"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Thought for the week -


This is from The Shu Ching or the Book of History:

Written by Chet Day -

"Heaven-sent calamities you may stand up against, but you cannot survive those brought on my yourself."

"First, stop and think about this oh-so-true passage for a few seconds by reviewing some of the hard times you've survived, hard times not of your own doing -- like a flood or a fire or a car accident caused by someone else.

You most likely stood strong against such life problems and came through them successfully.

Now think about the calamities you've brought on by yourself -- the times you've said things you shouldn't have said, done things you shouldn't have done, thought things you shouldn't have thought.

Ouch.

So what's the solution to calamities you bring on yourself?

As usual, it's remarkably easy.

Begin by taking a long, slow deep breath. Hold for a second or two before exhaling slowly and gently.

Repeat several times until you start noticing the pause between each inhalation and exhalation.

Ah, good.

Now breathe in something in your life of your own doing that has the potential to turn into a real mess. Maybe it's a grudge festering against someone; maybe it's slow anger building up over something a family member did.

Whatever it is, just breathe it in. Feel it. Taste it. Savor it. Oh, it's nasty because it's negative -- but it's also powerful and on some level you may even like it.

Now, here's the neat part. As you exhale, you're not only breathing out the nasty feeling or thought that was growing and getting ready to complicate your life, but you're also letting it go.

Breathing it right out into the air and letting that anger, that grudge, that festering negativity float right up and away.

Repeat the breathing and letting go until it's gone. All gone.

And that's how you can survive any potential calamity that you're about to bring on yourself."

By Chet Day

Well you have to admit, it's something to think about . . .

Breathing out,
Chatty

4 comments:

Olde Dame Penniwig said...

The Shu Ching is believed to be a collection of Confucius's works. Interestingly, I was just reading a very similar quote in one of the Anne of Green Gables series of books, attributed to the Old Testament?

All that breathe-in/breathe-out stuff justs gets me hyperventilating, Chatty!

Chatty Crone said...

You are one smart woman ODP.

I LOVE Anne of Green Gables too.

ClassyChassy said...

You post good stuff! Uplifting! Very cleansing! :)

^..^Corgidogmama said...

Am sucking air like crazy this morning!! hee hee!
Love this post.
Am actually going to work this morning at the elementary school.
Whoo-whoo!
Love Anne of Green Gables as well.