September 26, 2010
Dear Friends,
These days, when someone new to Sedona asks me how to get to Cathedral Rock or Bell Rock (two of our most popular red rock formations), I sometimes jokingly reply, “The best way to get there is in a very roundabout manner.”
So where’s “the joke” in that, you ask? Well, you see, here in Sedona the Arizona Department of Transportation just completed a huge road improvement project. As part of that project, all of the major intersections between Sedona and The Village of Oak Creek were turned into “roundabouts”—traffic circles similar to the ones that are common in Europe.
These circular intersections enable drivers who want to turn left, or who just want to cross the road, to do so without having to wait for a green light, or wait on traffic to clear in both directions. Instead, everyone who enters the intersection simply veers to the right, and then moves around the circle in a counter-clockwise direction until they reach the road they want to be on.
When everyone is paying attention, everyone gets where they are going in a seamlessly flowing fashion . . . even though it is a “roundabout way” of doing it.
The point I am getting to is this (and you probably saw this coming): When you live life in the divine flow, the best way to reach your destinations in life—the safest way, and the way with fewer obstacles—is often a “roundabout way.”
Your desired destination may be to the “left,” so to speak, but the flow may guide you temporarily to the “right,” preventing you from running into something undesirable, or helping you avoid a block that you are not aware of.
I’ll never forget the Sunday when a youth group attended one of my talks, and one young lady proclaimed, “I get it! Our church is only a few hundred feet from the highway, and it is tempting to just want to head straight for it when you see it. But if you did that, your car would wind up nose-down in a drainage ditch! The best way to get to our church is to pass it by, take the next exit, cross over the bridge, and then come back down the access road. It’s the long way, but it’s the most beneficial way!”
And so it is in life. Your job is just to decide where it is you want to go. It is the job of the divine flow to figure out the best way to get there—which is always a way that is not only beneficial for you, but is beneficial for all involved, as well.
Here’s to living life in the divine flow, and remembering that the “roundabouts” you frequently encounter in life are there for your highest good, and for the highest good of everyone. May you be present enough to recognize these divine detours when you encounter them. And may you be patient enough and positive enough to happily move in any direction that you are being divinely guided to move in.
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
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Faith, Experience, and The Divine Flow
September 19, 2010
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 my approach to 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, personal involvement, I decided to “give God a shot,” so to speak.
Twenty four years later I have countless stories about how the divine flow has repeatedly and consistently responded to my wants and needs. 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 word 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 there is, indeed, a Higher Power in this world that is continually guiding me toward the effortless fulfillment of my heart’s desires. So today, when I consciously rely on the flow to help me accomplish a specific goal or solve a particular problem, is that an example of having faith . . . or is it just a reasonable expectation based on more than two decades of repeatedly experiencing the miraculous?
The answer is both. Acting on faith results in miraculous experiences. And those experiences, in turn, strengthen faith. Both faith and experience work hand-in-hand to make it that much easier for you to put your trust in something other than yourself.
Here’s to putting your faith in the divine flow, and discovering through experience that there is, indeed, a Divine Intelligence in this world that is continually working on your behalf to bring about your highest good, and the highest good for all.
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,
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 my approach to 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, personal involvement, I decided to “give God a shot,” so to speak.
Twenty four years later I have countless stories about how the divine flow has repeatedly and consistently responded to my wants and needs. 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 word 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 there is, indeed, a Higher Power in this world that is continually guiding me toward the effortless fulfillment of my heart’s desires. So today, when I consciously rely on the flow to help me accomplish a specific goal or solve a particular problem, is that an example of having faith . . . or is it just a reasonable expectation based on more than two decades of repeatedly experiencing the miraculous?
The answer is both. Acting on faith results in miraculous experiences. And those experiences, in turn, strengthen faith. Both faith and experience work hand-in-hand to make it that much easier for you to put your trust in something other than yourself.
Here’s to putting your faith in the divine flow, and discovering through experience that there is, indeed, a Divine Intelligence in this world that is continually working on your behalf to bring about your highest good, and the highest good for all.
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, September 10, 2010
Forgiving is For Giving
September 12, 2010
Dear Friends,
A few weeks ago I wrote a three-part series on forgiveness. I decided that those messages would make a good topic for one of the talks I now present every Sunday morning here in Sedona.
As I prepared for that talk, I ended up adding three more reasons why it is beneficial to forgive. Plus, I was inspired to present those reasons using the same wordplay that occurred to me while I was composing the final message in my original three-part series: Forgiving is for giving. That is, it’s for giving yourself five different gifts.
This week I want to share all five of those gifts with you, to deepen your understanding of the many wonderful benefits of forgiveness.
Gift #1. Forgiving is for giving yourself the freedom to be happy again.
Steven
P.S. I have another gift for you. It is a set of affirmation statements that you can use to help you forgive others, and help you forgive yourself, as well. To download my Love and Forgiveness Affirmations, just click here. (This is a PDF file, which most computers can easily open.)
© 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,
A few weeks ago I wrote a three-part series on forgiveness. I decided that those messages would make a good topic for one of the talks I now present every Sunday morning here in Sedona.
As I prepared for that talk, I ended up adding three more reasons why it is beneficial to forgive. Plus, I was inspired to present those reasons using the same wordplay that occurred to me while I was composing the final message in my original three-part series: Forgiving is for giving. That is, it’s for giving yourself five different gifts.
This week I want to share all five of those gifts with you, to deepen your understanding of the many wonderful benefits of forgiveness.
Gift #1. Forgiving is for giving yourself the freedom to be happy again.
As long as you bear a grudge against someone you will be unhappy—feeling frustrated, bitter, or angry. You will be suffering, while the person you resent might not even be aware that you resent him or her . . . or care! When you forgive, you stop giving that person power over how you feel. You break that negative emotional tie, and free yourself to be happy again.Gift #2. Forgiving is for giving yourself the ability to be attuned to divine wisdom.
When you harbor resentments, you are in ego—that judgmental state of mind that not only causes you to feel separate from others, but also causes you to feel separate from any kind of Higher Power. When you forgive, you reconnect with that Higher Power—returning to a state of mind that is once again open and receptive to divine insights, inspiration, and intuitive direction.Gift #3. Forgiving is for giving yourself valuable insights about yourself.
Sometimes the person whom you need to forgive is actually “mirroring” a behavioral trait that you may have, but don’t want to consciously admit. If you are willing to “look in that mirror,” you may see something within yourself that needs healing. For instance, you may discover a long-neglected emotional wound that has been causing you to behave in unproductive ways. But now that it’s revealed, you have the opportunity to heal that wound through a little self-love . . . as well as the opportunity to see that person who is your “mirror image” in a more compassionate light.Gift #4. Forgiving is for giving yourself the ability to enjoy the peace that exists in the here and now moment.
Whatever it is that is causing you to feel resentful, happened in the past, right? Perhaps it was only yesterday, but it still happened in the past. By harboring those negative feelings, you are keeping the past alive. Generally, the now moment is pretty peaceful. But you rob yourself of that peace by dwelling on something that is not actually happening in the here and now. If you want to be able to enjoy the peace of the present, let go of the past through forgiveness.Gift #5. Forgiving is for giving yourself the power to create a different future.
The future is formed in the present, through the thoughts and feelings that you are having right this minute. If you have dragged the past into the present through unforgiveness, then it is highly likely that you will create a future that is just like the past. If you want a different future, forgive what happened in the past—let go of it—and open yourself up to the infinite possibilities that exist when your mind is free of all prior influences.There you have it, my friends: Five gifts of forgiveness. Why not give yourself every one of those gifts today?
Steven
P.S. I have another gift for you. It is a set of affirmation statements that you can use to help you forgive others, and help you forgive yourself, as well. To download my Love and Forgiveness Affirmations, just click here. (This is a PDF file, which most computers can easily open.)
© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Saturday, September 4, 2010
The Ego's Will To Survive
September 5, 2010
Dear Friends,
After 24 years of consciously focusing on living life in the divine flow, I have experienced countless major and minor miracles in my life. Day after day, month after month, the divine flow consistently responds to my needs and desires in remarkably miraculous ways—constantly verifying my belief that we do, indeed, live in an intelligent universe that is continually offering us its celestial assistance.
So why is it that no matter how much I experience the divine flow in my life, turning to that flow for assistance is not something that I always do instantly and automatically?
Why is it that so many of us—including me—can experience miracle after miracle, year after year, and still quickly revert to that old feeling that we are on our own when it comes to achieving a dream, or contending with a challenge?
Why is it that we don’t continually sense that we are an inseparable part of a greater Unifying Whole—a Universal Spirit that is always offering each and every one of us its divine support?
One answer to those questions is found in the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, who writes about the development of our ego-identities, and how those identities—or “I-dentities,” as I like to put it—are essentially based on a sense of separation from others, and from God.
Tolle explains how part of us—the ego—convinces us that we will literally cease to exist if we ever allow ourselves to experience a sense of “Spiritual Oneness” for any great length of time. So we let the ego vigorously assert itself at every opportunity, tenaciously clinging to that sense of “I” in order to survive.
Based on that, it’s no surprise then, that our initial reaction to any need or issue that arises in life is often, “I have to solve this,” or “It’s all up to me to achieve this.”
Here’s the good news, though: As the years go by, my experience has been that the time I spend needlessly feeling that “it’s up to me and me alone” to accomplish my goals or solve my problems, grows less and less and less.
Year after year, I find it easier and easier to immediately remember that I am part of a Universal Whole that is continually guiding me toward my highest good. Day by day, I am able to “let go” more quickly, and I am able to “let God” more readily.
And I am certain, friends, that if you continue to practice living life in the divine flow, then you, too, will experience the same thing. You, too, will find the ego gradually losing its ability to dominate your life. And you, too, will experience a greater and greater ongoing sense of divine connectedness, enjoying the peace and ease that comes from that feeling of spiritual union.
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,
After 24 years of consciously focusing on living life in the divine flow, I have experienced countless major and minor miracles in my life. Day after day, month after month, the divine flow consistently responds to my needs and desires in remarkably miraculous ways—constantly verifying my belief that we do, indeed, live in an intelligent universe that is continually offering us its celestial assistance.
So why is it that no matter how much I experience the divine flow in my life, turning to that flow for assistance is not something that I always do instantly and automatically?
Why is it that so many of us—including me—can experience miracle after miracle, year after year, and still quickly revert to that old feeling that we are on our own when it comes to achieving a dream, or contending with a challenge?
Why is it that we don’t continually sense that we are an inseparable part of a greater Unifying Whole—a Universal Spirit that is always offering each and every one of us its divine support?
One answer to those questions is found in the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, who writes about the development of our ego-identities, and how those identities—or “I-dentities,” as I like to put it—are essentially based on a sense of separation from others, and from God.
Tolle explains how part of us—the ego—convinces us that we will literally cease to exist if we ever allow ourselves to experience a sense of “Spiritual Oneness” for any great length of time. So we let the ego vigorously assert itself at every opportunity, tenaciously clinging to that sense of “I” in order to survive.
Based on that, it’s no surprise then, that our initial reaction to any need or issue that arises in life is often, “I have to solve this,” or “It’s all up to me to achieve this.”
Here’s the good news, though: As the years go by, my experience has been that the time I spend needlessly feeling that “it’s up to me and me alone” to accomplish my goals or solve my problems, grows less and less and less.
Year after year, I find it easier and easier to immediately remember that I am part of a Universal Whole that is continually guiding me toward my highest good. Day by day, I am able to “let go” more quickly, and I am able to “let God” more readily.
And I am certain, friends, that if you continue to practice living life in the divine flow, then you, too, will experience the same thing. You, too, will find the ego gradually losing its ability to dominate your life. And you, too, will experience a greater and greater ongoing sense of divine connectedness, enjoying the peace and ease that comes from that feeling of spiritual union.
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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