Living Consciously June 16, 2009

Dear friends,

You know the quote: I think, therefore I am. You may have heard the New Thought version: I am, therefore I think. I have made up a new one. I think, therefore I suffer! Yes, I am being somewhat facetious but there is a nugget of truth in that statement. I woke up this morning with my mind going full tilt from a dream I had last night. It was about an event we are planning and in the dream everything went wrong. Clearly this is low grade anxiety working itself out while I slept. That is useful but there are spiritual practices that help to keep us on a more stable mental course.

If I meditate every day I find that my ability to stay calm and cheerfully expectant rises. It is a natural ability, not one that meditation gives me, but which uncovers it. Meditation also seems to slow down the thoughts so that I am able to feel the spaces in my mind where I truly exist. This simple practice has been shown to greatly stabilize the nervous system so that our brains are better functioning and our responses quicker. There is a long list of good effects from daily meditation. So why would anyone let go of something so useful?

It is when we become so involved with doing, that we forget about being. We become enchanted with our own creative intelligence and lose the connection to its Source. We fall in love with busi-ness, thinking our value is contained within it. There are lots of reasons but they all add up to thinking too much. The mind does not need chatter to function at its highest level. One or two great thoughts a day might suffice!

Okay, I have given myself the needed pep talk. Thanks for listening.

Peace and Blessings,

Rev Carol Carnes

Living Consciously June 17, 2009

Dear friends,

When something good happens to a friend, we may say we are happy for them but do we ever give thanks for their good? Do we feel gratitude as we might for ourselves? It is an interesting idea. Gratitude is a powerful healing agent. It keeps us out of jealousy, which stems from the feeling that Good is limited, but also reminds us of the swiftness with which things change; how things unfold so creatively and are perfectly suited to the individual. Someone else’s experience is yours too, when you feel grateful. It brings up our faith in a higher intelligence at work within each of us.

Being thankful for all that we deem good is a deep spiritual practice. It keeps us current in our perception. It takes us out of the waiting mode and into the right now feeling of wholeness. This is more than counting our blessings. This is about noticing the fullness of life every day.

Although I am not travelling with my friend to Malawi to build schools, I feel so thankful that he has taken this upon himself and enrolled teenagers and young adults in the experience. I am grateful for those who are wealthy enough to provide tuition to college bound kids who would not otherwise be able to attend. I feel my gratitude activated when I see the lush produce at our local farmer’s market. Growing food is not mine to do, but I benefit from the good they are generating and I am thankful that so many people buy their wares.

Check your thoughts the next time something wonderful happens to another. Is gratitude present? Why not?

Peace and Blessings,

Rev Carol Carnes