Sunday, September 19, 2021

When the road gets rocky - Values: Meditation - Faith - Friends

When I sat down to write this weeks blog I had a personal giggle as I looked at the topic for this week "When the road gets rocky." The giggle was in retrospect over my personal experiences this week, which have indeed been a bit rocky. Yet my faith, meditation practices along with great friends and family, were there to support me in knowing my highest good and well being. 

One such experience occurred Tuesday morning. After arriving at work I had a strange experience of foggy vision where I could only see clearly looking straight on. My boss (who is also a great friend) was immediately concerned and suggested we go to the ER. On the way there, I closed my eyes and went into a state of meditation knowing answers were on the way. While going through several CT scan's of my brain, I remained calm by mentally chanting, "My good is my God, my God is my good" over and over until the scans were complete. While I waited for the test results, I had a lovely and comforting conversation with my son. Through it all I had faith that I was in the right place at the right time, surrounded by the right people who were there for my highest and best good! The tests came back clear and I left with a diagnosis of ocular migraine w/o pain. Thank you, Spirit! 

I am reminded that regardless of where we are on the road of life, or within our parenting experience, there will always be rocky moments. Moments where we might not immediately know the answers or how to proceed, however that does not mean the answers are not available or that we can not access them. With faith, trust and tapping into our inner state of peace, we humans can and do get through the bumps in life. 

"Peace doesn't deny difficulty, but it has an inner calm and quietness even while enduring the difficulty." Glenn C. Stewart
Prayer is powerful. It can be done anywhere, anytime and reaching out for prayer support is another way to open to Peace. 

If you are in need of prayer or wish to look into what our local center has available for prayer support click either of the links below. You will likely receive a redirect notice, just click the link in the redirect and it will take you to the pages on our Center's website. Licensed Prayer Practitioners are also available on a fee for service basis. 

https://cslsr.org/spiritual-support/

https://cslsr.org/members/practitioners/

"Seek to make your work a prayer, your believing an act, your living an art. It is then that the object of your faith will be made visible to you." Ernest Holmes

Having a good support system or friend network to tap into is also helpful. This applies to parents and children. Having a quiet space in your home can also be very helpful. Calm down corners are quite popular. You can fill them with stuffed animals, books, meditation timers, finger labyrinths you name it. There are many ideas on the internet if you need a little help getting started. 

Research and knowledge can also be helpful. Having good safety practices in place can help when an emergency arrises. Below is a link to the US Department of Health and Human Services - Safety practices for Toddlers and more. While this article mostly talks about younger children there are two links at the bottom with more tips. 

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/safety-practices/article/tips-keeping-infants-toddlers-safe-developmental-guide-home-visitors-toddlers

Love, Love and more Love ~ It may sound corny...and, I have found that Love is often the answer too many things. In situations of challenge, upset, confusion or distress it is often a cry for Love I am seeking, or some degree of deep understanding and compassion which I define as a loving act. 

When we can pay it forward in Love for others, it deepens our Faith and bond of friendship. 

This week if your road gets a bit rocky or if you witness others in a rocky spot, remember you are not only supported by a Power of Good - the Power of God/Spirit/Life/LOVE ~ that Power lives within you. And you have a community that you can turn to for support and prayer when needed. 

Books to explore: 

Love - by Matt de la Pena

Where ever you are my love will find you - by Nancy Tillman

The Magical Yet - by Angela Di Terlizzi

Blessings to you all ~ 
Susan

Photo credit to the artist on Unsplash.com Melissa Askew, Alexey Demidov & Alvin Madmudov




Sunday, September 12, 2021

The Upward Spiral ~ Values: Positivity, Kindness, Caring

The theory of the Upward Spiral points to the power of positivity and the use of tools that help shift our mindset when we feel like we are out of balance, off center, or mentally stuck. No matter who we are, or where we live, there are moments in life that can benefit from a practice of self reflection, positive mindset and self care. 

We can all be ambassadors for positivity and kindness. It begins with us. When we act out of compassion, love and kindness for ourself we set an example for others to do the same. 

From the Science of Mind Virtues Card: Caring “Caring is giving love and attention to people and things that matter to you. When you care about people you say and do things that help them. When you do a careful job, you give it your best effort. Caring comes from within. It is a sign of love. When you care for someone, you notice how they feel and what they need. Caring is a special way of paying attention.”

While this quote speaks to caring for others, it applies to caring for ourselves too. There are so many ways we can practice self care. It's good to have a few different ways to practice so you can be at choice when the need arrises. It could be mindfulness activities, reading, doing art, meditating, listening to calm music, taking a bath, going for a walk in nature and more. 

Take a moment and think of 5 ways you practice self care and self kindness. Come up with 3 new ways to add to your list. 

"Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it's holy ground. There's no greater investment. Stephen Covey

Spirals are in nature too. The leaf of a fern first forms in a spiral. As it is nurtured by the soil and sunlight, it slowly unfurls up and outward. Sunflowers have two spirals at their center that form a beautiful pattern. Sea shells often have a spiral pattern too. Even our finger prints contain spirals. It's another great example of our personal connection with all of life. What other form of nature spirals or patterns can you think of? 

There are so many cool quotes about the healing power on nature. 

"Allow natures peace to flow into you as sunshine flows into trees." John Muir

"I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order." John Burroughs

"Look deep into nature, then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein

"Nature is my manifestation of God." Frank Lloyd Wright

The next time you feel yourself out of balance or noticing that your self talk is less than kind, turn to nature or one of your favorite forms of self care. Create the positive shift in your mind and imagine the image of the upward spiral. Then allow it to pull you up. Practice Kindness & Positivity in all you do. You'll be glad you did. 

Music/Videos: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H98Rfljxmsc - Kindness Song by Juicebox Jukebox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXAo_5voOP0 - Kindness is a Muscle - a sing along song by Universal Kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awzNHuGqoMc - Tim McGraw - Humble and Kind

Books:

Happy - a Children's book of Mindfulness by Nicola Edwards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvCN4cnMNow

Chicken Soup for little souls the Goodness Gorillas - by Lisa Mccourt and Pat Porter https://justbooksreadaloud.com/ReadToMe.php?vid=ChickenSoupGoodnessGorilla

The Way I Act - by Steve Metzger 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW_Gr6A-hpE

Kindness Quilt - by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace 

Travel the upward spiral with kindness this week. 
Blessings ~ 

Gratitude to our Unsplash.com photographers Timothy Dykes and Kristen Macadam



 


Sunday, September 5, 2021

Reaching Higher - Values: Faith - Connection - Action


Hello friends and families. Happy September. It's Labor Day weekend and for some of us, it's a weekend break from the labor of the work week. A great time to recharge, refuel and to do a bit of reaching higher in the realm of cultural and spiritual transformation. 

For me it's right on time as I've been in a whirlwind of life events, mostly joyful ones, with a few challenges too. Yet that's life, right? Always changing, never static and full of things that grab our attention. Sometimes those attention grabbing things toss us off balance. At least that's true for me. So today, it was great to take it slow and get some Spiritual soul food from my Center from the comfort of home. Perfect timing as I noticed my mind was trending into the darkness a bit. And don't you know.. Rev. Edward Viljoen had just the words and message to help me reach higher in my own thinking. 

Below are a few points from today's talk. A blueprint if you will, of things we can do to reach higher in our thinking and doing: 

Let our minds reach higher into the field of infinite possibility and make a habit out of that! We've got to NOT accept that whatever is going on is the end of the line! We've got to rise above the average thinking of the world and do it daily (Rise UP!!) Let yourself play in the field of imagination and nurture the habit of imagining a greater yet to be, beyond what is currently going on. 

Then... practice, practice, practice!

Heres a bit more from me. Once you've set yourself in the mindset of possibility... go do the things that make a positive impact on your life and in the world. Speak up for those who are unable to speak up for themselves. Offer assistance to someone in need. Find that which is yours to do and don't just talk about it, do it! 

Nurture the habit of kindness ~ compassion ~ connection. Yes, Yes and YES.

There is a phrase that is common in metaphysical classes,  don't tell God how big your problems are... tell your problems how big your God is!!! 

None of us are immune to negative thinking, overwhelm or negative self talk. We ebb and flow through life with challenges and moments of joy, it is the way of things. The practice then becomes recognizing when we are in the unhelpful states of mind and switching direction to put ourselves on the path of light. Remembering our higher and greater truth. That there is an unlimited source of Love, Life, Divine Intelligence and IT is poised and ready for us to reach higher. To activate our attention to what is possible, not what is limiting. 

When I feel I am stuck - or that something new is happening and I'm not sure how I wish to move forward... it's time to dive deep into the truth of my being and remember who I am and what it is that supports me in every moment of every day and every situation. The unlimited, eternal presence of LOVE is right where I am always. This is true for YOU too!!!  


I can only imagine what it must be like for those of you who are parents right now. After a year and a half of home schooling and changing your lives around, the children are back in school and there are more adjustments to manage. Please make sure to take time to refuel your Spiritual gas tank. If needed reach out to a Practitioner for prayer or an appointment to help you maintain your balance. We are all in this life together and having support to help us remember our dreams and spiritual truth is healthy choice. 

One of the things I do for me, when I feel off course or out of alignment with my greater good is turn to my favorite little book by Ernest Holmes, This Thing Called YOU. It, in no uncertain terms, tells me the truth of my being and the truth of all Life. It helps create the shift in my mental thinking that points me on the path of healing, wholeness and light. Keep in mind this book has a copyright from 1948, so the language is a bit... old school. Yet the meaning remains as powerful today as the day it was written. 

Here are a few random passages... (page quotes not added as they vary in the variety of publications.)

"My mind is open to new ideas. The Spirit is ever active in me. The Divine Mind is inexhaustible."

"I sense my oneness with all life. I enter into the joy of conscious union with the Infinite. There is One Mind, this Mind is God, this Mind is my mind now." 

"I place my affairs in the hands of goodness, love and wisdom. I place them there with supreme confidence. I have a childlike faith and trust in good. I know there is nothing between me and that which is best, I am filled with enthusiastic hope."

"I believe the Law of Good will bring every good and perfect thing to me and will bless everyone I contact. I know that the Law of Good is operating upon this idea. I speak this word with implicit confidence belief and acceptance. I know that it shall not return to me void. I know that I shall experience the good which I now affirm." 


Your September Parent Tip is to check out StorylineOnline! I've mentioned it before and it's worth the re-mention. I love this website. Parent tip.. If there is a Teachers guide with the book or a Creative guide ~ look through them. They offer great conversation points for you to have with your children, or activities that you can do at home related to the stories. 

One of the books for September is Chester's Way. What I love about this book is that it demonstrates the comfort we all fall into when things are as we like them to be and how uncomfortable things can be when change is present. Yet... if we stretch a bit beyond or comfort zone, we may find there's more than we may be allowing ourselves to see. I also love that it is read out loud and with American Sign Language (ASL). It's a great way for children to learn that there are more ways than one to communicate. 

There are a lot of other great books to explore too! 

Peace and Blessings to you all ~ 
Susan 

Photo credits from Unsplash.com - photographers Jared Rice, Nick Fewings, Toni Reed, and Natasha Tirtabrat.

 


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