Transformation: The Myth of Prison: The Truth of Freedom

by Melani Ward

There's an old story that goes something like this.

There was a man who had been imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. He was determined to get out so he attempts to dig his way to freedom with a spoon. (Think ancient Shawshank Redemption).

Anyway, he digs day and night and after years of bone-wearying struggle, his hands all calloused and bloody, he finally realizes his efforts are worthless and he gives up. With a face full of tears and constriction in his throat as he imagines living out his days in prison, he leans back on the door of his cell, only to discover it was unlocked all along.

I swear I still get chills whenever I hear that story.

Okay so maybe there never was a guy who tried to dig out of prison with a spoon but the point is clear - the prison that you imagine constrains you doesn't really exist.

You see the only thing that creates a feeling of imprisonment is our own minds. Our minds are capable of enormous flights of fancy but here's the truth: the one who tries with everything in their power to escape the prison is actually the prison itself.

Why does this topic matter today?

Well it seems very timely considering where everyone's minds seem to be taking them these days. I hear clients, friends and family changing their language and changing their thinking based on what they hear in the news or read in the papers on a daily basis.

More than ever I hear "I can't do this because....". "What if I do this or that and such and such happens?" "I have to get out of this situation or I'm going to..."

Those are phrases that create prisons.

The reality is that we cannot have an idea unless we also have the capacity to realize it present at the same time.

That's true freedom.

The only limitations we put on ourselves or on our life come from within. They come from the thoughts we have and the stories we tell ourselves about the thoughts we're having. But when you really become aware of what your mind is doing, while you are still going to have certain thoughts that create some unpleasant emotions, the difference is that now you are not going to believe the story your mind generates to accompany the sensations you're having to be you or to be true.

Most people operate at an unconscious level as though their thoughts choose them...as though they "can't help how they think" but this is actually not true. Thoughts may pop into your head that aren't that "great" according to you but YOU get to decide what you will do with that thought, just as you get to decide how you will react to everything you experience in your life. Remember, you aren't the thinker.

Your thoughts, and more importantly the stories you tell yourself about them, have the ability to impose profound limitations as well as infinite freedom.

Which do you choose?

I'll leave you with this quick poem from Rumi, the Persian mystic poet.

I have lived on the lip
of insanity, wanting to know reasons,
knocking on a door. It opens.
I've been knocking from the inside!

What freedom can you open yourself up to today?

About the Author

Find out what storyteller might be keeping you stuck at http://www.changingyourstoryblog.com. Melani Ward is a multi-passionate entrepreneur: numerologist, marketer, lifestyle coach, writer, and athlete! She helps women entrepreneurs attract ideal clients and a lot of money doing work they LOVE.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Share and Enjoy!

How to Stop Fear from Running Your Life

by hypnodeb

In these trying times, many are concerned about their jobs, investments and the future of our great country. According to the law of attraction, what you think about you create more of in life. Listening to the news and talking with friends and co-workers, your mind is constantly flooded with negative ideas, impending doom and the supposed sad reality of the current state of affairs. The subconscious mind is conditioned to react in these circumstances not out of faith but out of fear. To stop fear from running your life, you must become more conscious of your thoughts and where they are leading you.

If you allow fear to run your life, you can be pulled into darkness of your deepest anxieties and ultimately make unclear decisions. The fear will drive you to seek solace in money, food, mind-altering substances and other things of the world that can never bring you the salvation you desire. You will always be left wanting more, never satisfied and ultimately defeated. When you get to that point you may give up, become sour on life and disconnect from your spiritual practice. Fear has won.

You see, the fear was created because of your attachment to these worldly things. When doctors tell you that it is all in your head, they are right. Wanting things to be a certain way and in perfect order creates the upsets in your life when the opposite shows up. If you relied on money in the bank to feel secure, you are the one who creates the fear of lack when your 401K shrinks in half. Believing that one special person will make you happy creates the sadness when you are alone. You are in charge of your inner peace, and by letting go of the need for external situations to be different you can find serenity right now.

You may argue that you need a house and a job and food, how can you let go of the need for the things that sustain you and your family? I am not saying that you should not want a nice home, good income, health and family, my point is that just worrying about it does not change anything. Your thoughts create the panic about the situation which leads to more experiences that reflect those thoughts. When you let fear run your life, you ultimately draw more circumstances to you that mirror those fears. You can take action to improve your situation, and best results come when you hold your mind in the highest vibration of thought to attract what you desire. By doing this you can not only shift your destiny but attain a great feeling of inner peace during any conflict in your life. When your mind is calm and hopeful, your brilliance shines through and inspiration flows.

Challenges are a part of being human. Instead of looking at your situation as broken, see your circumstances as what you have to work with in this precious life. When you give up the idea that things are going to be ideal one day, you can relax in the uncomfortable times that every human faces. True bliss is surrendering to the moment. Knowing that everything that you identify as good or bad is temporary, you understand that this too will pass. I am not saying to just throw you hands up and let your whole life go to pieces, but use every obstacle as an opportunity to become stronger...fearless.

Think about a horror movie. At the beginning, they only show you the monster 's tail or shadow and it seems to be very frightening. Toward the end of the movie, after a dozen scenes of the monster in full view, you become desensitized and the creature seems less powerful. Just like any of our fears, when we just get a glimpse of a situation without examination, it can rule us. When you feel anxiety, ask yourself, "Why am I afraid?" or "What belief do I have that created this fear?" Once you identity the true root of your panic, smile at your fearful thoughts directly and stop allowing them to control you. By giving light to the circumstance and understanding that the source of your pain is based on a false idea in your mind rather than the actual event, you can become the master of your life.

About the Author

Debra Berndt is a Certified Hypnotic Love Coach, Host of The Love Coach Radio Show, and Author of the upcoming book, "Let Love In." Get free hypnosis download and her e-book on how to use self-hypnosis by signing up for her newsletter from her website at HypnoDeb.com

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Share and Enjoy!