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Entrée: Bless the
Situation by Linda-Ann
Stewart
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Last year, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since she has emphysema and is on oxygen, I was concerned about her coming through the treatments. I decided to transform my concern into an affirmation that something wonderful would come out of this for her that would somehow improve her overall quality of life, but I had no idea how that could possibly happen. She breezed through the surgery, with the anesthesiologist saying her heart was strong. That was something good. The cancer was small and hadn't spread. That also was something good.
As the health care workers were taking the CAT Scan to set her up for radiation, they discovered that her thyroid, which was hyperactive, was compressing her windpipe to less than 50% of normal. It was like she was breathing through a straw. That was fantastic news, believe it or not. It meant that something could be done to improve her breathing.
When something that looks "bad" happens, bless it and affirm that something wonderful is going to come from it. People who have lost jobs have done this, and manifested a better job. A relationship coming to an end can open a door to a better one. Choose not to wallow in anxiety, worry, or concern about the possible negative consequences of the "loss." Instead, concentrate on something better coming as a result of the event. By doing so, you're actually giving your subconscious mind directions to actually find something good.
Whatever you give your attention to is a command to the subconscious to manifest more of that. As Universal Mind flows through your subconscious, this gives your creative mind infinite knowledge and resources to discover something good. Don't try to figure out how it could possibly happen, that's the function of your inner mind. And don't try to determine what the benefit could be, that's also the job for your subconscious.
There obviously was a reason for the unpleasant experience. Maybe you outgrew that job, but were reluctant to let it go. Every so-called "negative" condition is created of the same Universal energy that "positive" situations are formed from. But you have to set your creative mind to work to uncover what good can come from the circumstances. So bless the situation, and affirm to yourself that something wonderful is going to occur as a result of it. By doing so, you're instructing your subconscious to reveal the goodness of the Infinite that animates every person, place, and condition.
You can do this for personal experiences or for more global situations. I've done this for years for myself and others, and for social problems and world issues. Since we're all connected in Universal Mind, the more people who bless any planetary conflict, the more we're focusing on a positive solution and the benefits that can be found from it. It may seem counter-intuitive to look for the blessing, but that's the only way we can turn a "negative" into a "positive."
If it hadn't been for my mother's cancer, we probably never would have discovered a major cause of her breathing difficulties. It took months before she had surgery, but afterwards she was able to take a deep breath for the first time in years. Something wonderful came out of what could have been something awful.
Affirmation:
I bless every so-called "negative" situation in my
world, whether it's my personal world or the globe. By blessing the
circumstances, I'm instructing the Universe, my subconscious mind, and the
collective subconscious, to find the good in the experience. I don't have to
figure out how or what benefit will result, I just keep my mind focused on
blessing the situation and knowing that there is a wonderful outcome. Only good
goes from me, and only good comes to me.
About the author:
Considering herself a teacher and guide, Linda wishes to help people achieve their goals, build a greater sense of self-acceptance, and empower them to utilize their own potential for healing. She's a member of the National Board for Hypnotherapy and Hypnotic Anaesthesiology and the National Association for Transpersonal Psychology. In her personal life, she's an award winning weaver and photographer. Linda-Ann loves to hike with her significant other, Jeff. Each year, she and Jeff attend the local Renaissance Faire in costume. To order products, or for more information on hypnotherapy or seminars, contact Linda-Ann Stewart by E-mail, or visit Cedarfire.com.
Main Course: Let's
Take My Car
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The plan was to meet for lunch at around 2:00 p.m., and it was 1:38 p.m. I was not in a hurry, and it was a nice day. I drove past the park in my car with the new snow tires, freshly washed and polished, an oil change only a mile or two behind me... That was when I ran into Isabelle.
Or, should I say, she ran into me. She failed to stop at the light, and ran smack into the right side of my car at 30 mph, or so. I was at the posted limit of 25 mph, so I just rode it out until we came to a stop on someone's front lawn. It wasn't a big crash, and neither one of us was hurt badly. But my car was a total loss, and her's was badly damaged, too. So, the police were called, the insurance company, then I called my lunch date. "I'm going to be a bit late..."
I could see that Isabelle, a youthful and active 65-year-old, was quite shaken by this. I know how she felt.
I had once caused a minor accident myself, several years ago. I wiped out the entire side of an undercover police car, while my car was only lightly scratched. It was my fault, and I felt bad, really bad. I didn't know the other driver was an undercover policewoman from the domestic violence unit, until later. There was a baby in the car with her, too, to legitimize her cover. I collapsed in grateful tears when I learned that I could have hurt the baby, but didn't.
So, I really did know how Isabelle felt. I hugged her, and told her it would all work out for the best. What else could I have done? Well...
She was surprised that I wasn't screaming and yelling at her. She was amazed that I wasn't absolutely furious with her. Then her husband showed up, and he was quite upset with her. His anger did nothing to make the situation better. Thankfully, it didn't last. "Listen, John," I told him, "it's just stuff, and we can get more stuff. We can't get our life back when it's gone. Isabelle is all right, and so am I. Let's be thankful for that."
Yeah, it will cost me to get a new car. Yeah, somebody's insurance will take a hit, and the lawyers will get involved in the settlement. But, Isabelle and I are staying out of the fray. Our plans for life were changed by that brief moment in time, but we both know that our meeting by "accident" was somehow ordained. And, we know that there is a blessing in this, somewhere, too.
That blessing may be nothing more than XM Radio in my rental car, but that's fine with me. I'm alive, I'm reasonably healthy, and I get to listen to the Old Time Radio channel, or any of the other 100 choices of broadcast content, during that long 6-1/2 hour drive to and from work each week. I think those are great blessings.
O.k., what's next? Lunch? Sure thing, but let's take my car. Our Miss Brooks is about to start!
Michael Rawls, Friday's Inspiration © 2003
Second Helping: Life Itself
Isn't Hard by Noel
C
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Life itself isn't hard, but the lives we create for ourselves are. Remember that the next time you make a decision that will alter something you are used to. Don't take what you have created for granted, because the next thing you know, it'll crumble to pieces. . . right before your eyes, and there won't be a thing you can do to stop it.
Everything that happens in your life, whether you knew about it or not, was predetermined by a choice you made earlier on. We start our life on this one road, the main road, and at the very beginning we make a decision. Some go to the left, some go to the right. Others just keep going.
But every person goes in a different direction. Paths collide, and paths split. And there comes a time in everyone's journey, when you come to a fork in the road. Do you take the left, or the right? There is no straight forward. Which one do you choose? How do you know that the path you will end up choosing will take you to the right place??
Choose the road that will best lead you to your final destination. Don't take for granted the time you have as a youth to prepare yourself for the real world, because what you learn now about life, will help you when you meet reality for the first time.
About the author:
"I wrote this a while back when thinking about life in general. I've been having a rough time lately, and came to the realization that life isn't all that bad. I mean, sure, it has its ups and downs, but hey, you have to live life like there's no tomorrow. That's what keeps me going." [ed.: Noel C is 14 years old, and lives in Alabama]
Soup to Nuts: From the feedback
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