A Spiritual Transformation Gives You Joy in Simple Things

Bhagavan makes spirituality easy, and says it is the amount of joy you have in your life. It is not measured by how many hours you meditate. Everyone, he says, will have a unique form of spirituality and awakening. If there are six billion people on the planet, then there will be six billion extraordinary experiences of awakening and of the Divine. That’s six billion special practices of spiritualities, six billion special experiences of spiritual transformation. One is not better than the other. Just be honest with yourself and know growth never really ends.

There’s an old story about a man seeking enlightenment. He finds an enlightened holy man who shares his before-and-after scenario with the spiritual seeker. “Before I was enlightened, I chopped wood and carried water,” says the holy man.

The seeker, expecting to hear about how amazing the holy man’s life became after his awakening, says, “Wow, what did you do afterward?”

“Chopped wood, carried water,” replies the holy man. “Only after I was enlightened, I really enjoyed it.” The spiritual seeker who looks to quiet the mind and pursues communion with God is growing his or her consciousness and doesn’t look for extraordinary experiences. When your consciousness grows, it means that you are developing the ability to experience the simplest things in life with joy.

You can have the same experiences repeatedly and feel a new, heightened sense of awareness each time. Eating a big slice of your birthday cake is always fun. So is seeing the same family members every year, riding the Tilt-A-Whirl, or catching the same bass in the lake behind your house. Unawareness is feeling disconnected or let down by life, feeling depressed, like a robot living on emotional reactions. You sense lack everywhere, in everything. If you think you’re leading a spiritual life, ask yourself, “How well am I experiencing my reality? Is there joy in nearly everything?” If you’re awakened, you see life for what it is rather than what you think it should be. Living a spiritual life is feeling at ease with yourself, your feelings, and your relationships. It’s accepting people exactly as they are and being grateful for them. You’re able to face other people without fear, guilt, or defense mechanisms because you’re not on guard, not afraid of making mistakes or losing something.

A person who is truly spiritual can live alongside of others and never forget God, even for a moment. The Sufi sage Abu Sa’id ibn Abi-al-Khayr once said that the true mystic can come and go, eat and sleep, buy and sell, marry, chat, and be with others in the mainstream of life but never be out of touch with his or her own divinity. No matter what your life experiences are, there is no reason ever to be separated from who you really are.

I hope you enjoyed this short article on being with ease with yourself. I’d love to hear from you, so please do share your comments and personal stories below.

And, please stay in touch with me by subscribing to this blog using the form on the right-hand side of your screen. That way, I can send you more stories and insight from The Oneness Gospel.

Every Blessing,

© Charlene M Proctor and The Goddess Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
For more affirmations, read The Women’s Book of Empowerment: 323 Affirmations that Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential. Click Here to buy.

Love sharing these inspiring resources with you… enjoy

Dear Friends:

Where did summer go?  Were you traveling, visiting family, or simply filling up on the bounty of the season during summer cookouts? It was easy to lose track of time. I know I did!

It’s hard to believe that 12 weeks have flown by since the Global Inspiration Revolution that took place.

If you missed my call with Host Linda Joy then here’s a chance to listen to the REPLAY and gain access to the other 23 featured female luminaries, their interviews, and gifts!  You will love my message of hope and joy… as well as the other uplifting and inspirational energies from all women in these recordings.

Like an EASY, BREEZY summer, you can access it all here INSTANTLY! (No opt-in)

That’s right!  Now through September 14th use this link to get INSTANT no opt-in access to the entire SEASON 2 of Inspired Living Secrets teleseminar series.

Just one step > CLICK HERE:  http://ow.ly/drgJd

I hope you enjoy this series as much as I enjoyed being a part of it!

Every Blessing,

© Charlene M Proctor and The Goddess Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For more affirmations, read The Women’s Book of Empowerment:323 Affirmations that Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential. Click Here to buy.

Think and Be Positive

Given the amount of complexity we’re juggling, these times demand a positive outlook.  It sounds simple – begin each day based upon the present, enriching yourself with whatever today brings.  A positive attitude given natural disasters, unemployment, or illness?  Sounds like a tall order, but remember, every day is new, no matter how you slice it.  The sun comes up in spite of our mistakes or despair we must face.  I believe we are meant to continually move forward – and focus on life as an incredible universe of opportunity.

What blocks a positive attitude?  Getting stuck in the past holds us behind.  True empowerment stems from living now, not reacting to now from a mindset of the past or living with worry about what might happen tomorrow, next month, or next year.  Every day, no matter what has happened to you in the past, is a new opportunity to begin painting your life on a fresh, new canvas.

Over the years, I’ve experimented with ways to release the past and move forward with a positive attitude, living life joyfully in the present moment.  I’ve noticed when I start my day without any clear direction of how I choose to think, I don’t get the results I want.  Instead of spending time regurgitating old problems, I choose to move loss, disappointment, and feelings of non-success far from my mind.  I’ll say an affirmation that will address some area of my life that needs improvement (yes, we can even say them about the Bassett Hound that won’t learn how to use the doggie door) and make that which is created by the mind into tangible or observable reality.  And our fuel to make it work, other than to be loving, is to realize that you are composed of Divine Spirit – and are a limitless example of uniqueness and wonder.

So, dedicate your day to the present moment. Say your affirmations with love, be grateful to be alive, and be in charge of your learning opportunities.  Ask the universe to show you its inherent perfection.  The power of your own thoughts will return to you in ways that’ll surprise you!

As you remain open to positive change, life will unfold in creative ways. Be joyful in your present moment thinking!  Remember, I believe in you and what you can do.

Charlene M. Proctor, Ph.D. is an ordained Minister of Spiritual Peacemaking and a Deeksha facilitator trained by the oneness guides from Fiji and India.  Charlene is the founder of The Goddess Network, an on-line educational resource for topics on spiritual growth, positive thinking, consciousness, and unity. She is the bestselling author of The Oneness Gospel: Birthing the Christ Consciousness and Divine Human in You, Let Your Goddess Grow! 7 Spiritual Lessons on Female Power and Positive Thinking and The Women’s Book of Empowerment: 323 Affirmations That Change Everyday Problems Into Moments of Potential. Her Midwestern sensibility and spiritual approach to self-empowerment has helped thousands awaken to their Divine magnificence within. She is an empowerment expert for Lifetime Television’s The Balancing Act, offering a spiritual perspective on everyday life to millions of viewers. She also offers advice on SelfGrowth.com and Beliefnet.com, the world’s largest personal-growth web sites.

Love to Learn

When my son graduated from the U.S.C. School of Music, Vince Mendoza, a famous composer and arranger, gave the commencement address.  He advised young musicians entering the music industry to always ‘practice and play positive.’ Have positive energy while creating music, he said, and if you are making music with gusto and love, you will not only translate the art form into something that uplifts humanity, but you’ll make the loudest mistakes. The best musicians are unafraid to put themselves out there 100%.  Finally, he reminded the graduates to have faith. Remember, the music is always in you. Always.

He also spoke about how important is to have an attitude of continuous learning in life. Without this humble attitude, a person can never be empowered to serve another human being, nor personally or spiritually grow. We teach our children the importance of a good education, going to school and the value of homework.  But learning is more than getting prepared for a better job or tomorrow – it’s a positive attitude about how we should view life.

Commit to Constant Improvement and Growth

We can showcase our capabilities simply for the joy of doing it, but also we must make a commitment to constant improvement. Life is a process and we can never really expect to reach perfection. Often, it is not the material that provides a personal growth lesson, but the context surrounding the learning.  Volunteer for an organization that teaches impoverished inner city kids to read. At the end of the day, you’ll find you learned far more from them then they did from you. Life is a big, reciprocal exercise and if we don’t put ourselves out there to learn something new, we will miss an opportunity to grow.

The possibility of what you can do keeps life interesting! To live a balanced life and feel empowered we must encourage others to learn, but also show we are not above making positive change. As adults, it is important to take a class. Test your limits to learn anything new. Develop your innate gifts that can help someone.  By doing so, you are helping to serve and uplift humanity.

Together, let’s:

1. Show people that learning is about elevating the human condition. Learning, and improving your mind and heart, is about how we can better release our gifts to the world and serve humanity. Show your children you desire to challenge yourself in order to serve another human being. Teach them that learning and education is not all about making more money.
2. Fill each day with enthusiasm, positivity, and hope for a better world.  All positive energy is contagious when you are committed to living life fully. Learning is a result of that process. You will experience life differently when your attitude is positive and hopeful. Teach others to see their challenges as opportunities, not obstacles.
3. Be humble to the process. Whether you want to learn to dance, get a high school diploma, or complete your Ph.D., feel empowered by the process. Don’t be critical of yourself and feel you cannot learn fast enough than someone else.  You will always have your own rendition of every song, so sing with gusto and happiness. If you do, no matter what you learn, you will face your responsibilities with a sense of renewed joy and confidence.

We can trust life to show us what we need to learn but we must put effort into the process! Let’s affirm:

“When I look in the mirror, I see a person whose potential knows no boundaries. I am an example of a miracle and a work in progress. I engage in life robustly and wholeheartedly, without fear, knowing I contribute to the greater good of humanity.  My contribution is important because no one has my unique essence.  I love life, and love to learn.”

Become a life-long learner. Your desire to learn uplifts humanity and is vitally important to experiencing an empowered and balanced life.

Every Blessing,

© Charlene M Proctor and The Goddess Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For more affirmations, read The Women’s Book of Empowerment:323 Affirmations that Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential. Click Here to buy.

Boredom

Each day is an opportunity to stretch the limits of my mind and give more to humanity. The unlimited universe now gives me room to grow in unlimited fashion. It is time for me to step outside my space and expand my world. I give to the world with excitement and love I have extra energy to find ways to channel my capabilities, through either this situation or another, and I am grateful that I have time to take mental, emotional, and spiritual inventory in order to improve myself and my attitude. New opportunities are coming to me now!

Life Passing Me By

I live in the present moment; therefore it is impossible to watch the past or the future. I am fully engaged in a present life experience. I am the center of experience; I watch nothing and experience everything. My presence on earth contributes to a beautiful mosaic of everyone. I leap into life with vigor and say yes to all life has to offer!

Connect with your food

Autumn is the season when we can fully appreciate our connection to what sustains us—our home and hearth, families and friends … and our food. Having a balanced outlook on life means you know you are part of the whole. It’s understanding the energetic exchange between you and the universe, your symbiotic relationship with the whole. The fall harvest is a great time to recognize that growing your own food and eating it is part of your interdependency with your spiritual source and with the planet.

We are interdependent with nature

Our culture and society of convenience have divorced us from our natural connection with the earth. Capitalism has changed how we nourish ourselves. Our kids no longer see their connection with nature. They think our food magically arrives at the grocery store in microwave-safe baggies. We adults have also lost our reverence for nature. I remember the time my son wanted me to buy him something. “Sweetie, we can’t today,” I told him. “I don’t have enough money for that.” What did he say to me? “Don’t worry, Mom. Let’s just go to the ATM and get more out of the money machine! Don’t you know that’s where money comes from?” It’s up to us to teach our children that we and nature are one, big organic equation.

We depend upon nature, upon our Mother Earth, for our sustenance. Mother Earth’s bounty is awesome. We need to remember to express regular appreciation for it. It begins with connecting with our food—how it’s grown, what the soil smells like, how good it feels to harvest the miracle of nature that is one vegetable, any vegetable. When we sit down to bless our food and eat, we experience a more compete state of gratitude. We give thanks for our beautiful opportunity to be alive as a human being.

When we see ourselves as part of this larger equation, we become empowered and awaken spiritually, too. I have a friend who is now a monk living in India. When he was going through his awakening process, he sat down to dinner one night and began to laugh hysterically. “What’s going on?” we asked him. He was practically rolling on the floor. “What’s so funny?” He said he’d just realized that by eating his food, he was eating himself. He’d just realized that we are all one, that the universe is one and we are all part of this magnificence we call oneness. For him, it was a moment of happy spiritual awareness where he realized that he was a part of all oneness.

In everyday life, how can we better understand our oneness and appreciate our connectivity with all life?

1. Get out in your garden more. Spend less time (and money) in the store. Get close to nature. Smell the soil, dig in it. Show your kids how to plant seeds and watch them grow. Take time to talk to your kids about the miracle of nature. Everything is eating something else in this magnificent cycle of life! There’s a whole world going on out there that we don’t fully appreciate, so let’s learn to be part of it! When harvest time comes around, pick fruits or vegetables together and eat them for dinner.
2. Meditate outside regularly. Get quiet. Look up at the sky. Listen to the sounds of nature. Project a vibration of gratitude for the miracles of nature and for the planet. Don’t be embarrassed to be a tree hugger.
3. Bless your food. The family dynamic of connecting around the food is an important ritual. It’s an acknowledgement of sharing the things that sustain us physically. It’s acknowledging what we have in common with everyone on the planet. Blessing our food is an expression of thankfulness to the earth.

When we think of these simple acts in life, we are learning to live consciously in the present.

So, today let’s affirm (and let’s do this outside):

“At this moment, I see Spirit as my Source, my food, and I recognize this in myself, in every individual, and in everything on this beautiful planet. From this day forward, I choose to see the energy of goodness in everyone and their contribution, no matter how small or large. I am supported in the dynamic equation of life.” Watch the corresponding video on The Balancing Act here.

Every Blessing,

© Charlene M Proctor and The Goddess Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
For other affirmations about positive body image and weight loss, and Charlene’s Lose Weight, Feel Great, Meditate Diet, please click here to download. For more affirmations, read The Women’s Book of Empowerment: 323 Affirmations that Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential. Click Here to buy.

Planning an Ascent: How Do We Create Positive Change?

Planning an Ascent: How Do We Create Positive Change?

Human relationships are enhanced by setting a new mental equivalent and practicing mindfulness. We can do this in at work, at home, or any place we wish to ‘rise higher.’ Changing your thought patterns will elevate your energy and attract new and better conditions in your life. But when it comes to making positive change, some of us need advice on how to adjust our thinking to make it happen. How do we attract new and powerful opportunities in our lives?

Have Clarity and Passion

To consciously co-create an empowered life, we must have clarity and passion for what we want. It is the secret to demonstrating any idea or thought pattern as our real-world reality. Emmet Fox, a New Thought minister in the 1940’s, encouraged people to change a perceived reality by making positive mental statements. He believed the foundation for all productive expression is positive thinking.

Emmet used the phrase “mental equivalent”. To create the equivalent of every experience or object in the physical world we much change the thought to which it corresponds.  We must have a conscious awareness of our daily thought processes to make change in our external environment.  You receive that for which you provide the mental equivalent for.  It could be anything – abundance, a loving relationship, or excellent health. Energy attracts similar energy and conditions. Establishing connectivity to Spirit or your spiritual source, he said, was your unlimited supply. This concept was also taught by many mystics – including Rumi, Jesus, the Buddha, Gandhi, and many others across all wisdom traditions.

The reason, Emmet used to say, that we do not have world peace is that humanity still has a mental equivalent for strife and scarcity. Until we unseat our need to have war and poverty, we will remain a world community with war and poverty.  This mental equivalent, he said, begins within each individual. It is our inner reality, where our potential resides.

How do we build a new mental equivalent to attract success and positive change in our lives?

1. Use Clarity and Passion when visualizing a new goal.  Clarity is to know what you want precisely. Passion is the positive energy and feeling you project outward about what you want. These are the key ingredients to create anything new and wonderful! If you only think about a new job once in awhile and don’t have any consistency or passion for what you visualize, you won’t get any results. It must be consistent to change your consciousness, a steady broadcast.
2. Be aware of negative thinking and seek to turn it around.  Worry, self doubt, and the lack of feeling connected to your Source can be unseated with sustained awareness and discipline of what enters your mind. You have a choice about what to think every day.  Use it to your advantage.
3. Use auspicious language.  When I was in India, the monks emphasized the use of positive language.  They said swearing, slamming people, criticizing others, or nasty speech carries a negative energy charge that is released and sets more negativity into motion. Energetically pull yourself up by using positive, loving language.
4. Change your ideas and attitudes about work activities.  Work is about offering a larger community your special talents.  You download your gift from the matrix. Nobody can do it like you because you are a unique rendition of God, an individualized spark of divine creation.  When you offer this to your family, organization, neighborhood, or community in a positive exchange, you light everyone up by raising the group’s vibration. That is what work is, so stop complaining about it. Rejoice in your ability to work. With this attitude, you will naturally attract more opportunity because light and positivity attracts opportunity and love.

Success in any corner of our lives is always articulated and precise. With a little discipline, self love, and mindfulness we can easily broadcast our intentions to the universe. So, let’s begin our day with an affirmation that will help us be mindful of the clarity and passion we need to make positive change. Let’s affirm:

“Today I begin a new, higher level of self-awareness of what I am attracting in my life. When I desire a better career, I hold thoughts of working in a loving environment with people who recognize my creativity. My new position feels like a rich, life experience because it is filled with love and joy. I am mindful of my Source, which is unlimited. I am filled with potential.” Watch the corresponding video on The Balancing Act here.

Every Blessing,

Find more articles on positive thinking on my website. For more affirmations, read The Women’s Book of Empowerment:323 Affirmations that Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential. Click Here to buy.