Decisions and The Divine Flow

December 27, 2009

Dear Friends,

As I briefly mentioned in a message a few weeks ago, Carol and I recently moved into a new home here in Sedona. This house is in the same planned community as our former home, and the floor plan is the same one, too.

There are a few differences, though. One of my office walls is now a half-wall instead of a full wall—opening it up to the living room. The foyer is no longer a raised area. And there is an extra window in our bedroom.

Little did we realize how those differences would affect where we placed some of our furniture and where we hung our art. We assumed that everything would go right back where it was before. But it didn’t work out that way. Many times we would put a chest or a painting in the same place it was before, but it just wouldn’t “feel right.” So we would move it somewhere else, and see how that felt. Often, we had to move something several times until the cabinet or picture or piece of pottery finally found its new and perfect home.

And so it is with living life in the divine flow.

Ideally—by tuning into your intuition, and by paying attention to divine signs and synchronicities—you are able to sense in advance if a step you are about to take is the most beneficial one for you to take at that time . . . or not. But that’s ideally. Occasionally, there will be times when your divinely-guided next right step will still be somewhat unclear to you, and yet the moment has come when you have to make a decision.

In times like that, you simply have to make that decision, and then—like Carol and I experienced with decorating our new home—see how things feel after that step has been taken.

Of course, many of the decisions we have to make in life are a lot more serious than where to hang a painting, or where to put a table. So it is understandable that waiting to find out if a decision feels right after the fact is not especially desirable. But that situation does not have to be a source of undue stress for you if you keep in mind one of the fundamental principles for living life in the divine flow: Everything can be a stepping stone to your higher good.

Even if you make a decision based on the fears of your ego rather than the faith of your spirit, the universe can still guide you to a greater good from wherever you wind up. Your job is simply to remain open and receptive to divine direction by maintaining a positive outlook, and by avoiding shaming yourself or blaming others.

This process is not unlike what happens when you have a navigation device in your car, but you miss the exit it was directing you to take, or you turn the wrong way. It simply offers you a brand new route from wherever you now happen to be.

Remember, too, that there are always valuable lessons to be learned from whatever circumstance you find yourself in . . . which means that every decision you make—divinely inspired or not—gives you an opportunity to gain further clarity about yourself, and to grow in wisdom, compassion, understanding, and so on.

So, my friends, before you take any step, do your best to intuitively discern whether it really is your next right step or not. But more importantly, always remember that no matter what decision you make, the universe can always “make it right” in the end.

Steven

© 2009 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com

The Secret of a Merry Christmas

December 20, 2009

Dear Friends,

This coming Friday is the day that many of us will celebrate the birth into this world of the being we call Jesus. There are many different opinions about the exact nature of this extraordinary man’s mission on this planet. But I do believe there is one aspect to his life that most of us can agree upon: Jesus was the perfect example of living a life of unconditional love. And he made it quite clear that we would all benefit greatly by living our lives in the same loving way.

Fortunately, loving others is one of the most natural things in the world for you to do. For I believe that love is not only in your nature, it is your nature. Love is the divine essence of who you truly are at the core of your being. And you know what? It feels good to express the truth of who you are! It feels good to love!

When you love, you feel happy. When you love, you feel joyful. When you love, you feel downright . . . well . . . merry!

So, do you want to have a truly merry Christmas this year—and every year? Then be true to yourself! Be the love that you are this season, and a merry Christmas will be yours, indeed.

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily,

Steven

© 2009 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com

The Gift Of A Christmas Present

December 13, 2009

Dear Friends,

One of my favorite sayings is this one:

THE PAST IS HISTORY.
THE FUTURE, A MYSTERY.
BUT THE NOW MOMENT IS A GIFT.
THAT’S WHY IT’S CALLED THE “PRESENT.”

In this season of gift-giving, I invite you to remember that the true gifts of the holidays are always in the now moment. But to receive those “presents” you must first be present yourself. Instead of focusing all of your time, attention, and energy on what’s coming next, make a conscious choice to be fully present in the here and now.

Be present for the gift of a child’s laughter,
and for the gift of bright, twinkling lights.

Be present for the gift of fresh-baked cookies,
and for the gift of sweet-smelling evergreens.

Be present for the gift of a soundless snowfall,
and for the touch of a single snowflake on your tongue.

Be present for the gift of friends you may have taken for granted,
and for family members you haven’t seen in ages.

Be present for the gift of unconditional love
that embraces each of us this season.

And be present for the unbounded joy
that this season elicits in us all.

Here’s wishing you one of greatest gifts you could ever hope to receive this season: the gift of a Christmas present.

Steven

© 2009 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com

Christmas and The Divine Flow

December 6, 2009

Dear Friends,

Well, here it is again—the Christmas season. For many of you, this is the busiest time of the year. As usual, you still have to go to work, handle family responsibilities, clean the house, feed the pets, work in the yard, pay the bills, and take care of a multitude of other tasks and chores that are a routine part of daily life.

But on top of all that, you may also have to decorate the house, trim the tree, host parties, prepare special meals, entertain company, visit relatives, and send out cards . . . not to mention buy gifts, wrap gifts, pack gifts, and ship gifts.

The list goes on and on. And yes, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by it all, and to lose the very sense of joy this season is supposed to elicit.

But take heart, because the divine flow is ready to come to your rescue! There is no task too small for the divine flow to focus its attention on. And there is no schedule too complex for the divine flow to manage.

At every given moment the divine intelligence of the universe is simultaneously orchestrating the most effective and efficient accomplishment of every single thing you need to do this season.

I remember a time that I thought I would have to make three separate trips over a two week period to fulfill the most important items on my “To-Do List.” But instead, by simply paying attention to the subtle guidance of my intuition one day, all three tasks were taken care of in one single hour, with not one bit of preparation or planning on my part. Everything just fell into place, and I just kept showing up in exactly the right place at exactly the right time to achieve what I wanted to achieve.

The way everything worked out for me in such an incredibly coordinated fashion was simply astounding. And your experience this holiday season can be a similar one. If you take the time to listen to your intuition—to literally feel what your next right step is, and to continue listening and continue taking those divinely guided steps—you may be amazed at how all of your holiday commitments can be accomplished in a virtually effortless and seamless manner.

Here’s to an exceptionally joyful and fulfilling holiday season. May everything flow beautifully for you and yours!

Steven

© 2009 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com