Peace Begins Within

 

A man in a grassy field with the sun shining on him in a meditation pose

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Most of us would admit that we long to live in a world of peace.  Yet all we need to do to become aware of the hostility, violence, and turmoil within our physical world is to focus on the news and to give most of our attention to the people and situations within our lives that are causing the most disruption. The truth is that if we truly want to experience peace, we need to stop looking for it to appear in our exterior world and begin to create it within our own personal lives.

 

The emphasis is on the word create because peace is a sense of well being that originates from the inside, beginning with the intention of the heart. If we are “looking” for it, we will not be able to find it because peace is not a place that we can find outside of ourselves.  The condition of our physical world is a giant mirror reflecting back to us the collective thoughts of every person who is part of our earth family. Since thought is creative, whatever we focus on expands. Therefore, what we are seeing in the non-peaceful aspects of our world is an indication that a large portion of our human society is predominantly focused on judgment, violence, greed, and crime.

 

We can point a finger of blame wherever and to whomever we want, but it does not change the truth that each one of us has played a part in creating the condition of the world in which we live.  Perhaps it has been in seemingly minor, passive ways, such as getting caught up in the turmoil and conflict of the world by watching and listening to endless news reports of violence and acts of desecration. Or, it could be as intensively aggressive as being a perpetrator in a massive heinous crime.  Judging who is “most wrong” renders us powerless and only creates more separation and discord between us and within our lives.

 

We can only change the quality of our collective personal reality by taking personal responsibility for the part we have each played in creating it. Since all change begins at the level of self, when we change our individual lives, the world around us changes as well. To create peace within your own life, try some of these basic ideas. You will be amazed at your power to create peace within your own life.

 

Meditate – Create a space of at least 20 minutes every day to sit in a place of peace and quiet.  Your meditation can be as simple as sitting on your sofa and focusing on your breath.  The importance of this cannot be overstated, for it is within the silence that you can remember your mind and body connection with Spirit.

 

Pray – Ask for divine guidance as to how you can best bring peace to the world; envision what a peaceful world looks like. Most importantly, imagine the feeling of peace within your own heart.

 

Forgive –  Let go of the need to be right.  All conflicts, whether it be in personal relationships or between countries, originate from the perception that one party is “right” and the other is “wrong.”  Would you rather be right or do you prefer peace? (You may find it helpful to read my blog on Forgiveness, April 23, 2013.)

 

Live Consciously – Align your thoughts, words, and actions with the spiritual values of love, respect, peace, and cooperation.  This requires diligent practice and is the most effective way to live a peaceful life. Be mindful of what you feed your mind – stop watching violent entertainment shows and videos and modify the amount of time you spend following the news. There is a difference between being informed and immersing yourself in the fear consciousness of the world.  Instead, spend more time reading, watching, and listening to information that inspires you and nourishes your soul. What you put into your mind is what it feeds back to you.

 

Commune with Nature – Spend more time outdoors in the beauty of nature.  Nature innately regenerates your body, mind, and soul and balances your energy.

 

Even though the status of the world may seem overwhelming and out of our personal control, we each have the power to contribute to world peace. It begins with our personal lives, starting in this present moment.  Every person makes an enormous difference in creating harmony within the world.  Like a drop of water, every single thought we have ripples out into the massive sea of the collective thoughts of all humanity.

 

By choosing thoughts of love, we automatically unite with other like-minded souls in forming a field of energy that has the infinite power to exponentially create a world of peace.

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

 

 

Sandra Brossman is the author of The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose and the featured presenter in Live the Life You Choose DVD.  To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book or DVD box set at  http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/

 

Greeting the New Year With Hope!

This is an image of a diverse group of hands holding up colorful letters that spell HOPE.

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The three most important words that most of us have heard from our early experiences in church or school were faith, hope and love. Isn’t it interesting that faith and love are in the present tense and can be felt and experienced by others, as well as yourself, in the moment.

 

Webster defines faith as “a strong belief or trust in someone or something;” and love as “a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.”‎

 

Hope, however, does not typically generate as strong an emotional response as either of these words because it does not create an emotional experience today. It is a feeling or a mindful wish for tomorrow or some point in the future. That point in the future is most likely a goal or vision we have set for an outcome that we desire.

 

So what is hope?

 

Wikipedia says that hope is: “an optimistic attitude of mind based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances.” Hope, therefore, is the internal wish or, as some would say, a prayer for something to occur.

 

We, as a country, hope for peace and the end of wars. We, as a family, hope for unconditional love and support. We, as individuals, are always hoping for a better life filled with the qualities of health, joy, and prosperity.

In a physical world that is filled with crime, poverty, war, and disease, it is easy to get caught up in the fear of what we see and to lose hope for a better world.  Let us never underestimate the power of hope. Hope gives us the ability to endure hardships while working toward a positive outcome. When we have hope, we can experience all the difficulties that life has thrown in our way, and we can climb out of the depths of despair to achieve our goals and to realize our dreams.

 

As we look forward to a successful and pleasant 2015, it is important that we continue to remember that our hopes and dreams are the inspirational fuel that ignites our passion to create a physical world that reflects our eternal connection with Universal Love.  When we have hope, we persist in focusing on the light even in the darkness, and anything is possible.  In the words of Samuel Smiles, “Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us”.

 

May this year be your best year ever!

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

 

 

Sandra Brossman is the author of The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose and the featured presenter in Live the Life You Choose DVD.  To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book or DVD box set at  http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/

The Healing Power of Human Touch

 

This is an image of two toddlers hugging each other.

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We live in an age where technology can connect us with almost anyone anywhere, all in a matter of seconds, through texting, email, Facebook, Twitter, and Skype. Through social media, we now have the capacity to almost instantly message out updates of our lives, pictures of family and friends, opinions about people, political viewpoints, birth notices, death notices, jokes, and even pictures of what we have had for dessert. Technically speaking, we have never been more connected. . . . . or NOT!

 

Paradoxically, in the midst of all this instantaneous communication, enormous numbers of people are feeling desperately lonely. So what is missing? Perhaps we have become so preoccupied with living in our heads, that we are becoming disconnected from our body-mind connection. Indeed, in many ways, we are becoming a human-touch-deprived society.

 

Human touch is as vital to our health and happiness as food or water. From the time we are born to the time of our death, we crave human touch. Touch is a means of communication that is so critical that research shows that infants deprived of direct human contact grow slowly and even die.

 

Even as we grow into adulthood, scientific studies have proven that touching someone in a caring nurturing way has the capacity to help the body in many ways, such as:

 

• Decrease stress and anxiety
• Strengthen your immune system
• Lower blood pressure
• Increase endorphin levels (your feel-good hormones)
• Help you to sleep better

 

Beyond the obvious positive effects on our body, human touch also creates the ability to restore our minds and bodies with our spiritual connection. When we physically touch someone in a kind, loving way we are doing something which technology cannot do – we are communicating our feelings of love and acceptance at a level that is far deeper than words. Gently rubbing someone’s back, giving a hug, holding someone’s hand, and even a pat on the back can go a long way in nourishing that person’s soul, as well as your own; for when you touch another person in a kind way, you are blessed in return. Touch transmits love, and love has the power to heal everyone and everything.

 

The next time you feel lonely or in need of physical and emotional reassurance, find a person or an animal you care about and give them a hug! The power to heal another is literally at our fingertips!

 

Love and Light

 

Sandra

 

 

Sandra Brossman is the author of The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose and the featured presenter in Live the Life You Choose DVD.  To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book or DVD box set at  http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/

 

The Light Is Within You

This is the image of a human with all their inner light shining through in vibrant colors

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As we evolve in our spiritual journey, we are increasingly hearing more and more about Divine Light.  The mere mention of the word light reminds us of many pleasant feelings, such as: radiant, bright, warm, delightful, floating, effortless, uplifting and clear.  We seem to intuitively know that light is synonymous with our truth, as is evident in expressions such as, “It wasn’t clear to me at first, but I finally saw the light.”

 

But what about darkness?  Most of us associate darkness with the negative side of life – such as: pain, fear, obscurity, depression, poverty, and sickness.  At a soul level, none of us enjoys experiencing the “dark side of life” –  and yet, here we are, living in a world in which we are personally and collectively experiencing sickness, violence, greed, crime, and poverty.  What is the meaning of all this darkness?

 

From a spiritual perspective, unconditional love is all that is real; therefore darkness is simply the absence of love.  We came to this physical world to remember our True Self through the experience of separation from our creative source. The greatest divine gift we have been given in this dynamic physical world of polarities is the power to choose our perceptions.  Since light (perceptions of love) and darkness (perceptions of fear) are  ultimate opposites, we can only remember the light through the contrast of darkness.

 

Many times our greatest growth periods come through the experience of the pain of separation.  Those of us who have experienced “dark times” in life through tremendously challenging situations such as serious illness and mental, emotional, and physical trauma know the opportunities within these situations to gain enormous wisdom and insight about life.

 

Indeed, there are lessons within our lives that may be much more apparent in the darkness of our despair because we can focus more intensely when there are fewer things to see.  It is like walking into a dark room—at first we can see nothing, yet after our eyes have had a chance to refocus, we begin to clearly see particular items even though the room is still dark.  Likewise, we can have some very profound insights about areas of our lives that need improvement while we are quietly lying in bed recovering from illness and surgery, during  the inactive times that may come with being unemployed, or by feeling disoriented in an entirely new environment.

 

Painful experiences also remind us how to be compassionate and non-judgmental toward others.  We can theorize about how it might feel to have a life-threatening illness, deal with a drug addiction, go through a divorce, lose a job, or have serious money problems; but it is the actual experience of living through these types of experiences that opens our hearts to express tenderness and total compassion to others who are wrestling with their own challenges in life.

 

We are all experiencing different dramatic versions of the pain of separation in our lives as we awaken to our true spiritual nature.  Be gentle and compassionate with yourself – resisting the areas of your life that are challenging your soul is like fighting with your own shadow.  The most effective way we can move through the darkness is to simply accept that our challenges are all a part of a masterful universal plan to remind us of our wholeness and our power to return to the Oneness of unconditional love.

 

As we awaken to this truth, we also begin to remember that the Light we are seeking cannot be found outside of ourselves through our material world.  THE LIGHT WE SEEK IS WITHIN – IT IS SHINING TO US AND THROUGH US.  Rather than react to the fear that appears as darkness, it is our spiritual mission to bring divine light to everyone and everything  through our mere presence.

 

Pure light includes the full spectrum of every color known and unknown to us.  When pure light passes through a prism, the prism refracts the incoming light wave into many other different wave lengths. When we perceive humanity in the metaphorical sense of being one gigantic prism, we see that collectively we form a beautiful rainbow coming from one source of divine light.  As we focus on the light within ourselves and all others, we begin to merge back into one brilliant wave of pure light as, together, we return to our original state of enlightenment and Oneness.

 

Namaste!  (The light within me honors the light within you),

 

Sandra

 

A portion of this message is an excerpt from the book, The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose.  To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book at http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/ 

 

PART TWO: A Simple Forgiveness Exercise

This is the image of a gold, glitter heart on a black background

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In last week’s blog, we talked about the need to forgive everyone, including people who have hurt us deeply. In this message, we discuss a simple forgiveness process that can be practiced all the time and has the infinite potential to heal everyone and everything, beginning with you. Since the process that is described at the end of the blog is exquisitely simple, the following points are intended to help you to open your mind and heart to the blessings of forgiveness:

 

Honor Your Feelings. Express your anger and resentment by beginning with a catharsis. Trying to forgive someone without first venting your feelings of pain is like trying to seal a potential volcanic eruption with a band-aid. There is usually a great deal of energy that needs to be released before the wound can heal. Some constructive ways you can do this are to: Give yourself permission to cry or even scream (best done in the car or somewhere where no one else can hear you!), talk with someone who is a compassionate listener, write your feelings down on paper, or engage in physical exercise. It is easy to stay stuck in this stage of expressing your feelings, so be sure to commit yourself to moving on to the next step of taking responsibility.

 

Take responsibility for the part that you have played in creating the situation. This is probably the most self-empowering step in the process of forgiveness. Since our thoughts create our reality, it is important that you remember that you have played a role in the creation of every experience you have ever had. By taking responsibility for your part, you are no longer a victim. If you created it, you can also change it!

 

Let go the need to judge who is “right” and who is “wrong.” Chances are that each person involved is absolutely certain he or she is right. This is why there is a conflict in the first place! Continuing to think this way only perpetuates more pain and suffering and resolves nothing.

 

Forgive yourself. You can only do for another that which you can do for yourself. This is truly an act of self-love. You are not forgiving yourself for being “wrong.” You are forgiving yourself for making choices that were not aligned with your personal values and self-respect. You are also forgiving yourself for continuing to punish yourself by constantly re-living painful memories.

 

See the Other Person’s Point of View – Remember that forgiveness is a two-way street. We need to also ask for forgiveness for our own transgressions against others. It is much easier to remember who has hurt us; yet many times the best way to move away from the self-perception of being an innocent victim is to realize that we have also hurt other people.

 

Be thankful for every experience. Every person you meet and every situation you have experienced is teaching you to be more whole. Our greatest lessons many times come through our most painful times. Choosing to be thankful for what you have learned from both the pleasant and unpleasant situations in life is the most effective way to move out of old pain behaviors. Gratitude is an emotion that sends out a frequency that attracts positive people and creates healthy situations.

 

Now, here is a shortcut that incorporates all of the above suggestions.

 

You can use this forgiveness process for every person and in every situation in your life. It is a derivation of an ancient Hawaiian healing process, H’oponopono, and is rooted in the intention of freeing one’s soul. You do not even need to be in the physical presence of someone whom you need to forgive. By merely focusing on the following thoughts, you are transmitting the energy of unconditional love.

 

A SIMPLE FORGIVENESS EXERCISE

 

1. I love myself and I forgive myself.

 

2. I take responsibility for the part that I have played in creating this situation.

 

3. Please forgive me for anything I have done to hurt you. (Imagine the person or people whom you need to forgive.)

 

4. Thank you for the lessons I have learned.

 

5. I love you! (This is  not about human passionate love – it is the unconditional, neutral love of spirit that honors the soul of every living being. This is the part of the forgiveness exercise that has the magical power to heal everyone and everything in ways that transcend human understanding.)

 

Remember, it does not matter if you do not feel these statements when you begin this process. What you are doing is setting intentions, and intentions precede feelings. As you consistently continue to send out these thoughts, you will begin to feel what you are saying because you are working in harmony with universal love.

 

Forgiveness is a habit. Like all habits, the more you practice it, the easier it becomes. Be kind to yourself and stick with it. Because forgiveness is unconditional love, it has the infinite potential to transform everyone and everything.

 

YOU have the power to heal yourself and others by making the choice to forgive.

 

Love and Light

 

Sandra

 

 

Click this link to order the downloadable audio meditation, “Free Yourself Through Forgiveness,” narrated by Sandra Brossman.

 

 

Inspiration From 2013

Fisheye lens view of the ocean with a beautiful sunrise with 2013 written in the sand

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Each year provides inspiration and opportunities for growth. As 2013 comes to a close, I reflected on 10 inspirational moments and people of this past year. 

 

This is an image of candles surrounding a photo of Nelson Mandela

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1. Nelson Mandela – The death of Nelson Mandela was one of the most celebrated passings that I can ever remember. While the world is sad to have him no longer with us; in addition to mourning his death, everyone truly celebrated his accomplishments, what he stood for, and how he inspired millions of people worldwide to be better. He led by example – to the very end of his life.

 

This is the image of a memorial in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombings

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2. Boston Marathon – On April 15, 2013, the world witnessed one of the most gruesome acts. In the crowd of those waiting to celebrate their loved ones achieving a wonderful feat of completing the Boston Marathon, they instead faced terror. The inspiration of this tragedy came in the aftermath. Law enforcement came together to quickly apprehend the perpetrators. The survivors and the world came together to heal.

 

This is an image of Pope Francis reaching out to bless a child

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3. Pope Francis – In March, he was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI resigned, being the first pope to resign in over 598 years. This year he has surprised many by reinvigorating the Catholic Church to be less about judgment and more about love. He has inspired millions and many are looking for him to lead the Church onward into the 21st century.

 

This is the image of a sign that says, "Equal Love, Equal Rights"

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4. Legalizing Same Sex Marriage – equal rights for marriage stood out loud and clear this year, not only in the US, but in 15 other countries as well. Finally, the commitment to love, honor, and cherish your partner, whether they are the opposite sex or same sex, is transforming the world.

 

Tiles that look like white Scrabble tiles that spell the word, hope.

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5. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight Rescue – On May 6, 2013, these three young women were rescued in Cleveland Ohio after being held captive for over 10 years. This amazing story of survival touched the hearts of the entire world.

 

This is an image of different scientific symbols and formulas denoting physics

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6. 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics – Francois Englert and Peter W. Higgs were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their theory on how particles acquire mass. While this theory was independently proposed by both back in 1964, in 2012 their ideas were confirmed by the discovery of the Higgs particle. Their theory is a central part of the Standard Model of particle physics that describes how the world is constructed. While the Higgs particle was the missing puzzle piece to the Standard Model, it is not the final piece to the cosmic puzzle. So…more to come!

 

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7. Stock Markets Surge – After years of wondering whether our financial system would recover, we had record breaking returns in the stock market, unemployment figures are down, and the US Federal Reserve may begin to reduce their stimulus package as the economy appears to be on its way to health and prosperity.

 

This is a photo of Malala Yousafzai

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8. Malala Yousafzai – Malala is proof that at any age, at any time, you can make a difference. This brave little girl, an activist for education for all, became the youngest person ever to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

Image of Healthcare Reform with small text of words evoked by this

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9. Affordable Care Act – whether you like the Act or not, the fact is that healthcare for all is being implemented around the country. It is tough to say if this new system will work; but, we must acknowledge the inspiration behind the Act. The intention of having good healthcare available to all US citizens is certainly admirable. Let’s hope that 2014 brings with it more inspired implementation!

 

Close-up image of the hood of a Tesla automobile

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10. Elon Musk – 2013 was a notable year for co-founder of PayPal, CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, and Chairman of Solar City. He is living proof that belief in your vision pays off. in 2013, after over a decade of hard work, Tesla has become the world’s most prominent maker of all-electric cars. He is also designing the “hyperloop” supersonic travel machine that would allow commuters to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in 30 minutes or less using 100% solar power. Dare to dream!

 

 

This is the perfect time for you to reflect on what inspired you in 2013. Take time to become aware of the moments in life that mean the most to you. The past helps us to appreciate our life lessons and those life lessons inspire us to live our best life as our future unfolds.

 

 

Best wishes to all for continued health, harmony, abundance and joy in 2014.
 

 

Love and Light

 

Sandra

 

When is the Last Time You Said, “I Love Myself?”

This is the image of a green chalkboard with writing that says, "I love myself"

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This question may sound silly – but think about it.  These are the words we most long to hear from others, and yet we rarely say them to ourselves. If we don’t feel comfortable saying this to ourselves, how can we expect to be comfortable in accepting this message from others?  What is even more interesting is that the majority of us have actually never said, “I love myself.”

 

I recently led a spiritual workshop where the topic was about our creative infinite potential as human beings.  Through my extensive journey of personal healing, as well as many years of facilitating energy healing sessions and spiritual workshops, I have come to understand that the only way we can even begin to comprehend the vastness of our infinite potential is to start with the fundamental principle of self-love.  For this reason, I suggested an exercise which involved pairing up. One person would say, “I love myself,” while the other one listened with complete attention, and then they reversed the roles of speaker and listener. Not only did I request that they repeat this mantra aloud to each other, I also suggested they affirm this statement about 25 times. At first, it was apparent that the suggestion to participate in this exercise seemed a little awkward for everyone.  Because of our social conditioning, their initial feeling was that it would be much more easy to say “I love you” to someone else than it was to say “I love myself.”

 

Nevertheless, this open-minded, spiritually attuned group was willing to give it a try. It began as a cumbersome exercise of people dutifully reciting “I love myself” to each other.  Because the words aligned with the truth of spirit, we could each feel that what began as a mind exercise quickly deepened into expressions of the heart as we continued to repeat this affirmation to each other. Within minutes, the room began to swell with echoes of “I love myself” coming from everywhere. What a beautiful sound! It became quite obvious to all of us that what had begun as an uncomfortable exercise had transformed into an experience of inspiration and truth.

 

 

Why does it feel so uncomfortable to affirm “I love myself?”

 

 

Most of us are taught from early on in our childhood years by parents, caregivers, teachers, culture, traditions, and religious teachings that it is selfish to love ourselves.  We carry these childhood beliefs into adulthood without even realizing it. In order to spiritually evolve, it is essential to understand that “self-love” is not the same as “selfish.”

 

 

What is the difference between “self-love” and “selfish?”

 

 

Each one of us has been created by the energy of unconditional love.  As we remember this truth, we come to recognize that our natural state of being is LOVE.  When we choose to be loving and respectful of ourselves, our energy resonates with Universal Love and opens our hearts to a connection with our Higher Self.  This empowers us to access limitless energy for inspiration and regeneration from the Universe.  As a result, we have plenty of energy to express our love to others, resulting in generosity – not selfishness.

 

“Selfish,” on the other hand, is an emotion that centers predominantly on the needs and desires of self without consideration of others. Because it is self-centered, it focuses on ego and disconnects us from Creative Source.  Selfish behavior blocks universal love from flowing to and through us.  This results in looking to everyone else outside of ourselves to fulfill our needs and desires. Being around people who are acting selfish is typically a very draining experience.

 

 

Can simply affirming “I love myself”

really change how I feel about myself?

 

 

The simple answer is yes. Our feelings are the emotional barometer indicating whether our thoughts are aligned with our spiritual truth.  When we think kind and loving thoughts about ourselves, we are aligned with the spiritual truth of oneness and love, and we feel inspired and uplifted.  When we think unkind and judgmental thoughts about ourselves, we feel separated from our Creative Source and are bound to be living in fear.  It takes practice to change old habits. Practice this affirmation with a supportive friend or relative.  Another very effective way to affirm this new thought form is to stand before a mirror, look deeply into your own eyes, and say, “I love you.”  Louise Hay, famed spiritual coach and author, suggests you do this until you are moved to the point of tears.  It is then that you will know that you have embraced what you are saying to yourself with your heart.

 

 

Can I come to truly believe what I am saying?

 

 

Every belief we have is rooted in a repetitious thought pattern.  Because we have the power to choose our thoughts, we can consciously transform our outgrown beliefs of separation by changing our self-talk and the messages we convey to ourselves at any time in our lives. Our thoughts create the beliefs that form the foundation for how we live our lives. Our beliefs determine the words we speak, our words result in our actions, and our actions manifest our physical reality.

 

While it may seem very strange to you at first, persevere with affirming that you love and accept yourself.  To see yourself in the light of love is to embrace the truth of your True Self.  Since what we project is what we attract, you will also attract other people who love you for who you are.

 

Be kind to yourself!

 

Love and Light

 

Sandra

 

The Path to World Peace Begins Within

this is an image of a heart-shaped earth with clouds and a rainbow symbolizing world peace

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As the debate over whether U.S. lawmakers should give President Obama authorization to launch a military strike against Syria continues, many of us are once again feeling the enormous inner conflict and deep sadness that comes with trying to reconcile the stark contrast between war and peace. Because our natural spiritual state of being is unconditional love, I truly believe that, at a soul level, every human being desires peace.  The question is:  How do we create it?  

 

 

The emphasis is on the  word “create” because peace is a sense of well being that originates from the inside, beginning with the intention of the heart.  If we are “looking” for it, we will not be able to find it  because peace is not something that comes to us from the outside.  The condition of our physical world is a giant mirror reflecting back to us the collective thoughts of every person who is part of our earth family. Since thought is creative, whatever we focus on expands. Therefore, what we are seeing is an indication that part of our human society is predominately focused on judgment, violence, greed, and crime. 

 

 

We can point a finger of blame wherever and to whomever we want, but it does not change the truth that each one of us has played a part in creating the condition of the world in which we live.  Perhaps it has been in seemingly minor, passive ways, such as getting caught up in the turmoil and conflict of the world by watching and listening to endless news reports of violence and acts of desecration. Or, it could be as intensively aggressive as being a perpetrator in a massive heinous crime.  Judging who is “most wrong” renders us powerless and only creates more separation and discord between us and within our lives. 

 

 

We can only change the quality of our collective personal reality by taking personal responsibility for the part we have each played in creating it. Since all change begins at the level of self, when we change our individual lives, the world around us changes as well.   

 

To create peace within your own life, try some of these basic ideas. You will be amazed at what unfolds! 

 

 

Meditate – Create a space of at least 20 minutes every day to sit in a place of peace and quiet.  Your meditation can be as simple as sitting on your sofa and focusing on your breath.  The importance of this cannot be overstated, for it is within the silence that you can remember your mind and body connection with spirit. 

 

Pray – Ask for divine guidance as to how you can best bring peace to the world; envision what a peaceful world looks like. Most importantly, imagine the feeling of peace within your own heart.

 

Forgive –  Let go of the need to be right.  All conflicts, whether it be in personal relationships or between countries, originate from the perception that one party is “right”  and the other is “wrong.”  Would you rather be right or do you prefer peace? (You may find it helpful to read my blog on Forgiveness, April 23, 2013.) 

 

Live consciously – Align your thoughts, words, and actions with the spiritual values of love, respect, peace, and cooperation.  This requires diligent practice and is the most effective way to live a peaceful life.

 

Be mindful of what you feed your mind –  Stop watching violent entertainment shows and videos and modify the amount of time you spend following the news. There is a difference between being informed and immersing yourself in the fears of the world.  Instead, spend more time reading, watching, and listening to information that inspires you and nourishes your soul. What you put into your mind is what it feeds back to you.

 

Commune with Nature – Spend more time outdoors in the beauty of nature.  Nature regenerates your body, mind, and soul and balances your energy.  

 

 

Even though the status of the world may seem overwhelming and out of our personal control, we each have the power to contribute to world peace. It begins with our personal lives, starting in this present moment.  Every person makes an enormous difference in creating harmony within the world.  Like a drop of water, every single thought we have ripples out into the massive sea of the collective thoughts of all humanity.  By choosing thoughts of love, we automatically unite with other like-minded souls in forming a field of energy that has the infinite power to exponentially create an entirely new world.

 

 

NOT ONLY CAN WE CREATE WORLD PEACE, 

IT IS OUR SACRED MISSION TO DO SO!  

 

 

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra  

Letting Go of Our Judgment of Others

This is a vintage image of a glamorous women being judged

© Everett Collection/shutterstock

   

 

Nothing creates separation and discord among human beings more than when we judge each other.  While this is true, judge is a word that causes confusion for many of us.

 

 

On one hand, for centuries humanity has received countless messages through spiritual masters from all walks of life instructing us not to judge. Two of the most well-known are the biblical verses citing Jesus as saying,

 

 

Judge not, lest ye be judged,” and, 

Let he who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone.” 

 

 

On the other hand, most of us would agree that we certainly need to use our judgment skills to navigate through this very complicated, polarized physical world of experience.

 

 

No wonder we are confused!  In the strictly literal sense, some of the definitions of judge are:

 

  • a person qualified to decide on the relative worth of anything
  • to criticize or censure
  • a person designated to determine the winner

 

Wow!  When we apply these definitions to how we engage with other people, it brings up a lot of questions.  For example, who among us is the one person who is supremely qualified to decide on the worth of anything?  Who among us appreciates being criticized or censured? And, how about, who among us is the ultimate judge of who is a winner?

 

 

In order to understand what is meant by letting go of judgment of others, we need to adopt a more neutral interpretation of the word judge. Rather than construing the word judge in a polarized way that involves attacking or assessing the value of another person, we can rise to a higher perspective by perceiving judgment as an act of discernment. We need to use our skills of judgment to discern situations, opportunities, agreements, and decisions to determine what is in our greatest good.

 

 

How do we differentiate between the polarized perception of judge versus the more enlightened, neutral interpretation?  

 

 

A good point of reference to determine this is to ask ourselves, “What is the source of my judgment?”  If it is coming from an intuitive space guiding us to make choices that are in our greatest good, we are most likely coming from a space of spiritual integrity.  When we judge from this neutral perspective, we are assessing and evaluating objective things, such as a baseball game, a career opportunity, deciding on a financial investment, or choosing which college to attend.  If we find ourselves subjectively judging another person, then the source of our judgment is coming from ego in that we have determined our superiority over some else.  When we do this, we are, in essence, proclaiming ourselves to be the expert in someone else’s life. The ego perspective implies that we think we have the answers to someone else’s problems.  Judging others is usually a sign that we have decided someone else needs to act the way we want them to.  We are saying we are right, and someone else is wrong, which almost always creates conflict.

 

 

How can we let go of judging others? 

 

 

We begin by reaching into our hearts (not our heads) to remember compassion. Compassion is a deep level of kindness in which we are open to trying to understand where other people are coming from by putting ourselves in their shoes.   We acknowledge that we have not experienced their victories, their losses, their relationships, and their pain.  We draw on our own experiences to understand other people more than we seek for others to understand us.  We practice treating other people the way we want to be treated. We also take responsibility for the fact that when we judge another, we are also judging ourselves. Whatever we find annoying in another person is an aspect that, to a greater or lesser degree, we need to heal within ourselves.

 

 

Being non-judgmental requires that we choose to look beneath the behaviors we are witnessing and focus on the soul level of our fellow humans. There is a principle called the “Pygmalion Effect” (from the popular book of the same name or the movie, “My Fair Lady”) that exemplifies this state of grace.  This principle states that if we expect the best from another and communicate such to them, they will respond by adjusting their behavior to match. The main idea concerning The “Pygmalion Effect” is that if you believe that someone is capable of achieving greatness, then you have created a space of potential for that person to achieve greatness. Stated simply, when we let go of judging others, we focus on the goodness (Godness) within everyone, rather than what is wrong with them.  When we practice being non-judgmental, we offer others the opportunity to find themselves and to meet us partway.

 

 

The famous Sufi poet, Rumi, expressed this truth so eloquently when he said:

 

 

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field.  I’ll meet you there.”

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

 

I welcome your comments, insights, and experiences on how we can let go of judgment of others.

10 Steps for Living a Sacred Life

This is the image of the word love written three times with colorful finger-paints

©Yanush/shutterstock

 

 

Our true life purpose is to live a sacred life by consistently expressing our spiritual values in all that we think, say, and do. 

 

 

 

10 Steps for Living a Sacred Life

 

 

1.   Honor the divinity within yourself, everyone, and everything.

 

Everyone and everything was created in divine love. Accordingly, align your thoughts, words, and deeds with kindness, respect, and cooperation.

 

 

2.   Accept people as they are without trying to change them to conform to your expectations.

 

The only way we can change others is through our own positive example.

 

 

3.   Forgive yourself and others.

 

Be compassionate toward yourself and others – It takes a great deal of courage for any one of us to be here.

 

 

4.   Recognize that we all have the same spiritual purpose – to receive and express unconditional love. 

 

You will remember this in your own unique way and in your own time. So will everyone else.

 

 

5.   Understand that it is not in your greatest good to judge or criticize anyone.

 

Whatever you criticize about someone else is an aspect, to a greater or lesser degree, that you need to heal within yourself.

 

 

6.   See life as a process of growth.

 

There are no failures. Every situation you experience and every person you meet is an opportunity for growth and greater insight to universal truth and love.

 

 

7.   Develop an attitude of gratitude.

 

Being thankful for everything and everyone is the most effective way to create peace and prosperity in your life.

 

 

8.   Remember we are all a part of the whole of existence.  

 

What affects one of us affects all of us. Take responsibility for the fact that your thoughts, words, and actions, and even your underlying motivations, are constantly impacting the entire world.

 

 

9.   Respect everything in the environment.

 

The way we take care of the earth is the way it takes care of us.

 

 

10.  Forgive yourself whenever you forget any of the above.

 

 

 

Excerpt from “The Power of Oneness, Live The Life You Choose”