Previous Wisdom for Life Columns

A Message of Hope Enjoying the Simple Things in Life A Moment in Time

Thriving versus Surviving Accepting Your True Identity Trust Your Own Wisdom

Trust Your Own Wisdom

Our birthright is innate mental health, another way of saying innate wisdom. The wisdom we are born with is not of this world. Wisdom is from the spiritual realm before the form of our world. What happens over time is that our natural wisdom can be covered up by our concerns about life, not trusting that when we live life in alignment with our true self, we will be taken care of, no matter where we are or what situation we find ourselves in.

As practitioners, all we need do is point our clients in the direction of their own wisdom. We give them hope that all is well inside their soul. When people get a glimmer of this spiritual fact, they get a deep feeling of well being, which is wisdom expressing itself. The feeling of well being is what heals people spiritually from the inside-out.

Sydney Banks says on The Hawaii Lectures DVD, “Oneness of Life” that “you’re all sitting here enlightened – you just don’t know it”. I’ve listened to that tape for years but I couldn’t quite “hear” what he was saying. His declaration was too powerful for me to hear. Recently I was in Hawaii and happened to play his DVD again. This time I was able to hear his emphatic statement a bit more, to allow the words to emerge from my soul. I see that innate mental health is part of enlightenment. All we need do is open up to what is.

Consider the implications of this. When people present their issues, of course we listen with respect and empathy. Then a moment in time occurs when we know that to listen any more to the details of the problem only reinforces the problem. When we, as practitioners, go “home” to our own wisdom, we can invite our clients’ home as well.

When we are strong in what we know, that we are spiritual beings living in a spiritual reality, we don’t tend to get caught up in the “story” of others’ realities or even our own reality. We begin to see the illusionary nature of life. Evidence of the illusionary nature of life is seeing how our experience changes as our thinking changes. By wisely using the divine Principles of Mind, Consciousness and Thought our reality continues to improve.

I know there are many in the world dedicated to helping others who are living in wretched circumstances and I applaud their efforts. I also know that you can help people change the form of their reality and effectively help transform their lives. The larger picture of permanent, sustainable change must come from a shift in the world’s level of consciousness. When that spiritual shift happens, the atrocities that are occurring will begin to diminish because people who are mentally healthy lead healthy lives.

Countless people who have committed various crimes and ended up in prison have been introduced to the Principles, had a shift in their level of consciousness that changed their lives. A man who continues to serve time for manslaughter has embraced the Principles and teaches other inmates how to live with hope, despite their incarceration. He is a role model for finding peace of mind while confined.

What does this tell us? That it is never too late to change; that wisdom moves in mysterious ways, helping those less fortunate to become fortunate; that there is more to life than the form of life; that there is something beyond the form that we are all part of, that we are One.

An example comes to mind of how wisdom emerges when we allow time and space. Last summer after I conducted a seminar for a group, a participant asked to meet with me later that day for a private session. I hesitated, wanting to be of service, and then to my surprise these words came out of me. “Take the time for your own wisdom to emerge, and frankly, I feel the same need for myself, for my wisdom to manifest.”

The participant was gracious in accepting my response and I offered to talk with this person at a future date. A couple of weeks later I heard from the individual that he had gained much knowledge as he had time to reflect on his own. He commented on how powerful the experience was for him to realize it was his own wisdom coming to light, not mine.

At the same seminar, another individual asked to see me privately. Her needs tugged at my heart strings so I agreed. When I met with her the next day, she wanted to talk about her problems. Instead I talked to her about the spiritual nature of life and encouraged her to trust her own innate wisdom to resolve her difficulties. I could see she wanted to believe what I was saying even while she struggled with this but I gently and respectfully refused to entertain her “story”.

I felt a peace come over me as I held to the truth that nothing is resolved by focusing on the problems. We sat in silence for some time. I could feel her calm down as we experienced the feeling of peace together. After a time, she stood up and quietly said, “Thanks, Elsie. I feel the truth of what you are saying. The quiet time we just spent moved me out of my problem solving dilemma. I don’t understand exactly how but I feel it.”

Her words struck a chord in me. It’s so true; we don’t have to understand exactly how the Principles work. As a matter of fact, we never will understand them intellectually. As Syd says, we are already enlightened; we just need to realize it. And we do, every time we have an insight, it comes from that place, again in Syd’s words, “beyond time, space and matter”.

Elsie Spittle

December 1, 2009

Accepting Your True Identity

Allow me to introduce you to your true Self; the inner you, the divine spark within all humanity that is perfect. Not everyone knows about their true Self. If you have met before, that is wonderful. If you have not had the pleasure, let me say that you are in for a treat.

Another way of talking about true Self is saying that everyone is blessed with innate mental health. Do we utilize our mental health to the fullest? I think not. The spiritual process of discovering that we do have this inherent gift within us is an ongoing development.

What is so remarkable about discovering our true nature is that we don’t have to “try” to improve ourselves or “try” to do better. Once we realize we have this divine spark within us, we automatically begin to change for the better. Effortless change is part of the package, the gift we are born with. If change is hard, it is because our ego belief system will not take a back seat. Our birthright is to enjoy life, the best we can, in all its manifestations.

You might say what if I’m in prison? How can I possibly enjoy life while I’m incarcerated? Someone else might ask, what about the homeless? How can they possibly enjoy life while living in a cardboard box on the street?

To respond to both questions, let me tell you a story. I worked with the homeless for over 4 years in downtown Los Angeles, in the heart of skid row. I saw miracles take place there. I saw love and respect blossom on the streets, between the staff of the organization I worked with and the street people.

I observed the staff come up with creative ideas on how to reach out to the homeless in an unusual way. Rather than continuing to meet people with clipboard in hand, asking questions about what they were up to and how they could be of service, the staff took a different path.

The service providers intuitively felt the population they were serving wanted to be treated as ordinary folks, not labelled as homeless and therefore often patronized. Several of the staff had once been on the streets themselves and knew what it felt like. But prior to the Three Principles education the helpers were unsure how to accomplish this. How do you help people who clearly are struggling to survive while still preserving their dignity?

Before the staff learned that everyone is born with purity of soul, they tended to treat the behavior they observed. This time they were seeing beyond the behavior to the individual’s core of mental health and welcoming people from that understanding.

To that end, they decided to offer a karaoke evening, serving coffee, donuts, and love. The people responded cautiously at first then more enthusiastically as they felt the unconditional love from the staff. The staff didn’t teach their guests the Principles. By this time, the providers understanding of who we really are had stabilized their own lives considerably so they were well grounded in their mental health; they lived more of the time in deep feelings of appreciation for what they had found as individuals. The deep feeling was all encompassing and drew the street people to them in droves.

I saw the homeless treated with dignity and I saw how they responded to that treatment. I saw many of them come to life mentally and physically, thriving on the love and positive attention shared with them by the staff. I saw that as the staff uncovered their own true identity, that spark of divinity, they saw it in everyone else. This “seeing” drew out the innate mental health in the people they worked with; their colleagues, their families, the people on the streets, trying to get back on their feet and get their life in order once more.

I saw a man who had been on the streets for 30 years, lying on the sidewalk, covered in filth, incoherent with drug use and malnutrition; in a short time once the staff had connected with him in a different way, seeing beyond his behavior to his divine core, he appeared on a video tape, unrecognizable because of the miraculous change in him. He was dressed in a sport coat, shirt and tie, his appearance and demeanor was healthy, he was well spoken as he shared the dramatic changes that had taken place in him. He stated on the tape how much he appreciated the staff that had treated him with respect and love and had never given up on him. “They gave me hope”, he said, “and I began to feel alive again.” He had found his true Self.

We never lose this gift. It may lie dormant but we never lose it. If you take a moment to reflect on the wonder of this gift, it will open your eyes and your heart and release the wisdom contained within.

I have had people who are incarcerated tell me they are grateful because they learned about the Principles while in jail and thus were able to change their habits of thought and behavior that had imprisoned them. I see that many of these people are less incarcerated mentally then many so called successful people who are “in the free”.

I’ve had people on the streets tell me they are grateful for the cardboard box they have, their simple home that provides some semblance of privacy, preserving their dignity. I see the dignity reflected on their faces as they find hope that it’s never too late to discover their true Self.

I’ve only shared two examples of populations that have been helped by discovering their true nature. You can extrapolate the Three Principles learning to every human being. That is the simple message that Sydney Banks left us with. We all have the innate spiritual power to create our individual experience in life. By using this power wisely, we help ourselves, we touch others and the gift is shared with humanity in the simplest, most profound way.

Elsie Spittle

October 30, 2009

Thriving versus Surviving

We live in a world where many are fraught with anxiety. The economy is still struggling to make positive gains, unemployment is at an all time high, the wars continue, health care issues here and abroad continues to draw a great deal of rancor; it is indeed an uncertain world we live in. Is there a way to thrive in this global environment? Can people thrive versus survive? I’ll leave you to come up with your own answer.

A fascinating conversation with a client elicited some inner reflection for me and for my client. Derek called to get help on several issues he was facing in his workplace. He’d had some 3 Principles training and knows that I won’t talk to him about the issues per se; he knows our conversation will revolve around the Principles. He’s experienced in our earlier conversations that his mind often quiets down and insights and solutions come from his own wisdom. Derek tells me that he simply wants a neutral sounding board to listen. I am happy to comply.

“I see our work environment as pretty crazy right now. The stress level is very high. The company still has to lay people off and in some cases let go of employees at all levels as our industry struggles to survive.

“The executive team I’m on seems to be reverting back to previous held beliefs, entrenched in keeping home office happy without having a say in far reaching decision making. I know they are concerned about their jobs as well. We discuss in our meetings how to better serve our employees but there doesn’t seem to be an answer; at least an answer that the team will listen to. I’ve tried talking with them about how this is the time to listen to our people not shut them down. I know that if we listen to them, at least they’ll feel heard, even if we can’t necessarily do what they ask.

“As department head, I find myself in the middle. I get heat from my boss when my team doesn’t produce and I get heat from my team and the employees when they feel the decisions that are coming from corporate don’t make sense. There is a great deal of drama going on. How do we get along in this kind of culture?”

“What helps you stay out of the drama?” I ask Derek.

“I don’t know. I guess I stick to the facts of the situation as best as I can. I listen; I don’t lay blame, judge or make assumptions. I try and help my team not to ‘make up stories’ that perpetuate the condition.”

“That is a lot of common sense that you’ve just shared with me, Derek. That must help your team and the employees a great deal.”

Silence ensues. “What do you think about what I just said?”

“Well I’ve not really thought about it,” Derek responded. “I’m in the midst of this chaotic mental and physical environment all the time so I don’t get a chance to reflect much.”

“Another supervisor in your facility told me that one day when you met her in the cafeteria she was very agitated. You stopped and asked her how she was doing and she promptly bent your ear with all that was wrong in the department. She said that you just listened and didn’t advise her until you parted, leaving her with these words, “just use your common sense and you’ll be okay”. She said that encounter helped her so much, not necessarily the words that you said but the fact that you took the time to listen to her. She told me that later the words you said kicked in and pointed her back to her own wisdom but at that moment in time it was simply the fact that you listened.”

“I didn’t know that. I don’t even remember that happening. I do know that when I’ve felt stressed and someone has taken the time to listen to me, I have felt the value of that listening. And I don’t mean just listening to my complaints and agreeing with me but listening with compassion and neutrality so that my complaints seem to melt away. It seems to calm me down, even if it’s for a moment, and sometimes clarity comes and I know how to better handle the circumstances. At the very least, when a person listens in that way, with compassion and neutrality, they aren’t adding fuel to the fire by agreeing with my complaints of ‘ain’t it awful’!”

We had a hardy chuckle at Derek’s comment but then he got thoughtful again, saying, “So how do you survive in stressful conditions?”

“Observe and acknowledge common sense and wisdom in yourself, in your team and in the executive team, just like you did with the supervisor in the hallway. This acknowledgement reinforces and sustains a healthy state of mind where you can thrive, no matter the surrounding environment. The acknowledgement of your wisdom brings forth a deep feeling of well-being because you are directly connected to your soul. It’s as if you are living in a state of grace. Every time you have an insight, it adds to the quality of your life and produces better results across the board, in your personal life and in your work life.”

With a deep intake of breath, Derek said in a soft tone, “I feel I’ve had a breath of fresh air. Thank you!”

Surviving or thriving? You tell me.

Elsie Spittle

September 14, 2009

A Moment in Time

We have so much to be grateful for in our lifetime. Many technological advances benefit mankind but more importantly we are privileged to be privy to new discoveries in mental health. To know we have the power to create our moment to moment experience is a divine gift, our birthright.

How wonderful to know how to use these divine gifts wisely. An intriguing fact is that the Principles, Mind, Consciousness and Thought, are neutral in themselves. With our free will, we have the ability to make our personal reality whatever we want. The gift of three foundational Principles, inherent within all humanity, allows us to create a fulfilled life, full of purpose and passion.

No matter what circumstances come our way, we always have the power to choose how to respond to any situation. This is invaluable information, knowing that we don’t have to be a victim. The only thing that holds us prisoner is our faulty thinking. Once we gain clarity, via insight, we are as free as the air we breathe.

Knowing that our feelings are an indication of our state of mind is what provides a clue to maintaining a mentally healthy route. Like a GPS, Global Positioning System, we have an inner directional guide to a positive healthy outlook. And like a GPS, our inner guide always is “re-calculating” to bring us back to wisdom. Isn’t that reassuring? To know that no matter how lost we might find ourselves at a moment in time, we always have the capacity to find our way back to mental health.

The simplicity and impact of the Principles can often times be so subtle that sometimes we may feel that we aren’t reaching people as much as we would like to. Perhaps as a leader in an organization, caught up in the daily grind, we forget the power of a moment of true communication with another soul. We may forget in a harried environment that when we operate from a calm demeanor, just passing someone in the hallway and seeing they are upset and taking a moment to listen can be very helpful. A moment is timeless and can offer respite, a moment of peace, a moment of clarity. An insight takes a moment and can change your life. It is wise not to dismiss the power of a moment.

Another way of looking at this is to see that a moment in time is also living in the now, totally in the present. When one is living in the moment, communion with divine Mind is taking place. The feeling that comes from that deep communion is what brings clarity to the situation. The clarity or solution may not manifest directly before your eyes, but again, remember that time is manmade. The moment has happened, the connection has been made, and the results of that defining moment in time may manifest a day later, a week later, or a month later.

Trust that when true communication or connection with another soul takes place, and the moment is experienced together, it’s a done deal! Results will occur. You don’t have to be concerned about outcome. You KNOW the spiritual process is unfolding in its own time. It may not be in our time, but in the formless reality where there is no time, all that counts is the feeling of connection to divine Mind.

Elsie Spittle

August 19, 2009

Enjoying the Simple Things in Life

Many times throughout our life we find ourselves betwixt and between levels of understanding. We get a sense that there is much more to learn but may find ourselves caught up in old habits of thinking and behavior. Then a flash of inspiration takes us to a new level of consciousness where we get a glimmer of fresh thinking, a new way of seeing things. Sometimes the glimmer is just that, a glimmer; then the old habits tug at our core and we get lost in between the old and the new.

That is the time when the simple things in life become so important in helping us move forward. While we mull over why we are stuck in limbo that is where we stay. When we forget about ourselves and what is wrong in our life we tend to “fall into” naturally enjoying life. We begin to see the new growth of spring and marvel at the myriad of shades of fresh green leaves on the trees, admire the variety of daffodils and tulips blooming, of lilacs sharing their heady fragrance, and all is right with the world. Once again, we find ourselves in the moment, enjoying the simple things in life.

Could this be what life is all about? Could this be what being in the moment means? Is it enjoying the simple pleasures of nature? Is it re-discovering new meaning in long time relationships that makes them fresh, new and exciting? Is being in the moment accepting life’s challenges and seeing the challenges as opportunities to grow?

These are questions to ponder, questions to be answered by our deeper self. Most times I answer a resounding “yes”. Other times, depending on my state of mind, I answer with a degree of uncertainty. However, the ambiguity does not feel good, and then I know that I am off track and not in the moment. That knowing takes me to the present where once again I live life the best I can.

One of the things I appreciate most about knowing we all have innate mental health within us is the gentleness this knowledge brings to our life. I find I am less judgmental about myself and others when I’m in a lower state. The kindness and resiliency of innate mental health constantly reaffirms itself, if we allow it to do so.

Life is a gift; the Three Principles of Mind, Consciousness and Thought are divine gifts that provide us with the ability to create the best life possible, at every moment, of every day. We always have a second chance. It is never too late, no matter what happens. Consider this spiritual fact for a moment – it is never too late to have a better life with deeper understanding. Isn’t this remarkable?

The Principles allow us to see the past with understanding, unleashing tons of thought baggage that we may have innocently hung on to, baggage that we have accumulated because of events that occurred in the past.

The Principles offer humanity such hope, not only for letting go of the past that is hurtful, but for the present and for the future. Knowing that we all carry wisdom deep within us to provide solace and the solution to mankind’s problems is a gift that keeps giving. How fortunate are we to have a glimmer of this extraordinary bequest.

Elsie Spittle

May 9, 2009

A Message of Hope

Do you ever find yourself lamenting what is wrong with the world rather than what is right? I think it is safe to say most of us do this at one time or another. We do this with our family, spouses and children alike. Nor are our friends left out of this circle of what’s wrong. We find fault at work, with our colleagues, our bosses and employees. We grumble about our jobs. We bemoan the government and their policies.

This way of seeing life almost becomes normal – until we discover that we are blessed with three divine gifts; Mind, Consciousness and Thought. These three Principles are the foundation of our existence. They are our operating system and we use them to create our personal reality.

The Principles are neutral in themselves. We, as human beings, have the power to use these Principles and create any reality we choose. Once we become conscious we have this power and use it wisely, our personal reality automatically improves. We begin to see what is right with the world, with our family, friends, with our jobs, and so on.

A single parent shares this story. “My daughter, Brittany, is 15 years old. We were very close as she was growing up then a couple of years ago things changed and we just couldn’t seem to communicate. Whatever I would say, she disagreed with me. And I must admit, whatever she would say, I disagreed with her. We seemed to have no middle ground.

“About a year ago I found out she had met a boy on the internet and was constantly communicating with him. I didn’t know anything about him and then Brittany told me she was planning on meeting him. I told her in no uncertain terms that she was not allowed to do so. She clammed up on me so I didn’t know if she was going to meet him or not and I was very concerned about her safety.

“Her behavior seemed to go from bad to worse; I know she was experimenting with drugs and alcohol, staying out late, her school marks were poor. Nothing I said to her seemed to make any difference.

“Then a friend told me about a therapist, Abby Nelson, who had an unusual way of talking with people. My friend said the counselor looked for wisdom in people rather than dysfunction. I must say, this approach intrigued and appealed to me.

“In my first counseling session with Abby, I found her theory rather simplistic yet there was something about what she was saying and how calm she was that kept me glued to my chair. I told Abby how frantic I was about the situation with my daughter and the boy on the internet, and the drugs and other misbehavior; she listened intently but didn’t engage in probing for what else was wrong. Instead, to my astonishment, Abby asked me what I loved about my daughter.

“She used to be the light of my eye, with a great sense of humor, always seeing the good in people, a very kind and caring young girl.”

Abby said, “Have you told her these things recently?” I had to admit that I had not. Abby gently suggested that I share my love with my daughter and tell her the good things I saw in her, rather than nagging her about what was wrong with her. It was such a simple thing to say but it struck me like a bolt of lightning. I hadn’t told my daughter I loved her for a long time. With her poor behavior, I didn’t feel a lot of love for her. But when I left Abby’s office, I had a different perspective. I realized that I had totally focused on all the bad things I saw rather than encouraging the good.

“I felt so peaceful when I was in Abby’s office and the feeling lingered after I left. Abby helped me to see the good in my daughter again. I felt hopeful for our future and I hadn’t felt like this in a long time.

“I had five sessions with Abby and I’ve never looked back. My life has changed and my feelings with my daughter have developed into a warm, loving, and thoughtful relationship. When I nurtured the wisdom in Brittany, she blossomed and soon her behavior cleaned up. I saw that as her wisdom was released, she wanted to do well. All the misbehaviour was her way of looking for attention, in all the wrong places. Now we can talk things over. We may not always agree but we’ve learned our lesson. With love and respect in place, we can handle whatever comes our way.”

Here’s another example to consider. Andy has been having a tough time at work. His level of frustration is very high and at one point, he erupts and curses out his boss, stomps out of work and heads for home. Andy’s boss calls Kevin, the company’s employee assistance counselor to ask him to talk with Andy, educating him on the benefits of the Principles and innate mental health. Happy to do so, Kevin arranged a time to talk with Andy.

“Tell me a little about yourself, Andy.”

“Well, I guess you could say I’m having a nervous breakdown. I find myself out of control. Just the other day, I cussed out my boss, stormed out of work, and luckily didn’t have an accident as I drove home. I slammed into the house, said hi to my wife, stomped up the stairs and went to bed.”

“I see. Then what did you do?”

“The next day I felt a bit better and knew I had to apologize to my boss. He took it well, didn’t get bent out of shape with me. I give him a lot of credit that he didn’t fire me on the spot.”

“That’s a lot of wisdom you’ve shown,” Kevin commented.

“What? How do you figure that? I just told you how I blew it and you’re saying that’s wise! I don’t get you,” Andy said emphatically.

“Let’s look at the situation from another angle, Andy. Look at what you did right once you got home.”

He paused for a moment then said, “I don’t see anything right about what I did when I got home.”

“You told me that you said hi to your wife and went to bed, right?”

“That’s right.”

“You didn’t take your anger and frustration out on your wife, right?”

“Well, yes,” Andy said reluctantly.

“Then you went to bed. You knew that was the best thing to do, right?”

Again, Andy said hesitantly, “Yes. I was just so beat that I collapsed on the bed. I don’t see what’s so wise about that.”

“You also apologized to your boss.”

“Well, yeah. I still want my job.”

“How did you know to do all those things - not yell at your wife, go to bed and rest, apologize to your boss - in the midst of this so-called nervous breakdown? That’s some breakdown, I must say, to still have so much common sense in the midst of that episode. You did a lot of damage control.”

“I never thought of it that way,” Andy replied thoughtfully. “It never occurred to me that there was anything good to be seen in this event. So how did I know how to do this damage control? I thought I was out of control yet as you point out what I did right, I have to agree. Yet I didn’t think about doing those things. It just seemed to happen naturally.”

“Everyone has innate mental health or common sense built into them. We’re born with this capacity. We wouldn’t exist without these three gifts. The trick is to learn how to use them appropriately for our benefit rather than against ourselves.

“What I want you to reflect on, Andy, is the spiritual fact that despite your so-called nervous breakdown, your innate health was still functioning and kept you from doing too much damage. What do you think about that?”

“It is something for me to mull over. I can’t quite get my head around these Principles you’re talking about but I’d like to learn more.”

“I’ll tell you something, Andy, I don’t totally understand these Principles by a long shot myself but I see the results, over and over again. Look for the positive feelings. That’s the secret.”

Andy’s workplace is lucky; they have in place an employee assistance program, based on the Three Principles. It’s part of their corporate culture. They call it “healthy high performance”.

Imagine if more organizations, communities, and families learned about the innate gift of wisdom, residing within each and everyone. The world would soon be a different place.

As we come into the holiday season with an abundance of material gifts surrounding us, it behooves us all to take a fresh look at the innate gifts that have been bestowed upon us. They cost us nothing; they are freely given. The Three Principles herald a new beginning for mankind to take joyous responsibility for his own world. In doing so, illustrating to others the potential we all have to make the world a better place; to live, to love, to laugh, and to instill in our children their birthright of hope and fulfillment.

Elsie Spittle

December 7, 2008

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Updated January 16, 2010