Compiler’s Note! Today I took the time today to look at the message for June 29th after “allowing” the content that Feedblitz, the email delivery company, to be displayed on my PC. I was shocked to see the ad they included at the top of the Ponder message! And, in looking back over some messages from last week, I saw this wasn’t an isolated experience. Unfortunately, because I don’t pay Feedblitz for the service since Pondercentral is a free service, they can put whatever ads they want in advance of the content. Please excuse me for them including such cheesy ads that have nothing to do whatsoever with the content on this site. It’s ridiculous, and I will be writing them about this. Now, on to today’s message:

“We were told that happiness is a smooth complexion, a holiday resort. It isn’t these things, but we have subtle ways of making our happiness depend on other things, both within and outside us. We say, “I refuse to be happy until my neurosis goes.” I have good news for you: You can be happy right now, with the neurosis, You want even better news?

There’s only one reason why you’re not experiencing what in India we call anand – bliss, bliss. There’s only one reason why you’re not experiencing bliss at this present moment, and it’s because you’re thinking of focusing on what you don’t have. Otherwise you would be experiencing bliss. You’re focusing on what you don’t have. But, right now you have everything you need to be in bliss.”

Fr. Anthony DeMello, in “Awareness”

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.

“Once we understand that each of us is at the heart of the infinite universe, our centrality to the Whole becomes paramount, and we see the value in loving the self. We can’t give what we don’t have. In my culture, I was taught to put others first and myself last or not at all. I wasn’t taught to love myself or to value who and what I am. As a consequence, I had very little to offer others. Only when we fill our own cup with regard for ourselves, will we have any to give away. Only when we love ourselves unconditionally, accepting ourselves as the magnificent creatures we are with great respect and compassion, can we ever hope to offer the same to anyone else. Cherishing the self comes first, and caring for others is the inevitable outcome.

Selfishness comes from too little self-love, not too much, as we compensate for our lack. There’s no such thing as caring for the self too much, just as there’s no such thing as too much genuine affection for others. Our world suffers from too little self-love and too much judgment, insecurity, fear, and mistrust. If we all cared about ourselves more, most of these ills would disappear.”

Anita Moorjani, in “Dying to Be Me”

For more information regarding 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’ve also taken time out each day to review the day. This process comes from the Hindu tradition and is usually done at night. It involves reviewing the day’s events, in the mind’s eye, running backwards through the day from bedtime to dawn. Don’t ponder or comment too much on what happened – just watch. This exercise is a way of unraveling those experiences. It cuts down on the need for lots of trivial dreams, where the mind processes things that happened during the day.

It’s like moving backwards in time; it’s a discipline to do just as you fall asleep so that you notice your life. Life will not be just passing you by; you’re taking time to notice it. In reviewing the date’s events, it unclutters the mind and allows you to go to sleep in a very pure state of consciousness.”

Stuart Wilde, in “Infinite Self”

For more information regarding 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.

“How many occasions have there been when you repeatedly asked for something? Doing so is like bugging the Universe with that common question from our children: “Are we there yet?” Having to ask if you are there yet implies to the Universe that you are not there yet! Further, I believe that most of us have determined that the Universe and God are either too busy to hear us or have trouble hearing! After all, isn’t that why we keep asking for the same thing over and over again? We believe we must ask continually to be sure we are heard, and that all of the details of our desire are made known. We believe that if we request our desire many times, that will demonstrate the strength of our passion to reach our goal. Yet, continually asking  produces the opposite effect!

The nuance is that by continually requesting and sending our desire to the Universe, we are really questioning why we are not there yet!”

Gary Spinell, in “Beyond Intent”

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.

“Paying your rent, taking good care of yourself, and being self-sufficient are as important to your spiritual growth as meditating. Growth for most of you comes from living life fully, not from avoiding life and going off to a cave to meditate all day. You are here to learn from each person, each situation, and every challenge you have. You are here to learn to be fully present and aware of what is happening around you, adding more clarity, harmony, and light to all you do.”

Sanaya Roman, in “Spiritual Growth”

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.