On September 11...
On September 11, 2001, we all experienced a negative life-altering event: the devastating attack on our country by terrorists. The loss of thousands of innocent lives, the horrendous struggle ahead for the victims that survived and the family members and friends of those who did not, are leaving us all with thoughts, fears, and feelings that are overwhelming. We are now wondering exactly how to handle this. Know the feelings are normal, the fear understandable and the tears necessary. The question is, where do we go from here?
Although written in a very simple form, this particular lesson is offered here with hopes that some of these words will help us start the healing process and give some insight on how to get back to a place of peace within ourselves. We will run the gamut of feelings that we will need to process, hopefully in a positive way. We want to be peaceful, we want to be healed and we want to know how to forgive. It is okay to feel what we feel, but then we have to know what to do with those feelings. We will never forget this tragedy; however, we must find a way to live our lives in the way God intended, not crippled by fear or soured by hatred. The goal is not to become like our attackers.
May the exercises at the close of the lesson be the beginning of our healing, not only for this tragedy, but for all issues in our life, which may seem simple in comparison.
In love, Carol
FINDING COMFORT AND PEACE IN TIMES OF CRISIS OR ANYTIME
Most of us spend our lives trying to figure out how to avoid pain, discomfort and uncertainty, or how to flee from any kind of suffering, whether it be physical, mental, emotional or a combination. It is usually at these times that many of us turn to our addictions to medicate ourselves with drinking, eating, smoking, exercising and overworking to cover up the feelings of sadness, fear, worry, hopelessness, helplessness and anger. If at these times we can instead turn to the Universal Law (which never changes) that tells us, WHATEVER WE ARE FOCUSING OUR ATTENTION ON, IS WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO ATTRACT.
We must come to the realization that we can have our feelings without trying to fix the situation at hand. We can connect with our inner guidance and feel wisdom and love at the times we need it the most. If we stay with our feelings long enough to get to know them instead of acting out or medicating ourselves....trying to make them not exist, we will connect with the God within us and transformation will occur.
If we ever expect to be happy, we have to be willing to see clearly what we do that causes our misery. When we see it, just quietly go within. Ask ourselves: WHAT PROVOKED THE FEELING THAT IS CAUSING THIS DISCOMFORT? Next: ask WHAT HABITS DO I USUALLY USE TO AVOID THIS FEELING AND/OR DISCOMFORT THAT I DON'T WANT TO FEEL? Do I get angry? Do I get depressed? Do I cry? Do I use a substance to numb myself?
THEN: Just decide you will let your plan to fix it go for the time being and just be with what you are feeling. If we are willing to stay with our neurosis, not act it out, not suppress it, not fix it, then our wisdom will come forth. This wisdom I call "OUR KNOWING" comes to us gently from within, from our own intuition. When we connect with "OUR KNOWING" we are able to not only feel tenderness for ourselves but we can then extend it to all humanity, even to the area that is driving us crazy....our home, work, children, relationships or whatever. People that learn to do this become aware of the capacity to love and accept themselves and that becomes the basis for our capacity to love and accept other people.
This approach takes time and persistence. It takes a lot of courage to just keep working with ourselves and on ourselves. We all have those times when we find it easier to turn to our addictions, or give into our urges to say mean things, to get even and to prove we are right. But, when we are willing to keep working on ourselves by connecting to "OUR KNOWING," THERE COMES A TIME WHEN WE WILL NOT CHOOSE TO STAY AS LONG WITH OUR THOUGHT-CREATED SUFFERING. When these thoughts or feelings come up, we know we can choose not to waste time on them but go to the place of peace within, that immediately centers and balances us. We allow ourselves to look at those feelings and thoughts and by doing so we can pass on them and take the NATURAL COURSE.
We use the difficult things in life, which are our life lessons, to springboard us into spiritual enlightenment.
Practicing this approach will allow us to deal with life the way it is, not the way we think it should be. A very freeing experience and practice is turning to that place within us that always knows peace which passes understanding. Where we can rest in the knowledge that Divine Guidance is there for the asking.
EXERCISE AND SKILL BUILDERS:
(l) Sit quietly in a chair and follow your breath until you are quite relaxed.
(2) Ask yourself silently: What can I do to understand my life better?
(3) Stay quiet and let the answers come in any form they take: a picture, a feeling, a knowing. After a few minutes, open your eyes and write down anything you feel you have received.
Note: If this doesn't work at first, don't give up, it will if you are willing.
(4) Pick an issue you have been struggling with and make a statement to yourself in the form of an affirmation and repeat it often. Example: I AM CREATING A HEALTHY AND HAPPY LIFE FOR MYSELF RIGHT NOW.
(5) Form a regular habit of presenting a creative problem to your intuition and wait for the answer to surface. Jot down all ideas that come to you regarding that issue. Example: WHAT DO I DO TO EARN MONEY? Or: HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH___________?
During your quiet time, simply say:
I ASK FOR NEW CLARITY AND DIRECTION ABOUT_____________. I RELEASE ANY FEAR OR NEED TO CONTROL. I OPEN MY SELF UP FOR GOOD.
AFFIRMATIONS: I USE MY INTUITIVE INTELLIGENCE, I LISTEN WELL TO MY INNER VOICE, I AM READY TO ACCEPT MY GOOD. AND SO IT IS
