The Only Constant in Life

October 2, 2019

As a professional writer for my entire adult life, I have always appreciated a clever turn of phrase or a witty wordplay. One of my favorites is something I heard back in the early 1990s: “The only constant in life is change.”

I really love the paradoxical nature of that saying—the juxtaposition between the opposing ideas of change and constancy. I am surprised, however, by how long it took for me to realize that this statement is not actually true. The only constant in life is change? That’s the only constant? Of course that’s not true. In addition to the sun rising in the east, the inevitability of death, and a few other things, there is another constant in life that is much greater than change. It is a constant that not only helps us weather change, but in many cases benefit from it.

The constant I am talking about is that Universal Intelligence we call God. But I will get back to that later. My initial goal is to explore the phenomenon of change and why we experience so much of it in life. And the reason I am interested in this topic is because it touches on an aspect of living life in the divine flow I didn’t notice for quite some time.

If you follow my teachings, you know that living life in the divine flow is about learning how to recognize and cooperate with the divine flow of life—a flow that is continually guiding you toward the effortless fulfillment of your heart’s desires. And by heart’s desires, I mean the desires of your soul or spirit. They are desires that are often greater and grander than anything your ego would normally allow you to have; desires that are always for the good of all—not just you; and desires that are often related to fulfilling your soul’s purpose for this lifetime. It is to those desires that you are continually being guided through your intuition, through the intuitive wisdom of others, and through divine signs and synchronicities.

Along the way, I have collected countless stories about people who have followed divine guidance and manifested their heart’s desires miraculously. But here’s what I am getting to: If you ask those people a few years later—or sometimes much sooner—how they are enjoying their dream come true, they will often say that they are no longer living that dream, or living it in the same way, because something changed.

The question is, why? If they were truly being divinely guided by God to something, why—in many cases—didn’t it last? There are many reasons for this, but here are six reasons why things might unexpectedly change after you fulfill a desire of the heart:

1. You allow yourself to take full credit for the fulfillment of your desire.

When your desire manifests, you might be tempted to exclaim, “I did it!” Oh, you did it, did you? It wasn’t God working in you, through you, and as you? It wasn’t because you followed divine guidance? It wasn’t due to the blessing of God’s goodness and grace? Whenever you allow your limited, self-serving ego to take back over, you begin to make terrible decisions—decisions that are not divinely guided, but are, instead, unguided or misguided. The result? You may end up undermining what you previously co-created with God. 

I was recently reminded of this fact by a funny sign someone photographed and posted on Facebook. The sign said, “Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason is that you are making terrible decisions!”

2. Things may change due to the ripple effect of decisions made by other people.  

For example, when Carol and I desired to move from Dallas, Texas to Sedona, Arizona—so I could conduct talks and workshops in cities throughout the Southwest—we felt divinely supported every step of the way. We experienced amazing miracles—both major and minor—throughout the entire process, including being divinely guided to a house we were absolutely thrilled to rent. 

But guess what? Only three years later something changed, and we had to move out of the house we so dearly loved. Why? To make a long story short, it was due to decisions made by the couple who owned our house, which left them overextended in real estate holdings. When the housing market crashed in 2008—the result of greedy choices and irresponsible actions made by people in the mortgage industry—they were among the first to lose their home, and they had to move into the house they had been renting to us.  

Remember, in ways both seen and unseen, obvious and not obvious, we are all connected.  When anyone makes a decision that is not divinely guided—a decision of the ego—it can have a ripple effect that affects others, both near and far. 

3. Perhaps the manifestation of your dream was not really “in the flow” the entire way. 

Perhaps at some point during the process you stopped taking the next divinely-directed step and began “forcing” your way forward—forcing your desire into beingness before its divine time, or before you grew to be the kind of person you needed to be to maintain or sustain the fulfillment of that desire for any length of time.

Remember, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it. You must always seek divine guidance before taking any action. You must constantly pay attention to your intuition, listen to what others are saying, and watch for divine signs and synchronicities—all of which can help you discern whether any action you are contemplating taking is truly “in the flow” or not. If you continue to force things to happen, whatever you manifest will probably not last very long.

4. Sometimes the flow may lead you to the fulfillment of a desire, just so you will finally realize that your desire is not a true desire of the heart.

One of my favorite stories is about a woman I know who had a long-held desire to leave the large city where she had lived for many years, so she could run a combined café and bookstore in a small country town. After years of getting nowhere with her dream, one day everything just fell into place. With the kind ease you experience when you are “in the flow,” she was finally able to effortlessly fulfill her desire and open her shop. 

However, she soon had a rude awakening. For one thing, she discovered that the work was much harder than she thought it would be. And worse, the people in this small town didn’t appreciate “outsiders” coming in, and they didn’t frequent her establishment enough to make it work out financially.

This woman eventually gave up on her dream and went back to the city in defeat. However, once there, she realized how much she actually liked living in the city. She loved all the social and cultural offerings it had to offer. And she was happy to once again be living close to her daughter and her friends. But best of all, with her newfound open-mindedness, she was finally receptive enough to be divinely led to a line of work that was much more fulfilling and rewarding—something that had nothing to do with books or cafés.

You see, sometimes the divine flow will help you fulfill a desire that is not right for you, just so you will finally be open to what is right for you. 

Thus far, all of the reasons I have listed for why things change have been related to the ego part of your nature—to that part of you that is not open to divine guidance and inspiration. What follows are two reasons that have to do with the spiritual part of your nature:

5. After you have manifested a desire of the heart, your inner spirit will eventually want to manifest something else.

It is important to remember that as an individual expression of God—the Great Creator—you, too, are divinely creative at the core of your being. After you co-create something wonderful with God, your innate drive to create does not end. 

Think about a painter. After a painter has completed a masterpiece, does the painter put down the brush and never paint again? Of course not! Eventually the painter will grab a blank canvas, pick up a brush, and begin to paint something new. 

And so it is with you. No matter how fulfilling the manifestation of your dream may be, eventually your inner creative spirit will desire to create anew. That means you may no longer have a strong desire to actively maintain or sustain what you previously created, and thus, it is likely that—over time—something about it will change. 

6. Change is essential for your spiritual growth.

You may not be consciously aware of it, but underneath your specific dreams, goals, and desires is an underlying desire to become more aware of your true, spiritual nature—to recognize your oneness with God’s Presence, and to realize your full potential as an individual expression of God, exhibiting God’s attributes of wisdom, creativity, and love.

Nothing gives you a better opportunity to grow in your spiritual awareness and understanding than the challenge of dealing with change. Without change there is little motivation for self-examination and inner exploration, and your soul’s journey may come to a standstill. 

So, yes, for many reasons change in life is—and will be—constant. But thankfully, it is not the only constant. For God is also constant, which means that no matter what is shifting or changing in your life, you are constantly being guided by God and supported by God in manifesting another good—even a higher good.

Remember when I mentioned that Carol and I had to leave the house we loved after being in Sedona for only three years? Well, as the flow would have it, when we began to look for another house to rent, we were divinely guided to a house with the exact same floor plan in the exact same neighborhood! It was almost like not moving at all. There were only three differences: This house had an even better view of Sedona’s famous red rock formations; it featured a beautiful pond in the back; and the rent was $200 less per month! 

But that’s not all. Because of a change in circumstances for the people who rented this house to us—and a change in our own circumstances—we now own that house! Talk about manifesting a higher good!

So again, yes, change in life is—and will be—constant. But thank God—literally—that change is not the only constant. God is also constant. God’s goodness is constant. God’s guidance is constant. God’s grace is constant. And God’s love is constant.

No matter what is shifting and changing in your life—or how challenging it may be—you can always take great comfort in the constancy of God’s Presence through it all.

Steven

© 2019 by Steven Lane Taylor
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

Happy "Now" Year!

January 1, 2019

 Happy Now Year!

Yes, you read that right.  I wrote Happy "Now" Year instead of Happy "New" Year.  It’s not a typo. It's just my way of reminding you about the important part that the present moment plays in the manifestation process.

As I frequently mention, fulfilling your heart’s desires effortlessly depends upon your ability to recognize and follow divine guidance. But that guidance only comes to you in “the now”—through what you are intuitively feeling now, through what others are telling you now, and through the signs and synchronicities that you are noticing now.

,

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t value in spending some time visualizing what you want to have, do, or be in the coming year. In fact, that’s important. Focusing on a destination is what sets the whole flow in motion in the first place.  But after that, you must return your attention to the present moment, so you can sense the next right step that the divine flow is directing you to take.

It’s sort of a back-and-forth thing: You visualize your goal, then return your awareness to the present moment.  You picture your dream, then come back to the here and now. If you are continually focused on the future—continually daydreaming about where you are headed—you may miss the very step that is leading you there. 

To live life in the divine flow, you must let go of your projections into the future—as well as your reflections on the past—so you can be present for the doors that are being divinely opened for you right here, and right now.

Do you have a particular desire that you would like to fulfill in 2019?  A goal that you would like to accomplish? A dream that you would like to realize?  You do?  Terrific! Then tell the Universe exactly what it is you would like to achieve this year, and pay keen attention to what starts to show up in your life.

But please remember this: Although having desires and pursuing desires is an inescapable part of your innately creative nature, you never have to fulfill a desire in order to be happy; you never have to accomplish a goal in order to be happy; and you never have to realize a dream in order to be happy. Remember that real happiness—true, long-lasting happiness—only comes from accepting and appreciating the current moment for whatever it is offering you . . . and from opening up your heart and being the love that you are in that moment. That, my friends, is the real key to having a happy new year—from the first day of the year to the very last. 

Steven

© 2019 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

The Beauty of Blind Love

February 14, 2018

February 14th is Valentine’s Day, the day we make a conscious effort to express our love and appreciation to the people in our lives whom we dearly cherish.

For the most part, the kind of love being celebrated on this special day is “romantic” love. And one of the characteristics of “romantic” love—at least in the beginning—is that this kind of love is “blind.” We literally don’t see the physical flaws and personality quirks in the beloved. He or she looks perfect to us.

But is that really being blind? Or is that seeing as we are truly meant to see—as that Universal Presence we call God, sees? As we grow in our spiritual understanding, aren’t we called to see beyond appearances? Aren’t we called to see beneath the physical, and look past the behavior? Aren’t we called to see the true beauty and the radiant innocence of the Spirit that lies within each person? Aren’t we called to see his or her inner perfection?

If that’s being blind, fine! Give me some dark glasses and a cane! Because there is nothing that feels as good as truly loving. There is nothing that feels as good as recognizing the inherent goodness of another’s soul, and allowing yourself to bask in that glorious light.

So what does this have to do with living life in the divine flow? Simply this: When you love as God loves, and see as God sees, it won’t make any difference where you are along the course of “the stream.” It won’t make any difference whether you are just about to reach your dream, or whether you are still miles away from it.

When you love without limits you are happy right where you are, wherever you are. And, in the end—all goals and dreams aside—isn’t happiness all you really want out of life? Isn’t happiness all you’ve been trying to get out of life . . . all along?

Well then, here’s to “blind” love! And here’s to having a lovingly happy day, every day!

Steven

© 2018 by Steven Lane Taylor
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

Happy "Now" Year!

January 1, 2018

 Happy Now Year!

Yes, you read that right.  I wrote Happy "Now" Year instead of Happy "New" Year.  It’s not a typo. It's just my way of reminding you about the important part that the present moment plays in the manifestation process.

As I frequently mention, fulfilling your heart’s desires effortlessly depends upon your ability to recognize and follow divine guidance. But that guidance only comes to you in “the now”—through what you are intuitively feeling now, through what others are telling you now, and through the signs and synchronicities that you are noticing now.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t value in spending some time visualizing what you want to have, do, or be in the coming year. In fact, that’s important. Focusing on a destination is what sets the whole flow in motion in the first place.  But after that, you must return your attention to the present moment, so you can sense the next right step that the divine flow is directing you to take.

It’s sort of a back-and-forth thing: You visualize your goal, then return your awareness to the present moment.  You picture your dream, then come back to the here and now. If you are continually focused on the future—continually daydreaming about where you are headed—you may miss the very step that is leading you there. 

To live life in the divine flow, you must let go of your projections into the future—as well as your reflections on the past—so you can be present for the doors that are being divinely opened for you right here, and right now.

Do you have a particular desire that you would like to fulfill in 2018?  A goal that you would like to accomplish? A dream that you would like to realize?  You do?  Terrific! Then tell the Universe exactly what it is you would like to achieve this year, and pay keen attention to what starts to show up in your life.

But please remember this: Although having desires and pursuing desires is an inescapable part of your innately creative nature, you never have to fulfill a desire in order to be happy; you never have to accomplish a goal in order to be happy; and you never have to realize a dream in order to be happy. Remember that real happiness—true, long-lasting happiness—only comes from accepting and appreciating the current moment for whatever it is offering you . . . and from opening up your heart and being the love that you are in that moment. That, my friends, is the real key to having a happy new year—from the first day of the year to the very last. 

Steven

© 2018 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

About Heart and Home

October 13, 2017

The latest reports about the wildfires currently raging across California indicate that as many as 2,800 homes and structures have been destroyed in the city of Santa Rosa. In television interviews with families who have lost their homes, but not their lives, it is nice to see that all of these people recognize that, in the largest sense, life is not about things. It is about love. And even though their houses—and all of the things in them—are gone, each of these families feels extremely grateful to still have each other. They feel blessed, in fact.

The loss of one’s home, however, is not something to be minimized. It is still a very real—and very significant—loss. And grieving the loss of one's home is both understandable and appropriate.

A home, as you well know, is much more than bricks and mortar, wood and shingles, stucco and tile. It is much more than a structure, a shelter, or even—in some cases—a work of art. A home is a box of memories, containing cherished mementos, souvenirs, keepsakes, heirlooms, and irreplaceable photographs.

All of those treasured things are physical symbols of the people and the experiences in our lives that we hold near and dear to our hearts. Although the memories themselves remain intact, it is still understandably tragic when the “memory collage” one has spent a lifetime constructing, has been destroyed by fire, wind, water, or a shift in the earth itself.

To each of you who have recently lost your home, a loved one, a beloved pet, or anything else that occupies an important place in your heart, know that you have the entire Universe working on your behalf to help you restore your sense of wholeness, recover your sense of peace, and rebuild whatever it is that needs rebuilding.

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

© 2017 by Steven Lane Taylor
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

The Devastation of Separation

October 3, 2017

Although there may never be a definitive answer as to why shooting rampages keep occurring in this country and in the world—like the one that just took place in Las Vegas, Nevada—I believe that the underlying cause for many of these recurring tragedies is ultimately the same thing: a feeling of separation instead of oneness.

“Oneness” is about our intimately joined relationship with each other. It is a relationship that arises from the fact that we are all individual expressions of One Spirit—that creative, loving, all-pervading Spirit we commonly call God.

There are times when we sense that holy connection more than others, such as when we pray, meditate, spend time in nature, or hold a tiny baby in our arms. And the natural result of that sense of connection is a wonderful feeling of well-being.

But all too often we feel disconnected, instead. We forget that we are one with God, and one with all of God's children. We feel separate from others, and separate from everything around us. And that sense of separation—of being all alone and on our own in this world—can generate a fair amount of fear.

Sometimes that fear—and the anger that often issues from that fear—can be so magnified by mental illness or negative mental conditioning, we witness the kind of destructive behavior that just exploded in Las Vegas.

Although everything that happens in life is an opportunity for us to discover where our blocks to loving are, it may be quite a while before many of us are willing to feel compassion for the tortured soul who orchestrated that horrific event, which ended the lives of 59 people and injured more than 500.

For now, may we contribute to the healing of this tragedy—and to the healing of the whole world—by embracing everyone on this earth as our brothers and sisters in Spirit.  May we never forget that we are as inseparable from our Source as waves are from the ocean . . . and thus, we are inseparable from each other.

Steven

© 2017 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

An Illuminating Experience

Recently, for the birthday of my wife, Carol, I arranged for her to fulfill a long-held desire—to participate in a Lantern Festival. If you are not familiar with a Lantern Festival, it’s when a gathering of people simultaneously release illuminated paper lanterns into the sky. The lanterns themselves can be quite large—as large as 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide. At the bottom of each lantern is a combustible material. And when the material is lit, it not only illuminates the lantern, but it also fills it with hot air. Eventually the lantern becomes light enough to rise up into the sky and float away—just like a hot air balloon. 

Some festivals are attended by dozens of people. Some are attended by hundreds. Our event was attended by thousands—more than 6,000, it is said. From pictures and videos I had seen, I knew that the releasing of the lanterns would be beautiful. But when the moment came to release our lanterns, I was surprised by the emotions that overcame both Carol and me. In fact, we were both touched to the point of tears.

So why did we experience such strong feelings? Well, there is something I didn’t mention about the preparation of the lanterns. Before the lanterns are inflated, each person writes upon it his or her dreams, goals, prayers, or affirmations. Some people express desires for a better house, a perfect job, or a loving relationship. Others seek abundance, happiness, or a healing. And some write down messages to loved ones who have left this plane of existence.

When each person lets go of his or her lantern, allowing it to rise high into the sky, it is a symbolic way of releasing his or her heartfelt desires and prayers into the care of a Higher Power. Imagine being surrounded by thousands of people of every imaginable walk of life, all joined by one common wish—the wish to live a more fulfilling and joyful life. And imagine being surrounded by thousands of people of every imaginable color and creed, all joined by one common faith—the faith that we live in an intelligent, creative, and loving Universe that knows what our dreams are, that hears our prayers, and responds to them.

It has been a long time since I have experienced such a profound sense of universal unity. And I suppose that is what brought tears to my eyes, and to Carol’s eyes, as well. It was truly a moving moment, which was made even more moving by the inspiring songs that were being played during the release, such as “Imagine” by John Lennon, and “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban.

If you would like to attend a Lantern Festival near you, I invite you to visit this website: www.thelanternfest.com. It will be an experience you will never forget—an experience that is as inspiring as it is illuminating.

Steven

© 2016 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

Here’s a video of the moment Carol released her lantern:

The 9th Benefit of Meditation

In Chapter 17 of my second book, “Further Down The Stream,” I list eight benefits of meditation. They are:

1. You are healthier.
2. You are more creative.
3. You are more intuitive.
4. You are more responsive.
5. You are more present.
6. You are more patient.
7. You are more peaceful.
8. You are more loving.

By no means are those the only benefits of meditation. There are more—many more. Those are just the ones that sprang to mind as I wrote that particular chapter. But as I was listening to a talk recently, I realized I missed a benefit—an important one . . . one I wish I had included in my book.

It is such an obvious benefit, I am surprised it didn’t occur to me at the time. What is it? You only have to look at the smiling face of the Dalai Lama—a consistent meditator—to see what it is:

        9. You are more joyful.

Meditation, as you know, helps quiet the mind, so you are more in touch with your Inner Divine Spirit—that Eternal Presence that exists at the core of your being. It follows that if you are more in touch with that Presence, you will exhibit more of its traits, such as creativity, wisdom, patience, peace, love, and . . . yes . . . joy.

The joy I am talking about is not the kind of joy that arises only when something outside of yourself is to your liking. It’s the kind of joy that comes from embracing all of life and living. It’s the joy that comes from appreciating life as a whole—with its ups and its downs, its peaceful parts and its turbulent parts.

Consider this: When people go to a water park, do they choose only to float along the lazy river? Or do they also choose to hurtle down the scary, but thrilling water slide? Don’t most people choose both? At the end of the day, isn’t it the overall combination of contrasting experiences that brought them joy?

Sure it is. And so it is with your Spirit. To your Spirit, life itself is one big amusement park, with a wide variety of contrasting rides and attractions that bring it joy. And when you connect to your Spirit through a consistent practice of meditation, you, too, can experience that all-inclusive kind of joy. You, too, can experience the unending joy of your Spirit. You, too, can experience the joy of just being alive and in the world. 

Steven

© 2016 by Steven Lane Taylor
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

A Lesson Learned The Easy Way

In my second book, “Further Down The Stream,” Chapter 38 is titled, “Grow With The Flow.” The idea in this chapter is that before you can successfully achieve a dream—or just live a happier, more fulfilling life—you may have to grow in some way. You may have to mature mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. You may have to heal something or learn something.

In order to bring that healing, learning, and maturing experience about, your inner Divine Spirit—in cooperation with the inner Divine Spirit of others—will orchestrate a challenge for you that will give you the perfect opportunity to heal, learn, and grow. Once the healing happens or the lesson is learned, you will no longer face that exact kind of challenge again.

What is truly fascinating about this process, however, is this: If you learn the lesson quickly enough, the challenge you are facing may dissolve before you actually have to go all the way through it. Here’s an example:

At one point in my former career as an advertising writer, I was up for a big promotion. The Creative Director of our group was leaving to head up a brand new group within our agency, and I was being considered to replace him. It would be an easy step up for me, because I had already been assisting him in leading our group for several years.

Well, I didn’t get the promotion. For reasons not relevant to this story, my company decided to hire a Creative Director from outside the company—someone with no experience in working at our agency, leading our group, or handling our particular accounts. I was disappointed, to say the least.

I thought I would get over my disappointment in time, but instead, my disappointment quickly turned into anger. Why? Because the new Creative Director—whom I will call Martin—never acknowledged my experience as an assistant director. He never asked for my opinion. He never sought my advice. And worse, I thought the decisions he was making (without my input) were hurting the quality of our work. In short, as far as I could see, he was a lousy manager.

Did I say I was angry? Correction. I was furious! And what did I do with all that anger? Nothing. Day after day after day, I just sat in it, stewing and brewing and letting my anger build. And then, something fortunate happened.  Before I exploded and did something I would regret, my former Creative Director called me and invited me to join his new group. Although he didn’t need an assistant to run this kind of group, he did need another writer to pair up with one of his art directors. I accepted his invitation immediately.

I was greatly relieved to escape what I believed to be an intolerable situation. But notice something: no healing or learning had yet taken place. And that’s where this story gets really interesting.

After happily working in my new group for about two years, one day I received some surprising news. Whether it was because of poor management, or it was due to other factors, my former group—the one led by Martin, the Creative Director I detested—had been disbanded. The company still felt that Martin was of value, though, so they didn’t let him go. Instead, they decided to move him into another group until they could find a more suitable position for him.

Well, guess whose group they decided to move him into? Of course! Ours! I was completely dumbfounded. From the standpoint of an organizational chart, moving Martin into our group didn’t make one bit of sense. Our group wasn’t big enough to be divided between two Creative Directors! Our current Creative Director didn’t even need an assistant! What we could use, however, was another art director. And since Martin began his career as an art director, that was the function he would be fulfilling.

So an office was prepared for Martin, and in advance of his arrival, he was assigned a project. The only thing he needed was a writer to work with. You see what’s coming next, right? You got it. The only logical choice of a writer to pair up with Martin was . . . me!

No! How could this be? I escaped that man years ago! Why would we have to work together again? Why? Why? Hmmm . . . why, indeed? Could it be there was a lesson I needed to learn?

Well, guess what? With my willingness to see this situation as a possible learning lesson, I had an immediate epiphany. Yes, it was true that Martin never asked for my assistance when he took the job I thought was going to be mine. But it was also true that I never offered him any help! The real truth of the matter was that I resented Martin for “taking my job,” and I had no intention of helping him be successful.

But did he actually “take my job?” Of course not. I just didn’t get the job, and he did. And there were reasons for that. In that moment of clarity, I realized what would have been the right thing to do back then. I should have simply gone into Martin’s office and said, “Let me know if you need any help. And if there is anything you need to know about our clients, or the history of our group and our work, I will be happy to fill you in.”

Now—miraculously—I had a second chance to do the right thing. And I knew just what that would be. I would tell Martin that I really looked forward to working with him on our upcoming project. And you know what? That sentiment was completely sincere. You see, I knew that before he moved into management, Martin was an excellent art director. And I truly believed that we could create a wonderful advertising campaign together.

Having had my epiphany on a Friday, I decided to put my sentiment in a handwritten note, and leave it on Martin’s desk for him to find on Monday—the day he was slated to start working in our group. I don’t know whether Martin ever got that note or not. Because he didn’t come in on Monday. Or Tuesday. Or ever. As it turned out, the company did find a better fit for Martin, and over the weekend they moved him into a completely different area of our agency.

As shocked as I was when I heard Martin was coming into our group, I was equally shocked to hear that he been moved somewhere else before he even got started. Wow! I couldn’t help but feel this whole scenario was divinely orchestrated for my benefit. And I did, indeed, benefit. By finally getting honest with myself, I was able to let go of my unfounded resentment toward Martin, and relieve myself of an emotional burden I had been carrying around for years.

A lesson had been learned. A healing had happened. And then—instantly—the very challenge that set the stage for that maturing experience simply disappeared. That’s not to say that every challenge I have faced in life has dissolved in a heartbeat. Plenty of challenges have lasted a lot longer than they probably had to, due to my resistance to them. But to this day, I remain extremely grateful that in this particular instance—and a few others like it—I was able to learn my lesson . . . the easy way.

Steven

© 2016 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

About That Still, Small Voice

In Chapter 4 of my second book, Further Down The Stream, I list many of the ways we receive divine guidance from our inner Divine Spirit (the kind of guidance we commonly call our intuition). Included are:

• A thought that suddenly pops into your head
• A still, small voice you seem to “hear” from within
• An image or a vision that appears in your mind
• A particularly vivid dream you have
• A physical sensation that gets your attention
• A simple feeling of peace or “rightness”
• A “Knowing”—that is, an inexplicable and unshifting sense of surety

Except for an image or vision that appears in your mind, I have experienced all of the above at one time or another. My most common experience is a feeling of “rightness” about a particular choice I am considering. But I have also had vivid dreams that have helped me heal some troubling situations. I have experienced physical sensations that have alerted me to something I needed to pay attention to. And I have had thoughts pop into my mind that proved to be miraculously beneficial. I still remember the time I suddenly thought, “I should look into that book marketing opportunity I heard about 6 months ago.” That particular thought was not connected to anything I was contemplating at the time. It just popped into my mind out of the blue. But guess what? When I heeded that thought and checked on the marketing opportunity, I discovered I had called on the very last day the offer was being made!

There is one form of divine communication, however, I have only experienced twice—both within a single 24-hour period. I am referring to hearing a “still, small voice.” Although some people claim they have heard—with their ears—an actual voice coming from outside of themselves, most people—myself included—experience the still, small voice as something that arises from within. They can’t say they actually “heard” something, but what they experienced was more than just a mental thought.

If you are wondering what distinguishes a still, small voice from a thought, it is generally this: The message you “hear” is extraordinarily clear. It is very concise. And it seems to be delivered to your mind rather than originating from your mind. For example, a thought that arises in your mind might be something like, “Hey, I haven’t heard from Sally in a while. Maybe I should call her.” A still, small voice would simply say, “Call Sally. Now.”

So what was my experience with a still, small voice? To be perfectly honest, it was a little embarrassing . . . but also kind of funny:

Many, many years ago—when I was in my thirties—I had a very big decision to make. It was such a big decision, I needed to make it very carefully and prayerfully. I had that decision on my mind when I decided to spend a week or so vacationing in Arizona.

My first stop was the city of Tucson. Tucson sits at the base of Mt. Lemmon, and I decided I would drive up to the top of that mountain and spend some time in prayer and meditation about the challenging choice I was facing.  So that’s exactly what I did. I drove to the top of Mt. Lemmon, found a big boulder, sat on it, meditated for a bit, and then asked my inner Divine Spirit, “Spirit . . . what should I do?”

I was surprised when I got an immediate response. It was clear. It was concise. And the message seemed to be delivered to my mind, rather than originating from my mind. It was a still, small voice. And it said, “Whatever you think is best for your spiritual growth.”

Whatever I think is best for my spiritual growth? I didn’t care for that answer. I didn’t know what was best for my spiritual growth, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to discern that. As I drove back down the mountain I convinced myself that the “voice” I heard must not have been the voice of my Spirit at all. It must have been something else.

I knew my next stop was Sedona, Arizona, so I decided I would ask the question again when I got there. After all, Sedona is known for it’s mystical “vortexes,” and I would probably have a stronger connection to my inner Divine Spirit if I asked the question there.

So that’s what I did. I drove to Sedona, went to one of the vortex sites, sat down, meditated a bit, and then asked the question again. “Spirit . . . what should I do?”

Once again I got an immediate response. It was clear. It was concise. And the message seemed to be delivered to my mind, rather than originating from my mind. It was that still, small voice again. Only this time, it said, “I already told you.” Oops! I felt a little embarrassed. I guess I should have accepted the first answer I received! 

Well, even though it required more contemplation and meditation on my part, I was—in the end—able to arrive at a decision I was comfortable with. And later, I realized why my Sprit answered me the way it did. It was simply because it didn’t make any difference what choice I made! No matter what path I chose, if I thought it was best for my spiritual growth, my inner Divine Spirit would help me benefit from the experience. 

Friends, have you had a still, small voice experience? Have you had beneficial thoughts pop into your mind, or experienced helpful dreams? No matter what form your divine guidance may take, here’s to being open and receptive to it . . . the first time!

Steven

© 2016 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC 

Won't It Be Wonderful When . . . ?

It’s difficult to manifest what you want in life if you are continually harboring the idea that it won’t ever happen. Effortlessly fulfilling your heart’s desires generally requires a more positive mindset—an attitude of expectancy at the very least.

But how do you get beyond an underlying sense that the eventual fulfillment of your desire is in doubt? One answer is to take a baby step, and just begin to focus on the possibility of your desire being fulfilled. Years ago I came across a good technique for doing just that. It was in the book, “Ask and It Is Given,” which came out six months after I published “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

The technique is simple. You just ask yourself one basic question: “Wouldn’t it be nice if my desire was fulfilled?” More specifically, you might ask: “Wouldn’t it be nice if I reclaimed the healthy weight I had 10 years ago?” “Wouldn’t it be nice if I received the perfect job offer this month?” “Wouldn’t it be nice if we moved into our dream house this year?”

The beauty of reflecting on this question is threefold:

First, it shifts your attention away from what you believe is impeding the fulfillment of your desire and directs it toward the possibility your desire’s fulfillment.

Second, it takes any feelings of discouragement or frustration you might be experiencing and replaces them with better feelings—“nice” ones.

And third, it is a very gentle approach to focusing on your desire, so you are less likely to slip into a demanding or controlling frame of mind. The details for fulfilling your desire are left up to The Divine, which is always the most beneficial way to manifest what you want.

As helpful as this technique is, though, it is still a baby step—a step in the right direction, but a baby step nonetheless. Once you accept the possibility that your desire can be fulfilled, you are ready for the next step—a bigger step. That step is to acknowledge the absolute certainty of your desire’s fulfillment.

Again, there is a helpful technique for doing that. Only this time it is not from the book, “Ask and It Is Given.” It was created by a friend of mine named Joanne Patek, who has helped numerous people accomplish their goals and realize their dreams by using this powerful, self-directed question: “Won’t it be wonderful when my desire is fulfilled with ease, and I give thanks?” Whether your desire is for a wounded relationship to be healed or a long-lost heirloom to be found, I think you can see the superiority in the way this question is worded.

For one thing, the fulfillment of your desire is no longer a question of “if.” It is now just a matter of “when.” And that sense of surety puts you in a very powerful position to manifest what you want. Why? Because when you are absolutely certain your desire will be fulfilled, you automatically make the kind of choices and take the kind of actions that lead to that fulfillment. If, instead, your mind is conflicted or full of doubt, many of your decisions can be self-sabotaging.

Notice, too, the phrase, “with ease.” Many desires can be fulfilled through struggle, strain, perseverance, or pain. But why forecast that kind of difficulty for yourself? Other than having to practice a little patience, you want your desire to be fulfilled effortlessly, right?

And how do you want to feel when your desire is fulfilled? Don’t you want to feel “wonderful?” Said another way, don’t you want to be full of wonder?  Don’t you want to marvel at the manner in which your desire manifested? Sure you do! And it’s only fitting to be filled with a sense of awe and wonderment. Because when you ask yourself “Won’t it be wonderful when . . . ?” you are—in a way—invoking a miracle.

When you ask yourself “Won’t it be wonderful when . . . ?” you get the sense that the fulfillment of your desire is not something that is going to require an undue amount of planning, hard work, and determination on your part. No, you get the sense that a Higher Power will be orchestrating the fulfillment of your desire, and little—if anything—will be required of you.

When you ask yourself “Won’t it be wonderful when . . . ?” you are acknowledging that you have Divine assistance in this life, and you are fully anticipating the moment when you will “give thanks” for that celestial support . . . and that’s assuming you haven’t already given thanks in advance, showing just how confident you are that your desire is going to be fulfilled.

Here is just one example Joanne shared with me that demonstrates the power of this technique:

Joanne had traveled out of town to be a guest speaker at a church. Her host for the weekend was a woman who lived on a rural road—a road that was full of pits and peaks and potholes. The woman wanted to have the road graded, but was bemoaning the fact that getting the road graded would be a huge effort, requiring the local sheriff’s approval, securing a permit from the county, and so on. 

Joanne reminded her host that figuring out exactly how to get the road graded was not her primary job. Her primary job was to focus only on the final fulfillment of her desire, fully expecting it to be completed with ease. In other words, her job was to simply reflect on the question: “Won’t it be wonderful when this road is graded with ease, and I give thanks?”

Sensing the power in that question, the woman began to let go of her concerns, and together she and Joanne began to joyfully anticipate the grading of the road. They didn’t have to wait long for it to happen. In fact, the very next day—Sunday morning—Joanne and her host were navigating the bumpy road to church when they came across a man on a tractor. And guess what that man doing? Of course! He was grading the road! In less than 24 hours the woman’s desire was being fulfilled—effortlessly. You can imagine how filled with wonder and reverently thankful that woman must have been in that marvelous and miraculous moment.

So, my friends, do you have a desire you want to fulfill? Do you have a goal you want to accomplish or a dream you want to realize? If the fulfillment of your desire seems doubtful, then take a step in the right direction by entertaining the possibility of it happening. But don’t stop there. Take the next step, as well, by fully anticipating it happening—easily! Won’t it be wonderful when it does? You bet it will. It will be wonderful, indeed!

Steven

© 2015 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor LLC

About God, Spirit, and Mind

Since the age of fourteen I have believed that one’s True Self is—in a word—Spirit. Yes, you have a body, but that body is not the True You. You have a thinking mind, too, but that thinking mind is not the True You, either.

Your True Self is a spiritual energy that continues to exist apart from your physical body, and continues to exist apart from your thinking mind. It is an energy that is eternal, and it is an energy that is awake and aware. Said another way, the True You is an Eternal Spirit that will always be, and, in fact, has always been. Your current body and mind are just temporary, outward aspects of the Eternal You—much like the clothes you put on each day. 

This description of one’s true nature is not something I heard or read and then adopted. It is something I instantly understood when I directly experienced my True Self during a spontaneous mystical experience I had when I was fourteen years old. I experienced myself being a Spirit in this world, but not of this world. And even though I can easily get caught up in my thinking mind, and totally preoccupied with daily life, since that day I have never lost the sense that behind my thoughts and behind my actions there is a Spiritual Essence enjoying the experience of just being alive and in the physical world.

The true nature of one’s own being, however, is not the only thing I came to understand during my brief, but profound experience. I also came to understand something about the nature of God: Namely, that God is not a “being” per se, but is a creative, intelligent energy that permeates every corner of the universe and everything in it. What I didn’t completely grasp as a fourteen-year-old, though, was the exact nature of the relationship between my individual Spirit and that Divine Energy we call “God.” I guess you could say my mystical experience was somewhat incomplete, because I didn’t have what many people call an experience of “oneness” . . . a sense that everything in the universe—including the energy of God and the energy of my own individual Spirit—is intimately intertwined.

It wasn’t until many years later that I came to see that relationship more clearly, through a series of simple diagrams that—in a moment of divine inspiration—suddenly occurred to me. What follows is how I have personally come to picture the relationship between God, Spirit, and the thinking mind.

Let’s start with a simple diagram illustrating the relationship between God and one’s own individual Spirit:

In this diagram, the large circle represents God. Of course, God has no borders. That’s why the circle is composed of dashes instead of a solid line, indicating that the energy of God cannot be contained. Throughout the universe—and all of its various dimensions—the energy of God is ever-present and everywhere-present. As one ancient philosopher put it:

“God is an infinite sphere, whose center is everywhere,

and whose circumference is nowhere.”

The smaller circle represents your individual Spirit. As indicated in this diagram, your Spirit exists within the energy of God . . . and naturally so. Where else could it be? Nothing exists outside of God, for God—as some spiritual teachers put it—is “All-That-Is.”

Notice, too, that in this diagram your Spirit is also composed of dashes instead of a solid line, indicating what is perhaps the single most important aspect of your true nature: The fact that there is absolutely no separation between the energy of your Spirit and the energy of God. Your Spirit is as inseparable from God as a wave is from the ocean. In effect, your Spirit is an individual expression of God—a concentrated point of God’s consciousness.

In my talks, workshops, books, and posts, I am constantly talking about the importance of getting in touch with your Spirit if you want to stay “in the divine flow.” And now—via this diagram—you can literally see why. When you connect with your Spirit you are also connecting with the all-encompassing, all-knowing Mind of God, and can benefit from its wisdom and its guidance.

But something is missing from the above diagram. What about that part of you that “seems” to be you even more so than your body? I am talking about your thinking mind, with its nonstop thoughts and ever-growing collection of memories. Where does your thinking mind fit into the picture? To answer that question, I present a second diagram:

Just as God contains an element that is part of God, but not all of God (your Spirit), your Spirit contains an element that is part of your Spirit, but not all of your Spirit (your thinking mind). Your thinking mind—your conscious mind, or what is sometimes referred to as your ego mind—is the part of your Spirit that experiences the physical world through the body and its five senses. To your mind, the physical world seems to be a world of separation. This mountain is separate from that mountain. This flower is separate from that flower. This person is separate from that person. But notice that in the above diagram, your mind is also surrounded by dashes instead of a solid line.

This indicates that your mind is not meant to continually experience a sense of separation from everything it perceives. Your mind is also meant to experience “oneness” with your Spirit, and thus, oneness with the All-That-Is that is God. Unfortunately, very few people experience that kind of spiritual unity with any regularity. Most people are so engrossed in their own thoughts, and so preoccupied by both the delights and the demands of the sensate world, they tend to forget there is another dimension to their being—a higher, spiritual dimension.

For most people, most of the time, the diagram of the relationship between God, Spirit, and the thinking mind looks like this:

Notice that in this diagram there is a solid line around the mind. Not that such an impenetrable barrier actually exists. But when there is no attempt by the mind to consciously connect with the Spirit, the effect is the same. The mind is cut off from the Spirit, and thus, cut off from divine wisdom, from divine guidance, and from the sense of well-being that comes from being connected to something greater that one’s self.  

That’s when your life becomes more difficult than it has to be. Without divine knowledge and divine direction, you end up making choices based on information that is incomplete at best, or entirely inaccurate . . . often with unfortunate results. Plus, when you have the feeling that you are all alone and on your own in this world, fear invariably sets in. It may be a low level of fear, but it is fear nonetheless. And fear can generate a host of unproductive behaviors . . . often with unwanted consequences.  

So you can see your goal here, right? Your goal is to always keep your thinking mind open and receptive to the energy of your Spirit, so you can benefit from the peace it brings you, the wisdom it offers you, and the guidance it provides you. And the best way to keep that line of communication and communion open is through a daily practice of meditation.

That doesn’t mean meditation is the only way to connect with your Spirit, and thus, with God. Sometimes a connection happens automatically. For instance, it can happen when you are deeply in love with another person, and you get that extraordinary feeling that you and your beloved are “one.” It can also happen when you are awestruck by something profoundly beautiful in nature, and for an instant you have a pure experience of the now moment without any thoughts about it.

Still, though, meditation is the best way to consistently establish and maintain contact with your Spirit. A daily practice of meditation opens up gaps between your incessant thoughts, so the insights and inspiration of your Spirit can make their way into your conscious mind. You may not receive that divine counsel during the meditation itself. But if you practice meditation regularly, whenever your Spirit does speak to you, you will be able hear its still small “voice” much more readily . . . whether it’s through a thought that suddenly pops into your head, or just a subtle, intuitive “knowing.”

But what if you have trouble meditating on a daily basis, or meditating at all? What if you are never able to quiet your mind long enough to connect with your Higher Spiritual Self? Does that mean you will never, ever receive divine direction in life? No. When it comes to divine direction, there is more than one way it can be delivered to you. It can also be delivered through divine signs and synchronicities. Or, it can be delivered to you through other Spirits. Which brings up one final diagram:

This diagram reminds you that you are not the only Spirit in this world. There are other Spirits all around you—Spirits you know as your family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. And those Spirits—as illustrated above—are all equal parts of one Divine Whole. When one Spirit assists another Spirit, it is in effect just helping another part of itself. So, when you need divine guidance in life, it is not at all unusual for someone close to you—or even a complete stranger—to be suddenly inspired by his or her Spirit to share something with you that you really need to know. I’ll never forget the time an idea popped into my wife’s mind completely out of the blue, and when she shared it with me, it turned out to be extremely instrumental in fulfilling my desire to get my first book published.

So, my friends, there you have it—the relationship between God, Spirit, and your thinking mind. It’s a relationship where your mind and your Spirit dwell within God, and God dwells within your Spirit and your mind. Here’s to the peace, purpose, and sense of worthiness that comes from knowing you are a precious and indispensable part of it all . . . of All-That-Is, that is.

Steven

P.S. Four months after I posted this message, I was given a copy of a book called “The Impersonal Life.” I was gratified to discover that much of what I illustrated above is corroborated by this important, inspired work. For more about "The Impersonal Life," click here.

© 2015 by Steven Lane Taylor

rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC