Here's Anne Sermons Gillis' newsletter, The EZ Secret: Tips on Living in EZ, for 07/09/2013
Published: Tue, 07/09/13
The
EZ Secret Newsletter
Living EZosophy: Volume 84, July 9, 2013
|
In This Issue | |
Left Column: | Right Column: |
A Note From Anne | Anne's
Services |
Power |
Schedule Anne |
Health Tip: Jump to a Healthier Life | Anne's Schedule |
Anne's Books | Ask Annie G |
Quotes | Anne Art |
Video Bits of Wisdom | |
What is EZosophy? | |
Contact Information:
Phone: 281-419-1775
Email: anne@annegillis.com
Anne's Websites:
A Note From Anne
Dear ,
It seems our bats have moved on and the cats disappeared as well. No bats;no cats; no rats. In 1981 I attended EST (Erhard Seminar Training). It was trendy, controversial, and, for me, it was spiritual candy. The purpose of EST was "to transform one's ability to experience living so that the situations one had been trying to change or put up with, cleared up, just in the process of life itself." It seems as if the EST purpose came alive for me in letting life take its course with each situation. People asked me what I was going to do about the bats. "Wait a while" was my standard reply, and, for now, it was a good choice.
Last week I rallied with Texas women at the Capitol, road in the local 4th of July parade, and learned how to play "42." A little activism and a little fun made it a great week.
I am slowly rereading The Autobiography of a Yogi. The small print was no problem when I was in my 20's, but now, it is a challenge. I have the Internet to research all the arcane references. This really makes the reading slow because I've gotten off on so many tangents. The most fascinating reference so far is to an Indian scientist, Jagadish Chandra Bose, who invented radio signals and a host of other things. He didn't receive credit because he did not believe in patents. He also invented the crescograph, a device to measure the reactions of plants. Plants, metal, and rocks react to danger, attack, and some even react to human emotions. This guy was born in 1858. He also worked with microwaves. If you have interests in plants, look him up. See this link.
I hope you have an EZ week, have some fun, and let go of the need to fix the world. It’s a burden to hold on and rule the world. When we look past our personal agendas, we find a powerful flow that lifts us into EZ.
Anne
Power
I remember when I first contemplated the word "power." I thought
power was synonymous with corruption. I wanted nothing to do with
power. I began to examine the word and my resistance to it. “What
is the opposite of power? Powerless, helpless." These are not
desirable characteristics either. Maybe I did need power, but not
power over others; I needed the power to act and the power to
choose.
One evening I attended a workshop by Rev. Edwene Gaines. I heard
her speak on previous occasions, but this time was different. She
exploded onto the stage announcing, "My name is Edwene Gaines. I
am a woman of power." I'd never heard a person say they were
powerful, especially a woman. Her pronouncement sent chills
through me. I began to embrace the idea of power. In 1989 I even
walked into a large group of 800 people and introduced myself in
the same way, "I am Anne Sermons Gillis. I am a woman of power."
Several women commented later how it touched them. We all are
hungry for the truth, and the truth is that we need to be powerful
people. We don't want be weak, indecisive, powerless people.
In 1992 I attended a woman's convocation while attending the
United Nations Conference on The Environment in Rio de Janeiro.
The gathering included Bella Abzug and many of the most powerful
women in the world. Woman after woman took the stage giving
compelling speeches on the state of the environment and what we
could do to turn things around.
During one of the speeches, an African woman limped in. The
speaker stopped mid-speech and said, "We welcome Wangari Maathai.”
The crowd roared. She was an earth activist and had just been
released from a Kenyan prison. When one fights for the earth in
Kenya, they put their life at risk. Wangari had people power and
the government was afraid of her.
She took the stage and gave an engaging speech. "I am not a
powerful person," she belted, "but I do have power and I have the
power to do what is right, and so do you, and so you, and so do
you, and so do you." She turned and pointed her finger in
different directions into the crowd. This went on for a while as
she made direct eye contact with woman after woman. The air was
electrified as she called thousands of women to consciousness and
action.
We are all powerful people. We hold great power in the way we
influence our children, our friends, and our family members. Yet
the greatest power we hold is the power in our minds that directs
our personal lives. Personal power comes in spurts and the
following is a generalization of our steps to power. Even though
personal power is a step above powerlessness, in the end, we
discover that personal power is the beginning of embodying power,
not the end point.
Stage 1. The lack of power. We grow up and listen to our elders
and mind our parents. We have yet to take up our power.
Stage 2. We grow in our personal power. We separate from our
parents. We exert ourselves and find out our personal likes and
preferences and find an image that defines who we think we are.
Stage 3. Limiting Ourselves; Managing our Aliveness. We start to
limit our power because we find that autonomy gets us in trouble.
It makes us stand out, and we want to fit in and get approval from
our parents and peers.
Stage 4. Breaking Free. Limiting ourselves to cultural norms and
parental expectations is like caging a wild animal. At some point
we hit our wall and start breaking out of the cage.
Stage 5. The Power of Choice. We discover the power of choice. We
find that we can direct our lives in what seems like a meaningful
direction. We feel happy and free because we can direct our lives.
Stage 6. “This isn’t working like it used to.” We start feeling
antsy because even though we know we have the power of choice, we
find that the power of choice is misplaced and misery still haunts
us. The honeymoon phase is over. We have enjoyed our power to
chose, but we haven't figured out what to chose.
Stage 7. “Surrender.” Realizing we can’t control everything in our
lives through the power of choice and learning how to let go. The
idea of letting go is elusive to many, but it just means to stop
ruminating over something. Simply put, it means to stop thinking
about a situation. Surrender is the opposite of control, and
control is a burden.
You would think ultimate power would be staying on top of
something, but most of us realize, at some point in our life, that
the greatest power we experience is when we let go, join the flow,
and watch life with keen awareness.
There is a time for humility and for meekness, but the time for
power is always present. Put on your mantle of power. Use your
power to be who you are and to expand. Use your power to take care
of yourself and to maintain your life. You are a person of power
and you have the power to do what’s right. I am a woman of power
and I approve of this message.
Take it EZ.
Anne
Health Tip: Jump to a Healthier Life
Over the years I've been a jumping fool. Yes, I've been a slave to my mini trampoline, but three years ago I broke my foot and had to stop. But I was clever: I started bouncing on an exercise ball. Then last year, I broke my butt. Well, I actually strained something and could no longer bounce my butt.
But now I'm back and I can bounce and jump. Why in the world would a 64 year old want to do this? Because it makes me feel fabulous. It takes away the stress and gets my lymph system going. Traditional medicine barely addresses the lymph system, but I've got to say, "Lymph, lymph, hurrah."
Rebounding not only de-stresses me, it helps prevent and treat osteoporosis and osteoarthritis and helps maintain a good insulin balance. Bouncing has the same benefits and it is easier on your joints. I shouldn't show you this, but a few years ago I made this silly video. I have this thing for videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNX7at8rB4k Happy hopping.
Anne's Books
Standing in The Dark |
EZosophy Book |
Offbeat Prayers |
Click here to see all three of Anne's books
What people are saying about Standing in the Dark:
"If as you said, it is not a positive thinking book, then,
however, it is a positive being book, because positive has its own
rewards. You wrote very eloquently, and gracefully about very hard
to cover topics. More than that, your shadow is a light unto us,
Anne, and your night is like a day. I thank you."
– Veronica Nannee, Houston, Texas
"Someone asked me how you could be spiritual and live in the
world. Your book spells it out perfectly."
– Helen Hutchison, Nacogdoches, Texas
Quotes
"Recognition of the unique value of every living being expresses
itself in reverence for life, compassion for all, sympathy with
the need of all individuals to find truth for themselves, and
respect for all religious traditions."
– The Theosophical World View
"As long as we operate with the subconscious belief that something
is wrong, we carry a burden into every thought and action."
– Anne Sermons Gillis
"It’s not the world that sucks. It’s your thoughts."
– Unknown
Video Bits of Wisdom
A while back I recorded a series of 21 short inspirational videos on a wide range of topics. Most of them are under two minutes. I'll be spotlighting a different Video Bit each week in this space, with a link to it below this message. When you go to that page, you'll need to click the Play button to see and start the video.
This Week: "The Voice In Our
Head"
Click
Here for This Week's Video Bit
Click the graphic above to see all of the Video Bits.
What is EZosophy?
What is EZosophy? Click the graphic above to find out.
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SHARE Anne Like the newsletter? You can support it through your donation via PayPal. It's certainly not necessary, but it is greatly appreciated. It's not tax deductible, but a small $8 donation helps defray our costs. Thank you in advance. Anne's ServicesNeed a Coach or a Rent-a-Friend?Interested in getting ongoing support? Try life coaching with Anne. Anne offers options for both short-term and long-term coaching. Contact her for details. Click here to contact Anne by email or Click here to view information on Anne's One Year Seminar. Schedule AnneYou may reach Anne by phone at 281-419-1775 or click the button below to contact Anne by email. Anne is also available to officiate at weddings and funerals. |
Anne's Schedule
September 11 & 13, 2013
Wed. & Fri., 10:00-11:50 AM CDT
"EZosophy"
Lone Star College
Montgomery Campus
Conroe, TX 77384
936-273-7000
Offered as an ALL Class
October 1, 8, & 15, 2013
Tuesdays, 1:00-2:50 PM CDT
"Alive, Awake, Aware"
Lone Star College
Montgomery Campus
3200 College Park Drive
Conroe, TX 77384
936-273-7000
Offered as an ALL Class
Recorded Interviews:
Click here to hear a recording of Dennis Tardan interviewing Anne Sermons Gillis on May 30, 2013.
Ask Annie G
Dear Annie G,
I just read a newsletter that listed the 12 best organic grocery
stores. Not a single choice from Texas! Where do you buy
most of your groceries, and how do you make sure they are
organic/healthy?
Carol Stromatt, The Woodlands, TX
Dear Carol,
I shop in regular grocery stores. My favorites are Trader Joe's,
HEB, and Costco. I have, from time to time, been a member of
Community Supported Agriculture. In the CSA you pay a farmer to
provide you with weekly organic food. I buy my organic peas and
beans from a small local co-op.
I do not buy everything organic. Some foods are okay if they are
conventionally grown. You can find a list of the 12 foods you
should buy organic at The
Dirty Dozen. The list changes from year to year, so be sure
to look it up annually. You want to buy these foods grown
organically because they have so many pesticides that they are
particularly unhealthy.
Personally, I usually buy organic lettuce, greens, apples,
tomatoes, corn, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, white
potatoes, sprouted bread, and sweet potatoes. After researching
this article, it looks like I'm going to have to buy organic
squash too.
I do not buy organic foods grown in China. Who knows what they do
to their food? I do buy some organics that say "Grown in Mexico."
I read labels to find the country of origin. I admit I have
organic cherries from Chile in my fridge, so I am not a purest.
The front label might say "Fresh California Broccoli" or certified
organic by the California something or other, but if you look on
the fine print on the back, it says, "Grown in China." You have to
read those labels.
Know which foods are typically GMO foods and avoid them. I either
buy organic or make sure they have the "Non GMO" label. If you buy
corn or corn chips, and it doesn't say "Non GMO," you can bet it's
been genetically modified – both the corn and the oil. All the
science is not in on GMO's, but early studies indicate that GMO's
not only harm the earth and the bees, they change human DNA
structure.
The 12 foods that are genetically modified are salmon, animal
feed, oils (canola and more), soybeans, golden rice, squash,
tomatoes, white potatoes, and sugar beets. Here's
a list of prepared foods that have GMOs.
I try to stick to a diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some
beans. I eat organic bread and local fresh eggs from time to time.
I am a vegetarian, but just a reminder that all animals, including
turkeys and chickens, are feed with GMO food unless labeled as Non
GMO or organic.
I often go off my food plan when I dine out or eat with others. I
believe if the majority of my food is fresh and organic and
without GMO's, I'm okay on my diet. Unfortunately, we can no
longer have a super clean healthy diet due to agribusiness and the
decline of small farms, but we still have choices. You asked how I
can be sure the foods I buy are organic. "I really can't know. I
just do my best."
Thanks for asking.
Annie G
NOTE: Send your questions on life, health, food, spirituality, and
relationships to Annie
G.
Anne Art
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