MORE OF WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT CATS
23 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Endless List of things I've Learned, From Here to Serenity, Garden Angel, Kitten, Things I'm Still Learning, Things I've Learned Tags: biting, cats, Garden Angel, kittens
Further Adventures With Coco the Cat
Pounce
There’s always more to learn about cats. That’s what makes them so much fun.
The other day my Garden Angel brought over a package of cute little toys for Coco (including some balls with bells in them and little mice with catnip in them (which she loves). She’s now decided it’s more fun to fetch the mice than the balls. She bats them under something. I think there are now at least 3 mice under our refrigerator
The above picture is Coco getting ready to pounce on those feathers above her. She thinks it’s a bird but I think it’s me she’s thinking about pounding on.
She is a delight and so sweet and so pretty. However, she’s biting me till the blood runs. She doesn’t know she’s hurting me. She’s a baby. So what do we do? We’ve tried all the suggestions. She’s a cat and we’re having quite a challenge with her. You name it, I’ve tried it: Bitter spray, spray bottles with water, blowing in her face, distracting her, playing with her until I’m worn out, giving her time-outs, and giving her treats when she’s good. It’s not working.
I think we now have the answer. A friend told me about a collar that calms cats. It’s in a purple and yellow package, has pheromones and lavender in it that calms cats. I brought one home and put it around her neck. She acts like she doesn’t even know it’s there. She is now the sweet and cuddly kitten I wanted from the beginning. She now even cuddles up with me when I take an afternoon nap and I love it.
I thank Spirit for this very cute and now cuddly ball of fur.
Share with me some of your cat adventures.
Gail Manishor, Author of
From Here to Serenity, A Spiritual Guide to Transform Your Life
www.gmanishor.com
19 Jan 2011 4 Comments
in From Here to Serenity, Spiritual Wisdom, Things I've Learned Tags: Endurance, faith, Meditation, perseverance, Presence within
A Meditative Guide
Faith, Perseverance, Endurance
It is said, “you’ll see it when you believe it.” In other words you must have the faith to know the truth before it can be demonstrated in your life. I’ve experienced the truth and so can you.
God has always existed and always will be. We are eternal spiritual beings having a human experience. Our spirit lives on forever. Our life has a purpose. We are here to learn and to accomplish something. Our job is to grow in wisdom and awareness of the Presence of God in, through and around us. If we try to get out of our suffering by committing suicide, we won’t accomplish what we are on this earth to accomplish. We will have to go through the same lesson again. There is no escape from the lessons we are meant to learn in this life. Somehow I sensed this. Faith, perseverance and endurance are keys to a successful life. Winston Churchill once said, “Never, never, never give up.”
It wasn’t until much later in life that I learned we don’t have to get down on our knees to beg and plead with God for anything. God wants what is best for us. It is important to ask for guidance before we make a major decision. Life always goes smoother for us when we go to our Source for the guidance and wisdom we need. God’s support is ever present for anyone who asks for it.
Spirit is always there for us, and this all-powerful Presence lives within us. Therefore, we all have the power and the strength of God available to us and we can reach down deep within for this strength. The God in us can endure anything, can handle anything. It is our strength and our power to use whenever we have a need.
Ernest Holmes wrote “ … there is a truth which can set you free from fear, want, unhappiness and finally death itself … the kingdom of your good is here today.”
Peace and serenity are just around the corner.
Excerpt: From Here to Serenity,
A Spiritual Guide to Transform Your Life
Gail Manishor www.gmanishor.com
From Here to Serenity
SPIRITUAL WISDOM
19 Aug 2010 2 Comments
in From Here to Serenity, Spiritual Wisdom, Things I've Learned Tags: God is, mantra, Search for God
I Am That
“The basic lesson I’ve discovered in my personal search for help and one that gets me through difficult circumstances is that God is not a God out there somewhere, remote in His heaven. God is Spirit, and God is right here. God is “closer than our very breath and nearer than hands and feet,” and wherever we are, God is there with us. ”
Gail Manishor, Author of
From Here to Serenity, A Spiritual Guide to Transform Your Life
http://www.gmanishor.com/
Quan Yin- in Gail’s Serenity Garden
Many of us have searched for more meaning in our lives. This inevitably leads to a search for God. In our search we find something that brings us to a deeper realization and awareness of the Divine within each of us. Meditation is the key that opens the door to our awareness of the Presence that is within. In his book Practicing the Presence Goldsmith recommends meditating four times a day. Right away that thought can knock us out of the ballpark. We can’t possibly meditate four times a day. Some of us are challenged to meditate once a day. However, twice a day might work. There are many different ways to meditate. There is a Buddhist meditation which calls for putting a smile into each part of your body, a smile even into your liver. How healing that can be.
In Elizabeth Gilbert’s wonderful book Eat, Pray Love I found a mantra she used and tried it myself. It was simply “Ham-sa,” which means “I am that.” For as it is often said “God is closer than hands and feet, nearer than our very breath. “I am that” goes to the heart of it. God simply is. In the realization that if God is, and we are created by God, we come to the realization of “I am that.”
Affirmation
I am one with the God that simply is. I am that.
SPIRITUAL WISDOM
12 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in From Here to Serenity, Spiritual Wisdom, Things I've Learned Tags: dedication, humming birds, Inner Peace, integrity, peace, soul's growth
Inner Peace
MaMa Hummingbird on Nest
Photo by DeLynn Hood
Most parents try to be and give to their family everything that they themselves did not experience from their own parents. They struggle to give their family what they did not have. We all have tried to do that with our own children. You can succeed in some areas, but it’s impossible to succeed in all.
We all keep trying to improve ourselves and our lives as we learn and grow. Think how wonderful it is to be able to be at peace so completely and to have let go of any feelings of discomfort that are left over from a previous marriage or relationship.
This is an important lesson I would like to share with you. While I never had hate for anyone through my divorce, I was not quite completely comfortable either. I have worked for peace and joy throughout the years. It wasn’t easy, but finally at long last I have attained that peace I have wished for and worked for all of my life. I am now fully relaxed and can be my authentic self wherever I am. I don’t have to try anymore. I just am. I am so grateful for that blessing. Life doesn’t stop when you reach a certain age. Age has nothing to do with it. Age is really not important because we are eternal beings. I can now say that I feel comfortable and at ease in my own skin, as they say. This is one of the greatest triumphs of my life.
“That’s great for you”, you might say. “But how can I attain that peace and that attitude?” I’ve come to realize more deeply than ever that we are all One in God. We are all expressions of the Creator. There are no barriers between us. Through study, meditation and prayer you can find that peace and serenity you long for. As I wrote in my first book, it takes perseverance and it depends upon how much you want it. Are you willing to make the effort and do the work required?
What you must do takes persistence and dedication.
First – Read whatever spiritual and motivational books that call to you.
Take classes and workshops designed to make you the person you want to be.
Study, learn and live the life. Walk the talk – meaning live your life in integrity. Do the right thing whether it is small or large. There is no big or little in the One Mind. This is a 24 hour 7 days a week job.
Did I say it was easy?
You may have heard all of this before, but it doesn’t make it any less true. That’s okay. Maybe the way I say it will resonate with you.
Meditation is sitting in quiet contemplation and listening for the still small voice within.
Prayer is praying rightly. It is in believing that your prayer is already answered before you even ask. It is not by begging, pleading or bargaining with God that you can attain the peace you want. It is by asking, knowing it is already given that you become the master of your life.
If you are willing to do the work, you will reap the rewards.
Gail Manishor, Buy Gail’s Book: gmanishor.com/index.php?page_id=264
LOVE RELATIONSHIP
30 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in From Here to Serenity, Things I've Learned, Wisdom Tags: Do's & don'ts, perfect mate, The Mating Game
The Mating Game & How to Play It
The Mating Game
Photo by DeLynn Hood
If you don’t want advice, don’t read this.
Are you longing for the perfect person to come along? Do you have a picture of him or her in your mind ?
A friend gave me a book that helped me along the way to my perfect mate. Yes. It really can happen and it sometimes does. Daphne Rose Kingma’s book Finding True Love has great advice and gives exercises to do to find the perfect person. I was newly divorced at the time a friend gave me this beautiful little book. One night I picked up her book and began reading. I had recently started keeping a journal and so I kept all the exercises she put in the book and I did them in order. I also used my recently learned Feng Shui expertise to get my home ready for the perfect person – not really thinking one would come along.
I made a list of the qualities I wanted in a love relationship as suggested in the above book.
I continued my spiritual practices of prayer, reading and meditation. I was perfectly content and not really looking for anyone. Occasionally I went with friends to “singles dances.” They were fun, but I never met anyone who was even slightly interesting to me.
Then I met Bill and the rest is history. Bill has all the qualities I had on my list. If the person you are interested in doesn’t have all the qualities, can you live with that? Bill said, “You have all the qualities that are on my list.”
My advice is probably not so different from many others, but I do look at it from another perspective.
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Don’t get physically involved until you’ve established a friendship. “You’ve got to be kidding!” I’m not kidding. Once you’re physically involved it’s very hard to call an end to a relationship.
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Don’t rush into things. Take it slow and easy.
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Be on the same spiritual path. This makes sense, but many think that it will all just work out if you’re in love. It usually doesn’t. Love can go as quickly as it came.
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Don’t think you can change the person you believe is “almost” perfect, if only… People don’t change that much. There are always flaws. Everyone has their idiosyncrasies. Can you live with the little things? Those little things can turn into big things over time.
That’s why it’s so important to get to know the person you think you may want to spend your life with. Find out if you share the same interests and have similar views, like to do the same things and have the same spiritual philosophy. I repeated spiritual philosophy because it is such an important part of my life.
Good chemistry can be deceiving.
Oprah once said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Oprah is a hero of mine. She is right on the mark on this one.
P.S. I’ve given my website a new look. Check it out on http://www.gmanishor.com
Gail Manishor, Author of
From Here to Serenity, A Spiritual Guide to Transform Your Life
You can buy Gail’s Book at: http://gmanishor.com/index.php?page_id=264
SPIRITUAL WISDOM
10 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in From Here to Serenity, Spiritual Wisdom, Things I've Learned Tags: beauty of the soul, Divine Presence, joy, Seaside Center, white peacock
Beauty is in the
Eye of the Beholder
What a Joy it is.
“There is a beauty of the soul that is deeper and more precious than mere physical appearance. It is that Divine Presence that lives in each one of us.”
Gail Manishor, Author of From Here to Serenity, A Spiritual Guide to Transform Your Life
Buy Gail’s book: gmanishor.com/index.php?page_id=264
White Peacock
Photo Credit DeLynn Hood
Almost anyone would say the above peacock is a creature of great beauty. We came across him at the Leo Carrillo Ranch a few days ago. We were thrilled beyond words to see this gorgeous creature so close. It paraded around with it’s tail feathers spread out. The sun coming from behind him made it appear as if there were stars in his outspread feathers. His name is Jax and he truly is expressing the beauty of nature.
Beauty is everywhere when we take the time to look around. Beauty brings joy into our lives.
Now that I have my beautiful new desk and have rearranged my office to better suit my work requirements I can look down on our Peace Garden. It really is a place of joy to me. I can’t wait to come into my office everyday and do the things I love most. I pray, meditate, dream and write. As I sit at my new desk in my reorganized office, I am reminded of the way Dr. Christian Sorensen begins each talk. ”What a joy it is” Dr. Christian Sorensen says before each of his exhilarating talks on Sunday mornings at Seaside’s Center for Spiritual Living in Encinitas, CA. Isn’t that a great way to start the day?
Gail Manishor
http://www.gmanishor.com
Seaside Center for Spiritual Living
http://Seasidecenter.com
Things I’ve Learned Along the Way
04 May 2010 Leave a Comment
in Spiritual Wisdom, Things I've Learned Tags: Adversities, Greatest Blessings, Life
Blessings
The greatest blessings in my life have come from what I thought at the time were the greatest adversities in my life. From the life threatening illness and year-long recovery of my daughter at ten years old, two disappointing marriages, and my youngest grandson who had to go through open heart surgery at the tender age of 4 months – I grew in wisdom and strength.
My life, like everyone else’s has been a series of chapters so different that they seem like several different lives. What I have gained from it all was worth all the trauma I walked through. I’ve grown in wisdom, strength, power and spiritually.
I never could have seen myself as the person I’ve become. Like most women of my time, I expected to be married once and for it to last until “death do us part.” That isn’t the way it turned out. But it did turn out for the best. What I gained from these experiences is something I would never change or give up.
Because of above circumstances, I found a spiritual philosophy of life that transcends all that’s happened. I continue to learn and grow. I never would have pictured myself as a writer. I didn’t even know what a Licensed Practitioner was or what one had to do to become one. At the time of this writing I’ve been a Licensed Practitioner for 14 years. I serve at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living in Encinitas, California. http://www.seasidecenter.com/
I’ve found this path is a beautiful way to live. It is one of the major blessings of my life. I’ve met and married a wonderful man and together we’ve made our life a paradise.
Blessings abound in my life. Please share your story of the blessings in your life.
First Book-Signing 4-21-2009
Namaste
Gail Manishor, RScP,
Author of
From Here to Serenity,
A Spiritual Guide to Transform Your Life
