April 2007 Rev. Celeste Shakti Hill Feeling the Joy   As I contemplated "The Secret" this month, what came up for me was the aspect of "the feeling". I think back to my many years as a salesperson, I learned that to be successful it helped to expect a positive outcome. I would remember and visualize the positive feeling of connecting and to be of service to another person. If I had a less then positive call, I would take a break, relax, and gently return to a positive feeling. In sales, it is usually not a good idea to make a call in a bad mood. Feelings are vibrations; they are energy. Positive feelings bring positive energy, which bring positive results. And being upbeat and positive makes life more fun.   In the practice of Yoga this is called being "attuned". When we are attuned with spirit we open to the flow of Grace in our lives. Rama Krishna said, "The winds of Grace are always blowing, we only need put up our sails." The Secret's message of tuning into our feelings is really ancient wisdom. Spiritual texts and teachers have long told us that by turning our thoughts and feelings towards the light, we become attuned with a giving, loving universe. When we turn from that light, we suffer. Joseph Campbell said "Follow your Bliss". Again, this reminds us to "be happy"; to find our joy. Imagine a child giggling. Have you ever been around a child that is giggling? Can you keep from giggling? I can't. Just thinking about it makes me smile. Joy is contagious and powerful.   We can develop our own personal "Positive Feeling Practice". Think about what makes you happy; walking in nature, petting your cat or dog, playing with a giggling child, singing, dancing, meditating, being with uplifting people, listening to beautiful music? Write down what makes you smile and what gives you peace. Build a schedule that includes at least one of these activities each and every day.   Taking care of our own Bliss is not selfish. Selfish is not "to be all we can be!" We will achieve our goals when we resonate with the energy of positive feelings. Let's not put a bushel basket over our light, which does no one any good – not ourselves and not our world. Feel Good Now!     Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate Our deepest fear Is that we are powerful beyond measure It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking So that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.   (Marianne Williamson as quoted by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 Inaugural Speech)   Feel the Joy! Namaste'