The Flow in a Relationship

April 1, 2012

Dear Friends,

It almost goes without saying that you rarely—if ever—get anywhere in life completely on your own. Usually, reaching your chosen destinations in life requires the participation, cooperation, and support of others. This is especially true when you are in a very close relationship with another person—a spouse, a partner, or a family member, for example.

When your choices immediately and directly affect someone else, it may feel as if you and that other person are literally "in the same boat”—that you are both in the same “Relation Ship,” so to speak. That's when rowing your boat in harmony with each other becomes of paramount importance.

The question is, how do you both "row with the flow" when the two of you do not immediately agree on a goal, or do not agree on the next right step for reaching a goal? That particular question is one that I often get asked. And here is my answer:

For a couple to stay in the flow—or even for a close-knit group to move forward in a mutually beneficial way—it is helpful when each person in that relationship is willing to do four things:

1. Take the time to attune himself or herself to his or her inner guidance.

2. Have the patience to wait for that inner guidance to unfold for everyone involved.

3. Practice loving kindness, so each person feels safe enough to express his or her thoughts and feelings during the process.

4. Let go of what he or she originally thought was best.

I have been in a close relationship with my lovely and loving partner, Carol, for many years now. Our daily life together has always felt like it was "in the flow." But does that mean that on a day-to-day basis we always instantly agree on every single step we are considering taking? No.

There are plenty of days when we try to point "our boat" in completely different directions. But when that happens, we take the time to slow down and listen to our hearts, as well as listen to each other. We patiently pause, and sense how alternative options "feel." In other words, we focus our attention on our inner guidance system—our intuition.

When we do that, one of two things usually occurs: One of us will let go of his or her plan because it becomes apparent that it was just an ego-driven impulse, and not a true desire of the heart. Or, one of us will be divinely inspired with a completely new and different idea—an idea that is mutually beneficial and "feels right" to both of us.

The beauty of intuitive guidance is that it always benefits all parties. And why does it? Because the ultimate source of your intuitive guidance is the One Spirit that unites us all—that creative, loving, divine energy that we are all expressions of . . . resulting in the kind of guidance that is always in the best interests of everyone.

Are you in the kind of relationship with another person—or a group of people—where mutual support and cooperation is necessary to get where you want to go? Then remember to treat everyone involved with loving kindness, and take the time to listen to your heart. You will be amazed at how people with diverse needs, ideas, dreams, and desires can all come together and be part of one mutually fulfilling flow . . . an effortless flow . . . a flow that is nothing less than divine.

Steven

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© 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

Trusting Intuition Over Intellect

March 25, 2012

Dear Friends,

Have you ever had an intuitive feeling that was completely at odds with what your intellect was telling you? Have you ever had an inner knowing that contradicted all logic and reason?

Friends, even if common sense tells you one thing, but your intuitive sense tells you another, follow the guidance of your intuition! Like I have stated many times before, your intuition is the most valuable, reliable, and consistent source of divine direction that you have. And when you honor that inner sense of direction—no matter how subtle it is—you will be amazed by how easy it can be to fulfill your heart’s desires.

I’ll never forget the time when Carol and I accomplished three different goals of ours in a very unexpected manner. We lived in Dallas, Texas at that time, and we thought that it would take at least one week and three separate trips across town to accomplish all three missions. Carol wanted to go to a special store to find some fabric to cover an ottoman; I wanted to go to a particular bookstore to see if they would stock my recently published first book; Plus, I wanted to get in contact with a man who had offered me a very lucrative writing project. This gentlemen had promised to give me all the details I needed in order to do the work, but he had suddenly stopped answering the phone and replying to emails.

One day, when Carol and I were out running a few errands, Carol noticed that we happened to be passing by the fabric store that she wanted to go to. Even though we were on a toll road that had limited exits, I agreed with Carol that it would be logical to stop while we were in the area. But as I approached the exit, something just didn’t feel “right.” I questioned that feeling, because stopping right then would obviously make the most sense. But the closer I got to the exit, the less “right” it felt.

Suddenly, the thought popped into my mind that it would be better to come back later. Come back later? What an inefficient use of our time that would be! Dallas was a big city, and coming all the way back to this part of town couldn’t possible be the right thing to do. Surprisingly, though, when I considered that option, it did feel right—very right!

So, even though it was more efficient to stop at the fabric store while we were right there, I followed the advice of my inner guidance. We passed the exit, continued down the road, and finished up our errands.

Now, here’s where the story gets good. Since the fabric store was on a toll road, I had to figure out the best way to get back to it. And the best way just happened to go right by the bookstore I wanted to visit. Sensing that this was “the flow,” we stopped at the bookstore. We discovered that the store wasn’t open on that particular day of the week. Coincidentally, though, the manager was in the store that day, anyway. She noticed Carol and me through the window, and for some reason came over and opened the door for us. When I introduced myself, the manager said she had already heard of my book, and would like to purchase some copies right then and there—if I had any with me. I did!

That mission accomplished, Carol and I then continued on to the fabric store. As Carol looked through the rolls of fabric, I suddenly heard a voice behind me say, “Steve, what are you doing here?” It was the wife of the man I had wanted to connect with! Her name was Michelle, and she was very surprised to run into me on her side of town—and in a fabric store of all places. But she was very happy to see me, because she had a message for me. As it turned out, Michelle’s husband had been in Canada for several weeks. While there, he had lost his cell phone, and his laptop computer had crashed. When he was finally able to get in touch with Michelle, he asked her to find me and give me the information I needed so I could proceed with the writing project . . . which she did right there in the fabric store.

Remarkable! Instead of it requiring three separate trips over a period of a week, Carol and I fulfilled all three of our desires in one single hour with absolutely no planning or foresight on our part. By following my inner guidance, Carol and I wound up in exactly the right place, at exactly the right time . . . time after time.

The lesson here is simple. Your intuition is continually directing you toward whatever it is you want to have, do, or be in life—continually! But to take advantage of that guidance you must be aware of the subtle ways that you are being directed, and you must be careful not to hastily dismiss or overrule that guidance because “you know better” or “it doesn’t make sense.”

If you want to be “in the flow,” you must avoid forcing things to go the way you “think” they should go, and you must be willing to move in a direction that is different from what you expect . . . or what even seems reasonable! In other words, you must trust your intuitive sense, even when it seems to make little sense!

Steven

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© 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

On Manifesting Money

March 18, 2012

Dear Friends,

Most of the stories I hear about manifesting money have one thing in common. The storyteller usually ends up saying, “I received the exact amount of money I needed, right when I needed it!” However, that same person often goes on to ask these two questions: “But why couldn’t I have received more money than I needed? And why couldn’t I have received that money much sooner than I did?”

No matter how grateful we may be for manifesting a certain amount of money right at the time we need it, that is not what most of us really want. When it comes to a financial flow, what most of us really want is to have an excess of money show up in our lives in advance of really needing it.

So, if that’s what most of us want—and the divine flow is continually working on our behalf to help us manifest what we want—then why aren’t more of us manifesting huge financial windfalls more often? In your own life, why haven’t you won the lottery yet? Or why hasn’t that screenplay you wrote been purchased for a boatload of money? Here are four possibilities to consider:

1. Perhaps you are harboring a subconscious belief that you don’t deserve to have an abundance of money, and you are making decisions that are somehow sabotaging your ability to experience overwhelming financial prosperity.

2. Maybe you are unconsciously limiting yourself, because you are comfortable with the economic lifestyle you know, and you are afraid to venture into a lifestyle that may be completely different.

3. Perhaps the Universe knows that it would not be in your best interest to have a lot more money than you actually need right now. There are plenty of people who “come into money,” and then quickly lose it all due to outrageous overspending, risky ventures, or inadvertent financial mismanagement.

4. Maybe the flow of money in life is more subject to the laws of nature than we realize. Sure, squirrels hide nuts for the winter, and bears store up fat for their long hibernation. But overall, the creatures of this world only receive the sustenance they need as they need it. Why should we be any different?

I could delve much deeper into all of the preceding points, but that would be missing the point of this week’s message. Because the real question for you to ask yourself is not, “Why doesn’t the Universe shower me with an excess of money?” The more important question for you to ponder is, “Why do I want that?”

First of all, is money what you really want? Or is it what money can offer you, such as an experience of comfort, freedom, beauty, or adventure? Isn’t it the latter? Then that is what you should be focusing on—the experiences you want to have . . . not just the money. When you focus primarily on what it is you want to experience, any money that may be required to have that experience flows to you naturally as part of the manifestation process. And sometimes, the experience you desire is provided for you at no cost at all! It comes to you freely, as a gift from the Universe.

And what about your desire to have an excess of money? Why do you want that? Isn’t it so you can feel more secure, believing that you have a sure way to get whatever it is you want in life? Sure it is. And that’s completely understandable. The sense of security that comes from having an abundance of money is something that we all share. In truth, though, that sense of security is an illusion. There are countless people who have been financially “set for life,” only to have their fortunes completely depleted by something very unexpected happening.

Do you really want to hinge your sense of security on the amount of money you have in the bank? Or, do you want to hinge it on something greater than that? Don’t you want to base your sense of security on the True Origin of all Prosperity—that Infinite Source of Supply that we call God? Yes, that takes faith. But it is not a blind faith. It is a faith that grows out of experience. And friends, my experience has demonstrated to me—over and over and over again—that we do, indeed, live in a beneficent Universe . . . and we can count on that Universe to continually guide us to what we truly need in life.

The sense of security I feel by knowing that I live in that kind of Universe is much greater than the security I get from having a pocketful of money. But please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying that it is a waste of time to imagine yourself winning the lottery, or to visualize yourself making big money from a small investment. I do it. I’m just reminding you that when it comes to living life in the divine flow, your main job is not to figure out how you are going to pay for the experiences you want to have in life. Your main job is to stay focused on what those experiences are, and allow the divine flow to work out the details for fulfilling those desires.

If your dreams are particularly grand and glorious—and I do hope they are—perhaps a huge influx of cash is exactly what is called for. And perhaps it will suddenly arrive via an unexpected inheritance. But it is also possible that the Universe will help you bring your dreams to life gradually, one step at a time. Your challenge is to recognize your part of the process, and do whatever the Universe is asking you to do to bring your good into being.

No matter what your dreams or desires may be, remember to keep your eye on the prize, and let the divine flow work out the finances . . . even if that simply means being given the opportunity to do the kind of work you love doing, and getting paid for it.

Steven

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© 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

The Ultimate Lucky Charm

March 11, 2012

Dear Friends,

Saturday, March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day, a day that brings to mind symbols of Ireland, such as the shamrock. Some people consider the shamrock to be a good luck charm, although they may be confusing it with the four-leaf clover. Nevertheless, whether it’s a shamrock, a four-leaf clover, a horseshoe, or a rabbit's foot, lucky charms are something that many people rely on to experience good fortune in their lives.

The way I see it, though, lucky charms are completely unnecessary. Because—for the most part—a “charmed life” is something that you can consciously create whenever you practice the principles for living life in the divine flow. It’s what occurs naturally whenever you:

• Pay attention to your intuition
• Notice signs and synchronicities, and discern their meaning
• Let go of your preconceived ideas and plans
• Release your attachment to specific outcomes
• See everything that happens as a stepping-stone to your highest good

In other words, “good luck” is the natural result of being attentive, flexible, and positive. Oh, and there’s one other thing that brings luck into your life—perhaps the most important thing of all: Loving . . . loving yourself, loving others, and treating everyone you meet with loving kindness.

And how, exactly, does love help you live a luckier life? Well, it’s just common sense that when you treat others with loving kindness, you are much more likely to experience the good fortune of their valuable assistance. But that kind of luck is simply the result of cause and effect. The true power of love goes way beyond the boomerang effect of action and reaction.

Love is the underlying power that is responsible for the experiences in our lives that we consider to be truly miraculous—a power that works its magic unrestricted by the confines of either time or space.

One single loving intention is enough to set the whole universe in motion, initiating a complex series of events that weave together in a way that no one would ever have imagined possible. It is the power of love that choreographs incredible synchronistic encounters between individuals who have similar desires of the heart, but need each other in order to manifest their dreams.

For example, an architect with a critically ill child may feel inspired to design a hospital wing for children with similar health challenges. At the very same instant, thousands of miles away, a wealthy benefactor may become inspired to finance just such a project. They both develop a “sudden desire” to vacation in New York City, where they just “happen” to encounter each other at a coffee shop. And . . . well . . . you can fill in the rest.

Love is a power that simultaneously inspires minds, ignites hearts, and orchestrates outcomes of incredible beauty. And, like I mentioned in my message for Valentine’s Day, it feels good to love! In fact, it feels so good, you may feel like you are the luckiest person in the world.

So, do you want to live a charmed life—a life of ease, grace, and incredible good fortune? Then treat everyone in your path with loving kindness, and make sure that your intentions are always loving ones. Because love, my friends, is the ultimate lucky charm.

Steven

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© 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

A Step Already Taken?

March 4, 2012

Dear Friends,

Since 2004, I have been the guest speaker at more than ninety churches in sixteen states. I have been invited to speak at five national conferences. And I have shared my message with dozens of other organizations, as well. On more than once occasion, an appreciative person has asked me if I received some kind of formal training in public speaking. The answer is no. However, fairly early in life I was encouraged to be in some amateur theater productions, which helped me get over my painfully shy nature at the time. In my career as an advertising writer, I was frequently required to present my ideas to small groups of people. And later in life, I was asked to teach an adult class at my church—which I happily did week after week for eight years.

The result of those experiences was this: Once I determined that my next right step as a spiritual author was to promote my book and its message by speaking to as many congregations and organizations as possible, that step was a virtually effortless one for me to take.

Does that mean that all of those prior experiences were divinely orchestrated to make it easier for me to be a good public speaker? That is certainly possible. All I know for sure is this: Sometimes you are already taking your next right step, and you don’t even realize it. Once in a while there are activities that you engage in—either by choice or by necessity—that turn out to be very helpful steps in the unfolding of your good. Here’s another example:

After publishing Row, Row, Row Your Boat, it was my intention to write a follow-up book. But I never felt like I had the time to sit down and do it. One day, a friend of mine asked me to email her with regular notices about my ever-changing speaking schedule. That same week, two more people requested the same thing. Sensing that this was the divine flow, I began to honor those requests. But I didn’t just send out a schedule. I decided to add an inspirational thought along with it. And thus, my weekly inspirational messages were born.

I had been sending out these messages for about six months, when someone asked me if I was going to write a second book. As usual, I replied that I would like to write a second book, but I just didn't have the time to do it. And then this person said to me, “Couldn’t your weekly messages be your second book?”

At that moment I realized two things: Not only could my messages be my second book, they would be my second book! And better yet, it was already partially written! I was already taking the step I needed to take to fulfill my desire, and I didn't even know it. And very soon, friends, you will be able to read the result of that step already taken.

The “moral” to these two stories? Simply this: If you are feeling divinely inspired to take a certain action, but it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with accomplishing a particular goal that you have in mind . . . do it anyway! You never know what it may lead to, what it may prepare you for, or how it may help you realize a dream.

Steven

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© 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