Author: Firoozeh

The glorious leap awaiting us

The glorious leap awaiting us

by Leave a comment

11826029_10153048364928951_3905597521307312867_n

Image: EnochsVision.com

Humanity is on the verge of a spiritual evolutionary leap into a future where lasting global peace is not only possible but inevitable.

The human family is moving toward this stage of spiritual maturity through a dawning recognition of the oneness and interrelatedness in which it has been created, together with all of creation, and through the release of the gems of spiritual potential that await expression in every human heart.

As human beings, we’re held back in this process to the degree that we lack understanding about our true identity and purpose.

11800190_10155878221225385_4242285263363148219_nAll around us, we can see the ways in which this lack of understanding has reached a state of desperation that is reflected in disastrous consequences at every level of human relationship.

As souls gain awareness and understanding of our truest identity and purpose, humanity will come to understand that the forces at work in human life are impelling us away from a centuries-old preoccupation with survival and “fighting evil” towards our highest destiny: a creative, collaborative and potentially limitless building of the good, in which every individual has a part to play and every culture its unique contributions to make. WTOEimage.php

Explore these and related themes in With Thine Own Eyes: Why Imitate the Past When We Can Investigate Reality?

Learn more at:

http://www.amazon.com/With-Thine-Own-Eyes-Investigate-ebook/dp/B00I1JPC7I/ref=pd_sim_kstore_11?ie=UTF8&refRID=0TQC490J7FVBRTJWM70H

5 WAYS WE UNINTENTIONALLY SAY ‘NO’ TO THE UNIVERSE

5 WAYS WE UNINTENTIONALLY SAY ‘NO’ TO THE UNIVERSE

I recently wrote about some discoveries I’ve made about the law of attraction, the way we can manifest our own destiny, even unintentionally, and the power generated by our thoughts and emotions.

To be perfectly honest, just a few short years ago I thought that was total and complete bullshit.

 True story.

Now that I have finally: a) removed my blinders and ditched my narrow-minded scarcity mentality view of the world, b) eaten mass quantities of humble pie, and c) (mostly) put my ego in check, I realize the complete and undeniable truth in the very basic premise of reciprocity.

We get what we put out there. Karma. It’s a real thing.

Good energy begets satisfaction. Positive, optimistic and resilient habits, attitudes and beliefs create a living space full of love, kindness and gratification.

Likewise, negative energy offers not only a jaundiced view of the world, it brings about a life that otherwise opposes, interferes or infringes upon our general happiness and well being.

What you send out, you get back, so be careful what you wish for. Like, really careful.

The thoughts you have create a signal, a vibration, an electrical charge, an intention, if you will, that registers with your entire system; they are the headquarters of your soul, the face that the universe really sees. The feelings associated with those thoughts are how you thereby project and rebound those thoughts out to the quantum field, telling the universe  (or the divine) what you really want, what you are prepared to receive, what you believe yourself worthy of having in your life.

That means, that if you really think about it, the only person standing in your way of progress, is um, you. That space between your own two ears, actually, is the most critical space in your life. I repeat.

The. Most. Critical.

Regardless of what you say to others, irrespective of what you do when someone is watching, or heedless of how you choose to show up everyday—what you say to yourself on the inside, your internal dialogue, the commentary running through your mind all day, every day, is actually ruling your world.

Yes. That means you are responsible for your reality. You just might be preventing yourself from having what you really want.

Consider yourself a pretty positive person? Feel like you’ve got it mostly together, have a good grip on your reality and your life? Me too, most days.

And then suddenly, I realize that um, maybe I don’t. Maybe, there are a few key things I’m still doing that are preventing me from reaching a greater potential. Possibly, there is room for even more joy in my life, even more happiness, even more marvel.  It appears to me now, that the possibility of sharing a blissful life with others exists in an even greater capacity than ever before.

When faced with a choice, any choice, we have the option to view it from the standpoint of a participant, or a recipient. Fight or flight. Risk injury, or run and hide. Lizard brain behavior.

The repercussions of this thought pattern are as simple as this:

“I wish I had_____” = “I don’t have_____” = “I can’t have_____ ” = “I won’t have____.”

Pretty sure this isn’t you? Think you have all your positive thought patterns dialed in tightly? Confident your grass is exactly the same shade of green as your neighbors? Or, even better, you’ve gone native and have wild plants growing organically in your front yard instead of grass?

Congratulations on reaching your level of enlightenment. Awesome. Go you.

However, still, maybe just check this out anyway. It might not blow your mind like it did mine, but um, then again, maybe it will.

HERE ARE FIVE WAYS THAT WE UNINTENTIONALLY SAY ‘NO’ TO THE UNIVERSE:

1. FEAR BASED ACTION/INACTION

Your purpose and intention in any action shine through, no matter your efforts to mask them. Avoiding things because of fear (of failure, of judgement, of not being, doing, or having “enough,”) projects out exactly that; fear. You will manifest your biggest anxieties if you continue to feed them.

Stimulus-response behavior is fear based, and the little brother of fear? Doubt.

Your inner voice, does it carry an undertone of disbelief? Do you fundamentally believe you won’t succeed or can’t have it?

Stop. Move forward with confidence.

It’s already yours.

 2. FINANCIAL STRESS

If you are operating from such a place of frugality, or again, fear, regarding your money, you are essentially emitting a signal of inadequacy. Of scarcity.

Exactly the opposite of abundance.

Every time you say “I can’t afford that,” the universe hears “can’t.” Every time you say “I don’t have enough money,” the universe hears “don’t.”

If instead you fill your heart and mind with thoughts of plenty, then plenty is what you shall receive.

3. TIME

This is huge for me. Huge.

Consider this: if you continue to say to yourself “I don’t have enough time,” “I have too much to do and not enough resources to do it,” or “I can’t get this all done,” you are setting yourself up for failure from the starting gate.

Stop framing your time in a way that is limiting.

Focus on what you do have, not what you don’t. What you have done, not what you haven’t. What you are capable of doing, not what you’re not. Of the time you do have, not that you don’t. Be fully present in each moment. You can’t make more hours in the day but I’ll be damned if you can’t make more of the hours you do have.

4. LOVE

Are you telling yourself you can’t have it? You don’t deserve it? You don’t have time, room, energy, or whatever excuse you’ve offered yourself lately? You don’t “need”anyone to complete you?

Guess what?

5. VALIDATION AND ACCEPTANCE

Let’s be honest, nobody likes losing. Nobody. Ditto to being chosen last.

How comfortable are you with being second place? Can you stand comfortably and lean into the side of the podium? Really? Or do you actually stand there wishing it was you up there with the certificate / trophy / award / documentation of personal “success.”

Why do you do half of what you do? Is it for you, or is it because deep down you want the approval of others?

Thought so.

Here’s the deal:

  • You are enough. You are the winner in your life. And you don’t need anything to prove that. There is no first place here, there is simply your best, and only you get to decide if when and if you’re putting it forward.
  • However, remember that you are your own worst critic. This news coming from the queen of self-evaluation herself, by the way, and my normal given grade? B+. I’m just . . . never.quite.good.enough.
  • Except that I am. Except that is. Except that when I give my best I know it. And when I do, it just gets better. And better. And better.

I invite you to start saying “yes” to the universe.

Break up with old habits, attitudes and beliefs that aren’t serving you and to emit new signals, new forces, and new vibrations.

CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR WORLD.

http://deliberatebliss.com/5-way-we-unintentionally-say-no-to-the-universe/

What Will Make Me Happy?

xemenia and her mom 328...

What Will Make Me Happy?

Rodney Richards  •  
CULTURE

If you’re searching for happiness in your life, and haven’t found it yet, you might want to read this.

From time immemorial, Baha’is believe, God has always desired happiness for humanity, and has provided the wisdom and guidance of the prophets from age to age to make sure we find it.

Now a new prophet has come—Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith—and given us a recipe for happiness, prosperity and fulfillment:

…man should know his own self and recognize that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or abasement, wealth or poverty. Having attained the stage of fulfilment and reached his maturity, man standeth in need of wealth, and such wealth as he acquireth through crafts or professions is commendable and praiseworthy in the estimation of men of wisdom, and especially in the eyes of servants who dedicate themselves to the education of the world and to the edification of its peoples. They are, in truth, cup-bearers of the life-giving water of knowledge and guides unto the ideal way. They direct the peoples of the world to the straight path and acquaint them with that which is conducive to human upliftment and exaltation. The straight path is the one which guideth man to the dayspring of perception and to the dawning-place of true understanding and leadeth him to that which will redound to glory, honour and greatness. –Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 35.

Basically, you can summarize what Baha’u’llah recommends with these three steps:

  • Know yourself, and recognize what will truly benefit you.
  • As you mature, develop a profession, a craft or a trade, and focus on what will edify the world’s peoples.
  • Direct your path toward the “dawning-place of true understanding.”

Knowing oneself doesn’t come easy, but it does come with persistent effort – the effort to understand our inner self, to improve, to be better, to do our best. That’s why we experience “tests” of all kinds, from a bout with disease, to finding ourselves in a bad relationship, to losing our job through no fault of our own. All require that we “rise to the occasion,” pick ourselves up, and move on.

Baha’u’llah recommends having a profession that produces prosperity, as a major contributor to a sense of self-worth and purpose in our lives. In fact, in this day, work is not only commendable and enjoined, but when performed in a spirit of service to our fellow humans, the Baha’i teachings elevate it to an act of worship. Besides the spiritual and self-esteem benefits of working, work provides the wealth we need to survive in a world where each of us is called upon to contribute to society. Part of our work income, simply put, not only helps ourselves, but also helps those less fortunate or in need of social services.

happy-working

The tremendous sense of self-worth brought on by being self-sufficient and capable in whatever arena we choose—that’s a good starting-point for a definition of happiness.

But any job, important as it may be, is still only part of the happiness equation. Some look for happiness from others, and some think they’ve found it. Others do not, and become disillusioned and depressed. But as Baha’u’llah’s quotation above makes clear, happiness does not come from others, no matter how saintly, loving or kind. Instead, it comes from our own inner and outer self, the self only we can develop and nurture. It comes from turning to the straight path of spiritual search and discovering our own souls:

Baha’u’llah taught that hearts must receive the Bounty of the Holy Spirit, so that Spiritual civilization may be established. For material civilization is not adequate for the needs of mankind and cannot be the cause of its happiness. Material civilization is like the body and spiritual civilization is like the soul. Body without soul cannot live. – Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 30.

In the final analysis, it’s up to humans to solve problems caused by humans. Meaningful employment, fair wages and an ever-increasing understanding of the spiritual “day-spring of perception” can accomplish that lifelong goal, and lead us toward lasting happiness.

The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of BahaiTeachings.org or any institution of the Baha’i Faith.

Making every single interaction meaningful.

 Andrew
Making every single interaction meaningful. 
“My philosophy is to make every single interaction that I have with other human beings meaningful. This is regardless of whether I am in a café with an old friend, chatting to a stranger in an Uber or on a Skype call with a client. In a highly complicated world where there are so many demands and so much pressure, I think we tend to focus inwards, internalizing the distraction and missing the opportunity for real connection.

I get really frustrated by distracted conversations. I hang up on people now if they are doing other things when I’m talking to them on the phone. I commit to giving 100% undivided attention and I ask for that back. I’m getting more jaded with that type of stuff because it’s getting worse.

I want every single person who I talk to, to feel that I have given them my absolute deepest attention. That’s my gift to them for that day.

One day I was in a department store, it was late in the day. I went to the counter:

I asked the lady ‘how’s your day going?’
‘Yes good, what can I get you?’ she said, looking a little curiously at me.

I ordered some food, I was polite, I smiled and I answered her questions with a ‘yes please’. The lady stopped, looked me in the eye and said ‘I can’t remember the last time someone said please. It’s a gimme this, gimme that, way of life now’. She smiled and thanked me for being the last customer of her day, and the best customer of her day.

Then I went to another store and I was served by an older, Indian lady. I said, ‘you look a little tired, have you had a long day?’ She stopped and burst into tears. She said ‘it’s nothing to do with you I have had a hard day and it was nice to see someone noticed. It’s taken a stranger to ask me if I’m OK’.

It’s ALL about communication – I’ve experienced it for years where people are craving someone to connect more deeply, to acknowledge them, and ask if they are OK, and mean it. This is what’s getting worse – we’re not asking the more meaningful things.

I had an office in town here in Cairns about 10-15 years ago. I’d be at work at 6am and the coffee shop opened at the same time across the street. I’d be waiting at the door for my morning fix and the same man served me day after day. As soon as the door opened, I would let out a big ‘Hey Michael, how’s it going, what’s happening in your world today.’ I could feel the animosity, he just hated me. But I needed my coffee…there was no-one else open that time in the morning. I’d be the first customer in each day – poor bastard.

A few months later, he came to my office and asked to see me. My receptionist said, ‘Michael is here from the coffee shop.’ I thought oh-oh has he brought a shot gun, is he going to shoot me? It could have gone either way. I said ‘sure, bring him through, just frisk him first’.

Michael told me he’d resigned that day and he was going back to university. I jokingly said ‘I wondered how long before I’d drive you out’. He said ‘I’m not sure if you realised this but when you first started coming into the coffee shop I hated you; I never hated anyone as much as I hated you. I dreaded seeing your big, goofy smile outside every morning at 6 o’clock’.

I thought, ‘oh this is going well’.

He continued, ‘but what you didn’t know was that my life was bad at the time, I was stealing, taking drugs, I had a terrible relationship with my girlfriend. But every day you came in, pushed me to talk, asked me a question, and you made me think.

He said something strange happened. After about a month, he started asking other customers things like: ‘What’s news in your world, how are you doing today?’

After 6-7 months pretty much everything changed. He started getting his self-esteem back and was at the stage where he wanted to improve his life.

It wasn’t a big part of my day – he was miserable and it was a bit of a game for me. I thought, I’m going to turn him around.

It was intriguing to have someone say how profound an effect I had on them, without me even realising it. People actually want to have that deeper conversation and connection. They want to feel that someone is interested in them and their life. I know that sounds like a cliché.

I’ve got to say, I love it; I love what I get back from it.

Making their day makes my day. The Indian lady who burst into tears – I gave her a hug, she was sobbing and there was no one else around. She was vulnerable and alone. I don’t know what was wrong, it didn’t matter, she just needed another human.

There’s also an awkwardness with being like that. You get in a lift, no-one talks. But I can start with a stranger and get to a level of meaningfulness within a minute or so. I’m like a Labrador, I go up and wag my tail. And I’m cute, right, how could you not fall in love with a Labrador.

For me it’s really important – although – some might say it’s a bit kumbaya. I want everyone to leave an encounter with me feeling better – not for me but for them – I don’t really know why that’s kumbaya – I value it incredibly highly…

I feel this sense of responsibility with who I am now as a leader. I need to do more ‘work on it’ to describe it and what it means. I need to write about it – to explain it to others to take it to the next level. Even if I do believe in it, I still have to be able to communicate around it properly.

I’m entering my 50s and for the first time I feel wise. It’s a nice feeling because it keeps my ego in check; I’m drawing more now on my experience, I’m less concerned about what others think, and more concerned with getting more to the core of things.

My wisdom tells me I know what I need to do.

#tothecoreofthings
#hib

Andrew Griffiths is a small business author, entrepreneur, mentor and global presenter:www.andrewgriffiths.com.au

— with Andrew Griffiths.