There are times as we Expand & Grow on our journey, we can benefit having a touchstone or resource to steady us through a moment on our path. The information and sources offered on this page may be helpful in guiding you to someone or something that can assist you further in understanding and getting through "growth spurts", as well as encouraging you to keep moving forward with the next step.
On this page you will find: ~ The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz ~ The Awakening – poem by Sonny Carroll ~ The Laws of Giving & Receiving by Ted Andrews ~ Peeling Away the Layers from the Daily Om ~ Where the Flame Doesn’t Flicker ~ Recommended Reading: Books, Audios, Videos, Blogs & Links & Much, much more
As you scroll through, you may experience previous information with new eyes and understanding or resonate with something that is "just what you need" at this time. I will continue to add new sources and information along the way, so I invite you to visit as often as you feel, enjoy your adventure and have fun exploring!
“The Four Agreements” From The Four Agreements Companion Book by Don Miguel Ruiz
BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.
DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST
Your best is going to change from moment to moment. It will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstances, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Look forward with Faith to see only good in your future. Know that all things work together for your Highest Good at ALL times. Know that God is taking care of everything and watch with attentive interest as your Highest and best unfolds. This will leave room for those wonderful surprises and unexpected events that make life a joyous and educational adventure.” ~ Anonymous ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Awakening A poem by Sonny Carroll A time comes in your life when you finally get it…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside you head cries out – ENOUGH!! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change… Or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance. You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are...and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of newfound confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn’t do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it’s not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties, and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk you’ve been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends. You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with…and in the process you learn to go with your instincts. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for your next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO! You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake. Then you learn about Love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone does not mean lonely. You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK…and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want…and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won’t settle for less. And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and play. You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve…and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone…and that it’s OK to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting good people. One these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn’t punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It’s just life happening. And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state – the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually, who are you no to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in Everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson from A Return To Love ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giving & Receiving
The following Law’s of Giving and Receiving are from The Animal-Speak Workbook by Ted Andrews The Law of Giving....
"You must be willing to give in order to have your wishes granted."
When I am setting in motion a new project or working to manifest some hope, wish or dream, I will perform a variety of anonymous, fun acts of generosity and kindness. Before crystals became very popular and few people had them, I would take small crystal stones, place them in envelopes, pick names from the phone book and mail them. I would attach a note that would say something very simple, such as: "So that you can have a little more sparkle in your life...A Friend." If I am working on prosperity, I take some one dollar bills and place them in envelopes with an anonymous note, such as, "So that you will always know you will be blessed in life...A Friend."
After I became published, I would often send copies of my books anonymously to people, sometimes gifting whole sets to spiritualist churches and metaphysical groups that were working to become established.
Many times I take small feathers, say a prayer and breathe blessings into them. I then place them in envelopes and mail them anonymously with a note: "This is a magic wish feather. For three nights hold it in your hands and make a wish. Then place it in your pillowcase before you go to sleep. After the three nights, tie it with a loose thread to a tree so that it will float and dance in the wind. When the feather blows away on its own, your wish will soon be granted." (Craft store feathers are good for this.)
I always love imagining what these people think when they received their gifts. I could see them surprised and wondering, "Who sent this? And why? And what does it all mean?" The would be talking about it to their friends and their family. It would add wonder and mystery to their lives for days and would add a great deal of energy in turn to my own wish making.
Heeding the Law of Giving is critical to having wishes granted. There are many things you can do to work with it. Perform some volunteer or charity work when you start your wish making. Help someone out without being asked. You do not have to commit to a great deal of time and effort, but do it willingly and joyfully, knowing that it is a way of helping others. And yes, you do help yourself in the same process. Do not do it though with a grumbling attitude: "I have to do this or my wish won't be fulfilled." If you do, it will not work for you and may even backfire. You will have been better off not making the wish at all.
From The Animal-Speak Workbook by Ted Andrews The Law of Receiving....
"You must be willing to receive what you wish for and you must demonstrate that willingness to receive it."
The Law of Receiving goes into effect from the moment we start to manifest anything and it always shows itself within our life within 24 hours. It starts small and subtle, growing bigger and more obvious. From the moment you tie your wish feather outside to a prayer stick or a tree, this law kicks in. Within 24 hours the universe begins to send us little gifts. It's a bit like a test to see how truly willing we are to receive the wish we are making. These gifts will come in many forms. The can be compliments, invitations, and offers our of the blue, etc. They are little confirmations that things are starting.
We need to accept, to receive these little gifts, to start the stronger magnetic pull so that our real wish will come to fulfillment. Our wishes are often blocked when we do not realize that this is happening, and do not accept the little gifts. For example, someone may pay you a compliment about something you are wearing. What do you do? Do you accept it graciously, or do you reply with something like, "What? This old thing?"
Other people may offer to give you something. What do you do? Do you say, "Oh no, I really could not take it"? Or what if someone offers to help you with something, what will you say? Is it something like, "No, thanks, I can handle it myself?" Or what if you get an invitation or two. Will you accept it or decline? Will you be just too busy?
If we do not accept the little things, the universe will not send us the bigger things. The wish we want to have fulfilled will not come about. By accepting the little gifts, we start a magnetic pull to us that helps manifest our hope, wish or dream.
When you release your feather outside to work for you, pay close attention to invitations, gifts, and such that come your way. Accept as many of them as you can. And do not feel guilty about it. Guilt will block or hinder the fulfillment of your hope, wish or dream. It's a way of saying that you do not deserve to have your wishes fulfilled, and it will stop.
There will be a time in which you can give back, so enjoy the receiving! Think of it like Christmas or a birthday, a time in which people give you gifts because it is a special day. Our wish making is a special time, and if it is to succeed, we must treat it as such. Do you give back or refuse to accept your birthday or Christmas gifts?
From The Animal-Speak Workbook by Ted Andrews
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “When you have been caught in the world of perception you are caught in a dream. You cannot escape without help, because everything your senses show merely witnesses to the reality of the dream. God has provided the Answer, the only Way out, the true Helper. It is the function of His Voice, His Holy Spirit, to mediate between the two worlds. He can do this because, while on the one hand He knows the truth, on the other hand He also recognizes our illusions, but without believing in them. It is the Holy Spirit’s goal to help us escape from the dream world by teaching us how to reverse our thinking and unlearn our mistakes.” ~ A Course in Miracles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peeling Away the Layers
Trees Shedding Their Bark Trees grow up through their branches and down through their roots into the earth. They also grow wider with each passing year. As they do, they shed the bark that served to protect them but now is no longer enough to contain them. In the same way, we create boundaries and develop defenses to protect ourselves and then, at a certain point, we outgrow them. If we don’t allow ourselves to shed our protective layer, we can’t expand to our full potential. Trees need their protective bark to enable the delicate process of growth and renewal to unfold without threat. Likewise, we need our boundaries and defenses so that the more vulnerable parts of ourselves can safely heal and unfold. But our growth also depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed boundaries and defenses we no longer need. It is often the case in life that structures we put in place to help us grow eventually become constricting. Unlike a tree, we must consciously decide when it’s time to shed our bark and expand our boundaries, so we can move into our next ring of growth. Many spiritual teachers have suggested that our egos don’t disappear so much as they become large enough to hold more than just our small sense of self – the boundary of self widens to contain people and beings other than just “me.” Each time we shed a layer of defensiveness or ease up on a boundary that we no longer need, we metaphorically become bigger people. With this in mind, it is important that we take time to question our boundaries and defenses. While it is essential to set and honor the protective barriers we have put in place, it is equally important that we soften and release them when the time comes. In doing so, we create the space for our next phase of growth.
(November 6, 2008) Daily OM, Nurturing Mind, Body & Spirit www.DailyOM.com
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Where the Flame Doesn’t Flicker In the light of his vision he has found his freedom – Dhammapada “When I began to learn meditation, a teacher taught me an image that has been supremely helpful in my practice, with tremendous applications to my daily life. Imagine inside yourself a sacred room where a white candle burns brightly. This room is a sanctuary, a refuge from the bustling activity of your daily life. The energy in the room is so still, secure, and protected that when the outer winds of change blow, the candle does not flicker. There is a place of peace inside you that is unaffected by the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” It is not affected by the highs of worldly achievement. It is calm, pure, whole, and unswerving. Nothing anyone says to you or about you can dampen it. No financial ups or downs can move it. No heady falling in love or relationship breakup or divorce can sway it. Bodily challenges cannot move it. Even the death of a loved one cannot extinguish it, as you realize that your loved one has not disappeared, but returned to the refuge of their own soul. You will never find perfect peace in the world. By nature, the world is built on ups and downs, comings and goings, triumphs and failures, victories and defeats, war and relative peace, life and death. The world offers many blessings and adventures, but none as profound as the discovery of perfect peace within you, and the recognition that you carry well-being with you. Today, and every day, take some time, preferably at the beginning of your day and again at the end, to visit and dwell in your inner sanctuary. There you will be cleansed of the debris of painful thinking and emotional upset. Your heart will be opened and your soul restored. You will remember who you are and what your purpose in life is. You will recognize the beauty and value of your loved ones and, most important, yourself. Go often to the place where the candle flame does not flicker. It is your true home, and the source of all good in your life. What place can you touch inside you that delivers respite and healing to your soul? Within me dwells a place of perfect peace. I go there and renew my mind, heart, and spirit. Email sent from a friend – September 20, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” ~ Paul Valery ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recommended Reading:
Caroline Myss - Anatomy of the Spirit (book or audio) *Essential Guide for Healers (audio) Entering the Castle (audio and book) - I highly recommend the audio as it has several short guided meditations for you to connect and communicate with your Soul
Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now (book or audio) A New Earth (book or audio)
Florence Scovel Shinn - The Power of the Spoken Word (book)
Louise L. Hay - Healing Your Body A-Z (book)
Doreen Virtue, Ph.D - Constant Craving What Your Food Cravings Mean and How to Overcome Them(book) Archangel Oracle Cards (cards) Mary, Queen of Angels (cards)
Terah Kathryn Collins – The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Creating Balance, Harmony and Prosperity in Your Environment (book) The Western Guide to Feng Shui: Room by Room (book)
Marie Kondo - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (book) *This offers an efficient and effective way to clean and declutter your home, plus offers a practical understand of the energy and emotion associated with the things.
Heather Wallace - Shift (book)
Barbara Hoberman Levine – Your Body Believes Every Word You Say (book)
Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo - Eat Right For/4 Your Type (book) Cook Right For/4 Your Type (book)
Animals: The Monks of New Skete - The Art of Raising a Puppy (book) How to Be Your Dogs Best Friend
Sandra Walter – “What is Happening to My Friend?” *Free PDF download - donation option available *a brief introduction to the awakening phenomenon for family, friends, and colleagues of the awakened "The Gratitude Stream"
DVD, Movies & Films: “May I Be Frank” – Documents the essence of the human condition and what it truly means to fall in love again through Frank’s story of love, redemption and transformation.
“Fiction”: Lois McMaster Bujold – The Sharing Knife (book, series) *This is a beautiful and adventurous story that provides a look into the perceptions and relationships of an esoteric, energetic and ritualistic way of life vs a more simplistic and fearful way and the impact knowledge and understanding of "the other" can have in creating harmony.
James Redfield – The Celestine Prophecy *This is a gentle way for those just becoming aware of energy, coincidences and synchronicities to learn more through a story full of spirituality and adventure.
Disclaimer: Services and products offered or recommended by Kara Hicks are not a substitute for conventional medical and psychological treatment or medications. For health concerns, please consult your doctor.