Anne's Note, A New Project, tells of her and Jim's new plans. In the Main article, More EZosophy, provides more insights into the EZosophy philosophy and how living it can make life EZier. The Healthy Living article, Prayer is Good Medicine, discusses prayer and gives an example of a healing prayer. In the Anne Talk, Dynamic Prayer, Anne discusses several ways to pray. The Featured Product this month is Anne's newest book, Words Make a Difference.

The EZ Mantra: "Everything can be EZ or at least EZier." – Anne Sermons Gillis

Living EZosophy, September 20, 2016
Published Weekly on Tuesday Mornings

Phone: 281-419-1775
Email: anne@annegillis.com

Anne's Websites:

  A Note From Anne

A New Project

Dear ,

If you are reading this newsletter, I thank you. It is a time-consuming production. Why do I do it? Two reasons: the feedback I receive tells me that some people read it on a regular basis and the other is to make myself write. I use the newsletter to keep up and improve my writing skills. If I didn't have a deadline and a commitment, I wouldn't write. I know myself well enough to know that without a commitment, I would dabble at writing, but never spend the time needed to become a great writer or at least an inspired writer. The universe puts a lot of ideas into the ethers, and the person who is at attention and ready to write is the one who receives the information.

Changing the topic radically. Our home sale is on the back burner. My realtor said she has not seen business this slow in the 10 years she's been working in this area. So we have a new project. We have wanted to buy an RV for years. We put it off for many reasons, but since we are getting older, I figured we better make a move on this project. Consequently, my husband spends his days combing the internet for a truck to purchase that falls within our budget. We thought buying the RV would be more time consuming than buying the truck, but we had that mixed up. We've found numerous RV's that would work, but the truck quest is going slow. If I'm not writing these days; I'm on the truck/RV tangent.

I'm always thinking of my little grand twins and plan to go there for my 68th birthday next month. I'm counting the days. Blessings and EZ to everyone.

Anne

  Main Article

More EZosophy

This week I revised my book, EZosophy, and sent it to the printer. This action fell on the heels of getting Words Make a Difference published. I looked at so many words and read and reread the two books so many times, that my mind is screen tired. The copy has mistakes, just like life, and as an EZosophist, I am willing for the books to be good, even if the copy is not perfect. Hundreds of hours have gone into this project and at some point, I have to let it go.

When I was in undergraduate school I wrote a thesis. It was a staunch undertaking. The paper was on Maslow's self-actualization and seniors. I worked and worked but it wasn't finished at the end of the semester. I got an extension so I could continue my work. I gathered more data, analyzed and reanalyzed my statistics, and edited and reedited. I was afraid I was plagiarizing material. I didn't understand the difference between rewording someone's idea and when the idea was transformed and became mine. I could see myself getting fined or going to an imaginary plagiarism jail. My sister, Jo, said, "Just turn the thing in. Do the best you can do and let it go. It will be okay." I took her advice. I stopped editing and perfecting and turned it in, with what I considered too many imperfections. I was tired, tapped out, and maybe a little delusional. I waited to hear about my project/paper. Not only did I get an "A" on the paper, I won a prestigious department award that was acknowledged at graduation.

Unfortunately, when I wrote my thesis, I had no concept of EZosophy. Fortunately, things are much better now that I've integrated this philosophy into my everyday tasks. While revising the EZosophy book, I really got stumped. I could feel the anxiety rising up my spine, providing a cloud cover over my sanity. I couldn't figure out how do a certain task without it being HARD. I couldn't mentally put the steps together to make it EZier. I struggled for about ten minutes. Finally, I remembered the EZosophy eight-word miracle mantra. I stopped, closed my eyes, and I thought," Everything can be EZ or at Least EZier." I implemented the short version* of the EZU process and finished off with my all-time favorite prayer and one-word affirmation and prayer (see Words Make a Difference, One Word Affirmation section): HELP.

I sat quietly for a couple of minutes and revisited my task. An idea popped into my head and suddenly I was easily flying through the book, making the needed corrections. I felt my body relax. My breath was deeper. A Course in Miracles states, "When this Power has once been experienced, it is impossible to trust one's own petty strength again. Who would attempt to fly with the tiny wings of a sparrow when the mighty power of an eagle has been given him?"

Finishing the work became EZier because I reached in for help. Help is always available, and to depend on our limited thinking mind is to disregard the greater possibility offered by Infinite Intelligence. We repeatedly forget that ego driven suffering and drama can be avoided when we turn our minds and endeavors over to a Higher Power. Whether it be a project at work or a relationship with our dog, there is always help. We are not alone in this life. When we stop trying hard, trying to go it alone, and trying to be strong, we find that life is always EZier and EZier and that is the way our lives are designed to be.

* I'm upset, but I am willing to drop the drama. I get in touch with my body, care for it, and observe my feelings. I still my mind (after all, my mind got me in this mess; I cannot depend on my mind in this moment for a sane perception) and go to the universe for help. I mentally focus on the stars and then let the stars disappear. Repeat the image of the stars appearing and disappearing, thus having a blank, dark, mind field.

Anne

  Quotes

"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength – carrying two days at a time. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength."
-- Corrie Ten Boom

"When in doubt, simply be still, breathe; inwardly listen. Being still and quiet is the ultimate spiritual practice. Keep it this simple."
-- Adyashanti

"There are some people who listen to you when you talk and there's other people who just wait for their turn."
-- Bryan Kramer

  Featured Product This Month

Finally, a book of affirmations, action plans, and deep insights into the human consciousness that transforms and heals the soul, the local and global community, and the planet. Travel with Gillis on a journey through deep psychology, metaphysics, and nondualism.

We are responsible for a world that works for everyone and, as a collective assembly of souls, we cannot rest until greed no longer supersedes need. We cannot rest until greed no longer supersedes need. We are called to plant the seeds of blessing along the path to liberation. Revolutionary words call us to a world-wide renaissance of cooperation and community.

• Heal the most basic wounds of our human condition.
• Move beyond narcissism to compassion and justice.
• Become a Global Boom-Box.

You may order it from the website or call me at 713.922.0242 to order directly from me. The price is $16.95 plus $3.99 shipping. A Kindle version is available for $5.99.

Click here to order Words Make a Difference.

You can also download a Kindle version of Anne's new book, Words Make a Difference, on Amazon, for $5.99.

  What is EZosophy?

Click the graphic above to learn about EZosophy.

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

  Healthy Living

Prayer is Good Medicine

There is scientific evidence that prayer reduces stress. People who pray daily are not only healthier, they are happier. Prayer makes us nicer, more forgiving, increases self-control, and increases our trust level.

There is no set way to pray, but begging and bargaining might not be assets to our prayer lives. The following are thoughts I had about praying for others one morning.

When you pray for someone, it's best to avoid specifics. Pray that good manifest in the lives of our friends or loved ones. Pray that insights and compassion anoint their minds and hearts. Pray that abundance, health, passion, and creativity adorn their very being and acknowledge that the highest good is always happening in their lives, regardless of appearances. Pray that this person is guided in all his/her affairs. Know that unconditional love dissolves self-doubt and limiting beliefs in their lives. Know in your heart that there is always a higher good directing the path of your friend's or family member's life and that you can be at perfect peace knowing that this is so.

The prayer below is from my book, Offbeat Prayers for the Modern Mystic. It is asking our Higher Power to teach us to pray and to believe in the outcome of prayer.

Healing Prayer

    God, give me the faith to believe that you have the power to heal me. Reach through this seemingly impenetrable maze of belief systems and take me home. Teach me to celebrate joy more and to worship fear less.

    Teach me to pray with an attitude rooted in power. Help me to accept the authority of your word. Remind me that thinking about praying or assuming that you know my needs is not enough. Remind me that I must speak to you with an open, undefended heart and ask directly for healing. Then remind me to listen. Help me to make it a priority to listen to you. Make me understand the importance of our time together. I know that I need to make more time for our relationship than I do for any other relationship. Help me to act on that knowledge.

    Teach me to eliminate the situations and beliefs that keep me stranded from your love. Dispel the delusion that I can personally heal my deepest wounds. Grant me the humility to ask for and receive your healing. Lead my mind into your love and away from my fear. AMEN.

Worry is a prayer for what we don't want. Some people even argue that all thought is prayer. If that is so, it means that everything we think is a part of a communication with Source. What do we really want from prayer? Do we want to air our complaints or to turn over our cares, worries, and dilemmas to a power that can do something about them and relieve our burdens? If relief and release is what we truly want, then we may want to pray in a way that feeds our hearts. We might want to pray with an expectation that a higher good is always possible in every situation.

We are responsible for our prayer lives. We may need to upgrade the way we pray so we can experience deeper and deeper levels of peace. Just as we outgrow our clothes as we move from childhood to adulthood, we outgrow old modes of prayer, based on what others taught us or based on the naivety of a young child praying to a Santa Clause god. We are no longer children who try to be good so we can be rewarded. We are the hands and feet of the Infinite Power of the universe.  Prayer is our communication with that power. Examine your prayers to be sure you pray with an open heart, a trusting mind, and a willingness to receive more good that you ever thought possible.

Anne

  Anne Talks

Today's Anne Talk is Dynamic Prayer. Anne discusses several ways to pray. Time: 9:02.

  Anne Art

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  Anne's Schedule

All times here are Central Time.

Sunday, September 25, 2016
After 11:00 AM service
Book signing for Anne's new book
Words Make a Difference
Creative Life Spiritual Center
5326 Spring Stuebner Rd. Ste. 200
Spring, Texas 77389
Phone: 281-350-5157

Saturday, October 1, 2016
10:00 AM, "Developing Your Intuition"
The Houston Lodge of the Theosophical Society
1525 Heights Blvd., Houston, TX 77008

Sunday, October 9, 2016
1:00 PM Workshop: Down With Ego Driven Suffering, Stress, and Strain
Lunch will be provided for participants after the service.
Unity of Charleston
2535 Leeds Ave.
Charleston, SC 29405
Phone: 843-566-0600

Sunday, October 23, 2016
11 AM Service: "Living in Ease"
Carmel Temple
1208 Pennsylvania St.
South Houston, TX 77587
Phone: 713-944-0014

Sunday, October 30, 2016
10 AM Service
Unity of Brazosport
507 So. Brooks St. (Hwy 36)
Brazoria, TX 77422

  Call or Email Anne Now to Schedule
  Your Next Meeting with her.

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.