Blogs

Twelve Principles for the New Reality, Self-help and guidance.

I found this article by Owen Waters and I thought others could gain from it here.

The New Reality brings with it a new vista of awareness. In order to operate successfully in the new environment, you need to apply the new principles which come with this expanded view of reality.

Such knowledge empowers you to awaken to your newly expanded potential and manifest it with ease.

Here are some basic principles of the universe, as seen from the expanded vista of New Reality consciousness.

In this, the ultimate reality is recognized as universal consciousness, which is the formative essence behind all that exists within the universe. This essence can be called Infinite Being because it is the awareness behind everything within the universe.

Here are twelve principles which describe the New Reality awareness.

1. Infinite Being is All That Is. Nothing exists outside of it.

The universe exists within the consciousness of Infinite Being. The physical world exists within the consciousness of Infinite Being. We exist within the consciousness of Infinite Being.

2. We are Infinite Being.

Creation is holographic in nature, meaning that the one can be found within the all. For example, the oak tree produces acorns and yet the life-form of a complete oak tree is contained within each acorn. If a picture hologram is divided into two, both parts will still retain the complete original picture.

While you are a part of the consciousness of Infinite Being, you are also Infinite Being itself. At the deepest level of reality, all that Infinite Being is, you are.

Therefore we are, each one of us, Infinite Being.

3. Purpose in life.

Your overall purpose in life is to experience it from one individual, unique point of view. Just as each snowflake is unique, so is each person. From a cosmic point of view, you are one expression of Infinite Being as it experiences itself from all possible viewpoints. In this way, through you and all life, Infinite Being gains infinite experience.

At a personal level, you, as a soul, pre-planned the major themes of your life. You chose the time, the place and your parents in order to set a life plan in motion which would explore those themes. Such pre-planning gave rise to the occurrence of related, meaningful events in your life which may have already given you the impression that destiny exists.

Destiny does exist, to the extent that the major themes of your life are pre-planned, by you, ahead of time.

As you pass through life, certain names, places, people and activities resonate with certain specialness in your consciousness. It’s almost as if you knew them once before, but you can’t quite remember when or where. That is destiny, as it unfolds important, pre-planned and pre-viewed events into your life.

In the phenomenon called déjà vu, scenes that you recognize as they unfold in your life are scenes which you had previously viewed in another state of consciousness. This previewing occurred either during your pre-life planning or, more often, in a recent, out-of-body, dream-state where, in order to help yourself remain on-purpose, you reviewed the important, upcoming events in your life.

4. Free will enables you to explore your true potential.

Free will fills in all the details. It can be used to any degree that you choose. The most productive use of free will is to explore your true potential within the themes of your life, thus gaining the greatest possible experience from your life plan.

5. Reincarnation.

Reincarnation exists to provide a variety of experiences, so that life skills may be gained, and so that, while in a physical body, you can rediscover your spiritual connection within.

6. Life after ‘death’.

From the point of view of your true, inner personality, passing away from the physical realm is like stepping out of a suit that you have worn for a while. The suit is not the real you. In your spirit body, you move into the spirit realm, which is a place of joy and healing. After meeting with friends and relatives who have passed on before, you start work on resolving the issues which caused inner conflict during your physical life. Then, as you move into the higher realms, remembering more about who you really are, you experience reunion with the rest of your immediate and extended soul families.

7. Life reflects what you project.

Reflectance is a property of the universe. Also known as karma, this principle states that life reflects your beliefs, emotions and actions. The stronger these are, the more apparent it becomes that life is a mirror of what you project.

Every time you change the way you view life, the universe, just like a mirror, reflects your new view of reality. This may not occur instantaneously as, often, circumstances do not allow the new reflection to immediately manifest. In this case, the new reality is held, like a pressure within the aura of your body’s subtle magnetic field. You then walk around in life, surrounded by this magnetic potential, as it influences your circumstances to adapt into a form where the new reality will be able to manifest and operate.

Reflectance, sooner or later, produces manifestation. Therefore, if you don’t like something in your life, the most powerful way to change its effect permanently is to discover how you are generating that reflection, and then change your point of view so that you change the reflection that you are causing from the universe.

That’s how reflectance works. It’s just like law in physics. It’s how the universe was designed. The mirror of life will shine happiness upon you, but not until you first decide, within yourself, to become a happy person. Then it will reflect your new reality.

8. Abundance is natural.

Natural abundance comes from ‘getting into the flow,’ by doing work that brings a sense of inner excitement. The phrase “Follow your inner joy” is actually the key to abundance. Once you follow your innermost joy and adapt your situation to doing work that you love, then synchronicity begins to flow. Synchronicity is the universe’s way of telling you that you’re on the right track. It is a flow of events where everything starts clicking into place in order to support your efforts.

Synchronicity brings you opportunities, people, events and circumstances exactly when and where they need to be. When life flows naturally, the universe’s natural state of abundance follows automatically.

9. Love is the only reality.

Unconditional, holistic love is the answer to all of life’s challenges. We are here on Earth to learn how to love ourselves and others, and to accept ourselves and others completely, without judgment.

At this point, some people ask, “What, are you supposed to love someone who is bent on being anti-social, even destructive?” The secret here is that there is a difference between an acceptance of the outer beliefs of a person and an acceptance of their inner essence.

Regardless of that person’s outward belief system, and whether you agree with it or not, it is the inner essence of the person that you learn to recognize, love and accept.

The secret is that unconditional love will heal the world, and there is no shortage of its supply. The universe is permeated by, and held together by, the love aspect of the One Creator. You have only to allow it to flow through you in order to experience its wonder.

10. Self-responsibility.

You create your own reality and take personal responsibility for it. Your life is a reflection of your point of view in this, the set of experiences that you, as a soul, planned for this life.

11. Truth is everywhere.

The ultimate truth is to be found within, yet the study of a variety of sources of information helps you to reawaken and remember your inner truth. Your intuitive sense is your guide as to what material is most appropriate for you at any particular time during your personal development.

12. Inner connection and insight.

Inner connection with your spiritual source promotes spiritual transformation and the achievement of your true potential. Developing intuition, both in men and women, provides an essential insight into life’s experiences.

The way this is achieved is through regular, daily meditation. The regular practice of meditation promotes intuitive insight, unconditional love and personal spiritual experiences. Any meditation technique that you prefer will function perfectly well, but the Infinite Being meditation technique is particularly powerful.

With practice, you actually need no technique at all, because you will find that you can go into those deeper levels of awareness, whenever you wish, as an acquired habit. In the meantime, check out the ultimate door-opener to the higher realms of human consciousness, the Infinite Being meditation technique.

Prayer/Spirituality

Turn all your anxiety over to God because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7


The prayer and spirituality can make a significant difference in sufferers of depressive and anxiety disorders. Fear and anxiety come from feelings of inadequacy and impotency. We're usually facing some kind of situation that we can't control such as:

deteriorating marriages, disintegrating health, financial difficulties. These are the factors that break us down and bring us to the end of ourselves. This is where faith comes to our aid.

Studies have shown that religious people are less likely to become depressed and anxious than their nonreligious counterparts. Frequent churchgoing was shown to be associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression.

Several studies showed that religious involvement can protect against mental and psychological problems.

In one study, 20 out of 22 people who practiced prayer or meditation to reduce moderate to severe anxiety showed marked improvement after three months.

The cheerful heart has a continual feast. Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred. [Proverbs 15:15-17]

In a 1993 study, researcher Harold Koenig assessed the relationship between religious involvement and anxiety disorders in 2,969 individuals. They concluded that young and middle-aged individuals who attended church at least once a week were significantly less likely to have anxiety-related disorders than those who did not attend church regularly. Devotional activities such as prayer and Bible study were found to be linked with lower incidence of agoraphobia and other forms of anxiety.

A national study of 2,679 baby boom-generation participants was conducted to understand the causes of psychiatric illnesses. The study found that those who attend church regularly have only a 50% probability of suffering from mental health conditions such as depression and other mental illnesses compared to those who attended church infrequently. (18 percent versus 34 percent). Denominations did not make any difference in this case.

A study was conducted in India to test whether the beneficial health aspect of prayer is restricted to Christianity alone or would apply to other religions as well. In a study of Christian and Hindu patients, the psychological well-being of the patients was carefully evaluated. Assessed factors such as mood, sleep, and cognitive impairment. For Christian men and women, and for Hindu women, frequent attendance at worship was correlated with fewer psychological problems. (This effect did not hold true for Hindu men.) There was no overall statistical difference between the Christian and Hindu groups, suggesting that the faith factor may be equally beneficial regardless of religious affiliation.

If any of you are having trouble, pray. If you are happy, sing psalms. James 5:13

In a study that assessed the psychological health of members of a church in Newfoundland, church members who took part in healing rituals and participated more actively in all church activities reported significantly fewer symptoms of psychological distress than those who participated less in such activities. The results showed a strong correlation between higher levels of church activity and lower levels of psychological distress.

Another set of studies showed that people who suffer from significant mental illnesses like depression and anxiety are less likely to be religiously involved than individuals who are psychologically well. In one study, 16 percent of the mentally ill claimed no religious affiliation, versus only 3 percent of the non-mentally ill patients. The mentally ill patients were also less likely to say that religion was important to them, and their church attendance rates were lower than the non-mentally ill subjects.

Suicide is very often associated with mental illness. Faith was found to help in this case too.

In a 1974 study of suicidal feelings among 720 members of the general population in Connecticut, researchers found that individuals reporting suicidal feelings were less likely than their nonsuicidal peers to belong to a religious organization, to attend religious services, or to pray. A large 1972 community-based study found that people who attend church once a week or more are only half as likely to attempt suicide as others.

A 1991 study by researchers J. B. Ellis and P. C. Smith found that, among one hundred college-student subjects, those with a strong sense of religious well-being were less likely to commit suicide than those who did not derive peace and satisfaction from religious involvement.

Religion and spirituality does not eliminate mental health problems. What religion does is to help the victims cope with their disease. It can enhance the healing process.

"Prescription medications now form the medical cornerstone for recovery from mental illness, but psychotherapy, support groups, and the resources of faith appear to help people change their thought patterns and make constructive changes in their lives. For many of my patients, suffering through depression or anxiety has actually brought them closer to God-perhaps not right away, but ultimately.

Once out of the grip of these frightening illnesses, they find new meaning in their lives and often go forward with a desire to grow spiritually and to serve others. The illness can serve as a wake-up call for some to change destructive life patterns. People who have listened to the message and heeded its call have often done better."

Dale A. Mathews, M.D.: The Faith Factor

Overcoming Fear and Anxiety With Prayer and Spirituality

Fear is a reality of life. It is true for believers and anyone else. However, those who are grounded in faith and spirituality, find that they have God to lean back on when the going gets tough.

We don't have to let fear defeat us. We can triumph over it and feel safe.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
(2 Timothy 1:7)

Building a Sense of Confidence

The faith can help us overcome fear. We can't expect God to protect us from every evil of the world during this life. But we can have utter confidence that we are, indeed, loved by God, and that, ultimately, we will be redeemed.

We can take solace in knowing that we are loved by God. That knowledge should provide us with reassurance.

Many theologians believe that fear is a form of suffering. The key is to accept it for what it is and not to indulge it. Think less of what may come to us and our loved ones and more of who God is and what God wants. Then we turn ourselves over to the love and the care of God.

God has promised us eternal peace. Do not be afraid.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

The way to find and keep peace is outlined for us by the Prophet Isaiah: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isa. 26:3). We find God's will (and His peace) by staying grounded in our spirituality, where we find His will for our lives.

One of the most peaceful thoughts in the entire world was written by the Apostle Paul: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). If we truly believe this promise and appropriate it for our daily living, we will know complete and abiding peace. The divine promise remains true: "The Lord will bless his people with peace" (Ps. 29:11).

Countless multitudes have ridden themselves of their fear knowing the power in God's presence
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. (Psalm 23:4)

Henry Ward Beecher says the Twenty-third Psalm is the nightingale of the Psalms. The nightingale sings its sweetest when the night is darkest. And for most of us death is the most terrifying fact of life. Death makes us afraid. We feel so helpless and alone.

Of course, "the valley of the shadow of death" refers to more than the actual experiences of physical death. It has been translated, "the glen of gloom." It might refer to every hard and terrifying experience of life.

The Basque Sheepherder describes an actual Valley of the Shadow of Death in Palestine. It leads from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea and is a very narrow and dangerous pathway through the mountain range. The path is rough, and there is danger that a sheep may fall at any moment to its death.

It is a forbidding journey that one dreads to take. But the sheep is not afraid. Why? Because the shepherd is with it.

And so come those dark places in life through which we are compelled to pass. Death is one. Disappointment is another. Loneliness is another. Phobias, compulsions, obsessions, and reliving traumatic experiences fill us with fear.

If you feel you are in "the valley of the shadow," get off to a quiet place. Quit struggling for a little while. Forget the many details. Stop your mind for a little while from hurrying on to the morrow and to next year and beyond.

Just stop, become still and quiet, and in the midst of your "glen of gloom" you will feel a strange and marvelous presence more powerfully than you have ever felt it before. Many have felt that presence-they have heard the nightingale sing in the darkness.

Wherever my pathway leads, I will not be afraid, "for thou art with me." There is power in His presence. Countless multitudes have ridden themselves of their fear knowing that eternal truth.
Excerpted from: God's Psychiatry by Charles L. Allen

God Provides us strength against life's storms
Where is your faith? (Luke 8:25).

If the devil has another name, it is Fear. He strives to enter our minds and put a fear in us that is a living thing. It nags us. Nauseates us-literally makes us sick. Follows us. Torments us.

Jesus dealt with fear by pointing to faith as the answer. In the height of the storm on Galilee, His disciples were overcome with fear. Then they asked Him a question that only increased their doubts and fears: "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

Jesus did not withdraw from the human stream, from the misery and the torments that we pass through. He developed a way of life, a rhythm of a time to seed and harvest; a faith in God as the source of supply and a relationship with God that gave Him strength on the inside so that when He was in these problems He could rest, He could have a calmness of spirit.

After Jesus calmed the storm, He asked the disciples, "Where is your faith? Why were you so afraid?" He was saying, 'Look, the very faith I have in My Father you can have. The very fact that I was able to find strength to relax and be strong in this storm means that you can find that same strength. You don't have to be afraid. Why are you so fearful when you can have this relationship with God, when you can open up yourself and give and expect a miracle? Where is your faith?"

Our feelings will lie to us. In life we are dealing with reality, not just feelings. When we analyze the problem of fear, nine times out of ten we find that we are guilty of wrong believing. We are believing that God doesn't care what happens to us. This is what Satan, "the father of lies' would have us believe. Faith and fear both come from our believing. Wrong believing brings fear. Right believing brings faith.

Excerpted From: Oral Roberts' Favorite Healing Scriptures

Action Steps

Kenneth W. Caine and Brian P. Kaufmann in their book 'Prayer, Faith and Healing' suggested several actions you can take to face and manage fear.

Use reasonable precautions.

If you are fearful of crime, take practical steps to improve security at home and when we travel. This helps prevent crime. It also makes us feel better. Even small steps, such as leaving the light on at night, help soothe fears considerably following traumatic experiences.

Seek help.

Fears can develop into debilitating phobias if left unchecked. Seek professional help if you are having a hard time handling your fears. When fear becomes immobilizing or interferes with your normal functions, it's time to seek counseling.

Face fear head on.

A fear faced is often a fear defeated.

An old saying goes, "Boats are safe anchored in the harbor, but that's not what boats are made for."

A person was frightened of speaking in front of groups. Her boss asked her to make a presentation at a staff meeting. When she stood up, she realized that she was nervous, and said so. Her throat was dry, and she took a drink of water. Then she began. Acknowledging her fears and focusing momentarily on something else-getting a drink of water-helped her through the moment. The next time she spoke, she wasn't quite so nervous.

The young woman had prayed to Jesus before the meeting, asking directly for His help in dealing with her fear.

Accentuate the positive.

The Apostle Paul in his letters in the bible wrote frequently of the need to focus on the good things in life, not the bad. "Whatever is true," he wrote to the Philippians, "whatever is honorable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

To turn your mind away from your fear, make a list of pleasant thoughts and memories and add to it regularly. When you are tempted to start dwelling on something negative, you will have something that's good and true to put in your minds to replace it with.

Turn off sources of bad news.

The evening news is often full of stories about crime, horror, and terrorism. Following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers, the US television showed the image of the planes attacking the world trade center repeatedly followed by the image of the towers collapsing. Exposure to this type of news and images are unsettling to many. Studies of television viewers show that people who spent lot of time watching television perceive a more violent world.

When you are overwhelmed by what you are seeing on the TV, turn off the TV. If you don't want to turn it off, close your eyes, or think of pleasant things.

Keep your spirituality strong.

Pay attention to your spiritual life. It will help you tide over the difficult times. Keep up regularly on prayer, worship, fellowship, and service.

A lot of our insecurities come from an unspoken awareness that we've veered off the path from God or from our inner fear that we're not living as we're called to live. Being strong spiritually, means that we feel that we are walking where we are meant to walk, and that we are being watched and protected by God. There's enormous security in that feeling.

Participate in community activities.

Spirituality allows us to being part of communities such as church. Communities can provide their members opportunities for mutual cooperation and support. Community is an important element of our spiritual security blanket. We can do much to allay our fears if we wrap ourselves tightly in a network of believers by attending services regularly, participating in church social activities, and doing volunteer service. Studies conducted in Duke University in the US has shown that church activities provided health benefits.

PRAYER AND HEALING: FUTURE

Michael Lerner, author of ‘Choices in Healing’ makes the following predictions for the future:

• As physicians become increasingly comfortable with nonlocality as a legitimate concept in science, they will begin to use nonlocal interventions purposefully in both diagnosis and therapy. This will open the door widely to an Era of "nonlocal medicine" and will change the face of the profession. Nonlocal medicine will reject neither technological, mechanistic, Era I-type approaches, nor mind-body, Era II-type therapies, but will subsume them. The result will be a medicine that is both more effective and more humane, a medicine that works better and feels better.

• As nonlocal concepts find a home in medical science, prayer will become recognized as a potent force in medicine and will become incorporated into the mainstream.

• The use of prayer will become the standard in scientific medical practice in most medical communities.

• So pervasive will its use become that not to recommend the use of prayer as an integral part of medical care will one day constitute medical malpractice.

• The nonlocal nature of consciousness will be acknowledged in mainstream science because of conclusive evidence affirming it. It will become increasingly recognized that consciousness can do things the brain cannot.

• A new picture of human consciousness will emerge. No longer will it be considered an exclusive byproduct of the brain, destined to die with the body.

• The recognition that there is some aspect of the human psyche that is genuinely nonlocal will lead to a transformation of our ideas of who we are. We will see that this nonlocal aspect of ourselves cannot die-for, if nonlocal, it is infinite in space and time, and thus omnipresent and immortal by implication.

• This soul-like quality of human beings will no longer be just an assertion of religions, to be accepted only through blind faith; it will be considered a legitimate implication of rational, empirical science.

• The recognition of a soul-like quality of consciousness-by science on the one hand and by religion on the other-will constitute a bridge between these two domains. This point of contact will help heal the bitter divisions between these two camps. No longer will people feel compelled to choose between them in ordering their lives. At long last science and religion will stand side by side in a complementary way, neither attempting to usurp the other.

• With the recognition that there is an innately nonlocal part of us that cannot die, the goals of medicine will be transformed. We shall come to realize that our intrinsic nonlocality constitutes an ever-present, Radical Cure-immortality-for the Big Disease, physical death.

• This recognition will not prohibit us from trying to eradicate illness, increase longevity, and prolong life; we may continue to do so if we so choose. But if so we shall no longer be acting out of desperation and fear of ultimate destruction at the moment of death. Rather we shall do so out of wisdom, recalling always that the most essential part of us cannot die, even in principle.

• This understanding may lead to a transformation in the way we pray. No longer will we pray incessantly for things, such as our health, but our prayers will be predominantly prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving-our proper response on realizing that the world, at heart, is more glorious, benevolent, and friendlier than we have recently supposed.

The Steps In Divine Healing

Donald Demaray, author of ‘How Are You Praying? A Manual on the Practice of Prayer’ shares these steps to obtain divine gift of healing:

1. Relax:
The first step to healing is relaxation. The body is "forgotten" in order to permit the mind to center upon God and his great power.

2. Be Cleansed:
The whole person, including the conscious and subconscious mind, must be purified so that God’s healing power can course through the seeker.

3. Seek Clarification of God’s Will:
Ask God what precisely is needed for healing to occur. In response, God will make his will clear.

4. Expect Healing:
This means that you actually believe that God has heard the prayer and will answer it. The posture is active faith; half faith will not do.

5. Relinquish Yourself:
Hand your life, without reservation, into God’s hands. In this phase of prayer, the seeker’s recaptured health is given over to God for his holy purposes, for his glory, for his kingdom.

6. Begin Living The Promise:
Extend your hands to receive the promised gift. Start to live and act in the strength of the health-giving power received. There is nothing left now but to thank God.

Benefits of Prayer

Kenneth Cooper, author of ‘it’s Better to Believe’, says that having deep personal convictions and values can do wonders for almost every aspect of your physical and emotional well-being. He listed several specific enhancements to health that have been linked to firm, inner commitments to moral principles, social values, God, or even oneself.

Less Depression, Smoking, And Alcohol Abuse

In a study of more than five hundred African-American men conducted by Wayne State University in Detroit, significant correlation between the participants' religious involvement and their health. The researchers identified a number of indicators of true religious commitment, including overall religiosity and church attendance. They found these were linked to various beneficial health effects, such as less depression, little or no smoking, and infrequency of alcohol consumption.
(Source: November 1994 issue of the Journal of the National Medical Association)

Healthier Mothers And Babies

Maternity patients with a strong religious commitment, and their newborns, who were studied at the Department of Family Medicine, East Carolina University, had fewer medical complications than maternity patients without a religious affiliation.

(Source: November 1994 issue of Southern Medical Journal)

Protection From Colon And Rectal Cancer

In an Australian study of patients with cancer of the colon or rectum, 715 cancer patients were compared with 727 "controls" without cancer.

The researchers found that the respondents who saw themselves as most religious were less likely to have cancer than those who were not as religious. In other words, self-perceived "religiousness" was a statistically significant protective factor against the disease!

Another interesting finding in this study was that self-reported or perceived religiousness was associated with median survival times of sixty-two months. In contrast, those patients who reported themselves as "non-religious" had a median survival time of only fifty-two months.

(Source: November 1993 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine)

Improved Coping With Breast Cancer

A number of studies have associated a deep religious faith with an ability to cope more effectively with cancer, including breast cancer.

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio published a study about the impact of deep faith on the condition of women with breast cancer. They found that with a group of Anglo-American patients, "intrinsic religiousness" was a strong predictor of spiritual well-being and hope- both of which are important factors for successfully coping with cancer.

(Source: Oncologocial Nurse's Forum, September 1993)

A Healthier Emotional Balance

A study at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, ranked participating young men and women as high, medium, or low in the quality of their personal religious commitment. Those in the high religious category, regardless of their religious denomination, scored highest for self-esteem, emotional maturity, and nondepression.

(Source: June 1993 issue of Psychological Reports)

Lower Blood Pressure, Healthier Cardiovascular System And Reduced Stress

A commitment to maintain significant social ties, including marriage and religious community involvements -and a willingness to act on such commitments-can have tremendous beneficial effects on health.

A study on this issue, involving more than 1,100 healthy men and women aged seventy to seventy-nine, was reported by Yale epidemiologist Lisa Berkman at a January 1995 meeting of the American Medical Association. She confirmed that strong emotional support and social ties can help lower blood pressure and enhance survival after a heart attack.

Berkman also found that significant social ties, including close friendships and family relationships, improved the levels in the brain of the chemicals norepinephrine and cortisol, which have been associated with excessive stress.

Stronger Marriage Ties

Religious compatibility between spouses at the time of marriage has a large influence on marital stability. A study, conducted by E. L. Lehrer and C. U Chiswick of the Economics Department of the University of Illinois at Chicago, also found that spouses of different faiths generally break up more often than those with a common faith.

(Source: August 1993 issue of the journal Demography)

A commitment to a meaningful marriage-rather than just cohabiting with a partner or remaining single-has also been linked in scientific studies to some specific health benefits. Researchers from the University of Chicago found that divorced men had twice the rate of alcohol abuse as married men. Divorced women also had more problems with alcohol than their married counterparts. Other researchers reported that those who live together before marriage have higher divorce rates, are more likely to be sexually disloyal, and are generally less happy than married couples.

(Source: Conferences of the Population Association of America, April 1995)

DailyOm – A New Approach
August 16, 2010


A New Approach


Taking a Break from What You Are Doing

Sometimes we need to step back from what occupies our minds and take a break much like touching the reset button.


Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our thoughts that we wind up going round in round in circles, finding it difficult to concentrate on things and, because we are so distracted, not really accomplishing much. There may be signals—mental, emotional, and physical—that tell us we need to slow down and relax. Since we are so involved in things that are external to us, however, we may easily overlook what is really going on inside of us. It is during these times that we need to step back from the things that occupy our minds and take time out to connect with our inner self, giving our minds, bodies, and spirits the time they need to reenergize and heal.

At first it may seem that by taking a break we may not be as productive as we would initially like. In reality, a healthy period of rest is something that gives us a real sense of the unlimited nature of our true potential.

Spending a couple of minutes walking outside, doing a few yoga poses, meditating, or simply becoming attuned to the rising and falling of our breath enables us to let go of our worries. This act brings our focus back to the things that are truly essential for us, such as our sense of oneness with the universe and our inner peace and well-being. As we begin to get in touch with this part of ourselves, we will find that our usual everyday troubles and worries become less critical and that we not only have much more room in our lives to really reflect on the issues that mean the most to us, but we are also able bring to all the situations we encounter a much more positive and healthy outlook.

Giving ourselves respite from our daily concerns is like giving a gift to ourselves. By stepping away from the problems that seem to saturate our thoughts, we lessen the weight of our troubles and instead become more receptive to the wisdom and answers the universe has to offer us.

DailyOm – Beyond Counting Blessings
August 13, 2010


Beyond Counting Blessings



Being Truly Thankful


In a deep state of gratitude we recognize the purity of the experience of being, in and of itself.


Often when we practice being thankful, we go through the process of counting our blessings, acknowledging the wonderful people, things and places that make up our reality. While it is fine to be grateful for the good fortune we have accumulated, true thankfulness stems from a powerful comprehension of the gift of simply being alive, and when we feel it, we feel it regardless of our circumstances. In this deep state of gratitude, we recognize the purity of the experience of being, in and of itself, and our thankfulness is part and parcel of our awareness that we are one with this great mystery that is life.

It is difficult for most of us to access this level of consciousness as we are very caught up in the ups and downs of our individual experiences in the world. The thing to remember about the world, though, is that it ebbs and flows, expands and contracts, gives and takes, and is by its very nature somewhat unreliable. If we only feel gratitude when it serves our desires, this is not true thankfulness. No one is exempt from the twists and turns of fate, which may, at any time, take the possessions, situations, and people we love away from us. Ironically, it is sometimes this kind of loss that awakens us to a thankfulness that goes deeper than just being grateful when things go our way. Illness and near-miss accidents can also serve as wake-up calls to the deeper realization that we are truly lucky to be alive.

We do not have to wait to be shaken to experience this state of being truly thankful for our lives. Tuning in to our breath and making an effort to be fully present for a set period of time each day can do wonders for our ability to connect with true gratitude. We can also awaken ourselves with the intention to be more aware of the unconditional generosity of the life force that flows through us regardless of our circumstances.

Heavenletters™, bringing Earth closer to Heaven.

HEAVEN is here to reach every soul on earth to reawaken:

* Our connection to God *
* Our belief in ourselves *
* Our awareness of our shared worthiness to God *
* Peace on Earth *

God is always bringing us closer to Him.

HEAVEN #3552 Seeking Oneness, August 16, 2010

God said:

I am what you have been seeking. Whatever you have been seeking, I am the Sought. You may seek a new car, a new beau, yet what you are really seeking is I. Make no bones about it. I am the God within you, and it is yourself that you seek. The objects you list one after the other, even when you possess them, they elude you. They are strictly outside you.

There is One you seek, and that is I, and that is you. We say I and you, you and I. These are words We communicate in. There is a deeper level of communication in which Oneness is established, and there is nothing but God in all the world and in all of Heaven. One Sun radiates. Many rays fall to the Earth, and each ray is a ray of the Sun. The Sun shines itself for the joy of it just the way you splash in water for the joy of it.

The fractional rays of the Sun may see themselves as only rays of the Sun. The Sun is many-rayed, and yet there is One Sun that shines. The reflection of the Sun is, nevertheless, Sun.

That you are in physical form is only an illusion. The illusion is that Oneness is sectioned off, and the illusion becomes more vital than the Oneness. Multiple Oneness is not more. It is great, but it is not greater. Oneness is greater, and Oneness IS. I AM. You ARE. And We are merged, and so there is no We. There is only One. I am you, and you are I.

Creation is a great thing, and it is also a great illusion. It is illusion that there is a world and that a particle of Me known as you is outside of Me, or that I am outside of you. Separation is illusion. Oneness is true. Within you, I AM.

The outside world can only go so far in feeding your hunger for this Oneness that you and I are and solely are. The world is seductive, no doubt about that. And the world does serve you, yet I am the One Who fulfills you. I am the God within Who loves you, loves All, loves. It is love you seek. And I have it. I have an abundance of it, and so do you.

You want to be anointed in love, submersed in love, buoyed on love. The waves of life do give you love and you do give love as well, yet the waves of life ebb and flow whereas the Ocean itself flows from deep within itself and never ebbs, and you are loved with all the love of the Ocean Deep and the Totality of Oneness which is I or is you, depending upon the angle you are looking from. What you really are seeking is the knowing of the Oneness that you and I, as One, are and never were otherwise.

We could say that the world is a bottle of perfume while you and I are the essence of the perfume. Which is greater? The bottle of perfume or the scent of the perfume?

Which is more, the Creation or the Creator? Both are great. Which is greater?

Which is more? Knowledge or consciousness? Which comes first? Which lays bare the other? First there is being and then there is Beingness conscious of itself.

What if there is nothing else but consciousness dressed up as individuality, then Who are you really? Are you consciousness or personality?

Who are you really unless you and I are One?


Permanent Link: http://www.heavenletters.org/seeking-oneness.html

Thank you for including this link when publishing this Heavenletter elsewhere.

DailyOm – Strong Woman
August 12, 2010


Strong Woman


Empowering Feminine Energy


A woman’s sense of compassion and inner voice demonstrates the depth of her strength.


So often in our world we tend to think of strength as a quality that arises from a place of firm determination and a will to succeed no matter the cost. Even though we might want to think of a strong woman as being defined in this way, what really makes a woman confident is her capacity for listening to her true self and being able to call upon her feminine wisdom to any situation that may arise. A woman does not need to step into an assertive role or act like a man in order to be effective at what she does—she simply needs to get in touch with her insight and sense of compassion to truly demonstrate the depth of her strength.

Listening to the feminine side of ourselves may not seem easy at first for this type of energy is something that is often overlooked in many aspects of our everyday lives. If we can connect with this part of who we are, however, we will find that there is an unlimited wellspring of strength available to us. Our capacity to tap into our intuition and listen to our inner guides, to take into account the needs of those around us, and to view a situation with compassion and love are ways that we can show the world the true power that is part of our feminine nature.

When we learn to integrate this source of strength into our daily tasks and decision-making, we will find that we can be more flexible and open to the things that happen around us and more receptive to new ideas. Not only will we see the world in a different light, but we will truly start to realize the potential for this form of energy to both empower ourselves and those around us.

As we cultivate our feminine energy we can redefine the meaning of strength. By embracing our feminine power as something that is strong in its own right, we are able to use it with true assurance and determination and draw upon what truly belongs to us.

DailyOm – A Matter of Priorities
August 11, 2010


A Matter of Priorities

Letting Go of the Little Stuff

When we stop worrying about unimportant matters we can devote more to what is truly important.


We experience numerous disappointments each and every day. Our expectations go unmet, our plans are blocked by circumstance, our wishes go unfulfilled, and we discover that our lives are subject to a myriad of forces beyond our conscious control. In some cases, our response is powerful because we must invest ourselves and our resources to overcome genuine hardship. In others, our reactions are far more passionate than our circumstances likely warrant. The tension that permeates our bodies and minds when we are late for an event, interrupted at work, or sitting in traffic is not inappropriate, but it can interfere with our well-being in profound ways. When we stop worrying about relatively unimportant matters, we can be at peace and devote so much more of ourselves to what is truly important.

The small frustrations and irritations wield such power over us because they rob us of the illusion of control. But every problem is a potential teacher—a confusing situation is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, and difficult people provide us with opportunities to display compassion. There is a natural human tendency to invest copious amounts of emotional energy in minor dilemmas and frustrations in order to avoid confronting those more complex issues that are largely outside the realm of our control. The intensity of our response provides us with a temporary sense of personal power that helps us cope with challenges that might otherwise overwhelm us. But it is only when we let the little stuff go that we discover that the big stuff is not really so devastating after all.

In the stress of a singularly tense incident, differentiating between an inconsequential annoyance and a legitimate challenge can seem a monumental task. Ask yourself whether the emotions you are feeling will be as vivid in a year, a day, or even an hour. As focused as you are on this moment in time, your reward for letting go of your emotional investment may be the very happiness and harmony of being whose loss you are lamenting. Needless aggravation is seldom worth the cost it exacts. You cannot distance yourself from life's inconsistencies, irritations, and upheavals, but you can relinquish your desire for perfect order and gain peace of mind in the process.

DailyOm – Acknowledging Our Pain
August 10, 2010


Acknowledging Our Pain


Rescuing the Rescuer


Sometimes the strong desire to help and rescue others is actually a call to help our own deep seated pain.


Some people seem called to help others, often from very early on in their childhoods, responding to the needs of family members, strangers, or animals with a selflessness that is impressive. Often, these people appear to have very few needs of their own, and the focus of their lives is on rescuing, helping, and healing others. While there are a few people who are truly able to sustain this completely giving lifestyle, the vast majority has needs that lie beneath the surface, unmet and often unseen. In these cases, their motivation to help others may be an extension of a deep desire to heal a wounded part of themselves that is starving for the kind of love and attention they dole out to those around them on a daily basis. For any number of reasons, they are unable to give themselves the love they need and so they give it to others. This does not mean that they are not meant to be helping others, but it does mean that they would do well to turn some of that helping energy with! in.

One problem with the rescuer model is that the individual can get stuck in the role, always living in crisis mode at the expense of inner peace and personal growth. Until the person resolves their own inner dramas, they play them out in their relationships with others, drawn to those who need them and often unable to acknowledge their own needs or get them met. In the worst-case scenario, they enable the other person’s dilemma by not knowing when to stop playing the rescuer and allow the person to figure it out on their own. However, if the rescuer finds the strength to turn within and face the needy aspects of their own psyche, he or she can become a model of empowerment and a true source of healing in the world.

Some signs that you or someone you love may need to rescue the rescuer within are inner burnout from overgiving; underlying resentment; an inability to admit to having needs of one’s own; and an unwillingness to be vulnerable. Help comes when we allow ourselves to admit we need it, acknowledging our humanity and our wholeness by acknowledging our pain. The understanding we gain in the process will naturally inform and inspire our ability to help those in need to do the same.

DailyOm – Back in the Driver’s Seat
August 9, 2010


Back in the Driver’s Seat


The Passenger

Too much on your daily plate lands you in the passenger seat when you should be in the driver’s seat.


It’s easy to go through this fast-paced world feeling as if you are being dragged through your weeks on the back of a wild horse. Many of us go from one thing to another until we end up back at home in the evening with just enough time to wind down and go to sleep, waking up the next morning to begin the wild ride once more. While this can be exhilarating for certain periods of time, a life lived entirely in this fashion can be exhausting, and more important, it places us in the passenger’s seat when really we are the ones who should be driving.

When we get caught up in our packed schedule and our many obligations, weeks can go by without us doing one spontaneous thing or taking time to look at the bigger picture of our lives. Without these breaks, we run the risk of going through our precious days on a runaway train. Taking time to view the bigger picture, asking ourselves if we are happy with the course we are on and making adjustments, puts us back in the driver’s seat where we belong. When we take responsibility for charting our own course in life, we may well go in an entirely different direction from the one laid out for us by society and familial expectations. This can be uncomfortable in the short term, but in the long term it is much worse to imagine living this precious life without ever taking the wheel and navigating our own course.

Of course, time spent examining the big picture could lead us to see that we are happy with the road we are on, but we would like more time with family or more free time to do whatever we want at the moment. Even if we want more extreme changes, the way to begin is to get off the road for long enough to catch our breath and remember who we are and what we truly want. Once we do that, we can take the wheel with confidence, driving the speed we want to go in the direction that is right for us.

DailyOm – A Good Turn Daily
August 6, 2010


A Good Turn Daily


Helping the World Every Day

Being of service to the world can be done in many ways, they need not be huge. You are helping right now.


Each of us is more than capable of helping the world, despite our fears and limitations and the uncertainty that holds us back. It is commonly accepted that it is impossible to make a difference without unlimited funding or free time, yet most healing, cleansing, and spreading of joy is accomplished in a matter of minutes. If we vow to make the world a better place one day at a time, the true significance of small good deeds reveals itself to us. We come to see that we can be of service without dedicating our lives to recognized charities or giving up the pleasures we enjoy. The warmth we feel when we help the world is only a tiny part of the affirmative transformations that take place when we make altruism a part of everyday existence.

We make our homes, workplaces, communities, and countries better and brighter when we think positive thoughts that echo outward, give donations of time or money, smile at everyone we meet, and lend those in need of aid our assistance. As we learn, we inadvertently improve the universe because we can only be truly involved when we are informed. Even enthusiastically sharing ideas with others generates positive energy that then serves as the motivation for more tangible change.

Selfless and helpful deeds remind us that we exercise some degree of control over a world that can seem chaotic at times. Even the smallest of such deeds is a demonstration of the fact that we are capable of changing the world in a positive way. So much negative energy is generated by the suffering, pain, and close-mindedness we are regularly exposed to, but we can counteract it in a constructive way by thinking and acting altruistically when opportunities to do so arise.

Helping the world often takes no more than a moment, just a wish for the world is a beautiful gesture and can be done by even the busiest of people effortlessly. The gift you give each day need not be grand or attention-worthy because the broader benefits are the same no matter the literal repercussions. Once a day, you can affect reality, and you can reap the rewards of knowing that you are making the world a better place, day by day.

DailyOm – The Power of Disengagement
August 5, 2010


The Power of Disengagement


Playing Mind Games

Rather than being heart based, some have learned to play mind games or go on power trips in the service of their ego.


For better or worse, many people have been raised to believe that communicating in an honest and open way will not get them what they want. They have learned, instead, to play mind games or go on power trips in the service of their ego’s agenda. People stuck in this outmoded and inefficient style of communication can be trying at best and downright destructive at worst. We may get caught up in thinking we have to play the same games in order to defend ourselves, but that will only lead us deeper into confusion and conflict. The best way to handle people like this is to be clear and honest with them.

As with all relationships and situations in our lives, we must look within for both the source of our difficulties and the solution. Reacting to the situation by getting upset will only entrench us more deeply in the undesirable relationship. Only by disengaging, becoming still, and going within can we begin to see what has hooked us into the mess in the first place. We will most likely find unprocessed emotions that we can finally fully feel and release into the stillness we find in meditation. The more we are able to do this, the less we will be bothered by the other person’s dramas and the more we will be free to respond in a new way. In the light of our new awareness, the situation will untangle itself and we will slowly break free.

Whenever people come into our lives, they have come for a reason, to show us something about ourselves that we have not been able to see. When unhealthy people try to hook us into their patterns with mind games and power trips, we can remind ourselves that we have something to learn here and that a part of us is calling out for healing. This takes the focus off the troubling individual and puts it back on us, giving us the opportunity to change the situation from the inside out.

DailyOm – Compassionate Intensity
August 4, 2010


Compassionate Intensity


Balancing Your Warrior Spirit

When called to explore the way of the warrior, we can exhibit strength without sacrificing tenderness.


The human soul is dynamic, adapting readily to the changing conditions we encounter as time marches unerringly forward. Though we may use a single set of characteristics to define ourselves, we slip easily into contradictory roles when circumstances necessitate doing so.

Then we feel called to explore the way of the warrior, we may feel a strong sense of dismay because we have no wish to disavow ourselves of our softer side. Yet embracing the warrior spirit is not a matter of denying gentleness or compassion—all human beings embody all traits to some degree, and seemingly contradictory aspects can coexist peacefully within us. We can exhibit strength without sacrificing tenderness precisely because both are elements of the self and both have a role to play in the complexity of existence.

Balance is the key that unlocks the door of peaceable coexistence where opposing characteristics of the self are concerned. The warrior spirit, when allowed free reign, is overpowering and all-consuming. If it is to be an affirmative force in our lives, it must be tempered with wisdom and moderation.

Our inner warriors are ready to react instantly to conflict, chaos, and confusion, while nonetheless remaining committed to a path of goodwill and fairness. They lie at the root of our dedication to integrity but do not drive us to use our strength to coerce others into adopting our values. The warrior may be nourished by raw emotions with the potential to cause us to lash out, but it channels that energy into positive and constructive action.

Your inner warrior is one source of strength you can draw upon in times of great need. When you employ your warrior spirit thoughtfully, it manifests itself as clarity, focus, determination, courage, constancy, and an unflappable zest for life. The warrior views roadblocks as evolutionary opportunities and is not afraid to pursue a purpose to its climax.

There is more than enough room in the existence of the warrior for softness and benevolence, and the warrior's willingness to stand up for their beliefs can aid you greatly as you strive to incorporate these ideals into your existence. Exploring this unique side of yourself is a means of broadening your reality so you can internalize mindfulness while meeting life's challenges with an intensity of spirit that never wavers.

DailyOm – Home Flow
August 3, 2010


Home Flow


How Energy Moves at Home

The place we call home should be a nurturing sanctuary to house our bodies and souls.


Our living spaces can become nurturing homes for our bodies and souls when we make sure that our surroundings accurately reflect who we are as individuals and who we aspire to become. No matter how positive and creative you may be in your inner world, if your home or work surroundings are contradictory or present energetic barriers, you are likely to find it difficult to manifest all that you desire. By paying attention to the flow of energy around you, you can align your inner intentions with your outer realities to make your life a conscious act of creation.

We can look to the ancient Asian art of feng shui for guidance. Since the words “feng” and “shui” mean “wind” and “water,” you may want to walk through your home and imagine the way these elements would flow through your space. You can evaluate whether or not your home is a balanced ecosystem that would allow a plant to flourish.

A straight path between doorways would make nourishing elements rush right through, while a pleasantly meandering stream would instead create a flow that nurtures life. Look for signs of debris that might obstruct the flow of such a river. Clutter acts like hurdles placed in your path, blocking you from creating what you want in your life. Once the obstacles are recognized, however, they can be removed to let energy flow freely throughout your home and your life so that you can thrive.

Your home can be thought of as a symbolic metaphor for your life. A neglected space may correspond to a lack of growth in your career or personal relationships. By shifting your perception, you shift the way you direct your energy and attention, which can enable you to make the changes you need to actively create the life of your dreams. If you need some assistance, you can always turn to a feng shui practitioner, but the most important thing is that you understand what resonates with your core being in order to feel alive and nurtured by your home.

DailyOm – Inner Spring Cleaning
August 2, 2010


Inner Spring Cleaning


Detoxing Your Body

Our bodies move with the cycles of life and even the healthiest need a cleansing detox to renew and regenerate.


When you want to start with a clean slate in life, one way is to cleanse your body. Detoxifying can be done in many ways and for many reasons, depending on your specific goals. You may feel a physical need for cleansing, or a spiritual one where you would cleanse the areas of the body that correspond to your current life challenges. If you feel, for instance, that your inner self is not shining through as you would like, you may want to do a bathing detox to clean the skin of impurities so that you can radiate your inner health like a newly washed stained-glass window that lets the light shine through more brilliantly.

No matter how healthy and conscious our habits are, our bodies move with the cycles of life, which means that our cells sometimes need to fall like leaves from the trees before they can regenerate and be renewed.

Just as we need to wash our bodies to remove the buildup of natural processes and contact with the world around us, we need to clean our bodies from the inside as well. So you may want to detoxify your blood or digestive system, or target specific buildup such as plaque or metals. Our bodies are the vessels that allow us to move through life, but we can treat them like wild gardens that need our attention to reach their full potential of beauty and balance in their ecosystem.

The first days of a detoxification process may bring to mind an image of the dust that gets stirred up during spring cleaning. You may feel a little worse before you feel better, but that may indeed be the universe’s way of showing us the benefits by contrast. We live in a world of dualities, so we may need to experience both sides of a situation in order to find our perfect balance. Once the impurities have been cleansed, you could experience a sense of lightness or clarity of vision and purpose. You will know it worked when you feel enhanced ease as you move through the world toward your goals.

DailyOm – Return and Reclaim
July 30, 2010


Return and Reclaim


Returning to Creative Dreams

Our creativity is an important part of being a well-rounded human being. For many of us, this has been shut down.


As children, many of us entertained fantasies or even goals of being an actor, singer, dancer, artist, or musician. In some cases, we received enough encouragement to develop our abilities in those creative arenas, but somewhere along the way we stopped. This stopping may have been due to circumstances beyond our control or to our own unconscious acts of self-sabotage. Being creative can be scary in a world that seems to value logic over imagination and practicality over dreaming. We can forgive ourselves for shutting down or turning our attention away from our inner artist, but perhaps we can also take steps to reclaim our dreams.

In certain times and places, developing a creative ability was considered an important part of being a well-rounded human being. It was not necessary to be a professional or a masterly genius, because the act of creativity was valued in and of itself. It gifts are manifold—from the sheer pleasure of allowing our imaginations free reign to sharing and enjoying the fruits of our labor.

Children share drawings and songs freely, without self-consciousness, and there is no reason why we cannot do the same thing. You may already be remembering some lost form of expression, such as making jewelry or writing songs. Your soul may be responding with an energetic lift as it feels its way back to a time when it was allowed to express itself freely. Your brain, on the other hand, may be throwing up obstacles, like the idea that you are too old or do not have the time.

The truth is, you are not too old, and if you have time to pick up a pen, you have time to make a doodle or write a haiku. Recognize that the obstacles you find before you have arisen from a place of fear and that they will wane in power every time you do something creative. Each creative act takes you deeper into a realm of beauty and magic, a realm that you have every right to return to and reclaim.