Beauty, Gratitude, and the Open Heart
"?beauty on your earth is a shadow of the beauty of our heaven, and it's a bitter thing to have a blindness for beauty on earth, for it makes a longer teaching to see the beauties of heaven." Spoken by an Irish spirit in the book The Boy who Saw True (anonymous author).
I have been counseling individuals, couples, families and business partners for the last 35 years, and am the author of eight published books. Since my work is spiritually based, I have developed many ways of helping people open their hearts to love. Opening to beauty is one of those ways.
I have always appreciated beauty. Since I've been a small child, I've collect beautiful things - shells, rocks, wood, as well as works of art, and there are always lots of plants around. There is nowhere in my environment where there is not something beautiful to look at, both inside and outside in nature. When I walk through my home and the land around it, my heart fills with awe and love as I appreciate the beauty around me. I've done this so automatically throughout my life that it never occurred to me that many people do not open to beauty nor create beauty around them.
In working with some of my clients struggling to keep their heart open, I've mentioned focusing on an object of beauty, and have been surprised to find that many of them have no beauty around them - no plants, flowers, works of art or objects of nature. When they look around they see walls, appliances, computers and other buildings. Their left brain functions just fine in this environment, but what about the right - the creative, intuitive, spiritually-connected aspect?
I want to encourage everyone who reads this to consider feeding your soul with beauty. There is nothing like awe and gratitude for something beautiful to open the heart to gratitude in general. If you can love the intricate design in the bark of a tree, or the vibrancy of a flower, or the balance of a beautifully thrown piece of pottery - that might lead you into loving and appreciating the beauty of you and your own soul. It might open you to feeling gratitude for your life and the sacred privilege of experiencing your journey on this planet.
How much of your thinking time is spent being upset or unhappy about something? What if all that time was spent in gratitude for what you have and for the beauty around you? What if you were present enough in this moment to revel in the fact that you can turn on a faucet and have hot water come out? That you have food to eat and a bed to sleep on? If you are reading this, it is likely that you have a computer, which means you have more than most of the people on this planet.
Try this little experiment: find something of beauty - it can be as simple as a leaf, a flower, a photograph, a small work of art or the top of a tree out your window. Now let yourself completely open to the thing of beauty. Let yourself feel the beauty in your body - in your heart, your solar plexus, in your stomach, arms and legs, in your forehead. Let the beauty enliven your body and fill it with vitality. Breathe in the beauty and feel your body's reaction to it. Open to gratitude, thanking God for this experience of beauty.
Notice the peace and joy it gives you to be in this moment with this simple object of beauty. What would life be like if you spent more moments like this, in the present with beauty and with all you have? How much of your waking time is spent in this way?
Beauty and gratitude are soul foods. When you choose to open to them, you extend an invitation to love, peace and joy. This raises your frequency and opens the door to your spiritual Guidance. Your Guidance is always here for you, helping you on your soul's journey. Opening to beauty and gratitude, with a deep intent to learn about what is loving to you and others, will open you to your spiritual Guidance.
About The Author
Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.
 Google News Updated : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:51:23 GMT Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Cancer survivor shares her story - Naples Daily News
Naples Daily News - By LIANE SMITH (Contact) She felt pain in her breasts. One of her aunt’s died in February from breast cancer. Another aunt, in her 60s now, has battled it on and off for more than a dozen years. Pink And Purple Join To Help Women Breast Cancer Awareness Month Should Be Prevention Month! Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:31:44 GMT UPDATE 1-Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic - Reuters Reuters - MIAMI, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Nana, the 14th of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Caribbean islands, the US National Hurricane Center said. Forecasters: Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic Tropical Storm Nana Forms Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:29:57 GMT Falcons' Ryan is not your typical rookie QB - FOXSports.com
FOXSports.com - by Alex Marvez Alex Marvez is a Senior NFL Writer for FOXSports.com. He's covered the NFL for 14 seasons as a beat writer and is the president of the Pro Football Writers of America. Falcons missed chances in red zone Bears rally late, fall to Falcons on last-second FG Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:14:27 GMT Tigers still seeking QB to turn season around - SportingNews.com
SportingNews.com - AP Sports Wri AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -- The Auburn Tigers didn't figure they'd be in this position: Unranked, desperately trying to salvage a once-promising season and still seeking a quarterback solution seven games into the season. Tuberville And Tigers Trying To Regroup A Pig Sooie Shocker in Auburn Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:13:08 GMT First Second-Generation Astronaut, Richard Garriott, Launched Into ... - AHN
AHN - Vienna, VA (AHN)-Space Adventures, Ltd, a company that provides space missions to the global community, announced that client Richard Garriott and his crew successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space ... Video: Raw Video: US space tourist begins journey US game designer blasts into space with DNA cargo Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:28:36 GMT Palin talks economic worries in Appalachian Ohio - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio (AP) - Sarah Palin told voters in southeastern Ohio on Sunday that she and running mate John McCain would bring jobs back to this economically depressed piece of Appalachia. John McCain and Sarah Palin try new tactics US-POLITICS Summary Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:11:58 GMT Mighty Chihuahuas Eclipse DiCaprio and Crowe in Test of Star Power - New York Times New York Times - By BROOKS BARNES LOS ANGELES - This is how far movie stars have fallen in their ability to pull audiences into theaters, at least when the story revolves around Iraq and the messiness of the Middle East: A picture about talking dogs, “Beverly Hills ... Dogs rule: 'Beverly Hills Chihuahua' No. 1 again 'Chihuahua' fetches $17.5M, remains top movie dog Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:18:44 GMT RSS For Web Pages |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... The difficulty in finding love that is good for you... Read More You've probably heard of the popular saying "It's better to... Read More Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 28,... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More I remember when I was just a little guy probably... Read More BORN OF BODY AND SPIRITWe are born of the body... Read More Yes you got it. You read it correctly. We're not... Read More Changing our physiology is one of the best ways to... Read More If you suffer from a nagging feeling of "there must... Read More A good number of my columns deal with finances and... Read More A key fault I have, and I can only talk... Read More What are you passionate about? We didn't ask if you... Read More Mark Twain (1835-1910) believed that having fun is important if... Read More Without question, going to the hospital is teamwork from the... Read More "If you are pained by external things, it is not... Read More Encouragement can have a very powerful effect on bosses and... Read More All of us recall special teachers - people who not... Read More When people talk about enrichment, they are usually thinking of... Read More "It`s life Jim but not as we know it." -SpockIn... Read More Right now many people are facing tough times. Life as... Read More The Florida Iron Man involves swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112... Read More The old familiar adages just don't do it for me... Read More Some people dismiss dreams as nonsense, thought patterns running amuck... Read More Continued...After that I stayed with him still and when he... Read More Poverty can sometimes only be a state of mind, based... Read More
Adsense
websites
Loving You
The True and Magnificent Power of Giving
On Stand-by
Innovation Management ? Being Receptive to Inspiration
Just Let ?Em Go!
Spiritual Evolution: A Journey of Truth
Anything That?s Worth Doing, Is Worth Doing Poorly
Smile! Banish Your Fear
There Must Be More To Life Than This
Moneys Sad Lack of Intrinsic Value
A Key In Hand Is Worth A Thousand On My Desk
Discover Your Passion
Succeed by Whistling While You Work
And How Do We Feel This Morning?
Attitude Adjustment
Encouragement--Heart At Work
Inspiring Values of Unforgettable Teachers
Win Your Own Lotto
Go Where No Man Or Woman Has Gone Before
Triumphing Over Tough Times
Iron Man Inspiration - Raise The Ceiling On What You Can Achieve
Adages for the New Age
A Dream is Just a Dream ... Or is It?
Everyone Has Been Hurt... Part 4
Eradicating The Heart of Poverty
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
How To Develop A Grateful Mind (The Best Medicine)
There is one sure fire medicine that cures all difficulty... Read More
Material Girl
Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 16,... Read More
Its The Journey, Not The Destination
Don't you just hate clichés like the one illustrated in... Read More
Moneys Sad Lack of Intrinsic Value
A good number of my columns deal with finances and... Read More
Motivational Posters - A Source Of Inspiration?
What Inspires You? What motivates you to get up in... Read More
Making Commitments of Love and Courage
There is a story about a little girl who suffered... Read More
The Road Not Taken
Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 24,... Read More
Future Prediction
Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 13,... Read More
TIES that BIND
I have no idea how it started or who launched... Read More
Good Morning... Please...Thank-you!!
When I was a child, I remember that my parents... Read More
Inspiration From Jack Dempsey
I really like Jack Dempsey's great one liner: "A champion... Read More
Turning Your Life Over To God and Trusting Him To Lead You Is Like . . . . .
. . . . . riding a roller coaster for... Read More
How To Deal With Shyness
Although shyness can be overcome, there is a fair chance... Read More
A Prison Cell?
Do you have a goal? A focus in life? Have... Read More
Get Out Of Your Own Way
One of the biggest obstacles to our self growth and... Read More
Why Does it Take So Long to Slow Down
Why do we wait so long, before we start thinking... Read More
The Dot
We have all grown up in an age where exploration... Read More
How I Get Joy as a Value
*In the last couple of months, I have been fortunate... Read More
Reality Check
Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 16,... Read More
Dont Ever Give Up
There is a reason I never gave up. A reason... Read More
7 Strategies to Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Attacks
You Can Overcome panic attacks and anxiety! That is great... Read More
Your Turn On The Holodeck
Good morning Roy, good morning Joseth.Roy? You have in your... Read More
Ctrl-Alt-Delete Your Life
Ah, the good old "Vulcan nerve pinch", the three-fingered salute,... Read More
Realistic Living
" The fountain of content must spring up in the... Read More
Why Integrity!
There is much said in the word "integrity"! According to... Read More
Inspirational |