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Judgment Vs. Discernment, Part 1

Judgment Vs. Discernment, Part 1

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Those of us on the spiritual path generally aim to be nonjudgmental. We know the dangers of being judgmental, and what can happen to ourselves and others when we fall into those negative patterns. But do you really know what judging is? Judgement is when a person places an emotional value of good or bad on an activity, person, or experience. When they see an apple, if they determine that it’s a terrible fruit, then anyone who eats one is also bad. Judgement comes from a feeling of shame and inferiority.

A person who judges others feels inadequate. They feel that they aren’t good enough. Not that what they DO isn’t good enough. But that they are not enough. They probably had parents and an environment that criticized them repeatedly, and they have internalized those statements. The only way they can get some relief from the pain and anguish is to dump their negative feelings on others. They judge others as “bad,” and then, momentarily, they can feel superior to someone or something else.

I once had someone tell me that anyone who likes the color green is stupid and has no sense of taste. Because I had the audacity to disagree, she took it personally, as if my opinion was attacking hers.

Being judgmental becomes a vicious cycle. If a person judges others, you can bet they’re doing the same thing to themselves. Otherwise, they wouldn’t need to find a target to shame. As people who are interested in developing spiritually, we don’t want to judge others, and we certainly want to stop judging ourselves. But too many people on the spiritual path swing too far in the other direction, and don’t utilize their God-given ability to discern what is better for them and what is not so great. There actually is a difference between judgement and discernment.

Copyright 2001, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Book Review – The Sermon On The Mount

Book Review – The Sermon On The Mount

The Sermon On The Mount: The Key to Success in Life
by Emmet Fox

This author’s books made a huge impact on me when I began to seriously study metaphysics almost thirty years ago. This book was one of those that really affected me and my understanding of mental principles. It takes a metaphysical perspective on one of Jesus’ most well known messages. Mr. Fox states that Jesus’ message was to teach mental states, not theology.

Cautioning against taking Jesus’ message literally, the author explains how Jesus taught through parables. The Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Lord’s Prayer are directions on how to think rightly, how to manifest, and how to achieve a greater spiritual understanding. He dissects each phrase to explain it more thoroughly from a metaphysical perspective.

Many of the phrases that have been twisted or that many find confusing are very practically explained and now make sense. Karma is discussed, as are many metaphysical laws. This book’s original subtitle was “A general introduction to Scientific Christianity in the form of a spiritual key to Matthew V, VI and VII.” For anyone raised with the orthodox view of Jesus’ message, the information in this book is revolutionary and a revelation.

Copyright 2004, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

The Universe Supports You, Part 2

The Universe Supports You, Part 2

by Linda-Ann Stewart

I had a friend who’d been feeling sorry for himself because he hadn’t been receiving invitations to social gatherings. One night, he got angry, and stomped around his apartment stating that he was tired of this, and that from now on he wanted to be invited to go with friends to parties, movies, etc. The next day, he had more invitations than he could accept. He’d focused his energy on what he wanted and accomplished his desire.

Fear usually prevents us from charging confidently forward. Fear that what we want won’t manifest, so we protect ourselves by not putting forth all the energy necessary. Or fear that it will happen, and we don’t feel like we can deal with the responsibility. Remember, though, the Universe won’t force us to handle more than we’re willing to. You won’t be forced to accept change.

One thing had changed before I gave this successful mini-class. An office-mate had moved out and had taken much of the furniture in the office with her. This made the reception area, where I hold my meetings, much larger. Before she moved, I couldn’t fit more than fifteen people into the space. With the extra room, I was able to put out twenty-eight chairs and the Universe made sure they were filled. Not only had I expanded my consciousness, but the available space had expanded to accommodate more people as well.

Copyright 2001, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

The Universe Supports You, Part 1

The Universe Supports You, Part 1

by Linda-Ann Stewart

A few years ago, I was going to present a free mini-class on hypnosis. I did this several times a year. Generally, I had between two and eight people attend. The most I’d ever had sign up had been fourteen. A few weeks prior to the mini-class I had started using an affirmation that “Spirit completely supports me in my endeavors.”

Although I hadn’t done anything differently to promote the mini-class this time, I had thirty people sign up for it, and twenty-two people actually attend. I hadn’t been focusing specifically on the mini-class when I’d said the affirmation, but the Universe still supported me.

The Universe completely fulfills whatever you are envisioning for yourself. If you want a new job, but you’re afraid to leave your present one, you won’t see any change because the strongest emotional idea will be what the Universe supports.

The Universe wants the best for you, whatever that is, but It can’t force you to accept it. You have to give the Infinite Good some idea of what you want. You don’t have to know how it can happen. All you have to do is take the steps you are guided to take. If that means submitting your resume, applying for jobs, and going for interviews, then that’s what you do.

In taking all the action you know to do, you convince your subconscious mind that you want your goal. The action you take is energy. As you focus that energy through the vision of what you want, and fill it with the knowledge that the Universe is delivering it, then you’ll receive that or better. This helps to change your consciousness toward your desire.

But you must take ALL the action you know to take, even if some part of it makes you uncomfortable. Holding back any energy will signal the subconscious that you’re not really ready for your goal. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve put energy forth for something I wanted, but didn’t completely follow through and never achieved my goal.

Copyright 2001, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Book Review-You Can Have It All

Book Review-You Can Have It All

You Can Have It All:
A Simple Guide to a Joyful and Abundant Life
by Arnold M. Patent

This book explains Universal principles in a very basic and understandable way. Although I’d deeply been immersed in metaphysics for years, it wasn’t until I read the chapter on “Details,” that I finally grasped how it’s not up to me to figure out how things need to happen. It’s the Universe’s job to determine that. This concept was explained in just the right way for me to finally get it. When I did, it seemed that all I’d learned about this idea fell into place.

This is just one of the fundamental principles of metaphysics that the author explains. There are some exercises to help define your purpose, discovering what you love, acceptance of feelings, and more. While it’s written to explain the principles very simply, at the same time it goes very deeply into mental laws. This is a book to take your time to read, absorbing each chapter before going onto the next.

Copyright 2004, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Identify With Your Good

Identify With Your Good

by Linda-Ann Stewart

I once heard someone say, “If you’re not successful, then you’re really working hard at not being successful.” Success, health, happiness, harmonious relationships, creativity are natural states. The Universe always pours all that you need for good into your life.

If you’re not experiencing what you desire, your mind is actively restricting it. The way you feel towards your life, the beliefs based on those feelings, flow forth in statements that limit the expression of your natural resource of good.

“I am a failure,” “I’m sick,” “I can’t do it,” “I don’t belong here.” These are feelings that you have based on past experiences. However, when you identify with these statements, you’re telling the Universe that this is what you continue to want. Whatever you identify with becomes your self-image. Your experience of life has to be consistent with your image of yourself.

A person who wants to be a success, but feels that they can’t do anything right, will sabotage achieving their desires. When you want something better in your life, and it conflicts with your self-image, you undermine your ability to have it.

Whatever you focus on, that’s what you’re telling your Mind that you want. Watch your words. You are literally instructing the Universe what to give you. The silent messages you say to yourself about yourself, the things you say to others, these reinforce the outdated picture you have of yourself.

As a child, you may have been told that you wouldn’t amount to anything. That was a lie. You are an expression of the Universe, and the Universe has all the power within It to create galaxies. The lie was to keep you from remembering that you have the power within you.

One of my clients was a beautiful woman, inside and out. When she was young, her mother convinced her that she was ugly and no one would ever love her. My client changed her self-image when she realized the untruth of that statement, and she began to attract people who valued and appreciated her.

Many times people will fight to hold onto their old self-concept, even when they want something better. Jerry was an artist whose sculptures were critically acclaimed. However, he wasn’t making much money from them, and wanted to be more prosperous. He identified with being a “starving artist,” and was disdainful of those artists who were financially successful.

Because he refused to release his anger at other creatives, and continued to visualize himself as poor, he never realized the wealth that the Universe was urging on him. You can’t have more good without opening the floodgates within, and discharging self-limitations.

What are you identifying with? How do you see yourself? Do you believe that you’re a person who deserves good? What ideas are you acting on that counter what you desire? Notice the “I am” statements you make. They will show you what your self-image is. You can change those declarations by simply stating the opposite every time you catch yourself thinking something negative.

Eventually, the feelings behind the old ideas will transform, because you’re telling them the truth about yourself. Imagine that you have achieved what you want. Now imagine how you’d act, what you’d say to yourself, how you’d dress, what kind of people you’d associate with. What else would be changed in your life?

By aligning your words and ideas with that of a successful person, you can then begin to identify with the good the Universe has been pouring into your life. The floodgates will open, and your life will be overflowing with the goodness that is your natural state.

Copyright 2000, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Why do you get mis-messages as you’re waiting to manifest your desire?

Why do you get mis-messages as you’re waiting to manifest your desire?

Question: While an affirmation is beginning to manifest, why is it that you’ll get some mis-messages or dead ends as if your creative mind is trying out different situations as it works to manifest what you want?

Answer: Many people think that if an affirmation doesn’t manifest completely, it means that something is wrong. That’s not necessarily true. Many times, you just have to keep on keeping on with the affirmation and stay focused.

If you change your desire, then it confuses the subconscious, which then has to focus its energy on the new idea. Or if you vacillate back and forth between two desires, the subconscious begins to feel like its in a ping-pong match.

Most people have done this, including me. Also, we tend to then criticize ourselves and the subconscious for not having “gotten it right” (At least, I have), which then tells the inner mind to not “get it right.”

I now call the part-manifestation “an indication.” To me, it indicates that the affirmation is working, but the subconscious just hasn’t gotten it quite right and needs a little more time, and maybe a little more direction or specificity.

Are the personal growth methods teaching different things?

Are the personal growth methods teaching different things?

Question: With all the self-development and personal growth methods available, are they all teaching something different?

Answer: Whether it’s yoga, est, reiki, hypnotherapy, EFT, affirmations or whatever, all spiritual development techniques have a similar goal in mind. That goal is to help you open yourself up to a greater flow of Spirit.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a physical, mental or emotional method, it’s designed to change your conception of yourself, your body or your world. That change helps to release resistance to allowing more of Universal good into your life.

They may go about it differently, and state it differently, but when you change your perspective, and have an intention to spiritually evolve, the result is more joy, peace and harmony.

Copyright 2003, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Book Review – “Your Infinite Power To Be Rich”

Book Review – “Your Infinite Power To Be Rich”

“Your Infinite Power To Be Rich: Use the Power of Your Subconscious Mind to Obtain the Prosperity You Deserve”
by Joseph Murphy

Joseph Murphy is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of my favorite books on prosperity. As with his other books, this one is full of affirmations and examples of how others have succeeded using mind principles. He describes a three step process of refusing to think negatively, affirming your goal throughout the day, and imagining it as you go to sleep at night.

Dr. Murphy addresses various issues, such as feeling worthy to be wealthy, how God wants you to be rich, how God is your employer, how to use your imagination positively, the law of gratitude, the power of your words, and explains many of the mental laws. His books are very easy and enjoyable to read, and I’ve learned something new from every one I’ve read. Over the years, I’ve used his affirmations to improve my life.

~ Linda-Ann

Book Review – “The Magic Of Believing”

Book Review – “The Magic Of Believing”

“The Magic of Believing”
by Claude M. Bristol

When I first began my studies of mental science and metaphysics, I was urged to read this classic. I resisted doing so, believing that I’d been exposed to the ideas contained in this volume through other authors. I had learned much of what this book teaches through others, but this book goes so far beyond, and into much greater depth, than anything closely related.

This book explores the idea that thought is magnetic, and discusses various experiments that support the theory. The author refers to thought as “mind stuff,” and explains the functions of the subconscious and conscious minds, and how to manifest what we want.

In the chapter on suggestion, he describes how political leaders have deliberately used the power of suggestion for their own aims. We are always being influenced by suggestion, and he explains how to use it for our own purposes, to improve our lives, and how it can seem like magic.

Other chapters address visualization, the mirror technique to change the mind, projecting thoughts, and much more. This book is full of energy and inspiration. If you need a read to motivate you to take charge of your thinking, then pick up this one.

~ Linda-Ann