Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Laws That Change Lives

"The world is not to be put in order, the world is in orderm incarnate. It is for us to harmonize with this order." Henry Miller

I have been powering away through Dan Millman, Author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior, latest book, The Life you were born to live. (If you haven't read Warrior btw, do it now.) Unlike other Millian's stories, Life is non-fiction: a deeply insightful, powerful manual to living and finding your life purpose. I always find in reading these kind of books that you need intuitively decipher what is relevant - it is easy to get overwhelmed and lost in self-help, new age mumbo-jumbo. In the final chapter of the book, Millian goes through seventeen laws that he sees as governing the universe and essential for emotional and spirtiual success. I wanted to share them all with you - I'll keep it short and sweet.

The Law of Flexibility
Flexibility avails us far more than either passivitiy and resistance; by actively using whatever arises, embracing even the most painful experiences, we deal with our difficulties more effectively, as we begin to see them as a form of spiritual training.

The Law of Choice
The most basic choice we have in life is whether to expand or contract, whether to bring our creative and expressive energies out into the world in positive or negative ways. No matter what our circumstances, we have the power to choose our directions.
The Law of Responsiblity
Once we establish the limits and boundaries of our responsibliity, we can take full charge of that which is our duty and let go of that which is not; in doing so, we find more enjoyment, supporting others as we creatve more harmonious cooperative relationships.
The Law of Balance
Balance applies to us - on cosmic, biological and personal levels - to our body, mind, and emotions - reminding us taht anything we do, we can overdo or underdo, and that if our internal pendulum swings to one side, it will inevitably swing to the other.

The Law of Process
On the path to our goals, if we want to get from Point A to Point Z, the surest way to get there is to first go to Point B, then C, then D, and so on. Skipping the single step, even though it appears a shortcut, often results in failure.

The Law of Patterns
Any habit or pattern, wehther we call it 'good' or 'bad' despite our best intentions tends to reassert itself over time unless we break that pattern by doing something different.
The Law of Discipline
Discipline is the surest means to greater freedom and independence; it provides focus to achieve the skills level and depth of knowledge that translates into more options in life.
The Law of Perfection
From a transcendental perspective, everyone and everything is unconditionally perfect; from a conventional viewpoint, perfection doesn't exist- excellence is the best we can achieve, and achieving takes time and practice.
The Law of The Present Moment
Time doesn't exist. What we refer to as 'past' and 'future' have no reality expect in our own mental constructs. The idea of time is a convention of thought and language, a social agreement; in truth, we only have this moment.
The Law of No Judgements
The Universal Spirit does not judge us; judgements are human inventions, a means to compare, contrast and control as we judge ourselves against artifical, and often idealistic, standards of perfection, morality and truth.
The Law of Faith
Founded upon the recognition that we know more than we have read, heard or studied; we know more because we are more; we have a direct link to universal wisdom. We only have to look, listen and trust.
The Law of Expectations
Energy follows thought; we move towards but not beyond what we can imagine. What we assume, expect or believe colors and creates our experience; by changing our expectations, we change our experience of every aspect of life.

The Law of Honesty
Recognising, accepting and expressing our authentic interior reality lies at the heart of honesty; only we we are honest with ourselves can we speak or act honestly with anyone else. In the sense of integrity, honesty entails acting in line with higher laws despire negative impulses to the contrary.
The Law of Higher Will
From the viewpoint of our separate self and smaller will, its normal to act on the basis of our own desires and preferences; when we surrender our smaller self and will to the guidance of a higher will and dedicate our actions for the higher good of all concerned, we feel inspired glow at the center of our life.
The Law of Intuition
We can only get in touch with our own source of intution and wisdom when we no longer depend upon others' opinions for our sense of identity or worth; we all tend to worship something; the question is, will we worship the god of opinion, or the god of our heart?
The Law of Action
No matter what we feel or know, no matter what our potential gifts and/or talents, only action brings them to life. Those of us who only think we understand concepts, such as commitment, courage and love, one day discover that we only know when we act. Doing becomes understanding.
The Law of Cycles
The world of nature exists within a larger pattern of cycles, such as day and night and the passing of the seasons. The seasons do not push one another; neither do clouds race the wind across the sky; all things happen in good time; everything as a time to rise, and a time to fall. Whatever rises, falls, and whatever falls shall rise again; that is the principle of cycles.

Which law most relates to you?

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