In this newsletter:

Science & Spirituality

There is More to the Secret by Pastor Ed Gungor

The Greatest Gift: Mercy – The Greatest Sin: Pride

Turning Panic into Calm

Colourstory Newsletter June 2008

The quantum factor life enhancement series

www.colourstory.com

Welcome to the Quantum Factor Life Enhancement Series………..

Science & Spirituality

In today’s modern world Science and Spirituality are investigating along the same lines.    With books such as “What the Bleep do we Know” and the new research into quantum physics we find that the gap between the material world and the spiritual world is not so well defined. “What the Bleep do we Know” is purely based on science and gives the views of many of today’s eminent scientists, and poses more questions than it answers about the nature of the universe.
We know that the universe is made up of atoms, but it has now been discovered that the substance of atoms which was thought to be largely ‘empty’ (protons and neutrons making up the core or nucleus, with electrons orbiting with ‘space’ in between), that that space is full of energy.  Thus everything is made of ‘matter’ and ‘energy’, and that it is this energy which has properties that create our reality. 

Consciousness is the fundamental fact of our existence.  If we did not experience consciousness, does it exist?  Therefore to be conscious we have to be observing.   The conundrum is that in Quantum Physics it has been discovered that by observing a subatomic particle of energy called a Quanta, the very act of observing it changes it, so the observation changes reality. 

Some scientists believe that consciousness can change physical reality. They believe that we can have several futures that already exist in several dimensions and that it is the action of our thoughts (energy) that intensify until they collapse into the form of matter, and thus into one or another of the alternative futures available to us.  Therefore, according to these scientists we can to some extent control the outcome of our future by the energy we output in emotional energy.

To understand this view, we have to change our complete understanding of the universe as we see it. 

There is More to the Secret by Pastor Ed Gungor
Paster Gungor asks the question “should Christians believe in The Secret or The Law of Attraction?” - He answers, absolutely!  There seems to be a lot of confusion about The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and especially among Christians.  Pastor Gungor addresses this issue so well.  The Secret is basically The Law of Attraction or as Pastor Gungor says The law of Sowing and Reaping.  What you give out in your thoughts and feelings you receive back, kind for kind. This means that your thoughts attract to you what you think about and focus on the most.

He shows us from the Bible how it is possible to believe in God and accept the law of attraction.  He also shows us the many times that the Bible talks about the value of meditation and visualization. 
For instance he tells us that when Jacobs’s father-in-law told Jacob after giving him a pure white herd and that he could keep any animals born with spots or stripes on.  Jacob knew that it was impossible for the off-spring of a pure white herd to produce animals with spots and stripes on.  So he used a form of visualization to achieve this, by cutting bark from branches to show the white underneath in the shapes of spots and stripes.  He then placed these branches in front of the water trough where the animals mated.  They saw the spots and stripes (visualization) and then gave birth to their young, the majority of which had spots and stripes, making Jacob the owner of a large herd.
The Bible tells us in proverbs that “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7) and Jesus also tells us that “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask for in prayer, believing, ye shall receive and ye shall have”.  These verses from the bible reiterate that our thoughts and therefore our beliefs do produce our future. 

Pastor Gungor suggests that with the added use of prayer and at the same time thinking about how we can please God, the law of attraction is given added power.  After all, prayers are our thoughts.  Negative thinking is the negative praying, and positive thinking is positive praying.
The law of attraction is God’s creation along with the many other laws that He has put in place to enable our world to run smoothly.  I would encourage you to read this enlightening book whether you believe in God or not.

One other myth I would like to address is the misconception that users of the law of attraction believe that you if just train your mind to think on what you want then it appears, like magic.  Only idiots would hold this view point.  It is obvious that nothing can come about without action and hard work on our part. 

If we think of what we want our life to be like then obviously we will make decisions built on those thoughts and notice opportunities that present themselves, build on those thoughts, and take the appropriate action.  The law of attraction draws us along the path that we have chosen to believe we want, but it only activates us to take the actions (i.e. work) to bring the outcome we desire.  It can affect those around us, because our disposition affects them- if we are optimistic and hopeful, we give off positive energy, but if we are pessimistic and dismal, we give off negative energy, putting them off.

The Greatest Gift: Mercy – The Greatest Sin: Pride

William Shakespeare wrote these words in his play ‘The Merchant of Venice’:

The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest,
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monach better than his crown:
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest Gods’s
When mercy seasons justice.

Shakespeare called mercy an attribute of God.  Jesus came to tell us that the acts of mercy, forgiveness and love, outshine all else.  Our first reaction when some-one hurts us in some way is often one of revenge, or when in a position of authority, to exact justice on the wrong doer.  These reactions are a characteristic of those who have not learned to weigh mercy with justice.

Each one of us at some time or other is both in the position to give or receive mercy.   The act of showing mercy is really another word for showing compassion.  We should strive always to give others the benefit of the doubt and to show them love and mercy.

Secondly we should always endeavor to give ourselves the gift of mercy.  Everyone messes up at some time or other and just as you forgive others you should also allow forgiveness and mercy for yourself.

Showing mercy to others is a way of saying that you understand and love that person even though you don’t accept or like the way they have behaved.
Mercy and compassion have the effect of allowing yourself to let go of negative situations and neutralise the negative effects of anger and hatred, which in turn lead to ill health.

Having the gift of mercy shows that you can exercise real power, rather than the weakness displayed by meting out justice at every opportunity.

Pride is defined as "having a high opinion of oneself".  This was the situation in Heaven when Satan decided that he was as worthy and equal to God.  Satan was an angel that had a wondrous beauty and shone more than the other angels.  He was gifted in every regard.  Unfortunately he allowed these attributes that God had given him to slide into the sin of pride, believing that he could take God’s place.  As a result he became an enemy of God and was cast out of Heaven for all time.

Now Satan lures humanity into the sin of pride and away from the humbleness of Christ.  Consider this quote from Samuel Taylor Coleridge:  

“And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility”.

Shakespeare also gave us these words to think about:

“Merciful heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak
Than the soft myrtle; but man, proud man,
Dressed in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he's most assured
His glassy essence--like an angry ape
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens,
would all themselves laugh mortal”.

Pride can manifest in many ways – some show pride because they belong to a particular segment of humanity, some because they believe they know more than others, some because of the colour of their skin, showing no respect for others who may think, look and act differently from them.

Francois Duc De La Rochefoucauld tells us that:

“Humility is the sure evidence of Christian virtues. Without it, we retain all our faults still, and they are only covered over with pride, which hides them from other men’s observation, and sometimes from our own too”.

America is build upon the premise that all men are created equal.  If we have more than others, maybe by virtue of the fact that we were born into a well to do household, or even because we have more from the results of our own hard work, it does not give us the right to look down on others who have less or have achieved little.

C S Lewis wrote:

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down, you can't see something that's above you”.

Each one of us has been given life by our Creator, we have not given birth ourselves.  Therefore each human being is of equal worth in the eyes of God.

A final word from Fulton Sheen:

"Pride is an admission of weakness; it secretly fears all competition and dreads all rivals."

Maybe over the next few days you can meditate on these words and if you catch yourself feeling superior, try to express humility instead.

Turning Panic into Calm

When you find yourself feeling stressed or upset, angry or agitated, then use these skills to calm your mind.  It is essential to know how to calm down so that you can act in a competent, responsible and capable manner.

Firstly a calm body makes a calm mind.  You can compose yourself by slowing down your breathing.  Breathe deeply, slowly and quietly keeping your mind on each breath you take.  Do this for a few minutes until you feel more relaxed and in control.  If you can, go for a walk, as communing with nature will also calm you.

Slow everything down, slow your responses and refuse to let others hurry you.  Ask for time to think about the situation.

Tell yourself that you are quite capable of dealing with any situation.  You have in the past and you can in the future.  Always know that “this too shall pass” - no problem is too big not to disappear with time.

Write down your problem and think about what is needed in this situation.  Ask yourself if this situation is a regular one that always agitates you.  If so fix your mind more on calming yourself and not on the situation.
If it is a life or death situation and there is little time, imagine yourself dealing with it in a calm and relaxed manner, at the same time slowing down your breathing.  Act as if you are in control and know what you are doing, and gradually you will be able to see the situation in a more realistic way.

When you aren’t in a state of panic, practice on a daily basis moving through your life, being in control, being serene and tranquil.  Then when you have the need to calm yourself, you will be able to more easily.

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If you are struggling with embedded inner beliefs that are restricting your progress, consider changing your inner thoughts by programming your subconscious mind with the use of hypnosis CDs.  Using this method bypasses your conscious mind and re-programs your basic belief system, making it easier for you to believe and receive what you desire for your life.

The Quantum Factor CDs are designed to help you in this regard. There are now thirteen CDs to choose from which address most people’s needs, and they can be found by clicking the following link:

www.colourstory.com

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If you would like to comment on these articles, please email me, and I will include relevant replies in my next newsletter.  chris@colourstory.com

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Warm regards

Chris

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