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作者:高考题库网
来源:https://bjmy2z.cn/zuowen
2020-12-23 06:17
tags:作文, 英语学习, 美国人

-

2020年12月23日发(作者:孔丘)


美国人写的

Nice

作文

(501-600).< /p>


501.

Finding

Your

Pinn acle


Mountain

Meditation



Throughout

history,

humank ind

has

stood

in

awe

of

mountains.

The

strength

< p>and


sturdiness

evident

in< /p>

the

rocky

crags

and

smooth

slopes

of

peaks

aro und

the

globe

have


fro m

time

immemorial

inspired

creativity

and

kindled

courage.

Mountains

have

been


v enerated

by

many

cultures,

which

worshipped

great

summits< /p>

as

gods

and

sacred

b eings.


In

their

looming

< p>presence,

humanity

has

seen

power,

steadfastness,

and

re solve.

Yet

you


needn’t

live

near

a

mountain

to

tap

into

this

vast

en ergy

of

commanding

grandeur.


Conversely,

since

mountains

are

as

unique

in

form

as

human

beings,

your

locale

may


exist

under

< p>the

unwavering

gaze

of

a

small

mountain

without

yo ur

knowing

it.

As

you

< p>
practice

mountain

meditation,

the

power

that

lurks

i n

the

heart

of

all

m ountains

will

flow


into

< p>you

while

their

essential

< p>beauty

reminds

you

that

you,

too,

are

a

creature

of

the

earth.


If

there

are

mountains

in

you r

area,

plan

to

spend

< p>some

time

enjoying

the

p eaceful


embrace

of

Mother

Nature,

which

can

be

a

potent

meditation

aid.

Li kewise,

grasping

a


rock

< p>or

stone

in

your

hand

will

enable

you

to

eas ily

tap

into

earth

energy.

If

you

are


prevented< /p>

by

circumstance

from

visit ing

a

mountain,

however,

b egin

by

visualizing


yourself

at

the

base

of

a

towering

summit.

Holding

a

rock

can

be

helpful

t o

tune

into


mountain

e nergy.

You

may

find

yourse lf

picturing

a

steep

and

majestic

snowcapped

peak

or

a

lush,

tree-covered

mass

that

rises

gently

fro m

the

earth.

Sit

or

imagine

yourself


sitting

at< /p>

the

mountain’s

base

and

spend

a

few

minutes

si mply

coexisting

with

it.

W hen


you

feel

tranquil,

express

your

intention

to

commune

with

your

mountain

< p>and

ask

to


receive

i ts

energy.

Project

your

co nsciousness

onto

the

mountain’s< /p>

peak,

and

look

down


upon

the

flatlands

over

< p>which

it

stands

guard.

S end

light

to

the

flora

and

fauna

that

call


the

mountain

home.

You

ma y

discover

that

you

feel

wonderfully

immense

and


unshakable

as

you

delve

d eeper

into

the

meditation.


Finally,

ask

the

mountain

to

serve

as

a

guide

and

give

it

your

sinc erest

gratitude.

If

you

have

literally

visited

a

plateau

or

summit,

pass

t ime

with

the

mountain

by

camping,


hiking,

or

pic nicking

upon

it.

Or,

if

your

journey

has

been

a

spiritual

one,

use

your< /p>


imagination

to

survey

the

sights,

sounds,

and

sc ents

of

your

mountain.

As< /p>

your


explorations

progress,< /p>

you

will

become

ever

more

grounded,

growing

graduall y

into

your


personal

p ower.

When

you

are

finishe d

meditating

with

mountain

energy,

give

thanks

to

this

strong

and

powerful

energy

for

sharing

time

w ith

you.


502.

Owning

Y our

Tendencies


Understanding

All

Sides


Whenever

we

examine

our

lives,

we

exa mine

them

from

a

particula r

side

or

angle.

Most

< p>
of

us

tend

to

favor< /p>

one

side

over

the

ot hers.

For

example,

we

may< /p>

tend

to

look

at

thin gs


from

an

emotional

p erspective

rather

than

a

f inancial

perspective,

or

we

< p>may

prefer

to


think

in

terms

of

details

rather

than

the

big

picture,

or

vice

versa.

To

a

certain

degree,

this


is

not

a

problem,

and

th ese

tendencies

add

color

t o

our

individual

personalities.< /p>

However,


they

can

also

make

us

one-sided,

blind< /p>

to

the

many

other

wa ys

of

looking

at

our

situation.


Even

if

we

have

decided

that

we

are< /p>

most

happy

when

we

f ocus

on

one

particular

sid e

of


things,

it

is

always

worth

exploring

the

other

sides.

When

we

d o,

we

become

well


roun ded,

more

understanding

of

other

viewpoints,

and

even

< p>more

solid

in

our

own.


Perhaps

you

are

a

person

who

tends

to

see

your

life

in

terms

of

your

spiritual

well-being.

< p>
As

a

result,

other

c oncerns

such

as

financial

comfort

or

social

standing

may

not

be


prominent

in

your

mind

as

you

make

decisions.

However,

taking< /p>

just

a

moment

to


consider

those

angles

will

< p>help

you

in

several

ways .

One,

it

will

enable

< p>you

to

see

more


clea rly

what

your

priorities

a re

and

how

they

influence< /p>

your

life

situation.

Two,< /p>

it

will


enhance

your

sense

of

confidence,

becaus e

you

will

see

your

situation

from

all

sides,


even

as

you

choose

one .

And

three,

it

will

help

you

communicate

with

others

about

who


you

are

and

what

you

are

doing,

because

you

will

c ome

from

a

place

of

understanding


that

your

own< /p>

biases

and

tendencies

are< /p>

unique

as

are

theirs.

< p>
Most

of

us

instinctively

come

at

things

from

a

particular

angle,

and

in< /p>

many

cases

this

is

< br>the

right

way

for

us.

Still,

understanding

the

ot her

angles

only

strengthens

< p>us.

When

we


look

at< /p>

our

lives

from

all

s ides,

we

shed

light

on

the

big

picture,

giving

ourselves

access


to

many

points

of

view

and

hig hlighting

more

clearly

the

one

we

have

chosen

to

take.


503.

Where

You

< p>Need

To

Be


Timing

Ca n

Be

Everything


Since

human

timetables

quite

often

do

not

correspond

with

universal

timetables,

it’s


c ommon

for

people

to

feel

that

life

is

progressing

too

slowly

or

too

quic kly.

We

draft


carefully

< p>composed

plans

only

to

f ind

that

they

fall

into

place

when

we

least

ex pect.

Or,


conversely,

we

are

thrust

into

roles

w e

believe

we

are

not

prepared

for

and

wonder

h ow


we

will

survive

the

demands

imposed

upon

us

by

unfamiliar

circumstances.

< p>When

delays


in

our

p rogress

kindle

pangs

of

di sappointment

within

us

or

the

pace

of

life

seems


overwhelming,

peace

can

b e

found

in

the

simple

< p>fact

that

we

are

exactly

where

we

need


to

< p>be

at

this

moment.


E very

person

fulfills

their

purpose

when

the

time

is< /p>

right.

If

you

have

f ast-tracked

to


success,

you< /p>

may

become

deeply

frustrat ed

if

you

discover

you

can

no

longer

satisfy

y our


desires

as

quickly

as

you

might

like.

Yet

the

delays

that

disappoint

you

may

be

laying

the


foundation

for

future

accomplishments

that

you

have

not

yet

conceived.

Or

the

universe


may

have

plans

for

you

that

differ

from

the

worldly

aspirati ons

you

have

pursued

up

until


this

point.

What

you

deem

a

postponement

of

progress

may

actually

< p>represent

an


auspicious

op portunity

to

prepare

for

w hat

is

yet

to

come.

If,

however,

you

feel

as

though


the

universe

is< /p>

pushing

you

forward

at

too

fast

a

clip,

you

may

be

unwittingly

resisting


your

destiny.

Your

un ease

regarding

the

speed

o f

your

progress

could

be

a

sign

that

you


n eed

to

cultivate

awareness

within

yourself

and

learn

to

move

with

the

flow

of

fate

rather


than

against

it.

The

universe

puts

nothing

in

your

path< /p>

that

you

are

incapable

of

handling,


so

you

can

rest

assured

that

you

are

ready

to

grow

i nto

your

new

situation.

You

may

feel

compelled

t o

judge

your

personal

succ ess

using

your

age,

your

professional


position,

your

level

of

education,

or

< p>the

accomplishments

of

your

peers

as

a

yardstick.


Yet

we

all

enjoy

the

major

milestones

in

our

lives

at

the

appropriate

< p>time—some

realize


their

dr eams

as

youngsters

while

o thers

flourish

only

in

old

age.

If

you

take

pr ide

in

your


many

accom plishments

and

make

the

mo st

of

every

circumstance

i n

which

you

find


yours elf,

your

time

will

come.< /p>


504.

Power

in

Honesty< /p>


Staying

True

To

Your

Word


Promises

are

easil y

made.

Keeping

them

often

proves

more

difficult

bec ause

when

we

are


press ured

to

strive

always

for< /p>

perfection,

we

find

it

simpler

to

agree

to

und ertake


impossible

tasks

than

to

say

no.

Likewise,

< p>there

is

an

infinite

arr ay

of

circumstances

that

< br>conspire

to

goad

us

int o

telling

falsehoods,

even

when

we

hold

a

great

< p>reverence

for

truth.


When< /p>

you

endeavor

to

consistent ly

keep

your

word,

however ,

you

protect

your

reputat ion


and

promote

yourself

as

someone

who

can

be

trusted

to

be

unfailingly

truthful.

Though


your

h onesty

may

not

always

ende ar

you

to

others—for

there

will

always

be

those

< p>who


fear

the

truth—you

can

nonetheless

be

certain

that

your

integrity

is

never

tarnished

by

the

patina

of

deceit.

Since

frankness

and

sincerity

form

the

basis

of

all

life-e nriching


relationships,

your

word

is

one

of

your

most

precious

and

powerful

< p>possessions.


When

we

promi se

more

than

we

can

deliver,

hide

from

the

con sequences

of

our

actions

< br>through

falsehoods,

or

deny

our

true

selves

to

ot hers,

we

hurt

those

who

were

counting


on

us

< p>by

proving

that

their

fa ith

was

wrongly

given.

We< /p>

are

also

hurt

by

the

lies

we

tell


and

< p>the

promises

we

break.

I ntegrity

is

the

foundation

of

civilization,

allowing

peopl e

to


live,

work,

and

play

side

by

side

wit hout

fear

or

apprehension.

As

you

cultivate

honesty


within

yourself,

you

will

find

that

your

honor

a nd

reliability

put

people

at

ease.

Others


will

f eel

comfortable

seeking

out

< p>your

friendship

and

collaborat ing

with

you

on

projects


of

great

importance,

ce rtain

that

their

positive

expectations

will

be

met.

If

you

do

catch


yourse lf

in

a

lie,

ask

you rself

what

you

wanted

to

hide

and

why

you

felt

you

couldn’t

be


truth ful.

And

if

life’s

surpris es

prevent

you

from

keepin g

your

word,

simply

admit< /p>

your


error

apologetically

and

make

amends

quickly.


Since

the

path

of

t ruth

frequently

represents

the

more

difficult

journey,

emb arking

upon

it


builds

character.

You

can

harness

the

power

of

your

word

when

you

do

your

best< /p>

to

live

a


life

o f

honesty

and

understand

w hat

motivates

dishonesty.

In

keeping

your

agreements


a nd

embodying

sincerity,

you

< p>prove

that

you

are

worth y

of

trust

and

perceive

values

as


something

to

be

incorporated

into

your

daily

existence.


505.

S oulful

Voyages


Travel

Sensit ivity


The

journeys

we

take

are

often

as

exhausti ng

as

they

are

exhilaratin g.

The

thrill

we

feel

< p>
as

we

travel

to

a

new

environment

may

be

undercut

by

our

sensitivity

to

change,

strange


surrou ndings,

and

forced

shifts

in

our

usual

habits.

Air,< /p>

road,

and

sea

travel

can

be


extremely

taxing,

and

many

people

find

s leeping

soundly

in

a

stran ge

bed

exceedingly


difficult .

There

are,

however,

nume rous

ways

of

taking

the

stress

out

of

both

sho rt


voyages

and

lengthy

sojourns.

Since

much

of

t he

comfort

we

feel

in

< p>our

day-to-day

lives


stems

from

the

fact

that

we

enjoy

the

regularity

of

routine,

adapting

your

ty pical

customs


to

correspond< /p>

with

your

travel

schedule< /p>

can

alleviate

the

unease

you

experience

while


aw ay

from

your

home.

Likewis e,

when

you

ground

yoursel f

by

honoring

the

rituals< /p>

that


are

a

part

of

your

daily

life,

you’ll

no

longer

feel

like

you’re

out

of

your

elemen t.


If

you

find

yoursel f

disconcerted

by

the

fore ignness

of

your

surroundings

when

traveling,


packing

a

few

reassuring

items

from

your

home

in

your

l uggage

can

help

you

stay


balanced.

Photographs

of

< p>loved

ones,

a

favorite

t ea

or

snack,

soft

slippers ,

or

even

your


own

pillow

can

soothe

the

r igors

associated

with

travel

by

plane,

car,

train,

a nd

ship


while

en

route .

Holding

a

crystal,

gemst one,

talisman,

or

medicine

bag

in

your

hand


duri ng

particularly

stressful

period s

of

travel

can

help

you

stay

relaxed

and

aler t.

Items


imbued

with

h ealing

or

calming

energy

c an

help

you

destress

once< /p>

you

reach

your


destina tion.

As

you

unpack

your

travel

altar,

light

a

stick

of

sweet-smelling

incense ,

or


bask

in

the

glow

of

a

meditation

cand le,

you’ll

gradually

begin

to

feel

more

grounded

and


serene

in

your

new

location.


During

the

cou rse

of

your

journey,

try

not

to

forget

to

indu lge

in

those

activities

th at


center

you

and

sust ain

your

emotional

equilibrium.< /p>

If

you

tend

to

sleep

and

wake

at

the


same

time

each

day,

maint aining

that

schedule

will

ensure

you

stay

strong

and

healthy.


Taking

time

out

of

your

voyage

agenda< /p>

to

write

in

a

journa l,

meditate,

do

yoga,

or

walk


can

help

you

reconnect

with

yourself

in

< p>an

alien

setting.

However

< p>you

restore

your


tranquili ty,

your

conscious

choice

to

surround

yourself

with

comforting

possessions

and


f ocus

on

your

well-being

wi ll

make

traveling

a

joy.


506.

Head

In

The

Clouds


Cloud

Meditation


When

people

use

the

phrase

in

the

clouds,

the y

usually

refer

to

a

mental

state

that


appears

to

be

drifting

rather

than

concentrating.

For

this

reason,

putting

our

heads

in

the


clouds

can

be

a

wonderful

meditation

tool.

Whether

puffy

and

wh ite

or

tinted

with

the


colors

of

dawn

and

dusk

or

shades

of

gray,

those

vaporous

sky

dwellers< /p>

can

remind

us

of


so

many

things

about

life

and

about

ourselves.


For

this

meditation,

we

ca n

find

a

physical

place

to

relax

and

look

upwa rd,

or

we

can


look

to

the

skies

from

withi n

our

imaginations.

Directing

our

thoughts

to

the

en dless

of


expanse

of

sk y

that

clouds

inhabit,

we< /p>

feel

our

souls

expand

< p>to

reach

beyond

any

seem ing


limitations.

Following

t he

clouds,

we

are

free

to

unleash

our

imaginations.< /p>

We

may


choose

to

merely

drift

along

with

t hem

for

a

time,

enjoying

their

distanced

perspective

on


the

world.

Or

we

can

look

for

messages

in

their

fantastical

shapes,

or

feel

the

joy

of


bounding

between

their

im mense

billowy

puffiness.

However

we

interact

with

them,

we


do

so

from

a

peaceful

place.

Clouds

drift

above

the

hustle

of

the

world

below,

knowing


they

belong

to

another

realm

that

cannot

be

affe cted

by

its

frenzy,

remind ing

us

that


peace

is

always

available

to

us.

By

directing

our

vision

beyond

the

ordinary,

clouds

also


remind

us

of

t he

illusion

of

appearances.

< p>While

appearing

to

be

so lid,

their

vapor

and


m ist

appear

like

cotton

bal ls

from

below,

giving

litt le

indication

of

the

heigh ts

they

reach.


Sometimes

they

may

cast

shadows,

leaving

us

in

shade,

but

like

life’s

difficulties

cl ouds


change

shape

and

move

onward,

revealing

the

shining

sun,

twinkling

stars,

and

blue

sky


that

are

behind

them.


When

a

ray

of

light

breaks

through

the

clouds,

their

dramatic

filtering

only

makes

the


light

more

beauti ful

by

contrast,

just

as

we

can

shine

more

bri ghtly

in

the

midst

of

< p>life’s


challenges.

When

we

allow

clouds

to

offer

us

a

welcome

respite,

t hey

help

us

visit

the

< p>
realm

of

illusion

to

see

the

truth

beyond.


507.

Whole-Self

Well-Being


How

the

Body

Clears

Energy


Whole-self

well-being

is,

in

part,

the

result

o f

a

harmonious

flow

of

energy

between

our


physic al

and

mental

selves.

When

this

flow

is

thrown

out

of

balance

for

any

reason,

the


body

and

mind

react

to

one

anoth er

rather

than

act

coopera tively.

Ongoing

stress,

sadness,


anxiety,

excitement,

and

fear

can

overwhelm

the

cerebral

self,

causing

traumati c

energy


to

be

channel ed

into

the

body.

The

< p>body

then

responds

by

ta king

steps

to

organically


dispel

the

energy

that

has

burdened

it

and

expre ssing

it

by

means

of

physical

symptoms


such

as

illness,

fatigue,

or

diseas e.

In

some

cases,

these

symptoms

can

simply

be

allowed


to

run

their

natural

course

and

recovery

< p>will

come

about

naturally.

In

most

instances,


howeve r,

health

and

wellness

can

only

be

restored

by

a

dual

course

of

treatmen t

that


acknowledges

both

the

physical

manifestations

o f

energy

clearing

and

the< /p>

underlying


emotional

causes.


Many

of

the

ailments< /p>

we

experience

over

the

course

of

our

lives

can

be

indicative

of

the

< p>
body’s

attempts

to

process

intellectual

and

emotional

< p>energy.

Swollen

glands,

for


example,

can

signal

that

you

are

going

through

a

period

of

emotional

c leansing.

Even


something

as< /p>

simple

as

a

pimple

c an

indicate

that

your

body

is

ridding

itself

of

< p>toxins

and


old

energy.

In

Chinese

medicine,

intense< /p>

emotions

are

held

in

the

body’s

organs

as

a


matter

of

course.

Grief< /p>

lurks

in

the

lungs,

anger

inhabits

the

liver,

fretfulness

lingers

in


the

heart,

worry

is

held

in

the

stomach,

and

the

kidneys

harbor

fright.

Parti cular

illnesses


and

symptoms

represent

the

body’s

atte mpts

to

clear

emotional

en ergy.

Coughs

or


bronchitis

can

signify

that

the

physical

self

is

clearing

away

grief

while

a

loss

of

appetite


may

signal

that

worry

is

being

a ctively

addressed.


When

you< /p>

feel

ill

or

imbalanced,

treating

your

whole

self

rather

than

treating

the

< p>physical


self

alone

can

empower

you

to

determine

the

root

cause

of

sickn ess.

Since

you


understand

that

your

physical

symptoms< /p>

may

be

an

expression

of

emotional

discomfort,


yo u

can

establish

a

balanced

treatment

regimen

to

ensu re

that

you

quickly

recove r

your


good

health.

508.

The

Strength

of

Com passion


Coming

at

Conflict

with

an

Open

Heart

Conflict

is

an

unavoidable

part

of

our

lives

becau se

our

beliefs

and

modes

of

being

often


contrast

powerfully

with

those

of< /p>

our

loved

ones,

acquaintan ces,

and

associates.

Yet

f or


all

the

grief

disag reements

can

cause,

we

can

learn

much

from

them.

The

manner

in


which

we

handle

ourselves

when

confronted

with

anger

or

a rgument

demonstrates

our


ove rall

level

of

patience

and

the

quality

of

our

energetic

states.

To

resolve

conflict,

no


matter

how

exasperating

the

disagreement

at

hand,

we

should

appr oach

our

adversary


with

< p>an

open

heart

laden

with

compassion.

Judgments

and

blame

must

be

cast

aside< /p>

and


replaced

with

mutu al

respect.

Conflict

is

fr equently

motivated

by

unspoken

needs

that

are


masked

by

confrontational

attitudes

< p>or

aggressive

behavior.

When

we

come

at

conflict

< br>with

love

and

acceptance

< p>in

our

hearts,

we

empowe r

ourselves

to

discover

a< /p>

means

to


attaining

col lective

resolution.


The

key< /p>

to

finding

the

wisdom

< p>concealed

in

conflict

is

to

ask

yourself

why

you

clash

with


a

particular

person

or

situation.

Your

inner

self

or

the

u niverse

may

be

trying

to

point

you


to

a

sp ecific

life

lesson,

so

try

to

keep

your

ears

a nd

eyes

open.

Once

you

have

explored


the

interna l

and

external

roots

of

your

disagreement,

make

a

conscious

effort

to

release< /p>


any

anger

or

resentmen t

you

feel.

As

you

d o

so,

the

energy

between

you

and

your


adversary< /p>

with

change

perceptibly,

e ven

if

they

are

still

< p>operating

from

a

more

li mited


energy

state.

Consider

that

each

of

you

li kely

has

compelling

reasons

< p>for

thinking

and


feeling

as

you

do,

and

accept

that

you

have

no

po wer

to

change

your

adversa ry’s

mind.


This

can

he lp

you

approach

your

disag reement

rationally,

with

a

steady

voice

and

a


wi llingness

to

compromise.


If< /p>

you

listen

thoughtfully

an d

with

an

empathetic

ear

during

conflict,

you

can

transform


clashes

into

o pportunities

to

compromise.

Exam ine

your

thoughts

and

feel ings

carefully.


You

may

< p>discover

stubbornness

within

y ourself

that

is

causing

re sistance

or

that

you

are


unwittingly

feeding

yourself< /p>

negative

messages

about

yo ur

adversary.

As

your

part

in


disagreements

becomes

gradually

more

clear,

each

new

conflict

becomes

anothe r

chance


to

further

ho ne

your

empathy,

compassion,

and

tolerance.


509.

Links

That

Last


Creating

Co mmunity


Since

the

modern

Western

lifestyle

can

isolate

us

from

one

another,

< p>it

is

often

difficult

to


forge

meaningful

connection s.

Self-protection

and

mistrust< /p>

prevent

us

from

reaching

out


to

neighbors

and

peers,

and

we

consequently

feel

like

we

don’t

tr uly

belong

anywhere.


Yet

creating

community

can

be

as

simple

as

reaching

o ut

within

our

own

neighbor hoods.


To

form

the

bon ds

that

eventually

solidify

< p>into

long-lasting

friendships,

we

must

first

be


will ing

to

rise

above

the

< p>walls

of

suspicion

and

d oubt

dividing

us

from

the< /p>

individuals


who

inhabit

< p>our

neighborhood,

block,

or

our

building.

We

are

t aught

from

childhood

to

fear

those

we

do

not

know,

but

community

is

as

much

a

part

of

su rvival

as

safety.

When


we

take

a

proactive

appro ach,

we

can

harmoniously

u nite

our

neighbors

and

bui ld

a


network

of

suppor t

that

contributes

to

the< /p>

well-being

of

all

involved .


Your

overtures

of

co mmunity

needn’t

be

complicated.< /p>

If

you

are

new

to

your


neighborhood,

sending

letters

of

introduction

to

your

closest

neighbors

can

ensure

that


their

curio sity

about

you

is

partly

satisfied.

Consider

telling

them

a

bit

about

yourself

and


how

you

plan

< p>to

positively

contribute

to

your

locale,

even

if

i t

is

something

as


stra ightforward

as

planting

attracti ve

flowers

in

your

window< /p>

boxes.

Or

if

others

have


recently

moved

in

nearby,

schedule

some

time

< p>to

welcome

them

to

the

area.

By

doing

so,

you

can

calm

any

misgivi ngs

they

have

while

demons trating

that

your

neighborhood

is

a


nice

place

t o

live.

It

is

much

e asier

to

meet

people

while

outdoors,

so

try

to

take

frequent


strolls

or

sit

on

your

stoop

or

porch

if

you

have

one .

Say

hello

to

people

< p>who

pass

by,

and


you

will

likely

get

to

know

your

neighbors

speedily.

And

one

of

the

easiest

ways

to

build


a

sense

of

community

is

to< /p>

organize

neighborhood

projects

and

events

that

bring

people


together

in

service< /p>

or

in

fun.


Even

if

you

have

little

in

< p>common

with

your

neighbors,

your

proximity

to

one

another


can

offer

a

wo nderful

opportunity

to

pursue

new

friendships

and

working< /p>

relationships.


You

may

not

see

eye

to

eye

on

matters

of

spirituality,

< p>politics,

or

lifestyle

issues,

but

each


of

you

understands

that

community

help s

people

feel

connected.

A s

you

grow

to

know

< br>and

then

to

like

one

another,

the

city

or

t own

where

you

reside

will< /p>

truly

become

your


home .


510.

One

Way

To

< p>Find

Out


You

Never

K now

Until

You

Try


When

contemplating

whether

to

do

something

or

not,

a

plucky

voice

in

our

hea ds

may


say,

never

know

until

you

try.

Thi s

is

time-honored

wisdom

t hat

encourages

us

to


b e

game

rather

than

to

< p>hold

back.

It

reminds

us

that

it

is

only

thr ough

experience

that

we

learn

about

this

world

a nd

ourselves.

Even

if

we

regret

the

outcome,

we

< p>have

learned


something,

an d

the

newfound

knowledge

i s

almost

always

worth

it.< /p>


This

wisdom

can

be

applied

to

situations

both

large

and

small.

From

crossing

the

Atlantic


on

a

boat

to

trying

Ethiop ian

food,

there’s

only

one

way

to

find

out

wha t

it’s

like.

We


have

all

had

experiences

where

we

tried

something

we

didn’t

think

we’d

like

an d

fell

in


love.

We

may

have

found

ourselves

< p>stuck

with

nothing

to

re ad

but

a

book,

only


to

kick-start

a

lifel ong

passion

for

Victorian

literature.

We

may

have

de cided

that

sailing


was

not

for

us

until

we

fell

in

love

with

someone

with

a

boat.

On

the

other

hand,

we

may


try

tofu

only

to

learn

that

it

is

truly

no t

for

us.

In

this

ca se,

we

gain

greater

self-< /p>


knowledge

from

the

exp erience.

And

yet,

we

might

still

remain

open

to

< p>trying

it

prepared


in

< p>a

different

way.

The

rig ht

marinade

might

make

you

a

convert—you’ll

never

kn ow

if


you

don’t

try

it.


It

is

often

sa id

that

at

the

end

o f

our

lives

we

are

m ore

likely

to

regret

the

things

we

did


not

do

than

the

things

we

did.

As

an

exercise

to< /p>

test

your

own

willingness< /p>

to

discover


through

do ing,

try

making

a

list

of

things

you

regret

no t

having

done.

You

may

begin

to


notice

patterns< /p>

such

as

a

failure

to

say

what

you

really

think

at

key

moments

or

closed-


mindedness

to

c ertain

types

of

activities.

< p>Just

being

aware

of

the< /p>

opportunities

you


missed

might

encourage

you

not

to

miss

them

again.

There ’s

only

one

way

to

f ind

out.


511.

Digging

Deep

for

Healing


Rooting

Down


For

many

people,

apprehension

manifests

itself

in

the

physical

self

as

a

potent

feeling

of

< br>heaviness

or

nausea

situated< /p>

in

the

depths

of

the

lower

abdomen.

And

it

is

there,

at

the


se at

of

the

second

or

sacral

chakra,

that

we

mus t

lovingly

and

deliberately

< p>confront

the


anxiety.

By

rooting

down

into

the

deepest

physical

reaches

of

ourselves,

we

can

cleanse


ourselves

of

unease

and

replenish

the

space

it

< p>has

left

behind

with

tra nquil

awareness.


Much

of

what

we

encounter

in

ou r

daily

lives

has

the

< p>potential

to

awaken

feelings

of


nervousness

within

u s

or

make

us

question

< p>whether

we

are

truly

in< /p>

control

of

our

lives.

< p>
When

you

establish

a

den

of

peace

within

your< /p>

core,

you

empower

yourself

to

act

rather


than

react

in

distressing

situati ons.

Your

balanced

second

chakra

helps

you

respond

< br>productively

to

the

turmoil

around

you

while

your

inwardly

directed

attention

ste adies


you.


There

are

many

ways

to

restore

yo ur

strength

and

clear

nega tive

energy

from

your

core .


To

ground

yourself

a nd

regain

your

emotional

e quilibrium,

concentrate

on

the

second


chakra,

picturing

< p>it

as

a

funnel

of

vivid

orange

light.

Reach

down

toward

that

light

wit h


your

awareness

and

c hannel

your

breath

into

th e

space

it

occupies.

As

you

balance

the


chakra,< /p>

you

will

become

more

adaptive

and

thus

better

able

to

stand

strong

when< /p>

faced


with

rapidly

cha nging

conditions.

You

can

channel

healing

energy

into

< p>your

core

by


visualizing

the

area

below

your

b elly

button

as

an

open

space

into

which

you

ch annel


white,

loving

light.

Like

light

and

air,

s ound

can

be

a

wonderful

tool

that

helps

you

fi nd


your

center.

Your

v oice,

when

drawn

from

your

core

in

the

form

of

a

deep

roar

or

loud


shout,

can

be

the

vehicle

upon

which

your

anxiety

is

conveyed

into

the

ether.

Take

a

low

< p>
stance,

much

like

a

football

player,

root

your

feet

into

the

earth,

and< /p>

then

roar

like

a

lio n.


Really

feel

it

in

your

belly.

It

may

so und

silly,

but

chances

are

you

will

feel

much

less


anxious

and

much

more

grounded

into

your

bo dy.


A

situation

that

s eems

hopeless

when

viewed

from

a

perspective

colored

by

fear

may


become

ea sily

manageable

when

approached< /p>

with

a

serene

heart

and

mind.

As

you

root

< p>
down

into

your

core,

you’ll

discover

that

the

trepidation

and

helplessness

you

feel

within


you

is

not

invincible.

Rather,

it

will

respond

readily

to

your

efforts

to

eradicate

it,

leaving


you

feeling

peaceful

and

capable

of

calmly

handling

any

challengi ng

circumstances

that


arise.


512.

Living

Potential


Sharing

Your

Gift

with

< p>Others


The

gifts

we

are

born

with

and

those

that

we

work

to

develo p

throughout

our

lives

var y

in


form

and

function .

Some

we

find

use

f or

every

day

while

others< /p>

are

only

useful

in

< br>specific

circumstances.

Yet

m any

times

we

overlook

oppo rtunities

to

share

our

uni que


gifts

with

others.

It

may

be

fear

of

c riticism

that

holds

us

bac k

or

the

paralyzing

weight

of


uncertainty.

Ultimately,

we

doubt

that

our

i nnate

talents

and

practiced

< p>skills

can

truly

add


value

to

others’

lives.

B ut

it

is

the

world

a s

a

whole

that

benefits

when

we

willingly

share

< p>
our

gifts.

Whether

you

have

been

blessed

with

the

ability

to

awaken

beau tiful

emotions

in


others

through

art

or

industry,

< p>or

your

aptitudes

transmit

more

practical

advantages,

yo ur


gifts

are

a

part

of

who

you

are.

As

you

make

use

of

those

gifts

as

best

you

can ,

be

assured


that

your

contribution

to

worldly

w ell-being

will

not

be

over looked.


Your

personal

power< /p>

is

defined

in

part

b y

your

gifts.

To

use

your

talents

is

to


de monstrate

to

the

world

tha t

you

understand

yourself

and

are

truly

attuned

to

your


capabilities.

Your

earthly

existence

provides

you< /p>

with

ample

opportunity

to< /p>

explore

your


purpose,

to

utilize

your

skills

in< /p>

a

life-affirming

way,

and< /p>

to

positively

touch

the

lives

of


others

while

doing

so.

Yet

you

may< /p>

feel

that

your

gifts

are

not

as

valuable

or

worthy

of


attention

as

those

of

others

and

t hus

hide

them

away.

Howeve r,

every

gift

lying

dorman t


in

your

soul

has

the

potential

to

fill

a

void

in

someone

else’s

life.

Just

as

your

exi stence

is


made

richer

by

the

love,

support,

frie ndship,

aid,

and

compassion

< p>of

others,

so,

too,

can< /p>


you

add

richness

to

their

lives.

Your

natural

ability

to

soothe

hurt,

< p>inspire

compassion,


bake,

dance,

knit,

organize,

or

think

outside

the

box

can< /p>

be

a

boon

to

someone

in

need.


As

you

embrace

your

gifts

and

al low

their

light

to

shine,< /p>

you

will

discover

that

more

and


more

opportuniti es

to

make

use

of

th em

arise.

This

is

because< /p>

your

gifts

are

a

cha nnel


through

which

the

universe

operates.

By

simply

doing

what

you

are

goo d

at

and

also

love

< br>to

do,

you

make

a

positive

difference.

The

recogn ition

you

receive

for

your

efforts

will


pale

in< /p>

comparison

to

the

satisfac tion

you

feel

when

fulfill ing

your

innate

potential.


513.

Sharing

Peace


Stra ngers

in

Our

Sanctuary


When

we

have

created

a

sanctuary

in

our

home,

it

can

be

jarring

to

< p>have

the

outside


world

come

in.

It

is

easy

to

share

our

space

with

those

we

know

well,

but

often

strangers


are

asked

in

as

household

h elp,

contractors,

or

technicians

that

help

us

make

o ur

homes


more

comfortable.

Acquaintances

of

our

spouse s

or

children

also

bring

something

new


and

diffe rent

into

our

space.

If

we

resist

their

presence,

treating

it

as

an

intr usion,

we


restrict

the

free

flow

of

energy

and

may

miss

the

gift

the y

bring.

Instead,

we

can

choose


to

treat

their

energy

as

an

exchange

of

gifts

as

well

as

an

exercise

in

acceptance.

< p>
Before

their

arrival,

we

can

prepare

by

envisioning< /p>

light

surrounding

our

bodi es

and


radiating

outward

from

the

core

of

our

homes.

We

may

want

to< /p>

create

a

calm

and

welcoming

environment

by

playi ng

meditation

music

or

lig hting

incense.

We

can

remo ve


tension

for

all

inv olved

by

putting

away

our< /p>

valuables.

Then

when

they< /p>

arrive,

we

claim


our

boundaries

by

guiding

them< /p>

through

their

visit—asking

them

to

remove

their

shoe s,


offering

coasters

or

< p>a

place

to

set

down

< p>tool

boxes,

and

indicating

by

example

to

speak


softly

or

not

use

harsh

language.

If

something

stil l

causes

stress,

we

can

remember

that


what

begin s

as

an

irritation

to

< p>an

oyster

becomes

a

pear l.

After

they

depart,

we

can

burn


sage

and

clear

our

space

if

we

like

but

not

without

fi rst

finding

the

pearl.


Finally,

remember

that

we

learn

about

life

by

relat ing

with

others.

People

ma y

have

been


sent

to

our

homes

because

we

i gnored

some

of

the

univers e’s

messengers

outside.

Our

< p>
homes

need

not

be

a< /p>

way

to

keep

people

o ut

but

can

be

the

pl ace

where

we

are

ourselves


while

accepting

and

a llowing

other’s

choices.

When

we

share

the

joy

of

our

homes,

we


radiate

our

light

rather

than

hide

it

behind

closed

door s.

The

more

we

do

th is,

the

more


the

outsi de

world

can

become

like

the

sanctuary

we’ve

created

inside.


514.

Honoring

Life

Changes


The

Wisdom

of

Fear


Anything

worth

doing

will

always

have

some

fear

attached

to

it.

For

example,

having

a


baby,

getting

married,

ch anging

careers—all

of

these

< p>life

changes

can

bring

u p

deep

fears.


It

helps

to

remember

that

this

type

of

fear

is

good.

It

is

your

way

of

questioning

whether


you

r eally

want

the

new

life

these

changes

will

bring.

It

is

also

a

potent

reminder

that


releasing

and

grieving

the

past

is

a

necessary

part

of

m oving

into

the

new.


Fe ar

has

a

way

of

thro wing

us

off

balance,

makin g

us

feel

uncertain

and

insecure,

but

it

is

not

meant

to

discourage

us.

Its

purpose

is

to

< p>notify

us

that

we

are

at

the

edge

of

our


comfort

zone,

poised

in

between

the

old

life

and

a

new

one.

Whenever

we

face

our

fear,


we

overcome

an

inner

obsta cle

and

move

into

new

< p>and

life-enhancing

territory,

both


inside

and

out.

T he

more

we

learn

to

respect

and

even

welcome

f ear,

the

more

we

will

< p>be


able

to

hear

its< /p>

wisdom,

wisdom

that

will

let

us

know

that

the< /p>

time

has

come

to

mov e


forward,

or

not.

Whi le

comfort

with

fear

is

a

contradiction

in

terms,

we

can

learn

to


ho nor

our

fear,

recognizing

its

arrival,

listening

to

its

intelligence,

and

respecting

it

as

a


harbinger

of

transformation.

Indeed,

it

informs

us

that

the

change

we

are

contemplating

is


significant,

enabling

us

to

approach

it

with

the

proper

reverence.


You

might

wish

to

converse

with

your

fear,

plumbing

its

depths

for

a

greate r


understanding

of

the

change

you

are

making.

Yo u

could

do

this

by

s itting

quietly

in


meditation

and

listening

or

by

journaling.

Writing

down

whatev er

comes

up—your


worries,

your

sadness,

your

excitemen t,

your

hopes—is

a

great

way

to

learn

about

yourself

through

the

vehicle

of

fear

and

to

rememb er

that

fear

almost

always

comes


alongside

anything

worth

doing

in

your

li fe.


515.

Consulting

Heart

and

Mind


Making

Choices< /p>

from

a

Place

of

Bala nce


Each

of

the

myriad

decisions

we

make

every

day

has

the

potential

to

have

a

deep

impact


on

our

lives.

Some

choices

touch

us

to

our

very

cores,

awakening

poigna nt

feelings


within

us.

Others

seem

at

first

to

be

simple

but

prove

t o

be

confusingly

complex.

We


make

the

best

decis ions

when

we

approach

the< /p>

decision-making

process

from

a

balanced


emotional

and< /p>

intellectual

foundation.

When

we

have

achieved

equilibrium

in

our

hearts


and

in

our

minds,

we

can

clearly

see

both

sides

of

an

issue

or

alternativ e.

Likewise,

we


can

ac cept

compromise

as

a

natur al

fact

of

life.

Instead

of

relying

solely

on

our

feelings


or

our

ra tionality,

we

utilize

both

in

equal

measure,

empowering

ourselves

to

come

to

a


life-affirming

and

balanced

conclusion.


Balance

within< /p>

and

balance

without

go

hand

in

hand.

When

you< /p>

are

called

upon

to

< br>choose

between

two

or

m ore

options,

whether

they

are

attractive

or

distasteful,

you


should

understand

a ll

you

can

about

the

choice

ahead

of

you

befor e

moving

forward.

If


y ou

do

not

come

to

th e

decision

from

a

place

of

balance,

you

risk

m aking

choices

that

are


irrational

and

overly

emotional

or

are

wholly

logical

and

don’t

take

your

fee lings

into


account.

In

bringing

your

thoughts

and

< p>emotions

together

during

the

decision-making


process,

you< /p>

ensure

that

you

are

taking

everything

possible

into< /p>

account

before

moving


forward.

Nothing

is

left

u p

to

chance,

and

you

have

ample

opportunity

to

determine


which

options

are

in

accordance

with

your

values.


Though

some

maj or

decisions

may

oblige

yo u

to

act

and

react

q uickly,

most

will

allow

you

an

abundance

of

time

in

which

to

mull

ov er

your

choices.

If

you

doubt

your

ability

to


approach

your

options

in

a

balanced

fashion,

take

< p>an

extended

time-out

before


responding

to

the

decisi on.

This

will

give

you

the

interlude

you

need

to

make

certain

that


y our

thoughts

and

feelings

are

in

equilibrium.

As

you

practice

achieving

balance,

you


will

ultimately

reach

a

state

of

mind

in< /p>

which

you

can

easily

make

decisions

that

honor


every

aspect

of

the

s elf.


516.

Shifting

with

< p>Nature’s

Energy


Change

of< /p>

Season


In

today’s

worl d,

office

jobs

and

superma rkets

have

made

it

possibl e

to

work

and

provide

< p>
for

ourselves

and

our

< p>families

regardless

of

nature’ s

cycles.

While

most

of

us

no

longer


depend

< p>directly

on

nature’s

seasons

for

our

livelihood,

our

bodies’

clocks

still

know

deep


down

that

a

ch ange

of

season

means

a

change

in

us

too.

If

we

don’t

acknowledge

this,

we


may

feel

out

o f

sync,

as

though

we

have

lost

our

natural

rhy thm.

These

days,

autumn

is


more

likely

to

bring< /p>

thoughts

of

going

back

to

school

than

harvesting,

but

in

both

cases,


the

chill

in

the

air

< p>tells

us

it’s

time

to

move

inside

and

prepare

< p>for

the

future.


We

c an

consciously

celebrate

the

change

of

season

and

sh ift

our

own

energy

by

< p>setting


some

time

aside

to

make

the

same

chang es

we

see

in

nature.

We

can

change

colors

like


the

falling

leaves

an d

wilting

blooms

by

puttin g

away

our

bright

summer

colors

and


filling

our< /p>

wardrobes

and

living

areas

with

warm

golds,

reds,

and

browns.


While

plants

concentrate

their

energy

deep

in

their

roots

and

seeds,

we

can

retreat

to


quieter,

indoor

pursuits,

nurturing

the

seeds

of

new

endeavors,

which

need

quiet


concentration

to

g row.

We

can

stoke

our

< p>inner

fires

with

our

fav orite

coffee,

tea,

cider,

or


cocoa

while

savoring

< p>the

rich,

hot

comfort

fo ods

that

the

season

brings

in

an

array

of

fall


colors:

potatoes,

apple

pies,

pumpkin,

squash,

and

corn.

As

animals

begin

growing

their


winter

coats< /p>

and

preparing

their

dens

for

hibernation,

we

can

dust

off

our

favorite

< br>sweaters

and

jackets

and

< p>bring

blankets

out

of

st orage,

creating

coziness

with

throw

rugs


and

heavier

drapes.

We

can

also

l ight

candles

or

fireplaces

to

bring

a

remnant

of


summer’s

fiery

glow

indoo rs.


By

making

a

consci ous

celebration

of

the

cha nge,

we

usher

in

the

new

season

in

a

way


that

allows

us

to

go< /p>

with

the

flow,

not

f ight

against

it.

We

sync

ourselves

up

with

the


rhythm

of

nature

and

the

universe

and

let

it

carry

us

forward,

nurturing< /p>

us

as

we

prepare


for

our

future.


517.

Self-Determination


Using

Your

< p>Power


Our

lives

are

defined

by

the

decisions

w e

make

each

day.

When

< p>we

choose

one

option


over

another,

whether

we

are

selecting

a

restaurant

or

considering

a

cross-country< /p>

move,


we

shape

our

lives.

The

decision-making

pr ocess

can

be

empowering,

a llowing

us

to


enjoy

th e

benefits

of

self-determination .

Yet

it

can

also

be

a

source

of

anxiety

because


decisions

force

us< /p>

to

face

the

possibility

of

dissatisfaction

and

inner

conflict.

As

a

result,


many

of

us

opt

to< /p>

avoid

making

decisions

by< /p>

allowing

others

to

make

them

for

us.

We


co nsequently

turn

our

power

over

to

spouses,

relatives,

< p>friends,

and

colleagues,

grant ing


them

the

stewardship

of

our

lives

that

is

ours

by

right.

Though

the

decisions

we

must


make

are

often

difficult,

we

grow

more

self-sufficient

and

secure

each

time

we

trust


ourselves

enough

< p>to

choose.


Ultimately,

onl y

you

can

know

how

t he

options

before

you

will

impact

your

daily

life

and


your

long-term

well- being.

Within

you

lies

the

power

to

competently

weig h

the


advantages

and

d isadvantages

of

each

selection.< /p>

Even

if

you

feel

inc apable

of

making

a


dec ision,

your

inner

wisdom

a nd

your

intuitive

mind

wil l

give

you

sound

counsel

if

you


have

faith

in

yourself.

Try

to

come< /p>

to

your

own

conclusions

before

seeking

the

guidance< /p>


of

others,

and

even

then,

treat

their

suggestion s

as

supplementary

information

rather

than


votes

to

be

tallied.

Before

making

your

choice,

release

your

fear

of

wrong

decisions.


Perceived

mistakes

can

le ad

you

down

wonderful

and< /p>

unexpected

paths

that

expo se

you


to

life-changing

< p>insights.

If

you

can

let

go

of

the

notion

th at

certain

choices

are

utt erly


right

while

others

< p>are

entirely

wrong,

you

will

be

less

tempted

to

invite

others

to

take

the


reigns

of

your

des tiny.


When

your

choices

< p>are

your

own,

you

will

be

more

likely

to

acc ept

and

be

satisfied

with< /p>


the

outcome

of

those

choices.

Your

decisions

wil l

be

a

pure

reflection

of

your

desires,


your

creativity,

your

awareness,

a nd

your

power.

Since

you

understand

that

you

must

live


with

and

take

responsibility

for

your

decisio ns,

you

will

likely

exerci se

great

care

when


com ing

to

conclusions.

As

you

learn

to

make

informed

and

autonomous

choices,

you< /p>

will


gain

the

freedom< /p>

to

consciously

direct

the< /p>

flow

of

your

life

wi thout

interference.


518.

Liv ing

with

It


People

Who

Don't

Get

It


You

< p>may

be

someone

who

under stands

the

true

nature

of< /p>

reality,

perceiving

deeply

that


we

all

emanate

f rom

the

same

source,

that< /p>

we

are

all

essentially

one,

and

that

we

are

here


on

earth

to

l ove

one

another.

To

unders tand

this

is

to

be

a wakened

to

the

true

nature

of


the

self,

and

< p>it

is

a

blessing.

Nevert heless,

people

who

just

do n’t

get

it

are

seemingly


everywhere

and,

often,

in

positions

of

power.

It< /p>

can

be

frustrating

and

painful

to

watch


them

behave

unconsciously.

We

all< /p>

encounter

individuals

of

t his

bent

in

our

families,< /p>

at


work,

and

in

all

areas

of

public

life.< /p>

It

is

easy

to

find

ourselves

feeling

intolerant

< p>of

these


people,

wishing

we

could

be

free

of

them

even

though

we

k now

that

separation

from

< br>them

is

an

illusion.

It

helps

sometimes

to

th ink

of

us

all

as

dif ferent

parts

of

one

psyche .

Just

as

within

our


own

hearts

and

minds

we

have

dark

places

that

need

healing,

the

heart

and

mind

of

the


wor ld

has

its

dark

places.

The

health

of

the

whol e

organism

depends

upon

th e

relative


health

of

t he

individuals

within

it.

We

increase

harmony

when

w e

hold

onto

the

light,

not


allowing

it

to

be

darkened

by

judgment,

a nger,

and

fear

about

those

who

behave


unconsciously.

It’s

easier

to

accomplish

this

if

we

don’t

focu s

on

the

negative

qualitie s

of


individuals

and

i nstead

focus

on

how

increa sing

our

own

light

will

increase

the

light

of


the

overall

picture.


Whe n

dealing

with

people

who< /p>

seem

very

unconscious,

it< /p>

helps

to

remember

that

every


one

must

find

their

own

way

to

awakenin g

and

that

the

experiences

they

are

having

are


an

essential

part

of

their

process.

Holding

them

< p>in

the

light

of

our

< p>own

energy

may

be

the


best

way

to

awaken

theirs.

At

the

same

time,

we

are

inspired

by

their

example

to

look


within

and

shed

light

on

our

own

unconscious

places,

sacrificing

the

urge

to

judge

and


surrendering

instead

to

humble

self-inquiry.< /p>


519.

Fear

of

Losing

What

We

Have


Seeing

< p>Beyond

Fearful

Delusions


O ne

of

humanity’s

biggest

f ears

is

losing

what

we

have.

It

is

healthy

whe n

fear

of

loss


helps

us

take

steps

to

prot ect

what

we

have

worked

hard

to

attain,

but

it

is

unhealthy

to


conti nue

to

fear

something

we

can

do

nothing

about.

We

need

to

remember

that< /p>

focusing


our

energy

on

fear

can

actually

create< /p>

what

scares

us,

and

holding

tightly

to

what

we

have


keeps

us

from

participating

in

the

univers al

flow

of

abundance

and

instead

creates


stagnation.

Since

we

can

only

rea lly

control

our

thoughts

a nd

our

responses,

gaining


proper

perspective

may

be

key

to

conquering

such

fears.


The

letters

of

the

word

can

be

us ed

to

stand

for

Evi dence

Appearing

Real.


Fears< /p>

of

being

separated

from

something

or

someone

we

< p>feel

we

need

for

our

security

or


happiness

com es

from

a

delusion—a

disto rted

way

of

understanding

ourselves

and

the


world

< p>around

us.

When

we

under stand

that

possessions

are

only

representations

of

the


energy

at

work

in

o ur

lives,

we

can

shift

our

attention

to

the

ri ght

and

proper

place.

We


can

stop

fearing

loss

of

money

or

success

b ecause

when

we

understand

how

it

is

created,


we< /p>

can

always

create

more.

We

can

stop

fearing

lo ss

of

possessions

when

we< /p>

realize

that


they

are< /p>

not

the

source

of

ou r

joy

or

well-being

but

only

icing

on

our

cake s.

And

when


we

underst and

the

energy

of

love,

we

need

not

hold

anyon e

too

close

for

fear

of

losing


them

for

we

know

that

love

does

not

diminish

when

it

is

given

or

shared

but

e xpands


beyond

boundaries

of< /p>

time

or

space.


By

< p>focusing

our

light

on

ou r

fears,

they

are

revealed

as

mere

shadows

that

< p>disappear

in


the

presence< /p>

of

mind

and

spirit.

We

can

choose

instead

to

direct

our

thoughts

and

creative


power

toward

thi ngs

of

true

value—love,

ab undance,

peace,

passion,

and

joy.

These

are


energies

that

are

always

available

to

us

when

we

place

ourselves

confidently

in

th e


universal

flow

of

ab undance.


520.

Putting

Yourse lf

First


Daily

Self-Care


We

have

all

heard

t he

instructions

of

an

airl ine

attendant

reminding

us

to

put

on

our

own

< br>oxygen

mask

before

we

h elp

anyone

else

with

their s.

This

advice

is

often

cited

as

a


metaphor

< p>for

self-care

because

it

so

accurately

expresses

why

it

is

important.

It

see ms

to


say,

ironically,

that

if

you

can’t

take

care

of

yourself

for

y ourself,

do

it

for

others.

Few


situations

in

our

daily

lives

mimic

the

wake-up

call

of

an

airp lane

emergency,

so

it’s

ea sy


to

keep

putting

sel f-care

off—easy,

that

is,

until

we

get

sick,

overwhe lmed,

or

exhausted,


and

< p>suddenly

don’t

have

the

energy

to

care

for

the

people

who

count

on

us.

That’s

when


we

realiz e

we

haven’t

been

getting< /p>

the

oxygen

we

need

t o

sustain

ourselves.

We

be gin

to


understand

that

taking

care

of

ourselves

is

neither

selfish

nor

ind ulgent;

it’s

just

plain

practical.


Putting

yourself

< p>first

means

that

it

may< /p>

be

necessary

to

say

no

to

someone

else

in

< p>order

to


say

yes

to< /p>

yourself.

For

many

of

< p>us,

there

is

always

some thing

we

feel

we

could

be

doing


for

someone

< p>else,

and

it

helps

to

remember

the

oxygen

metaphor .

You

can

even


encoura ge

yourself

by

saying

am

caring

for

myself

so

that

I

am

better

ab le

to

care

for


others< /p>

or

some

other

mantra

that

will

encourage

you.

It

also

helps

to

remember< /p>

that

self-


care

doesn’ t

have

to

be

composed

< p>of

massively

time-consuming

ac ts.

In

fact,

the

best

< p>
prescription

for

taking

ca re

of

yourself

is

probably

small,

daily

rituals;

for

example,


taking

one

h alf-hour

for

yourself

at

t he

beginning

and

end

of

the

day

to

meditate,

j ournal,


or

just

be.

Yo u

might

also

transform

the

occasional

daily

shower

o r

bath

into

a

half- hour


self-pampering

session.


Whatever

you

decide,

making

some

small

gesture

where< /p>

you

put

yourself

first

every

day


will

pay

off

in

spades

for

you

< p>and

the

ones

you

love.

The

oxygen

you

need

i s

all

around


you;

some times

you

just

need

to

be

reminded

to

breathe.


521.

Supporting

and

Inspiri ng


True

Leadership


When< /p>

we

call

someone

a

le ader,

what

we

sometimes

me an

is

that

they

are

the

best

in


their

part icular

field;

they

are

ins piring

because

of

how

much

they

accomplish.

To

be


highly

accomplished

is

i mpressive,

but

that

isn’t

what

leadership

is

about.

True

leaders


are

not

j ust

high

achievers;

they

a lso

support

the

people

aro und

them

to

achieve,

and,< /p>

in


certain

cases,

to

become

leaders

themselves.

In

other

words,

true

leade rs

do

not

create

a

< br>static

group

of

followers.

Rather,

they

create

an

environment

in

which

everyone

can


develop

their

poten tial.

True

leaders

don’t

g et

so

caught

up

in

t he

forward

thrust

of

their


own

energy

that

they< /p>

forget

about

others

or

the

larger

environment.

They< /p>

set

an

example


with

their

actions,

and

they

< p>also

support

others

to

a ct.

This

is

why

true

leadership

is

so


rare.

< p>
Not

everybody

is

cut

out

to

be

a

leader,

but

most

of

us

have

the

potential

to

serve

in

a


leadership

role

at< /p>

some

point

in

our

li ves.

When

doing

so,

we

might

want

to

be

inspir ed


by

the

highest

mani festation

of

leadership,

remembe ring

that

we

are

meant

to

forward

not


only

ourselves

but

a

whole

env ironment—an

ideal,

a

plan,

the

people

around

us.

Whi le


this

won’t

be

easy,

it

is

the

true

mean ing

of

the

job,

and

we

can

trust

that

we

are

capable


of

it.

Ot herwise,

we

probably

wouldn’t

find

ourselves

in

the

position

to

lead.


It’s

also

possible

that

we

hav e

determined

that

our

gift s

are

best

applied

in

< p>a

secondary


position,

supp orting

the

efforts

of

a

leader

whose

vision

we

admire.

In

this

case,

we< /p>

can


ensure

that

our

energy

is

best

applied

by

holding

the

person

for

whom

we

work

to

a

high


standard

of

leader ship.

In

this

way,

we

< p>take

responsibility

for

our

own

gifts

by


guaranteein g

that

they

will

be

appreciated

and

developed

in

a

way

that

best

serves< /p>

the


whole.


522.

Go ing

through

the

Opening

Contracting

before

Expanding

< br>Sometimes

our

lives

contract< /p>

before

they

expand.

We

may

be

working

hard

on< /p>

ourselves


spiritually,

doing

good

in

the

world,

following

our

dreams,

and

wondering

why

we

are


s till

facing

constrictions

of

all

kinds—financial,

emotional,

physical.

Perhaps

we

even


feel

as

if

we’ve

lo st

our

spirituality

and

ar e

stuck

in

a

dark

ro om

with

no

windows.

We


may

be

confused

and

discouraged

by

what

appears

to

be

a

lack

of

p rogress.

But


sometimes

this< /p>

is

the

way

things

wo rk.

Like

a

caterpillar

tha t

confines

itself

to

a

tiny


cocoon

before

it

grows

wings

and

flies,

we

are

experiencing

the

da rkness

before

the

dawn.

When

things

feel

tight,

it’s

easy

to

panic

or

< p>want

to

act

in

some

< p>way

to

ease

the

feeling< /p>

of


constriction.

We

mi ght

also

spin

our

wheels

mentally,

trying

to

underst and

why

things


are

the

way

they

are.

However,

there

is

nothing

we

ne ed

to

do

at

this

tim e

other

than

to

be

< br>patient

and

persevering.

We

can

cling

to

the

awar eness

that

we

are

processi ng

the

shift


from

one< /p>

stage

to

another,

and

< p>the

more

we

surrender

to

the

experience,

the

more< /p>

quickly


we

will

move

through

the

tightness

into< /p>

the

opening

on

the

o ther

side.

Just

like

a

baby


making

its

way

down

the

birth

canal,

we< /p>

may

feel

squeezed

and

< p>pushed

and

very


uncomforta ble,

but

if

we

remember

that

we

are

on

our

way

to

being

born

into< /p>

a

new


reality,

we

< p>will

find

the

strength

t o

carry

on.


Even

as

we

endure

the

contractions,< /p>

we

can

find

peace

wi thin

ourselves

if

we

remem ber


to

trust

the

unive rse.

We

can

look

to

the

natural

world

for

insp iration

as

we

see

that

all


beings

surrender

to

the

process

of

being

born.

In

that

surrender,

a nd

in

the

center

of

our


own

hearts,

is

a

willingness

to

trust

in

the

unknown

as

we

make< /p>

our

way

through

the


opening.


523.

Moving

in< /p>

Real

Time


Fast-Forward

Button


We

all

go

thro ugh

times

when

we

wish

we

could

press

a

fast-f orward

button

and

propel

< br>ourselves

into

the

future

and

out

of

our

current< /p>

circumstances.

Whether

the

situation

we


are

facing

is

minor,

or

major

such

as

the

loss

of

a

loved

one,

it

is

human

nature

to

want

to

< br>move

away

from

pain

and

find

comfort

as

soon

< p>as

possible.

Yet

we

all< /p>

know

deep

down


that

we

need

to

work

throug h

these

experiences

in

a

conscious

fashion

rather

th an

bury


our

heads

in

the

sand,

because

these

are

the

times

when

we

access

important

information

< p>
about

ourselves

and

life.< /p>

The

learning

process

may

not

be

easy,

but

it

is

full

of

lessons

that

bring

us

wisdom

we< /p>

cannot

find

any

other

< p>way.


The

desire

to

p ress

fast-forward

can

lead

to

escapism

and

denial,

b oth

of

which

only


prol ong

our

difficulties

and

i n

some

cases

make

them

worse.

The

more

direct,

clear,

and


courageous

we

are

in

the

face

of

whatever

we

are

dealing

with,

the

more

quickly

we

will


move

through

the

situation.

Understanding

this,< /p>

we

may

begin

to

real ize

that

trying

to


fin d

the

fast-forward

button

is

really

more

akin

to

pressing

pause.

When

we

truly

grasp


that

the

only

way

out

of

any

situation

in

which

we

find

ourselves

is

to

go

through

it,

we


stop

lo oking

for

ways

to

escape

and

we

start

paying

c lose

attention

to

what

is< /p>

happening.


We

realize

that

we

are

exactly

where< /p>

we

need

to

be.

We

remember

that

we

are

i n

this


situation

in

or der

to

learn

something

we< /p>

need

to

know,

and

we

can

alleviate

some

of

our


pain

with

the

a wareness

that

there

is

a

purpose

to

our

suffering.


When

you

feel

the

urge

to

press

the

fast-fo rward

button,

remember

that

< p>you

are

not

alone;


w e

all

instinctively

avoid

pain.

But

in

doing

so,

we

often

prolong

our

pa in

and

delay


important

learning.

As

you

choose

t o

move

forward

in

real

time,

know

that

in

the< /p>

long


run,

this

is

< p>the

least

painful

way

to

go.


524.

Outlining

Yo ur

Intentions


Making

a

List

of

What

You

Want


The

universe

is

aware

of

both

the

concrete

go als

we

actively

pursue


and

the

nebulous

dreams

w e

have

not

yet

begun

to

refine.

Neither

our

struggles

nor

the

daydreams

that

inspire

us

are

be yond

the

range

of


univ ersal

perception.

Yet

to

m anifest

our

aspirations,

we

< p>not

only

need


to

kno w

what

it

is

we

gene rally

wish

to

achieve;

we< /p>

also

need

to


clearly

articulate

these

aims

to

ourselves

and

the

universe.< /p>

When

we


create

a

list

of

what

we

want,

citing

each

item

in

as< /p>

much

detail

as


possibl e,

our

aspirations

take

on

new

substance.

What

was

once

a


mere

wish

becomes

real

and

achievable

< p>when

put

into

words.

As< /p>

you


pour

the

contents< /p>

of

your

heart

and

so ul

into

your

list,

your

well-


defined

ambitions

become

a

part

of

you,

< p>and

the

universe

responds

< p>to


your

new

determination< /p>

by

placing

opportunities

r elated

to

your


objectives

in

your

path.


Whatever

the

nature

of

your

de sires,

your

list

can

help< /p>

you

channel


your

intel lectual

and

emotional

power

< p>into

your

efforts

to

rea lize

them.


The

list

yo u

create

should

not

simply

be

a

record

of

your

individual


goals.

Rather,

it

should

be

a

compre hensive,

exhaustive

catalog

of


each

target

you

want

to

reach

and

your

reas ons

for

aiming

for

them.


This

may

mean

that

< p>your

list

will

encompass

many

pages

of

text,

since


when

you

write

down

and

review

your

ambitions,< /p>

you

empower


yourself

t o

more

accurately

direct

y our

goal-realization

efforts.

Yo u


then

also

have

a

framework

in

place

that

helps

you

distinguish

success


from

setbacks.

If

you

keep

your

list

in

a

convenient

spot

and

review< /p>

it


daily,

you

will

inadvertently

reaffirm

your

c onviction

to

your


aspiration s,

demonstrating

to

the

un iverse

that

you

are

truly< /p>

devoted


to

your

chosen

path

while

keeping

your

objectives

fresh

in

your

mind.


If

you

have

an

altar,

this

would

be

a

great

place

to

keep< /p>

your

list.


As

you

< p>compose

your

list,

try

n ot

to

edit

or

judge

what

you

have


written.

Some

of

what

you

want

may

seem

outlandish

when

< p>
considered

in

the

context< /p>

of

your

current

circumstan ces.

Whether

you


are

d estined

to

fulfill

the

ite ms

on

the

unique

long-term

agenda

you


create

in< /p>

a

year,

10

years,

or

20

years,

if

you

ar e

free

with

your

ideas


and

understand

that

you

may

not

bring

these

d reams

into

the

realm

of


reality

for

some

time,

your

list

will

attract

< p>the

universe’s

benevolence


even

as

it

energizes

and< /p>

inspires

you.


525.

Pos itivity

Revisited


Keeping

a< /p>

Diary

with

Purpose


A

diary

can

play

many

r oles.

It

can

be

a

co nfidant,

a

vehicle

of

self

expression,

a

tool

that


facilitates

clarity

of

thought,

or

a

repository

o f

dreams.

A

diary

can

< p>also

be

a

powerful


s ource

of

comfort

during

ch allenging

or

traumatic

periods.< /p>

When

you

record

those

< p>
insights

and

incidents

tha t

clearly

demonstrate

you

are

on

the

right

track,

you

can

return


to

your

words

days,

weeks,

or

months

later

and

find

uniquely

soothing

reassurance.

< p>A


diary

with

a

speci fic

purpose

can

be

a

good

tool

for

keeping

tra ck

of

experiences

before

< br>the

passage

of

time

can

skew

your

perception

of

events.

It

reflects

the

immediacy

of

your


life

and

thus

provides

you

with

a

landmark

to

return< /p>

to

when

you

begin

to

doubt

yourself.


If

do ubt

does

arise,

simply

ope n

your

diary

to

reaffirm

your

experiences.

The

confi dence,


surety,

passion,

and< /p>

bravery

you

felt

in

a

single

moment

is

preserv ed,

giving

you

a

means


to

recapture

those

feelin gs

in

any

place,

at

any

time.


Your

diary

s erves

as

a

repository

of

personalized

encouragement.

Since

a

diary

is,

by

its< /p>


very

nature,

as

indivi dual

as

you

are,

you

should

give

some

thought

to

the

type

of

diary


that

will

serve

you

b est.

A

synchronicity-and-connections

diary

might

describe

those< /p>


instances

where

seemingly

random

occurrences

came

toge ther

in

a

meaningful

way,< /p>


propelling

you

forward.

< p>Or

you

may

find

strength

in

the

pages

of

a

pride

diary

that

makes

< p>
note

not

only

of

tho se

times

you

felt

proud

of

yourself

but

also

p recisely

why

you

were


pleased

with

your

efforts.

And

a

cause-and-effect

diary

can

help

you

become

mo re


decisive

by

reminding

you

of

all

the

wise,

life-affirming

choices

you

h ave

made.

Your


diary

s hould

be

small

enough

to

be

readily

portable

and

on

hand

whenever

possible


because

the

faster

you

put

your

thoughts

down

on

paper,

the

more

authen tic

your


declarations

are

apt

to

be.


Regardless

of

the

type

of

focused

diary

you

choose

to

keep,

your

recollections

will

create


a

positive

feedb ack

loop

that

helps

you

cope

with

doubt

in

a

constructive

way.

Reading

< br>through

your

diary

when

life

seems

uncertain

can

show

you

that

your

misgivi ngs

are


unfounded.

As

you

draw

consolation

from

your

uplifting

words,

you

will

know

without

a


do ubt

that

you

are

indeed

living

your

purpose

and

< p>following

the

path

that

you

committed


to

before

< p>birth.


526.

Choose

Your

Words


Failure


The

wo rd

failure

puts

forward

a< /p>

very

simplistic

way

of

thinking

that

allows

for

< p>only

two


possibilities:

fa ilure

or

success.

Few

thin gs

in

the

universe

are

black

and

white,

yet

mu ch


of

our

language

rea ds

as

if

they

are.

T he

word

failure

signifies

a

paradigm

in

which

all


subtlety

is

lost.

When

we

regard

something

we

< p>have

done,

or

ourselves,

as

a

failure,

we


lose

our

ability

to

see

the

truth,

which

is

no

doubt

considerably

more

compl ex.

In


addition,

we

hu rt

ourselves.

All

you

have

to

do

is

speak

or

read

the

word

failure

and

see


how

it

makes< /p>

you

feel.


At

some

< p>point,

the

word

may

not< /p>

have

been

so

loaded

with

the

weight

of

negativ ity,

and


it

simply

ref erred

to

something

that

di d

not

go

according

to

< p>plan.

Unfortunately,

in

our


culture

it

is

often

< p>used

very

negatively,

such

as

when

a

person

is

labeled

a

failure,

even


though

it

is

impossible

for

something

as

vast

a nd

subtle

as

a

human

being

to

be

reduced


i n

such

a

way.

It

als o

acts

as

a

deterrent,

scaring

us

from

taking

risks

for

fear

of

failure.

It


has

somehow

come

to

represent

the

worst

< p>possible

outcome.

Failure

is

a

word

so


burdened

< p>with

fearful

and

unconscious

energy

that

we

can

al l

benefit

from

consciously


examining

our

use

of

it,

because

the

language

w e

use

influences

the

way

we

think

and


feel.

< p>
Next

time

you

feel

l ike

a

failure

or

fear

< p>failure,

know

that

you

a re

under

the

influence

of< /p>


an

outmoded

way

of

perceiving

the

world.

When

the

world

failure

comes

< p>up,

it’s

a

call


for< /p>

us

to

apply

a

more

enlightened

consciousness

to

< p>the

matter

at

hand.

When

you

are


consciously

a ware

of

the

word

and

its

baggage

you

will

not< /p>

fall

victim

to

its

d arkness.

In


your

own

u se

of

language,

you

may

choose

to

stop

using

t he

word

failure

altogether.

< p>This


might

encourage

you

to

articulate

more

clearly< /p>

the

truth

of

the

sit uation,

opening

your


mind

to

subtleties

and

possibilit ies

the

word

failure

would

never

have

allowed.


5 27.

Working

from

Center

In

the

Thick

of

It


When

we

are

the

< p>thick

of

it,

overwhelmed

by

too

many

things

that

need

our

attention,


it’ s

important

to

remember

th at

we

are

never

given

< p>more

than

we

can

handle.

When

life’s


challenges

< p>make

us

question

this,

o ur

best

coping

mechanism

i s

to

follow

the

reliable

and


well-known

course

t o

our

calm

center

and

< p>anchor

ourselves

there.

It

is

for

these

times

that


we

have

been

practici ng

regularly,

so

that

our< /p>

mind,

body,

and

spirit

will

know

how

to


fi nd

the

peace

within.

Even< /p>

in

the

midst

of

seem ing

chaos,

a

deep

breath

can

help

us

turn


within

to

find

the

space

to

work

from,

the

cal m

at

the

center

of

t he

storm.


Tapping

into

our

inner

resources

we

be gin

again,

bringing

our

fo cus

to

the

needs

of

the


present

moment.

Asking

shifts

our

energy

aw ay

from

the

task

at

hand.

We

can


seek

answ ers

to

those

questions

onc e

we

get

to

the

othe r

side

of

the

present

< p>challenge.


For

now,

we

accept

what

is.

Once

we

have

collected

scattered

energy

and

created

space,


inspiration

will

strike,

hel p

will

arrive,

and

what

seemed

impossible

will

eithe r

become


possible

or

w e

will

find

it

has

b ecome

unnecessary.

The

flow

< p>of

the

universe

and

its< /p>


perfect

order

has

room

to

move

in

our

live s

when

we

get

ourselves

and

our

extraneous


thoug hts

out

of

the

way.


After

the

thick

has

be come

thin

again,

we

have

the

opportunity

to

learn

from

the

situation


with< /p>

a

better

idea

of

our

true

capabilities.

We

can

now

ask

ourselves

the

questions


with

the

goal

of

fine-tuning

our

l ives.

Perhaps

we

have

take n

on

more

than

is

ou rs

to

do


or

made

commitments

out

of

obligation

rather

than

insight.

It

could

just

be

the

ebb

and


flow

and

life,

< p>or

we

may

be

receiving

life

lessons

on

a

fas t

track

in

preparation

for


something

wonderful

to

< p>come.

But

when

we

have

a

chance

to

make

new< /p>

choices,

we


know

the

best

ones

are

made

wh en

we

work

from

center.


528.

Summon

Your

Alivene ss


Being

Fully

Present


When

we

are

fully

pre sent,

we

offer

our

whole

selves

to

whatever

it

is

that

we

are

doing.


Our

attention,

our

integr ity,

and

our

energy

are

all

focused

in

the

mom ent

and

on

the

task


at

hand.

This

is

a

powerful

experience,

and

when

we

are

in

this

stat e,

we

feel

completely


alive

and

invigorated.

This

< p>kind

of

aliveness

comes

easily

when

we

are

absorbe d

in

work


or

play

< p>that

we

love,

but

it

is

available

to

us

in

every

moment,

and

we

can

learn

to


summon

it

regardless

of

what

we

are

doing.

Even

tasks

o r

jobs

we

don’t

enjoy

< p>can


become

infused

with

the

light

of

being

pre sent.

The

more

present

we< /p>

are,

the

more


meaningf ul

our

entire

lives

become .


Next

time

you

find

yourself

fully

engaged

in

the

moment,

whether

you

are

**

art,

trying


to

solve

an

interesting

pu zzle,

or

talking

to

your

best

friend,

you

may

want

to

take

a


moment< /p>

to

notice

how

you

fe el.

You

may

observe

that

you

are

not

thinking

about

what


you

need

to

do

next,

your

body

feels

like

it’s

pleasantly

humming,

or

your

brain

fe els


tingly.

As

you

enj oy

the

feeling

of

being

located

entirely

in

the

< p>present

moment,

you

can


inform

yourself

that

you

may

try

to

recall

this< /p>

feeling

later.

You

might

try

this

while


driving< /p>

home

or

getting

ready

< p>for

bed,

allowing

yourself

to

be

just

as

engaged

in

that


experience

as

you

were

in

the

earli er

one.


The

more

we

draw

ourselves

into

the

< p>present

moment,

the

more

we

honor

the

gift

of

< p>our


lives,

and

the

m ore

we

honor

the

people

around

us.

When

we

are

fully

present,

we

give


and

receive

aliveness

in

equal

measure.

For

today,

try

to

be

fully

pre sent

in

your

daily


act ivities

and

watch

a

new

reality

open

for

you.


529.

A

Softer

Touch

Apply

Gentleness

to

Everything


Throughout

life

we

mu st

cope

with

blockages

tha t

impede

our

forward

momen tum.


Whether

these

obstacles

are

of

a

personal,

professional,

or

societal

nature ,

our

first


instinct

m ay

be

to

push

against

< p>the

obstruction.

But

the

simplest

way

to

alleviate


resistance

is

to

approach

it

gently,

with

a

sof t

manner

and

kind

intentio ns.

Struggle

and


strife

< p>can

find

no

foothold

whe n

confronted

with

mildness

because

conflict

can

only

exist


when

fed

by

two

opposing

forces.

So

many< /p>

areas

of

our

lives

c an

benefit

from

the


ap plication

of

gentleness.

The

beauty

of

gentleness

lies

in

its

multifaceted

nature.

It

is


part

love,

part

compassion,

part

patience,< /p>

part

understanding,

and

pa rt

respect

for

others.


When

we

move

through

life

gently

as

a

matter

of

course,

we

naturally

at tract

these


wonderful

elemen ts

into

our

lives.


Thi s

does

not

mean

that

gentle

people

are

by

natu re

passive

or

meek.

Rather ,

their


copious

inner

power

is

manifested

in

the ir

gentleness

and

their

ch oice

to

move

with

the

< p>
flow

of

the

universe

instead

of

against

it.

Yo u

can

make

use

of

ge ntleness

in

your

own


l ife

by

applying

it

in

< p>situations

where

you

feel

< p>challenged

by

your

circumstanc es

or

by


people

in

your

environment.

As

you

< p>move

forward

gently,

the

energy

pervading

your

life

< p>
will

likely

shift

and,

consequently,

the

blockages

b efore

you

will

vanish.

Coo peration


progresses

smoothly

when

approached

gently

because< /p>

all

parties

involved

feel< /p>

confident


that

their

n eeds

will

be

met.

And

< p>quarrels

are

easily

quelled

with

gentleness

because

the< /p>


dualistic

concepts

of

losing

and

winning

are

mad e

moot

by

our

willingness< /p>

to

exercise


infinite

p atience

with

those

whose

v alues

differ

from

our

own.


Gentleness

must

be

pr acticed,

as

we

are

inadver tently

encouraged

to

act

c ompetitive

in


certain

phases

of

our

lives.

At

fi rst,

your

established

habits

may

make

being

truly

ge ntle


challenging.

Yet

after< /p>

a

time,

if

you

commi t

to

consciously

applying

gentleness

to

all


areas

< p>of

your

life,

whether

by

collaborating

rather

than

competing

or

yielding

graciousl y


to

the

impassable

ro adblocks

in

your

path

in

order

to

seek

a

new

road,

you

will

find

t hat


you

begin

to

act

gently

habitually.

Your

pat terns

of

thought

and

behav ior

become

ever


more

p eaceful,

and

you

will

disc over

that

you

encounter

fa r

less

impassable

resistance

on


your

individual

journe y.


530.

Living

Streets


The

Energy

of

Cities


The

cities

we

reside

i n

have

souls.

Our

cities

consume,

create,

evolve,

an d

breathe

much


in

the< /p>

same

way

Mother

Nature

does.

Each

city

is

uniq ue,

defined

not

only

by

the


individuals

who

call

it

home

but

also

by

the

energy

it

exudes.

Some

cities

are

suffused

< p>by


an

aura

of

unshak able

calm

while

others

see m

continually

frenetic,

even

during

the

early


morning< /p>

hours.

Many

inspire

creati vity

within

us

or

arouse

our

curiosity.

A

city’s

energy


is

dependent

on

many

factors,

including

the< /p>

geography,

the

people,

the

industry,

and

the


cul ture.

Residing

in

a

city

full

of

warehouses

and

< p>factories

feels

very

different

than

one


living

in

one

populated

by

artists

and

museums.

Some

cities

< p>elevate

the

soul

while

o thers


seem

to

squash

i t,

and

fate

may

lead

us

to

either.


If

the< /p>

urban

center

you

presently

call

home

feels

oppressiv e

or

robs

you

of

you r

vitality,


consider

relocat ing

to

a

locale

that

is

more

nurturing.

You

ma y

find

that

leaving

your

city


is

an

impossibilit y,

however,

if

circumstances

in

your

life

compel

you

to

remain

or

the

universe

has

plans

for

y ou

that

involve

your

stayi ng

put.

To

cope

with

the

stress

of


working

and

playing

in

an

environ ment

you

have

an

aversion< /p>

to,

first

ask

yourself

how


the

city

you

li ve

in

makes

you

feel.

< p>Then

take

steps

to

clean se

your

home,

your

work


spaces,

and

your

life

of

the

energy

that

is< /p>

dragging

you

down.

Try

smudging

your


personal

an d

professional

spaces

with

sage

or

sweetgrass

to

dis pel

negativity.

Keeping

a


quartz

crystal

on

or

n ear

your

person

can

ensure

that

there

is

always

< p>positive,

loving


energy

ne arby

that

you

can

draw

from

when

you

feel

affe cted

by

your

city.

And

you

can


do

your

par t

to

promote

widespread

go od

energy

by

sending

love< /p>

and

white

light

from


your

heart

out

into

t he

city

each

morning

and

night.


As

you

become

increasingly

aware

of

the

way

your

city

makes

yo u

feel,

you

can

refine


your

cleansing

efforts

to

meet

your

individual

need s.

If

you

seek

out

o thers

who

feel


driven

to

purify

your

city’s

ener gy

flow,

your

combined

eff orts

can

become

a

larger


movement

that

promotes

healing

and

goodwill.

You

may

find

that,

after

a

time,

you

are


gradually

drawn

to

those

aspects

< p>of

your

locale

that

ener gize

you,

helping

you

come

back


into

balance.

531.

Intuition

Made

Visible


Pendulum

Motion


Using

< p>a

pendulum

is

a

simple

way

to

clarify

messages

from

intuition

or

inspiration .

With


its

minimal

con struction

of

a

weight,

or< /p>

bob,

allowed

to

swing

< p>freely

from

a

piece

of

cord


or

chain,

it

gives

us

a

visual

underst anding

of

the

subtle

energ ies

that

influence

us.

Whe n


we

ask

a

question

using

the

pendulum,

we

may

receive

answers

from

our

own

intuition

or


f rom

our

spirit

guides

or

angels.

The

process,

known< /p>

as

or

is

als o


useful

to

check

our< /p>

energy

centers

or

even

to

find

lost

articles.

Whether

it

is

our

energy

or


the

whispers

of

< p>our

guides

creating

the

motion,

the

pendulum

helps

us

better

understand


the

secret

language

of

spirit.


Your

pendulum

can

be

anything

that

feels

right

to

you:

a

crystal

pend ant,

wood

or

metal


orn aments,

a

seashell,

an

ite m

with

sentimental

value,

or

even

an

acorn

on

a

string.

The


key

is

that

it

must

be

balan ced

so

it

can

swing

freely.

Before

and

after

e ach

session,

you


may

w ant

to

purify

your

pendulu m,

perhaps

by

using

salt

water

or

burning

sage

or


incense.

Focus

on

becoming

still

and

choose

who

you

would

like

to

< p>answer

your


questions,

you r

higher

self

or

your

< p>spirit

guides

or

guardian

< p>angels.

By

asking

questions


whose

answers

you

alread y

know

and

watching

the

corresponding

movements,

you

can


learn

what

and

look

like.

Your

pend ulum

may

move

forward

and< /p>

back

for


and

si de-to-side

for

or

perhaps

a

variety

of

circular

motions

will

be

your

indicators.

For

some

people,

movement

comes

easily

as

they

are

more

in

tune< /p>

with


working

with

ener gy,

but

do

not

give

up

if

you

do

not

get

movement

right

away.


Determining

a

neutral

state,

which

may

be

stillness

or

another

distinct

motion,

< p>can

help


avoid

confusion

as

well.

Once

you

are

familiar

with

your

pendul um,

you

can

use

it

t o


check

the

energy

of< /p>

a

room,

or

use

a

pendulum

over

your

chakras

to

see

if

they

are


blocked

or

open.


When

we

make

a

practice

of

listening

to

our

spirit ual

guidance,

we

find

it

more


accessible

to

us

in

general.

The

use

o f

a

tool

like

the

pe ndulum

can

only

help

us

gain


mastery

in

this

understanding,

allowing

us

to

transform

our

lives

into< /p>

playgrounds

for


manifesting< /p>

our

gifts

and

dreams.

< p>
532.

Open

and

Listening


Respecting

Wildlife


For

better

or

worse,

much

of

the

world

we

experience

is

dominated

and

controll ed

by


human

beings.

We

spend

our

days

in

h ouses,

cars,

and

buildings,

< p>and

inside

these


structure s,

we

are

in

control.

< p>We

assert

our

wills

and< /p>

manipulate

our

environment.

< p>Within


the

context

of

< p>the

human

world,

this

is

natural.

However,

we

ofte n

carry

this

attitude

with


us

into

the

world

of

nature.

We

forget

as

we

enter

the

forest,

< p>or

sit

on

the

edge

of

a

pond,


that

we

are

moving

into

another

< p>realm,

one

that

asks

us< /p>

to

drop

our

baggage

and


surrender

to

a

dif ferent

sense

of

order

and< /p>

meaning.


When

we

move< /p>

from

our

everyday

world

into

the

world

of

natu re,

we

may

not

even


notice

at

first.

We

mi ght

continue

talking

loudly

< p>into

our

cell

phone

or

to

a

friend

that

is


with

us.

We

might

walk

quickly

as

if

we

are

on

a

busy

city

< p>street,

our

eyes

downcast,

our


thoughts

hectic

and

hurried.

In

the

best

case,

if

we

are

sensitive< /p>

to

our

environment,

we


will

soon

notice

that

it

has

changed.

We

may< /p>

hear

ducks

calling,

or

wind

moving

through


the

leaves

on

a

tree.

If< /p>

we

notice

the

shift,

we

will

naturally

shift

a s

well.

If

we

don’t,

we


may

get

all

the

way

through

a

beautiful

< p>park

without

having

lowered

our

voices.

Next


time

you

find

yourself

in

t he

presence

of

wildlife—even

if

it’s

just

a

duck

pond

in

the


midst

o f

urban

hustle—try

to

move

into

a

receptive

state

of

openness

and

listening,

no


matter

how

much

< p>or

how

little

time

you

have.

Allow

yourself

to

be

captivated

and

calmed

< p>
by

the

energy

of

the

wildlife

that

covers

this

earth.

Teaching

our

child ren

to

be

respectful


o f

nature

and

to

stop

and

observe

is

a

gift

they

can

always

cherish


We

preserve

pockets

of

< p>nature

in

our

urban

cent ers

and

large

expanses

of< /p>

nature

in

our


national

parks

because

of

the

< p>magic

we

feel

in

its

presence.

It

reminds

us

of

our

smallness


and

calls

us

back

to

a

d eeper,

quieter

part

of

our selves.

When

we

honor

natu re

by

being


respectful

in

its

presence,

we

honor

the

mystery

and

wild

< p>beauty

of

our

origin.

533.

Cosmic

Support


The

Universe's

Plan

for

You

< p>
The

path

that

speeds

us

toward

our

dreams

can< /p>

be

a

challenging

and

complex

one,

so

it’s


easy

to

get

bogged

down

in

confusion

and

insecuritie s.

We

often

hesitate

at

the

start

of


that

path,

questioning

our

purpose

or

our

capabilities.

Yet

we

should

be

moving

for ward


joyously,

eager

to

< p>discover

what

destiny

has

< p>in

store

for

us.

The

universe

has

plans

for

us


that

eclipse

anything

we

have

dreamed

of

thus

far.

Though

we

must

work

diligently

to


fulfill< /p>

our

potential

and

to

accomplish

our

individual

missi ons,

the

universe

is

aware

of


both

the

quests

we

chose

before

birth

and

the

goals

we

have

< p>formulated

in

adulthood.

If


we

accept

that

it

us

watching

over

us

and

believe

that

it

will

f acilitate

our

eventual


succe ss,

the

universe

will

prov ide

us

with

the

assistance

and

opportunities

that

en able

us


to

make

signif icant

progress

on

our

jour neys

of

ambition.


Nothing

happens

without

a

purpose.

Whether

we

attract

success< /p>

or

repel

it

depends

on


our

willingness

to

stay

open

to

a

wide

range

of

possibilities

and

to

embrace

concepts

like


synchronicity.

The

universe

is

always

ready

to

care

for

our

needs,

but

we< /p>

must

not

write


off

its

loving

attention

as

mere

circumstance

or

chance.

Likewise,

we

must

endeavor

to


ensure

that

our

< p>egos

do

not

become

a

barrier

that

prevents

us

< p>from

recognizing

that

even


perceived

mistakes

and

st rife

can

be

profound

lesso ns

that

smooth

the

progres s

of


personal

evolution.

When

we

understand

that

we

only

need

to

enthusias tically

try

our

best


t o

realize

our

objectives,

the

universe

will

take

car e

of

the

details,

propelli ng

us

forward


in

its

unstoppable

current.

We

may

not

always

immediately

un derstand

the

significance


of

certain

experiences,

but

our

trust

will

help

us

choose

wisely

at

each

c rossroads.


The

universe

want s

to

see

you

accomplish

your

goals.

No

matter

how

long

you’ve

dallied

or

hesitated,

it

will

al ways

be

there

to

put

its

plan

for

you

in

motion

at

the

first

sign< /p>

of


your

faith.

You

can

make

the

most

of

this

aid

by

acquiescing

< p>to

it

rather

than

fighti ng

it—


nurture

your

dr eams

but

do

not

attempt

to

micromanage

every

detail< /p>

along

the

way.

The

< br>universe

will

provide

you

with

guidance

and,

if

y ou

heed

that

guidance,

you

will

find


your

former ly

stressful

quest

for

suc cess

will

become

a

journey

of

great

joy.


534.

Curative

Attentiveness


Being

Aware

of

Your

Thoughts

< p>
Few

people

enjoy

the

company

of

individuals

whose

attitudes

are

persistently

n egative.


Yet

many

of

u s

tolerate

the

critical

ch atter

that

can

originate

w ithin

our

own

minds.

Since


we

are

so

used

to

the

stream

of

self-limi ting,

critical

consciousness

tha t

winds

its

way


throug h

our

thoughts,

we

are

often

unaware

of

the

im pact

these

musings

have

on

our

lives.


It

is

< p>only

when

we

become

awar e

of

the

power

of

su ch

thoughts

that

we

can

divest


ourselves

of

them

and

fill

the

emptiness

they

leave

with

loving,

< p>peaceful

affirmations.


Many

< p>people,

upon

paying

careful

attention

to

their

thinking< /p>

patterns,

are

surprised

at

the


negativity

they

f ind

there.

But

when

we

take

notice

of

involuntary

thoughts

in

a


nonjudgmen tal

way,

we

initiate

a

healing

process

that

will

eventually

allow

us

to

replace


intimidating

and

ups etting

self-talk

with

positive,< /p>

empowering

thoughts.


While

the

occasional

downbeat

or< /p>

judgmental

thought

may

hav e

little

impact

on

your


contentment,

the

ongoing

negativity

that

passes

unnotice d

can

have

a

dampening

effect


on

your

mood

and

your

outlook.

When

yo u

are

aware

of

the

t one

of

your

thoughts,


however,

you

can

challenge

them.

Try

to

be

conscious

of

your

feelings,

opinion s,

and


judgments

for

a

single

day.

From

sunup

to

sundown,

scrutinize

the

messages

you

are


feedin g

into

your

subconscious

m ind.

Consider

your

thoughts

< p>from

the

perspective

of

a


detached

observer

and

< p>try

not

to

judge

yoursel f

based

on

the

notions

that

come

unbidden


into

your

mind.

Simply

watch

the

flow

of

your

consci ousness

and

make

a

note

of

the


number

of

t imes

you

find

yourself

foc using

on

gloomy

notions

or

indulging

in

self-


di rected

criticism.


As

you

become

increasingly

aware

of< /p>

your

patterns

of

thought,< /p>

whether

positive

and


n egative,

you

will

gradually

< p>learn

to

control

the

cha racter

of

your

stream

of


consciousness.

Endeavor

alway s

to

remember

that

the

images

and

ideas

that

p ass

through


your

mind

are

transient

and

not

a

true

representation

of

who

you

are.

In

training

yourself


to

be

cognizant

of

your

thoughts,

you

g ain

the

ability

to

activel y

modulate

your

mood.


The

awareness

you

cultivate

< p>within

yourself

will

eventuall y

enable

you

to

create

a


foundation

of

positivit y

from

which

you

can

build

a

more

authentic

ex istence.


535.

Making

Life

Yours


Perception


There

is

no

secret

recipe

for

happiness

and

contentment.

< p>The


individuals

who

move

through

life

joyously

have< /p>

not

necessarily

been


b lessed

with

lives

of

abund ance,

love,

success,

and

p rosperity.

Such


people

have,

however,

been

blessed

wit h

the

ability

to

take

< p>the


circumstances

they’ve

been

handed

and

make

them< /p>

into

something


great.

Our

individual

realities

are

colored

by

perception—delight

and


despair

come

from

within

rather

than

without.

Situations

we

regard

as


fortuitous

please

us

while< /p>

situations

we

judge

inausp icious

cause

us

no


end

of

grief.

Yet

if

we

can

look

at

all

we< /p>

have

accomplished

without


dwelling

on

our

perceived

misfortune

and

make

each

new


circumstance

our

own,

the

world

as

a

whol e

becomes

a

brighter

place .


A

simple

shift

in

attitude

can

help

us

r ecognize

and

unearth

the

h idden


potential

for

personal

and

outer

world

fulfillme nt

in

every

event,

every


relationship,

every

duty,

and

every

setback.


The

universe

is

often

an

u npredictable

and

chaotic

place,< /p>

and

the


human

tendency

is

to

focus

on

the< /p>

negative

and

assume

the

positive


will

care

for

itself.

But

life

can

be

no

more

or

no

les s

than

what

you


make

of

it.

If

you

are

working

in

a

job

you

dislike,

you

can

concentrate


on

the

positive

aspec ts

of

the

position

and

approach

your

work

with


gusto.

What

can

you

d o

with

this

job

that

can

turn

it

around

so

you

do


love

it.

Whe n

faced

with

the

prospect< /p>

of

undertaking

a

task

< p>you

fear,


you

can

vi ew

it

as

an

opportunity

to

discover

what

you

a re

truly


capable

of

do ing.

Similarly,

unexpected

event s,

when

viewed

as


surp rises,

can

add

flavor

to

your

existence.

By

choosing

to

love

life

no


matter

what

crosses

your

path,

you

can

create

an

atmosphere

of


jubilance

that

is

wonderfully

infectious.< /p>

A

change

in

perspective

is

all

it


takes

to

change

your

world,

but

you

must

be

willing

to

adopt

an


optimistic,

hopeful

mind-set.


To

make

a

conscious

decision

to

< p>be

happy

is

not

enough.< /p>

You

must


learn

to

< p>observe

life’s

complexities

th rough

the

eyes

of

a

child

seeing


everything

for< /p>

the

first

time.

You

must

furthermore

divest

yourself

of


preconceived

notions

of

what

is

good

and

what

is

bad

so

that

you

can


appreciate

the

rich

insights

concealed

in

each

stage

of

your

li fe’s


journey.

And

you

must

strive

to

discover

th e

dual

joys

of

wanting

what


you

have.

As

y ou

gradually

shift

your

pe rspective,

your

existence

will


be

imbued

with

happines s

and

contentment

that

wil l

remain

with

you


fore ver.


536.

Spreading

Your

Light


How

You

Affect

< p>Others

Daily


As

the

pace

and

fullness

of

moder n

life

serve

to

isolate

us

from

one

another,

t he

contact


we

do

share

becomes

vastly

more

signi ficant.

We

unconsciously

absorb< /p>

each

other’s


energy,

a dopting

the

temperament

of

those

with

whom

we

share< /p>

close

quarters,

and

find


ourselves

changed

after

the

briefest

encounters.

Everyt hing

we

do

or

say

ha s

the

potential


to

aff ect

not

only

the

individua ls

we

live,

work,

and

< p>play

with

but

also

those

we’ve

just


met.

Thoug h

we

may

never

know

the

impact

we

have

had

or

the

scope

of

our

influence,


accepting

and

understanding

that

our

attitudes

and

choices

will

affect

others

can

help

us

remember

to

conduct

ourselves< /p>

with

grace

at

all

ti mes.

When

we

seek

always

to

be


friendly,

helpful ,

and

responsive,

we

effor tlessly

create

an

atmosphere

around

ourselves


that

is< /p>

both

uplifting

and

inspiri ng.


Most

people

rarely

give

thought

to

the

effec t

they

have

had

or

w ill

have

on

others.

When


we

take

a

few

mom ents

to

contemplate

how

ou r

individual

modes

of

bein g

affect

the


people

we

spend

time

with

each

< p>day,

we

come

one

step

closer

to

seeing

ourselves

through


the

eyes

of

others.

By

asking

ourselves

whether

those

we

encounter< /p>

walk

away

feeling


appr eciated,

respected,

and

liked,

we

can

heighten

our

a wareness

of

the

effect

we< /p>


ultimately

have.

Something

as

simple

as

a

smile< /p>

given

freely

can

temporari ly

brighten

a


person’s

entire

world.

Our

value-driven< /p>

conduct

may

inspire

others

to

consider

whether


t heir

own

lives

are

reflect ive

of

their

values.

A

word

of

advice

can

help

others

see

life

in


an

entirely

new

fashion.

And

small

gestures

of

k indness

can

even

prove

to< /p>

those


embittered

by

th e

world

that

goodness

stil l

exists.

By

simply

being< /p>

ourselves,

we


influence

< p>other’s

lives

in

both

su btle

and

life-altering

ways.


To

ensure

that

the

effect

we

have

is

positive ,

we

must

strive

to

stay

true

to

ourselves


while

realizing

that

it

i s

the

demeanor

we

project< /p>

and

not

the

quality

of

our

wondrous


inner

landscapes

that

people

see.

< p>Thus,

as

we

interact

wit h

others,

how

we

behave

can

be


as

important

< p>as

who

we

are.

If

we

project

our

passion

for

life,

our

warmth,

and

our


tolerance

in

our

< p>facial

features,

voice,

and

choice

of

words,

every

person

who

enters

our


circle

of

influence

will

leave

our

presence

feeling

at

peace

with

themselves

and

with

us.


You

never

know

whose

life

you

are

affecting,

big

or

sma ll.

Try

to

remember

this

as

you


go

out

int o

the

world

each

day.

< p>
537.

Finding

Joy

in

Life's

Surprises


Releasing

Y our

Expectations


As

we

endeavor

to

find

personal

fulfillment

and

realize

our

individual

ideals,

we


nat urally

form

emotional

attachment s

to

those

outcomes

we

hope

will

come

to

pass.


These

expectations

can

< p>serve

as

a

source

of

stability,

allowing

us

to

draft

plans

based

on

our

visions

of

the

futur e,

but

they

can

also

limit

our

potential

for

h appiness

by

blinding

us

to

equally

satisfying

yet

< p>unexpected

outcomes.

Instead

o f

taking

pleasure

in

the


surprising

circumstances

unfo lding

around

us,

we

mourn< /p>

for

the

anticipation

left< /p>


unfulfilled.

When

we

t hink

of

letting

go

of

< p>our

expectations,

we

may

find

ourselves

at

the


mercy

of

a

small

inner

voice

that

admonishes

us

to

strive

for

specific

goals,

even

if

they


co ntinually

elude

us.

However,

the

opposite

of

expectation

is

not

pessimism.

We

can


retain

our

optimism

< p>and

free

ourselves

from

the

need

to

focus

on

specific

probabilities

by


o pening

our

hearts

and

mind s

to

a

wide

variety

of

possible

outcomes.


When

we

expect

a

situation,

< p>event,

or

confrontation

to

unfold

in

a

certain

way ,

it

becomes


more

diff icult

to

enjoy

the

surpris es

that

have

the

potential

to

become

profound

blessi ngs.


Likewise,

we

may

feel

that

we

failed

to

meet

our

inner

objectives

because

we

were


unable

to

bring

about

the

des ired

results

through

our

c hoices

and

actions.

Consider,


though,

that

we

are

< p>all

at

the

mercy

of

< p>the

universal

flow,

and

our

best

intentions

are

often

thwarted

by

fate.

As

you

grow

increasingly

o pen

to

unforeseen

outcomes,

< p>you

will


be

more

apt

to

look

for

and

rec ognize

the

positive

elements

of

your

new

circumstances.


This

receptivity

to

the< /p>

unexpected

can

serve

you

well

when

you

are

cal led

upon

to


compromise

with

others,

your

life

pl ans

seem

to

go

awry,

or

the

world

moves

forwar d

in


an

unanticipated

manner

by

granting

you

the

flexibility

to

see

the

positive

aspects

of


almo st

any

outcome.


The

fu rther

you

distance

yourself

< p>from

your

expectations,

the

more

exhilarating

your

life< /p>


will

become.

Though

a< /p>

situation

in

which

you

find

yourself

may

not

c orrespond

to

your


initial

wants,

needs,

or

goals,

< p>ask

yourself

how

you

can

make

the

most

of

it

and

then

do


your

< p>best

to

adapt.

Your

life ’s

journey

will

likely

tak e

many

unpredicted

and

ast onishing


twists

because

you< /p>

are

willing

to

release

your

expectations.


538.

T he

Understanding

Underneath


Experiences

With

Multiple

Meanin gs


Though

we

humans

ar e

self-aware,

we

nonetheless

cannot

distance

ourselves

fro m

the


world

around

us< /p>

and

have

a

natural

t endency

to

ascribe

meaning

to

all

that

we

experience .


The

significance

we

perceive

in

our

experiences

< p>is

rooted

in

our

observa tion

of

patterns


as

th ey

relate

to

ourselves.

On e

situation

has

the

power< /p>

to

teach

us

about

li fe

because

it


exposes

us

to

something

unfamiliar.

< p>Another

touches

our

emotions

deeply

by

enabling

us


to

see

how

fortunate

we

are.

Yet

our

initial

impressions

of

an

experience

may

not

wholly


reveal

the

true

significance

of< /p>

that

occurrence

because

ou r

full

response

to

an

< p>experience


is

like

an

< p>onion

with

many

layers

t hat

all

have

disparate

mea nings.

Consider

that

a

sun rise


may

stun

us

visua lly

while

simultaneously

evoking

memories

of

childhood

and


reminding

us

that

eac h

new

day

is

a

rebir th.


If

you

take

the

time

to

examine

your

e xperiences

closely,

you

will

discover

that

your


origin al

impressions

may

only

be

a

part

of

a

larger< /p>

story

of

significance.

Pee ling

away

the


layers

o f

an

event

or

incident

can

be

a

fun

and

interesting

process

if

you

allow

it.

To


begin,

r elive

your

experience

in

y our

mind’s

eye

and

from

multiple

perspectives

if


possible.

Your

interpretation

o f

any

situation

is

based

not

only

on

facts

but

also

on


feelings,

bel iefs,

and

your

values.

As< /p>

you

ruminate

upon

your

experience,

spend

a

few


moments

contemplating

how

y ou

felt

when

it

began

< p>and

how

your

feelings

ha d

changed


by

its

end.< /p>

Ask

yourself

what

abstract ions,

if

any,

it

awakened< /p>

in

your

mind.

If

an< /p>


experience

stirs

up

qu estions

within

your

soul,

it

may

be

that

in

st riving

to

answer

them

a


new

layer

of

meaning

may

reveal

itself

to

yo u.


The

significance

of

an

experience

may

remain

hidden

to

you

for

some

time.

The

meaning


of

< p>an

event

can

change

when

viewed

from

another

conte xt

or

may

only

become

< p>apparent


after

intense

med itation.

An

incident

that

seemed

superficial

may

unexpecte dly

touch

us


deeply

la ter

in

our

lives.

If

you

take

a

truly

open-min ded

approach

to

your

exami nation

of


each

new

lev el

and

do

not

shy

aw ay

from

revelations

that

c ould

prove

painful,

you

wi ll


learn

much

about

yo ur

relationship

to

the

wor ld

around

you.

And

the

refined

impression


you

gl ean

from

your

experiences

after

contemplating

their

signif icance

can

add

a

new


richness

and

texture

to

your

life.


539.

Mapping

the

Inner

Journey


Journ aling

as

Meditation


Of

the

countless

forms

of

me ditation

we

can

use,

journ aling

offers

its

own

uniqu e


benefits.

Most

meditations

help

empty

the

mind

of

concerns

and

bring

pos itive

ideas

from


our

m ental

landscape,

but

journaling< /p>

helps

us

anchor

that

experience

in

the

material

< p>
world.

Not

every

person

is

attracted

to

meditating

in

seated

silence,

and

< p>journal


meditation

is

a

nice

alternative

as

an

active

meditation.

It

allows

us

to

trace

our

journe y


and

see

where

we

have

grown

and

what

les sons

we

may

be

repeating.< /p>

By

employing

a


differe nt

part

of

the

brain

than

creative

or

inspired

thought,

writing

or

typing

< p>a

journal


can

create

a

greater

sense

of

connec tion

and

union

with

our

physical

selves

and

the

< p>world


around

us.


In

working

through

challenges,

it

can

be

helpful

to

first

empty

all

worries

f rom

our

heads


onto

the

safe

pages

of

our

j ournal.

Fears

can

be

broug ht

to

light

rather

than

allowing

them


to

haunt

the

dark

corners

of

o ur

subconscious.

We

may

ev en

feel

heaviness

dissipate

< p>once


our

heads

are

f ree

from

clutter,

leaving

space

for

inspiration

and

the

creation

of

positive

< br>images

in

their

place.

Often

in

the

process

of

writing

out

all

the

de tails

of

an

event

that


troubles

us,

something

th at

had

been

forgotten

will

come

to

the

surface,

< p>providing

a


missing

piece< /p>

of

the

puzzle.

Then

we

can

truly

begin

to

< p>come

up

with

answers,

an d

write


them

down

besi de

the

worries

to

map

< p>the

way

from

concern

to< /p>

constructive

thought.


For

capturing

guidance

and

flash es

of

inspiration,

journaling

is

ideal.

This

is

espe cially


true

in

the

cas e

of

dreams,

which

often

fade

as

we

awaken.

Wh ile

working

toward

goals,


keeping

track

of

progress

as

well

as

guidance

fr om

readings

or

divination

tools

can

be


encouraging.

Though

it

can

be

diffi cult

to

keep

all

of

our

guidance

in

the

front< /p>

of

our


minds,

if

we

write

it

down

it

can

serve

as

a

reminder

whenever

we

need

it.

We

can

also


use

our

journals

to

converse

with

our

higher

selves

or

e ven

the

universe.

Journaling

offers


yet

another

way

to

unburden

mind

and

s pirit,

while

also

creating

a

record

of

the

present


and

preserving

our

hope s

and

dreams

for

the

future.


540.

Softening

Judg ment


Moving

Beyond

Appearanc es


It

is

our

natural

inclination

to

judge

people ,

since

it

happens

without

our

even

thinking


abo ut

it.

We

take

one

l ook

and

summarize

a

whole< /p>

person—overweight,

pretty,

styli sh,


sloppy.

This

habit

comes

from

the

mind’s

nee d

to

categorize

the

world< /p>

in

order

to

be

able< /p>


to

function

without

be coming

overwhelmed.

When

we

< p>judge,

we

are

looking

fo r

pertinent


information,

try ing

to

determine

whether

t he

person

approaching

is

a

threat,

an

ally,

or


someone

we

don’t

need

to

worry

about.

This

way< /p>

of

looking

at

people

makes

sense

in

a


dang erous

context,

but

in

our< /p>

daily

lives

it

leads

to

an

overly

simplistic

r eading

of

the


people

w e

meet.


If

you

have

ever

judged

someone

dismissi vely,

only

to

have

them

become

a

dear

friend

< br>once

you

got

to

know

them,

you

know

the

haz ards

of

the

judgment

cycle

firsthand.

An


experience

like

that

may

have

led

you

to

soften

your

natural

tendency

to

believe

< p>your

first


impressions.

We

will

always

notice

things

about

the

people

we

meet,

but

as

we

become


more

conscious

of

the

shortcomings

of

judgment,

we

won’t

be

satisfied

with

our

surface


observations.

We

may

notice

that

some one

is

driving

an

expensiv e

car,

but

we

will

d ecide


whether

to

befriend

her

based

on

getting

t o

know

her

over

time.

< p>We

will

not

rule

out

a


friendship

with

someone

with

messy

hair,

especial ly

if

he

turns

out

t o

have

a

great

sense


of

humor

and

a

kind

heart.

Liking

or

disliking< /p>

a

person

is

a

choice

you

will

naturally


ma ke,

but

it

will

be

a fter

you

have

gotten

to

know

them.


Next

time

you

notice

yourself

judging

somebody,

try

to

send

love,

light,

or

blessings

to


the

person

you

wer e

judging.

Then

try

to

listen

to

them

openly

o r

look

them

in

the

e ye


and

learn

something

about

them.

If

this

is

not

easy

for

you,

reme mber

not

to

judge


your self

either.

Trust

that

wi th

practice,

you

will

succ essfully

disable

your

habitual


patterns.

As

you

do,

you

will

find

a

whole< /p>

new

dimension

of

perceptio n

opening

up

to


you,

allowing

you

to

see

b eyond

the

surface

and

into

the

essence

of

the

people

you

meet.


541.

Let

Go

and

Let

Flow


Taking

a

Leap

of

Faith


Many

people,

in

heedi ng

the

guidance

of

their

souls,

find

themselves

cont emplating

goals


that

seem

outrageous

or

unattainable.

In

the

mind’s

eye,

these

individuals

stand

at

the


edge

of

a

precipice

< p>and

look

out

over

the

abyss

at

the

fruit

of< /p>

their

ambition.

Some

resis t


the

urge

to

jump,

paralyzed

by

the

gap

b etween

their

current

circumstanc es

and

the

life

of

< br>their

dreams.

Others

make

a

leap

of

faith

into

the

unknown,

unsure

of

what

they

will


encounter

but

certain

that

they

will

gain

more

in

their

attempts

than

they

would

bowing

to


self-protective

instincts.

This

leap

can

be

exceedingly

difficult

for

individuals

with


control

issues

because

the

act

of< /p>

embracing

uncertainty

requires

them

to

trust

that

surrender

will

net

them

the

rewards

they

seek.

Yet

when

you

make

a

lea p

of

faith,


believing

without

a

doubt

that

you

will

land

safely

on

t he

other

side,

you

can

accomplish


almost

anything

< p>you

set

out

to

do.


There

have

no

doubt

b een

times

in

your

life

when

you

chose

to

go

where

the

universal


flow

took

you.

Yet

you

m ay

encounter

instances

in

which

your

objectives

require

you

to


step

outside

< p>of

the

boundaries

of

you r

established

comfort

zone

so

that

you

may

freely


and

actively

jettison

yo urself

into

a

new

phase

of

your

life.

While

yo u

may

fear

what


seems< /p>

to

be

the

inevitable

fall,

consider

that

in

al l

likelihood

you

will

find

yourself

flying.


A

su ccessful

leap

of

faith

req uires

your

attention,

as

i t

is

the

quiet

and

o ften

indistinct


voice

of

your

inner

self

that

wi ll

point

you

toward

your

ultimate

destination.

Understand< /p>


that

the

leap

across

the

chasm

of

ambiguity

< p>may

challenge

you

in

unf oreseen

ways

but


you

w ill

make

it

across

if

< p>you

trust

yourself.


If

your

mind

and

heart

res ist,

you

can

dampen

this

resistance

by

building

a

bridge

of


knowledge.

The

more

you

know

about

the

leap

you

are

poised

to

take,

the

smaller

the

gap


between

and

will

appear

to

be.

Your

courageous

leap

of

faith

can

lead

you


into

uncharted

territory,

enabli ng

you

to

build

a

ne w,

more

adventurous

life.

Though

you


may

anticipate

that

fear

will

be

your

guide

on

your

journey

across

the

abyss,

you

w ill


likely

discover

that

exhilaration

is

your

constant

companion.


542.

Your

Perfect

Teacher


Life


Man y

of

us

long

to

find

a

spiritual

teacher

or

guru.

We

may

feel

unsu re

of

how

to


practice< /p>

our

spirituality

without

o ne,

or

we

may

long

f or

someone

who

has

attaine d

a


higher

level

of

insight

to

lead

the

wa y

for

us.

Some

of

us

have

been

looking

for

years

to


no

avail

a nd

feel

frustrated

and

eve n

lost.

The

good

news

< p>is

that

the

greatest

tea cher

you


could

ever

wa nt

is

always

with

you—that

is

your

life.


The

people

and

situations

we

< p>encounter

every

day

have

much

to

teach

us

when

we

are


open

to

rece iving

their

wisdom.

Often

we

don’t

recognize

our

tea chers

because

they

may


not

look

or

act

like

< p>our

idea

of

a

guru,

< p>yet

they

may

embody

grea t

wisdom.

In

addition,


some

people

teach

us

by

showing

us

what

we

do n’t

want

to

do.

All

the

situations

in

our


lives,

from

the

insignificant

to

the

major,

conspire

to

teach

us

exactly

what< /p>

we

need

to

be


le arning

at

any

given

time.< /p>

Patience,

compassion,

perseveran ce,

honesty,

letting

go—all

< p>
these

are

covered

in

the

classroom

of

the

teac her

that

is

your

life.


We

can

help

ourselves

to

remember

this

perfect

< p>teacher

each

day

with

a< /p>

few

simple


words.

Each

morning

we

might

find

a

moment

to

say,

acknowledge

and

honor

the


teacher

that

is

my

li fe.

May

I

be

wise

en ough

to

recognize

the

teac hers

and

lessons

that

I


encounter

today,

and

may

I

be

open

to

receiv ing

their

wisdom.

We

might

also

take

some


time

each

day

to

consider

what

our

lives

are

trying< /p>

to

teach

us

at

this< /p>

time.

A

difficult


phas e

in

your

relationship

wit h

your

child

may

be

teaching

you

to

let

go.

The

homeless


person

you< /p>

see

every

day

may

be

showing

you

the

boundarie s

of

your

compassion

and


generosity.

A

spate

of< /p>

lost

items

may

be

as king

you

to

be

more

present

to

physical

reality.


Trust

your

intuition

on

the

nature

of

the

les son

at

hand,

work

at

your

own

pace,

and

ask


as

many

questions

as

you

want.

Your

life

has

all

the

answers.


543.

Wherever

You

Are


Home

Is

Where

the

Heart

Is


The

word

has

a

wide

variety

of

connota tions.

To

some,

home

is

merely

a

place


where

basic

needs

are

addressed.

To

others,

home

is

the

foundation

from

which

the y


draw

their

strength

and

tranquility.

Still,

others

view

home

as

a

place< /p>

inexorably

linked

to


f amily.

Yet

all

these

defin itions

of

home

imply

somew here

we

can

be

ourselves

and

are


totally

accepte d.

There,

we

feel

safe

enough

to

let

down

our< /p>

guard,

peaceful

enough

to< /p>


really

relax,

and

love d

enough

to

want

to

return

day

after

day.

Howe ver,

these

qualities


need

not

be

linked

to

a

single

space

or

any

spa ce

at

all.

Home

is

w here

the

heart

is

and

< p>
can

be

the

locale

yo u

live

in,

a

community

you

once

lived

in,

or

the

country

where

you


plan

to

live

someday.

Or

home

can

be

a

fe eling

you

carry

inside

you rself,

wherever

you


are.


The

process

of

evolution< /p>

can

require

you

to

u ndergo

transformations

that

upro ot

you.


Moving

from

pl ace

to

place

can

seem

< p>to

literally

divide

you

from

the

foundations

you

< br>have

come

to

depend

on.

Since

your

home

is

so

intimately

tied

to

the< /p>

memories

that


define

y ou,

you

may

feel

that

< p>you

are

losing

a

vital

part

of

yourself

when

you

leave


behind

your

previous

house,

city,

state,

or

country.

And

as

it< /p>

may

take

some

time

b efore


you

fashion

new

memories,

you

may

feel

hom eless

even

after

settling

into

your

new


abode.

T o

carry

your

home

with

you,

you

need

only

beco me

your

own

foundation.

Do ing


so

is

merely

a

matter

of

staying

grounded

and

centered,

and

recognizin g

that

the


pleasures

y ou

enjoyed

in

one

place

will

still

touch

your

heart

in

another

if

you

allow

them.


Your

home

can

be

any

space

or

state

of

being

that

fu lfills

you,

provided

you

a re

at

peace


with

yours elf

and

your

surroundings.

A

person

can

feel

like

home

to

you,

as

can

seasons


and

activities.

If

you

feel

disconnected

f rom

what

you

once

thought< /p>

of

as

home,

your


detachment

may

be

a

signa l

that

you

are

ready

to

move

one.

Simply

put,< /p>

you

will

know


you

< p>have

found

your

home

whe n

both

your

physical

envir onment

and

energetic


surroun dings

are

in

harmony

with< /p>

the

individual

you

are

within.


544.

Getting

Back

to

Wellness


Seven

Qui ck

Fixes

To

Feel

Better


The

signals

our

bodies

use

to

tell

us

we

need

to

cleanse

ourselves

physically,

mentally,


and

emotionally

are

multifaceted

an d

often

mirror

symptoms

we

associate

with

illness.

I f


we

heed

these

signs,

we

not

only

feel

be tter

quickly

but

also

stav e

off

poor

health

before


it

can

start.

These

quick

fixes

for

common

ailments

can

get

you

start ed.


1.

Applying

pressure

to

the

acupressure

point

< p>between

the

thumb

and

fo refinger

can


release

blockag es

causing

pain,

tension,

and

fatigue.

You

can

relie ve

a

headache

naturally

by

squeezing

for

20

seco nds

and

releasing

for

10

seconds,

without

letting

go ,

four

times.


2.

To

breathe

freely,

irrigate

you r

nasal

passages

with

a

neti

pot

and

warm

salt

water.

As


you

clear

and

soothe

the

sinuses,

congestion

associated

with

al lergies

or

infection

will


gradually

disappear.


3.

Apple

cider

vinegar

is

a

powerful

purifying

and

deto xifying

agent.

Soaking

for

20


minutes

in

a

warm< /p>

bath

infused

with

two

< p>cups

of

apple

cider

vine gar

pulls

toxins

from

the< /p>


body

and

can

clear

blocked

energy.


4.

The

foods

you

eat

can

have

a

profound

impact

on

< p>your

outlook

and

mood.

E ating

a


small

yet

sati sfying

meal

rich

in

comple x

carbohydrates

can

lift

y our

spirit

and

help

you


let

go

of

feelings

of

anger,

irritability,

and

depression.


5.

Anxiety

an d

fear

dissipate

quickly

w hen

countered

with

conscious

breathing

because


concentrating

on

the

breath

enables

you

to

refocus

your

att ention

inward.

You

can

gro und


yourself

and

regain

< p>your

usual

calm

by

takin g

a

series

of

deep

b elly

breaths

as

you


vi sualize

your

feet

growing

roots

that

stretch

miles

d own

into

the

earth.


6.

Though

tuning

out

can

seem

counterproductive,

a

few

minutes

spent

lost

in

daydreams


or

listening

to

soothing

music

can

help

you

see

your

circumstances< /p>

from

a

new

angle


when

you

feel

frustrated.


7.

If

you

feel

ill

health

coming

on,

brew

a

wellness

elixir.

Simmer

three

sliced

lemons,


one

teaspoon

freshly

grated

ging er,

one

clove

freshly

minc ed

garlic,

and

one

quarter


teaspoon

cayenne

pepper

in

five

cups

water

unti l

the

lemons

are

soft

< p>and

pale.

Strain

a


p ortion

into

a

mug

and

< p>add

honey

by

tablespoons

until

you

can

tolerate

th e

taste.


Drinking

this

potent

mixture

of

antibacterial ,

antiviral,

and

antifungal

< p>ingredients

three


times

ea ch

day

can

ensure

your

symptoms

never

progress

into< /p>

a

full-blown

illness.


545.

Redirecting

the

Eruption


Lashing

Out


Intense

emotions

demand

intense

modes

of

expression.

While

there

are

many

outlets

for


the

feelings

typically

deeme d

positive,

however,

there

are

far

fewer

methods

for


constructively

coping

with< /p>

anger,

frustration,

fear,

sadness,

or

stress.

Consequently ,

such


feelings

can

ca use

us

to

believe

that

we

are

no

longer

in

control

of

our

emotional

< p>state.


Backed

into

a

mental

corner,

we

may

las h

out

at

the

first

i ndividual

we

encounter.

Most


of

us

will

quickly

discover

that

our

misdirected

outpouring

of

fury

has

not

relieved

the


pressure

of

our

pain.

Powerful

emotions

are

like

the

lav a

in

a

volcano

poised

< p>to

erupt—


held

in

ch eck

with

nothing

but

an

eroding

layer

of

calm.

Within

us

lies

the

power< /p>

to


direct

the

flood

of

feeling

that

surges

forth

by

channeling

it

in to

productive,

artistic,

or

< p>
laborious

pursuits.


Retaking

control

of

our

emotions

at

their

height

can

b e

difficult

because

our

al ready


negative

feelings

can< /p>

convince

us

that

others

are

deserving

of

our

w rath.

But

if

we


consci ously

look

for

healthier

w ays

of

expressing

what

we< /p>

feel,

we

can

both

sa fely

dispel


our

pain

a nd

use

the

energy

of

that

pain

to

add

value

to

our

lives.

Anger

an d

sadness,

for


example,

< p>can

become

the

inspiration

that

induces

us

to

dedi cate

ourselves

to

bringing


about

the

change

we

w ish

to

see

in

the

wo rld.

If

we

act

rather

< p>than

react,

we

can

becom e


effective

agents

of

positive

transformation.

When

we

channel

our

frustration

o r

feelings


of

stress

i nto

outside-the-box

thinking

and

proactive

exploits,

we

ar e

more

apt

to

discover


solutions

to

the

issues

that

initially

left

us

< p>stymied.

And

if

we

view< /p>

fear

as

a

signal

tha t


we

need

to

reexamine

our

circumstances

rather

than

a

cue

to

flee,

we

may

gain

new

and


unexpected

insight

into

our< /p>

lives.


Channeling

your

emotions

into

constructive

acti on

can

also

prevent

you

from

engaging

in


cyclica l

rumination

in

which

you< /p>

repeatedly

relive

the

situ ation,

event,

or

expectation

that


originally

sparked

y our

feelings

in

your

mind’ s

eye.

Since

you

are

focused

on

a

goal,


ev en

if

your

ambition

is

merely

to

better

understand

yourself,

your

pain

is

< p>no

longer


being

fed

by

your

intellectual

and

e motional

energy

and

quickly

< p>ebbs

away.

You

not

only< /p>


avoid

lashing

out

at

others,

but

you

also

actively

take

part

in

your

own

healing

process


w hile

honestly

acknowledging

and< /p>

honoring

your

feelings.

546

Serving

the

Higher

S elf


The

Ego


In

mos t

spiritual

circles,

the

e go

gets

a

pretty

bad

rap.

The

reason

for

this< /p>

is

that

the

ego,


to

some

extent,

is

the

principle

in

our

psyches

that

separates

us

from

one

another,

while


spirit

is

the

principle

that

shows

us

that

no

such

< p>separation

exists.

Sometimes

t he

ego

is


depicted

as< /p>

an

almost

demonic

figure

that

keeps

us

from

re alizing

our

true

nature.

B ut

at


its

most

basic,< /p>

the

ego

is

simply

a< /p>

tool

that

helps

us

o rganize

the

various

aspects

< p>of

our


personality

so

< p>that

we

can

function

in< /p>

the

world.

In

this

s ense,

the

ego

is

simply

a

way

for


us

to

understand

and

attend

to

ourselves

at

the

same

t ime

as

we

understand

and

attend

to


the

world

around

us.

The

ego

is

a

tool

that

we

use

to

navigate

the

world.


Perhaps

the

problem

is

< p>that

the

ego

sometimes

g ets

out

of

control.

This

happens

when

the


higher

self

loses

control

of

the

psyche.

The

psyche

then

falls

under

the

leade rship

of

the


ego,

an

entity

that

was

never

meant

to

lead.

The

ego

is

meant

to

be

definit ively

in

the


service

o f

the

higher

self.

When

this

relationship

is

functio ning,

the

ego

is

a

u seful


intermediary

representing

the

whole

self

but

not

thinking

that

it

is

the

whole

self.

Then,

it< /p>


is

almost

as

if

the

ego

is

the

self

playfully

pretending

to

be

the

separate

entity

called

< p>


Like

an

actor,

the< /p>

ego

plays

the

roles

that

the

world

asks

us

to

play

in

order

to

be

part

of


the

prog ram.

In

this

way,

the

< p>ego

can

be

a

tool

enabling

us

to

be

in

the

world

but

not

of

< p>it.


As

long

as

we

are

in

touch

with

our< /p>

higher

selves,

our

egos

are

not

a

threat.

They

are


simply

useful

too ls

in

the

service

of

spirit.

We

keep

our

egos< /p>

in

check

when

we


continually

nurture

our

awarene ss

of

who

we

really

are.

Then

our

egos

are

free

to

serve


without

trying

ineffectually

to

rule.

It

is

healthy

to

ha ve

ego,

but

like

all

things

in

life,

ego


f unctions

best

when

it

is

in

balance

and

harmony

< p>with

your

whole

self.

547.

Hidden

Gems


Experienc es

We

Don't

Understand


Sometimes

we

have

an

expe rience

that

we

don’t

under stand,

but

if

we

look

< p>deeply,

or


wait

long

enough,

a

reason

for

that

experience

will

usually

r eveal

itself.

All

the

even ts

in


our

lives

lead

to

other

events,

and

all

that

we

have

manifeste d

in

this

present

moment

is


the

result

of

past

events

and

experiences.

We

cannot

easily

tease

apart

the

many

threads


that

have

been

woven

toge ther

to

create

our

current

reality.

Experiences

that

don’t

make


sense,

as

well

as

any

that

we

regret,

are

just

as

respon sible

for

the

good

things< /p>

in

our

lives


as

the

experiences

we

do

unde rstand

or

label

as


This

is

especially

important

to

remember

at

times

< p>when

we

feel

directionless

or

unsure

of


what

t o

do.

It

is

often

at

times

like

these

that

we

take

a

job

or

move

to

a

place

without


really

knowing

if

it’s

the

right

thing

to

do .

We

may

ultimately

end

up

leaving

the

job

or< /p>


the

place,

but

often

during

that

time

we

w ill

have

met

someone

who

becomes

an


important

fr iend,

or

we

may

have

an

experience

that

changes

< p>us

in

a

profound

way.

When


all

the

pieces

< p>of

our

life

don’t

quite< /p>

make

sense,

we

can

r emember

that

there

may

be< /p>


some

hidden

gem

of

a

reason

that

we

are

where

we

are

having

th e

experiences

we

are


h aving.


It’s

fun

to

loo k

back

on

past

experiences

with

an

eye

to

unco vering

those

gems—the


dreadf ul

temporary

job

in

a

< p>bland

office

building

that

introduced

you

to

the

l ove

of

your


life;

the< /p>

roommate

you

couldn’t

tole rate

who

gave

you

a

book

that

changed

your

lif e;

the


time

spent

livi ng

in

a

city

you

did n’t

like

that

led

you

< p>into

a

deeper

relationship

with


yourself.

Remembering

< p>these

past

experiences

can

restore

our

faith

in

th e

present.

Life

is


ful l

of

buried

treasures.

Cha nces

are,

you’re

sitting

o n

some

right

now.


548.

Setting

the

Tone


Star ting

Your

Day

Well


The

choices

you

make

upon

waking

can

have

a

profo und

impact

on

your

day.

If,

still


drowsy,

you

hit

the

ground

running,

< p>rushing

to

prepare

yourself

to

face

your

worldly

< br>obligations,

you

will

likely< /p>

feel

fatigued

and

overwhel med

for

most

of

your

day.

A


leisurely

and

relaxing

morning,

on

the

o ther

hand,

can

energize

an d

excite

you,

as

well

< p>as


give

you

the

cour age

to

meet

the

challenges

waiting

for

you.

By

beginning

your

day

in

a


focused

and

centered

fa shion,

you

make

it

your

own.

You

set

the

tone< /p>

of

your


expectations

a nd

choose

the

mood

you

will

use

to

respond

to< /p>

your

circumstances.

A


gentle,

reflective,

and

thoughtf ul

morning

will

prepare

yo u

to

create

a

gentle,

< p>conscious,


and

thoughtful

day.


The

simplest

way

to

eliminate

the

rush

from

your

morning

routine

is

to

rise

earlier.


Gettin g

children

into

routines

a nd

getting

themselves

ready

< p>as

much

as

possible

will

also


give

you

more

time.

Though

this

may

seem

like

a

hardship

at

first,

you

will

soon

g row

to


love

the

extra< /p>

minutes

or

hours

that

< p>afford

you

an

opportunity

< p>to

really

enjoy

watching


the

sun

come

up

or

connect

with

your

loved

< p>ones

before

you

go

in

your

separate


directions.

< p>There

are

many

more

ways

you

can

constructively

us e

the

time

you

gain.

A


mere

half-hour

of

i ntrospection

in

which

you

examine

your

goals,

thank

the

universe

for


the

r ichness

in

your

life,

and< /p>

contemplate

the

blessings

you

will

receive

this

day< /p>

can

lift


your

spirit

and

help

you

formulate

< p>lasting

positive

expectations.

Likewise,

you

can


solidify< /p>

your

day’s

intention

throu gh

spoken

affirmations

or

the

words

you

record

in

a


journal.

Or,

if

you

want

little

more

than< /p>

to

enjoy

your

day,

d evote

a

portion

of

your


personal

time

to

activit ies

that

both

ground

and

delight

you,

such

as

meditation,

yoga,


chanting,

singing,

reading,

or

listening

to

music.

If

you

feel ,

however,

that

there

is

little


room

for

change< /p>

in

your

start-of-the-day

r outine,

try

to

make

each

activity

you

engage

in

< p>
upon

waking

a

ritual

in

its

own

right.

The

time

you

spend

everyday

savoring

a

soothing


cup

of

tea

or

washing

away< /p>

tension

in

a

hot

sho wer

can

serve

as

a

p otent

reminder

of

the


need

to

care

for

yourself< /p>

no

matter

what

the

h our.


Your

morning

is

y ours

and

should

reflect

no t

only

your

practical

need s

but

also

the

needs


of

your

soul.

When

yo u

center

yourself

at

the

start

of

your

day,

yo u

will

likely

find

it

< p>
easier

to

remain

centered< /p>

during

subsequent

work,

pl ay,

and

downtime

because

t he


overall

sense

of

se renity

you

create

through

your

choices

will

stay

wit h

you

throughout


the

d ay.


549.

We

Are

Family


Humanity


When

it

comes

to

our

families,

we< /p>

sometimes

see

only

our

differences.

We

see

the

way


our

parents

cling

to

ideas

we

don’t

believe ,

or

act

in

ways

we< /p>

try

not

to

act.

We

see

how


practical

one

of

our

siblings

is

an d

wonder

how

we

can

be

from

the

same

gene

< p>pool.


Similarly,

within

th e

human

family

we

see

< p>how

different

we

are

fro m

each

other,

in

ways

< p>
ranging

from

gender

and

race

to

geographical

locatio n

and

religious

beliefs.

I t

is

almost


as

if

< p>we

think

we

are

a

different

species

sometimes.

But

the

truth

is,

in

ou r

personal


families

as

well

as

the

human

family,

we

really

are

the

s ame.


A

single

mother

o f

four

living

in

Africa

looks

up

at

the

same

stars

and

moon

that

s hine


down

on

an

elderl y

Frenchman

in

Paris.

A

Tibetan

monk

living

in

India,

a

newborn

infant

< br>in

China,

and

a

young

couple

saying

their

marriag e

vows

in

Indiana

all

< p>breathe

the

same


air,

< p>by

the

same

process.

We< /p>

have

all

been

hurt

a nd

we

have

all

cried.

< p>Each

one

of

us


knows

how

it

feels

to

lov e

someone

dearly.

No

matte r

what

our

political

views

are,

we

all


love

< p>to

laugh.

Regardless

of

how

much

or

how

little

money

we

have,

our

hear ts

pump


blood

through

our

bodies

in

the

same

way.

With

all

this

in

common,

it

is

clear

w e

are


each

individual

members

of

the

same

family .

We

are

human.


Acknow ledging

how

close

we

all

are,

instead

of

clinging

to

what

separates

us,

enables

us


to

feel

les s

alone

in

the

world.

< p>Every

person

we

meet,

se e,

hear,

or

read

about,

is

a


member

of

our

family.

We

are

truly

< p>not

alone.

We

also

begin

to

see

that

we

are< /p>

perfectly


capable

of

u nderstanding

and

relating

to

people

who,

on

the

surf ace,

may

seem

very


dif ferent

from

us.

This

aware ness

prevents

us

from

disc onnecting

from

people

on

t he


other

side

of

the

tracks,

and

the

other

side

of

the

world.

We

begin

to

understand

that

< p>we


must

treat

all

pe ople

for

what

they

are—fam ily.


550.

Divergent

Directio ns


Coping

with

People

You

Dislike


As

much

as

most

of

us

wish

we< /p>

could

exist

in

harmony

with

the

people

we

enco unter


throughout

our

lives,< /p>

there

will

always

be

individuals

we

dislike.

Some

simply

rub

us

the


wrong

way

while

others

str ike

us

as

deliberately

una ware.

We

may

judge

others< /p>

as

too


mean

or

a brasive

for

us

to

interact

with

them

comfortably.

Ye t

no

person

should

be

< p>
deemed

a

villain

because

their

beliefs,

opinions,

ma nnerisms,

and

mode

of

bein g

are

not


compatible

w ith

your

own.

You

need

not

embrace

the

rough

t raits

they

have

chosen

to< /p>


embody.

There

may

be

times

in

which

the

be st

course

of

action

involv es

distancing

-


-


-


-


-


-


-


-



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