A Note From Anne

Dear ,

Good morning, afternoon, or evening. Pick the one that applies to you right now. Stop your mind for a moment and think about EZ (ease). Is there any burden you are carrying or are you centered and relaxed? If you are out of center, find your center. Breathe into your belly. Poke it out as you breathe in. Pull it in as you breathe out. Stay with this exercise for 30 seconds to a minute. Time it by mentally counting to 30. It’s amazing how, when we just check into now, and get into our bodies, a weight lifts.

I hope this short EZ exercise gave you a lift. It’s your life, and if you are not present and miss it, you will be in deep do do. And who wants to stand in shit? This is a formal invitation. You are invited to attend your life; have at it. Be more than a running conversation in your mind. Notice what’s happening without letting your mind interpret and pigeonhole everything, because when you do, you will find that life can be EZier and EZier.

Anne

  The Miracle Standard Plan

I recently read the Satyagraha vows* and contemplated the vow of poverty. When I was young I took the vow by mistake. I had tried what I thought of as the material world. I pushed the envelope of being upwardly mobile and eventually sank into misery. Everything in me screamed for relief. So I disconnected as much as I could as a westerner. I wasn’t suited for the life of a modern western sadhu, and the west provides no support for that lifestyle. My culture pushed for success, power, and control. I lived on the thin line of what some would call poverty.

I didn’t feel poor; I was just often out of cash. I paid the minimum on credit cards and had to pay less on one thing to make the payment on another. I called it the Miracle Standard Plan. I trusted that life was as it was supposed to be and that my life and the life of those I loved was protected by a mystical force that would provide.

When I ran out of money for groceries or was very low on cash, something unexpected would happen and food appeared. Once I attended a party and the hostess sent me home with bags of leftovers. The Miracle Standard Plan always came through. I didn’t just expect miracles, I counted on them. There was a strange attraction to this kind of lifestyle. The intensity of the money drama made me come alive.

A Shift

Ultimately, I wasn’t really well suited for the life I had created. It was nerve wracking at times and I was growing older. The starry-eyed wonder of my youth was gone and the lessons of youth were replaced by pragmatism. I decided to reverse my decision to count on God for my daily bread. I halted my globe trotting, saved some money, focused on receiving more money, repaired my house, and moved away from the hand to mouth kind of life. I took care of business – the business of living and its maintenance.

Recently I’ve been thinking of earlier days. On my recent flight to Costa Rica I met a woman who reminded me of a younger me. She told story after story of how the right thing happened in her life at the right time. These events included providing livelihood in new situations and finding places to live. She was an actress in Italy for a while. She had just moved from Costa Rica (CR) to New Orleans, but she kept her business in CR and was coming back to check on her enterprise. She was alive and full of the radiant zeal and she was not a youngster.

Unexpected Blessing

One morning I couldn’t find the plantain chips I bought in San Jose. I wanted something salty but just dismissed the thought because I knew I wasn't going to get a chip. Later I walked down the beach and a vendor tried to sell me some enigmatic fruit. I told him I didn’t have any money with me and he put some salt on the fruit, squirted lime over it, and handed it to me. “Just because you have no money does not mean you should not eat. My father told me about the revolution in Cuba. People were hungry and had no money, so they could not eat, but others had money, but there was no food and they could not eat. Everyone should be able to eat. Take this and eat. He repeated to me that everyone should be able to eat.” I kissed his rugged cheek and then bowed to him. “Thank you, master.”

Again the hand of love grabbed me and reminded me of the continual sustenance of life. Even though I had no money that moment, I was gifted with a delicious salty treat. I no longer need all the miracles that saw me through my younger years, but it seems they are still in escrow, just waiting for a summons. I think the Miracle Standard Plan is still pretty terrific, and as for me, I’m not going to just expect miracles, I’m going to depend on them and I am sure that will make my life EZier and EZier.

*Satyagraha Vows
“Nonviolence; Truth; Non-Stealing; Celibacy; Non-Possession; Body-Labor; Control of the Palate; Fearlessness; Equal Respect for all Religions; Swadeshi (use of home manufactures); Freedom from Untouchability. These eleven should be observed as vows in a spirit of humility.”

Anne

  Quotes

"Most people think surrender is the end, but it's really the beginning." – Mary Anne Williamson

"Not having a lot of money gives you the privilege of not being able to buy a bunch of stuff you don't need." – Anne Sermons Gillis

"Our emotional bodies get used to a certain level of stress and distress. It takes intention and awareness to splatter the chatter." – Anne Sermons Gillis

  Featured Product This Week

  Your Suggestions, Please

I am working on a book of Affirmations and Visionary Statements. I am now on the chapter on Planet Earth. Would you please take a few minutes to contribute to the conversation about a healthy sustainable planet. Send me your highest thoughts on the planet, visionary statements, or affirmations. I would like to consider them for my latest book. Examples of affirmations would be:

• I envision lush green forests covering the planet.
• I am a caretaker of Mother Earth and I take care in my actions and life style.
• Mother Earth is alive and thriving.
• Earth’s waters are running clean and clear.
• More and more people are conserving water.
• We thrive on renewable energy sources and resources.
• Greed recedes and sustainability succeeds.
• More and more people recycle.
• Recycling is becoming more and more profitable for businesses.

Please respond to anne@annegillis.com.

  What is EZosophy?

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

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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 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

Homemade Eye Drops

What a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. I love the Caribbean. Walking in the jungle, on the beach, walking everywhere since we didn’t rent a car – swimming in the clear waters, no air conditioning, all this was healthy living. I felt as if I had been cleaned out from the inside out.

When I returned home, I found I had forgotten my eye drops. I use them during the night. My eyes get that gravelly feeling if I don’t help with the water supply. I didn’t want to get out late at night, so I looked up eye drop recipes and, sure enough, the trusty internet gave the sought after relief. It seems that the primary ingredients in eye drops are salt and water.

Boil one cup of distilled or reverse osmosis water. Do not use tap water since it can damage your eyes. Add one teaspoon of pure salt. I used my Neilwash prepackaged salt, but when I run out, I’ll use non processed sea salt. Avoid processed salt that contains anti-caking products. Pour into a sterilized glass bottle. Use a sterilized glass dropper for application. Let solution cool to room temperature.

I’ve been using mine for days now and I may just not buy anymore homeopathic $15 a bottle eye drops because, for now, Anne’s brew works great.

  Anne Talks

The Voice in Our Head 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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