"Namaste": a Hindu greeting, translated literally it means, "The divine in me greets the divine in you," or, "The spirit in me meets the same spirit in you." This greeting recognizes the equality and sacredness of all living things. The Lakota Sioux have a prayer that states, "Mitkuye Oyasin," literally translated it means, "All my relations," it states that we share a common kinship with all living things, in the hoop of life. The Maya also have a saying, "In Lakech," translated, this means, "I am another yourself." So all living things are connected, related, but what connects us to each other? In the Christian Bible, John 14:20, quotes Jesus Christ as saying, "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." God is in all of us. The Chinese believe that there are 5 realms of energy that manifest in energy and physical matter. Metal, plant, animal, humanity, and the divine. Metal has the lowest energetic vibration, the divine the highest. Each realm has a progressively higher vibration, each are connected to each other. Each drawing energy from the realm before.

So all living things are connected by energy, running through them, and sustaining them. Modern science confirms this when we look through a microscope at an atom. An atom is made up of molecules that are in constant motion, with energy in between the molecules. This is the energy we see in nuclear weapons when we split an atom. What does this really mean to us as human beings? We know that our Creator gave us all the ability to think and create, and free will, but how far can we go with this ability? The Toltecs believe that all of our conscious reality is a dream, a collective dream that all humans contribute to. They believe that humanity dreams while awake, thus creating their own reality. Modern quantum physics also states that we create our reality with our thoughts.

A Japanese scientist named Masaro Emoto ran some experiments in which he proved that words and intentions have a profound effect on water. Positive words and thoughts had a positive effect on the water, negative words and thoughts had a profoundly negative effect, almost making it sick! Dr. Emoto proved that our words, thoughts, and intentions have an effect on physical reality. The Toltec shamans taught that we should be careful with our Word, because it has power. It can heal or harm. John 1:1 in the Christian Bible says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!" The Word was God! This is our power to create. In the Christian Bible there is a story about Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus. Matthew 14:25-31 says, "And in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them, walking upon the sea. When the disciples saw him, walking upon the sea, they cried out in fear, saying, it is a ghost! But Jesus spoke, saying, do not be afraid, it is I. Then Peter said, Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. Jesus said come. And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on water, toward Jesus! Then Peter saw the wind, and the waves, and he began to be afraid, and began to sink beneath the water. He cried out, Lord, save me! Then Jesus put forth his hand, and took hold of Peter, and pulled him out of the water. He said, oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Now he was not asking Peter if he doubted God, or Jesus, he was asking Peter why he doubted himself! It is fairly obvious from the story that Peter believed in Jesus, and his ability to save him. Peter doubted himself! Think about modern times, and your own life. How many times have you not gone for something that you dream about because you doubt yourself? Peter was just an ordinary person, like you or me. He was a fisherman by trade. Yet he walked on water for a few steps, until he doubted himself! This is the power we all have! But we must believe in ourselves, and our ability to control our reality. Matthew 17:20 in the Bible quotes Jesus as saying, "For truly I say unto you. If you have faith as only a mustard seed, and you say to a mountain, move from here to there, it shall move. Nothing shall be impossible to you!"

This puts a whole new meaning on the idea of creating our own reality! We really can take control of our own lives! We don't have to live with the things in our lives that make us unhappy! But it also brings a new responsibility. We must take responsibility for our actions, more so than ever, when we realize the power that our very words have. The other lesson that this teaches us is that others only have power over us if we allow them to. What you believe is. Others cannot harm you if you refuse to believe in their power to harm you. Harsh words cannot harm, if you do not give them power. Constant self criticism, and negative beliefs about yourself, can do great harm, to yourself, and to your ability to believe in yourself. This causes you to doubt yourself, and then you cannot use your creative ability to bring yourself a reality that you want. This can also cause physical illnesses, as modern medicine has seen. Stress causes physical illness. This is a known fact. So my message to all of you is, be kind to yourself. Learn to love yourself, don't believe all of those negative things that others may have said to you, or that you imagine they are thinking. What you imagine is far harsher than what others are actually thinking. Changing this is a process. It will not be easy, but it must be changed, if you are to have the life that you truly want. It is a process worth going through. You will have to be patient, because it is not going to happen right away. You have an entire lifetime of building up all of the negative beliefs you have about yourself. You are going to have to change your entire way of thinking! So if you stumble, and slip back into your old way of thinking, and you will, many times, try again. Don't get angry or harsh with yourself, be patient, tell yourself that you don't have to live that way anymore, that you want a new life. Eventually you will change. Remember, the only person that you can change is yourself! Others must grow at their own pace, and we must allow them to...

Rev. Laurie McDonald RN/CHPN

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