I received an interesting letter that has me thinking…

This reader says:
“In trying to live after the light, embracing love, etc., being kind and so on, I find that these are not survival traits in the mundane world. Indeed, they virtually guarantee that you will get trodden down by others.”

I agree.  It seems to me that there are a great many folks out there who just plain don’t care how they treat others.  I lived in California for 7 years, which was a very difficult task for me since I love the woods so much.  But after loosing the two men who meant the most to me in this life (my father passed away in the middle of my divorce from a 29 yr marriage!), I was having a really hard time trying to stay positive and optimistic.  

I gathered a support group of friends around me and found that I felt much better around like-minded souls.  After a couple more years I finally decided I’d lived there way too long and had to get back to the Ozark Hills where the natives have the friendly, open and honest nature that I missed so much.

Later he says:
“Furthermore, appearance is everywhere preferred over substance; self-satisfied incompetence reigns in many places ... and holding to the spiritual values often seems to invite mundane failure.  It seems to me that the dilemma is that "the world," i.e. the system established by those who have abandoned spiritual things is at war with anyone who seeks to live after spirit.”

What a heavy statement!  Let me read that last part again…

From this perspective I can see where this person invites failure into his experience.  If he feels that “the system is at war with anyone who tries to live a spiritual life”, (and he is presumably one of these trying to practice spiritual principles in his daily life), then he is inviting failure into his experience because of this mind set.

From his statement it is easy to see that our beliefs can certainly limit what comes into our experience.

“The Universe does not know or care whether the vibration that you're offering is in response to something you are living right now, and observing, or in response to something you are imagining. In either case, the Universe accepts it as your point of attraction and matches it.”
~ Abraham-Hicks

If he truly feels this badly about the situation he is in, then I’d say it’s either time to leave that environment that he feels is at war with his spiritual nature and go where his spirit feels more at home, or it’s time to change his thinking about his situation.

The Law of Cause and Effect says we “reap what we sow”, or “what goes around comes back around”.  Therefore if we can find a way to think positively about our experiences we can and will eventually turn things around because we are inviting positive experiences with our positive thoughts.

From my own experience I can say that when I focus on appreciating those things that I enjoy, counting my blessings, then I can see that I attract more of these into my life.  Likewise, when I focus on those things that bother me… sure enough, I find more of them in my life.

It is always wise to be aware of the Law of Cause and Effect working in your own life, for this is what guides us by pointing us forward on the Path of our spiritual journey in this life.  When we 'feel' bad, we've veered off the Path; and when we 'feel' good, we know we're back on it.  Logic may be rewarding for material things in this mortal world, but the feelings in the heart show us ‘the Way’ to travel our Path in this life.

When we 'feel' bad, we've veered off the Path; and when we 'feel' good, we know we're back on it.  Logic may be rewarding for material things in this mortal world, but heart-felt feelings point ‘the Way’ to travel our Path in this life, especially when logic fails.

Those who are more in touch with their feelings can tell when they’re thinking or acting upon something NOT in harmony with their greater intentions for this life, because of the disagreeable feelings that are offered.  Likewise, when our heart sings then we also know that whatever we are thinking or acting upon in that moment IS in harmony with our inner being, because we feel it shining forth from within.  Someone observing this would say they are glowing with radiance or beaming with joy.

There are those, however, who are not in touch with their feelings.  Responding to some event in the past, they have cut themselves off from their feelings and cannot sense this inner guidance system.  Without this guidance there would be no reward for self-improvement.

The relationship between the ability to discriminate and the capacity to live wisely is borne forth most clearly in the Message of Virgo:  “Determine thy path with care, that you may follow the steep, narrow, and unused trail to perfection, but not the broad pleasant ways of the mortal world.”  Discriminate and analyze, for only thus can you determine the path of Wisdom.

Can you discriminate between those experiences that feel good, and those that feel bad?  If we attract those experiences that best harmonize with our thoughts and feelings, then which type of experience would be best to dwell upon… those that feel bad or those that feel good?

Which kind of experiences would you rather have in your life?

It’s worth thinking about…

The Key to understanding Virgo’s critical analysis is Service.  For all the analyzing we do during this month, let’s remember that criticism needs to provide a constructive Service.  Otherwise criticism is only destructive.

My daughter and I sat down with her teachers yesterday and discussed how she needs to have criticism given with a positive tone in order for her to hear what’s being said.  She’s a sweet girl, but extremely sensitive to negativity… so much so that they thought she was autistic as a child… but not so.  She just wasn’t ready to be totally IN this mortal world when she came, and has had one foot on the other side ever since.

The Law of Attraction tells us that which is like unto itself is drawn.  I learned early on with her that if I only have negative comments, I can be pretty sure that I will attract a negative response.  Likewise, if I have a positive tone when I address problems and can get her to laugh at how funny it would be if she kept doing whatever needs correcting, then I will keep her attention, she maintains her clarity, and understanding can be reached.  Done this way, I think we ALL would enjoy criticism.

Constructive Review

"The building blocks to knowledge and wisdom are constructed through the lessons of our character defects if we constructively review our conduct each day, asking where we are resentful, selfish, dishonest, or afraid.  Remember, we need to review constructively, not destructively. Destructive Review is when we ask, ‘what's the matter with me anyway.’ or ‘how could I be so stupid?’ These question lead to morbid reflection and seriously affect our self-esteem. In Constructive Review we ask, ‘what will I do next time?’ With constructive review we progressively eliminate the defect and replace it with wisdom."
~ Don Coyhis, Mohawk

The Law of Cause and Effect

Karma (or the Law of Cause and Effect) says whatever I send out comes back to me.   With this in mind, it’s interesting to see that a person critical of others is very likely to be even more critical of themselves.

Likewise, if I am constantly criticizing myself and others, what do you think will keep showing up in my experience?  Right… more things that invite me to be critical.

Reflections

We are all reflections of each other.  When I look at another person I see a part of myself reflected there.  Likewise when another looks at me they see part of themselves reflected back to them.

Characteristics we see in others which we don’t like, are usually the same characteristics that we can find within ourselves that we also don’t like.

Whenever I feel negative (bad feelings) toward another person, I see this negativity as a sign post that says STOP and look at what’s going on here.  I ask myself what it is I see in them, and how is this a reflection of myself?

This questioning and self-analysis provides the Service I need to improve my character and move myself forward on the Path to Perfection.

Do you wonder about the experiences you have?  Do you analyze how they might be reflective of your own nature?  

Do you offer constructive criticism in your desire to be of Service? … or are you just nit-picking for the heck of it?

Which do you want to have coming back around into YOUR next experience?

It’s worth thinking about…

Just when things seem to finally be moving in a positive direction a bolt in the works seems to have come loose, and it’s created a break or at least a slow down of the forward motion for the moment.

My daughter came home yesterday, upset by a teacher's evaluation that she was doing something wrong, which she considered to be her 'right' to do.  She fretted over it the entire evening, couldn’t sleep, and finally had to wake me up at 2:30 a.m. to tell me she didn’t want to go back today.

It’s a good thing we have an evaluation meeting coming up next week! If she IS doing something wrong, then she needs to understand what the problem is, and we need to agree on a solution satisfactory to all concerned - rather than something that will keep her up at night. If she's NOT doing anything wrong, then this evaluation needs to be corrected so she'll feel comfortable continuing with the program.

These set backs remind me that I need to pay attention by focusing on the details, analyzing the problems and finding solutions agreeable to everyone.

The "discriminating person" has come to imply a fussy or "picky" one, a trait we also see in many Virgos. However, in its pure sense, the word discrimination only means the ability to differentiate things from one another, an analytical process without which we would be hard put to be wise.  

When someone points out the difference between what IS and what they’d rather have - how do you handle the criticism? Does it ruin your day or can you see past the hurtful remarks with your analysis?  Can you sort out truth from untruth and see what there IS to appreciate about this experience?

It’s worth thinking about… 

There is a saying that “birds of a feather flock together”.  I would like to take that one step further and say those that hang out together become like each other.  In other words if you happen to be a relaxed and happy person, but find yourself having to deal with tense and anxious folks then you’re more likely to take on their qualities.  However, when you do that you are no long the relaxed and happy person you once were.

I find that I can’t linger with those who are depressing without becoming depressed myself, for a while.  I dislike that feeling so much that I would rather not see those folks, if that’s what happens when I’m around them.

Virgo reminds us to discriminate and analyze, for only thus can you determine the path of Wisdom.

Can you discriminate between those people and activities that are uplifting and feel good, and those people and activities that are depressing and feel bad?  

If you realized that feeling happy and maintaining a positive outlook increased your magical ability, would you care more about the way you feel?

If you have a choice, wouldn’t you rather hang with people who are a positive influence which brings out your happy, optimistic nature?

In the final analysis, which serves you better?

It’s worth thinking about…