MEMORIES (December 2005)

I'm having this epiphany lately and it goes like this:

If we did not have memories, we would not have problems. Everything right now is perfect. We are perfect and life is perfect. A Course In Miracles says: "Do not allow my past to intrude upon my present."

When we look at any situation, we don't usually see the situation as it is; we see the past. When we look upon our bodies, our jobs, our families, friends, spouse, etc., we are bringing up the accumulated associated thoughts with that image and glomming it on them. And when we look upon the holidays we are referencing the past, not the present. That's why we practice yoga and are so diligent in this philosophy and practice of "mindfulness", i.e., staying in the present moment. That's why we are also so careful with our casual conversation.

When we explain a past event, we are recreating it, generating a whole new image out there for the Universe and all to see, hence my constant reprimands on my private clients and all students to "watch your casual conversation!" If a person looked at her body, and she used to weigh 200 lbs and she now weighs 120 pounds, she would say: "Oh my God, I'm so thin!!!!" If however a person used to weigh 100 pounds, and she now weighs 120 pounds, she would say: "Oh my God, I'm so fat!!!" She's never seeing her body. She seeing the past accumulated images of her body. If she is struggling with her weight, for example, it's because she remembers all the hundreds and thousands of times she struggled with her weight. Tell all those confusing, impossible diet and exercise ideas to a naturally thin person and they will just roll their eyes, like: "What's with that?"

Of course, when we look at a family member, unless we are so careful, we are going to see all the times they disappointed us, hurt us, angered us, confused us, etc. Introduce this person to your friend and your friend will say: "Why she's the most darling, agreeable person I ever met!!!" That's also the way I work with people. They come to me, and I always see them brand new. I see them whole and complete. "I am as God created me" as A Course In Miracles says, and viola, they quickly become that image generated.

I remember vividly in my family, my aunt who had to be so careful with food as most foods upset her stomach and even sent her to the hospital. She definitely could not eat "sauce" and we are Italian and had some form of "sauce" all the time! Then one day, she had to go into a nursing home and lost her memory. From that day forward, we marveled because she could eat all the foods that had in the past wreaked havoc in her body and had no stomach problems whatsoever.

Perhaps when you met your first boyfriend/girlfriend, you thought: "Oh true love is so magical and wonderful and will last forever. This is the most wonderful person on earth!. I can't wait to be married and live happily ever after!!!". Single people out there: When's the last time you had that automatic response when dating a new person???

So the question is: how do you stay in that brand new place? I believe in the practice of yoga, meditation and mindfulness. I believe in constant affirmations, prayers and scripting. I believe in disciplining the mind and conversation. I believe in spending time in nature. There are many great disciplines out there to follow. But even being aware of this deception of the ego, can shine light on your life and open your eyes to the way that God sees you and all of His Creations.

Affirm often: 
Judgment and love are opposites. From one come all the sorrows of the world. But from the other comes the Peace of God himself  (A Course In Miracles)

 Sincerely, Joni

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