| Articles
For The Heart & Soul
Finding
Peace Amid the Chaos NEW!
by Janice Lynne Lundy
Don't
you just love it when life throws you a curve? Just when you think you can
rest on your laurels, or take a break from life's intensity, you are dealt
another “something” to deal with. Today, more and more people are
being asked to face what may seem like insurmountable challenges: a
diagnosis of a serious illness, job loss, or a divorce, not to mention
children who find themselves drowning in troublesome seas. Add any one of
those to the fast pace of our lives, multitasking a myriad of roles and
responsibilities, and we have a recipe for stress levels that can soar,
taking us into the stratosphere of chaos.
Like
many of you, I am fairly adept at the circus act we call life: juggling
more balls than we can feasibly handle, all the while hoping that we are
doing a decent job of it. It's when one more ball is thrown into our
finely tuned balancing act, and we are asked to maintain the same rhythm
and performance as before, that trouble sets in. For me, this manifested a
few years back when I was feeling a bit under the weather, so I decided to
pay my internist a visit. He gave me the surprising diagnosis of high
blood pressure. This juggler had too many balls in the air and she was
teetering, the balls were beginning to tumble to the ground all around
her. What was I to do? Medication was
a probable solution to my situation, but that would be addressing only the
symptomatic part of the problem. This diagnosis felt to me like a wake-up
call; a signal to find a sense of balance in my life so that I could
return to a place of peace within me that had somehow disappeared.
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Changing
the Focal Point of Our Lives to the Present Moment
by Alice Gardner
Something totally
unprecedented is happening right now—spiritually,
culturally and technologically. Oprah Winfrey has offered her massive
media presence to the movement of spiritual awakening in our world and has
created a huge ten-week online web-cast classroom with Eckhart Tolle.
Together they are teaching Eckhart’s new book, A
New Earth, point-by-point, chapter-by-chapter.
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Stillborn
and Stillhere
by Diana Gardner-Williams
We arrived at our
favorite mountain cabin Christmas Eve 2003. This particular accommodation
provides a kitchenette, loft, cable TV, and indoor Jacuzzi tub. The back
deck overlooks a steep, wooded hill with a pleasantly loud, rushing creek
barely visible through the trees. The evergreen shrubs flanking the
entrance of the cabin were twinkling with multicolor lights and a holiday
mug filled with candy was centered on our kitchen table welcoming us.
Since we usually spent Christmas with our family, we were unaware of the
charming decorations provided by the owners at this time of year. So why
are we here? The fact that our beautiful baby boy was born quiet and still
has brought us to the cabin in the mountains. This is where we would spend
our first Christmas without our baby.
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I
Have a Body: Health for Your Body, Serenity for Your Soul
by Lisa Barstow
The Buddhists tell us that we have a body but we are not our body, a mind
but we are not our mind, an ego but we are not our ego. I wish that I had
heard this fifty years ago, but at age eleven I was stressed about budding
breasts, a period that was my big present on my birthday that year, and
trying to please my dear thin mother who could already see that I wasn’t
built like a Vogue model.
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Trying To
Avoid Anna Filaktik: A Day In My Life With A Deadly Allergy
by Bob Olson, OfSpirit.com editor
Having once lived in Los
Angeles, Melissa and I love to return now and then for a visit. The last
time we were there, we stayed in a quaint little condo in Santa Monica
that was within walking distance of a cool outdoor shopping area called
the Third Street Promenade. And within this grouping of hip stores are
several restaurants, including one that I particularly like called Johnny
Rockets--a 1950’s style hamburger joint that unintentionally almost
killed me. We were vacationing with our two nieces, ages 15 and 17,
and the four of us sat down at a table outside the restaurant that
overlooked the vacationers and street musicians. After ordering a #12
hamburger with fries, I decided to get a chocolate malt to really set the
mood. And this is where my problems began.
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The Giving
Gift: A Holiday Story
After
he had unwrapped his gifts on Christmas morning, the 5-year-old boy’s
mother asked him which one of his presents he wanted to donate to a poor
child who had less than him.
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When Ordinary People Achieve Extraordinary Things
by Jody Williams
From the book This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women
I believe it is possible for ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things. For me, the difference between an "ordinary" and an "extraordinary" person is not the title that person might have, but what they do to make the world a better place for us all.
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Do You Believe What I Believe?
by Laura Scott
I believe in real butter
and a big country kitchen where your friends can watch as you cook or help you,
laugh and cry with you as we figure out the world, our children, each other,
all the while cooking up life, nourishment and love.
I believe in old fashioned things, like manners, and love notes
and swinging on big long rope swings.
I believe in the power of being present.
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Yes, Virginia, There Is a Secret to Happiness
by David Leonhardt
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___________________ Whatever the Question, Love is the Answer
by Jean-Claude Gerard Koven
With each passing day the gathering storm clouds that threaten the lives of humankind darken. Every effort to stave off the inevitable and achieve lasting peace has failed. Perhaps it is time for us to adopt a new game plan?
Click Here To Read Article ___________________ Struggling To Forgive the Unforgivable
by Immaculée Ilibagiza
I was deep in prayer when the killers came to search the house a second time.
It was past noon, and I’d been praying the rosary since dawn for God to give His love and forgiveness to all the sinners in the world. But try as I might, I couldn’t bring myself to pray for the killers. That was a problem for me because I knew that God expected us to pray for
everyone, and more than anything, I wanted God on my side.
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Break Through Self-Doubt and Fear
by Simma Lieberman
Self-doubt and fear interfere with our ability to achieve or set goals. Self-doubt and fear are the voices in our head telling us, "You'll never succeed, so why try?" and "Who do you think you are?" Self-doubt and fear are also what make us listen to those voices and decide to give up before we get started.
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The
Masks We Wear: A Major Cause For Misdiagnosis
by Bob Olson
Although this article relates to
depression, the valuable lesson taught applies to all illnesses, issues
and aspects of our life.
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Finding a Happy
“Medium”-- One Teen’s Quest for Spirituality in Modern America
by Philip Devitt
When my parents were my age, talking horses, nose-twitching witches and
belly-baring genies were all the rage on television. The networks were
brimming with supernatural-themed programs. “Casper” showed the nation
that ghosts could be friendly. “The Twilight Zone” demonstrated their
darker side. And “The Ghost & Mrs. Muir” proved that they could be
just plain annoying. It seemed that nearly every time a mortal communed
with the great beyond, it was a formula for success.
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Healing Our Wounds:
Letters To Sam
by Daniel Gottlieb
Dear Sam,
Shortly after my accident, an occupational therapist introduced me to an anti-gravity device that would help me gain some use of my arms. The therapist strapped me into slings counterbalanced with springs, so my arms were literally weightless. Splints were attached to my hands. In each hand I held a pencil with the eraser-end pointing down. Using the feeling I still had in my shoulders to move my arms and hands and manipulate the erasers, I practiced turning the pages of a book. As my arms gained strength, the therapist reduced the springs' pressure so I would become strong enough to hold them up without the device. By the end of the week, I was able to turn pages without any assistance. My wife and the therapist were impressed by how quickly I'd been able to master this. "Look how much you've accomplished in one week!"
I felt complete despair.
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Homeless Hero: Are Your Prayers Being Answered In Unexpected Ways?
by Jeannette Maw
It was a daring rescue, one that required courage, faith, and conviction. Not just anyone could have pulled off this rescue attempt. It was not for the faint of heart or those with a queasy stomach. It was me at the bus stop, after work—wearing a permanent “leave-me-alone” scowl.
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____________________ Top Ten Benefits of Play
by Marianne St. Clair
Play is extremely important for humans from birth to death. Play is not meant to be just for children. It is a form of
release and connection that can tap the creativity and can allow you the chance to connect with your inner child and
the inner child of others. Play is a state of mind, but it is also a state of body, emotion, and spirit.
Yes, it is something you do (playing games, swinging, playing "tag", playing with dolls), but it is also something you watch
others do, and gain pleasure from simply watching. It is often described as a time when we feel most alive, yet it is
something we take for granted and may forget to do. It can be entirely positive, or can be dramatic (such as acting
out a thrilling or suspenseful activity). Play can be used in many ways to not only stimulate creativity but as a way
to transform negative emotions. We are hardwired as adults to engage in play, and it is crucial to our vitality to
spend time with play each day.
Click Here To Read Article ____________________ Is God Trying to Tell You Something?
by Laura Scott
"Where are you?" I asked my niece Shayna on the phone.
"You aren't gonna believe this, I am sitting parked on the side of the highway, my mom's behind me and a trooper is parked behind her," she replied. "I can't believe this, I just picked up my second 'new' used car in a week and we aren't even 3 miles from the dealership and the car died on me."
"Is the vein in your forehead pulsing?" I asked.
Click
Here To Read Article ____________________ How
I Know He Loves Me
by Ronlyn Domingue
In my closet, there is no box of love letters. Not traditional ones
anyway.
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Consulting Your Soul
by Dr. Wayne Dyer
Recently I approached a traffic light where a man stood in shabby clothes with a three-legged dog by his side. As I waited for the light to change I looked at this scene with compassion and felt an urge to contribute something. The sign he was carrying indicated that he was homeless. The people in my car commented that he was a strong young man, there were plenty of employment opportunities, and why should anyone give to people who are capable of working. They indicated a kind of mild contempt for this man soliciting funds whom they felt "should" be working. My thoughts were on him and the fact that he cared for and fed this crippled dog. I rolled down the window and gave him several dollars for which he expressed enormous gratitude.
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Conquering MS: The Journey Of A Lifetime
by Gina Kopera
We have all heard the expression "the journey of a lifetime begins with a single step."
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____________________ Think Positive - Even a Heart Attack Can Be a Good Thing
by Karen Wheeler Hall
We all experience moments in life when things don’t go our way. Frustration, anger or fear often result. But sometimes things that initially seem disappointing or even disastrous actually turn out to be our lucky break. Steven List discovered that his heart attack at age 44 led to a rewarding new career, improved relationships, and a new purpose in life.
Click Here To Read Article ____________________ Learning from Silence
by Robert Rabbin
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral,
begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil,
it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do
not murder the hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning
violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a
night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out hate; only love
can do that." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Article
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Working with the Angels
by Jacky Newcomb
Listening to the music playing in the bathroom, I thought I was going mad.
The sound was loud and pleasant, like a thousand harps singing in the air around me, yet I could not find the source of this amazing musical
vibration…
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Conscious
Love
by Trish Whynot, D.C.Ed.
What
better time to reflect on how consciously you love than on the holiday
that celebrates it. Many
of us continue to love the way we learned to as children by default. Our
parents were our role models for love and loving. They may have seeded
some beliefs in you around love that are not in line with your truth,
either directly by example or indirectly through situations you were left
to interpret. We’d like to ask some questions around the issues of love
and loving to help you to become more conscious of your love patterns. The
purpose of these questions is not so you can blame, but so you can take
responsibility for your choices and reactions to love now. When we become
conscious of the reasons behind our current choices we can do some healing
at the origin of our issues and then make new choices.
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Happiness vs. Peace
by Lisa Hepner
It’s a new year;
traditionally, a time for reflecting on the past and preparing and
planning for the upcoming year. Although, I have learned from
reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, that nothing is more important
than the present moment.
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Article
__________________ The Game Of Life And Death
by Asoka Selvarajah
It is often said in spiritual teachings
that the world is an illusion, suffering is unreal, and that Good and Evil
are dualistic fantasies. Doubtless, this is all well and good. Yet, how do
we reconcile this with the fact that all of this seems very real indeed to
the vast majority of us?
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Purpose:
What's The Purpose?
by Bob Olson, OfSpirit.com Editor
Webster’s Dictionary says that purpose is “the reason for which
something exists.”
It
is not uncommon to hear of an elderly person who passes away shortly after
the loss of their spouse. We sometimes hear this happening after the loss
of their pet. While one could argue that this is merely a coincidence, I
would surmise that they lost their will to live because their spouse or
pet was their last reason for living—their final purpose that gave their
life meaning.
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The Body-Temple, A Song of Glory:
Speaking And Listening To Our Bodies For Greater Peace, Health And Harmony!
by Judith Pennington
One of the most fascinating stories I've ever heard came from a psychic development teacher who had worked with a man waiting in a hospital to have both feet amputated. The psychic, speaking with the man by phone, wasn't told about this, but intuitively heard his feet complain that he never let them rest. She told the man what his feet said, and the man, knowing this to be true, quickly promised to change his ways. His exhausted, but now hopeful feet began to heal immediately and within days healed entirely.
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100 Promises to
My Baby
by Mallika Chopra
When I found out that I was pregnant several years ago, it was one of the
happiest and most exciting moments of my life. I was awed by the fact that
I had a living being growing inside of me. I spent hours visualizing what
my baby would look like, talking and singing to her, caressing her, and
beginning to plan for our new family with my husband, Sumant.
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Reincarnating Pets
by Nedda Wittels
It is always sad when a beloved animal family member leaves their body and goes into spirit. We call this death, but truly, no one dies. The physical body drops away as the spirit separates from it and goes into another dimension. The spirit is the being that we truly love, although we may be attached to the physical aspect that we associated with that being. Since we are still in physical, we often miss the sight, touch and smell of our friend and we grieve this loss, which is appropriate.
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Are You Neglecting This Important Investment? Friendships Among All Ages
by Royane Real
When I was twenty-two, I was befriended by a woman named Doris who was thirty years older than I was. Although Doris was then a fifty-two year old woman, she did not feel it was inappropriate to befriend me. She did not operate with the social belief that she should choose her friends only from people her own age. We became very close friends and remained so until her death at the age of eight-two.
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Civilization's Cornerstone: Kindness
by Alistair McAlpine, Kate Dixey
Kindness is the fuel of civilization, politeness and courtesy its etiquette, its formalities, and dignity its aim. Civilization is about responsibility for your own actions, and it is about tolerating other people’s actions. One person trying to accept another’s habits is the essence of civilization. Kindness typically reserved for the home and loved ones can be an attitude encompassing your entire life.
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Tsunamis, Tears & Hope
by Asoka Selvarajah
All our minds are captured with the
events going on in Asia in the wake of the most devastating Tsunamis in
living memory. It reminds us of the the temporary and uncertain nature of
life. People went to precisely those destinations in order to celebrate
the New Year, and in doing so, they headed to their own deaths in their
thousands.
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____________________ What Really Happened
by Janis Amatuzio, M.D.
In my practice as a forensic pathologist and County Coroner, my job is to
explain a death, “What Happened” to family members, police, and the
courts when necessary. To arrive at the truth, I teach my death
investigators the distinction between making observations as opposed to
rushing to judgment. “Things are not always as they seem,” I
say. “Gather information, document the scene, follow the guidelines, and
trust that you will arrive at the truth.”
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_____________________
Ten Interpretations To A Happier Life
by Khushi
Stress affects all of us and can show its manifestations in various forms.
We cannot avoid it altogether, but what we can do is follow some of these
hints to reduce stress from our lives. Here is a list of ten quotations
and how we can interpret these to experience a happier and stress free
tomorrow.
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Everybody Counts and We Need You
by Laura Scott
As a teenager back in the seventies, amongst all the lime green paint and flowers in my bedroom I had a poster hanging on the wall of a large thumbprint. Some marketing genius had blown it up to nearly 2 feet in height, printed a happy face, arms, and legs on it and at the bottom was written in big letters: "I'm Thumbody!" Not exactly the stuff of museums, but like I said it was the seventies...
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How I Overcame My Dark
Night Of The Soul -- A Five Year Chronic Depression
by Bob Olson. OfSpirit.com Editor
My story began in 1989, at the age of 29, when I first recognized that I
seemed to have more moodswings than most people. I went to a doctor and
was diagnosed immediately. I was suffering from chronic depression, aka
clinical depression. My official diagnosis was bipolar disorder, but my
manias were so mild that my doctor was mostly concerned with the
depression. My doctor put me on a medication and I assumed that was the
end of it.
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Ask Psychic Medium Laura
Scott (Issue #12)
by Laura Scott
Laura,
Could you please explain to myself and your readers the nature of time in
our lives and the important role it plays? For example, why must we age?
Also, what importance is there in being "born" to a particular
time and place? Thank you! Wade Werner
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____________________
Our
Worst Enemy
by Michael Lee
Who do you consider as your worst enemy? The criminals roaming the dark
streets? Your boss who's killing you mentally and emotionally with stress
and harsh words? The people in office who are engaging in graft and
corruption, instead of helping those in need?
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The Power Of The Words We Use
by Keith Zang
The spoken word is a form of energy that can be very powerful. This power
can be used for the good of all, the detriment of many, or as useless
background noise that is barely heard. Often times the words we use in
interacting with others holds more power than we realize. It is important
when interacting with others, especially if we are on a spiritual path, to
focus our energies on creating positive words to help encourage others, or
as helpful advice to aid in healing emotional traumas. In doing so we will
help to spread a positive ness that can have a much greater impact on
others than we initially perceive. Such a situation occurred with me,
who's impact stretched through years, eventually reconnecting to the
spiritual realms.
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Kindness Is The Course Of Life
by Reverend Sue Borg
There is an inherent generosity in the human spirit to be of help, to be
of service to others. What is it that makes us decide to be of service.
What is it that inspires us and encourages us to be of support to others?
What is it that makes you want to serve others.
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____________________ Sending Faxes To God Inc.
by John Payne
Our
dear friend Bob electrocutes himself whilst blow drying his hair in the
bathroom one evening and suddenly finds himself in heaven. He is somewhat
bewildered, his last memory catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror
with frizzy hair as he fell with a thud to the ground. Anyway, his
wonderful guide Gloria comes to his aid and settles him in to his new
situation. “So how do you think you did Bob?” asks Gloria.
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Physician
Heal Thyself
by Jemille Hardy
When I was a young medical student I thought that by the 21st century
diseases like cancer and heart disease would be history. My faith in
science bordered on the religious. Like others in my class, I also thought
the primary mission of physicians was to sustain and prolong life. What I
did not begin to see until later was the part about prolonging life at all
costs. It seemed somehow comforting to focus on the ills of the body and
the many ways of addressing them. The unspoken dogma was that ills of the
mind and emotions were far too hidden, too complex, and often too scary to
be faced openly.
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____________________ A Spiritual Intervention
by Alexandra Reynolds
Dreams are spirit roads leading to contemplation… In my dream, I was
standing in a crowded bus, dressed in a very expensive black leather suit
and black hat. I had a lot of make-up on, which is out of character for
me. There was this little girl who kept staring at me; she seemed to sense
my unhappiness. It made me feel uncomfortable so I decided to get off the
bus...
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Article ____________________
Creativity: It's Only
Human!
by Melanie Votaw
When
I was in school, the class I dreaded most was my eighth grade art class.
The teacher put down my every attempt at completing an assignment. I
simply couldn’t produce art the way she wanted it. Luckily for me, I had
already proven myself in other creative areas besides the visual arts –
such as writing and dance. Yet, that art teacher was successful in
convincing me that I had no talent whatsoever for painting, drawing, or
anything remotely related to them. Imagine my surprise when years later, I
published my nature photography and became – of all things – a
volunteer art teacher!
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Awakening: Can A Spiritual Person Shop At
Walmart?
by Jan Eisnor
As I look back, it was just about a year ago. Maybe before that time, I
lived in a kind of half dream state, not quite awake. I didn’t know it.
I remember, it was just around the time I took the metaphysical hypnosis
course. It was just around the time I went to the Spiritualist Church. It
was late fall, into winter. I had lived in that HDS (half dream state) for
so long, now looking back. Then, I noticed, I was becoming more aware of
my surroundings…outside, out of doors. I remember taking pictures. I
bought 3 digital cameras in the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I
was fascinated with the look of the trees, becoming bare, being bare.
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The Day I Died
by Avalon De Witt
The
happiest day of my life was the day I died. I was three years old and
living in Richmond, Indiana. It was a sunny day and my dad decided to take
me fishing. We went to a nearby river and my dad chose a spot next to a
small bridge where he cast his line and relaxed into a folding lawn chair
on the riverbank.
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The Power of Love:
Bringing Peace To Your Life Through This Simple Yet Powerful Life Force
by
Jill Wellington
“Love
is the fruit in season at all times and within
reach of every hand.” ~ Mother Teresa
When
I began my television news career many years ago, I remember a co-worker
I’ll call George who seemed to hate me. I
was an experienced radio journalist when I was hired as a producer for a
television station in
Saginaw ,
Michigan.
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____________________
Your Job Is Bigger Than
You Think
by John Izzo
"There are no great
acts, only small acts performed with great love." --Mother Teresa
It was my first week of my first year in
graduate school. I had arrived in Chicago to study for the Presbyterian
ministry and it was the middle of the year. Aware that I must work to fund
my studies, I searched for a nice "save-the-world" part-time
job, only to discover that all these had already been taken. No work in
hospitals, social service agencies, anti-nuke organizations -- nothing.
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____________________Stopping Time
by Keith Varnum
Six hundred feet straight down! Nothing to break the fall. I've got to
switch channels. I don't like my chances on this station. Infused with
youthful caprice, I mused to myself about my predicament. Enjoying the
intense body rush of imminent danger, I was torn between prolonging the
joy-terror and searching for an escape from my imminent demise.
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____________________
Is Your Life A Truman
Show?
by Asoka Selvarajah
In the process of awakening to higher consciousness, things start to break
into our world from the "outside"...
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____________________
No Happiness
Without Patience
by David Leonhardt
I'm searching for modern
happiness. The old-fashioned kind takes just too long. That happiness
requires patience and I don't want to wait. I want upgraded happiness. I
want release 4.02, the "new and improved" version.
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Ten Steps To A New Life In The New
Year
by Lynn A. Robinson
"If only." Two of the most regret-laden words in the English
language. "If only" I'd taken that job. "If only" I
hadn't taken that trip. And right now, "if only" becomes
especially poignant because the end of another year marks the beginning of
yet another round of regrets that you still can't seem to get it right.
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____________________
Tips Guaranteed To Illuminate Your
'04
by Trish Whynot, D.C.Ed.
This article is intended to illuminate your experiences, expand your
perspectives and bring up some questions as to what is really going on in
your life. Do not accept what we (my higher self and I) say merely because
we said it, accept what makes sense to you and tuck the other
possibilities away for future contemplation.
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____________________
Free Will To
The Rescue
by Dave Czach
Today's
society and your private world are the results of free will. We have
arrived here today through intention, ignorance or abuse. Some people
understand and use free will daily. Some people completely deny it. And
other people simply mock it and complain it "doesn't work."
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____________________
Learning How
To Fall ... You Have To Learn To Fall Before You Can Ride With Confidence!
by Edward B. Toupin
About a month ago, I was hit by a car
while riding my motorcycle. The car side-swiped me and took off.
My bike bounced off the car, shot out from under me, and I rolled under
the car. Amazingly enough, I stood up, picked up my bike, and got to
the side of the street without any problems. All I had was a small
bit of road rash on my elbow. I was lucky!
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____________________
Finding
the Magic . . .
by
Sandy Goodman
Once
again, it’s that time of year. Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is fast
approaching, and Christmas is only a few steps behind. Will this year be
different than the last seven? Will I find the magic again? Wait. Let me
revise that question: Did I ever feel the magic?
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____________________
Pain
As A Message
by Shannon Walbran
Have
you ever been struck by a headache like a lightning bolt? Succumbed to a
wave of exhaustion that practically threw you down on the sofa? Or have
you had more subtle but insistent pains come up out of nowhere, seemingly
disconnected from any physical cause?
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____________________
The Importance Of Thanksgiving
by David Leonhardt
Thanksgiving is the most important holiday of the year.
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__________________
My Journey Back
by
Ronnie Allen, Ph.D.
On November 14, 2000, the universe threw me a curve that I am sure is
going to change my life forever. At 7 P.M. I took my son David and, Lisa,
his girlfriend to a brand new buffet style restaurant. The food was
inedible, spoiled and cold and everything was sent back. We then came home
where I saw clients and prepared to go to work the next day. Nothing
unusual.
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__________________
Real Spirituality
by Eric Shapiro
My fiancée and I frequent a restaurant in L.A. called Real Food Daily. The concept behind the name is that their food—which is unprocessed, abundantly nutritious, and lovingly prepared—is more authentic, more "real," than most other food. This claim is at once silly and wise. Silly because philosophers have argued about the true nature of "reality" for centuries. Wise because it's an admissible philosophy that the closer something is to its source, the more "real" it is.
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___________________ The Power Of Intuition
by Judith Orloff, M.D.
I'm a psychiatrist and intuitive in Los Angeles. What I do isn't my job.
It's my life's passion. With patients and in workshops, I listen with my
intellect and my intuition, a potent inner wisdom that goes beyond the
literal. I experience it as a flash of insight, a gut feeling, a hunch, a
dream. By blending intuition with orthodox medical knowledge I can offer
my patients and workshop participants the best of both worlds.
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___________________
A Lesson In Forgiveness
by S. J. Connolly-Reisner
Two weeks before my cousin’s wedding I
resigned as her bridesmaid. It was a rash decision. She was overwhelmed
with the stress of planning her wedding. I was overwhelmed with stress at
work. An argument ensued. We did not speak to one another for two years.
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___________________ A Female Soldier Goes to Zen Heaven
by Donald Schnell
I arrived at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 1974, in my 19th year, into
the heart of the 82nd Airborne Division at the John F. Kennedy Center. The
old timers called Fort Bragg “Little Hell.” The 82nd Airborne was the
first to engage the enemy on land to protect America’s freedom. Even in
peacetime, there was always a natural tension of readiness and alertness
among the troops and around the base itself.
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__________________
As Above, So Below
by Alan Seale
My friend Dorothy died on Sunday afternoon after a very long and
challenging illness. When the call came that evening, I heard the news
with such relief. She was finally released from a body that had
presented her with major challenges for most of her 62 years. While sad
that our many years of crazy adventures were really over, I felt such a
lightness in my heart knowing her new-found freedom.
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__________________
It’s A Miracle!
by Nancy Hassett Dahm
Miracles happen every day to ordinary people living ordinary lives. So
why don’t we hear more about these incredible events? Perhaps people
want to keep secret what is most precious and private to them. Or perhaps
there is a fear of being called a zealot, and therefore not to be taken
seriously. Or maybe as a society, we have “outgrown” our sensitivity
to things beyond our understanding and control. Whatever the reasons for
not revealing what would be considered by many to be miracles—we should
reconsider and tell all. Why? We should reveal miracles in order to keep
hope alive, to keep faith alive, and to keep the belief in possibilities
alive.
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_________________ Things Are Not Always What They
Seem
by Sharon A. Warren, M.A.
There is a story that was
originally shared by Malcolm Forbes. It seems that at the turn of the
century, a lady in a faded dress and her husband, in a threadbare suit,
stepped off the train in Boston. They walked to Harvard University to the
president’s office without having an appointment. The secretary thought
they were “riffraff” and had no business at Harvard asking to see the
president. The secretary told them he was busy all day. The woman replied
that they would wait. For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping they
would become discouraged and leave.
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____________________ The Half-Finished Painting
(not just for artists)
by Robert Najemy
There is a spiritual truth which claims that everything which has occurred
and which is occurring at this moment was and is perfect. The future we do
not know. But once the future has become the present, then that too is
perfect.
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____________________
Surrendering To Yourself: You Are
Your Own Soul Mate
by Iris Krasnow
Friends come and go, loved ones die, jobs shift, children leave home. The
only person you can count on to go the distance is you. So, we all must
develop immense soul power and self-love, so that when our worlds come
unraveled, our selves will remain intact and strong. Because when all else
fails, we still have ourselves, and selves that are grounded in truth and
self-acceptance are spiritually indestructible.
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_________________
You
Can Conquer Depression And Bipolar Disorder
by Neal David Sutz, Author Of Kick It With Gusto!
If you had asked me, only
eight months ago, if I thought I would get past the madness my life had
become, I would not have responded with a definitive, “Yes.”
At that time, I was in the grasp of an illness unlike anything I
could have ever imagined.
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|
The
Olson Interviews
More
Articles For The Heart & Soul
The Stages Of Enlightenment: One
Man's Belief
by Bob Olson, OfSpirit.com Editor
Many
people have asked me what I know about the stages of enlightenment. My
first answer is that I know nothing; nobody really knows until we
cross-over. But I will share with you my belief.
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__________________
Meaningful Coincidences: How You
Can Tap Into The Magic Of Synchronicity
by Jill Wellington
While I was a television news reporter for
eighteen years, running down stories about everything from government
scandals to house fires, I had coincidences so remarkable, my co-workers
dubbed it Wellington Luck. I
had it almost every day, and totally relied on it.
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__________________
The Day My Country And My
Life Changed Forever (Wonder And
Wisdom From A Sixteen Year Old)
by
Erin Haggerty (age 16) September 11, 2001.
This day will always bring back a certain feeling that
I have never experienced before. My
day was going like any other school day, lame and pretty boring. As I entered my second block class, I sat down at my desk looking
forward to lunch, which unfortunately wasn’t for another two and a half
hours. My teacher began his lesson,
but was interrupted by an alarming message that popped up on the computer
screen. It was about 9:15 when it
read, “Plane Crashes Into World Trade Center.“
Honestly, I didn’t think much of it at first, because I wasn’t
aware of how badly this was going to affect our country.
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_____________________
My Guiding Light
by Erin Haggerty (15 years old)
Someone who has been a
great influence and guide in my life is my grandmother.
She has been there for me ever since I was put on this Earth and
still is here to this day. She has always been the one to turn to when everything seems
to go wrong. She is the one who keeps me going whenever I feel like there
is no way out or that things can never get better.
One thing that I have noticed about her is that she never gives up.
Whenever something goes wrong, she is the one to look at it as a
challenge that will make you stronger in the end.
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____________________
The Toby Years
by Jan Strnad
Surely one of the most sublime dances of
our species is the one we dance with our pets.
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____________________
Angel On My Shoulder: An
Autobiography
A Childhood Filled with Music
by Natalie Cole and Digby Diehl
Singers are often asked about their musical influences, and for someone
with a famous musician for a father, this question is one of the most
common. But when people ask me if my father sang for me as a child, they
seem disappointed by the truth: He never sang us romantic ballads like
"Mona Lisa."
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____________________
Real Love: Learning To Love Another
Person on Their Own Terms
by Linda Marks, MSM
My friend Tony opened a door in my
conscious mind one evening when hi said, "Linda, you are really a
geisha." At first I was taken aback, not knowing what it meant, and
concerned geisha might have a connotation of powerless subservience. So
asked Tony what he mean and I learned something.
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Article
____________________
Handbook for the Heart: Original
Writings on Love
by Benjamin Shield and Richard Carlson, Ph.D.
(The Power of Loving-Kindness
by Sharon Salzberg)
The power of love or loving-kindness has
been denigrated in our culture. There's a sense that a loving person is
abused, allows tyranny to reign without protest, and isn't strong. It's
almost a sense that love is a weakness. Sometimes there is the idea that
the loving heart makes people kind of smirky and sentimental — that
because of love, they can't look at suffering clearly or at difficult
things within themselves or in the world.
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____________________
How Do We Know When It's God?: A Spiritual
Memoir
THE QUEST
by Dan Wakefield
We and God have business with each other; and in opening ourselves to His
influence our deepest destiny is fulfilled. The universe, as those parts
of it which our personal being constitutes, takes a turn genuinely for the
worse or for the better in proportion as each of us fulfills or evades
God's demands.
—William James, The Varieties of
Religious Experience
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____________________
A
Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Clayborne Carson, (ed.) and Kris Shepard, (ed.)
INTRODUCTION BY ROSA LOUISE PARKS
December 5, 1955, was one of the memorable
and inspiring days of my life. History records this day as the beginning
of the modern Civil Rights Movement that transformed America and
influenced freedom revolutions around the world.
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Article
____________________
September 11: Revising Our Stories
by Tammie Fowles
This month as we celebrate yet another anniversary of the birth of America
as a free and independent nation, I'd like to take just a few moments to
introduce you to another kind of birth, a BirthQuake.
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____________________
Feathers Brush My Heart: True
Stories
by Sinclair Browning (Editor)
I am fifty-five years old. I have had
broken bones, had stitches, given birth, lost my father when I was eleven,
had a home burn to the ground, been divorced, lost close friends, and
buried all of my grandparents as well as my ex-husband.
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____________________
Always
Together In Love
by Mavis Cullen
This is not for the faint of heart.
This is only for those who love deeply and
forever and have such a true belief in what God promised that they know it
can be so.
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____________________
Sometimes
The Landscaper Is Really An Angel
by Mary M. Wellman, Ph.D.
An extraordinary thing has happened two weeks ago , during the Will to
Harmonize week. This is the Divine Will that brings beauty, color, flowers
into our lives. We have new landscapers, and the crew was here for three
days seeding, transplanting, and putting in a new perennial bed. I have
never looked forward to people being on the property. I love my solitude
and peace and quiet. So I resigned myself to this apparent intrusion.
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____________________
Women in World Leadership: An interview
with Sister Jayanti
by Carol Bedrosian
Jayanti Kirplani is the Director of the
Brahma Kuamris World Spiritual Organization, London and is based at their
Global Cooperation House in London, UK. The BKWSO, headquartered in India,
is an international family of individuals from all corners of the world
that seeks to bring out the best in people through offering courses in
meditation, spiritual and moral values. As a non-governmental organization
in consultative status with the United Nations, the BKSWO has coordinated
many international projects aimed at creating a better world for all. All
offerings and events are always presented free of charge to the public. A
New England BKWSO center is located in Brookline, MA.
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___________________
My Own Footprint
by Megan McDonough
Life is not like taking a walk through a forest with an accurate compass.
It's more like walking through a long, high labyrinth. A labyrinth is a
circular path that will, if you just keep walking, bring you to the
center. You may feel disoriented, not know exactly where you are, but
you're not lost.
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____________________
Exiting
Nirvana: A Daughter's Life with Autism
Introductory
by Clara Claiborne Park
How to begin? In bewilderment, I think
—that's the truest way. That's where we began, all those years ago.
That's where everyone begins who has to do with autistic children. And
even now, when my daughter is past forty...
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____________________
Every Woman Has A Story:
Voices, Many Lessons, Many Lives, True Tales
by Daryl Ott Underhill
The Circle of Decades
Cay Randall-May, PhD.
Circles fascinate me. Our lives are full of
them, from a baby's teething ring to the rims of granny's reading glasses.
The circles that have changed me most were formed by people holding hands.
The "circle of decades" at my friend Carol's croning ceremony
will always be in my memory, like a safety ring tied to the side of a
boat. In case of near drowning, I'll toss it out and use it to stay afloat
until the storm subsides.
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____________________
Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey
Beginnings
by Jane Goodall and Phillip Berman
This is a story about a journey, the
journey of one human being through sixty-five years of earth time: my
journey. Traditionally, a story begins at the beginning. But what is the
beginning? Is it the moment when I was born, with all the charming
ugliness of the newborn human baby, in a hospital in London? The first
breath I drew so that I could yell about the pain and indignity of my
forced expulsion from the womb?
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Article
____________________
A Lesson In Communication Discovered In The New
Year
by Bob Olson
I don't know about you, but New Year's
resolutions just make me feel bad. It's like setting myself up for
failure. If I was really disciplined enough to exercise everyday and cut
down on my coffee intake, wouldn't I be doing it already? I've come to the
conclusion that it's the health clubs and diet pill companies that started
this whole resolution thing in the first place. It certainly wasn't the
cigarette and alcohol companies.
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Article
____________________
Visionaries,
Gurus & Seekers-Role Models for a New Era of Enlightenment: Deepak &
Gautama Chopra
by Carol Bedrosian
"Don't they just look like poster boys
for inner peace?" quipped Arielle Ford, publicist for Deepak and
Gautama Chopra, aiming to secure their placement on the cover of Spirit
of Change Magazine for the "Inner Peace" issue.
Click Here To
Read Article On Deepak Chopra and his son, Gautama. ____________________
My Most Important Truths
by Eeta Sachon
After reading hundreds of New Age
and self-help books, going to countless workshops and lectures, and
practicing with my new tools on a regular basis, I've decided to make a
collection of the ideas and tools that have been the most profound for me.
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___________________
The
Seagull and the Fishhook
by
Portia Brockway
My schedule and my partner's don't agree.
So when we do find a window of time when we can spend a whole day
together, we grab it. And so we did one lousy day during the hurricane
season. We had planned on hiking in the woods near Rockport, Massachusetts
but it was raining, and nothing gets me sick faster than wet feet. So we
headed for the semi-shelter of the town's artist community on the tip of a
peninsula at the end of the train line. On the train out we watched the
wind sway the trees. It felt good to get away.
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____________________
The Freedom of
Self-Forgiveness
by Mariah
Burton Nelson
Yesterday my neighbor and good
friend Palma asked if I could meet her ten-year-old daughter Elaine at the bus
stop next week and bring her to my house for thirty minutes while Palma drives
home from somewhere else. I didn’t hear the “somewhere else” part because
my own internal monologue was too loud. “Go to the bus stop? At four in the
afternoon? Baby-sit? What about my work? Why aren’t self-employed people
treated with the same respect...”
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____________________
It’s Time For Men To
Give Oprah Winfrey A Second Look
by Bob Olson
As a man, I can tell you that it’s generally unpopular
among most men to be an Oprah fan. Mention her name among a group of men and you will hear
snide remarks about daytime talk-shows, jokes about their sappy-emotional issues, and
cruel jabs in reference to Oprah’s weight struggles. For most talk-show hosts, such
contempt might be appropriate. But the Oprah of today is not the same Oprah who was the
weekly target of many a joke when television’s sitcom Married With Children
was still on the air. It’s time for men to give Oprah Winfrey a second look.
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____________________
In Memory of Matthew
by Bob Olson
This poem was written by the author
when he was a
teenager. He wrote it for the parents of a five-year-old boy who was killed by a car when he crossed
the street. The mother said it was her saving grace - she read it ten times a
day.
Click Here To Read This Poem.
____________________
A
Case for the Public Display of Affection as Deep Ecology
by Portia Brockway
Ecopsychology, or deep ecology, maps
practical pathways into taking care of ourselves by taking care of the
needs of the Earth. The story below follows one couple's excursions into
natural harmony in the city.
Click Here To Read Article. ____________________
Paradise
Found
by John Austin
Have you ever had that feeling that
you’ve lost something and it seems as though it is right on the edge of
your perception? That you should be able to see it, but you can’t? This
has happened to me with my eyeglasses. One minute I’ll be deeply
engrossed in some activity, and suddenly it will dawn on me that I
haven’t the slightest idea of where my glasses are. I feel a little
bubble of panic rise inside of my throat as I begin the search, only to
eventually realize - “that I’m wearing them!” Now fortunately this
doesn’t happen to me very often, but I have to admit, that it has
happened to me every now and then.
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___________________
Beware (Be Aware)
by M. Dennis Paul, Ph.D.
Two hunters chartered a plane to take them
deep into the forest where they might find great game. Three weeks
later, the pilot returned to retrieve the hunters. Seeing the carcasses of
several great beasts, the pilot informed them that the plane could only
hold three of the animals along with the two men and the pilot. It would
be too dangerous to carry more. They were told they would have to leave
the rest behind.
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____________________
A Father’s Pride
by Bob Olson
When I lost my father in 1997 to lung cancer, I was blessed
with a most unexpected gift. It was a gift that I had not known I wanted, but when I
received it, I immediately realized how important it was to me. It is a simple gift that
any father can give to his son at any time in his life. I hope that any father who reads
this story will be inspired to keep giving this gift as often as possible.
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____________________
Life On The Emotional Streets: The
Feral Human
by Linda Marks
In April, one of my greatest mentors died.
He had been my teacher and friend for seven years. His name was Angelo and
he entered my life as a feral cat. Emancipated, ill and dirty, Angelo
arrived on my doorstep struggling to survive on the streets. In actuality,
he did not arrive at my doorstep at all. My doorstep and all that come
with it was far too scary for an animal worn in the cruel and neglectful
ways of the human world. It took many months of patient attendance for
Angelo to actually "arrive" on my doorstep.
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____________________
Thank You, Ruth Harper, And Goodbye
by Bob Olson
A recent newspaper article featured a story about
a woman who was hit by a car and died. It was a hit-and-run accident that
occurred just up the street from my home. Although we didn’t know the
seventy-five-year-old woman, my wife, Melissa, and I could not help but to feel
deeply disturbed by the news of her death. Let me explain why...
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____________________
Acceptance
by M. Dennis
Paul, Ph.D.
Once the Master was at prayer. The disciples came up to him and requested
he teach them how to pray. He responded, "Two men were once walking
through a field. Suddenly, they saw a huge bull charging at them. They
made for the nearest fence with the bull in hot pursuit. It became very
evident that they would not make the fence in time. One shouted to the
other, ‘We’ve had it!
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___________________
Souls of the Animals
by Linda Marks
I met my first soul mate when I was a baby. His name was
Mittens, and he lived next door. He was a cocker spaniel and he became my first
love and my devoted friend. When I became mobile, every day I would sit on the
steps next door with Mittens, and I was at peace. Old enough for deep feelings,
yet too young for many words, I found comfort, safety and welcome in the
presence of this special being. Mittens provided a haven for me that only later
in life could I realize was probably a lifesaver. He was an emotionally safe
harbor from a dysfunctional family. He offered unconditional love and
acceptance, and made me feel welcome on the earth.
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____________________
How and Why I
Forgave My Molester
by
Mariah Burton Nelson
When I was fourteen, fifteen, and
sixteen, my swimming coach, a husband and father, molested me. He convinced me
we were having "an affair."
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____________________
The
Loss of Leisure in a Culture of Overwork
by
Linda Marks
Having grown up in the 50's and 60's, I got
the message from our culture that as we approached the 21st century, we
could look forward to more leisure time and a better Iifestyle as the
miracle of technology made work easier and shorter. The dull and mundane
aspects of work would be replaced by machines, and the humans who formerly
did the tasks could then be freed up to do more important and meaningful
things with their time both in their personal lives and at work.
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____________________
Is It Wrong To Pray
For Perfection In Our Lives?
by Bob Olson
Is it wrong to pray for
perfection in our lives? I keep asking myself this question and life keeps
handing me the same answer: It’s okay to pray for perfection, but it’s
more empowering to “trust” that there is some Higher Power
orchestrating life; and whether we know it or not, life already IS
perfect.
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____________________
Prayer Empties Me Into Fullness
by M. Dennis Paul, Ph.D.
A monk sat down to pray one evening only to be disturbed by the croaking
of many frogs. Every attempt he made to disregard the noise met with
failure and a growing anger. Finally, he shouted, "Stop all this
noise! I am trying to pray!"
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____________________
Believing It All: What My Children
Taught Me About Trout Fishing, Jelly, Toast, and Life
PEDAL STEEL
by Marc Parent
There's a country station on. The sound is low. Except for an occasional my
heart breaks ...or still miss her...the soft drone of a pedal steel
is all that comes through. I like the sound of it to distract from the
clicking of my fingers against these keys. I'm in a small, renovated room
of an old barn. A fan sits in the far corner, blowing air over a heater to
keep the warmth from crowding against the ceiling. It's the last weekend
of February—one of the warmest on record — and it seems the leaves
coaxed from their buds by this false spring might have to fight to make it
to September.
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To Read Article
____________________
If
Hatred Can Manifest Terror, Then Love Can Manifest Peace
by Dr. Trish Whynot
Let us honor those who have died by making a promise to heal our
own inner wounds. Let
us promise to heal the anger and pain that we harbor within ourselves.
It is only when we can replace our
anger and pain with love for Self and others that we have hope for peace.
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_____________________
Meditation
and the Higher Self: An Interview With Neal Ryder
by Don Ferrari
Don: Neal, thank you for taking the time to talk with us. You
have created The School Of Radiant Healing. Could you please tell us
how this came about?
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To Read Article
___________________
Childhood Sexual Abuse And The
Chakra System
by Lesley Schneider
Much has been discussed and written about the effects of childhood sexual
abuse on the physical body, the emotional self and the psyche. I would
like to approach the effects of abuse on the spiritual self and offer some
techniques to begin healing that part of ourselves, bringing our
experience of, and reaction to life closer to present time.
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____________________ December Solstice: Kindling The
Light Within
by Julianna Souza
December has always been a time of deep introspection and
contemplation for me. Perhaps my connectedness to the cycles of nature
came from my mixed heritage, although I did not have the benefit of wise
elders sharing old stories with me as a child. The magic of the holiday
season always brings great joy—family gatherings, lights, music, and
revelry—plus the realization that another year has come to an end.
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____________________ Characteristics To Help Find The Work Of Your
Dreams
by Gloria Dunn
"Why am I not happy?" "Why
is life a struggle?" "Why doesn't work, work?" We probe our
soul with questions like these, but we will never hear the answers if we
don't take time off in our hectic days to listen. Unless we slow down and
take a deep breath, we cannot hear the subtle responses that come from
within.
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_____________________
Staying
Centered In Peace
by Lisa Hepner
As
a chaplain at a local church I am trained to see the “highest good”
even when things on the outside seem contrary. I am trained to see the
perfect expression of God in all situations. So for example, I have been
taught to see beyond outer manifestations such as disease, and see the
inherent wholeness and perfection in all people.
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____________________ These Uncertain Times
by Thom Rutledge
In no uncertain terms: life is uncertain.
Haven't you noticed? Just when it all seems to be settling in around us,
just when we begin to trust the constancy, the predictability of our day
to day lives, WHAM! Something new, and possibly not so improved puts its
foot on the edge of our boat, and rocks it. And still, so many of us live
with our don't-rock-the-boat philosophy, darting from hiding place to
hiding place in hopes that finally we will be able to avoid the dreaded
nature of life: uncertainty.
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____________________ 7
Lies That Prevent Powerful Results
by Kathy Gate
Everyone
has something in their life that they would like to change. Nobody's life
circumstances and environment are perfect. But what do you tend to tell
yourself about these circumstances? Often it's easy to fix blame on
others. Consider, however, that your feelings are not caused by your
cranky boss, or the construction on the street, or your inconsiderate
friend; but rather your feelings are caused by what you tell
yourself about your circumstances.
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___________________
Completion
by Nancy Wright
Dad died. In a flash. During the few
seconds the nurse left him sitting up in his chair while she went to get
his medication. I had no warning except for a very restless night's sleep
the night before he died. That night I kept seeing him, felt I was in his
room and that I was comforting him with his anxiety. Maybe in my sleep I
helped him prepare for death.
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___________________
Transformation
by Nancy Wright
Dad fell. He slipped on some gravel in a
parking lot while getting out of his car on his way to get a haircut. It
was an hour before a passerby found him lying helpless on the cold ground
that early April morning. "Hey, buddy, can you give me a hand? I cant
get up!" Dad cried. The stranger saw the pain my father was in and
called an ambulance. Dad had broken his shoulder in three places and
suffered a compression fracture in his lower back. He was 81, widowed
after his wife passed away from cancer 15 months earlier.
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___________________ Spirits Of Change
by John Austin
I was walking into work this morning. I was
mulling over the magazine Spirit of Change when, mid-step, I had a
minor epiphany of sorts. I realized that hidden in plain view, right in
the very title of the magazine, was the answer that so many people are
seeking they ask, "What can I do to make the world a better and safer
place?" Become a spirit of change!
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____________________ Memories, Meanings And Lessons For Life
by Eilenn McDargh
Some places just feel like home even if
you’ve never lived there. I can feel calm settle over me as I turn from
the highway and see St. Joseph Convent perched in its solid position above
the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside. Its three-story arms spread across the
hill as if embracing the furrowed farmland below. The manure-covered
fields puff pungent perfume into the April morning air. The dense pine
trees planted by my grandfather are almost as tall as the bell tower. I
don’t remember the pink and white dogwoods that blush next to the
retreat center but then again, I have never been here in spring. An
emergency calls me here now.
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____________________
A Treasury of
Miracles for Women, Angel In The Intersection
by Karen Kingsbury
It was the last day of school and Melba
Stevens was waiting with fresh-baked cookies for her seven-year-old son
Mark to come home. She sat in a chair by the window and thought about the
conversation she'd had with the child that morning.
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____________________
The Face of God
by Margaret George
The face of God? I’ve seen God. She lives
right down the street. I bake zucchini bread for her when her great
grandchildren are coming by and she’s too tired to get up. Her eyes are
incredibly bright blue and, even now, her long eyelashes can flicker like
those of a young girl who wants so much to be in love. Now, don’t get me
wrong. God can get cranky, especially when her arthritis is acting up, but
mostly I can see the love in her eyes even at some of the worst moments.
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____________________
St. Francis Of Assisi And Me
by Lisa Hepner
The tragedy of September 11th and the
current crisis in the Middle East have caused many of us to search for
peace. How do we create world peace?
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___________________
It Only Takes a Spark ... Pass It On!
by Dan Britt
"What you do speaks so loudly that I
cannot hear what you say." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Great inspiring people have influenced people in every area of life
throughout centuries. Henry David Thoreau, the great 19th century
transcendentalist writer, was influenced by the great Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Thoreau was the impetus for Ghandi's and Martin Luther King Jr's civil
disobedience, which ultimately changed the shape of the world for a better
humanity. Socrates taught Plato who taught Aristotle, who collectively
remain the greatest philosophical trio in history. We often stand on the
shoulders of giants. And we can notice connections such as these
throughout history—a lineage—a passing down of wisdom. Such is the
case in the drumming world as well. It only takes a spark. And that spark
can potentially inspire many to enter a new encouraging world, accompanied
by enthusiasm, new hope, and excitement.
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_____________________
Disappearing Act
by Michael Rawls
He sat there in his room at the Franciscan
Care Center, watching television, Wimbledon doubles with those sisters
tromping their opponents. He was wearing his work shirt and pants, gray in
color, with his name embroidered above the pocket. We walked in, greeted
him and sat down to visit. We discussed things that were happening in our
lives, in the lives of people he knew, things going on in his community.
We asked about his health, and learned what he was going through.
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____________________ Blue Road to Atlantis
by Jay Nussbaum
Water is life. When it is
warm, I am warm. When it is cool, I am cool. When it is clear, I am
blessed with the vision of a seagull. When it is cloudy, I am blind. It
passes over me as a salty abluent and cleans me in its shimmering beauty.
It soils me too. It brings me the air that I breathe and the food that I
eat. One day, I will be the food that it brings to feed another. The sound
of water is silence; the sound of silence is the hum of posterity. The
movement of water is stillness; the stillness is the current, the drift
and the everlasting roll. Sound within silence and movement within
stillness. And always, always, respect for the current. The ocean's
current as well as the current that stirs within each of us.
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____________________
Hippo Rage (A speech which brought the house down
in Quebec)
by David Leonhardt
Has anybody here ever been stuck in traffic
for a frustratingly long time? Put up your hand if you have. Oooh! Don’t
you just hate that? And some people don’t mind showing us how much
they hate it. We call it road rage.
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___________________ The Top Ten Things I Learned About
Life From My Garden
by Susan Dunn
1. Weed.
Planting seeds means that at some point you're going to have to remove
some of the plants so that other ones have the chance to grow and thrive.
In the same way, you only have so much space in your life and you need to
get rid of the tolerations so you can have the room and the nutrients and
the self-care to thrive and grow. In the same way that you let the bigger,
stronger plants stay, concentrate on your strengths and let them grow.Click
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___________________
Fire in the Soul: A New Psychology
of Spiritual Optimism
by Joan Borysenko
I had almost finished the
first draft of this chapter late in June 1990 when a tragedy led our
family to ask the age-old question: “Why? If there is any love in this
universe, why do bad things happen?”
Click
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by David Leonhardt a.k.a. The Happy Guy
Just when you think you know it all, some 17-month old child comes along
and teaches you another valuable life lesson.
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___________________ How to Be A Good
Guest
by Susan Dunn
Whether its a holiday or any other time of year, it pays to know how to be
a good guest.
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___________________
My Heart To Yours
by Lyndsey Watson
"Honey, if you die first will you please contact me when you get to
wherever you go next?" About two years ago this question sparked a
lively discussion between me and my late husband, Larkin. Each of us had
our own unique belief system created by our life experiences. We shared
them fully that day and very completely disagreed on the subjects of life
after death and especially of "spirit communication".
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____________________
For Fast Relief, Try Slowing Down
by S. J. Connolly-Reisner
At what point do we allow ourselves to
dissolve into the current of our daily lives? For me, I was 28 when I
realized I had stopped enjoying the simple things. I had allowed myself to
be consumed by anxiety and stress. I was always in a hurry to get
somewhere even when I had nowhere to go. Why? For two years I’ve
been pondering this question.
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___________________
Reclaiming Our Resilient Spirit
by Eileen McDargh
Our spirits are taking a beating. The daily
barrage of bad news, violence, shrinking resources, global warming, and
economic slowdown can put us in a state of frustration and paralysis. Some
days, getting out of bed can be a challenge.
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