The Magic Word

 (This is a re-posting of an old favorite, but always relevant.)

I’ve discovered the magic word.  It’s not abracadabra and it’s not a secret.  It’s not a mystery wrapped inside a symbol.  The long sought magic word – the utterance of which brings immediate reward to the speaker – has been found.  By me. I’ll tell you exactly how I found it.

 As I was driving to work one morning, one of those idiot motorists clustered around me, lane-hopped near my rear bumper.  The idiot then challenged other drivers as he (maybe she, it was dark) then darted back into my lane, inches from my front bumper.  My ego first impulse was to let loose a string of verbal (or at least mental) descriptions of the idiot’s clearly errant consciousness.  But I didn’t.

 The driver was an “accident looking for victims.” This was a time when I was practicing “complaint free” principles in my real-time daily living.  I was creating a habit to say and think what I desired in every moment, and not what I disliked or disapproved.  Did I desire for the idiot to have an accident?  Of course not.  Therefore I thought and spoke to him/her what I genuinely desired - “May you arrive safely at your destination.”

 I thought that pretty good, and, sure enough, felt a bit of relief.  A few more consciousness-challenged motorists wandered into my path, and I managed to send each along his way with the affirmation “May you arrive safely at your destination.” 

 Yet there needed to be a closing, an “amen” conclusion, to the thought lest I continue my attention on the behavior of the driver I’d rather not encounter.  Hey, I’m a slow learner, but even I understood that attention given = attraction to.

 Then flashed into my mind the magic word – the conclusion to that moment which would free my thinking and attention, and make it available for what I desired in my morning drive, rather than attract more idiots in my experience.  I appended the thought:  “May you arrive safely at your destination.  Ashalli.”  That was it.  End of drama.  The lanes cleared and I drove happily on my way.

 I repeated the affirmation and magic word every time I drove and encountered idiots.  It was evident, after a couple of days, that there were less idiots on the road.  Ashalli.

 The question was, of course, if this magic word produce the same effect off road?  A few days later I picked up a couple of items at the neighborhood grocery store when a patron with a cart full of stuff beat me to the “10 Items or Less” express checkout.

 What?  You’ve never had such an experience?  Ego impulse was to scowl at the offending person (I had a flashback to the road idiots).  But, determined to practice complaint free, the thought was offered “may you move quickly with your tasks to your desired end.  Ashalli.”

 The remarkably efficient clerk scanned the entire cart in record time – and with a quick payment from the person.  I liked this magic word.  Then the same clerk struggled with the bar code on one of my items.  I sensed the glare from the burly fellow in line behind me.  The laser scanner finally behaved and I was quickly beyond reach of what I imagine were less-than-complaint-free invectives from the fellow.  Well, why not?  I thought for him “may you have a pleasant day,  Ashalli.”  I went on about my business.

 I’ve used the magic word frequently and it works.  However, it works only as the conclusion to a thought desiring a positive outcome for the person or situation.  I say that because I desire to give my conscious attention, as best I’m able, to what I would like.  I’ve heard that before – did someone say The Golden Rule?

 Do I want others to complain and condemn my erroneous moments?  Or, do I desire that they treat me as I desire to treat them?  That’s Ashalli.

 There is a difference between “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and a variant that goes like “Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.”  These two approaches are 180 degrees apart.

 “Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.”  It sounds okay on the surface.  It smacks of consideration and kindness.  Yet it requires that you adjust your behavior and interactions to please what others want from you.  To do unto others as they wish accepts the obligation to act according to their rules, which may or may not coincide with your values and feelings.  In effect, you focus on what others want you to do (or be.)  If they are satisfied, they may respond kindly.  If they are not satisfied, well, they’ll let you know, so you can try harder.

 If you’ve ever spent time on that merry-go-round you know that it can’t be done.  You can never achieve joy this way.  But you can attempt to do so and work really hard to please others for five, ten, fifteen, thirty, fifty years or more.  It’ll never happen because you can only treat others as you wish to be treated.  Would your life be more joyful and less entangled if you focused on treating everyone as you wished to be treated?

 That approach places creative power in your hands and you’re no longer dependent on the good graces from pleasing others.  It’s nice to be loved and appreciated – but there’s a huge difference between Love and Appreciation and conditional “love” and “appreciation.”

 How do you reconcile demands to treat another in a way that makes you feel badly?  The bad feeling is your indication that you’ve got the equation skewed.  The best guide is to always treat others the way you want to be treated and you are more likely to feel good.  It’s not about what other people do or don’t do.  It’s what you truly desire for them – as what you would desire for yourself.

 The more I practiced the magic word the more relaxed many daily tasks became.  Then, one morning driving to work, another idiot zipped around.  At once I thought “May you arrive safely at your destination.  As Shall I.

”As Shall I.  It’s not magic.  It’s what you want for yourself.  May you have a wonderful day.  Ashalli.

Harvest moon...

 ...and friend.  (Red in tree is reflection of flash)

A Chat with Mom (Earth)

 

A few years ago I posted an interview with Earth herself, Gaia, as an Earth Day" column.  I didn’t realize that such interviews are quite rare and was a bit surprised that I couldn’t speak with her.  But, as it happens, the inscrutable Thomas Albert Snead spoke with Gaia only a few weeks ago.  Snead has provided excerpts from his conversation for posting.  Once again Snead pops up where others simply cannot go.  Thus, thanks to T.A. Snead and Gaia.

Snead: It is indeed a pleasure to meet with you, Mother Earth.

Gaia:    Gaia.  You may call me Gaia.

Snead: A first name basis with the planet, that’s something extraordinary.

Gaia:    Not at all.  We’re very intimate.  I love you.

Snead: I love you too.  Every day I proclaim my love for Earth and Life.

Gaia:    I am Life, yes.  You wanted to ask me some questions?

Snead: I’ve read several times in various publications, and have heard knowledgeable people state, that you are dying.  Are you dying?

Gaia:    What?  Do I look ill?

Snead: No, you’re radiant.

Gaia:    The people who make these proclamations do not see the whole, they see only what they don’t like.  I always make sure that they see more of what they give their attention.

Snead:  I think they mean that the climate is changing for the worse because of what people are doing to you.

Gaia:    I, who create worlds, bullied by people?  Nonsense.

Snead: So, climate change, global warming or cooling, isn’t real?

Gaia:    Of course it’s real.  It’s called weather.  I am always in motion, nothing is still or stagnant.

Snead: Are you upset that humans are putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?  That’s  the big cause of global warming, which is melting the glaciers and ice caps.

Gaia:    Plants must have carbon dioxide to thrive.  Why starve plants?  Plants are a source of oxygen that you must have to live.  Not a problem.  I store any surplus.

Snead:  Fossil fuels – oil, coal, gas – our use of these foul substances is killing you.  I’m told.

Gaia:    You are fueled by the sun, which for your purposes, is infinite.  In order for you to participate with me, you have to have a certain form.  It took a while for me to get you right, but you are designed to thrive.  Yet using direct energy from the sun would make you a different Life expression.  So I had the plants and minerals store the sun’s energy for your use.  It’s all the same energy, just in different storage forms.  You are welcome to it.  I want you to be happy.

Snead:  It’s difficult for some people to be happy when they see the glaciers melting.

Gaia:  I thought humans said they needed more fresh water.  I could, I suppose, bring in another comet, but I don’t think that’s what you want.

Snead:  But the melting means that the temperature is going up and that has a bad effect on the eco system.

Gaia:  I am eco system.   Glaciers melting is a good thing.  Can you say Great Lakes?

Snead:  Can we discuss evolution?

Gaia:  We already have.  Everything is in motion, nothing is static.

Snead:  I mean, how species develop.

Gaia:  Every thought, ever thought, still exists.  Life is constantly adding to itself.  This is how any form evolves.

Snead:  That’s a different way of thinking about it.

Gaia:  Thinking is what humans do best, even when they aren’t aware of it.

Snead:  Are we hurting other species with our technology and actions?

Gaia:  How many swallows and bats thrive beneath your bridges?  Ever try to count the number of birds perched on your power lines?

Snead:  Okay, they adapt.  As do we.  Constant motion, change, evolution.  So, over all, you’re not angry with us?

Gaia:  I love you.

Snead:  That’s good to know.

Gaia:  One last question.

Snead:  What’s the deal with squirrels?

Gaia:  Even humans have their jesters.

 

-30-

 

 

The Dog Day of August!

 BE IT KNOWN:

As I have for over a decade, (August having no holiday) I declare the Dog Day of August for appropriate celebrations.  SUNDAY AUGUST 18, 2024 is hereby so declared.  Enjoy.

Hot Off the Press!

 

Using pendulum dowsing and evidential mediums we explored the ancient stories from our ancestors about their interactions with "The Sky People."  Simply put, our past  doesn't look like we think it does.  Get it at Amazon or wherever you get your books.  Dan and I will have a book signing Saturday June 29 at the office of Strategies for Living, Dave and Lauren McMillian.  Pendulum dowsing workshop at ten, we'll sign books at eleven.  1810 E, 70th, suite 300, Shreveport. (We'll have books for sale there)

Bits and Pieces...

 

Same park, over time.

Can't totally rule out lens flare, however...

A Preview...

 ...of Paranormal Pendulum IV - the Sky People...