A Note From Anne

Dear ,

This time of year I have a permanent smile plastered across my face. I scan the Hallmark channel for Christmas movies to record, and I pull out all kinds of recipes. There's nothing like a holiday to awaken all sorts of good feelings.

I used to make holidays hard, but when I became an EZosophist, I dropped my holiday suffering. The holidays became a "feel good" - drop the drama, bake what I wanted to, and buy no Christmas presents for friends and family unless I happened across something I thought would be perfect for them. I allowed sending holiday cards to be a choice, and if I didn't get around to sending them, I opted for New Year's cards. Another idea that makes card sending easier is to send out cards one by one, in response to each card I receive. Wow, that works well.

We had some sadness last week in that my daughter's triplets are now twins. All in all, it was the best thing. Carrying three babies was not going to be easy – so having identical twins is what we are focused on and are grateful for. It just wasn't meant to be any other way.

Take it easy and make your holidays fun. It's possible, plausible, practical, and easier than suffering. Gift yourself with the lavish sense of reality and you will find that life is full of presents. It's your turn. Open the presents of the heart and share. Ho. Ho. Ho.

Anne

  Don't Make Them Wrong

One of the greatest mind bending tricks is the ability to make other people wrong. The mind thrives on finding external problems, and the most convenient place to find them is in our mates, our children, our parents, our co-workers, and in our friends.

The mind is confident in its assessment. "It's the way they look, what they say, how they treat me, what they do, or what they don't do." "Obviously there's something wrong here." The mind justifies its appraisal. This is a nifty way to deflect our inner turmoil onto others. If I stay focused on them, I won't have to face my inner rage, fear, or sadness.

None of this is conscious. The mind is clever and it doesn't want us the know what's going on. Here's the logic, "If I can fix them, I will feel better." I erroneously believe that if I give someone an aspirin, my headache will go away.

Are you bigger than this? Are you spiritually mature enough that you are willing to go to any lengths to ensure the demise of your ego driven suffering and pain?

Here's the plan - practice not making those you are closest to wrong. If you are really serious, then you may even be willing to stop making anyone wrong. This practice is not as easy as it sounds because breaking the habit means we have to have the awareness that we are making the other person wrong. Then we have to desire peace more than we want the addictive thrill of drama, pain, and struggle.

If you are waking up from the world of denial, then this practice delivers a sucker punch to your Ego Driven Struggle (EDS).

How to begin. Watch your thoughts when you are with someone else. Notice how your mind takes this unexamined stance about certain people close to you. Are you in defense mode when you are with this person? Have you already made them into your notion of who you think they are?

When you feel weird around anyone or irritated, silently begin this chant, "Don't make them wrong. Don't make them wrong." You would be amazed how silently speaking the intention brings an inner calm. You might think, "Why do I want to let him off the hook?" But a better question becomes, "Why do I need him on the hook?" or "Why is he on the hook anyway?" or "Who do I harm when I make him wrong?"

As you change your point of view, as you bring the focus back to yourself and away from your victim, notice your breath. When it becomes fuller, you know that you are letting go of the judgments. Carrying around judgments as a defense hardens the body and the breath.

Not making others wrong is a gift you give yourself and those around you. It allows your heart to open with compassion and it opens doors to closer relationships. It's a practice that dissolves struggle and suffering and it always makes your life easier and easier.

Take it easy,

Anne

  Quotes

"I always wanted to be a star, so I tried out for the part of a 65 year old white woman and got the part. Now I am the star of my own life!”
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

"You will be on top again; it just might not be the same mountain.”
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

“There’s no business like flow business."
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

  Houston Theosophical Society

Anne Sermons Gillis currently serves as the president of the Houston Lodge of the Theosophical Society.

Meetings are held on the first and third Saturdays at 10 AM Central Time in Houston, Texas.

For more information visit The Houston Lodge or visit our national organization at http://www.Theosophical.org.

We encourage our members to live a life in service to humanity, in stillness through mediation, and in study of ancient wisdom.

  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:

"Standing in the Dark, by Anne Sermons Gillis, isn't just another positive thinking book. It's a book about the difficult times in life and what we can do to make it through them. It does, however, give us positive ways to make life easier. It's a short book, but it's one that may just turn your thinking on its head, which will probably be the best thing that's happened to your thinking in a long time. It's about how to bring more ease into a life that isn't easy all of the time. Anne discusses six main areas of life: Ease, Mission, Health, Relationships, Money, and Loss."
  – Charles David Heineke, Bonham, TX

What people are saying about EZosophy: The Art and Wisdom of Easy or at Least Easier Living:

"Although most conscious people understand that life doesn't have to a struggle, the "how to" has been missing... until now. Anne's book makes it "easy."
  – T. Harv Eker - Bestselling author and Founder of Peak Potentials Training

What people are saying about Offbeat Prayers for the Modern Mystic:

"I love your book. It is filled with much wisdom, humor and heart. Really beautiful."
  – Alan Cohen author, Enough Already, mentions Anne and EZosophy on page 99

  What is EZosophy?

Click the graphic above to find out.

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Editor/Publisher: Charles David Heineke of TheDoorwayBlog.

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  Anne's Services

  Schedule Anne

You 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.

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  Anne's Schedule

January 28, 2014
Tues., 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Life Changing Insights with Dr. Alan Simberg
Listen to Dr. Alan Simberg interview Anne Sermons Gillis. The show starts at 3 PM and Anne will come on at 3:30 PM. Click here to listen online.

February 6 and 13, 2014
Thur., 1:00 – 3:00 PM
"EZosophy"
Lone Star College ALL Program
Kingwood Campus
20000 Kingwood Drive
Kingwood, TX 77339-3801
281-312-1600

February 9, 2014
Sun., 11:00 AM
"Strength"
Unity Church of Practical Christianity
15920 Piper’s View Dr.
Meadow Community Association
Webster, TX 77598-2550
281-520-4047

February 19 and 26, 2014
Thur., 10:00 – 11:50 AM
"EZosophy"
Lone Star College ALL Program
Montgomery Campus
3200 College Park Drive
Conroe, TX 77384-4500
936-273-7000

March 4 and 7, 2014
Tue. & Fri., 10:00 – 11:50 AM
"Alive, Awake, Aware"
Lone Star College ALL Program
Montgomery Campus
3200 College Park Drive
Conroe, TX 77384-4500
936-273-7000

  Health Tip: Sleep in the Dark

Get enough sleep. That seems to be the new strategy for health. There are sleep studies, sleep aids, sleeping tips, and sleep articles in every publication. We've become a melatonin taking, chamomile tea sipping, lavender oil sniffing society. Folks beg their friends for just one or two Ambiens or Lunestas, but I've got a secret that really helps me sleep. I wear a sleep mask. It shuts out the outside light. Everyone in my neighborhood has a blaring night light, and the one from my backdoor neighbor shines in my window and onto my face. Not to worry – sleep mask to the rescue.

Why keep out the night light? Because it inhibits the production of melatonin. Melatonin is the stuff sleep is made from. Blue light is the worst for disturbing sleep. Like me, you might wonder who has a blue light, but upon reflection I realized that I have a computer with a blue power light that shines when it's in sleep mode and a clock with a blue backlight.  Both are in my bedroom.

If you have to use to use a night light, use a red light bulb. Our faces actually look much better in red light, so barring the neighbors' thinking you've opened a brothel, use a red light; it is less disruptive to your sleep patterns.

I may look like the Lone Ranger, but it's become a night ritual. I turn off the lights, put on my mask, and usually fall asleep. And with deep respect for Tonto, I say, "Okay, Kemosabe. Good night."

  Anne Talks

A 3rd Conversation with Anne Sermons Gillis Dennis Tardan interviews Anne Sermons Gillis. (57:45)

Thinking is Optional video Delivered May 1, 2012 at Unity of Brazosport, TX (20:13)