"Spiritually Speaking" by Rev. Carla Golden

Focus on what you want, not what you don't want

Recently, I went to an opthamologist to get my annual eye exam. I was thinking about how my insurance would cover the cost of new eyeglasses and so my mind began to consider what kind of frames I would like as I sat in the doctor's waiting room.

The assistant tested my vision and dilated my pupils and then the doctor came into the darkened room and began to look into my eye. She seemed to linger over my left eye for quite some time and I overheard her say something to the assistant about a hole. After the doctor finished, she turned on the light and pulled her chair up next to me.

"You have a small hole in your retina," she said.

I felt a cold chill go through my body and I sat in stunned silence.

"I'm going to refer you to a specialist and we'll see if we can get you in right away." She went on to tell me that the holes can sometimes lead to a tear in the retina, which causes blindness. I might need laser surgery, she told me.

It was a lot to take in. Here I had just been thinking about what eyeglass frames I might get and now I was being told that there was a possibility that I could lose my vision in one eye.

She and the assistant left the room and I sat quietly taking in what I had just heard. It reminded me of the day when I learned that my hearing had been impaired drastically by antibiotic ear drops that I had been prescribed.

I found myself thinking, "First my hearing and now my vision. It's not fair."

The doctor came in and said that I was to drive right over to the specialist's office, and he would see me. The assistant gave me a pair of cardboard sunglasses to protect my still dilated eyes, and I left the office.

On the way to the specialist's office, I began to observe my thoughts and feelings and to consider what I believed. I knew that I needed to move away from the fear thoughts and feelings that I was experiencing. I needed to focus on what I wanted rather than the appearances and possibilities that had shaken me in the doctor's office.

I began to focus my attention on my eye and to see it healthy. I affirmed aloud that the indwelling presence of God was in all the cells of my body including the cells of my eye. I affirmed that this divine presence was healing the hole in my eye. I kept affirming this all the way over to the other doctor's office. When I arrived, I gave thanks for this healing that was taking place.

The specialist dimmed the lights in his office and peered into my eye with his instrument. He spent several minutes examining it. Then he pushed his chair back and began to make notes on his chart. I was quiet during this time, but my heart was racing.

"You are a very lucky lady," the doctor said finally. "The kind of hole that you have should heal on its own. He said that 90% of the time, this is what happens.

"Others are not so lucky," he added.

I let out my breath, which I seemed to have been holding, and tears began to stream down my cheeks. The doctor smiled and handed me a tissue. He said that I should come back in two months so that he could check my eye.

On the way home, I felt so grateful for my sight, something that I have always taken for granted in the past. I also realized that I needed to continue to focus on my eye being healed and not see it as damaged.

As all metaphysicians know, our thoughts impact our bodies. Science is also proving that as well. I took biofeedback lessons at one point to learn how to stop migraine headaches by increasing the warmth in my hands and feet. I had to think about my hands and feet growing warmer and picture it happening. And it worked.

What do you want to see in your future? That is what you should focus on now, at this moment.

Thoughts, Feelings and Disease

I must have received two or three small bottles of hand sanitizer this year for Christmas. How about you? It seemed to be a popular stocking stuffer at our family get-together.

This morning, as I contemplated whether to put a bottle in my purse before I headed out to do my shopping, I thought of what Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, the co-founders of Unity, would say. 

Myrtle counseled her students: "Keep your mind filled with thoughts of life, strength, health, joy, Truth and you will express these blessings. You will radiate life, joy, health, because, 'as he thinketh within himself, so is he.'" 

There is a "new" scientific discipline now called "psychoneuroimmunology", which studies the relationship between thoughts, feelings and immunity. Back in the seventies, a Harvard study discovered receptors on our immune cells for neuropeptides. Neuropeptides are chemicals produced in the brain depending upon our emotions. The result of this study determined that your immune system is actually listening to your mental talk. And how you think is how you feel. If you feel depressed or stressed out, your immune cells responds accordingly producing less T-cells and lymphocytes. Charles Fillmore and his wife, Myrtle, knew about this back in the late 1800's. Myrtle healed herself of tuberculosis through prayer and by talking to her body. 

Now, over a hundred years later, science is finally catching up with Charles and Myrtle and other metaphysicians who taught about the power of our thoughts to change our bodies and our lives. 

Mom Hit Us With Her Fist

A fellow New Thought minister and online friend wrote this poem. It moved me deeply. If you grew up in an abusive home, you may relate to her pain. Susanne has now found love in her life. She has done a lot of healing and is now helping others. It is a testament to the strength and courage of her spirit and the power of love. If you are experiencing abuse in your life right now, reach out for help. Tell someone--a pastor, friend, the police. If you are an abuser, the same is true: reach out for help. Now.

 

 

 

Mom hit us with her fist.  Hard.

She also hit me over the head 

with 1" thick broom sticks,

I can still feel the dent--

she striped our legs with lathe

 or switches, smacking with

either side of her hand,

hitting me with an iron skillet. Cold.

Anything that was handy really--

if she was mad and I was nearby.  

Mom slugged me when I was tiny.

I would fly across the room

and land on the furniture,

arms and legs akimbo, stunned.

Or I'd smash into a wall and drop

to the floor in a shriveled pile. 

I don't remember being hugged

or kissed, or having my hand held

gently, kindly, guidingly.

I remember my arm being jerked

one way or another,

lifted off the ground like a rag doll

My shoulder painful, sore. 

I don't remember being loved, but I remember loving,

I remember loving each of

my two sisters and two brothers,

and even the one who was sent away—

Adopted by strangers,

not spoken of aloud by the adults

in the room, whispered about

with my sister under the woven bedcover

in the chilly darkness at our grandparents,

or in the wagon wheel bunk beds,

When we were lonely and wished for someone

to love us more than a fist.

 

Please visit Susanne Freeborn on her blog: http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=97018

Playing the Cards You Are Dealt: Randy Pausch & "The Last Lecture"

Randy Pausch made his transition last week. His talk, “The Last Lecture” has had over five million hits on the internet. People are hungry for the inspiration and encouragement that Randy offered in his talk, which was given to the students at Carnegie Mellon, but which was really written for the benefit of his three young children.

 

Randy knew that he would not be there for his children as they grew up, and he wanted to leave them with a message that they could listen to time and time again and which would help them when they faced challenges in their own lives.

 

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand,” said Randy.

 

Life dealt Randy pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms. I have known two people who died of this disease. But during the course of his illness, with the time he had left, Randy lived life to the utmost. He didn’t spend much time feeling sorry for himself and he didn’t want anyone else to pity him either.

 

What’s up for you in your life now? What cards are you holding? Are things looking rather bleak? I would suggest that you pick up a copy of Randy’s book, co-authored with Jeffrey Zaslow, which is also entitled The Last Lecture. It’s a relatively quick read filled with Pausch’s wisdom and humor. Small enough to fit into your purse or briefcase, it’s great reading for commuting on the train or for those times when you’re sitting waiting for Mother Nature to take it’s course.

 

I’ll be doing some blogs on some of the topics that Randy wrote about in his book.  In the meantime, if you’d like to listen to Randy’s lecture, which is on YouTube, here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo .  

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

In case you haven't heard, Oprah has picked Eckhart Tolle's new book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, as her latest book club selection. She is also doing an online course with Tolle, starting March 3. This course is free and, so far, over 100,000 people have signed up.

What is the book about? Well, I have to admit that I've only just begun to read it--I'm on page 54. What the cover says is that this is an expansion of the ideas in his  book, The Power of Now, which I read and found to be very inspirational.

According to the back cover, A New Earth is about "transcending our ego-based state of consciousness" to help us find personal happiness but also to help end conflict and suffering throughout the world.

If you'd like to read more about Eckhart Tolle and the class, here is a link:

http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/webcast/begin/eckharttolle_invitation.jsp

Scientists Say "Giving" Activates Pleasure Centers in the Brain

Have you noticed that you feel good when you give to others? Well, scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke have now proven that giving actually does make us happier.

An MRI used on subjects who had made a decision to give money to charity, found that the mesolimbic area of the brain was stimulated, which then released dopamine, which causes pleasurable or euphoric sensations. It's like getting "high" on giving!

So if you want to feel good, find a church or charitable organization that you would like to bless with your money and GIVE. Spiritual teachers have always told us that when we give, we receive, and now scientists have proven it.

Nick Has No Arms or Legs--What's your problem?

Are you having a bad day? Is life getting you down? Well, let me tell you about Nick Vujicic.

Nick's father was the pastor of a church in Melbourne, Australia. On the day that Nick was born in 1982, his father asked, "If God is a God of love, then why would He let something like this happen?" The whole church mourned on the day of Nick's birth--because Nick was born without arms or legs.

It's hard to understand when bad things happen to good people. It's normal to question God and go through the feelings of shock, anger, denial, and bargaining before we move to acceptance. These are all part of the grieving process.

But Nick's family did not remain focused on his lack of limbs. They focused on what he had and that was a healthy body in every other way. He was not mentally disabled, as some thought he would be based on his physical disability.

While growing up, Nick faced cruel and painful teasing at school by other children, and at times he wanted to end his life. Why was he born the way he was? he asked God.

Nick's faith in God, courage and determination more than compensated for his lack of arms and legs. He began to make friends at school and learned to live independently, dressing and feeding himself and using a wheelchair. He also graduated from college.

Nick now believes that his lack of arms and legs was not a coincidence or an accident. He sees it as a way to reveal the glory of God working through him. Yes, he prayed for healing, but the healing that occurred was in his attitude and consciousness. He understands that his own challenges have equipped him to help others with their trials and tribulations. Nick is now a motivational speaker, speaking at schools and corporations. His experience of having faced enormous obstacles and the bullying by other children, have enabled him to help many students overcome their challenges and develop the self-confidence and courage to handle difficult situations.

If you would like to learn more about this remarkable young man, here is a link to his web site. http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/about-nick-vujicic.php 

      "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 

Why Not Let Your Light Shine Every Day?

I was among the thousands who participated in the “Fire the Grid” project on the morning of July 17. I received emails from many friends and comments on my Gather articles from others who had said they were excited about the opportunity to be a "Messenger of Light" -- to pray and meditate for the healing of this planet and for peace on earth.

Sitting next to my husband in the quiet of our den, I was uplifted by the knowledge that so many of us were doing this at the same time around the world. I could feel the positive energy of this combined prayer consciousness.  Afterwards, I thought to myself that we need to continue sending this positive energy out into the universe and spreading the loving vibrations that were set forth in this project that we participated in on July 17. Then I remembered that my good friend, Rev. Elizabeth Haugen, had started a movement designed to help do this.

Here is what she has to say about her new project, SMILE, in her own words. I hope that you’ll check it out and get involved. It will cost you nothing and will continue the work that we have already begun.

Are you ready to make a difference in our world? Are you willing, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “to be the change you wish to see in the world”? The SMILE Movement (Sharing My Inner Light Everyday) was organized for just that purpose.

Individually we, as SMILE ambassadors, are dedicated to uplifting and healing the world, one heart at a time. We seek first to show up every day as loving beings who live by the SMILE Covenant of Being. This Covenant is to:

Speak with authenticity

Model an attitude of non-judgment,

Interact lovingly,

Listen deeply, and

Enrich the world.

We are also committed to recognizing and acknowledging others when they show up in positive and loving ways. When we interact with or observe someone being a positive light in the world we share SMILE Award cards with them letting them know that they have made a difference.

If you would like more information on the SMILE Movement, desire to become a SMILE ambassador, or are interested in obtaining a supply of SMILE Award cards for sharing with others, please go to our Web Site at www.smilemovement.com or e-mail us at [email protected] . There is no fee to become a SMILE ambassador.

“Individually we make a difference. Collectively we transform the world.”

—Elizabeth Haugen

Spiritual Hunger

I grew up in a home where my parents often said, "Clean up your plate! There are children starving in Africa. You should be grateful that you have spinach to eat." Sometimes I'd sit for an hour at the dinner table hoping to wait them out, but it didn't work. I ended up having to eat what was on my plate.

In my 20's I had a love-hate relationship with food. It was comforting to me and yet it also brought me anxiety because I had to be conscious of my weight. I was a Playboy Bunny and we were expected to maintain a certain weight in order to work. When we went over that weight we were put on the "fat list" and removed from the work schedule.

One day I came in to work and my supervisor told me to step onto the scale. I weighed 110 pounds, which was ten pounds more than I weighed on my start date. I was warned that if I didn't lose the weight I would be taken off the schedule.

After dinner that night, I went into the restroom and, looking to make sure that no one was around, bent over the toilet and stuck my finger down my throat. My dinner came up quickly.

After that, it became a ritual. I felt like I had control of the situation. I ate as much as I liked knowing that I could release it afterwards. Ice cream sundaes, spaghetti, baked potatoes with sour cream and butter...I gorged myself with these foods, which gave me a strange sense of comfort. It was an unhealthy ritual and I am fortunate that it did not become an obsession, as it has become for many women.

I didn't realize it at the time, but I was eating to fill up a part of me that felt empty. I was sad, lonely and depressed. I hated my body and I hated my life.

What changed my life was setting a goal to finish college. I returned to school and began to see myself as capable and intelligent. I started to see that there was more to me than my appearance. I began to eat only when I was hungry and to feed myself spiritually, reading books about philosophy, religion and mythology. My soul hungered for something more than food.

If you are eating to fill an emptiness within you, consider this: Maybe what is missing is a personal relationship to God. Maybe that hunger that you feel is a hunger for God. Why not spend some time in prayer today and connect with that divine presence that lies at the core of your being.

Below you will find a link to a special little movie that was made by Mary Robinson Reynolds. Through imagery, music and its inspiring message, it can help you find emotional and spiritual support in releasing any extra weight that you may be carrying. I found it to be very soothing, peaceful and affirmative.

http://www.lightleanhealthybeingmovie.com/

Forgiveneness

Participants in a 2003 study were classified through a questionnaire as "more forgiving" or "less forgiving" in relation to a betrayal. Both groups reacted with increased blood pressure and heart rate while actually talking about the event, but after the interview was over, the "more forgiving" group recovered its equilibrium quickly, and the "less forgiving" remained in a state of arousal longer.

This study led researchers to believe that "those who have moved further toward forgiveness have fewer symptoms of illness, take fewer medications, have less stress, less depression, and better quality of sleep."

Other studies have been done as well. At Stanford University, researchers came to the conclusion that forgiveness can be taught. A group of adults who were given six weeks of forgiveness training saw a decline of 27 percent in physical symptoms of stress.

Jesus knew that forgiveness was good for us and spoke often of it. Science is finally catching up.

If you are experiencing physical symptoms of stress, maybe there is someone that you need to forgive. And maybe that someone is you.