Good Luck With Your Karma, Buddy!

You know those moments when some 'dingelberry' really gets to you. For me it is usually the big Egos, that are treating the world as their entourage and are willing to give little in return, that do push my buttons. It is frustrating and annoying and you either don't know how to respond at all in that instant, or you might say things you later regret.

Personally, I made a choice a few years ago to not get sucked in anymore. And let me tell you, it was a purely selfish choice, for I realized that I gave way too much power to people and situations that I had absolutely no control over.

Here is my current strategy:

1. I check myself (read additional posts 'The Gauges' and 'Being A Student Of Life'); if I react it is my lesson in some way.

2. Kill 'em with kindness. I refuse to be an over reactive chameleon to other people's negative emotions, therefore I choose to be extremely friendly even in the face of rudeness.

3. And last, but not least I will send them off by thinking extremely loud:

"God bless you with your karma, Buddy!" And I have to say it feels good to no longer carry the notion that it is my duty to be ‘The Law’!

Just to deal with the things that are in my jurisdiction is hard enough. I choose to leave the rest up to Divine Source and the wonderful ‘Laws of Karma’, where justice will always be done eventually and everyone has a chance to learn and redeem themselves at some point in time.

The Smile That Changed My Life

Sometimes we feel so powerless in this world, where mayhem seems to reign - where there are countless fires in need to be put out and where suffering and poverty on all levels is absolutely overwhelming. These circumstances can feel so daunting that any effort on one’s part appears useless.

The following is a true story that changed my perception and my life.

I was seventeen and severely depressed. I spent years bogged down by a heaviness that I couldn't shake. I desperately hoped for answers, but received only the constant echo my limited perception provided of a superficial, uncaring world.

 One dreary, rainy, cold day in the late fall I was walking in the streets of Cologne, lost in my thoughts, hunched over, eyes squinted. The streets were nearly empty. The people I did pass hurried by. I barely looked up until I felt somebody walking right towards me. I lifted my head, mainly to avoid collision, when the stranger made direct eye contact with me and smiled. This smile went straight through all my fences, inside and warmed my heart and soul in places that I hadn't been touched in a long time. It was as if the sun had come out.

 We passed and kept walking. I can't remember the person's face, but I can still feel the power of the smile.

I walked away from the encounter with feelings of happiness and hope.

For weeks afterwards I told everyone about my encounter. I came to the conclusion that the world would be a much better place, if only more people smiled (at me).

About three or four months later it dawned on me that I was part of the problem. I was one of those miserable people on the street that never smiled. And that was the moment I really changed.  I decided to become part of the solution. I have been smiling at random strangers ever since and I do my best to commit random acts of kindness. I do not turn around and look for results, but maybe just maybe one of my smiles landed in someone's heart and blossomed into hope in a moment when it was really needed.

God bless the stranger that changed my life. Thank you!

The Importance Of Asking The Right Question

When you put out a question or a request to God/the Universe/Divine Source make sure to be specific, because you will get your answer.

Here are a few examples:

In a world that is governed by free will questions that start with 'should', 'supposed to', 'have to' are most answered with 'no'.

"Should I take the new job?"

"Am I supposed to go to the party?"

"Do I have to help my family?"

All these questions would not lead to the answer you are really seeking.

Here are some ways how you could rephrase them, and remember to be sure and determine what your real goal in the situation is.

So you might ask:

"Is this job a good, healthy choice for me regarding my career, my personal evolution, my soul contract, my family, to have balance in my life etc?"

"Is it in alignment with my heart/higher self to go to the party?"

"Is it a divinely aligned choice to assist my family today?"

As you can see you are pre-choosing the direction you wish to travel in, before you ask the question.

If you are not sure of your motivation, explore it first; then you are ready to proceed to the question.

The same goes for being specific with requests.

Here is a funny story that brings the lesson home.

A very dear friend of mine found herself overwhelmed by her life. The chaos created by two small children, a stressful job and a sick parent left her utterly exhausted. She is a very spiritual person and she turned to God for help.

"Please God teach me patience!"

Her prayer was answered. There was a long line at the bank, a traffic jam in the middle of the day, one of her kids got sick and the computer at work broke down.

Near tears she found herself kneeling on the floor:

"Lord, why are you doing this to me? I am exhausted, I can't take anymore."

"My child, you asked me to teach you patience and I have given you plenty of opportunities to learn."

It is then that she understood that what she wanted was an extra dose of patience, like a supplement, not the lesson of it.

Some people have asked me, if Divine Source shouldn't know what we want either way.

The answer I got was that as an older soul one is given more responsibilities and one of them is the ability to be precise with one’s requests. Really not too much to ask , if you think about it.