Anne's Note tells how she handled Black Friday to make her life EZier. The main article, Do You Have a Grace Blocker?, highlights the benefit of grace in our lives and what we can do to be more open to grace. The Healthy Living section discusses the benefits of Chanting OM. The Anne Talk is The 5 Minute Mental Break. The Featured Product is Anne's Breath of Life CD.

  A Note From Anne

Dear ,

What a week. It’s Tuesday now, but I’m sharing what I wrote last week.

“It’s Black Friday. While others were out shopping for good deals, I was home. What did I do? I drew the art in this newsletter. It was so pretty that Lucy, my dog, and I sat out in the sun while I drew. Jim, Lucy, and I went to the park and walked in the morning. We walked our neighborhood trails in the afternoon. We ate leftover vegan food from yesterday. We watched a movie. I worked on my next book and wrote an article. What an E-Z and relaxing day. E-Z and lazy are not equal. I was laid back today, there was much pleasure, but it wasn’t a lazy day. Lazy sounds like indolence; it’s not. Ease is the background of what we do, not the activity itself.”

I am such a productivity nut that it’s taken me years to actually live an E-Z day. EZosophy is the philosophy that reminds us that we are addicted to suffering and even though it takes training and reminding ourselves, it is possible to drop the drama. Life has a spaciousness. When we are contracted through hurry and worry, the spaciousness disappears, but only because we focus on such a narrow slice of reality. It’s simple: do we want to live the rest of our lives focused on losing weight, finding a mate, getting more recognition, money and stuff, or do we want to live our lives? When we open to what is beyond our personal problems and our “to do” lists, we find there is a calmness and peace of mind. Let’s step out of our suffering patterns and stand on the EZ philosophy. It’s the perfect time of year to make our lives “EZier” and “EZier.”

  Do You Have a Grace Blocker?

Grace is given, not earned. We can’t chose when grace appears; the timing is not of our making, but we tend to be more grace prone under certain situations. What can we do to open ourselves up to grace? What do we need to do? We don’t actually need to do; we need to undo.

The following behaviors and attitudes block grace:

• Perfectionism
• Lack of compassion
• Self-guilt

How we can counteract these grace blockers:

• Learn to recognize when we are trying to make something perfect. A question to ask ourselves is “If this were not done with the highest degree of excellence, would it make a difference?” For example, when I married at 19, I thought I had to keep a perfectly clean home. I spent hours each day cleaning our tiny one bedroom apartment. I scraped layers of wax off the linoleum floor. I scrubbed the kitchen cabinets until they gleamed. I was exhausted. I talked with my sister and she said. “You don’t have to do all that. Forget about having a perfectly clean home.”
  
  I was able to let go of making my surroundings perfect, but then I went for my personality. I had to be good, enlightened, never angry, and always kind. No one existed on earth who had the qualifications I strapped on my mind. I learned to do what I could the best I could and how to have more realistic expectations of myself. No personality, event, or location will ever be perfect. We have to be willing to live life and be okay with its rough edges. Unless we realize the quirky nature of life, including ourselves as a part of that flow, we block our grace and keep reaching for illusions. Who we are as spiritual beings is perfect, but everything else is imperfect.
  
  
• Be compassionate. Compassion lets us off the hook. Once we see we are not perfect and will never be perfect, compassion restores us to an optimistic state of innocence. Maybe we can be grace givers. When we offer compassion to others rather than punishment or criticism, we tend to transform something inside. Compassion gives twice; once to the receiver and once to the giver. In my younger days I found myself offering some negative words to someone about my best friend. I felt guilty afterward and told my friend what transpired.” She looked at me and said, “I know you would never do anything that would hurt me. I know you love me.” She looked past my actions to the truth, which was that I loved her dearly. Obviously that love was not perfect, but her compassion toward my behavior was miraculous. It stands in my memory as a great moment in my life. What my friend facilitated with her compassion was no less than grace.
  
  
• Forgive yourself and others. When we hold grudges against ourselves and others, we are the ones who are punished. Upset is a form of ego punishment. “One should forgive, under any injury,” says the Mahabharata. “It hath been said that the continuation of species is due to man’s being forgiving. Forgiveness is holiness; by forgiveness the universe is held together. Forgiveness is the might of the mighty; forgiveness is sacrifice; forgiveness is quiet of mind. Forgiveness and gentleness are the qualities of the self-possessed. They represent eternal virtue.” Gandhi.
  
  Forgiveness has long been touted as a reality transforming device. Why? Because forgiveness brings fast relief. It’s an emotional Rolaids. What if you can’t forgive? If you can’t forgive, forgive yourself for not being able to forgive. Once I was incensed about my treatment from a friend. I could not let it go. I tried everything I knew to let this upset go, but continued my anger and resentment. I gave up and offered myself a dose of compassion: “I forgive myself for not being able to forgive this. I am willing to forgive but seem unable to do so. I turn my willingness to forgive over to a Higher Power.” A few weeks later I felt a wave of peace concerning this person. Something bigger than my personal agenda and upset released my friend and myself.

Grace has no conditions. It doesn’t require perfect behavior, but we do have to place ourselves in the frame of mind to receive grace. When we live in a closed arm approach to life, we shut grace down. Fortunately, grace season is continual. We can open ourselves to grace, and when we do, it always makes our lives EZier and EZier.

Anne

  Quotes

"We interpret life though thoughts. We experience life though awareness. Thinking is subjective. Awareness is objective. Thinking creates a virtual reality. Awareness gives us the direct experience of life. Thinking can get us from point A to point B. Awareness holds us steady and we become the space that holds point A and point B."
– Anne Sermons Gillis

"You will not make anything happen through looking, but if you don’t look, nothing will happen." – Unknown

"It’s not that we are becoming more worthy; it’s that we are becoming less resistant." – Anne Sermons Gillis

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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.

  Anne's Schedule

All times here are Central Time.
You must register with Lone Star College to attend these classes.

Wed. & Fri., Feb. 18 and 20, 2015
10:00 AM-Noon, “Synchronicity”
Lone Star College ALL Program
Montgomery Campus

Tue. & Thu., Mar. 3 and 5, 2015
1:00-3:00 PM, “Synchronicity”
Lone Star College ALL Program
Kingwood Campus extension
in New Caney (LSC-EMCID Center)

Wed. & Fri., Apr. 8 and 10, 2015
10:00 AM-Noon, “EZosophy”
Lone Star College ALL Program
Montgomery Campus

Tue. & Thu., Apr. 14 and 16, 2015
1:00-3:00 PM, “Alive, Awake, Aware”
Lone Star College ALL Program
Kingwood Campus extension
in New Caney (LSC-EMCID Center)

Wed. & Fri., May 6 and 8, 2015   
10:00 AM-Noon, “Alive, Awake, Aware”
Lone Star College ALL Program
Montgomery Campus

  Healthy Living

Chanting OM

I’m not sure when I first heard someone sing/chant the OM mantra. I saw the symbol first, then heard what it meant, and finally heard someone belt out an “OM.”  It seemed strange at first, but in India, it is a respected chant and concept. I think sound has a big influence on our physical bodies and physical well-being, and when a psychiatrist recommended I chant “OM” for ten minutes day and do ten minutes of pranayama breathing daily, I decided to try it. BTW, I wasn’t a client, even though I’m sure I could have used some help! She was a friend and she was from India. I had an abnormal EEG and thought that sound waves and breathing might help out.

I found the practice relaxing, fun, and my brain waves seemed to be improving as well. For full disclosure I must admit I had ten sessions of acupuncture as well.

I fondly remember Guruji Mohan telling his students how to “OM.” Wow, was he specific. He said we had to use three syllables and should sound out “Ᾰ,” “Ō,” and “MMM.” He chided us if we just used only the “Ō,” and “MMM” version. It was a good skill to learn, and since I had traveled half way around the world to gain Indian wisdom, I wasn’t about to question it. From that point on, anytime I chanted “OM” you can be sure I sounded “A-U-M.”

Try it. Here’s a Youtube. They start with the “O” but just start with the “AH” and transition into the “O.”

Idealmantra.com gives 24 benefits from chanting “OM.”

Here are a few benefits of chanting “OM.”

• Chanting of OM Mantra purifies the environment around the chanter and produces positive vibrations.
• The OM not only gives positive results to the one who is chanting it but to the entire vicinity wherever its vibrations flow.
• It cleanses your aura.
• It takes you to alpha, a meditational state which gives you deep relaxation.
• Your concentration increases when you chant this universal hymn.
• Om chanting removes toxin from your body. It gives you better immunity and self-healing power.

Click here for more benefits of OM Mantra.

  Anne Talks

Click the graphic to hear The 5 Minute Mental Break.

  Anne Art

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