I believe
a. that we come into this world to learn.
b. that what we need to learn is determined by genetics (or past life karmas--I think these are one and the same)
c. that the conditions of our lives are designed to help us w/our learning
d. that ultimately, we must learn to love and trust--to be open and vulnerable w/o putting ourselves at risk
e. that the biggest cause of our difficulties is our unwillingness or inability to look deeply into ourselves and accept what we find--the good, the bad, the ugly AND the beautiful
f. that doing things to shore up our egos is a huge mistake because it prevents us from getting below the surface of life, which is where joy and love are
g. that unless we discover, accept and follow our calling (what the Buddhists call "dharma") we will never be happy
h. that loving ourselves is an essential component of a successful life
i. that honesty with ourselves and others is hard to come by but also essential for success.
j. that honesty with ourselves is the foundation of personal integrity
k. that following the "rules" the ego sets for our behavior keeps us in prison and prevents us from seeing what's really needed in specific situations--regardless of how honorable, just and righteous these rules seem to be
l. that when we run away we take ourselves with us
m.. that "Rome wasn't built in a day." meaning building a life/work/business takes longer than 6 weeks
n. that while the above is true, "there is no order of difficulty in miracles" is also true
o. that miracles can and do occur instantaneously
p. that instantaneous miracles and long term effort go hand-in -and
q. that the biggest miracle of all is a change in perception/a change of heart
r. that discipline leads to freedom
s. that NOT owning our displeasure with another isn't helping anyone
t. that caring for someone and enabling that person to continue self-destructive behaviors are 2 entirely different energies
u. that sharing what we believe with those we love is an essential part of communication
v. that communication is an avenue of love
w. that death is not the end of life
x. that letting go of our preconceived ideas about what "should" be is tantamount to death
y. that only when we let go do we begin to truly live
z. that this can be frightening but that beyond the wall of our fear, life is amazing.
