"It takes courage for people to listen to their own goodness and act on it."
-- Pablo Casals
Do you ever lose sight of your own goodness? Were you ever encouraged when growing up to focus more on your faults and weaknesses, and less on your strengths and qualities? The sounds of criticism can become a habit that we adopt for ourselves and in time, they grow deafening. Literally.
The words "learn" and "heart" both have ears in them. Loving and learning go well together and thrive in lifetimes rich with curiosity and wonder -- at every age. Rather like breathing in and breathing out, there are times for action, and times to listen, to receive further guidance and direction, to be restored.
I remind myself from time to time to be aware of God's gentle hand, guiding me in the spaces between the spaces. What does this mean? As someone who likes to feel in control, which I am not, I can overexercise my driving nature to be doing and achieving, and fail to be the wise observer.
Taking time out to switch off and listen inwardly to the stillness is an extraordinary investment of my time which pays great dividends. How? it involves being willing to do absolutely nothing, until moved to do the next something. A 10-minute nap, or even a couple of minutes stretched out gives me fresh impetus to do what I know needs to be done next. No pressure, just flow.
I have been a seeker and I still am.
But I stopped asking the books and the stars.
I started listening to the teachings of my Soul.
-- Rumi
Observation and listening save time and effort. The wisdom you need is very present within you. Always. You may save yourself a lot of stress and strain by taking a little time out to be still.
Last weekend, I went to the opening of a new gallery/artists center opened by a friend with two colleagues. In response to my recent article Wealth School: Lessons in Trust and Truth
she decided to give in her notice to her more permanent employment and to follow her heartfelt dream -- to paint full time. When I saw her in the gallery, she was more vibrant, enthused and full of joy than I ever remember her. And this is a person who is naturally exuberant at any time I remember.
With a fellow artist, she talked about the new Nowism Movement in art. I did not pursue this at the time. However, my sense is that you do not have to be a painter to be a NOWist. I love that idea. How does it work?
The way I am learning to work Nowism is to pay attention to my inner guidance and direction in the moment. To listen carefully and become more sensitive to honoring what is true for me. This is not a linear, logical process. Quite the opposite.
So here is a challenge for you. When you stop reading this article, pause and reflect a moment. What is the very best next thing for you to do? Listen. Do not censor what you hear. Is it: Get a drink of water to refresh, or stand up and stretch, or water the plants, or replace that light bulb you have been meaning to change for days? Whatever it is, do it.
If you would like to become a better listener, see what you can do to remove clutter and distraction from your life. You know, things like the piles of magazines that you are probably never going to read, though you think you might or should, one day. Do you honestly have too much on the go, and need to drop some commitments that really do not now have any juice for you? Simplify, simplify. Even if it is to clear clothes from your closet you know you will never wear again. It is amazing how dead energy is draining -- and how liberating it is to lighten up.
If you would like more wealth (however you might define it) in your life, make space for it.
Notice that you have two ears and one mouth. Perhaps that reminds us to listen twice as much as we speak. The ear is shaped a bit like a question mark. Asking a question to receive guidance about any aspect of your life is a great idea. But make sure you remember to listen for the answers. The answers may come directly from within you, or from any other source such as a conversation with a friend, a news item on TV, a comment from a passing stranger, through a dream, during meditation.
Our world is so amazingly rich in resources we may never discover until we start to pay attention, to live fully in the present moment. Pay attention to your goodness, the love that you are, that is waiting for you to discover it more fully. You were born with love. Love never leaves you.
How has listening served to enrich you in the past? I would love to know.
If I can assist you with any questions about wealth, get in touch. I am open to learn all I can about wealth - as it is in our time. Please leave a comment below or drop me a line at wealthminister@mac.com
For tips and hints on creating a wealthy life, go to "The Wealth Book: Winning with Spirit."
Wishing you health, wealth and happiness -- in all of the many ways it can come to you!
Follow Anne Naylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Anne4Joy
Twixt horrid sight, raw shriek, or burnt hell
Finds some hell-bent spell
What broods in darkness spreads a savage wing
Whist bloody ravens sing
then under ebon shades for low-brow knocks
you'll learn to love a lie like those your own face mocks.
Slow is not a "natural" pace for me! I have the lightening fast energy of a double Aquarian, so slow feels awkward and foreign to me. And yet, this is what I keep hearing from within, so I am listening and taking baby steps in that direction. I know it is important to obey this call for it is not without reason and purpose I'm being asked to shift gears and change pace. Even as I can't see the blueprint, and don't yet know the purpose, I am "slowly slowing". And in the journey itself lies the experience I need to have.
Even though you're not American and don't celebrate the 4th of July, I know you're with us in spirit and heart, so I wish you a Happy 4th and all the freedom your heart can allow.
Much love to you,
Judith
This so much resonates for me: "And in the journey itself lies the experience I need to have."
I guess when the Brits let go of America, we gained some freedom - though we might not have always seen it that way! Today has been freeing for me - a true blessing. My heart is pretty free - it is the rest that sometimes wants to hang on!
A very happy rest of 4th to you. I love the freedom that America enjoys.
With much love,
Anne
Practice practice when it comes to getting better at something.
Much happiness to you,
Anne
Thanks for another lovely and wise article. I think one of the greatest feature of the way human beings are designed is the presence of an inner voice of wisdom that is always available to guide us in our learning, loving, growth and highest good. We are so blessed!
Much love,
Judith
So good to see you here. Yes, for sure, we are so blessed, especially when we remember ourselves to the blessings.
With love,
Anne
Like the ad said, “The pause that refreshes!†I hear echoes of Thoreau’s “Quiet Desperation†being thwarted by the application of moments of inward focus; as I said to your first commenter herein, “that’s where the answer is.â€
I listened and found my answer in my passion for writing and speaking about families and raising great kids. There is a level of regret about not seeing it sooner, but that is obscured by the wealth received through its discovery. The “now†is all that is necessary when we become aware and attend to the messages from within, and I feel my life has significance. Feeling significant is much more important than feeling successful, because significance tends to reflect a absolute quality of sharing and giving, whereas success reflects a relative quality of accumulation and gain. There is nothing wrong with having, it’s just less important than giving.
You wrote, “If you would like more wealth … in your life, make space for it.†Beautiful! Wisdom, like humor, is best expressed succinctly. Stuff like things, thoughts, and behaviors, can fill the space available, supplanting invention, creativity, discovery, and awareness because there is often too much stuff crammed into the available space. It is like that game with nine spaces and eight numbered tiles that slide around so you can put them in order. Clutter is placing a ninth tile in the game… you create a trap; you cannot play. I like to play!
Happy 4th!
Lawson
I love the distinction you make between value, significance and success. Curiously, giving can lead to more having. To more giving again. Like an upward spiral. How high can you go?
It is never too late to be of significance and you never know when the seeds you sew will touch new hearts and grow, blossom and bear fruit. That is where trusting comes in.
Happy 4th to you!
With love and blessings,
Anne
All knowledge lies within 'John-Roger'
Awareness is one of our great gifts and blessings.
Joy and love to you,
Anne
How has listening served to enrich you in the past? In every possible way - there is no Yoga without love... many people do yoga - i was initiated as a Swami / yogi since 1969 -- yoga is so misunderstood - as it is taught as physical even mental as well as learning about the Bhagavad Gita & sutras -
all well intended & very good but without love - yoga is dry - without love there is no yoga!
Joyfully in yoga -
Ed
Without love there is no yoga! Makes sense to me.
Without love, life is so much poorer - in any department.
Joy, love and dancing to you,
Anne
I believe you have detailed the circumstance many experience, and it is troubling.
I would not presume to speak for Anne, but it seems to me that she never intended that one be isolated, only focused internally for guidance and truths about oneself, rather than externally for them. The challenge is in the balance and priorities to which we subject ourselves, and choose to address.
Closing your eyes to focus on your inner voice and its message is not meant to supplant opening them, but to augment and improve the seeing and appreciation of reality that surrounds you. Failure to return to your center, your internal compass, either means it is not sufficiently developed, or you are habituated to being overly dependent on the compass of others to guide you on your journey: either way, you can indeed spin in circles as you are sucked into Charybdis’ gaping yaw.
Ultimately, you tend to get in life that which you settle for, and what you will settle for, chould only be determined by looking within… that’s where the answer is.
Respectfully,
Lawson Meadows
I agree with you. In my experience, it is really important to have a balance of action in the world and then nourishing and replenishment from within. One does not preclude the other in the best of circumstances. Inspiration can also come from simple activity, like walking, going for a bike ride and having a swim.
Joy to you,
Anne