By Open

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

I’ve faced many challenging and difficult situations that I recall through my existence. It seems my life has consisted of a good deal of breaking through adversity; continually confronting and overcoming challenges. Since earlier times, many things have changed. Along the path, I’ve learned the art of divinely surrendering to the flow; of accepting life as it really is, initially at least, without trying to change it. I realised you have to be at-one with something – the One – to truly change anything.

Have you ever had “butterflies” in your stomach or a “gut wrenching” experience? You know, that type of feeling that you get in your stomach when you are nervous or excited about something? As it turns out there is a scientific explanation as to why, the gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anxiety, anger, sadness, excitement can all trigger physical symptoms in the gut. There is a network of neurons that line our guts; it is so extensive that some scientists have even nicknamed it our “second brain.”

As it turns out, our gut does a whole lot more than handle digestion and cause feelings of nervousness, in connection with our brain; the gut partly determines our mental well-being and plays a key role in the development of diseases throughout the body. In turn, it has been concluded that a healthy gut helps in maintaining good mental and emotional health...

ADVICE VS. SHARING Know fully that your Path is your path only. It is wonderful to share what you have learned with others, but quite another thing to manipulate and force your beliefs on others. Not one of you knows the full desires, intent or purpose of another’s life or why they chose to come to this Earth in the first place.

Acknowledge that everyone is unique. Each has enough wisdom within one’s self to make choices. Even addicts can pull themselves out at any time. Know that each is living their life to the best of their ability within the belief codes they currently hold. We know that it is difficult for you to watch those you love make choices that will cause them difficulty. However, we suggest you let them do just that. You have had your experiences; allow them to do the same.

Quite often, those who insist on giving advice only tell part of their story. How much stronger their stories would be if they shared their disappointments and the fears they were harboring when they made those decisions. Giving advice without sharing the entire picture of the emotions that fueled their experience is similar to giving someone a roadmap that leads to a destination other than the one the person has sights on. It’s a path, but not the one the other wants to follow.

All good is on its way to you. Are you ready to receive? This is the question I ask you.
 
You say: “You bet, God, I am ready to receive. Bring it on.”
 
Even so, you may have some attachment to having something to find fault with. Some attachment perhaps to being wronged and put upon. You are so accustomed to your life being a battle fought on all fronts. The fists of your mind are ready and waiting for a fight. You have your dukes up. What is the tenseness you carry with you but readiness to fight? What is tenseness but that? And what good does this tension-producing readiness do for you?
 
Have the idea that you do not need to defend yourself. Let go of need to defend in the same way you let go of need to offend. You don’t need either.
 
What if you could live in a friendly world that wants you here and wants to treat you well? If you would put your dukes down, you would come to see this as so. Let down your barriers. Tenseness is not your friend. You don’t need its protection. Tenseness does not protect you anyway. It rattles you, it makes you nervous. Put down your arms. Tenseness isn’t giving you much help anyway, is it? It does you no good. It keeps you in restraints.
 
If you want to relax, let go of any perceived need to be tense, and you will know relaxation. Take a vacation from tenseness. Be done with it. Why would you keep it? Don’t be a hoarder. Let go of all that doesn’t serve you or the Kingdom.