daily practice Archives

Reflections in the Mirror - You and Yourself

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July 13, 2010

Are you doing the same old thing expecting a different outcome?

The first time I heard that the definition of insanity was repeating the same behavior, over and over again, expecting different results; I knew my name had been called. I simply had never known I could make an entirely new choice in how I interpreted what others were doing or saying. Nor did I understand that I could choose a decidedly different response to the data presented to me. My learning curve was steep, I must say. How lucky I feel that my journey was to include the 12 step path. It's nice to be able to acknowledge that I have grown with the help[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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June 20, 2010

The joy of unexpected outcomes. . .

My family has been here visiting all week. There was a time in my life that I'd have been overwhelmed by anxiety over what could go wrong; how discussions could go awry; how to control the always uncontrollable when it comes to other people, the weather, the news cycles that could lead to tension and on and on. When I face this honestly, in the far distant past (from childhood on) I was always on pins and needles trying to control what could never be controlled. I still want "to go there" some times, but I have learned that that door is closed! Tight. And I[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community

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June 14, 2010

Availability to the needs of others blesses us too. . .

Some of my dearest friends are facing tough situations right now. Being present to listen, or to hold them in prayer, or simply to serve as a witness while they make the journey that is quite specifically theirs to make is why God has "arranged" our meeting in the first place. I can still recall how I used to think an idea such as this one was simply too far-fetched to even consider as a possibility. And now it guides my thinking every day. Being open and willing the allow new ideas to inform us is part of the necessary journey we are on, I think. Nearly[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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June 11, 2010

Rightmindedness is a decision. . .

Perhaps you are wondering what I mean by rightmindedness? I think of it as the alignment of our mind with the will of God. Something that I started doing some years ago was asking myself if what I was thinking was what God would want me to think and if it wasn't, seeking God's help in changing the thought. This simple exercise has been quite helpful and it has improved my relations with others. It really doesn't take more than a second or two to ask the question, and the answer comes ever so quietly but instantaneously. My job is to listen. Making the dec[...]

Karen's Musings

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June 8, 2010

Gratitude is a mind changer. . . Acceptance is the pathway.

I am feeling so very grateful presently because a very dear friend got a good report from her doctor this morning. We all love her so much and have been walking through this illness with her, as much as we can, but you can never quite prepare yourself for the news, particularly if it isn't good. We are all breathing a big sigh of relief, as is she and her family, of course. But the real lesson here is being able to accept what ever the news might have been. That's not so easy. Practicing acceptance, followed by creating a gratitude list on the spot, are tw[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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May 31, 2010

Service to the country and one another. . .

I have thought a lot about the sacrifices that so many men and women make in service to this country. And men and women have been making these sacrifices for this country since the revolutionary war. If we were to tabulate the number of those who have died, it would be in the millions. And if we added to that number those who had been gravely maimed, coupled with the emotional toll on their family members, the number would be in the tens of millions. Giving a moment of silent prayer and thanks to all of those men and women and their families seems like suc[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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May 4, 2010

Who are you listening to ?

I am aware many times every day that I am listening to the louder voice in my mind. That it speaks first, and quite forcefully, is only part of its appeal. It’s familiarity and the way in which it convinces me that I AM RIGHT, in far too many encounters with others, seduces me again and again. It mesmerizes me, in fact. But I am making progress! My ego isn’t the whole of me. I am certain of this. But it claims my full attention when it can. Fortunately, I have learned to take an occasional deep breath, to pause before speaking, and to seek[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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May 1, 2010

Fear can stop us from all growth. . .

The first three decades of my life, fear dogged me constantly because I was always trying to be what I imagined some one else wanted me to be. Or the converse; rebelling against the expectations of others. The love I sought felt conditional so my behavior was always a reaction to some one. Letting others define us, or determine our thoughts or behavior in any situation, never results in a life free of fear. Unfortunately, this had become my well practiced habit from childhood on, but in 1971, while teaching a writing class at the University of Minnesota, I[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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April 21, 2010

There are two voices calling to us all the time. . .

I became "a student" of A Course in Miracles more than twenty-five years ago. Along with the twelve steps, which I laid claim to in 1975, my life is quite peacefully guided every moment of the day if I adhere to the principles each offers as the blueprint for contentment. Alas, if only I'd adhere to the principles. They are quite simple, really. Live and let live. One day at a time. Let go and let God. Seek forgiveness for the times we have injured others. Pray and meditate as if our lives depended on it. Claim our powerlessness over others and b[...]

Your Experience, Strength and Hope

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April 9, 2010

Being more hopeful is a daily decision, if hope is lacking in your life . . .

Simple things we can do now to change our perceptions and become more hopeful. 1. Ask God for help. 2. Let go! 3. Surrender to God what ever is demanding your attention. 4. Do one thing to inspire joy in some one else’s life every day! And make a note of this in a small note book. 5. Choose kindness in every encounter and feel it change your heart. 6, When feeling hopeless, recall a fond memory and allow it to change your perception. 7. Make a gratitude list to help you recall the good that has already happened. Make this a daily exercise. 8. Praying[...]