In Spirit

Thought I would share my Amanda Gore Newsletter I received today. I hope you find something that is helpful!


"The Spirit in Which We Do Things" by Amanda Gore
Last week, I was reading a book called Questions and Answers by The Mother from the Sri Aurobindo ashram, and was struck by a "blinding flash of the obvious" from this sentence:

"Everything always depends on the way in which things are done - not so much on what one does, but on the spirit in which one does it."

It doesn't take long to see the truth of that statement! No matter what you do, the spirit in which you do it really determines the outcome. This applies to everything in life - everything we do, say or think! And it determines how we, and others, feel as a result of what we do.

When you have a difficult task, how do you approach it? With resignation, dread, fear, a sense of hopelessness, resentment, anger, frustration, or disappointment? Or a sense of "good, I can clear this task and move on" or "I will learn something from this," or "I am helping someone else by doing this" - any kind of useful thinking like that?

No matter what the task, if you approach it in a negative way, with what I call "head-based thinking," it will surely be more difficult and arduous for you - and everyone else! But if you approach it cheerfully, or at least neutrally, everything changes.

If the challenge is with another person, reflect on what you say to yourself as you come closer to the meeting time. Do you want to win? Conquer? Control? Fight? What is your head saying to you about the situation? Does it tell you that you are going into battle, or are you going in with a desire for genuine understanding and with a sense of serving, or helping the other person, or resolving the situation? All of these make up the spirit with which you do your work.

What does make up the spirit in which we approach things? I believe it's a combination of:
- what we say to ourselves - this comes from our heads and is often negative or a source of conflict
- what we feel in our hearts - where the genuine concern or desire to serve resides
- our will forces - not just will power; our will forces come from our solar plexus area and are what we need to overcome the judgmental nature of our brains

We have to consciously decide to do everything we do with a cheerful, optimistic, enthusiastic spirit and then strengthen our will forces by making it happen. In this way, we can overcome our negatively programmed head thinking - but we have to make the effort consciously. And just like muscles building with exercise, our will forces become stronger the more we consciously choose to be guided by our hearts and have a positive spirit.

So, in short, the heart knows the right spirit for every situation; it sends a message to the will to stop the head interference; and it's up to us to listen to our hearts, strengthen our wills, and overcome the head's old patterns.

Other people always pick up the spirit with which we do anything, no matter how clever we think we are at hiding it - and frequently we even hide it from ourselves! We are rarely conscious of the spirit in which we do an action or how we think about it, although we can immediately blame others for not contributing, or hindering, or being difficult. We very rarely look at ourselves as contributing to the negative aspects or difficulties.

After reading this article, take some time to think about the first task or activity you will do, or interaction you will have. How are you approaching it? With enthusiasm, gusto, passion, excitement or calmness? Even if it's just reading your emails! Or are you groaning and grumbling about all the work you have to do and how overworked you are?

Can you see how the way in which you approach and perform an activity or interaction is critical? It is possible to change - new research shows we can reprogram our brains - it just takes attention, focus and repetition. So pay attention to the spirit in which you approach and do things, focus on operating from your heart and having an enthusiastic, optimistic, understanding, compassionate, caring, spirit of gratitude in all you do - repeatedly! Of course it will take a while to make this a habit - but allow yourself to slip and just make a new resolve that it was for the last time.

My husband and I like to say a little prayer before we sleep from a wonderful book by Sigwart called The Bridge Across the River:

"Never despair
I became weak today
But for the last time.
Tomorrow I shall have reached my goal.
Amen."

This little prayer helps us start each day with the right spirit - to leave the chaos of the past days and years and life behind, and begin afresh with a spirit of joy, enthusiasm, cheerfulness, contentment, excitement and all those wonderful qualities. It's a big goal, but worth it - and we really NEED to say that prayer every night!

I hope this article triggers you to think a lot about the spirit in which you do things, and to focus on doing them with a fabulous spirit, and to do it repeatedly. Within a few weeks, you can re-hardwire your brain and literally transform your life!


Zoot-Zoot!



P.S. Put a post-it on your computer today that says "everything always depends on the spirit in which I do things!"

Thanks so much for posting this, Loey.


It is absolutely beautiful!