,” to each moment, to each experience, and know it is ALL FOR YOUR BENEFIT.

This means that each day is new, a treasure hunt of experience, and you are opening each day to what the Universe offers.

The Universe is always offering something. Sometimes it looks like what attracts you, fascinates you, feels good. Sometimes it looks like an experience you think you don’t want, but if you allow it, say “Yes,” it can lead you into growth and freedom you might never have anticipated.

Photo by Zachary Nelson on Unsplash

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Make Room for God

12/28/2018

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“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”
Psalm 94:19

Over the holidays we like to invite family and friends to come for Christmas Eve and for those who are able, to stay overnight through Christmas day.

When entertaining, my usual course of action is to plan everything out, menu, activities and gifts as well as to have a cleaning, shopping and cooking schedule beginning well ahead of time in preparation.

I tried to do all this again this year, as I have done other years. But I’ve spent the past month recovering from a cough and general lack of energy that has kept me couch-bound. While that’s been great for some things, giving me lots of time for reading and meditation, it’s not been so good for holiday preparations.

The night before Christmas Eve I didn’t sleep well. I was not ready for guests and I was anxious about it. I lay awake planning out all I needed to do the next day and worrying that I wouldn’t have the energy to get it all done. I had a dream of the unmade lasagna I’d planned for dinner and saw the three, different cheeses, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan, all in conflict with one another. It was a silly and discouraging symbol for the elements I was unsuccessfully attempting to combine into an enjoyable holiday.

So, along comes the day of Christmas Eve and I am not ready, the house hasn’t been cleaned, the lasagna not made, the table not set, nothing is ready for the arrival of our guests.

Fortunately, an angel in the form of my daughter was there, cheerful and energetic.

“Mom, maybe you shouldn’t be making lasagna when you’re coughing like that,” she said. “I can make it. I can do the vacuuming too, and whatever else needs doing. How about if you do the less active jobs?”

You’d think the decision to hand it all over would have been easy, but it wasn’t. It was surprisingly difficult to let go of control, and let my daughter take charge. I tussled with myself for several moments and then realized that this was exactly what I needed. I thanked her and said, “Yes,” feeling relieved.

I sat down gratefully and wrapped presents while she bustled around getting everything done. As I did so I had the realization that this illness was an opportunity to understand that trying so hard to control everything that’s happening around me leaves no room for God/Spirit to enter in. If I hold on hard, constricted and fearful, afraid that things won’t go well unless I control every single aspect, where is the room for love? Where is the room for creativity, for my Soul’s expression and the Soul’s expression of those around me? Where is the room for God? It was a lightbulb moment.

As it turned out, we had a wonderful Christmas. Everyone was relaxed and happy. The lasagna was delicious. The grandchildren were delighted and delightful. There was a feeling of love and gentle celebration throughout because there was room for God.

May there be plenty of room for God is this your new year of 2019, dear friends. May you be blessed with love, wonder and happiness!

Photo by Júnior Ferreira on Unsplash

Your Spiritual Toolbox

Let’s explore where you can make more room in your life for the love of Spirit.

Gather writing materials and give yourself a quiet space and time for focused thought. Take three, deep, slow breaths and allow yourself to quiet your mind.

Think about and answer each of these questions:

1. Are there places in your life where you are trying hard to control outcomes and leaving no room for Spirit to enter in, no room for expansion or the unanticipated? You can recognize these areas because when you think about them you feel constricted and constricting. You may feel anxious and feel the need to make everything turn out exactly as you think it should.

2. Are there areas in your life where you are so afraid of what others may think or do that you feel you’ve got to control all aspects of the experience?

3. In each area of your life where you feel constriction, what would happen if you just let go and allowed the love of God to enter in and take charge of outcomes?

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Trust God

Say, "Yes!"

Your Spiritual Toolbox

Make Room for God

Your Spiritual Toolbox

"Behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

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