Limitless Possibilities

A few years ago I taught a troubled teenager.  He struggled with rage and isolation, and had trouble believing in himself.  When his birthday came around, I wrote him this poem–and without a preconceived reason as to why, I was moved to share it with you today.

 

Every seed
is hand-crafted
and placed lovingly
in a world of sweetness.

Someone eats the fruit
and casts the seed aside,
and the seed keeps the memory
of being surrounded with sweetness
for the rest of its life.

Every seed
contains the hope of sky,
and the memory of a twisted passageway,
and longing–longing for light.

And inside every seed
burns a steady darkness.
Not the kind where you can just make out the shapes
of things, but the kind where nothing
is visible.

Every seed needs that kind of darkness,
for that is the way it will look
when they are planted in the ground.

A Fisherman once told his fellow fishermen
to cast their nets into the deepest, darkest part
of the sea.  Soon they were up to their knees in fish.
Not all darkness is bad.

And every seed
holds a question.
That question, once answered,
opens that seed into vast, cathedrals
of light.  And then,

life blazes upwards,
past stones, through earth,
through darkness, and out–
out into the golden warmth
of limitless possibilities.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Your Heart’s Desire, Part 10, Paragraph 15

Welcome back, Dear Friends

I hope you are doing Your Heart’s Desire with a buddy

or are willing to find one now.

The exercises over these next few weeks

will push you, perhaps, out of your comfort zone. 

You will be examining yourself in ways

perhaps you never have. 

And having a buddy to share what you discover

will be crucial not only to your healing,

but to finding and living Your Heart’s Desire. 

In fact, the more you learn about yourself

over these next couple weeks,

the clearer the whisperings of God will become,

and the more you can share with someone safe, the better.

We all need other people to help us get clear

on why we do what we do.

We need an objective voice.

If these exercises get too much for you

take a break, but finish them as soon as you can.

What you do these next two weeks will be necessary

to completing Part 14.

Try and get started today on this week’s lessons.

There is a lot to cover. 

You will need to work harder than ever

On Your Heart’s Desire.

 

Paragraph 15, by Emmet Fox

“We use our energy destructively whenever we think or talk fear and limitation; whenever we grumble, or give way to self-pity, or indulge in useless regrets, or in fact, in any form of negative thinking.  Most of all do we use our God given energy destructively when we hold thoughts of criticism and condemnation of others.  All bitterness, resentment, spiritual pride, and self-righteousness, are peculiarly disastrous methods of misusing the Great Power, and that is why such thinking causes the terrible havoc that it does in people’s lives.”

Commentary, Questions, and Exercises, by Joseph Anthony

I just want to say here that over the next few weeks we will be utilizing a great resource to discovering and living Your Heart’s Desire.  And that is the book Alcoholics Anonymous.  There are portions of that book we will lean on heavily to help get us where we need to go.  You might object to the use of this book, especially if you’re like me—I’ve never had a drink of alcohol and I’m 43 years old.  Please do not let the source of information bother you.  The Big Book, regardless of your addictive leanings or lack thereof, is one of the greatest spiritual documents of the 20th century.  It has influenced the self-help movement more than any other book—ever.  So we will be using the portions we need to keep moving.  This week we will be using pages 64-68, in case you have a Big Book.  If you don’t have one that’s OK, you’ll be fine.

Isn’t it amazing to realize that we partake of the Divine Energy when we’re thinking?  We really need to let this truth sink deep into our hearts and minds—our thoughts are a part of the Creative Energy of God—in the sense that God thinks (or sings, whichever way poetically suits you best) and we come into being.  We think, and if we infuse our thoughts with feelings and actions, we manifest things too–we are afterall, “made in the image and likeness of God.”  Our thoughts are crucial to the construction or destruction of the world. 

In other entries on the Wonder Child Blog you can read about the power of thoughts and how thoughts are a crucial part to manifesting our desires.  For our purposes here let’s just sit with the idea that our thoughts are powerful forces related to the very heart and mind of God.

Questions

1). Notice Fox says “whenever we think or talk of fear and limitation.”  Do you talk about fear and limitation?  Do you dwell on limiting, fearful thoughts?  Do you complain a lot?  Why?

2). Do you indulge in self pity? (That’s a funny way to put it isn’t it? We indulge in chocolate, but self-pity?)

3). Do you constantly think condemning critical thoughts of others?

4). Do you walk around an ego-maniac with an inferiority complex, or do you just think you’re better than everyone else?

5). What do you think spiritual pride is? Do you think you have it?

Exercises

1). Make a list of all of your resentments in a similar way as the following guide.  It comes essentially from the AA Big Book, so if you have one take a look at pages 64-67 and read about resentments.  If you don’t have a Big Book, just do the list as I suggest below.  Try and think back as far as you can go—to childhood even.  Use as many pages and columns as necessary.  I suggest you do one column and go straight down before moving to the next column.  If doing this inventory brings up a lot of difficult feelings remember to talk with your buddy or a counselor.  You can also contact me via email (josephanthony@thewonderchildblog.com).  Try and be as thorough as possible.  Keep in mind that the more you can get out and rid of, the clearer the channel will become to hear God’s voice.  Don’t worry if you forget something.  Just put down what you remember.  The list will never be complete or perfect.  The main goal is to discover patterns in your behaviors—your motivations and ways of operating.  Try and define resentment as any feelings of anger or bitterness that twist your guts when you think of them.  Write for a few hours and then stop.  You will need time to write other inventories, so just get down as much as you can and then move to the next task.

Who or what are you resentful at?  It could be a person, place, or idea.  Write it down in an incomplete sentence.  Just name it.

What is the reason for the resentment? What did that person, place, idea do?

What part of you is threatened by this person, place, or idea? Is it your pocket book, social reputation, ambitions, prestige, relationships, sexual feelings, or self esteem?

What is your part in getting the ball rolling?  We all have a part in the vast majority of our resentments, even if it’s through holding expectations about the person, place, or idea that didn’t get met in the way we thought it should. Try hard to sincerely see your part.  This is perhaps the most important column of the four.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2). Make a similar list for your self-pity, regrets, and limiting beliefs.

3). Reflect on the reasons you might indulge in spiritual pride or condemning criticisms.  What are you afraid of?

4). Find someone you trust and read these lists to them.  Take the risk of being vulnerable.  The disclosure to someone safe will be crucial to your healing and ability to learn to listen to God’s Voice.  If you can’t do this task this week due to logistical reasons, commit to doing it as soon as possible.  The next few weeks depend on getting this part completed.

 

This week is a lot.  It’s a bit heavy and possibly painful.  Remember you committed at the beginning to doing whatever it takes to fulfill Your Heart’s Desire.  Remember your commitment to see it through.  Any pain you feel at doing this week’s tasks will be well worth it if you keep moving.  I honor your strength and courage.  Try and get started soon, there’s a lot to get through in seven days.  Actually, I am going to use next week, Part 11, as a review week, so it won’t have any new exercises.  That gives you 2 weeks to work on your list and read it to someone.  I hope that helps.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Interview with Brad Yates: Tapping Into Happy, Joyous, and Free

Dear Readers,

About 6 months ago, I made a new vision board.  On that vision board I put an symbol for EFT tapping because I eventually want to become an EFT practitioner.  Well on Friday, June 24th, I had the great pleasure of interviewing internationally known tapping practitioner, speaker, and author, Brad Yates.  THAT was not on my vision board–as far as EFT being in my life in that way and with Brad, but it does illustrate the power of visualization and manifestation, because the Universe brought Brad and I together thus fullfilled that part of my vision board in a way I couldn’t have forseen!  

The interview really turned out to be more of a conversation in which we discussed EFT tapping and addictions, children and tapping, following your dreams, and more.  He even led me in a tapping session at the end of our talk that you will not want to miss.  It was a wonderful hour.  Brad was patient and generous, as I was a little nervous having never interviewed anyone ever for any reason.  In fact, I was so nervous, I  ended up calling him 3 hours early!  (He lives in LA and I’m in Philly)  Anyway, it worked out great!  Please take the time to look over Brad’s bio and website.  The interview is near the bottom of this post.  Just click it and enjoy!

Here is Brad’s Bio and link. 

Brad likes to think of himself as an Evolution Catalyst. He is known internationally for his creative and often humorous work with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).  Brad has worked with a diverse group of clients, from CEO’s to professional and NCAA athletes, from award-winning actors to clients in social service programs.  He has been a presenter at a number of events, including Jack Canfield’s “Breakthrough to Success.” He is the author of the best-selling children’s book “The Wizard’s Wish” and co-author of the best-seller “Freedom at Your Fingertips.” Brad is a featured expert in the EFT movie “The Tapping Solution” and has partnered on teleseminars with Joe Vitale and Bob Doyle of “The Secret.”

Link to Brad’s website:
http://www.bradyates.net/

Please check out his website.  You will find many free videos and resources.  His spirt of giving is a great example to follow. 

To listen to the interview, simply click on the link below.  It’s about an hour long.  Enjoy. 

http://www.bradyates.net/wonderchild062411.mp3

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


The Spiritual Aspects of the Parts of Speech, Part V, Pronouns

Pronouns

In a nutshell, pronouns take the place of nouns.  He, she, it, him, her, them, they, we, you or I are all pronouns.  In addition, pronouns have several special powers that other parts of speech do not have.  Pronouns can possess things—yours, mine, theirs, his, hers.  They can demonstrate things, like “This is the color I want.”  That and these are also pronouns.  And finally, pronouns can interrogate–they can ask questions: who, what, where, when, whom, are all pronouns.  Other words like everyone, many, or everything, are also pronouns.

The two most commonly used pronouns are you and I, with I being perhaps the most often used.  In fact, it is a defining moment in the life of a child when they suddenly, for the first time, use the word I.  It’s significant, because for a while, little children experience themselves as being one with everything.  Not only that, but they will often refer to themselves by their own name:  “Billy wants a cupcake,” Billy might say about himself, or “Sally wants to go to the library,” Sally might say about herself.  So when a child begins saying the word I he or she will soon be saying it a million times a day.

I remember when our second son came running around the hallway corner one day when he was about three.  As he came by he grabbed the wall to stop himself.  And as he did, he stopped just long enough to look up at me and shout: “I!”—And then he was off again running, happily shouting, “I! I!”  From that day forward the word I has been a part of his everyday vocabulary.

Today, reflect on the two most popular pronouns you and I.  Practice saying you more often today than I or my.  Practice thinking about someone else today more than I, me, my, and mine.  Reflect on the significance of you and I—how they go together so naturally, so necessarily.  Reflect on the Ubuntu saying, “I am because you are.” And if you still have room for more after all that reflecting, try writing a poem about yourself without using the words I, me, my, or mine.  Try writing a poem about someone you love without using the words you or I.  Finally, try writing a prayer to the God (or Goddess) of your understanding without using either you or I

And just for fun, let’s end the post with a video from Schoolhouse Rocks!  Cheers!

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


A Teaching Story on Mercy from the Conference of the Birds, a Sufi Fable by Farid ud-Din Attar

                                                                                *

The Conference of the Birds, by Farid ud-Din Attar is one of my favorite pieces of spiritual literature.  I first read it nearly 20 years ago and it has stuck with me as a regular source of inspiration and comfort.  What follows is one of many stories from the book, which is essentially a long poem about a group of birds that go about trying to find a king (God).  A hoopoe bird leads them on their quest to find, what Attar calls, the Simurgh, which is an old Iranian mythological winged being.  The birds go through many trials and tribulations all told through stories.  Here’s a story I have plucked out of this vast treasure house of stories after which I offer just a wee bit of commentary.

A man who drank too much often came to the point when he lost both his senses and his self respect.  Once, a friend came across him in this deplorable state, lying on the road.  So he got a sack and put him in feet first and put the sack over his shoulder and set off for home.  On the way, another drunk appeared, reeling along, supported by a companion.  At this, the man whose head hung out of the sack, woke up, and seeing the other in this pitiable state said reprovingly: “Ah, unhappy man, in future drink two cups of wine less, then you will be able to walk as I do now—free and alone.”

Our own state is not different.  We see faults because we do not love.  If we had the least understanding of real love, the faults of those near to us would appear as good qualities.”


When I first read that story I was convicted to the quick!  For years I went around criticizing others (usually in my head, but sometimes out loud with words or with rolled eyes), never once realizing I was just afraid to look at my own faults. 

Now I know everyone is a mirror, everyone is a teacher.  If I see a good quality in someone it is because I possess that quality, whether I am consciously aware of it or not.  Likewise, when I am critical and condemning of someone, I too possess the fault I am pointing out, and am simply unable or unwilling to deal with it.

And while Attar tells us real love overlooks the faults of others, he never says to condone abuse or irresponsibility.  He is talking about those things that we are always critical about in other people—all the fault finding and nit-picking.  Focus on ourselves, he is saying, and look for the good.  If I truly want to follow my dreams I will need to not only learn real love of others, but of myself.  I need to learn to look for the good in myself also. 

My own brand of self-centeredness used to manifest in my constantly putting myself down.  Just as I used to only see the bad in others, I used to only see the bad in myself.  Oh, I could idolize you and see good in you sometimes, but I didn’t know it was because I had it in myself too—I used it to compare myself with and to further put myself down when I always came out lacking.  My self-image, my self-esteem used to be horribly low—dangerously low. 

Today I extend Attar’s advice about overlooking the faults of others to overlooking some of my own.  I no longer have to be perfect at everything I do, think, or feel (and interestingly, the more I accept myself, the “perfect” I am becoming–in terms of being at peace with myself the way I am–the shame is lessoning).  I can extend the mercy I show towards others to myself.  And as far as dealing with those things that I do need to change in myself, for those I need other people that I trust to help me work through them—it’s hard for me to objectively see them—I’m too emotionally involved.

Lastly, I have EFT to help me accept and love myself.  Tapping through my issues, which live in the cell of my cells, has helped free me up
to become a channel for love and mercy, towards others and myself.

*while the second edition is much more expense it is the better of the two in terms of translations–very accessible.  And it is a prose translation.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Your Heart’s Desire, Part 9, Paragraph 14

Welcome Back, Friends.

You’re on the edge. 

The key to Your Heart’s Desire will be revealed in Part 14.

Although the next couple of lessons fairly well spell it out

—even clearer than last week.

In this lesson you will hear about the Great

Fundamental Energy pervading all things.

It’s ours. 

The question is:

How are we using it?

And the answer to that question

 gets us closer to the key.

 

Paragraph 14, by Emmet Fox

“There is only one Fundamental Energy in the universe, but this energy may be applied by us either constructively or destructively, because God has given us Free Will.  When we use it constructively, we are acting in harmony with the Will of God, and we are improving ourselves and our lives in every possible respect, and we are helping the world in general too.  When we use it destructively, we damage ourselves, retard our progress, and waste an opportunity of helping mankind at large.”

Commentary, Questions, and Exercises, by Joseph Anthony

Can you see the key forming?  We all have free will, and that is part of the answer to the dilemmas of paragraphs 5 and 6.  We are all a part of the Divine Energy.  We all partake of it.  We are all channels.  How are we going to use that gift?

Let’s play a bit of a dark game just to get a point across.  Imagine you’ve been given a car.  You are free to drive it anywhere—to church or to the drug-dealers.  It is all about choices.  And let’s say, for the sake of this imagination, you decide to drive it to the drug dealers.  I know this is a bit out of character for us here at your Heart’s Desire, to imagine something like this, but go with it.  It’s important. 

Let’s look at the thousand little choices that go into making the bigger choice of going to the drug dealers:

You decide to get up off the couch.

You decide to get some clothes on.

You decide to put your shoes on.

You decide to put on a hoody.

You decide to go look for the hoody on the floor of the bedroom.

You decide to turn on the light and step over the pizza boxes.

You decide to pick up the hoody that smells the freshest.

You decide to put your left arm in first.

You decide to put your right arm in last.

You decide to zip the hoody.

You decide to go find your keys.

You decide to find your wallet.

You decide to look in your wallet to see if you have enough money.

You decide to put the wallet in your right back pocket.

You decide to walk to the door.

You decide to turn the knob and open the door.

You decide to step across the threshold.

You decide to go back in and make sure the oven’s off.

You decide to turn the doorknob again.

You decide to step back outside.

You decide to go back in and turn on the porch light and grab an umbrella.

You decide to turn the doorknob again.

You decide to step outside again.

You decide to walk down the two-step to the sidewalk.

You decide to walk to your car.

You decide to unlock it.

You decide to get in and put your seat belt on.

You decide to turn the key.

You decide to back out of the driveway.

You decide to turn the car down the dealer’s street.

You pass the church along the way.  You decide to keep driving.

You decide to park down the street from the dealer’s house.

You decide to take off your seat belt.

You decide to get out (after a deep breath).

You decide to start walking to his house.

You decide to put one foot in front of the other.

And with every step, with every choice, it gets harder to turn back.

Obviously you could have stopped the process long before you put the drugs in your system.  Once they’re in there—you no longer have the power of choice.  The “phenomenon of craving” as the AA Big Book puts it, kicks in, and you’re a slave.

But we all have the freedom to choose and we often minimize the myriad choices that go into making a major choice that could destroy or create our lives.

If we use the Force for good, we help ourselves and others.  If we use it for ill, we destroy ourselves and others.


Questions

1). Do you believe you have Free Will?

2). Do you believe God’s Energy can be used by us for good and ill?


Exercises

1). Reflect on the risks God took (if any) by giving us Free Will.

2). Reflect on the things you wrote down in question 4, Part 3, Paragraph 3.  Are the secret things you dream of doing constructive or destructive?  Reflect on the possible consequences of following those dreams or of not following those dreams.

3). Reflect on any new ideas you have growing within you that could be the whisperings of God—dreams, desires you are feeling called to follow.  Write about them.

4). Reflect on the Power of Choice.  Choose to do 7 kind, positive, healthy, generous, and giving things this week, at least one a day—for someone else. Remember the great law: As you sow, so shall you reap.

 

I hope the dark imagination didn’t bother you too much.  Next week we will look at paragraph 15.  Keep dreaming.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


The Spiritual Aspects of the Parts of Speech, Part IV, Adverbs

          

Welcome back, Dear Readers.  Today we will be taking a look at the spiritual aspects of adverbs.

Adverbs

Recall what we said yesterday about verbs.  Recall that they are the doing words.  Recall how we are active, vital beings—always doing.  Now let’s go a little deeper.

 How do you do what you do? 

Adverbs are the adjectives of verbs.  You could say, I walked to work.  Or, I walked happily to work.  You could say, He took my hand.  Or, He gently took my hand.  Adverbs usually end in “ly,” but not always.  And not all “ly” words are adverbs, but as a general rule, that’s the scoop.

Reflect on how you do things today.  Do you speak slowly, quickly, softly, loudly, or kindly?  Do you walk swiftly, slowly, gently?  How do you grasp things at the dinner table?  Gracefully?  Hungrily?  Do you listen carefully or carelessly?  Do you listen attentively and compassionately or judgmentally?  How do you eat?  Do you eat slowly, savoring every bite?  Or ravishingly, barely tasting anything?  Do you react patiently or violently to a traffic jam?  Does it depend?  How do you pray?  Trustfully, gratefully, or frighteningly and bitterly?  How do you remember the past?  Bitterly or joyfully?  Both?  Reflect on how you do what you.  This is very beneficial.  It will help you and those around you live more peacefully and consciously

As a fun game, gather a few friends around or a bunch of kids aged 8 and up and play the following game:

In the Manner of the Word

Brainstorm all of the adverbs you can think of and write them down so everyone can see them.  Then pick someone to step out of the room and have the rest of you quietly pick an adverb from the list that you all can agree on.  Then have the person who stepped out come back in.  Then he or she gets to give the rest of you acting directions like: “Walk in the manner of the word; read a book in the manner of the word, brush your teeth in the manner of the word.”  And so on.  And you have to act out the directions.  You can all act the directions out together, at the same time, or the person can pick one of you to act it out individually.  The object is for the person making all of you do those silly acting things to try and guess which adverb it is that you picked while he or she was out of the room.  It’s a hilarious game.  Have fun.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Your Heart’s Desire, Part 8, Paragraphs 10, 11, 12, and 13


Welcome Back! 

Have you guessed what the key to unlocking Your Heart’s Desire is? 

You know that Your Heart’s Desire is the Voice of God whispering inside of you.  You know you need a clear channel. 

But how do you get one? 

This week Fox leads you closer and closer to the edge of the threshold. 

He expands on the idea that the channel needs clearing

and even gives a gentle, humorous example

of what having a blocked channel is like. 

I am giving more than your usual one or two paragraphs from Emmet Fox

not to rush you along, but because they fit together so well. 

Like last week, there will be little commentary

and only a handful of questions and exercises.   

Two weeks—that’s when the method for how to clear the channel gets revealed

 and also the method for listening to the voice of God within you. 

Consequently, some of the excerises get a little more challenging. 

Be ready, and

stay tuned—literally.


Paragraphs 10, 11, 12, and 13, by Emmet Fox

“People work so hard to bring health to their bodies; to bring prosperity, to bring happiness, to bring success into their lives; to bring artistic or literary gifts or talents within their grasp, to bring great new ideas from the outside; and of course, they continually fail, because we cannot “bring” a single one of these things from the without to the within.  The actual development is just the reverse—they have to be released from the within that they may appear on the without.  In short, we have not to build on from the outside; our task, as Browning says, is “to set free the imprisoned splendor.”

This process, the true manner of nature’s working, is well illustrated by a simple anecdote.  A certain man was working in his garden, assisted by his little girl.  She had undertaken the interesting task of watering the lawn by means of the usual rubber hose.  Matters proceeded harmoniously enough until she suddenly cried out in disappointment: “Daddy, the water has stopped.”  The father looked over, and, taking the situation in at a glance, said quietly, “Well, take your foot off the hose.”  The child had inadvertently placed her foot and most of her weight upon the soft rubber pipe, and thus, by her own action, shut off the water that she needed.  She, of course, removed her foot at once, whereupon the water again flowed freely.

Five minutes later, she once more cried plaintively: “Daddy, the water has stopped again.”  Her father glanced across and observed that now she had placed her other foot upon the hose.  He replied: “Well, take your foot off.”  The child did so, and again the stream flowed freely, and, as she had by this time learned that lesson, she did not repeat the mistake, and completed the interesting task she had chosen, with much satisfaction to herself.

The ultimate cause of all our troubles is just this.  Behind all secondary and proximate causes lies the same primary mistake.  We have been acting like the little girl in the story; we have been pressing our feet and the whole weight of our mentality upon the pipe line of life, and then complaining bitterly because the water does not flow.  Man’s business is rightly to handle his Divine Spiritual energy, and when he does this, he has found his true place, and then all goes well.”

Commentary, Questions, and Exercises

These paragraphs largely speak for themselves, so little will be added here by way of commentary.  It would do us well however to really let the idea of things growing from within sink deeply in our souls—as an image.  The “from within to without”—“the true manner of nature’s work,” is such a comforting truth.  Imagine an oak tree sleeping inside an acorn.  Imagine a butterfly swirling into form within the cocoon.  Picture a dragon fly emerging from the split back of the nymph clinging to the post of a pier.  Think of the eagle curled inside the egg.  Realize that your voice—(go ahead, sing a note or two)—comes from within.  Your ability to learn to talk, walk, read, and so on, believe it or not, all come from within.  Sometimes we need catalysts from without—teachers, workbooks, etc, but everything—the entire essence of the All Creative Intelligence of the Universe is within us.  Now that’s awesome. 

Let the image of the little girl unwittingly standing on the hose trying to water her father’s garden also rest easy in your heart.  There is no blame.  The father never scolds or chides his “assistant.”  He simply quietly offers the solution to her dilemma (“still, small voice?”).  The same is true for us when we call out to God: “Daddy, nothing’s flowing, nothing’s working in my life.”  To which He will gently and quietly respond—“Get your mental weight off the hose.”

What is the mental weight?  It’s focusing on the negative, on the problems, on our weaknesses and mistakes, our past traumas and hurt, our blame and victim consciousness, our fears and resentments, and so on.  We must lift our consciousness above the problem—off the hose—and let the solution—the Water of Life, the Water of Truth flow freely through us—and then “all goes well.”  Notice too that the channel is fragile and somewhat easily blocked.  Notice also that the story says she eventually completes the interesting task “she had chosen.”  You are in the process of choosing right now as you study these lessons.  You are assisting your Father’s work.  And every one of the tasks you complete helps clear the channel.

But how you keep asking, is the channel actually cleared?  The answer is revealed over the next few weeks, so keep coming back.


Questions

1). Do you agree that all things—all changes come from within? 

2). Do you believe you have the Infinite God inside you right now?

3). Do you believe you hold within yourself “imprisoned splendor?” 

Exercises

1). Reflect on the story of the little girl watering the garden.  Emmet Fox believes that the soul is essentially female in nature.  What sort of garden do you believe your soul is watering?

2). Reflect on your ability, willingness, resistance to—whichever– to call God, “Daddy” or some other earthly term of affection–whether masculine or feminine.  Pick a word that a child might use for a parent or guardian and experiment using it this week to refer to God.

3). Reflect on the idea that you are responsible for the clear flow of Infinite Energy.  How does that make you feel?

 

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


The Spiritual Aspects of the Parts of Speech, Part III, Adjectives

Adjectives

Adjectives are the painting words in our language.  You could say, The lion., and that would technically be a complete sentence, but why not say what the lion is doing?—The lion roared.  Next, imagine what the lion looks like: The golden lion roared.  Or, The wild-eyed, golden-maned lion roared.  The sentences with the adjectives are more interesting.  They give you a better picture.  You could say, The flower grows.  Or, The beautiful red rose grows.  See what I mean?

Our handy online etymology dictionary says that the origins for the word adjective mean to add to or throw near.  What words do you add to the names of things?  Do you throw in swear words?  Do you add pet-phrases that somehow describe what you are saying?  Are the describing words you use mostly of a visual nature?  Do you speak in generalities or can you be specific?

Reflect on the nature of adjectives.  Really play with them, for adjectives make the creation alive and interesting—they are the painters and poets of our language.  They are creators and catalysts.  Imagine, for example, what color God is.  What color is His/Her hair?  Reflect on the colors of emotions.  What color is pain?  Reflect on the sounds you listen to.  Which sounds do you love?  Which sounds are grating?  Reflect on the textures of things.  Do you prefer soft clothes or rough?  Hold someone’s hand today, a friend, spouse, or a child, and describe what that is like—both the feel of their hand and the feeling that act brings to your heart.  Reflect on the colors you see in a given day—or do you see them?  Is your life grey and covered in dust?  If so, do a cleaning and get out the paint brushes of adjectives and color your world with beautiful descriptions.  Reflect on the qualities that describe the Divine.  And let’s not forget about the sense of smell.  Reflect on the kinds of smells you love.  Describe them.  What does heaven smell like?  Try to use adjectives in every sentence you say today—try and use all the senses too.  Even if it sounds outrageous and silly—have fun and play with adjectives.

 

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Your Heart’s Desire, Part 7, Paragraphs 8 & 9

Welcome Back! 

If you’ve ever had a dream stolen, and my guess is

since you’re here, you have,

then you are in the right place,

and on the journey to getting your dreams back.

How were your attempts at obeying the “little” laws

in last week’s edition of Your Heart’s Desire?

 This week nudges you closer

to the key to Your Heart’s Desire. 

In fact, the two paragraphs allude to both the problem

and the solution to finally being able

to hear the whisperings of God. 

Stick with it. 

The next several weeks are going to propel you forward

leaps and bounds

in terms of attaining Your Heart’s Desire

and reclaiming your dreams.

 

Paragraphs 8 and 9 by Emmet Fox

“A human soul may be thought of as an opening through which Infinite Energy is seeking a creative outlet. If that outlet be a clear, open channel, all is well.  If, on the other hand, it should become obstructed by any means, then the Infinite Energy, the Life Force, is frustrated, dammed back—and all sorts of local stresses are set up in that soul; and these we see as sickness, poverty, fear, anger, sin, and every kind of difficulty.

Now we are in a position to understand what the real art of living must be.  It must be to make this channel clear and to keep it clear; and if only we will do this, we shall find that health, prosperity, full self-expression—true happiness, in short—will then follow automatically.”

Commentary, Questions, and Exercises by Joseph Anthony

The cat’s out of the bag.  We need a clear channel.  That’s the keychain, if you will, but not the key.  How do we get a clear channel?  That’s the key.  And Emmet reveals that information soon.  For now, just sit with the idea that we are channels for God’s Life Force.  Let that idea, that image, that sensation, settle within you.  It is both humbling and honoring—the God of All Creation wants to flow through you.  In fact, one could say the Creator’s work is never fully complete because He cannot flow through all of the channels He seeks to.

But how can the Infinite have any limitations?  Why doesn’t It just force Itself through, like a river shattering a dam?  The answer is freedom.  We are all free to become clear channels or stay clogged ones.  The choice is ours.

Questions

1). How does it make you feel to know you are a channel for the Divine?

2). What sorts of things do you think block the flow?

3). What do you think Fox is going to tell us in terms of how to clear the channel?

Exercises

1). Reflect on anything you feel is blocking the flow of God in you.  Consider giving up these blocks and asking for help or support to do so.

2). Reflect on the phrase, “the art of living.” How can you live more artfully this week?

That’s all for this week.  Consider it Your Heart’s Desire Lite.  Next week, we will move from the within to the without here at the Wonder Child Blog.  Join us then for Part 8, Paragraphs 10, 11, 12, and 13. 

                                                     

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog