Expanding Heart

Trancending Dualities

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:32:00 GMT

Good and evil, is there a line that divides the two? Are they really opposites, or have we, in our attempts to categorize and simplify things, overlooked a deeper truth?

We humans create language, made up of symbols, sounds, and words, in order to connect, communicate, and express. Words can be limiting, as well as liberating. We think words are set, solid; they are not. The emotion attached to a word can change its meaning. Context can change the meaning of a word. We make up new words when the old ones are not adequate to express what we desire to communicate. We sometimes even box ourselves in and cause ourselves to suffer because of our stuck ways of thinking about things, which begins with words. Perhaps we need to expand our vocabulary.

I don't believe everything I read, but I consider what I read. Some writings I need to deeply consider to understand. David R. Hawkins writings require that and more; I also must suspend preconceived notions. I am reading a piece of his called Transcending Duality:The Polarity of the 'Opposites', form his book called I, Reality and Subjectivity. I am going to quote a couple of his sentences because they "blow my mind". Under the heading of "The Paradox of 'Good' versus 'Evil' he writes "To transcend the great classic seeming opposites of good and evil, it is beneficial to appreciate that all seeming opposites are the illusory consequences of collective labeling from an arbitrary point along a scale that includes only one variable, not two." In the same passage, he also writes, "If we examine much of what the world traditionally calls evil, what we discover is not evil, which is an abstraction, epithet, and label; instead, we see behaviors that could be described as primitive, infantile, egotistical, narcissistic, selfish, and ignorant, complicated by the psychological mechanisms of denial, projection, and paranoia in order to justify hatred.'

Wow! That opened some new pathway in my brain, and connected it up to some pretty liberating information already in there. When I read that, what came to mind was a few teachings Jesus shared with his disciples. Teachings that happen to be in my favorite book of the bible, Matthew. Chapters 5-7 are packed with great practical information that can be applied to daily life; living, not just hearing, these truths make us free. If I really grasp that it is not this against that, but steps along the way to becoming more loving, more like Christ, then I will find Jesus' admonition to "Judge not" much easier to practice. Jesus uses the terms 'good' and evil' in this way,"A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." If you want to read the context, it is Matthew 7:15-20. My eyes were opened regarding this passage while listening to a teaching by Neil Douglas-Klotz, an Aramaic scholar. In Aramaic, the words here translated as 'good' and 'evil' actually mean ripe and unripe. Ripe and unripe make much more sense, and fit with what Hawkins is saying about good and evil not being opposites, but a variable along a continuum.

We need a way to rise above our intolerance and ignorance. If we actually lived the simple truths Jesus and other great spiritual teachers have shared, the result could shatter what we have come to think of as reality. I think change begins with the words we think and speak to ourselves and others. What do I want to create with my words? Am I really ready to be responsible for what I emote? I am. And... I intend to keep in mind it's a journey.

Love, Define Please

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:17:00 GMT

Love! To love someone, to be in love or to be love, are these all the same, or are there subtle differences between them? We use the word love to encompass meanings immeasurable.

Perhaps a look at the way the greek language distinguishes between several types of "love"might open up our thinking on this word that we so freely fling about. I will do my best to briefly describe each.

Phileo, best known as brotherly love, is most commonly observered as the love between friends.

Agape, a higher order of love, is the kind that causes us (even if just for a moment) to forget ourselves in order to "serve", help, or assist another. One of my favorite descriptions of this type of love is found in the bible, in I Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love suffers long (is patient), and is kind. Love envies not; it vaunts not itself. Love is not puffed up; it does not behave unseemly. Love seeks not its own; it is not easily provoked. Love thinks no evil (there's another loaded word). Love rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails." This is a description of the love Christians are supposed to work towards. This higher order of love is written of by prophets, poets, philosophers, visionaries, and artists. It is something the noblest part of us aspires to, if we allow ourselves to dream, hope and work for a better self, world, and beyond.

Eros does not need much defining, although it can mean different things to different people. It is usually based on mutual attraction and often has a sensual aspect to it. It seems to be the most widely emphasized type of love, but interestingly enough it wasn't much considered before "Romeo and Juliet's" time. Arranged marriages to strengthen the clan or tribe was more important than romance in the early days of our human his/herstory. Side thought: We need a new word for "history", maybe "ourstory". After all it is not just "his story", it is the shared story of all human beings. Another side thought: The advertising biz has sure milked a one sided view of this type of love for all its worth; sex sells.

Here are a couple more types that I do not have a specific name for, but warrant mention.

Affectionate love implies a comfortable level of familiarity. This could be towards a person or animal, like a family member or pet, and/or towards an object like an old worn out t-shirt, full of holes, that you are just not ready to part with.

Possessive love relates more to desire and/or attachment. From my personal experience I understand this type of "love" to create the most confusion and suffering for us human beings. I almost don't want to call it love because it has so much fear mixed in with it. This love sees the other more as an oject to posess and/or control.
Extremes are the norm in this type of love relationship. The love object is placed upon a pedistal to be "woshipped", "I love you! I love you! I can't live without you." But, at the first sign of human frailty (what a dissappointment that you are human after all) the love object is knocked to the ground and derided. This is the type of "love" that threatens "I love you so much, if you try to leave me, I will kill you." Now, you may understand why I don't really want to call this love. I consider it to be the most unconscious and dangerous kind of human love.

So, what , if any, is the difference between to love someone, to be in love and to be love? The following is from my point of view with regard to what I've studied, experienced and learned. The nuances are probably just a case of semantics. That there are differences in the qualityand/or energy of these "loves" is obvious. Likewise it is obvious, we make choices. Here are some thoughts on the "differences". To love someone could include any of the above; it seems like a more broad, general statment about love. When I think of the phrase To be in love, I think of falling in love, which implies the possible opposite, falling out of love. It also implies, something that happens to us, grows on us, or we become accustomed to, and not so much a conscious decision of will. Maybe these are unconscious choices we make out of habit or fear. Eros, phileo, affectionate love and possessive love seem to exemplify this description. In contrast, To be love, the recognition that we actually are or can be love stands out as very different to me. It's a love that seems higher than we think, or as Deepak Chopra puts it, it may be "higher than we can think", beyond our ability to truly comprehend. That aught keep us humble. It's a love that lifts us to be more than we dared imagine we could be. It's not something we "fall" into, or happens to us when we are not paying attention. No, this love, to be love, I associate with agape, the higher order of love. It's the kind of love Jesus was talking about when he taught "Love God; love your neighbor as yourself". It requires asking love in. It requires making a determined decision to do whatever it takes, no matter how difficult it may seem to let go of all that is an obstacle to love. It requires great courage and patience, and a willingness to let go of all, if that is what is needed. I actually would take off the to be. Love, that's it; that's us. I have no doubt love, the higher order of love, divine love, is who/what we are, our very essence. It's a life choice to acknowledge this, here and now, in the deepest way we are able. To choose love in all, great and small, over and over again, and over and over again changes our character, our countanance to line up with what all the poets, philosophers and prophets tell us we can be. Love is a very broad subject. I have made my choice; I go for the gold, agape. Why settle for less than the best? To me, it's worth the effort to attend to it.

Religion vs Spirituality

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:11:00 GMT

Religion vs spirituality, what is the difference? Where do these experiences intersect? Can each lead us to the other?

Yesterday, I spoke with a loving , devoted man immersed in the Christian tradition. He teaches and shares his love of God through a non-denominational fellowship. Once again, I was reminded of a way in which adhering too closely to religious tradition blinds us, imprisons us through a very subtle form of fear.

There seems to be an almost superstitious belief (fear) that the believer will be corrupted just by the mere exposure to doctrines of other traditions. This contradicts a basic principle of spiritual life that I believe Christ himself taught, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free". This knowing is an experiential knowing. It is when I live a truth and I see that it creates in me more of the love the Christ spoke of, I become free. Then the "word" has been proved in me. This truth is now a living part of who I understand "myself" to be. When I study other materials, whether sacred or not, this truth recognizes itself where ever it is found.

There are many ways to express truth. Truth is actually beyond the words, but words happen to be the main tool we humans use to express ourselves. I feel for those who are constrained by superstitious belief that does not allow them to explore other traditions. Other sacred traditions offer eye and mind-opening wisdom from different perspectives.

For example, the Buddhist tradition offers tremendous understanding (wisdom) regarding the emotions and our mental constructs, and how to deal with them in order to become a more loving person. I have been given tools from these traditions to help me overcome some of the largest obstacles to love, that I find within myself. Tools like how to work with self in order to not be triggered by negative emotions, and how to stop the negative downward spiral of emotions such as anger, depression, anxiety, hate, to mention a few. These specifics are dealt with especially in the teachings of the Buddhist nun, Pema Choldren. "Getting Unstuck" and "Not Biting the Hook" are two series of teachings that have been very helpful to me. I have had, and still am dealing with the remains of serious emotional problems, that have been my "side kick" since shortly after my birth.

I have also learned a great deal from the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. "Living Buddha, Living Christ" is one of my favorite of his teachings; it shows the places where Christianity and Buddhism intersect. Keep in mind just as Christ was not a Christian, Buddha was not a Buddhist . Both men did not want to be worshiped. They were directing people's hearts and minds to God. They were both showing us a way to become closer to "God", to transcend our "human" instincts, to live love (the divine kind), and to stop creating suffering for ourselves and others. Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us to stick to our own birth tradition, and bring to it what is learned from other traditions and in so doing, honor all traditions. That fits in with two of Christ's admonitions, "Judge not" and "Love God, love your neighbor as yourself".

I think superstition (fear) and intolerance are two of the main causes of the violence and suffering in our world. Where better to start healing this than in the religious traditions of the world.

Perfect love casts out fear. That's true, no matter what the context. God is love. Again, true! So, if a "word" makes the love I can be shrink, or the fear in me grow, I have to question the truth of that "word". I have studied the whole scope of the bible, but it is the words of Christ that I endeavor most to live by. I keep in mind Christ was not a Christian; he was a Jew. He knew the "Law" , the doctrine of the religion of his upbringing, but he spoke to a deeper meaning. Christ was the most enlightened being we know of in that time, in that region of the world. Those that came after him recorded his teachings, and the doctrine and the "doings" of the first century Christian church. I am certain they did their best to accurately record what they were inspired to record for that day and time. To be afraid to question and/or discuss these teachings, and compare them to the teachings of other traditions seems very short sighted and superstitious to me. Christ was not afraid to question practices that did not line up with his experience of truth and love.

I love Christ, being born into a Christian tradition myself, and coming to know and love God through Christ. I was born a Catholic. The church I was raised in emphasized the sacred heart of Jesus Christ and the suffering he endured for me (I gave my heart to Christ). I was raised Catholic until the age of 15, when I decided to leave the church because I was confused by the hypocrisy I thought I saw. That did not stop me from seeking to know God; I loved God more than anything else. My desire to know "God" is the only thing that has seen me through thus far. I have studied psychology, spirituality, religious traditions, cultures, self-help and success principle literature in an attempt to glean the "truth that sets us free". Seven years I studied with a biblical research, teaching and fellowship ministry, known to most Christian fundamentalist groups as a cult, the Way International. One thing for sure, the folks I studied with knew how to study the bible. So, the Catholic church and the Way, the two organizations that had the most profound effect on assisting me to deeply connect with God, are both considered cults. I'm glad I know enough "not to throw the baby (truth) out with the bath water (religious dogma)". My foundation is Christ, but that does not stop me from embracing the Buddhist teachings I am learning especially from Pema Choldren. She deals primarily with healing the emotions and healing ways of thinking that create suffering. Expanding my understanding of truth and love by studying other traditions does not hurt my love of, or my walk with Christ, my brother, friend and saving grace of my life. "God" remains my first love. The mind can not fully comprehend the things of "God"; it can only seek to know, and create an environment where the heart can open fully, more and more, to "God".

Dissolving the Unseen Roots of Suffering

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:03:00 GMT

How do I dissolve the unseen/unconscious roots of suffering? I think I need to start with the self. "Physician, heal thyself." Every experience, if I view it as such, is an opportunity to learn more, to love more. Recently, I found a weird, tricolor, raised mole, behind my knee, which when biopsied turned out to be a form of superficial spreading melanoma, malignant, cancer. In some ways it still seems as if in a dream to me, but that is how most of life strikes me. I am receiving the best of care at M.D.Anderson. Surgery is scheduled for next week. It was the thought of cancer and how it can work on the inside so sneakily that got me thinking about thoughts and emotional attitudes that can do the same thing. Unforgiveness comes to mind. It's easy to say the words "I forgive", but to have it integrated deep on the inside is quite another thing. I pray, give thanks, for the strength and courage to forgive. I do think most of our "prayers" are meant to be prayers of thanksgiving. Some of us humans hold onto resentments for a life time without them ever becoming conscious. On the other hand, some of us humans hold onto resentments quite consciously. Sometimes the evidence of our resentments is right before our eyes, but we are unable to see it because of our own denial. Cancer got me thinking about what might be festering inside of me, that I am not fully aware of.

I began to pray and give thanks for "God" to open my eyes, and for every last speck of bitterness, resentment, hatred, rage, to be rooted out from within my consciousness. (I have been on the road to emotional recovery since 1976). I think it's the negative emotional attitudes, the darker side of our souls, which create the most suffering for us and others. Maybe it's because we can not hold onto our "negative" emotions and, at the same time, keep our connection open to "God", the divine, all life (including our deepest selves). So, our spiritual connection erodes, and in my opinion, that is our true life's "blood", the spiritual, the unseen, the divine.

As I prayed and gave thanks, this morning, for "God" to open my eyes, and for every last speck of bitterness, resentment, hatred, rage, to be rooted out from within my consciousness, I also heard myself pray for every last bit of hurt to be rooted out. Then I heard a very quite thought say, "But hurt is my friend". What? Am I attached to "my hurt", and how, why? I had an image of me sitting under an overpass to a highway (There was one not to far from the house where I grew up). I was sitting, in the dark, tightly hugging my knees, crying. I did spend probably a disproportionate amount of time curled up in a ball crying when I was growing up and even into my adult years.

In my 20s, I realized how miserable I was making myself, and made a commitment to change, no matter what it required. I still found myself doing the things I hated, and feeling the feelings I did not want to feel. What a contradiction; all I really wanted was to live the love I learned about from the words of Christ. I felt safer outside my home than in it. Outside of my home environment, I was learning how to live love, but it was much more difficult in family & intimate relationships because I kept drawing to myself that which I expected and was comfortable with, feeling hurt and alone. My difficulties have always been in relation to those closest to me. Being raised in a household with alcohol abuse, emotional illness, the stigma of both (which was far greater in the 60s than it is today), and clan mentality did not teach me much about effective communication and how to deal with volatile emotions. Quite the contrary, it taught me how to sabotage getting my needs met in an intimate relationship. I had a great deal of practice, and became very good at sabotaging myself (Married 4 times-This last one is successful; we are both putting our energy into becoming more conscious human beings). It probably didn't help that I was allowed as early as age two, when taking a temper tantrum, to bang my head on the floor, screaming and kicking until I was exhausted. The two problem solving options utilized the most, that I remember when I was growing up, were screaming (loud, explosive, emotionally charged screaming) and silence (deadly serious, scary, suffocating silence).

So what am I holding onto? What have I not forgiven? I do my best to not take offense, not hold grudges, to forgive and love all, including myself. I don't think there is anyone or anything I can not forgive. Forgiveness is quite different than condoning. I don't have to agree with or like what someone else does to forgive them. My experience is I am flawed no matter how hard I try not to be.  I can dedicate this life to serving "God" or the greater good, but I am still a mistake making human. From my point of view, "God" loves everyone, all, the same, as is, flaws and all. How can I possibly hold something against another, when I know how screwed up I am and have been?

I love "God", that magnificent presence. My strongest relationship is with "God". I know, in the deepest part of my being, that "God", Light, Love, the Universe, the Divine (what ever feeble attempt at naming it we want to call) is always present, always ready to assist, heal, help, lift us (words are so inadequate to describe the presence of "God"-for lack of a better word). All we need to do is reach, open, let go, awaken to what is (so many ways to try and say it, but again, words can't do the experience justice). All the great sacred texts teach us that love is the answer, that love is the bottom line.

It seems odd, but I get it. I can understand how hurt/pain came to be my friend. It was something I could count on experiencing. Unbeknown to me at the time, my very thoughts were probably setting me up for repeating more of the same. It was all unconscious. I have found prayerful intention is what brings these unconscious patterns to consciousness, where I can begin to deal with them and heal. Now that I know I actually have an attachment to "hurt", I can be aware of its manifestation and I can and will let it go, say goodbye to it. That was a helpful emotional insight. It may have been my companion in the past; it may have even helped me survive some difficult times in this life, but it doesn't work anymore. Good bye old friend!

Self-discipline

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:08:00 GMT

To love and respect self and others, even in the face of unkindness, disrespect or cruelty is the highest form of self-discipline. Yes, that is my opinion and my experience. It is the most difficult thing I have ever tried to accomplish in my life. The most difficult aspect of this for me is to realize in the moment, when another is projecting some form of negative energy in my direction (I have been particularly sensitive to judgment), that it is actually something they are struggling with. They own it, not me, unless I react. Then I bring my "baggage" into play. The addition of my unresolved emotional issues adds more confusion and fuel to the fire. When I feel I am resisting, I know I have taken it on.

It's a journey. I've been aware of that for some time. Changing ingrained patterns of thought and action do not usually come with the snap of a finger, that is why tenacity is such an important quality to develop. Catching myself when I am thinking negative thoughts and looking within, to center and balance (come back to love), has been a valuable technique for me. Another helpful technique is what I call the mirror. It is utilizing feedback from others for self-reflection. If something about another angers me, I ask myself if there is any of this same quality in me that I am choosing to deny, ignore or avoid addressing? Sometimes it is a reflection of how I am treating myself. Sometimes it may be an area where I need to develop more confidence in myself and my connection to the source of all life, "God", who "speaks" to me from within. "Speaks" is a loosely defined meaning in this context. It can be a knowing, an intuition, not necessarily words. Sometimes it is a wake up call the I need to establish some "boundaries". "Boundaries to me is a soft word; it is not walls or fences. At this time in my life, it means learning to walk away from situation where loved ones have no intention of ridding themselves of the hatred or fear that they grip and grips them. And then, I keep praying.

"Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." One sentence I intend to learn the meaning of and spend my life living. Included in that "neighbor" is all beings, including enemies. "God" causes the sun to shine on the ripe and unripe alike, on the just and the unjust alike.

Okay, many words that show love can be substituted for love and still maintain the integrity of the concept (truth). Respect thy neighbor as thyself. Forgive thy neighbor as thyself. Yesterday, I learned to continue treating another with respect, when they are acting in ways that seem disrespectful to me is respecting myself. These words simply can not do justice to the benefits of the practice. I must treat ALL LIFE with respect if I am to learn to love myself. And what of "God"? "God"is in every cell of all of it, all that is and all that isn't. Can you wrap your mind around that?

Conflict Resolution #1

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:24:00 GMT

Conflict Resolution Question #1: What does it take for two unique, intelligent human beings (or two religions, or two countries, etc.) to agreeably disagree?

Why, oh why, must it be so difficult? How did we get so rigid? Is there room for only one opinion in a marriage, a community, a nation, or a world? God, I pray it is not so.

I'm going to get personal here. If I do my best to say what I mean and mean what I say, then my communication will be as clear as it can be at any given moment in time. This seems simple to me, so why isn't it?

A dear friend and I have spent countless hours in frustrating discourse because we have not yet learned to agreeably disagree. If my friend is presenting her point of view about a situation, and passionately expressing her opinions about it, chances are I will not agree because we see the "world" so differently. If I say "Uh huh. I don't really agree with that.", I mean "I have a different way of looking at it, I think there could be more to the situation than what meets the eye (more than what's on the surface)". What does my dear friend hear me say? "You're wrong!" I don't think I'm saying she's wrong. I'm saying her opinion is valid from her point of view, her filter (which is a culmination of how she has interpreted all her life experiences up until this point), and that there are many, many other points of view. I'm saying, "Can you expand your view for love's sake?" Maybe not. When my friend says to me "I don't agree with that." she means I am wrong , and she will tenaciously prove she's right.  I do not have to be "right", in my mind there's room for other opinions and points of view. How do I navigate this? Does she hear me saying she's wrong for not considering other points of view, including mine. I don't think she's "wrong"; my opinion is she causes suffering for herself because she insists on pushing her point of view as the only valid point of view. I think we all suffer when we close ourselves, when we contract out of fear, or a need to protect. The Buddhist's say attachment and aversion are the two main roots of suffering in this world. WOW! It's simple to write or say, it requires being awake in the moment to spot, embrace, and heal.

Let me recap. I say "I disagree"; I mean "I disagree". She says "I disagree"; she means "You're wrong". She hears me say "I disagree"; she thinks I mean "You're wrong". Huh? Is this projection? Does she think I mean something other than what I am saying because when she says something she actually means something else? Looks like alot of energy spent, and for what gain? I love my friend. I feel like we are miles apart when she's busy trying to "prove" something. What causes people to place being right above all else? I think it must be the most difficult ego addiction to let go of; being "right" must produce a tremendous amount of juice. I don't like being around her when she's acting like that; it seems like an energy drain to me. How can I love us both in that situation? Is it possible to negotiate getting our needs met in that situation? What are our needs in that situation? What do I need? Bottom line, I need to be honored, respected, accepted which includes valuing my point of view, what I contribute by way of my being. What if my friend needs the same thing? If my friend thinks my disagreeing with her is disrespecting or not valuing her, how will we ever resolve this? This struggle is just a one on one conflict resolution; what happens when we expand our field of vision to include the whole planet (not to mention what lies beyond even that)?

If we think about the BIG, nationwide or worldwide problems, like intolerance in its many forms, we see the obvious devastating effects of this RIGHT/WRONG mentality everywhere.  The black/white, wrong/ right sets the stage for war, all kinds of war, both blatant, and insidious and subtle. All that warring we see "outside", is also going on inside of us. I believe the healing begins in every individual that makes a choice to change, to train ourselves in the way of love. From there, I think it grows and grows and gathers momentum. I do think political and social action are necessary to create change. But let's not forget the power of one. If I can change, then I can have hope based on experience (on a molecular level) that what I see "out there" can change too.

Marriage: Who Knew It Would Be So Hard?

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:40:00 GMT

I pray & meditate. When I struggle over a situation, exchange or relationship, I give thanks for the strength, insight and courage to learn, heal, and grow. I also pray that if anyone is going through similar turmoil that they likewise be strengthened and guided, if it is the will of those involved. I somehow know that nothing trumps our free will. We can destroy ourselves if we want to. I've come pretty close a few times. I know in the deepest part of me that this destructive urge is my ego's distorted will, not "Love's" will for my life (please feel free to substitute whatever name you want to call that power beyond description that most of us call "God"). I was praying for healing in my marriage. I pray that we could truly see the painful feelings triggered by our love as opportunities for growth, that through investigation and exploration will take us on an inward journey.
If a person has any unresolved issues (usually having to do with trust), then to love is painful. How come no one tells us that? Praying for my own marriage got me thinking about how wide spread the suffering from miscommunication in marriages and relationships in general must be. One look at the divorce rate in our country, U.S.A., makes it painfully obvious we aught to be training all our young people (and old people & everything in between too) and equipping them with the skills necessary to recognize and deal constructively with emotions, and to negotiate conflict of needs, again constructively.

Why have we been trained to sweep emotions under the rug? I do have a theory (what a surprise). What were the consequences of expressing too much emotion earlier in the century? What comes to mind are white straight jackets, mental institutions and frontal lobotomies. That's pretty scary and a good reason to fear expressing emotions. We never learned constructive ways to deal with our "feelings". Now, it seems we are swinging to the other extreme. People express emotions in violent, dangerous, anti-social ways with total disregard of those effected by the acting out. We need balance.

How critical to personal freedom, happiness and world peace are relationship and communication skills? When are these important skills going to be included in school curriculum in an integrated way? Why are we still training students to be factory workers (with a worker bee curriculum) when the factories are disappearing like dinosaurs? We need to teach interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, skills needed for healthy, productive communications and relationships, don't you think?

So many of our institutions need revamping. It does sort of seem like too overwhelming a task, but again, the good news is we are only responsible for our part. What is my heart telling me I need to do? One heart, one mind, one soul at a time, we can change the world.

Non-Violent Communication

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:52:00 GMT

How? It seems to me, if there is a formula for "non-violent" communication, it is this...

Know the difference between feelings and thoughts. The differences can be subtle. Learning the difference seems to be a skill as well as an art.
Take full responsibility for both. This has helped me to understand how my thoughts actually create and feed certain emotions...probably all of them.
Formula in a sentence (fill in the blanks)... "I feel _____ because I am thinking______.", or "When I think thoughts like__________, I feel ___________.

The key is to be responsible for the whole mess. If someone tells me I'm a no good blankety-blank, to react or not to react, that is my decision. My response, if I choose to have one, is totally up to me. I do not have to think "How could they say such a thing?". In which, case, I might feel hurt or angry. I could just as easily think "Humm...they called me a name, and it's not what I usually go by".

Two excellent books covering this very topic are Victor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" and Marshall Rosenberg's "Non-Violent Communication: A Language of Love". Marshall Rosenberg is affiliated with a group that does work around the world regarding non-violent communication. I think he founded it. Don't quote me. Look for yourself. His website is www.cnvc.org . There is quite a bit of free helpful information on the site.

Okay, what triggered these thoughts was a wretched therapy session. I was a mess, frightened, feeling desperate, and terribly sad. Ah yes, dealing with one of my most miserable of attachments.

I'm going to digress momentarily. I have worked with, and served thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people. I love people. My computer (mind) has gathered vast quantities of information about people. I am one who looks inward. I have gathered a vast amount of information about myself; I am a people (contrary to what some may think). I love "God" with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. I have access to a vast quantity of information through intuition. All that to say, I "see" things, or do I "feel" them? It's loses something in trying to define it. It's sort of a knowing.

Back to the therapy. I was very upset when I left the therapy session, and was wrestling with awful feelings I didn't want to feel. But I know I have to face them head on if I am to learn the treasure they offer. When I got home, I sat quietly outside and made room to experience, listen and do my best to understand what was going on with me.

I have been a thinker my whole life. It has served me well in many areas of my life. My "Aha!" was "I can see the energy and not think anything about it." It is both the analyzing and the trying to express what I "see" or "know" (intuit) that causes my soul to suffer. Why think anything? Why not just experience and leave it at that? That may seem too simple or common sense to you, but to me, it's a new and very freeing thought. Now, can I really do it? I certainly can decide to move in that direction, and give thanks to the "Universe", the Divine, God for continuing to guide me in the way of love and wisdom. Observe instead of anaylyzing, sounds peaceful.

The Power of Thinking

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:14:00 GMT

My question is "Why do we continue to behave in ways that only bring us more of what we don't want? Why is it easier to be miserable, than to take a quick painful look at what it is, inside, that we are running, hiding, numbing out from? Why are we so afraid of our emotions?" I have no answers, only more and more questions. Sometimes I think we are afraid of opening up to the power that is in and around us...God, if you will. I think we have far more to fear from our own egos than from the power of that created all that is, was, and ever will be. What would happen if all living things stopped fearing and started trusting in the power that created us? What kind of world would that be? It can only be done one heart, one soul, one mind at a time. I'm in. I want a better world. How about you?

I listened to two teachings today. One was from the "Original Prayer" by Neil Douglas-Klotz, an Aramaic scholar among other things, and one called "The Power of Intention" by Dr. Wayne Dyer. The later opened with the saying, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change".The gist is what we focus on and mull over, we will draw into our life, or create in our life.
The teaching by Neil Douglas-Klotz is deep. I'm going to listen to it many times I'm sure.(It can be purchased at www.soundstrue.com ) Actually, I would like to memorize it. It gives a much expanded understanding of the prayer the "Our Father", the well known Christian prayer. In a word, it's about opening fully to God (Allaha, as Jesus would have called God in his native Aramaic tongue) and bringing this awareness into our every breath and everyday lives. We are not separate from God, ever. We are of God, in God, with God. God is the air we breath. If Jesus said "The things I do , shall you do and greater too.", then it behooves us to make an effort to understand the deeper things of God, and be LOVE. What do you think?

Encouraging a Healthy Response: Curiousity

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:16:00 GMT

Emotional healing, it can't come soon enough. Some wounds seem to take so long to heal. The deeper the hurt, the strength of the protective defense mechanisms, the longer the defense mechanisms have been in place, all these seem to be factors in how long it takes to heal from those early childhood wounds. Half the time, we can't remember; the other half, we don't want to remember. Why do we get so attached to things that don't work? After 13 or 14 years of therapy, plus 30 years of studying and soul searching, and I am closer than ever before to finding that place of inner peace and balance. The removal/remediation of defense mechanisms has been costly and time consuming, but what else would I be doing? The process, removing the layers of defenses, is a bit painful, but there is really no way around it. I don't really think there are short cuts; I think that is the reason it's not a well traveled a road. For me, however, there is no other road I would rather be on. Today, in therapy, I came ever closer to comprehending the point/moment when observation transmutes into moralistic judgment. Or said another way, the experience moves from an awareness of energy into an emotional reaction of "this doesn't feel good"(analyzing/interpretation). My beloved therapist refers to this "taking it on" or "getting hooked". If I "feel" hurt, I can pretty well guess I've taken it on (choosen to be offended).

The energy I sense is real. Energy has both negative and positive charges. People do project energy to all varying degrees. How do I stay in the observation mode and keep myself from "judging"/evaluating? Ahhh.... develop curiosity. Also, I need to constantly remind myself I am responsible for my choices, others are equally responsible for theirs (even if they don't know it or want to know it). I am truly only responsible for working with myself. It's a healthy kind of selfishness. It's the way to be a better me. In an exchange with someone I care deeply about, I found myself starting to feel hurt. I chose to become curios about just what they were trying to communicate with me. For a while, I did well; I began to see the other more clearly. Then the hurt returned; I took a few moments alone and asked myself the same question. I'm curious about why I am choosing to feel hurt? I had to ask myself a couple of times and remain with the feeling, then the tears and a few old memories came. I cried. I was thankful to be able to let a little more of that pain go, and realize it couldn't have been any different, and no one was at fault. And so, that wound buried so deep inside healed a bit more.

It's a great question because it's safe; there's no moralistic right/wrong about it. And what ever the response, it's okay. I'm curious about why I am choosing to _________. It is, for me, a gentle probing, with the intent of healing.

The Power of Words & Rewriting Them

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:11:00 GMT

You can find this and other free downloads on www.expandingheart.com. This old folk song used to be called "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?". I loved the tune, but when I sang the words, they no longer ran true in light of the wisdom that is now available to be known. So, as is my way, I did a rewrite. I love words and crafting of words. It's very much like creating a visual image, only it's with sounds & words. Click here for the song. Click here for words & chords. I call it "The Circle Can Not Be Broken". I feel it in "my bones"; I'm quite certain all is one. It's only in our minds that we think we are separate. Peace. The inspiration for this came after listening to the teachings of Neil Douglas-Klotz and Dr. Wayne Dyer.

Expanding Heart: Self, Family, Community (now includes the whole world), the Universe and Beyond

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:12:00 GMT

How can we change the world? Can change be forced? It seems like we approach change all to often in that manner. It may seem to work for the short term in some situations, but I think it is an illusion. I think the repercussions of force, as a means of change, are not always observable immediately. I can not force you to change. Creating a situation where someone will do something they do not want to do under duress, is not the same thing as change. Real change, in my opinion, begins deep down in the heart of a person. The most powerful motivator/energizer of change is the passionate, deep desire to add to the love and healing in the world. It is a heart of service, not selfishness that activates in us our greatest strengths.

Our knowledge of what's going on in the world has expanded. From that vantage point, does our world seemed screwed up? Yes. Does it often feel overwhelming? Yes. Does it feel out of control? Oh yeah. What do I have control over? What is my responsibility? Can I begin to honestly recognize the cause & symptoms of "evil"/darkness are not only "out there", but they are also in me? Can I muster the courage to change those things I am responsible for? Can I change my attitudes? Can I change my actions? Can I love the intolerance, greed, lust, hate, and unforgiveness out of me?

How can I hope to help others unless I am also doing the work to heal the dark, sorrow-filled places in myself? This past week I read, "People of the Lie" by Scott Peck. It is an old book, but it has great insight into the nature of what he chooses to label"evil". If you are interested in growing in consciousness and love, I think it's a worthwhile read. In the book, he talks about the biblical admonition "Judge not lest ye not be judged" and added that often people take it out of context.  The context tells me to work on getting the obstruction out of my own eye so I can see clearly, before I try to remove one from someone else's eye. It makes sense.  Judgments are to be made with great caution and only after much self-purification. "Physician heal thyself." I don't know where that saying came from, but I do understand it's meaning. I do not think it means that I can not help another until I am totally healed. If we had to wait until we were all pure, there wouldn't be much helping going on. On the contrary, I think my attempts to help others (even if slightly misguided at times) has had positive results. A beautiful side effect of lovingly helping others is ,as I give, I grow in love. I think that is how we heal; love more. I think love is the whole answer; it is an answer with an infinite number of solutions.

Getting back to the title of expanding heart; there are many levels to that expansion, self, family, global community, universe and beyond.  Sometimes, it seems way too big and complex for my mind to wrap around. So, I break it down to the smallest component; that's me. When I want to react, panic, fear, be offended, hate, seek revenge, give up, or abandon hope, in that instant, I must remind myself, it is my choice.  I will train myself. Love, not hate. Bless, not curse.

The largeness of the situation, the "overwhelm" is like a giant smoke screen that confuses us so we don't deal with the only place we have the power to create true change, in ourselves. Whatever area of life I want to change, I bring to mind how simple it can be; expanding heart, on all levels, begins with the decision of a single soul to LOVE.

A Tongue on the Loose: Words Can Get Us in a Mess

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:01:00 GMT

Have you ever caught yourself saying "always" or "never" and know it's exaggeration. I know I have, more times than I would like to admit. I was talking to a friend about absolutes and dualities like always, never, good, bad, wrong, right, black, white, and other words that seem to have a quality that feels a bit like a brick wall, or an obstacle. Take the word "can't" for example. No! Don't take it! Get rid of it as quick as you can, and wrap it up good before you throw it away, so no one will find it. Some words aught to be removed from the dictionary, like "can't". What good are these words? I wonder how many people don't reach their potential for the simple fact they keep using that ever so popular word, can't. What about "should"? Who likes to be told what they "should" think, or what they "should" do? If we had less judgmental words in our language, would we be less judgmental? Wouldn't that be pleasant?

Anyhow, it made me think of this image, out of a book (rough draft) I wrote quite some time ago, called "The Cosmic Dream Book". It's sort of an adventure story. There are many characters, but the main ones are "The Little Traveler" and "Chaos Pig" (I am thinking of renaming the pig, "Harmony Pig", but, hey, maybe a little chaos in our lives keeps us patient and humble). In one of the "chapters", the two travel to the land of words. After many run-ins in the land of words, and after making it across the sea of the subconscious, they find there's one more thing to consider when they get to the shore. The rough verse reads,"We made it to shore, but still there is more, one more reminder of words and their use. Will we watch what we say, and not chatter away? It's dangerous, a tongue on the loose." Click here to view or print what tends to happen when we use absolutes, A Tongue on the Loose (PDF file).

Raising the Bar

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 20:26:00 GMT

Competition? It's not really "my cup of tea". I do not even like to compete with myself. I prefer to think of raising the bar like awakening more to the best that is in me, then, I am in a better position to see the best in others as well. I constantly ask the Power/Source (call it what you will), "God", for guidance to be a more compassionate human being. I don't like the feeling or side effects that come with most (not all) competitive situations. I much prefer cooperation. I refuse to be harsh with myself. It doesn't help; it hurts. I have learned to be okay with mistakes, and actually see them as opportunities for growth.

Raising the Bar is more about encouraging myself to change. I write down personal goals as needed, sometimes regularly, sometimes the more challenging ones take longer. Some of my more deeply rooted negative habits have taken long periods of time to heal. Sometimes, it seemed like I was never going to get better. It was not uncommon for me to struggle with myself about wanting to give up; I won't. I hang on, and hang in, until something clicks, the light bulb comes on. I feel more centered in myself, and love. I have learned to love the process. At least once a year, I try to review and rewrite my "goals". I have quite a collection in a binder, so I can remind myself how far I've come when/if I get discouraged.

Back to "Raising the Bar", I went to a conference in Las Vegas, called The "I Can Do It" Conference. I guess they are held year round in different locations. It was pretty great.  After taking as much of it in as I could and digesting the information, I wrote a few new "goals. They are as follows.
   1. Catch myself interfering
   2. Catch myself judging
   3.  Not be agitated by ridicule
   4. Love no matter what is coming my way, even hate
   5. Catch myself wishing, wanting, desiring things to be different than what they are and choose to accept   what is.
   6. Listen to "God"...ask "what to say" in sticky situations...listen...say what is to be said ... nothing more, nothing less ...in other words ...   no pushing my agenda. ( It was hard for me to see that about myself. Now that I do, I am determined to let it go.)

That's how I intend to "Raise the Bar". The other day, I actually for a brief moment in time experienced what it felt like to not react and choose to love when someone I cared about was acting like they detested me. I was thankful for the opportunity to practice and move one step closer to learning a not so easy principle to comprehend fully. I've read it's possible. I read Jesus said,"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that spitefully use and persecute you". In so doing, we show ourselves to be children of "God" who loves all without condition. There have been examples of folks who have tapped into this compassion which I believe is available to us all. Who is up for the challenge?

Definition of Competition: Out of the pages of Webster's Dictionary comes the following, "Competition is the act of competing". Also, "To compete implies having a sense of rivalry and of striving to do one's best as well as to out do another...to contend with another for acknowledgment, a prize, supremacy, profit, etc.". I had to look it up because sometimes I use a word or think of it a certain way for a long time and come to find out it really didn't mean what I thought it did. That is not the case here.

My theory about how we become so "messed up": We are born love. It's who we are. Through the experience of separation we come to know pain. The severity of the pain depends on the severity of the situation, and the sensitivity of the person. When we are little, very few of us have the information, wisdom, or capacity to understand what is happening to us. So, on some pre-verbal level we begin to formulate our own theory that there must be something terribly wrong with us to feel so awful and abandoned. Although, at the time it probably feels to us simply like we are dying. Well, a part of us is, as our innocent, trusting, blissful self begins to shut down to protect ourselves from suffering and pain. We shut down because we are afraid, and we don't know any better. The shutting down protects us in the short term. We practice and practice years and years of these defensive patterns of thought and behavior. At some point, on some level, we realize we something is terribly wrong. At first, we may think it is out there. But if we honestly, courageously look inward, we realize these well established thoughts, defense mechanisms, perpetuate the patterns that are now causing the pain we were trying to escape. We want to be different, but how many years have we been practicing the ineffective, unhealthy, perhaps destructive thought and habit patterns, 10,20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, or more years? We are all different.  The direction of our lives can change in an instant with a decision. It is ever our choice what kind of life we will choose to live, now, and now again, and now again. We are not victim's, once we reach a certain level of awareness. We are the directors of our own destiny. Patient-endurance is written about in many of the sacred books. Once we choose to set foot on the path to "enlightenment" or "becoming a better person" or what ever we want to call it, we will develop patience, if we are committed to our decision. There's no telling how long it will take to undo, heal, learn new ways of being. It's worth it. I was so miserable, such a mess, on such a self-destructive path, this was the only direction that made any sense to me.

A Rainbow Bright

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Sat, 05 May 2007 17:10:00 GMT

This song poem is from a book, available along with other free downloads at www.expandingheart.com . I wrote it for kids of all ages (including myself). The book is titled "Keys to Success". It's currently 20 say aloud affirmations, poems, songs. Eventually I would like to also make available a CD of the say aloud poems in a repeat after me format so anyone can learn these simple positive sayings.
"A Rainbow Bright" is a page from the book. Click here, A Rainbow Bright, to read or print a copy. It's illustrated.
To hear a draft of the song, go to the home page of my art portfolio site, www.mcgillis.us or to www.expandingheart.com under Songs tab. When I first wrote it, I used "we" in all the verses, because that is truly my heart for all of us to be free from those things which keep us from being our best. Eventually I will record the newer version with "I", but it's not a priority at the moment. If you go to listen, you'll know if I updated or not.

I know, for me, the key is when I change my thinking, I can change my life. It is such a simple concept. It is not a secret. It seems like we spend so much time and energy trying to change everything around us, when the same time and energy could be much more productively spent on changing ourselves. (Off on a tangent again!) I want us all to be free. I am responsible for me. I changed the verses (except the last) to "I" because of a suggestion from Norman Stewart, an incredibly creative, intelligent, kind teacher I had the pleasure of taking a few music lessons from. He taught me so much in such a short amount of time. He teaches at Evans Music City in Houston, Texas. He is an excellent teacher. Changing "we" to "I" makes sense. I am responsible. I can change. I want to make a difference. I will do whatever it takes to free myself from the baggage of my past so I can be more of service to all. "I" is real. It has a great deal of power in it. What kind of life will I make for myself? Enough said. It's all been said and written before by so many of the great beings that have walked this same earth before we got here. Peace.

Follow this link, http://www.expandingheart.com/EHBooksList.htm for a free PDF download of the book Keys to Success.

If you live in Houston and want to get in touch with Norm for Music or Drama lessons, email him at normannormannorman@normannormannorman.com or call Evans Music City, Houston, Texas and ask for Norm Stewart.

An Old Familiar Prayer "Our Father" Made New

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Tue, 01 May 2007 19:35:00 GMT

Some ideas incubate for years. This one certainly has with me. I don't remember the first time the "Our Father" struck me as being limited in its scope. When I spoke it aloud, it did not bring me the freedom Christ spoke of, "You shall know (experiencially, requires putting into practice) the truth, and the truth shall make you free". I felt like I became less by the speaking of it. So, over the years I have been adapting and adjusting it. Click on this PDF file, Adapted Version of "Our Father" to read or print yourself a copy. I call it Our Gracious "God". I love saying prayers and I love praying. Because I pray for all life; I feel more connected to all life. I like that.

Thinking about whether words and thoughts strengthen or weaken me has been very helpful. I have the teachings of Wayne W. Dyer and David R. Hawkins to thank for that. What if, changing our world begins with changing our language? Would you be willing to give it a try?

Arrogance and Low Self-esteem

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:20:00 GMT

A must read for anyone interested in making a difference in themselves and the world, Power vs. Force, an inspirational, informative book by David R. Hawkins clearly illuminates the difference between power and force, and addresses so many issues that are front and center in our day and time. I'm reading it for the 2nd time. It activates my thinking. There's a great chapter that describes pretty much all the available attitudes we humans can put on, which attitudes give us energy, and which ones drain us of energy. Chapter 4, The levels of Consciousness, was well worth the cost of the book.

I was reading about pride and competition, about how pride in service to others is quite different than pride that is self-absorbed and self-serving. Which one do you think makes us strong? Which do you think makes us go weak? You'll have to read it yourself for more information.

I thought about how I have avoided competition most of my life. I endeavour to be the best I can be, but I do not consider that competition. I am rather in a state of cooperation and openness to learning. There's probably good reason for my steering away from "competition", negative associations with competition from experiences when I was young. I was a tomboy. I was also highly sensative and empathetic. What a combination. I had 33 or 35 cousins on my mother's side of the family. At cookouts and picnics, we never had trouble putting two teams together no matter what the sport. We had lots of fun, most of the time. Sometimes the aunts played, but mostly it was the uncles and the "kids". Most of my uncles are gone now. I loved them. Oddly though, I think it was all the teasing (mostly from my uncles) and pain of negative comparisons (whether my pain or someone else's), in these settings, that gave root to my aversion to competition.

Back to the arrogance and low self-esteem, I am an observer and thinker. A very long time ago, someone suggested that we are all, in many ways, mirrors for each other. I observe things in others, then I look for them in myself. Arrogance and low-self-esteem, seem to be opposite sides of the same coin. Both seem to obstruct healthy relationships. Both seem to interfere with learning new things. I think recovering from arrogance must be the more difficult of the two. Arrogance seems to be accompanied with a much larger dose of denial. Letting go of arrogance to gain balance is probably perceived as a loss, maybe like losing "face". I came from the low self-esteem camp. I was already at the bottom; I had no where to go but up. Gaining balance, from the dark hole I was in, could only be perceived as gain. I know arrogance too. Anytime I have began to feel like "boy, aren't I something", I would fall flat on my face, and end up feeling ashamed. Now, I have a much better relationship with mistakes and myself.

I believe all patterns of thinking and behavior can be changed. We can become wise and loving. We can learn to be wise and loving. I think the purpose of healing is to be here now, and to live in this present moment. What do you think?

Let The Healing Begin

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 22:36:00 GMT

Click here to view or print, Let the Healing Begin, a poem I wrote to remind myself that dealing with the dis-ease of pain is a part of life; and the medicine is love, not anger, if I am to heal myself. No one can do this very important work for me. I can learn a great deal from others, but it is in the quiet and sometimes not so quiet places in my own heart and mind that the challenging work of healing takes place. I am so thankful to be alive in this day and time. We live in an age like never before. We have so much research and information at our finger tips. The opportunity for humans to reach their full potential is here and now. I sometimes wonder how different the world would have been for our parents' generation, or the one before that, or before even that (you get the idea), if they had even a small percentage of the knowledge available today. So much information, so many possibilities, sometimes it seems overwhelming, just too much. But I think it's this simple, all great change for the good starts with one person making the decision to love no matter what the odds, no matter what the obstacles. Love is a choice.

Asking Questions that Encourage Reflection

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 22:45:00 GMT

What is the unifying force in my life? If I could only pick one thing, what would I say is the most important thing to me? What if I could set aside all the shoulds of life regarding time, money, education, duty, promises, or obligations (or anything else I can think of)?  What is the one thing that I would most like to do with my life? I asked myself these questions about a year ago, after I got done with a daily meditation/prayer. It got me thinking. Questions like these help me with perspective and realizing priorities. What if today was my last day on this earth, would I change how I live? Do you ever ask yourself questions like these? I like asking myself questions that encourage reflection. I really have a burning desire to make the world a better place; changing myself is where I need to begin.

I am incredibly fortunate to have many interests and lots of energy. I juggle them, in an attempt to keep improving. I see infinite possibilities of direction and development. It's almost too overwhelming at times. I needed a unifying thread for my own sanity.  I think that's why I ask myself those kind of questions. Let me see if I can insert a silly self-portrait here to illustrate this point about juggling a variety of interests.

The unifying force in my life is growing in love. I am not referring to romantic love; I mean agape, divine love. That's it. "Love, love, love, all you need is love"; isn't that how the song goes? Nothing has ever been more important to me than that. The importance of this love that is written about in all the ancient wisdom systems resonates deep within my soul: it rings true for me.

I have had a wide variety of experiences, but I am very much aware I know so little of what there is to be known. I have struggled with emotional problems most of my life, most apparent in my closest personal relationships. I don't think I'm alone in that.  My love for "God" and my love of work have been my saving graces. Throwing myself into work probably kept me out of alot of trouble. Most of my struggles have been in private. I have been to some seriously dark places inside myself, but that love that holds the universe together would always call me back, and guide me to do what I needed to do to heal those terribly painful places inside myself. Love. A deep desire to heal and help everyone I possibly could along the way has been the strongest, single most driving force in my life.  I've known about this love since I was very young, but not until my mid-twenties,about thirty years ago, did I consciously set foot on this "path", adventure. I study. I apply what I learn. I keep what moves me in the direction of agape, the love of "God", Love of the highest order. I discard what doesn't cause me to grow in love, wisdom, consciousness, healing wholeness and sacred unity. I can honestly say that light that I used to see at the end of the tunnel is something I reach out and touch daily now.

Yesterday and today I listened to a 4 CD set by James C. Hunter called The Servant Leadership.  His teachings spoke to me. He quoted Aristotle saying, "Character is habit." He went on to say "Your thoughts become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your character. Your character becomes your destiny." I don't know if those were Aristotle's words or his. Either way, it's a simple, powerful statement about what power we have if we choose to acknowledge it. Peace.

Principles For Personal Freedom

mo@expandingheart.com (Mo Gillis) — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 21:19:00 GMT

Click this Word file link Prioritized Principles to read or print a copy. These principles came from the deepest part of me. They are principles that free me from my own miserable stinkin' thinking. I forget who coined that phrase, not I. These principles are a result of years of trial and error, study, thinking, writing, and experience applying principles I learned from others. I've met some great friends in books that have long been out of print. I read a book about writing mission statements, years ago, and decided I needed to write out what was important to me so I could steer my life purposefully. I will continue to edit and update these guidelines, as I grow.