Saturday, February 25, 2012

Creativity and The Divine Flow

February 26, 2012

Dear Friends,

As I often mention, your intuition is the most valuable, reliable, and consistent source of divine guidance that you have in life. Your intuition is your inner Spirit speaking to you. And the very best way to enhance your ability to “hear” the voice of your Spirit is through a daily practice of meditation. Meditation quiets your mind, creating gaps between your thoughts. And it is through those gaps that the wisdom of your Spirit is able to make its way into the world.

The trouble is, many people have difficulty meditating—let alone, meditating on a daily basis. Just like a fitness regimen, meditating consistently requires a fair amount of discipline, and there are many things that can disrupt a daily meditation routine, such as illness, travel, and so on.

So, the question is this: Is there anything else that you can do to enhance your ability to be open and receptive to intuitive guidance? Yes, there is. You can nurture your innate creative nature. You may not realize it, but creativity and intuition are intimately joined, because they both spring from the same ultimate Source. That Source is the Universal Mind of the Divine, and your Spirit is an individual expression of that Mind.

In other words, just as your Spirit is your direct connection to divine guidance, it is also your connection to divine ideas—the kind of insights and inspiration we call “creative.” Anything you can do to enhance your creative abilities will, at the same time, enhance your intuitive abilities.

Although some people have no problem fully expressing their creative nature, others—for a variety of reasons—are a bit inhibited in that area. If you feel that you are in the latter group, here are eight suggestions to help you elevate your creativity.

1. Identify something that needs a creative solution in your life, and stay focused on that. Perhaps there is something creative you want to write, or something creative you want to build. Maybe you need a creative way to solve a personal problem, or a creative way to handle a business issue.

2. Thoroughly contemplate your project or problem for a while. Consider any and all options, and don’t rule out anything. But then, stop thinking about it and go do something else. For a few hours, or even a few days, take your mind off of your creative pursuit. Remember that you cannot effectively “think” your way to a truly creative solution. Your goal is to create an open mental environment, so a divinely inspired idea has some room to arise in your consciousness on its own.

3. Add a little variety to your life. Meet new people. Read new books. Try new foods. Vary your daily routine. When you are open to new things coming into your life, you will also be open to new ideas and concepts occurring to you.

4. Exercise. Because of the mind and body’s close connection, exercise not only keeps the body flexible, it also keeps the mind flexible.

5. Listen to the music that inspires you the most. Whether it’s ethereal or energetic, you have probably already identified what kind of music is more conducive to your creativity.

6. Find the best place to be creative. For all of us, there are special places that just make us “feel” creative. It might be a quiet corner in a cozy room, a bench in a garden, or a hilltop that overlooks the countryside. Where is your special place?

7. Find the best time to be creative. Some people are more open to inspiration at 4 o’clock in the morning. Not me! I am at my creative best between 7 a.m. and noon. Others I know are night owls, getting their best ideas from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. What time of day do you feel especially clear-headed?

8. If possible, go to your special place at your special time daily. In my third suggestion, I said that variety enhances creativity. And it does. But when you also have a particular time and place that is devoted exclusively to creative endeavors, your mind gets conditioned to that time and place, and a more creative mind-set is automatically “triggered.”

Please understand that the above suggestions are not meant to be a replacement for a daily practice of meditation. I still consider meditation to be the most effective way of elevating your intuitive abilities. However, short of that, nurturing your creative nature is also a very good way to open yourself up to the guidance of your Spirit. And opening yourself up to divine direction is a must, if you want to live life in the divine flow and fulfill your heart’s desires effortlessly.

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

Saturday, February 18, 2012

The Pleasures of Life

February 19, 2012

Dear Friends,

One of the first big hits by Sting—the world-famous singer and songwriter—was centered around this lyric: “We are spirits in the material world.” Recently, I got to see a great example of that.

I was in Dallas, Texas, for the first birthday of my second grandson, Tanner. If you want to actually see Spirit, just look into the eyes of a young child. The divine light that comes shining through those eyes is unmistakable. And what fun it is to watch that Spirit enjoying the material world it finds itself in.

My birthday gift to Tanner was a small Native American drum from Sedona. Tanner immediately began to bang on that drum with relish. You could feel his excitement grow with each and every beat. And the expression on his face seemed to say, “Listen to the sound I can make! Listen! Listen!”

Tanner’s unabashed enthusiasm reminded me of the time I watched a little four-year-old girl dancing to some music being played by a street musician in Albuquerque, New Mexico. What was particularly interesting about this child was the way she “observed herself” as she danced. She would look at her arms and she waved them in the air. She would look at her feet as she shuffled them across the ground. And she would look at her waist as she swiveled her hips around and around.

I felt like I was witnessing that little girl’s soul—her divine eternal Spirit—being fully aware of its presence in this physical world, and consciously enjoying the pleasures that this world has to offer. “Look, I have a body!” “Look, I can move it all around!”

So, you may ask, what does all this have to do with living life in the divine flow? Simply this: Always remember that your enjoyment of life has very little to do with reaching the chosen destinations that you are “rowing” toward.

Sure, fulfilling a desire or realizing a dream feels great! But that is just the icing on the cake. The real, deep-down enjoyment of life comes from allowing yourself to appreciate the entire journey, and all the wonderful things that journey presents to you along the way.

As you pursue your goals in life, be sure to pause for a moment to appreciate the simple beauty of a tiny flower, and the majesty of a mighty tree. Notice the refreshing feel of a cool, spring breeze . . . the pure, clean scent of approaching rain . . . and the sound of a bird as it sings its splendid song.

Remember that living life in the divine flow is not just about getting where you want to go. It’s also about how you live as you row. Don’t forget to take the time to laugh, sing, play, and read . . . to eat your favorite foods . . . to dance to your favorite music . . . and, if you are so inclined, to bang on a drum.

Make sure that you allow your Spirit to do what it really came here to do in the first place—just to enjoy the experience of being alive and in the world!

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

Saturday, February 11, 2012

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

Thursday, February 2, 2012

On Health and Healing

February 5, 2012

Dear Friends,

In my last message, I wrote about the therapeutic effect of non-resistance, and how it is possible to reduce the severity of any pain that you may be experiencing by allowing yourself to feel your pain just as it is . . . instead of resisting it. Sometimes, it is your resistance to pain that causes it to increase in intensity and become unbearable.

However—as I pointed out at the end of that message—non-resistance may lessen the severity of your pain, but it might not eliminate it altogether, or remove its cause. This is especially true with a serious physical condition. And that is why I also recommend seeking the assistance of a certified health professional. That said, though, is there anything that you—yourself—can do to help heal a physical problem at its source? Yes, there is. Here are three suggestions:

First, affirm in your mind what you Know to be True in your heart: that your body is already at work to cure your illness or repair your injury. Remember that your body is continually in the healing mode, and—within certain limits—it is a very powerful healer all by itself. The main thing that slows down that natural healing process is stress. When you consciously affirm the healing power of your body—and are grateful for that—the peace and comfort you feel helps ease the tension within your body, and creates a relaxed environment that is more conducive to healing.

Second, enhance your body’s healing response through the power of visualization. A number of years ago, I created a visualization that continues to be particularly effective for me. In a light state of meditation, I picture my True Body as a Body of Light—a translucent, three-dimensional, “spiritual blueprint” of my body. Then I imagine my material body continually attempting to match that spiritual blueprint—removing what is not on the blueprint, and restoring what is on it. Don’t underestimate the power of visualization. I once developed a small cyst on my thumb, and a much larger one on my scalp. But both completely disappeared in a matter of weeks when I spent some time each morning visualizing the healing process I just described.

Finally, make sure that you are being completely open and receptive to divine guidance—the kind of guidance that may lead you to something else that is essential for your healing. Through divine signs, synchronicities, or people who appear in your path, you may be divinely directed to a specific health professional, or guided to a particular kind of medicinal herb. Or, through your own intuitive sense, you may become aware of some other way that you can directly promote your recovery, such as changing your diet or revising your exercise regimen. Remember, though, if you want to be truly open and receptive to divine counsel, it necessary to maintain a present and positive state of mind . . . and, yes, that can be somewhat of a challenge—especially if your illness or injury is particularly distracting or disturbing.

Regardless of how you are divinely guided in your healing—whether you are directed to consult a traditional medical specialist, led to a homeopathic healer or an acupuncturist, inspired to alter your diet, or guided to pursue any combination of these things and more—keep in mind that every health challenge can offer you some kind of gift. Your illness or injury may help you live a more balanced life by reminding you of what is truly important in this world. Or, it may simply serve to renew your appreciation for the gift of good health. Whatever challenge you face, I invite you to look for the blessing in it.

Here’s to your health, your healing, and your wholeness.

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

Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Therapeutic Effect of Non-Resistance

January 29, 2012

Dear Friends,

Many, many moons ago, when I was in my late twenties, I suffered from chronic lower back pain. And “suffered” is the right word to use here. Because, over time, that pain became so intense, it was almost paralyzing.

Seeking the source of my problem, I consulted my family physician, an orthopedic surgeon, an internist, a chiropractor, and an arthritis specialist. Although tests revealed that I was definitely experiencing some kind of severe inflammation, not a single one of those medical professionals was able to diagnose my condition.

One day, with no relief in sight, and nowhere else to turn, I sat down, threw up my hands, and basically said to myself, “Oh, to heck with it!” I gave up trying to fight the pain, and just surrendered to it. And guess what? Almost immediately, the pain began to subside. And within a week or so, it was completely gone.

I was pain-free for several months, and then the pain returned. But this time, I responded to it differently. Instead of resisting the pain, I simply observed it. “Oh, there’s that pain again,” I said to myself. As uncomfortable as it was, I accepted the pain. And this time, it went away in a matter of days.

It was a year before the pain came back again. And when it did, once again I didn’t resist it. I just allowed it to be. And once again, it quickly passed. And that’s when I had an epiphany about my pain. Although the pain I was experiencing was very real, and there was probably a very real reason I was experiencing inflammation in that part of my body, I realized that it was my resistance to the pain that caused it to increase in intensity and severity.

The original pain itself was not really intolerable. But when I resisted the pain, my body would become so tense, the pain was greatly magnified. And the longer I resisted the pain, the more chronic my condition became. The “cure” was for me to “relax into the pain,” and make it easier for my body to do what it is designed to do—heal itself. My resistance—and the tension and anxiety that accompanied that resistance—was only creating a toxic environment that inhibited my body’s natural healing response.

In short, I discovered the therapeutic effect of non-resistance. Several years passed before I had to deal with that pain again. And it has now been over two decades since I have experienced that particular issue.

There is a popular saying that goes like this: “What you resist, persists.” And you can certainly see how that applies to this situation. But there is another saying that is equally apropos: “Suffering is optional.” That statement refers to the fact that a certain amount of pain may be inescapable in life, but suffering is experiencing that pain to an exaggerated extent, and—in many cases—that degree of pain is avoidable.

Friends, whether you are physically suffering because of an illness or an injury, or you are emotionally suffering due to a hurtful situation or a seemingly detrimental circumstance, I encourage you to practice non-resistance to see if it lessens the severity of your pain. Allow yourself to feel your pain just as it is, instead of fighting against the very existence of your pain—which, of course, is futile. What is . . . is! All the resistance in the world is not going to alter that fact. And your resistance may actually be making the experience worse.

Here’s to the therapeutic effect of non-resistance! Here’s to knowing that sometimes the best thing you can do to help alleviate your suffering is to just sit down, throw up your hands, and say to yourself, “Oh, to heck with it!”

Steven

Note: If you have any reason at all to suspect that you have a truly serious physical or emotional condition, please don’t hesitate to immediately seek the counsel of a certified health professional. Non-resistance may lessen the severity of your pain, but that doesn’t mean that it will eliminate your pain altogether, or remove its cause.

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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

Saturday, January 21, 2012

There's No Place Like Home

January 22, 2012

Dear Friends,

In my last message, I shared a story about the first house that Carol and I rented here in Sedona, and how the divine flow miraculously guided us to that wonderful home. Stories about peoples’ homes—and the astonishing ways those homes have come into their lives—are among the most profound manifestation stories that I hear. But why is that? What makes manifesting a home so special? Is it somehow different from manifesting anything else?

In a way, yes, it is. As I frequently mention, most of the things you think you want in your mind, are really just symbols for what your heart desires. And it is the underlying desires of your heart to which the divine flow is guiding you. And what does your heart desire? Mostly, to have various experiences of life. And that’s what makes a home so special. Because the right home can satisfy a multitude of experiences that you deeply desire to have.

For instance, in a world where we are constantly on the go, you may desire a sense of permanence, and the right home can certainly offer you that—giving you a feeling that there is one place on this planet that you can always come back to.

You may desire to express yourself creatively, and the right home can offer you endless opportunities for creative self-expression—from interior decorating to outdoor landscaping. It may even provide you with the perfect environment for other creative pursuits, such as writing, or painting, or building your own home-based business.

One desire that we all share is to express the love that we are at the core of our being, and there is usually no better place to love—and be loved—than right at home with your own family.

Perhaps, too, you are seeking a little more comfort in your life, and a warm, cozy home can definitely provide you with that experience—both physically and emotionally.

So, when you are focused on a desire for a new place to call home, is it any surprise that the divine flow becomes more evident? Is it any surprise that coincidences happen more frequently, and miracles occur more freely? No, it is no surprise at all. Because everything that the Universe is doing to help you fulfill your desires for experiences such as permanence, creative self-expression, love, comfort, and more, may be converging on that one, single manifestation!

When it comes to manifesting the desires of your heart, there truly is no place like home. Perhaps the old song, “Home, Sweet Home,” says it best:

'Mid pleasures and palaces
Though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble,
There's no place like home.

A charm from the skies
Seems to hallow us there,
Which, seek thro’ the world,
Is ne’er met with elsewhere.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home,
There's no place like home.


Steven

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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

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Something Better

January 15, 2011

Dear Friends,

In previous messages, I have pointed out that the divine flow is not necessarily guiding you to what you specifically want. Instead, it might be guiding you to the equivalent of what you want, or to something that is even better—to something that is greater, grander, and more deeply fulfilling. That means if you want to manifest that better blessing, you have to trust the flow and follow its lead . . . even if you don’t understand where you are headed!

The first house that Carol and I rented here in Sedona is a good example of “rowing with the flow,” and manifesting something that was greater and grander than anything we ever imagined possible. Here’s the story:

After attending a spiritual conference in Phoenix, Arizona in July of 2006, Carol and I drove up to Sedona to check out homes for rent. It had long been our dream to move to Sedona, and we wanted to see what was available to rent in this peaceful paradise, before we had to fly back to Dallas, Texas—where we lived at the time.

We had a list of a dozen homes to look at. The first home on our list was a home that—from the description in the classified ad—seemed perfect. The price was right, the location was good, and Carol thought that she had made a special connection with the homeowner when they spoke on the phone. We couldn’t wait to see it.

The last home on our list was last for a reason. It was on a golf course. Not being golfers, we just couldn’t imagine how that house could possibly be the one for us, and we were in no hurry to see it. In fact, the only reason that this house was on our list at all was because it literally “came to us” via someone we happened to meet in Phoenix.

I'm sure you have already guessed where this part of the story is going. As it turned out, the home at the top of our list was not at all suitable. It was a place we wouldn't want to spend a day in, let alone years. Disappointed, but not discouraged, we then proceeded to look at the rest of the homes. There were a couple that would “do,” but none that we really felt good about.

Finally, with every other home on our list crossed off, we reluctantly went to look at the house on the golf course. Wow! Were we ever surprised! We loved almost every single thing about this house. It had a huge covered patio, a really nice office, an oversized bathtub, a two-car garage, and lots of lush, green flowering bushes. And best of all, this particular home wouldn’t be ready to rent until November—the exact month that Carol and I wanted to move! All the other homes required us to start paying rent immediately.

We felt like the divine flow had guided us to the perfect home, and we were glad that we had included it on our list, even though we had been reluctant about it. The only thing this house lacked was a view of Sedona’s Red Rock formations, which is what Sedona is famous for. Although a Red Rock view would have given us a more “authentic experience” of living in Sedona, Carol and I weren’t expecting to have that kind of vista, anyway. So we agreed to rent the house on the golf course starting in November, and we flew back to Dallas.

Now, here’s where this tale takes an interesting turn. Believing that everything was all set with that particular property, Carol and I began to make plans for moving. We had already gotten pretty far “down the stream” when we received some distressing news from the woman in Arizona who had directed us to that house. To make a long story shorter, suffice it to say that this property was suddenly no longer available to rent.

Yikes! What were we going to do now? Should we fly back to Sedona to find another place to rent—any place—even if it meant we had to start paying rent right then and there? That’s not what our inner guidance said. Our inner guidance simply told us to ask the woman in Arizona if she would be willing to keep looking around for something similar.

So we followed our guidance and asked her. The woman replied that she didn’t really have time to do that kind of thing for us. Plus, she said it would be very unlikely for her to come across another house that was as nice as that one—especially one that would available at the time we wanted it. However, she said she would keep her ears and eyes open.

Although that didn’t sound very promising, Carol and I immediately noticed that we both felt an inexplicable sense of peace about the whole thing. In fact, we not only felt that we would still manifest a really nice house in Sedona, we had a feeling that it might be an even better house!

One week passed. Then two. It was getting close to the point where Carol and I would have to make some decisions about moving that couldn’t be reversed. And yet, we still felt this inner sense of calm. And then the call came.

Through a series of synchronistic encounters, our “angel” in Arizona had heard about another home that would be available to rent right when we wanted it—in November. But this wasn’t just any home. It was a home that was right down the street from the one we had originally agreed to rent. And we wouldn’t even have to fly out to see it, because in its construction, features, and landscaping, it was almost identical to the other home! There was only one major difference between the two. This home happened to feature a direct view of Bell Rock, Castle Rock, and Courthouse Butte—three of Sedona’s most popular Red Rock formations!

So, did the divine flow guide us to "something better?" I'll say! But I hope you noticed two very important things about this story—two things that contributed to its remarkable ending. First, although Carol and I couldn't imagine ourselves living on a golf course, we let go of our resistance just enough to go ahead and include that kind of house on our list of homes to look at. And second, when the house we wanted became unavailable, we did not hastily take matter into our own hands—that is, we did not immediately fly back to Sedona and rent something else out of desperation. Instead, we trusted that inner sense that told us that everything was going to be okay. We put our faith in the flow, and the flow came through for us beautifully.

Friends, I've said it before and I'll say it again: We live in an incredibly miraculous Universe—a Universe that is continually working on our behalf to fulfill our every heart's desire, or it's equivalent, or something even better. May be have the faith and patience it takes to cooperate with that divine flow of goodness in our lives. May we always be open and receptive to all possibilities. And may we consistently take the steps that we are being divinely guided to take . . . even if we're not sure where those steps are leading!

Steven

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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