Orlando Tragedy

Orlando Tragedy.

Shock.

Here I am in Orlando. The news flash shook the area and continued throughout the day -- and will continue in changed emotions and reactions on this, the second day, after the mass shooting and murder in Pulse night club.

The extent of damage and death caused by this one individual is shocking.

There is an immediate and crucial need. Please join me in turning my thoughts to those 50-some people who were injured and in hospitals in the area. It is a sobering action.  It rivets us away from the shock of the evil to a completely higher conscious awareness -- because those who need to heal need to have such mental and spiritual qualities as love, compassion, forgiveness, and a sense of the caring, ministering angels of mercy. Condemnation and judgment, anger, frustration, or fear, are not elements that carry healing.

What can we do?

To add to the mental atmosphere of the healing force that will aid in the recovery of those injured, we must lift our conscious thought into the realm of Spirit, Love. Otherwise, we are not adding any energy to the much-needed healing essence that delivers from violence and makes whole.

Jesus taught us to go into the closet of prayer and silently pray, and listen, to our Father, divine Mind, Love. Here we turn away from persons and judgment; we look up to the Allness of God as a healing Light that disperses shadows of pain, condemnation, terror, injuries, threat, panic, shock, sadness, or grief.

Not only do we turn to this Light, as a flower turns to the sun, to realize its presence resting on the injured and their helpers, we also observe this powerful healing agent encircling the ones who have moved on through "the valley of the shadow of death," and their families and loved ones. This comforting energy of Love only needs to be spiritually observed to be seen and felt more concretely by those who need its aid. It does not need to be directed; it needs only be seen and acknowledged through our spiritual sense.

This is what we can do. This will bring much needed relief and healing.

Let us go on a "watch" that we guard against standing appalled at the tragedy and actions of this one man that harmed so many, and instead turn our thoughts to the peace and calm, the gentleness, of the divine Presence and angels that bring comfort and healing to all who have been affected by the shooting in Orlando. Let our thoughts bear witness to Love's ever-presence, thereby settling down the shock and bringing in the healing Christ presence.

A New View for Comfort and Freedom

A relationship involving loss can be torturous (whether you lose the person or lose their love), but this misery can be abated by how you choose to think, which governs how you feel. Thinking is first, feeling follows along -- like the steering wheel is first and the car turns in accord with it (not vice versa). Usually people think that if such-and-such a thing changes (or if only it could change, or come back to a previous state) that then they would be happy and relieved. This is like waiting for the car to make the turn without touching the steering wheel. If the car is heading straight toward a cliff we should put our hands on the steering wheel and turn it! Here is the good thing -- we can change how we think without hindrance from any one or any situation -- and we change our thought best by turning awareness to God and then bringing the fact of being His likeness to bear on the condition or situation. This true healing of thought and emotion is not mere positive thinking or human mind affirmations, it is the reflection of the One Consciousness or Intelligence of the universe, the Creator, God, Good, Love. It is by the law of reflection as His likeness that our thought comes into alignment with His, and God, Mind, is always in perfect peace and absolute control.

Often our reasoning out from the way things appear, the thinking that seems so incontestable, so concrete and unquestionable, is the very culprit that binds us with chains of misery worse than actual steel. In a Grief coaching session, the intuitive and highly spiritualized thought of the Christian coach can read the case, discern the problems in reasoning and conclusions, and offer the key to unlock the shackles that bind one to stress, grief, fear, and agonizing. Behind this sharp discernment that pierces the black cloud over the sufferer's consciousness and feeling, is the basic spiritual fact that God is Good and infinite, filling all space, ever-present, and that man is His "image and likeness" (Genesis 1:26).

What God is determines what you are as His "image and likeness." You are His reflection, If God is not in a state or worry, His reflection cannot be either. To be successful in changing thought (turning the steering wheel, or in biblical terms, repenting) you must first give your consent to receive the angels of His presence, the messages of the Christ speaking to your soul --  consent to be comforted.

Once you consent to be comforted, you can declare or affirm spiritual truths as the angels whisper them to your consciousness. Often it helps open the door to hear these inwardly when you open your Bible for a message. Pray and then open the Scriptures and begin to read -- stop and contemplate. In a healing, coaching session with a highly inspired present day disciple of Christ Jesus -- the exact spiritual truth you need will be discerned and communicated to you. This still is God helping  you directly. Go to your Bible and ask for the truth you need, and read, contemplate, be quiet in spiritual listening. Jesus said, "Ask and ye shall receive."

If you are in a constant state of worry or grief that is wearing you down, consent to be comforted, pray for the spiritual truth you need, open the Scriptures, listen for angel messages, and then hold to the spiritual illumination that comes to you. Hold tight. A change of thought must be held to as illustrated by Jacob at Peniel who wrestled all night and finally had an epiphany -- a change of thinking so intense that he even changed his name (Jacob to Israel). He gives us the perfect example of stick-to-itiveness when he says to the angel, "I will not let thee go until thou bless me." Don't let go of the affirmation of truth that comes to you until you are free and lifted up. Once you feel this, all the other uncontrollable bad things that have brought the fetters of agony will adjust, and/or your feeling will adjust (Genesis, chapter 32).

Declare: I am in perfect peace and ease. I can sleep all night. I am confident in good. I have complete trust in God who is Love.

How can you say these things? Because God, the one Mind, is in perfect peace and is infinite Good -- and you are His reflection (image and likeness). Jesus said that we would "know the truth" and it would "make [us] free." I cannot be disturbed -- is implied by the declaration, I am in perfect peace. Hold tight to that angel until your experience changes in accord with it -- and let that happen in God's own way -- no outlining. God's plan is infinitely better than anything we could ever imagine. Complaint and worry turn to gratitude when we turn the steering wheel of our thought in accord with the angels' comforting directions.

Turning Grief to Meaningfulness

Grief, defined as the pain of mind produced by loss, misfortune, injury or evils of any kind; sorrow; regret, comes almost involuntarily -- but we do not need to be burdened and held down by it forever.  Grief paralyzes and time goes by. The question is, what do you want to do with the time that is going by? What could you do with a right focus and energy? 

When we suffer loss, we naturally grieve, but there is a day that we need to redirect -- use the force of the grief in a turn toward forward moving accomplishment. This direction comes from unselfish motives. Thinking about helping others brings high energy -- enough to succeed. There is an incredible power that Spirit imparts when our heart is set on helping others in some way. 

This may be the day when you think on how to best use your time, and how to use it to help others. Being ready to move on does not mean you are completely over some tragic event, but it does indicate that good is actively supreme and asserting itself. Jumping over the hurdle of paralyzing grief into active good to help others will bless many. Not doing this will deprive them. 

Think about giving your consent to make this change. Think of what you could do to help others and take an action step in that direction. You will feel a peace coming to you even as you think about this.  

Ps. 107:13. "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses."

So How Do You Heal?

I woke up in the early morning hours and thought, "So how do you heal?" A response occurred in consciousness, "You have to be good and pure." I responded, "I can't be that good." Then, a true angel message came that countered, "You just have to love." 

With love you can heal others and be healed. 

But how do you love? What kind of love is this? 

These questions led me to remembering Henry Drummond's small book entitled, The Greatest Thing in the World, based on Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Although written and published back in the 1800's, it remains current, relevant, instructional, and life-changing. Drummond was an evangelist from Scotland. His concise analyzation of love, based on the Scripture in I Corinthians 15 remains a rich gift to the world.

The Scripture reads:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I gave my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (Letter of Paul to the Corinthians).

Paul points out that three things "abide" -- are permanent --faith, hope, and love, but the "greatest" is love. Drummond, therefore, notes that the greatest thing in all the world, is love. Love is what heals. It heals grief -- emotional pain -- by turning it to unsolved spiritual energy and purpose, to gentleness, to comfort. Love has the power to heal anything of any nature, no matter what.

ACTION STEP: Get Henry Drummond's book and check back here each day for extra help on implementing its ideas. Drummond challenges his readers to read this Scripture each day for a month, promising incredible transformation. Further, this blog will take a small portion of the Scripture each day to completion to aid in assimilating and applying the ideas that comprise this greatest thing that is within you -- this most powerful healing thing called Love.

BEGIN. Begin now with the first verse and watch that you speak with love, with a loving tone, patiently. Anything you say that has not a sense of love makes your words "as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal" -- without power or influence -- empty. Put the tone of love in your voice.

Drummond, Henry (2011-01-01). The Greatest Thing in the World, Experience the Enduring Power of Love . Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

10 out of 10 frustration day?

What if you are having a day where your stress, grief, anger, fear, or frustration level feel nearly at a 10 out of 10? Move slowly. Do not make decisions, especially big ones. 

If you are reading this, you are most likely calmed to a lower number on that scale of 1 to 10, otherwise it would be almost impossible to even consider reading this or taking in any positive help by any means. That's the good news for the moment. 

Any mental or emotional state close to frozen fear, pit of mourning, or blind rage is toxic for the one stuck (temporarily) in this state, and even if held in, it is devastating for anyone around that individual. If it comes upon you, for whatever reason, prepare ahead as for an oncoming hurricane. For those live, or have lived, in hurricane territory, you know you must bring any that could become a flying projectile into the house or it becomes an instrument of destruction. Just so, in a temporarily severe emotional seizure, bring all loose, or unresolved, issues, questions, grievances, annoyances, and so forth -- into a place where they can't fly or strike anyone for the moment. Accusations and sarcastic remarks are missile projections launched from that which is normally balanced and nice, when the mental state approximates violent weather. If possible, put distance between yourself and others for a space of time. Spit everything out where there is no listening ear, or write it in a secret place where no one will have an opportunity to read it. Get it out. 

When the hurricane of emotion passes, and it will, two things may occur. You will be left feeling prostrate before God and in the perfect state of humility and meekness to ask for help and receive it. That intense grief, anger, fear, or frustration, is and was never truly part of you, it is/was like you were caught in a violent storm that is now past. Remember that the Scripture says, "God is of purer eyes than to behold evil" (Hab. 1:13). God sees all and always sees everything "very good" (Gen. 1:31). You would not feel guilty over a hurricane that passed over you, and you should not hold yourself in identification with intense sadness, depression, hate, or anger, either. The Scripture explains, "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still" (Ps. 107:29). God calms and comforts consciousness, and there is no way to escape His Love or be separated from it even for a moment,  no matter how bad we might feel.

If you have experienced a tidal wave of emotion exceedingly overwhelming, and you are reading this, you are in both recovery time and preparatory time. Do not waste more precious moments by feeling guilty or in self-condemnation. The storm is past. The only thing that is really a part of you, that which is your forever true nature, is the goodness and love that you reflect of God as His "image" and likeness (Gen. 1:26). The negative emotions and thoughts wash off like mud that was never a real part of you. Let it go. Prepare ahead to weather any such onslaughts and they will cease or at least be less severe. I recommend a Journal. 

Begin, or continue in, or pick back up -- a journal. You might want a locked one! In Grief Coaching, I recommend a gratitude-kindness journal. In the case of preparing for possible hurricane emotions, your journal should include the occasional page where you spill and spit out what you hate, what is so upsetting. Later, go back and look over the issues that need to be addressed and pray for help from the Father. The ones that appear unresolvable and upsetting, these you will especially lay at the feet of divine Love. "I'm putting these things here because I have no control over them, and I really need Your help." Then leave them there at the feet of the Christ. The I AM that is all Love will move upon these things with His Law of harmony and there will be adjustment. You are not stuck. Nothing bad has power to resist the omnipotence of God, Good. Put your worries, fears, and frustrations down before the infinite One who loves you and cares for you, then listen for guidance, for He will send His angel-messages right to your thought. Watch things change and give thanks for every bit of evidence toward right adjustment. 

These angel-messages and changes for good are things you would write in your journal in the gratitude section. If you missed the blog about how to do the Gratitude-Kindness Journal, it is basically to take a few minutes each night, or morning, and write several things you are grateful for from that day (or previous day if you cannot do this until he morning), and several ways that you expressed or observed kindness. This is normally a before-you-go-to-sleep routine. The morning routine I recommend takes just 5 minutes as well. Plan some way to spiritualize your thought for the first 5 minutes that you are awake. Here are some ideas: open your Bible after a quick prayer for guidance and read; mentally (or audibly) sing a hymn and pray with the ideas in it (you might have a hymnal or something online or printed out ahead of time); listen to calming, spiritual music; take notes or annotate an ongoing Bible study; and always conclude by asking God what He would have you do for Him today. 

Help for Healthy Grieving

It is natural to wake up and look forward to your day, rather than be in dread. There is such a thing as healthy grieving, but grief that debilitates and extends over a long period time needs to be addressed deeply. A Grief Coach is trained and experienced to aid individuals specifically. This blog offers ideas, insights, and questions that will definitely help, but seek one-on-one sessions for best progress and results.

Consider turning grieving into something meaningful that honors or that would please a loved one who has passed on. Think of the good you could accomplish with focus, motivation, and energy. Are you ready to ease the pain and embark on some positive changes? Doing so does not mean you love less -- it may, in fact, indicate an increase of love.

The questions are, what would your loved one have you do? What would be pleasing? Most importantly, above all else, what would God have you do? What would be most pleasing to Him? May I recommend that you simply ask in prayer with an honest and open heart? It's good to do this right before going to sleep at night. Often you will awaken with some kind of answer or intuition, or it will suddenly occur to you during the day.

Grieving does not only belong to those who have had loved ones pass on, it accompanies many other events in life. We grieve loss of independence, loss of a job, loss of a home, loss of "face" or reputation, predicaments our children have gotten into, and more. But the DNA of our Spirit is resilient and kicks in at some point to rescue and relieve, to lift us up and cause us to move forward.

Grief is not felt in isolation either. Everyone involved feels it to some extent. It is best to deliberately work through the process, and ongoing support is a must. Know that I am here for you, even if only in blog. However, our Father, infinite Love is truly present with you, around you, and through you, every moment for all of eternity. The Scriptures say, "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8).

When Comfort Foods are Good to Indulge

Comfort foods. A good idea at times? Or steadfastly to be refused and resisted? Let us reason together, for at times of stress, countless people find moments of at least partial relief by eating certain things.

What is the number one comfort food? Did you guess chocolate? Chocolate is (surprisingly) not the number one comfort food in the U.S., it comes in second to macaroni and cheese!

Today, October 28, is both national "I love you Day," and national "Chocolate Day." Seems a good excuse to get some yummy chocolate comfort food, or to take some to another as a surprise! The two go together well, along with flowers (an embellishment for today).

It all points to a loved one and maybe some good memories that after a loss are painful because missed. Food can be a two-edge sword, one side a trigger of memories, the other a bandaid of stress relief. Certain foods, called comfort foods, are believed to create particular "feel-good" chemicals that give about a 20 minute lift -- but sometimes a 20 minute lift is exactly what is needed. Sometimes, especially in either early grieving days or on special dates or holidays, just getting the next 15 to 20 minutes under control in a planned activity, is the perfect thing to do. Sometimes, partaking in comfort food will bridge you over an abyss of threatening depression. Then it is a good thing to partake. There must be a balance, however, and not overindulgence.

We must get our real comfort food from Spirit -- be fed by Love divine. God is Father and Mother, and we are His beloved children. He holds us close and angel messages help us awaken to where we are in the arms of the Infinite tender Love. It is like waking to find yourself safe in bed rather than in a dream where you may be running through a field to escape a mad bull! Waking up from a bad dream, we are in a higher conscious state, a clearer sense of the real. Waking from the mesmeric false sense of separation or loneliness, we find ourselves held by the ever-present, the Love that fills all space, that knows and cares for you every moment. Pray for more spiritual awakening because this is the true comfort.

WHAT TO DO. Everything really depends upon how we frame it in our thinking. What Scripture is most comforting to you? Write it down. How can you reframe the one memory that may be triggering sadness, stress, anxiety, or overwhelming grief? Write that down. Now go on a strict 24-hour "watch" of your thought regarding this one thing, and keep that verse active in thought as well as visible on that paper.

Example: My late husband, being Italian, was well-known in our family for his magnificent spaghetti sauce (he called "gravy"). I cried over spaghetti for a long time after he was gone. One day, I decided to "reframe" this trigger, this negative impact of missing him that plunged through me when it came to making or eating "gravy." As I put the ingredients together, starting with the good imported olive oil, the garlic and onions, I said out loud, "I'm making this for you." It was to HONOR him. It was to take a wonderful gift that he had given me and lifting my concept of it up to honor him -- and make him smile -- that's how it feels to me. I made his "gravy" and thank him, and we smile. So it is reframed. It is a comfort food to me now rather than a trigger food. It makes me smile instead of cry.

Everything is how you think of it, so choose one thing that feels difficult and sad right now, reframe your sense of it, stick to that, and be comforted.

If chocolate speaks love to you -- indulge in a balanced way today -- celebrate national "I love you" day, especially in the comforting act of bestowing a chocolate gift to someone with at least a smile that silently speaks of love -- God's Love.

Expand Your Comfort Zone

How big is your comfort zone? You might think of this "zone" as a circle around yourself. Within the perimeter are all the things that you are most comfortable with, things you are most used to, or things of which you have most expertise. When something comes to your experience that is outside of your comfort zone, it can cause some degree of stress, from slight discomfort to downright dread, fear, or trepidation. In grief coaching, this uncomfortable thing is usually due to a loss, either of a loved one, someone that was depended upon in some way, or loss of a home, business, or relationship damage. Any change at all will cause stress -- but the huge changes -- like when my husband of many years passed away and I found myself alone -- hit like a tidal wave that smashes in all around that comfort zone perimeter. Jesus said that the "winds and waves" would come and "beat on [the] house" -- things will happen that are difficult and force change. In Hebrew literature, "house" means "consciousness," so these are things that occur which beat in on our consciousness. The "house" that "does not fall" is the one "built on the rock." This rock is Christ, and Christ Jesus illustrates our true dominion in every situation, shows our capabilities through oneness with the Father, Love, to stand strong like a rock through adversity. You do not stand by yourself through human endeavor, but you stand supported and impervious through oneness with God -- like a ray of light to the sun. It is through grace that you are carried through the emotional storm. Be still and hold to this truth -- God is All, and it is He that comforts (strengthens) you and holds you secure on the rock. Whatever comes to you, no matter how difficult or insurmountable it appears, operates to expand your comfort zone if you turn to divine Love and focus on the Light that is God, knowing He sustains and carries you through. Even Jesus said, "I can of mine own self do nothing," but he adds that "whatsoever I see the Father do, the son doeth likewise." You are the child of God, and as His image and likeness,  you reflect and repeat the good that God is, in every action, in every word and deed (when you turn your attention to Him). You are like a ray of light that gives attention to the sun, its source, nature, substance, and real being. In this allness of Spirit where we "live, move, and have our being," all is present, there is no separation -- and this is the eternal reality. WHAT TO DO: The first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes of your day (minimum) find a way to devote thought, heart, soul, and mind, to the Creator, our Father who loves you. Spiritualize your thought. In one week you will have turned from the tempter's despressive suggestions to a solid hour and 10 minutes of pure awareness of God's presence, power and love. Expand and include challenges, your comfort zone will expand, you will be higher and stronger, more comforted and able to better comfort others as well.

Looks like Nana

Beware of "triggers"

Moving between stages of grief we experience diverse feelings which are impacted by "triggers" in forms of certain places (or types of places), activites, persons, foods, drinks, painting, photos, books, things owned by or associated a lost loved one ... even voice tone, resemblance, or an innocent remark by a stranger.

I remember coming out of an opera some years after my 'nana' passed, and getting into an elevator for the garage. My nana was extremely distictive and extremely loved by me and my big sister. We grew up with her (and our Pop-pop) for the first years of our lives.

There are so many fond memories. Nana was only about 5 feet tall (that's a stretch), while she was about 4 feet wide (slight over-exaggeration) -- but you get the idea. Her wonderful voice tone was rather high and a tad shaky, but in an endearing way. She was always, always, always watching out for me and my sister, and loving us. She made sure there was that huge basket of toys and games in the closet, air in the old bicycle tires when we got big enough to ride, and that all "scraps" would be saved for my sister and me to throw in the air over the white fence to the scavenging sea gulls.

How could I have imaged she would have a clone! There she was (the "trigger") a duplicate of my nana in the elevator of the opera-house. I was flooded with emotion and tears came. What would this lady think if I suddenly hugged her! I resisted, of course ... now it is years later and it still makes me tear. This is normal. It's okay to miss a loved one a lot. Even knowing, as I am certain, that we will see them again some day, it's still hard to bear any barring separation. So, yes, we can be with the individual in our heart and soul -- and yes, this is real and tangible and good -- but it takes some training of thought and emotion coupled with spiritual understanding to achieve the strength and balance of this demonstration.

The Scriptures say that we are to "comfort" one another with the same "comfort" that helps us.

	2Co 1:4	Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=comforted+of+God&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1

What is most comforting to me came with a near-death experience decades ago when my nana's sister, Aunt Lil, who had passed away early, met and stopped me as I was moving away from a very traumatic event into pure Spirit. She told me (words aloud in my consciousness) that I had more to do. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in recovery where they told me they had "lost" me for several minutes. So let me reassure you, all feels normal, our loved ones are there, and most of all -- the light and pure radiance of divine Love is present tangibly, ever watching over your experience.