Is your day running peachy…or might a little “attitude adjustment” be in order?

Today’s message from Higher Awareness suggests making a course correction…

“Little adjustments to our attitude and approach each day can create a major difference in our appreciation of life. On the surface, nothing changes. At the same time, absolutely everything does.

Use your awareness or your imagination to bring happiness to this moment. Find something to appreciate. Do this as often as you remember to do so, and your world will transform.”

The past two days I have been writing about Og Mandino’s book, The Greatest Secret in the World. Here are a few of Og Mandino’s suggestions for attitude realignment…

“I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.

I will greet this day with love in my heart.”

Translation?

Greet this day with love in your heart even if…

The super glue tube explodes on your hands while fixing the broken vase.

Your grandson calls 47 times while you are typing your overdue report.

The receptionist is rude and crass when you call for your lab work.

No matter what, it is all good. Love in your heart melts away any anxiety, fear, or heartache. No matter what is going on, today is a gift, a very special time on planet earth.

Sarah Ban Breathnach says it this way:

” …we can no longer afford to throw away even one ‘unimportant’ day by not noticing the wonder of it all. We have to be willing to discover and then appreciate the authentic moments of happiness available to all of us every day.”

Hmmm, I will greet this “unimportant” day with love in my heart.

“I will greet this day with love in my heart. For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures.” These are the first words in The Greatest Secret in the World by Og Mandino. (See yesterday’s article, http://rosiebrownrn.com/the-greatest-secret-in-the-world/).

I have now completed 1¾ days of my 25 day assignment – the assignment is to read 2½ pages on the subject of love in the book The Greatest Secret in the World three times a day, Monday through Friday, for 5 weeks. I have read the assignment five times now and each time I read the pages, I find a phrase that I didn’t notice before now. How can that be? How does that happen when you read something five times?

Love is all around this time of the year. You hear it in the happy singing of the birds, the croaking of the tree frogs, and blossoms bursting in full bloom. It also is all over the net. A review of just a few messages today revealed the following statements…

“To love is to know me, my innermost nature, the truth that I am.” ~Bhagavad Gita, composed in the 5th century BC.

“I strive to: Learn limitlessly without borders … Laugh breathlessly without reason … Love fearlessly without conditions.” ~Geysha, www.soulsjourney.net

“I must admit it in all humility, that however indifferently it may be, I endeavor to represent LOVE in every fiber of my being.” ~ Gandhi

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” ~ Helen Keller

Love, love in your heart…”the greatest secret of success in all ventures.”

I encourage you to pick up Og Mandino’s book and do this exercise with me. Who knows where we’ll end up on this journey? Would you consider taking the trip with me?

Last night I found myself reflecting on what my son had told me a couple days before – comments inspired from the movie Meet Joe Black. He said to “dance like a dervish” and “allow yourself to be deliriously happy.”

Deliriously happy. Wow, that paints quite the picture. Finding myself curious to know the meaning of the word “dervish,” I went to the internet and found myself distracted by the following:

This is from the film “Meet Joe Black,” and is what the father (Anthony Hopkins) was saying to his daughter (Claire Forlani) in trying to tell her what to look for in love.

“I want you to get swept away, sing with rapture, dance like a dervish.

It’s a cornball thing.

Love is passion, obsession… something you can’t live without.

I say, fall head over heels.

Find someone you can love like crazy, that will love you the same way back.

How do you find them, well…

You forget your head and listen to your heart.

‘Cause the truth is honey,

There’s no sense in living your life without this,

To make the journey and not fall deeply in love,

well… you haven’t lived a life at all.

But you have to try.

Because if you haven’t tried, you haven’t lived.”

Just as I am composing this article, my blackberry buzzes, signaling a message. My son is responding to the message I sent him last night about the above words from Meet Joe Black. “Told ya it was good.” Yeah, it was good.

Lance Armstrong’s words call to me:

“Time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into a life of action, and purpose.”

What do you think? Isn’t it about time to“dance like a dervish” and “allow yourself to be deliriously happy”?

The Christmas season can be a time of peace, love, joy, and happiness. On the other hand, if someone is suffering for whatever reason, the emotions of the holiday season can intensify the sadness.

This morning I was blessed to find myself in an engaging conversation with a very enlightened person regarding the rhythm of life. She advised, “If I see someone I don’t like, I just send them love. It is all about love.”

I totally agree. That’s the message behind the large, majestic tree in my book, Stop the Needless Suffering. The quote accompanying the vibrating tree is this:

“Love is the highest vibrating energy, the root of the tree of life.”

Yesterday I found myself in the midst of an unavoidable, painful altercation. Overwhelmed at the conclusion of the phone conversation, the only thing I could think to do was to send the other person love.

Gratefully, I also remembered the teachings of dowser Joey Korn, www.dowsers.com. When I attended Joey’s seminar last summer, I witnessed the power of blessing oneself and blessing others with my own eyes. Say the positive blessing, and instantly the energy shifts.

I particularly like to recite the following blessing each morning upon waking and each night before falling off to sleep:

“Dear God, please bless (name) and charge him/her with energy to bring healing and balance to his/her complete and total being, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Thank you. Amen.”

Joey’s teaching is that it is most important to bless yourself first. Wherever you go, you take your energy with you. Wouldn’t it be better to take the highest vibrating energy that’s available?

Today’s message from www.tut.com seems to communicate the same message, yet in a different way:

“Did you know, Rosie, that every time you cry there, harps go quiet here, angels stop dancing, and the stars look down in stunned silence?

Which is why we often say, “If Rosie ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy.”

You are loved,
    The Universe

PS, and did you know, Rosie, that every time you smile there, it’s like sunshine here?”

No matter the circumstances we find ourselves in this holiday season, surely it can’t hurt to bless each and every person, no matter who they are or what they say. Why not send a little sunshine everyone’s way?

Little did I know what I was about to experience when I ended Friday’s article with the comment, “One of the best things you can do for your adrenals, and consequently your thyroid, is to decrease stress. We are just about ready to begin a weekend – find something fun and relaxing to do – just for you…because you deserve it!”

A two day Louise Hay Workshop held in Jasper, Indiana is where I spent my weekend. What an incredible experience. If one of these workshops comes to your city, do yourself a favor and attend.

The title of the workshop sounded a little daunting, “It is Safe to Look Within.” A very skillful Louise Hay facilitator from Redmond, Oregon, Rachel Winkler (www.santiagosmate.com), led our group safely and masterfully as we worked through the program objectives:

“In this transformational workshop originally created by best-selling author Louise L. Hay, You Can Heal Your Life, you will discover the mindset that has limited your success in business, financial abundance, intimate relationships, spiritual growth, and much more.”

Learn to reprogram your subconscious mind and eliminate negative self-esteem beliefs, such as. . .

•       Relationships don’t work
•       Life is difficult
•       I don’t matter
•       I’ll never have what I really want
•       I’m not good enough

At the onset of the workshop, participants were asked to identify where they wanted to experience change/move forward in life. Reflecting back on the two day workshop, I can now see how participants were led to “peel back the layers of the onion,” exposing the fears and feelings that tend to hold us back from experiencing our full potential.

What the participants learned by sharing their stories is that we all have issues. We tend to sit in our own little world and think we are the only one who can’t get it together. “Look at her, how confident she is.” “Look at him how successful he is.” However, when one becomes quiet and allows oneself to really examine the inner self, we find that none of us are alone.  We all have issues that tend to hold us back. Every single one of us.

The exercises were quite eye-opening. You might like to try a couple for yourself. Grab a pen and write the heading, “I Should.” Now make a list of five “I shoulds.” Then ask yourself “Why?” after each one. Next take each “I should,” and write on your paper, “If I really wanted to, I could…” Then fill in the blank. Once you have completed the list, for each item ask yourself, “Why haven’t I?”

Another great exercise is to compose a list of “negative messages” you have received, either in your childhood or even recently.  Now take that list of negative messages and turn each message into a positive affirmation.

For example, if you wrote, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” Turn that thought around into a positive affirmation, such as: “Money comes easily and effortlessly to me.”

Some of the most revealing internal personal work came as a result of the following three-part exercise: Take a piece of paper and complete the following:

1)       “I feel angry at_____because_____.”

2)      When finished with #1, complete the following, “I feel guilty because______.”

3)      When finished with #2, complete the following: “I feel fear that______.”

The workshop concluded with participants re-writing their “story.”

“The story I want to create next is…”

What fun it was to write the story of our life the way we want it to be. So liberating! You know what, we can write that story. Why can’t we? It is time to start NOW!

Thank you Rachel Winkler, and thank you Louise Hay for teaching us that the life of our dreams all starts with one simple step…loving ourselves. As they teach us, several times a day look deeply into your eyes and genuinely affirm, “I love you! I really, really love you!”

Now watch your life begin to blossom like a flower in springtime into the life you want to create…

Today’s message seems to be pointing to the magic of self love. It actually all started last night when the following words from Doreen Virtue’s The Lightworker’s Way jumped off the page at me.

Doreen was talking about the ending of her seven year marriage. She said, “Too often, we look to externals – such as getting married or getting divorced – to fill the emptiness within us. Nothing external can quelch our inner longings for love. Only heavenly love, from within, fills the void.”

I have been struggling to come up with what Steve Manning calls a “technology” so that I can complete my book. A couple weeks ago while driving to Jazzercise I found myself in deep conversation with God, asking him to show me the acronym. Instantly, I glanced to the left and gazed at a beautiful majestic, fully leaved green tree. A very strong feeling came over me as the word “TREE” popped into my head. I said, “A tree? What’s a TREE got to do with it?”

 Yesterday I worked for two solid hours brainstorming various acronyms. I had two pages full of doodling. “Tree” was there along with countless other ideas, none of which jumped out at me. Frustrated, I finally gave up and decided to turn it over, surrender it, during my nighttime meditation.

  I have been saying Joey Korn’s “Blessing” (see www.dowsers.com) twice a day ever since attending his workshop a couple of weeks ago. Each time, I ask for help with completing my book. Last night before going to sleep I asked for the answer to be revealed to me so I can finish my book today.

 I had dreams all night. They were all about writing my book, knowing exactly what to say. However, when I awoke this morning, I remembered none of it. I did find myself thinking about the sky – maybe “the sky’s the limit?” but I discarded that idea since that phrase seems so overused. I was confident that whatever I dreamed about was still there somewhere in my subconscious. All I had to do was tap into it somehow.

 So, after showering, and still no definitive answer, I decided to once again meditate, this time with the sole request to be given the answer. The word “LOVE” came to me pretty early on in the meditation. I noted the word, then tried to release any thoughts and again make my mind blank. Towards the end of the meditation the words “Tree of Life” came to me. I thought, “There it is again, that tree. What does that mean?” Then came the thought: “Love is the root of the Tree of Life.” I then started thinking about love being the key ingredient of a strong root system…

 Grateful for the revelation, I went back to take a look at my doodle pad. There I had previously written the word “LOVE” but I couldn’t seem to make the acronym work right.

Away to the keyboard I went…

 “Picture yourself, the divine feminine, as the root of the tree of life. It all starts with you and your love for self. When you lay the firm foundation of self love, your root system grows strong. Soon there is a trunk and branches and budding leaves. Butterflies and birds come to sit upon your branches and take a respite there. You are strong, healthy, balanced and now in a space where you are able to share your love with your family, loved ones, and the world.

 If the root is not strong, there is nothing for you to give…to yourself, much less to others who depend upon you for nurturance and guidance. What better system than love to bring all of life into balance?  The fact that you are reading this book and committing to taking action to bring yourself into balance indicates your love for yourself. “

This time the acronym seemed to flow. It suddenly occurred to me, love is the highest vibrating energy, the root of the tree of life.

What greater gift can we give the world that to first give love to our own inner being?

My message from tut.com this morning is pretty awesome. I have read it several times…

 “An unmistakable trait of every true genius, Rosie, is their persistent awareness of how much more there is to know. And an unmistakable trait of every true sage is their persistent awareness of how much more there is to love.

Loving you more today than yesterday,
    The Universe”

Amazing wisdom, so keenly stated.

I was engaged in a conversation with a friend just this morning, and we were discussing this very thing…“The more we know, the more we find there is to know.” No matter where we are in life, we have only begun to scratch the surface. Sometimes I call these bits of new learning “puzzle pieces.” It is as if we are handed the mega puzzle of life, and each day we get to place one or two more pieces as we figure things out on our adventurous journey.

Speaking of a journey, this morning I sent off my manuscript with my “final” edits to the book producer. At some point, I must realize I simply have to stop and finalize it, knowing that next week I’ll probably remember something else to include, or I will learn of some new information that needs to be shared.

Also this morning I sent an email to a famous author that I adore, asking if she would review my manuscript. Within an hour, I received an email response from her telling me she would be happy to do so. I still have not recovered from the shock. The overwhelming message that came over me to send to her as I was emailing my manuscript was “Love to you.”

Love is such a powerful thing. Last week I listened to a recorded presentation by Byron Katie. The sentence she kept repeating throughout her presentation was this: “I am lovable, loving, and loved.”  Take a couple minutes and really dissect the meaning of her message…

”I am lovable.” That means others easily want to extend their love to you.

“I am loving.” That means you freely extend your love to others.

“I am loved.” That means others truly love you.

Wow, what a world this can be when each of us fully embrace the message that Byron shares with us. Why don’t we give it a whirl? We have a weekend just about to blossom. Why not practice loving everyone and everything that comes our way this weekend? Up for the challenge?

Love to you for a blessed weekend…

Yesterday I attended our weekly “Sage-ing Group” meeting. The discussion and video, centered around heart energy, were very intriguing. Some comments just seemed to jump out and grab me. I thought I’d type them for myself, and wanted to also share them with you.

•  The heart is the computer center for the body. It communicates with all organs and cells.
•  The teaching of “Heart Math” is that true intelligence is in the heart.
•  Make your heart smile. See your heart smiling. Smiling taps into “the force.” A graphic was used to get across this concept: a smiling face was superimposed over the heart internally.
•  Expand yourself out. See your heart expanding, expanding and connecting to the universal love.
•  Link the universal love to your heart, and you will have enough to send to others.
•  Forgive each person and hold them in your heart.
•  See your heart kissing another’s heart.
•  When people really fall in love with themselves, then they stop mistreating their body. The world changes.
•  Your heart is like a flower blossoming.
•  Blow out negative (when breathing) so positive has room to grow.
•  Take a walk in the woods. Trees can take emotion and neutralize it. Trees take our carbon monoxide.
•  Thoughts are things. Your thoughts have an impact on others.

One of the people in our group shared the following true story. There was a lady who would always send a prayer to the involved party whenever she heard a siren. One day she was stopped in traffic due to an accident ahead. She was not able to see the involved vehicles. While she sat in the stalled traffic, she spent her time praying for the people in the accident.

 Six months later, there was a knock on her door. The woman at the door said, “You don’t know me, but I know you.” She was the lady in the accident. She had died and was looking down on the site when she saw this woman praying for her. Her prayers had such a strong impact, that she was revived and survived the accident. During her out-of-body experience, the injured woman saw the license plate number of the praying lady and memorized it, knowing she would need it to find this lady and thank her for what she had done for her, a complete and total stranger.  

 What impact could we have on each other, and the world as a whole, if we simply made a habit of sending kind, loving thoughts to one and all, and particularly to those of us in critical life situations?

 Norman Vincent Peale so aptly stated, “Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.”

Yesterday I communicated via email to a friend who I had not talked to in some time. In my message I commented that my son was on an engineering assignment in Saudi Arabia…and how I was so looking forward to his safe return home. Her response riveted through me, “My son is in Iraq over this holiday weekend, and I will also be glad when he is back safe and sound.”  

I had no idea her son was there. I paused to reflect on my son’s friends who had served and are serving in the armed forces. As I examined their faces in my mind’s eye, I saw the little boys and little girls he used to ride bikes and catch bugs with. I saw the little kids that would excitedly run up to me exclaiming, “Mama Rosie!”  Now they are riding tanks and carrying guns and sending messages from the other side of the globe saying, “Tell Mama Rosie hi.” Oh how mothers’ hearts ache for the safe return of their precious sons and daughters.

I then thought about the story my dad told when he was serving in the army in Europe in World War II. Food was scarce and servings were rationed. Everyone was so very hungry. They had captured some soldiers, holding them prisoners. He took some of his potatoes and shared them with the captured soldiers. His rationale? “They were just boys like us.” No matter what “side” they were on, all the young men belonged to some mother and father somewhere whose hearts ached for their safe return.

Memorial Day, 2009. Are we any closer to having our young sons and daughters home safe and sound? Perhaps the best thing we can do is send love to all the young men and women, regardless what “side” they are on. Love is the highest vibrating energy, and if we together muster up enough love, surely we will make a positive impact.

The Ho’oponopono technique I wrote about last week says that everything begins with us individually. The external world is a reflection of our internal self. The first step in the process is saying the words, “I love you.” I suddenly think about the profound wisdom in the words of this song:

“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.”

Peace and love be with you and all the young men and women who are away from their home and loved ones this Memorial Day.

All the way home I tried to pay attention to Dr. David Hawkins as he spoke to me about consciousness, but my mind kept drifting back to his example personified, that which I had just witnessed. 

As my thoughts wafted back and forth, I heard Dr. Hawkins say that people ask him how they can advance spiritually.  He jokingly responded, “How can you advance mankind?  Stay home.  Get off the roads. ” He went on to explain a very important teaching: one of the most significant things we can do is to love unconditionally.  Here is yet another spiritual teacher explaining that the thoughts we think and the love we extend to others remain in consciousness forever. 

Hmm, I can see that. My granddaughter had just experienced a minor surgical procedure, of which she was terrified.  In her little life she has bravely endured countless procedures.  A tiny little thing at 41 pounds, though 8 years old, it would be easy for adults to talk over her and make light of her fears… particularly if they didn’t know what she has already been through.  Not so for Dr. Lowery, her anesthesiologist. 

Sierra sat in her curtain-drawn cubicle, clutching her teddy bear, anxiously watching with heightened awareness as each person in scrubs walked by, knowing her time was fast approaching.  First one tear, then another would trickle down her cheeks as she repeated, “I’m scared.”   My heart ached for her as my daughter and I acknowledged her fears, but tried to distract her. 

Then Dr. Lowery came to do his pre-op visit.  One didn’t need to examine his face to feel his kind, compassionate energy.  I marveled at how he interacted with Sierra.  Yes, he saw the tears escaping down her cheeks.  He squatted down before her and took what seemed like an enormous amount of time to skillfully explain in such a comforting, playful way what was about to happen.  He acted as if he had to find her right mask size, and I was stunned that when he handed it to her she immediately put it to her face.   Then out came a bag of 5 different oil flavorings for Sierra to choose from “so that the mask would not smell like plastic.”   As he opened each one and let Sierra guess the scent, he acted as if he didn’t have anything else in the world to do on this day but play this game with Sierra.

Words cannot express the gratitude and the love that stirred in my chest for this man who so freely gave his unconditional love to my little granddaughter.  How comforting to know that he would have his watchful eye on Sierra, truly an angel disguised in those surgery scrubs.

Dr. Hawkins, if thoughts live forever, on this day I am putting a lot of thoughts out there for someone else to feel and experience.  I marvel at the rippling impact of this one earth angel.  Squatting in an uncomfortable position for what seemed an eternity, he freely gave his love and compassion…teaching us by his example how we can each positively impact one another.