I voted once again for tranquility and simplicity, and once again God sent me a gift—this time in the form of the president and CEO of Louise Hay’s publishing company, Hay House. When I met Reid Tracy, we clicked almost immediately. This man—who’s unafraid to roll up his sleeves and unload trucks, even though he’s in an executive position—promised me personal attention, and he delivered. We talked every day about a publishing company that didn’t get so big that it forgot to care for its authors. Reid promised me no large conglomerates and said, “If you have a desire, make it known to me, and I’ll act on it.” I loved the lack of complications, since I didn’t wish to be in a large-business labyrinth any longer. Simplify, simplify, simplify!
It has been a glorious experience for both Reid (whom I now consider one of my closest friends) and myself. I wanted peace as a writer, and Louise Hay, whom I’ve long admired, and her fine president have allowed me to create in peace.
As you can see, I’ve chosen to allow the world of Spirit to send me those individuals who have helped, rather than hindered, me. Without these fine people and their treasured friendship, I wouldn’t be able to be here in Maui, playing tennis and walking on the beach. But mostly I’m able to write from my heart and do it in peaceful ease, knowing that the Universe has taken care of all the details in its own Divine way. When you desire peace, simplicity, and honesty and send out a matching vibration to those desires, all I can say is, “Start watching. It’s on its way!”
The 12-Step Program to Simplicity
This chapter is going to end a little differently. Rather than giving you some general suggestions for implementing the ideas herein, I’m going to give you 12 very specific tools for simplifying your life. Begin using them today if you’re serious about hearing that ultimate call to inspiration.
1. Unclutter your life. You’ll feel a real rush of inspiration when you clear out stuff that’s no longer useful in your life:
If you haven’t worn it in the past year or two, recycle it for others to use.
Get rid of old files that take up space and are seldom, if ever, needed.
Donate unused toys, tools, books, bicycles, and dishes to a charitable organization.
Get rid of anything that keeps you mired in acquisitions that contribute to a cluttered life. In the words of Socrates, “He is nearest to God who needs the fewest things.” So the less you need to insure, protect, dust, reorganize, and move, the closer you’ll be to hearing inspiration’s call.
2. Clear your calendar of unwanted and unnecessary activities and obligations. If you’re unavailable for Spirit, you’re unlikely to know the glow of inspiration. Had I not been free enough to go running each day back in the 1970s, no Maya. Had I not moved away from the frenetic rush of New York to Florida (where I longed to be), no John. Had I spent all my time on a demanding board, no Joanna. God will indeed work with you and send you the guidance—and the people—you need, but if you’re grossly overscheduled, you’re going to miss these life-altering gifts. So practice saying no to excessive demands and don’t feel guilty about injecting a dose of leisure time into your daily routine.
3. Be sure to keep your free time free. Be on the lookout for invitations to functions that may keep you on top of society’s pyramid, but that inhibit your access to joyful inspiration. If cocktail parties, social get-togethers, fund-raising events, or even drinking-and-gossiping gatherings with friends aren’t really how you want to spend your free time, then don’t. Begin declining invitations that don’t activate feelings of inspiration.
I find that an evening spent reading or writing letters, watching a movie with a loved one, having dinner with my children, or even exercising alone is far more inspiring than getting dressed to attend a function often filled with small talk. I’ve learned to be unavailable for such events without apologizing, and consequently have more inspired moments freed up.
4. Take time for meditation and yoga. Give yourself at least 20 minutes a day to sit quietly and make conscious contact with God. I’ve written an entire book on this subject called Getting in the Gap, so I won’t belabor it here. I will say that I’ve received thousands of messages (including the one from Gail Beale, which I shared with you in Chapter 5) from people all over the world, who have expressed their appreciation for learning how to simplify their life by taking the time to meditate.
I also encourage you to find a yoga center near you and begin a regular practice. The rewards are so powerful: You’ll feel healthier, less stressed, and inspired by what you’ll be able to do with and for your body in a very short time.
5. Return to the simplicity of nature. There’s nothing more awe inspiring than nature itself. The fantasy to return to a less tumultuous life almost always involves living in the splendor of the mountains, the forests, or the tundra; on an island; near the ocean; or beside a lake. These are universal urges, since nature is created by the same Source as we are, and we’re made up of the same chemicals as all of nature (we’re stardust, remember?).
Your urge to simplify and feel inspired is fueled by the desire to be your natural self—that is, your nature self. So give yourself permission to get away to trek or camp in the woods; swim in a river, lake, or ocean; sit by an open fire; ride horseback through trails; or ski down a mountain slope. This doesn’t have to mean long, planned vacations that are months away—no matter where you live, you’re only a few hours or even moments away from a park, campground, or trail that will allow you to enjoy a feeling of being connected to the entire Universe.
6. Put distance between you and your critics. Choose to align yourself with people who are like-minded in their search for simplified inspiration. Give those who find fault or who are confrontational a silent blessing and remove yourself from their energy as quickly as possible. Your life is simplified enormously when you don’t have to defend yourself to anyone, and when you receive support rather than criticism. You don’t have to endure the criticism with anything other than a polite thank-you and a promise to consider what’s been said—anything else is a state of conflict that erases the possibility of your feeling inspired. You never need to defend yourself or your desires to anyone, as those inner feelings are Spirit speaking to you. Those thoughts are sacred, so don’t ever let anyone trample on them.
7. Take some time for your health. Consider that the number one health problem in America seems to be obesity. How can you feel inspired and live in simplicity if you’re gorging on excessive amounts of food and eliminating the exercise that the body craves? Recall that your body is a sacred temple where you reside for this lifetime, so make some time every single day for exercising it. Even if you can only manage a walk around the block, just do it. Similarly, keep the words portion control uppermost in your consciousness—your stomach is the size of your fist, not a wheelbarrow! Respect your sacred temple and simplify your life by being an exerciser and a sensible eater. I promise that you’ll feel inspired if you act on this today!
8. Play, play, play! You’ll simplify your life and feel inspired if you learn to play rather than work your way through life. I love to be around kids because they inspire me with their laughter and frivolity. In fact, if I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times: “Wayne, you’ve never grown up—you’re always playing.” I take great pride in this! I play onstage when I speak, and I’m playing now as I write.
Many years ago I was given a tremendous opportunity to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The man who took a chance on me, booking me even though I was an unknown at the time, was a talent coordinator named Howard Papush. It was my first big break, and I went on to appear on that show 36 additional times.
Now it’s my turn to say thank you to Howard. He’s written a wonderful book titled When’s Recess? Playing Your Way Through the Stresses of Life, which I encourage you to read. (Howard also conducts workshops that teach people how to play and have fun in life.) In the book, Howard shares this great quote from Richard Bach: “You are led through your lifetime by t
he inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self.” I couldn’t agree more—by all means, get back in touch with your real, playful self, and take every opportunity to play! Notice how it makes everything so sweet, and so simple.
9. Slow down. One of Gandhi’s most illuminating observations reminds us that “there is more to life than increasing its speed.” This is great advice for simplifying your life—in fact, slow everything way down for a few moments right here and now. Slowly read these words. Slow your breathing down so that you’re aware of each inhalation and exhalation. . . .
When you’re in your car, downshift and relax. Slow down your speech, your inner thoughts, and the frantic pace of everything you do. Take more time to hear others. Notice your inclination to interrupt and get the conversation over with, and then choose to listen instead. Stop to enjoy the stars on a clear night and the cloud formations on a crisp day. Sit down in a mall and just observe how everyone seems in a hurry to get nowhere.
By slowing down, you’ll simplify and rejoin the perfect pace at which creation works. Imagine trying to hurry nature up by tugging at an emerging tomato plant—you’re as natural as that plant, so let yourself be at peace with the perfection of nature’s plan.
10. Do everything you can to eschew debt. Remember that you’re attempting to simplify your life here, so you don’t need to purchase more of what will complicate and clutter your life. If you can’t afford it, let it go until you can. By going into debt, you’ll just add layers of anxiety onto your life. That anxiety will then take you away from your peace, which is where you are when you’re in-Spirit. When you have to work extra hard to pay off debts, the present moments of your life are less enjoyable; consequently, you’re further away from the joy and peace that are the trademarks of inspiration. You’re far better off to have less and enjoy the days of your life than to take on debt and invite stress and anxiety where peace and tranquility could have reigned. And remember that the money you have in your possession is nothing but energy—so refuse to plug in to an energy system that’s not even there.
11. Forget about the cash value. I try not to think about money too frequently because it’s been my observation that people who do so tend to think about almost nothing else. So do what your heart tells you will bring you joy, rather than determining whether it will be cost-effective. If you’d really enjoy that whale-watching trip, for instance, make the decision to do so—don’t deny yourself the pleasures of life because of some monetary detail. Don’t base your purchases on getting a discount, and don’t rob yourself of a simple joy because you didn’t get a break on the price. You can afford a happy, fulfilling life, and if you’re busy right now thinking that I have some nerve telling you this because of your bleak financial picture, then you have your own barrier of resistance.
Make an attempt to free yourself from placing a price tag on everything you have and do—after all, in the world of Spirit, there are no price tags. Don’t make money the guiding principle for what you have or do; rather, simplify your life and return to Spirit by finding the inherent value in everything. A dollar does not determine worth, even though you live in a world that attempts to convince you otherwise.
12. Remember your spirit. When life tends to get too complex, too fast, too cluttered, too deadline oriented, or too type A for you, stop and remember your own spirit. You’re headed for inspiration, a simple, peaceful place where you’re in harmony with the perfect timing of all creation. Go there in your mind, and stop frequently to remember what you really want.
A man who personified success at the highest intellectual and social levels would hardly seem one to quote on simplifying our life, yet here’s what Albert Einstein offers us on this subject: “Possessions, outward success, publicity, luxury—to me these have always been contemptible. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.”
Wow! I’d say this is pretty good advice, wouldn’t you?
CHAPTER 9
THERE’S NOTHING MORE POWERFUL THAN AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME
“. . . neither does anyone, however many wounds he may have received, die, unless he has run his allotted term of life: nor does any man, though he sits quietly by the fireside under his own roof, escape the more his fated doom.”
— AESCHYLUS
INSPIRATION REQUIRES FAITH—after all, returning to Spirit while in our physical body is unlikely to be successful if we don’t believe that it’s possible. We may even have to focus on renewing our faith prior to accessing inspiration, since faith allows us to trust and thereby make use of the vast power that’s responsible for creating every physical object in the Universe.
Faith is an internal knowing that the All-Creating Spirit provides what we need precisely on schedule. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have a voice in what happens to us—we do, but the voice only becomes activated when we get our ego out of the way and realign with Spirit. When our spirit works with the Divine Spirit, we can participate in creation and truly know the meaning of this chapter’s title, “There’s Nothing More Powerful Than an Idea Whose Time Has Come.”
There’s perfect timing in the Universe, and our arrival on Earth was a part of that synchronicity. In other words, we were an idea of God’s whose time had come. This chapter introduces the concept of perfect timing and how to believe in it, notice it, tune in to it, and apply it.
Faith Banishes All Doubt
We know that ego has virtually no control over what happens to us: Our body grows, develops, changes, and declines independent of ego’s desires or opinions. We know that eventually we’ll shed this garment we’ve been wearing for a lifetime—not when our ego decides, but when that idea’s time has come. Reread the Aeschylus quote at the beginning of this chapter about our “allotted term of life” as an example of what I’m referring to.
Aeschylus was the most famous playwright and scholar of his era, and he claimed direct Divine guidance in his writing. (He was also a contemporary of Socrates, Lao-tzu, Zoroaster, Buddha, and Confucius, who all lived during the 5th century B.C. It’s intriguing to note how many visionaries were on the planet simultaneously!) Basically, he tells us that the shape of life must run its allotted course and that we’re here to do what Spirit intends. According to Aeschylus, we’ll leave Earth and shake off our physical body in concert with Spirit’s plan for us. Whether we’re ready at age 17, 25, or 105, he advises us to trust in our Source. (I add to this message that at whatever age we read these words, it’s the right time to realize that we’re in the process of surrendering to Spirit for the remaining portion of our allotment.)
The question now becomes: Can we join with Spirit and play a decisive role in what ideas, happenings, events, or people will show up for us? The answer is a resounding yes! Recall once again those words of Patanjali that I shared in the opening chapters: “When you are inspired . . . dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive.” This is where faith becomes critically important.
You see, we must have faith in a Universe that’s created and guided by an intelligence greater than our ego—one where there can be no accidents. When an idea’s time has come, it can’t be stopped—but by raising our vibration to match that of the Universal Source of Being, we can bring about that idea’s time. We can raise our level of consciousness from ego and group dominance to what I call “visionary consciousness,” in which we reconnect to the mind of God. We banish all doubt by our knowing, which is a higher level of consciousness than believing. Our vision is God’s vision, in a manner of speaking. Let me offer you an example of how this visionary consciousness plays out.
One of my greatest teachers—and a man I now call my friend—is Ram Dass. He lives from the spiritual faith I’m writing about, without doubts or fears. I’d been a long-distance follower and devotee of his for 30 years, always knowing that we’d connect in person. I had this knowing without ever needing to hurry or force what I sensed was a future connection in
his and my lifetime. And when that idea’s time came, Ram Dass moved to Maui, where I’m writing to you from right now.
Today I have the great pleasure of being in the service of my teacher, helping him in these advanced years of his life. The following self-explanatory letter that I wrote recently is posted on my Website, www.drwaynedyer.com. I’m including it here to precisely illustrate how what I’m relating in this chapter can unfold.
One of the truly great men of our time needs our help, and I write these words to encourage your generosity and support. Back in the 1960s a Harvard professor named Richard Alpert left behind the hectic world of academia and traveled to India—there he was to meet his spiritual teacher, who gave him a new purpose to fulfill along with a new name. He, of course, is Ram Dass.
His guru told him to love everyone, feed people, and see God everywhere. Ram Dass became a person who lived out this mandate, doing what so many of us could only dream. He connected to his spirit and devoted his life to serving others.
In 1969 he wrote and published the signature book on spirituality and applied higher awareness, Be Here Now. In keeping with his commitment to love everyone and feed people, he donated all of the royalties and profits to foundations that did just that. With millions of dollars at stake, Ram Dass simply chose to live his life as a man of service to God.
After years spent in India in pursuit of a higher, more enlightened consciousness for himself and for our troubled world, he returned to the United States to lecture throughout the country. He spoke to packed venues wherever he went; and, as always, he donated the proceeds to such causes as would keep him in harmony with his mandate to serve. He cofounded the Seva Foundation (www.seva.org), and his writing and lecture fees were primary sources for this compassionate and inspired work.
Living an Inspired Life Page 11