# What Does Happiness Mean To You?



## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

There is such a lot of talk about happiness. Many appear to be in pursuit of it and fail to find it. So, what is happiness? Please tell me what it means to you.

To get the ball rolling, let me tell you about my perception of it. My own life has taught me that the degree of happiness we are likely to find depends on what our expectations of life are. If they are too high or unrealistic, we are sowing the seeds of discontent and unhappiness for ourselves. I believe that a better understanding of the purpose and meaning of our earthly existence goes a long way towards being content with our lot and yes, even happy because at all times we are learning something and therefore growing and moving forwards and upwards on the evolutionary spiral of life.

With love - Aquarius

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## dale (Dec 10, 2015)

happiness is whatever keeps the demons at bay.


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## Bosco (Dec 10, 2015)

I try to be satisfied with some level of contentment, with only intermittent periods of happiness and the occasional flash of joy. 

For me, that's more realistic.


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## Sonata (Dec 10, 2015)

I have a roof over my head, a bed which could be a bit more comfortable but it is a lot better than it could be.  I have food in my freezer and my larder, and if I never buy another new article I have enough clothes to last me for the rest of my life.  And I have the puppy who makes sure I get up in the morning instead of just vegetating in bed.

I cannot walk but I have my wheels.  I have my computer so I can keep in touch with the outside world.

It has taken me decades to reach this conclusion but I really am satisfied with what I have and I am comfortable in my skin.

I am not unhappy therefore the above is what happiness means to me.


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

dale said:


> happiness is whatever keeps the demons at bay.



Yes, but what are these demons other than the desires of our lower earthly nature? By following the hopes and dreams of our higher nature, they are gradually shed.


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

Bosco said:


> I try to be satisfied with some level of contentment, with only intermittent periods of happiness and the occasional flash of joy.
> 
> For me, that's more realistic.



I would say that IS realistic. To my mind that is the only way of living on the Earth plane.


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

Sonata said:


> I have a roof over my head, a bed which could be a bit more comfortable but it is a lot better than it could be.  I have food in my freezer and my larder, and if I never buy another new article I have enough clothes to last me for the rest of my life.  And I have the puppy who makes sure I get up in the morning instead of just vegetating in bed.
> 
> I cannot walk but I have my wheels.  I have my computer so I can keep in touch with the outside world.
> 
> ...



How wise you are! I have difficulties walking, but am grateful and happy that I have two feet that will carry me.


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## Bosco (Dec 10, 2015)

Sonata said:


> I have a roof over my head, a bed which could be a bit more comfortable but it is a lot better than it could be.  I have food in my freezer and my larder, and if I never buy another new article I have enough clothes to last me for the rest of my life.  And I have the puppy who makes sure I get up in the morning instead of just vegetating in bed.
> 
> I cannot walk but I have my wheels.  I have my computer so I can keep in touch with the outside world.
> 
> ...



I watched a documentary called "Happy." The basic premise is that people who just have their most basic needs met seem to be the happiest. But once people start to accumulate material things and luxuries, they want more and are never satisfied.

It's hard to avoid those feeling sometimes and be satisfied and thankful for what you have. It sounds like you're there, so good for you.  I really have to work at it.


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## Deleted member 56686 (Dec 10, 2015)

I think happiness is what you make of it. There isn't any thing or even a person that is responsible for making you happy (though I'm sure it doesn't hurt to have a loved one that can help and vice versa). Happiness, I think, is inside of yourself.


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## Bishop (Dec 10, 2015)

Aside from my wife...

Computers. In every form and shape and size. PCs, MACs, servers, workstations, gaming consoles, smart phones... I love computers. I love what they do, I love speaking with them, I love programming them. Give me computers, I am happy.


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## Crowley K. Jarvis (Dec 10, 2015)

I agree. 

I don't have high expectations. To me, it is enough to create, share it with others, and discuss. Humans think so differently. We all develop an individual perception of the world, unlike that of any others. The skill to use that perception, and to create our own worlds, is something only we can do.

The physical world around us is only half of the human experience. 

Using our mind, interacting with the world through our bodies... is incredible. 

I only need something to make. In my mind, or on paper, or from materials. Something to share. 

And I only need to enjoy what others share with me. 

To create, share, and discuss. 

That is happiness. 

Even if I am alone at the time being... I know I will find someone who at least partially shares this view of the world.

Until then, I work at my mind, and at my creation. 

To have something to share, when I find that person. 

The rest of the world is too preoccupied with the physical part. I am content to be alone, for now. It gives me peace from those meaningless worries.

Because I am content, and I can create, I am happy.

Everyone has their own happiness. I found mine younger than some do..


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## escorial (Dec 10, 2015)

to feel normal


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

Bosco said:


> I watched a documentary called "Happy." The basic premise is that people who just have their most basic needs met seem to be the happiest. But once people start to accumulate material things and luxuries, they want more and are never satisfied.
> 
> It's hard to avoid those feeling sometimes and be satisfied and thankful for what you have. It sounds like you're there, so good for you.  I really have to work at it.



It seems to me that for as long as we are caught up in the illusion of Earth life and materiality, we respond to the desires of this part of our being. When it has been stripped away and just the most basic things are left to us, we come to our senses and begin to realise what true happiness is. Something like that.


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## dale (Dec 10, 2015)

i don't think materialism has much to do with it, either way. people find ways to be dismal, rich or poor.


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

mrmustard615 said:


> I think happiness is what you make of it. There isn't any thing or even a person that is responsible for making you happy (though I'm sure it doesn't hurt to have a loved one that can help and vice versa). Happiness, I think, is inside of yourself.



I think you are right. Happiness is an inner state - a feeling and a sense of things being right. 

Giving joy to others by  doing something kind and loving for them has always brought me much happiness. As I had no other kind of spiritual guidance up to about midlife, words of wisdom I found along the way that made sense to me and struck an inner chord gradually developed into the leading lights and guiding stars for my whole life:

Willst du glücklich sein im Leben,
trage bei zu and’rer Glück,
denn die Freude, die wir geben
kehrt ins eigne Herz zurück.

Goethe

If you want to lead a happy life,
Contribute to other people’s happiness,
For any joy that is given
Returns to our own heart. 
​ My own life has shown me the truth of Goethe’s words.

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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

Bishop said:


> Aside from my wife...
> 
> Computers. In every form and shape and size. PCs, MACs, servers, workstations, gaming consoles, smart phones... I love computers. I love what they do, I love speaking with them, I love programming them. Give me computers, I am happy.



It takes all sorts to make a world!


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

Crowley K. Jarvis said:


> . . . I don't have high expectations. To me, it is enough to create, share it with others, and discuss. Humans think so differently. We all develop an individual perception of the world, unlike that of any others. The skill to use that perception, and to create our own worlds, is something only we can do. . .



I couldn't agree more with just about everything you are saying and yes, you are fortunate to have discovered or rather developed all these things at such a young age. An old soul, I imagine. These perceptions are probably things you developed in other lifetimes and so became your spiritual property. That's the only thing we take with us when we leave the earthly plane. We bring it with you into every subsequent one.


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2015)

dale said:


> i don't think materialism has much to do with it, either way. people find ways to be dismal, rich or poor.



As pointed out earlier, happiness is an inner state. I don't believe it can be given to us by anyone. We ourselves have to develop it.


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## Bosco (Dec 10, 2015)

Materialism certainly isn't the only source of unhappiness, but I think it's a fairly significant one. If you're focused on getting more and better stuff, you'll never be satisfied with what you have. At best, status and things are a temporary source of happiness. I think we're bombarded with messages that tell us the opposite.

Like Aquarius says, happiness is an inner state. For me, it's nurtured somewhat paradoxically by getting outside myself, and that means taking care of my relationships and doing things for other people. I had to learn that the hard way, and with a lot of help from my better half.


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## Khalid M (Dec 11, 2015)

Interesting topic. I don't have a definite answer but if I had to define it, it would include:
- be with loved ones;
- be bound by nothing;
- preserve integrity;
- bring some sort of positive contribution to the world.


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## Kevin (Dec 11, 2015)

There's happiness and then there's a level of satisfaction.  The first one could be a fleeting thing, or it could be a general sense that pervades, and has to do with expectations.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

Bosco said:


> Materialism certainly isn't the only source of unhappiness, but I think it's a fairly significant one. If you're focused on getting more and better stuff, you'll never be satisfied with what you have. At best, status and things are a temporary source of happiness. I think we're bombarded with messages that tell us the opposite.
> 
> Like Aquarius says, happiness is an inner state. For me, it's nurtured somewhat paradoxically by getting outside myself, and that means taking care of my relationships and doing things for other people. I had to learn that the hard way, and with a lot of help from my better half.



Materialism to me means living in the material world without realising - so far - that there are higher dimensions of life and that our lives fulfil a higher evolutionary purpose. Until we discover this part of ourselves and set about satisfying it, there will remain an emptiness inside us that expresses itself in a hunger that cannot be stilled by any amount of over-eating and a thirst that is impossible to quench with alcoholic beverages. There is within each one of us a longing for fulfilment that cannot be satisfied by acquiring ever more material possessions, because it is our spirit and soul trying to get the attention of our earthly self. 

We can only find these things out, each through their own experiences. To my mind, Earth life is a school where life itself is the teacher.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

Kevin said:


> There's happiness and then there's a level of satisfaction.  The first one could be a fleeting thing, or it could be a general sense that pervades, and has to do with expectations.



Happiness grows from the satisfaction of knowing that we are doing a good job and making a valid contribution to our world that is helping it to become a better and more beautiful place, even if only in the smallest way.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

escorial said:


> to feel normal



Yes, but what is normal? Is any one of us? Does it mean being like the crowd and running with the herd? You can have my share of that.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

Crowley K. Jarvis said:


> . . . We all develop an individual perception of the world, unlike that of any others. . . .



To find out why this is so, please follows this link:

‘Varying Perceptions Of Life – Why?’

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## Darkkin (Dec 11, 2015)

Being comfortable, content in my own skin and mind.  Realistically knowing what I can do, what I can potentially do...Simply being able to wonder.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

Darkkin said:


> Being comfortable, content in my own skin and mind.  Realistically knowing what I can do, what I can potential do...Simply being able to wonder.



That sounds very sensible to me.


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## Stormcat (Dec 11, 2015)

My version of happiness means being at peace with everything.


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## LeeC (Dec 11, 2015)

To me happiness is seeing others emerge from their subjective being in understanding the value of all life forms in contributing to and sustaining their own being. What lies beyond is anyone's guess. 


Material bents are a form of a natural order survival mechanism, in excess their own destructive force.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

Stormcat said:


> My version of happiness means being at peace with everything.



. . . and especially with ourselves, don't you think?


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## Stormcat (Dec 11, 2015)

Aquarius said:


> . . . and especially with ourselves, don't you think?




Yeah, even though I'm a Secular Humanist, I still take a very Buddhist approach to suffering and happiness. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional, ya know?


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## Kevin (Dec 11, 2015)

What? suffering is not optional.

Not happy about dying. And self-delusion or group-delusion doesn't do it for me. We just went through a death and my 19 yo said "Someday this is what I'm going to have go through with each of you." What could I say? Better us dying first, than him.  We'll all put it out of our minds or forget about it(mostly) in time; until it happens again.


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## LeeC (Dec 11, 2015)

Kevin said:


> What? suffering is not optional.
> 
> Not happy about dying. And self-delusion or group-delusion doesn't do it for me. We just went through a death and my 19 yo said "Someday this is what I'm going to have go through with each of you." What could I say? Better us dying first, than him.  We'll all put it out of our minds or forget about it(mostly) in time; until it happens again.


Ah, a voice of reason  I look for silver linings as there's no gain from dwelling on the unpleasantness of life, but being aware of the balance of physical life isn't to be denied. Despite what we imagine beyond, none, or maybe more accurately, most of us aren't in any hurry to find out first hand ― at the same time we understand the cycle of life renewal. 

My own take being showing more respect for Mother Earth, is in effect showing more love for our progeny


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## Stormcat (Dec 11, 2015)

Kevin said:


> What? suffering is not optional.
> 
> Not happy about dying. And self-delusion or group-delusion doesn't do it for me. We just went through a death and my 19 yo said "Someday this is what I'm going to have go through with each of you." What could I say? Better us dying first, than him.  We'll all put it out of our minds or forget about it(mostly) in time; until it happens again.



According to Buddhists, Suffering is refusal to accept pain. You will experience pain in your life, this is a guarantee. But what will you make of your pain? Will you curse the heavens for bestowing you such a fate, or will you accept that pain has occurred and, although unpleasant, you have made peace with what has happened.

I'm sorry for your loss.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

Stormcat said:


> Yeah, even though I'm a Secular Humanist, I still take a very Buddhist approach to suffering and happiness. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional, ya know?



The way I understand the Buddha's teaching is that suffering can be overcome by us when we strive to do only that which is good and right in word, thoughts and actions. This constantly creates good and positive Karma for ourselves, which means that in coming lifetimes no more negative Karma can return to us and cause us pain.


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## Stormcat (Dec 11, 2015)

Aquarius said:


> The way I understand the Buddha's teaching is that suffering can be overcome by us when we strive to do only that which is good and right in word, thoughts and actions. This constantly creates good and positive Karma for ourselves, which means that in coming lifetimes no more negative Karma can return to us and cause us pain.



Yeah, if everyone did the right thing there would be no suffering. Unfortunately, not everyone does the right thing.

I don't believe in any of that karma stuff, I just do good for the sake of doing good.


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2015)

Kevin said:


> What? suffering is not optional.
> 
> Not happy about dying. And self-delusion or group-delusion doesn't do it for me. We just went through a death and my 19 yo said "Someday this is what I'm going to have go through with each of you." What could I say? Better us dying first, than him.  We'll all put it out of our minds or forget about it(mostly) in time; until it happens again.



I believe that it is a lack of understanding of the concept of death that causes our suffering. We think that our loved one has gone from us for good, when in truth physical death merely means that someone has moved onto a different level of consciousness - into the world of spirit or light - where sooner or later we shall be reunited with them.


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## Stormcat (Dec 11, 2015)

Aquarius said:


> I believe that it is a lack of understanding of the concept of death that causes our suffering. We think that our loved one has gone from us for good, when in truth physical death merely means that someone has moved onto a different level of consciousness - into the world of spirit or light - where sooner or later we shall be reunited with them.



With all due respect, I don't believe that.

All anyone really knows about death is that pain stops. If someone was waiting for the tumors to finally consume them, Death would be a relief. Release from the agony that was simply taking a breath.

I don't believe in any sort of afterlife. I am firmly of the mindset that this life is our only chance to "live". As such, you must deal with the cards you are dealt and work to make this the best life you can. How do you do that? you help other people to live as well. Feed the Hungry, Tend to the Sick, clothe the Naked and all that. When the reaper finally comes for you, will you be remembered as a good person, or a bad one? Your Legacy, in whatever shape or form it takes, is all you can truly leave behind.


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## Ariel (Dec 11, 2015)

Your atoms are endlessly recycled.  They originated within the heart of a star and they'll be recycled to reform some other thing or being at some time.  The air I breathe may have once been in the lungs of Buddha or Jesus.  This, even if I didn't believe in an afterlife, would lend me comfort.  Some part of me will exist long after I am gone.


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## dale (Dec 11, 2015)

Stormcat said:


> With all due respect, I don't believe that.
> 
> All anyone really knows about death is that pain stops. If someone was waiting for the tumors to finally consume them, Death would be a relief. Release from the agony that was simply taking a breath.
> 
> I don't believe in any sort of afterlife. I am firmly of the mindset that this life is our only chance to "live". As such, you must deal with the cards you are dealt and work to make this the best life you can. How do you do that? you help other people to live as well. Feed the Hungry, Tend to the Sick, clothe the Naked and all that. When the reaper finally comes for you, will you be remembered as a good person, or a bad one? Your Legacy, in whatever shape or form it takes, is all you can truly leave behind.



that belief doesn't quite make sense, given the very cyclic nature of the universe itself. that belief implies the universe as stagnant.


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## Stormcat (Dec 11, 2015)

dale said:


> that belief doesn't quite make sense, given the very cyclic nature of the universe itself. that belief implies the universe as stagnant.



I'd rather be pleasantly surprised if there is an afterlife, rather than be disappointed when I was expecting one but didn't get it.


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## Ariel (Dec 11, 2015)

But, if according to your beliefs, this is it--then you wouldn't have a conciousness to be disappointed.  

It really doesn't matter what anyone here believes as long as we get along.  Being upset over someone else's beliefs is as useful as men's nipples.


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## Aquarius (Dec 12, 2015)

Stormcat said:


> I'd rather be pleasantly surprised if there is an afterlife, rather than be disappointed when I was expecting one but didn't get it.



We shall all just have to wait and see! I believe that it's by no means a new experience to any one of us, because we've all travelled that way many times before. Having arrived on the Earth plane, we soon forget it. Otherwise we would hang onto it unnecessarily and not get on with the learning we have come to do this time round.


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## Aquarius (Dec 12, 2015)

amsawtell said:


> But, if according to your beliefs, this is it--then you wouldn't have a conciousness to be disappointed.
> 
> It really doesn't matter what anyone here believes as long as we get along.  Being upset over someone else's beliefs is as useful as men's nipples.



Good points, both of them.


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## Crowley K. Jarvis (Dec 12, 2015)

amsawtell said:


> Being upset over someone else's beliefs is as useful as men's nipples.



Mine have plenty of uses, thank you very much!  \
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





/


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## Aquarius (Dec 12, 2015)

Crowley K. Jarvis said:


> Mine have plenty of uses, thank you very much!  \
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The mind boggles!


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## Kevin (Dec 12, 2015)

"I had no idea you could milk a cat."
"Oh, you can milk just about anything with nipples."
"I have nipples, Greg, could you milk me?" - _Meet the Parents_


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## belthagor (Dec 12, 2015)

Bishop said:


> Aside from my wife...
> 
> *Computers*. In every form and shape and size. PCs, MACs, servers, workstations, gaming consoles, smart phones... I love computers. I love what they do, I love speaking with them, I love programming them. Give me computers, I am happy.



I love you.


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## Ariel (Dec 12, 2015)

Crowley K. Jarvis said:


> Mine have plenty of uses, thank you very much!  \
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Other than decoration--name three.


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## Deleted member 56686 (Dec 12, 2015)

That's all sweet but what does this have to do with happiness? (hint, hint)


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## Aquarius (Dec 13, 2015)

Kevin said:


> "Oh, you can milk just about anything with nipples."



Yes, you can. Anything that's a female mammal who is about to give birth or has just given birth. :thumbl:


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## Aquarius (Dec 13, 2015)

mrmustard615 said:


> That's all sweet but what does this have to do with happiness? (hint, hint)



Whenever something amuses us and makes us laugh, well - then we're happy! :tennis:


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## dither (Dec 20, 2015)

I don't think that i know how to be happy.
I wish...
...
...
...

Maybe it's genetic and i just don't have the gene or genes.


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## Aquarius (Dec 3, 2017)

_*Tree Of Life Blossoms
*_
_*




*_
​•    Nobody is worthy of our tears and those who are would never dream of making us weep.

•    Don’t cry because something is over! Smile and give thanks that it has been.

•     Just because someone does not love us the way we would like them to,  does not mean they do not love us with all they have got.

•     True friends are those who touch our hearts and souls each time they  reach out for us and of whom we know that they would never do anything  to hurt or harm us.

•    The most painful way of missing someone  is sitting by their side and knowing that things just cannot be  between them and us.

•    It’s not a good idea to frown, even  when we are sad. Just think, there could be someone waiting to fall in  love with our smile.

•    Don’t waste time on those who are unwilling to spend theirs with you.

•    To the world you may be just one more person, but to someone you could be the world.

•     The Universal wisdom may want us to meet a few wrong people before  getting in touch with the someone who is just right for us, so that when  we finally encounter them we recognise them and are deeply grateful for  it.

•    There will always be people who let us down and  willingly stick a knife into our back. Looking within for what the  mistakes of the past were trying to teach us, we get in touch with our  inner guidance and gradually learn to follow its advice in all  encounters. That’s how we eventually get to implicitly trust the wise  one within to show us who in earthly life is trustworthy and who is not  and therefore best avoided.

•    Considering that the law of life  is evolution, instead of trying to get others to understand us, our  development benefits more from making an effort to get to know ourselves  and our inner motivations and then find ways of evolving into a better  person.

•    In all our endeavours, let’s not try too hard. The  best things frequently come our way when we least expect them. Above  all, never forget that whatever happens in our lives does so for a good  and wise reason, which is that we should learn something from it and so  grow in wisdom and understanding.
From ‘Words Of Wisdom & Healing From The Tree Of Life’

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​


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## Aquarius (Dec 4, 2017)

_*Walking Away From Drama
*_






​Making mistakes and falling down once in  a while is an essential part of our earthly learning curve. The only  thing that truly matters is getting up and gaining something from every  experience that comes our way, to help us grow in wisdom and  understanding. An earthly lifespan is too short for being anything but  happy. On our road of entering into this state it’s essential that we  learn to love and respect ourselves and our living space as much as  everyone else’s. This means moving out of the reach of drama queens and  kings, unless we also are one and appreciate them as audiences for our  dramatic performances. 

On our road to happiness, let’s leave behind everything that is negative  and bad in this life and focus on that which is positive and good,  right and beautiful and seek the company of people who make us laugh and  treat us right. How about sending a prayer of forgiveness to those who  have treated us badly and love them anyway, for they know not what kind  of Karma they are creating for themselves and what in due course will be  coming their way because of it? And whatever kind of Karmic experiences  still have to arrive at your doorstep:

•    Know that you are a beloved child of the Universe, who has the  birthright to find love and happiness in its present existence.

•    Trust that you are always in the right place at the right time and  that you are there for a reason. If you have not yet discovered what it  is, it’s up to you to find out.

•    Do not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of trusting  the goodness of the life that has been given to you and that it will  always provide for you and your loved ones, no matter what happens.

•    Use the gifts the Universe has so generously bestowed upon you for  the highest good and the greatest joy of all, so that through you all  life will be blessed and healed. 

•    Share the love the Universal Forces are constantly giving  to you with anyone you encounter.

•    It has taken many lifetimes to develop your earthly personality, so  be thankful for it and be content with yourself just the way you are.  Never forget that you have the power to change whatever you don’t like  about yourself. Do this with love, for that is the law and the main  substance of life, which is abundantly available to anyone who knows how  to tap into it the right way. Let this knowledge penetrate your whole  being until your lower self also no longer knows anything but to dance  and sing the praises of the Highest.
Recommended Reading:
•  ‘The Value Of Making Mistakes’

From ‘Words Of Wisdom & Healing From The Tree Of Life’​
​
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## Aquarius (Dec 5, 2017)

_*The Value Of Making Mistakes
*_
​ _*




*_​ _‘I sometimes react to making a  mistake as if I had betrayed myself. My fear of making a mistake seems  to be based on the hidden assumption that I am potentially perfect and  that if I can just be very careful I will not fall from heaven. But a  'mistake' is a declaration of the way I am, a jolt to the way I intend, a  reminder I am not dealing with the facts. When I have listened to my  mistakes I have grown.’_  Hugh Prather

The very nature of our earthly education  is that we do not always know in advance what is expected from us and  therefore what the right thing to do is. Yet, this principle applies at  all times, but most of all whenever we are ready to venture forth into  new experiences. Whilst in physicality all of us are spiritually the  equivalent of young children at school and therefore are bound to make  mistakes. There is nothing wrong with that! Indeed, they are good for us  and we are meant to make them, so there really is no need to become  unduly upset over any kind of error of the past or present. For one  thing, they teach our earthly self humility and that is a quality that  is greatly needed by all of us. And for another, as long as we glean  something valuable from any experience, we are progressing and growing,  and our spirit and soul have every reason to rejoice.

By trying one or two – maybe three or four – of the wrong things, the  discomfort and/or pain they cause us in the end guides us towards that  which really is meant to be for us, and is therefore good and right.  That does not mean the other options we tried were wrong! As they helped  us in our search, they too were right at that time for us and our  development. Having established that something has no value for us, we  owe it to ourselves to search for what has. Clearly, we needed every one  of our ‘mistakes’ of the past. Each one of them has helped us to grow  into the one we are now. Everything we have learned up to any given  moment is stored in our soul memories and we are benefiting from it.  Consciously and unconsciously we are constantly drawing from this store  and adding to it, all the while making our life more agreeable and  easier to cope with. 

Making no mistakes means refusing to become fully alive. Following our  inner guidance is particularly valuable in this connection. Only when we  have learnt to listen to it can the small still voice of our conscience  show us, through the reactions that rise into our consciousness from  the world of our feelings, what is right or wrong in any situation. The  main trouble in the past has been that we all too easily ignored this  voice and swept it aside, unaware of the fact that each one of us is  equipped with this kind of inner guidance and its immense value.  Ignoring this wise one within, that most certainly has been a mistake,  but where would we be without any of them? We would hardly ever have  learned anything. 

The more highly evolved we become, the more times we have travelled  round the zodiac. These journeys have taken us many times through every  single one of its signs and learning the lessons each one provides for  us. This means that time and again we have experienced lifetimes in  Gemini and Virgo, both ruled by Mercury, the winged messenger of the  Gods of antiquity. The same as all other aspects of our nature, the  critical faculties were given to us for the wise higher purpose of  helping us to develop the ability to discern and discriminate. In Gemini  and Virgo our critical faculties are developed and every lifetime spent  in one of them hones and sharpens this ability some more.

As a result, we easily spot the flaws in everything and especially in  the people around us. Something inside us instinctively seems to draw us  to them. Wise ones are aware of this and also of the importance of  every one of our thoughts and spoken words and the effects they are  having. For sake of the smooth running of their human relationships,  they control their critical faculties and in keeping with their advanced  evolutionary state, they only impart criticism when it is helpful to  someone. In that case they do so in constructive ways and with kindness  and understanding, compassion and love in their hearts.

 And because erring is human and  forgiving Divine, whenever they are disappointed that they themselves  have failed in some way, they forgive themselves the same as they would  anyone else for making a mistake. 
Recommended Reading:
•    ‘The Power Of Thought’
•    ‘Thought – The Most Powerful Force Of All’
•    ‘White Eagle On The Power Of Thought’
•    ‘The Creative Power Of Thought’
•    ‘The Power Of Thought In Spiritual Healing’

From ‘Astrology As A Lifehelp In Relationship Healing’​ ​ * * *​


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## Jack of all trades (Dec 6, 2017)

To me, happiness is ever elusive. I never felt accepted by my birth family, I was the unwanted one, so I still carry that inside. I doubt I'm alone. What parents say and do has powerful impact on the adults their children become.


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## Bloggsworth (Dec 6, 2017)

Is happiness cognotive assonance or an involuntary state of being? Can you make a conscious decision to be happy? Or is the question really "_What makes you happy_?"


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## Plasticweld (Dec 6, 2017)

After reading a bunch of these posts I realize that I am in a very small minority. 

I wake up happy.  

Pretty simple, but I don't need a reason.   

Each morning I wake up, I am in a good mood and I am ready to conquer the world.  It is just before 6am here in NY  I am headed to breakfast where I meet with my workers and share breakfast with my wife.  I read Wall Street Journal and get a take on what's going on in the rest of the world. 

We make plans as to what everyone is doing and we all head out.  

By 9:30 almost all my well laid plans are changed. 

By noon, something has broken, and gone wrong 

At 12:30  I decide that maybe, just conquering the US would be a more reasonable goal. 

As the day winds down and I get a little worn down. I struggled a little, accomplished a lot, and just plug along

I will settle for being king of NY

At the end of the day reality sets in.

I will settle for being a ruler of Montour Falls. 

I make all my phone calls to see how everyone did, we all make plans for tomorrow.  Tomorrow is a new day.


At the end of the day when sit in my chair, have supper with my wife in a home that I love. I can look around and realize how lucky I am to be able to have what I have, and do what I do. 

I am king of my castle. 

Tomorrow I will do it all again :}


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## Aquarius (Dec 6, 2017)

*Recipe For **Creating A Happy Home*

*




*
_Take two loving hearts and
Melt them into one.
Add lots of love.
Mix well with respect.
Add gentleness, laughter, joy,
Faith, hope and self-control.

Pour in gallons of understanding
And don’t forget patience.
Blend in ears that know how to listen.
Allow each other to grow and share.
Sprinkle generously with
Smiles, hugs, and kisses.
Bake for a lifetime.

Yield: One Happy Home

_Anon.
​‘That’s all very well,’ I hear you say,  ‘but how many of us can actually achieve that state of affairs?’ Well,  the aim of this part of the jottings is to help us all to get a bit  closer to it. It is dedicated to another aspect of warfaring that is  probably even more destructive than the conventional kind on this plane  of life. To my mind, relationships represent in many cases the most  vicious and damaging battleground to human souls of all. Every small  effort to conduct them in more harmonious and peaceful ways counts as a  valuable first step towards making our whole world into a more peaceful  one.

Each one of the feuds in our family  circles is a microcosm of the macrocosm of all the wars that have ever  been fought on the outer plane of our world between the different  members of the families of nations. They all were and still are  reflections and outer manifestations of the struggles within the  microcosm of our inner self and the families surrounding us. More wars  are fought in this way in the smaller family circles than in the world  around us. And I know from first hand experience that they can be far  more destructive to the souls of all participants than any fighting in  the outer world could ever be.

Buildings that have been destroyed can be  rebuilt and the souls of those who are killed move into the world of  spirit, to rest and wait until they are ready to re-enter another  lifetime on the Earth. Destroyed relationships are far more difficult to  repair, as we all know. The wounds we inflict upon each other in our  human conflicts we take with us into the world of spirit. We bring them  and the relationship with us into our next lifetime and all following  ones, until the differences between us can finally be resolved and the  wounds healed. All wars in the material world eventually come to their  natural end, no matter how long they may last. But, unless someone  eventually starts to work consciously on healing such troublesome  relationships, all unresolved issues that are left behind at the end of  each earthly sojourn have to be freshly tackled next time round.

This is where astrology really comes into  its own. Better than anything else, in my view, it can assist in  finding a new appreciation of the other’s and our own uniqueness and  preciousness, as well as their particular pathway and the special  lessons they have come to learn which – in spite of being connected with  us – may be very different from ours. Focussing on the other’s inner  beauty and strengths, instead of on their flaws which, after all,  everybody has on this level of life or we wouldn’t be here, sets us free  from the negative frame of mind of criticising and fault-finding  missions, the most destructive element in any relationship.

With hindsight it’s easy to see that the  Astro Files were created specifically for the purpose of healing our  relationship. From the beginning, they have been available free of  charge to all. Familiarising ourselves with the purpose and meaning of  this life in general and all human relationships in particular, getting  to know our own and the other’s special requirements and soul needs for  the present lifetimes, increases our understanding of ourselves and  others. In the form of astrology the Universe places an invaluable  instrument in everybody’s hands for doing just that. It, like no other  means known to me, can help us create happier, more harmonious and  mutually satisfying relationships.

First and foremost this happens when we  stop to expect reactions from our partners of which they may as yet be  incapable, because the relevant part of their psyche has not yet been  built in by them. We are all in the process of becoming more whole and  we attract others into our lives so they can help us develop and  integrate some of the parts that are still missing in our own psyche. We  are meant to do the same for them in return. When this purpose has been  fulfilled for one of the partners, the other one either learns from  them or their ways separate, so each can draw different people and life  lessons towards them. All that is part of the beginning of the wisdom,  which we have been placed in this life to find and with whose help the  infested parts of all relationships can be forgiven, healed and removed,  once and for all.

From ‘Astrology As A Lifehelp In Relationship Healing’


* * *​


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## Aquarius (Dec 6, 2017)

Bloggsworth said:


> . . . Can you make a conscious decision to be happy? Or is the question really "_What makes you happy_?"



The secret of true and lasting happiness, in my view, is being content with one's lot. This means trusting that everything that happens is part of the Great Plan of life and that it does so for a wise higher reason that is often hard to understand from an earthly view.


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## Aquarius (Dec 6, 2017)

‘When one door of happiness closes, another opens. But often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.’  Helen Keller


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## PiP (Dec 6, 2017)

What does happiness mean to me?
Happiness comes with inner-peace. A sense of 'being' in a spiritual not materialistic way.


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## HorseDragon (Dec 6, 2017)

I have struggled for a reasonable answer to this often-asked question. I'm convinced that it is entirely personal and subjective. In other words - there may be no universal answer to the question, 'What is Happiness?' But, of course, the question is what is happiness to me. To some degree I am unable to separate a universal meaning from a personal meaning to me. I'm not sure why. I suppose there are a number of reasons.

But to make the attempt, I would say that happiness is when the heart is full, when the ache is gone. Because I experience various forms of anxiety, I find that anything that spirits that away has the ability to make me happy.


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## PiP (Dec 6, 2017)

HorseDragon said:


> But to make the attempt, I would say that happiness is when the heart is full, when the ache is gone. Because I experience various forms of anxiety, I find that anything that spirits that away has the ability to make me happy.



'When the heart is full' - I like that. And yes, I understand anxiety issues. Perhaps happiness is when the mind is set free?


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## Aquarius (Dec 8, 2017)

_*Dysfunctional Families
*_
_*





*_​A  friend of mine, who was born into a severely dysfunctional background,  some time ago told me that she believes all families are bascially like  that. I have to admit that at the time this took me a bit by surprise,  but when I started to observe more closely the world around me and the  way we all grow up, including myself, I had to admit that she was right.  Not finding this a satisfactory state of affairs, I begun to wonder why  this should be so. I am no longer prepared to accept such things as the  status quo we jolly well have to put up with, whether we like it or  not, the way I once used to do.

My life began to change  profoundly when it dawned on me that we can and indeed are meant to  change the things that are not to our liking and that, with the help and  will of God and the Angels, who communicate with us through our inner  guidance, all things are possible and crooked corners can be made  straight. If we want to improve any kind of situation and resolve  outstanding issues, at any time by day or night they are willing to show  us the way. All we have to do is ask. Without it no help can reach us.

My  observations of life confirm that just about every human family on the  Earth plane appears to suffer from varying degrees of dysfunctionality.  They have to be this way and that for several reasons. First in line are  the karmic obligations we have towards each other and the outstanding  issues which both parties, during their most recent stay in the spirit  realm, agreed to shoulder and brought with them into their present  lifetime. It was done in the hope of paying some of our karmic debts and  resolving some of the outstanding issues.

To add to the  problematic of their growing up years, each time human beings re-enter  earthly life with a wrong perception of parent/child relationships.  Expectations are deeply embedded in our spirits and souls and also an  image of our true parents, the Great Father/Mother of all life. They are  the perfect parents, kind, loving and understanding, all-protective,  omniscient and omnipotent. Their relationship with us and ours with them  is one of silent mutual understanding, the ideal one.

In every  human encounter we are constantly seeking to re-establish the  relationship with our Creator, who is both Mother and Father to us all,  and of whose light we are a tiny spark at the beginning of our education  as an earthling. Their kind of love and understanding is what we are  always hoping to find some day in earthly life, in vain. Such ideal  relationships take place on the highest levels of existence, where  earthly personalities are no longer involved and therefore cannot clash  with each other. Could this be the reason why, although we all dream of  such relationships, they are practically impossible to achieve between  two human beings?

Because of our faulty perception, we look to  our human parents for the same kind of protection, knowledge and wisdom  that our Divine Parents grant us. This is grossly unfair to those who  are merely human and fallible, and on the Earth to learn, the same as we  are. And because each one of us is a spark of the Divine, no matter  which role has been allocated to anyone in their present lifetime,  underneath we are all brothers and sisters, and that includes our  parents as well as our children. There is a special reason why we find  ourselves in these roles. In the animal kingdom, to which our lower  earthly self belongs, new vehicles in the form of physical bodies for  souls to reincarnate into, can only be created through a male and female  of each species. This ensures their survival and that is why brothers  and sisters temporarily find themselves in parent/child relationships.

Our  world was created to be a school, in which each has been allocated its  own space and time to grow and evolve into spiritual maturity. Life  itself is the greatest University of all, where everybody has to study,  sometimes as a parent and on other occasions as a child. In every  relationship we are constantly acting as teacher and student, both at  the same time. There is no such thing as a one-sided relationship and  the Universal laws decree that everything in the whole of God’s Creation  must balance. Because we are an integral part of it, we and our  relationships also have to be balanced. It does not make one iota of  difference whether we believe in God or not, and whether we enjoy this  state of affairs or not. We are here to help each other grow and evolve,  no more, no less.

Those who in this lifetime have come together  as parents and children, the likelihood is that both parties involved  are on a similar evolutionary level. This ensures the best possible  results from the teaching and learning roles that have been allocated to  the participants. There is every possibility that in future lifetimes  the roles may be reversed, so that those who once were our parents will  then be our children. This creates many karmic opportunities for all  involved for learning one time at the giving end of a particular  experience and then at its receiving one. If, for example, we have been  good parents during one lifetime, it stands to reason that next time  round we shall reincarnate through a couple that is capable of being  good parents to us.

Whichever way all this works in our life, it  is important always to remind ourselves that both parents and children  are human and therefore fallible. The only reason why we all are here is  to improve our character, and if that were no longer necessary, we  would not be here. Whether we find ourselves in the role of parents or  as children, we should never be afraid of making mistakes. Without them,  there would neither be learning nor teaching of any kind. Clearly, a  lifetime without mistakes would be a wasted one, but then that is highly  unlikely ever to happen!

As soon as children have become adults  in their own right and both parties have gained an understanding of how  human relationships truly work, the time has come for letting go of the  perception of parents and children. Because they lack the necessary  understanding for the spiritual background of all life and human  relationships in particular, many find it difficult to release each  other once and for all from the ties that have been formed. But  spiritually this is essential, because otherwise we shall never be able  to release each other from the unhealthy child/parent role of mutual  dependency and transmute our relationship into one total and  unconditional love and friendship.

Recognising that the mistakes  of the past were essential for those involved makes it easier to find  forgiveness for ourselves and each other. Every single slip-up we make  is an invaluable teaching aid in the earthly education every child of  God has to attend. The watchful eyes of the wisdom and love of the true  parents of both parties, our Mother/Father God, has always taken care of  all our needs on the Earth plane. This will continue wherever else our  education may take us, as we go forward and eventually move onto higher  and highest levels of consciousness. Accepting these concepts as our  truth can bring peace and healing into what must be the most fraught  area of human relationships of all, our families.

If there were  no struggles, obstacles waiting to be overcome, hurdles to be climbed  and issues resolved, it would be impossible for us to learn how to tap  into and develop our inner resources and transform our weaknesses into  strengths. This applies to every aspect of life, so that through growing  in wisdom and understanding our consciousness expands and we fulfil the  purpose of our earthly existence. As these things are the only key that  can and does unlock all human suffering on the Earth, let’s join St.  Francis of Assisi’s prayer: ‘O Divine Master, grant that I may not so  much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to  understand; to be loved, as to love.’

From ‘Astrology As A Lifehelp In Relationship Healing’


* * *​


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## Aquarius (Dec 9, 2017)

_*The Truth About Parents
*_






I am the Great White Spirit, Your true Father/Mother.
Each one of you is My Child.
Although some of you are as yet unaware of this,
I know all of you and everything about you and your lives.
 I am with you always.
Whenever you sit down or get up,
Upon rising in the morning and going to sleep at night,
I am there.

I am familiar with all your ways.
Every hair on your head is numbered and precious,
The same as every flower that blossoms
And every leaf that trembles in the wind. 
You are My child and I created you in My image.
I am in you and you are in Me.
There is nothing outside Me or beyond My reach.
Your whole being is part of Me,
As much as I am part of you.

I knew you long before you were conceived into this lifetime.
You have been with Me since before the creation of any worlds.
All your days are written by Me in the great book of life
And your present existence on the Earth plane is no mistake.
I am the One who determines the exact time of your birth,
Where you are going to live and which lessons
You will have to learn in any one of your lifetimes.

You are a miracle and a wonder,
And I was the one who, inside your mother’s womb,
Created your present body for you.
You are not of her or from her and you do not belong to her.
You merely came through her and you belong to Me.
Throughout the whole course of your evolution thus far,
I have been with you.
At the right moment, no matter when this may have been,
 I brought you into this world.
I was with you when you were born and I accompany you,
Each time you depart from the earthly plane
And return into the world of light, your true home.

All too often in the past, I have been misunderstood
And misinterpreted – unintentionally but also deliberately –
By you, my human children of the Earth.
This is changing now and ever more of you are
Reawakening to the conscious knowledge of
Their own true nature and Mine.
My love for you is total and unconditional.
Because I love you, I could never be distant or angry with you.
I live inside you – every cell and atom of your physical body
Is filled with Me and My love for you.

This is My way of guiding, protecting and lavishing My love onto
All who willingly pay attention to Me,
Their very own small still voice of conscience within,
Following My calling from within their own heart.
Everything in your life is there only because
It is My will that it should be so.
I have always given you more than earthly parents could ever do.
It is not their predestined role in your life to do the same.
Never expect them to do for you what can only be done by Me,
For I am the perfect parents all of you long and yearn for,
Your true Father/Mother.

Your gifts and talents are your own.
They are not inherited from your parents and ancestors.
They were bestowed upon you by Me, the same as
I constantly meet all your needs. You are the one
Who worked with them and developed them to their present state.
As I love my human children totally, unconditionally and eternally,
My plan for the future of your race has forever been one of hope. 
My creative ideas for you and your world are as countless
And beautiful as the grains of sand on the shores of your oceans.

When you are singing, I rejoice and sing with you.
When you are happy, I am glad.
And when you are sad and lonely, so am I.
You are my treasured possession and I will never do anything
That in the final analysis is not good for you.
All your experiences are to help you grow ever more heaven-tall,
To become like Me and fully one again with Me, the way you once were.

I wish to guide each one of you into performing miracles
And doing great and wondrous works.
Those who seek Me, I draw towards Me.
I live in your heart, from where I guide you
And tell you the difference between right and wrong,
Good and evil, falseness and truth.
Love Me with all your heart and soul, with your whole being,
Because I am the One who fulfils all your desires,
So that you may learn from them;
That is why I place them inside your heart in the first place.

In Me all things are possible
And with My help, all conditions can be healed.
With My faith in you and yours in Me,
Mountains of unbelief can be moved and crooked corners made straight.
Life never goes back. It is for all time evolving and moving forwards.
That’s why I ask you to pay attention to every moment of your life.
Refuse to look back, trust the goodness of the life I have created for you,
Accept that it is impossible to go back
And trustingly put one foot in front of the other,
Safe in the knowledge that I am showing you the way.

Know that you are never alone and do not wait until things
Get too rough for you to cope on your own.
Reach out for the blessing, healing and helping hands of
The Angels and Me and let us show you the way.
When in distress, call for Me.
I am the Comforter who comes to you in all your troubles.
When you suffer, I suffer with you.
The more broken-hearted you are, the closer I draw to you.
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I hold each one of you close to My heart.
Times are changing and the day will soon come when
There will no longer be the need for Earth’s suffering.
I am waiting for you to call upon Me to wipe the tears from your eyes
And to heal the wounds of all your lifetimes.

I, your Father/Mother, love each one of you the way
I once revealed to you and your world
Through the legend of Jesus, the Christed one.
His love for humankind was but a reflection and a mere shadow
Of My all encompassing love for you, My beloved children of the Earth.
The legend was given to teach you the nature of My love.
It is total and unconditional, true, unchangeable and eternal.
From this love you, My offspring, were created – it is your true nature.
Because I love you, I am for you and never against you.
I do not count your sins and mistakes,
But I expect you to learn from them and make every effort
To do better next time.
Whether you do or do not, I always forgive you.

The Master’s death on the Cross was a demonstration
To you and your world of the fact that in truth there is no death.
The cross is the oldest symbol known to humankind
Of your earthly sojourns and the Jesus legend
Is a demonstration of how the small and frightened
Earthly self of each one of you must eventually be
Sacrificed and nailed to the cross of earthly life.
Only then can your spirit rise above it
And once again be fully reunited with Me.

This is why I have said to you all along:
‘Listen to and follow the wisdom My gifts of wisdom and truth
I once gave to your world through the stories of the Masters
Who from time to time appeared in your world,
Not merely the one of the Master Jesus but all of them.
The Heavens are celebrating that you and your world
At long last are in the process of shedding
The clouds of darkness and fear of the past that were
Caused by your ignorance of your true nature.
The shadows they have been casting for such a long time
Are in the process of dissolving into the fresh knowledge
That is currently pouring ever more powerfully
Into the collective consciousness of your race,
directly from Me.

Rejoice, My beloved children of the Earth!
For this is your homecoming into the oneness with Me.
Nothing could ever separate any one of you from Me and My love,
For I am Your true Father/Mother
And no earthly parents could ever love you the way I do.
Be still and know that I am alive in you.
I always have been and always will be.
I never left you and I never will.

I, Your loving Father/Mother, am waiting for the call of
All who are ready to receive Me.

From Healing Corner For Parents And Children’

* * *
​


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## Aquarius (Dec 10, 2017)

_*What Do Our Children Learn At School?
*_






Well, what do they learn?
That two and two make four,
And Paris is the Capital of France,
But where and when are they going to learn
Who and what all of us truly are?
Why don’t we ourselves ask them:
‘Do you know who you are?’
When they say they don’t know, tell them
‘You are a unique marvel – every human being is.
There is no-one in the whole of Creation,
Who is exactly like you or me.

What’s more, during all the millions of years
That have come and gone, since humankind
First appeared on the Earth,
In the long course of its evolution,
And however many more years of this are still to come,
There has never been another being like you and me,
And there never will be.

Humankind eagerly searches for miracles and
Loves to dig deep into all kinds of mysteries.
Why then is it so hard for us to recognise
That we are the greatest mystery of all and
That the physical bodies each one of us is living in
Is one of the greatest wonders of our world?
This means every one of us has been born
Into their own private marvel.
Take a good look at your whole body,
Your arms, hands and fingers, legs, feet and toes.
See how cleverly everything moves and works together?
It’s nothing short of a magnificent work of art and
A masterpiece of engineering.
Don’t you think that’s worthy of calling a miracle, my child?

As you grow up, you will sometimes be in danger
Of despairing about the state of our world.
I say: ‘Don’t!’ You are here to do your share
Of making it a better place for all its lifeforms.
We humans are allowed freedom of choice
And this includes our behaviour.
Yours, the same as mine and everybody else’s,
Is never accidental, but chosen.
It is up to us how we react to those around us
And which way we behave, at any given moment.
When finally everybody knows this and acts on their knowledge,
Everybody’s behaviour will always be a conscious choice.
We shall then have freed ourselves and our world
From the ignorance of many lifetimes with which
All of us together created the present conditions in our world.

This is not an easy task because each one of us has
Brought into their present lifetime
Many thinking and behaviour patterns
From previous ones, which by now have become so
Deeply ingrained in our consciousness
That shedding them is difficult.
Yet, it can and has to be done.
Rejoice, my child, you have been born at a good time,
A time of transformation and renewal of the Earth
And all its inhabitants.
This is our opportunity for helping to bring into being
A new world that comes ever closer to the visions
We can at present see only in our dreams:
A world where all live together in peace and harmony,
Where violence, cruelty and unkindness are no longer known.
Hold onto this mental picture, think about it often and know
Deep down in your heart that one day it will come true.

As I told you earlier, we have been given freedom of choice
And that in truth is the only real freedom we earthlings have.
Life constantly presents us with choices and it’s
Of the greatest importance that you, my child,
Learn to choose wisely and strive to be true to your real self.
Our Divine Mother/Father wants us to grow and evolve
Into ever more beautiful beings
And that is the only way this is possible.
Everybody’s potential is unlimited and we have the right
To aim for becoming someone like one of your ideals,
Maybe Mother Theresa, Saint Joan of Arc,
Shakespeare, Michelangelo or Beethoven.

Each one of us living in their own physical body
Creates the illusion that we are all separate from each other.
Don’t allow this to fool you, my child,
As nothing could be further from the truth.
All life is one big family and on the inner level
In spirit we are all one.
Because of this, when we hurt one,
We hurt everybody, including ourselves.
Knowing that and also that each is a miracle
And a unique marvel, just like you are, my child,
Could you ever hurt or harm another?

Life is a precious gift and you have received this lifetime
So that you may learn that we are all on the Earth
For good and wise reasons, and that is
Learning, individually and as a race,
To love wisely, to cherish, help and support each other.
We are all responsible for ourselves and our world.
We need to work together and everybody has to do their own bit
Of making our world a better place for everything that shares it with us;
A world that is worthy of all its children, including humankind.
For all of us are the beloved children of the
Great White Spirit, Father/Mother of all life,
And their only born Son, the Light of all lights,
And the Sun behind and above all Suns.

Pablo Casals
Adapted by Aquarius

Healing Corner For Parents And Children’

* * *
​


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## Aquarius (Dec 11, 2017)

_*About Children*_

_*



*_

A woman held her babe against her bosom and said: 

‘Speak to us of children’,
And the Prophet replied: ‘Your children are not your children;
They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing to experience itself.
Your children come through you, but they are 
Neither of you nor from you;
And although for a time, they are with you, 
They do not belong to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have to think their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies, but not their souls,
Because they dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. 
But you will visit it again, when you return to Earth 
As a child in future lifetimes.

You may strive to be like them;
Be young and see your world through the eyes of a child again,
But do not seek to make them like you,
For life neither goes backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which life sends forth Its children 
As living arrows.

The Divine Archer alone can see their mark and yours
Upon the path of the Infinite.
With His might he bends each one of you into shape,
So that all His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be with gladness;
For as much as He loves the arrow that flies,
He loves the bow that is stable.

He particularly loves parents, who give their children roots to grown in
And the freedom to fly when their time has come to do so;
Who as their children grow up, slowly step back and set them free,
Encouraging them to learn from their own experiences, 
And to dream their own dreams;
Who do all they can to help their children 
To fulfil their own highest potential, not their parents’.

The Archer loves wise parents and teachers, 
Who tell the children in their care that they are the children of God
And that therefore one is as precious and unique as the other;
Who respect them because they know that even when a child is still living 
In a smaller body than their own, it has nonetheless 
Come into our world as a fully developed soul and spirit in its own right,
Who may have a long history of evolution behind it 
That could have taken more lifetimes than those of its parents. 

Wise parents tell their offspring that they are certainly not some kind
Of appendix of theirs and that they have come into this life
To learn, evolve and grow some more through their own experiences,
The same as they are doing and will always continue to do.
When their children go to school, they point out to them that they are
Learning for themselves and for life itself, 
Not only for this lifetime, but for Eternity.
They explain to them the laws of the Universe and that because of this, 
Whatever anyone sends out to life has to return to them.
And they teach by their good example that it is necessary
To have some input into this life, before one can expect
To get anything of value from it.

From ‘The Prophet’ by Kahlil Gibran 1883-1931
Lebanese/American poet 
Edited by Aquarius

 Healing Corner For Parents And Children’

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