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February 24 , 2006
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Welcome to Conscious Living, our newsletter designed to share our current activities and growth, along with articles and information that we hope will be supportive and encouraging in your efforts to live each moment with more joy and satisfaction.
Continuing with our theme from last month, of greater abundance and prosperity in 2006, our newsletter begins with an excerpt from the book, 5 Gifts for an Abundant Life, written by Diane Harmony. In this excerpt, Diane shares with us the details of her own life's conversion from one of never having enough money to the discovery of 5 gifts ( Gratitude, Intentions, Forgiveness, Tithing and Surrender) that have lead her to an abundant life. We have also collected in this new issue, several other articles, quotations and affirmations on success and abundance. Especially take a look at The Secret Door To Success by Florence Scovel Shin. Don't forget to visit our new section of the website entitled "Prosperity" for a growing collection of thoughts and suggestions on this topic. One of the great challenges for us as we walk the path toward greater awareness, is how to integrate our concepts regarding money and wealth into our sense of spirituality. In this new section, we hope to address these issues in detail. We've also included in this issue an article entitled, How I Bought a Pickup and Found God, by one of our favorite authors, Steve Roberts. Steve will be a regular contributor to our newsletter in future issues and his new book, Cool Mind, Warm Heart - Adventures With Life's Biggest Secret is available on the website. As we discussed last month, there are tremendous changes going on in the background here at CLF, and in the very near future, you will be seeing a totally new CLF website - it's got everything that is good about the current site, but with many wonderful new additions including huge amounts of streaming audio and video, including the presentation of full-length feature films. One of our continuing concerns is the impact of television and films on our spiritual lives. So much in the current entertainment expresses intense violence, explicit sexuality, constant vulgarity and an emphasis on that which is superficial and shallow. Apparently it is the widely held belief that without these elements, entertainment would, by definition, be boring. Of course this is not true of all entertainment, but for those of us who are attempting to apply a more conscious approach to our lives - most of the entertainment available is not supportive of that effort. However, we still seek and enjoy healthy entertainment. Entertainment that is inspiring, heart-warming and fun. God is joy. And, even if our entertainment just creates a feeling of well-being and happiness, that is supportive of our efforts rather than interfering with them. To that end, CLF will be offering full-length feature films streaming directly from our website that we believe provide fun entertainment while still lifting our spirits. We look forward to your comments as the films are made available. As always, we are so grateful to all of you who visit our website, and contribute through your generous donations, purchases, emails and article submissions. I am confident that this new year will continue to be extraordinarily special. Thank you for letting us share it with you. William Simpson |
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| From the School of Pain to the School of Vision by Diane Harmony |
Many, many of us have struggled with some aspect of lack in our lives – not enough time, opportunities, food, well-being, quality relationships, education, money, friends, etc., etc. Whether we realize it or not, we have been using the pain of those “apparent” conditions as a very powerful teacher so that we may learn to know Oneness in God. Rather than allowing Vision to pull us into awareness of how beautiful, powerful, wonderful and holy we are, we have chosen to be pushed into that awareness through pain, believing that we are separate from the Infinite Source of all. Exquisitely tormented by the pain of not enough love, time, money and/or health we have been forced to resort to one or more of the following human solutions to our suffering:
· We create addictions to work, drugs, food, alcohol, or sex to numb the pain; or
· We live lives of quiet desperation, feeling like this condition must be the punishment we deserve for being such bad people, and hoping that by some miracle it will all go away; or
· We grovel around for yet one more solution we can impose that will “fix” the situation or make it better, such as changing jobs, trying one more health cure, divorcing our mate, etc.
Eventually, we will have exhausted any number of these methods and hit our wall. Feeling utterly defeated, we will know that the jig is up when we can’t haul our accumulated baggage forward one more step. Down on all fours under the unbearable weight of our “teacher,” pain, we can do nothing but wave the white flag of Truce and yell into the void, “I give up!” The end has finally come and we have no recourse but to “Let Go and Let God.” What an overwhelming time this is.And what an enormously powerful time! Yes, powerful. Because it is only when our ego minds have run out of temporary solutions, avoidance patterns and rationalizations that the Mind of our Hearts can open to the Grace of God. Always there and waiting for an invitation from us, the Grace of God is truly the answer to our prayers and beseechings. When we embrace the Grace of God we are no longer forced to learn our life lessons at the mercy of pain, but we are open to living life guided by Vision and Inspiration. As one of my mentors taught me at a critical crossroad in my journey: “When you have nowhere else to turn, you are teachable.”
From the Low Road to the High road: My Personal Journey
I used to be a professional student at the School of Pain. For well over 40 years I believed that I was a helpless victim of my life circumstances and the lack of money. I was certain that I was being punished for untold sins, as I struggled to “make it” in the
world. Pain became the professor in my chosen survival major – Finances. Convinced that I was helpless to solve the never-ending problem of too little salary and too many bills, I felt entirely justified in blaming my situation on all sorts of scapegoats. I claimed that I was a victim of the economy, my marital status, my sex, my education, my boss, my God (who had surely forsaken me). I held the belief that the number of dollars in my checking account defined my self-worth.
You can imagine how low my self-esteem fell during the financial ebbs of my life, such as the time when the ATM would not allow a withdrawal because my balance had fallen below $20! I also believed that all the dollars I did receive had to be earned by the sweat of my brow and that it was my lot in life to never have enough money. I just knew that life was meant to be a struggle, and then you died!
As I matriculated through the School of Pain I finally came to one accelerated course that had life-changing effects. A few years ago I found myself at the wedding celebration of my precious daughter with not a single dime to pay my way, much less contribute to her special day. Having to tell her and her wonderful husband-to-be that I had to renege on my promise to contribute to their marriage day took me down to all fours. “Oh my God,” I thought, “could I get any lower than this?” The shame and guilt I felt over earlier debt I had incurred, the bankruptcy I had declared seven years before, and the begging I had done from friends just to pay the rent all paled in comparison to the utter hopelessness and despair I felt on this occasion of the happiest day of my daughter’s life.Reduced to ashes, I cried oceans of tears in the wee hours of that wedding day morning. “How had I gotten myself into this pathetic place?” I screamed from my inner pain-wracked self. I’ve worked so hard, raised three kids as a single mom and been a religious person – what did I do to deserve this? What am I missing? I spent the pre-dawn hours of that day submerging myself in my familiar victim mode of self-blame and self-flagellation. At one point in this vicious downward spiral, in a space between the torrent of tears and wails, I heard a soft voice say, “Be Still.” Startled, I obeyed and stopped my sobbing. “What are you grateful for right now?” the Voice quietly asked. “That I’m breathing” is all I could answer. I felt the tiniest measure of calm inch its way through my shuddering body. “Will you surrender all your problems to Me?” the Voice asked. “And will you trust Me?” It gently inquired. “I have no choice,” I sighed. “I have nowhere else to go. I have tried every way I know to fix this endless financial mess. All I want to do right now is to enjoy being the mother of the bride,” I declared, feeling a little bit less hysterical. “Continue to be grateful and watch the miracles unfold today. Turn it all over to me and have a wonderful time,” the Voice said. “When you are grateful you open the door for My Abundance to flow into your life.” . . .
That fateful, extraordinary day I summarily transferred from the School of Pain to the School of Vision. Little did I realize how easy it is to be accepted at this school and how welcoming it feels. I received so much support from others there that I never felt like “the new kid on the block.” And what a surprise it was to find everyone around me expressing their gratitude that I had made the decision to join them.
Attending this school guarantees every student a degree in listening with the inner ear to the Divine Plan for one’s life. Here we are taught through inspiration, intuition and imagination what our true purpose is. Here we learn to choose the high road to clarity. And here we hone the skills needed to express that clarity. By the time we graduate from the School of Vision we have recognized that the Universe is for us and that It truly works for our highest good. The diploma we receive certifies that we know with God all things are possible.
In the School of Vision my teachers have been many and my path one of joy and harmony, with only a few stumbles along the way. Through this new curriculum I have learned that what I was getting in life was determined by what I was giving out. As I gave out fear and the belief that there was not enough so was I receiving, with predictable accuracy, a life experience of fear and lack. It slowly dawned on me that I was using the Law of Giving and Receiving - “As you give, so shall you receive”- in ways that actually kept the cycle of lack going in my life. The many profound classes I have taken in the School of Vision have taught me to “give out” everything that I want returned to me, including money, laughter, healthy habits, love, compassion, peace, and harmony.As You Give, So Shall You Receive . . . The Happy Ending
It was on a cloud of profound GRATITUDE that I floated into the bride’s dressing room on my daughter’s wedding day - gratitude for the bride, my son-in-love to be, my two ex-husbands who were attending to last minute details, the sprays of beautiful flowers and corsages that had just been delivered, and the flush of excitement on my other children’s faces. Everywhere I looked I said, “Thank You, God!” God’s floodgates opened, the miracles poured forth and I received. Money was slipped into my hand by a wise and generous sister to pay for my hotel room. “Thank you, God!” An offer to buy my breakfast came from my loving son from across the table of 10. “Thank you, God!” An idea for the perfect gift to give the newlyweds that cost my time and my talent, yet would be priceless to them, suddenly occurred to me. “Thank you, God!” A request for my counseling services came from a guest among the crowd of friends and family at the reception. “Thank you, God!” And as I gave each prayer of GRATITUDE, I received even more from the Infinite One Source, God.
In the School of Vision, we are asked to “major” in 5 spiritual GIFTS that when fully practiced will guarantee our graduation with honors. GIFTS is an acronym for these transformational principles: Gratitude . . . Intention . . . Forgiveness . . . Tithing . . . Surrender. Why these particular GIFTS? Because each of these GIFTS has been carefully “test driven” for the power to shift consciousness. The ancient and modern mystics alike, no matter what their root tradition, have consistently referred to these five principles as essential disciplines in any spiritual practice. We have the power as spiritual beings to transmute the appearances of the conditions we see about us. In other words, we can use our inner eyes and hear with our inner ears and use those “senses” to see and hear beyond what is delivered by our sensory selves - our human be-ing-ness - to fully understand that we are beings of infinite possibility, unbounded by any appearance to the contrary.
The transforming power of these GIFTS is that they allow us to move beyond the impoverished realm of appearances - namely, the data delivered by our five senses - and connect with the vast true wealth of Life that lies in the realm of the invisible, the place of Pure Potential and Pure Possibility. For example, when we are in a state of GRATITUDE even in the face of a painful situation, we are lifting ourselves “out of the line of fire” of that pain by choosing to enlarge our focus to the greater good (God) that is there, along with what is immediately apparent. This does not mean that we deny, minimize, or override the facts of our three-dimensional reality, but rather that we simultaneously affirm the greater Reality of which the three-dimensional is but a part.
It does mean that we have come home to the Mind of the Heart, the place where our intuitive wisdom - that “still small voice,” also referred to in the Bible as the Voice of God - resides. Here, guided by authentic Wisdom and Divine Intelligence, we cannot help but realize our greatest purpose and the reason we are here: to let God out! To BE the Abundant Divine Expression of God . . . “For this have we been called.”
Will you enroll in the School of Pain, or School of Vision this Fall?(The preceding was an excerpt from 5 Gifts for an Abundant Life.)
Diane Harmony is the author of the best selling book, 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life: Create a Consciousness of Wealth, and founder of Universal Harmony, Inc., an organization dedicated to igniting the awareness within each of us that we are the Abundant Love of God. You can learn more about Ms. Harmony and her books, listen to an excerpt from her audio CD, or purchase either of them, by clicking Here.
News: New Section of Web Site - More Health Care Products Added To Site - Hand Made Soap!
Due to demand by our regular visitors, we continue to add Health Care products to our website. We've previously added two categories of products - products designed to help with weight loss and products designed to support a healthy heart. Now, we've added real hand made bar soap!
What's important about soap being hand made? Hand made soap retains precious vegetable “glycerin” - a natural humectant which attracts moisture to your skin. Did you know that glycerin is removed by commercial soap manufacturers for use in their more profitable products like lotions and resold to the consumer to combat the effects of drying soap? Not with hand made! Your skin will be naturally soft and nourished.
Hi! My name is Erin and I'm the owner of Kapow Soap, which is now available on the Conscious Living Foundation website.
Every batch of Kapow Soap is brewed by hand (by me!) in the time honored “Kettle Method”. This means big pots, wooden spoons and lots of arm muscles! There is much preparation all leading to the thrilling moment when I pour the temperature perfect lye or ‘sodium hydroxide’, into the hot oils melted in my kettle and watch as the magic begins! Immediately, the hand stirring phase (with the handed down Frankie spoon!) gets under way. I stir and stir, thinking peaceful wishes, expansive thoughts, and simple prayers for the friends and strangers who will find sudsy enjoyment in the bars to come! Something specific for each batch!
Around 12 minutes, when the mixture begins to “trace”, time becomes of the essence. Precise action is required so the soap doesn’t cool prematurely! With one last stir, I add crushed botanicals and put the soap “to bed” - pour the creamy liquid into molds to be kept cozy under layers of warm woolen blankets (for 20 hours) to allow the soap to continue the process on its own.
Next the lids come off! I gently remove the firm soap and place it on my curing shelves where it spends another 24 hours in the open air.
And at long last – I hand cut the blocks of soap into fresh fragrant bars with my custom wooden soap cutter and trim them to perfection! I’m always tempted to grab a few bars and jump into a bath right there and then! Of course it’s best to wait a couple of weeks to let retained water evaporate out of the bar, but … sometimes a girl can’t help herself! You've got to find out more about our products - click Here to see our complete selection!
In addition to our soaps, we continue to offer our new weight loss products which include a wide range of meal replacement shakes with essential nutrients, multi-vitamins and herb concentrates - all in a delicious selection of flavors. In addition we're offering protein powders, soup mixes, a cell activator to increase your ability to absorb your vitamins and minerals, protein bars, teas, phytonutrients, Omega 3 fatty acid supplements, fiber powders, and a variety of other healthy additions to your diet. Take a look Here for complete details.
The Healthy Heart section offers a great selection of products including antioxidants, vitamins, herbs, and healthy snacks. To see the complete collection, click Here.
Visit us throughout the month for a continuing evolution of our health care products section. Please send us an email at telling us what kind of health products you would like to see next.
News: Special Discounts Continue - Buy 1, Second at 1/2 Price -
Our holiday discounts were very popular, so we have decided to continue them a little while longer. If you've been thinking about purchasing books and recordings that support your personal and spiritual growth, now is the perfect time - take advantage of our special discounts and save money while, at the same time, you substitute more meaningful entertainment for that which is readily available on TV and radio - but which rarely uplifts.
Also, if you're considering buying a gift for a friend or loved one, why not select gifts that can genuinely make a difference in their lives? So often, we make purchases that are just fillers - not really knowing what to buy. This time, give books and CDs that will continue to inspire and encourage throughout the year.
We make buying even easier with our "Second 1/2 Price" special discounts. Buy any of our selected products at the usual price and buy another great book or CD at 1/2 price. Click Here to see our great selection of best sellers and favorites. They include audio versions of your all time favorites, perfect to listen to while driving or exercising.
Deepen your practice of the techniques that bring new joy and hope into your life - and give the gift of a deeper spiritual life and increased personal growth.
How I Bought A Pickup and Found God by Steve Roberts
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For most of the past decade I drove a rocket of a sedan manufactured by a company noted for building jet fighter planes. Standing still this car made radar guns salivate. Spiderman couldn’t have gripped the road tighter: no turn too quick, no storm too nasty. And so ergonomically ingenious was the cockpit that I could steer with one leg, file my nails and eat a 12 course meal with chopsticks—all while clutch and stick are gliding through five speeds like a shark at a minnow convention. I just realized something. I’ve owned cars like this for the past 25 years! I’d like to say the reasons are speed and looking cool, but the truth is closer to impatience and insecurity. In one of my ballistic missiles, there was only so long I could whistle a happy tune while trailing a parade of slowpokes down the old lonesome highway. Then the Hulk in me took over. In a breath I was a traveling at the speed of light, impervious to oncoming traffic, passing those pesky vehicles in my way with such fire their paint blistered, their radios suddenly receiving Mongolia’s greatest hits—and their drivers so impressed with my maneuvering they would salute me with one of the two fingers used to convey “Peace.” Then, in the flush of its golden years, my four-wheel torpedo croaked. My inner guidance said hey pal, time to get that pickup you’ve always dreamed of. A favorite relative named the new baby Lucky. Steve’s Lucky Truck. If I’d been listening I could have heard the Great Ones tittering in the background. I went from Top Gun to Tugboat. Only Houdini could pull off parallel parking this rig. And I’m not sure Lucky could take a woodchuck in the 50 yard dash. But oh what I’m learning about me. It’s a good thing I help others manage change. I now have to manually roll down the windows, use an actual key to unlock the door, survive winter with no heated seats, and negotiate mud season without those little windshield wipers on my headlights. Talk about primitive. And the most surprising part is how grateful I am. Who knew I could love putt-putting along like some old geezer on a Sunday drive?—just the sort of fellow I red-lined the tach to dart around a short time ago. It isn’t simply that Lucky has brought forward that part of me who wishes he were Mister Rogers. Startling is how ready I was for it to happen. I feel the universe has given me a kiss, the kind that comes to us all as we ease up on our attachments to how things ought to be. And as I write this, I feel kissed again, this time by the awareness of how mistaken I would be to consider Rocket Man in any way less desirable or less worthy or less lovable than Dr. Pliant. Both are me. Both are my teachers. Both are sacred. I believe it was Gandhi who said that a pacifist was a person who could kill you but wouldn’t, and that most people who call themselves pacifists are merely impotent. When we refuse to honor every part of us—the dark as well as the light, the terrified as well as the loving, the speed maniac as well as the Sunday driver—the choices we make can be only out of balance. One example of where this imbalance can lead is our fanatical addiction to blame. For so many of us, if we couldn’t blame we’d hardly ever speak. Editorial pages would be mostly white space. Yet curiously, blame is one of life’s greatest gifts. It reminds us we’re choosing fear. If we heed the reminder, we can make another choice. In fact, I find that even in the smallest, screwiest detail the universe is nudging us to lighten up, to choose love. How else do you explain why one of my biggest cheerleaders is a pickup truck? To find out more about Steve or read a chapter from his book, click Here. Steve Roberts is the author of Cool Mind Warm Heart, a collection of essays, stories, and photographs of stone sculptures he builds on his Vermont farm. He can be found on the web at CoolMindWarmHeart.com and at TheHeartOfTheEarth.com. |
Let's share the gifts for which we are most grateful:
joy, wisdom, love and the means to increase them in our lives.
Click Here for our special discounts.
| Quotations on Success and Abundance - and An Affirmation |
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“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." —Booker T. Washington “Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, "What's in it for me?” —Brian Tracy "Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into." —Wayne Dyer "Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." —Charles Dickens Affirm: I am increasingly abundant, prosperous and successful. My cup runneth over with riches, wealth and every good gift of a generous God. I am designed to joyfully receive countless untold blessings and bounty through my relaxed willingness to receive. (If you hesitate to make this affirmation, take the opportunity to look closely at what obstacles lie within you - and to remove them.) |
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For a large variety of inspiring quotations, click Here.
News: Free Recording of "The Science of Getting Rich"
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Often those of us who are trying to apply spiritual principles in our lives on a regular basis, have a seeming conflict with the ideas of success and prosperity. Is it possible to be ever more attuned to Spirit and at the same time have increasing material prosperity and success? These are the issues we attempt to address in the Prosperity section of our site.
In partial answer to these questions, we offer the free, complete recording of Wallace Wattles famous book, "The Science of Getting Rich". You can download, at no charge, the audio book, and e-book versions of this classic masterpiece by visiting our Prosperity and Success page, Here. |
Let's share the gifts for which we are most grateful:
joy, wisdom, love and the means to increase them in our lives.
Click Here for our special discounts.
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New Delicious Vegetarian Recipes:
News: New Book "India Unveiled" by Robert Arnett
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To read more about Smita and her wonderful book, click Here. |
Let's share the gifts for which we are most grateful:
However, the most complete expression of his approach to living is contained in his masterwork "Byways To Blessedness". This book is the most complete, detailed and in-depth expression of James Allen’s inspirational vision of the path to conscious evolution. As "As A Man Thinketh" was the introductory course to his thoughts and wisdom, "Byways To Blessedness" is James Allen's Master's thesis. Ours is the only complete audio version of this work available anywhere. This four CD unabridged recording contains the keys to personal happiness, prosperity, health and spiritual growth.
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News: Hundreds of New Nature Photos To Download For Free
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When nothing else will work, taking a brief walk outside, sitting in the park, or just admiring beautiful flowers can often reduce stress and give us a break from our routine. However, sometimes, we don't have the opportunity to go out and get back to nature.
CLF wants to give you the alternative of bringing nature into your workplace, computer room or home. We have just added over 350 new photographs of nature, including a collection of wonderful photographs taken with the Hubble Space Telescope.
So don't miss this opportunity to see the wonders of the earth and the universe, at absolutely no charge - just click Here!
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News: New Audio CD - Discovering Spirit - Informal Talks and Guided Meditation (2 CD Set)
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Let's share the gifts for which we are most grateful:
joy, wisdom, love and the means to increase them in our lives.
Click Here for our special discounts.
| The Secret Door To Success by Florence Scovel Shin |
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A successful man is always asked - "What is the secret of your success?" People never ask a man who is a failure, "What is the secret of your failure?" It is quite easy to see and they are not interested. People all want to know how to open the secret door to success. For each man there is success, but it seems to be behind a door or wall. In the Bible reading, we have heard the wonderful story of the falling of the walls of Jericho. Of course all biblical stories have a metaphysical interpretation. We will talk now about your wall of Jericho: the wall separating you from success. Nearly everyone has built a wall around his own Jericho. This city you are not able to enter, contains great treasures; your divinely designed success, your heart's desire! What kind of wall have you built around your Jericho? Often, it is a wall of resentment - resenting someone, or resenting a situation, shuts off your good. If you are a failure and resent the success of someone else, you are keeping away your own success. I have given the following statement to neutralize envy and resentment. What God has done for others, He now does for me and more. A woman was filled with envy because a friend had received a gift, she made this statement, and an exact duplicate of the gift was given her - plus another present. It was when the children of Israel shouted, that the walls of Jericho fell down. When you make an affirmation of Truth, your wall of Jericho totters. I gave the following statement to a woman: The walls of lack and delay now crumble away, and I enter my Promised Land, under grace. She had a vivid picture of stepping over a fallen wall, and received the demonstration of her good, almost immediately. It is the word of realization which brings about a change in your affiars; for words and thoughts are a form of radio-activity. Taking an interest in your work, enjoying what you are doing opens the secret door of success. A number of years ago I went to California to speak at the different centers, by way of the Panama Canal, and on the boat I met a man named Jim Tully. For years he had been a tramp. He called himself The King of the Hoboes. He was ambitious and picked up an education. He had a vivid imagination and commenced writing stories about his experiences. He dramatized tramp life, he enjoyed what he was doing, and became a very successful author. I remember one book called "Outside Looking In." It was made into a motion picture. He is now famous and prosperous and lives in Hollywood. What opened the secret door to success for Jim Tully? Dramatizing his life - being interested in what he was doing, he made the most of being a tramp. On the boat, we all sat at the captain's table, which gave us a chance to talk. Mrs. Grace Stone was also a passenger on the boat; she had written the "Bitter Tea of General Yen," and was going to Hollywood to have it made into a moving-picture; she had lived in China and was inspired to write the book. That is the Secret of Success, to make what you are doing interesting to other people. Be interested yourself, and others will find you interesting. A good disposition, a smile, often opens the secret door; the Chinese say, "A man without a smiling face, must not open a shop." The success of a smile was brought out in a French moving-picture in which Chevalier took the lead, the picture was called, "With a Smile." One of the characters had become poor, dreary and almost a derelict; He said to Chevalier "What good has my honesty done me?" Chevalier replied, "Even honesty won't help you, without a smile." So the man changes on the spot, cheers up, and becomes very successful. Living in the past, complaining of your misfortunes, builds a thick wall around your Jericho. Talking too much about your affairs, scattering your forces, brings you up against a high wall. I knew a man of brains and ability, who was a complete failure. He lived with his mother and aunt, and I found that every night when he went home to dinner, he told them all that had taken place during the day at the office; he discussed his hopes, his fears, and his failures. I said to him, "You scatter your forces by talking about your affairs. Don't discuss your business with your family. Silence is golden!" He took my lead. During dinner he refused to talk about business. His mother and aunt were in despair. They loved to hear all about everything, but his silence proved golden! Not long after, he was given a position at one hundred dollars a week, and in a few years, he had a salary of three hundred dollars a week. Success is not a secret, it is a System. Many people are up against the wall of discouragement. Courage and endurance are part of the system. We read this in lives of all successful men and women. I had an amusing experience which brought this to my notice. I went to a moving picture theatre to meet a friend. While waiting, I stood near a young boy, selling programs. He called to people passing, "Buy a complete program of the picture, containing photographs of the actors and a sketch of their lives." Most people passed by without buying. To my great surprise, he suddenly turned to me, and said - "Say, this ain't no racket for a guy with ambition!" Then he gave a discourse on success. He said, "Most people give up just before something big is coming to them. A successful man never gives up." Of course I was interested and said, "I'll bring you a book the next time I come. It is called The Game of Life and How to Play It. You will agree with a lot of the ideas." A week or two later I went back with the book. The girl at the ticket office said to him - "Let me read it, Eddie, while you are selling programs." The man who took tickets leaned over to see what it was about. "The Game of Life" always gets people's interests. I returned to the theatre in about three weeks, Eddie had gone. He had expanded into a new job that he liked. His wall of Jericho had crumbled, he had refused to be discouraged. Only twice, is the word success mentioned in the Bible -- both times in the Book of Joshua. "Only be strong and very courageous to observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my servant, commanded thee: turn not from it to the right nor to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart from thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein, for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and thou shalt have good success. Turn not to the right nor to the left." The road to success is a straight and narrow path; it is a road of loving absorption, of undivided attention. You attract the things you give a great deal of thought to. So if you give a great deal of thought to lack, you attract lack, if you give a great deal of thought to injustice, you attract more injustice. Joshua said, "And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout: and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up, every man straight before him." The inner meaning of this story, is the power of the word, your word which dissolves obstacles, and removes barriers. When the people shouted the walls fell down. We find in folk-lore and fairy stories, which come down from legends founded on Truth, the same idea - a word opens a door or cleaves a rock. We have it again in the Arabian Night's Story, "Ali Baba and The Forty Thieves." I aw it made into a moving picture. Ali Baba has a secret hiding place, hidden somewhere behind rocks and mountains, the entrance may only be gained by speaking a secret word. -- It is "Open Sesame!" Ali Baba faces the mountain and cries - "Open Sesame!" and rocks slide apart. It is very inspiring, for it gives you the realization of how YOUR own rocks and barriers, will part at the right word. So let us take the statement -- The walls of lack and delay now crumble away, and I enter my Promised Land, under grace. If you enjoyed this selection from the pen of Florence Scovel Shin - Click Here to find out more her and listen to free audio selections from her writings. |
Let's share the gifts for which we are most grateful:
joy, wisdom, love and the means to increase them in our lives.
Click Here for our special discounts.
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All Contents Copyrighted, 2006, The Conscious Living Foundation
I’ve always wanted to write an essay with a title like this. But not simply to satisfy my itch to be cute. It had to be true. Now it is. 
ever written about the country. The stunning photography and engaging text with an insightful portrait of its people, landscape, and diverse culture, truly captures the essence of India, one of the oldest continuously surviving civilizations on earth.
are emphasized in this absorbing book set in India. The book is based on a charming true story about a boy who found the author’s lost wallet and could not understand why he should be rewarded for doing the right thing!
