What Opportunity Does After Knocking

It is said that Opportunity knocks only once.
Could be true.
Or not.

After knocking on your door, it rings the bell.
Then calls your name.
Raps on the window.
Throws a rock on your roof.
Leaves a message under your door.
Leaves a note on your windshield.
Leaves, sends you a text message.
Emails you, requests to be your friend on Facebook, follows you on Twitter and Instagram, leaves a message on your answering machine.
Returns to your house, waits outside the door.
Forces the door open. Rams through it.
Enters your house, makes itself comfortable, and waits for you.

In the first place, you should leave the door open for Opportunity.
Or give it the key to your house.
Set an appointment.
Give it your business card.
Find its address, phone number, email.
Find it in Facebook, Skype, LinkedIn.
And meet regularly.

Or meet outdoors, for pete's sake.

Stay Safe

My goodbye expression is usually "stay safe." In the dictionary, this is the meaning of safe:

Safe - (sāf/) Adjective. Protected from or not exposed to danger or risk; not likely to be harmed or lost. Synonyms: secure, protected, shielded, sheltered, guarded , out of harm's way. Also uninjured; with no harm done. Synonyms: unharmed, unhurt, uninjured, unscathed, all right, well, in one piece, out of danger, home free. 

--- I thought being 'safe' meant simply being alive, surviving something awful, with body parts and major organs intact; as though being IN the physical body is true safety. 

So I questioned my own expression: "Safe from what?" 

This is what A Course In Miracles answered in Lesson 55 of the workbook: 

"What I see now are signs of disease, disaster and death. This cannot be what God created for His beloved Son. The very fact that I see such things is proof that I do not understand God. Therefore I also do not understand His Son. What I see tells me that I do not know who I am. I am determined to see the witnesses to the truth in me, rather than those which show me an illusion of myself. 

"The world I see is hardly the representation of loving thoughts. It is a picture of attack on everything by everything. It is anything but a reflection of the Love of God and the Love of His Son. It is my own attack thoughts that give rise to this picture. My loving thoughts will save me from this perception of the world, and give me the peace God intended me to have. 

"I can escape from this world by giving up attack thoughts. Herein lies salvation, and nowhere else. Without attack thoughts, I could not see a world of attack. As forgiveness allows love to return to my awareness, I will see a world of peace and safety and joy. And it is this I choose to see, in place of what I look on now." 

I now believe that being safe means there is no attack, never has been... That regardless of how the physical condition is, the spirit is intact, cared for, safe, loved, and nurtured in God's Truth. 

So the new meaning of my words "stay safe" would be: "give up attack thoughts." 

Stay safe, everyone. We are IN God.

Story-Writing Our Lives

We are all creative story writers. Oh, the stories we tell ourselves at night when the lights are dim, when we sit on the toilet, while waiting for coffee to brew… the fiction we fabricate when someone does not reply to our message, when a loved one has difficulty breathing, when we can’t find our phones, when facing the mirror.

We create stories because we are creatures created by our Creative Creator.

Sometimes we forget where we come from, so our stories are borne out of fear, separation, and lack. Then our monkey mind writes tales of loneliness, theft, deception, deviance, drama, murder, horror, mayhem, tragedy, doomsday, world domination, all the works.

And as we write these stories in our heads, we affect our cells and atoms that affect our organs, our bodies, and our emotions, that affect our behaviors, our relationships, our environment and back again. Our stories of fear, separation, and lack become our reality and we see them everywhere. They are told over and over again, from generation to generation, creating trilogies, novels, sagas, epics – and then we start believing in them, believing them to be true and infallible, and we start convincing everyone that they are true and real.

But think of this: Thoughts never leave their source. As within, so without.

When we remember where we come from and who we truly are, when we remember that we come from a Good and Perfect Creator, then we can re-write our stories. Then we can change the way we look at ourselves, our lives, and our world. Then we can write of love instead of fear, of joining instead of separation, of abundance instead of lack. Through our stories, we then inspire faith and hope, healing and forgiveness, innocence and purity, well-being and health, genius and innovation.

Remembering – or becoming a member again of God’s Truth – allows us to become co-creators with our Creator.

How do we remember? We shut our minds just for a few moments a day to listen to the quiet Truth within us that was imprinted upon our creation as physical bodies, the Truth that is waiting to be animated, the Truth that is our non-physical reality. This is the ‘shhh’ moment. The peaceful silence. The deep listening to a Holy whisper.

Now imagine what kind of stories we can write from this holy instant.

Pouring The Last Drop of Oil: Applied Spirituality

While pouring oil from the frying pan, I was reminded of one Montessori Practical Life Exercise: Pouring Water from Pitcher to Glass.

In presenting the Exercise to the child in the classroom, the materials are set on a low table while the child is invited to sit by the teacher’s sub-dominant hand.

Ideally, as teachers/presenters, our energy is centered, our voice low, our motions slow and deliberate, leading the attention of the child to the process and the materials, and eventually telling the child to “wait for the last drop” before wiping the spout.

Then gently we set the pitcher down, sit back, fold our hands on our lap, perhaps smile and nod contentedly as we look at our completed task. After a moment, we stand up, push our chair under the table, and carry the materials back to their place on the shelf.

I realize now, eight years after I had presented that Exercise in the classroom, how profound, sublime, and reverent the whole process is.

Our energy is centered. We are completely in the moment, fully attentive to the task at hand.

Our voice is low. We are confident in our presence, not needing to catch any attention or to push any will.

Our motions are slow and deliberate. We take our time because there is enough time, and every action is important. There is no room for frenzied, unnecessary movements.

We lead the attention to the process and the materials. In this moment, it is not the teacher that is important, nor her personality. She is, however, one with the process and the materials. The message speaks to her and through her.

We wait for the last drop. The last drop is the point of interest. Together with the child, we observe this phenomenon, silently, patiently. We do not rush the falling of the last drop of water. We know it will happen. We allow it.

We gently set the pitcher down. We respect the material, we are mindful of our presence in the environment, and we are responsible stewards.

We sit back. Our presentation is done, our task is complete. We detach from the result.

We fold our hands on our lap. Nothing else needs to be done. We rest in stillness.

We smile and nod contentedly as we look at our completed task. We acknowledge our part in it, and we are happy with our accomplishment.

We stand up. From a higher perspective, we see our finished work, and we view the entirety of the context from the micro to the macro and vice versa.

We push our chair under the table and we carry the materials back to their place. We make room for other people in the environment to walk safely. There is a place for everything, and everything is in its place. This is responsibility. This is closure.

The Practical Life Exercise is Applied Spirituality.

Creating What We Want Under A Leadership We Don’t Like

We braced ourselves for chaos the first time we realized that the government we wanted did not come into power. That was an intuitive reaction because our souls sensed that only total dismantling and undoing could bring forth total change.

Indeed, that immense change has come from all of us (our belief systems, traditions, choices), is now upon us all, and will be for us all - . For the past months, did we not face bare confrontations with our primal fears? Our relationships were shaken, our long-held thought systems were shaken, our religious traditions were shaken - from inside of us to outside of us.

How, then, DO we create what we want in an environment that we DO NOT completely feel comfortable in, or with people we do not resonate with?

Here are some DO’s and DO NOT’s:

Let us DO flow with the ongoing (infinite) change with radical faith and, whenever possible, positive mindset. Let us DO remain steadfast in focusing on our end goals through mindfulness, and let us DO trust the process. For example, let us:

· choose to spread ONLY what we DO want to see in our lives, our communities, our country;

· choose to pay attention ONLY to the good stuff that we DO want to expand; and

· choose to engage ONLY in conversations and energies and exchanges that bring about what we DO want.


What we DO WANT:

· peace, self-mastery, honesty, respectful dialogues, social responsibility, creativity, compassion, mindful consumption;

· clean streets, safe roads, wealth restoration, lawfulness, equal work opportunities, justice, gender equality, balanced journalism, progressive education, affordable products, reusing, recycling;

· clean air, natural food, conservation of natural resources, unity in diversity, healed minds, healthful lifestyles


If we DO see what we DO NOT want, let us just observe it and let it go. Let it slide. It is NOT for us; it does NOT address us, and it does NOT threaten our Truth.

Let us DO keep aligning with GOD, grounding, meditating, and watching the ego. Let us NOT judge anything even as we let go and freely flow.

On a very practical level, let us DO these abundantly: Laugh. Drink water. Eat more raw and nutritious foods. Unplug more often. Sleep well. Breathe deeply.

DO you resonate with these creations?

Choose Your Thoughts

I know hatred. I used to keep a Hate Journal where I listed what I hated about religion, my life, and especially my (first) marriage. It cost me that marriage, of course. I regularly had headaches, lower back pains, skin lesions, dandruff problems, allergies, and stomachaches (which later disappeared after I stopped writing entries in that Journal). Money did not seem to stay long. The house was in constant disrepair. Appliances broke too often.

I know sarcasm, insults, and vile words. When I was younger, I was careful to choose the most damaging words when I felt attacked and had to attack back. There was a season in my life when I fought every single day with my mother, using the most painful of words, phrases, and tone of voice. It cost me peace, of course. I had nightmares, tooth problems, mouth sores, and acidity on a regular basis. My mother of course cried a lot. My relationship with her got so bad that my father once boxed me in the ears for making her cry. I fought with my teachers, radio announcers, journalists, friends, husband, children. 

All because I believed I was worthless, ugly, unlovable. I believed life was difficult and money was scarce. I believed in loss and attack. I believed in the power of my ego. 

So, yes, I now know the power of beliefs that turn into thoughts that form into words that translate into behavior that result into experience that bring in more proofs of the same beliefs that extend on and on and go into loops and more loops and create traps for significant others. 

That's why I remind you: 

Be mindful of where you put your attention to. Be mindful of your words.

*** 

My life has turned around. I took Jesus' words seriously when He said, 'ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.' I got born again with new beliefs about God and life. 

All aspects of my existence are now different, with the most dramatic changes in the physical and relational. Just by changing my thinking, I allowed the healing of all my unwanted physical conditions. By forgiving my past, I now have wonderful relationships with my mother and sister, and am friends with my ex-husband. 

Of course, it's not by my might nor by my power, but by the Spirit of God that animates me. 

That's why I remind you: 

Be mindful. Choose your beliefs. Choose what you want from this buffet of a life, and focus on it with gratitude, even as you allow others to find their way back to remembering their God- Truth.

Stay Alive

To the first of my daughters to reach womanhood, who is on the tail-end of her battle with depression; and to all women who resonate with this:

You are worthy just because. You don't need to achieve anything. You are worthy without addendum to your name.

You don't have to be anyone other than yourself - sometimes sad, sometimes quirky crazy, sometimes sexy, sometimes profound.

You are human (for now), and it's temporary. Your aches and pains and despair - they're all part of humanness. You are worthy because beneath your human skin and bones, you are divine. You chose to be alive at this point in human history because your presence is important to me - and to many of us.


Stay alive.

Cry if you must.

Pull out your hair if you want to.

Throw an egg at the neighbor's door.

Steal a show.

Grow a mustache.

Write a terrible poem.

Be grammatically awful.

But stay alive.

Because one morning, you'll wake up to see yourself snapping out of whatever it is that has gripped you in fear. And your joy will be full. God has your back. He's got you in His hands. Maybe He's doing a cartwheel right now, which is why you're feeling down and nauseous. But He'll be back up. It's just a cartwheel. He's got you trained in aerial silk.

Life Hacks – in English

1. Do you want to get rid of your ‘problems’?

Improve your vocabulary. Use ‘life lessons’ instead of ‘problems’, because that’s what they really are. You can also substitute ‘problem’ with ‘situation’ or ‘condition.’

2. Do you want life to be easy?

Change your sentence construction. Say, “life is easy” or “life supports me” instead of ‘life is hard,’ because really, God has already provided all your needs. It’s just your ego that says you don’t have what you need.

3. Do you want your dreams to come true?

Revise your tenses. Instead of constantly telling stories of failure in the past, tell stories of gratitude in the present. Instead of projecting "I will be successful in the future,” say “I am successful now.” Time and space are just matters of human perception. In the realm of spirit, there is only NOW.

4. Do you want to be happier with other people?

Check your spelling. It’s not A-L-O-N-E; it’s A-L-L O-N-E. It’s about inter-connectedness and interdependence.

5. Do you want more love in your life?

Review your parts of speech. LOVE is both verb and noun. BE the noun, and the verb will follow.

6. Do you want to understand God’s work with a bit of clarity?

Recognize your synonyms. GOD is synonymous to SOURCE. ALL THAT IS. LIFE. LOVE. JOY. PEACE. CREATION. When you can understand these words, you will understand a bit more of God in each moment.

7. Do you want to have focus and motivation?

Practice your writing skills. Journal your gratitude, desires, prayers, and Eureka moments. You will see your direction and how far you have come.

8. Do you want clear answers to your questions?

Develop your questioning skills. Ask more of 'What is the message?' 'How may I proceed?' and 'Where do I go from here?' and less of 'Why me?' and 'When can I have it?' And then, hone your listening skills. Hear the answers. Be quiet. Be still. Silence the monkey mind. Hush the wandering thoughts.

And All Is Well.

From Whining to Winning

From WHINING to WINNING, all that’s needed on the surface is a change of letters. Deeper than that is a change of mindset, which leads to change in behavior.

I feel cold, so I wear a sweater.

My slippers have holes in them, so I wear socks.

It's dark inside the house, so I open the window.

It's too quiet, so I talk with my daughter.

I feel alone, so I chat with a friend somewhere in Asia.

My body feels lethargic, so I bend and twist and jump and tap.

I don't feel useful, so I rearrange wall decors.

There's nothing much to do, so I play Words With Friends.

I don't think I'm being productive, so I read.

My mind is too noisy, so I sleep.

And now, to apply this to the bigger picture:

From SCARED to SACRED, all that's needed on the surface is a slight shift of letters. Deeper than that is a radical shift in beliefs.

A constant view of the past and belief in its power leave us feeling SCARED about many things in the future. But, a shift in perception to the present moment - where life is actually happening and where we can make wise choices - allows us to observe that all of life is SACRED.

My parents struggled financially and I grew up thinking that I was poor. But that’s their past reality. I have changed my mind about the meaning of abundance, and now I can create my own reality about money, resources, and Source.

My older relatives got sick while walking in the rain and told me that rain will cause illness. But that’s their past reality. I made my own belief that the rain is my brother, and I have walked in the rain for 20 years without ever getting sick.

My children were told they will inherit the illnesses of their relatives. I told them that NO, they have power over their genes, and that God has power over all illnesses. And so they grew up healthy and strong, and they have remained as such.

On the surface or in the depths, shift happens.