Where And How Do I Begin My Exploration?


July 13, 2003

Some Common Myths That May Become Barriers To Growth

  1. God helps those who help themselves.

  2. Because we live in America, we have rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

  3. If we faithfully obey the teachings of Jesus, we will be "saved."

  4. God speaks to us only through what was written in the Bible.

  5. Finding the right person will make a happy marriage.

  6. Having enough money will resolve most of my problems.

  7. If I eat well, exercise, work hard, invest wisely and surround myself with wonderful friends, my life will be peaceful, happy and filled with joy.

  8. If I model excellent parental skills and attitudes, give my children a wonderful education and surround them with love, they will grow to become successful, loving men and women.

  9. By carefully planning and wise decision making, I can become the master of my destiny.

  10. Temptations are the work of the Devil.

  11. Since God gave me a great body, personality and brains it is okay to trade on these "gifts" while on my road to success. (This has to do with motivation, not behavior)

  12. God has blessed America.

  13. There is a degree of predestination to life. Moses, Jesus and others whom God “called” were given “special assignments” quite different from ours.

  14. "My spouse makes me unhappy, my parents are responsible for my lack of motivation, the economy is to blame for my economic status, the bakery is the cause of my excess weight, experiences of my childhood have contributed to my phobias.  I am not in charge of my life."

  15. God is nowhere I can access. "The silence from Heaven is deafening."


Thoughts Can Become Motivators, Correctives to our Thinking and Provide Inspiration

  1. Every word we speak, attitude we display and act of involvement reveal our inner world. Circumstances do not define us, they reveal us.

  2. Belief in Jesus is not as important as experiencing the reality of what he taught.

  3. Examine yourself. Where are you investing your energy? If you feel drained, where is the location of the siphon?

  4. Focus on what particular, unique guidance you are seeking.

  5. You are one-of-a-kind, a snowflake. Each of us has an incredible, unique blend of emotions, intellect and spirit that is possessed by no one else.  You need not fit into any known pattern to contribute and create.

  6. You may feel empty inside. Your unique talents and abilities will only become known to you when you use them. They become visible energy patterns only through repetitious use.

  7. You cannot fail at reflecting your spiritual inheritance (God's essence).  You can only engage in delay.

  8. Others will not change because you want them to.  You do not have to understand why people do the things that they do.

  9. Do not assume responsibility for someone else's success or happiness. (If your children fail at Algebra that is not your problem) (This has to do with motivation, not behavior)

  10. The potential for a divinely empowered consciousness lies within each of us.

  11. Problems are beautiful.  They cause us to seek answers either in our inner world or our external world. We can choose to develop skills or delay their growth.

  12. Focus on what you have rather than what you want.

  13. To change your life, work on embracing what you dread or what you fear.

  14. Begin learning to live in and with chaos.  This condition will never change.  Chaos means "constant change" -- the only consistent description of creation.

  15. All values must be won by a contest.  Character comes from making the same choice for life-enhancing values again and again.

  16. Guilt is a useless expenditure of spiritual energy.  Your past as brought you to this moment.  Your unfavorable labels are inaccurate and will not serve your growth.  Bless your past with thoughts of sincere gratitude.  They were molding agents.

  17. There are no insignificant tasks. Nothing is beneath you.

  18. Heaven is a decision to perceive with love and compassion, it is not a reward.

  19. The Spiritual path only gives you understanding, not superiority.

  20. There is no one who sees light more clearly than those who have experienced darkness.

  21. Your approval by God is not based on your performance.  God wired you during creation and you do have free will, NOT "My way or the highway."  If it takes ten million years, you will learn what your life in solid form was designed to accomplish.  This is the will of God.

  22. Enlightened masters are only those who recognize the symbolic meaning underlying what is visible to everyone.

  23. Many of us want the power of Love's energy without giving it away.

  24. When you think your problems originate from any part of the external world, you are deceiving yourself.

  25. Rid yourself of using labels to describe who you are, e.g., "I'm big boned, disorganized, shy, learning disabled, unattractive, it’s my red hair, I’m Italian."


Where Can I Start My Exploration?

  1. Examine your expectations of others. Why do you need them?

  2. Consider all problems as opportunities to develop your skill levels.

  3. Think of perfecting your skills while facing life's events as though showing up at a gym for exercise.

  4. View life as a game rather than your very serious drama.

  5. Greet with gratitude all sources which have the power to "hurt" you.

  6. Ignore external elements as having the answers for your life's unresolved conflicts.

  7. Accept insults, disrespect, foul language, labels, and arrogance as moments when others are displaying their self-portraits.  These are wonderful moments for you to display yours.

  8. Learn to embrace and nurture your shadow self.  Do not pretend it is not there.  Accept the immature, unbalanced aspects of your life as gardens you have yet to plow.

  9. Face one thing that terrifies you. When you embrace it, its power will fade.

  10. Our crises are entry points for spiritual growth and development.

CAUTION: Most of us have a tremendous stake in remaining exactly who and what we are. (Years of training, reinforcement, habits, comfort zones, trading on our known strengths and encouragement from others all contribute to our remaining frozen).  It takes great courage to want more from life. It means leaving the carpenter's shop, painting outside the lines, taking night courses, changing fields, saying "yes" to tasks where you have no known skills.  Growth is not a spectator sport; it is not for the timid. Many of us read, study and never take that first step.