“If you are trying to undo a past behavior pattern, there are two ways you unintentionally keep it alive: The first way is by judging and resisting it. What you resist persists. If you keep bringing it up, it will keep bringing you down. Guilt is resistance to the presence of love, persecution turned inward. (A good definition of guilt is, “punishing yourself before God doesn’t.”) If you want to make sure you keep doing something, just keep feeling guilty about it. If you want to remove its hold on you, find evidence for your innocence. Keep trying different perspectives on for size until you find relief. Try to understand why you were drawn to the behavior.

Perhaps anyone who had the experiences that led up to that behavior might have chosen the same route. Was there any good that came out of the experience? Did (or do) you actually enjoy it, but according to societal standards, you are not supposed to? Have you learned through the experience? Are you stronger, wiser, deeper, or more compassionate? Did the experience and its results move you to a new place in your life that you would not have come to otherwise? How would someone who truly loved you view the behavior? Do anything you can to shift your regard of the event(s) from judgment to compassion and empowerment.

The second way you keep your past in force is by broadcasting it. The more you call others’ attention to it, the more you reinforce its power over you. Now their thoughts, feelings, and expectations are added to the mix.”

Alan Cohen, in “Why Your Life Sucks…And What You Can Do About It”

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Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

     

“The whole function of money is not to HAVE it; its function is to USE it. The main reason for generating money is to buy experiences. You want to get to the end of your life with zilch in the bank, and look back and say, “My God, look at this huge pile of experiences,” because none of your memories are ever lost. Everything you’ve ever done is in your eternal memory somewhere. So what you’re looking to do is not to covet and acquire things, because that will make you neurotic and often keeps you poor. Come instead from the concept of experiencing.”

Stuart Wilde, in “Infinite Self”

For more information about this book visit Amazon.

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

     

“I cannot tell if what the world considers “happiness” is happiness or not. All I know is that when I consider the way they go about attaining it, I see them carried away headlong, grim and obsessed, in the general onrush of the human herd, unable to stop themselves or to change their direction. All the while they claim to be just on the point of attaining happiness.”

Chuang-Tzu

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

     

“Now it’s easy to understand why there is so much conflict between humans. The world is populated by billions of dreamers who aren’t aware that people are living in their own world, dreaming their own dream. From the point of view of the main character, which is their only point of view, everything is all about them. When the secondary characters say something that doesn’t agree with their point of view, they get angry, and try to defend their position. They want the secondary characters to be the way they want them to be, and if they are not, they feel very hurt. They take everything personally. With this awareness, you can also understand the solution, and it’s something so simple and logical: Don’t take anything personally.”

Don Miguel Ruiz and Don Jose Ruiz, in “The Fifth Agreement”

For more information about this book visit Amazon.

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.

     

“Take time today to clear your mind of all things. Enter the space of No Thing and allow yourself time to become one with all. This is best done in Nature. Focus on a person, place or thing. Repeat in your mind, “I am that, I am.” Consciously look at similarities you have with the person, place or object you are focusing on. Make a heart connection, creating an energetic flow of energy between you.

Well up feelings of gratitude. The goal is to develop a sense of Oneness, knowing that you come from the same Source. Go deeper into the feelings of actually being that person, place or thing. With practice, you will begin to merge as One. As you go about your day, consciously connect with others, mentally repeating the statement, “I am that, I am.” until you begin to feel one with all.

Take time to do this often and your life will blossom in all areas as you rediscover your true spiritual Essence and re-member who you truly are.”

 Reverend Theresa Crabtree in “Mayan Messages: Daily Guide to Self-Empowerment”

Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.