September 2, 2007
Dear Friends,
In both the United States and Canada, the first Monday in September is Labor Day, a day when we honor the hard-working men and women in this world by taking a day off from our labors to pursue more pleasurable activities.
When you live your life in the divine flow, however, even "labor" can be a pleasurable activity. Instead of being "work that requires strenuous effort," as labor is defined by Webster, labor can actually be an endeavor of effortless ease.
When you follow divine guidance, and concentrate only on taking the next right step that is right in front of you, you can find yourself accomplishing the grandest of goals without undue stress, strain, or struggle.
That doesn't necessarily mean that the realization of your dream will be swift. Nor does it necessarily mean that your journey will be direct, and free of unexpected twists, turns, and detours. It simply means that--when you stay centered in the present moment, and stay focused only what you are being divinely directed to do right here and right now--even the most daunting of tasks can be undertaken with a sense of peace and grace.
So enjoy your Labor Day, my friends. And remember, when you live your life in the divine flow, every day can be Labor Day--every day can be a holiday from self-imposed burdens and unnecessary suffering.
Steve
© 2007 by Steven Lane Taylor
Friday, August 31, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Faith or Experience?
August 26, 2007
Dear Friends,
The very first time I decided to solve a problem by consciously putting my “faith” in the divine flow, I experienced a minor, but immediate, miracle. Later that same week, I tried it again. And again, the challenge I was facing worked out miraculously. And when I consciously relied on the flow to help me with another issue a few days later, once again everything fell into place marvelously.
I’m not sure, however, if “faith” is the most accurate word to use in describing those early experiences. Why? Because the first few times I turned my problem over to a “higher power,” I honestly didn’t think it would work. At the time, I was skeptical about the whole “let go and let God” thing. But I could also see how my usual way of handling challenges—through control, manipulation, force, and persuasion—wasn’t working very well. So, even though I was extremely doubtful that any kind of positive outcome would occur without my direct involvement, I decided to “give God a shot,” so to speak.
Twenty years later, I have countless stories about how the divine flow has consistently responded to my needs and desires. So, at this point, you would think that I would be a person of great “faith,” right? Well, sort of.
I actually rarely use the word “faith,” because to some people that means believing in something without any concrete reason to do so. But I have plenty of concrete reasons to believe in the flow. My life experiences have proven to me over and over again that we do, indeed, live in an intelligent, responsive universe—a universe that is continually offering us its celestial assistance. So today, when I consciously rely on the flow to help me fulfill a specific desire or solve a particular problem, is that an example of “having faith” . . . or is it just a reasonable expectation based on two decades of experience?
It’s an interesting question, but not nearly as important as this one: Why is it that we can experience miracle after miracle, year after year, and still quickly revert to that feeling that it is up to us—and us alone—to get what we want or need out of life?
It’s amazing to me that—no matter how often we experience the divine flow in our lives—turning to that flow for assistance is still not something that most of us do instantly. Instead, our first thought is usually “What am I going to do about this?”
Perhaps the clearest answer to this larger question is in the books of Eckhart Tolle, who writes about the development of our ego-identities, and how those identities are essentially based on a sense of separation from others (and thus, from God). He goes on to explain how—deep down inside—part of us believes that we will literally cease to exist if we ever give up the separate “I” that we think we are. So we cling to that sense of “I” tenaciously.
Based on that, it’s no surprise that “What am I going to do about this?” is often our initial reaction to any need or issue that arises in our life . . . regardless of how often we have experienced the miracles that come from a sense of oneness instead of a sense of separation.
The good news is this: It gets easier to “have faith” as time goes by. Yes, when a challenge arises in my life, sometimes my first thought is still “What am I going to do about this?” But I no longer have that thought every time. And when I do have it, I don’t retain that thought for very long.
Year after year, I find it easier and easier to remember that I am part of a universal whole that is continually guiding me toward my highest good, and toward the highest good of all. Day by day, I am able to “let go” more quickly, and “let God” more readily.
Here’s to the “faith” that comes from practicing the principles involved with living life in the divine flow, and discovering through “experience” that these principles do, indeed, help us live more joyful, fulfilling, and effortless lives.
Steven
© 2007 by Steven Lane Taylor
Dear Friends,
The very first time I decided to solve a problem by consciously putting my “faith” in the divine flow, I experienced a minor, but immediate, miracle. Later that same week, I tried it again. And again, the challenge I was facing worked out miraculously. And when I consciously relied on the flow to help me with another issue a few days later, once again everything fell into place marvelously.
I’m not sure, however, if “faith” is the most accurate word to use in describing those early experiences. Why? Because the first few times I turned my problem over to a “higher power,” I honestly didn’t think it would work. At the time, I was skeptical about the whole “let go and let God” thing. But I could also see how my usual way of handling challenges—through control, manipulation, force, and persuasion—wasn’t working very well. So, even though I was extremely doubtful that any kind of positive outcome would occur without my direct involvement, I decided to “give God a shot,” so to speak.
Twenty years later, I have countless stories about how the divine flow has consistently responded to my needs and desires. So, at this point, you would think that I would be a person of great “faith,” right? Well, sort of.
I actually rarely use the word “faith,” because to some people that means believing in something without any concrete reason to do so. But I have plenty of concrete reasons to believe in the flow. My life experiences have proven to me over and over again that we do, indeed, live in an intelligent, responsive universe—a universe that is continually offering us its celestial assistance. So today, when I consciously rely on the flow to help me fulfill a specific desire or solve a particular problem, is that an example of “having faith” . . . or is it just a reasonable expectation based on two decades of experience?
It’s an interesting question, but not nearly as important as this one: Why is it that we can experience miracle after miracle, year after year, and still quickly revert to that feeling that it is up to us—and us alone—to get what we want or need out of life?
It’s amazing to me that—no matter how often we experience the divine flow in our lives—turning to that flow for assistance is still not something that most of us do instantly. Instead, our first thought is usually “What am I going to do about this?”
Perhaps the clearest answer to this larger question is in the books of Eckhart Tolle, who writes about the development of our ego-identities, and how those identities are essentially based on a sense of separation from others (and thus, from God). He goes on to explain how—deep down inside—part of us believes that we will literally cease to exist if we ever give up the separate “I” that we think we are. So we cling to that sense of “I” tenaciously.
Based on that, it’s no surprise that “What am I going to do about this?” is often our initial reaction to any need or issue that arises in our life . . . regardless of how often we have experienced the miracles that come from a sense of oneness instead of a sense of separation.
The good news is this: It gets easier to “have faith” as time goes by. Yes, when a challenge arises in my life, sometimes my first thought is still “What am I going to do about this?” But I no longer have that thought every time. And when I do have it, I don’t retain that thought for very long.
Year after year, I find it easier and easier to remember that I am part of a universal whole that is continually guiding me toward my highest good, and toward the highest good of all. Day by day, I am able to “let go” more quickly, and “let God” more readily.
Here’s to the “faith” that comes from practicing the principles involved with living life in the divine flow, and discovering through “experience” that these principles do, indeed, help us live more joyful, fulfilling, and effortless lives.
Steven
© 2007 by Steven Lane Taylor
Friday, August 17, 2007
The Bigger Picture
April 19, 2007
Dear Friends,
When Carol and I moved into our home in Sedona, Arizona, we quickly noticed an interesting phenomenon. There is a large picture window in our living room that perfectly frames one of the most popular sights in Sedona . . . a red rock formation called Bell Rock. When viewed from our living room, Bell Rock fills much of the window, and it looks huge. But when we step outside onto the patio, Bell Rock seems to suddenly shrink.
Why? Because when we are outside we see the whole picture. We see the vast blue sky above Bell Rock, all of the terrain beneath it, and the mountains that flank Bell Rock on the left and right.
Last week I was in Seattle, Washington visiting my son, Dustin, and speaking at a Unity church just south of the city. One day, I went hiking near Washington’s famous Mount Rainier, and I noticed the same phenomenon. When seen in the context of everything around it—the sky above, the river below, and the mountain ranges on either side—Mount Rainier still looks immense (because it is!). But it seems even more prominent when seen through the window of the visitor center.
Isn’t life like that? Mountains often represent the challenges you face in life, and, yes, some challenges are quite significant. But when they are viewed through the confines of your limited perception—when they are “framed” by your highly personal, highly biased, and highly subjective beliefs and fears—these challenges can seem much larger than they really are.
When, instead, you look at the big picture, and let go of how you are framing the object of your attention, obstacles become less insurmountable and more manageable. And what, exactly, is the big picture?
Well, for one, it helps to remember that you never have to overcome any troubling circumstance alone. In fact, you have the entire universe on your side . . . a universe that is continually working on your behalf to help you solve or overcome any particular problem. And to the universe—to that intelligent, compassionate energy we call God—every problem, regardless of its seeming size and complexity, is eminently solvable.
And secondly, it helps to keep in mind that any current challenge you are facing is just one small portion of your entire life experience. Yes, that portion may totally dominate your experience at the moment—in fact, it may be all you are able to focus on right now—but eventually you will come to see this situation as just one part of the complete picture of your life.
Remember that no matter how enormous your current difficulty appears to be, it really only looks that way from your restricted point of view. The Truth is, all challenges are smaller challenges when viewed in the context of God’s unlimited love, and God’s infinite inventiveness. All problems are smaller problems when you are able to look at the bigger picture.
I hope you find as much comfort in that thought as I do.
Steven
© 2007 by Steven Lane Taylor
Dear Friends,
When Carol and I moved into our home in Sedona, Arizona, we quickly noticed an interesting phenomenon. There is a large picture window in our living room that perfectly frames one of the most popular sights in Sedona . . . a red rock formation called Bell Rock. When viewed from our living room, Bell Rock fills much of the window, and it looks huge. But when we step outside onto the patio, Bell Rock seems to suddenly shrink.
Why? Because when we are outside we see the whole picture. We see the vast blue sky above Bell Rock, all of the terrain beneath it, and the mountains that flank Bell Rock on the left and right.
Last week I was in Seattle, Washington visiting my son, Dustin, and speaking at a Unity church just south of the city. One day, I went hiking near Washington’s famous Mount Rainier, and I noticed the same phenomenon. When seen in the context of everything around it—the sky above, the river below, and the mountain ranges on either side—Mount Rainier still looks immense (because it is!). But it seems even more prominent when seen through the window of the visitor center.
Isn’t life like that? Mountains often represent the challenges you face in life, and, yes, some challenges are quite significant. But when they are viewed through the confines of your limited perception—when they are “framed” by your highly personal, highly biased, and highly subjective beliefs and fears—these challenges can seem much larger than they really are.
When, instead, you look at the big picture, and let go of how you are framing the object of your attention, obstacles become less insurmountable and more manageable. And what, exactly, is the big picture?
Well, for one, it helps to remember that you never have to overcome any troubling circumstance alone. In fact, you have the entire universe on your side . . . a universe that is continually working on your behalf to help you solve or overcome any particular problem. And to the universe—to that intelligent, compassionate energy we call God—every problem, regardless of its seeming size and complexity, is eminently solvable.
And secondly, it helps to keep in mind that any current challenge you are facing is just one small portion of your entire life experience. Yes, that portion may totally dominate your experience at the moment—in fact, it may be all you are able to focus on right now—but eventually you will come to see this situation as just one part of the complete picture of your life.
Remember that no matter how enormous your current difficulty appears to be, it really only looks that way from your restricted point of view. The Truth is, all challenges are smaller challenges when viewed in the context of God’s unlimited love, and God’s infinite inventiveness. All problems are smaller problems when you are able to look at the bigger picture.
I hope you find as much comfort in that thought as I do.
Steven
© 2007 by Steven Lane Taylor
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Literal "Signs" From God
August 12, 2007
Dear Friends,
Although your intuition is the most valuable and reliable source of guidance you have, there are many other vehicles that Spirit uses to communicate with you. If you are open and receptive, awake and aware, you will see "signs from God" all around you.
These divine signs are there to point you in the right direction, a direction that--at that particular moment--is the most beneficial way of reaching your chosen destination. What fascinates me is this: Quite often, those divine signs are literal signs--actual printed messages posted on a wall or some other surface!
Those of you who have read my book may recall that I was divinely guided to my publisher through a series of events that included a billboard I saw on the side of the highway. What a divine sign that turned out to be!
Then, shortly after publishing, I received another sign from God that was related to my new career as a spiritual author. This sign was posted on the side of a bus, and it simply advised me to "Spread the Word." Those three words happened to be the very same words I had just come up with an hour earlier to express what I thought my new mission in life was. I appreciated the confirmation that my focus was, indeed, divinely sanctioned.
Here's one final example, and it couldn't be more perfect. This one is from Anne, a woman who recently attended a talk I gave at a Religious Science church in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Anne told me that at one point in her life she was thinking about making a decision that would alter her future dramatically. It was such a radical change, she had a lot of fear about making this choice, and she spent many long days (and many sleepless nights) wondering if her life would really be better by making this move. More importantly, though, she wondered how much she would regret it later if she chose not to take this action.
She wondered, wondered, wondered, until one morning she woke up and went into her living room. There, sitting on the couch, was her oldest son's friend. And guess what was printed on his T-shirt? "DON'T DIE WONDERING!"
Needless to say, that was just the sign from God that Anne needed. As she told me, "It was just a message on a T-shirt, but it propelled me into action in an astonishing way." She made her choice--a choice for change--and she has no regrets to this day.
As my favorite saying goes: "There's God. And There's Not Paying Attention." Pay attention, my friends, and the divine direction you are seeking may be literally spelled out for you on a billboard, on a poster, or even on a T-shirt.
What a blessing it is to know that we can be that clearly guided! Thank you, God!
Steven
© 2007 Steven Lane Taylor
Dear Friends,
Although your intuition is the most valuable and reliable source of guidance you have, there are many other vehicles that Spirit uses to communicate with you. If you are open and receptive, awake and aware, you will see "signs from God" all around you.
These divine signs are there to point you in the right direction, a direction that--at that particular moment--is the most beneficial way of reaching your chosen destination. What fascinates me is this: Quite often, those divine signs are literal signs--actual printed messages posted on a wall or some other surface!
Those of you who have read my book may recall that I was divinely guided to my publisher through a series of events that included a billboard I saw on the side of the highway. What a divine sign that turned out to be!
Then, shortly after publishing, I received another sign from God that was related to my new career as a spiritual author. This sign was posted on the side of a bus, and it simply advised me to "Spread the Word." Those three words happened to be the very same words I had just come up with an hour earlier to express what I thought my new mission in life was. I appreciated the confirmation that my focus was, indeed, divinely sanctioned.
Here's one final example, and it couldn't be more perfect. This one is from Anne, a woman who recently attended a talk I gave at a Religious Science church in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Anne told me that at one point in her life she was thinking about making a decision that would alter her future dramatically. It was such a radical change, she had a lot of fear about making this choice, and she spent many long days (and many sleepless nights) wondering if her life would really be better by making this move. More importantly, though, she wondered how much she would regret it later if she chose not to take this action.
She wondered, wondered, wondered, until one morning she woke up and went into her living room. There, sitting on the couch, was her oldest son's friend. And guess what was printed on his T-shirt? "DON'T DIE WONDERING!"
Needless to say, that was just the sign from God that Anne needed. As she told me, "It was just a message on a T-shirt, but it propelled me into action in an astonishing way." She made her choice--a choice for change--and she has no regrets to this day.
As my favorite saying goes: "There's God. And There's Not Paying Attention." Pay attention, my friends, and the divine direction you are seeking may be literally spelled out for you on a billboard, on a poster, or even on a T-shirt.
What a blessing it is to know that we can be that clearly guided! Thank you, God!
Steven
© 2007 Steven Lane Taylor
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