Over the past three weeks Rev. Ali has talked quite eloquently about Devotion … about dedication to your own transformation.

About not being devoted to something outside of yourself … but … committing to … yourself.

Last week she talked about “OPT INâ€Â  … Observation, Participation and Transformation.

The question was are you devoted ………. to You?

This is your life … are you ready for change … for a transformation … for a lighter, happier, easier, more fulfilling, conscious, awake and aware Life?

Are you ready to set some goals and make some plans … to visualize better… to meditate calmer… to dream bigger?

Are you ready to step it up … to dance … to move?

Good … Let’s get started.

Truth is … it is very simple … and not always very easy.

It starts with … Awareness.

And you may not know it … but you all have already, taken the first step … because you are here!

You have become Aware of a … calling … a need to do something differently … an impulse or a drive to try something else.

Maybe you just like the company … you don’t have a specific thing in mind … it just feels good.  It is easy and comfortable.  You just like being here.

You didn’t know it, but you were ready for a change.

One definition of insanity … is to keep doing what you always do, but expect a different outcome.

If we were mice in a maze and kept going down the same aisle that led to a dead end, to pain and suffering … and we kept doing it over and over and over … always surprised that … wow this hurts … that behavior almost did me in … I think I’ll try it again.

Now that’s crazy.  But, isn’t that what we all do?

Same relationships over and over.  Same crumby job, no matter where I work.  Every time we get together, you make me so mad.

Could it be …ME???

Could it be time I dedicate some attention to ME?

To my well-being … to my growth … to my Spiritual journey.

Is that possible I keep going down the same path of destruction?  By my own choice…?

Yes … it is.  And when you realize it … you are ready for step 2.

Now … earlier I said you had already accomplished step 1 by being aware … now I want you to know you have also accomplished step 2.

Step 2 … Do Something Different.  You came here … or somewhere like here.  You took a step.

And doesn’t every dance begin with the first step.  And that step might be a New Thought.

Ernest Holmes says …

Change your thinking change your life.

Do something different.  If what you are doing is Not bringing you happiness, then stop doing … that.

Now here it might get a little tricky and you may not get it in one week … so you will have to come listen to more of Rev. Ali’s talks or take some classes.  Because it is not always easy to define (exactly) what it is you are doing … that is not working.

It may take some work, some internal work on your part to find out … who you really are … what are your standards in life … what do you Really want … where are you going … what are you committed or dedicated … or, devoted to?

Did you ever see the movie “Run Away Brideâ€Â  – with Julia Roberts.  She keeps getting engaged but then at the last moment realizes this is not what she wants, so she bolts.  See, the movie brings out that she doesn’t really know who she is … what she likes or doesn’t like … what she wants to do with her life.  She kept adapting to her fiancé’s wants and desires, and never realized her own.  Richard Geer discovered that each past fiancé thought her favorite way to have eggs was just like his (and each was different) … … she didn’t know what she herself liked best.

Do you know … what you want?

Hmmm … do you know your favorite dance ??

Because now I am going to have some fun with the theme of the month … and with my talk title.  Because I am going to talk about the different dances we do to – avoid.

First I must share with you that I am not a dancer, so don’t expect any demonstrations … and I may even get the terms wrong – so have patience with me.

Now, we don’t want to be hurtful or mean.  What I am talking about is … we are not always honest with ourselves.

Like this -

I … want to live a life of committed and dedicated adherence to my Spiritual path.  Meditate daily … read daily … practice random acts of kindness … and pay it forward … to interface with everyone without judgment …  to live without fear or anger.  Take more classes … teach more classes … pray daily … forgive daily … write more … minister more … Love more … and Love unconditionally.

I do.

But then I get Reasonable … and start the “Spiritual Shuffleâ€.  A little side stepping maybe.

Here’s me … a few years back.  Remember – really shy.

It kinda looks like this … I’d like to go talk to that person … maybe step out of my comfort zone … say Hi

Buuuuut … I better get my coffee before they run out.  Ya know … with all these people here it will run out pretty quickly.  I’ll be right back … shuffle shuffle.

Or darn they are busy talking to someone else … just my poor luck.  Next time.

Or like this …

I would like to take that class … it could transform my life in a huge way.  It is a lot of work, and a lot of reading … and it may even get a little uncomfortable if I have to confront … you know, that shy me.  But I am worth it … and I really want to learn more about myself.

IF … only it were not on Tuesday night … that’s my bowling night.  And there’s a little tap dance.

So what dance do you guys do …?

Is your life a beautiful … flowing … classy – Waltz?

Or

Is your life more like … the Hokey Pokey!!

You know … you test the waters of change or your own spirituality … you put one foot in, and take one foot out.  It can be scary … it’s hard to stay committed.  You try the other foot … but that’s a little shakey too.  Life deals you another twist so you throw your hands in the air and do the hokey pokey.

What would it take to actually turn your life around..?

I’ll tell you what … some consistency, some dedication and some devotion.

To yourself.

And yes I am poking fun of the excuses we make to not fully participate in Life.  But it is something we all do.

We side step … we get all twisted up, and down, and all around … just like we did last summer.

We twist and turn to avoid the uncomfortable.

But what you may not know  … is that the Universe is more consistent, and dedicated and devoted (and I might say – stubborn) than you are … about your own expressions.  Of who you are and what you want.

Rev. Ali said this last week … good or bad … the Universe Loves to say YES!

Not only what you say … but what you feel inside.

I should be ashamed … YES … here comes something more to be ashamed about.

I am bad … I should be punished … YES … and here it comes.

But – also … I am really happy and I love life today.

Yes … and here comes someone and they smiled and said hi to me.  That makes me feel good.

Oh and look – what a pretty flower … I didn’t see that before.  How nice.  Oh and here comes some more.

But wait … this is too good to be true … wow … guess what’s coming next…?

Get the picture?

And can’t you see all of the dancing we do to avoid …

How about the moon walk … it looks like you’re walking forward but you’re actually going backwards.

And it is not always avoidance … I know that.  Sometimes we are enjoying life and loving the moment, and we hold on tight and slow dance.  Beautiful.

Now…

We really do attract things into our lives with our thoughts and our outpouring of energy.

Haven’t you ever noticed that the same things or situations keep coming up.  You keep hearing about a certain book from many different sources.  Hmmmm.

Or

You keep seeing people that remind you of friend you haven’t seen in a long time.  And then that person calls.

Life lessons maybe?  Something you want to do maybe, but keep dancing around.

Going back to school … telling someone you are sorry … telling someone you love them … fix that darn broken sprinkler.  And remember, it may not be the sprinkler … it is a life lesson about whatever makes sense in your head.

This month is about devotion.  About being willing to dedicate time and energy to yourself … to your own spiritual growth.

Yes, it usually takes work.

But hey … like most dances … it keeps coming around so you might as well get on with it.  There is a reason you have been seeking.  There is a reason you were drawn here.  And I’m not saying it is me you came to see … it could be the person you are sitting next to … or the person you talk to after while drinking some tea.

It takes devotion and some courage to be able to move from …

Asleep – to Awake

From

Unconscious to Conscious

From the book “Strays†(several of you are reading this right now).

Well on page 18 she says …â€sometimes you are standing in a pile of rubble, and you are afraid to play another card … terrified that you’re headed for another disaster.â€Â  Then she is reminded by one of her guides … “remember the day of your first ballet recital.  You were so afraid to go on stage, scared you’d forget the steps or loose your timing …

And yet you still went on.  You overcame your fear and your doubts.  You refused to be defeated … and you danced.  The Joy of the moment still shines.â€

When you dance around it … but dance with it … you have taken the next step.  And you are on the way to learning … what you want.

So … let me ask you a question.

“How Do You Define Your Lifeâ€

I’ll tell you … you start by asking yourself …

“What Do You Loveâ€

You are not defined by the fear of dancing … or the long hours of training … and maybe not even the performing.

You are defined by the … overcoming.  It is the Joy you feel when you danced anyway … that is what sets the moment as a defining moment.

I am not the fear … I am the rising up after I fell, and danced anyway …  that is the defining moment.

AND – SO – THE – LESSON – BEGINS

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