First let me just say that I have some amazing women (& men) in my life... Thank G-d, b/c without them I'd never get through the rough days. I just wouldn't!
So, what's this Forty Days & Nights thing? Well, it's a new Mental Diet that some of my gal pals & I are going on for the next 6+ weeks. It's a diet in which we will make a conscious effort to connect with our Highest Self & abstain from the very unhealthy habits of Complaining, Criticism, Condemnation and Comparison (heretofore called the Four C's).
Between the two of us, my BFF & I have done 3 or 4 weekly prayer &/or Laws of Attraction group work; primarily w/ groups of women. They've been different but VERY powerful experience each & every time. Without going into great detail about how they've worked in the past, I'll just say that we were both feeling pretty eager to start up another group.
Right around the same time, a Weekly Spiritual Practice from Rev. Kathianne Lewis (Seattle Center for Spiritual Living) dropped right smack dab into my email In-Box. Divine Timing as always! So we've decided to incorporate it into our group this time, which btw, started up last night & will continue through the end of July.
Here are the basic rules: We will have a start date (June 26) and an end date (Aug 5) to stay as conscious as we can about not indulging in the Four C's. When they do creep in (and of course they will, we're human after all!), we will STOP, FORGIVE ourselves (and apologize where necessary), and then MOVE ON.
The less we engage in these energy bursts (or Chaos Creators as I like to call them), the more joy, freedom, and good energy we will have in our daily lives. The more present & in the moment we will be.
I don't think this is going to be an easy task by any stretch... but I do think it's a wonderful extension of what I've already been doing the past couple of weeks. I've been practicing making only "I am" and "I want" statements. When I speak at all, especially with regard to sharing how I feel w/ someone I love or care about, I make damn sure that I only make Truth Statements. If a statement or comment isn't TRUE, if it isn't KIND, if it isn't USEFUL, I choose to shut my mouth & sit on it. At least until the right words (words of integrity) are dancing happily in my mouth. G-d inspired words, not Ego inspired garbage. Most of the time, if I just get really quiet & still, I realize that it probably doesn't need to be said at all.
Feeling compelled to tell someone what they've done to hurt me or what they do that is "annoying" serves no purpose other than to wound them, or to make me feel "right" and them "wrong". I don't need to focus on anyone else's truth (or my perception of their truth). I need only focus on my truth.
Taking what others say/do personally is what my Ego desires, not what my Higher Self wants/needs (see Don Miguel Ruiz's "The Four Agreements" for more detailed info on not taking things personally).
I also choose not to have an opinion about what anyone thinks of me, or what anyone else is doing, saying, etc. on their own life journey. It ain't my business! This includes personal friends & family, as well as George W. Bush or The World at Large (e.g. micro vs. macro).
Okay, moving on!
The final component of our group is that next week we are going to place a personal request into a G-d Box, something that we want to manifest into our lives at the end of this 40-Day experiment. I haven't decided yet what mine will be... but I still have a week to decide. LOL.
What would YOURS be?
6 comments:
I never heard of this "mental diet" before but it sounds like a pretty cool idea!
I love this idea!! I mean, sure, we all try and do this everyday, but making a pact and defining the 'rules' is a great idea. I'm going to give it a go as well.
Well, you are MOST welcome to join us w/ our little foray into the "unknown" world of no complaining, no comparing, no criticizing & no condemning. It's only been 3 days, but VERY interesting so far.
Thanks for posting this. I remember this service, but a couple years had caused me to forget one of the c's. I knew that the one i was forgetting had to be the one that is hardest for me to avoid, and therefore the most important to work on. So when i googled kathianne's four c's and found your page, I was thrilled! Thanks again.
You're welcome @anomelie ! Glad you found the post. :-)
Thanks for posting this. I remember this service, but a couple years had caused me to forget one of the c's. I knew that the one i was forgetting had to be the one that is hardest for me to avoid, and therefore the most important to work on. So when i googled kathianne's four c's and found your page, I was thrilled! Thanks again.
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