WORRIED, WORN OUT, ANXIOUS? TRY THIS

We live in a world of energy. When our energy has become fragile or depleted, or so stressed or anxious, we can renew our entire system just by lying on the ground or even sitting and focusing your feet on the earth.

Mother Earth gives and sustains life, restores balance and is nurturing.

To lie down and allow the earth to nurture you is an amazing experience. Watch the clouds pass by, feel your body responding and rest... and BE THANKFUL. 

Interested in exploring your life to discern God’s invitation to you during this uncertain time? 

Contact me for free consult: 

www.jeanhausmann.com/contact

Peace, Calm and Health

— Jean

PANDEMIC, WHY NOW?

Are you thinking about ‘why’ this virus is happening? It is so beyond anything that we ever imagined would happen here, right? It’s interesting, though, how our brain always wants a “why.”

I am finding it fascinating to read some of the different interpretations of this virus which is worldwide.

Interpretations such as:

• It’s the earth cleansing itself

• It’s growing populations, climate change, and huge cities

• It’s an opportunity for us to deeply examine our lives and make changes

• It’s a punishment or the wrath of God fallen on us for our sins

• It is the beginning of a cosmic consciousness shift

• It’s something that just happens every 100 years

Perhaps it’s all of the above, one of the above or none of the above. I have my own thoughts as I am sure you do.

One thing for certain, life will be different on many levels when this is over.

Pain and suffering are everywhere, I don’t need to list all the ways. What we are also witnessing is a stepping up and a bringing out the best in us in so many situations as well as, seeing some of our worst impulses showing up.

I am hearing how so very many are asking themselves, how best can I use this time in my life? It’s interesting to hear about ideas that we usually don’t reflect on to often are coming forward.

Many people are seeing this as an opportunity to make changes in their life style as well as their priorities. People are realizing the importance of connections with others in person. People are praying more, looking for help, yes, but also, ways to connect with God on a deeper level.

Many are reflecting and thinking more seriously about the meaning and purpose of their lives.

I have also been reflecting…

Here are a few questions I have been thinking about and writing on:

• How can I simplify my life?

• Am I truly grateful most days?

• Am I becoming more focused on other’s needs?

• Is my prayer life and silent time with God a daily priority?

• What has now become essential?

• Am I seeing clearly my life’s purpose and meaning?

I believe that there is a Divine Presence that we can experience in our daily life. I believe the we are held in God’s heart and I believe we grow and transform the most when we have to struggle and go through hard times.

I would love to hear what positive thoughts or changes you are making and I will share them on the next letter.

Blessings, Prayers and Love to all in our shared and uncertain times. 🧡

-Jean

Sacred Writing • How to use it to change our consciousness

We can go deeper into our prayers with contemplation, inner quiet, practicing much gratitude, forgive, accept that we are all human beings where NO religion, race or country is superior.

“What is in one, is in the whole.” 

Never before have we been called so profoundly to do our own inner work, to stop blaming anyone or anything and to care and support each other. We need to be open to deepening our faith and become beacons of light and hope. Faith, hope and love can grow within with the practice suggested in the video...

The video suggests one way to take a line from Sacred Scripture and work with it to allow the grace of the words begin to change our consciousness, attitudes and beliefs.

You can use any sacred writing you like, until you find something that speaks to you.

Summary:

• Find a passage from any Sacred Writing

• Spend time reading it

• Pick a line or word that speaks to you

• Read, say it, hold it, breath with it

• Use often during the day

• Reflect, ask yourself questions on how to bring this teaching into your life

Many blessings and love,

I keep us all in my prayers...💕

-Jean

How Do I Spiritually Deal with Not Feeling ‘Good Enough?’

How Do I Spiritually Deal With Not Feeling ‘Good Enough?’

Why is this question important to consider in my soul work? Many reasons, here are three:

• Feeling unacceptable can keep us in a place of fear.

• It can also pressure us to do activities in order to feel accepted that do not support inner transformation.

• It can keep our real feelings hidden from even ourselves

Why would you want to pray, or seek the Divine on a deep level if you feel unsure about how God feels about you?

And as Fr. Thomas Keating, Trappist monk and teacher of Christian meditation said, ‘Feeling not good enough creates a large barrier in our mind between ourselves and God.’ Sadly, many of us have felt this way for a long, long time. We do lots to avoid this pain, we stay busy, people please, we avoid God at a deeper level, we let others have too much power over how we feel……. just for openers.

What can we do to begin to address this?

Begin with acknowledging that this is a deep operating force within and set an intention to face it head on.

Next, start to self-observe, get into the inner witness and see when it operates. Notice when you feel this feeling of ‘not good enough’ or even shame. What triggered it? Once aware this is happening, tune into your body; where are you feeling this, how does this feel?

Last, do not try to change it, and this is very important. No matter how much you do not want or do not like feeling this way, you, on your own, cannot change it. Your main effort is to observe and bring it into your awareness. Just watch, experience and be with it.

Simply, breath in and out, and feel. Notice how your mind wants you to run away… just stay with it for a few minutes. This brings it into the LIGHT, and now it begins to change by (I say, ‘grace’) some say, real I, higher energies or whatever language works for you. Usually, this transformation happens gradually.

It’s the acknowledging, the watching, the holding and grace that now transforms it into your becoming aware of your value and worth. You are always enough!

Love and Blessings

— Jean

If you feel inclined to go further….

Write to me at: www.jeanhausmann.com/contact

We can have a talk and see if 1 on 1 work would be useful or perhaps working in a group.

“The whole purpose of spiritual direction is to penetrate beneath the surface of a person’s life, to get behind the facade of conventional gestures and attitudes which are presented to the world, and to bring out the person’s inner spiritual freedom . . .” — Thomas Merton

WHY GRATITUDE IS SUCH A POWERFUL PRACTICE…

Someone who has truly cultivated gratitude radiates something…

A transformation of their spirit has occurred with this profound spiritual practice. They live simply, they enjoy the moment they are in, and they seem to be more content and happy.

Consumerism has overtaken our culture, our focus is often on what we don’t have, this gives us unpleasant emotions, and not much joy. Frequently we want more and experience very little satisfaction with what we have.  We can be caught in the illusion that later will be better, as soon as we get or achieve something else.

 We all have experienced this restless discontent, but we also know the state of contentment and satisfaction. Gratitude and appreciation creates this, and it’s not a theory, but a studied fact.

 Let me share some of what a cultivated gratitude practice does:

• We can enjoy what we have, not always discontent with what we think we need

• We notice little things, and stay more in the moment

• Our heart and soul opens up and we are much nicer people

• Because we are open and not grasping and wanting, we are much less stressed

• We become more unselfish and less self-centered

• We feel much more content and at peace

• Relationships thrive 

• It is a continued acknowledgement of divine grace and the love we are given

HOW DO WE DEFINE "MATURE RELIGION"

I am sharing an article by Fr. Richard Rohr that is excellent and is a ‘great read’ for any serious spiritual seeker. 💙

Fr. Richard Rohr • Sunday, October 13, 2019

Contemplation is an entirely different way of knowing reality that has the power to move us beyond mere ideology and dualistic thinking. Mature religion will always lead us to some form of prayer, meditation, or contemplation to balance out our usual calculating mind. Believe me, it is major surgery, and we must practice it for years to begin to rewire our egocentric responses.

Contemplation is work, so much so that most people give up after their first futile attempts. But the goal of contemplation is not success, only the continuing practice itself. The only people who pray well are those who keep praying! In fact, continued re-connecting is what I mean by prayer, not occasional consolations that we may experience.

Contemplation is meeting as much reality as we can handle in its most simple and immediate form—without filters, judgments, or commentaries. The ego doesn’t trust this way of seeing, which is why it is so rare, “a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:14, New Jerusalem Bible). The only way we can contemplate is by recognizing and relativizing our own compulsive mental grids—our practiced ways of judging, critiquing, blocking, filtering, and computing everything. But we first have to catch ourselves in the act and recognize how habitual our egoic, dualistic thinking is. Each person must do this homework for themselves. It cannot be achieved by reading someone else’s conclusions.

When our judgmental mind and all its commentaries are placed aside, God finally has a chance to get through to us, because our pettiness and self-protective filters are at last out of the way. Then Truth stands revealed on its own—quite simply—and we will experience a rebirth of the soul.

To receive Fr. Rohr’s daily meditation, click here.

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AGING WITH PURPOSE AND GRACE

Do the words “anti-aging” tend to catch your eye?

We are advised to eat certain foods, use certain creams, exercise, use fillers in our face , threads, travel, face lifts - lots to choose from!! 

I believe that we need to do our part to age with as much health and vitality and positive emotion as we can, however, like the moving walkway in the airport, aging is not going to slow down. So then, HOW do we want to age?  Who do I want to become during this time?  What is my new purpose?

We begin to become aware of changes. Our bodies begin to change (no details needed, we all know what I mean), our roles can change, our parents die, friends move away, children leave home, illness can begin - job change or retirement are a few examples.

Lots of loss, lots of change; some people just ease into this time, some struggle a little and some fight it for all they’re worth.

 I have observed that there are two responses, and I see both in my contemporaries.  The first is one of sadness and anger over the process. One can get complacent, sloppy, lose interest in life and binge on t.v. Complaining a lot, becoming bitter, feeling it’s our right to say and do rude things because of our age.  It becomes a license to become abusive and impatient, unkind and demanding. 

As you can imagine, this would not be pleasant for you or for anyone around you.  

Or, option two, is to see it as a new time to explore with curiosity and interest what this time of life has to offer and more importantly, what can I bring to the experience? Me, making a conscious choice to age with purpose and grace and not just float down the stream hardly present and just waiting…..

 First, we can think of it as an adventure! You are going down a new road. Be very curious, what in you is still waiting to be developed? Who can we be helpful to? Whose life can we help make a difference in? We have an opportunity to go ahead to show others the way to age gracefully. 

 Spiritually, it’s an especially good time to deepen our faith, be of more service, connect deeper with your God. We can grow our consciousness.  We now have the time to pray, reflect, read books. This is really a great time to explore your faith deeper or to develop a relationship with God that is more experiential.  It can be a time to spend time in deep silence, practice mindfulness, try yoga. 

Spiritual teachers suggest: Practice gratitude, share wisdom, reach out to someone lonely, make it a time of soul growth. Learn to meditate, practice kindness, be generous and accepting.  Make everyone feel good and welcome around you. 

Aging with grace and purpose puts others first, we lessen self-focus and radiate out care and love to others which we can do in so many ways.  The rewards are immense, and this can be a very fulfilling time of our life.   

USEFUL PRACTICES TO CREATE SPACE FOR FAITH AND TRUST

Faith and trust are usually considered nouns, but I believe they are verbs. They can be an inner activity of movement, not a static space.

We can intentionally create this, as it does reside deep within us.

How do I know this??

One day, years ago, I started with a headache that put me in the ER.

They believed that I had a brain aneurism. Right away I was being transported for a brain scan, and they were all running, as was my husband who was beside me.

It took me a minute before I started to realize that these things can blow at any minute and I could actually die any second. I had three thoughts accompanied by feelings.

• ‘Oh, no, I am not ready. I have not done enough. I am still not a good person.’ I felt deep fear and anxiety.

• ‘Oh, well.’ Now this one absolutely shocked me. It was almost a flip thought, but with it came a flooding of something I never knew before. An absolute trust and faith that it was ok. Peace permeated my body, mind and spirit.

• ‘I will not see my children again’ At this I felt sad.

There was no aneurism, but I learned something invaluable. There is a space within our hearts that we can access. A deep and abiding knowing that all is well.

So, if you suffer from fear and anxiety; it’s something you can address successfully.

• Start with collecting at least 3 memories when you were frightened, and it turned out ok.

• Think through them 10x when a new worry pops up.

• Imagine a sacred space within your heart where God lives. You can go in anytime you want and chat. What would God say to you when you express the reason you are worrying?

• Picture a place where you always feel safe.

• It’s usually a future or past event that hooks us, re-create the ending ……… avoid saying: “what if………?”

• Answer this, what is the worst thing that can happen here? Do you believe that you could meet this challenge? That grace would help you? That it is a chance to grow the faith and trust muscle?

A consistent meditation practice is the best way to address this.

However, it takes a little time before the brain get re-wired and new responses are created.

BRING SOME INNER BALANCE TO YOUR DAY

When I look at any pictures for images of relaxation, there are many of water and anything in nature. Why is a weekend or even a walk in nature so refreshing?

Most of us don’t think about what we are focusing on or thinking or looking at or listening to. Everything out there influences us one way or another.

After our senses take in something, our mind starts a commentary and if it is negative, then our emotions jump in releasing stress hormones.

We start to feel rushed, or agitated, irritable, pressured, stressed; whatever. Where is there time then to take to re-group?

Before getting to that, the first thing is to change one thing you can control; just that can be start to a new way of life. Say ‘no,’ don’t have a phone, computer or iPad with you at ALL TIMES, eliminate 2 things you think you have to do.

The list has lots of options, these are examples. Choose your own, just start with one thing.

Last, a time to be ‘quiet’ is most beneficial – 10 minutes at least. No thinking or worrying, just breathing and looking and listening to something calming.

The Divine is everywhere, a part of it all. Breath in that TRUTH.

Feel grateful, and smile.

SPIRITUALITY... WHAT IS IT?

SPIRITUALITY FOR EVERYDAY LIFE 

I have seen the pies with life events such as:  finances, family, career, self-care, entertainment, health, education and spirituality.  To assess how life is going, you rate how you’re doing in each category and maybe see that you need more time with your family and have to eat better.  These then becomes areas of focus or goals.

I wonder, ‘well how does one rate their spirituality as just one sliver of the pie?’  

If I decide that ‘spirituality’ needs more focus, what then do I do?  Go to church more often, pray at night….?

My pie would look like this: I would create it with the word SPIRITUALITY in the center, with all of the categories that fit into your life in the pie and ask you to rate you level of presence/spirit you show up in all the different categories, on a scale from 1-10.

Spirituality can be much more than a religion, doctrines and rituals. It does not favor one religion over another because it is about our interior work, or soul work.  It can become a way of life; a way of ‘being’ every day and an experience of a new Presence within you.

It is a new idea, a new way of seeing; nor through the lens of just right or wrong, it’s also expanding awareness.  

A lot of what we do and how we respond to life events are automatic, programed in us through religion, family, culture, education. As long as it’s just an automatic anything, our real self is not involved; just our personality.  

Spiritual practices increase our awareness of our inner self, we begin to move into a more authentic, honest and transparent being.  Why we do things begins to shift from self-serving to serving others. Our heart opens, expands and grows.  We feel increased tolerance, much less judgement and criticism for anyone not doing it like we do.  We begin to genuinely accept ourselves, even our most shameful moments.  We feel more relaxed and at peace, trusting that with our efforts and God’s grace, we are transforming into the people we were created to become. 💜