Transitioning on the Runway of Life
October 2, 2008 October 2, 2008 Transitioning on the Runway of Life Thought for contemplation: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Former slave Fredrick Douglas in the late 1800’s As we have seen, an airplane flies high into the blue skies only to come in for a transformational landing. A transition is made from flying through the air to returning to the ground. Some of those aboard will be dropped off, some will switch to catch a connecting flight, and a few may stay who haven't yet reached their final destination. Once the landing process starts, a smooth transition plan switches gears to put the wheels down and slow down the plane once on the ground. With safe landing in mind for the passenger's journey, there are air traffic officials in the tower granting the okay or approval for the plane to stop, and the guides on the ground wave their flags to guide it through a safe transition. In our personal and collective lives, we fly high, and then we may hit a bump on the road of life. This causes us to reflect on what's needed for a transformation (or change) in our lives, so that we can welcome newness. “Transition” is very similar to transformation; it's defined as “the act or state of passing from one place, condition, or action to another; change.” Ponder this: How do you make a transition in your life? Is your focus on the negative or the positive perspectives happening in your soul? Recently I was a keynote speaker at a homeless shelter in Atlanta. I was asked this question by a mother, “How did you make a transition from a twenty-one year marriage and six children by filing for a divorce?” I quickly answered and said that I did it to keep from going to prison for murder! Of course I didn’t want to commit murder, so the change to end my marriage became a strong motivation! However, my truth was that prior to my divorce, I had been living in what felt like a prison within the four walls of my home. When I speak about being in prison within my home and marriage life, it was how I viewed my situation. After recognizing and weighing the potential outcomes, I filed for divorce. I wanted my freedom—freedom to create my new world. My decision was based on a desire for good all around—emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally. I examined my fears. I was in fear of the unknown path to walkI had to use faith. “Can I do it this? How can I raise the children alone?” I wondered. I also feared that my children would not understand my dissolving the marriage and breaking up our home. But once I exchanged my fears for faith, I moved forward. Mr. Fredrick Douglas taught slaves who wanted to be free in America, if you black men and women choosing to be free don’t fight—but instead press toward freedom—there will be no progress. Contemplate his words again: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” My struggle was to make the choice to leave my marriage, my so-called “comfort zone”, my prison, to enjoy the progression of my life, world and affairs as a daughter of God. Making a Demonstration Once you decide to change, you may come against negative thoughts. It is important, however, to stay focused on the positive result you want to achieve. I wanted to demonstrate my belief that I could make a transition from my twenty-one years of marriage and children to single life. Webster’s definition of “demonstration” is “to explain by carrying out experiments or by using samples.” Dr. Stuart Grayson, the Minister of the First Church of Religious Science, says, demonstration is “the manifestation of a tangible effect giving evidence to a cause that has been initiated through spiritual mind treatment and its healing process.” To make my demonstration, or manifestation, I first thought about my intended actions and then turned them into manifestation by filing the proper papers, then visualizing in faith my world and my future, one day at a time. Do you understand that, in order to make a successful demonstration of a personal transition, you must accept your own value? In the book “25 Ways to Win with People” (p. 5), John Maxwell says, "How many times have you heard people say, ‘He has issues’? What they mean is that the person is stuck. The person is not healthy. He's got a hang-up. He's uncomfortable in his own skin. It's what we psychologists are getting at when we talk about self-acceptance.” My friends, I was stuck in my marriage and within my soul, spirit and body. How many times have you been sad and wanted to change, but had too much fear to move forward? My good friends, what about staying in that abusive relationship day after day? At the end of page 5, Maxwell quotes the Latin root for “acceptance”, which means “to take care of oneself". Acceptance of others means you, in turn, you should accept yourself! Can you truly say, I accept and take care of myself first in life? If not, it’s time to examine how poise areyourself with this idea. Crossroads on Your Runway In transitioning, or a making a transition, you face a crossroad—which way should I go? Transitioning is all about choice and accepting your part in the process. I introduced you to "Poised for the Runway of Your Life" as a way for you to emerge into your personal transition. Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science, has stated (p. 198 of “Love and Law"), “At all times, a Practitioner must have a vision of peace. Nothing will give you a vision of peace but poise, and poise will come only as you recognize what you are and who you are—and the poise with a consciousness of that power which we are using, which itself is the actor which gives birth to peace. Peace, poise, and power make a real thing". Then, my dear one, you become empowered within your soul and on your path—because you know who you really are and then you have the “peace that passeth all understanding”, as referred to in the Holy Bible. Do you really know who you are and what you are in the Universe? I didn't know when I started my transition from married to single status. Be honest with yourself! Take time to ponder and meditate on that statement. In your mind, look inward and envision your cells, blood, bone structure and DNA. Now look at your brain, stomach, bowels, liver and heart. Then look at the invisible soul/spirit that is housed within your physical body. Take a breath, pause, reflect on your inner workings, and then become consciously aware of Spirit in your life. As a creation of the Mind of God, tap into the source of that almighty power! See the light rays streaming down into your body, the vibrations connecting you and the Light from above. Raise your level of consciousness with love—the highest vibration—then add grace, peace, power, above all, poise. Say to yourself right now, out loud, in a firm demonstration of belief, "I am Spirit and Spirit is with me always, and so it is!” You and the Mind of God are one. Follow your own path to peace and changes within your soul. In the Book of Psalms Chapter 1:2 states, But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in his Law he meditates day and night. As you keep your mind in God's mind in meditation day and night you will know who you are! Poise, Posture, Inner Balance Author and teacher of metaphysical instruction, Raymond Charles Barker, in his book “Spiritual Healing for Today” (p. 94), gives a clear precise statement of truth: “My inner wisdom maintains me in poise and in true authority over my own experience.” May I ask, can you stand in poise and in truthfulness? This is called "Standing in your Truth"! There are many ways to stand in a correct posture for transitioning on the runway of your life. George Feuerstein edited a book with Yoga Journal editors called “Living Yoga”. On p. 41 there is a chapter called, “Posture, Posturing, and Poise”. Here's a summary of some of it: Our posture says a lot about our inner life. If we appear hunched over, it is probably because we are inwardly collapsed. If we strut about with our chest sticking out and nose in the air, we are undoubtedly posturing, parading our inflated sense of self. Our bearing and gestures contain valuable clues about our emotional state; it is hard to lie to the body! Whereas posturing is always an attempt to conceal a weakness, good posture suggests inner balance. When good posture is maintained with ease in all circumstances, we have poise. In summary, if you are one who has a desire for change from one plane to another—for example, maybe you want a career advancement with you company—see yourself doing what you desire. You might want to demonstrate you are ready to move into another plane by going back to further your education, if needed. Act by moving your feet and step into your designed destiny in faith. My highest goal for you, dear reader, is for you to be in divine order. I see you transitioning on your runway with ease and an effortless experience. Everything you desire within your heart will occur with ease, grace, harmony and in divine order. And so it is. Amen. Transforming Your Mind Do you understand your birthright to prosper while you are transforming your life? Many people think we must be poor in spirit and in the world before we can achieve greatness. This is not so! God created you with a birthright to abundance, prosperity, health, happiness and success. Abundance is not about money; it’s about receiving the overflow from the Universe. Abundance is simply an overflowing stream of whatever is needed or desired while you are on the earth. Do you desire love and companionship? Give away your love, and it will return back to you ten-fold. Try it! Develop a consciousness of prosperity and abundance daily and see what happens! When you awaken in the morning connect yourself with the Spirit of the Universe and be aware of your consciousness of prosperity and abundance in your life. Prosperity is a state of well-being in your Mind. And on that note, you are always connected to the source of the Mind of God! Learn to tap into the stream of flowing waters of well-being. Raise your level of consciousness to reap its benefits. Are you concerned and worried about gas prices? The more you complain about a negative something you see, hear and pay attention to, the more you will get what you don’t want! See it, yes, but then change your channel to something else, for example, gratefulness for everything life has offered. Let go of trying to control your situation and trust the Universal God that all is supplied right now. Live in the “now” of today’s present moment. Ernest Holmes said that to be poor is a sin, as did Charles Fillmore, the founder of Unity. They are not talking about Hell or condemnation; “poor” here means no knowing who you are in the land of plenty! Choose to Walk in Wholeness Prosperity writer James Allen, who also wrote From Poverty to Power, explains on p. 229 in The Prosperity Bible, “Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought.” Health is also a choice—a choice to live in a consciousness of "walking in wholeness". Wholeness means HEALTH! There are many physical ways to promote wellness. Beyond these, there is also visualization: seeing your insides complete and whole as God made you. Wholeness is completeness in Health. I see myself functioning the way my body, mind and spirit were created to be: in Wholeness! The concept of “Walking in Wholeness” came from a dear friend of mine, Anna Simmons. Anna made her transition out of this world to another plane in May of 2008, with complications from cancer. I will be sharing her message with you all very soon. Her main objective was for those faced with the dis-ease of cancer to walk daily in wholeness in the Word of God. Another long-time sista friend of mine, Desiré, left this earth in January ’08. Her message was to live your life to the very fullest, because you don't know when it may be your last breath. I am thankful to both of these souls for being in my life! They were my teachers. Make Your Right Choices in This Life We are here to be successful! We were not created to be failures. We only fail through our choices. The Source of our success is here to help support us in all things. The Scripture clearly states, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added unto you." That's one formula for success! Try it. Happiness, it’s been said, is an inside job. Everything starts with a thought and the spoken word, as taught in New Thought churches. Tune in to your source of power. Together you and God create the happiness, poise and inner peace that lead you to your destiny. Every morning before I get up, I say: “I have abundance, prosperity, happiness, success and health in my life!” The Prosperity Bible holds the greatest writing of all time on the secrets to wealth and prosperity. I leave you with this these words by James Allen (p. 222): “As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transformative and regenerating agency by which he may make himself what he wills. “ As this prosperity teacher continues to teach in the late 1800’s (pp. 232-3), “Before a man [or woman, I may add] can achieve anything, even in worldly things, he must lift his thoughts above slavish animal indulgence.” Just as Douglas taught Negro slaves, Allen admonishes, “There can be no progress, no achievement without sacrifice, and a man’s worldly success will be in the measure that he sacrifices his confused animal thoughts, and fixes his mind on the development of his plans, and the strengthening of his resolution and self-reliance. The higher he lifts his thoughts, the more manly, upright [think “poised”] and righteous he becomes, the greater will be his success.” Carol S. Batey, Lifestyle Coach/Model www.artlifestylecoach.com |