A Note From Anne

Dear ,

Recently I spoke with a college administrator. I told her I was going to slow down and she replied that everyone she talked to that day had said the same thing: “I’m going to slow down.” My family members and friends just look at me and shake their heads: “I thought you were slowing down.”

Since I’m involved with so many things, even when I take a few things out of my schedule, big obligations, I still have a full schedule. Vacations, the fun stuff, take preparations and crunch other work into smaller time frames. Life is more complicated and demanding than ever.

There are two ways to change in life – one, change our behavior; the other, change our minds. It’s probably better to stop fooling ourselves and realize that busy people stay busy people. That’s where EZosophy comes in. If we are going to continue to be ultra-involved with life, then we can at least change our perception. The EZosophy mantra is the golden jewel in turning our minds from burden to ease. “Everything can be EZ or at least EZier.” If your problem is ego-driven, you can make it easy right now. If you have a real tragedy in your life, there is always an inner strength or friends and family to lift you up. You might not be able to end the pain but the pain can always be eased. Carry the EZ mantra in your heart and you will have what you need to drop life’s burden and make your life EZier and EZier.

Anne

  Freeing the Angel Within Us

I attended the 128th national Theosophical Conference this summer. It was magic, and each hour opened me to greater states of joy and aliveness. I called a friend while attending, to share my experience. She could hear the zeal in my voice. “You are really in your element.” “Yes,” I exclaimed. I was grinning in every cell, muscle, organ, and bone in my body.

Nancy Secrest, the president of The Theosophical Order of Service, gave a presentation. She said that not only should we think in terms of our groups doing service projects, we should also think about how we as individuals can serve on a day to day basis. She was reading a book about performing daily mitzvahs. She was touched by the author’s invitation and challenged us to be mitzvah (a meritorious or charitable act) givers.

The next evening, I was in charge of the participants on a bus ride to Dr. Eben Alexander’s offsite lecture. I coordinated with our bus driver, who seemed preoccupied, if not standoffish. Maybe he didn’t like his job or had a bad day. Once everyone was loaded onto the bus, I seized the opportunity. I approached each passenger and whispered, “Nate, our driver, has forgotten who he is. Let’s thank him personally for the ride when we get off the bus and show him a little extra attention. Maybe receiving loving attention will help him remember his true nature.” By the time I returned to the front of the bus, there was already a noticeable change in our driver. He was smiling; he went from sourpuss consciousness to that grace filled place of happiness. Our collective intention was already working. The transformation that occurred as we stepped off the bus was a miracle. He was smiling and holding our hands so we could safely exit. He was the picture of an angel in the flesh. He spoke with us as if each person was an old and trusted friend. All it took was a kind word from the passengers. It was a gift that required little - just a smile, a nod, or a handshake.

Everyone has an inner angel, and if we pay attention and give extra care, we can often assist the appearance of that hidden angel. Not only do we serve others when we give a love transfusion, we serve ourselves. Maybe we should have tee-shirts that say, “Gave Love Today,” instead of “Gave Blood.” Love is life’s true blood. Without love, support, and positive attention, we become dusty inside. Nate was dusty that day, and it only took a little polishing to bring out the shine.

It takes courage to reach out; we are indoctrinated to a certain sense of properness. We were taught to hold back and fit in. But last week a stranger, who didn’t receive the “hold it back memo,” walked up to Jim and me. She was living out loud. We were at a concert; it was during a break. She said, “I bet he’s really a character. I saw how he was hunched down in his seat.” She observed that my 6’4” husband was sitting low so the people behind him could see. She looked at me and said, “I saw you bouncing and rocking to the music.” I remarked that I didn’t realize I was dancing in my seat. How refreshing to have a stranger come up to us. She was virtually saying, “I see you. You stand out.” We chatted for a few moments and she returned to her seat.

Moments of instant connectivity, personal support, and community are rare, but humans need that kind of touching. We each have the ability to reach out and make a difference. As I left that same concert, I talked with the lead singer of the opening act. I thought she was wonderful and I expressed it in a way that touched her. She looked at me and said, “That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. I will always remember it.”

Many people have told me that what I wrote in a letter or said to them in person was the nicest thing anyone has ever conveyed to them. We are estranged in our culture – surrounded by many while feeling alone. Moments of instant connectivity, personal support, and community are rare, but humans need that kind of touching. Let’s take the time and have the courage to say what’s in our hearts. It’s really an easy thing to do, and when we do, we not only make our lives EZier, we make the lives of others EZier and EZier.

Anne

For another example of freeing the angel within us, read and hear the author narrate the Somebody's Angel poem by Charles David Heineke.

  Quotes

"When Buddha proclaimed his First Noble Truth, dukha, he was pointing to the dissatisfaction of ego driven existence. In the end, his enlightenment was to accept everything and everyone as they are, not in relationship to some feel-good agenda; to sit down with a full meal of life and to stop trying to eat around the broccoli." – Marc Barasch

"The religion that makes people good, makes people bad, but the religion known as freedom makes all people good, for it destroys the conflicts (inner) that makes people devils." – A. S. Neil

"We play with our thoughts. We capture them, glorify them, and give them independence. We identify with them, yet spend great amounts of time and effort trying get rid of them. We love our drama more than our well-being. With this kind of set up, no wonder healing is doomed." – 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.

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.

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  Anne's Schedule

All times here are Central Time.

Wed. & Fri. Oct. 29 & 31, 2014
1:00-3:00 PM, “EZosophy”
Lone Star College ALL Program
Kingwood Campus
20000 Kingwood Drive
Kingwood, TX 77339-3801
281-312-1600

  Healthy Living

Walnuts

Healthy living, yikes. I planned to write solely about the health aspects of eating raw walnuts. I love them and use them lavishly in my diet. I don’t, however, buy organic walnuts. That’s until I did a little research. It seems that pests love walnuts, and so they are heavily treated with pesticides. Pesticides just aren’t that good for humans. Their consumption is linked to ADHA, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

The price of conventionally grown (AKA pesticides and who knows what kind of chemicals) walnuts is pretty high, but the cost of organic walnuts is higher.

If one does chose to eat organic walnuts, they are rich in monounsaturated fats. MUFA's are super for the heart. My friend, the alternative doctor, tells me they are like a roto router for our arteries. They are anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and help lower blood pressure.

  Anne Talks

Today is No Day Short one minute video. Move pointer to the right to display the video player and press the Play button.

  Anne Art

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

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