“He who would know the world
seek first
within his being’s depth;
He who would truly
know himself
develop interest in the world.”
Rudolf Steiner
How to Know Higher Worlds
Posts Tagged ‘Self-Development’
To Know Yourself
Friday, August 13th, 2010Acceptance Improves Your Life
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
“But you can significantly reduce the amount of negative judging that you do, and this is a kind of forgiveness that will help to improve the quality of your life dramatically. The first thing to remember about judgments is that they do not alter anything or anyone in the universe. Just because you dislike someone or react negatively toward some behavior does not change the person or the behavior you are judging. I remind you again to keep in mind that when you judge another, you do not define that person, you define yourself. Your judgments only say something about you. They describe your likes and dislikes. They do not define the person being judged. That person is being defined by his or her own thoughts and actions. Once you recognize this, you begin replacing your inclination to judge with acceptance, and this is forgiveness in action.”
“When you accept others, you no longer experience the hurt that goes with judging them. When someone acts in a way you find disagreeable, understand that your hurt, anger, fear, or any strong emotion is how you have chosen to process that person’s behavior. If you are unable or unwilling to notice that emotion and subsequently let go of it, then it is your self that is in need of the attention. That person’s behavior has collided with something unfinished or unacknowledged in your life. Distress at the person’s behavior is your way of avoiding something inside of you. A fine distincion, perhaps, but a very significant one.”
Wayne W. Dyer, You’ll See It When You Believe It, page 276.
Going Home
Monday, July 12th, 2010
“…To do this requires one to have a radical trust in God at work in his life or her life. As we embrace this trust, we find that the very force that shook our world and caused it to collapse around us – the force that we first resisted, then gradually accepted, and now align with – was the force that brought us home to our true Self. We are reminded of the man who said, “I prayed to God when the foundations of my life were being shaken…only to find that it was God that was shaking them!”
“So we begin to trust the ’shakings,’ and we no longer resist the force the crumbles the structure of our life. What we once called a tragedy, we now see as an opportunity for greater freedom, wisdom, and power – not to be feared, but actually welcomed.”
Robert Brumet, Finding Yourself in Transition, Using Life’s Changes for Spiritual Awakening, page 150.
Self-Preservation
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
“To hold joy, we may sometimes have to fight for it, we may have to strengthen ourselves and go full-bore, doing battle in whichever ways deem most shrewd. To prepare for siege, we may have to go without many comforts for the duration. We can go without most things for long periods of time, anything almost, but not our joy, not those handmade red shoes.” page 254
“…It is from a poem by Charles Simic and it is the ultimate instruction to us all: ‘He who cannot howl, will not find the pack.’ If you want to re-summon Wild Women, refuse to be captured. With instincts sharpened for balance-jump anywhere you like, howl at will, take what there is, find out all about it, let your eyes show your feelings, look into everything, see what you can see. Dance in red shoes, but make sure they’re the ones you made by hand. I can promise that you will become one vital women.” page 254
Read the story of The Red Shoes in “Self-preservation” on page 215 of Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.
Becoming Whole
Sunday, May 30th, 2010
“We are whole creatures in potential,
and the true purpose of desire is to unfold
that wholeness, to become what we can be.”
Eric Butterworth
Finding Your Strength
Monday, April 26th, 2010
Dancing on the rooftops in NYC.
“Strength does not come after one climbs the ladder or the mountain, not after one “makes it” -whatever that “it” represents. Strengthening oneself is essential to the process of striving-especially before and during-as well as after. It is my belief that attention to and devotion to the nature of soul represents the quintessential strength.”
“There is much afoot at any given time that can make a shambles of spirit and soul by attempting to destroy intent, or by pressuring one to forget the important questions; Questions such as, not only what are the pragmatics of a situation, but also “where is the soul in this matter?” One proceeds in life, gains ground, reverses injustice, and stands against the winds, through strength of spirit.”
“This strengthening, whether with words, prayer, contemplation of various kinds, or by other means, comes from a numen, a greatness that rests at the center of the psyche and yet is greater than the whole of the psyche. This numen is entirely accessible, must be attended to and nourished. Its existence, regardless of its many appellations, is an incontrovertible psychic fact.”
Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PH.D., Women Who Run With The Wolves, Myths and Stores of the Wild Woman Archetypes, page 478.
Positive Thinking
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010“All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, suffering follows him as a wheel follows the hoof of a beast that draws a cart.” Dhammapada
“Thinking, acting, and speaking in a more positive manner affects the conscious mind by making proper changes to the thought process. This influences the brain on a physical level, allowing it to function more effectively with heightened brain activity. Intuition, creativity, and clarity become stronger. Greater amounts of endorphins, including serotonin, are released by the brain and the brain stem into the blood stream. This will give you a sense of aliveness and contentment. In other words, positive thoughts and words create positive feelings within.” Douglas De Long, Ancient Healing Techniques, page 69 & 70.
“No matter how spiritual you are, there will be times when you are not feeling love. At such times, ask yourself the question “How can I feel love right now?” What you realize as you explore this question is that the only way you can “feel” love is to “think” a loving thought. Loving thoughts lead to the emotional state of feeling love. And out of this positive emotional state actions arise which connect you to others.” Paul Ferrini, Reflections Of The Christ Mind, Present Day Teachings Of Jesus, page 191
Are You Going Through The Turmoil Of Change?
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
Photo taken by Nicole Wolcott.
“When you really think about it, every cycle of change and period of individuation is about self-discovery. It is an opportunity to reflect, to integrate the past to allow ourselves to grow a little more. Of course, if we shut down when changes come, we don’t grow. And life is all about growing; life is about becoming more and more of who we are and creating more and more of who we can become.” page 134
“Letting go of the old and taking hold of the new is an integral part of living a fruitful and fulfilling life. When we hold on instead of letting go, we pay a big price. Mentally, emotionally, and physically we tie ourselves to the past instead of living in the present. Our souls feel stifled and unhappy.” page 135
“Painful experiences of loss offer us special gifts: a deeper understanding of our soul and our purpose in life, the breaking open of our heart, the awakening of compassion, the mobilizing of courage… I have come to believe that many of us learn our greatest lessons of love through experience of loss. We feel the deep hurt of loss when someone dear to us moves on and we are alone and unsure of what to do next. It is at these moments that the tender hand of God may touch us because we are hurting, no longer captive to the habitual rhythms of our life and therefore more receptive to inner experience and divine guidance.” page 156
Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D, Sacred Psychology Of Change, Life As A Voyage Of Transformation
Allow Yourself The Chance To Grow
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010“There are some things wrong with me that lovin’ somebody else won’t fix. When I fix them, I know love will find me.” Phyllis Hyman
“You were happy when you grew through puberty into your adolescent body. However, for some reason, today it is difficult to accept you have outgrown a habit, career, relationship, or even your hometown. You hold on, afraid to let go, trying to make it work, subjecting yourself to physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. ” Iyanla Vanzant, Faith In The Valley, Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace, page 240.
“If life is going to work in your behalf, you must give yourself permission to grow.” Iyanla Vanzant, Faith In The Valley, Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace, page 240.
Isn’t It Time To Feel Good About Yourself? Try Self-Hypnosis To Assist You In Improving Your Self-Esteem and Confidence
Monday, December 7th, 2009“… It is a terrible burden to bear to always question yourself and feel as if no one understands you. Let your self-doubts vanish in the shadows; show your true spirit to everyone you meet. All people must travel through life not as one alone, but as a caravan of people who will each experience their own set of circumstances. Your life is everything that encircles you, and it’s important not to judge yourself critically but to understand yourself, not to restrict your emotions but to express them, not to limit yourself but to search out every new horizon. There are too many people trying to be somebody else. Isn’t it time to be who you are, and isn’t it time to feel good about yourself?” Deanna Beisser, Is It Time to Make a Change? Positive Thoughts for when Life Presents You with a New Direction
Note: The book, Positive Thoughts for when Life Presents You with a New Direction, is very motivating and helpful. I suggest getting a copy of this book and reading the entire piece from above as well as the other poems and writings from Deanna Beisser. I have enjoyed it very much!