The Ultimate Lucky Charm

March 17, 2013

Dear Friends,

Today 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

© 2013 by Steven Lane Taylor
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

On Canines and Comfort

December 22, 2012

 Dear Friends,

In the aftermath of the horrific shooting rampage in Newtown, Connecticut, many individuals and groups have offered solace to the residents of that community in a variety of wonderful ways.  One such group from Chicago brought ten specially trained Golden Retrievers to town.  This group believes that these therapy dogs can offer real comfort to the emotionally distressed through their unconditional love. And that does seem to be the case. When introduced to someone who is suffering, it doesn’t take long for one of these cuddly creatures to elicit a smile from that person.  And that’s a welcome relief in the midst of so much pain.

I bring this up, because this scenario is a great example of what I often mention in my books, talks, and posts: Happiness comes from within.  It’s true that these comforting canines are somewhat responsible for replacing pain with pleasure—if only for a moment.  Those who receive this blessing feel genuinely loved by the dogs.  And no doubt about it, being loved feels terrific.  But I believe the real truth of the matter is this: The authentic source of the good feelings in this instance is the love that is being extended to the dogs by those who are petting them, holding them, and hugging them. 

Within each of us—no matter how much we may be suffering—is that joyful essence of love we call our Spirit, our Soul, or our True Self.  In times of distress we often lose conscious contact with that divinely loving essence.  And in times of great distress, we may need outside help to regain that connection.  These “comfort canines”—as they are called—provide that help.  They put something before us that is so incredibly easy to love, we are able to do so even in the in the midst of a great tragedy.  And nothing feels better than loving.  Nothing feels better than being true to who we are at the core of our being, which is Divine Love itself.

Here’s to being loved, my friends.  But even more importantly, here’s to loving.  Here’s to reconnecting to the Divine Spirit of Love that resides within each and every one of us . . . and extending it.

With gratitude to the Chicago church group that helped the people of Newtown feel love again.

Steven

© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor

www.rowrowrow.com

Steven Lane Taylor, LLC

The Beauty of Blind Love

February 12, 2012

Dear Friends,

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

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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 Secret for a Merry Christmas

December 25, 2011

Dear Friends,

December 25th is the day that many people celebrate the birth into this world of the being called 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 people 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. Like I mentioned in last week’s message, as an individual expression of Universal Divine Love, love is the 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!

Many people believe that being loved is what feels good, but that’s only how it appears. The fact is, when someone extends love to you, you don’t automatically feel good. What you feel is safe enough to love that person back. And loving that person back is what feels good. It is being love—not being loved—that is the real source of your happiness.

Conversely, when you perceive that someone has attacked you in some way, it’s not what that person has done that makes you feel bad. What feels bad is judging that person for what has occurred, and no longer extending love to him or her. It is not being yourself—not being the love that you are—that is the real source of your unhappiness.

When you experience all the good feelings that come from loving, you experience one of life’s greatest truths: the truth that love is its own reward. 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.

Steven

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© 2011 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

Our Shared Mission

December 18, 2011

Dear Friends,

For the last two weeks, I have been focusing on the relationship between your “calling” and the experience of the divine flow in your life. Your calling, as I pointed out, is something that you are so passionate about, you would do it even if you were not paid for it.

That makes a calling different from a job, because—strictly speaking—a job is something you do solely for the income it provides. A calling is different from a career, too, because—again, strictly speaking—a career is also something you do for the income it provides, but it happens to be something that you are very interested in, and you are perfectly content doing that same thing for years on end.

The point of this message is this: In the big picture, it really doesn’t make any difference what you are engaged in—a job, a career, or a calling—as long as you are doing it with love.

You see, although we may have different callings in life, and we may spend our days engaged in very different occupations, there is one thing that we all have in common. And that is our underlying mission. It is a “Mission from God,” so to speak. And what exactly is that shared mission? It is simply the mission to discover, express, and experience the Truth of who we really are at the core of our being—the divine essence of love itself.

To paraphrase Marianne Williamson, from her classic book, A Return to Love: Knowing who you are and why you really came here is more important than knowing what you want to do. What you want to do is not the important question. The question to ask is, “When I do anything, how should I do it?” And the answer is, “With loving kindness.”

Friends, whether you spend your day in front of a computer, behind the counter of a retail store, under a car at an automotive repair shop, or you oversee the work of dozens of people at a large corporation, always remember to be love, spread love, and let love lead the way. That is the real key to living life in the divine flow . . . and it is the key to living a life that is full of joy and meaning.

Steven

P.S. If you have never read Marianne Williamson's classic book, A Return to Love, I highly recommend it. You will find it on the Helpful Links page on my website, along with many other books I recommend. Just click on www.rowrowrow.com/links.html.

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© 2011 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 Ripple Effect

May 29, 2011

Dear Friends,

Once in a while I meet someone who has the mistaken impression that if you truly “master” all of the principles for living life in the divine flow, you will never again run into any obstacles or challenges in life. I wish!

It’s true, that when you consistently follow divine direction, the number of obstacles and challenges you encounter in life will diminish dramatically. However, no matter how good you are at recognizing and cooperating with divine guidance, you are still likely to encounter quite a few obstacles and challenges along the way . . . for two very good reasons:

First, there are certain challenges that—on the level of your spirit—you actually want to experience. Why? Because some challenges offer you an ideal opportunity to grow spiritually or mature emotionally—to heal a long neglected emotional wound, for instance, or to expand a limited way of being that is preventing you from living a more fulfilling and joyful life. (For more about this, re-read my message titled, “Purposely Choosing Challenges” by clicking here.)

The second reason that some obstacles and challenges are unavoidable—even when you are highly attuned to the feel of the flow—is because of something called “the ripple effect.” Keep in mind that we are all interrelated and interconnected in ways that we can’t even begin to conceive of. So, when even one of us does not follow the guidance of the divine, and, instead, makes a choice out of ego—out of fear or frustration, judgment or jealousy—that decision creates a ripple that can go out and eventually affect the rest of us.

On a personal level, it’s like the scenario of a boss who unjustly criticizes one of his male employees; the misjudged employee then goes home and unfairly belittles his wife; the upset wife then kicks the dog when it gets in her way; the confused dog then bites the delivery man . . . and on and on it goes.

On a global level, it’s like the time in 2001 that a man directed his followers to hijack some American Airlines planes and fly them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. That action had a ripple effect that directly changed the lives of countless people across the country and around the world . . . including me. At that time I was employed by the advertising agency for American Airlines. Right after 9/11, American Airlines decided to stop advertising for a while. My agency had to cut its budget. People were laid off. And I was one of those people.

It’s a simple case of cause and effect . . . like the choices that led to the dramatic downturn in our economy over the last few years. We are still experiencing the effect of that ripple!

So, does being a “master” at living life in the divine flow mean that you will never encounter another obstacle or challenge in your life? Obviously not. What it does mean, though, is this: When you encounter an obstacle or a challenge, you will always know the best way to respond to it, because you will be intimately connected to the wisdom of your spirit. You will intuitively know what to do, when to do it, and if you should do anything at all. And even more importantly—because you will be responding from the part of you that is divine love itself—your every response will be a loving one.

And guess what? When you respond to a challenge with love, you create a brand new ripple—a ripple that is so great, it has the power overcome, cancel out, or transform all that has gone before it! In fact, there is no ripple in this world that is more powerful than the one created by a simple act of loving-kindness.

Why not start your own positive ripple today? It begins the instant you treat a challenging person with compassion, or greet a troublesome situation with understanding. Believe me, you are definitely going to like the effect of that ripple!

Steven

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© 2011 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

An Easter Reminder

April 24, 2011

Dear Friends,

As the saying goes, “You are not a human being having an occasional spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a temporary human experience.” And there is no better time of the year to affirm that for yourself than Easter.

For me, the Easter story is a dramatic demonstration and profound illustration of something that I believe is just as true for you now, as it was for Jesus over 2,000 years ago—that you are in this world, but you are not of this world.

Like I often mention, your true essence is spirit, not body. And unlike the body, your spirit is eternal and indestructible. Your authentic self is, in a word, divine—an individual expression of that source energy that many call God. And you are here for one purpose, and one purpose only: to express your divine nature in the body, and in the world.

And what, exactly, is that nature? Love. Unconditional love. Divine love.

It’s the kind of love that knows no limits . . . the kind of love that forgives—no matter what. It’s the kind of love that Jesus fully expressed throughout his life, right up to the final moments of his earthly existence. And it’s the kind of love that you, and I, and all of us are called upon to express on a daily basis.

Today, and every day of the year, may you remember who you are, and why you are here. May you remember that the journey of life is not about getting somewhere. The journey of life is about being something. It’s about being the love that you are in every single moment of that journey. And it’s about experiencing the absolute joy that your love brings to the journey, and brings to each and every spirit that you encounter along the way.

Happy Easter!

Steven

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© 2011 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 Beauty of Blind Love

February 13, 2011

Dear Friends,

Monday, 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 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

P.S. I just published a related article titled, “Love—The Ultimate Lucky Charm,” in the latest edition of the new, online magazine called Love Your Life! This issue contains 84 Pages of uplifting articles and helpful information by authors such as Marci Shimoff, Michael Beckwith, and more. To review the current issue, or to subscribe, click here.

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© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com

The Magical Power of Love

December 26, 2010

Dear Friends,

Last week I wrote about love, and how love is the secret for experiencing a truly merry Christmas. What I didn’t mention is how the joyful feeling that love generates doesn’t stop with you. There is a ripple effect that love creates, which not only spreads happiness far and wide, it often results in something extraordinary happening.

The way it works is simple. When you treat people with understanding and compassion, they feel loved and uplifted. Because of that, they are much more likely to treat others in their path with the same caring attitude. And those people, in turn, are likely to pass the love along once again. A little loving kindness goes a long, long way. In fact, for all you know, one simple act of loving kindness on your part may end up transforming a life or healing a situation halfway around the world!

Love is a great, great power. What I just described, however, was a power confined by the laws of cause and effect—of action and reaction. The true power of love goes way beyond the laws that govern this world. It is a power that exists beyond this physical plane we live in . . . a power that works its magic totally unrestricted by the confines of either time or space. It is this power that is responsible for the experiences in our lives that we consider to be truly miraculous.

It is the kind of power that choreographs incredible synchronistic encounters between individuals who have similar desires of the heart, but need each other in order to manifest their dreams.

An architect with a critically ill child, for example, may one day feel divinely 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. Before these two people meet—or even know of each other—they both “decide” 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.

That, to me, is the real power of love. It is a power that sets the whole flow in motion, initiating a complex series of events that weave together in a way that no one would ever have imagined possible.

It is a power that simultaneously inspires minds, ignites hearts, and orchestrates harmonious outcomes of incredible beauty.

That is authentic power—a power that goes far beyond the ripple effect, but still starts in exactly the same way . . . with one, single, loving intention.

Here’s to the power of love . . . rippling . . . tripling . . . and manifesting miracles in an instant.

Steven

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© 2010 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 19, 2010

Dear Friends,

December 25th 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. As an individual expression of Universal Divine Love, love is the 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!

Many people believe that being loved is what feels good, but that’s only how it appears. The fact is, when someone extends love to you, you don’t automatically feel good. What you feel is safe enough to love that person back. And loving that person back is what feels good. It is being love—not being loved—that is the real source of your happiness.

Conversely, when you perceive that someone has attacked you in some way, it’s not what that person has done that makes you feel bad. What feels bad is judging that person for what has occurred, and no longer extending love to him or her. It is not being yourself—not being the love that you are—that is the real source of your unhappiness.

When you experience all the good feelings that come from loving, you experience one of life’s greatest truths: the truth that love is its own reward. 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

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© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com

An Easter Reminder

April 4, 2010

Dear Friends,

As the saying goes, “You are not a human being having an occasional spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a temporary human experience.” And there is no better day in the year to affirm that for yourself than Easter Sunday.

For me, the Easter story is a dramatic demonstration and profound illustration of something that I believe is just as true for you now, as it was for Jesus over 2,000 years ago—that you are in this world, but you are not of this world.

Like I often mention, your true essence is spirit, not body. And unlike the body, your spirit is eternal and indestructible. Your authentic self is, in a word, divine—an individual expression of that source energy we call God. And you are here for one purpose, and one purpose only: to express your divine nature in the body, and in the world.

And what, exactly, is that nature? Love. Unconditional love. Divine love.

It’s the kind of love that knows no limits . . . the kind of love that forgives—no matter what. It’s the kind of love that Jesus fully expressed throughout his life, right up to the final moments of his earthly existence. And it’s the kind of love that you, and I, and all of us are called upon to express on a daily basis.

Today, and every day of the year, may you remember who you are, and why you are here.

May you remember that the journey of life is not about getting somewhere. The journey of life is about being something. It’s about being the love that you are in every single moment of that journey. And it’s about experiencing the absolute joy that your love brings to the journey, and brings to each and every spirit that you encounter along the way.

Here’s to a joyful, fulfilling, and divinely-loving journey, my friends.

Happy Easter!

Steven

© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com

Blind Love & The Divine Flow

February 14, 2010

Dear Friends,

Sunday, February 14th is Valentine’s Day, the day when 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 God sees? As we grow in 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

© 2010 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com