1. a) Metaphysical

I have already mentioned Tina Spalding’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ChannelingJesusAnanda under my “daily routine” but there are a couple of other channelers who have excellent content, as well: Suzanne Giesemann – check out this video, for example,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXoEhOFyJWg, and Tara Arnold https://www.youtube.com/@TaraArnold whom I found out about from a friend in Germany. Inspire Nation https://www.youtube.com/@inspirenation has had some pretty amazing podcasts, and I also enjoyed this offering from Next Level Soul https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDOxsCCDqhs.  While we’re deep into the metaphysical realm, Michael Singer has many profound insights in this fascinating podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0F6nsj_Jhg&pp=ygUObWljaGFlbCBzaW5nZXI%3D. 

I am subscribed to quite a few channels, so I could mention many more, but I will leave off from the spiritual realm for a while, and mention a couple of favourites from the more grounded, physical realm.

1. b) Physical health

I really love Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home videos https://www.youtube.com/@LeslieSansonesWalkatHome which I do regularly with one of my daughters.  There is quite a nice variety of them, and they are fun, easy to follow and effective with clear instruction.  Of course, when talking about anything to do with health and fitness, I must mention the “godfather of fitness”, Jack LaLanne, whose videos I only discovered in my 40s, despite the fact that his TV show was on for over thirty years.  My whole family enjoyed following along to his exercise videos on YouTube, which were taken down, except for a few, but appear to be available via subscription through https://jacklalanne.com/.  Another lovely walk-at-home series can be found on Jessica Smith TV: https://www.youtube.com/@Jessicasmithtv, where her dog Peanut (rip) is often seen.  Finally, since I love dance, I have especially enjoyed the offerings by Keaira LaShae on the BeFit channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LionsgateBeFit.

Food for Thought

Many of us spend a lot of time thinking about what we put into our bodies (or even our cars) – is it healthy or not, how much of it should I consume, and so on.  But how much attention do we put on the thoughts we allow in? How nourishing are they?  When we watch the news so we can “be informed” just how positive are the thoughts and feelings we are left with?  (Interestingly, I have come across plenty of “news” that is more positive and uplifting that does not get reported in the mainstream.)  Likewise, when we get involved in gossip, or judging a co-worker how much are we paying attention to our thoughts and feelings or are we getting mindlessly caught up in a negative spiral of drama?  And speaking of the news, I have heard people who never watch it report that they always end up hearing about whatever they really need to know.  So isn’t what we consume a choice?  I believe that consuming content that keeps us feeling bad is a problem that prevents us from being able to step into our best self.  Not choosing what thoughts you focus on and allowing yourself to indulge in whatever content is fed to you, may be quite natural to the untrained mind.  However, it is not likely to result in the kind of good feelings that help you sail through your day in a peaceful, joyful state.  Neville Goddard likens not being selective of your thoughts to going to a restaurant and saying to the waiter, “I’ll take whatever you’ve got” and the waiter replying, “We have a lot of stew we need to use up” and you replying, “Okay, I’ll take the stew,” even though you may not even like it or feel like having it. Neville states that he would prefer to see the menu.  Perhaps we, too, should be more selective with the thoughts we allow in.

The battlefield of our minds

Before beginning my study of ACIM, I was not aware of just how much time I spent in attack and defense.  Once I became aware, I started to notice this happening all around me with alarming frequency.  After a time, I even started telling people in my family “you have nothing to defend,” which raised more awareness around just how imbedded this habit had become.  Think you don’t attack?  It is almost impossible in our judgment-laden society.  Any judgmental thought or criticism is a form of attack and the person it is addressed to will usually feel the need to explain (defend) themselves.  And is there someone whom you often criticize in your mind?  Perhaps it’s your mother-in-law or your boss.  Of course, you know best what they should have said or done!  I love one of the sayings from Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers) which says, not to judge another until you have stood in their place.  And of course this is impossible, as this would require having lived their life, developed their beliefs, had their experiences, and so on.  So how can we develop more loving thoughts towards those who irritate us most?  First of all, I believe awareness is essential – if you are not aware of this tendency, you cannot take action to stop it.  Call out all of your judgemental thoughts and ask instead how could you see this from a more loving place?  Drop into your heart and listen closely.  Was the triggering statement the other person made from fear or unrest?  Then it may be more effective to respond to that emotion.  Sometimes saying nothing or repeating a loving affirmation (such as the four phrases of ho’oponopono) would be better than becoming engaged in a cycle of attack and defense.  I have heard it said that we act as mirrors for one another, so if you are brave enough, you could ask how they might be reflecting a trait within you.  As for myself, I strive to reach the level of non-judgement I encountered while reading Living in the Heart by Drunvalo Melchizedek.  He describes what one lady chose to do, and simply states, it’s not what he would have done, but it’s what she did.  Do I get it right all the time?  Not at all.  But I now have tools that can help me to live a more peaceful, joyful and loving life, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s a life worth reaching for.

Forgiveness

Many people think of “forgiveness” as something one magnanimously chooses to offer (or not) to another whom they perceive as having done them wrong.  But I’ve heard it said that not forgiving someone is like drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die.  To not forgive is to keep yourself in a prison of bitter resentment, vengeance, pity, and other un-peaceful emotions.  Does this mean we should be a doormat and allow others to walk all over us or mistreat and abuse us in any way they want?  Of course not.  What is important is to bring peace to our own system.  Supposing you experienced some trauma where someone mistreated you.  There is no excuse for that; however, as I have learned in my OEFT course; it can be helpful not to excuse but to understand the behaviour, realizing the person who acts out in unloving ways is most likely suffering from some inner unrest or feelings of being unloved themselves.  Is this an excuse to mistreat another?  Absolutely not.  But every time you relive that experience, you are choosing to go through it again and bring it over and over again into the present moment.  Some people may argue they don’t want to let another person get away with what they did.  But in your mind, you are the one that is suffering and are choosing to suffer once again.  We are not at the mercy of our thoughts.  As Abraham Hicks puts it, t is always possible to choose a slightly better-feeling thought.  Can you find it in your heart to forgive?

Mind Chatter

Our monkey minds seem to be on the go non-stop, jumping from one thought to the next – often very unhelpful, such as when we relive the past over and over again, regretting a statement we made or didn’t make or what someone said to us or didn’t say.  Or we are worrying about something off in the future – perhaps reminding ourselves constantly not to forget to pick up milk on the way home.  We may be imagining a scenario of an upcoming meeting with our boss, and what we might say or what he or she might say.  And what about worry?  How often do we spend worrying about things that never come to pass?  What a waste of time.  None of these are the least bit helpful.  We cannot change what was said in the past, and the conversations that ensue in an upcoming meeting are often not how we envision them.  We also end up missing out on some potentially wonderful moments – such as not noticing what delicious food you might be eating because you are distracted by either yours or someone else’s thoughts, or not noticing some surrounding beauty in nature because your attention is elsewhere.  So how to calm the non-stop chatter?  First, become aware of it.  In fact, becoming aware of your self-talk is critical, as it creates the person you are.  Are your stories supporting you or do you need to write a new one? Then replace the unhelpful, often mindless chatter with something helpful, such as the daily statement from A Course in Miracles or ho’oponopono, or any other positive affirmation you prefer.  These statements provide your mind with the nourishing thoughts it will thrive on, replace unhelpful ones, and rest assured that any other thoughts that may need to get through will find their way.  Try it and see.

Some interesting articles

Here are a few articles I have particularly enjoyed. 

1) The first is Neville Goddard’s Pruning Shears of Revision, read by him here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUvcC4QJ__g&pp=ygUqbmV2aWxsZSBnb2RkYXJkIHBydW5pbmcgc2hlYXJzIG9mIHJldmlzaW9u

2) The second is a short but powerful lecture, again by Neville Goddard, which he calls his Fundamentals – https://nevilledaily.com/lectures/fundamentals-by-neville-goddard/

3) Finally, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave has always resonated with me, ever since I encountered it in university, and I include a TED Ed of it here https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=5191616f911a4a53JmltdHM9MTcyNjA5OTIwMCZpZ3VpZD0zMjdlZDE2NC1jZTIyLTY5MzItMzZlNC1kYzU1Y2ZiOTY4ZGImaW5zaWQ9NTU2NA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=327ed164-ce22-6932-36e4-dc55cfb968db&u=a1L3ZpZGVvcy9yaXZlcnZpZXcvcmVsYXRlZHZpZGVvP3E9cGxhdG8lMjdzK2FsbGVnb3J5K29mK3RoZStjYXZlJm1pZD1COTUzQTA4NjNEOENEMjJGMEU3MkI5NTNBMDg2M0Q4Q0QyMkYwRTcyJkZPUk09VklSRQ&ntb=1