When in doubt, just take the next small step.
— Regina Brett
90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland
I’ve just finished Called Out of Darkness – A Spiritual Confession by Ann Rice. It is beautifully written with wonderful descriptions of New Orleans, Catholic liturgy and the Catholic Churches of the 1940s and ’50s. It was amazing to me both how different from, and how similar to mine, were her experiences.
In the middle of my listening to her book, all of the hubbub about Rice leaving the Catholic Church AGAIN became the subject of much discussion both on talk shows and on the internet. Listening to her describe her complete devotion to Christ and the Catholic Church at the end of the book and then reading her comments online made me feel very sad for her. But more than anything else, it made me envious of her certitude. I don’t know that I’ve ever been as certain as she is of all four stances that she took; first as a devoted Catholic, then as a certain atheist, then as an even more devoted Catholic and finally (at least for now) certain that she can no longer be Continue reading » Faith and Doubt
Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.
— Christopher Reeve
There is a certain type of person who just can’t let strays go hungry. Those of us who have ended up with a new member of our family without intending to, have learned the maxim that what you feed, stays, whether invited or not. Put out food for the stray cat/dog and you have a friend for life (although cats seldom acknowledge it).
The same is true of our stray thoughts. That which we give attention grows. In her book, Emotional Freedom – Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life , Judith Orloff, M.D. tells the following old Native American story.
A chief is talking to his tribe about the two dogs inside his mind: one a white dog that is good and courageous, the other a black dog that is vengeful and angry. Both dogs are fighting to the death. A young brave unable to wait for the end of the story, asks, “Which one will win?” The chief responds, “The one I feed.”
This story has been out there in the email world for a while and I’ve seen Continue reading » Mastering Uncertainty
You can have anything you want if you will give up the belief that you can’t have it.
— Dr. Robert Anthony
In 1956 Earl Nightingale wrote and recorded The Strangest Secret on the technology of the day, an LP record. It became the first non-entertainment record to sell a million copies. What caught everyone’s attention was the simple, yet true message, “We become what we think about.” At the time, there was no scientific evidence to support that claim, but in the past 10 years, scientists have proven that our thoughts do shape our world.
Scientists have named the ability of our brains to adapt, neuroplasticity. This is the ability that our brains have to physically adapt to new circumstances. Neuroplasticity is what allows people with traumatic brain injury or damage from a stroke, to recover. Not so long ago, scientists believed that when Continue reading » To Create New Beliefs – Start HERE!
Habits are stronger than reason.
— George Santayan
Do you ever feel like you’re an imposter and someday everyone will figure it out? I know I do.
For most of my adult life I’ve wanted to change my beliefs. You see, I tend to believe some very disempowering stuff about myself – not at a conscious level, you understand, but at a subconscious level. Because I struggle every day to overcome what I “know” is true about myself, when I succeed, it’s in spite of myself.
Like many people, I believe that if you all knew how much I struggle to:
- write a post
- lose weight
- maintain a positive attitude
- you name it
– you would think I was an imposter. Some of you probably identify with that belief. On some level, I know that you aren’t going to Continue reading » Habitual Beliefs Rule (You)
It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
— J.K. Rowling
Recently Ellie asked: Do You Believe in Guardian Angels? I choose to believe in Guardian Angels. I believe that while they may be spiritual beings, they are also physical beings like you and me who choose to encourage one another when the “yuck” overcomes us.
When I was a kid, I knew that my guardian angel not only looked out for me, they sat on one shoulder trying to keep me on the straight and narrow while the devil sat on the other shoulder trying to get me to SIN!!! In my personal fight to be good, my guardian angel was on the front line of the war between good and evil. That image of the angel vs. the devil is very disturbing in retrospect because in addition to it inferring that I have my own personal angel, it also inferred that I have my own personal devil. (Maybe that’s where “The devil made me do it” came from.)
I agree with Ellie that the theological issues behind Guardian Angels and/or Divine Providence intervening are very tricky. Add free will, and I’m not even going to try to mess with it. On the other hand, the angels Continue reading » Encouraged by Our Angels
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