The universe operates through dynamic exchange .--Deepak Chopra

The word currency comes from the Latin word currere, which means "to run," as in "to flow." Currency, of course, is another term for money. By definition, money is meant to be exchanged. We give and receive it. We've probably all heard the expressions "What goes around comes around," "Give and you shall receive," and "You get what you give." We've probably all experienced this phenomenon as well, sometimes with surprise or even amazement.
When we feel we're lacking, we open our hearts to giving. When we give what we seek, we find it returns to us at the right time and place - just when we need it, reminding us that we do not lack for anything. Gifts needn't be material or verbal. They can be good thoughts and prayers, affection, or time.

Today I will give joyfully, knowing that my needs will be met.

Giving BackToday

 I will give back to the society in which I live. Looking for what I can do to make this a better world to live. It is soul in action. Spirit is not a stagnant thing, it is alive and moving. I cannot hold onto it or possess it. I need to flow with it, to co-create my day along with it through its spontaneous, moveable state. One of the easiest ways to have soul is to give it away. I cannot give anything that I am not also experiencing, and so in giving spirit and love away, I am also receiving it. Giving in this way gets the smaller me out of my own way so that I can experience the larger one, my transcendental self. The act of giving is an open path toward the soul experience. Paradoxically, giving is the truest path toward receiving, the way that my humanness reaches toward spirit and clears the channels that carry soul's gifts.

Let Go of Victimhood

Thought for the week:
Self-esteem comes from letting go of victimhood.

Affirmations for the week:
I am not a victim.
This week, I will make different choices.

Esteemable actions for the week.

One of the quickest ways to shift from victim to empowered person is by making different and healthier choices. You do that by thinking through your process before you make a final decision. You do it by having the courage to ask questions for clarification and by keeping your eyes and ears open. You do it by thinking through the consequences of your actions. What three actions can you take today that will help you feel more empowered?

Hidden Beauty

What gives meaning to my life may lie beneath the surface. Today I will look not with my eyes but with my senses, to understand and experience what gives my life depth and importance. It is, at times, the promise of a hidden well that gives meaning to the surrounding atmosphere, the knowledge of a source of life that makes the day feel worthwhile and guides my mind closer to the mystery. Understanding comes more from direct experience rather than from collecting bits of information. I sense life's hidden meaning.

"The desert is beautiful", the little prince added. And that was true. I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, seeing nothing, hearing nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams... "What makes the desert beautiful, " said the little prince, "is that somewhere it hides a well."



Antoine de St. Exup

Something for nothing

Bargains attract. Finding a good value excites us, and we share the news quickly. Wanting anything for free is human nature perhaps. However, we have had to learn again and again that you get what you pay for. This is true of human interactions too.

Why do we think that others will be there for us if we aren't available for them? Having friends means being a friend, even if it's time-consuming. Although friendship's rewards are indisputable, we still tend to wait, letting the other person make the first move. Getting the other person to commit first reduces our effort, perhaps, but we will still receive according to what we give.

Knowing and utilizing this principle simplifies our lives. Once we master it, we never forget it. And what we bring to our relationships will be given back to us.

I am willing to give to others what I want in return today. Their efforts will match my own.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly" Antoine de Saint Exupery

If we look at the world through suspicious or angry eyes, we'll find a world that mirrors our expectations - a world where tension will mount, arguments will abound, strife will be present where none need be. However, our experiences in some manner bless us, and we'll recognize that if we'll look upon them with gratitude. Everything in our path is meant for our good and we'll see the good when our hearts act as the eyes for our minds.

When we see with our hearts, our responses to the turmoil around us, the fighting children, the traffic snarls, the angry lovers, will be soft acceptance. When our hearts guide the action we can accept those things we cannot change, and change those we can. And the heart, as the seat of all wisdom, will always know the difference.