The Anne Report, Memories, reminds us that even though suffering is a part of life, there’s no need to suffer all the time. The Main article, Three Choices for Powerful Living, provides three tips for living powerfully. The Healthy Living article, Sweet Potatoes, offers two great recipes for these healthy spuds. The Anne Talk is Anne's video, The Path To Conscious Awakening. The Featured Product this month is Standing in the Dark. Click here to learn about Anne's newest book, Words Make a Difference.

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

Living EZosophy, April 25, 2017
Published Weekly on Tuesday Mornings

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

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  The Anne Report

Memories

Dear ,

We leave Friday for North Carolina. We are going for my aunt’s funeral. I will be conducting the service, so I’m sifting through the memories. A few years ago I visited my aunt and, when I was leaving, she started crying, and she said, “I don’t know if I will remember you the next time I see you.” Her mind was not a clear as it used to be, but when I saw her for the last time, a few months before she passed away, she saw me and said, “Anne, what a nice surprise.” She thought she had millions of dollars (it was imagined) and wanted to be sure I received my share, but at least she knew who I was!

I’ve been riffling through boxes of photos trying to find pictures of my Aunt Mary Anne (I was named for her) for a video presentation. I have my mother’s pictures along with my pictures – boxes of pictures. I’ve spent hours going through them and it brings up so many memories of family members who have passed away, cousins I have lost touch with, and relationships that have ended. I’m digging through a graveyard of emotions. I feel a passing heaviness as I look at the pictures. Buddha said that we don’t have to suffer, but we will suffer, because we will love people and we will lose them and then we will suffer. And he was right.

Loss is a part of life, and suffering is a part of life. However, there’s no need to suffer all the time. Much suffering is made up. I call the made up stuff Ego Driven Suffering. Some suffering is genuine. It results from a real loss. If we are fortunate, living through a loss offers a unique perspective on life. It opens a door to tucked away sweet places in our hearts and brings about deeper compassion. My sister’s memorial service is in June, so it looks like I’ll have another opportunity to go deep. I am grateful that I have loved, sad that I have lost, and happy that I’m still here!

You know what I hope they say at my funeral? “I think she’s moving!” Okay, from sad to glad in a few keystrokes. Take it easy, and that’s the Anne Report for this week.

Anne

  Main Article

Three Choices for Powerful Living

Many of us are fortunate enough to have an excess of food, a place to sleep, and to live in relative safety. There are no bombs exploding nearby and we are free to express our opinions. We have so many choices, we often end up with chaotic lives and forget to make the choices that bring peaceful living. We can’t ignore one part of the whole of who we are and live in harmony with the whole. What choices can anyone make that strengthen our lives and clear the path to joyful living?

1. Live in optimism

If we think life sucks, our bodies figure out a way to get us out of the dilemma. Subconsciously, the mind says, “Get him or her out of here. Setup up the circumstances for an illness, an accident, or a situation to make him/her go crazy so she can get out of this mess.” We often think that life occurs at random, but we have a tremendous influence on our health and well-being. The way we look at life can be dangerous to our health or helpful.

I once had a health challenge. The doctor announced that I had an incurable problem. I was over-committed and had little time for pleasure. I resigned from almost every committee and commitment. My optimism returned, my burden lifted, and the incurable condition went away.

2. Take care of our bodies

Move - Our bodies are like a river. They need to move. If we dam up a river, everything below the dam dries up. When we don’t move, it’s like we have mini dams built up in our bodies. We need to flow blood, lymph fluids, and energy.

If one must sit long periods or is confined to a wheel chair, it is essential to move something – the ankles, the hands, the arms. Movement is life and life is movement. I was once at an ashram in India. I was surprised that there was a walking track there. Someone told me, “The guru wants everyone to walk and take care of their bodies.” This ashram also had a cafeteria filled with healthy foods. No matter how holy one is, how enlightened one is, or how peaceful one feels, everyone needs to care for their body. Patanjali developed hatha yoga so the body could hold states of peace as a part the process of awakening.

When my husband and I travel, we stop every two hours and walk around a bit. I also move my body around in the car. I can lift my shoulders up and down, and, if I’m not driving, I can massage my hands and feet. Sometimes we chose not to stop at the allotted time, due to weather or other conditions. My body screams when we don’t stop, and I walk around like the unoiled tin man.

Chose healthy foods - Eat a lot of greens. No one needs to hear how to eat well. We know what foods are good for us. If you find that you always eat poorly, try an experiment. Set aside one day for healthy eating. Plan for the day so you have healthy food available and eat healthily for one day. Then try two days of no junk food, no refined foods, no sugar. Then try every other day of healthy eating. You get the picture!

3. Surrender

Surrender is an act of trust. It is an act that humbles the ego and one that passes the unceasing strategy of the mind. The mind drags us around, promising a blessed life, but ultimately its approach not only complicates our lives, it wears us out. Learning how to surrender, and then surrendering, is one of the wisest things we can do. Some see surrender as a weakness, but it is our strength. Surrender means to turn things over to a Higher Power and then stop the mental dialogue about the problem. Until we surrender, one problem or the other will drag us around our lives until we drop in despair. We can surrender each problem, one by one, or we can live our lives in an ongoing process of surrender.

We live privileged lives, but we often overlook our privilege and act like whiny children. There is no need to lead hopeless, helpless lives. There are many things out of our control and there are tragedies, yet there is always something to do or to undo in this very moment, that will make our lives EZier and EZier.

Anne

  Quotes

Anne Quotes

"Self-terror is an error. Get upbeat instead of beat up or beat down."

"It’s much better to fail at something great than to hide from failure. Staying on the sidelines of life to ensure safety, brings danger. The risk of not being aware of who we are and living from that, is the gravest peril we face. Our souls die, our light dims, and our connections wither unless we do anything it takes to be an active participant in our lives."

"When the feelings of urgency come, drink from the grail of enoughness, the completeness of the universe. Let all action come from that."

"What you talk about needs to be at least relevant to your current situation. It it’s not, it’s just mind muck. Don’t stay stuck in the muck."

Anne Affirmations

"I am a true believer and an eager receiver."

"I give up my need to hurry. I am on time, every time."

"Today is a great day, especially for me. I am not only in tune with life, I hear from the deep recesses of my heart. I stand in a peace so deep that nothing disturbs me."

  Featured Product This Month

Standing in the Dark by Anne Sermons Gillis
Standing in the Dark by Anne Sermons Gillis Click here for info	Standing in the Dark provides a fresh look at living the Spiritual Life. It reveals practical and achievable ways to: Apply spiritual principles Create healthier relationships Feel peace about our bodies and our health Define our mission Relate to money Deal with loss Goals are constructive, but you don't need a plan to be who you are. You are already complete and this book allows you to rest in your wholeness.
Standing in the Dark can be purchased in Kindle format or paperback. Click here for more information.

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Click here to check out Anne's newest book, Words Make A Difference, 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.

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  What is EZosophy?

Click the graphic above to learn about EZosophy.

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  Healthy Living

Sweet Potatoes

My three favorite foods are sweet potatoes, pomegranates, and watermelon. Sweet potatoes are available all year long, so I’m always hunting down new ways to eat these healthy, delicious treats.

Medical News Today says that “Sweet potatoes pack a powerful nutritional punch. They have got over 400% of your daily needs for vitamin A in one medium spud, as well as loads of fiber and potassium.” They also rank low on the glycemic index scale.

My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is to roast them. Just cut them up in uniform-sized chunks, spray them with oil (I like coconut oil), and roast at 350° F., until they are slightly brown. This is one of those recipes that sounds ho hum, but the potatoes are really tasty this way. People always ask for the recipe, and when I share it, they are shocked.

P.S.: If your oven does not cook evenly, you may want to turn the potatoes over until both sides are a golden brown, but this is unnecessary unless one side is burning and the other is almost raw.

For something a little fancier, I might cook the following. I don’t remember where this recipe came from, but it’s easy to make and a little exotic.

Roasted Yams with Citrus Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 pound yams, scrubbed, cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided (see instructions below)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots (You can use chopped yellow onions.)
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted, shelled, raw, natural pistachios, toasted, chopped (reduce salt in recipe and double honey, if you have salted nuts)
• 2 tablespoons raisins

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place yams and 1 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat. Arrange yams on prepared sheet in a single layer. Roast until tender and lightly browned (about 25 minutes).

Meanwhile, whisk remaining 3 tablespoons oil, cilantro, shallots, orange juice, lime juice, and honey in a small bowl. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer yams to a platter. Drizzle salsa over and sprinkle with pistachios and raisins.

If you have any healthy living tips for the newsletter, send them to me at anne@annegillis.com.

  Anne Talks

The Path To Conscious Awakening

  Anne Art

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  Anne's Schedule

All times here are Central Time
unless otherwise specified.

Sunday, May 14, 2017 (Mother's Day)
10:30 AM Service
"Light Your Way Home"
Unity Circle of Light
Creekside Forest Elementary School
5949 Creekside Forest Dr.
The Woodlands, TX 77379

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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.