an Angel in the Vatican

(Photographed in the Vatican ... not retouched) (close-up on right)

Boldness Has Genius In It

WORD FOR THE DAY Wednesday, Apr. 29

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
Goethe

Keep it Simple SWEETHEART

Dear Violette, I do appreciate your correction on Choosing to be a love finder rather than a fault finder. I decided to use that as my mantra for awhile starting just after I read your correction. And it has really helped with my neighbors, my prayer/meditation group and now it will be taken to bed with me tonight keeping me Praying without ceasing.When I first read it from your blog last week, I was going to use it, however I got those other "love peace" emails and my thoughts became complex. It is so helpful, to K.I.S.S. - "keep it simple sweetheart."And this quote from ACIM has been helpful lately: It is sure that those who hold grievances will suffer guilt, as it certain that those who forgive will find peace. W,119 no mistake, Ron

Yesterday I added and changed a few things on my profile page. "Condemn and you are made a prisoner. Forgive and you are freed" #2 in Lesson 198. What follows is "Such is the law that rules perception." However I left it without that because I felt it was very powerful and succinct standing alone. For my not too agile memory as you say K.I.S.S. helps me keep it together.Sweet Jesus I am so grateful for the course and AH. I would have taken my own life back in the "80s without it. When after living a life of victimhood, I read "You are not a victim of the world you see," everything changed for me and it was the trail of breadcrumbs that lead me out of the forest.I am also grateful to Jerry for picking salient points from the course that one could live by. Another simple formula that works if you learn to apply it when you begin drowning in the creation of your own chaos and illusions....Ron as much as possible, especially during these times, I work on sitting in the audience being an observer of the drama. WE will come out the other side victorius, bless us all. Violette

Be a Love Finder Rather Than a Fault Finder

Forgive the correction of a simple error Ron. The principle, "We can be love finders rather than fault finders." is the correct phrase from the 12 Principles of Attitudinal Healing.

Thank you, as it can be a whole way of life.It is so easy to be in the ego, righteous and arrogantly criticizing and judging those who see, do or think differently from ourselves. I am profoundly grateful for when I become aware of doing this and change my attitude. It is what contributes to peace of mind.Please overlook when I get a little goofy here - we all need to laugh and not take ourselves too seriously. Sometimes it's just my way of expressing my love for all you magnificent beings.

Correction Taken with gratitude, Dear Violette, I agree and thank you for doing it.When I use "we can be love finders rather than fault finders" , I do have a complete change of attitude, especially starting right here in my neighborhood.I do appreciate you bringing the principles back to me. They are much more profound to me than 20 years ago, when I was working at the Center for Attitudinal Healing. You are Love Finder, Ron

Yesterday I added and changed a few things on my profile page. "Condemn and you are made a prisoner. Forgive and you are freed" #2 in Lesson 198. What follows is "Such is the law that rules perception." However I left it without that because I felt it was very powerful and succinct standing alone. For my not too agile memory as you say K.I.S.S. helps me keep it together.Sweet Jesus I am so grateful for the course and AH. I would have taken my own life back in the "80s without it. When after living a life of victimhood, I read "You are not a victim of the world you see," everything changed for me and it was the trail of breadcrumbs that lead me out of the forest.I am also grateful to Jerry for picking salient points from the course that one could live by. Another simple formula that works if you learn to apply it when you begin drowning in the creation of your own chaos and illusions....Ron as much as possible, especially during these times, I work on sitting in the audience being an observer of the drama. WE will come out the other side victorius, bless us all. Violette

The attention we pay to the nature of our thinking, therefore is the most powerful attention we can pay. Our spiritual victory lies in rising above our mental forces of fear and limitation, using our wands to purify our thought forms, thus attaining the power to heal and be healed. We will think anew and and see anew. Such is humanity's next step, our spiritual challenge, our power and our destiny. Marianne Williamson from Everyday Grace.

We can choose to be love finders rather than fault finders. Jerry Jampolsky

The Key is Inside of Our Own Hearts

Comment by Silja Saareoks
The life can give us ups and downs, but inside of us there is a place we can count on. It can be entered at any time we want just by feeling our own love and by showing and spreading it we can stay in this place and must never let go of it. We can do all we can to stay connected with it or to do anything just to stay out, but the place is always waiting for us. The key is inside of our own heart.Thank you all for this continuous showing the how beautiful is this place of yours. Thank you so much.

Thank you Silja,Eye love you and our family with all of myself. Eye have you all already as aspects of my own Spirit,mind, soul and body forever. Our entire universe is ourselves feeding us through one another and inviting us to celebrate ourselves consciously and fearlessly by accepting ourselves completely and one another unconditionally. It is so entirely freeing just to love and allow life to love us back.Lots of love and Joy.Desmond

The Best Gratitude Teacher In Your Life? Very Different Answers!

Brother David Stiendle-Rast:
http://www.gratefulness.org/brotherdavid/index.htm
This wonderful teacher would be a great speaker and workshop leader (meditation teacher) locally. I was blessed to be a participant of one of his lectures at Green Gulch Zen Buddhist Center in California.Presently I am re-reading his book gratefulness - the heart of prayer for about the tenth time.Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness by David Steindl-Rast and Henri J. M. Nouwen (Paperback - Aug 1984)
"In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy"Brother David Steindle-Rast from his gift shop on gratefulness.org "

Reply by drmike 1 day ago
Ron,This is an easy one: by far my Aunt Helen. She already had 5 kids and an troublesome marriage at the time that my mother died--her fraternal twin sister. The choice for her was rather easy, when her sister died she took in the four nephew and neices so that the family would remain unified, and kids (including me) would not get shipped out to orphanages. That's the old South. God first and family. WE do this togther, and material things are not the priority. I have been blessed to have more than one mother on this earth. I have never been abandoned.

For this I remain eternally grateful, knowing that I am deeply loved. I make it an effort to love back without reservation, as was done for me.

Thanks much for allowing me to pay that tribute.Mike


Dear Dr. Mike,
What a difference in culture. My experience has been diametrically opposite to yours. I was brought up in the privileged white South. An incredibly different "Old South"! My mother recently virtually left me out of her will, and being liberal did not help. Now, my Aunt Jo, who controls most of the ancestral lands appears to be entrenched against me. They lived together the last few years of my Mom's life and Fox News was their bible and Bush and all the Republican Fatcats with their lacky newscasters were their prophets. They and most white Southerners I know are scared to death of "liberals and Obama." I have even written a poem "Loss of Privilege". I may share that on the poetry group? Anyway I am very grateful to be getting to know you and lets keep writing about the differences in our upbringing - it's worthwhile education!
By the way, none of my relatives called me (most are 6 hours away) during the recent nearby catastrophic fire, and I did get a 30 day notice to leave this beautiful old beachhouse that Dad had artfully designed, and that I have been slowly renovating for over three years.Everybody around here thought I would inherit it, as I am the last remaining son. I have successfully fought off the "notice", but I don't know how long I can do that! Anyway, from my relatives, "I don't feel that deep love" that you are so grateful for...It has made me turn more to my Creator, and that is what I am grateful for.
Much gratitude to you, Ron

Reply by drmike
Hey Ron,Don't worry it's not all bliss.
I have a Republican brother I'm estranged from for some 20 years. I'm keeping him out of my will as well.

However, he is always in my heart should he every want to make any effort at reconciliation.

Sorry about the weather and the elements down there, God is still the best judge and guide. He could and would if sought! Best, Mike


Permalink Reply by Heli Aarniranta on May 1, 2009 at 11:38am
Life it self.Most of the time the people I encounter in my life.Truth I am grateful to truth.I am grateful to my son and his love.Swami NithyanandaDDattatreya Siva BabaAnd now I am grateful for YOU my new friend to be connected.so there is always so much to be grateful for everyday we find new ways to be grateful and experience it fully!

Permalink Reply by Mike Mallory on May 5, 2009 at 10:34am
I am grateful for "Want What You Have: Discovering Magic and Grandeur of Everyday Existence" by Timothy Miller, Harper Collins Publishers, Incorporated / October 1993In the book Miller suggests that we be guided by three principles:AttentionCompassion, andGratitude.Miller's approach reminds me of cognitive therapy, which I find limited, but he did have a life clarifying impact on me. Since listening to an audio edition of his book over 10 years ago, I have tried to hold his three principles up as a guiding structure in my life.Mike Mallory

Honey my Soul Dog

At 11:51am on April 24, 2009, Brian Narelle said…
Yesterday I met a woman in the part nearby (with her old dog) and I wound up telling her all about Honey, including how she assisted you in group. (She sat in the middle of the group of life-threatened young adults at the Center for Attitudinal Healing, and at about half-way through, she would sit not at the feet but on the feet of the youth who was in most emotional pain) I also told her about the funeral ceremony where those two big sled dogs took turns standing up in the middle of us and licking us all as we stood on Honey's grave. (I buried her on top of a sacred Ring Mountain overlooking the San Francisco Bay, where we had full moon drumming/chanting/dancing for years). Special dog. Special memories.

Thanks so much about that memory - I forgot about that grave ceremony:Blessings are abounding:

From Unity Christ Church:We join together in prayer and send our blessings for all of the families affected by the wildfires and all of the people involved - firefighters, food service, shelters. We vision peace and well being for all, including the animals, birds, trees and land. Peace, Peace, Peace.If you know of someone from our Unity congregation who has been affected by the fires and needs shelter or support, please contact Rev. Margaret

Thank you, Rev. Margaret, you are such a loving one! Ron

architectsofanewdawn.com has also been a great blessing to me.

I was just sent this: " I love myself the way I am there is nothing I need change. and I love you the way you are .this keeps running through my light filled day.... the more I love the more I am love , . Blessings Ginny

Previously, I had been reminded of the "Be a love finder not a love finder" from the Center for Attitudinal Healing by Violetta, and I have added both of these to my "praying without ceasing/mindfulness/meditation." a cosmos of Bliss, Ron