This might sound cheesy, but I live by the mantra “wear gratitude like a cloak”.

You know, it helps me focus on the good in life. So much around us is designed to disrupt our balance that it’s sometimes amazing we are still living.

Pretend you live in a large family. Your parents keep telling you to put your shoes over to the side when you take them off. Sometimes you remember, and sometimes you forget. Sometimes your brothers and sisters remember. Sometimes they forget. One day you walk into the house, trip over shoes that have been left in the middle of the floor, and you fall and break your ankle. Now you are home in a cast with crutches during summer vacation while all your friends are having a good time going out and going to the beach.

Pretend a well-meaning neighbor stops by and says ‘well, God must have sent this to you for a reason. We all have lessons to learn. Praise God, His will be done. The neighbor leaves and you are mad at God, sorry for yourself, angry at whoever left the shoes, and just plain miserable.

Then let’s pretend God stops by for a visit. He says, ‘My child. I did not send you this problem. I gave this world the gift of free will, and life’s circumstances created this problem. I prompted your parents to try to teach you responsibility but you are human. Sometimes you remember, and sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you trip over your own shoes, and sometimes over your brother’s.’

‘What I can see,’ says God, ‘is that you have anger, resentment, and sadness within you or they would not have come to the surface during this incident. I can help you relieve yourself of those things right now if you are willing to put your life in my hands for a little while.’

Wear gratitude like a cloak!

So what have you got to lose? You try to put your life in God’s hands. You try forgiveness instead of anger and resentment. You try gratitude for your parents and the doctors that are taking care of you. You learn acceptance that this is an imperfect world. You do pretty well, and God prompts someone to give you the gift of a set of paints. You are bored so you try your hand at painting. You discover you are good at it and you really like it. Eventually, your foot heals and in the fall you go back to school.

This is a massive shift in consciousness, and for the better. Opening to spirit enables us to feel better, especially after meditating. When feeling lost after spiritual awakening, we can recover and get back up.

When you are well again, you run into the neighbor from before. You are more relaxed, more forgiving, more accepting, and more accountable and you have a new skill that brings you much joy. The neighbor says, ‘See – I told you that God let you trip because He wanted to teach you a lesson.’ Life’s lessons and God’s will. You decide what that means.

Keep this stoic mantra with you.

Guidelines for Successful and Meaningful Meditations

If you are hoping to get the seven strategies for wealth and happiness, sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t have it, and I doubt anyone would have it. However, this is as close as we get to real, positive change.

You are probably aware of the general recommendations for meditation. It helps to be in a relaxed physical state, in a safe and serene location, focused on breathing, and in a place where you limit outside distractions. People generally use a favorite breathing technique or mantra to help them focus during their meditation time. Today I wanted to share some additional guidelines that I always use in my meditations.

It goes more or less like this…

First I call in the golden white light of God. When someone is in a place of meditation they are opening themselves energetically to pulling in refined vibrations from above, below and around them. Since our normal everyday environment is filled with fear and stress and much more, this intention makes sure that only the purest, highest, and best reach you in the most benevolent form it can.

My awareness of them brings us into vibrational resonance. I thank Creator God for everything, and I thank my own Spirit for empowering me with intuition and insights far beyond mere human capabilities.

Second, I state my intention for my meditation. It can be involved or very simple. I may be seeking enlightenment about something, or I may simply be choosing to experience inner peace. Having a purpose offers direction to your meditation time. Keep channeling energy to that.

Then you have the opportunity to practice meaningful listening. If your attention wanders, just gently remind your mind that you are on a break from thinking and it doesn’t have to work right now. You can stay in your meditation for as long as you like. Whether you choose a minute or an hour, it’s up to you. Just remember that overthinking kills your happiness, so it’s good to stop every once in a while.

Meditating can be really simple and short if you choose it to be. Take a breath to merely pause to relax and gently focus above and below and then within. This insures that you are connected, grounded, and centered. In the next in-breath you can breathe in your divine protection and in the next out-breath you can send forth your gratitude. From there you can do what you please. Some very simple declarations are: I am at peace. I am open to guidance. I welcome healing.

This is vibrational energy healing, and one of the principles of Reiki. Doing so also helps you awaken the energy body. Eventually, your tension will leave, power up your auric field and also do some serious karma clearing.

The benefits of meditation cannot be overstated, (and practice mindfulness daily).

If meditation is not currently a part of your daily life, I hope you will consider the substantial benefits of doing it. If you enjoy receiving tremendous rewards, free of charge, and in exchange for some simple, heartfelt, joyous work, then meditation is for you.

Sending you healing energy!