Personal Responsibility, Karma and...Joy?

Hey everybody, I hope you created a week that filled your spirit and that this new week, you create another one!

Recently, "karma" was brought to my attention three different times, all in the same context. Something happened to three different people that they didn't like and all three (and however many they reached on facebook and other ways) responded by threatening that "karma would get the them" or that somehow bad karma would follow these people that had done the action that caused harm. While the events that happened to these three people were really upsetting experiences and I empathize with them, I think threatening someone with the Law of Karma is an interesting yet unproductive way to respond to the situation! I have to admit, I too used to use Karma as a threat too.

Having recently studied the Law of Karma in our Second Sunday Spirit Food Group, I was reminded of some things I'd learned throughout the years about Karma as well as developed a new and stronger understanding of and respect for the Law.

Not surprisingly, we have somehow turned this misunderstood life-lesson-learning-Law into yet another threatening, big-stick brute force, abusive, fear- and guilt-based punishment! And I suppose we will continue to do so until we let go of that type of fundamental belief and value that is permeated throughout our every thought! fear, guilt, shame. These are things we learned, not what is in our heart. As such, we can easily learn and practice a new way of honoring the Law of Karma. It is called Personal Responsibility.

It is true that if I intend or say or do something that is harmful, I have put it out into the Universe and that which I put out, will come back to me.

Please think about that. Re-read it. Ahh, is it registering? YES! We are such quick and intelligent people! We got it! The very thing we hated that happened to us, happened to us for a reason, and that reason is....Karma! So while we want to blame someone else for our circumstances, and even threaten them with the punishment of Karma, we seem to loose sight of why we were even involved in the first place! Life is one learning experience after another and I can either use the opportunity to learn and raise my vibration so the lesson is not repeated, in the case of a painful experience; or repeated often and even more often, in the case of a joyful experience. Because remember, Karma works in Joy also (and that which we focus our attention on....)

I am reminded of the saying: First time, shame on you; second time, shame on me. While a slightly different version of (negative) Karma, it reminds us of the same thing. While I would re-write it to say: "First time, I'll defer responsibility to you since it is your intention/word/action; second time, I'll take a look at what I'm intending, saying or doing that is drawing this life-lesson to me." I would write it that way because I have no reason for shame and neither do you. But it is how it is said in our society and it does get the point across. (And also my point that we live in a fear- and guilt-based society and until I free myself from that belief and value...I am doomed to repeat it. Hmmm sounds like Karma to me!) It also suggests that by putting off looking at it the first time, there will be a second time...so perhaps we could just look at it the first time. That isn't always possible and once we see a pattern it becomes easier to respond. Also, I'd like to mention that everything that happens, happens for a reason. It is not "random" that what happened to me, happened to me. What happened to me may not look like what I put out there in the first place, but when it comes back to me, there is no doubt, no question, that I put something out there. It has now become my opportunity to learn and grow and become a stronger, smarter, more self-true person.

What I'm saying is that by accepting personal responsibility for my intentions, words and actions, I have the opportunity to learn more of what Life is offering. When I learn more of what Life is offering, I do not have to repeat painful experiences. When I don't repeat painful experiences, I create Joyful ones. When I create Joyful experiences, I discover more of what Life is offering.

And that, for me, is what Karma is...creating Joyful experiences so I discover more of what Life is offering.

May your week bring you many joyful experiences. I wish Joyful Karma unto You!

Namaste.

Differences and Division

Differences confirm, and make possible, your experience of Who You Are. Divisions confuse, and render impossible, that experience. Without the differences between here and there, up and down, fast and slow, hot and cold, none of these things could be experienced. Yet there is no division between here and there, up and down, fast and slow, hot and cold. These are merely different versions of the same thing. Similarly, there are no divisions between black and white, male and female, Christian and Muslim. These are merely different versions of the same thing.
Friendship With God
Neale Donald Walsch
Page 405

I really liked this "daily thought" I received! I love learning new things, trying new things and as such, am so glad there is diversity! This allows me to learn something "different". Yet sometimes I get afraid or feel threatened by that which I do not know or understand and instead of embracing it, I resist it. I now have a point of reference for those times I am resisting that which I am unfamiliar with. I find I am particularly challenged when it comes to people who believe that their way is The Only Way. I suppose it is because I believe that MY way is The Way!

Like this reading. I believe it and I think it is the truth. However, I know people who would not believe this and argue against it. Therein lies the choice to be "divided" or to allow us to be "different". And in our difference of thought lies our sameness...we each believe that our way is the truth. It helps me to know we are different versions of the same thing because then we cannot be divided. The "same" cannot be divided nor is it separate.

I think I chose the business name "All One Spirit" because it is what I believe in my heart. We are all connected, there is a common thread between all things which creates a beautiful tapestry called life. Because we are energy vibrating at variable speeds, we vibrate at "different" speeds at "different" times. So, in my vibration as I speed up and slow down, I recognize you as you vibrate up and down, but we are really different versions of the same thing.

I intend I remember that we are All One Spirit; we are simply "different versions of the same thing". Post your thoughts and lets have a conversation...after all, we are the same only different!

Namaste.

Is it Still Thursday?!

"Life should be a little bit nuts, otherwise it's just a bunch of Thursday's all strung together." from the movie Rumor Has It.

So I'm a planner, a coordinator, an organizer. A Controller. There I said it. A Controller.

In the meditation classes I teach, we talk about how life is messy and that's a good thing. It's perfect. (Refer to the blog: Perfection, Integrity and True Beliefs). Again it comes back to: life in this moment is perfect. Doesn't need fixing or controlling.

When I live in the moment, I don't get to control it. Instead, I get to respond to it. I get to find out my rhythms, my cycles. I am learning that I never allowed myself the opportunity to learn~much less learn to trust~ my rhythms. I've planned, coordinated, organized and controlled.... engineered my life. Which is perfect...I don't need to fix or change it...instead, I am ready to explore a new vibration and move into a different space using the tools in my life to assist me~again a reference to the previously mentioned blog.

The Art of Allowing is an opportunity for me to let go of the tight grip of control in my life. While sometimes it feels my life is actually out of control, it is very tightly controlled. When I let go and allow, it feels a little bit nuts, which is a good thing, otherwise, as the quote says, "life... is just a bunch of Thursdays strung together.

So, what day of the week is it for you? Thursday? Would love to hear from you!

Namaste.

Gratitude

No matter where I am in life~how I feel, what I think~whether I'm depressed or joyful~Gratitude is always there. When I take the time to look for it and appreciate it! It doesn't change my circumstances, however, it does change my outlook. When I approach my moment from an "attitude of gratitude" it is a more empowering, fulfilling moment. And the truth is we only have this moment. No more, no less.

Sometimes I think I am broken and need fixing. Not true. When I meet myself where I am, no matter where that is, I can find gratitude. When I find gratitude, I find I am empowered to move, adjust what I thought was broken and reap the rewards of my action.

Many people think gratitude is a thought or feeling. While it is those things, it is also an expression, an action. When I feel gratitude, movement is sure to accompany it...if not, then what I am feeling is not gratitude!

I've found helpful the suggestion to write my gratitude list every day. Start with 5 things, and every day add 5 things to my list. When I am feeling broken and can't find gratitude, the list serves as a tool, a reminder, of the many people, experiences and things I am grateful for.

Today five things I am grateful for are: 1) My healthy soul, mind and body; 2) My husband, family and friends; 3) My passion expressed through my successful business, All One Spirit; 4) My home and the ability to nurture and care for it; 5) Laughter, Joy & Happiness.

What are 5 things you are grateful for?