August 29, 2010
Dear Friends,
Although there are many ways that you receive Divine Guidance in life, your most valuable and consistent source of Divine Guidance is your own intuition. Your intuition is your inner Spirit speaking to you. Your Spirit not only knows what you want, but it also knows what you need—including the need to grow in understanding or compassion, or the need to heal an emotional wound that may be limiting your life. And your Spirit is continually attempting to help you fulfill those wants and needs by “telling” you what your next right step is.
You may experience intuitive guidance as a thought that suddenly pops into your mind, or as a simple feeling of “rightness” about a course of action that you are considering taking. You may even have a vivid dream that clarifies a situation that has been troubling you. There are many forms that intuitive guidance takes. And when you identify the main way that your Spirit speaks to you, it will be much easier for you to make intuition the primary component in your decision making process.
Intuitive guidance, however, is not the only gift that your Spirit has for you. Your Spirit can also bless you with a divine insight—a deep and accurate understanding of something that can radically improve your life. Or, through what is commonly called divine inspiration, your Spirit may offer you an extremely creative approach to solving a problem or completing a project.
When you are truly open and receptive to Divine Guidance, then intuition, insight, and inspiration are your constant companions. And sometimes, they work hand-in-hand—especially when it involves a mission that your Spirit may have specifically come into this life to accomplish.
For instance, many years ago, through a series of divine insights, I came to believe that we do, indeed, live in a beneficent universe—a universe that is continually working on our behalf to help us fulfill our heart’s desires in the most beneficial way possible. I soon became convinced that it was my mission in life to teach people how to recognize and cooperate with this “divine flow.” I was then divinely inspired to present those principles using the metaphorical song, “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” And after that, I was not only intuitively guided to write a book based on that song, but I was also miraculously directed to a publisher, and then offered a series of remarkable speaking opportunities that helped my work become popular.
Insight. Inspiration. Intuition. Without these three, life can be more of a struggle than it has to be. So make sure that you remain receptive to all three forms of celestial assistance by making meditation and prayerful contemplation a daily part of your life. Spend some time every morning by going within, and getting in touch with the divine wisdom of your all-knowing Spirit. You have nothing to lose . . . and a great deal to gain.
Steven
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Friday, August 27, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Who's Charting Your Course?
August 22, 2010
Dear Friends,
Last week I was looking for something to watch on television, and I came across a program about researchers who were investigating the sinking of the Titanic. They weren’t trying to discover why the Titanic sank—that’s known. Instead, they were trying to find out why the Titanic broke in half as it sank.
The researchers expected to find flaws in the design of the Titanic, or some mistakes in its construction. As it turned out, however, they found little to suggest that there was anything wrong with the integrity of the ship. So the investigation was inconclusive.
What was confirmed during this program was something that the evidence has long suggested . . . that before the Titanic ran into an iceberg, the captain of the ship made a decision that proved to be disastrous for his passengers and crew.
Hearing that, I was reminded of something that came up when I was writing the first chapter of my book. To stay with the boating metaphor, I described the body as “the physical vessel itself.” But I just couldn’t bring myself to refer to the mind as “the captain” of that vessel. I settled for “the brains of the boat,” instead.
Why? Because for many people the word “captain” evokes an image of a wise decision-maker in a crisp, white suit—a figure entirely worthy of our complete and total trust. But is the mind really that trustworthy?
In the case of the Titanic, it seems that the captain was greatly influenced by someone else on board during that fateful trip . . . Mr. Bruce Ismay. Ismay was the chairman of the White Star Shipping Line—the Line that had the Titanic built, and touted it as both the biggest and the fastest vessel on the seas.
When the Titanic received news that icebergs were drifting toward their latitude, it appears that Ismay convinced the captain to speed up to avoid the approaching icebergs, rather than slow down or change course altogether. The reason? So the Titanic would arrive in New York in record-setting time, living up to its highly publicized reputation for speed.
Do you see the parallel here? Just like the captain of a ship, your mind does have the final responsibility for deciding where you want to go, and how you want to get there. But sometimes your mind can be influenced by the “Bruce Ismay” that resides within your consciousness—that is, your self-serving ego.
Disconnected from the One True Spirit that unites us all, your ego will encourage you to make decisions that may benefit you in the short run, but are not in everyone’s best interest in the long run.
Don’t let your ego—which can be just as fearful as it can be grandiose—chart your course for you! That could be a Titanic mistake! Always make sure that your mind remains open enough to receive divine direction. It’s the kind of direction that comes through intuitive nudges, divine signs and synchronicities, and the wisdom of others. And it’s the kind of direction that you can always trust to be in your best interest, as well as the best interests of all.
Instead of listening to your ego’s advice, spend some time in prayer and meditation, and seek the Guidance Of the Divine (G.O.D.). That way, you will not only reach your chosen destination safely and effortlessly, but all involved will benefit from the journey.
Steven
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Dear Friends,
Last week I was looking for something to watch on television, and I came across a program about researchers who were investigating the sinking of the Titanic. They weren’t trying to discover why the Titanic sank—that’s known. Instead, they were trying to find out why the Titanic broke in half as it sank.
The researchers expected to find flaws in the design of the Titanic, or some mistakes in its construction. As it turned out, however, they found little to suggest that there was anything wrong with the integrity of the ship. So the investigation was inconclusive.
What was confirmed during this program was something that the evidence has long suggested . . . that before the Titanic ran into an iceberg, the captain of the ship made a decision that proved to be disastrous for his passengers and crew.
Hearing that, I was reminded of something that came up when I was writing the first chapter of my book. To stay with the boating metaphor, I described the body as “the physical vessel itself.” But I just couldn’t bring myself to refer to the mind as “the captain” of that vessel. I settled for “the brains of the boat,” instead.
Why? Because for many people the word “captain” evokes an image of a wise decision-maker in a crisp, white suit—a figure entirely worthy of our complete and total trust. But is the mind really that trustworthy?
In the case of the Titanic, it seems that the captain was greatly influenced by someone else on board during that fateful trip . . . Mr. Bruce Ismay. Ismay was the chairman of the White Star Shipping Line—the Line that had the Titanic built, and touted it as both the biggest and the fastest vessel on the seas.
When the Titanic received news that icebergs were drifting toward their latitude, it appears that Ismay convinced the captain to speed up to avoid the approaching icebergs, rather than slow down or change course altogether. The reason? So the Titanic would arrive in New York in record-setting time, living up to its highly publicized reputation for speed.
Do you see the parallel here? Just like the captain of a ship, your mind does have the final responsibility for deciding where you want to go, and how you want to get there. But sometimes your mind can be influenced by the “Bruce Ismay” that resides within your consciousness—that is, your self-serving ego.
Disconnected from the One True Spirit that unites us all, your ego will encourage you to make decisions that may benefit you in the short run, but are not in everyone’s best interest in the long run.
Don’t let your ego—which can be just as fearful as it can be grandiose—chart your course for you! That could be a Titanic mistake! Always make sure that your mind remains open enough to receive divine direction. It’s the kind of direction that comes through intuitive nudges, divine signs and synchronicities, and the wisdom of others. And it’s the kind of direction that you can always trust to be in your best interest, as well as the best interests of all.
Instead of listening to your ego’s advice, spend some time in prayer and meditation, and seek the Guidance Of the Divine (G.O.D.). That way, you will not only reach your chosen destination safely and effortlessly, but all involved will benefit from the journey.
Steven
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Friday, August 13, 2010
The Middle Way and The Divine Flow
August 15, 2010
Dear Friends,
One of my favorite movies—and especially Carol’s—is “Little Buddha.” Although two stories are depicted concurrently in this film, the basic tale is about Prince Siddhartha of India, and how he became the Buddha.
In a pivotal scene, Siddhartha witnesses a man teaching a boy to play a stringed instrument. The man tells the boy, “If the strings are too loose, they won’t play. If they are too tight, they will break.”
It is at this moment in the movie that Siddhartha discovers the wisdom of “The Middle Way,” an enlightened way of life that avoids extremes in favor of moderation.
This is not unlike the wisdom of “rowing with the flow.”
If you have no goals or dreams in life, you are too “loose.” You are just aimlessly drifting. And living life in the divine flow is not about drifting. It’s about actively participating in the manifestation of what brings you joy. It’s about consciously choosing a destination and rowing towards it.
If you do have a destination in mind—a desire that you’d like to fulfill—but you are pursuing that goal relentlessly, always pushing, driving, and forcing your way forward, then you are too “tight.” And one day you may break.
Rowing with the flow is “the middle way.” You choose your destination, and you row towards it, but you row gently—pausing between each and every stroke of your oars to discern the next right step that you feel you are being divinely guided to take.
You don’t force things to go the way you think they should go, or try to control and manipulate outcomes. Instead, you remain flexible enough to continually adjust to the course of the current . . . willing to move in a direction that is different from what you expected . . . and even willing to arrive at a destination that is different from the one you originally set out for.
So, friends, what will it be? Do you want to drift through life listening only to the music created by the well-tuned instruments of other people? Or do you want to create some music of your own? If it’s the latter, just make sure that your strings are not too loose, or too tight. Remember to follow “the middle way”—attuning yourself to the divine flow. Do that, and the music you make will be especially harmonious.
Steven
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Dear Friends,
One of my favorite movies—and especially Carol’s—is “Little Buddha.” Although two stories are depicted concurrently in this film, the basic tale is about Prince Siddhartha of India, and how he became the Buddha.
In a pivotal scene, Siddhartha witnesses a man teaching a boy to play a stringed instrument. The man tells the boy, “If the strings are too loose, they won’t play. If they are too tight, they will break.”
It is at this moment in the movie that Siddhartha discovers the wisdom of “The Middle Way,” an enlightened way of life that avoids extremes in favor of moderation.
This is not unlike the wisdom of “rowing with the flow.”
If you have no goals or dreams in life, you are too “loose.” You are just aimlessly drifting. And living life in the divine flow is not about drifting. It’s about actively participating in the manifestation of what brings you joy. It’s about consciously choosing a destination and rowing towards it.
If you do have a destination in mind—a desire that you’d like to fulfill—but you are pursuing that goal relentlessly, always pushing, driving, and forcing your way forward, then you are too “tight.” And one day you may break.
Rowing with the flow is “the middle way.” You choose your destination, and you row towards it, but you row gently—pausing between each and every stroke of your oars to discern the next right step that you feel you are being divinely guided to take.
You don’t force things to go the way you think they should go, or try to control and manipulate outcomes. Instead, you remain flexible enough to continually adjust to the course of the current . . . willing to move in a direction that is different from what you expected . . . and even willing to arrive at a destination that is different from the one you originally set out for.
So, friends, what will it be? Do you want to drift through life listening only to the music created by the well-tuned instruments of other people? Or do you want to create some music of your own? If it’s the latter, just make sure that your strings are not too loose, or too tight. Remember to follow “the middle way”—attuning yourself to the divine flow. Do that, and the music you make will be especially harmonious.
Steven
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Friday, August 6, 2010
Forgiveness and The Divine Flow, Part 3
August 8, 2010
Dear Friends,
This week’s message concludes my three-part series on forgiveness, and how the act of forgiving enhances your ability to be open and receptive to the guidance of the divine—to the kind of guidance that can help you fulfill your heart’s desires with effortless ease.
But consider this: Even if a forgiving attitude did not increase your ability to be divinely guided, you would still be well advised to maintain that kind of compassionate mindset. Why? Because forgiveness directly affects your ability to enjoy life and be happy!
I will never forget the moment I first came to understand the relationship between forgiveness and happiness. Many years ago there was someone in my life whom I deeply resented. One evening, I was sitting in my car feeling absolutely miserable because of the perceived offense this man had committed against me.
All of a sudden, I recognized that—on a certain level—I actually believed that I was punishing that person by bearing a grudge against him. And yet, the truth was, he probably had no idea how much I resented him. And if he did know, he probably didn’t care!
There I was, sitting in my car feeling angry and upset, while that man was walking down a street somewhere whistling a happy tune! That’s when it dawned on me that I needed to forgive that person for my sake . . . not his! I finally understood that forgiving is primarily for giving myself the freedom to be happy again!
There is a great old saying that sums up this idea perfectly:
“Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison
and expecting the other person to die.”
That’s exactly what I had been doing up to that point—trying to make someone else suffer by doing something that was only hurting me!
Friends, I invite you to get honest with yourself . . . really honest. Are you refusing to forgive someone in your life because part of you believes that you are punishing that person with your resentment? And perhaps more importantly, how is that working for you? Are you, in fact, the one who is actually suffering because of that negative emotional tie?
Perhaps it is time for you to stop giving that person power over your emotions. Perhaps it is time for you to forgive that person, and allow yourself to be happy again.
Steven
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Dear Friends,
This week’s message concludes my three-part series on forgiveness, and how the act of forgiving enhances your ability to be open and receptive to the guidance of the divine—to the kind of guidance that can help you fulfill your heart’s desires with effortless ease.
But consider this: Even if a forgiving attitude did not increase your ability to be divinely guided, you would still be well advised to maintain that kind of compassionate mindset. Why? Because forgiveness directly affects your ability to enjoy life and be happy!
I will never forget the moment I first came to understand the relationship between forgiveness and happiness. Many years ago there was someone in my life whom I deeply resented. One evening, I was sitting in my car feeling absolutely miserable because of the perceived offense this man had committed against me.
All of a sudden, I recognized that—on a certain level—I actually believed that I was punishing that person by bearing a grudge against him. And yet, the truth was, he probably had no idea how much I resented him. And if he did know, he probably didn’t care!
There I was, sitting in my car feeling angry and upset, while that man was walking down a street somewhere whistling a happy tune! That’s when it dawned on me that I needed to forgive that person for my sake . . . not his! I finally understood that forgiving is primarily for giving myself the freedom to be happy again!
There is a great old saying that sums up this idea perfectly:
“Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison
and expecting the other person to die.”
That’s exactly what I had been doing up to that point—trying to make someone else suffer by doing something that was only hurting me!
Friends, I invite you to get honest with yourself . . . really honest. Are you refusing to forgive someone in your life because part of you believes that you are punishing that person with your resentment? And perhaps more importantly, how is that working for you? Are you, in fact, the one who is actually suffering because of that negative emotional tie?
Perhaps it is time for you to stop giving that person power over your emotions. Perhaps it is time for you to forgive that person, and allow yourself to be happy again.
Steven
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
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