Monday, February 25, 2008

Three Simple Steps to Heal Us ... Others and the Earth

While the media coverage of some young Hollywood celebrities’ inability to cope with fame dominates the headlines, there are untold thousands of other young people who are turning to drugs and non-life-enhancing habits to help them withstand the stresses of daily life. The reasons may be different, but the dramatic results are no less tragic.

As mature adults we remain optimistic about the future, but many young adults lack the life experience to look past the next few years, which to them is all there is. Many of them feel totally disconnected from society. They are afraid there might not be a future, so they decide to go for all the gusto – the live-fast-and-die-young syndrome – which serves to numb their senses and shorten their lives.

The statistics on depression, drug addiction and rising crime rates among young people are more than enough to warrant our serious concern. This situation has reached such a magnitude that it seems impossible to come up with anything we could do that would make a difference.

And few if any of us are untouched personally by this national dilemma. Most of us know someone who is dealing with a related problem in their immediate or extended families. The pain for loved ones comes in feeling helpless in these complex situations, and after doing what little we can – or in some cases nothing—we’re left with praying we don’t hear about them on the ten o’clock news.

I believe there is a way that we can profoundly affect this situation. Most people are aware that not only can we change our lives by the power of our thoughts we can also affect the lives of others. We are also historically aware of the power of prayer in helping us become centered within ourselves. I am talking about what the great spiritual teachers have been trying to teach us for a long time: that we are one with the eternal and sublime energy that is within us and everything in the universe. In acknowledging this truth and cooperating with this energy-love-intelligence, we are placed in unity with Life and there is no limit or restriction on what can then be accomplished.

I’m not talking about the traditional religious concept of prayer, where we are at the mercy of a power outside of us that we have to plead with and placate to help us. I’m talking about directed prayer, which acknowledges that we are one with the energy-intelligence-love that we call God, which is within us and everything in the universe.

I also know that love is the greatest gift and power in the universe and love is the true nature of our being. As we focus on directing sincere and heartfelt love from us to others and the Earth, we will discover that in this soul-satisfying and noble path we are also being healed. It could not be otherwise: What we give out comes back to us.

Now is the time to be part of a much-needed r/evolutionary change on Earth. By devoting just a few minutes each day, in the privacy of our own homes or cars while going about our life, we can help to heal current and future generations—as well as each other and the planet.

Simply commit these three statements to memory and repeat them daily, as often as desired:
▪I affirm, accept and expect love and blessings for me, others and all life.
▪I affirm, accept and expect harmony, health, peace, prosperity, wisdom and happiness for all.
▪I affirm, accept and expect harmony, balance and wholeness for the Earth.
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Copyright 2008 by Fern Stewart Welch

The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Growing Through Life ... Instead of Just Going Through It

One of the most wonderful facts of life is that the opportunity to learn and grow never ends. Sometimes when I reread a book that I haven’t looked at in years, I’m surprised that I have gained insights I was never aware of before. I have learned, however, that just because we age chronologically, it doesn’t automatically follow that we gain maturity and wisdom. This requires making a conscious choice.

As we become perceptive enough to set an intention to grow through life, we realize that life on Earth is a school in which we are to learn to become more aware human beings. When we do this, we are consciously choosing to leave behind the role of victim and taking responsibility for our lives.

I thought about this during a recent telephone call from someone who is just starting this journey. He believes that all you have to do to change your life is to think positively. I know this is a much-desired step in the right direction, yet experience has taught me that this is a much more complex situation.

After listening to him, I realized that because of Oprah’s television program on “The Secret,” as well as the bestselling book of the same name, millions are now aware of the possibility of changing our lives by changing our thoughts. I know this is a totally valid concept. I also know that many people may give up when they realize that the positive affirmation aspect is not the only step in this process—it is actually the last step.

I discovered that the first important step has to do with the hidden and powerful messages that have determined our past, as well as our present and will decide our future until we take steps to clear them. The reality is that not only do we stuff a lot of food into our bodies – desirable and undesirable – we also stuff down a lot of feelings and emotions that we ignore and forget about because we don’t know what to do about them.

When we hold onto negative thoughts around not being enough or deserving, as well as thoughts of envy, hatred, poverty or sickness, we give them support and power and they control what manifests in our lives.

Here is why clearing these inner messages is so important: When we decide on something we want and place an “order,” the universe ignores this new lightweight thought and instead delivers to us the result of those more powerful thoughts and feelings that we have held onto for most of our lives.

Another vital and often overlooked step in this process is the realization that we are spiritual beings living in a spiritual universe. Because we are one with this creative energy that is Life, and because how we express this energy has an effect on us, others and the world, we must be certain that what we seek to manifest personally is in alignment with the greater good.

To truly be successful at changing our lives for the better, we need to be aware of all the steps. We need to clear and cleanse invalid thoughts, patterns, beliefs, emotions and memories that block our good. We must hone our desires until they resonate within us as truth at a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. Once we are free of hidden messages that can sabotage us, and are in alignment with our desires on a body-mind-spirit level – which also allows for the good of all – only then do we start using positive affirmations to make our desires a reality.

The number one requirement in changing our lives by changing our thoughts is a true willingness to change ourselves, which is something we resist, and which is the only reason we are here. This means growing through life instead of just going through it. This process requires mental discipline to clear undesirable thoughts, and then to direct our thinking along positive lines to support our desires. It isn’t easy, but when we only hold in our thoughts and our hearts what is for our greatest good—we gain mastery of our lives.
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Copyright 2008 by Fern Stewart Welch

[To learn how to clear and cleanse invalid thoughts and feelings, go to www.FernStewartWelch.com and click on How-to Lists at the top, then click on How to Fulfill Your Potential. To read the author’s article 10 Proven Steps to Fulfill Your Heart’s Desire, click on Articles-News at the top of the page and follow the prompts.]

The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

"Perhaps Love Is Like a Resting Place, a Shelter from the Storm ... "

I watched a documentary recently on the life of the late folk singer-songwriter and musician John Denver. Like millions of others I loved his music. I remember taking my youngest daughter to see him at the height of his popularity, and going to see him years later when he was at a local university speaking about the causes he championed through his Windstar Foundation.

Of all the now-legendary folk classics that Denver wrote and made famous, the one that continues to echo in my heart and mind is “Perhaps Love.” According to the documentary, he wrote the song during the breakup of his first marriage. He recorded it as a duet with Plácido Domingo.

Like many others who have experienced the heights and depths of love, I am fascinated by the ways in which philosophers, poets and songwriters seek to plumb the mysteries of this powerful force.

Perhaps love is like a resting place, a shelter from the storm.
It exists to give you comfort, it’s there to keep you warm.

As I read the words on the Web site, once again the lyrics touched a memory that was connected to the breakup of my first marriage decades ago. My relationship was centered in the other person, and when it ended I experienced the heartbreak that comes from that type of ego-love. That form of love is based on the barter system of getting love rather than giving it, and is the most prevalent form of romantic love today. I knew then that there had to be a more healthful way of loving.

Perhaps love is like a window, perhaps an open door
It invites to come closer; it wants to show you more

I know now that by choosing to remain open and vulnerable to love and to learning its lessons, we can begin to truly love and be loved in a way that will make our hearts sing with the joy of being alive.

Perhaps love is like the ocean, full of conflict, full of pain
Like a fire when it’s cold outside, thunder when it rains.

The process of growing and learning about authentic Love may be filled with lessons that include conflict and pain, but the reward will exceed your dearest dreams. You will begin opening to the Love that has always existed within you. As you become consciously aware of this Love, you will open to truly loving yourself, and the Love will expand to embrace others. This is our true identity and is the antidote to the fear of separation from someone or something, which is the basis of ego-love.

Oh some say love is like a cloud, to some as strong as steel
For some a way of life, for some a way to feel
And some say love is holding on, and some say letting go
And some say love is everything and some say they don’t know

I believe that John Denver knew that we are one with the energy that is within everyone and everything in the universe, which means we are one with Love. I believe this is what we related to in the words and music he brought to the world and what endeared him to our hearts.

And even if you lose yourself and don’t know what to do
The memory of love will bring you through.

He knew that Love is truly the one sure thing in life that will allow us to experience the fullness of happiness – which is our birthright – and sustain us through the trials and tribulations of life. It is our natural state of being and the only real Rocky Mountain High.
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Copyright 2008 by Fern Stewart Welch

Perhaps Love
Words and music by John Denver.
Copyright © 1981 Cherry Lane Music Publishing Company, Inc. (ASCAP) and Dimensional Music Of 1091 (ASCAP)
Worldwide Rights for Dimensional Music Of 1091 Administered by Cherry Lane Music Publishing Company, Inc.
International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved

The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.

Monday, February 4, 2008

What It Will Really Take to Save the Earth

I am seriously bothered by thoughts of what kind of world our children’s grandchildren and great grandchildren will inherit from us. World conditions are already so dire and disheartening that it challenges my imagination to try to think what the current trends, if left unaltered, will bring forth for the Earth and its future inhabitants.

I am saddened by this and reminded of the story of the frog that was placed in a pan of water that was slowly being heated. It was comfortable enough for the frog until a certain point, but by then it was too late. I fear we are becoming as complacent as that frog and have waited too late to take action to save ourselves.

When the image of a pothole in a street near my home comes to mind, I realize it further describes our current dilemma. When a pothole actually bothers us personally, it gets our attention and we want it fixed right away. If we aren’t bothered by it, we don’t allow it to enter our awareness. The reality today is that many of us are so caught up in protecting our own isolated little “worlds” that we don’t take time to care or do anything about anything else.

Actually, the water in the oceans is heating up and conditions are such that this huge “pothole” looms in front of every human being. There is already a serious imbalance in the Earth, and a continuing decline will eventually determine the life or death of our planet and all inhabitants. That is fairly common knowledge and still nothing much changes.

Some of us think technology will save us, or that someone will emerge from the political arena to lead us to the Promised Land. Many of us think that this critical situation will be resolved as soon as the world is ready to act in unity. However, the possibility of the world’s two hundred-plus countries acting in unison to solve this problem is too remote to contemplate.

One of the vital factors needed to bring that about is missing—motivation. Remember the frog in the hot water and the pothole. As it exists now, we are a world of individuals, separate nations and regions all guided by different agendas that focus on survival and intense self-interest.

The indigenous peoples of the world have been telling us for a long time that we have lost contact with our true spiritual nature. This means we have lost our connection with the creative force, energy, intelligence that is within us, nature and everything in the universe. According to their teachings, it is why we don’t honor and care for the Earth and why we don’t love and honor ourselves, others or the gift of life.

Many people talk about the interconnectedness of all life, but until more of us live from that truth, individuals and nations will continue to act in ways that are detrimental to humanity and the Earth.

We can’t afford to wait until some hoped-for time when the billions of people on Earth suddenly wake up and are on the same page. Also, it would probably take some worldwide catastrophe for this to happen, which is our unspoken fear. By then it would either be too late or impossible to mount any form of remedial response.

We already hold the key. There is an energy-intelligence that is within us, everyone and everything in the universe, that has always been there just waiting for us to acknowledge it and connect and cooperate with it. It has nothing to do with the traditional dogma of many organized religions today. Once we make this contact and begin to live from this God-awareness, we will have access to guidance that transcends our limited human personalities and draws on the attributes of our souls. In this way we will learn to act from a right relationship with others and the Earth.

This would mean that our descendents will automatically know their responsibility as caretakers of this planet, as this will be the accepted priority. Greed and self-aggrandizement will no longer be the symbols of our society.

We are facing a critical point in the multi-billion-year history of the Earth, and within that challenge is the opportunity to evolve into the spiritual human beings that we were destined to be. I truly believe this is the generation that was born to help raise the conscious awareness of humanity and save the Earth—and it can be done quietly and peacefully without even leaving home.
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Copyright 2008 by Fern Stewart Welch

[To view the author’s information on how to connect with the energy-intelligence that is within, go to www.FernStewartWelch.com and click on How-to Lists at the top and then select Connect with God.]

The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.