Now and Now and Now and Now

Bless those around you with kindness and acceptance. They are the true mirrors of your soul’s health. When you are consciously with another person, only love arises. There can be no conflict when you are in your whole self, for there is room for every kind of person and every kind of experience. Acceptance is the key. No need to change anything. From this acceptance springs love and joy, and it is from this acceptance that change can grow. Let go of resistance. All that you are is informing every move you make, if you are not aware of this then you are unconscious and cannot live your life fully. Take my advice. Live to the fullest every minute of every hour of every day. Right now is where you live. Not in the past or future – they are but phantoms in the mind. Right now is where you live. You are the present creation of the present moment. Move through each moment as if it were the most precious moment of the universe, which it is, as it is all you have. Now and Now and Now and Now. That is your life, nothing else matters.

Touch Is Vital

Touch is vital. Touch is healing, and necessary for human development. Find someone you can hug. Find good, healthy sex. Pat a dog or cat. Get a massage from a loving and ethical massage therapist. Connect with a handshake or a kiss. Surround yourself with all kinds of textures – soft, smooth, rough, coarse, fuzzy, prickly. Notice what feels good, and do it. Talk with your partner about these things. If your preferences are different you can work out a compromise. If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, babysitter or teacher, don’t be afraid of hugging the children in your care. Lay a hand on a child’s shoulder when she wants your attention. Look into her eyes. If you are the child of an aging parent, sit with him, pat his knee, always hug and kiss when greeting him or saying goodbye. It is true that when it is coercive, aggressive, the damage can be enormous, but don’t let that make you afraid. You can protect yourself and share information about what to do when someone is touching you in a way you don’t like. And your spreading of good, mutual, undemanding touch is a counterweight to the violent touch that is in the world.

You Need Nothing Else

Life is so beautiful that you need nothing else. Simply taking in the pleasures of the moment – a bird’s song, a child’s laughter, even a car you like the looks of – everything that brings pleasure is the beginning of joy, when noticed in the moment and without attachment, envy or yearning. Feel the air on your skin. Pay attention to your breath. Think of someone you love with all your heart, or a fond memory. And in that moment all is perfect. This is the path to happiness. You don’t have to do anything, find anything, be given anything, Happiness is within you waiting to be noticed. No one can take it away from you. Your experiences can get in the way – disconnect you – but no one and nothing can take it away because it is universal and eternal and divine. It is a soul experience not dependent on the physical world. Happiness is your birthright. More to the point, it is your soul’s birthright.

No Need for Drama

Surrender is the answer to everything. Always say to yourself: it is what it is. Now what? When you are struggling against your life, you are perpetuating the very thing you want to be rid of. When you surrender, life flows in grace and ease. Whatever is going on in your life at the moment becomes manageable. When you turn your attention to the good in your life, your whole body relaxes, decisions come easily, and the effect you have on others is calming and accepting. Your choices in any situation are resist, change, or accept. It's as simple as that. No need for drama.

All Work Is Honorable

It is really true that you can find work you love. This is the thing most people disbelieve. Start by loving the work you are doing, and the rest will follow. Whatever you are doing, when you do it with dignity, openness, integrity, and with your whole heart, becomes ennobled. All work is honorable.

Don't Worry!

Don’t worry! Please, don’t worry! What does it get you? Nothing but dis-ease. When you find yourself worrying, ask “is there something I can and want to do right now about this situation?” If the answer is no, let it go. If the answer is yes, then ask, “is it appropriate for me to take action? What action should I take? Is this really someone else’s privilege and not mine?” Only when the answer is truly - "yes, this is within my rights and within my control, and I know the appropriate action to take" – only then is it prudent to act. Only good things happen when you stop worrying. You relax your mind and body. Your system balances out. You open up to what is in front of you.

Help If You Are Asked

The love you show for yourself is in the way you take care of yourself, and the love you show for others is in the way you allow them their own space and freedom. Help if you are asked. Advise if you are asked. Everything else is simply ego. Do not judge. Do not even wish for others. When you find yourself wishing something would be different for someone else, just look to yourself. Is that something you want for yourself? Is that something you have and are grateful for? That’s as far as you need to go. Allow everyone else the dignity of his or her own path. There are plenty of people asking for help. Go there. Help them. Leave your friends and family alone to find their way.