Monday, February 20, 2023

LET IT BEGIN WITH ME

 

Rev. Marilyn L. Redmond

It took several years to realize that even when I thought I was helpful or caring for others, it was not true. I wanted to be a loving mother, a great wife, and excellent teacher. I was a terrific teacher with the subject matter, but my emotional life was in shambles. My students learned the subjects well. However, I was not emotionally available. Gradually, I realized I was not present to my husband, children or class. I was sending out my defenses to keep myself safe. It was survival. I was emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. What I am is what I project to those around me. I had nothing to give.

I looked for my stability, love, and saving me outside myself. I thought this would provide my wellbeing. I thought they were to supply my needs. Ultimately, they failed to satisfy my needs and I did not know how to meet my needs either. Thinking others were accountable for my unhappiness by falling short of their being able to be there for me was my focus. I blamed them for my problems. I could not see the people I picked were not there for themselves. However, I kept my unrealistic ideas that they were responsible for making me happy.

When I first heard Let It Begin with Me, I could not believe that I should focus on myself and ask myself what I want. This was a lifelong embedded trait I had to address. The saying altered my life in a very real way. For years, I thought if people liked my husband, they would like me. This had to change. Living my identity through my husband, daughter or son had to stop. I had to put the spotlight on myself. I was taught this is selfish. I knew what my husband demanded, what my children needed, and how to meet the routines for teaching. I had to know all this to be safe and out of the line of attack.

As my children and husband left, I was without an identity. In contemplation, I heard that I had to develop a realistic self-esteem and complete myself. I could not blame others anymore for my unhappiness. They did not do it to me, I did it to myself, I found out as I began taking an inventory of my life and applying spiritual principles. This meant I had to get honest with myself. The more self-honesty the better my results, I discovered. 

Taking simple steps to find myself was the best path. I bought a new shower curtain to replace the one I did not like, but was always too afraid to say anything in the past. I picked out one to match my color scheme and I loved the design. This brought a sense of self-esteem for the first time.

 I was on track to fill myself with what I wanted and who I am. That gave me courage to redecorate the whole house. I loved picking out the white couches and light colored rugs to replace the dark dreary colors that had been the theme. In addition, I took a position teaching metaphysics in a junior college when I retired from public school teaching. This fit me well as the new me was emerging. I was on track to fill myself with what I wanted and who I am

After a trip to Australia and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, I began painting the underwater coral and sea life. This took me to sign up for art lessons, and my art career was ignited from my childhood dreams. I wrote a poem about Sidney, Australia and other experiences in Australia. This propelled my poetry and art that was included in my first book.

During a poetry convention in New York, where I went to receive a poetry award, I heard about a writing conference in Santa Barbara California that I attended for 8 years. My writing beyond poetry flowered while attending local writing classes. My first book, "Roses Have Thorns", was for sale at the conference in California. I have been writing books ever since and illustrating them, too.

I joined a spiritual study group called Search for God. I was asked to give spiritual programs for them, counseling, and do past life therapy to members and others. With more courses, I went for more training as a spiritual counselor, psychic/medium for giving readings, and talking to those passed over. Becoming an international board certified regressionist, IBRT, to do past life regressions and accepted as a certified hypnotherapist, ABH to reframe the past harms of my clients gave me needed credentials. In addition, traveling around the world to spiritual sites with the Edgar Cayce's A.R.E organization, I was told in meditation, that I was revisiting many of my past life experiences.   

With my new growth in finding myself, I found my lifelong partner in my spiritual study group. My fellow and I attended classes for healing through mediumship. He does Pranic Energy Healing while I channel masters and angels for spiritual/emotional information to heal the situation or condition of the client. For many years, we have been available for free weekly healings.  

Becoming the person I wanted in a relationship was a scary step for me. Since he was not a hugger at the time, I had to set the example by hugging. Then, I began sharing my feelings when I realized it was safe to do this. One night, he ran up the stairs from his hot tub, eager to share with me his answer in meditation. Since then, we have been able to share everything we need to about ourselves and have great communication while trusting each other to be open and honest. My being the example was coming back to me.

The universe has spiritual laws. They are laws of transformation. The most simple of the laws is "Love Transforms". It means that no matter what kind of a condition, situation, and relationship you are dealing with, when you bring love to that circumstance of life, it will change, it will be lifted, and it will be transformed.

 Universal Law rules everything in the earth. We are included in that "everything", for The Universal Laws operate in every experience of our lives, no matter who we are or where we are, or what we are doing. Their essence and purpose bring the continuation for manifesting infinite love of the universe to you and to me. When I learned to live with loving direction, I changed and my life changed. My life today is nothing like it was as I grew up. My book, "Paradigm Busters" has the details of my transformation. I created a new reality around me.

Today, I know who I am and I am proud of it. What I give away is what I have. They return wonderful outcomes. As I gain in self-esteem, self-respect, caring, thoughtfulness, kindness, compassion, and nurturing I project it out to others. It comes back in loving appropriate ways. Love never fails. I can trust my feelings and trust trustworthy people. I am emotionally available. It is a life of harmony, joy, and having the sensations of being inwardly successful and fulfilled.

Check out my website, https://www.angelicasgifts.com /

 Books: at https://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Redmond/e/B0069WIKDC

Barnes and Nobel https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Marilyn+Redmond?_requestid=16065424

 180 videos on You Tube at  https://www.youtube.com/user/puyallup98372

 Blog at http://marilynredmondbooks.blogspot.com./

LIVING IN THE DAY


 Living in the Day


                                                By Rev. Marilyn Redmond,  BA, IBRT, ABH

 

I worried about the future, as I did not see my way into a better life. I had one foot in the past and one foot in the future without my being present in the moment. This thinking was repeated, as the abuse did not stop. My life felt horrible, terrible, and awful. It seems endless. Through a crisis, I prayed for help. This was unusual for me because I only had learned to pray out of a hymnal in church. Even then, my prayers did not seem answered; I was still living in my dysfunctional life as the family servant. Something happened with my new prayer because it came from my heart. My prayer was answered in more ways then I realized at the time.

I found some wisdom in how to make my life more pleasant through a spiritual path and program. As a youngster, I had no knowledge there was another way to live life. I did not have to stay in fear and react as a victim, helpless and hopeless. Gradually, I learned to release my past harms, fears, and difficulties to replace them with love and grace. I even had to heal the trauma of my parents’ unresolved issues that I emotionally carried.

My biggest lesson was to live in the moment which is a gift and that is why it is called “The Present “. I would like to share some pearls of wisdom with you to stay present in your life. They have kept me sane and happier, when I remember them. Learning to make my thinking and activities productive from a good motivation in my heart and the right mind set has changed my world.

JUST FOR TODAY

• Just for today, I will try to live though this day only, and not tackle all my problems at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me, it I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.
• Just for today, I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be”.
• Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my “luck” as it comes, and fit myself to it.
• Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought, and concentration.
• Just for today, I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out; if anybody knows of it, it will not count. I will do at least two things I do not want to do—just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it.
• Just for today, I will be agreeable, I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, keep my voice low, be courteous, criticize not one bit. I will not find fault with anything, not try to improve or regulate anybody but myself.
• Just for today, I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.
• Just for today, I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax. During this half hour, sometime I will try to get a better perspective on my life.
• Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.
Al-anon Family Groups

I do not have to worry about the future if I have a good day today. My day today becomes tomorrow. In addition, I would like to share my favorite prayer. In a time of real despair, I remembered this prayer. As I prayed, my sanity returned. I realized the truth in the words and was able to move forward into a new mindset of peace.

Prayer For Today

Lord make me a channel of Thy peace—that where there is hatred, I may bring love—that where there is wrong—I may bring the spirit of forgiveness—that where there is discord, I may bring harmony—that where there is error, I may bring truth—that where there is doubt I may bring faith —that where there is despair, I may bring hope — that where there are shadows I may bing light—that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek to comfort than to be comforted—to understand than to be understood—to love than to be loved. For it is with self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.

In each chapter of my book, “Paradigm Busters” at Amazon, I explain the process for moving out of the times past into a life of being present in the day. Over the years, my life has grown into daily gratitude. Life has changed into happier times.

 I am an ordained minister for spiritual counseling , healing, soul healing, mediumship, and readings.  I am on the board for International Board Regression Therapy, IBRT, and healing past lives and also on the American Board for Hypnotherapy as a Certified and Registered Hypnotist, ABH. In addition, I am a teacher, speaker, and channel information from the other side for illness, relationships, and issues in your life. 

 Check out her website, https://www.angelicasgifts.com /

 Books: at https://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Redmond/e/B0069WIKDC

Barnes and Nobel https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Marilyn+Redmond?_requestid=16065424 180 videos on You Tube at  https://www.youtube.com/user/puyallup98372

Blog at http://marilynredmondbooks.blogspot.com./

Contact her at: angelicasgifts6@outlook.com