“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein
That witticism — I’ll call it “Einstein Insanity” — is usually attributed to Albert Einstein. Though the Matthew effect may be operating here.*
I often hear people talk about wanting to have more fulfilling experiences or to attract different types of people and opportunities or to have more income. It is admirable that we consider making changes.
For making lasting change, however, wishing is not enough. As we are habitual creatures and we are often unaware of our repeated thoughts and actions that actually generate our daily life experiences, making changes can be tricky.
Change is personal
When it comes to change, in my experience, we need to understand where we individually need to make specific changes. First of all, it requires a deep look within our own patterns of behaviours and their results. We need to understand how we generate the experiences we are having right now. What do I believe about myself, others, the world and the Divine so I have these specific experiences? Then we need to start making some changes in areas where we wish to have happier and more fulfilling experiences.
The trap of ‘Divine Order’
God (the Divine Presence, the Loving, the Loving energy) does not make changes in our lives. We do by thinking and behaving differently. God walks our journey with us but we are required to walk our individualized journey and take the learning from our experiences. God’s main wish for us is to know us as God (sons/daughters of God) and know that we are Loved (not the human kind of love) and that we are One with All. Divine Order is not Fate. In my experience, Divine Order means acceptance of the highest order. I am not to fight my experiences or make them wrong. They are there to teach me.
The first step to any change is acceptance of what is. Then I am to look at my flaws, the habits that do not work for me any more with Compassionate and Loving eyes. That is Divine Order. I accept God’s Love for me JUST AS I AM.
Then I start releasing the limitations that hinder me from having the experiences I would truly like to have. Finally, I start to BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY. This is the CREATIVE part of change. God does not tell us what we need to do exactly so to have different experiences. We must start experimenting.
This part of the CHANGE JOURNEY is about interchanging between release and course-correct. I keep on releasing old patterns and try different new ways of thinking and being.
God (the Loving energy of the Source) walks with me encouraging me and cheering for me! Eventually, through the inner and outer journey I have walked, I arrive to new experiences. Change has taken place.
Our steps are made firm by the Lord, … though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand. Psalm 37:23–24
through the Ages; an Interfaith approach to finding Love
“The kingdom of heaven is within you” said Jesus but he was not the only spiritual teacher or guru who did so. It means that the sacred is internal, not external; that divinity, wisdom and truth reside inside of us humans; and that transformation happens within, first.
As we look at the different spiritual traditions we will see that the message of the ‘inner pathway’ is present in them all. The message may be approached and expressed a little bit differently but the core teaching is the same.
What is the teaching?
We are inherently connected with the Divine Presence, a greater reality that encompasses all there is. This presence or energy is of Loving and Light. The reason we don’t feel connected with it is because we are not aware of it. The reason behind our lack of awareness is our attention. Our attention is out-there all the time, in the world of matter and time. We are caught up in the hamster wheel of life.
How to connect to the Loving?
Well there are many ways to that. The different spiritual traditions offer various modes and tools to do that. However, one thig is common in all of them: the inner path.
Why is it important or even essential for us to connect with the Divine Presence or the Energy of Loving and Light?
0-1:30 What I have been busy with recently 1:30-2:50 Brave new world of specialisation 2:50-4:40 The process from a Unity stand point 4:40-5:15 What is the Cycle from Bitterness to Wholeness 5:15-5:30 1st step 5:30-6:45 2nd step 6:45- 8:20 3rd step 8:20-9:30 4th and 5th steps 9:30-10:10 in closing
On a personal note for the video It feels that I have arrived to the top of the mountain. Naturally it doesn’t mean that my journey has stopped. I continue on into the greater depth of Oneness. I suspect as we reach a certain station on our personal and spiritual journey, we stop and marvel. I have done the same. As I was taking in the view, I received an idea of a system that comprises my journey in stations. This is what this video is about. I detailed it below.
FROM BITTERNESS TO WHOLENESS
Healing is recovery from a set of mis-beliefs and (dis)illusion(ment). We are in constant search of happiness, contentment, and success. What we do not realise is that our disposition (the way we generally think and feel) determines whether we are happy or not.
As we walk the journey of healing or recovery we realise that we are the source of our own happiness and contentment. It is a commitment to self. Instead of being in constant search of an outer source of ‘fulfillment’, we realise that we are our own saviour.
At a certain stage of the journey we also realise that true happiness and fulfillment is drawn from the relationship that we create with our ‘greater-self’ and the Divine Presence that we all part of.
To know more …
Our spiritual evolution is a cyclical process on an upward spiral. But for now it feels that I really understand the cycle of the journey I call from Bitterness to Wholeness. I look at it as a cycle because it is constantly swirling presence of energy. I walk this journey with consciousness awareness on a daily basis in a very practical way. In order to get here, however, I needed to discover the major elements that I call stations on this journey.
The stations are: 1. Self awareness 2. Forgiveness and letting go 3. Awareness of the greater picture (Acceptance) 4. Gratitude and Compassion 5. Wholeness and Oneness (Surrender)
Each element or station, as I discovered them in their depth, builds on each other that’s why I call this a cyclic process.
The Process
Probably self-awareness is or has been the major part of my journey because it comprises of a lot of different things. On one hand it is a discovery of our denials, bitterness, anger or our victimhood. It is also about breaking down the false self-image that we built to protect ourselves. It is also about our wishes and dreams. At the same time, it helps us discover our powers, strengths, and uniqueness. And finally, it is about looking at our journey so far – becoming aware of the glorious as well as the painful events in our lives; how we have integrated all that into our understanding of ourselves; and what conclusions we have drawn about ourselves as a result of these events. Though self-awareness is a great part of the journey, it’s only the beginning or the foundation of the greater journey.
The second station is forgiveness and letting go. This is probably the most challenging part of the cycle. We need to understand, however, that forgiveness and letting go opens the door to greater, deeper and more beautiful experiences . Through forgiveness and letting go, we, literally, embrace our Life with all its twists and turns in its entirety. Letting go often refers to letting go of false ideas, self images, and misunderstandings as well as false expectations. (NOTE: I have created a video on forgiveness, pls find the link further below.)
The next step of the cycle is actually the result of the previous two, which is awareness of the greater picture or of the greater journey, and an awareness of our greater-self. Meditation, contemplation, and connecting to the Divine Presence is a big part of this stage. This is the station where we start becoming aware of our spirit, our spiritual journey, our relationship with the Divine Presence or God. As we do that, we can start moving into the Loving with IT ALL, including ourselves. Loving is a sense of alignment and an awareness that we are part of ‘everything’ and ‘everything’ is the part of us. This alignment helps us accept all there is just as they are, knowing that all that is going on right now is part of a greater movement, and all is well. It is total surrender to Life as is gratitude. As a result of seeing the greater picture and becoming aware of our own indwelling Loving Spirit that is constantly connected to God’s Loving Presence, and being able to experience this loving presence more consciously we become grateful. Gratitude is a conscious action. We choose to see the good. We develop faith in the good in self, in others, and in the Universe. In our gratitude, we start seeing the puzzle pieces of our lives in greater depth and as part of a bigger picture with all its challenges and beauties. We willingly see how our life is built with precision, care and Loving. We also start to see how difficulties, challenges, drama, even devastation, overcoming, and triumphs, all add to the greater movement of Life itself for us all. In gratitude, we stop judging, blaming, shaming, and expecting: We arrive to a sense of peace. I see compassion as an accompaniment to Gratitude. As we are compassionate, we accept all there is, as it is. Compassion helps us be grateful.
As we practice all the above steps, we find ourselves surrendered to the Flow of Life. At this stage, we consciously align ourselves with the Loving Presence of God. As a result, we simply find ourselves in wholeness with ourselves, our lives and our (imperfect) world; and in Oneness with the Loving that is of God.
What is on offer?
In Unity we talk about ‘raising our level of consciousness from the material world to the immaterial in a way that it effects our physical journey in a positive and practical way’. Under the brand of Spirit’nArt, I offer classes, workshops, individual discussions (mentoring sessions) that will support you the walk the cycles of the upward journey at your own pace in your own time with your own level of awareness using art as a tool.
You will always be safe with me. I will push you but I will also hold you.
All the classes, workshops and discussions I offer are practical with a lot of takeaways that you can integrate into your daily life. To make the journey more joyous, I use fun artsy tools!
My greatest wish for you is that you can walk your journey called Life with greater awareness of your own unique beauty, and a deeper sense of knowing of the Divine Presence that watches over you at every step of your journey, so you can experience more loving, happiness, contentedness, joy, and much more smiles.
Ma reggel a vezetők erősségein és gyengeségein gondolkoztam. Sokszor voltam és vagyok olyan helyzetben ahol vezetőként dolgozom és még gyakrabban olyan vezetőként aki a cég stratégiájának kialakításában is részt vesz. Gyakran érzem azt, hogy kevés vagyok ehhez és jövök rá arra, hogy egyedül semmire se mennék illetve semmire sem mentem soha. Talán a legnagyobb gyengeségem az volt amikor elkezdtem nem odafigyelni a környezetem visszajelzéseire. A vezető feladata, szerintem, a legmagasabb szintű szolgálat.
Azonban, gyakran látom, hogy minél nagyobb a kétség egy vezetőben annál jobban építi az imázsát és annál nagyobb a hangja. Milyen jó lenne olyan vezetőket nevelni a jövő számára, akik tudják hogy az igazán jó vezető a tömeg mögött megy, nem előtte, hasonlóan a terelő kutyákhoz. (még akkor is hogyha hasonlat kicsit visszásnak tűnik).
Egy jó vezetőnek, szerintem, nem az arcképe a fontos, hanem az ahogyan képviseli azokat, akiket vezet, valamint az ahogyan együtt működik velük. Milyen jó lenne, ha mindenki egy kicsit vezető lenne, legalább a saját életében … egyfajta benső vezető féle … talán az is segítene jobb vezetőket választani magunk ‘mögé’…
Mit jelent a közösség? Miben rejlik a közösség ereje? Miért jó egy olyan közösséghez tartozni, ahol nem a hasonlóságaink, hanem inkább másságaink az összetartó erő?
Ebben a videóban arról beszélek, hogy mit jelent a közösség valójában. A közösségben az ember önmagára lel és megerősítésre talál. A közösségben az egyenlőség a lényeg, amely szerint mindegyikünknek egyenlő joga van.
Azonban ahhoz, hogy teljes jogú tagként tudjunk egy közösségben részt venni, fontos ismernünk magunkat, az értékrendünket, a miértjeinket, mert ezek az alapja az önbizalomnak.
Ahhoz, hogy bízni tudjuk másokban, meg merjük osztani véleményünket és gondolatainkat, fontos hogy benső bizalmat alakÍtsunk ki önmagukkal és a mindeséggel.
A közösség támogatása fontos lehet ezekben a folyamatokban.
Nem értek a politikához. Nem is politizálok. Van véleményem, de nem gondolom azt, hogy igazam van. Sokkal fontosabbnak tartom azt hogy mindenre, mindenkire, és minden eseményre úgy tekintek mint önmagam egy aspektusára.
Valahol minden és mindenki egy. Ez számomra azt jelenti, hogy minden ami megjelenik a körülöttem levő világban reflektál valamit, amit nagy valószínűséggel magamban kell helyre tennem. Az gondolom hogy mindaddig ameddig ellenségeket keresek, bűnbakokat keresek, tiltakozom, lehúzok másokat, addig nem látom azt, hogy én ehhez, ami nekem valamilyen formában nem tetszik, hogyan járulok hozzá illetve mi az bennem ami reflektálódik.
Az gondolom hogy nekem is és a magyarok többségének is fontos lenne keresztül menni egy megbocsájtási és elfogadási folyamaton. Mi mindannyian hoztuk létre azt a valóságot ami a jelen magyar társadalmat jellemzi még akkor is ha nem tetszik az amit látunk.
Az gondolom hogy mielőtt nagy változásokat szeretnénk látni magunk körül, érdemes egy pillanatra magunkba tekintenünk és meglátnunk azt a fájó, sértett, önmagáért-soha-ki-nem-állt embert, aki a változást és a gyógyulás kintről reméli.
Yesterday I found myself talking about a film called Das Leben der Anderen – see the film here CLICK – and the time of my life during the socialistic regime in Hungary. I heard myself ‘blame’ the Russians for overtaking our land and our lives. I found myself enraged again about the atrocities we had to endure.
Then it suddenly occurred to me that it is not only a far, far away past that upsets me but none of it actually exists any more.
Why am I so upset then?
I grew up at a time of terror. We were threatened for our lives at every turn. You had to watch out not to become suspect of any wrong-doing, or you may have been reported to the ‘Stasi’. Every perceived wrong-doing could be punished by imprisonment or death.
I learnt to live with dread. I became neurotic but daring. My response to fear was to challenge those threatening and punishing me. Until one day, I decided that I had had enough and fled.
Except that I took the now innate dread with me. Unknowing, I now held the threatening shadows inside myself. They never ceased to scare me, day and night. So, I continued running trying to flee the shadows.
I daringly conquered all the obstacles and challenges of my life. But I failed to notice that I lacked courage; the courage to face the one ‘enemy’ that generates all the anxiety that has been lurking in my veins.
I have tried it all. I tried to fix it and forgive it. Neither could I let go of the memory of the terror I once lived. It has become part of the vivid tapestry of who I am.
What I must do, however, is face it with courage that stems from my loving embrace. I want to find the compassion within myself that holds me while I look into the eyes of the terror and say ‘I love you, regardless!’
