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11 April 2010, 12:26
Why Gratitude?What You Haven’t Been Told by Apollo Pampallis
Why Gratitude?
Lots of people write books on what they call gratitude, on how, if you appreciate what you have, you will get more. Though true, it has nothing to do with gratitude at all. It is a completely different principle, that of getting more of whatever you focus on. Gratitude is far more fundamental than that!
So then what is gratitude? First, let’s discuss what it is not…
Gratitude is not something you think and decide about. In particular it is not what you do in response to your life situation, irrespective however wonderful, non-descript or horrifying it might be.
Gratitude is a state of Beingness. An Attitude. It is actually an abbreviation of ‘Great Attitude’/Gr(e)atitude. The Attitude of Greatness. Or, if we are to playfully Americanize it, it’s what makes the ‘Great I dude’ ;-) .
Jesus was in a state of Gratitude His whole life, even while nailed to the cross. And Victor Frankl was too, after finding his post graduate studies in and practice in Freudian psychoanalysis meaningless. He also felt gratitude at the most trying time of his life while in a concentration camp. No more, no less. At a time when he saw his own religious leaders denounce God in dismal resignation.
If what I write is true, then to fully understand the condition of gratitude, we must also discuss its opposite. What do you think it is? Take a moment to write it down before proceeding. You may be surprised by what you learn here.
Gratitude is a condition whereby you stop resisting, stop fighting, with life, with yourself. It starts with unconditional Acceptance. And then it goes a step further. It is a positive response to the passive act of acceptance. It is an acknowledgment that you, in *your omnipotence, have created precisely the conditions you find yourself in. That you have created a world which perfectly reflects all that is beautiful, and also all that is not so beautiful in your soul.
As such, it is a condition of acknowledging and regaining your own power, your own response-ability to what you have reflected in your material life and surroundings, your world. The Greek word for gratitude is eu-nomos-yne, literally means the “Good Law (of) ‘Is’ness or Being. So being in the state of gratitude puts you in sync with this Universal ‘Way it Is’, which in religious terms is One with God, or At-one-ment.
To clarify further, as a ‘Way to Be’, gratitude is not, and cannot be a judgment, so whatever circumstances you find yourself in , you can chose to be in gratitude, or to quote a nun I saw on TV ‘‘Whatever happens, whether the most joyous occasion, or greatest tragedy, I always say ‘Thank God’”. Naïve, or wise?
The biggest mistake people make is to confuse gratitude with gratefulness. I am not suggesting that you express gratefulness to the person who rapes you, robs you or hurts you in any way. Or that you should tip the rude waiter out of guilt. But if you learn to separate non judgmental, inner gratitude from judgmental, outwardly directed gratefulness, then you will unlock the key to your own power, first to deal in a life enhancing way with the painful experience you have endured, and subsequently, to open the way to creating, this time with conscious awareness which is in turn reflected in ‘better’ life circumstances.
Briefly contrasted, gratefulness is a response, gratitude is causal. The extent to which you focus on the former is the extent to which you respond to your circumstances. The extent to which you focus on the latter is the extent to which you create them.
But you don’t have to be in the blissful, powerful state of gratitude. There is, as always, a choice. ONE other choice, and one only.
What did you write down as the opposite of Gratitude?
In truth, it is victimhood. That is the opposite, one and only way of being, other than gratitude. It is the state whereby you deny your own responsibility, both in creating, by reflection, the life condition you have attracted, and your response-ability, rather than reflex, unconscious re-action to it. Or put another way, not being the consciously causative agent in your life, but living in the effect of your unconsciousness.
I have counseled more than one woman who had been a personal victim in a violent crime. When they were able to turn from the state of victimhood into one of unconditional gratitude to life itself they became free and powerful. It was a hard choice to make, but once made benefited not only their own lives but the lives of everyone they touched.
And whether or not you believe that Jesus arose from the cross, He is more alive now, two thousand years later than He would have been had He not been crucified, OR if he had allowed himself to be a victim. Likewise, Victor Frankl, in deep gratitude, inspired everyone in the concentration camp, Jew and German alike, touching all their lives profoundly, and left a legacy of psychology books all should read (to begin I suggest Man’s Search for Meaning – which you can purchase on Amazon by clicking here).
Each one of us, to a greater or lesser extent, more or less times, has felt that s/he has been ‘wronged’.
It is for you to decide whether to continue resisting the ‘way it is’, in victim-hood, and with this ‘hood’ smother your awareness, or exercise your freedom (divine right) to choose, and to remain in a state of gratitude.
To continue fighting the stormy waves of Life, to re(en)act, denying your power of response-ability to your painful experiences (while pain is at times inevitable, suffering is a choice). To be dumped continuously, helplessly, one wave after another, until you drown.
Or learn to Live Life with Gratitude, unconditional anticipation and enth(eo)usiasm (meaning God-filled), of the waves, and to surf on their crests.
What has been your experience with Gratitude? Have you found yourself able, for moments or longer, to spend time in this Divine Space? We would love to learn of your experiences – and for inspiring us with your stories we will gratefully randomly choose several commentors to receive a gift from our store
from http://evolutionezine.com to you
Enjoy!
Margarita Momeikiene
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08 April 2010, 17:58
Did Walt Disney use this to dream up Mickey Mouse?
Hi Reader,
A few call it controversial, but most others simply call it
powerful.
You see, back in 1937, Napoleon Hill -- the father of personal
growth -- revealed an idea that shocked publishers because it
was w-a-a-a-a-y ahead of its time.
Mr. Hill suggested that he had the ability to connect with
anyone, living or dead, to tap into their minds and source
inspirations and ideas.
He called it the "Invisible Counselors Technique"
What is this technique and why is it so powerful?
Well Napoleon Hill admits to having spiritual meetings with
Lincoln, Socrates, Aristotle,Plato, Newton, Burbank ,Edison and
Andrew Carnegie just to name a few.
And over time these meetings in his mind grew to include more
than 50 invisible "counselors". He would actually have
discussions with each of them and ask for advice in solving his
problems.
Hill states “while the meetings of my cabinet may be purely
fictional, and the meetings existent only in my own imagination,
they have led me into glorious paths of adventure, rekindled an
appreciation of true greatness, encouraged creative endeavor, and
emboldened the expression of honest thought.”
Not too shabby.
If the bizarreness of this all catches your attention, check out
this video we put up that explains how you can use this
technique.
http://www.finerminds.com/qjvideos/1?
The video also tells you HOW to use the technique in a step-by-
step way. And no, you don't just connect with "dead dudes". It
works with anyone living, and even fictitious characters.
Enjoy the video.
Vishen & Margarita Nomeikiene
Content
05 April 2010, 13:25
The Four Emotions That Can Lead to Life Change by Jim Rohn
Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. To a great degree, civilization itself can be defined as the intelligent channeling of human emotion. Emotions are fuel and the mind is the pilot, which together propel the ship of civilized progress.
Which emotions cause people to act? There are four basic ones; each, or a combination of several, can trigger the most incredible activity. The day that you allow these emotions to fuel your desire is the day you’ll turn your life around.
Disgust
One does not usually equate the word “disgust” with positive action. And yet properly channeled, disgust can change a person’s life. The person who feels disgusted has reached a point of no return. He or she is ready to throw down the gauntlet at life and say, “I’ve had it!” That’s what I said after many humiliating experiences at age 25. I said, “I don’t want to live like this anymore. I’ve had it with being broke. I’ve had it with being embarrassed, and I’ve had it with lying.”
Yes, productive feelings of disgust come when a person says, “Enough is enough.”
The “guy” has finally had it with mediocrity. He’s had it with those awful sick feelings of fear, pain and humiliation. He then decides he is “not going to live like this anymore.” Look out! This could be the day that turns a life around. Call it what you will: the “I’ve had it” day, the “never again” day, the “enough’s enough” day. Whatever you call it, it’s powerful! There is nothing so life-changing as gut-wrenching disgust!
Decision
Most of us need to be pushed to the wall to make decisions. And once we reach this point, we have to deal with the conflicting emotions that come with making them. We have reached a fork in the road. Now this fork can be a two-prong, three-prong, or even a four-prong fork. No wonder that decision-making can create knots in stomachs, keep us awake in the middle of the night, or make us break out in a cold sweat.
Making life-changing decisions can be likened to internal civil war. Conflicting armies of emotions, each with its own arsenal of reasons, battle each other for supremacy of our minds. And our resulting decisions, whether bold or timid, well thought out or impulsive, can either set the course of action or blind it.
I don’t have much advice to give you about decision-making except this: Whatever you do, don’t camp at the fork in the road. Decide. It’s far better to make a wrong decision than to not make one at all. Each of us must confront our emotional turmoil and sort out our feelings.
Desire
How does one gain desire? I don’t think I can answer this directly because there are many ways. But I do know two things about desire:
A. It comes from the inside not the outside.
B. It can be triggered by outside forces.
Almost anything can trigger desire. It’s a matter of timing as much as preparation. It might be a song that tugs at the heart. It might be a memorable sermon. It might be a movie, a conversation with a friend, a confrontation with the enemy, or a bitter experience. Even a book or an article such as this one can trigger the inner mechanism that will make some people say, “I want it now!”
Therefore, while searching for your “hot button” of pure, raw desire, welcome into your life each positive experience. Don’t erect a wall to protect you from experiencing life. The same wall that keeps out your disappointment also keeps out the sunlight of enriching experiences. So let life touch you. The next touch could be the one that turns your life around.
Resolve
Resolve says, “I will.” These two words are among the most potent in the English language. I WILL. Benjamin Disraeli, the great British statesman, once said, “Nothing can resist a human will that will stake even its existence on the extent of its purpose.” In other words, when someone resolves to “do or die,” nothing can stop him.
The mountain climber says, “I will climb the mountain. They’ve told me it’s too high, it’s too far, it’s too steep, it’s too rocky, it’s too difficult. But it’s my mountain. I will climb it. You’ll soon see me waving from the top or you’ll never see me, because unless I reach the peak, I’m not coming back.” Who can argue with such resolve?
When confronted with such iron-will determination, I can see Time, Fate and Circumstance calling a hasty conference and deciding, “We might as well let him have his dream. He’s said he’s going to get there or die trying.”
The best definition for “resolve” I’ve ever heard came from a schoolgirl in Foster City, California. As is my custom, I was lecturing about success to a group of bright kids at a junior high school. I asked, “Who can tell me what ‘resolve’ means?” Several hands went up, and I did get some pretty good definitions. But the last was the best. A shy girl from the back of the room got up and said with quiet intensity, “I think resolve means promising yourself you will never give up.” That’s it! That’s the best definition I’ve ever heard: PROMISE YOURSELF YOU’LL NEVER GIVE UP.
Think about it! How long should a baby try to learn how to walk? How long would you give the average baby before you say, “That’s it, you’ve had your chance”? You say that’s crazy? Of course it is. Any mother would say, “My baby is going to keep trying until he learns how to walk!” No wonder everyone walks.
There is a vital lesson in this. Ask yourself, “How long am I going to work to make my dreams come true?” I suggest you answer, “As long as it takes.” That’s what these four emotions are all about.
Enjoy!
more http://www.jimrohn.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=1241
Sincerely,
Margarita Nomeikiene
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