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!

Accepting Life’s Challenges

Everyone experiences pain, loss, and setbacks. How can we look at our disappointments and hurts and still maintain a positive perspective on life? How do we increase our resiliency when we’re going through turbulent changes?

The story of Kisa Gotami

A Buddhist story, “The Mustard Seed,” shows that we don’t suffer independently or differently from others. This story is a favorite of the Oneness guides of India. As the story goes, Kisa Gotami, a woman whose son has died, is in deep suffering. In her grief, she carries her son’s body to all the people in her village and asks everyone for help. Finally a villager sends her to see the Buddha, to whom she cries out, “Master, please help me! Give me medicine to cure my child and bring him back to life!”

“Bring me a handful of mustard seeds that were taken from a house where no death has occurred and no grief experienced,” the Buddha replies. “It must be a home where no one has lost a parent, friend, spouse, or child. Then you will be free from suffering.”

So Kisa Gotami searches for a family that has not experienced death. She cannot find such a family, of course. At each home in her village, she is reminded that everyone has gone through the same grief she is experiencing. There is no house where a beloved person has not died. Everyone has suffered as she is suffering. Finally, she realizes that her suffering is not unique. Now she knows that her situation cannot be changed. Since death happens in all families, she can no longer remain selfish in her grief. At last, because she sees that she is not alone, Kisa Gotami releases her suffering. She buries her child in the forest and returns to the Buddha to take comfort.

This story is a lesson about shared suffering. It’s about understanding that we don’t suffer differently from other people. Like Kisa Gotami, we have experienced joy, happiness, pain, and fear. None of these are new, and our suffering is not special. Suffering is common to humanity because no one leads an independent existence. In the New Testament writings, the mustard seed represents faith. Everyone has the same emotions, even the same habits that we use to avoid suffering. We are intimately related and connected through suffering, and we share it collectively. We can no more own suffering than we can own the stars.

Your suffering is not unique

Your suffering is not unique, nor are you alone in your suffering. Suffering is shared, nobody owns it, and we even suffer the same way. Suffering is the same for everybody, because it is always the same mechanism at work. Since we share the same mind and consciousness, why would our suffering be different?

There is no one on this planet that will escape suffering. When we resist suffering, we dissociate from the experience, we blame others, or we set up escape routes in our mind to distract us. We’re afraid to experience suffering, but if you want to be finished with it, then you’ll have to allow those feelings to come. Resistance can be its own brand of suffering. This is because your resistance will keep the experience coming back again and again.

If hurt is present, don’t create some explanation for it. Experience the hurt completely and let yourself go straight through the experience. Give yourself permission to feel these things just as if you would if joy were in front of you. Don’t be afraid. Suffering is just another experience. It comes to an end. When you embrace it and move though it, you won’t get stuck in it.

How can we embrace the light and dark sides of life and still respect life as a learning journey?

1. Change your outlook on change. This is “big picture thinking.” Of course major upheavals in life can be challenging, but you still need to view adversity as change, not loss and failure. Changes teach us resiliency, both physiologically and emotionally. Change is necessary for all life forms to evolve. You have to give up certainty and trust the ever-changing process of life. Know that Spirit supports you, no matter what. Adversity is a deeply spiritual lesson because God is showing you a piece of life you need to view for your own evolution and transformation.
2. Remain fully present to your suffering. Being fully present during loss, grief, and other forms of adversity is important. Until you process your pain, you cannot move through it. People often stuff or manage their emotional pain, which then translates into poor health, bad habits, and more psychological suffering. Embrace your suffering. Feel it and experience it in order to move past it.
3. Affirm your positive, present-moment benefits, no matter what. Accepting life’s contrasts, whether from financial loss, divorce, illness, or grief, means you accept life wholeheartedly. You must accept the bad with the good. As adults, we tend to resent life. Keep moving forward, look up, and ask for Divine assistance. You’ll be amazed at how help arrives, so be open to receiving your good. The universe is infinitely creative. It will send help in ways you cannot imagine.

Let’s draw our strength together and remember that each day is a new opportunity to make positive change in your world, no matter what. Affirm:

“Change is good. I am comforted by knowing that starting over is an ongoing job. I am becoming more resilient with every circumstance. I never give up. Life is a cycle, so there’s always more room for love. I believe I am evolving every day.”

Suffering is a condition we can move through. Humans are designed to experience grief, but not to be permanently stuck in it. Remember that adverse changes in life permit personal growth and give us a greater capacity to love. Watch the corresponding video on The Balancing Act here.

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.

More affirmations that help you develop resiliency and strength to survive adversity. Self development lessons and weekly power exercises from Let Your Goddess Grow! are included in attachments.

Grief arising from loss

My heartache fills my entire body today, but I know the love I have for this person who has crossed over is far greater than my heartache. From this day forward, each time I feel my heart aching from the absence of this person, I will focus on the love they brought into my life. I am so very thankful to have been blessed by their presence. No one is ever lost or gone forever, because love lasts forever. Every time I feel a heartache coming on, I send out a greater amount of love to the outer reaches of the universe and beyond. I am comfortable knowing this person will receive my love every day and through every loving thought.

Facing divorce

I leave this relationship with grace and dignity. I know my soul must grow in a place outside the perimeter of this relationship. No matter how painful the past has been, I am thankful that this venture has been part of my learning journey because it helps me to further define myself. My ability to give and receive love remains intact. My heart is healing. I have tremendous capacity to love others, no matter what the circumstances.

Confronting addiction

I no longer run from life. I now fully engage in what life has to offer. I rise above any physical need that does not contribute to my overall health and well-being. I do not need any substance to hide from life because I love what I have to offer. I am the parent and my body is the child. I take care of my child-body with love because I love my beautiful self.

Anticipating unemployment

Finding new work requires facing a transition and changing my old mental habits. I view this period as an opportunity to become clearer about what I want to do with my life. My hurt and uncertainty about the future leave my body before I get out of bed each morning. I arise with an attitude of success. I believe this change is a learning experience, and I step up to this challenge with strength and conviction. I have a great deal to offer both a new employer and the world.

Being at Ease with Yourself

We are often so busy managing our busy lives that we forget to fill up our own tank of energy. How do we refill ourselves? Going to the spa or a yoga class helps us nurture ourselves, but learning to be at ease with who we are is more important to recharging our batteries. How can we learn to be at ease with ourselves? What does it mean to be an authentic person?

When we don’t know ourselves, we can’t have a healthy and balanced outlook on life. Self-power grows through self-appreciation and self-nurturing. Being at ease is accepting yourself. People, who know who they are, express self-love calmly and confidently. They’re extremely magnetic. Ease is everyone’s natural, healthy state. People who are not at ease with themselves must force themselves to be compassionate; they exhibit impatience and are unable to be fully present when you are with them.

You are a butterfly

Like butterflies, we are all in various stages of personal growth and spiritual metamorphosis. In the butterfly’s larval stage, it’s a caterpillar. The caterpillar has to shed its skin several times in order to accommodate its expanding body. It knows exactly where it is while it’s preparing itself and getting stronger for its final transformation. It goes into its chrysalis, into solitude, into the dark, and completely reassembles its cells to make itself into a new butterfly. Shortly before the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, the chrysalis becomes transparent and reveals the butterfly inside. To prepare for takeoff, the insect’s swollen body pumps fluids into its tiny, shriveled-up wings. This fluid, which comes from a reservoir contained in its abdomen, sustains the butterfly and allows it to expand its wings and fly.

If we were butterflies, what would happen to us if our chrysalis cracked open early and we had to emerge before we were ready? Could we eat what was in front of us? Would we fly any faster, any longer, any higher? I like to think that we develop strength and spiritual vitality when we crawl out on our own. Without this work, we would die. We really can’t choose not to emerge. That’s the natural way of things. Like the butterfly, we must pay attention to what is presented to us and integrate the inner world of awareness and the outer world of experience so these worlds inform one another. This is how we develop authenticity.

The Sage and the Mouse

There is a wonderful story in my new book The Oneness Gospel. It’s a favorite of the monks of India.

Long ago, there once was a kindly wise man who adopted a mouse. The Sage, who was also a great wizard, turned this mouse into a girl and lovingly raised her as his daughter. Under his tutelage and kindness, she grew to be serene and beautiful. She became his greatest joy. He gave her an education, and she received all the benefits of a life of refinement and abundance. When she came of age, and it was time for her to marry, the Sage, knowing she deserved the best, looked for a suitable husband for her. He presented the overseers of the cosmos to her: the kings of the sun, the moon, and the stars, all great and noble beings. They were the most excellent and honorable marriage candidates in the universe.

The girl who had been a mouse thoughtfully considered the life that each king could offer to her. She contemplated on the lofty power each one represented. Then, one by one, she rejected them, turning down their offers of marriage. Still only desiring her happiness, the Sage searched to the ends of the earth to find more noble beings who represented the different aspects of nature: the lords of the wind and the mountain, the ruler of the ocean. These he presented to her in a grand ceremony, hoping to honor and please her. Again, she kindly refused each one.

One day, the Rat Guardian, who was not invited to be presented with the other noble beings, arrived at the palace to ask for the girl’s hand. His greatest achievement was to tunnel through the hard structure of the mountains. The Sage’s daughter instantly fell in love with the Rat Guardian, whom she thought was the finest candidate of all. When the Sage saw this, he was perplexed. How could this be? Then he remembered that his daughter deserved to know her true self and know happiness. With this realization, he instantly turned her back into a mouse so she could marry the Rat Guardian and live with authenticity and happiness.

What’s the moral here? You can never deny who you really are. If you try to be something you’re not, there can be no joy, no feeling of completion. To be at ease, you must be who you are. If you can only be a mouse, then be that mouse and feel satisfied with the choices you make in life that arise from that authentic part of you. Being yourself will be your greatest joy. When you know your own truth and relax into who you are, life will always support you. Watch the corresponding video on The Balancing Act here.

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.

Today’s Tips

What facilitates a state of “being at ease?”

1. Live from the inside out.  Let’s learn to develop calmness and a feeling of inner expansion. Calmness invites focus, self awareness, energy, intelligence into our experience.  Bliss is not going to knock on our front door and asked to be let in!  Calmness is developed with diligence – we must learn to quiet the mind in meditation or contemplation.
2. Practice inner awareness.  We must get to know our own behavior. When we learn to live as an observer, we are aware of our own behaviors and how it affects others.
3. Be fully present with people and circumstances. Quit texting when you are talking to someone and give them your full attention. Slow your mind down and focus on the task or situation at hand.
4. Value honesty and seek to be authentic. Part of being at ease and living a balanced life is to be an authentic individual.  You can never, ever give someone something you do not already own yourself, such as love. To try to do so is inauthentic. So, as you get to know yourself, learn to be honest with your feelings, recognize your unique perspective on life. As long as it’s not hurting anyone, celebrate you and your gifts to the world in your work, personal life, and activities.

Today’s Affirmation

Developing ease and positivity also comes from affirming the best in you. So let’s begin our day with an affirmation that recognizes our desire to get in touch with ourselves. We cannot lead a balanced life until we love and appreciate who we are. Let’s affirm:

“Today I change the way I internalize life. I inhale living spirit with every breath I take and focus my energy to help others on their soul journey.  I love my entire self and trust life. I am comfortable knowing that I am loved for who I am because I am a unique expression of creation. I am in love with my true and authentic self.”

© 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.

Are You Feeling Empowered?

Charlene Proctor and Danielle Knox

Consumed by fast paced lives, we feel they have to be superhuman to keep up. But if we work out the problems and complexities in life by letting go of the negative and making time for our spiritual selves, life can become more manageable and meaningful.

Leading woman back to balanced lives and higher self-esteem are books by the founder of The Goddess Network, Charlene M. Proctor, Ph.D. Let Your Goddess Grow! 7 Spiritual Lessons on Female Power and Positive Thinking reveals how women and men can grow in their spirit and harness the power to create a positive and balanced life. The Women’s Book of Empowerment: 323 Affirmations That Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential teaches the self-discipline needed to quickly and easily change negative thought patterns around.

Charlene getting make up done on the set of The Balancing Act on Lifetime TV

Charlene Proctor, author and spiritual teacher, will be appearing on The Balancing Act. Airing on Lifetime Television on June 22, 2011, she will discuss human potential and personal growth with host Danielle Knox. This show includes a practical approach to using the Law of Attraction and ways woman can redefine their success. Local show times are posted online at http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/balancing-act.

For more information about empowerment programs and all of Charlene inspirational and self-help books, please visit www.charleneproctor.com or contact Angela Samuels, Marketing Coordinator at marketing@charleneproctor.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information. Feel free to call 1-866-888-4633!

Join Charlene in a discussion about empowerment on Lifetime.com

Divine Thoughts: Worry Less by Building Gratitude

In the current economic conditions, many people are worrying about how change will trickle down into their personal lives. If a daily exchange of fear, blame, or doom has replaced your daily affirmation, you need to say yes to the goodness life has to offer and build an attitude of gratitude.

Living in a true state of thankfulness allows us to manage worry with ease. No matter how difficult they are, life’s lessons are always learning opportunities. Spirit is attempting to get your attention in an area that is not serving your best interests. When we acknowledge the lesson, learn from it, and add gratitude to our daily life, worrying will fall away. Let’s practice six ways to build gratitude today.

1. Yes, You can cope. Affirm it! When the caca hits the fan, first learn to affirm your innate ability to cope.
2. Remember that you are made of Unlimited, Divine Spirit. Affirm that spirit is a part of your skill set. Invite the Divine Presence into each day and every circumstance and in whatever wisdom tradition or faith feels right to you.
3. Widen your perspective to deep appreciation.
4. Use the Law of Attraction.
5. If you want to be a person who is loved, continue to give unselfishly and thank others for all they do.
6. Get the energy to return to you by practicing gratitude.

Living in a continual state of gratitude for being alive and well and having a chance to improve the lives of others through your words and actions turns negative situations around very quickly. When you express gratitude in your words and actions, you’ll be among the most beloved people on this planet, and your worrying will fall away. Without a thankful approach to life, we do not have as great an opportunity to explore the limits of our patience and our capabilities as loving individuals have.

Did you enjoy this post? Read the entire article and expanded affirmations relating to building gratitude available to all as a gift by clicking here.