“Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.”

Interesting quote by Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862.

Who writes the rules of life anyway? Who creates the jails?

In The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buddhism, author Gary Gach writes:

“He (Budda) saw clearly now the jail, which we ourselves construct, in which we entrap ourselves, and which we ourselves police. But whatever is constructed will deconstruct. He saw, too, the happiness of being free.

He understood that what we call our life is but a wave, not the ocean. He became one with that ocean, and all the rivers and raindrops flowing into it. He saw the morning star in the sky as if for the first time, his mind as clear as a mirror, and his heart as wide now as the world, almost overflowing with understanding and love. The luminous, joyous starlight matched the smile on his lips. This was it. He had found out. Now he was fully awake.

So happy! He had finally found complete freedom from all unnecessary mortal suffering.”

Speaker Kimberly Herkert offers, “As human beings, we are not capable of seeing the big picture for anyone’s situation. As a result, we are not able to judge what is best for anyone, including ourselves.”

A close friend will immediately correct me every time I comment about a “mistake” that I have made. She teaches me that there are no “mistakes.” Everything is just as it should be, and it serves absolutely no purpose to pass judgment – on others or ourselves.

Cicero, 106 BC-43 BC: “We must not say every mistake is a foolish one.”

Perhaps this message that I wrote to a friend this morning will have meaning for you as well:

“Another thought that comes to me after re-reading your message is this: don’t take yourself too seriously. The whole goal here in life is to be happy.

Yesterday I was in a conversation with a medical professional. He needed to get on to see his next patient. He first paused before turning away, looked me dead in the eye, and said ‘Have fun.’ It felt as if he was being guided to give me that message, particularly since it was so out of the blue from what we had just been talking about. His words simply did not fit the conversation, nor did the tone of his voice, which was not frivolous but very slow, deliberate, and serious. I perceived it was definitely a message to be given to me through him. Maybe now I am supposed to give it to you.

We don’t veer far off our path. I think we live our life purpose just by whatever we do day by day, but we don’t recognize it. We are always looking ‘out there’ for something because we think ‘surely this isn’t it.’ I have come to think that yes, surely it is. Living in the moment, finding peace and happiness, that is the goal. When we do that, everything else unfolds. Our soul will allow it to unfold. So, hey, maybe Bobby McFerrin’s song said it all, ‘Don’t worry. Be happy.’”

What’s the moral of today’s story?

What about this? Don’t worry so much about being too moral. Don’t lock yourself up in your own self-imposed jail. Don’t beat yourself up for making “mistakes.”

Have fun. Be happy.

“The diseases of the mind are more and more
destructive than those of the body.”
~  Marcus Tullius Cicero. 1st-century BC Roman philosopher

That thoughts become things is not new to our generation. Cicero was aware in the 1^st Century BC.

The ego tries to incessantly fill our heads with worry, judgment, negative and self-defeating thoughts. A recent Higher Awareness article referenced the high-powered negative technology that runs amuck in our mind:

On spam: What unsolicited junk do we allow to enter our minds and distract us from what’s important?

On viruses: What malicious thoughts and behaviors sabotage our dreams and sap our vitality?

On worms: How do we allow fear to worm its way into our lives and subvert our highest intentions?

If only there was a computer service warranty we could take out on our minds. Perhaps there is – but does it ever require constant vigilance…

Silencing the mind. Getting quiet. Replacing negative thoughts with positive affirmations.

On getting quiet, Sir J. Lubbock wrote: “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.”

A few weeks ago I wrote an article summarizing the book, “It Works,” http://rosiebrownrn.com/it-works/. Key points from the book include:

You must know what you want.

You have within you a mighty power capable of giving you that which you earnestly desire.

The Plan: write down on paper, in order of importance, the things and conditions you really want.

Three Positive Rules of Accomplishment:

1)      Read the list of what you want three times each day: morning, noon, and night.

2)      Think of what you want as often as possible.

3)      Do not talk to anyone about your plan except the Great Power within you which will unfold your objective mind the method of accomplishment.

I wrote my list on an index card. A friend then encouraged me to turn the card over and write on the back, “What my life will look like in 6 months.”

How about this? “Ahh! Abundance just everywhere! So happy! My life is an explosion of JOY! My health is fabulous, I am blissfully happy, I am traveling the world! I have so much money with which to enjoy life and help others! I am so, so happy!! My partner is fabulous! I am so in love! Life is so grand! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! So grateful!”

Wonder what can happen if that card is read every day, three times a day? What would you write on your card? What do you want your life to look like in 6 months?

It takes effort to still the mind, sweep away the negative thoughts, and, consequently, cure the diseases of the mind. It can start with taking time every day to be still, empty your head, and then fill the mind back up with the dreams you have written on your index card.

“If each of us sweeps in front of our own steps, the whole world would be clean.”

~  Goethe

This morning I listened with interest as an acquaintance challenged another on the emotion of guilt. The one party was saying that guilt is a bad thing. My friend retorted that guilt is not a bad thing; guilt is a good thing. It keeps us on the path of doing the right thing.

I, too, up until this morning, have always accepted that guilt is a bad thing – but only bad because of the way I was looking at it. My friend explained that guilt for what happened in the past serves no useful purpose. Let it go. It is done and over with.

All you have now is this present moment. Guilt that occurs in the present moment leads you to do the right thing…when you might be tempted to stray off into the weeds.

Once again, I was reminded of the litmus test given to us at the conference I attended last Sunday. The speaker said, “When faced with a decision, ask yourself: “Will I be disappointed in myself if I do/don’t do it?”

You will never lie to yourself. Here’s where guilt steps in to help you…if you attempt to lie to yourself. Your subconscious speaks loudly to you, employing guilt as a tool to tug at your moral consciousness.

Interesting concept, “Guilt for what happened in the past serves no useful purpose. Let it go. It is done and over with.”

It all comes back to living in the present moment, does it not?

Budda says, “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

It is estimated that 85% or more of our disease processes is related to stress. Where does stress come from? From living in the past or the future, and it serves no useful purpose. Living anywhere but the now torpedoes our health, both mind and body, but oh my, does it take discipline to stay planted in the now.

As George Orwell states, “To see what is in front of one’s nose requires constant struggle.”

So it seems the first step to health and happiness is to stay in the now. But what about that stress thing? Might the second step be to correctly interpret what is happening in the now? Here is what Neale Donald Walsch has to say about it:

“On this day of your life, dear friend, I believe God wants you to know…

…that it sometimes looks like “one thing after the other,” but really, it is Blessing After Blessing.

I know, I know…you don’t experience it that way.

But that’s because you don’t see it that way.

In this business of life, ‘What you see is what you get.’

If you think you are looking at struggle, struggle is what you will experience.

If you decide that you are looking at a gift (even if you can’t see it clearly in this exact moment), a gift is what you will get. Just wait.  You’ll see. I mean that literally. You will see.

Love, Your Friend….”

What is the bottom line of this message on this pretty little day in May?

1. Live in the now.
2. Use every moment in your now doing the right thing, living life to your fullest.
3. Trust that everything that is happening in your now is a blessing.

Og Mandino writes, “I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life.”

Here’s to the best day of your life.  :  )

When the student is ready, the teacher will come…

Such was the case for me yesterday. I got my feelings hurt BIG time…and I must admit it took me several, several hours till I got my boat turned around. Anger, resentment, silent treatment, projection onto others…I worked it with the best of them.

Finally, a couple of hours into it, I asked myself, “What is the lesson in this?”

Just an hour or so prior to my fiasco, I received the following message from someone who is also currently trying to turn his boat around. Maybe the message was a heads-up for what I was about to experience?

“We only have one life, and we don’t know how long we’ll be here. We might as well live it up and be happy. Forget the worries and sorrows. That’s why you run with it.”

After going out for a jog to release the anger, followed by going into silence to reflect on the situation, I started to really take an introspective look into the target of my anger. Was this a mirror reflecting me back to me? Are the challenging situations occurring in your life a mirror reflecting back to you?

When you look at it this way, what follows?  Perhaps empathy, then understanding, then love. Yeah, love. What is there to do in a case like this? Shine love into the darkness. Take the high road. Be the example, no matter how difficult. Learn the lesson.

Curious that this morning the following statement appears in my inbox from oprah.com: “Many Buddhists consider huge difficulties to be a sign you’re an old soul—the bigger your misfortunes, the closer you are to enlightenment. Whether you believe this or not, it’s certainly cheery to reframe all your life’s bad events as tests of your character. If you feel particularly tested right now, ask yourself what the heck you’re being tested for! Patience? Compassion? Resilience? Forgiveness? Open-mindedness? What strengths must you develop further? Now consciously go out there and develop them!”

Ouch! If you read a little further, there’s the R word:

Let Go of Resentment
Keep in mind a fabulous Carrie Fisher quote: ‘Resentment is the poison you swallow hoping the other person will die.’ Recognize that when you resent someone, you are not only hurting yourself, you’re also giving this person control of your emotions—and you don’t want to give this person bubkes!

Stay Centered
Recognize that when you respond with hate to hate, anger to anger, bitterness to bitterness, you are ironically becoming part of the problem. Choose to resist becoming like them and instead put in the conscious effort to remain a loving, soulful, happy person.

Get Revenge Positively
Contemplating revenge? The best kind of revenge is living a successful, happy life. If you train yourself to consistently be more loving in thoughts and actions, your energy will attract more positive people and positive results. As Albert Einstein said, ‘You can’t solve a problem by staying in the same energy in which it was created.’ To stay focused on highly positive thoughts, repeat this meditation ritual throughout the day: ‘Love, forgiveness, letting go, peace.’

Whew, it would you agree that it does take conscious effort to remain a loving, soulful, happy person?

Love, forgiveness, letting go, peace…perhaps that is the lesson.

“Do not give your precious energy to the dying past.”

~ Predictions for 2010 from the Sedona Group,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3zJm98UXzQ

Shattered dreams, broken relationships, disappointments, failures, financial setbacks…what litter is piled high in your backyard?

Today’s message from Oprah.com: “There is a fine balance between honoring the past and losing yourself in it. For example, you can acknowledge and learn from mistakes you made, and then move on and refocus on the now. It is called forgiving yourself. Or you can carry a burden of guilt (self-identification with mistakes) for many years.

Be vigilant, so that you don’t allow a burden of negative past to accumulate in your mind, in the form of guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, anger, and so on. Forgiveness happens naturally as soon as you realize that the past cannot prevail against the power of Presence.

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love shares the following lighthearted yet sound advice:

“Screw up (often, and boldly), learn from your mistakes, repeat.”

If you are suffering from pain of the past, how can you shake yourself free?

Greg Mortenson, coauthor of Three Cups of Tea and author of Stones into Schools and founder of Pennies for Peace, establishing more than 131 schools in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan suggests:

“It’s sad to see people spending thousands trying to find themselves. You can find great joy by serving others, and you don’t have to devote your whole life to it. Practice doing one good deed a day. Help an old lady, a neighbor, a new kid in school—make it a habit. After a while, you’ll be doing amazing things.”

Eckhart Tolle reminds us, “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.”

Oprah.com advises: “Where to find that goodness when recession hits, when you lose your job, your home, when things seem to fall apart around you? In all the things that we tend to overlook: feeling the gentle breeze on your skin, the sunlight filtering through the clouds, the sound of the rain, the wagging tail of a dog, the shiny apple you are about to bite into. It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.”

The Sedona Group directs us to “Dwell on your dreams.”

Today’s message from www.tut.com says, “Wake up, Rosie! Remember what excites you. Think of these things, those friends, and the adventures that can be yours. Focus. Care. Fantasize. Imagine. It’s all so near. Speak as if you’re ready. Paste new pictures in your scrapbook, on your vision board, and around your home and office. Physically prepare for the changes that you wish to experience in your life. You’ve done this before. You know it works. You’re due for an encore. It’s time to amaze. That’s why you’re there.

And it’s why I’m here,
The Universe

Wake up, Rosie! Remember! Do what you know to do! It’s all so near.”

Lastly, Neale Donald Walsch says it this way: “On this day of your life, dear friend, I believe God wants you to know…

..that getting down on yourself is not the answer.

Why would you do to you what God would never do to you?

The few things you do not “get right” (whatever that is) cannot compare

to the things at which you excel. Do you know that?

You are kind, you are caring, you are generous, you are sensitive,

you are compassionate, you are forgiving, you are more accepting than you know,

and more loving than you will give yourself credit for.

Now…what else is there?

Try to understand this: You are doing just fine.

Better than ‘just fine.’

You are excelling.

You are magnificent, you are wonderful!

And God loves you to pieces!

Love, Your Friend….”

Heck, how about if only for today…

“Do not give your precious energy to the dying past.”

“Dwell on Your Dreams.”

Front page in today’s local paper: Painful grimace on a 21 year old’s face as he sits in his wheelchair with a physical therapist on each side of him conducting arm resistance exercises. Paralyzed since a motocross accident in 2006, he affectionately calls one of his therapists his “torturer.”

And what was I feeling sorry for myself about just prior to picking up the paper? Did you wake up today feeling sorry for yourself? This young man will never be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of handwriting out the monthly bills, walking into the dentist’s office, or changing an unexpected flat tire when you are already late to work.

It is all a matter of perspective.

No matter how bad we think we have it, there is always someone experiencing more pain. Why is it we so quickly forget that fact as we wallow in the depths of our own personal despair?

The gurus of all times encourage us to embrace our hardships, for without the contrast we would not create or appreciate the more pleasurable aspects of life.

Og Mandino says it this way: “I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.”

What if, just for today, when you catch yourself whining about something, you turn it around into gratitude and appreciation for the experience? What soul growth is happening as a result of the trauma? How will you feel and how will your day, your life, unfold if you come from a place of joy and appreciation for all that happens today?

Cancer survivor Lance Armstrong advises us, “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.”

You and I have the power to appreciate everything about this beautiful day. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Today’s the day for the wearin’ of the green. Ever wonder who St. Patrick was and why there is a day dedicated to him? Who was he?  What was special about him?

A search on the internet brings up all sorts of stories.  I have listed a few interesting points I found on Wikipedia:

Saint Patrick (estimated AD 387 – AD 461), said to have been born Maewyn Succat, was a Roman Britain-born Christian missionary and is the patron saint of Ireland along with Brigid of Kildare and Columba.

When he was about sixteen he was captured by Irish raiders and taken from his native Wales as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the church, he later returned to Ireland as a missionary in the north and west of the island, but little is known about the places where he worked and no link can be made between Patrick and any church.

By the eighth century he had become the patron saint of Ireland. Legend also credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the concept of the Trinity by showing people the shamrock, a 3-leaved clover, using it to highlight the Christian belief of ‘three divine persons in the one God’ (as opposed to the Arian belief that was popular in Patrick’s time).  March 17, popularly known as St. Patrick’s Day, is believed to be his death date and is the date celebrated as his feast day.

On March 17, 1776, the day that British forces under General Sir William Howe evacuated Boston during the American Revolutionary War, the password of the day at General George Washington‘s Continental Army encampment was “Saint Patrick”. The date is observed as Evacuation Day, an official holiday in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA. Massachusetts has the most Irish ancestry of the United States in terms of percentage of total population.

In any case, breathe in the crisp spring air, put on some green apparel, and celebrate the end of winter and the new beginnings of spring. Dance and clap, laugh and play and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!  :  )

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”?

What a gift to stumble upon this video: http://www.lawofattractioninteraction.com/video/GetHappy. Copy and paste this address in your browser. Click on “Video Clips” then “Be Happy.”

It could very likely be the best 3 minutes and 52 seconds you have ever spent. I have decided to watch the video clip once a day until I internalize the message.

Esther and Jerry Hicks share, “We wanted to point you toward one of the best-feeling video clips that we have experienced, so far.  It was created by Vickie Barnes. She goes by ImVickieB on YouTube. We loved it!”

Enjoy and be happy! Have a fabulous weekend!  :  )

“What Would It Take to Make You Happy?” was the article in my inbox in the oprah.com newsletter that caught my attention this morning.

Do you feel happy? If you do not, you are not alone. It seems the longing for happiness is commonplace among us.

The author of the article commented that she called Dr. Phil and asked, “How do you figure out specifically what you want in life?”

“You must ask yourself a series of four questions,” he replied. They are:

1)      What do I want?

2)      What must I do to have it?

3)      How would I feel when I have it?

4)      So, what I really want is to feel ___ (fill in the blank)?

Dr. Phil gave an example of a woman he interviewed. He would ask the questions and keep peeling down till he got to the real root of her desire. Perhaps you can take a pen and paper and flush out your true desires by journaling.

Another article contained a series of happiness quotes. I thought you might like to contemplate on some of them…

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.” ~ Aristotle

“The only joy in the world is to begin.” ~ Cesare Pavese

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

“Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it.” ~ Jaques Prevert

“One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.” ~ Iris Murdoch

“It is only possible to live happily ever after on a daily basis.” ~ Margaret Bonanno

“Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life.” ~  Marcus Aurelius

“I wake up every morning with a great desire to live joyfully.” ~ Anna Howard Shaw

The article went on to share a few words of wisdom from Thich Nhat Hanh:

“Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice… No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.”

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”

“Enlightenment is always there. Small enlightenment will bring great enlightenment. If you breathe in and are aware that you are alive—that you can touch the miracle of being alive—then that is a kind of enlightenment.”

“Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.”

“It is possible to live happily in the here and now. So many conditions of happiness are available—more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don’t have to run into the future in order to get more.”

“People suffer because they are caught in their views. As soon as we release those views, we are free and we don’t suffer anymore.”

“Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.”

“Life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now.”

“When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?”

“To be loved means to be recognized as existing.”

“Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.”

“We have to continue to learn. We have to be open. And we have to be ready to release our knowledge in order to come to a higher understanding of reality.”

All this talk of happiness prompted me to look up the words to the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. Why not hum a few bars and turn this day into the wonderful miracle that it is?  :  )

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Here is a little song I wrote.
You might want to sing it note for note.
Don’t worry, be happy.
In every life, we have some trouble.
When you worry, you make it double.
Don’t worry, be happy……

Ain’t got no place to lay your head?
Somebody came and took your bed?
Don’t worry, be happy.
The landlord say your rent is late?
He may have to litigate?
Don’t worry, be happy .
Look at me, I am happy.
Don’t worry, be happy.
Here I give you my phone number.
When you worry, call me.
I make you happy.
Don’t worry, be happy.
Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no style?
Ain’t got no girl to make you smile?
But don’t worry, be happy.
Cause when you worry
Your face will frown,
And that will bring everybody down.
So don’t worry, be happy (now)…..

There is this little song I wrote.
I hope you learn it note for note.
Like good little children,
Don’t worry, be happy.
Listen to what I say.
In your life expect some trouble,
But when you worry,
You make it double.
Don’t worry, be happy……
Don’t worry, don’t do it, be happy.
Put a smile on your face.
Don’t bring everybody down like this.
Don’t worry, it will soon pass,
Whatever it is.
Don’t worry, be happy.