Ah....Harmony

If there was absolute harmony in the world, we would live in a perfect, peaceful world.  There may be times when things appear to be in harmony, but overall everything isn't in order and balanced all the time.   The perfect paradise of utopia doesn't exist where all political, social, legal, and religious views operate harmoniously. The controversial Henry Miller writing between 1891 and 1980, wrote "The world is not to be put in order, the world is in order, incarnate.  It is for us to harmonize with this order."  To be in harmony means that the relationship between all the elements used in the compositions are in balance.  And the compositions needing to be harmonized could be anything, including ourselves.  Although harmony is a state of mind and what to strive for, that is not to say that we don't have moments of harmony when we are comfortable with whom we are, whole, happy to be alive, and at one with the world.  Our relationships are compatible and accommodating and we have the same goals of peace, love, joy, and tranquility.  If the goal of that which is bigger than us is to have all nations, all cultures, all religions, all people be in harmony and at peace then why are we in discord, why are we not in harmony?  How can we reconcile our differences?  These are the questions we ask ourselves, and unfortunately there are no magic answers.  Since to harmonize also means harmonize one's goal with one's ability to reconcile and adjust to, to alter, or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard, perhaps some day we can all be in agreement as to what moral standards, ethics, and values are and be in agreement with them, a Universal standard.  For now, the closest we can come to harmony is in nature where we can see the ebb and flow of the ocean, a gentle breeze blowing through the trees, the rhythmic beating our our hearts, the colors of a rainbow, the vast expanse of stars in the sky.  If we feel situations in our lives are less than harmonious, we can think beyond any situation we are concerned about and remember the harmony of the Universal design is unfolding, and it is good and bountiful.  Mahatma Gandhi, in his gentle, pacifist way, wrote about ideals for our world.  About harmony he said, "Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed.  Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.

Thoughtful Concern

There is worry, and then there is concern.  Concern, like worry, means something that we are upset or anxious about.  It is a vague, unpleasant feeling, often leading to feelings of fear, and even panic.  Concern of this type is experienced in anticipation of some, usually ill-defined, misfortune. When the concern is due to worry and negative stimuli, it occupies our minds and takes up psychic energy, energy that we could use for being grateful and joyful. It is hard to feel peaceful with a head full of concerns and annoyances.  It is human nature to blow things out of proportion. Often we allow ourselves to get worked up about circumstances, that, upon closer examination, aren't really all that big a deal.  We might ask ourselves, will this matter in six months?  To get past this, we need to observe what we are thinking about, pause or catch ourselves, and dismiss, or change, our thoughts.  Sometimes one thought, one concern, leads to another and yet another, until at some point we become totally anxious and overwhelmed when a more peaceful feeling  is one thought away.  Concerns can be opportunities to grow if we are able to rise above them. Richard Carlson, Ph.D., writes that we should ask ourselves the following questions:  Why is this issue in my life?  What would it mean and what would be involved to rise above it?  Could I possibly look at this issue differently?  When we work with these questions, we are able to hopefully get a better perspective on our situation or challenge.  To be concerned just doesn't mean to be anxious and worried, there is also something I call "thoughtful concern."  Feelings of concern that are sympathetic, softhearted, and tender over the welfare of someone else, most often someone who is defenseless.  And the concern we feel when listening to someone share circumstances they are sorrowful about and grieving over.

To Have or Not Have Expectations

We all have our beliefs about the way people, places, and things should be, and have expectations that they will be, or go, the way we want them to.  An expectation is a belief about what might happen in the future, what is likely or probable.  It can be an exciting anticipation and eagerly awaited, or something negative and dreadful may be expected.  There are two philosophies when it comes to expectations:  to expect good things and have good thoughts (specifically or in general) until proven otherwise, or have no expectations, thereby circumventing disappointment.  High expectations can lead to dissatisfaction and disappointment if things don't go the way we think they should, or someone doesn't do what we want them to.  When this happens, we become frustrated and tense, and perhaps even feel sad, or as if there was a loss.  Hopes are crushed and days ruined.  Some people have said, "an expectation is a premeditated resentment," or, "an expectation is resentment in the making."  Benjamin Franklin put it this way, "Our limited perspective, our hopes and tears become our measure of life and when circumstances don't fit our ideas, they become our difficulties."  It is common for us to have expectations of ourselves, but we can't see progress on our goals if our expectations are unreasonably high.  The root of being disappointed is our unwillingness to accept ourselves, other people, places, things, events, or generally our circumstances in life, as being different in any way from our expectations.  Very simply, we want things to be a certain way.  When we don't get what we want we may fight and suffer.  On the other hand, when we let go of our expectations, especially those that are unreasonably high, we move into acceptance of what is.  We are able to lighten up and enjoy life more.  The only exception to this is if we are working to  improve ourselves for the good.  Granted, it is wonderful to look forward to the fulfillment of something wished for, but it is also important to be prepared if it doesn't come about.  There is also something to be said about worrying about something negative that might happen in the future, because most of the things we are overly concerned about, or "expect" never come about.

Are You a Motivated Person?

Being motivated is a desire to do something, and is a choice. Motivation is energy and animation in action, and includes a sense of aliveness, spirit, and sprightliness.  Motivated people are fun to be around. They are encouraging and set good examples because they use self control and dedication in getting things done. For the most part, motivated people are passionate, but unlike passion, which is having strong emotions about something, motivation is not an emotion. Rather it is a reason for doing something; it is the cause behind making something happen.  It is thought that the root of motivation is the basic need to minimize pain and maximize pleasure.  Motivation can be used for the pursuit of specific needs, or toward a desired object, or state of being.   Usually, if motivated in one direction, the person is also motivated in other directions as well.  Highly motivated people know they need to have balance in their lives and take quality rests and breaks so they can keep the momentum of their projects alive.  With motive in hand, motivated people are able to continue to achieve and pursue their goals with a clear and alert mind regardless of their circumstances.  Different things motivate different people depending upon priorities.  If the sky is the limit, they can be motivated to do whatever they want to do, but usually not without a lot of hard work.  Anyone has the capability of becoming a motivated person, but for so many it remains dormant.  This may be due to general laziness, or because the person feels he is "not good enough," or he may be depressed.  These people do not accomplish worthwhile things in their lifetimes. Motives also may be for wrong, rather than right, doing. Some things help bring motivation about:  motivational books, quotes, sayings, music, and lyrics. Mentors who train, guide, advise, teach, and import new skills and knowledge can also be great motivators. Motivation is a crucial element in setting goals.  One of the most important ways the force of motivation can be used is in the process of making dreams come true.  Someone may have a purpose, an inspiration, and a goal, but without the driving force of zeal, fervor, and vigor that motivation brings to the process, his dream may fall short and not be brought to fruition.

Being Satisfied is More than Being Satisfactory

If something is satisfactory, it is okay and acceptable in a mediocre sort of way, on the other hand, if something is satisfying, we feel comfortable and good about it.  For example, if we are satisfied with a project, or life in general, our expectations have been fulfilled.  We may not be totally high and excited, but then we are not down and depressed either.  If we are satisfied about our lives in general, we are filled with a sense of peace and contentment and are grateful to have what we have.  Following are two situations regarding specific forms of satisfaction.  The actress Ursula Andress said, "Collecting is my joy; it gives me great satisfaction." We can substitute "collecting" with anything that makes us happy.  And when a painter steps back and admires his painting, he is satisfied or he isn't.  When he is satisfied, he feels nothing needs to be added to the painting, that it is complete as it is.  A more general feeling of satisfaction regarding our life as a whole, is noted in this quote:  "Happiness includes chiefly the idea of satisfaction after a full honest effort. No one can  possibly be satisfied and no one can be happy who feels that in some paramount affairs he failed to take up the challenge of life."  Arnold Bennett, English novelist.  Satisfaction is a form of happiness with what is.  So many times we say to our selves, "I'll be happy when..," or, "I would be happy if..."  Nobody feels satisfied all of the time, but we are capable of feeling good most of the time if we look at life with the right attitude.  If we start thinking more about what we have than what we don't have and what we want, life will start appearing better than before. For perhaps the first time  in our lives we will know what it means to be satisfied, to not need or want more.   Although it is foreseeable to reach an inner and deep satisfaction where we are in life, sometimes we are restless and feel compelled to strive to achieve more.  At this point, being satisfied becomes a springboard to reach above and beyond.

Patience

We have heard "patience is a virtue." Actually it is one of the "seven heavenly virtues named in a poem called "Battle/Contest of the Soul" written in 410 B.C.  The author of the poem, Aurelius Prudentius, proposed these seven virtues to directly counteract the seven deadly sins (pride, envy, lust, anger, gluttony, greed, and sloth).   Patience, one of the virtues, means the pursuit of peace.  Patience is also listed as one of the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22.  And, further we have the idiom, "patience of a saint."  So, from knowing this, we can tell that patience is an exemplary quality to have.  Having patience is dealing with people and situations with perseverance and composure in a calm, quiet, and steady manner.  Patience is having forbearance and self control through moderation in trying circumstances.  Patience is enduring pain, misfortune, affliction, or hardship without complaining.  Patience is unhurried, tolerant, and accepting.  Impatience, its antonym, is restlessness or being short tempered, frustrated, and discouraged.  There are  two wonderful analogies that can be made of patience in action:  a game of chess and a cat stalking a mouse.  Wayne Dyer had this to say, "Being infinitely patient means having an absolute knowing that you are in harmony with the all-creating force that intended you here.  You know that everything will happen at just the right time, at just the right place, with just the right people."  Confucius (551B.C.-479B.C.) said, "Do not be desirous of having things done quickly...looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.  He is asking us to look at the big picture.  The execution of patience manifests in confidence, decisiveness, and a feeling of peaceful satisfaction at reaching a goal or resolving a challenge.  In the Al-Anon Family Groups' A Courage to Change, it is noted that, just when we reach the end of our patience, a doorway seems to  open and we suddenly take a huge leap forward.  We see that none of the time that has passed has been wasted.  Although a Turkish proverb states:  "Patience is the key to paradise," to reach this paradise it takes "patience!"

Nurturing Each Other

We have all been nurtured at times in our lives or we wouldn't have grown and developed, and in turn we have nurtured others.  But, human beings are not born  nurturers, or givers.  These traits have to be discovered and learned.  Learning to nurture comes from being nurtured ourselves, emulating others, and life experiences in general.  Nurturing, in its truest sense, is to want to support and help others grow by loving them unconditionally and wanting nothing in return or needing them to change or be different.  Nurturing is an opportunity to be patient, kind, accepting, compassionate, and loving.  It feels good to be nurtured, and also to nurture, because when we give we also receive.  We can see nurturing in action by watching a mother bird feed her fledglings.  Nurturing to the mind is similar to good nutrition.  Just as the body needs a combination of carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals, the heart needs a combination of inspiration, hope, and courage.  Some of us were not nurtured by our parents for one reason or another, but we have grown up to be responsible, caring, giving, and kind people.   Nurturing comes from coaches, teachers, mentors, pastors, heroes, but can come from anywhere if we are made to feel good and have a sense of belonging.  If we have been lonely in our lives and not had the nurturing we all seek, we might say the following prayer, "Higher Power, please lead me to those who can give me what I need and grant me the compassion to love those who can't."  For our well being it is important that we take care of, and nurture, ourselves.  For example live in the moment by setting a schedule, but not feeling you have to follow it exactly, putter around the house or with your car, make something interesting and new for dinner, pet an animal, hug a child, or just be still in nature. There is such comfort in things like this and nurturing is all about being happy, feeling cared for, and that everything is right with the world.

Growing Old Gracefully

Growing old with grace means accepting and not defying or eluding the inevitable.  The key word here is acceptance.  With resistance comes suffering.  We only have what is ours to have on earth, and earthly treasures are temporary.  While we are on earth, it is so much easier if we accept that there will be many changes as we grow older and learn to live with them.  There certainly is the reality of a body that is aging, however, our bodies also house an ageless soul. We need to get rid of all the attitudes that we may be cultivating, or have already adopted, which identify us only as an aging or limited body.  The object is to maintain an attitude of sprightly aliveness wanting to live life to the fullest.  If we could look back, we wouldn't want to see ourselves wishing our priorities would have been different. That we dealt too much with the little stuff  instead of spending more time with the people and activities that we truly love and less time worrying about aspects of life, that upon deeper examination, really didn't matter all that much.  A wise unknown author said, "Beautiful people are a creation of nature.  Beautiful old people create themselves."  The important thing is to continually improve our state of mind so we stay bodily and mentally strong.  One sure way to do this is to try something new.  Never stop growing, learning, and "going for it."  Sort of like the "bucket list" of those things we want to do.  In Diane Keaton's interview with AARP magazine, she says, "Slowing down isn't something I relate to at all.  The goal is to continue in good and bad, all of it.  To continue to express myself particularly.  To feel the world. To explore. To be with people.  To take things far.  To risk. To love.  I just want to know more and see more." Marie Dressler, who was a Depression-era film star, summed up aging when she said, "It is not how old you are, but how you are old."  So, let's embrace the world around us with vibrancy and determination because "this isn't a dress rehearsal,"

Are You in or out of Balance?

We all have felt out of balance at times, which is a feeling of being unsettled or falling off a tightrope.  If it is uncomfortable enough for us, we may feel it is time to do something about it. But, what is it that causes this unbalanced feeling or way of life?  Balance is having the right amount of something, not too much, or too little.  It is for the most part doing things in moderation. Moderation being the mid-point of the better between extremes, and is what we should strive for. It is aligning a part(s) of our lifestyle with another.  Sometimes we totally lean toward one way, perhaps an obsession, and other times we are torn and pulled two ways.  Balance is when we meet demands in the middle.  Being in balance could be likened to a teeter totter.  If there is something taking up a lot of our time and we don't have time for anything else, we may be out of balance.  Highly productive people have a great sense of balance and harmony realizing they need to renew and regenerate in quiet and stillness before going back to their projects.  It is important to step back and take breaks in order to clear our minds and be able to avoid being consumed and obsessed by anything we can't walk away from.  This way, we get a different perspective, and whatever we are working on seems to fall  into place.  A doctor friend of mine said to me, "remember in elementary school where we had different subjects, and in between were lunch and recess?"    Balance in our feelings can be achieved by letting go of emotional ups and downs and entering into more internal emotional peace, harmony, and evenness.  Being in balance can also mean being centered on the premise that we receive in life what we are aligned with, what we think about.  Henri Matisse, a famous French artist, wrote, " What I dream of is an art of balance of purity and serenity, and void of troubling or depressing subject matter," and "Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony," was written by Thomas Merton, Anglo-American Catholic writer, poet, and mystic, and Trappist monk.

Tolerant & Nonjudgmental vs. Intolerant & Judgmental

"Great Spirit, help me never to judge another until I  have walked in his moccasins,"  Sioux Indian Prayer.  It is hard to be a loving tolerant, nonjudgmental person when we all have our opinions and beliefs about the way think things should be.  However, we become tolerant if we recognize and show respect for the rights, opinions, and practices of others even if we don't agree.  To tolerate is simply accepting people who are unlike us and/or putting up with things that we don't like.   Tolerance is being patient, even tempered, forgiving, loving, open minded, and kind.  Nonjudgmental is more a refraining from evaluation or assessing a person based on personal opinions or standards, and it is also kind and forgiving.  It's opposite, judgmental, is stronger than tolerance's opposite, intolerance.  Judgmental is a negative word to describe someone who often rushes to judge in a  harsh, critical, and controlling way.  On the positive, healthy side, both tolerant and nonjudgmental are a disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior.  We cannot presume to know what anyone else should think, feel, or do.  Richard Carlson, Ph.D., who is the author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff,,,and it is all small stuff, writes ".... when someone is acting a way that we don't like, the best strategy for dealing with that person is to distance ourselves from the behavior, to 'look beyond it,' so that we can see the innocence in where the behavior is coming from.  Very often, this slight shift in our thinking immediately puts us into a state of compassion."  After all we do not know what that person has been through, or the news he may have received.  We need to be more tolerant and nonjudgmental of others and extend the respect and courtesy to them that we want for ourselves.  If we can remain tolerant and nonjudgmental we will be less annoyed, frustrated, and more peaceful.  Then, from a compassionate peaceful place, we can love others.  There was a song written in 1967 by Bert Bacharach and Hal David called "The Look of Love."  What if we all looked at our families, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, and even our animals and the environment and see it all through the eyes of love rather than imperfection? "....time will change and even reverse many of  your present opinions.  Refrain, therefore, awhile, from setting yourself up as a judge of the highest matters."  Classic Greek philosopher, Plato (428-427BC to 348-347BC).

Gentleness, Kindness, Goodness

Lao Tzu was a Chinese philosopher who wrote the Tao Te Ching 500 years before the birth of Christ.  He believed in living the Tao (The Way), which, according to him, was the source and essence of everything that existed.  The Tao is a philosophy and/or religion with emphasis on aligning with nature.  He wrote this: " I have three precious things which I hold fast and prized.  The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others.  Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men."  Gentleness is considered a "fruit of the spirit" in Galatians 5:22.  It is used interchangeably with kindness depending upon which translation of the Bible is used.  Kindness is a synonym for gentleness.  It refers especially to a person and his behavior as being tender, considerate, and helpful. Gentleness either means soft and  mild, e.g., a gentle rain, or having a soothing, calm, and sensitive nature.  Regarding action, gentleness refers to a manner that is mild and even tempered. Kindness and gentleness describe someone's disposition and temperament.  Further, kindness means being warm hearted, considerate, humane, and sympathetic.  A synonym for kindness is goodness.  Goodness is also a "fruit of the spirit," and no matter what translation is used, goodness is always noted as one of them.  Goodness is moral excellence, the best part of anything.  Both Lao Tzu, and the apostle, Paul, wrote of gentleness, kindness, and goodness as admirable characteristics determining our moral values and what one's personality should reflect. These qualities should be human nature.  Human nature consists of "the complex emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's natural actions and reactions."  However, today most people have lost touch with these virtues, which, should be part of every day living.  And yet, at the same time, we find people who have actually become them.  In other words, they just don't act in a gentle manner, do kindly acts, or are good people, it actually is who they become, what they are made of, their intrinsic nature.  These are the people who will eventually, as Lao Tzu said so well, eventually become "leader(s) among men."

Each Precious Moment

Material objects, and our perceptions and emotions in our moments change, but the essence of each moment doesn't change.  This essence is what Wayne Dyer calls the "unmanifested," Eckhart Tolle calls the "formless," and Buddha calls the "unborn."  It is the stillness and space behind what we know with our minds.  From this essence come those qualities of spirit and attributes of mind that make for radiant living, hope, love, joy, peace, faith, and love. The goal is to live in these moments and allow each moment to be as it is. To live at our best right now instead of postponing positive and constructive living for some vague and indefinite future.  Each day, one moment leads to another in a series of eternal "nows,"  Our past experiences have brought us to where we are today, and the future is yet to be seen. To live in the now takes practice and work.  It is habitual to want to change the past, resist what is, or have fear of what is going to happen.  The secret is to be okay with whatever form this moment takes, allowing it to be the way it is, alive and real; to develop an awareness of the infinite possibilities of each magic moment.  With true acceptance of the now comes a feeling of love.  This love is otherworldly and doesn't have a definition, it is the love we have inside of us and we born from.  Slowly, we are able to uncover it by taking each moment as it comes and treasuring it.  Every moment has its ups and downs, its joys and sorrow as no one "promised us a rose garden," but when we take one moment at a time and live it to the fullest with love in our hearts, we can live out our days in fullness and peace.

Bloom Where You are Planted

"Bloom where you're planted," is a quote by Mary Engelbreit.  She is  known throughout the world for her distinctive illustration style and spirited nostalgic warmth.  It is a perfect quote for our new spring days giving rise to new hopes.  There is a regeneration and renewal in the air, not just restoration, which means bring back to an original state. There is actually a re-creation, in an improved way.  Now is the time to celebrate life all around us, the newness of it: a new beginning, and a new chance at life.  Nature is unfolding with its simple pleasures.  Just as flowers grow from seeds and then stretch to the light, so with us, we are opening like the buds and coming to a promised state as well.  Another season, or life cycle, has passed.   In its passing, never to be repeated, the present moment arises.   Like nature, our lives are unfolding, each of us on his own special journey.  It is a time of awakening, becoming more conscious as to who we are and what we can give to the world.  When we trust the creative process, we reinvent and believe in ourselves   We give birth to our authentic selves as we rediscover and reclaim our essence.  If we are to flourish as human beings, if we are to grow into wholeness, we must bloom where we are planted. We have the gift of today, another chance to re-create our circumstances and make them as perfect as is possible with the resources we have. We must start with accepting where we are at the moment, knowing that there will always be change.  However, we have no reason to be hesitant, or fearful, about change as every change brings new knowledge,  gives new confidence, and a new perspective.  We can feel a freshness and a freedom on our path and approach change with our  minds and hearts open to a new visions.  Change is an opportunity for growth and it is growth that gives life zest and meaning.  We have begun a new "season" of change where a sense of well-being, and a feeling of peace and contentment transform us onto a new level of awareness and we enter into a new dimension of hope, love, peace, and faith.  We were pruned like the roses by our challenges, and now in the spring, we are even more vital, vibrant, and strong.

The Value of Reading Books

Through books you can know the majesty of great poetry, the wisdom of the philosophers, the findings of the scientists, and through your imagination encompass world history.  An unknown author said, "Anyone who says they have but one life to live must not know how to read a book!" Unlimited horizons of knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration are contained in books that will enlarge your life.  Through books you can start today where the great thinkers of yesterday left off, because books have immortalized man's knowledge.  Thinkers, dead a thousand years ago, are as alive in their books today as when they walked the earth. We may have new technology and different living conditions in the 21st century, but we have the same energy flowing in our bodies as flowed in theirs.  They struggled with a lot of the same questions we do today:  who am I? where did I come from? where am I going? and how can I help?   Wayne Dyer wrote a book called Wisdom of the Ages in 1991.  His premise is that we build on previous authors' ideas and concepts, and that through the wisdom of eminent teachers and spiritual leaders from our past, we can effect a deep inner spiritual change in our world.  Science tells us that social connections make us happier and healthier, but there are diffferent kinds of social connections.  Reading, for instance, can be a deeply social act, putting you inside other people's minds. Writer Marcel Proust called reading "that fruitful miracle of a communication in the midst of solitude."  Studies suggest that reading makes people more empathetic and improves social skills by helping us better understand our fellow humans.  Read to  increase your knowledge, your background, your awareness, and your insight; read to grow and become wise.  Books may have competition in the world today, but they will always have their place.  

Empathy and Compassion

True empathy and compassion are prodigious qualities to have.  They are very similar in nature, and one of the meanings is the same, but there is a notable difference.  The definition of empathy in Jacquelyn Small's book, "Becoming Naturally Therapeutic, a Return to the True Essence of Helping is:  "Empathy is the quality that enables us to perceive another's experience and then to communicate that perception back to the individual."  Empathy is the ability to identify with another person's feelings.  It leads to openness and warmth.  However, if one only empathizes, he hasn't done anything active or concrete.  He mainly offers others a helpful presence by just listening and being there for them.  Compassion, on the other hand, is caring and a willingness to help, not only by being there for others and listening to them, but doing or saying something that will help them work through their situations and challenges.  Being compassionate means caring for      "All Creatures Great and Small," which is the title, of veterinarian, James Herriot's, first book.  The compassionate person is the one who gives to charity and does volunteer work with poor and sick people, and animals.  It takes a certain type of person to be totally compassionate for this person is selfless and lives their whole life helping others, a person like Jesus Christ in the Christian tradition.  Both empathy and compassion mean someone feels others' emotional pain and struggles as he does his own and relatively has "walked a mile in their shoes."  The challenge for the compassionate person is not to identify so strongly that he loses himself.  If one is compassionate, he becomes so filled with love and compassion that he is compelled to share these feelings with the world.  An empathetic, and particularly a compassionate person, brings a special element to humanity in his kindness and gentleness.....look for the light.

A Legacy of Humility

My impression of a humble man is St. Francis of Assisi.  He lived from 1181-1226 and was the patron saint of animals, ecologists, and merchants.  He was also the founder of the Franciscan Order.  St. Francis  wanted nothing else in life than to be accepted, and rebuild the church.  He turned his back on inherited wealth and committed his life to God.  Like many early saints, he lived a very simple life of poverty and in doing so gained a reputation for being a friend to animals.  His story is sad, however, as he spent a life filled with suffering and humiliation.  Out of this wonderful, misunderstood man, came one of the best loved and recited prayers:  "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace - where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.  Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.  For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. In the prayer, he tells us to pray to God to bring forth these good qualities within us in order to help others.  He further goes on to say, that we should not only pray to plant these things in others, but give up our needs to be comforted, understood, and loved.  St. Francis tells us that we will reap the rewards of receiving, being forgiven, and be given eternal life if we serve in this way.  The prayer, originally called the Peace Prayer, occurred in France in 1912 in a spiritual magazine.  It circulated through Europe and no one knew where it came from or who authored it.  When the prayer was translated into English in 1936, it appeared in Living Courageously, a book by Kirby Page, minister, pacifist, and writer.  He attributed the prayer to St. Francis of Assisi.  During World War II and after, this prayer for peace began circulating widely as the Prayer of St. Francis.

Humility is a Quality of Being Humble

When a person is humble he is faith-filled, compassionate, kind, gentle, and docile.  To be humble is to be modest and not prideful.  Humility is a distinguishing feature of human nature with a purpose in life to help others with a joyful heart.  The humble person is thoughtful in his consideration of others, sensitive to their feelings, and accepts them just as they are.  On one hand, humble means to be subservient and/or not feeling good enough, but this is not true about the humble person who accepts and wants to help others.  The only time he feels insignificant and small in the scheme of things is:  when he is in nature, has awe at the workings of the Universe, and looks up to people who are doing great good in the world.  Humility leads to qualities of being a great leader, as we see in our prophets and gentle leaders like Gandhi. Humility is being comfortable with one's self and at peace with the world.  The humble person counts his blessings and is filled with gratitude for what he has, and wants others to have what they desire as well. Many times he helps them achieve this, but does not take credit for it.  "True humility does not know that it is humble.  If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue," Martin Luther. Humility brings a person a love for the world and life in general.  He realizes he has purpose, but knows he has nothing to do with beautiful mornings, for example, except have the opportunity to enjoy them.  Mother Teresa said, "We can do no great things; only small things with great love."  Although the humble person's main purpose in life is to love and serve, he does not ignore his own feelings.  Part of the quality of humility is learning to contribute to well being.  The humble person keeps his identity by setting boundaries. Although hard for him, he knows that he has to take care of himself so he can help others.  It is so easy for him to be so empathetic that, while helping someone through the grieving process, he takes on their sadness.  Humility can be summed up in one of the eight beatitudes in Matthew 5:5: "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."

The Result of Being Inspired

Patanjali lived in India one to three centuries before Christ and is considered to be the person who established meditation.  In one of his passages, in the Yoga Sutras he authored, he wrote, "When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds; your mind transcends limitations; your consciousness expands in every direction; and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world..."  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, on the same concept, wrote, "The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Provident moves as well.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.  A stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen accidents, meetings, and material assistance that no one could have dreamed would come their way.  Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.  Begin it now." When we become intensely and passionately involved in what we truly love and want to do, our thoughts begin to change, and all of our dormant forces and talents come alive.  The idea is like having an epiphany or becoming enlightened.  We reach a level that can be called inspirational, or being under the influence of inspiration. We become inspired and balanced and it feels natural and effortless. Serendipity and synchronicity occur and we feel as if we are one with the Universe.

The Creative Process of Inspiration

Inspire comes from the Latin word that means to inflame or blow into.  When you inspire something, it is as if you are blowing air over a low flame to make it grow.  Inspire and inspiring are verbs that mean to excite and encourage, as well as, to arouse and influence; inspired is an adjective like "Infiniti's inspired performance"; inspiration is a noun that is the result (person, thing or idea) of inspiring activity or influence, and inspirational is anything under the influence of inspiration as in inspirational literature.  When I decided to write on inspiration, I found two great resources. One was Wilfred A. Peterson's essay:  The "Wave of Inspiration."  In it he makes an analogy of us paddling an outrigger canoe into the ocean.  Paraphrasing, he writes we launch (mentally) into the vast ocean of  the Infinite Mind and meet the oncoming waves head on.  Then we propel our minds deep into this Infinite Sea of Wisdom searching for answers.  At this point, the creative process begins to work. When we are well out to sea, among the creative powers that be, we turn around toward shore.  We relax, stay open, and remain alert for signals.  We wait for the big wave,  letting our subconscious mind take over.  The big wave signifies the big idea that will hopefully come flowing into our mind.  When it comes. we let it lift us up and carry us to shore. We become part of it, and in alignment with it, we are able to utilize its power and let it carry us on to success.  In other words, we are "inspired" by a creative process, and while remaining relaxed, open, and alert, our subconscious mind generates a brilliant idea, an "inspiration" to pursue.   My second resource is a piece by Wayne Dyer called "Inspiration" from a book he wrote called Wisdom of the Ages.  In it he discusses a passage by Patanjali, the author of the Yoga Sutras, and who is considered the person who established meditation.

How Serene are You?

Serenity is a state of mind.  It isn't a matter of chance, but a matter of choice and takes inner work.  We can't will serenity, but can create an environment where it will grow.  Being calm and serene doesn't mean we are promised freedom from pain or difficult circumstances.  Serenity is not an escape from life.  Rather, it is the power to find peacefulness and a deep appreciation of the life we are given and make for ourselves.  Serenity becomes a way of life absorbed slowly and practiced one day a a time.  We seek it, and the freedom from stress that it brings, because we are capable of becoming more fully and passionately ourselves.  If we live with the knowledge that we are worthy, and if we cultivate our spiritual awareness and remember to avail  ourselves of each moment's opportunities, we have many hours of joy and serenity. A peaceful, untroubled, and tranquil mind usually comes to us through inner stillness, "Be still and know I am with you," is an English Prayer, and similarly a Psalm in the Bible notes: "Be still, and know that I am God,"  Knowing that we aren't alone helps. We can also carry our serenity with us into the world, as chaotic as the world may be.  While we are responsible for changing what we can, we have to let go of the rest of life's challenges if we want peace of mind.  As the Serenity Prayer states: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can....," Reinhold Niebuhr.  Although giving and helping should be our major purpose in life, we need to remain serene and complete so that we can take care of ourselves in order to do these things for others.  It is important to know our limits and have boundaries. Serenity, or a deep calmness,  comes from letting go of the past and thoughts of the future and trusting that everything is exactly as it should be, knowing that in the present, "all is well."