It can be very difficult to explore our spiritual nature and potential while we are getting home late from work, rushing to make dinner, and taking care of a family. But it is through this exploration that we find the way to notice the joy and peace of mind that is waiting for us.

Words have power and energy! Soul Play explores the meaning and energy of 51 beautiful and uplifting words, and uses true life essays to demonstrate examples of how to utilize them to remember who we truly are--part of God--and how that truth can enrich our lives. This book is about how an average person--living life, making mistakes, and struggling on the human journey--can find a spiritual pathway to connect with the Source.

SOUL PLAY

CONNECTING WITH YOUR SOURCEBy Sharon Slockbower

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Slockbower
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-3189-2

Contents

Introduction.......................ixAbundance..........................1Adventure..........................4Balance............................7Beauty.............................10Birth..............................13Clarity............................16Communication......................19Compassion.........................22Courage............................25Creativity.........................28Education..........................31Efficiency.........................34Enthusiasm.........................37Expectancy.........................40Faith..............................43Flexibility........................46Forgiveness........................49Freedom............................52Grace..............................55Gratitude..........................58Healing............................61Honesty............................64Humility...........................67Humor..............................70Inspiration........................73Integrity..........................76Joy................................79Light..............................82Love...............................85Loyalty............................88Obedience..........................91Oneness............................94Openness...........................97Patience...........................100Peace..............................103Playfulness........................106Power..............................109Purification.......................112Purpose............................115Release............................118Responsibility.....................121Simplicity.........................124Spontaneity........................127Strength...........................130Surrender..........................133Synthesis..........................136Tenderness.........................139Tolerance..........................142Trust..............................145Understanding......................148Willingness........................151

Chapter One

Abundance

Abundance is an overflow of blessings, already present in the universe, waiting for us to attract them toward us. All we need to do is ask, visualize, believe, and focus our attention on appreciating and acknowledging the blessings as they come into our lives.

By asking, we set powers in the universe into motion. Our Source does not interfere with our free will, but waits for us to request that which we want. We must believe that our desires are realistic—that they can become part of our lives. To do this, we must imagine that we already have what we seek. We must visualize the blessing and the results the blessing will bring into our reality. We must do this daily, and not lose faith that we will receive what we want ... when the time is right. We must have patience and clarity of intent.

If that for which we ask is not in keeping with our souls' missions here, then the possibility remains that we will not receive. We should always preface our requests with the understanding that we only desire to attract those things that truly benefit our journey. There is a saying, "Be careful of what you wish for or you just may get it." There is wisdom in this. There are times, in retrospect, that we realize that many wonderful coincidences began to happen to draw us toward our destiny, only because our prayers went "unanswered."

When we believe there is a lack—that there are not enough blessings to go around—we become greedy and possessive. This false paradigm of lack creates fear and repels the very blessings we seek. Abundance is an overflow—there is no lack in the universe. What is available to you is available to all. Like love, we must open a conduit to give as well as to receive. This keeps the flow of blessings from stagnating.

On a personal note:

There was a night last autumn when my daughter Laura and I were walking the mile from my mother's house to the beach. Night had fallen, and the air was crisp and clear. The stars seemed close enough to pull down from the sky. As we reached the deserted boardwalk, I could hear the rhythmic pounding of the surf and taste the salt in the air. We lay back on the sand for a comfortable view of the stars—not caring that it would take an hour to get it out of our hair—and just absorbed the moment.

I felt such a deep, contented peace, so grateful for the beauty of the place, and the company of my daughter (now nineteen years old and human again). I decided, in that moment, that I wanted my life to be an example of abundance. I wanted to appreciate every nuance of my journey here and to surround myself with beauty and light.

There is opportunity to appreciate abundance in every situation. I find that even at my worst moments, if I take the time to look, I will discover something to be grateful for. When I do this, my focus changes, and the universe responds ... sending more of those things I pay attention to.

Even in the most difficult of times, we can appreciate something. I learned this important lesson from one of my patients. He was a young man in his early forties, and he came to us through hospice, a service provided for those who are dying. He had been an alcoholic and his liver was not functioning, causing poisons to build up in his body. His skin was as yellow and waxy as banana peels. I learned from his best friend that he'd been an avid surfer and loved the sun and the sea. I looked at the shell of a man in the bed, shivering even with several blankets over him. It was summer, and I thought of the many months he'd been in the hospital, deprived of the abundance of nature, missing the rejuvenation of life returning with the spring. I made the decision to get him outside on the first sunny day.

I brought him a CD of soothing music with the sound of ocean waves in the background. We wheeled him out on a lounge chair and placed him in the warmth of the sun. I will never forget the look in his eyes. Surrounded by jaundiced yellow were the bluest eyes imaginable holding a spark of life, where moments before, they were dull with the anticipation of death. He turned his face toward the sun, and although he could no longer speak, I could see the appreciation in his countenance. Even in a moment such as this, it is possible to receive abundance.

We are not promised an easy life, but we can have an abundant one if we focus our attention on the positive and refuse to dwell on the negative. As we attract those things we focus our attention upon, it only makes sense to spend more time thinking about things that bring us joy.

Soul play:

* Spend some time thinking about which blessings you want to bring into your life. Do you believe this blessing is realistic? Can you visualize yourself living with this blessing?

* Don't forget to ask! Often we wish we could have something in our lives, but we forget to ask our Source for assistance. State your intentions in a clear and concise manner.

* Devote ten or fifteen minutes each day (preferably after you rise) sitting quietly and imagining the blessings unfolding in your life.

* Determine that your life will be a living example of abundance—spiritual, emotional, and material—let your cup run over, and allow the overflow to nourish others. Become a conduit for abundance—receiving and giving—and the blessings will flow.

* When times are difficult, seek out the positive. Look for hidden blessings. Recognize your blessings as you receive them. Keep your eyes open!

Chapter Two

Adventure

Adventure is an exhilarating experience that usually requires us to take risks. It stretches our imagination and lifts us out of the routines and existence we are used to.

This entire lifetime is an adventure! We decided to come to this Earth knowing the multitude of dangers, sorrows, and darkness we would find here, excited to experience it all and to learn. Life is similar to an amusement park ride, with exhilarating highs, belly-sinking lows, and hold-your-breath moments. It is up to us to decide if we experience it with white-knuckled fear or screams of excitement!

We are continually presented with choices that will lead us down one path or another. Deciding to make changes or take risks is necessary to set out on an adventure. Yet fearing change often deters us from doing so. We decide that "the devil we know is better than the devil we don't know," and we continue on with situations out of fear of the unknown.

Trust is needed in order to embrace and enjoy the adventure. We have the choice to look upon the butterflies in our stomachs as excitement instead of fear and laugh as they tickle us. We can choose to jump into the adventure with both feet, ready to embrace the highs and lows, open to learning from both. We can trust that, even when we fall, there is a safety net ready to catch us. Go for it!

On a personal note:

At 4:00 AM one morning, I got a frantic phone call from the administrator of the nursing home I was working with at the time—the facility was actively flooding as a result of Hurricane Floyd the previous day. I threw on my clothes, jumped into my car, and realized, to my dismay, that nearly all the roads I needed to take were flooded and roadblocks had been set up everywhere. Through the assistance of some Godsent people, I managed to find my way to work and began the surrealistic job of bringing residents and medical records to safety.

As a result of the flood, extensive repairs and renovations were necessary, and the residents were sent to "sister" facilities. Our staff was temporarily sent to those facilities to facilitate the process while the renovations began on our building. It was an hour commute to the new nursing homes, and several of the nurses carpooled. On the way home one evening, about a month after the flood, we were discussing the probability that the company would be laying off staff until the renovations were complete. Several nurses were worried about what to do and where they would work. I felt the butterflies in my stomach as well, but I chose to look at them as excitement. I cheered the nurses on by reminding them of all the times they complained about their jobs, and told them to look at it as an open opportunity to move into something great. The mood in the car changed.

There was one sister facility that was having a difficult time with the transition of accepting all the new residents and staff, and I was sent to smooth things over. I met with the director of nursing, and we developed a good working relationship. She was leaving to accept a position in another nursing home and asked me to come with her, so I jumped on the opportunity, and the adventure brought me to a place I have come to love.

I could have agonized over the chaos that the flood brought and put my head under the covers, gone on unemployment until the facility reopened, or chose any number of change-avoiding choices. But by looking upon those butterflies as excitement instead of fear, I accepted the adventure of life and plunged in.

Adventure doesn't have to come in the form of major life changes, though. Simply getting into the car to go somewhere you haven't been before can be an adventure. So can taking a class to learn a new subject, going to a party where you don't know anyone, or going for a walk in the woods and taking a path you never took before—all sorts of opportunities surround us! All we have to do is look for one and embark upon the journey.

Don't wait for a hurricane to shake you loose from a situation or job you are unhappy with. Don't stay with the devil you know because you fear the unknown. Be willing to take a risk and stop settling for less than you want out of life.

Soul play:

* Consider which changes you have been afraid to make. Determine if the devil-you-know viewpoint has prevented you from making the changes you need to create the opportunity to be happier.

* If fear was not an issue, what would you have done differently up to now?

* How can looking upon change with excitement realign your perspective?

* How can trust assist you in taking risk and embracing the unknown?

* Practice taking small risks, and feel the exhilaration and freedom you feel from having felt the fear and pushed through it.

* Grab a map or go online and choose a place you've never been before. Choose something that sounds exciting or different. Plot out your directions and just go! You can pick a friend who wants to join in the adventure, or plan the adventure together. Or go alone!

* Call your local community college as ask for a list of available night classes. Pick something you've always been interested in learning more about and sign up for the class.

Chapter Three

Balance

Balance is the proportioning of our activities and attention, which results in greater harmony in our lives. It is a pleasing arrangement of our focus and time to create internal calm and decrease our inner conflict.

First, we must examine what is important to us—family, friends, home, health, recreation, learning, work, spiritual nourishment, and so on. We can review the recent past to determine how much attention we have devoted to each of these aspects of our life and to decide whether we have focused more on one to the detriment of another. If we have felt internal discord or experienced more conflict and dissatisfaction recently, chances are good that there has been an imbalance.

It is tempting, when problems arise due to imbalance, to place blame on outside forces. This is a false belief that disempowers us. We are responsible for our own choices. For our own reasons, we chose to focus on one area over another. It is for us to evaluate those reasons and decide whether they were valid enough to risk the consequences.

We cannot wait for a vacation to change imbalances. It is a dangerous misperception to believe we can "make up" for lost time. Today is all there really is, and it is today that counts. If enough todays pass by with imbalanced attention to important areas of life, they will atrophy. It will not matter that we are now focusing attention on them, because they will be too weak to respond. This applies not only to our health but to our relationships (two of the most important aspects of our lives, which are often attended to last).

When we achieve balance and coordinate our daily routines to encompass all of what is important, the results are immediate. There is inner peace, improvement in relationships, greater health, and more joy and appreciation for life.

On a personal note:

I am quite familiar with the juggling routine—trying to fit everything into a twenty-four hour span and still wind up with a few hours' sleep each night can be challenging. There's the commute to work, putting in at least eight (usually more) work hours, keeping up with the housework, spending quality time with loved ones, finding time for ourselves and for exercise—which is always the last thing I consider when it should be the first!

So where do we find the time to fit everything in? Well, point blank—we can't. The current society and fiscal climate is such that at least two incomes are necessary in our household. Funny, isn't it, that the old full-time job, reminiscent of the 1950s "homemaker and mother," must now be crammed into our so-called spare time in the evening. Sorry, but I'm just not that ambitious! So something had to give! And it wasn't going to be my sanity.

My solution (and we each must find our own) was an all-hands-on-deck approach. If everybody pitches in, it isn't impossible. Anyone with two hands is eligible. Make a list of household chores that must be done or you would die if someone knocked on your door to visit. Decide to live with whatever can't be done within an hour. Everyone's priorities are different; a spotless home is not high on my list. I'd rather take the time to lie on my bed with my daughter and talk about her day while we scratch each other's backs.

I use every bit of downtime I get. I read magazines on line at the store, listen to inspirational music or authors while driving to work, or read a good book while I'm in the waiting room at the doctor's office. I like to prepare for downtime whenever possible, so I can make the most of it. It prevents me from getting aggravated and impatient when I have to wait.

I know I spend too much time on recreational TV—mindless sitcoms, watching a movie I've seen before (that's two hours of useless time!), the many minutes flicking around the channels to decide what I want to watch. This is my area of attack if I want to find time to devote to improving the imbalance in my life. Where is yours? If you can't identify an area of excess, and your schedule is jam-packed, something's got to go if it is negatively impacting other, more important, aspects of your life.

Soul play:

* Write down areas of life that are important to you. Try not to leave anything out.

* Review the past week. Write down what percent of your time you devoted to each area. Include everything! Don't forget sleep time. If you simply can't guesstimate, then take a week to chronicle your time so that you can get a better idea of where you're spending it. (It's a lot like creating a budget or starting a diet and journaling what you eat!)

* Has your life been harmonious as a result of your distribution of attention to the various areas of your life? What hasn't been working? What part of your life is showing signs of being out of balance?

* Consider restructuring your priorities and the time you spend focusing on them. After you have determined where your time and energy has been going each day, decide to take control of your schedule so you can arrange your day according to your priorities. Work and travel time are first, if you must financially support your family. You know how much sleep you require to avoid crankiness—block out this time as well. Take the remaining hours and prioritize them according to those areas of life most important to you. If you do this, and your highest priority is family relationships, be prepared and accepting that your house may not be spotless, but be thankful that your relationships will flourish.

* Be aware of how your day is spent—if you are taking too much time at work talking with friends about issues not related to the job at hand, the workday will be longer (or your productivity will suffer). Time at work spent on things other than "work" cannot be considered in your eight-hour work slot. This time must be chronicled in a category for "relationships with friends." Otherwise, you will feel deprived at the end of a nine- or ten-hour workday that you didn't have time left for your home, family and friends, when in actuality, an hour or more was devoted to listening to your friends discuss their weekends.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from SOUL PLAYby Sharon Slockbower Copyright © 2011 by Sharon Slockbower. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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