The manuscript of my new book is finally complete and I’m so excited about it that I couldn’t wait to share a bit of the Intro chapter with you! The book will be released sometime near Autumn Equinox, 2017. (Click “buy now” to reserve your copy now and receive it on September 21, 2017).
Please stay tuned…..And let me know what you think in the comment section below. I read and respond to all comments personally because what you have to say is really important to me.
BOOK EXCERPT:
INTRODUCTION
Remaining resilient in a stressed-out world
We live in a world consumed by a shortage of time created by the ever-increasing pace of technological and cultural change, financial struggles, family pressures, and work. If we are to survive this time in our history, we must learn not only to change our culture to one that better supports us–we must also learn to become more resilient. We must achieve a flexibility of mind and heart that can see us through the dark times.
To recover from our overwhelm and create a resilience to this stress requires a two-pronged approach to healing that includes self-care and vision.
Without attention to self-care, a host of health problems, including anxiety and depression, rear their ugly heads. Unmitigated stress, as it turns out, makes any mental or physical condition worse.
I’ve been a spiritual counselor for 20 years, and more recently I’ve become a counselor for the world-weary corporate world. Every day I hear the same heart-wrenching stories over and over. Men and women alike share about working so hard that they can no longer see the point of it all. Some suffer not only from anxiety, but also from crippling panic attacks, while others have become so depressed that they want to end their lives.
Anxiety is an inability to stop worrying that interferes with sleep, enjoyment of life, and the ability to grow. Anxiety sufferers live with a body that is physically and emotionally in a constant fear state. Sometimes the symptoms are so severe that they go to the emergency room, convinced they are having a heart attack or some other life-threatening medical situation.
No matter how severe anxiety and stress become, they are always lessened by physical and emotional self-care, relaxation, and mindfulness practice. As I explain to my clients every day, medications for anxiety and depression can only provide a temporary relief from the symptoms, a sort of band-aid. But taking care of your body and mind can create a desperately-needed respite, in which you can actually begin to heal and prevent future recurrences.
The second part of combating stress is to do the things that feed your soul. Knowing that we are creating something meaningful is the only way to create happiness that lasts. In “Man’s Search for Meaning”, Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps, as well as a noted Psychiatrist and Neurologist says:
“Man’s search for meaning may arouse inner tension rather than inner equilibrium. However, precisely such tension is an indispensable prerequisite of mental health. There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that so effectively helps one to survive even the worse conditions as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life.”
Intentionally creating meaning in your life can lead to a sort of joyful tension, which banishes stress. In human life, not all stress is bad. But good stressors leave us feeling a sense of accomplishment, while unhealthy stressors create illness. What’s important to understand is that joy comes from within, not from any outer circumstances. How do I know? Because my life has been filled with loss and challenging times. But over and over, with intentional self-care and following my spiritual path, I’ve been able to come back to the joyful radiant essence I had at age 3.
This book is a chronicle of my journey to manage my own anxiety and depression, and to create a happier, more joyful, and more serene life. It’s my hope that you can use it to return to your own happy place in a gentle, easy, and consistent way.
What are the Six Gateways?
The Six Gateways are spiritual concepts that were given to me as a direct channel from Spirit. Each gateway can be customized to fit your particular needs and religious preferences. This is not a one-size-fits-all spirituality. Instead, this is a way to connect, go deep, and leap forward in your life. In this book I’ve shared some of my own practices for each gateway to get you started. It’s my deepest hope that you will integrate these into your daily life to create more happiness, joy, and freedom from suffering.
Here’s the simple version of how the Six Gateways work for me:
1st Gateway – Spirit: I plug into my spiritual connection.
2nd Gateway – Love: I open my heart to create a positive attitude.
3rd Gateway – Power: I feel my true feelings and unearth my authentic self.
4th Gateway – Freedom: I express my authentic self in all areas of my life.
5th Gateway – Balance: I create my best life through attention to the physical, emotional, mental and creative realms.
6th Gateway – Union: I allow the easy flow of feminine and masculine consciousness to assist me in all areas of my life.
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