January 29, 2012
Dear Friends,
Many, many moons ago, when I was in my late twenties, I suffered from chronic lower back pain. And “suffered” is the right word to use here. Because, over time, that pain became so intense, it was almost paralyzing.
Seeking the source of my problem, I consulted my family physician, an orthopedic surgeon, an internist, a chiropractor, and an arthritis specialist. Although tests revealed that I was definitely experiencing some kind of severe inflammation, not a single one of those medical professionals was able to diagnose my condition.
One day, with no relief in sight, and nowhere else to turn, I sat down, threw up my hands, and basically said to myself, “Oh, to heck with it!” I gave up trying to fight the pain, and just surrendered to it. And guess what? Almost immediately, the pain began to subside. And within a week or so, it was completely gone.
I was pain-free for several months, and then the pain returned. But this time, I responded to it differently. Instead of resisting the pain, I simply observed it. “Oh, there’s that pain again,” I said to myself. As uncomfortable as it was, I accepted the pain. And this time, it went away in a matter of days.
It was a year before the pain came back again. And when it did, once again I didn’t resist it. I just allowed it to be. And once again, it quickly passed. And that’s when I had an epiphany about my pain. Although the pain I was experiencing was very real, and there was probably a very real reason I was experiencing inflammation in that part of my body, I realized that it was my resistance to the pain that caused it to increase in intensity and severity.
The original pain itself was not really intolerable. But when I resisted the pain, my body would become so tense, the pain was greatly magnified. And the longer I resisted the pain, the more chronic my condition became. The “cure” was for me to “relax into the pain,” and make it easier for my body to do what it is designed to do—heal itself. My resistance—and the tension and anxiety that accompanied that resistance—was only creating a toxic environment that inhibited my body’s natural healing response.
In short, I discovered the therapeutic effect of non-resistance. Several years passed before I had to deal with that pain again. And it has now been over two decades since I have experienced that particular issue.
There is a popular saying that goes like this: “What you resist, persists.” And you can certainly see how that applies to this situation. But there is another saying that is equally apropos: “Suffering is optional.” That statement refers to the fact that a certain amount of pain may be inescapable in life, but suffering is experiencing that pain to an exaggerated extent, and—in many cases—that degree of pain is avoidable.
Friends, whether you are physically suffering because of an illness or an injury, or you are emotionally suffering due to a hurtful situation or a seemingly detrimental circumstance, I encourage you to practice non-resistance to see if it lessens the severity of your pain. Allow yourself to feel your pain just as it is, instead of fighting against the very existence of your pain—which, of course, is futile. What is . . . is! All the resistance in the world is not going to alter that fact. And your resistance may actually be making the experience worse.
Here’s to the therapeutic effect of non-resistance! Here’s to knowing that sometimes the best thing you can do to help alleviate your suffering is to just sit down, throw up your hands, and say to yourself, “Oh, to heck with it!”
Steven
Note: If you have any reason at all to suspect that you have a truly serious physical or emotional condition, please don’t hesitate to immediately seek the counsel of a certified health professional. Non-resistance may lessen the severity of your pain, but that doesn’t mean that it will eliminate your pain altogether, or remove its cause.
Share
© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
There's No Place Like Home
January 22, 2012
Dear Friends,
In my last message, I shared a story about the first house that Carol and I rented here in Sedona, and how the divine flow miraculously guided us to that wonderful home. Stories about peoples’ homes—and the astonishing ways those homes have come into their lives—are among the most profound manifestation stories that I hear. But why is that? What makes manifesting a home so special? Is it somehow different from manifesting anything else?
In a way, yes, it is. As I frequently mention, most of the things you think you want in your mind, are really just symbols for what your heart desires. And it is the underlying desires of your heart to which the divine flow is guiding you. And what does your heart desire? Mostly, to have various experiences of life. And that’s what makes a home so special. Because the right home can satisfy a multitude of experiences that you deeply desire to have.
For instance, in a world where we are constantly on the go, you may desire a sense of permanence, and the right home can certainly offer you that—giving you a feeling that there is one place on this planet that you can always come back to.
You may desire to express yourself creatively, and the right home can offer you endless opportunities for creative self-expression—from interior decorating to outdoor landscaping. It may even provide you with the perfect environment for other creative pursuits, such as writing, or painting, or building your own home-based business.
One desire that we all share is to express the love that we are at the core of our being, and there is usually no better place to love—and be loved—than right at home with your own family.
Perhaps, too, you are seeking a little more comfort in your life, and a warm, cozy home can definitely provide you with that experience—both physically and emotionally.
So, when you are focused on a desire for a new place to call home, is it any surprise that the divine flow becomes more evident? Is it any surprise that coincidences happen more frequently, and miracles occur more freely? No, it is no surprise at all. Because everything that the Universe is doing to help you fulfill your desires for experiences such as permanence, creative self-expression, love, comfort, and more, may be converging on that one, single manifestation!
When it comes to manifesting the desires of your heart, there truly is no place like home. Perhaps the old song, “Home, Sweet Home,” says it best:
'Mid pleasures and palaces
Though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble,
There's no place like home.
A charm from the skies
Seems to hallow us there,
Which, seek thro’ the world,
Is ne’er met with elsewhere.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home,
There's no place like home.
Steven
Share
© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
Dear Friends,
In my last message, I shared a story about the first house that Carol and I rented here in Sedona, and how the divine flow miraculously guided us to that wonderful home. Stories about peoples’ homes—and the astonishing ways those homes have come into their lives—are among the most profound manifestation stories that I hear. But why is that? What makes manifesting a home so special? Is it somehow different from manifesting anything else?
In a way, yes, it is. As I frequently mention, most of the things you think you want in your mind, are really just symbols for what your heart desires. And it is the underlying desires of your heart to which the divine flow is guiding you. And what does your heart desire? Mostly, to have various experiences of life. And that’s what makes a home so special. Because the right home can satisfy a multitude of experiences that you deeply desire to have.
For instance, in a world where we are constantly on the go, you may desire a sense of permanence, and the right home can certainly offer you that—giving you a feeling that there is one place on this planet that you can always come back to.
You may desire to express yourself creatively, and the right home can offer you endless opportunities for creative self-expression—from interior decorating to outdoor landscaping. It may even provide you with the perfect environment for other creative pursuits, such as writing, or painting, or building your own home-based business.
One desire that we all share is to express the love that we are at the core of our being, and there is usually no better place to love—and be loved—than right at home with your own family.
Perhaps, too, you are seeking a little more comfort in your life, and a warm, cozy home can definitely provide you with that experience—both physically and emotionally.
So, when you are focused on a desire for a new place to call home, is it any surprise that the divine flow becomes more evident? Is it any surprise that coincidences happen more frequently, and miracles occur more freely? No, it is no surprise at all. Because everything that the Universe is doing to help you fulfill your desires for experiences such as permanence, creative self-expression, love, comfort, and more, may be converging on that one, single manifestation!
When it comes to manifesting the desires of your heart, there truly is no place like home. Perhaps the old song, “Home, Sweet Home,” says it best:
'Mid pleasures and palaces
Though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble,
There's no place like home.
A charm from the skies
Seems to hallow us there,
Which, seek thro’ the world,
Is ne’er met with elsewhere.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home,
There's no place like home.
Steven
Share
© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Something Better
January 15, 2011
Dear Friends,
In previous messages, I have pointed out that the divine flow is not necessarily guiding you to what you specifically want. Instead, it might be guiding you to the equivalent of what you want, or to something that is even better—to something that is greater, grander, and more deeply fulfilling. That means if you want to manifest that better blessing, you have to trust the flow and follow its lead . . . even if you don’t understand where you are headed!
The first house that Carol and I rented here in Sedona is a good example of “rowing with the flow,” and manifesting something that was greater and grander than anything we ever imagined possible. Here’s the story:
After attending a spiritual conference in Phoenix, Arizona in July of 2006, Carol and I drove up to Sedona to check out homes for rent. It had long been our dream to move to Sedona, and we wanted to see what was available to rent in this peaceful paradise, before we had to fly back to Dallas, Texas—where we lived at the time.
We had a list of a dozen homes to look at. The first home on our list was a home that—from the description in the classified ad—seemed perfect. The price was right, the location was good, and Carol thought that she had made a special connection with the homeowner when they spoke on the phone. We couldn’t wait to see it.
The last home on our list was last for a reason. It was on a golf course. Not being golfers, we just couldn’t imagine how that house could possibly be the one for us, and we were in no hurry to see it. In fact, the only reason that this house was on our list at all was because it literally “came to us” via someone we happened to meet in Phoenix.
I'm sure you have already guessed where this part of the story is going. As it turned out, the home at the top of our list was not at all suitable. It was a place we wouldn't want to spend a day in, let alone years. Disappointed, but not discouraged, we then proceeded to look at the rest of the homes. There were a couple that would “do,” but none that we really felt good about.
Finally, with every other home on our list crossed off, we reluctantly went to look at the house on the golf course. Wow! Were we ever surprised! We loved almost every single thing about this house. It had a huge covered patio, a really nice office, an oversized bathtub, a two-car garage, and lots of lush, green flowering bushes. And best of all, this particular home wouldn’t be ready to rent until November—the exact month that Carol and I wanted to move! All the other homes required us to start paying rent immediately.
We felt like the divine flow had guided us to the perfect home, and we were glad that we had included it on our list, even though we had been reluctant about it. The only thing this house lacked was a view of Sedona’s Red Rock formations, which is what Sedona is famous for. Although a Red Rock view would have given us a more “authentic experience” of living in Sedona, Carol and I weren’t expecting to have that kind of vista, anyway. So we agreed to rent the house on the golf course starting in November, and we flew back to Dallas.
Now, here’s where this tale takes an interesting turn. Believing that everything was all set with that particular property, Carol and I began to make plans for moving. We had already gotten pretty far “down the stream” when we received some distressing news from the woman in Arizona who had directed us to that house. To make a long story shorter, suffice it to say that this property was suddenly no longer available to rent.
Yikes! What were we going to do now? Should we fly back to Sedona to find another place to rent—any place—even if it meant we had to start paying rent right then and there? That’s not what our inner guidance said. Our inner guidance simply told us to ask the woman in Arizona if she would be willing to keep looking around for something similar.
So we followed our guidance and asked her. The woman replied that she didn’t really have time to do that kind of thing for us. Plus, she said it would be very unlikely for her to come across another house that was as nice as that one—especially one that would available at the time we wanted it. However, she said she would keep her ears and eyes open.
Although that didn’t sound very promising, Carol and I immediately noticed that we both felt an inexplicable sense of peace about the whole thing. In fact, we not only felt that we would still manifest a really nice house in Sedona, we had a feeling that it might be an even better house!
One week passed. Then two. It was getting close to the point where Carol and I would have to make some decisions about moving that couldn’t be reversed. And yet, we still felt this inner sense of calm. And then the call came.
Through a series of synchronistic encounters, our “angel” in Arizona had heard about another home that would be available to rent right when we wanted it—in November. But this wasn’t just any home. It was a home that was right down the street from the one we had originally agreed to rent. And we wouldn’t even have to fly out to see it, because in its construction, features, and landscaping, it was almost identical to the other home! There was only one major difference between the two. This home happened to feature a direct view of Bell Rock, Castle Rock, and Courthouse Butte—three of Sedona’s most popular Red Rock formations!
So, did the divine flow guide us to "something better?" I'll say! But I hope you noticed two very important things about this story—two things that contributed to its remarkable ending. First, although Carol and I couldn't imagine ourselves living on a golf course, we let go of our resistance just enough to go ahead and include that kind of house on our list of homes to look at. And second, when the house we wanted became unavailable, we did not hastily take matter into our own hands—that is, we did not immediately fly back to Sedona and rent something else out of desperation. Instead, we trusted that inner sense that told us that everything was going to be okay. We put our faith in the flow, and the flow came through for us beautifully.
Friends, I've said it before and I'll say it again: We live in an incredibly miraculous Universe—a Universe that is continually working on our behalf to fulfill our every heart's desire, or it's equivalent, or something even better. May be have the faith and patience it takes to cooperate with that divine flow of goodness in our lives. May we always be open and receptive to all possibilities. And may we consistently take the steps that we are being divinely guided to take . . . even if we're not sure where those steps are leading!
Steven
Share
© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
Dear Friends,
In previous messages, I have pointed out that the divine flow is not necessarily guiding you to what you specifically want. Instead, it might be guiding you to the equivalent of what you want, or to something that is even better—to something that is greater, grander, and more deeply fulfilling. That means if you want to manifest that better blessing, you have to trust the flow and follow its lead . . . even if you don’t understand where you are headed!
The first house that Carol and I rented here in Sedona is a good example of “rowing with the flow,” and manifesting something that was greater and grander than anything we ever imagined possible. Here’s the story:
After attending a spiritual conference in Phoenix, Arizona in July of 2006, Carol and I drove up to Sedona to check out homes for rent. It had long been our dream to move to Sedona, and we wanted to see what was available to rent in this peaceful paradise, before we had to fly back to Dallas, Texas—where we lived at the time.
We had a list of a dozen homes to look at. The first home on our list was a home that—from the description in the classified ad—seemed perfect. The price was right, the location was good, and Carol thought that she had made a special connection with the homeowner when they spoke on the phone. We couldn’t wait to see it.
The last home on our list was last for a reason. It was on a golf course. Not being golfers, we just couldn’t imagine how that house could possibly be the one for us, and we were in no hurry to see it. In fact, the only reason that this house was on our list at all was because it literally “came to us” via someone we happened to meet in Phoenix.
I'm sure you have already guessed where this part of the story is going. As it turned out, the home at the top of our list was not at all suitable. It was a place we wouldn't want to spend a day in, let alone years. Disappointed, but not discouraged, we then proceeded to look at the rest of the homes. There were a couple that would “do,” but none that we really felt good about.
Finally, with every other home on our list crossed off, we reluctantly went to look at the house on the golf course. Wow! Were we ever surprised! We loved almost every single thing about this house. It had a huge covered patio, a really nice office, an oversized bathtub, a two-car garage, and lots of lush, green flowering bushes. And best of all, this particular home wouldn’t be ready to rent until November—the exact month that Carol and I wanted to move! All the other homes required us to start paying rent immediately.
We felt like the divine flow had guided us to the perfect home, and we were glad that we had included it on our list, even though we had been reluctant about it. The only thing this house lacked was a view of Sedona’s Red Rock formations, which is what Sedona is famous for. Although a Red Rock view would have given us a more “authentic experience” of living in Sedona, Carol and I weren’t expecting to have that kind of vista, anyway. So we agreed to rent the house on the golf course starting in November, and we flew back to Dallas.
Now, here’s where this tale takes an interesting turn. Believing that everything was all set with that particular property, Carol and I began to make plans for moving. We had already gotten pretty far “down the stream” when we received some distressing news from the woman in Arizona who had directed us to that house. To make a long story shorter, suffice it to say that this property was suddenly no longer available to rent.
Yikes! What were we going to do now? Should we fly back to Sedona to find another place to rent—any place—even if it meant we had to start paying rent right then and there? That’s not what our inner guidance said. Our inner guidance simply told us to ask the woman in Arizona if she would be willing to keep looking around for something similar.
So we followed our guidance and asked her. The woman replied that she didn’t really have time to do that kind of thing for us. Plus, she said it would be very unlikely for her to come across another house that was as nice as that one—especially one that would available at the time we wanted it. However, she said she would keep her ears and eyes open.
Although that didn’t sound very promising, Carol and I immediately noticed that we both felt an inexplicable sense of peace about the whole thing. In fact, we not only felt that we would still manifest a really nice house in Sedona, we had a feeling that it might be an even better house!
One week passed. Then two. It was getting close to the point where Carol and I would have to make some decisions about moving that couldn’t be reversed. And yet, we still felt this inner sense of calm. And then the call came.
Through a series of synchronistic encounters, our “angel” in Arizona had heard about another home that would be available to rent right when we wanted it—in November. But this wasn’t just any home. It was a home that was right down the street from the one we had originally agreed to rent. And we wouldn’t even have to fly out to see it, because in its construction, features, and landscaping, it was almost identical to the other home! There was only one major difference between the two. This home happened to feature a direct view of Bell Rock, Castle Rock, and Courthouse Butte—three of Sedona’s most popular Red Rock formations!
So, did the divine flow guide us to "something better?" I'll say! But I hope you noticed two very important things about this story—two things that contributed to its remarkable ending. First, although Carol and I couldn't imagine ourselves living on a golf course, we let go of our resistance just enough to go ahead and include that kind of house on our list of homes to look at. And second, when the house we wanted became unavailable, we did not hastily take matter into our own hands—that is, we did not immediately fly back to Sedona and rent something else out of desperation. Instead, we trusted that inner sense that told us that everything was going to be okay. We put our faith in the flow, and the flow came through for us beautifully.
Friends, I've said it before and I'll say it again: We live in an incredibly miraculous Universe—a Universe that is continually working on our behalf to fulfill our every heart's desire, or it's equivalent, or something even better. May be have the faith and patience it takes to cooperate with that divine flow of goodness in our lives. May we always be open and receptive to all possibilities. And may we consistently take the steps that we are being divinely guided to take . . . even if we're not sure where those steps are leading!
Steven
Share
© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Dealing With Loss
January 8, 2012
Dear Friends,
I just returned from Washington D.C., where I attended a service celebrating the life of Warren Hill, my sister’s late husband. Warren had been in good health, but he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly due to complications from a fall.
I often mention that one of the keys to living life in the divine flow is maintaining a positive attitude. A "merry" mind-set is important because it helps you stay open to divine guidance, which enables you to play your part in the unfolding of a greater good. But—and here’s the point of this particular message—that positive attitude must be genuine. That means that when you experience a loss in your life, feelings such as disappointment, sadness, and sorrow must first be allowed to run their natural course. Only then can there be an authentic return to a more optimistic outlook on life.
Living life in the divine flow is not—I repeat, not—about stuffing your feelings to maintain an "appearance" of positivity. There is such a thing as legitimate pain in life. It is not the kind of pain that you bring upon yourself through needless worry, thoughtless actions, or inappropriate attachments. It is the kind of pain that occurs most often with the sudden and unexpected loss of someone you deeply love, or the loss of something else that is near and dear to your heart, such as a fulfilling job.
If you are dealing with a loss in your life right now—or any challenging situation—it is okay to go ahead and let yourself feel your feelings about it. Give yourself permission to experience all of your feelings freely and fully. Allow them to come, and go . . . and come again . . . and go again. It is the only way that they will eventually dissipate.
If, instead, you attempt to suppress those feelings, they will continue to exist at an unconscious level. And, in the end, that will just delay your ability to heal and feel joy again. And by "joy" I mean that underlying sense of appreciation for the total experience of life . . . a joy that embraces all of life’s twists and turns . . . a joy that may be best described as "bittersweet."
To each of you who have recently lost a loved one, a beloved pet, your home, or anything else that occupies an important place in your heart, please know that kindred spirits the world over are supporting you in the restoration of your sense of well-being.
And know, too, that even though it may not appear that way to you right now, with the help of The Divine it is always possible for great good to come out of this time of great grief.
Steven
Share
© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
Dear Friends,
I just returned from Washington D.C., where I attended a service celebrating the life of Warren Hill, my sister’s late husband. Warren had been in good health, but he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly due to complications from a fall.
I often mention that one of the keys to living life in the divine flow is maintaining a positive attitude. A "merry" mind-set is important because it helps you stay open to divine guidance, which enables you to play your part in the unfolding of a greater good. But—and here’s the point of this particular message—that positive attitude must be genuine. That means that when you experience a loss in your life, feelings such as disappointment, sadness, and sorrow must first be allowed to run their natural course. Only then can there be an authentic return to a more optimistic outlook on life.
Living life in the divine flow is not—I repeat, not—about stuffing your feelings to maintain an "appearance" of positivity. There is such a thing as legitimate pain in life. It is not the kind of pain that you bring upon yourself through needless worry, thoughtless actions, or inappropriate attachments. It is the kind of pain that occurs most often with the sudden and unexpected loss of someone you deeply love, or the loss of something else that is near and dear to your heart, such as a fulfilling job.
If you are dealing with a loss in your life right now—or any challenging situation—it is okay to go ahead and let yourself feel your feelings about it. Give yourself permission to experience all of your feelings freely and fully. Allow them to come, and go . . . and come again . . . and go again. It is the only way that they will eventually dissipate.
If, instead, you attempt to suppress those feelings, they will continue to exist at an unconscious level. And, in the end, that will just delay your ability to heal and feel joy again. And by "joy" I mean that underlying sense of appreciation for the total experience of life . . . a joy that embraces all of life’s twists and turns . . . a joy that may be best described as "bittersweet."
To each of you who have recently lost a loved one, a beloved pet, your home, or anything else that occupies an important place in your heart, please know that kindred spirits the world over are supporting you in the restoration of your sense of well-being.
And know, too, that even though it may not appear that way to you right now, with the help of The Divine it is always possible for great good to come out of this time of great grief.
Steven
Share
© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
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