One of the most interesting Americans who lived in the 19th century was a man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and lived until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a clergyman.
One day, a young man went to him and told him he wanted a college education but couldn't swing it financially. Dr. Conwell decided, at that moment, what his aim in life was, besides being a man of the cloth - that is. He decided to build a university for unfortunate, but deserving, students. He did have a challenge however. He would need a few million dollars to build the university. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real purpose in life, nothing could stand in the way of his goal.
Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was tremendously intrigued by a true story - with its ageless moral. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" - and sure enough it was.
The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine...the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on "Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.
Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach it's moral. Each of us is right in the middle of our own "Acre of Diamonds", if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures.
Dr. Conwell told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to have raised the money to start the college for underprivileged deserving students. In fact, he raised nearly six million dollars and the university he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia, has at least ten degree-granting colleges and six other schools.
When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our own "Acre of Diamonds", he meant it. This story does not get old...it will be true forever. Opportunity does not just come along - it is there all the time - we just have to see it.
Earl Nightingale 1921-1989, From Our Changing World Radio Transcript Author of The Strangest Secret
Monday, September 6, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
"The Law of Polarity"
Before I tell you about this important law, I want to remind you that some of these concepts are deceptively simple. On the surface, what we're going to learn here with the Law of Polarity might sound like something you've heard before. And it's possible that you HAVE heard this in some form or another. But I can almost guarantee you this . . . you probably haven't truly applied this law to its fullest. Nothing wrong with that, of course -- most people haven't. We're all "works in progress," myself included. But when you really get this law, I can promise you that a whole new world of possibility will open up within you... and when you do THAT, well, nothing is impossible and your deepest-held dreams become inevitable.
Why would you welcome disaster?
It's simply this: Everything in the universe has an equal and exact opposite.
In Eastern philosophy, the law of polarity is referred to as yin and yang. It is one of the simpler laws to understand: If something is hot, for example, then there exists a polar opposite that must be, by law, equally cold. We use a corollary of this when we say, "Every cloud has a silver lining." All of which you've already heard. But here's the big secret...
Success in life can be greatly enhanced by always remembering this law whenever we face a huge challenge. Our initial perception may be that the circumstances are negative, but according to this law, there must be an equally positive opportunity inherent in the challenge. It's a matter of perspective. The quicker you learn to look for the opportunities, the quicker the negative disappears from your perceptions, and the quicker your energy changes.
Do you see how huge this is? If you don't, go back and read the previous two paragraphs as many times as you need to.
Believe it or not, some people are so enlightened on this one law, that they actually WELCOME difficult events that come their way. How can that be? Why would you welcome disaster? Well, they understand that some of our most painful life experiences can be shown to have a positive side that will take them to an even better place.
For instance, I know that my two divorces were incredibly difficult times in my life, but they also yielded some of the most powerful self-examination and growth I've ever experienced. We must remember that it's only our *perception* that causes us to believe something is good or bad, since both are present in everything. Your perceptions create what you deem "reality," yet there's no such thing as an absolute reality. The only reality is your own. (That's another paragraph you might want to read again!)
So here's the important application of this law you should begin using right away... Your assignment is to get past your tendency to hastily judge and label every event that happens in your personal life as "good or "bad." I want you to work on seeing that everything has an up and a down, a good and a bad, an inside and an outside. This applies to your emotions, your physical body, your relationships, and all else.
Learn to see both sides of each and every situation, and your life will flow much smoother and amazing results will begin to appear. Recognizing the fluid nature of reality and the natural opposition in every situation is a vital skill, yet it takes practice.
What about real tragedies? Now let me answer the most common question I get about this law. I'm often asked, "How does this apply to extreme cases, such as a child's illness, or a loved one's death, or acts of war?"
My only response is that I have 100 percent belief in God and the infinite intelligence of the whole universe. I agree that those occurrences encompass the worst of human suffering; it still does not change where you are, and who you are, or that you must find peace and love in your heart and have total faith always.
Once your physical body is gone, your essence, your spirit, becomes ever more a part of that which created you. Your physical illusion of being separate disappears. Whenever there is the death of something, by the laws of the universe, there must be life somewhere else.
Can you see how some of the most difficult circumstances in your own life, either in the past or right now, have the seed of opportunity? Can you also see how recognizing and embracing the positive in every situation moves you in the direction of your dreams? And how refusing to do so will work against you?
In fact, refusing works against you on two levels: If you don't accept both the good along with the bad in life, you are also resisting another law, the Law of Rhythm. We will cover that one in my next posting..
Cheers and Happy New Year! May the life you create be filled with joy and wonderment and absolute certainty of the good that is all around you!
Why would you welcome disaster?
It's simply this: Everything in the universe has an equal and exact opposite.
In Eastern philosophy, the law of polarity is referred to as yin and yang. It is one of the simpler laws to understand: If something is hot, for example, then there exists a polar opposite that must be, by law, equally cold. We use a corollary of this when we say, "Every cloud has a silver lining." All of which you've already heard. But here's the big secret...
Success in life can be greatly enhanced by always remembering this law whenever we face a huge challenge. Our initial perception may be that the circumstances are negative, but according to this law, there must be an equally positive opportunity inherent in the challenge. It's a matter of perspective. The quicker you learn to look for the opportunities, the quicker the negative disappears from your perceptions, and the quicker your energy changes.
Do you see how huge this is? If you don't, go back and read the previous two paragraphs as many times as you need to.
Believe it or not, some people are so enlightened on this one law, that they actually WELCOME difficult events that come their way. How can that be? Why would you welcome disaster? Well, they understand that some of our most painful life experiences can be shown to have a positive side that will take them to an even better place.
For instance, I know that my two divorces were incredibly difficult times in my life, but they also yielded some of the most powerful self-examination and growth I've ever experienced. We must remember that it's only our *perception* that causes us to believe something is good or bad, since both are present in everything. Your perceptions create what you deem "reality," yet there's no such thing as an absolute reality. The only reality is your own. (That's another paragraph you might want to read again!)
So here's the important application of this law you should begin using right away... Your assignment is to get past your tendency to hastily judge and label every event that happens in your personal life as "good or "bad." I want you to work on seeing that everything has an up and a down, a good and a bad, an inside and an outside. This applies to your emotions, your physical body, your relationships, and all else.
Learn to see both sides of each and every situation, and your life will flow much smoother and amazing results will begin to appear. Recognizing the fluid nature of reality and the natural opposition in every situation is a vital skill, yet it takes practice.
What about real tragedies? Now let me answer the most common question I get about this law. I'm often asked, "How does this apply to extreme cases, such as a child's illness, or a loved one's death, or acts of war?"
My only response is that I have 100 percent belief in God and the infinite intelligence of the whole universe. I agree that those occurrences encompass the worst of human suffering; it still does not change where you are, and who you are, or that you must find peace and love in your heart and have total faith always.
Once your physical body is gone, your essence, your spirit, becomes ever more a part of that which created you. Your physical illusion of being separate disappears. Whenever there is the death of something, by the laws of the universe, there must be life somewhere else.
Can you see how some of the most difficult circumstances in your own life, either in the past or right now, have the seed of opportunity? Can you also see how recognizing and embracing the positive in every situation moves you in the direction of your dreams? And how refusing to do so will work against you?
In fact, refusing works against you on two levels: If you don't accept both the good along with the bad in life, you are also resisting another law, the Law of Rhythm. We will cover that one in my next posting..
Cheers and Happy New Year! May the life you create be filled with joy and wonderment and absolute certainty of the good that is all around you!
What God Intends......
I think that people acting out of fear and disbelief actually do so against what God intended when he created us. I believe He created us in his image . If that is true than it is our destiny that we live a "remarkable" life and not just a plain life or a life filled with strife, fear, worry or even continued loss or failure .
The dictionary defines “Remarkable” as:
1. Worthy of Notice: Worth noticing or commenting on.
2. Unusual: Unusual or exceptional, and attracting attention because of this.
I believe that God intends for us to have "remarkable"....out of the ordinary....amazing....exceptional lives that are built on a foundation of faith, love and personal power that comes from being on the right path and having faith in the goodness that is all around us.
When we get answers to our prayers/intentions I believe the answer is a "complete" answer! I don't believe (and experience has born this out for me) that we get answers from God in pieces or parts. I believe that when the answers/solutions come they are a complete package! Nothing need be asked for or prayed for again. If we, in our imperfectness, don't see this it's not because missing. We might not see it because our faith is not matched up with the answer. Yet the answer is complete!
And, even further, the God/Universe/Infinite Intelligence I know (and have witnessed the works of first hand) will "blow your mind" with the enormity of the answer! Many times in my personal life I have seen prayers and dreams that are poured out with passion and faith get answered beyond even my imagining! This is true! God answers us beyond what we expected if we just develop our faith in Him and see the world as he intended it for us.
Remarkably!!!
Our lives should be so filled with this notion that we wake up every morning with passion and vision and belief that TODAY is going to absolutely be the most remarkable day for us! Filled with every possibility and good thing! Not one of fear and trepidation! Infinite Intelligence allows us to choose what we do with our faith. We can use it to increase our life and thereby become a blessing in this world to others or we can let it wither away from lack of use or fear or worry or doubt or ..on and on....and become less..settle for less..be less than what was intended for us since the dawn of creation!
I choose to live a "Remarkable Life" as God/Our Creator/Infinite Intelligence/The Universe intended me to...and you can too!
The dictionary defines “Remarkable” as:
1. Worthy of Notice: Worth noticing or commenting on.
2. Unusual: Unusual or exceptional, and attracting attention because of this.
I believe that God intends for us to have "remarkable"....out of the ordinary....amazing....exceptional lives that are built on a foundation of faith, love and personal power that comes from being on the right path and having faith in the goodness that is all around us.
When we get answers to our prayers/intentions I believe the answer is a "complete" answer! I don't believe (and experience has born this out for me) that we get answers from God in pieces or parts. I believe that when the answers/solutions come they are a complete package! Nothing need be asked for or prayed for again. If we, in our imperfectness, don't see this it's not because missing. We might not see it because our faith is not matched up with the answer. Yet the answer is complete!
And, even further, the God/Universe/Infinite Intelligence I know (and have witnessed the works of first hand) will "blow your mind" with the enormity of the answer! Many times in my personal life I have seen prayers and dreams that are poured out with passion and faith get answered beyond even my imagining! This is true! God answers us beyond what we expected if we just develop our faith in Him and see the world as he intended it for us.
Remarkably!!!
Our lives should be so filled with this notion that we wake up every morning with passion and vision and belief that TODAY is going to absolutely be the most remarkable day for us! Filled with every possibility and good thing! Not one of fear and trepidation! Infinite Intelligence allows us to choose what we do with our faith. We can use it to increase our life and thereby become a blessing in this world to others or we can let it wither away from lack of use or fear or worry or doubt or ..on and on....and become less..settle for less..be less than what was intended for us since the dawn of creation!
I choose to live a "Remarkable Life" as God/Our Creator/Infinite Intelligence/The Universe intended me to...and you can too!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)