Law of Life

Law of Life

Word Count:
535

Summary:
It's time to stop and smell the roses.  It's time to learn to take charge of your life and start realizing the future that you want instead of the one you have.
"Today is the first day of the rest of your life".
Take Action Today !

Keywords:
Life,meditation,goals,manifestation,help,self help,quality of life,support,motivation

Article Body:
The Law – Everything is energy.  Choose to believe this law. You must accept it.

Your thoughts, your feelings, what you focus on are all energy.  Do you understand that you have created the person you have become and created the quality of life you have.

Take a good look at what you have created.  You, and only you, are responsible for your present level of success in life.

Right now, reflect on ways to make a positive difference in the quality of your life.  

First, choose the area of life you want to focus. It can be your relationship, your career, your health; your finances just to mention a few.  The most important thing to remember is to focus on just one area to start.

As you conquer the first obstacle, then go to the next.  Keep moving forward until your goals are reached.

Know your purpose.  Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence.  Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind.  Identify your life purpose and stop wandering through life with little or no direction. 

You must stop and smell the roses.  Try this experiment and take note of reactions of different types of people.
1. Go to your local park
2. Find a bed of flowers or some magnificent location.
3. Carefully watch people passing this location.

Some will stop and enjoy the flowers.  They will take time to smell and touch and enjoy them.  Some will walk by and offer no more than a quick glance.  Others will pass by and never see them at all.  If you stop them and ask, they will reply "what flowers?"

Meditation is like stopping and smelling the flowers.  It is an intensely personal and spiritual experience.  There are many forms of meditation however they all use concentration techniques that helps us become aware of all of our inner thoughts.

Meditation is the key to finding your secret force that can overcome these obstacles and change your way of life. 
You must first take action to face your current fears, honor your strengths and live from the inside out.

Live your life on purpose, not by accident. 

The Past – It's gone and should be no more than a fading memory.
The Future – It has not happened yet.  Things you do today are likely to impact your future.

Don't compare your present situation to anything else.  Accept it for what it is and make the best of it or decide to Take Action now if it is not the present that you are happy with.

The time is here to decide that there is no such thing as failure.  It is time to take the opportunity to learn from the experience and move forward.  Learn from your mistakes and grow wiser and stronger and you will grow to accomplish more.

Are you stuck in a rut and unsure how to make changes in your life?
Do you need some support in helping motivate you to move forward in achieving the life you deserve?

It's your life.  Don't complain if you are not willing to Take Action.
With clear goals and constructive support, you will be surprised how fast progress will be made.

 

Imagine Yourself As...

Imagine Yourself As...

Word Count:
455

Summary:
Learn the power of manifesting your dreams.

Keywords:

Article Body:
Imagine yourself as a deep sea diver, a ballroom dancer, a professional athlete, a famous artist, or whatever you can't imagine.  "No, that is not me", your timid little voice inside your head escapes into your conscious thoughts.  Take a moment to reflect on how many times per day your mind rejects what your imagination dreams up. It then may dawn on you as no surprise that many of us live our daily lives with self-limiting behaviors.  When we come to realize that it is our own self-limiting thoughts that are creating and constraining our realities, which are keeping us from embodying our imagination, we then can start to take action and move from a restrictive mindset to one where manifesting our goals and dreams is second nature.

Seeing with new eyes, thinking with positive life-affirming thoughts, one can begin to make the shift to a manifesting mindset.  Manifesting is defined as a product of change brought through the direction of consciousness.  When one can start thinking with this awareness in mind, one can take an active role in accepting their imagination as a catalyst for truly realizing their dreams. 

Isn't this empowering?  Replacing your negative emotions with positive ones is the first step in manifesting the life you desire.  One surefire way of replacing negative emotions is to start by writing down positive affirmations.  For instance, one can change a self-limiting thought of, "I'll never be a good public speaker" to "I am someone who speaks in public with ease and joy, someone who the world wants to hear."  Or, one can change the limiting belief that, "I will never make enough money to meet all my needs and feel secure", to "the universe supports me, provides for me, and is safe." 

Start coming up with positive affirmations to replace old thought patterns.  Write them on a piece of paper and post it where you can see it during the day.  This way, you can continually remind yourself of these new thought patterns. These new beliefs will start permeating your mind and body, and you will be well on your way to creating a manifesting mindset in which you can create what you imagine.

Another way to practice replacing your old thought patterns with new ones is to say your affirmations out loud in front of a mirror.  This technique makes you face yourself, and saying your affirmations out loud usually brings a greater emotional response to them as they start to sound true.  

So, start today with changing your old self-limiting thoughts to positive life-affirming ones.  You have nothing to lose, but your old limitations.  Try it! It is truly easier than you can imagine.

Wishing you Happiness!

 

Are skin care products the right choice for great skin?

 

Are skin care products the right choice for great skin?

Word Count:
302

Summary:
It's true that skin care products are essential to having good skin. Taking care of skin is important considering the destruction one goes through the aging process.

Keywords:
skin care products,skin care,facial expressions,skin cream,skin care product

Article Body:
It's true that skin care products are essential to having good skin. Taking care of skin is important considering the destruction one goes through the aging process. With number of skin care products coming up in the market it is difficult to choose the right one. One needs to select a skin care product that would make a great impact on the skin.

How do skin care products work?

When you frown, smile squint or use any other common facial expression, your muscles contract under your skin. When you do it over and over again, the result can be wrinkles. Skin care products injected directly into the muscles works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles thereby reducing those persistent lines to form on your face. By regular application of skin care products you can actually find the wrinkles disappear.

Can an appropriate skin care product give the skin a natural look?

No skin cream can assure you an immediate natural look. It might take at least four to five weeks for your skin to react to the skin care product. The muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows is simply reduced so you can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows.

The only problem with these skin care products is that they will provide results as long as you apply them. The moment you stop applying them your face will once again loose its luster and appear like it did before treatment.

Side effects resulted by a skin care product

The most common side effects include headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop ad nausea. These events are quite likely to occur within the first week incase the associates skin care cream doesn't suit your skin.

 

A Place of Sanctuary - Creating Sacred Space

 

A Place of Sanctuary - Creating Sacred Space

Word Count:
683

Summary:
Creating sacred space and providing a place of sanctuary in the home, workplace, and garden is the focus of this article.  Questions to consider and ideas and options to create a 'garden for the soul' are outlined.

Keywords:
sanctuary, sacred space, spirituality, personal power, biological need, peace of mind

Article Body:
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes health as "the condition of perfect bodily, spiritual, and social well-being and not solely the absence of illness and injury."   As described by the WHO, how many of us feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy on a daily basis?  We work in structures called 'sick-buildings;' we go home to care for families so tired we are almost unable to function; and we increasingly lose our connection with any sense of our place in the universe.  How do we reclaim our life and start to think that our life matters and that we are important in the overall scheme of things? One way of doing this is to create our own sanctuary/sacred space. 

Creating our own sacred space restores our peace of mind and enables us to stand back from the turmoil in our lives in order to provide a place where we can reconnect with our sense of self and reclaim our power.  Exploration of sanctuary is to create a link to the Divine as our soul asks us to love, accept, and provide hospitality to ourselves when we are spiritually hungry.   Spirituality is more than a psychological and emotional need: it is an inherent biological need as our energy, our spirit, and our personal power is all one and the same force. We need daily sanctuary as our heart and soul depends on it.  When we give ourselves the gift of sacred time in a special place, we are feeding our spirit.  Theodore Roszak writes, "We can now recognise that the fate of the soul is the fate of the social order; that if the spirit within us withers, so too will all the world we build about us." 

Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden

The first consideration in creating a sacred space in your home, workplace, or garden is defining the purpose in doing so.  Some of the questions for consideration include:

1.  What is it that you want your sacred space to provide for you? 

2.  Where will your sanctuary be located?

3.  What feelings do you want? 

4.  What attracts you to your sanctuary?
 
5.  What features do you want? 

6.  What colours do you want?

7.  What sounds do you want?

Ideas and Options for Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden

In your place of sanctuary, some of the items you could include are:

·  Candles – you can use candles to provide colour and when burning provide a point of focus for meditation.  Scented candles can add a touch of fragrance to your environment.

·  Plants – your plants will require care, and not only will make the air more healthy, but will encourage you to attend your place of sanctuary.  Plants can also be used to enhance particular colours and fragrances you wish to add to your well-being.

·  Water – adding desktop water fountains to your place of sacredness will not only provide the soothing sounds of water, but will also block out other noises in your environment.

·  Music – music as my Dad used to say, "feeds the soul."  Use music you like, such as, sounds of nature or instrumental music, to provide a place of soothing for your soul.

·  Aquariums – live fish and the sounds of water provide healing energy for your sacred space.  In the Chinese culture, live fish are thought to be 'good energy.'

·  Rocks and stones – are considered in many cultures to be sacred.  Use in your place of sanctuary and, when you are tired or stressed-out, re-arrange your 'rock garden.'

·  Walls – walls can be used to act as, or hang notice boards on, where you can post favourite pictures, quotes, and ideas.

·  Spend at least 10 minutes a day (20 is better) in refreshing and renewing your spiritual self.

Finally, in creating your sacred space, remember you are unique.  There will never be anyone on the planet like you and you have a right to spend time caring for yourself.  As Richard Bolles in his book What Colour Is Your Parachute says, "You are God's gift to the planet and your uniqueness is the gift to the rest of us."

Would you rather fly or be invisible?

Would you rather fly or be invisible?

Word Count:
454

Summary:
Which would you rather be? Which superpower would you rather your child have?

Keywords:
inspiration, motivation, success, dream, fire, difficulty, challenge, dare, superpower, power, fly, invisible, child

Article Body:
Recently one of my son's favorite TV stations conducted a survey of children. They asked kids which superpower they would rather have: the ability to fly or to be invisible?

To me it seemed to be a no-brainer--to fly most definitely!

First of all, I think the ability to fly offers a lot more opportunity for fun, adventure, and freedom. Just think about being able to go anywhere, anytime you want, without worrying about traffic, road conditions, or gas money!

While being invisible offers a range of opportunities as well it just seems so sneaky to me that I feel uncomfortable even thinking about it.

My son agreed with me. He thought flying would be a lot more fun. No surpise there as he is a physical child who enjoys being on the go.

Then I really started to think about the question. What does our choice say about us? I think I would really want to know why a child would choose invisibility over flying. I would fear that a child who chose that option either already felt invisible or wished they were. I would worry about their self-esteem and security in social interactions.

Of course, on the other hand, there are certain practical considerations. There are a number of instances where invisibility could serve many purposes for good on a small or large scale.

Apparently this question has been around for some time. A public radio station did a program on superheroes some time ago and took a survey asking which power their audience would prefer, the power to fly or to be invisible.

Men overall, voted that they wanted to fly and women that they wanted to be invisible.  Why?  So that the men could fly their kids to school and soccer instead of fighting traffic and women wanted to be invisible so that they could sit in on conversations and hear what was being said about them.  No one wanted to use the super power to help others.

I find that survey even more disappointing than the one for kids. But not surprising. I am not a cynical person (except when it comes to my students' excuses for not doing their homework) in general but more often when I hear some act of courageous good I am surprised rather than affirmed.

So while this could certainly appear to be a superficial question, something like the Barbara Walter's "If you could be an animal, what would you be" type, but I think it could lead to a much deeper discussion. What do you think?

Which would you rather be? Which superpower would you rather your child have?

Stop by Words of Inspiration Online and vote in our poll!

 

When thoughts become things.

When thoughts become things.

Word Count:
922

Summary:
The proper fruit of knowledge is action. It is true that gaining knowledge can make us feel more capable but knowledge in itself will not produce the results we really desire. One of the biggest myths that is prevalent in the information age is the notion that knowledge is power. Knowledge is not power. It is only potential power. What you do with what you know is where the real power is.

Keywords:
create,fear,indecision,take action,thoughts are things

Article Body:
We've all heard the saying that "talk is cheap." In fact we've heard it so often it's become a cliché. Like most cliché's the law of familiarity has set in and keeps us from actually absorbing the true meaning of the phrase. We've grown so tired of hearing it that we don't really listen to it anymore. The fact remains that talk is cheap. It is easy to talk about things and most people do. In fact most people "talk a great game" on a regular basis. The difference in people, however, is not in what they say they will do but in what they actually do.

We don't really judge people by what they say but rather by what they do. We judge people by their behaviour and by their actions. The reason for this is that deep down inside we all know that words have no real power to create anything in itself. It is only when the words are backed up by action that you have the power to create any real results. The ironic thing is that although most of us know this we get caught up in accumulating knowledge. We learn something and get really interested in the results we think the information can produce for us. In pursuing the results, we often confuse it with getting more information so we end up gathering and accumulation tons of information and knowledge without producing the result we wanted in the first place.

The proper fruit of knowledge is action. It is true that gaining knowledge can make us feel more capable but knowledge in itself will not produce the results we really desire. One of the biggest myths that is prevalent in the information age is the notion that knowledge is power. Knowledge is not power. It is only potential power. What you do with what you know is where the real power is. The difference in people comes in what they have done differently from someone else with the same information. The reality of the world we live in is that information on almost anything is freely available to anyone, quite literally at the push of a button.

Even though you have all the information at your fingertips, still, the most valuable resource you have to create results in your life is your ability to take action. An action always produces a result. When you take action you bring an idea into effect and you use your will to do something to achieve a specific purpose. When you do this you actually create in the true sense of the word as you turn an idea into reality; you express something that was internal on the outside. Every action is a cause set in motion and for every cause there is an effect and it is the effects or results that we are all really interested in. You don't want to know that you can be wealthy. You want to experience it by seeing and touching it and the real satisfaction comes from turning your ideas into reality.

There is a big difference between knowing what to do and doing what you know. Most people know what to do to be able to make their lives work but knowing just isn't enough – we must act and use what we know. Something intangible happens when you take action on an idea. You set in motion a series of events, events that you don't always know the full consequences of. Like throwing a stone in a pond, the ripple effect of the water affects the whole pond and moves everything that is in or on the pond. This illustrates how a single action can have a significant impact even if you aren't always aware of it. On a more practical and tangible level you start getting feedback from your actions and you learn things that you can only learn as a result of your actions. These are things you simply cannot learn from merely listening to others or reading books.

Think of your knowledge and ideas as an elastic band. It has the ability to be stretched, but until and unless you stretch it you are not using it for its real purpose. Information is usually something external. When you learn it you transform it into knowledge and when you act on it, it becomes part of your life. To truly experience anything in life you must take action. Knowing simply isn't enough. We all want to feel and this only comes from engaging "all of you" - by engaging all of your senses to experience the fullness of life in all its abundance.

It doesn't take many ideas to change something in your life. Neither does it take a complicated idea. It takes ideas that you can use and act upon to give you what you really want. Rarely is it the information or ideas that you really want as it is almost always only the means to an end. What you truly want is results and this will only come from using what you know. Don't get caught in the flood of information and knowledge. Start to focus your mind on action and on applying ideas instead of accumulating them. Slowly feed yourself more information and knowledge, but let your actions be your ultimate guide. After all it is not what you say you will do but what you actually do that will determine the quality of your life and what you achieve or fail to achieve.

 

When do you think the world will end?

When do you think the world will end?

Word Count:
1355

Summary:
They say the world will end in 2012, I think I have made a few points here to destroy that theory. Please read on and you will see how I have disproved this theory.

Keywords:
Armageddon,end of the world, End of Time, End of Mankind, when will the world end, Jesus Christ, God, Will the world end soon? when will the world end?

Article Body:
Scientific experts from around the world are genuinely predicting that five years from now, all life on Earth could well finish. Some are saying it'll be humans that set it off. Others believe that a natural phenomenon will be the cause. And the religious folks are saying it'll be God himself who presses the stop button...

1. Mayan Calendar

The first mob to predict 2012 as the end of the world were the Mayans, a bloodthirsty race that were good at two things:

Building highly accurate astrological equipment out of stone and
Sacrificing Virgins.

Thousands of years ago they managed to calculate the length of the lunar moon as 329.53020 days, only 34 seconds out. The Mayan calendar predicts that the Earth will end on December 21, 2012. Given that they were pretty close to the mark with the lunar cycle, it's likely they've got the end of the world right as well.

2. Sun Storms

Solar experts from around the world monitoring the sun have made a startling discovery: our sun is in a bit of strife. The energy output of the sun is, like most things in nature, cyclic, and it's supposed to be in the middle of a period of relative stability. However, recent solar storms have been bombarding the Earth with so much radiation energy, it's been knocking out power grids and destroying satellites. This activity is predicted to get worse, and calculations suggest it'll reach its deadly peak sometime in 2012

3. The Atom Smasher

Scientists in Europe have been building the world's largest particle accelerator. Basically its a 27km tunnel designed to smash atoms together to find out what makes the Universe tick. However, the mega-gadget has caused serious concern, with some scientists suggesting that it's properly even a bad idea to turn it on in the first place. They're predicting all manner of deadly results, including mini black holes. So when this machine is fired up for its first serious experiment in 2012, the world could be crushed into a super-dense blob the size of a basketball.

4. The Bible says...

If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn't bad enough,religious folks are getting in on the act aswell. Interpretations of the Christian Bible reveal that the date for Armageddon, the final battle between Good an Evil, has been set down for 2012. The I Ching, also known as the Chinese book of Changes, says the same thing, as do various sections of the Hindu teachings.

5. Super Volcano

Yellowstone National Park in the United States is famous for its thermal springs and Old Faithful geyser. The reason for this is simple - it's sitting on top of the world's biggest volcano, and geological experts are beginning to get nervous sweats. The Yellowstone volcano has a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years or so, and we're many years overdue for an explosion that will fill the atmosphere with ash, blocking the sun and plunging the Earth into a frozen winter that could last up to 15,000 years. The pressure under the Yellowstone is building steadily, and geologists have set 2012 as a likely date for the big bang.

6. The Physicists

This one's case of bog-simple maths mathematics. Physicists at Berekely Uni have been crunching the numbers. and they've determined that the Earth is well overdue for a major catastrophic event. Even worse, they're claiming their calculations prove, that we're all going to die, very soon - while also saying their prediction comes with a certainty of 99 percent- and 2012 just happens to be the best guess as to when it occurs.

7. Slip-Slop-Slap-BANG!

We all know the Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that sheilds us from most of the sun's radiation. What you might not know is that the magnetic poles we call north and south have a nasty habit of swapping places every 750,000 years or so - and right now we're about 30,000 years overdue. Scientists have noted that the poles are drifting apart roughly 20-30kms each year, much faster than ever before, which points to a pole-shift being right around the corner. While the pole shift is underway, the magnetic field is disrupted and will eventually disappear, sometimes for up to 100 years. The result is enough UV outdoors to crisp your skin in seconds, killing everything it touches.

Do you believe it?

No way,

Y2k was also predicted as the end of the world and just turned out to be a fluke to get you to spend a lot of money to ugrade your computer. I proved it a fluke by leaving my 1993 old compter one and the internal clock changed over to 2000 no issues at all.

This is from a forum in 2004.

no one can ever know when or what time the world should come to an end. Evey 10 billion years? Who knows. i believe in God and Jesus very strongley but truthfully i dont think they even have all these kinds of answers. and supposedly when the dinosaurs died they died from a meteroid that hit earth! every 10 billion years its supposed to hit and on Sept.27.04 is our 10 billionth year, i guess.and right now at this very second our astronauts are trying to find a way to destroy it! but if u think it takes 6 months to get to mars, if the meteroid is on the way it should be near mars and we cant see it and its supposed to be hotter than the sun im sure our world would be alot brighter. so in my opinion if your really obsessed with this whole end of the world thing i suggest you prove your point and show the rest of us the facts of our death date.

Another the same year.

Aright, the world is ending in about 8 months, around December of 2004. There are about 5 comets headed straight for Earth coming toward the south pole. No one ever knew about this event until they built an observatory in Antarctica and saw that they were coming. They kept this event on the low and they killed the scientists that studied there so the world wouldn't freak out and so the economy would drop drastically. If the whole world knew, people would be running around all over and stealing things and breaking out of jails etc. I heard this on AM Coast To Coast radio program. Its nation wide show on the radio every night so you should listen to it and discover interesting things for yourself.

Nostradamus

Actually, the Bible shows that not even the Son knows the date or hour, but that 'only the Father' knows. (See Matthew 24:36)  Since Nostradamus is not the Father, it becomes obvious that he could not know of any timing secrets, if you believe the Bible.  Notice that in verse 13, we are told clearly what we must do to become saved:  endure with faithfulness until the end actually occurs.  One can not simply say "I believe upon the name of the Lord Jesus!"  Words alone mean nothing.  Also, John 11:25 shows that we need not be overly anxious or fearful of this coming hour, because the faithful ones will be taken care of.

By the way, when the Bible speaks of the "world" passing away, it is not talking about the Earth.  Rather, it is talking about the wicked people of the Earth.  If you speak of the world's moral state, you do not speak of the ground and trees, but of the people.  Isaiah 45:18 tells us that God did not make the Earth simply to destroy it, but to have it inhabited (by righteous people).  Again, a close look at the Bible can bring comfort. :)

The Bible says no one will know.

The Bible describes believers as living in a state of expectancy, in a state of tension, between two worlds. We live in the present world, which we know will end, while we look for the world to come with the return of Christ. "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:44, NIV).

Me? Since it really cannot be predicted I do not believe we will ever know in advace.

What do you Believe?

 

What Was The Best Part Of Your Day?

What Was The Best Part Of Your Day?

Word Count:
575

Summary:
More than crafting picture frames and holiday scarves we are crafting memories that I hope he will cherish his whole life. And I hope that I am teaching him that gifts from the heart mean much more than gifts from the wallet.

Keywords:
inspiration, motivation, debt, thank, mentor, kindness, society, family, child, lesson, gift, giving

Article Body:
My son's bedtime ritual (like that of many young children) is written in stone. After reading a book or two, we snuggle into his bed and compare notes about the day.  I ask him if today was a good day and being a cheerful fellow he always says "yes".

After reviewing the highlights of the day -- all the elements that made it a "good day" -- I ask him which was the best part. Often the answer surprises me but after some reflection I decided this fact was due to something pretty wonderful. My child has his priorities in the right order.

Noah's grandparents live in another state so when they visit there tends to be even more spoiling than might be expected from grandparents. One visit from my parents included several small gifts presented at the beginning of the visit, a trip to Wal-Mart with grandparents to purchase a new power ranger, and another trip to Wal-Mart with Grandpa to buy a new Spider Man bike and helmet (Noah's first big bike). They also took him on several outings to the park, children's museum, McDonalds and so on.

However after the grandparents had departed I asked Noah about the best part of the visit. He thought for a moment and said: "Going for a walk with Grandpa and seeing the dead possum."

The dead possum is located on a route we follow pretty regularly for our walks and we have watched the decomposition process with interest. Whenever we see the possum Noah always mentions his grandfather and whenever they speak on the phone he updates his grandfather on the status of the corpse.

Just think about these stories. Noah was showered with gifts and lavish outings but his favorite memory is a simple walk to the local airport and checking out the sites along the way.

Why do we spend so much money during the holidays on expensive gifts that will most likely be forgotten or tossed aside or outgrown -- sometimes before the tinsel is taken down. In the end it is lavishing our time and attention on our loved ones that is the greatest gift of all.

Not only is it a wonderful gift for our loved ones (who likely won't require a dead possum for bonding) but it is also a wonderful gift for ourselves. The holiday season can be frantic and filled with crazy shopping malls and unjolly traffic jams. Taking time out to spend quality time with our loved ones is really what we should give ourselves this holiday season.

Sitting around the kitchen table making homemade Christmas cards with Noah means our holiday message will stand out from the pile of glitzy prepackaged cards and we will have spent hours together giggling over our work with glue, construction paper, and scissors. I don't know about you but I'd much rather bond over glitter glue than a decomposing possum.

We are also working on his holiday gifts for various family members which I know will be lovingly appreciated by grandparents and cousins alike. More than crafting picture frames and holiday scarves we are crafting memories that I hope he will cherish his whole life. And I hope that I am teaching him that gifts from the heart mean much more than gifts from the wallet.

But then he may already know that as he snuggles down beneath his pillow and quilt -- both lovingly quilted by his grandmother -- for his afternoon nap.

 

What is Love and How Do I Get It?

What is Love and How Do I Get It?

Word Count:
426

Summary:
Dr. Lynton examines the different types of love

Keywords:
love, consciousness, faith, kindness, spirituality

Article Body:
What is love?  Everybody uses the word "love" in daily conversations. There are millions of movies and songs based on love, but do we really know what it is?

Here are some Greek definitions of love:

Eros:  romantic love of passion, physical longing, deep intensity, and intimacy. Often initial love that attracts a couple. Attracted to what it finds desirable, or beautiful--often knowing no limits and searching without satisfaction through many objects of desire. 

Philios:  characterized by sharing, companionship and shared values, it exemplifies friendship-based and brotherly love. It is more comprehensive and less self-seeking than eros. 

Storge:  family love between parent/child or between two incredibly close people. It is instinctive, and does not need to be requited.

Agape: considered purest, most comprehensive and most mysterious form of love, which loves unconditionally. Agape dissolves our separateness from God, others, and ourselves, as instead of seeking the security and consolation of seeking to be loved, we are love. Agape is the love of altruism, of giving without asking anything in return.

A famous Bible verse in 1 Corinthians 13 states other qualities of love:
Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way: it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

So how do we attract love into our lives?  We get love by giving love, for as we give, so do we receive.  Life is a mirror and will reflect back to us what we put out.  Want more love in your life?  Then I invite you to demonstrate to a friend or family member real AGAPE love. Call someone up for no other reason than to tell them you love them. 

LOVE IS PATIENT: Imagine for a moment what patience could do in your life?  What would your home be like if everyone had great patience?  What would the world be like if all people had patience with each other?  What is love?  Love is Patience and it begins with each of us.  

LOVE IS KIND.
Kindness is directly connected to patience. Patience endures injuries and insults and kindness pays them back with good deeds and kind actions. In Greek the word kindness means "useful." Love is kind means we express God by being kind, by being useful and of benefit to others.

"Who is born of love is born of God for God is Love."

 

What is Important in Life?

What is Important in Life?

Word Count:
479

Summary:
No matter how much wealth we manage to accumulate in this world, it is virtually useless without good health. This is tied closely to the knowledge of our own mortality. Deep down, we all know that we only have a handful of decades on Earth and then it's over.

Keywords:
near-death, death, life, decades, goals, Earth, relationships, experience, healthy, temporary, pass away, pass, unconditional love, unconditional, love, compassion, 

Article Body:
When we are healthy, we seldom think about what it feels like to be sick. But when we are really and truly sick, all we can think about is being healthy again.

No matter how much wealth we manage to accumulate in this world, it is virtually useless without good health. This is tied closely to the knowledge of our own mortality. Deep down, we all know that we only have a handful of decades on Earth and then it's over.

In light of that, what becomes important then? That is indeed an interesting question. What is important cannot be money, because we can't take it with us when we die. What is important can't be our possessions because, once again, they are not going with us. Having money and possessions is very temporary. Those things cease to matter to us when we die.

Some turn to their relationships when they realize this. They feel that family and friends must be the most important thing then. Yet, we will lose contact with family and friends when we pass away too.

Some people die and then come back. They call this the near-death experience. Many of those people talk about what they saw in the state of death. They also talk about how they feel which is almost universally wonderful. There are a few that report going to a very bad place, but the majority feel good. They are free from the pain and suffering of their mortal bodies.

In the near-death experience, many talk about the life review process, where they see their entire lives displayed before them. The good things they do and the bad are right there. In addition they see how their actions and words affected others too. Apparently it can be quite painful to recognize how much we hurt others and caused others pain.

They also get to see the good things they did. I remember one woman who went through the life review process said that the most significant act in her entire life occurred when she was a little girl. She said that the most important action out of her entire life was holding a little flower in her hand and giving it unconditional love. That was it, out of her entire life that was deemed the most significant thing she ever did.

In light of that, we can conclude that what is important is not who we were but how well we treated others in this life. Therefore, when we contemplate our lives and set our goals, maybe it would be a good idea if we thought about others first.

Life is not temporary, but life on Earth is temporary. How are we going to face all those people who are watching what we do, when it is all over? Hopefully, we will have done things that we can be joyous about.

 

What Are Your Debts?

What Are Your Debts?

Word Count:
718

Summary:
This is a time of year when many people take stock of all that they are grateful for -- or at least when we should do so. But this should also be a time when we take stock of all those people who contributed to those gifts -- especially the intangible ones. Those gifts such as our self-esteem or confidence, our love of sports or music, and our spine. What person or group do you owe the greatest debt? Was there a special person or group that really helped you become the person you are today?

Keywords:
inspiration, motivation, debt, thank, mentor, kindness, society

Article Body:
This is a time of year when many people take stock of all that they are grateful for -- or at least when we should do so. But this should also be a time when we take stock of all those people who contributed to those gifts -- especially the intangible ones. Those gifts such as our self-esteem or confidence, our love of sports or music, and our spine. What person or group do you owe the greatest debt? Was there a special person or group that really helped you become the person you are today?

Was there someone who helped you believe in yourself and your ability? Was there someone who taught you to appreciate life in a new way? Was there just someone who was there so you could count on them no matter what?

Most of us have been fortunate to have not just one person but a whole team of teachers, coaches, and mentors who helped us grow and reach our potential. We should remember to thank those people again and again as we live the lives they helped us shape. Even more important we need to repay that debt -- not to those individuals but to society. How is your debt? Have you paid it yet or are you still pretending it doesn't exist?

We often hear the expression as it relates to criminals. It is sometimes used as a euphemism for incarceration. The truth is though that we all owe a debt to society. Not because we have done some harm to the community but instead because we have benefited from someone else doing good.

I am a Presbyterian and our expression of the Lord's Prayer includes the phrase "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors". Obviously no matter how good we are and how exemplary our lives we can never repay our debt to God or his son so that part of the meaning is rather clear. I also think this means that we should do good for goodness sake rather than any potential benefit we may reap from the act.

I also think there is another level of meaning and this comes back to the central idea of our debt to society. I think when it comes down to acts of kindness there cannot be a one-to-one relationship. Obviously in many cases when a person is in need of help they may never be in a position to return that help in kind. But it isn't really what we want or need when we offer help or kindness in any case.

Whenever I do something charitable, helpful, or kind, I tend to view the act as contributing to a vast fund of kindness. Many times in my life I have profited from this fund and very likely I will continue to profit from it.

One of the reasons I like this concept is that I do think of it as a sort of fund or bank. The value grows exponentially rather than incrementally just as money would do if similarly invested. We should all be grateful for this because the truth is that we usually don't pay our debt to society.

Most of us will write the occasional check, buy a ticket for some raffle, and/or spend a few hours working here and there on some pet project. There are a few who will go much further than this and spend a large portion of their time, energy, and/or money for the greater good but they are far too few.

Often whenever we face pressure on our time or finances then it is our philanthropic activities that are the first to be sacrificed. I have been all too guilty of this myself. I wonder what would happen if we reversed this and instead put helping others first rather than last?

My challenge to you this week is simply to find a way to add to our goodness fund.  Borrow from the concept of "Pay It Forward". When someone offers you a helping hand then be sure to pass the favor along at the first opportunity. Don't pick and choose. Don't balance your checkbook first. Don't take the easy path. Do what is right. You will know it when you see it.

 

What Angels Do

What Angels Do

Word Count:
1115

Summary:
Ever wonder what Angels do, and why they do it? Learn to call on them for help.

Keywords:
angels, angel communication, angel messages, help from angels, religion, spirituality, personal growth, self-help, meditation, prayer

Article Body:
Introduction
Many people don't really understand the nature of our guardian Angels. Every one of us, as long as we are in our human form has one or more angels with us at all times. In many years of working with individuals to help them come into closer contact with their guardian Angels I have experienced that they are present for each and every one of us. This message from them describes what they do, why they help us, and how we can receive their gifts to the fullest extent.

Angel Message
"We are given unto you as gifts of God, gifts of Creator. We are the expression of Creator in a form that you may more easily access and experience. We are given unto you to help carry you onto God, to help carry you into the love of God, to help carry you into the expression of the love within you.

Above all, we are given unto you for the expression of your soul; the true, deep, and complete expression of your soul. We have been with you from before your birth, from before your conception, when you were a soul in the splendor of heaven. We were with you at the time that you chose what gifts you would share with others upon the earth.

Your soul in pure form is pure light, pure love, pure joy. The gifts that you have chosen to embody, and carry, and to bring into full fruition upon the earth, are those very gifts that bring you joy, wonder, and excitement. They bring you into a natural place of buoyancy, of the joy of sharing.

We amplify your ability to connect with the gifts that you carry within you. We work with you to open your willingness to experience your own gifts within, to see and know them as pure expressions of love, to hold them, both sacred and true, and pure, and yet to share them with no holding. With no reservation. With no concern of how they are accepted. We stress this last part, that you have no concern, that you have no expectation, that you have no demand upon those whom you give your gifts to.

We ask you to look upon the heavens above you, seeing the moon, the planets, the stars, the endless and infinite galaxies of stars; all of this creation revolves in order that the soul is expressed in pure and true form. All of this has been given upon you and to every soul in form.

Realize that whatever limitations of consciousness you currently carry, reality is infinite. God is infinite. Our abilities, the abilities of the Angels, are truly infinite. We withhold nothing from you. Creator withholds nothing from you in your role of true creation as a being of love, and of light, and of compassion, of caring and of devotion to what you have come upon the earth to express.

We are completely outside of your ideas of limitation of any kind. We are not limited by time, or space, or place or amount.

It is vital that you understand this. As you call upon us to assist you, there is no diminishing of our energy, of our ability, of our presence. There is no diminishing. We are given unto the people of the earth to serve, to assist, to guide, to arrange, to partner with. We have no other reason for existence. Please take this in and know that you are our full occupation. We do not have another "day job" or other responsibilities that you distract us from when you call upon us.

We wish you to know that Angels are in total service to you in your present condition and your present level of consciousness. In the exact moment of your life you find yourself in right now. We carry no judgments. We carry no criticisms. We carry not even expectations for you. We make no decisions about when to help you and when not to help you. We have no free will in this matter. That is not our role. We are not created in a configuration of choice or judgment. We are beyond any concept of judgment.

We express the will of Creator in a form and in a manner that you can easily connect with, that you can access for all that you need in the present moment. This remains true moment to moment throughout your lifetime. We never evaluate you are good or bad. We never give or withhold based upon any concept of good or bad. There is no withholding of any kind within our realm. All we do is give infinitely, completely, eternally to you. Please realize as deeply as you are able that the grace we carry to you, the gifts we carry to you, the love and the loving presence we carry to you is not dependent upon your behavior. It is not dependent upon your past. It is not dependent upon you doing anything in this moment, other than receiving it.

We shine upon you as the sun shines upon every plant, every tree, every shrub, withholding nothing. The sun does not judge this plant worthy and this plant unworthy and shine only upon one. We wish you to fully and completely realize that our love is infinite, our gifts are infinite, our presence is infinite and is given to you exactly as you are in this moment. There is nothing that you need do to receive this. There is nothing you need accomplish to receive this. There is no redemption you need to achieve to receive this. There is nothing you need do except to attain the consciousness of receiving.

And this, which we have just labeled attainment, is nothing more than merely letting go of all beliefs of limitation, lack, critical evaluation, and judgment. For, while we are not free will beings and are given completely unto you, you, however, are a free will being.

It is very important that you realize that your choices are fully honored. Your choices are completely respected. We do not and cannot force anything upon you. Even a blessing that is so important for you, so dear to your heart and so dear to your soul can only be received by you if you allow it.

We wish you to realize that for you to experience receiving our assistance and our help you must choose this for yourself, you must invoke this within yourself, you must milk your own willingness to receive. You must ask to receive. You must be willing to receive. And yet this is all you need do, nothing more than this."

 

We must make our environment favorable for Era Transformation

We must make our environment favorable for Era Transformation

Word Count:
2236

Summary:
No doubt individual efforts and endeavours are important and they should be respected and encouraged. At times these lone individual efforts are so intense that it not only influences the individual but transforms and influences the cosmic world.  Of course these are exceptions but it proves beyond doubt that each human being is God's prince and that he potentially has all divine powers albeit latent in his psyche. If man so desires he can convert these latent powers into active powers.

Keywords:
individual,effort,transformation,environment,divine,powers,gross,subtle,spiritual,congregation,health,scientist,earth,interstellar,space,consciousness,favorable,influence,Budha,thought

Article Body:
No doubt individual efforts and endeavours are important and they should be respected and encouraged. At times these lone individual efforts are so intense that it not only influences the individual but transforms and influences the cosmic world.  Of course these are exceptions but it proves beyond doubt that each human being is God's prince and that he potentially has all divine powers albeit latent in his psyche.  If man so desires he can convert these latent powers into active powers so as to enact amazing tasks at the cosmic level. People with radiant minds do exactly this. Such radiance gets re-instated as great men and with their extraordinary endeavor solve contemporary problems of the world. The divine incarnations of God are of this level. Their special leadership qualities at the world level, bestow on them, the title and respect of "God".  This is a description of the peak of greatness of an individual.

Despite all this the deep import of the environment stays put in its position. Its influence is noted at every step and there is an intense need that this environment should be made favourable. For this the only solution is congregational spiritual endevaour.  Presently these efforts are being used, to achieve the goal of manifesting Era Power (Yuga Shakti).

The influence of the environment can be known by noting the differences in the shape and inner nature of men. It is the environment that induces skin color, differences of brown, yellow, white, black etc. These special qualities called hereditary qualities, that influence the skin color, ultimately are related to the difference in environment in different nations and regions. The small large forms of human beings are as per one's nation and region. The difference of bodily might in Punjabis and Bengalis (of India) can be attributed to influence of the environment.  On an average majority of the people of Uzbekistan (in Russia) live for 100 years.  There is nothing special about their eating habits, material comforts etc.  Like other people they too eat what others eat but live upto 100 years.  Then what is the reason behind these people living a long life of 100 years?  The answer is the influence of the regional environment on their bodies.

There are differences not only at the body level but also at the inner nature level.  This is the influence of the gross and subtle environment. The basis of the differences regarding culture, civilization etc. is how has the belief, mental inclination and habit been molded in which region and in which direction is the flow of the thinking and activities of these people?  This flow does not change easily. Hence it is believed to be a difference in culture and it is nourished too. These special qualities not only overflow in one's inner nature but it also abounds in one's ideals.

There are different levels of beasts, plants, ores etc. on the basis of the differences of the environment.  When one compares animals of one country with those of another, only the external shapes differ but there is a vast difference as far as their physical might is concerned, the capacity to give milk etc. The different amount of wool present on a sheep's body is attributed to the difference of environment in various regions.  There is a great difference between dogs bred in mountains and those of the countryside. The potential to endure seasonal changes is attributed to the subtle special characteristics of that area. These creatures of cold regions can endure cold and those of hot regions can endure heat with relative ease whereas this becomes difficult for those born in different conditions at the time of change.  Those traveling in fast moving vehicles often complain of ill health. This is because the endurance power of the body, fails to adjust with environmental changes.

Differences have been noted in the shape, smell, taste etc. amongst herbs, plants, fruits, flowers etc.  Despite the fact that the name and form of herbs grown in various regions are said to be identical, yet there is an extraordinary difference as far as their chemical nature and other qualities are concerned. Differences have been noted in the shape and nature of birds, insects etc. The differences seen in the characteristics of snakes, scorpions, lizards, spiders etc. seem to be based on species' differences, yet even these have their roots in differences based on the environment.

Differences are noted amongst regions of various countries as far as conditions, traditions, beliefs, likings and culture are concerned. Children born in various regions imbibe that particular mental attitude and nature, due to the influence of that particular environment.  The thinking, nature and actions of such children are similar to that of other people living in that region.  When there is a pressure of the majority, the minority start imitating the majority.  This is called trend of time, flow of that era etc.  As soon as seasonal changes occur, like summer, winter etc. the characteristics of all creatures, plants and materials too change. A lot of changes take place in our activities when the season is favourable.

Scientists know that everything present and produced on earth is not the result of some accident and it cannot be called a creation of human beings.  Over here quite a few things take place wherein lies the hand of subtle powers and not of human beings.  The spots seen on the sun, change with the change in state of the sun.  Such solar changes deeply influence our planet Earth. Amazing changes are noted in the state of material objects and conditions of all creatures as a result of solar changes.  We are fully aware of how radiations, magnetic storms, storms, cyclones make ordinary circumstances extraordinary. Due to interstellar space invisible energy rains showers, snow eras have manifested on earth time and again. Situations of water floods, oceanic changes and partial annihilation have been noted. If in future extraordinary changes in material objects of earth or state of living beings are noted, its instrumental cause will be interspace invisible movements and not ordinary events.  During times of floods, famine, intense snow, epidemics etc. man becomes totally helpless.

A person is generally independent and powerful in his life.  Despite this his status is ordinary as far as the movements and condition of the cosmos is concerned. He cannot induce rain from clouds overflowing with water that stand on his head.  He fails miserably when it comes to obstructing old age and death. His authority over circumstances is negligible. Rarely can he save himself from the flow of time. He cannot stop winter season from manifesting and at the most, he tries to overcome cold by wearing warm clothes and lighting fire.

So it is very clear that man is influenced by the environment. People of different nations live a life that is influenced by their national traditions and thinking. Within that it is the influence of the environment that is at work and not their material brilliance.

With the congregation of consciousness, favourable changes can be induced in the atmosphere.  Many a times such inspirations overflow from the invisible world, that within that storm, man's intellect flies about like dry leaves and grass.  The urge for war abounds. During such times many experience the need of a major war and are ready to fight.  A very strange frenzy looms large in society.  There is no need to talk about it or explain it.  The speed and heat in the air is such that the layman's intellect gets hypnotized and thus it flows with the trend of time. Scholars of public psychology know very well how during gigantic war frenzies and regional riots, the environment gets incited and heated up.  Just like this war frenzy other subtle flows too manifest time and again and work like storms, to induce infinite intellects to follow in its footsteps.

There was a time when there was a flow of democratic thoughts which uprooted rule of Kings and replaced it with the miracle of people voting for their desired government.  Then a wave of communism manifested wherein under the leadership of Russia, many Asian and European countries too followed in its footsteps.  Today half the people of the world accept communism and they either wholly or partially follow in its footsteps. These thought flows of democracy and communism can be counted as intense waves of this era. Time and again waves of lesser utility, like feudalism, casteism, capitalism, socialism etc. too have raised their hoods.  A wave is a wave. An onlooker on the seashore witnesses the terrible ebb and flow of the oceanic waves. Many a times various thought waves too manifest like this which carries alongwith it, innumerable intellects and transports them to far off lands.

Lord Buddha's Wheel of Time was predominantly flow oriented and not based on materialism.  Material created a flow.  And flow created materials.  It was not as though Harshvardhan, Ashok and other kings had unitedly appointed Buddha as a religious preacher.  It was Buddha who heated up the subtle atmosphere and due to that heat thousands of wise, capable and wealthy humans joined him in spreading his message. Every religious leader of the past, by heating the atmosphere in their individualistic manner, induced waves of acceptance of their holy message and in that stream swam innumerable followers. Even in those countries which cut asunder the bondage of alien rule, the waves of independence manifested and as a result, terrific movements ensued so as to reach their goal.  Those who know the precepts of the subtle and invisible environment are fully aware of the might of such waves.  Its stormy night cannot be compared to any other force of the world.  If one can understand the nature and deep import of the inspiration of that flow which induced monkeys of the Ramayana era to valiantly jump into the fire, it will be clear that the subtle environment has as much amount of power to lure the humans of the world, to walk in the direction of a particular flow, which is no less powerful than movements based on material paraphernalia.

One cannot depend on advertising instruments for public acceptance and cooperation as much as one can go on the favourable nature of the environment.  There is a greater possibility of success, if the flow of the subtle world cooperates in our endeavour.  If the wind is flowing from behind, it is easy for ships, airplanes and even people to walk on roads and they can thus move very fast to reach their destination.  If the environment becomes vile, terrible epidemics ensue and in a short time span thousands of people die. Due to intense cold in the environment living beings are seen to shiver. Many people are influenced by a sorrowful environment in their house.  One can see how different the environment is of a temple and that of a slaughter house. In Spiritual Science the importance of the subtle world and its environment supersedes all material apparatus of the world.  For Era Transformation we will have to make intense efforts based on Spiritual Science so as to make favourable the environment.

Scriptures give us proof of the methods used time and again by Spiritual Scientists so as to purify the subtle world.  Despite the victory of Lanka, the task of balancing the distorted environment during Ravana's era remained unfulfilled.  Lord Rama had fulfilled his vow of executing 10 Ashwamedha Yajnas on the Dashashwamedha Ghat. Despite the death of demons like Kansa, Duryodhan, Jarasandha etc. the distortions of the Mahabharat era continued to prevail in the environment.  Lord Krishna saw the need of its purification and hence asked the Pandavas to perform the Rajasuya Yajna.  The Asuras came to know of the gigantic Yajna performed by Maharshi Vishwamitra meant to weaken demonic force and thus with the help of demons like Tadka, Subahu, Marich etc. they tried to obstruct these Yajnas.  Ram and Lakshman were sent to protect those Yajnas.  Yajnas have played a great role in carrying out solutions for social problems.  Japa (Mantra chanting) too is a Yajna like the Agnihotra (fire sacrifice). Materials are needed for a fire sacrifice but Mantra chanting Yajnas, do not need many materials. Yajnas are generally congregational.  In it one sees the miracles of the spiritual endeavour of Hotas (preists). When Japa Yajnas (Mantra chanting) are carried out by many Mantra chanters a great amount of congregational power manifests.  Such congregational spiritual practices are called Purascharanas. Purascharanas carried out for special goals via penance based congregational resolves, too make the environment conducive.

Era Transformation is the biggest, most intense, most widespread and most important task of our world. For that not ordinary and limited, but extraordinary and unlimited energy is required. For this there will be a need of material apparatus yet the root source of energy will be spiritual. To transform and purify the public's psyche is the task of spirituality. Hence the energy required too should be of this level.  The greatness or lowliness of the environment is dependent on congregational thinking. Its manifestation is possible only via intensely powerful, congregational righteous programs based on congregational spiritual practices. Today all of us are endeavouring in this direction.  One can hope that the results of these pious efforts will play an extraordinary role in the great goal of Era Transformation.

 

Using the Language of Self-Hypnosis

Using the Language of Self-Hypnosis

Word Count:
1845

Summary:
Using language in the most progressive way to ensure your internal dialogue can be as amazingly powerful to you as using self-hypnosis. The author of the best selling book "The Secrets of Self-Hypnosis: Harnessing the Power of Your Unconscious Mind" tells you how.

Keywords:
Self-Hypnosis, Self Hypnosis, Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Hypnotic Language

Article Body:
Words are just a part of our lives aren't they? Why do we need to think about them? When I teach people self-hypnosis, the language they use in self-hypnosis sessions is very important. What's more, the kind of language used in self-hypnosis can be used outside of formal self-hypnosis too, to enhance your communication with yourself at all times. 

The words that you use in and out of self-hypnosis carry a lot of connotation and a lot of deeper meanings for you as they do for everyone. What one word means to one person can mean something completely different to another.

Think about an occasion in your life that was a wonderful occasion; maybe a happy birthday, the birth of a child, a wedding or a celebration, maybe a time when you achieved something, when you succeeded or maybe a time when you felt the full force of joy or love. Really think about that experience. Remember what you saw, remember and think about the sounds that you heard and think about how you know and how you knew you felt so good then. Whereabouts in your body were those good feelings? Now, as you really think about that memory and immerse yourself in it, think about the words that you would use to describe that experience.

These are the words that are going to elicit the most powerful response from within you when you use them in self-hypnosis sessions and when you communicate with yourself at any time.

Have a think about these questions; what words make you feel good? Which words give you good feelings? Make a list of the words that appeal to you. You can use a thesaurus to help.

Ask yourself; how would I like to feel? Here are some good words you may like to use in your self-hypnosis or just to frequent the internal workings of your mind with: Healthy, Peace, Balance, Harmony, Relaxed, Confident, Good, Happy, Powerful, Joyful, Calm, Unison, Assured, Vibrant, Loving, Progressive, Better, Beautiful.

All a bit obvious, I know you get the idea. It is really important though that you do actually use words that have a good meaning to you and make you feel
good within your self-hypnosis or just your internal dialogue.

Now, I am going to add a couple of words here for you to think about. Think about the words "more and more" and "increasingly." These words are going to be important to create growth, power and fluidity in your mind. Let me explain how.

Consider the sentence "as a result of achieving my ideal weight I am happy." This is a nice way to remind yourself that achieving this particular goal whatever it might be for you)you are happy. Great. However, we can make that more powerful by changing a rather static "happy" to "more and more happy." I don't know about you, but I would never want to think that I ever reached the pinnacle of happiness and could not go any further.

"Happy" is static. In order to supercharge your programmes and the way you utilise language in and out of self-hypnosis, you can mobilise the words and get them moving onwards and upwards for you. You can change "Happy" to "Happier and happier" or "more and more happy" or "increasingly happy" or "progressively more happy" or "more and more appropriately happy. " Use whatever feels right for you, just use other words to develop and power it up.

Words to avoid:
Some of these words may seem fine and feel fine to use for you. I am just giving you ideas and considerations when using these words in and out of self-hypnosis.

When communicating with yourself , my recommendation is that you consider avoiding the following words and types of words;

Words that elicit bad feelings. Words that are ambiguous.
Words that are limiting, restrictive or disempower you. Words that you are uncomfortable with.

When communicating with yourself, ask yourself these questions: Is there another phrase or word that is better? Is there a word or phrase I find more pleasing? Is there a way in which you can put your energy and power into this suggestion in a better way?

So, firstly, I want to point out some words that can elicit bad feelings:
Try, can't, won't, don't, should, shouldn't, must, mustn't,
jealousy, temper, no, lose, will, sad, difficult, but.
I want to point out a couple of these words in particular.

The word "try" sends a shudder down my back. I use this word in therapy often to ensure that people won't do what I am asking them, for example I might say "try to resist the urge to relax."

When you are trying to do something, you are not doing it. You build in failure by using the word try. So just remove it from your internal communication.

You will have heard that expression "if at first you don't succeed, try and try again." Yuck. Awful stuff. It really should read "if at first you don't succeed, try and try, and try and try and try and try and try… etc, etc." You want to do the things you want to do, you want to achieve the things you want to achieve; you don't want to try and do them or try and achieve them.

The word "Will" is another one to avoid if you can. Will is not actually happening, it is something you will do rather than actually are doing. It never occurs. You know, you can put almost any sentence together with the word will in and simply remove that word to make it more progressive and positive for your self-hypnosis requirements. Have go at doing that. (I realise that there is likely to be at least one wiseguy who now uses the word as in "last will and testament" yes, very clever. I have not heard that one before.)
Here are a couple of examples;
"As a result of stopping smoking I will be healthier." Now
becomes; "As a result of stopping smoking I am healthier."
"I will successfully achieve my goals" is transformed into "I
successfully achieve my goals." Here we have just removed it to make it more progressive. You see, it is those finer distinctions that I refer to often that can really make a difference to the way you use language, and you may as well really use it more and more powerfully while you are in the state of self-hypnosis.

Lots of people tell me that they want to "Lose" weight. I always tell them that no one loses when they come to see me. Think about what else you lose in life. Generally, it is things that you would rather have kept like your keys or your wallet. You generally lose things that you want to find again. Lose has many negative connotations. Instead of losing weight, reframe it with the words "achieving and maintaining the size, shape and weight that pleases me." This is much more progressive.

Finally for this section, I want to mention the word "But." This word can often be seen to be negating what has come before it; I would really like to come out tonight, but I have to wash my hair. Of course I really love you, but I need to pursue my career. I had a great time, but that guy sitting next to me was rude.

This might not always be the case for you; however, it is for you to be aware of when addressing your own unconscious mind in and out of self-hypnosis.

Secondly, I recommend that you really do avoid using words that are putdowns.
They don't really have a place in self-hypnosis or your mind at all. Avoid the following words and words like them:

Untidy, Dirty, Smelly, Ugly, Stupid, Lazy, Hopeless, Disliked, Unkempt, Smelly, Idiot, Embarrass, Ridiculous. I know you know lots more. I don't really like even having to write these in this article. Your internal dialogue and self-hypnosis sessions are better without these words.

This next set of words is for you to keep aware of and avoid if you feel they limit you or your programme in any way.  I am referring to words that are absolutes. These are words that have no flexibility, that are final. For example:
Always, totally, closed, never, finish, impossible, definitely, completely, death, cancelled. You may for example, state in a self-hypnosis session or tell yourself that you never smoke again. Which is fine and good for some people. However, you may have one too many glasses of sherry at Christmas and have a sneaky puff on your friend's cigar. Now this does not make you a regular smoker again, however, it has negated the sentiments that you told yourself. It has made yourinternal communication to yourself less credible to you because you wrote that you would never smoke again and you just did, albeit only one puff, by writing that you would never do it, you leave no flexibility and you leave no room for interpretation of particular circumstances that may arise.

That may be fine with some, just bear it in mind. I mentioned the subject earlier within the guidelines for writing programmes and that is the notion of ambiguity. With self-hypnosis and when communicating with yourself in your own mind in other ways, it is best to avoid words that are ambiguous. Words such as;
Maybe, Desire, Growth, Positive, Negative, Normal, Whole.

You might well use the expression that your desire to stop smoking is increasing. Again, this sounds fine on the surface. However, do you want your desire to stop smoking to increase or your actual ability to stop smoking to increase? If you only increased your desire to stop smoking, it might become a very frustrating experience. Also, you might want to consider referring to your
personal growth increasing. It could be referring to something growing on your body somewhere!

Think about the word normal. Who is to say what that is? Do you know specifically what you mean when you refer to anything as being normal? If you are going to use the word normal, I would recommend that you define what that means to you also, be specific about it or just substitute it for the word usual if you can.

Finally, on the topic of words, I would like to point out to you the use of the "Able." It is one thing being able to do something; it is another to actually do it. If you are going to increase your ability with something, then also ensure you do it.

I realise that this article has offered up many considerations so far with self-hypnosis use of language and internal dialogue. These are just that; considerations.

You can allow yourself to find the right solutions and methods for you. As you get more and more used to being in self-hypnosis or just communicating with yourself more prgressively and discovering the kind of suggestions and words that have the most powerful effect for you, then you can fine tune your use of them.

Adam Eason's best selling book "The Secrets of Self-Hypnosis: Harnessing the Power of Your Unconscious Mind" can be found at amazon or any good online book store.