Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Thank You. by Patresa Hartman

On the day before the year turns, I feel wise and strong, sensing divine purpose in where I've been and alight looking forward. The 365 days before become a collection of lessons; the days ahead streak ready acres of limitless possibility. Possibility kicks ass (Many apologies to my mother for using the word "ass" in a public forum.).

I came to YOG late, invited to round out a shifting Gratitude Team. What an opportunity for big soul work! Thank you, Ms. Kat, for inviting me. And thank you, Ms. Barb and Ms. Angie, for welcoming me so warmly. High fives all around.

There are two key things I believe I have learned in this process: 1) Gratitude is a choice; and 2) Gratitude opens you to peace and joy. Peace and joy also kick ass.

I like math and think numbers are chronically underestimated. They are interesting and expose dynamic layers of the universe when tapped. I like that a -5 and a +5 are equal distances from zero; the concept implies that every number contains two parallel frequencies. Likewise, I think of each moment of my life as a point, a distance from zero, and therefore containing equal opportunities for negativity or positivity. With this acknowledgment, I can no longer believe that life is a series of events that happen to me. I can choose: wallow in the negative frequency; or celebrate the positive. I am learning there is joy everywhere -- in every moment -- if I only choose to look.

My friend, Mary, introduced me this year to a mantra inspired by Morrnah Simeona's teachings of an ancient Hawaiian healing system, Ho'oponopono. Simeona taught that we are all connected and therefore all responsible for one another. The external world is a projection of our internal world, and so the more peace we feel, the more peace there will be. (And the more peace there will be, the more peace we will feel.) The mantra, explained in Joe Vitale and Hew Len's Zero Limits, goes like this:

I love you.
Please forgive me.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.

I find it appropriate that the last line is "Thank you." There is a particular openness and peace that is communicated via gratitude. It is acceptance and surrender to something bigger than our immediate understanding. This concept is alive in every spiritual walk. Saying thank you for everything -- the bad and the good -- is an important acknowledgement that we are part of the universe, not separate, that the universe is ultimately good, and it is providing what it must. (I think it works just as well to say "God" instead of "universe.") I feel a lot of my own personal turmoil comes from resistance. There are things in the world I do not like, people I do not like, things about myself I do not like. When I do not accept these elements, I close myself not only to them, but everything else -- including love and joy. When I am closed, I feel isolated and angry, even superior.

Even in times of sadness, when I sense and accept my rightfully small place in the natural world, I feel open and connected. There is peace in this tiny shift, and sadness reconfigures. It hops frequencies and becomes joy.

So for 2009, I wish for you:

to choose joy
to choose peace
to choose gratitude
...in response to all things.

Thank you.

16 comments:

Angie Ledbetter said...

I choose those things, and wish them to you as well. Happy, joyful New Year!

Barbara Quinn said...

Thank you, Patresa. What a fine post to end our year. I grew calmer reading it. I'm going to try hard to keep choosing peace, joy and gratitude in all things and I'll be coming back here to remind myself how to do it.

I received this from the Yoko Ono Imagine Peace project today. You can visit the site to see the peace tower:

This last day of the year 2008
All of us can come together at www.IMAGINEPEACE.com
To enjoy spectacular images from the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER Earthcam - LIVE - from Reykjavik, Iceland
- a special program made for this day.
On New Year’s Eve, The IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will be lit from:
Reykjavik: 5pm to 10am
New York : midday to 5am
Los Angeles: 9am to 2am

AFFIRMATION FOR 2009 AND BEYOND
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Our planet is healthy and whole
Every part of the planet is revitalized and healed.

We, the people of Earth
See clearly, Hear clearly, Think clearly.Express and communicate our thoughts clearly
Spiritually, Mentally, and physically.

For the benefit of ours and other planets’
We make the right judgement, right decision, right move
at the right time and the right place for ourselves and others.
We are now bathing in the light of Dawn Standing in the Heaven we have created on Earth.

We now wish to share this Age of Joy
With all Lives in the Universe.
We are all one, united with infinite and eternal love.
For the highest good of all concerned, So be it.

Yoko Ono Lennon

MGROEN said...

Thank you. That was wonderful

Ami said...

This was a great end-of-YOG post. I'm so glad I discovered YOG and I'm hoping to practice gratitude in my life more often because of it.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

It has been great reading. Your dedication to the kids hit home with me. I would run through the hinges of Hell for them, only because they would for me also. They are my heart.
Oren

Anonymous said...

Ahhhh -- P....you are brilliant.

Happy New Year, my friend.

Angie Ledbetter said...

Happy, blessed, joyful New Year, one and all!

Anonymous said...

had to get my YOG fix ...

Unknown said...

What I get here is to live out of Love and not Fear. I admire all of you!

Kulio said...

I agree with Barbara, that I grew calmer reading this post. I really needed to read these words tonight. I'm going to keep them close.

Gordon said...

Kathryn, thank you for visiting my blog. We would love to have you participate in Friday Shoot-outs. We don't have anyone, yet, representing North Carolina. We have some great people on-board.
I'm interested in finding out more about your book, and how I could get one.
Walk With Faith
Gordon

Shauna said...

You won over at my book giveaway blog :) Come on over to see and please e-mail me your mailing address asap! ♥ Hugs :) Shauna
http://bookgiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/05/confident-woman-book-winners.html

ANDREI TCHERNIAEV said...

W. Beran Wolfe:

If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator.Yours is a nice blog.

Gordon said...

Kathryn, please drop a post on my blog to let me know which of your blogs you will post shoot-outs on. Thanks, Gordon

Precious Gems said...

Good stuff! I just wrote a blog you might find interesting. Take a peek!

♥ my diary♥ said...

Nice post thanks for sharing..blessings from our home to yours...soraya

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