By Veronica Hay
For for the past 10 days or so, I have been writing down any negative thoughts that I have, as soon as I become aware of them. I am surprised by how many seemingly insignificant, critical thoughts cross my mind each day. I have always considered myself to be a very positive person, and so I am amazed at how many negative little musings still sneak in.
As soon as I made a commitment to do this, I started really noticing them. LIttle things like, "what a gloomy looking day", or "that person isn't doing a very good job", or "what a terrible driver" etc. I suddenly became very conscious of what was going on in my head. I am also recording the positive thoughts and experiences as well, and in time, there will be much more positive than negative.
Most of us have these kinds of thoughts running through our minds constantly, all day long, but we are so used to them, that we don't even notice they are there. These are the things that keep our dreams and desires from manifesting.
I will give you another example of this. This morning, I suddenly started thinking of one of my relatives. I started to think of this person and of how thoughtless and inconsiderate he is and those thoughts made me feel very uncomfortable. I knew that I was having an unpleasant thought that would not serve me in any way, except to open me up to thinking even more damaging thoughts. What we focus on expands.
It does not do me any good to have those kinds of thoughts racing through my head. In fact, it actually stops my progress. I realized I was doing it right away, and this time, I stopped it right away. I even sat down and wrote some positive things that I remembered about this fellow over the years.
As for actions, what are the daily little choices we make that are really not in the direction of our goals and aspirations, eg. like not keeping our word to someone else or even ourselves, when we said that we would do something and we don't. Just little things like that, that don't seem so important at the time.
Well, guess what? In the big picture, all of these little things add up and keep us stuck!
It is all really about living your life in a very conscious way. This is hard to do in the beginning, but after a while, it will become much easier and you will begin to notice when you are off centre, so to speak.
The objective is to remain focused on ONLY those things that we desire by appreciating all that we already have. Staying in a really good feeling place fueled by positive thoughts and emotions. This is not to say that when we feel very sad and need to cry, that we should not. We should let that sadness move through us. Once we allow ourselves to really feel it, it will move very quickly and we will feel so much better for having experienced it.
That is why Eckhart Tolle, the author of the Power of Now, recommends that we try to BE in the moment. Because when we are fully present in the now, we are not having these kinds of thoughts. When you are totally absorbed in the beauty of a flower, noticing every detail of the stem and leaves, captivated by the exquisite colors and textures, intoxicated by the sweet fragrance and aroma, your mind is only there. You and the flower are one, in a kind of bliss state. I have done this with many flowers and they have spoken to me.
It can be the same for anything that we are doing, even folding the laundry. When we are so enthralled with that one experience, those negative thoughts really can't get in. The illusion of time no longer exists, it appears to stand still, and we seem to have forever.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Judgement Day
Court Date:
After living what I felt was a 'decent' life, my time on earth came to the end.
The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting
room of what I thought to be a court house.
The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.
As i looked around i saw the prosecutor
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me.
He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney,
a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed
so familiar to me,
I felt I knew Him.
The corner door
flew open
and there appeared the Judge in full
flowing robes.
He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room, I couldn't take my eyes off of Him.
As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, 'Let us begin.'
The prosecutor rose and said,
'My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this person
belongs in hell.'
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others, Satan told of other horrible
Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the
further down in my seat I sank.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely
forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not Offering any form of defense at all.
I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done?
Satan finished with a fury and said, 'This person belongs in hell,
is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person
who can prove otherwise.'
When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.
The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan,
and beckoned Him to come forward.
As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in
His full splendor and majesty.
I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me,
my Lord and my Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, 'Hi,
Dad,' and then He turned to address the court.
'Satan was correct in saying that this person has sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations.
And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this person deserves to be
punished.
Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with
outstretched arms and proclaimed, 'However, I died on the cross so
that this person might have eternal life and
has accepted Me as Savior, so this person is Mine.'
My Lord continued with, 'This person's name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch this one from Me.
Satan still does not understand yet. This person is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.'
As Jesus sat down,
He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, 'There is nothing else that needs to be done.'
'I've done it all.'
The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.
The following words bellowed from His lips..
'This person is free.'
'The penalty has already been paid in full.'
'Case dismissed.'
As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving,
'I won't give up, I will win the next one.'
I asked Jesus
as He gave me
my instructions where to go next, 'Have you ever lost a case?'
Christ lovingly smiled and said,
'Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you,
~Paid In Full~'
If you do not pass this along to 15 people immediately,
absolutely nothing will happen.
Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend,
(as I have done here), GOD will bless you both.
'Stop telling GOD how big your storm is.
Instead, tell the storm how big your GOD is!'
After living what I felt was a 'decent' life, my time on earth came to the end.
The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting
room of what I thought to be a court house.
The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.
As i looked around i saw the prosecutor
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me.
He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney,
a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed
so familiar to me,
I felt I knew Him.
The corner door
flew open
and there appeared the Judge in full
flowing robes.
He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room, I couldn't take my eyes off of Him.
As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, 'Let us begin.'
The prosecutor rose and said,
'My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this person
belongs in hell.'
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others, Satan told of other horrible
Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the
further down in my seat I sank.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely
forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not Offering any form of defense at all.
I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done?
Satan finished with a fury and said, 'This person belongs in hell,
is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person
who can prove otherwise.'
When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.
The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan,
and beckoned Him to come forward.
As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in
His full splendor and majesty.
I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me,
my Lord and my Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, 'Hi,
Dad,' and then He turned to address the court.
'Satan was correct in saying that this person has sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations.
And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this person deserves to be
punished.
Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with
outstretched arms and proclaimed, 'However, I died on the cross so
that this person might have eternal life and
has accepted Me as Savior, so this person is Mine.'
My Lord continued with, 'This person's name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch this one from Me.
Satan still does not understand yet. This person is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.'
As Jesus sat down,
He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, 'There is nothing else that needs to be done.'
'I've done it all.'
The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.
The following words bellowed from His lips..
'This person is free.'
'The penalty has already been paid in full.'
'Case dismissed.'
As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving,
'I won't give up, I will win the next one.'
I asked Jesus
as He gave me
my instructions where to go next, 'Have you ever lost a case?'
Christ lovingly smiled and said,
'Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you,
~Paid In Full~'
If you do not pass this along to 15 people immediately,
absolutely nothing will happen.
Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend,
(as I have done here), GOD will bless you both.
'Stop telling GOD how big your storm is.
Instead, tell the storm how big your GOD is!'
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Two Kinds of Legacy
When you die, your possessions will be distributed according to a will in which you allocated property to specific people. Objects left in a will are called a legacy.
But "legacy" also has a much deeper meaning.
In Jewish tradition, people write "ethical wills" in which they pass on to the next generation, especially their children, the gift of wisdom and good wishes. This legacy is far more profound and permanent than bequests of property.
An ethical will is often a personal letter to the most important people in our lives. It conveys our values, convictions and hopes. An ethical will is also an autobiography - not of events and dates, but of the insights and intuitions that define who we are and tell the world what we stand for and what we think is important.
These documents provide a priceless and prized source of loving advice and can become treasured family heirlooms. Because they are about ethics, they also can become a moral compass that helps loved ones navigate their way to worthy and happy lives.
Yet no matter how highly cherished these letters can be for those who receive them, the process of writing them can change your perspective and cause you to readjust your own priorities.
What would you put in your ethical will? When you can, begin writing down everything you might want to pass on to the people you love. But know this: Once you start, it will be hard to stop as you'll experience a surge of thoughts that will engulf you with all the subconscious beliefs that make you who you are and what you will be.
According to Socrates, the touchstone of wisdom is to first know thyself. Try it, and you'll see why.
Michael Josephson
But "legacy" also has a much deeper meaning.
In Jewish tradition, people write "ethical wills" in which they pass on to the next generation, especially their children, the gift of wisdom and good wishes. This legacy is far more profound and permanent than bequests of property.
An ethical will is often a personal letter to the most important people in our lives. It conveys our values, convictions and hopes. An ethical will is also an autobiography - not of events and dates, but of the insights and intuitions that define who we are and tell the world what we stand for and what we think is important.
These documents provide a priceless and prized source of loving advice and can become treasured family heirlooms. Because they are about ethics, they also can become a moral compass that helps loved ones navigate their way to worthy and happy lives.
Yet no matter how highly cherished these letters can be for those who receive them, the process of writing them can change your perspective and cause you to readjust your own priorities.
What would you put in your ethical will? When you can, begin writing down everything you might want to pass on to the people you love. But know this: Once you start, it will be hard to stop as you'll experience a surge of thoughts that will engulf you with all the subconscious beliefs that make you who you are and what you will be.
According to Socrates, the touchstone of wisdom is to first know thyself. Try it, and you'll see why.
Michael Josephson
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Living In Grace
Part 4
The body-mind is the dance of the universe, and the more you dance with the universe, the more joy, vitality, energy, creativity, synchronicity, and harmony you will experience. You can stay in tune with your body by being aware of how you dance with the universe. If you pay attention to the rhythms and cycles of your body-mind, and if you become a little familiar with cosmic rhythms, you'll see that you can synchronize your body's rhythms with the rhythms of the universe. You don't have to be an expert, just pay a little attention to this. Notice how you feel at different times of the day and at different times of the month depending on the lunar cycle. Look at the sky, and observe the cycles of the moon. If you look at a newspaper, check the high tide and low tide. Feel your body and see how it relates to each of the seasons. Understanding these rhythms can really help you, but the following information is all you need to remember.
Between six and ten in the morning and between six and ten in the evening is when your body is hypometabolic, or at its lowest phase of metabolism. Try to spend time in silence around six in the morning and six in the evening. Ideally speaking, it's best to meditate in the early part of this phase, and to exercise in the middle of this phase - especially if you're doing it to lose weight.
Between ten in the morning and two in the afternoon is when metabolic fire is at its highest. This is the time to have your biggest meal, because your body will metabolize the food much better. Between two and six in the afternoon is a good time to be active, to learn new mental skills, or to engage in physical activities. Between two and six in the morning is a good time to dream.
Around six in the evening, and preferably before sunset, is a good time to have dinner. It's best to make dinner a lighter meal, and to have at least a two- to three-hour interval between dinner and sleep. Then try to get to bed by ten or ten-thirty at night, and you'll have ideal sleep and great dreams.
These are very basic suggestions, but once we start to synchronize our rhythms with the cosmic rhythms, the body feels quite different. It feels vital; it doesn't get fatigued. We feel more energy subjectively. We begin to experience that state of consciousness where everything in our life is flowing with ease. Vibrant health is not just the absence of disease; it's a joyfulness that should be inside us all the time. It's a state of positive well-being, which is not only physical but emotional, psychological, and ultimately even spiritual. Technology won't make us healthy. What will make us healthy is to be aligned with the forces of the universe, to feel that our body is part of the body of nature, to commune with nature, to commune with our soul by spending time in silence and solitude.
The Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, summarizes the miracle of life more beautifully than science can explain it. He says, "The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass, and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment."
The oceans and rivers of this biosphere are the lifeblood that circulates in our heart and in our body. The air is the sacred breath of life that gives energy to every cell in our body, so that it may live and breathe and participate in the dance of the cosmos. To have the experience of "the life-throb of ages dancing in our blood this moment" is to have the experience of joy, the experience of connectedness to the cosmos. This is the healing experience; it is the experience of being whole. And to be whole is to live in grace.
by Deepak Chopra
The body-mind is the dance of the universe, and the more you dance with the universe, the more joy, vitality, energy, creativity, synchronicity, and harmony you will experience. You can stay in tune with your body by being aware of how you dance with the universe. If you pay attention to the rhythms and cycles of your body-mind, and if you become a little familiar with cosmic rhythms, you'll see that you can synchronize your body's rhythms with the rhythms of the universe. You don't have to be an expert, just pay a little attention to this. Notice how you feel at different times of the day and at different times of the month depending on the lunar cycle. Look at the sky, and observe the cycles of the moon. If you look at a newspaper, check the high tide and low tide. Feel your body and see how it relates to each of the seasons. Understanding these rhythms can really help you, but the following information is all you need to remember.
Between six and ten in the morning and between six and ten in the evening is when your body is hypometabolic, or at its lowest phase of metabolism. Try to spend time in silence around six in the morning and six in the evening. Ideally speaking, it's best to meditate in the early part of this phase, and to exercise in the middle of this phase - especially if you're doing it to lose weight.
Between ten in the morning and two in the afternoon is when metabolic fire is at its highest. This is the time to have your biggest meal, because your body will metabolize the food much better. Between two and six in the afternoon is a good time to be active, to learn new mental skills, or to engage in physical activities. Between two and six in the morning is a good time to dream.
Around six in the evening, and preferably before sunset, is a good time to have dinner. It's best to make dinner a lighter meal, and to have at least a two- to three-hour interval between dinner and sleep. Then try to get to bed by ten or ten-thirty at night, and you'll have ideal sleep and great dreams.
These are very basic suggestions, but once we start to synchronize our rhythms with the cosmic rhythms, the body feels quite different. It feels vital; it doesn't get fatigued. We feel more energy subjectively. We begin to experience that state of consciousness where everything in our life is flowing with ease. Vibrant health is not just the absence of disease; it's a joyfulness that should be inside us all the time. It's a state of positive well-being, which is not only physical but emotional, psychological, and ultimately even spiritual. Technology won't make us healthy. What will make us healthy is to be aligned with the forces of the universe, to feel that our body is part of the body of nature, to commune with nature, to commune with our soul by spending time in silence and solitude.
The Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, summarizes the miracle of life more beautifully than science can explain it. He says, "The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass, and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment."
The oceans and rivers of this biosphere are the lifeblood that circulates in our heart and in our body. The air is the sacred breath of life that gives energy to every cell in our body, so that it may live and breathe and participate in the dance of the cosmos. To have the experience of "the life-throb of ages dancing in our blood this moment" is to have the experience of joy, the experience of connectedness to the cosmos. This is the healing experience; it is the experience of being whole. And to be whole is to live in grace.
by Deepak Chopra
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Living In Grace
Part 3
How do we interfere with nature's intelligence? In spiritual terms, we can say that we interfere when we identify with our self-image and lose our inner self; when we lose our sense of connection with our soul, our source. In more common terms, we can say that we interfere when we start worrying, when we start anticipating problems, when we start thinking, What can go wrong? When we try to control everything, when we are afraid, when we feel isolated - all these things interfere with the flow of nature's intelligence. Anytime we feel resistance, anytime things are going wrong, anytime we feel frustration, anytime there is too much effort, then we are not connecting with our source, the field of pure consciousness that manifests as the infinite diversity of the universe. The state of fear is the state of separation; it is resistance to what is. If we don't have resistance, then it's all spontaneous, effortless ease.
Our body is constantly speaking to us through signals of comfort and discomfort, pleasure and pain, attraction and repulsion. When we listen to the subtle nuances of sensation in our body, we are accessing intuitive intelligence. This intelligence is contextual, relational, nurturing, holistic, and wise. Intuitive intelligence is more accurate and precise than anything that exists in the realm of rational thought. Intuition is not a thought; it is the nonlocal cosmic field of information that whispers to us in the silence between our thoughts. So when we listen to the inner intelligence of our body, which is the ultimate and supreme genius, we are eavesdropping on the universe and accessing information that most people don't normally access.
When we listen to our body's wisdom, when we become aware of the sensations in our body, we will know the whole cosmos, because the whole cosmos is experienced as sensations in our body. If we are out of harmony with universal rhythms, the signal that comes to us is a sense of discomfort, whether it's physical, mental, or emotional. When we are flowing in harmony with the universe, the signal that comes to us is a sense of comfort, ease, or joy. In reality, these sensations are the voice of spirit, which speaks to us at the finest level of feeling in our body. When we offer our body our deep listening, we will hear the voice of spirit, because our body is a biocomputer that is constantly plugged into the cosmic psyche. Our body has a computing ability that can instantly take into account the infinity of details that create every event in our life.
Knowing all this, why not treat your body with reverence and take care of it? Nurture your body with your loving attention. Nourish your body with healthy food and fresh water. Feed your body with the freshness of the earth, and the colors of the rainbow that the earth offers in the form of fruits and vegetables. Drink deeply of the Earth's waters so that you open the lines of communication and intelligence that course through your tissues and blood vessels. Breathe deeply so that your lungs are fully expanded with air.
Let go of all constriction and tightness in your consciousness so that your body can relax into the rhythms of the universe. Move your body, exercise your body, and keep it moving. Make a commitment to keep your body free of toxins, both physical and emotional. Don't contaminate your body with dead food and drink, toxic chemicals, toxic relationships, or toxic emotions in the form of anger, fear, or guilt. Make sure that you nurture healthy relationships, and that you do not harbor resentments or grievances. The health of every cell directly contributes to your state of well-being, because every cell is a point of awareness within the field of awareness that is you.
How do we interfere with nature's intelligence? In spiritual terms, we can say that we interfere when we identify with our self-image and lose our inner self; when we lose our sense of connection with our soul, our source. In more common terms, we can say that we interfere when we start worrying, when we start anticipating problems, when we start thinking, What can go wrong? When we try to control everything, when we are afraid, when we feel isolated - all these things interfere with the flow of nature's intelligence. Anytime we feel resistance, anytime things are going wrong, anytime we feel frustration, anytime there is too much effort, then we are not connecting with our source, the field of pure consciousness that manifests as the infinite diversity of the universe. The state of fear is the state of separation; it is resistance to what is. If we don't have resistance, then it's all spontaneous, effortless ease.
Our body is constantly speaking to us through signals of comfort and discomfort, pleasure and pain, attraction and repulsion. When we listen to the subtle nuances of sensation in our body, we are accessing intuitive intelligence. This intelligence is contextual, relational, nurturing, holistic, and wise. Intuitive intelligence is more accurate and precise than anything that exists in the realm of rational thought. Intuition is not a thought; it is the nonlocal cosmic field of information that whispers to us in the silence between our thoughts. So when we listen to the inner intelligence of our body, which is the ultimate and supreme genius, we are eavesdropping on the universe and accessing information that most people don't normally access.
When we listen to our body's wisdom, when we become aware of the sensations in our body, we will know the whole cosmos, because the whole cosmos is experienced as sensations in our body. If we are out of harmony with universal rhythms, the signal that comes to us is a sense of discomfort, whether it's physical, mental, or emotional. When we are flowing in harmony with the universe, the signal that comes to us is a sense of comfort, ease, or joy. In reality, these sensations are the voice of spirit, which speaks to us at the finest level of feeling in our body. When we offer our body our deep listening, we will hear the voice of spirit, because our body is a biocomputer that is constantly plugged into the cosmic psyche. Our body has a computing ability that can instantly take into account the infinity of details that create every event in our life.
Knowing all this, why not treat your body with reverence and take care of it? Nurture your body with your loving attention. Nourish your body with healthy food and fresh water. Feed your body with the freshness of the earth, and the colors of the rainbow that the earth offers in the form of fruits and vegetables. Drink deeply of the Earth's waters so that you open the lines of communication and intelligence that course through your tissues and blood vessels. Breathe deeply so that your lungs are fully expanded with air.
Let go of all constriction and tightness in your consciousness so that your body can relax into the rhythms of the universe. Move your body, exercise your body, and keep it moving. Make a commitment to keep your body free of toxins, both physical and emotional. Don't contaminate your body with dead food and drink, toxic chemicals, toxic relationships, or toxic emotions in the form of anger, fear, or guilt. Make sure that you nurture healthy relationships, and that you do not harbor resentments or grievances. The health of every cell directly contributes to your state of well-being, because every cell is a point of awareness within the field of awareness that is you.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Living In Grace
Part 2
The Earth tilts on its axis in the spring, and flowers bloom, groundhogs come out of the ground, birds migrate, fish return to their spawning grounds, and mating rituals begin. People are moved to write poetry, lovers sing songs, and young and old hearts fall in love. Seasonal rhythms affect us biologically, mentally, emotionally, and it all has to do with the relationship of the Earth to the sun.
There are other cycles and rhythms that oscillate for just a few seconds, including electrocardiogram and brain waves, and there are rhythms that last anywhere from thirty minutes to twenty-eight hours called ultradian rhythms. There are cycles within cycles, and it gets very complicated, but it's all one symphony. All of these rhythms create the symphony of the universe, and the body-mind is always trying to synchronize its rhythms with universal rhythms.
To separate the body-mind from the rest of the cosmos is to misperceive things as they really are. The body-mind is part of a larger mind, it's part of the cosmos, and cosmic rhythms result in profound changes in our physiology. The universe is truly a symphony of the stars. And when our body-mind is in synch with this symphony, everything is spontaneous and effortless, and the exuberance of the universe flows through us in joyful ecstasy.
When the rhythms of our body-mind are in synch with nature's rhythms, when we are living in harmony with life, we are living in the state of grace. To live in grace is to experience that state of consciousness where things flow effortlessly and our desires are easily fulfilled. Grace is magical, synchronistic, coincidental, joyful. It's that good-luck factor. But to live in grace we have to allow nature's intelligence to flow through us without interfering.
Theoretically, if we were totally aligned with the cosmos, if we were totally in harmony with its rhythms, and if we had zero stress, then there would be very little entropy in our body. Our body wouldn't age if we were totally synchronized with the cycles of the universe. If it did undergo entropy, it would be on the scale of the universe, which is cosmic cycles or eons of time. But our body-mind is not totally aligned with the rhythms of the universe, and why isn't it? Stress. You see, as soon as we have a thought, any thought, it interferes with the innate tendency of the biological rhythms to synchronize with the universal rhythms.
The Earth tilts on its axis in the spring, and flowers bloom, groundhogs come out of the ground, birds migrate, fish return to their spawning grounds, and mating rituals begin. People are moved to write poetry, lovers sing songs, and young and old hearts fall in love. Seasonal rhythms affect us biologically, mentally, emotionally, and it all has to do with the relationship of the Earth to the sun.
There are other cycles and rhythms that oscillate for just a few seconds, including electrocardiogram and brain waves, and there are rhythms that last anywhere from thirty minutes to twenty-eight hours called ultradian rhythms. There are cycles within cycles, and it gets very complicated, but it's all one symphony. All of these rhythms create the symphony of the universe, and the body-mind is always trying to synchronize its rhythms with universal rhythms.
To separate the body-mind from the rest of the cosmos is to misperceive things as they really are. The body-mind is part of a larger mind, it's part of the cosmos, and cosmic rhythms result in profound changes in our physiology. The universe is truly a symphony of the stars. And when our body-mind is in synch with this symphony, everything is spontaneous and effortless, and the exuberance of the universe flows through us in joyful ecstasy.
When the rhythms of our body-mind are in synch with nature's rhythms, when we are living in harmony with life, we are living in the state of grace. To live in grace is to experience that state of consciousness where things flow effortlessly and our desires are easily fulfilled. Grace is magical, synchronistic, coincidental, joyful. It's that good-luck factor. But to live in grace we have to allow nature's intelligence to flow through us without interfering.
Theoretically, if we were totally aligned with the cosmos, if we were totally in harmony with its rhythms, and if we had zero stress, then there would be very little entropy in our body. Our body wouldn't age if we were totally synchronized with the cycles of the universe. If it did undergo entropy, it would be on the scale of the universe, which is cosmic cycles or eons of time. But our body-mind is not totally aligned with the rhythms of the universe, and why isn't it? Stress. You see, as soon as we have a thought, any thought, it interferes with the innate tendency of the biological rhythms to synchronize with the universal rhythms.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Living In Grace
Part 1
Our body, our mind, our emotions - everything in our physiology is changing moment to moment, depending on the time of the day, the cycles of the moon, the seasons, and even the tides. Our body is part of the universe, and everything that happens in the universe ultimately affects the physiology of our body. Biological rhythms are an expression of the rhythms of the Earth in relationship to the entire cosmos, and just four rhythms - daily rhythms, tidal rhythms, monthly or lunar rhythms, and annual or seasonal rhythms - are the basis of all of the other rhythms in our body.
As the Earth spins on its axis, we experience a twenty-four-hour cycle of night and day that we call the circadian rhythm.
This rhythm is based on the spinning of the Earth, and everything in our body, being part of the Earth, is also spinning and following the rhythm of the Earth. When this biological rhythm is disrupted by long-distance travel, for example, we experience jet lag. Or if we work a night shift, we don't feel quite right even if we rest during the day, because our biological rhythms are out of tune with the cosmic rhythms.
Scientific data shows that if we give an animal a certain dose of radiation at one time of the day, it may have a beneficial effect. If we give the same dose of radiation twelve hours later, the animal may die. Why? Because its physiology has changed completely in that twelve-hour period. Even a little bit of subjective experience tells us that at certain times of the day we feel hungry, while at other times of the day we feel sleepy. We know that we tend to feel one way at four o'clock in the afternoon, and another way at four o'clock in the morning.
Tidal rhythms also have an effect on our physiology. These rhythms are the result of the gravitational effect of the sun, the moon, and the stars in the distant galaxies on the oceans of planet Earth. We have an ocean within us that is similar to the oceans of our planet. More than 60 percent of our body is water, and more than 60 percent of our planet is water. So we experience a low tide and a high tide, and the tides ebb and flow in our own physiology. When we feel out of sorts, our body is out of synch with the body of the universe. Spending time near the ocean, or anywhere in nature, can help us to synchronize our rhythms with nature's rhythms.
The lunar rhythm is a twenty-eight-day cycle that occurs as a result of the movement of the Earth, the sun, and the moon in relationship to one another. This rhythm is evident in the waxing and waning of the moon. We see the full moon, the half moon, no moon, and then the cycle starts all over again. Human fertility and menstruation are good examples of lunar rhythms, and there are many other twenty-eight-day cycles. When I worked as a physician in an emergency room, we would frequently expect to see patients with certain types of problems depending on the time of day and the cycles of the moon.
As the Earth moves around the sun, we experience seasonal rhythms as distinct biochemical changes in the body-mind. So we are more likely to fall in love in spring or get depressed in winter. People with a condition known as seasonal affective disorder get depressed in winter but feel better when you expose them to sunlight. Seasonal changes affect not only the biochemistry of the human body; they affect the biochemistry of trees, flowers, butterflies, bacteria, and everything throughout nature.
Living In Grace
Our body, our mind, our emotions - everything in our physiology is changing moment to moment, depending on the time of the day, the cycles of the moon, the seasons, and even the tides. Our body is part of the universe, and everything that happens in the universe ultimately affects the physiology of our body. Biological rhythms are an expression of the rhythms of the Earth in relationship to the entire cosmos, and just four rhythms - daily rhythms, tidal rhythms, monthly or lunar rhythms, and annual or seasonal rhythms - are the basis of all of the other rhythms in our body.
As the Earth spins on its axis, we experience a twenty-four-hour cycle of night and day that we call the circadian rhythm.
This rhythm is based on the spinning of the Earth, and everything in our body, being part of the Earth, is also spinning and following the rhythm of the Earth. When this biological rhythm is disrupted by long-distance travel, for example, we experience jet lag. Or if we work a night shift, we don't feel quite right even if we rest during the day, because our biological rhythms are out of tune with the cosmic rhythms.
Scientific data shows that if we give an animal a certain dose of radiation at one time of the day, it may have a beneficial effect. If we give the same dose of radiation twelve hours later, the animal may die. Why? Because its physiology has changed completely in that twelve-hour period. Even a little bit of subjective experience tells us that at certain times of the day we feel hungry, while at other times of the day we feel sleepy. We know that we tend to feel one way at four o'clock in the afternoon, and another way at four o'clock in the morning.
Tidal rhythms also have an effect on our physiology. These rhythms are the result of the gravitational effect of the sun, the moon, and the stars in the distant galaxies on the oceans of planet Earth. We have an ocean within us that is similar to the oceans of our planet. More than 60 percent of our body is water, and more than 60 percent of our planet is water. So we experience a low tide and a high tide, and the tides ebb and flow in our own physiology. When we feel out of sorts, our body is out of synch with the body of the universe. Spending time near the ocean, or anywhere in nature, can help us to synchronize our rhythms with nature's rhythms.
The lunar rhythm is a twenty-eight-day cycle that occurs as a result of the movement of the Earth, the sun, and the moon in relationship to one another. This rhythm is evident in the waxing and waning of the moon. We see the full moon, the half moon, no moon, and then the cycle starts all over again. Human fertility and menstruation are good examples of lunar rhythms, and there are many other twenty-eight-day cycles. When I worked as a physician in an emergency room, we would frequently expect to see patients with certain types of problems depending on the time of day and the cycles of the moon.
As the Earth moves around the sun, we experience seasonal rhythms as distinct biochemical changes in the body-mind. So we are more likely to fall in love in spring or get depressed in winter. People with a condition known as seasonal affective disorder get depressed in winter but feel better when you expose them to sunlight. Seasonal changes affect not only the biochemistry of the human body; they affect the biochemistry of trees, flowers, butterflies, bacteria, and everything throughout nature.
Living In Grace
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