Chocolate-Cherry Layered Cupcakes

Chocolate-Cherry Layered Cupcakes Recipe

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 box devil’s food cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, if desired
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
2 containers (4 oz each) vanilla pudding
1 container (1 lb) creamy chocolate frosting

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, using water, oil, eggs and almond extract. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

2. Just before serving, remove paper baking cups. Cut cupcake in half horizontally with serrated knife. On bottom half of cupcake, spoon 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling; top with 2 teaspoons vanilla pudding. Replace top of cupcake.

3. Remove lid and foil cover from frosting container. Microwave frosting on High 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly until very soft and smooth, microwaving an additional 5 to 15 seconds if necessary. Spoon 1 tablespoon frosting over top of cupcake. Top with 1 cherry from pie filling.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with remaining cupcakes. Serve immediately.

Just the two of you? Bake and cool cupcakes as directed. Make desired number of layered cupcakes. Wrap remaining cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipe & photo source : Pillsbury Recipes

 

Aurora 2012 by Christian Mülhauser

“Last week I was again in Norway for shooting northern lights. This time I was very lucky, there was a lot of activity on the sky especially on the 24 January. The scenes are from Ravnastua, Skoganvarre and Lakselv. The first two days I had a lot of trouble with frozen Cameras. It was -25°C (-13°F) and after 1-2 hours of shooting the lens was frozen.”

more @ Aurora 2012 from Christian Mülhauser on Vimeo.

Free Weekly Horoscope January 30 – Feb 6 | 2012

 

Free Horoscope January 30 – Feb 6 2012

 

ARIES

You may be rather uncertain about your financial life at this time – it is probably best to suspend any decisions around that facet of your life until later when you have more certainty about that concern – it especially important that you take heed in respect to any intuitions that you have now in regard to anyone trying to deceive you about financial concerns. You may feel the need to make small personal sacrifices out of love and compassion for another at this time. Beware of getting involved in any type of romance now that “necessitates” a “behind the scenes” secrecy based scenario as that could be very much to your own undoing.

TAURUS

You are likely to experience a good deal of social grace now within the context of friendships – you may even gain the financial or material favours of a personal friend and benefit from the general goodwill, generosity or support that a friend offers or gives graciously at this time. At this time there may be a prompting or even temptation to become more involved with another who has hitherto been just a friend or acquaintance – be sure that the changed or increased involvement is appropriate and emerges naturally from emotional intimacy so that the change in the status of your relationship doesn’t hurt anyone else.

GEMINI

This would be a good time in which to make a conscious, extra, effort toward being patience and cooperative in respect to family members – that may counterbalance any tendencies to the contrary. You should also watch for any self-centered impulses that you might subconsciously be manifesting, now, in relation to family members. This would be a good time for rigorous work around your residence, especially work that may involve using a good degree of physical effort. You may find yourself going to bed rather later than usual and that may be due to your feeling a bit restless at night – as a remedy, you might consider doing some physical exercise before retiring in order to dissipate any tensions or anxiety that might keep your mind from relaxing sufficiently.

CANCER

This is a good time for self-analysis, that is, looking into your own motivations on a psychological level, so that you can gain a better understanding of what drives you to seek what you feel driven toward. The more self-understanding at a deep level you gain the more self-control and personal power you gain and the less the chance that adjustments, as you live your life, will be needed later. In other words, if you really have an insight into what you are aiming for, is clearly understood by yourself, then it is far more likely that your ultimate experiences will be meet as “one” with your expectations.

This is a good time to clear up nagging responsibilities and to set your life’s agenda in order and to straighten out and clarify records and schedules that add order to your life and support personal responsibility. This may be a good time to deal with and take care of any paperwork regarding business matters, such as invoice payments and the like. You may be more prone to attend to small things, mundane issues and finer details of the general business of your life now and you may also find yourself, in addition to setting your personal business affairs in order, doing a fair amount of cleaning and tidying-up of your personal environments.

If you find yourself a feeling a little more anxious and tending toward worry or even feeling a little compulsive now then it may be that exercise will help to “smooth out” your nervous and muscle systems and help you to relax more. But it might also be the case that the anxiety is being generated because your preconscious mind is telling you to attend to practical matters now that you may be somewhat neglectful of or even ignoring.

LEO

The romantic department of your life will likely bring the question of human motivation to the forefront – it may be that someone enters the scene now who may have hidden motives and who’s agenda is other than what he or she is indicating to you – if someone is there now who seems to want to influence you about choices or, worse, seems to want to dictate or even manipulate you then it might be advisable to deliberate over this person’s intentions on the romantic level and as to why he or she is trying to have an impact on you. Be careful of individuals who come across as having a powerful personality.

VIRGO

You are very likely to feel significantly more energetic, at this time – you will be prone to engaging in vigorous action as opposed to taking it easy – you can probably accomplish a lot at present but be careful not to act in a manner that is impulsive or rambunctious now – try not to “put the cart before the horse” or to “jump the gun” – hold yourself in check, where you conscience prompts you to do so and think before you act. This may be a very good time to engage in physical exercise. It may be important, now, to give extra thought and consideration to others and to try to apply as much compromise, grace and harmony in your daily relationships as there be a bit of a disposition toward acting very quickly or impulsively in respect to your own needs, without sufficient balance therein, in respect to others.

LIBRA

This will likely be a time of increased self-confidence and strength of self-expression. You will likely project your personality more dramatically than usual. You may find yourself attracting more attention than usual and it would be wise to check yourself now for increased vanity and competitiveness – keep in mind that humility is a virtue if you find yourself tempted to blow your own horn now. This is a time when you will be more inclined toward seeking entertainment and pleasurable pursuits and you will likely feel more romantic than typically. You may have a stronger and more intense interest in the arts now – this would be a good time for seeing a movie or reading a novel. Be careful not to take too many risks now as there may be a strong inclination to gamble with things of value. Recreational pursuits may be indulged in to a greater degree now, than usual.

SCORPIO

At this time you should be very careful about what you decide to spend your money on as the indications are that you could, if you are not careful about the value or worth of a significant purchase, experience real disappointment and loss – this does not have to be the case but in order to minimize the possibilities of financial loss or disappointment in respect to values, be careful. You may have a tendency at this time to ponder your personal values, at least in the sense of considering what has priority in your life and what is of real and critical importance to you. It would be a good time to evaluate the ultimate worth of what you possess and what your priorities are in the secular sense. Being very honest with yourself and using a spiritual basis for consideration and evaluation may be quite important.

SAGITTARIUS

Communications in general and conversations in particular will be characterized by cheerfulness and goodwill now. It is quite likely that you will gain inspiration and optimism through conversations with another (or others in general) at this time. Your mind is agile now and your thinking quite quick and “creative.” You may find that your current thinking becomes rather “logistical” in nature and varied in content – in fact you become rather mentally restless at this time unless your mind finds a problematic or challenging situation that requires a type of creative solution based thinking. This would be a good time for letter or report writing.

CAPRICORN

Your mind is likely to be quite active now and that may be due the to internal stimulus of your own body now as your nervous energy is likely to be quite high. Your mind is like a double edged sword right now – that is to say that the potential to get many things accomplished is there due to the abundant mental energy that you have but at the same time there is also more of a tenancy now to get distracted by something that is just passing but which nonetheless ends in completely drawing you in and taking you down a path that is quite diverting from what is the regular business or routine of your life. You are also highly prone to talk significantly more than usual as well as to re-think things that you may have thought that you already drawn conclusions on. The important thing now is not to get too caught up in ideas, either through conversation and planning or through endless thinking about things as opposed to doing them. In other words try to take that extra mental energy as fuel for really planting the seeds of thought into the soil of reality by engaging real practical action.

AQUARIUS

You may find yourself in a brief period of uncertainty about some aspects of your self and your life and if this is the case it likely contains an association with that part of your mind that is not entirely at the “cognitive” level – that level that holds fully conscious awareness and deliberation regarding personal issues in your life. In other words your mind may be influenced by your preconscious now – the level of your mind that precedes the conscious mind. Images, memories, emotionally charged thoughts, perhaps a degree of sadness, fear and confusion may possibly influence your thinking now. But the act of your mind’s plummeting the depths at this time may paradoxically bring deeper peace and complacency.

The gatekeepers that allow access to that deeper peace may be courage and spiritual strength. You may find “rational” thinking to be a little bit more challenging and you may find that your typically more refined logic alludes you or that you are not at the height of your analytical sharpness. On the other hand your imagination may be quite charged now, that intuition is stronger and that there may be a greater sense of psychic and spiritual attunement. Attempts at compensation now insofar as self-assertion or patterns of aggression in social relations will do more harm than good as this is not a time for personal projection in that what gets projected may have more to do with the historical “shadows” or complexes that do not likely form any permanent part of your relatively more constructive personality.

Any confusion or fear that motivates you now may be far more obvious to others than you think. Internal resistance is not necessarily the answer either as attempts to dismiss or repress deeper personal insights now may disallow you the benefit of later clarity and growth. Now is the time for simply lying low, being humble and perhaps more “quiet” than you normally might be – in other words going within yourself may seem quite natural currently as you are likely more introverted than usual. This is a very good time for introspection, meditation, extra sleep and dream content. You may find it quite worthwhile to pay attention to your stronger intuition regarding what’s ahead shortly – a period of greater clarity and certainty.

PISCES

This is a period in which you will likely be focused on your material assets and values and there may be very good reason for you to do so as you will likely experience this present period as being one of financial benefit. This may also be an excellent period for acquiring material things that are purchased for significantly less than what they are worth. During this time, it might be a good thing to draw limitations on what you eat, as your appetite may be such that you could take in an excess of food, or junk food, that you simply don’t need, that is, you may be a little more prone, than usual, to gaining weight now.

 

Free Weekly Horoscopes by Astrologer R. John MacDonald (Psychic John)

5 Daily Choices for Conscious Creation in 2012

 

On the first ‘working’ day of 2012, I invite you to remember five choices daily to set the stage for what promises to be a power house year.

11:11 – Synchronicity & The Greater Reality

11:11 represents a physical and spiritual merging of your soul. Many of us associate 11:11 as some sort of wake-up code/alarm as we see it on digit clocks and watches. It can also be seen as a key to unlock the subconscious mind/ our memories and connections to who we are as spirit having a physical experience – not physical beings having a spiritual experience.

What is reality if it isn’t real? Do you see 11:11 on the clock a little too much? Ever see the movie: Dark City? What if this was all an experiment. What if everything seemed normal except that you knew that things weren’t normal; that things were not as they seemed.

What if every now and then, you had a glimpse of what was behind the curtain; the ghost in the machine… A few recent movies have hinted at this crack in “Reality”. Take a good look at The Matrix. A few other movies worth noting are: Pi; Fight Club; The Truman Show; They Live; Brazil and Pleasantville. Also included should be the old TV show: The Prisoner.

During the past few years, many of us have seen this number far too often to be coincidence. Metaphysical author Solara has described 11:11 as an inter-dimensional synchronization frequency. Interestingly – 11:11 is also found in the Great Pyramid.

The number 11:11, then, seems to be a key harmonic to access the doorway to the Father Universes, which are catalyzing the dimensional shift. Eleven has been called the harmonic of the doorway of ascension, the portal beyond the physical.

The repetition of this number symbolizes the resolution of duality through perfect balance and symmetry, or the underlying unity principle, as expressed in all of creation that is polar or dual. Past/future, male/female, light/dark – all polarities harmonized and balanced: this is what occurs during ascension, the next step beyond the dimensional shift If you have the 11:11 Synchronicity pattern (seeing 11:11 on the clock, phone numbers, receipts, etc.) then you know there is something to it.

When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. ~ Sherlock Holmes

Inside the Doorway of the 11:11

The Vision

Standing on the Equator one can see two spirals, one originating in the North, the other originating in the South, spiraling ever closer together. It is the eternal dance of the One Heart. As the two become the One, the Second Gate is opened… From the core of the One Heart, the Lotus of True Love finally blossoms… This is the completion of the Legend of Isis & Osiris. And the scepter passes from North to South.

The Doorway of the 11:11

On January 11, 1992, hundreds of thousands of us joined together in conscious Oneness all over the planet and performed a series of Unified Movements creating wheels within wheels. This unified action opened the Doorway of the 11:11. What this did was create a Zone of Overlap between two very different spirals of evolution: the Template of Duality and the Template of Oneness. There are some who think that the 11:11 Activation is over, but it’s not, it has just begun. This is our doorway to Ascension. The Doorway of the 11:11 is open until November 11, 2011. During this time we have the opportunity to shift spirals and move into a Greater Central Sun System.

The Eleven Gates

Inside the Doorway of the 11:11 are Eleven Gates. These Gates are Portals of Initiation to new plateaus of awareness. Each Gate is similar to a lock in a canal, serving as a *stepping up station* to a new, more highly calibrated frequency band. After we enter each Gate, we proceed through its initiatory process, aligning and recalibrating our beings to that frequency band until we reach the subsequent Gate.

This is the patterning sequence of how we move from the Template of Duality to the Template of Oneness with the totality of our Beings through the Eleven Gateways of Initiation. As each of the Eleven Gates are activated, there is a corresponding activation of key planetary points which serve as Master Grid Vortexes on the new Starry Grid Network. Once activated, this grid will supersede all of our previous Earthly grid systems.

The First Gate

When we opened the Doorway of the 11:11, we began our journey through the First Gate. The predominant focus of the First Gate was the healing of our emotions, the activation of our Greater Hearts and the creation of new emotional bodies. This has enabled us to align with the One Heart. As we moved into the subtle, aqueous currents of the First Gate, we took our first steps into the realms of the Invisible.

The Second Gate

The Second Gate is the next step on our Homeward Journey. It was activated on June 5th, 1993. *(The numerology for this date adds up to a 33.)* This means that a new frequency band was made available upon which we can travel until the opening of the Third Gate in approximately three years. The main focus of the Second Gate is the anchoring of the Template of True Love, the reuniting of all opposites into conscious Oneness, and the subsequent merger into ever greater wholeness.

During our passage through the Second Gate, we will find ourselves reenacting a new phase of our journey Home. We descended into matter by fragmenting our beings into smaller and smaller units of consciousness, now we shall find ourselves reuniting with these fragments, *the ones whom we term True Loves,* and forming larger units. These larger units are simply our Greater Selves. This merger will begin with union with one other person and gradually include more members of our Essence family as we become increasingly vaster. By the time that we reach the portals of the other gates, we will be in small groups of merged beings who are functioning as one larger being.

What is True Love?

True Love is one of the most misunderstood concepts of our time. While everyone is looking and longing for the perfect partner, they are missing the point entirely. True Love is not to be found in any one person. *True Love is a state of consciousness wherein we embody the One Heart.* It is an all encompassing state of pure Love. While this can be experienced with another person, it is the love, not merely the relationship, that is true. As we travel through the Second Gate, we shall be reuniting with others of our Star Lineage as we retrace our way Home. These people will have a symmetry of Essence which will make for very amazing relationships. And together as One we shall experience the Truest of Love.

The Template of True Love

The Template of True Love was first anchored on Earth in Egypt at the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae on January 17, 1992. This activation was not possible until the Doorway of the 11:11 had been open and the Template of Oneness established. Anchoring the Template of True Love has facilitated the needed shift from the old emotional body of duality to the One Heart. As we do this, we begin to live our lives in a constant state of True Love, every day and in every way. Embodying True Love, we enter a state of sublime ecstasy which becomes our foundation upon the New Road.

A Trigger of Remembrance

For many years the numbers 11:11 have been mysteriously appearing to people all over the world. Often appearing on digital clocks, the sightings of 11:11 tend to occur during time of heightened awareness, having a most powerful effect on the people seeing them.

Each time we see the numbers 11:11 our cellular memory banks are further activated. There’s a stirring deep inside, a hint of remembrance of something long forgotten. The appearance of 11:11 is a powerful confirmation that we are on the right track, aligned with the Greater Reality.

Repeated sightings of 11:11 have happened to millions of people throughout the world. Many want to know why this is happening? What does the 11:11 signify? When the 11:11 appears to you, it is your wake-up call. A direct channel opens up between you and the Greater Reality. The 11:11 is an insertion point for the Greater Reality to enter into the present moment. When this happens, it is time to stop whatever you are doing and LOOK LARGER. A transfer is in position.

You can enter the Greater Reality and travel deeper into the Invisible. You can seed a long held desire, receive a vision, ask for help in some specific area of your life, or simply feel the Invisible insert itself into the present moment. The revelations you receive will not come in the form of mental concepts. Rather it will be an enhanced state of being in which you will see everything as if with new eyes. A deeper understanding of what is truly real will surround you.

The appearance of 11:11 is an always beneficial act of Divine Intervention.

It tells you that it is time to take a good look around you and see what is real and what is illusory. It’s time to pierce the veils of illusion which keep us bound to an unreal world. You have been chosen, because you are ready, to step into a Greater Reality. To lead the way for others into a new way of living, into a Greater Love. To ascend from duality into Oneness.

The 11:11 is the bridge between duality and Oneness. It is our pathway into the Unknown.

The 11:11 Activation

The Doorway of the 11:11 opened on January 11th, 1992 and is scheduled to close on December 31st, 2011. On January 11, 1992 well over a hundred thousand people gathered together in groups large and small throughout the planet and opened the Doorway of the 11:11. This activation was unique in that a series of Unified Movements and Sacred Dances were performed at three preordained times. The participants wore white to symbolize their inherent Oneness. Never before has there been an event of such synchronized unity on this planet.

There were two Master Cylinders during the 11:11 Activation which served as the stabilization pinions for the Wheels within Wheels Unified Movements. They were located at the Great Pyramids in Giza, Egypt and in Queenstown, New Zealand. Here, the Unified Movements were performed for thirty-eight continuous hours. The Egyptian group was composed of 500 people from thirty-six countries.

Throughout the planet, the Unified Movements were performed at 11:11 am, 11:11 pm & 11:11 pm Greenwich Meantime. It was during this GMT time, when all the groups performed the movements at exactly the same time, that the Doorway of the 11:11 officially opened. Many participants saw a brilliant shaft of light anchor deep within the Earth during this time.

The purpose of the 11:11 Activation was to open the Doorway of the 11:11. This Doorway is the transition zone or bridge between two very different spirals of evolution; those anchored in duality and Oneness. Each evolutionary spiral is aligned with different Great Central Sun Systems. During the 11:11 Ceremony these two spirals overlapped and interlocked into a docking position.

This Zone of Overlap is the actual Doorway of the 11:11. The overlapping of spirals remains in position until the 11:11 closes on December 31st, 2011. This is when the two spirals of evolution will separate once again. Thus, we have a twenty year period in which to graduate from duality and make our ascension into Oneness.

I am posting this today (and have written many time about this in my Newsletters over the last 9 years) because 11:11 phenomena has been a reality for me since I was 6 years old. The reality of 11:11 as it relates to absolute love, integrity, synchronicity, and oneness– is what has helped bring me “full circle” in my life, in unison, certainly, with God, Spirit, and Mother Earth.

I am also in the process of finishing up reading the simply outstanding book written by my friend Eric Rankin called The Aquarians which accurately encompasses the 11:11 phenomena, as well as other Mayan Prophecies (look for my personal written review soon!)

I also found this 11:11 video interesting on YouTube:

I would LOVE to know, by comment, how many of you have experienced this 11:11 Phenomenon, and if so, how many passed it off as coincidence at first?

I am currently completing research for the book that I am writing, and your thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated and perhaps incorporated into this section of the book. My book is 4 years in the making and is due to be published on 11/11/11. I know that seems a long time away , but perfection takes time, and publishing it on this date will have great significance for me, and I believe, for everyone who happens to read it

Thank you kindly for taking your valuable time time to read and consider this.

Live in Joy!
Lilly

May You Always Feel Loved

May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.

May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.

May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.

It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters,
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.

Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.

Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.
May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another’s judgment of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

~ Sandra Sturtz Hauss ~

Evolutionary Enlightenment: A New Path to Spiritual Awakening

I have some very good news to share with you. Human potential pioneer Dr. Jean Houston will now be joining Andrew Cohen and Ken Wilber for next week’s free webcast about Cohen’s new book, Evolutionary Enlightenment: A New Path to Spiritual Awakening.

In the broadcast, both Houston and Wilber will interview Cohen about the book. The show will be aired twice (3:00 pm ET & 8:00 pm ET) on Wednesday, September 28th, and the audio recordings will be made available to all registrants.

» Register now

 

Like Wilber, Houston also speaks very highly of Cohen’s new book. In her endorsement, she writes:

“If the fourteen-billion-year cosmic experiment that resulted in our lives is not to end in the next few centuries, it will require brave and brilliant steps in our spiritual evolution. In Evolutionary Enlightenment, Andrew Cohen gives us the inspiration and the means to accomplish the greatest of all endeavors for the human spirit. This is a spiritual masterpiece.”

The webcast, which is cosponsored by Integral Life, is a “Virtual Book Launch” to celebrate the publication of Cohen’s new book and we are honored to have both Houston and Wilber as our special guests. We hope you will be able to join us.

» Register now

Warm regards,

Joel Pitney
EnlightenNext

P.S. Andrew’s book will be published on September 27th, but you can be one of the first people to receive your copy by ordering today at Amazon.com.

About The Book:

Evolutionary Enlightenment: A New Path to Spiritual Awakening

 

In this book Cohen redefines spirituality for our contemporary world–a world characterized by exponential change and an ever-expanding appreciation for the processes of evolution. Based on 25 years of groundbreaking work as a spiritual teacher and the editor-in-chief of the award-winning EnlightenNext magazine, Cohen has synthesized an original path, practice, and philosophy focused entirely on aligning yourself with what he calls “the evolutionary impulse.”

His message is simple, yet profound: Life is evolution, and enlightenment is about waking up to this fundamentally creative impulse as your own deepest, most authentic self–so that you can play an active role in creating the future.

EMBRACING CHANGE AS YOUR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

Change is a constant in today’s world. Technology is accelerating, globalization is making the world more and more complex, and the pace of life seems to be speeding up every day.

While many popular forms of contemporary spirituality offer ways to feel better in the face of overwhelming change–to discover greater equanimity, detachment, or compassion–Andrew Cohen says that change is not something to be avoided, or merely tolerated, but an essential aspect of reality that needs to be consciously embraced.

Through his five fundamental tenets for living an enlightened life, Cohen empowers you to wholeheartedly participate in the process of change as your own spiritual practice. In doing so, he not only makes deep sense of life today; he shows you how to play an active role in shaping the world of tomorrow.

The Power of Kindness

It was a Saturday, the last weekend before Christmas. A beautiful light snow with giant flakes was falling. I had promised my wife that I’d be home to do some last minute shopping together, and I was running late.

As I approached the stop sign near our home in the country, I didn’t realize that there was a layer of ice under the snow. You can probably guess the rest of the story. The car slid through the intersection into a small ditch on the other side of the road.

I wasn’t hurt, but I was angry with myself. A day that was supposed to be “Christmas fun” would be spent waiting for a tow truck to pull me out of the ditch.

Since I was not far from my home, I started walking down our country road to share the “no shopping today” news with my wife. I noticed two men who were building my neighbor’s barn and I thought that maybe…just maybe, I could pay them to take a break and try to push me out.

As I approached, I introduced myself and pointed to the car in the distance. Without hesitating, they looked at each other and said, “We can solve that problem!” One of them said, “I’ll get the chain and George, you can drive the backhoe down the road and we’ll have it out in no time!” In the next 30 minutes while I watched helplessly from the sidelines, they had my car out of the ditch and on the road again. To say that I was grateful was an understatement. My Saturday had been saved thanks to two men I’d never met before.

I thanked them, reached into my wallet and handed them a $100. I said, “Please take this. It would have cost me more to call a tow truck and I would have spent my afternoon waiting for it to show.” They both looked at me, and at the same time said, “No way! We wouldn’t consider taking a cent.” Then the one man said, “This was our good deed for the day and we know that you’ll help someone else because we helped you. That’s all we ask.”

I drove away with a wonderful feeling inside, knowing there are people like this in the world. It made my day! But here’s the amazing thing about kindness…from the look on their faces, it made theirs too! Emerson was so right when he said, “One of the most beautiful compensations in life is that no man can help another without helping himself.”

That day provided the inspiration to write the book I simply call, The Power of Kindness.

In doing the research to write the book, I discovered something I had always suspected, but never knew for sure. Here’s what I found…

The great English writer, Aldous Huxley, was a pioneer in the study of philosophies and techniques to develop human potential. In a lecture toward the end of his life, he said this:

“People often ask me…what is the most effective technique for transforming their lives?”

He then said, “It’s a little embarrassing that after years and years of research, my best answer is – just be a little kinder.”

This is the paradox of the power of kindness. It doesn’t feel powerful at all. In fact, it almost feels too simple to be important. But as Huxley said, it is the #1 thing that can transform your life.

I’ve been so blessed to share what I believe through many of the Simple Truths’ books. However, there is nothing, in my opinion, that can top the awesome “power of kindness.”

Why? Because, everyday, through unexpected acts of kindness, you can make a meaningful difference with your life!

Today, I wanted to share one of the many stories from the book. It’s called Paid in Full:

An excerpt from
The Power of Kindness
by Mac Anderson

 

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door-to-door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry and so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strengthened also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later, that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, he went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested from the business office to pass the final billing to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk…”

Dr. Howard Kelly

(Dr. Howard Kelly was a distinguished physician who, in 1895, founded the Johns Hopkins Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Johns Hopkins University. According to Dr. Kelly’s biographer, Audrey Davis, the doctor was on a walking trip through Northern Pennsylvania one spring day when he stopped by a farm house for a drink of water.)

 

Today, I’m pleased to offer The Power of Kindness with DVD for only $10. Our regular price is $15.95, a 37% savings.

To look inside this inspirational book or to watch the 3-minute movie, just click here.

 

All the Best,

Mac Anderson Founder, Simple Truths

 

If you ever wondered …

If you ever wondered …

I would like to be someone you’ll remember
But not someone you can’t forget

Becoming aware of my presence should be like
Taking notice of a gentle breeze passing by

When i am with you

I would like to be as unobtrusive as the faint aroma
Of a freshly gathered bouquet

Waiting quietly to be
Enjoyed

When I arrive
It may be like a kiss from the morning sun
And when i leave

I hope you will be filled with reassurance that
Like the dim light of the moon

The consistency of the cycle is the promise
Is the cure

And all these things that I am

that are in
And of this world

are there
Just to let you know

If ever you wonder … emphatically yes
You are truly loved

Lilly

Porcelain Doll photo (c) Headshot London Photography: www.headshotlondon.co.uk

Living with Joy

“Part of growth is learning to create inner peace without being dependent upon things turning out a certain way or needing people to respond to you in a specific way. You want to create it as something you are and be able to give and share it with others. YOU become the center, radiating your soul’s light outward, rather than reacting, waiting for others or for situations and events in your life to be arranged in such a way that you have peace.” Orin

 

In the tradition of Jane Roberts, Esther Hicks, and Edgar Cayce, gifted channel Sanaya Roman presents Living with Joy, given to her by Orin, a timeless being of love and light. This wise and gentle spirit teacher offers a systematic course in spiritual growth.

The spiritual truths and transformative meditations and exercises in these pages have opened millions of people to their greater potential. Sanaya and Orin invite you to choose joy, release struggle, and open to the power of your innermost being.

With the guidance of this bestselling classic, you can learn to grow through joy rather than through struggle and pain. See immediate results in your life when you learn to:

• Love and appreciate yourself
• Open to receive
• Experience more self-confidence and self-esteem
• Live in higher purpose
• Take a quantum leap in any area
• Change negatives into positives
• Gain clarity in your relationships
• Increase your sense of aliveness and well-being

Orin (through Sanaya Roman) explains how to shift energy instantly, to create effective healing and life-changes, simply by using your conscious mind’s imagery, symbols and intentions.

But even more amazingly, Orin also broadcasts non-verbal, super-conscious information that aligns you with real joy, power, peace and inspiration.

I especially liked Orin’s admonition to take what he says and use what resonates for you, personally, and leave the rest behind. A good principle, I feel, when reading anything pertaining to our individual growth paths. Having said that, I found that almost all of it resonated with me, deeply and profoundly. You may, too.

Many people from all walks of life are going to benefit from this book because of the information that it contains regardless of how happy you are in your life (whether you are still learning to be happy or you are already super happy).

Some of the helpful chapters contained in this uplifting book are about living in higher purpose and recognizing life purpose. You may want to keep a pen, paper, and/or highlighter handy for information that is going to resonate with you depending what path you are currently on in your life

Read it for the light it can bring. Live it for the positive changes it can invoke. Love it for the joy we can all share and partake of. Highly recommended.

Living with Joy: Keys to Personal Power and Spiritual Transformation (Earth Life Series)

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