A Note From Anne

Dear ,

It’s that perfect time of year when windows fling open. It’s not too hot or cold, but my neighbor tells me I should keep my windows closed because the dust and pollen are not good for me. The problem is she’s right. With my windows flung wide, she heard me coughing this week. I keep getting sinus infections, burning eyes, and have a leaky face. Bummer. I will go inside and do the sinus rinse, as she suggested, and rightly so, but at some point I’ll have to put down my foot. She’s not mean or nosy; she just heard me coughing and wanted to help – and she did. When she told me I needed to take the inside plants outside, due to the mold they caused, I told her I could only take so much life altering advice at one time. I held the vampire repelling finger cross up to her as I scampered away to rinse my sinuses, but, I admit, it’s nice when someone cares. My windows are closed, the AC is on, but I’m sitting outside banging on my laptop. For me, being outside is a basic-to-life, nonnegotiable activity – in spite of the dust, pollen, dirt, mold, and humidity. But would you excuse me for a moment? I have to sneeze. Have a great week.

  Mastering Spiritual Maturity

Today I had an unexpected visit from a friend. She is a healer and naturopath. The unusual thing about her is that she has been an insulin dependent diabetic for over 50 years. She is involved with traditional medicine, but if she had listened to the estimates of her earliest doctors, she would have died by the time she was 40. Something in her never accepted the dire predictions the medical world thrust upon her. She did it her way; she knew she would live, and she worked with traditional and alternative medicine to create a healthy life. In her words, “I’m the healthiest 50 year insulin dependent diabetic you’ll ever meet.” I asked why she put it that way. Her reply, “Most insulin dependent people don’t live for 50 years after they start on insulin.” She looked radiant as she shared her life’s victory. She’s 64.

Unfortunately most people in authority don’t understand the importance of their pronouncements. Fortunately, not everyone listens to them. When we place certain limits on others, people who trust and respect us, we probably are doing them a disservice. Some limits are necessary. People must learn to fit into our society, because if you run around in Kroger’s butt naked, they will lock you in jail or in the wackco ward. There are healthy limits and debilitating limits. We have to discern when to break free and when to live with life preserving limits.

My friend, who had serious brain trauma, was sent home after months of rehab, and told that he would never return to normal living. He couldn’t drive; he wouldn’t be able to write; his memory would be poor. His wife wasn’t onboard with those ideas, so she set about to create a healthier outcome. She poured through books, read quantum physics, researched supplements and nutrition, and started him on her homemade health regimen. He still takes medicines and has health issues, but he’s published four books, can recite, by memory, self-penned poetry, and he can drive. Now, that’s the kind of wife to have! Together they did what he could not have done alone.

I received a call from a friend who was mulling over his finances. After a brief chat, we closed, after I suggested a few things that might restructure some of his belief systems. He e-mailed later and was enthusiastic. He had identified many of his blocks and now is well on the way to making exciting changes. He was not stuck in what is the limit; he leaped into creating what will be. This moves him from his valid concern to active participation in his healing. His concern was legitimate, but if he had stayed in his concern, he would be reinforcing his condition.

Choosing Your Life

Why are some people able to move beyond lowered expectations? What urge allows them to master miracles?

1. They are not defined by their limits. If you are ill and the organizing principle in your life is your illness, then you will most likely not give up the life you’ve built around your illness. If you are out of money, and don’t think of yourself as a poor person, but see a situation of temporarily being out of money, then you aren’t defined by your cash slowing or flowing.
2. They are not defined by their acquisitions and accomplishments. We don’t want to be defined by our limits, but we also don’t want to be defined by our wealth, accomplishments, physical beauty, or popularity. Being defined by what we do and what we have is one of the soul dampening proclivities of western culture. It doesn’t mean we don’t have possessions and don't accomplish great things. It means we are not driven to get or produce so we can earn the right to exist or to be loved.
3. These people look forward, not backward, and do not let their mistakes define them.
4. Limit-breaking people are willing to accept help and inspiration from others. They don’t shut themselves off from support.
5. They think they deserve the good life. Their thoughts aren’t dedicated to guilt and shame. There’s an inner freedom that allows escape from punishment. People who are strapped to guilt, and it’s often subconscious guilt, punish themselves through illness, bad relationships, and debt, and when it gets overwhelming, they often commit suicide.
6. They believe that things can change for the good.
7. They take personal responsibility for their lives. They know they can change things and they take appropriate levels of action. Sometimes the action is inner action, such as self-examination. Sometimes the action is outer directed and includes activities that are demurely defined as “getting off your ass.” Okay, I’ve already gotten one e-mail this week about my foul language, so only e-mail me if you are in favor of me using the best word I could think of to describe this process. The word in question is “ass.” Using that word clearly clips my wings and knocks me off the place and space where a minister and spiritual seeker should stand. Stephen King, in his book, On Writing, says when you really tell it like it is, and speak as real people actually speak, you will get feedback and not the good kind. By the way – this week’s word that got me in trouble, was “chickensh**,” and I didn’t even put the “It” in. I used asterisks. In full disclosure, I did receive two supportive e-mails. Affirmation Alert. Good thought to have: My authenticity and aliveness receives more support than criticism. I could have said, “My authenticity and aliveness receives support.” But to be honest, we can’t be in a body and not receive disapproval.

The above characteristics not only define people who can overcome limits, it’s actually a description of a mature adult. The above are traits of an interdependent, emotionally balanced, open-minded person. In other words, they are grownups.

Get Started Today

We don’t have many grownups around. Too many people have grown down. We tend to get starry eyed in our 20’s but misty eyed as we grow older. Stars kept us ungrounded while the mist keeps us stuck in the muck. We don’t see well in the mist.

It’s never too late to grow up. If you want to grow up, here’s the formula. Heal your childhood wounds, get rid of false beliefs, discover who you are, find the truth, learn your limits and your un-limits, replace control with allowance, live by vision, and drop that guilt. This may not be the whole formula, but if you can do the aforementioned, the rest will come to you. Life is not a snap, I can’t wrap up the wisdom of the ages in 1,100 words, but if you just get started down the trail to your Self, the help you need will show itself when you need it, and your life will get easier and easier.

  Quotes

"The thing you least want to say is the thing people want to hear the most. It makes you real to them and allows empathy."
  – Hybrid from Sonya Nelson and Anne Sermons Gillis

"When we are dazzled by our limits, it’s hard to let go."
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

"When you need the teacher, s/he appears. If s/he doesn’t show up, it’s because s/he’s already here."
  – Anne Sermons Gillis

  Anne's Books

Standing in The Dark

EZosophy

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

Now available on Kindle. Click for details.

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

Now available on Kindle.
Click for details.
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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

Now available on Kindle.
Click for details.

  What is EZosophy?

Click the graphic above to find out.

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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

All times below are Central Time.
Thu., May 1, 2014, 7:00 PM
"Co-Creators Convergence” Telecall
5 PM PT/8 PM ET.
Dial-in Number: 559-726-1300
Access Code: 158352#
Playback Number: 559-726-1399
Access Code: 158352#

Tues. May 13, 2013, 7:00 PM
The Meeting and Purpose Group:
"Getting Clear With Money"
Donation
Unity Church
25250 Borough Park Dr.
The Woodlands, TX 77380
281-681-8883

Other Events for Your Consideration

Here are two upcoming spiritual events that may be of interest to you.

Awaken Houston Retreat Flyer

Co-Creators Convergence Conference, Year 2

  Theosophical Society

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

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

"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

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.

  Healthy Living

Watching Birds and Centering

As I sit and write, I see a humming bird dining on my shrimp plants. Earlier I spied a mom and pop cardinal hopping through the bushes. The sky is singing. Last week I went to High Island and saw the roseated spoonbill, the snowy egret, cormorants, and the great egret. This year I went on my third Great Backyard Bird Count. I don’t know many of the birds' names--a friend provides me with those when we count; that doesn’t keep me from enjoying them. Bird watching combines nature, contemplation, and beauty, and all I have to do is step outside.

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Once, when my husband and I went to Big Bend National Park, I had a bird encounter. After getting my business in order so I could leave town, the 11 hour ride, and setting up the tent before nightfall, I sat down and felt the nervous edge. I heard a chirp and spied a bird perched on a nearby tree. I watched it as if my life depended on it, and soon felt the unsteady energy draining from me; peace returned.

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Bird watching is the favorite outdoor hobby for more than 51 million Americans. It gets you outside, helps you get vitamin D, and calms the mind. Next time you go out and hear a bird singing, take a few moments and see if you can actually see the bird. Even if you can’t see it, notice that just the stopping and focus is centering. You don’t have to get birding gear, know the names of birds, or go on a long trip. Just stop, listen, and look at the birds that surround you. I’m sure many of you already notice nature, you drink it in frequently, you know more about birds than I’ll never know, but some of you are ripe for a bird moment. Why don’t you hop up right now, go outside, and find a bird or listen for one, breathe in and out fully, and make your day easier.

  Anne Talks

Happy Out of the Box Day talk by Anne Sermons Gillis (2:40).

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

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