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As I begin this piece on mindfulness, I am remembering that yesterday morning my personal word upon which to be mindful was ‘inspired’. Last night when I looked back at the word and reflected upon its meaning for me within my day, there weren’t any circumstances or events to which ‘inspired’ stood out or were in-my-face meaningful.
Today it makes total sense. Combined with today’s personal word ‘learning’ and a short conversation with a friend, the process of sharing the following thoughts as a Blog is a definite time of inspired learning for me. You see, my friend was again asking if I were planning on writing about my process of mindfulness, and, once again, I threw a mental shadow over the idea. Then I remembered ‘learning’ and listened to what she had to say. Two words, timing, and I was suddenly involved in an ‘inspired-learning’ experience.
I began my personal journey of one-word-mindfulness in 1999 when I started each day with a request to my higher power (for me this is God) to guide the choice of a perfect daily word from Life, Soul Being Soul. It is a book with a choice of about 200 individualized word pages. My next step was, and continues to be, to make sure the book is closed. I then close my eyes and ‘just know’ to open the book when ‘it feels right’. After repeating the word 21 times, I begin getting a sense of how it might be applicable. Sometimes the obvious meaning gets me involved immediately. There are days similar to yesterday where I remain consciously mindful and expectant for a discovery, an ‘aha!. I remain in awe of how each word has been personally enriching and empowering over the years.
I would think that there are readers who are asking, “Can’t all positive, inspired words be appropriate for all readers?” Yes! We can each find meaning in all words. This is why we read daily messages, calendar pages, scriptures, etc. However, I believe we would agree that some of these passages strike a particular chord within our soul more so than others do. Those that do resonate create a smile, an ‘aha’, a nod, even a call to action.
These are the daily reactions I have with what I call my daily “PS from God”. No matter my other practices, no matter how ‘enlightened’ I might feel, there is one more word, one more way to explore and accept that as a human being, I have an even greater capacity and desire to be more connected to the inner desires of my soul. It is my responsibility to discover the interpretation and find the times during my day in which to apply just one word/concept. I’m empowered. This is my best job!
“Pssst! Please, more attention to this concept.”
“Pssst! There is more understanding to be had with this concept.”
“Pssst! Enjoy this one. You deserve it. Take a bow!”
I am in contact with other users of this book. Like me, they remain impressed by its uniqueness, simplicity, and empowered effectiveness. There are aspects to this book that take some of the fear out of possibly being out of one’s comfort zone. The author is not instructing the reader. The reader is in total control of the definition of the word as it applies to them. They are also in control about when and how often to apply the word/concept. And because there is only one word, and although change is inherent over time, it is a gentle and rather sneaky means of transformation.
I had the opportunity three months ago to learn about how mindfulness is used within the body-mind-spirit approach among a group of homeless veterans. The leader of this group’s book club asked for copies of Life, Soul Being Soul.
The books are now being used as a reading and discussion selection. When using the book, vets are empowered to accept gentle, daily shifts within their lives. When focused on words that are positive and motivating in nature, the relatively short times of daily mindfulness translate to less time spent worrying.
(*Studies have proven that a practice of mindfulness will lessen the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and resulting physical problems associated with PTSD.)
Mirroring these results, Teen Life, Soul Being Soul is also finding its way into the lives of a group of people known for their angst as they confront their inclusion within the next stage of life. Having a word chosen just for them replaces and refocuses times of worry while enhancing feelings of importance, empowerment, and specialness.
As a species, we are hungry to understand as much about ourselves as possible, to be happier, to be living with peace from within, to have an even more secure relationship with our higher power, and to be a soul being our soul - the ultimate desire in life. This book is a very reliable and effective tool with which to experience these end results. Because of the simplicity of the process and the unerring guidance from higher power, we might believe we are getting a quick, easy fix. In reality, deep changes will manifest which will last a lifetime. The resulting happiness and peace are feelings akin to the heart and to be cherished. As a species, we are privileged to share these feelings with the world via the reality of quantum physics.**
* ‘Association of Participation in a Mindfulness Program With Measures of PTSD, Depression and Quality of Life in a Veteran Sample’
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Vol. 68(1), 101--116 (2012) & 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jclp). DOI: 10.1002/jclp.2085
**http://iempowerself.com/54_quantum_physics.html
Carrie Louise lives in Chicagoland. She is the author and publisher of Life, Soul Being Soul, the Spanish translation Vida, Alma Siendo Alma, Life, Soul Being Soul without Drama, and Teen Life, Soul Being Soul.
To learn more, contact her, or find where to buy a copy as a gift for you or another, you are invited to explore www.soulbeingsoul.com Thank you!
Today it makes total sense. Combined with today’s personal word ‘learning’ and a short conversation with a friend, the process of sharing the following thoughts as a Blog is a definite time of inspired learning for me. You see, my friend was again asking if I were planning on writing about my process of mindfulness, and, once again, I threw a mental shadow over the idea. Then I remembered ‘learning’ and listened to what she had to say. Two words, timing, and I was suddenly involved in an ‘inspired-learning’ experience.
I began my personal journey of one-word-mindfulness in 1999 when I started each day with a request to my higher power (for me this is God) to guide the choice of a perfect daily word from Life, Soul Being Soul. It is a book with a choice of about 200 individualized word pages. My next step was, and continues to be, to make sure the book is closed. I then close my eyes and ‘just know’ to open the book when ‘it feels right’. After repeating the word 21 times, I begin getting a sense of how it might be applicable. Sometimes the obvious meaning gets me involved immediately. There are days similar to yesterday where I remain consciously mindful and expectant for a discovery, an ‘aha!. I remain in awe of how each word has been personally enriching and empowering over the years.
I would think that there are readers who are asking, “Can’t all positive, inspired words be appropriate for all readers?” Yes! We can each find meaning in all words. This is why we read daily messages, calendar pages, scriptures, etc. However, I believe we would agree that some of these passages strike a particular chord within our soul more so than others do. Those that do resonate create a smile, an ‘aha’, a nod, even a call to action.
These are the daily reactions I have with what I call my daily “PS from God”. No matter my other practices, no matter how ‘enlightened’ I might feel, there is one more word, one more way to explore and accept that as a human being, I have an even greater capacity and desire to be more connected to the inner desires of my soul. It is my responsibility to discover the interpretation and find the times during my day in which to apply just one word/concept. I’m empowered. This is my best job!
“Pssst! Please, more attention to this concept.”
“Pssst! There is more understanding to be had with this concept.”
“Pssst! Enjoy this one. You deserve it. Take a bow!”
I am in contact with other users of this book. Like me, they remain impressed by its uniqueness, simplicity, and empowered effectiveness. There are aspects to this book that take some of the fear out of possibly being out of one’s comfort zone. The author is not instructing the reader. The reader is in total control of the definition of the word as it applies to them. They are also in control about when and how often to apply the word/concept. And because there is only one word, and although change is inherent over time, it is a gentle and rather sneaky means of transformation.
I had the opportunity three months ago to learn about how mindfulness is used within the body-mind-spirit approach among a group of homeless veterans. The leader of this group’s book club asked for copies of Life, Soul Being Soul.
The books are now being used as a reading and discussion selection. When using the book, vets are empowered to accept gentle, daily shifts within their lives. When focused on words that are positive and motivating in nature, the relatively short times of daily mindfulness translate to less time spent worrying.
(*Studies have proven that a practice of mindfulness will lessen the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and resulting physical problems associated with PTSD.)
Mirroring these results, Teen Life, Soul Being Soul is also finding its way into the lives of a group of people known for their angst as they confront their inclusion within the next stage of life. Having a word chosen just for them replaces and refocuses times of worry while enhancing feelings of importance, empowerment, and specialness.
As a species, we are hungry to understand as much about ourselves as possible, to be happier, to be living with peace from within, to have an even more secure relationship with our higher power, and to be a soul being our soul - the ultimate desire in life. This book is a very reliable and effective tool with which to experience these end results. Because of the simplicity of the process and the unerring guidance from higher power, we might believe we are getting a quick, easy fix. In reality, deep changes will manifest which will last a lifetime. The resulting happiness and peace are feelings akin to the heart and to be cherished. As a species, we are privileged to share these feelings with the world via the reality of quantum physics.**
* ‘Association of Participation in a Mindfulness Program With Measures of PTSD, Depression and Quality of Life in a Veteran Sample’
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Vol. 68(1), 101--116 (2012) & 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jclp). DOI: 10.1002/jclp.2085
**http://iempowerself.com/54_quantum_physics.html
Carrie Louise lives in Chicagoland. She is the author and publisher of Life, Soul Being Soul, the Spanish translation Vida, Alma Siendo Alma, Life, Soul Being Soul without Drama, and Teen Life, Soul Being Soul.
To learn more, contact her, or find where to buy a copy as a gift for you or another, you are invited to explore www.soulbeingsoul.com Thank you!
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