Manifesting With Our Thoughts

I have long held the belief that we create our reality based on what we believe, that our thoughts and feelings are the things that manifest what shows up in our lives.   Yet, even though I hold this belief, I guess in some ways I didn't think that it applied to everything. :-)

Case in point, one of my clients and I confessed to each other sometime in the last year that the time we feel most "un-zen" is when we are in our cars.  We admitted that no matter how calm and at peace we feel at every other moment of the day, when we are out driving we become irritated with other drivers to the point where we don't like who we become . . . which is very angry.  I never thought about the fact that I could be manifesting this experience through my own thoughts and feelings.

Last weekend I was at her house giving Reiki treatments to her dogs and she asked me if I had seen Louise Hay's newsletter on Driving With Joy.  She said when she read it, she thought of me right away and all the conversations we have had about how irritated we get when we're in the car.  She promised to forward the newsletter to me, which she did a couple of days later.

Here is an excerpt from Louise's newsletter:

It is amazing how many people choose to be angry and upset when they drive. Then they wonder why there are so many poor drivers around them. I learned a long time ago not to get upset because someone else does not know how to drive. That is their problem, not mine.

The rules of the road are the same as the rules of life. What we give out in words or thoughts are exactly what will return to us. If we believe that the world is full of lousy drivers, then that is exactly what we will experience.

If we want to have a pleasant driving experience, then it is up to us to create it. The moment I enter my car, I bless the car with love and affirm that I will have a safe, happy trip, surrounded by good drivers.

I giggled to myself when I read the above portion of the newsletter, realizing that I must hold the belief that the world is full of lousy drivers since that seems to be what I experience on a regular basis.  :-)  I decided it couldn't hurt to try changing my belief so the next day when I got in the car, in my head I said, "I am surrounded by wonderful drivers" and I said it several times throughout my drive.  Much to my amazement, I didn't encounter a single bad driver on my way to the appointment.  

It was such a nice change from what I normally experience!  I tried it again on the drive home and sure enough, another easy drive home.  I tried it again the next day and much to my delight, same result!  I didn't encounter anyone on the road that made me angry or irritated - not one person made me feel like they were jeopardizing my safety.  

On the third day, I had an easy drive on the way to an appointment - I was clearly "surrounded by wonderful drivers."  It wasn't until I was on my way home from the appointment that my new belief was challenged.  As I was exiting the freeway, the gal in the car in front of me was looking at her cellphone and therefore didn't realize she was straddling both the exit lanes.  I started to feel the irritation building and I was on the verge of screaming, "Put your *$^%# phone down and focus on the road" but instead I said, "I am surrounded by wonderful drivers (deep exhale) . . . I am surrounded by wonderful drivers (deep exhale) . . . and just then, she put her phone down and moved into the right lane.  I was able to move into the left lane and miraculously even got through the intersection while the light was still green.  

It has inspired me to look more closely at the less pleasant experiences I have and see what beliefs I hold that could be creating them.  Thinking back to my recent challenging experiences with the phone company, I must hold the belief that no two people at the phone company will give you the same answer, since that was what I kept experiencing. :-)  Next time I need to call them, I am going to try shifting my perspective and see what happens.

So, if you happen to be plagued with irritation at other drivers as well, or irritation with anything else, you might try shifting your belief and see what happens.  The results may pleasantly surprise you! 

Acknowledge your animals feelings

A few months back, a friend of mine who takes care of about 20 horses called me to ask for my help.  He told me they had acquired a new horse named Lorelia not long before and he was worried about her. They didn't know much about her history, all he knew was that she kept to herself, not interacting with any of the other horses and was very timid around people.  She spent most of her time standing out in the pasture away from everyone else, all by herself.  He asked if I could come and give her Reiki and see if I was able to figure out what was going on with her.  

The next weekend, I went out there.  My friend tried to coax Lorelia over to us with carrots but she only came within about ten feet from the fence and would not come any closer.  I decided to just talk to her for a while, from the other side of the fence.  I introduced myself, explained why I was there and told her about Reiki.  After about fifteen minutes, she finally came over to the fence, close enough for me to touch her.  I asked for her permission to touch her and give her some Reiki, then waited for her to give me a sign that it was alright with her.  

When I felt she was ready, I reached out and put my hands on her.  Immediately, I felt overwhelmed with sadness.  My heart felt so heavy as I felt all the thing she felt.  I didn't know what exactly had happened to her, but I knew how she felt . . . afraid, alone, and incredibly sad. I could feel tears welling up in me as I worked on her.  Her sadness was so deep.  I told her how sorry I was for what she had been through.  I told her she didn't deserve to be hurt or be made to feel she was unimportant.  As I continued to give her Reiki, I picked up more and more of what she was feeling and the words continued to flow out of me.  I told her that she was not dumb and that I was sorry she had been told she was.  I told her that the other horses would welcome her and it was safe for her to spend more time around them.  I told her she could trust my friend who worked there and that he would always take good care of her.  

After about an hour, the sadness I was picking up from her finally started to lift.  Her eyes looked a little brighter and she even held her head up a little higher.  I thanked her for trusting me enough to let me work with her and told her how grateful I was to have been able to spend time with her.  

As I was walking back across the ranch to find my friend, another horse on the property came over to the fence and tried to get my attention.  I stopped to visit with him and I could feel his concern.  I told him about Lorelia and explained that she could really use a friend right now.  I asked him if he could try to help her feel welcome and make sure she didn't spend all her time alone.  I am never entirely sure if my messages get through but I try to trust that they will understand what I am saying to them.

After my visit with him, I continued on my way, and when I found my friend in the barn, I filled him in on what I had picked up from Lorelia.  He said he had sensed she was sad as well but didn't know why.  I explained to him that we don't always need to know the details of what has happened, that it was my belief that what was most important was that their feelings be acknowledged and to let them know how sorry we are that something bad happened to them.  I asked him to keep me posted on how she was doing.  I wasn't sure if what I had done was enough to help her let go of all the sadness she held in her body or if she would need some more help.  

Two days later, my friend called me and was talking so excitedly, I could barely keep up with him.  He told me that Lorelia had been happier and friendlier since I had been there.  He said that she was coming right over to him when he called her and that he was really excited to see that one of the other horses had spent the last two days hanging out with her in the pasture.  I realized I had forgotten to tell him about my conversation with the other horse on my way back to find him that day.  I described the horse I had spoken with and asked if he was the horse who was hanging out with Lorelia.  He confirmed that it was.  I was surprised and yet at the same time, I wasn't.  I know animals are capable of understanding what we say to them and I also know they are incredibly compassionate. 

Since then, Lorelia has been doing wonderfully, continuing to interact more and more with the other horses and becoming more comfortable around people.  When I go up to the ranch, she always comes over to the fence to greet me and let me know that she is doing well.  

It reminds me how important it is, not just for animals but for people as well, to have our feelings acknowledged, to hear someone say "I'm sorry that happened to you."  I'm also reminded of how much it means to know you have a friend you can count on.