Whole Living Today

We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” ~Joseph Campbell

The greatest gift you can give yourself is joy, not only because of the feeling that goes with it at the moment, but because of the magnificent experience it will draw to you. It will produce wonders in your life.” ~Jack Boland

Following are a list of suggestions for cultivating joy and happiness into your life. We all have the choice to choose joy and happiness. At the end of this post I have included additional inspirational quotes.

1. Keep a gratitude journal.
   At the end of every day write in a notebook or journal a minimum of 5 things that you are grateful for, the more the better. Make it a practice to recall all the “simple” things from the day; bird songs in the morning, a close parking spot, a kind word from a stranger… This little nightly exercise creates positive energy to go to sleep with, causes the realization that every day has things to be grateful for no matter how hard of a day it was and also creates a shift during the day where you notice more and more things to be grateful for. Keeping a gratitude journal will draw more abundance into your life because you are acknowledging how grateful you are for what you do have.
2. Reflect on activities that have brought joy in the past.
   This simple activity will quickly put you into a place of joy.
3. Watch children or animals to see how easily they find joy.
   Both children and animals can bring much joy into our lives. Notice how they easily they live in the moment, just enjoying life and all the little gifts it has to offer. Watch a young child at play; running and rolling around, giggling and just being silly. Or a dog playing catch with a ball. When was the last time you took time to just play?
4. Be out in nature.
   Although we know just from the experience of being in nature that we can find peace and happiness, it is also scientifically proven. Take some time to just be out in nature. The field of ecopsychology is a combination of psychology and ecology.
   
   

   Ecopsychology explores how to make links and bonds with nature. It considers that this is worth doing, because when nature is explored and viewed without judgment, it gives the sensations of harmony, balance, timelessness and stability.

5. Laughter.
   Laughter is contagious, you really don’t have a choice. Watch funny movies, do something silly, just laugh.
6. Movement.
   Any kind of movement will shift your energy into a more positive one; dance, yoga, tai chi, walking, all forms of movement allow energy to flow more freely through the body. All the better if you create a practice out of it. Be present, pay attention to your breath and the way your body is moving.
7. Change your environment.
   Even the smallest changes in your environment will allow fresh energy to enter into your life. Clear out some clutter, change the color of a room, move furniture around, clean, open a window, add plants and flowers, burn a candle. Create a space that feels comfortable to you, even if it is only one room.
8. Watch what you put into your body.
   We all know the expression “you are what you eat”. It’s important to be conscious of what type of food you put into your body. Fresh locally grown organic foods are going to have the highest quality of life force energy and are what is going to make our body feel healthy and alive. Eat healthy; limit or eliminate alcohol, caffeine, sugar, meats and processed foods. Eat smaller portions more frequently rather than large meals. Drink plenty of pure filtered water. If your body feels good and is happy, you will be as well.
9. Take time for you.
   With our hectic lives, it is hardest to make time for our self, yet it is probably the most important aspect for creating joy and happiness. It is the time to recharge our batteries, to nurture ourselves. Learn to say “no” when you need to. If we are always giving of our self, we will run out or become low in energy. It’s a fact; there needs to be a balance. Just take some time to spend it in a way you totally enjoy. Work on a hobby, take a relaxing bath, indulge in a treat for yourself, loose yourself in a book. Take time to love yourself.
10. Engage the healing process.
    Although the healing process itself is not typically joyful, the after effects are. There a numerous methods of allowing healing to take place; massage, therapy, Reiki, yoga, journaling, retreats, meditation, fasting… It is important to remember that the healing process may become its hardest just before the breakthrough and release of blocked energy, stick with the process. Change is inevitable.
11. Adjust the quality of your relationships.
    This quote by Jim Rohn is important to remember: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Are you keeping company with positive, joyful people or negative, drama-filled people? It’s very easy to absorb other people’s energy/emotions. Avoid drama by changing the subject, say something positive about the other person, walk away from the conversation, keep quiet or clearly state that you no longer want to participate in gossiping about others. Here is a enlightening post about toxic relationships: Toxic Relationships ~ Stop the Toxic Dance.
12. Celebrate your accomplishments.
    Keep a journal and each evening record your daily accomplishments remembering to include the small ones. It is human nature to remember the times we have been unsuccessful; make a habit to remember your accomplishments. This is a great way to boost self-esteem and confidence which will remove some of life’s fears and open the door to more success.
13. Practice random acts of kindness.
    Be kind to others for no reason at all; buy someone flowers to brighten their day, pay for the person’s coffee behind you, tell someone they look nice; you never know what effect that may have on their day or even life. The post, The Little Things, is a good overview of random acts of kindness.
14. Cultivate a spiritual practice.
    It is well known that people with a spiritual practice lead happier and more joyful lives. Some of the benefits of cultivating a spiritual practice include universal guidance and support, centeredness, a sense of purpose and meaning to life, a deeper connection to others, seeing the “bigger picture”, and a deeper inner connection.
15. Volunteer.
    For many people volunteering provides a sense of satisfaction and joy. It is important to volunteer from your heart, not out of a sense of obligation.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.” ~Kahlil Gibran

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

“What I know for sure is that you feel real JOY in direct proportion to how connected you are to living your truth.”~Oprah

“Joy springs from within; no one makes you joyous; you choose joyfulness.” ~Unknown

“True joy results when we become aware of our connectedness to everything.” ~Paul Pearsall

“Learning to live in the present moment is part of the path of joy.” ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

“Release the joy that is inside of another, and you release the joy that is inside of you.” ~Neal Donald Walsh

“It is okay to feel more Joy than the people around you. It is one of the greatest gifts we can give. They need our Joy, not our sadness.” ~Unknown

“If you are not living in Joy, you are out of integrity with your Soul.” ~Michael Bernard Beckwith

“Following the basic laws of the Universe leads us to a life of total and complete joy in every moment.” ~Arnold Patent

Universal Laws generally describe the ways in which cause and effect are related. They can also act as guidelines for developing personal, emotional and spiritual growth.

The Universal Laws are all interconnected and based on the understanding that everything in the universe is made up of energy and that energy flows through and connects everything.

“Our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions are all forms of energy. What we think, feel, say, and do in each moment comes back to us to create our realities. Energy moves in a circle, so what goes around comes around. The combined thoughts, feelings, words and actions of everyone on the planet creates our collective consciousness, it creates the world we see before us.”

Because we are co-creators of our lives through our thoughts, feelings, words and actions we have the ability to create our world rich in abundance, happiness and peace.  We can actually change our lives by changing our thoughts, emotions, words and actions by being in alignment with the Universal Laws.

Although there are many versions and number of what are considered to be Universal Laws, Spiritual Laws or Laws of Nature, below are the ones that I have found to be the most consistent.  These laws are real and what all of creation is based on.  Read through them, meditate on them, think about how they have worked in your life already. Then, be conscious of them working in your life from now on and see how magically your life unfolds.

1. The Law of Divine Oneness

   The Law of Divine Oneness helps us to understand that we live in a world where everything is connected to everything else. Everything we do, say, think and believe affects others and the universe around us.

2. The Law of Vibration

   This Universal Law states states that anything that exists in our universe, whether seen or unseen, broken down into and analyzed in it’s purest and most basic form, consists of pure energy or light which resonates and exists as a vibratory frequency or pattern.

3. The Law of Action

   This Law states that if you take any action in the direction of your goal, no matter how small, the Universe will take an even greater action in your direction to help your reach your goal. The Law of Action must be applied in order for us to manifest things on earth. It is important to remember to engage in actions that support our thoughts, dreams, emotions and words.

4. The Law of Correspondence

   This Universal Law states that our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. We can look at this Law as like a mirror. It is important to address issues within our inner world before our outer world will change for us.

5. The Law of Cause and Effect

   This Law states that any action produces or returns a result or outcome in exact proportion to the act or cause which initiated it.  This can be explained through the expressions “we reap what we sow” and the Golden Rule, “do to others what you would like to be done to you”. This is also the basis of karma.

6. The Law of Compensation

   This Law is tightly tied to the Law of Cause and Effect. This Universal Law can probably be best summed up by the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

7. The Law of Attraction

   The Law of Attraction says “that which is like unto itself, is drawn”. Whatever energy is broadcast out into the universe is joined by (or attracted to) energies that are of an equal or harmonious frequency, resonance or vibration. “Like attracts like” and “birds of a feather flock together” are common expressions relating to the Law of Attraction.

8. The Law of Perpetual Transmutation of Energy

   This Universal Law states that all persons have within them the power to change the conditions in their lives. Higher vibrations consume and transform lower ones. As old forms are exhausted, they give way for new forms to emerge from the energy of the Universe.

9. The Law of Relativity

   This Universal Law states that nothing is good or bad until you relate it to something. Everything is relative to your perception of it. Are you able to look at challenges as opportunities for growth, learning or healing?

10. The Law of Polarity

    This Universal Law states that everything is on a continuum and has an opposite. We wouldn’t know what it really felt like to be happy if we didn’t have sadness to compare it too.

11. The Law of Rhythm

    This Universal Law states that everything vibrates and moves to certain rhythms. These rhythms establish seasons, cycles, stages of development, and patterns.

12. The Law of Gender

    This Universal Law states that everything has its masculine (yang) and feminine (yin) principles, and that these are the basis for all creation. This Law also states that everything has its own gestation or incubation period of growth. The Universe will provide for us when the time is right.

Related Post:  Change is Inevitable

Following are the 5 most popular posts for 2009 with a brief summary. If you haven’t had the chance, please click on the links and read the entire article.  Thank you for reading and visiting Whole Living Today.

• Toxic Relationships – Stop the Toxic Dance
  This article will help you understand the profile of a toxic relationship. As you read, if you feel that a lot of what is said here applies to those who are acting “funny” with you now, then you are in a toxic relationship. In the degree in which it does not apply, you may be facing any of the other options described here.
• How to Find Your Life Purpose
  As society is going through its changes, an urgency is arising for us to live a life of purpose. We are losing our foundations and seeking to find something to hold on to. Just as society is going through a period of transformation, so are we as individuals. We are looking for something to give us meaning to our lives. A purpose. We may have goals that we wish to accomplish during our life but a purpose is different in that it provides meaning.
• Change is Inevitable
  Life is change. Fighting or resisting change is what we should fear, not change itself. Change is life. Resisting change creates blockages in the flow of energy.
• Getting to Know Your Inner Goddess
  A modern-day Goddess knows that she is part of God/Source/All that Is. She is comfortable with her I Am. She has successfully integrated yin and yang, feminine and masculine energies. She embodies strength, sex appeal, and intelligence. She gracefully walks her path with passion, purpose, and possibility. She isn’t above others but it very much at peace with herself and values herself to the extent that she designs her own destiny, balancing love, work, and play beautifully.
• Rhythms of Nature ~ Spring
  Spring is a time of new beginnings, new growth, planting seeds, purification, and for clearing out the old. Following the rhythms of nature and developing harmony with the ways in which nature cares for itself, we can also create balance within our own lives.

Center for Reiki Research and Reiki in Hospitals
The purpose of this web site is to promote the scientific awareness of Reiki by providing a current list of evidence based research published in peer reviewed journals along with summaries of each of these studies. We also offer guidance and direction for those wanting to produce future studies. Also included on this web site is a list of hospitals, medical clinics, and hospice programs where Reiki sessions are offered.

International Reiki Association
If you are one of the many who practice Reiki as a profession, we offer you solid basics for your business success.

International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP)
Here you can find the Reiki Articles & Research Library, The Reiki Times magazine, Reiki professional & general liability insurance, great benefits, resources for your Reiki practice and much more.

International Center for Reiki Training
We offer over 350 web pages and 150 articles covering every area of Reiki practice. The free download page contains additional articles and free reiki practice and teaching materials. The website of William Lee Rand.

ReikiOne.org
Reiki community, resources, sharing.  Healing image cards, Reiki screen savers…

Reiki Dharma
The homepage of Frank Arjava Petter, author of “Reiki Fire”, “Reiki, the Legacy of Dr. Usui”, “The Original Reiki Handbook of Dr. Mikao Usui”, “The Original Reiki Handbook”, co-author of “The Spirit of Reiki”, “Reiki Best Practices” and “The Hayashi Reiki- Manual”. I am committed to sharing my research into Japanese Reiki history as well as new and old ways to expand your Reiki practice.

James Deacon’s Reiki Pages
In these pages, you will find a wealth of information concerning the art of Reiki, as developed by Sensei Mikao Usui in Japan in the early 20th century:

- everything from an ‘essential background guide’, to an indepth look at the Reiki Symbols and associated jumon and kotodama practice, to discussion of the Reiki Precepts / Principles, to descriptions of many Japanese Reiki Self-developmental Techniques & Treatment Practices, such as hatsurei ho, byosen, reiji, etc.

You will also discover full descriptions of the reiju process and other methods of Reiki initiation, attunement and empowerment; as well as translations of the Usui Memorial inscription, and early Reiki documents – such as the Reiki Ryoho Hikkei (Reiki Treatment Companion) and the Hayashi Ryoho Shishin – a treatment guide compiled by Chujiro Hayashi.

This site also includes an expansive glossary of Reiki terminology; information on the various Japanese Reiki styles and grading systems; and discussion of many issues related to the currently-accepted History of Reiki, and the people, places and influences which have helped shape Reiki as we know it today.

The Reiki Threshold
An extensive site covering all aspects of Reiki including history.

The Secret Garden Healing Oasis
Articles, resources, online store, distance Reiki, Reiki certification, intuitive readings. My personal website.

“Cheshire Puss, asked Alice. Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? That depends a good deal on where you want to go, said the Cat. I don’t much care where, said Alice. Then it doesn’t matter which way you go, said the Cat.”