A Note From Anne

Dear ,

It's fireplace time. I'm loving sitting in front of a fire. I've spent the last two days catching up with friends. I sit by the fire, drink in the warmth, and chat with friends about everything from bliss to abuse. I live in what can almost be called the tropics. Cold weather is a different operating system for us folks. It's like living in a home with pink carpet, but one day you walk in your home and the carpet is purple. It takes a bit of getting used to. (Please know I will never live in a home with pink or purple carpet; that is, if I get a say.) I think I'm in a foreign country.

The fashion-minded are thrilled to pull out their sweaters and riding boots. Of course, no one rides, but the boots are in style. Christmas is in full bloom. We just finished an outrageously successful yard sale for the Theosophical Society. See people do come out in the cold.

Life is good and I hope you are lightening up this season and not being so serious. Here's a little song to sing to the tune of Joy to the World. I think it will help you break through the serious barrier.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the time has come to have a little fun.
We frowned and frowned, our smiles are upside down.
We’ve been too serious, we’ve been too serious,
We’ve been, we’ve been too serious.

We came to earth to have some fun and laugh and sing and dance.
We brought our light to bring delight
And not be serious, and not be serious,
And not, and not be serious.

We lost our way, forgot to play, and acted like adults.
We worked and worked, forgot life’s perks.
We’ve been too serious, we’ve been too serious,
We’ve been, we’ve been too serious.

We choose today to come alive and joke and laugh and dance.
We pledge our light to shine so bright,
And not be serious, and not be serious,
And not, and not be serious.

Note: Click here to watch Anne sing this song.

Anne

  Do What You Love

The idea that you must "do what you love" is prevalent in our culture. The spiritually hip, emotionally fit people make truckloads of money having a great time on the stage of life. Doing what you love and making a living doing what you love, is the only way to go. What nonsense. The "do what you love and the money will follow" story is often another "should" story and a form of spiritual materialism. There are many exceptions, but I’m talking about the shadow side of the teaching, when this idea strangles us, rather than liberates us.

Somehow we have developed an attitude that we don’t do windows. "All I’m going to do is what I love." This is impractical because no matter who we are, we all have windows in our lives that need attending. We think of the elite as those who don’t have to do the inconsequential work of living, but even the elite must keep their receipts, be sure the bills are paid, and deal who those who are supposedly taking care of them to see if they are doing their jobs of investing their money, keeping up with contracts, etc. Everyone has to brush their teeth, be sure their clothes are clean, and move the clutter from the path they walk. Even the elite must blow their noses.

This is where entitlement creates suffering. We seem to have this sense that we are too good to do the little things in life and we grouse when we have to do them. Grousing, complaining, irritation, all these are forms of ego driven suffering. Maintaining life is the primary tasks in our lives. We have moments of greatness, times when we are on stage and loving it, but these times are not what composes the major part of our lives. Keeping a body fed, clean, healthy – keeping our living space clean – getting or having reliable transportation – going to and from places – bill paying – computer maintenance, keeping up our relationships – taking care of our children's needs – these tasks occupy most of our day.

I find myself trying to speed through many tasks so I can get to the fun stuff, but too often the next thing to do is just that, it is the next thing to do – the not so fun thing. When I live with this linear idea that work is to be avoided by getting it over with, life is hard. And if I am really good at that game, I’ll even fight with others and vie for the position of having the hardest life.

Whoa, not that "life is hard" thing. Yes, it's so easy to make life hard. How can we get out of that mental trap? There are three things that move us out from this burdensome sense of living:

1. Change our mind about life being hard. The central organizing principle in our culture is that life is hard and even though life is hard, it is not hard all the time. We must bring the thought of EZ, or at least the idea that things can be EZier, to every event and situation in our lives. Even the things that are difficult can be EZier when we share our burden with others or go deep within and surrender.
2. Be totally present to a Presence that is not limited to our thoughts and beliefs about life. Being totally present means to stop the mind from evaluating everything that comes up, then be aware of Awareness. When we let our minds relax into this Awareness, we can feel the sense of relief in our bodies. It feels like safely. Practice the feeling of safety. The ego loves the thrill of danger, but having a practice of feeling safe begins to erode ego's need for danger. When we identify with danger more than safety, we can be sure we are attuned to and creating ego driven suffering. The feeling of danger is contagious. We can infect everyone in a room when we live with danger lurking around every corner of our conversation. We can also catch the danger dis-ease if we are around those who are infected. Being aware keeps us from unconsciously being sucked into the drama.
3. Love what we are doing. Find some way to be focused on the current task while immersing yourself in a sense of gratefulness about what you are doing. After I clean a room in my house, I feast my eyes on the new order – the rug freshly vacuumed, the clear counter top. I luxuriate in the sense of peace created when my eyes are comforted by what they see. We can’t do what we love in each minute, but we are free to love what we do.

Practice the idea of ease and the feeling of safety. Be aware of Awareness and love what you are doing. These are the actions of someone who wants to live in love. Love isn’t something to do, even though we want our actions to be in line with our values; love is something we feel and live. It is not born from us, but it passes though us if we will just give it clear passage. And when it goes though us, it lights up our lives and definitely makes our lives EZier.

Anne

  Quotes

"Know the bad about people, so you don’t get taken in; but look for the good in people so you won’t become hardened."
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

"Not only must you walk your talk; you must be saying the right things. A suicide bomber is true to his mission, but he’s on the wrong mission.”
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

“It takes an ego to point out an ego."
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

“My health is more important than my appetite."
  – Leonard Orr

  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. We will not meet on Saturday, Dec. 21.

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, 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.

NOTE: If you are viewing this on a cell phone, be sure to scroll to the right to see the other column.

  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.

---

  Anne's Schedule

January 6, 2014
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Purpose and Meaning Group.
Anne speaks on the Ego and EZosophy.
The group meets at the Unity Church
25250 Borough Park
Woodlands, TX 77380
No charge
J. D. Messinger is the facilitator.

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: Bras

I have this feeling that wearing a bra is not that good for the circulation of chi, lymph, and blood, so I unhook my bra when I am at home or don't wear one at all. After all, a bra goes under the armpit, where all those lymph nodes are percolating and disposing of waste products.

I know some women have large breasts and braless might not be the best idea. It may not catch on for women participating in some sports. I always wear a bra when I jump on my minitramp, but maybe this booby trap is not good to wear all the time. Studies done in France show that women who go braless all their lives have perkier breasts. Seems the puppies like to be free.

You may not want to burn your bra. Studies show that women who don't wear bras to work are less likely to get executive positions, but you may want to consider limiting your bra usage. I'm sure the man or woman in your life will love it, you'll have less laundry, and you will be a little healthier.

  Anne Talks

"Go On Life Support - It's Always Available" (2:00)

"Dealing With Emotions and Going Beyond" (54:01)

"Happy Lighten Up Day" (2:46) - Anne sings the EZosophy version of Joy to the World.

Remember, if someone forwarded this email to you, you can click this link to have a copy delivered every Tuesday morning to your own email inbox.

If you're currently subscribed and no longer wish to receive this newsletter, click this link to UNsubscribe.

Editor/Publisher: Charles David Heineke of TheDoorway.org.