Gifts

I’m reading a very clever book titled “E Squared” that is all about spirituality and metaphysics, and which offers nine experiments in how our thoughts affect reality — how the “energy” of our thinking determines our life. Now, if the word “metaphysics” makes you gag, please stop reading now, since I’d hate to make you feel ill. In the first experiment, we’re told to ask the universe for an unspecified gift to be given to us within 48 hours. As I walked Elsa this morning, I wondered what this gift might be… was “the gift within 48 hours” related to one of the very expectant women within my circle of loved ones; or was this gift present at the moment when Elsa lurched to chase a squirrel and I almost fell but caught myself JUST in time…? On the walk, I started playing with this theme of intentionality. First I thought in terms of the color “blue” as a substitute for the concept of “getting a gift.” Instantly, a blue flower, a neighbor’s blue house trim, and the soft and subtle blue morning sky dominated my field of vision, and this arrangement of blue things was energizing. Then I thought “red,” and I noted the leaves that had turned red that were all around me — and which seemed on fire and illuminated on such a mostly cloudy day. My next thought was “things that would inspire creativity,” and suddenly I noticed the beautiful and varied colors and shapes of the fallen leaves on the sidewalk, as well as the texture of the tree trunks across from my front yard. I realized that if one’s attitude is that “the universe is going to give creative inspiration,” or “the universe will give me an unspecified gift within 48 hours,” one is likely to be the recipient of many gifts, because instead of focusing on other things, we’re looking for signs and wonders. Discounting those times when our options become very limited by circumstance or difficulty — and life is so challenging that we’re in survival mode, we have options: there are folks whose mindset is “the universe is going to provide me with new customers,” or “money-making opportunities,” or “openings to help those in need,” or “reasons to be in a bad mood,” or “ways to improve the organization of my home,” and these options then become highlighted. This shift in attitude opens one’s field of possibility, enhancing one’s sense of life’s options — and in this way is therapeutic, supporting creativity and growth. If your reality is being shaped by your thoughts, it makes sense to practice mindfulness. Think good thoughts!