A Question of Faith
Have you ever tried to put into words the answer to the question, “What or who is God?”
In every corner of the world, there’s one question that can never be definitively answered, yet stirs up equal parts passion, curiosity, self-reflection and often wild imagination: What is God? Filmmaker Peter Rodger explores this profound, age-old query in the provocative nonfictional DVD Oh My God. Just watching the trailer for the movie started me thinking…
How do you answer the question? What stories would your movie tell? What picture would you paint? And are you willing to share them? If so, please add your stories or images in the comments below…I’d love to be inspired by them.
For more info click here.
Simple Steps to Finding Peace
Today I was reminded of a poem that has hung prominently in every home I’ve ever lived in…”Desiderata”. Reading it reminds me to honor and respect all humankind, my God, Mother Earth and most importantly, myself, and I know I have found peace.
What I love most about this poem, is that at different times in my life, different passages have spoken to me in a way that has brought me great comfort.
When my life was particularly chaotic, I clung to the words, “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste…”, and “in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.”
When I’ve been afraid, I’ve been reminded, “Do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.”
When I question my worthiness, when I wonder out-loud “Am I good enough?”, I simply turn to this print and affirm, “You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.”
When my world fell apart, and my faith was wavering, I read “And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.” and once again I could “be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.”
And I when I most needed to believe that I would be OK, I found hope in the words “With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.”
And slowly, one step at a time, I found peace.
So I share the full poem here with you, in the hope that you, too, will find peace in this writing by Max Ehrmann. And maybe, you’ll print it out and place it somewhere in your space so you can be reminded, as I am, of the awesome power of these words.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
– written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s —
Let’s Get Loud! Make No Excuses!
Go where you wanna go, be what you wanna be, make no excuses and “Let’s Get Loud!”, Jennifer Lopez style. You gotta do it!
A Vow of Independence
As we celebrate Independence Day here in the United States, I find my thoughts once again dwelling on the concepts of freedom and independence. And through a series of connections, I came to this: Debbie Ford’s powerful Vow of Independence.
“When you have emotional independence, you want for nothing because you have everything.” – Debbie Ford
So, as Debbie shares, today is the day to join me and millions of others in taking a vow of emotional independence. Emotional independence will give you the freedom to love and be loved, to give freely and to receive abundantly, to expand rather than contract, to move forward rather than stay stuck, to live in joy rather than misery, to be in control rather than to be controlled, and to be nourished by faith rather than diminished by fear.
I encourage you to take the vow now.
The Vow of Emotional Independence
This vow’s proclamation says I, ______________, will no longer be bound by the slavery of my past.
I will never again give my power away to some food, substance or disempowering craving.
I will stop allowing others to define who I am and I will stand for my highest expression.
I will stop trying to please others and instead please myself.
I will stop listening to the voice of my critical internal mother and father and I will listen to the voice of my most supportive and loving self.
I will break free from the strangulating grip of my self-defeating behaviors and choose powerfully each and every moment to make choices that leave me feeling great about myself and my life.
I take this vow NOW as a positive stand for my soul’s highest expression and for every man, woman, and child on this planet today.
As I set myself free, I am freeing all others from the violence of my darkest thoughts and my negative projections.
And now, as I close my eyes, I ask all the powers that be to support me in living this vow each and every moment of each and every day.
And it shall be.
***
Debbie Ford’s life’s work has been to support others in freeing themselves from the grips of their limited self. And today, as we approach Independence Day in America Ishe is proud to share her film with you that is already freeing people from the bonds of their past and changing the lives of others around the world.
The Shadow Effect guarantees that you take a quantum leap toward emotional freedom. Without this priceless information and without understanding the mechanism of your humanity you will forever stay trapped inside the confines of your limited egoic self.
As she stands for your emotional independence today, she invites you to take this profound step into your light, with love and respect.
***
I am blessed to include Rochelle Schwartz, Master Certified Integrative Coach, from the Ford Institute, among the amazing women who are a part of the Wise Well Women Inner Circle. If you would like to further explore the work of Debbie Ford, as I have, through the guidance of this compassionate woman, please reach out to connect to Rochelle at coachrochelle@rochelleschwartz.com.
To hear the Wise Well Women’s Expert Series Conversation with Rochelle, entitled “You Can Use Your Divorce as a Catalyst for Healing Your Heart” click here.
Can I think my way to financial success? Napolean Hill says YES!
I began the practice of listening to motivational teleclasses and books on tape in my car a few years ago. I’ve been listening to Napolean Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” as I drive the past few days, and the affect it is having is nothing short of amazing!
I read the book (or at least most of it) a couple of years ago. Maybe I wasn’t ready to hear the message, maybe I was distracted…whatever it is, listening to it now, I GET IT!
Affirmations work. Prayer works.
During a difficult time in my personal life I re-discovered the “Serenity Prayer” and I recited it out loud over and over and over, and it kept me sane. Reciting that prayer kept me focused and pulled me forward to living a life I love, full of serenity. Strangers even notice it and comment about my calm, soothing demeanor.
So why wouldn’t I believe, as Napolean Hill did, that I can think my way to financial success?
Simple. My limiting beliefs about money, my “money story” got in the way.
And I know, from past experience, that to make that story and those beliefs go away, I have to replace them with a new one.
The ONLY way to do that, is to tell myself the new story over and over and over again. That affirmation, that prayer, will pull me forward to the financial success I desire.
My affirmation starts like this:
I desire with all my heart and soul to make money…
Will you join me? Share your affirmation with me, too. I’d love to hear it.
