I am in the wind and the water

I Am in the Wind and the Water

You will find me again, my love.

Come outside –

I am in the wind and the water.

You and I are the same,

Only you have forgotten.

You do not see me, you sense me;

I am what you are.

Only you are in the world of form;

I am in the wind and the water.

Remember who you are,

And you will know me.

Wendy Dartnall, A Wind from the East.

Five things to consider trying from A Wind from the East:

When we speak negatively about another, we are really speaking about ourselves. It may be conscious, or subconscious, but we are reflecting what is really inside us, not the other person. When we become aware of this, it’s wise to zip the lips and listen. Listen sincerely, with heart, not from an attempt to be superior, or patronising. I noticed that my late husband Terry would accuse me of doing things that annoyed him, but they were actually things that he had always done. I learned to listen quietly to his complaints without rising to my own defence, as I always had in the past. Instead, I listened sincerely, letting him say everything he felt like saying, sometimes telling him I was sorry he felt that way, but generally only listening. On one occasion, he wound himself up so tightly, that he walked out on me. He had fought only with himself, but I don’t think he’d noticed. In the book I say: I found that listening closely to anyone who was pointing the finger negatively at another brought awareness of whom they were really speaking about. It was true for me in reverse of course. When I complained about a friend’s irritating habit, I began to catch myself, realising I had the same habit, though I might show it in a different way. It was a deeply humanising realisation, because along with the self-knowledge, it showed me how much the people I attract are my mirror in some aspect. A Wind from the East, p 202. I found this strategy helped me to keep my integrity and sincerity, without engaging in a fight. I invite you to try it with someone who criticises you regularly. Observe what happens. It may take a little practice before you stop going on the defensive and listen sincerely, but it’s a gentle way to break free of the cycle. Write to me and share what you experience.
Affirmations work. Suspend disbelief and say affirmations that suit your needs. Say them daily until they become automatic. They will help to change your life for the better when you say them with sincerity and feeling. Affirmations help us to regain our power. All the great teachers give us affirmations: Louise Hay, Abraham-Hicks, Dr Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, and many others. Affirmations are not a new thing. In the early 1900s, Émile Coué, a French psychologist, used auto suggestion with his patients and gave them the phrase: Every day in every way I am getting better and better. My spiritual guide Anne Cheridan gave me an affirmation that I’ve used for over a decade: I love and approve of myself, I trust in the flow of life, I am safe, I am worthy of the best. Write your favourite affirmations to share with us here.
Writing to the dying and the dead can help during bereavement and grief. When my husband Terry was dying and too weak for conversation, I would write my thoughts and feelings to him in letters that he would never read, but that helped me in my grief. I continued the practise even after his death, because it helped me to express and work through my grief. It was more powerful than writing in a journal, because I was addressing the loved one directly. Please share with us here if you have used this transformative exercise.
Changing our thoughts can change our lives. Abraham-Hicks tells us that a belief is just a thought you keep thinking. Try to go for the better feeling thought on a regular basis. Choose positive thoughts over negative ones several times a day, and you will find that you become more aware of your habits of thought. You will regain control over your thinking. We have the power to control our own experience. Think about what you do want, not what you don’t want. When you know what you do want, imagine the feeling of it. No matter what is happening in your now, try to get the feeling of what you want as if it has already happened. If you have an experience of this, please share to help others.
Happiness is up to us. It’s a choice. We are bigger than our circumstances and we always have choice. I feel choice is linked to responsibility. From the memoir: I don’t know if it was in a moment or a lifetime that I came to the realisation that I was responsible for my own life… I remembered that we only have the moment we are in; the responsibility for what we do with it is ours. p.103. We are all a mix of the ‘glass half full’ or ‘glass half empty’ person, but when we become aware of our thoughts and behaviour in the moment, we can make conscious choices for a more positive life. Please share if you have experienced choosing uplifting thoughts and actions in adversity.