Have You Met St. Francis?
A mystical encounter in Tuscany
by Andrew Harvey
healyourlife.com
A powerful prayer for all of us.
When I was 18, I spent eight months hitchhiking around Italy. At the time, I was about to go to Oxford, and I thought that I wanted to be an art historian. So I visited all the great centers—Florence, Rome, Naples, and Venice. Then, one day in early May, I found myself in Assisi, where Saint Francis had lived and died. Nothing I had seen prepared me for the impact of Giotto’s paintings of the life of Saint Francis in the basilica; their grave, exalted purity dazzled me. I decided to stay to contemplate them for a week, and I slept out in the ruins of an old castle, surrounded by the rough, fragrant hills of Tuscany in spring.
I can still remember the sunlit afternoon when, sitting in a field of yellow and blue wildflowers, I first read the Prayer of Saint Francis. Every word pierced me with the freshness of Giotto’s vision and of that high and noble Tuscan landscape:
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love:
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
I remember that afternoon, reading the prayer over and over, savoring every word, how astonished I was at its spiritual truth and beauty. The more I contemplated the prayer and the holy passions behind it, the deeper my joy became, until I, the sunlit afternoon, and the wind moving in the brilliant flowers seemed to become one vast sustained movement of adoration within the being of God.
The practice I am going to describe is found in its essential outlines in many of the mystical traditions; it has great power to transform your heart and personality.
Memorize the Saint Francis Prayer. Then, sitting calmly in meditation, say it over and over again to yourself very slowly, bringing your mind home to its words whenever it begins to stray. Do this for about half an hour at a time and you will find that your mind and heart will be made joyful and peaceful and that, over time, your entire being will begin to fill with the strengths and virtues that the passage celebrates. All mystical systems know that we become what we think; this exercise is a wonderful way of saturating the heart and mind with holy truth and passion.
That afternoon in Tuscany 40 years ago initiated me into the prayer’s mystic power, and everything I have learned since on my search has only deepened my joy at its depth. It seems to me a prayer that transcends any particular religion; in a very few utterly stripped and simple phrases, it condenses the deepest wisdom of the Path of Sacred Activism. Over the years I have shared it with seekers and activists of all kinds; they have all recognized the transmuting power of the holy inspiration that still sings in its lines. One young Tibetan doctor I met in Ladakh translated it into Tibetan and started to use it every day in his morning prayers to the Buddha of Compassion. A Hindu devotee of Shiva I know, who works with slum children in Mumbai, uses it every morning in her prayers to the “Lord of Love.”
SaturnsLady
The High Road
When four paths appear…
By Alan Cohen
AlanCohen.com
Which one will you choose?
I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower when I thought a flower would grow.
~Abraham Lincoln~
Imagine a man walking along a city street when a flowerpot falls from an apartment windowsill above and crashes at his feet, narrowly missing him. At this point the man has a choice of four paths of thought and action he might follow:
1. The path of retaliation. He could dash up the stairs, find the owner of the potted plant, and punch him or chew him out.
2. The victim path. He could see the experience as confirmation that life is dangerous, and things that could hurt him await at every turn. Then he might go home and hide or wear a hard hat for the rest of his life.
3. The stoic path. He could decide, Well, I guess it was my karma for the flowerpot to miss me, and just keep walking.
4. The high road. He could go to the flower shop on the corner, buy another potted plant, knock on the door of the owner of the plant that fell, and tell that person, “You may not know that you lost your plant. I thought you might like a replacement.”
Obviously the high road is the one that will bear the sweetest fruit for everyone concerned. At this moment you stand at a crossroads in your life where you must choose which path you will take. Keep thinking about your options until you discover what your high road is.
What choice now stands before you?
What would your high road be?
I choose the path that brings the deepest reward to me and everyone concerned.
SaturnsLady
Need a Miracle Right Away?
You’ll find one in this magical box.
By Denise Linn
DeniseLinn.com
How to create a special place for your intent.
This is magic! I’m not quite sure exactly how it works, but it does. Hundreds of people have shared their miracles with me as a result of making and using their Miracle Box. Here’s what you need to do:
Get a box: pick out an old shoe box, make your own, or buy one. Decorate it and designate this as your mystical container. This is no longer an ordinary box—so make it as beautiful as you can, inside and out.
Your Miracle Box is a way to:
1. Gain clarity regarding your health
2. Declare your intentions to the universe regarding your body
3. Ask for spiritual assistance to attain your health goals
It works like this: On small pieces of paper, write down your sincere desires regarding your body. You can address them to the Universal Manager, Creator, or your Higher Self. Be specific and use the present tense, as if it has already been delivered to you! Write one statement per piece of paper. For example, if you’re working on improving your eyesight, you might write: My eyesight is excellent, and I see beauty all around me. If you wish to diminish chronic back problems, jot down something like: I walk easily, joyously, and effortlessly.
Make the pieces of paper beautiful, too. On one piece, you might wish: I know that miracles are happening for my body, all in accordance with my highest good!
Be creative! You could even spray your Miracle Box with your favorite essential oils to make it smell as good as it looks, or place beautiful stones or flower petals in it. On the inside lid, write: All that is in this box is True! Also, wherever you want, write: Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! Then put your box in a special place with the intent that all prayers within it are answered in alignment with your highest good. Whenever you have a new request, write it out and place it in the box. And when one of your desires is granted or fulfilled, remove the slip of paper . . . and offer your sincere gratitude!
SaturnsLady
Buried Treasure Located within You
Anthony K. Wilson, Sr.
positiveinspirationtoday.com
When you first look at this quote, it may sound a little strange. If you have not thought much about the concept of self respect, there are two very important points to keep in mind, and this quote sums up both points equally well. This is good, because both are equally important to you.
Your self respect truly is a treasure. It is a wonderful thing that belongs only to you. When you have a healthy level of self respect, it is one of the most important characteristics that you can possibly have. Healthy self respect involves so many different factors. These include a serious sense of pride in the individual person you are; the knowledge that you are your best possible self, yet always striving to better yourself; and the sense of integrity from which you live your daily life. Without being boastful or vain, your self respect affects the way you feel about yourself, the way you treat other people, and the way you live your life.
This treasure is surely the best possible base for living and growing. The more you respect yourself, the better your life will be. Self respect is one of the most essential factors in developing the kind of life which you dream of living, and accomplishing the goals that mean the most to you.
The second part is equally important. Some people make the mistake of trying to gain self respect from other sources. They may base how they feel about themselves on their physical appearance, how much money or possessions they own, accomplishments they have made, or what other people think of them. The problem with this is that it is impossible to develop self respect this way. True self respect must come from within the individual himself.
How can you learn to respect yourself? You can begin by acknowledging yourself as a person of worth. You have value to yourself, to other people, and to the world in which you live, simply by being who you are. If you think about it, there is no one exactly like you in the entire world. You have special talents and abilities which will help you to make a special, positive contribution. Your personality is one hundred percent unique. Everyone who knows you knows this, and you can know it, also.
When you know that you have a place in this world, it will make carving your own special place in the world that much easier. It will make finding your talents and choosing your goals an enjoyable process. Your problems and setbacks will not be as difficult to deal with, because you will know that you are on the right track. Your life will be a wonderful adventure, just as it was meant to be. When you hold yourself in high regard, the respect you have for yourself can help you to overcome obstacles and proceed in the right direction. All you need to do is keep in mind that your self respect is an inside job-- no one can provide it for you, but you can develop it for yourself.
SaturnsLady
Awake and Arise
By Cathy Olsen
spiritlibrary.com
Awake and arise! For the time has come to be that which you have been created to be; the Human Angels that walk amongst humanity to aid in the transformation that is now upon you. You have agreed to be on the planet at this specific point in time; in this Now Moment, to fulfill the tasks that you have taken on as part of the Divine Plan. It is now becoming increasingly evident to those in the physical world that which you have known in your hearts for eons, that change is upon all. And as the old outmoded structures and ways of being are dismantled you are here to help usher in that which is to come, the new reality that is taking shape even now as the old falls away.
You are a Wayshower; a Bridge Builder. It is your task to be an agent of change and to show that there is another way. It is your task to be the steady oak that weathers the storm, the one who models peace in times of chaos, the one who shines their light so that others can see more clearly the path ahead. You as a planet and as a people have come to the place where transformation is imminent. Have no fear in this, for just as the leaves of autumn fall to make way for regeneration and new growth, so too do structures of limitation internally and externally shift to make way for expansion and growth.
It is time to trust in your own inner knowing. It is time to trust that there are multitudes of beings in this world and the next who are passionate about helping you to release all that no longer serves you, allowing you to move forward on the ascension path unencumbered by the weights of the past or the concerns for the future. Seek to live in the present moment where all that you need is available to you in the moment. Trust in your guidance, your light and your ability to bring all that you are into the changing landscape as it unfolds before you.
You are not now and never were small, limited or incapable. You are grand beings of Light whose time has come to shine. Know that we are ever with you as the Divine Plan continues to unfold. You are deeply and eternally loved and supported.
SaturnsLady
Love yourself
by Julia Mikk
breathoflove.org
The nature of this universe is constant change, movement, growth and expansion. If anything stays stagnant for a little while it will be liberated from that stagnation as soon as possible. It is the inherent nature of life to move, deepen, and expand in consciousness.
Same with love or appreciation. The love that comes from people around us is going to change, grow, transform, and disappear. Either in two weeks, two years, or 95 years, it is going to change, and we all know that. That's why there is so much contraction around the experience of love. We know that sooner or later it is going to change.
Yet, by contracting in fear around the feeling of love we limit its full beauty. That’s one reason why the experience of love causes suffering to many people: they might have a wonderful relationship but they are no allowing themselves to enjoy it fully because they are afraid to lose it in the future. Or, they hold on to a wonderful past experience, and don’t know how to welcome the new experience that wants to happen in this moment.
One thing that does no change is the love and fulfillment that lives in the core of our being. It is important to learn to access it so we can develop a capacity to live freely, with no boundaries, attachments, or fear.
One of the first things to remember is that whoever appears to be a giver of love is just a trigger of love. Read it again: who ever appears to be a giver of love is actually a trigger of love. This feeling of love is inside of us already. It’s not something that the other person gives, or creates for us.
This feeling of love is always deep inside of us. That’s the only reason why it can be triggered. Otherwise, how could they bring to the surface something that is not there in the first place?
The person who seems to be the giver of love, pleasure or ease, is simply a perfect key for unlocking the door of our heart. Yet, we have this key too! We have the key and we are the door. What a perfect combination, yet so many are not aware of it. If we depend on another person to give us love, we will sooner or later find ourselves unsatisfied and suffering. Their needs at one point will conflict our needs and they won’t be able to please us in a way that would open the door of satisfaction.
The point is, there is no need to look forever lasting and fulfilling love from outside of ourselves. The love that comes from anywhere else but our own inner heart is limited. It has its boundaries. It appears, and it disappears.
The love that blooms from within is limitless. The love that permeates from our inner being is eternal; it always meets all our needs. It holds us forever unconditionally, never condemning or judging us. It’s always here for us.
In every single moment we are the perfect key for that love. There is nothing specific needed to trigger that opening, no word, no nice gesture, no perfect health, no special experience is needed. The key is in the willingness to stop everything that believes love is somewhere else but here.
They key is in remembering that we are all that we need. We can simply rest in peace and allow whatever unfolds from that. This is a true experience of fulfillment. Everything else is based on the fear that we don’t have it or we are not good enough to be it.
The truth is that we are the source of all goodness.
We have the power to stop the thoughts that claim otherwise.
We have the capacity to receive the fullness of our inner being.
We are love in its entirety and we can feel it anytime we want to.
No matter what – we can love ourselves. We were created to love ourselves. We were born to meet ourselves as we truly are.
When we receive from within, receiving through outer expressions and appearances becomes effortless. We let them come and go freely. We welcome all movements of life. A nice gesture is fine, and no nice gesture is fine. A compliment comes – wonderful; no compliment comes – wonderful too. A loving hug appears – great. No hugs for a while – it’s great also.
Once we have learned to find the treasure chest within; there is no fear of losing anything without. We are fulfilled with others and without others. We are satisfied with the dark and with the light. We welcome rain as well as sunshine. We get to be free to love, and we rejoice in our own company fully and totally, with no limitations.
SaturnsLady
Learn From Your Past Experiences
and Then Let Them Go
by Brandon Cook
selfgrowth.com
“I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.”
–Tony Robbins
“Study the past, if you would divine the future.”
–Confucius
I encourage you to take a look at your own life. What has the past taught you? What mistakes were turning points in your life? Finally, what lessons do you think YOU still have to learn?
Our pasts (if we let them) can follow us forever and have either a positive or negative effect on our present moment reality. The truth is the past is only a memory that has been stored within our subconscious mind.
Even though the past is over and done with, the experiences we have gone through have deeply affected every aspect of our lives for better or worse. Our past experiences have shaped our personalities, our relationships, and even how we handle our lives in the present.
The most important thing for us to realize is this: the past has no control over our lives, except the control we allow it to have.
Once we become aware of this fact and take full responsibility for our own lives we become the true creators of our own future. The past may have made you who you are today, but it’s up to you whether you stay that way or not.
If you want to transform your body or your life just know that you have the full capacity to do so. The past is just a trail you leave behind, it’s like the wake of a boat, or your foot prints in the sand. It’s not who you are, it’s only who you were and where you have been.
Nothing more and nothing less.
In any given moment we can choose to learn from our past and decide to let it go. If we don’t let the past go then it can become a huge burden to our present lives. If we allow this to happen, then we let our past determine our future as well.
The past is but a memory and the future is but a dream… the present moment is our only true point of power.
It’s vitally important to remember the illusory nature of time. The past and future can seem so very real, but our lives are really just a series of present moments, one after the next. Thus, the key to transforming your body is to harness the power of each moment as it is happening.
As the spiritual teachers remind us: Be Here Now.
It may seem like common sense or even overly simplistic advice, but it is a very powerful truth that many of us do not practice at all.
In fact, many of us are trying to escape the present moment. We want to get to the future where our lives will be all that we’ve imagined and all of our dreams will have come true.
Yet this future never comes, because when the future does come it does so as the present moment. In order to create the future we desire we must harness the power of now, the only true moment there is. To squander this moment is to throw away our future.
Hope this makes sense to you.
Learn from your past experiences and then let them go. Fully embrace the present moment, for it is what you do today that determines your tomorrow.
SaturnsLady
