Sands of Time: Photograph by Bonnie Flamer
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Awareness: We have to see reality, the real world, how we fit in. Attention is placed on how our mind functions, how it interacts with our body mechanisms. We need to see ourselves without the bias of the “Ego’s” judgments. With 60,000 thoughts passing through our consciousness daily, awareness is key for perspective and proper navigation.
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Acceptance: Optimum acceptance would have us accepting everything about us right here, right now. There is nothing we can attain, accomplish or possess in the future that has any permanence or connection with happiness. We are complete, whole, capable of experiencing enormous happiness right now. Everything we need is available in this next breath.
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Surrender: Acceptance always had some resistance for me, some residual fear that kept parts of me closed off. Surrender is me opening my arms out wide opening my chest, my heart to catch what I fear. Surrender presents us vulnerable to our trauma fears. Once you have learned acceptance take the next step, surrender. It takes courage, guts to surrender.
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Gratitude: When our spirit fills with enough gratitude, desires deflate into proper perspective. Unless we can let go of the need for approval, the need for status and the need for importance, gratitude will wither. Awareness illuminates the path, acceptance frees the soul, and gratitude opens the door to our expansive side.
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Giving: I believe giving altruistically without regard for reward, distances the “ego” farthest from our consciousness. Giving allows us to escape the ego’s grasp and go deeper into our spiritual journey. Giving melts unworthiness and fear, moves the frozen with ease into action. In my opinion, giving is connected directly with happiness.
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Healing: On this journey, healing has been slowly underway, however at the giving stage, healing is accelerated, emotionally and physically. Focus on the breath while letting go of what scares you, liberates the mind, frees the spirit,, and expands consciousness.
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Happiness: Happiness, real happiness endures, it is a peace of mind we carry with us. It exists when difficulty, stress,,loss, joy and positive experiences unfold. In my experience, happy lives where thought does not exist, where the ego is dormant, where self fades for this moment.
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Can you identify where you are on the healing path?
PTSD - A Way Out.com 
Posted by Jennifer on October 7, 2015 at 10:57 pm
The 6 steps to happiness.
Posted by Jennifer on October 8, 2015 at 2:13 am
If you apply this in your daily life IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I’ve followed Marty’s blog for over 3 years and my gratitude for his knowledge and continued message mindfulness, finding happiness in the moment and finding gratitude even when in despair, has grown in abundance! Happiness is ‘an inside job’. He’s said over and over and I know he is right. But it takes application and practice. I refuse to be a victim of my past.
Through Marty’s insightful posts, and his sharing of others who have written such wonderful books about life and mindfulness I can say that I have lived my life well. I have showed kindness, and gratitude to others as part of my daily life, and it’s been returned ten-fold. It’s how I choose to live my life.
Posted by Marty on October 8, 2015 at 3:46 am
It costs nothing, travels freely and carries wonderful benefits
Posted by Jennifer on October 8, 2015 at 2:22 pm
Thank you for being here daily – helps keep me on track!
Posted by Marty on October 8, 2015 at 3:50 pm
Mindfulness is
Not a
Diet
More a daily
Journey
Posted by Jennifer on October 8, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Daily journey so much more positive than…
D i e t – a four letter word which elevates stress hormones 🙂