Good and Bad

"Remember that, as I said, the right direction leads not only to peace but to knowledge. When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him. When a man is getting worse he understands his own badness less and less. A moderately bad man knows he is not very good: a thoroughly bad man thinks he is all right. This is common sense, really. You understand sleep when you are awake, not while you are sleeping. You can see mistakes in arithmetic when your mind is working properly: while you are making them you cannot see them. You can understand the nature of drunkenness when you are sober, not when you are drunk. Good people know about both good and evil: bad people do not know about either." - C. S. Lewis

- C. S.  Lewis wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. C. S. Lewis’s most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics in The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.

Grow wiser, not just older

Some people just grow older, without growing wiser. Then there are those who use their years to grow wiser as they grow older. Like this woman, who is blind, but still sees the light.

This 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coiffed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home yesterday. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;

I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this time in my life.”

She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.”

And with a smile, she said: “Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less, & enjoy every moment.

Photograph by Karsten Thormaehlen

A Post from the Past

This was first posted in 2011"

COPING WITH FEAR

Fear is the greatest weapon of control. Just look at history--both your own and the world's--to see that this is true. Fear is a dark force that has nothing to do with your true nature. Your true nature is light. Dark attracts dark. Fear attracts fear. This is the nature of fear.

In spite of the fear being broadcast into the world today, you can align with your higher nature which is light. You can go within yourself to find out what is true for you. You are not compelled to blindly believe everything you hear on the news, from the media, religious, or political leaders. News today is not meant to enlighten, but to enslave with fear. Fear is addictive. When the media or government can "excite" you with fear, they know they have you hooked and you will continue to come back for more and more, giving away more and more of your power to them. Have you noticed how the news plays the same horrifying images for days reliving horrifying events from the past?

NOTICE WHEN FEAR TAKES YOU OVER

• Notice when you are feeling afraid.
• Do your best to identify what it is you are afraid of.
• Ask yourself if you have any control over what you fear (whether it is an earthquake, a war, terrorists, dying, being left alone, not getting something you want).
• Acknowledge to yourself what you have no power over. There is great empowerment in acknowledging what you are powerless over.
• Consciously offer your fear to your higher power.
• Do your best to bring yourself to the here and now.

SUGGESTIONS FOR HELPING YOUR MIND COPE WITH FEAR

Your first lesson asked you to be aware of the questions you ask. Ask yourself the following questions. Spontaneous writing can help you find answers and understand your fear. Having a non-judgmental person to read your writing to is also helpful.

• Is the thing I fear happening right now?

• Do I have any control over the thing I fear?

• What purpose does this fear serve?

•What do I get from having this fear?

• Does the fear have a useful message for me?

• Can I learn something from this fear?

• Where do I experience fear in my body?

• What thoughts are connected with this fear?

• Am I safe right now?

• Do I know for sure this fearful thing will manifest?

• What (who) am I believing in when I believe this fear?

• What (who) am I trusting when I trust this fear?

• Is this fear trustworthy?

• Are my thoughts in the past or present?

• Am I in the present moment?

• What am I afraid would happen if I stopped being afraid?

SUGGESTIONS FOR HELPING YOUR BODY COPE WITH FEAR

Play your favorite music if you like, or just sit silently. Notice where fear is held in your body. Close your eyes and bring your complete attention to this place. This helps the frightened place within you understand that it is not alone. Breathe into the fear. Notice any tension, tightness, or stress in your body. Roll your shoulders. Do this until you feel tension easing from your shoulders.

Let your head move in soft gentle circles. Inhale deep peace as your head rolls back. Exhale a long sigh of tension as your head drops forward. Do this until you feel tension easing from your neck and shoulders.

Consciously breathe deep into your abdomen, letting it expand and fill with air like a balloon. Let breath move into to your solar plexus. Continue inhaling and fill your lungs, letting your chest and heart open and expand. Let this expansion naturally lift and stretch your arms. Continue to inhale until you feel the need to exhale.

Now inhale and let the stretch move through your spine. Let the stretch relax and expand your entire body. Let your body intuitively stretch, move, or even dance in any way that feels good to you. Observe your body without trying to control its movements. Let the natural intelligence of breath move your body. Feel your body responding with love and gratitude for the care you are giving it.

When your movement naturally stops, let yourself sit or stand quietly for awhile, imbibing the wonderful healing energy you have created for yourself. Re-enter the world refreshed and rejuvenated, with your focus upon the Love and Truth in your heart.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COPING WITH FEAR THROUGH AWARENESS

Simply go about your day with awareness. Notice from moment to moment what you are thinking, feeling, and doing. Perform each task completely. Give your complete attention to each task. Do not multitask. Do one thing completely at a time. Perform each task with reverence, as if it were a sacred (not scared) duty, as if you are serving God. Imagine that a host of angels surrounds you, gazing  upon you with unconditional love and acceptance. When you find that you have traveled away, into the past or future, gently bring yourself back to the task at hand. Remind yourself that there is nothing more important than your serenity now in this moment.

AFFIRMATIONS OF TRUTH

The following are not merely positive affirmations: they are affirmations of Truth that you may repeat to help recondition your mind. Media and society are intent upon repeating negative, seemingly authoritative, pronouncements of negativity that only ingrain us more deeply in fear. You must apply yourself diligently if you are to rise above the ignorant world.

Ask God for more light. The more light you have, the better you can see while walking through the dark.

• I am safe.
• Courage flows abundantly into every cell of my body.
• Courage flows endlessly into my heart.
• Courage fills my mind.
• There is enough.
• I am enough.
• The universe provides for me abundantly.
• Grace flows freely to me.
• My cup runneth over! 
• I am open and receptive to the gifts that come to me.
• I am safe.

You might also read this very positive affirming passage from the Bible. You can always substitute the name of your own higher power or change any words to suit yourself. Our school is never about religion; it is about spirituality; and we honor spirituality in all its forms, so please never allow yourself to be offended when I mention different sacred texts and names for God. I can only mention the ones I know, so if I leave something out, you can always let me know!

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

C.S. Lewis Quote

12 September 1960: Living in the Present Moment:
The whole lesson of my life has been that no ‘methods of stimulation’ are of any lasting use. They are indeed like drugs—a stronger dose is needed each time and soon no possible dose is effective. We must not bother about thrills at all. Do the present duty—bear the present pain—enjoy the present pleasure—and leave emotions and ‘experiences’ to look after themselves
The whole lesson of my life has been that no ‘methods of stimulation’ are of any lasting use. They are indeed like drugs—a stronger dose is needed each time and soon no possible dose is effective. We must not bother about thrills at all. Do the present duty—bear the present pain—enjoy the present pleasure—and leave emotions and ‘experiences’ to look after themselves.

Take heed!

"You get for yourself exactly what you wish for others — what you _ really _ wish for others, not what you say you wish. It can be no other way. It is a law of spiritual science. Work with that opening." --Vernon Howard

Hello Classmates, 

I like these words from my last lesson, so I am writing them here. I am on Lesson 105.  (and yes, I know these words have been posted before, but their message is always valuable to me.).

"Wake up, Beloved! Wake up! Come home. Come home to Consciousness. Thoughts come. Thoughts go. Emotions flow. Emotions go. Bodies come. Bodies grow. Bodies go. Wake up! Life is but a dream. Life is but a stream of consciousness. There is only Consciousness. Wake up, Beloved! Be loved."

Love, Kevin