While out visiting family in Pennsylvania, I found a great store with a huge purse collection and decided it was time for a new purse. There was much deliberation, read — I was in there forever. These things do take consideration. It’s practically a marriage, albeit a temporary one, purchasing a new purse. Finally I settled on one. It was smaller than what I had been using but so adoreable I just had to have it. I convinced myself I didn’t need everything that was in my current purse. Little did I recognize at the time just how much I would have to downsize with this new, small “adoreable” purse.
As I was downsizing and sorting piles of keep this and don’t keep this, I came across an old collection of what I affectionately call “well being cards”. Those of you who have followed this blog since forever have read a couple of posts related to well being cards. I was surprised to realize I had been collecting a version of well being cards since my days of trekking over to the Kripula yoga center in the late 90s. Anyway, my point and I do have one, is this one card I found — it’s Abraham and it really got my attention, it was a keeper for sure. It reads:
“Focus on what you are flowing instead of what is being flowed to you.”
Later in the week, I had an issue with a relative. I dubbed her a “taker”. Since it was me having the issue with her and she’s a taker in my mind, then what does that make me? A victim.
So now I’ve got my panties in a wad over this and I’m never content to stay there. I pondered where do I go from here? Should I make a list of her positive aspects? Oh no, in that moment, I was so far from being able to genuinely list any positive aspects about her. That’s when I remembered the quote. Focus on what you are flowing instead of what is being flowed to you. The moment I remembered and practiced it, it brought me instant relief. It led me back to my center.
Reacting to the stuff of life, people and situations is what my teacher calls “too much with the world”. Too much with the world is a highly reactive stance. It’s the proverbial blade of grass blowing which ever way the wind blows. It knocks me off balance every time I allow myself to be too much with the world. It’s living life from the outside in instead of living it from the inside out.
A reactive response to the world is to give my power away. Focusing on what I am flowing over what is being flowed to me is an empowering stance. It is to pull back and reclaim my power. And so that’s what I practiced. Then it was easy to see her positive aspects. I didn’t however, have to sit down and make myself list her positive traits. It just flowed naturally, once I practiced focusing on what I was flowing.
My husband was upset about something today. Bless his heart, he doesn’t listen to Abraham or read any of the metaphysical stuff I do but he is always open to it. I told him about the quote and how I applied it, he also found instant relief.
Remembering a recent quote I posted here from a Carlos Castaneda book: “Before you choose a path, ask yourself if the path has heart. If it does, it will go well. If it doesn’t, you’ll destroy it, to start again.” Living life from the inside out is my path to personal freedom and most definitely a path that has heart.
Ahhhhhhhhh…sweet relief…….I am simply blessed to know your wisdom. I have been having such a parallel experience that it feels like we’re sharing a brain! (but of course we all are lol).
The other day I came to a similar realization in my own way. A family member (and I mean “family” in strictly the biological way lol) was not responding to my love with love and I chose to give love anyway. Afterward the line came to me: “I enjoy loving more than I enjoy being loved.” Which is really the same thing as “Focus on what you are flowing more than what is being flowed to you.”
Thank you thank you thank you for sharing your journey!!!
Love and Smoochies.
LOL sharing a brain Neezie. It is said that there is an invisible cord that runs between those we are in relationship with. Perhaps this explains why we find sometimes this sense of being on the same wave length or living parallel lives. A fellow blogger calls it “cosmic litter mates” which I love and have totally bogarted. :) Love and kisses back atcha!
Brilliant yet again!! I love having you as my”litter mate”!
:) Amy, the feeling is mutual
I was once taught we alone are responsible for what we feel or do. If someone makes us feel bad, than that is THEIR problem and not ours. Don’t take on the responsibility for THEIR thoughts. Our responsibility is to interpret what they said and let it go. I think you are helping yourself and not letting someone else rule what you think. Then YOU have the power over yourself. You should never have power over someone else either. That is up to them.
Hi Monica,
I hear what you are saying. In my belief system, it is their problem if I’m not reacting to it. If I’m reacting to it then it has information for me about who I am choosing to be in the world. This is part of the consciousness as cause model and involves radical responsibility for my choices and that includes my reactions. Beth
so simply and well put Beth….you are such a wonderful writer/communicator!
Thanks Amy for seeing that in me and amplifying it here. I realized something today about you. Every time I have sort of dug my heels in with a narrow view of something you always bring in a broader perspective. Then that also led me to see that you do this in your blog, too. You take one view and then expand it into broader views. What a gift that is, Amy, both as an artist and also as an individual you are able to offer this broader perspective to me and others. You are a gift to me and to the world. <3
Thanks for this beth….it made me all teary. A long time ago when I tried to define what I wanted to do with my art it was to make people see things in a different way. Sometimes with nature it’s zooming in and seeing the tiny details and sometimes especially spiritually its to step back and see that broader perspective. To have you reflect this back to me means so very much to me love you.
I love you too dear Sister.
I understand what you are saying (responding to my post). I never thought of it that way. Thank you for a new side of things.