The Golden Rule

Not so long ago, the Golden Rule was seen as a guiding principle of right human relations.

It is a very simple basic way of determining behavior toward one another. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is simple. And, it provides a litmus test of what is right and fair in a myriad of situations. Because we all share the experience of our humanity, this rule has guided behavior from schoolyards to the halls of Congress for hundreds of years.

This simple yet profound moral compass pervaded decisions of determining right from wrong in a way that affirmed our unity. Embedded within that quiet determination were principles of responsibility for our interactions that presumed an interrelationship of a community. Inherent in posing the question at a decision-making juncture were absolute values that pervaded our thoughts and determined our interactions with one another down to very mundane and uncomplicated actions.

The very posing of this rule in determining our behavior toward another presumes a valuing of the other on a level of importance that is equal to our importance in life. This very act of valuing the life and experience of another on a par with our own already begins to correct the underlying problem we see in so many of the issues in our modern society –issues that seem to be insurmountable.

As the power of thought and intention are recognized, we find ourselves able to shift our paradigm. We return to considering that this ancient basic rule has far-reaching consequences in how we interact with others and with the world. I was taught that this rule, this “Golden Rule,” comes to us from the “Code of Hammurabi,” from time as ancient as that of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Is it possible that what was once kindergarten wisdom has been lost to our society, to both our danger and our detriment? Take five minutes to consider the world in which we currently find ourselves living, and the many little ways life would be vastly different if those in positions of power and authority put their decisions to this test.

Our Kids Understand The Golden Rule

Consider your family members, your neighbors, your coworkers, your employees, your customers; and think about how your life would be different and changed if, in those regular interactions, you made your decisions based on treating others as you want to be treated. Although the Golden Rule seems both straightforward and simplistic, if we as a society and a world would return to living this ancient wisdom it would have far-reaching consequences, righting much of what seems to be wrong in our modern times.

The principles of right action toward one another are often
simple to see but are not simple to do.
~ Genevieve Gerard

They require a valuing of others and a code of behavior that transcends much of what has in our modern times been elevated to acceptable behavior. Look at all of the damage that greed in business is doing to our world. The fact that there is even a business principle called planned obsolescence speaks to the ways our society has strayed from the logical results of living by the Golden Rule. The medical crisis, the housing crisis, the foreclosure crisis, the education crisis, and the unemployment crisis are just a few of our social problems that would be approached differently if the time-tested evaluations of the Golden Rule were applied.

The moral justifications that are moving away from this simple principle have created a slippery slope. Embracing this Rule once again will lay the groundwork for much of what must change in our society if we are going to thrive and survive into a future in which any of us wishes to live. History has demonstrated time and time again that selfishness and greed do not stop themselves. People must take a stand. They must choose. There is right action in the world and laws that help to maintain balance. This old rule, this Golden Rule, has within it the truth and wisdom to help us transform the world.

To bring the Golden Rule back into the collective thought-form of society has great power. In a civilized society, a principle of how it is right and more importantly how it is wrong to treat others is critical to maintain.

Since the Golden Rule has fallen away from being a standard of behavior that people demand and expect from one another, we have seen a rise in selfishness and greed that is both shameful and shocking. Somehow “looking out for number one” has developed into “it doesn’t matter what I do as long as I get what I want.”

This shift in our countries and our society’s moral compass has led to public servants serving their personal interests instead of considering the greater good of society as a whole. As I write these words, I remember as a child I was taught the quote below.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing.
~ Edmund Burke

As truth has become subverted by “spin doctors” selfishness and greed have been dressed up and disguised as success. Somehow those who were entrusted as the guardians of our society have fallen prey to the lies that what is good for business is unfettered freedom, without consideration of how the practices of the business affect the society as a whole. No longer does Wall Street believe that “what is good for Main Street is good for Wall Street.” Somehow, there is the illusion being propagated that what is good for Wall Street is good for the world.

We can look around us and see the disastrous results of this kind of governance. People have lost faith and confidence that the government serves the greater good. Special interests and the interests of only a small percent (the often discussed top 1%) seem to have bought and paid for those who were elected and designed to be the guardians of the people.

As I consider a whole array of society’s dangers from the stripping of the planet of the rainforests to the science of global warming, I realize that the failure to teach this ancient moral code of the Golden Rule has left our world in a dangerous place.

You can look around you and see the disastrous results of our civilization having forgotten this simple moral test. I know that I could create a long list of dangers and problems that seem to stem from this failure to consider the consequences of destroying the nature that has sustained humanity since time immemorial.

Today, as I consider the many problems that cry out for a solution I ask that this ancient simple moral code is brought back into the collective consciousness and conscience.

I ask you to “do unto others as you would like them to do to and for you” in your daily life and interactions with others. I ask that you use the Golden Rule as a standard you demand and expect from those who lead our society.

I call upon every member of Congress, every member of the Senate, local and national, every judge, and every leader of business and industry, to consider their decisions based upon this simple principle of “The Golden Rule” and become agents of the transformation our world requires.

Namaste,

Genevieve

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Last updated 10-16-2019

About the author:
Genevieve Gerard teaches Transformational Consciousness – from first awakening to enlightened Soul awareness. She helps you experience the joy that results from the spontaneous “touch of your soul.”

Read more details…

Genevieve has a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and Theology and a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling and for over thirty years has worked one-on-one with people who were recovering from devastating disabilities and chronic pain. Teaching the mastery of the mind-body relationship she was one of the early professionals trained in biofeedback, visualization, imagery, and meditation as essential techniques to help people heal their bodies, heal their emotions, heal their minds, and heal their lives.

Genevieve’s work demonstrates what she knows so well, “It is spiritual connectedness that triggers physical healing and emotional and mental well-being.” Helping people, like you, tap into your higher-self is the power she wields to guide you to heal and transform your life.

Now, with this understanding, she combines the effective techniques she developed over decades teaching mind-body mastery along with her extensive experience in meditation and spiritual development to create a synthesis of mind-body-spirit that delivers complete healing and opens the door to unlimited personal growth and an encounter with your Soul.

In addition to her current life guidance coaching sessions, and workshops performed around the world, Genevieve has produced more than 20+ guided meditations in the last eight years that are available on iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, and her website.

It is her vision that through your experience with the techniques of awareness, visualization, and meditation, the love of your Soul will touch and transform your life through her writings and products. It is her sincere desire that the potential of a life of joy and celebration that seems to elude so many people can become a reality for you, now and forever.

Browse her life story and read the Touch of the Soul that changed her world. To contact Genevieve, visit her keep in touch page.

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What Would It Be Like If People Everywhere Practiced Kindness

Genevieve Gerard

What Would It Be Like If People Everywhere Practiced Kindness?

Recently I saw a quote from the Dalai Lama. He said, “My Religion is very simple, my religion is kindness.” That led me to consider what it would be like if people everywhere practiced kindness.

It takes only a few moments in any situation to see how rare and extraordinary kindness is. Even among friends and families, even while professing to love one another there is often cruelty. In many groups teasing is disguised as affection.

When that is the norm, there is an emotional confusion between what you experience and what you know to be true in your inner self. This confusion leads to misinterpreting what love is.

Is Teasing An Expression of Affection?

Teasing and sarcasm, two partners in cruelty disguised as love or affection are not kind. They often hide mean-spirited anger that is a way of one-upmanship and denigrating and insulting another.

That the cruelty is delivered cleverly or playfully is designed to cover up the meanness. And, the most damaging and harmful part of this way of relating with one another is that the person who is teasing and sarcastic claims to be showing affection. This leaves the target of the teasing and sarcasm disempowered. After all, says the attacker, “I was only teasing or playing.”

The playfulness or cleverness of the cruelty among those who practice this kind of behavior is supposed to render it harmless, but it never does.

This type of interaction still hurts, but the target is deprived of their expression of anger by the meanness being hidden in playfulness, being disguised as wittiness or affection.

What is so difficult about this kind of human interaction is that no matter how witty and clever the sarcastic quip may be, it still hurts. That hurt is real and for you to be told that it is loving attention is confusing. It is easy for a child to create confusion about what love is.

When I was a child teasing was a part of a lot of my interaction with adults. There was one friend of the family who was relentlessly cruel, rarely stopping showing me his so-called affectionate attention until I was in tears. Since he was “only teasing” I was not supposed to get upset. In fact, he often ridiculed me for my tears, teasing me further about crying.

Although I had not thought of this childhood teasing or this adult in many years, I realize now how harmful that “play” was. The most damaging part was not even the content of the teasing. The most damaging part was the LIE that his meanness was an expression of love or affection.

Deep in my heart, even as a very young child, I knew that cruelty was not an expression of love. Still, having the adults around me justified his meanness and created confusion about what it was to love. That was where the real harm was created.

Truth is not only violated by falsehood;
it may be equally outraged by silence.
– Henri Frederic Amiel

Each of us has within us an inner sense of truth and understanding of Right Action. When parents, teachers, or social norms teach something that violates that inner voice, it is very confusing and damaging to a child. A graphic example of this is when a child is abused and told it is love.

Sadly, childhood experiences of teasing or witty sarcasm, often a part of how teenagers interact, create a misunderstanding and confusion about what is loving behavior and what is not.

This confusion can lead to people not stopping abusive behavior especially when it is disguised as playfulness. When cruelty is received at the hands of a loved one, partner, friend, or parent something becomes disconnected. The disguise does not work deep within your heart, yet you may want to believe it is only “in fun.”

What I have observed with most people who use teasing and sarcasm as a way of interacting with others is a wave of underlying anger that peaks through. Since the anger seeps out wrapped in a package of joking it is not possible to confront the feelings honestly and bring them to the light of understanding.

The confusion that is created when you try to accept what is painful and disguised is sometimes called “crazy-making.” That is because of no matter what you are being told you have within you that innate sense of truth. The lie of cruelty instead of kindness will finally be revealed.

This innate sense of truth knows. Ultimately, you cannot lie to yourself.

Scripts People Live Story

I am reminded of a story told by Claude Steiner in his book “Scripts People Live: Transactional Analysis of Life Scripts.“

A Warm Fuzzier Tale by Claude Steiner

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived two happy people called Tim and Maggie with their two children, John and Lucy. To understand how happy they were you have to understand how things were in those days.

You see in those happy days everyone was given a small, soft Fuzzy Bag when born. Anytime a person reached into their bag they were able to pull out a Warm Fuzzy. Warm Fuzzies were very much in demand because whenever someone was given a Warm Fuzzy it made them feel warm and fuzzy all over.

In those days, it was very easy to get Warm Fuzzies. Anytime that somebody felt like it, he might walk up to you and say, “I’d like to have a Warm Fuzzy.” You would then reach into your bag and pull out a Fuzzy the size of a child’s hand. As soon as the Fuzzy saw the light of day it would smile and blossom into a large, shaggy, Warm Fuzzy. When you laid the Warm Fuzzy on the person’s head, shoulder or lap it would snuggle up and melt right against their skin and make them feel good all over.

People were always asking each other for Warm Fuzzies, and since they were always given freely, getting enough of them was never a problem. There was always plenty to go around, and so everyone was happy and felt warm and fuzzy most of the time.

One day an evil witch who made salves and potions for sick people became angry because everyone was so happy and feeling good and no one was buying potions and salves. The witch was ingenious and devised an evil plan. One beautiful morning while Maggie was playing with her daughter the witch crept up to Tim and whispered in his ear,

“See here, Tim, look at all the Fuzzies that Maggie is giving to Lucy. You know, if she keeps it up she is going to run out, and then there won’t be any left for you!”

Tim was astonished. He turned to the witch and asked, “Do you mean to tell me that there isn’t a Warm Fuzzy in our bag every time we reach for it?”

And the witch answered, “No, absolutely not, and once you run out, that’s it. You don’t have anymore.” With this, the witch flew away on a broom, laughing and cackling all the way.

Tim took this to heart and began to notice every time Maggie gave away a Warm Fuzzy. He got anxious because he liked Maggie’s Warm Fuzzies very much and did not want to give them up. He certainly did not think it was right for Maggie to be spending all her Warm Fuzzies on the children and other people.

Tim began to complain or sulk when he saw Maggie giving Warm Fuzzies to somebody else, and because Maggie loved him very much, she stopped giving Warm Fuzzies to other people as often and reserved most of them for him.

The children watched this and soon began to get the idea that it was wrong to give Warm Fuzzies any time you were asked or felt like it. They too became very careful. They would watch their parents closely, and whenever they felt that one of their parents was giving too many Fuzzies to others, they felt jealous and complained and sometimes even had a tantrum.

Even though the children found a Warm Fuzzy every time they reached into their bag they began to feel guilty whenever they gave them away, so they reached in less and less and became more and more stingy with them.

Before the witch, people used to gather in groups of three, four, or five, never caring too much who was giving Warm Fuzzies to whom. After the coming of the witch, people began to pair off and to reserve all their Warm Fuzzies for each other, exclusively. When people forgot to be careful and gave a Warm Fuzzy to just anybody, they worried because they knew that somebody would probably resent sharing their Warm Fuzzies.

People began to give less and less Warm Fuzzies and felt less warm and less fuzzy. They started to shrivel up and, occasionally, people would even die from lack of Warm Fuzzies. People felt worse and worse and, more and more, people went to the witch to buy potions and salves even though they didn’t seem to work.

Well, the situation was getting far-reaching indeed. The evil witch who had been watching all of this didn’t want the people to die (since dead people couldn’t buy his salves and potions), so a new plan was devised.

Everyone was given, free of charge, a bag that was very similar to the Fuzzy Bag except that this one was cold while the Fuzzy Bag was warm. Inside of the witch’s bag was Cold Pricklies. These Cold Pricklies did not make people feel warm and fuzzy; in fact, they made them feel cold and prickly instead. But the Cold Pricklies was better than nothing and they did prevent peoples’ backs from shriveling up.

So, from then on, when somebody asked for a Warm Fuzzy, people who were worried about depleting their supply would say, “I can’t give you a Warm Fuzzy, but would you like a Cold Prickly instead?”

Sometimes, two people would walk up to each other, thinking that maybe they could get a Warm Fuzzy this time, but one of them would change his mind, and they would wind up giving each other Cold Pricklies instead. So, the result was that people were not dying anymore, but a lot of people were miserable and felt frigid and prickly indeed.

The situation got very complicated since the coming of the witch because there were fewer and fewer Warm Fuzzies around and Warm Fuzzies which used to be free as the air became treasured.

This caused people to do all sorts of things to get Warm Fuzzies. People who could not find a generous partner had to buy their Warm Fuzzies and had to work long hours to earn the money.

Some people became “famous” and got a lot of Warm Fuzzies without having to give any back. These individuals would then sell their Warm Fuzzies to people who were “unpopular” and needed them to feel that life was worth living.

Another thing which happened was that some people would take Cold Pricklies–which were everywhere and freely available and coated them white and fluffy so that they almost looked like Warm Fuzzies. These fake Warm Fuzzies were really Plastic Fuzzies, and they caused additional problems.

For instance, two or more people would get together and freely give each other Plastic Fuzzies. They expected to feel good, but they came away feeling bad instead. People got very confused never realizing that their cold, prickly feelings were because they had been given a lot of Plastic Fuzzies.

So the situation was very, very dismal and it all started because of the coming of the witch who made people believe that someday when least expected, they might reach into their Warm Fuzzy Bag and find no more.

Not long ago, a young woman with big hips came to this troubled land. She seemed not to have heard about the bad witch and was not worried about running out of Warm Fuzzies. She gave them out freely, even when not asked. They called her the Hip Woman and disapproved of her because she was giving the children the idea that they should not worry about running out of Warm Fuzzies. The children liked her very much because they felt good around her and they began to follow her example giving out Warm Fuzzies whenever they felt like it.

This made the grownups anxious. To protect the children from depleting their supplies of Warm Fuzzies they passed a law. The law made it a criminal offense to give out Warm Fuzzies in a reckless manner or without a license. Many children, however, seemed not to care; and in spite of the law, they continued to give each other Warm Fuzzies whenever they felt like it and always when asked. Because they were many, many children, almost as many as grownups, it began to look as if maybe they would have their way.

As of now it’s hard to say what will happen. Will the grownups’ laws stop the recklessness of the children?

Are the grownups going to join with the Hip Woman and the children in taking a chance that there will always be as many Warm Fuzzies as needed?

Will they remember the days their children are trying to bring back when Warm Fuzzies were abundant because people gave them away freely?

The struggle spread all over the land and is probably going on right where you live. If you want to, and I hope you do, you can join by freely giving and asking for Warm Fuzzies and being as loving and healthy as you can.

Kindness can be described as a warm fuzzy. Like the warm fuzzy you know when you have received kindness.

As you considered the Dalai Lama’s statement that “his religion is kindness,” take some time to think what that would mean if everyone practiced kindness. I am sure it would make the world a better place. Imagine for a minute what the world would be like if everyone made a religion of kindness.

I would like to see kindness become contagious to epidemic proportions around the world. I encourage you to let kindness and compassion guide your actions and all of your relationships.

Namaste,

Genevieve Gerard

The Blessing of Love on All That you Do!

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Read more details…

Browse her life story and read the Touch of the Soul that changed her world. To contact Genevieve, visit her keep in touch page.

Last updated 11-4-2020

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Open Your Heart To Love

Genevieve Gerard

Open Your Heart To Love

This article is part of my ongoing Series on Love.

In this great university that we call life, there is perhaps no more important lesson we receive than learning to love.

Love manifests in our lives in so many different forms and circumstances that it is an ongoing opportunity to explore, experiment and express. If we open our heart and deeply consider what we have been learning in life that has given us the most joy and the most challenges, we can see that love is a predominant theme.

The great philosophers of old, most particularly Plato, defined love in three basic categories, that of Agape, how God loves us or how we are directed to love God; Philos, or love of friends and others; and the all important Eros, erotic or sexual love. And of course, the love of parents and children and family seems to be another important category.

Indeed, within these three or four very diverse categories that define love is enough lessons and life experiences to fuel millions of books, thousands of films and television scripts, and a seemingly endless stream of talk shows on media outlets around the world.

Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.
~ Khalil Gibran

There is perhaps no greater desire in the human heart than that of both giving and receiving love. Of course, as with so many dynamics of our all too human consciousness, we seem to feel that it is better to receive than to give. But if we explore the experience of love, dispassionately and deeply, we may find that we receive as much if not more love by giving rather than receiving it.

This may explain the teaching of Jesus when he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Love, and lessons about Love are without question exalted in the life and teachings of the Christ.

When we think of the span of our years and focus on the times we have loved and the ways we have loved, we may realize that those times and events where we gave love unconditionally created such joy that we treasure the experience throughout our life. If we hold those experiences in our hearts and consider the power of those times to guide and transform our lives, we will begin to understand more of the dynamics of this great life lesson called love.

An honest review of our life will reveal to us that the times we have succeeded beyond our expectations in giving love have yielded rich dynamics to our experience of living. Likewise, those times when we have failed, on either side of the experience of love, to either give or receive, have resulted in profound heart-wrenching pain and sorrow.

Contained within the lessons of love is a microcosm of the many consciousness shifts we need to make to live a life of joy. We truly do need to be aware of the benefit of mastering this great lesson of life. Love is best learned in the act of letting ourselves give love and equally important, letting ourselves receive love. Ponder on this!

If we open our hearts to give love, we are immediately transported into the joy and blessings of love.
~ Genevieve Gerard

Loving is an experience that is immediately reinforced by expanding and enhancing our life experience.

Therefore, to learn about love we need only to give love as fully and completely as we can and to accept all that love offers to our life. It is profoundly simple, but strangely, it is often not easy.

Opening to love opens us to so much of what is the very best of life that making a commitment to love is a powerful portal to the gifts of awareness and joy. I encourage you to open your heart to love and embrace this lesson as a great adventurer and explorer of life.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love On All That you Do!

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Be Receptive To the Guidance of Your Soul

Genevieve Gerard

Be Receptive To the Guidance of Your Soul

– Connecting with Your Higher Self for Life Advice

Recently in a discussion with one of my coaching clients, we explored how to access the guidance and wisdom of your Soul for practical advice.

She was seeking revelation about the life challenges she was currently facing. She thought to receive this kind of clear information was the practical application of spirituality. My client insisted this desire is the reason that spirituality has relevance.

This conversation made me consider her point of view. Particularly, I wondered, what can you do to enhance and empower receiving guidance and direction from your Higher Self? Of equal importance, is the question what can interfere with receiving Soul guidance in your life? That led me to consider the process of receiving guidance and direction from your Soul as a practical real-life issue.

I believe your Soul is not only a part of you but it also a partner in your life. It has a vested interest in helping you learn and grow. However, from the perspective of your personality, the way that it provides the situations and circumstances from which you learn and grow are often not what you want. It is not always clear what is right or best to do.

You learn and grow in so many different ways. This issue seems to need some clarification. In my many years of life coaching, I have led individuals through many meditations in which they reached their Soul for guidance. There are some patterns I have observed. What is most revealing is how much of the preparation for the meditation is just a litany of what the seeker wants or more importantly what they don’t want.

I find it significant that often the answer that emerges as received in meditation is just a repetition of their hopes and desires that were expressed while preparing to meditate. That seems to be a clear signal that it is not the direction of the Soul they received, but rather their desires and their attachments speaking. In considering this result, I am reminded of the words of My Fair Lady, “she’ll listen very nicely then go out and do precisely what she wants.” It is all too easy to project your attachment and desire and then, because you meditated, assume that you have contacted and listened to the wisdom of your Soul.

Not only is this true but in the process of having asked for guidance, it is easy to have the expectation that your Soul is now responsible for what happens. The logical conclusion of this “magical thinking” is that the role of the Soul is to be a kind of “Fairy God Mother” who manipulates the world of matter to make your life easier and more compatible with your desires. I believe this is simply not true.

You can see this kind of “magical thinking” all over the internet and especially on Facebook with the number of abundance posts in which you are asked to type “Yes” to a positive meme graphic about prosperity or miracles. The implication is that by simply typing “Yes” you need only to sit back and receptively wait for the miracle you desire to happen.

This kind of “magical thinking” is a misunderstanding of the Law of Abundance and the principle that “energy follows thought.” It is no wonder that people become discouraged and confused.

What is missing in this kind of “magical thinking” is the role and responsibility of the personality. Whereas it is true that “energy follows thought” it is important to understand that this vital principle is not something you just turn on when you type “Yes” or “Amen” in response to a photo with an inspirational statement; then turn off all of the other thoughts in your mind.

What you do makes a difference. Your dreams, your thoughts, your plans and your goals are all an integral part of success.

Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
– Napoleon Hill

Indeed, meditation helps you to harness the power of your mind. Likewise, the “Law of Attraction” is activated and enhanced by all of the “Positive Mental Attitude” techniques you may use and employ. However, if you do these things only intermittently; that is exactly how they will work, intermittently.

If you ask, affirm or pray for abundance because you are afraid, you are using these principles to fuel the manifestation of what you fear. This is true even when you pray if what is in your mind while you are praying is fear. Worrying, I have often said, is like praying for what you don’t want. Saying a prayer in desperation without surrendering to Divine Will is an attempt to manipulate God. I don’t think that is how it works.

Likewise, typing “yes” for abundance while thinking about your fears and what is lacking in your life sends a mixed message. That mixed message is most often what you most often see manifesting in your life.

Asking For Guidance

This same principle is involved when you ask for guidance from your Higher Self. You have to stop your negative thoughts, your fear, and your worries. Otherwise, your personality will create from its litany of your concerns what you don’t want. You will not be able to hear anything at all from your Higher Self. Your mind chatter drowns out the still soft prompting of the voice of your Soul. To open yourself to the wisdom and guidance of your Soul or God in prayer requires surrender and a willingness to receive direction and guidance that may be very different from what you want.

To become more aware of how your fears and worries are controlling your unconscious requests is important. The power of your mind automatically responds to all of your thoughts. It responds to your wishes, and it responds to your fears. “The Law of Attraction” and the principle that “energy follows thought” do not have a shut-off valve. It is on 24-7.

That energy follows your thought works with every positive affirmation. It also works with every meditation of intention. However, it also engages with every fear and worry that crosses your mind. Therefore, it is important to understand that what you are thinking is constantly creating what is manifesting in your life.

For this reason, it is crucial for you to be aware of your thoughts and value and respect the co-creative power that they have.

Meditation is a powerful tool to help you use your mind to live the life you desire by gaining mastery over your mind. To help you increase your awareness of what you are asking the universe to provide, I recommend that you do a technique I call the “detached observer.” If you follow my work and my writings you that will note that this is not the first time that I have recommended this technique. This technique is not a meditation but what I call a meditative technique.

Detached Observer Technique

One technique that I have found valuable in my own practice and in my years of coaching and counseling people is that you begin just by self-observation.

I recommend starting with committing just 3 minutes a day to consciously observe your thoughts. When you observe a negative or fear-based thought flash through your mind, edit it, correct it and replace it with a conscious thought of what you want and are striving to manifest in your life.

This self-observation, edit, correct (with intention) and replace technique is most important and empowering when what crosses your mind is a fear. To do this consciously and with intention is best achieved in a meditative state while aligning with your Higher Self and focusing on your life’s purpose. In this alignment, you have a greater vision.

This technique is best done free of self-judgment or criticism (each of which works against achieving positive thoughts to replace the negative and fear-based chatter of the “Monkey Mind.”)

I refer to this as a meditative state because it is not really meditation, but as you are seeking to consciously align with your Soul and your Soul purpose in life you are in a higher state of consciousness and keener awareness than just thinking. So this exercise of observation from the perspective of the “detached observer” is a bridge between normal uncontrolled and casual thinking and meditation.

This can be a powerful and transforming technique. As I mentioned I recommend starting with this technique 3 minutes every day. That may seem very short but if you really consider and catch most of your negative thoughts to edit, and revise and replace the thought, you will have made a huge step forward in your ability to harness the power of your mind and learn to quiet the chattering mind. This simple (although sometimes not easy) step is important in learning to meditate and to empower your life.

In teaching this technique to my coaching clients, most have observed that a daily practice of this technique begins major transformation in their lives.

I suggest that you start out using this method for 3 minutes a day for 30 days. Three minutes of your day is not very much. However, three minutes is enough to demonstrate my point. Three minutes is sufficient to describe the energy you are sending out.

Harnessing the power of your thoughts and making them serve you, while very simple is not always easy. Your mind functions in a multilevel way with ideas so rapid and diverse it is like catching quicksilver.

Throughout the eons of teaching meditation, helping the student gain control of what is often called “The Monkey Mind” or the “Chattering Mind” has been the goal.

In fact, the extended periods of meditating on the ‘no thing,’ ‘the void,’ ‘the sound of one hand clapping’ and other techniques that I learned in my early days of meditation, all seemed to be focused on learning to quiet your chattering mind.

Likewise, mantras repeated serve the same purpose. Similarly, the repetitive phrases of awareness that are taught in mindfulness meditations serve the same goal; they teach you to focus your thoughts and wrestle control from the chatter. Using guided meditations serve the same purpose. They are certainly easier than focusing on the “no-thing” or “the void.”

Check out my Awaken to Success CD or MP3’s, which give you 21 positive affirmations for abundance. Use these to empower yourself to create the life of your dreams.

All are techniques to focus your thoughts in the desired direction you choose for your consciousness. Guided meditations are an effective and efficient way to harness the power of your mind to help you create the life and experiences you desire. Focusing on a problem with a focused intention on a daily basis can be transforming. The issue of regularity and repetition are key elements in using meditation to change your life.

Daily meditation need not be an arduous process. Moreover, although in my early days of meditating I was instructed to meditate for 30 minutes to an hour daily, I have found over the last 48 years that daily meditation consistently applied with intention is more important than the time spent.

When I create a guided meditation experience, I strive to capture the essence of the subject that I focus on in a 10 to 20-minute session. In meditation, it is quality rather than quality that counts.

The process of quieting your mind chatter enables you to receive the still prompting guidance of your Higher Self. Likewise, to be receptive to the wisdom of your Soul, it is important to cease your attachment to what you desire or expect in order to open your heart and your mind. Ponder on this.

This dual process of quieting your mind as much as possible and surrendering your personal will and desires to be receptive to the guidance you are receiving are crucial steps in receiving advice from your Higher Self.

We must let go of the life we have planned,
so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.
– Joseph Campbell

I also recommend that if you are seeking the wisdom and direction of your Soul in your life that you set aside at least 10 minutes a day, regularly to meditate on that very subject. Then apply the technique of the detached observer by revising and reframing every negative thought, aligning it with what you feel your Higher Self is directing you to. Do these meditations with as much of an attitude of surrender to Divine Will as you are able.

I further recommend that you follow your “asking” time with a reflective and receptive time that you write in a spiritual journal. This combination of meditation and journal entry will increase the effectiveness of your request.

You Higher Self, your Soul, is available to you. When you can quiet your desires, your fears and listen to your Souls wisdom and guidance, it becomes a partner on your life journey, and your life journey becomes your spiritual journey.

Namaste,
Genevieve

The blessing of love on all that you do!

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Last updated 2-04-2018

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Top 12 Lessons My Dog Bentley Is Teaching Me

Genevieve Gerard

Top 12 Lessons My Dog Bentley Is Teaching Me

In the course of life, teachers come from everywhere.

One of the most amazing things is what lessons we can learn from life about consciousness from our furry friends.

They are often an example of ways of “being,” that provide an important example in life.

Interestingly, with the amazing synchronicity that a teacher appears when a pupil is ready, it seems that each animal that comes into your life has their own unique things to teach you.

The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants.
– Johnny Depp

In December of 2013, I wrote a post, “10 Things I Have Learned About Consciousness From My Dog Silky.”

When Silky passed away in July of 2014, I sorely missed the companionship and source of unconditional love and devotion that is the wonderful nature of dogs.

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent.
– Milan Kundera

A little while ago I adopted a little white rescue dog, Bentley. He is a pure breed Maltese, known as the “ancient dog of Malta,” and he has his own personality and with it, his own life lessons to teach.

As I did in 2013, I thought I would share with you some of the wisdom I have learned from my new dog, Bentley. Just added an extra 2 bonus learnings!

Top 12 Lessons My Dog Bentley Is Teaching Me:

I deserve to be loved
I can ask for what I need with complete trust that it will be provided.
My love is shared spontaneously and joyfully confident that it will be appreciated and returned.
I do not waste my time on guilt or shame if I make a mistake I just move on to whatever is happening next.
I am confident that I am loved and that I deserve to be loved.
Life is too short to not have fun with the occasions provided for play.
I will trust people until they show me that they cannot be trusted.
I am open to new friendships and welcoming to new possibilities and new opportunities.
Love is both my nature and my joy.
I can be quiet and peaceful, calm and serene relaxing both my mind and body at will. (I never worry about anything)
I appreciate absolutely everything that I receive and trust in the abundance of life to bring what I need when I need it.
I come to each new day joyfully with no fears or limiting beliefs.

As I wrote this I realized that each fur baby who comes into your life is a unique expression of themselves. If a domestic animal blesses your life, I encourage you to observe them from the perspective of what you can learn from them and what they have come into your life to teach and give you.

I invite you to post your comments and observations below this post.

The love we share with our pets is special. They bring so much joy and comfort into our life and ask so little in return. They are a special blessing in life and teach us how to love completely and unconditionally.

I once read a description of Heaven that said that Heaven is where every dog you have ever loved comes to greet you. That would certainly make your entry to the pearly gates a celebration of Love.

Namaste,

Genevieve Gerard

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

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Last updated 5-21-2019

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A Serenade to the Dawn

Genevieve Gerard

A Serenade to the Dawn

A touch of morning pink enters the sky.

Joy blooms in my heart.

There is so much promise in that gentle blush.

Quietly the new day dawns.

The clouds of yesterday storms transform with hope.

The Light is victorious.

New possibilities come into my mind.

I pause to dream.

What can I do with this new opportunity to make manifest what I desire?

Softly my Soul whispers, seize the day with joy.

Spread your Light, give your Love.

All is well in the peace of this potent time.

– Genevieve Gerard

Last updated 3-14-2019

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Having Emotions

Genevieve Gerard

Having Emotions,
Without Letting Them Have You

Along the course of spiritual growth and evolution is a myriad of challenges that center on the issue of managing your emotions.

Managing your emotions is an issue that is often misunderstood, or becomes misdirected, often by well-meaning people. This seems to stem from some basic glamor’s and illusions about what it means to be spiritual.

Teachings of the Buddha, particularly those about desire and attachment can be converted and perverted into an artificial state of manufactured calm.

However, as I have journeyed along the path to enlightened awareness and as I have worked for many years counseling people, I have found this misinterpretation of the Buddha’s teaching to be potentially harmful.

As I ponder the nature of the misunderstanding and what is important about learning to understand the role of emotions in a spiritual life and spiritual evolution, I realize that it is important to have your emotions, without letting them have control or mastery over you. This leads me to explore more about the nature of emotions.

Repressing your emotions in an attempt to reach a state of manufactured calm, just does not work.

The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it.

– Nicholas Sparks, At First Sight

Emotions blocked end up doing all sorts of harm in ways that are in direct opposition to reaching the state of peace and detachment the Buddha recommended. Repression is not detachment. In fact, emotions, especially strong emotions and those judged as negative emotions, will work their way to release, in spite of every effort to contain them.

Moreover, blocking and denying emotions, especially powerful and strong emotions, seem to be the genesis of both stresses and dis-ease.

In my many years of counseling and especially when I worked in the field of chronic pain management, I concluded that when someone is experiencing pain, that pain is always real. Often medical practitioners would be frustrated when they could not find on their scientific tests a reason or cause for someone’s pain and that would lead them to make the judgement that the pain was not “real.”

However, as I worked with the individuals to heal and resolve the pain, I came to a very different conclusion. The pain was real. It may come from their physical body, or it may come from their emotional body, but it was always real.

As I worked to unlock and release the pain, old emotions, judged negative emotions were often a causative factor.

Many in the field of chronic pain management have observed certain patterns about those who suffer chronic pain, and that is that many were victims of sexual or other forms of abuse. The damage of abuse seemed to lie in wait for a life incident to express the pain of the abuse. This is especially true when the anger and pain of betrayal that accompanied the abuse was denied and blocked.

The physical damage of the abuse had healed long ago, but the emotional damage lingered, still needing healing. This led me to consider ways that emotions heal and how they are different from the way the body heals. What was amazing to me was that no matter how much time had passed from the incident that created the emotional pain, healing was possible. And the primary component of that healing was what I would call, for want of better words, emotional honesty.

Lessons Learned About Emotions

How emotions heal is a lesson I learned in my personal journey because, like so many young women, I was sexually abused in my youth. Also, like most that have been through that experience, I suffered a great deal of shame and doubt related to that experience. I must admit I never understood how or why that could happen at the time.

For me, it was compounded by being a man who was a ”father figure,” a man who was dating my mother after my father had died and eventually became my step-father. The emotions of anger and ultimately betrayal when my mother became aware of the situation and failed to protect me and stop it was very strong.

Great harm was done to me by many well-meaning people who were spiritual guides and teachers at the time. They counseled forgiveness and learned to forgive I did. They counseled return love, and I did that too. My anger and my hurts became firmly contained.

However, in my own psychological and spiritual journey it was only when my spiritual mentor and psychologist concluded that in my attempts to be a good person and follow great spiritual teachings, I had developed what he called “premature transcendence.” He taught me that transcending an emotion without transmuting and releasing it was not the way to healing.

The honesty of the emotions that these events and circumstances created had to be expressed and honored. It was not enough to practice forgiveness. It was only by letting myself acknowledge the anger and rage I felt and the hurt and betrayal I felt, was I able to heal and move on, and no longer linger in the thrall of those emotions.

When I finally let go of the past, the release and the healing were powerful. The transformation that releasing these old hurts allowed, was truly life changing. I become open to the many blessings and joys that life could bring my way.

Emotions Are an Intricate Part of Our Being

This led me to a revelation and realization about the nature of emotions. Emotions are an intricate part of our being. They are both wonderful and terrible parts of the human experience.

Learning to experience emotions, and understand and express them, are a major part of both life’s journey and the quest for spiritual understanding.

It helps to understand the nature of the wholeness of your being, your spiritual anatomy. We all know and understand that we have a physical body. We can touch it and feel it. We also have an emotional body.

Our physical and emotional bodies produce a wide and diverse range of emotions, from those we judge as good, to those we avoid as bad. However, what I have come to understand is that emotions are only emotions.

Emotions are not who you are, and they are not what you are. They are experiences you simply have. They are feelings, not truth. Although they are very powerful, their very nature is temporary and transitory. They are a natural and spontaneous expression of a particular situation and event. Ultimately, emotions are healthy in their natural expression.

Emotions emerge naturally in the moment, and unless you deny them, dismiss them or judge them, they release just as naturally and spontaneously as they came. Clinging to them, harboring them and letting them fester can cause significant harm. The toxicity created by the unexpressed, and unreleased emotions is the fuel for countless dis-eases.

Experienced, expressed and then released, especially when transmuted transcended and transformed, emotions are a harmless part of life. There is, however, a danger to your whole being when you let an emotion have you.

I gave myself permission to feel and experience all of my emotions. To do that, I had to stop being afraid to feel. In order to do that, I taught myself to believe that no matter what I felt or what happened when I felt it, I would be okay.

– Iyanla Vanzant

Emotional Transformation Technique

In my “Feeling Free” guided meditation, I give an in-depth explanation of a very powerful technique to move your energy from feeling to resolution.

It is a technique that once learned can be practiced anytime and anywhere to gain mastery over your most troublesome and limiting emotions.

It is a technique that earlier in my journey I used many times in a day. It is a technique that I frequently use in my life now. To use awareness to move, transcend, transmute and transform the strong emotions of fear and anger, gives you freedom in your life.

This technique is one I have found to be so important in empowering people that I created a simpler and shorter version “I Am Feeing Free.”

To be able to experience your emotions without letting them take over your life is a key to mastering whatever challenges come your way. It is a strength that frees you to become all that you are meant to be.

These tips and techniques help you be in the NOW and embrace the new possibilities and opportunities that life brings before you without the burden of your fears, or limiting beliefs that have entrenched themselves from old feelings that can be released and resolved

To be able to experience your emotions without letting them take over your life is one of the keys to mastering whatever challenges come your way. It is a strength that frees you to become all that you are meant to be.

You can have your emotions, freely, without them creating problems and limitations that linger beyond their moment of time.

By letting yourself experience the natural flow of emotion without judgement and then trust yourself to handle your life as it happens, by not fearing that experience in the future, you begin to have emotions without letting them impact your life.

Namaste,

Genevieve Gerard

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

The Will to Good

Genevieve Gerard

The Will to Good

Are you someone who longs to make the world a better place?

Someone who feels a deep yearning in the depth of your being to help heal the suffering and problems of life?

If so, you are most likely a part of an energetic group that is known by the name “The New Group of World Servers.”

You may be consciously or unconsciously in this group of light workers.

There is no requirement, to be a part of this group, other than to have the Will to Good. It requires no recognition or affiliation. It is not aligned with any specific religion, yet is congruent with the deepest principles of all of the world’s religions. The only identifying factor is that you join across the planet with other Men and Woman of Goodwill.

I believe that every human mind feels pleasure
in doing good to another.
– Thomas Jefferson

Then let your Soul guide you in your service to others. Since the New Group of World Servers is at its core a Soul group, it focuses, through the guidance of your Soul, on serving the greater good of all humanity.

One of the ways we do this is to come together in unity at 5 p.m. across the globe, each in our own place and time zone, to send out a blessing to support this group and their work (see below.) You can make a difference in the world by joining with this effort. You are not alone!

Your blessing is magnified by other like-minded individuals who join their thoughts and intentions to make the world a better place.

The words are simple. With clear intention, you can help bring great blessings to mankind.

The Blessing of the New Group of World Servers

May the power of the One Life,
pour through the group of all true servers.

May the Love of the One Soul,
characterize the lives of all who seek to aid the Great Ones.

May we fulfill our part in the One work,
through self-forgetfulness, harmlessness, and right speech.

– A Treatise on White Magic, p. 261 by Alice A. Bailey

It only takes a moment and connects you with a network of Light, Love, and Power that is committed to making this world a better place for all sentient beings.

But, How Do I Know If I Am A Light Worker?

Recently, I have observed among spiritual people a question, “How do I know if I am a Light Worker?” By their fruits, you shall know them, is the age old answer to that. Decision and intention are also important.

Making the decision to join in this worldwide effort, as this blessing makes its way across the planet at 5 p.m. each day, is a powerful and empowering decision to be an active participant in something greater than yourself. Something where you are in service to humanity. Something a true light worker would do.

To be doing good deeds is man’s most glorious task.
– Sophocles

I ask you to take a few brief minutes at 5 p.m. each day to bless and thereby energetically support the work and the service of those who work for good in the world and weave in the light.

Your intention will connect you with and align you with the power of the Light.

By its very nature Light dispels the dark. This statement is a profound truth and worth pondering.

You can choose to be a part of the solution that this world needs by this simple act.

I invite you into this group with this work and this service. Simply join in this planetary effort and support one another.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

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Conquer Discouraging Thoughts and Feelings

Genevieve Gerard

6 Tips to Conquer Discouraging Thoughts
and Feelings

No matter how positive we try to keep our thoughts, at times, we become discouraged.

The very word discouraged gives us a clue, both in where the problem exists and in what we need to do to resolve it.

To become discouraged is to face a situation without the courage and fortitude that you usually maintain.

Here are some simple tips to conquer your discouraging thoughts and feelings during these times of concern:

Tip 1:

To transcend this feeling, it is first important that we recognize that it is a feeling. Whereas thoughts have the power to create and transform our world, feelings are only fleeting expressions.

Tip 2:

It is important to let your feelings wash over you and then be released, without confusing them with thoughts or empowering them by believing they are a reality.

A feeling has validity only in the brief moment of time in which it is experienced and is not truth. It is only a feeling. To become discouraged implies that you have allowed your feelings to rob you of the courage and the enthusiasm that fuels your life adventure.

He who is not everyday conquering some fear
has not learned the secret of life.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

The simple understanding of the nature of our feelings and the ability to differentiate them from our more powerful force, thought, is an important step in helping us use the creative power of our thoughts positively.

Our human nature is to jumble our thoughts and feelings together, mixing them up and then all too often, granting a feeling more gravitas than it deserves.

Tip 3:

To define the difference between feeling and thought is an important step in limiting the influence and scope of a negative experience, without denying or ignoring it.

By accepting and acknowledging a feeling, even and especially a negative feeling, and then limiting it to its true scope, we are empowering our life. This allows the positive aspects of the principle of “energy follows thought” to be harnessed for the power and control of our intention.

If we experience the emotion (in this example dis-couraged) and then acknowledge that it is a feeling, we can let it flow over us without harm. Experiencing the feeling and then releasing the feeling, prevents you from being trapped in your feelings.

Tip 4:

Emotion, by its very nature, comes and dissipates very quickly, much like diving into a deep pool of water. Like a dive, you enter deeply into the emotional waters for a brief minute and like a dive, it is important to rise out of the waters so you can take a new breath and bathe in the sunlight.

It is when you take this fleeting experience of emotion and empower it with your thoughts, and all too often your fears, that you feed your fears. Living in fear of the future or past brings you out of the present moment and creates the problems of negativity in your life.

When a feeling is kept within the confines of the present, you can experience it without it causing harm.
– Genevieve Gerard

If immediately upon recognizing a negative feeling you identify it as a feeling, not repressing it, but releasing it immediately as feelings are by their nature designed to do, you begin your mastery of life. If you then put the feeling into a reality or truth test, you are well on your way to conquering your fears.

Tip 5:

If you ask yourself the questions, “Is this the truth?”, “Is this real?”, “Is this what I think or only what I feel?”, you are well on your way to releasing any negativity or damage that having the emotion can do.

Do not give in too much to feelings. A overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this shaky earth.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This little exercise to determine the difference between what is real and what is unreal can be done in just a few seconds. This reality check then frees you from the tyranny of believing that what you are feeling is reality, while still honoring and respecting the validity of a feeling, as only a feeling.

To distinguish between thoughts and feelings and to then master the thought so the negativity is not empowered to sabotage your life is a powerful tool. Learning to harness your command of your feelings puts you in the co-creator role in the universe, under the principle that “energy follows thought.”

Practicing these tips and techniques and understanding these principles, are an important step in life mastery. Use them well. Practice them often.

Tip 6:

You can transform, transmute and transcend any and all negative emotions. To do this, it is important that you acknowledge the feeling while you also acknowledge your mastery over it by letting it have its moment, but not giving it the additional power of thought and especially fear.

In my “Feeling Free” guided meditation, I give an in-depth explanation of a very powerful technique to move your energy from feeling to resolution.

It is a technique that once learned can be practiced anytime and anywhere to gain mastery over your most troublesome and limiting emotions.

It is a technique that earlier in my journey I used many times in a day. It is a technique that I use frequently in my life now. To use awareness to move, transcend, transmute and transform the strong emotions of fear and anger, gives you freedom in your life.

This technique is one I have found to be so important in empowering people that I created a simpler and shorter version “I Am Feeing Free.”

You can have your emotions, freely without them creating problems and limitations that linger beyond their moment of time.

I encourage and invite you to conquer any discouraging thoughts while you experience and express your emotions, but remain the director and designer in charge of your life.

Namaste,

Genevieve Gerard

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Read more details…

Browse her life story and read the Touch of the Soul that changed her world. To contact Genevieve, visit her keep in touch page.

Disclaimer: Ideas and techniques discussed on this website are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that you have read on this blog or in any of its linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.

Last updated 3-11-2020

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What You Need To Know To Invoke Your Higher Self

Genevieve Gerard

What You Need To Know To
Invoke Your Higher Self

This post is part of my ongoing series on Soul Awakening.

There comes a time in the human experience that you need more than logic to solve a problem.

Your mind may replay possible solutions to your problems, only to cast them aside. You may have a sense that the wisdom you are seeking lies just outside of your reach.

You may feel a prompting that you cannot quite grasp. Your intuition may be warning you that you are about to make a mistake, but you lack the clarity to stand with the strength and assurance to find a different way.

This is the time to invoke the wisdom and the guidance of your Higher Self.

To invoke your Higher Self will aid and empower you. When you realize that the directions and insights are coming from the part of yourself that is most attuned, and aligned with your divine spark and the higher purpose in your life, it shifts your perspective and strengthens you.

Consciously connecting with your Higher Self empowers your life and your decisions. You can invoke Your Higher Self whenever you need its wisdom and guidance. Your Higher Self is internally tuned in with the purpose of your life. It opens you to a sense of your inner wisdom and your inner knowing.

Steps To Invoke Your Higher Self

INTENTION

Perhaps the most significant step in connecting with your Higher Self is your intention.

Intention fuels a manifestation of an energetic connection that is always there, although you may not always feel or experience it. Intention activates the pathway from your physical and etheric body to the subtle energetic substance that forms the Soul or Higher Self.

It is your intention that activates an energetic bridge from your lower mind and personality to the part of you that is your Higher Self. It is important to remember that your Higher Self is a part of your anatomy every bit as real and significant as what you can see, touch, smell, taste, and feel. It cannot, not help but be a part of you.

We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect.
The judgement of the intellect is only part of the truth.
– Carl Jung

That you rarely consider your Higher Self consciously does not make it any less real and present. You rarely consciously consider the blood that circulates through your body or the oxygen it delivers throughout your physical body, but we all know they are real.

Your Higher Self is as much a part of the wholeness of your being, even though it’s substance is not composed of matter.

IMAGINATION

Because your Higher Self is composed of a substance that is uniquely different from the substance of matter, imagination in visualizing and experiencing your Higher Self can be very valuable.

Your Imagination is a function of your higher mind and is, therefore, more aligned with and attuned with the substance of your Higher Self. It is a valuable tool in helping you experience this part of your being that is beyond matter.

EXPERIENCE

In consciously connecting with your Higher Self, it is important that you open your senses beyond what you may focus on in your so-called, “normal consciousness.”

You may need to expand your awareness of a part of your energy field that you may most often ignore. To come into a conscious experience of your Higher Self I recommend that you calm your mind, open your heart and invite the Light. This is a prequel to the meditation experience.

The Soul speaks to you in the silence. The more you can quiet and calm your mind the more the soft, gentle whisper of the Soul can be heard.
– Genevieve Gerard

When reaching for the conscious awareness of your Higher Self, meditation is a powerful tool. It is not essential, but the more often you forge the pathway from your lower nature and your personality to your Higher Self the easier the path is to follow (like any well-worn path in nature.) When you empower the pathway from your mind and your emotions, you build a way that etheric energy connects you with your Higher Self.

Relax and enjoy the construction of that pathway using your intention and your imagination as you open yourself to the experience of meeting your Higher Self in the meditation below.

Breathing Meditation To Invoke Your Higher Self

Begin, by inhaling a very deep breath, bringing the air in through your nose, letting it begin at your diaphragm energetically.

Bring the air into your chest and as you do this consciously open the energy of your heart to expand. Hold the intention of Love.

Then bring the breath all the way to the top of your lungs, just below the shoulders.

When you have filled your lungs as fully as you are able, release the breath through your mouth fully until you have released all of your air.

This is a relaxing breath. You might already notice how much more relaxed and at peace you feel having fully experienced a full breath.

Before you take another profound and relaxing breath, take a moment to come into this present moment. Let yourself consciously put the past behind you, and relax and appreciate the magnificent power and unlimited potential that is available, right here and right now.

Recognize that the past is now behind you. It has no further power over you or influence over you except what you choose to give it.

What will be, the future, is just beginning to be created as you let yourself relax and reside in the eternal NOW.

It is in the eternal NOW that your Higher Self resides. This moment, this peace, this Presence is available to you.

When you are ready, begin to draw in another deep relaxing and healing breath, in through your nose starting at your diaphragm, through your solar plexus and up into your heart allowing your heart energy to open and expand.

Again, bring the breath to the top of your lungs drawing in as much air as you can hold.

Then as you release this breath through your mouth it may form a sound like a sigh as you let go of any stress or concerns and let yourself relax and come to center.

Observe what you are feeling and experiencing.

Then, breathe naturally not attempting to control your breath, allowing your breath to direct how much you bring in and how much you let go of that you no longer need.

You might notice a calm and peace filling you at this time. You might be aware that you are more present.

Enter into the profound peace and potential of the eternal now, and release the past and open to the possibility of creating a new future that incorporates more of your purpose in life and your heart’s desire.

Taking one more really deep relaxing and filling breath with intention, invoke and invite the Presence of your Higher Self.

With the inhale draw into your heart and your mind the perfect amount of the very essence of your Being.

Let its Light circulate through your whole being with your breath.

As it moves from your lungs to your heart and throughout your entire physical and energy body, accept the healing power and profound love into your conscious awareness, into your heart and into your mind.

As you exhale breath out any negative thoughts or fears.

Release any limiting beliefs that keep you from expressing the magnificent and full being that you truly are.

Now sit in silence and receptivity as you listen for the still prompting of your Higher Self.

In this pause you can offer up any issue and concern on which you would like greater insight or understanding.

Be receptive and record your thoughts and insights in your journal.

Pause for reflection.

Observe the background sounds that surround you. Return to this present moment and give gratitude to your Higher Self for any insights and clarity you may have received in this guided meditation.

Now, move forward with your life confident and assured that the insight and wisdom you have applied to the situation is the right choice for your life and is aligned with your Higher Purpose.

Namaste,

Genevieve

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Last updated 10-03-2018

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How Smiling Enhances Happiness

Genevieve Gerard

How Smiling Enhances Happiness

A smile is a powerful thing.

Have you ever noticed that when you smile at someone, they almost always smile back at you even if you are complete strangers. Even if they were not smiling before, once you looked into their eyes and smiled, they smiled back.

A smile is a universal way of connecting with one another.

Years ago, I lived in New York City, and the hustle and bustle of city life were at times lonely and alienating. There were times when that bothered me, so I began a little game with myself that was both an experiment in the nature of energy and the power of a smile.

Now, this was just a young woman learning about life, so this was in no way a scientific experiment. Luckily science has since proven some of the things that I discovered in this game.

The Smile Game

When walking down the City sidewalks I noticed that many people did not smile as they hurried by me. The challenge in my little game was to see if I could get them to smile.

As they walked by I would make eye contact, something I noticed people in the City seemed to avoid, and smile.

A smile can be an affirmation of your joy and our unity.
– Genevieve Gerard

Amazingly I noticed that most of them would smile back. At times, I even saw confusion in their eyes as they did so, but they would almost always return my smile. It was a spontaneous response.

I like to think even that brief sense of connection served in a small way to lighten their life and dispel the sense of separation and isolation that can trap people in their loneliness.

Smile Research Studies

Years later I heard about a research study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) that discovered that a smile biochemically released endorphins into the body. In fact, the endorphins released were the same endorphins that are released when people are falling in love.

The study went on to say that the mere act of smiling worked to release those endorphins. It did not matter if the smile had a reason or not. The smile worked as a part of the amazing autonomic nervous system’s stimulus-response mechanism. The smile produced the reason to smile. The smile helped to make the person happy.

Now I understand, based on the research, that my little smile game on the City sidewalks long ago made me feel happier because it released endorphins and dispelled my sense of loneliness and isolation that could sometimes darken my emotions.

Since then, UCLA social scientists have done a great deal more research about this amazing relationship of body language and the autonomic nervous system. They have found that smiling or assuming a posture associated with success, happiness or victory, are the results in the feelings associated with the body language that is being created all around you.

Below, in the related links, I will give you a TED talk I recently heard that spoke of the many ways that you can use this information to have a positive impact on your life. As I often write, “energy follows thought,” but I find it amazing that action also has a dynamic influence on what you experience.

Back when I was a child, there was a song about whistling a happy tune that makes this point. I also think that the immense popularity of the emoticons on smartphones demonstrates this point too.

There is an old folk wisdom saying, “smile and the world smiles with you” that also makes this point.

I invite and encourage you to play with this concept and to create your own experiment. As you walk through your daily life, whenever you see someone, a friend or a stranger, look into their eyes and smile. As you do this, observe. Did they smile back at you? How did that make you feel? Did you notice a change in how you felt just by smiling? Did you observe a little jolt of joy in your heart when they returned your smile?

At the end of this post, there is a place you can comment on your experiment. Also, on my website I have a section called transformation stories where you can share your experience in more detail. I invite you to post there what happened in your life with this test.

You can raise it all up a notch by imagining love flowing from you to them with your smile. A smile is such a simple thing to give and can have such a powerful impact. Or as you make eye contact you can simply greet them with a silent Namaste.

Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.
– Yogananda

Real Life Example

I remember a little incident that happened after 9-11.

I was in a bank and saw a woman with a headscarf in line. I looked at her and smiled at her thinking nothing of it. As I was leaving the bank she rushed up to me and thanked me profusely. She said that since 9-11 she had felt such anger from people, and that everyone averted their eyes from her.

My simple smile reassured her and gave her hope. We ended up sharing a brief moment of healing at a terrible time in history, all because of that simple smile. It didn’t matter that I didn’t know her and never saw her again. At that moment, there was a connection.

I invite you to use your smile as an instrument for good in the world and enter into joyful playfulness that will enhance your happiness.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

The Hidden Power of Smiling: TED Talk on Smilling
The Happiness Habit
Discover How to Choose Happiness
Bliss is Perfect Happiness: Article with video meditation
Bringing Joy into Your Life
Recommended Meditation

Expressing Your Divine Spark

How Smiling Enhances Happiness Read More »

Breaking Through To Forgiveness

Genevieve Gerard

Breaking Through To Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a subject that I write about frequently. This is because in my life, in my experience, whenever I have been able to forgive someone, my life changed and improved in a dramatic and dynamic way.

Not so long ago, when speaking with my much-loved Aunt Merle, we were talking about my writing and teachings, and my efforts to use my life lessons for the benefit of others.

I commented to her that forgiveness was something I knew a great deal about and that I had become very good at it.

My aunt, who knew many of the challenges I had experienced in my life’s journey, got very quiet for a moment. Then she said with love and compassion in her voice, “Perhaps dear that is because you had so much that needed to be forgiven, happen in your life.”

That statement gave me pause. It is certainly true that my life has provided, possibly like yours, so many experiences and situations that were so awful that I rarely speak about them. In my mind, I just consider them my own personal horror stories. I frankly rarely think of them anymore. Still they are a part of my past, a past I have been able to be free of through my ability to forgive. Because forgiveness freed me.

By forgiving, I was able to let what was in the past, not be a factor in my present.

It is in light of this awareness that I write today to encourage you to forgive.

It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But, it is such a powerful place, because it frees you.
– Tyler Perry

Moreover, I encourage you to do it for what it will do for you and how it will impact your life.

It has always fascinated me that the most powerful and significant impact that forgiving had, was for me, rather than upon those I had forgiven. In fact it is not even necessary for those you forgive to know you have forgiven them. My forgiving freed me from carrying the pain. My forgiving permitted me to heal and move forward in my life.

Forgiveness is not always easy…
And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
– Marianne Williamson

When I think back to the moment that I was able to fully and finally forgive, I feel such joy remembering the relief and release that I experienced, it still makes me smile.

Energetically, when I broke through to forgiveness there was a shift that felt like a thousand hurts and burdens shattering, like tempered glass, into refuse on the floor of my life, that could now be cleaned up and swept away.

Up until that moment I knew that I had only attempted to forgive, I even told myself that I had forgiven the myriad of betrayals and cruelties I was made to suffer. I persisted, and with each attempt I paved the way that helped me reach a point where I could finally and totally forgive, and with each attempt to forgive the burden got lighter.

In fact, I had been working on forgiving much of my life. It is as if I knew from an early age, even in the midst of being subjected to terrible acts and situations that I needed to find it in my heart to forgive. In fact, when I shared what was happening in my life and what I was being subjected to in terms of abuse with teachers, preachers and counselors; they advised me to return love and forgiveness. And I certainly tried.

It was only when I realized that an important part of forgiveness was acknowledging the wrongness of what I had been subjected to, that I could release the anger that I was carrying. Otherwise, in the words of my spiritual mentor it was “premature transcendence.” Honoring and admitting the reality of my anger was important.

Actually, it was only when my own spiritual journey took me to doing A Course on Miracles and I entered a phase of daily seed thoughts and affirmations on forgiveness, that I was ultimately able to forgive sufficiently and to be truly free.

Two seed thoughts that had a profound impact upon me, which were offered back to back, and which I spent days contemplating on I offer to you now. They are, “forgiveness is the key to happiness” and, “forgiveness offers everything I want.”

Doing, Not Trying

I had been doing spiritual work in A Course in Miracles when my business travel placed me in a situation where I felt compelled to visit my Mother. In my life, much of what I needed to forgive was centered on my relationship with my Mother. Some for what she did, but much for what she failed to do, for the ways she left me vulnerable and unprotected.

When I found myself face to face with her after many years of my avoiding being subjected to her cruelty, and the memories that being with her made inescapable, I thought I might as well put into practice what I had been learning.

I went into my visit with my mother determined to not fall victim to her abuse. I had decided that I would not give her the power to push my buttons. (Up until that time, her behavior stimulated a response in me that I did not like and was vastly different from my usual self.)

Certainly, it is true for most people that their Mother knows exactly what to say or do to push their buttons. That was very true for me. My Mother’s strongest weapon was her poison tongue. Her vitriolic attacks and demeaning insults were only a part of what I needed to forgive, but they were something that had continued even after her failure to protect me from others was no longer relevant, because as an adult I could now protect myself. These verbal attacks made it hard to be with her.

In addition, although I could never understand how or why she seemed to enjoy being mean and cruel, I knew that I needed to find a way to not be her victim.

When, in the course of our visit she said something that was both demeaning and cruel, something shifted in me. This was not new behavior for her and certainly not new in our troubled relationship. What was new was how I reacted to it. I looked at her and instead of being angry, I returned love. I maintained my center and did not react. In fact, I recall feeling a deep sadness.

Then, the most amazing thing happened. When I did not respond in kind by saying something mean and cruel back to her, she became angrier. She became frustrated as she lobbed insult after insult at me. As I stayed centered in myself and not reactive she became so angry and so frustrated that she ultimately insulted herself back for me. She did this by saying “I know what you are going to say is…” Ironically, what she said had never even crossed my mind.

What I then said, from my center, calmly was “I didn’t say that Mother, you did. Is that how you feel?”

In that moment, I was finally able to break through and forgive her. In that moment, I became free. I knew that for as long as we lived after that point I had the power to be who I was and not give her the power to control my behavior. In that moment, I discovered the amazing power of turning the other cheek.

In forgiving her, I was now free. That moment changed our entire relationship and that change remained until she passed from this life.

That does not mean that she was never mean again. Of course not. She was who she was. She did, over time come to appreciate the forgiveness I had given her, but the significant change was in me. The freedom and the release was mine, and that freedom and release allowed me to be in her company and be true to myself. To be who I had become in life.

There are in other articles I have written on forgiveness meditations and techniques that I have shared to assist you. I encourage you to consider them on your own quest to learn to forgive.

Forgiveness often contains many layers. Each time you forgive a wrong you peel away a layer and weaken the hold that the hurt has on you.

At its core, forgiveness is tied into love. The more you can love, the more you can forgive. The more you can forgive the more your compassion is stimulated as you understand better the factors that led to the circumstances you are striving to forgive. I encourage you and will continue to offer guidance and support on your quest to forgive.

When you forgive, you in no way change the past – but you sure do change the future.
– Bernard Medtzer

Over the next 4 days I will post daily seed thoughts on forgiveness to support you through my Imagine 1 Minute social posts (please follow me on Facebook and Twitter.) Also, keep checking back, I am sure I will write again on the subject of forgiveness.

I invite you to experience the freedom that forgiveness gives. I encourage you to find it in your heart to forgive whatever horrors you may have been subjected to in your life. Your intention provides power.

Honestly own your anger and then let it all go with forgiveness.

Forgiveness Affirmations

To help you forgive here are some affirmations that you can use:

I Forgive You

I forgive myself for letting you harm me.

By forgiving you, I release you from our mutual past.

By forgiving you, I release me from the past.

By forgiving myself, I am now free of the past

I am sorry for all the time I reacted with anger.

I forgive myself for the times and ways I failed to love.

Now is a new moment, forgiveness enables me to open to new possibilities.

Forgiveness frees me to have the life that I desire.

What I receive by forgiving is freedom; freedom to free myself from old hurts, freedom to let go of the past. With forgiveness you are able to break free of old established patterns in relationships.

Most importantly, after you have forgiven, there is an opportunity for healing.

Forgiveness allows you to leave what has happened in the past where it truly belongs, in the past. This frees you from constantly needing to relive it or react to it.

It is even possible to develop a new bond and a way of being with the person you have forgiven that is much more satisfying and gratifying than what had preceded.

Forgiveness changes everything because forgiveness changes you.
– Genevieve Gerard

On the heels of forgiveness comes the chance to build something new and different. You are able to shed the anger that held you captive and limited, and give yourself the ability to move forward in your life. Ultimately, forgiveness permits both compassion and understanding to emerge. Ponder on this!

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on all that you do!

P.S. I see that I have 20 other posts on forgiveness. Some offer tools and techniques that may be of help to you.

You may also be interested in my 5-star guided meditation called “How To Forgive Yourself: Let Go Of The Past and Release Your Pain And Sorrow.” Because when forgiving another, it often brings up the need to forgive yourself for not standing up for yourself or letting another harm you. This seems to be true whether you had any control over their actions or not.

Last updated 2-21-2018

Breaking Through To Forgiveness Read More »

The Keys to Harnessing Your Thoughts

Genevieve Gerard

The Keys to Harnessing Your Thoughts
to Create Your Life

In the writings and the teachings of many, the human potential movement is an amazing and very powerful concept, “Energy Follows Thought.”

It is powerful because as you really understand this principle and how it works, you have the tools to create the life of your dreams.

However, to really utilize this to its full potential there are some things that will help you to understand.

Understanding the subtle way that “Energy Follows Thought” works and then applying it in your life is a key to empowering you to fulfill your life’s purpose.

This potent law about life is one you can use to change your life right now. It enables you to claim your full potential to be and become all that you are meant to be.

It is a key element of success. When you use this dynamic principle that energy follows thought, you activate the Law of Attraction.

What is very important to understand about these (often touted but frequently not fully explained) is that when using a universal law or principle to impact your life, that rule is always active. You can use it to help you or it can be a stumbling block, but it is at work all the time. Once you realize this, it becomes your choice whether to use it to have what you want or not.

Like many truths about life, the fact that energy follows thought is simple. However, harnessing your thoughts to create what you envision in life is not always easy.

This is because thoughts are multilayered, also multifaceted and run through your mind lightning fast. Unfortunately, thoughts flow constantly and are most often unconscious. This unconscious and unharnessed element of your thoughts is what is known as mind chatter.

For eons one of the most significant goals of learning to meditate has been to gain mastery over the chaotic damage created in life by undisciplined mind chatter. It is a challenge that is sometimes explained as learning to master the monkey mind.

The monkey mind is a phrase that teachers have used to describe the content of thought that creates the chaos that is evident in most people’s lives.

This content is filled with fears and worries, jumbled in with occasional hopes and aspirations. Therefore, what you are sending out to the universe to activate the principle that “energy follows thought” is the hodgepodge of your hopes, mixed in with a generous dose of your fears.

Is it any wonder, that your life doesn’t unfold consistent with your dreams and desires when what you are sending out as instructions for creation is garbage. To borrow a phrase from the early days of computer science the function of your mind power is “garbage in, garbage out.”

Learning to quiet and control the negative impact of the chattering mind is a primary purpose of practicing meditation.

An important step in gaining mastery over the creative power of your mind is to become aware of the content of your mind chatter, and then to use that awareness to create what you intend.

A Key Tool

A technique I often recommend is to pay attention to the content of your thoughts from the perspective of a detached observer. As the detached observer you will notice what you are thinking, and therefore you will be sending out to the universe your correct instructions for manifestation..

As you do this, suspend judgement and just observe.

It may be easiest to see how this principle is at work by considering and observing your own emotions. You might like to experiment and try this exercise:

Every time you feel depressed about something, try to identify a corresponding negative thought you had just prior to and during the depression. Because these thoughts have actually created your bad mood, by learning to restructure them, you can change your mood.
– David D. Burns

Your ability to observe, to become aware, to reframe, to replace and change your thoughts, are some of the other keys to changing your life. Change your thoughts, change your life.

When you begin to pay attention, to really listen and consider the content of your thoughts, you will be amazed or you may be horrified. If you consider the ways that your thoughts create your reality through the elements of the Law of Attraction, and the principle that energy follows thought, you will begin to realize the control and mastery you can achieve in your life.

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.
– Willie Nelson

You will begin to understand that you are more in control and more powerful in your life than you have ever dared to dream.

With the understanding of the creative power that is available to you also comes the realization that you are not a victim of your own life. Therefore, you have a responsibility to yourself to create in your life that which will support you in fulfilling your life’s purpose.

Know that the process of mastering your negative mind chatter and learning to replace and reframe your thoughts will require vigilance and discipline.

Negative thoughts stick around because we believe them, not because we want them or choose them.
– Andrew J. Bernstein

This isn’t the first time I have spoken about that energy follows thought and how to use it to ignite the Law of Attraction. It is a subject that I have written about frequently (there are several links to related posts listed below.)

It is a subject that I plan to explore further in a webinar in the near future, where you will have the opportunity to ask questions. Please watch for the announcement of that event.

What you think, is not beyond your control. You can choose to use these tools to be empowered in what you do, to create your life and bring it into more alignment with your goals and your desires.

Taking control of the creative power of your mind is a dynamic first step in learning how to create your life, and bring into your life what you need and what you desire more effectively.

This is your life. It is the stage on which to act out your dreams. It is the opportunity for you to be the director of your life, to act positively and affirmatively instead of being reactive.

Overcoming your fears is an important part of learning to use the creative power of your thoughts in a way that manifests positively. So is using positive affirmations.

Throughout this website, contained in many of my guided meditation products and affirmations are tools that can help you in your quest. You are more powerful and capable than you have ever imagined. You have unlimited potential to manifest the life of your dreams.

This quest to harness your thoughts to create your life will enlighten your awareness as you travel along your journey and you will find much that you can use to transform your life to be more joyful.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

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Last updated 4-4-2019

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It Is Always Only NOW

Genevieve Gerard

It Is Always Only NOW

You can do something in this very moment of time that can have a powerful impact in your life.

It is so very simple that it may hardly seem worth saying, yet it will have a far-reaching impact on your life experience. That is to be in the NOW.

That certainly sounds simple. In my many years of coaching and counseling people, I have learned that just because something is simple, does not make it easy.

You may think, “Well, when else could it be, than right NOW?” Of course you would be right. The quicksilver nature of the mind is such that it all too often plays with time through what I call “the Plans, prayers and promises game” (or how I make myself miserable.)

The “plans, prayers and promises game,” has a lot to do with what many people tend to do that keeps happiness outside of their experience.

Many fall into a thought pattern that involves looking at what is happening in the present moment and then judging it as unimportant or not good enough. Once you have done that, it is a slippery slope of self-criticism that contains the thoughts “I should have or could have.”

Right behind those thoughts come “I ought”. Then rather than being in the moment, a process of thoughts and projections into the future will begin, for most people these thoughts are composed of past fears that caused pain and thoughts of that pain happening again in the future.

At times, the perpetual reliving and fearing the past traps you in the past in your consciousness and deprives you of realizing and appreciating what is happening right now.

Interestingly, these thoughts become so buried in your negative “mind chatter” that you are most likely unaware of them although they leave in their wake a general sense of discontent and longing.

This mind chatter is usually a way of being in the past, or in the future. These are not the thoughts of being in the NOW.

In the dynamic power of the present moment, you can simultaneously and spontaneously shed the burdens of the past and your fears of the future.
– Genevieve Gerard

If you take a pause to consider what is actually happening right NOW, at this exact moment in time and free yourself from any thoughts or consideration of the past or the future, you will be amazed at the sense of calm that washes over you. When you consider and understand how much of your mental attention and awareness may be occupied by thoughts of the past or desires for the future, it is astounding.

If you then take this understanding to its next and logical conclusion, you will realize that you can influence your life in powerful and dynamic ways that will immediately affect your personal happiness and save you from a lot of misery.

Now it may be a new idea to you that your misery is a result of your thoughts. If you have never been aware of that before, please take a moment to consider this concept. It is a very different idea. It can change everything in a way that empowers you to live the life of your dreams and become all that you are meant to be. It is a portal to success and joy.

The past is past. It has already happened, and nothing you can do right now can change it. That realization may come with sadness or a great relief. Whichever emotion you experience with that realization common sense cannot escape the acknowledging of the truth of that fact. What you can do is embrace the incredible relief and freedom that it grants you.

You don’t have to strive to re-write it or change it since that simply cannot be done. You are then left with the decisions of the present moment, what you can do right here, right now.

If you are contained in the events of your mental rewinding of the past, if there is something you are still angry about or some wrong that has been done to you, you can free yourself by forgiving that person for that wrong. You can say that they don’t deserve forgiveness, and that may be true, but you deserve the freedom from the past that forgiveness will give you.

Forgiveness frees you from carrying a painful burden. Forgiveness frees you from the past and opens you to the amazing possibility of receiving and appreciating what is happening in the present.

For many, past events are riddled with mistakes or failures you have made. You can free yourself from the burden of the past by forgiving yourself.

Forgiveness is an act that can do more to transform your life than any other tool in the quest for enlightenment, awareness and joy. Check out my “How to Forgive Yourself” Genevieve Gerard MP3 and let go of the past and release your pain and sorrow now.

Since you cannot ever change the past, no matter what you do, consider the alternative, forgiveness. It certainly cannot do any harm and in my experience brings with it lots of relief and release. It can be a powerful element in your personal happiness.

The other logical conclusion to entering into the moment and appreciating right here, right Now, is that the future is not NOW, it remains something in the future that will only happen when it happens. You can only deal with it, resolve it, or respond to it when it becomes the present.

No amount of planning or promising yourself how it should be or will be, brings the future into the present.

Your thoughts are magnets to the creative process of manifestation, so it is important to rid your thoughts of as much fear and worry, as you are able.
– Genevieve Gerard

Far more beneficial than the self-critical mind chatter of the “plans, prayers and promises game” is the realization that the future, while as yet uncreated and unformed, can be influenced by your positive thoughts and intentions because of a universal principle that energy follows thought.

Therefore, you can free your mind from the ceaseless spinning of “could have, should have, or I ought to” and open your mind to being an active and proactive force in the creation of your future.

How To Be In The Moment

To be really effective in being in the moment and creating the future that you desire, there are some important things you must do.

First

The first thing you must do is acknowledge that the past is over and unchangeable and has absolutely no more power over you. Then forgive yourself and any others from your past that you may be shouldering on.

Just coming into the present time in your awareness is a strong first step. Bringing your consciousness to present time spontaneously frees you from a lot of the negative consequence of the unconscious mind chatter by interrupting that pattern.

From the very moment, in the very moment that you shed your minds projections into the past or fears for the future, everything changes. That is why there is such a sense of relief and release by coming into the present, what Eckhart Tolle calls the Power of NOW.

Always say ‘yes’ to the present moment… Surrender to what is. Say ‘yes’ to life – and see how life starts suddenly to start working for you, rather than against you.
– Eckhart Tolle

Second

The second is to let yourself enjoy and appreciate the release that comes with bringing your awareness to this exact moment of time. At the moment, nothing is ever too much to bear because it only is for a moment.

Third

The Third is to understand that the future is still free and unfettered in a state of potential that is becoming and emerging. That leaves you with a great opportunity to create the life you want to live, starting in this moment.

This active, proactive, energetic approach to the, as yet, uncreated and unrevealed future can help free you from the fears that are embedded in your undirected and undisciplined “mind chatter.”

Plant the seed of desire in your mind and it forms a nucleus with power to attract to itself everything needed for its fulfillment.
– Robert Collier

Fourth

Next you can continue to gain mastery over what you are creating with your mind, by observing what thoughts you are sending out from your mind.

This means being aware of the content of what you are thinking and then take conscious control of the content of your thoughts.

Utilize the universal principle that “energy follows thought” and activate the Law of Attraction. Use the power of your thoughts to create what you desire while living the Noble Eightfold Path of Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Superior Right Knowledge and Superior Right Liberation.

By focusing upon what you desire and consciously choosing to not confuse and litter your mind with fears and worry and the negative input of unaware and unfocused mind chatter, you can take the reins of your creative power into your hands.

Change your thoughts and you change your world.
– Norman Vicent Peale

Your life is a gift, placed within your hands to be a co-creator with the Divine. What you choose, moment-to-moment, of the vast array of ways to improve and empower your life is life’s ongoing blessing to you.

Enjoy it in the magic of being, right here, and right NOW. This is your life, your amazing adventure. It is only available moment-by-moment. This is it, live, love and celebrate and remember, it is always only NOW.

Namaste,

Genevieve

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

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Last updated 2-20-2019

It Is Always Only NOW Read More »

Discover How To Choose Happiness

Genevieve Gerard

Discover How To Choose Happiness

It is true, but often not realized or understood, that you and none other hold the power over your own happiness.

It is a power that you can hold and develop, or a power you can give away.

When you embrace the power to choose happiness in your life, you are making a conscious step to fulfilling the creative potential of your life.

Wikipedia defines happiness as, “a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.”

Also according to St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, “man’s last end is happiness.”

Many years ago when I was first learning how to meditate, I received instruction at a Zendo. In Zen Buddhism, the zen-dō is a spiritual dōjō where zazen (sitting meditation) is practiced.

Zen instruction tends to come from little stories or statements, which the student explores, ponders or considers.

In the very best results, this leads to a moment of awareness that shifts your entire understanding. A moment of enlightenment where sometimes these seemingly offhand comments by the Zen master resonate so deeply and profoundly that they bring a significant shift in understanding or perspective that is life-changing or transforming.

One such statement in my early experience was on the subject of happiness.

The Zen master and I were sitting quietly over a cup of tea after the actual meditation time was over. We were talking about beliefs and culture and the far-reaching implications of those things. The subject of happiness came up, particularly the concept so deeply embedded in the American consciousness, that of the pursuit of happiness, a concept the Zen master unequivocally declared as absurd.

In one of those enlightening moments, one has when their consciousness and perspective changes, I saw and understood happiness in an entirely different way. I realized that by pursuing happiness I could never be happy. I realized that happiness was not something I got, but rather something I brought to life.
Happiness was something I could choose to be.

At that same time, I realized that I could choose to feel victimized by others, blame them for either what they had done or not done. That would functionally put my happiness outside of my control.

This paradigm shift in my awareness had a deep and very life empowering influence on my life. It changed my expectations and needs for others in a way that was very freeing and empowering for me. The power for my own life and my own happiness come under my control. I didn’t have to wait for others or life circumstances to bring situations and circumstances to my life for me to be happy. I could choose happiness.

As with any moment of enlightening (and I have learned over a lifetime of expanding and exploring consciousness) moments of enlightenment shift my awareness and the cascading effect of this realization was profound. It put me in touch with the power of choice in my life experiences. Of course in that morning over tea, long ago there was a great deal I did not yet know or understand that would influence my ability to take this insight and incorporate it into my daily life.

As with all flashes of enlightened consciousness, you need to learn to integrate and demonstrate what you now understand.

Much of what I have since discovered, and come to understand, has been built upon the foundation of recognizing that I have a choice. I am not a victim of my life and circumstances; I am the actor and director.

I am, by the power of my thoughts empowered to join my conscious creative power with the Divine as a co-creator of my life.

Effective Tools To Be Happy

Choosing to be happy can have an amazing impact on your life. Once you make that choice there are some tools and techniques, many of which I have suggested time and time again. These tools and techniques can be used and adjusted to different situations and circumstances to energize and support your choice.

Affirmations

Among these effective tools are using affirmations. The power of saying an affirmation sets up energetic ripples in ways that help bring what you are affirming and what you think as you affirm it, into manifestation.

Using the powerful assertion of an “I Am” statement in your affirmation activates the dynamic principle that energy follows thought.

Right now, you can experience that control if you say with conviction and intention one of the following affirmations I wrote.

I am happy, peaceful and calm, right now.

I choose to be happy in this moment of time.

In this event, I am learning to be happier and more fulfilled in my life.

You might notice that whatever you had been thinking or feeling before you affirmed this has started to fade away and that assertion and affirmation have been elevated in your mind and your consciousness. This is not a trick of the mind to affect your feelings, but rather a dynamic tool to give you the ability to transform and influence your life, right now.

Experience my Soaring to Success Affirmations for Abundance CD or MP3’s to allow yourself to envision your life beyond limitation and allow them to train the imaging faculty of your mind to create perfect pictures of the life you will create with these >> affirmations.

Mindful Breath Meditation

You can expand and enhance the use of affirmations by adding a simple Mindful Breath Meditation (that I created) while you breath.

I am breathing in peace and calm, right now.

I am aware that I am choosing to be peaceful and calm right now.

Observe how affirming the state of being you are wanting shifts your experience, how it influences your consciousness.

Reframe & Reinterpret Your Experiences

In addition to the capacity to affirm the state of being that you desire, you also have within the vast capacity of your mind the ability to reframe and reinterpret your life experiences.

My mother-in-law used to say. “It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react to it.”

So much of what interferes with your personal happiness lies within the content of your negative mind chatter, which is mostly based upon fear.

Remember, in life, there are many things that you have no control over. These life experiences can be viewed as negative things just happening to you or opportunities for life lessons learned. It all depends on the meaning you attach to them.

Therefore, ponder on these life experiences and take the space to re-frame and re-interpret them in a positive light.

Live In The Moment

When you examine the content of your negative mind chatter, particularly when you bring your awareness to the perspective of the detached observer, you may well realize that much of what is limiting your happiness is created by your expectations and your fear of what might happen in the future, instead of being in the NOW.

These are underlying factors that can influence your choice to be happy in any given situation and circumstance in your life. Inherent in every event in your life is a choice. The choice to be the primary force in your life or to surrender your personal power to the people and happenings you bring into your life is of great importance.

In every moment, you consciously or unconsciously decide.

Needless to say, I encourage you to use the power of your mind and the mastery of your emotions to choose happiness.

Master Your Emotions

It is important to note that mastery of your emotions does not mean the suppression of your emotions. Emotion, any and every emotion experienced has a natural ebb and flow to it.

When allowed to wash through you without fear, and kept in the present time emotions should not disrupt your happiness. It is when you overlay the emotion with fears, with the thought that what you are feeling has always been that way (which is not true), or (it will always be that way), which also cannot be true, does an emotion take hold and create misery.
This is important to understand. This is something that is entirely within your control and is inherent in your choice of being happy. The tools that you can incorporate into your life, including affirmations, observing and reframing your thoughts, and releasing fears and expectations, all impact whether or not you are happy. And, they are all tools that are available to you today.

I encourage you to choose to be happy. You can use an affirmation of your own creation or from the vast array of positive affirmations that are available in the world.

You can pay attention to the input of your negative mind chatter by observing and noting the thoughts that interfere with your happiness. If they are fears, you can release them by entering into the present time, which is much more real than the fear and incredibly freeing.

You can take a moment to re-frame what you are observing in light of greater understanding and awareness as you focus on what is going on. This process is amazingly freeing and empowering, especially when applied to your own personal happiness.

So today, I invite you to discover to choose happiness and experience how to BE HAPPY. It is your birthright and your empowerment as the co-creator of your life.

Namaste,

Genevieve,

The Blessing of Love on All That You Do!

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Last updated 7-8-2020

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Browse her life story and read the Touch of the Soul that changed her world. To contact Genevieve, visit her keep in touch page.

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