motivating

I really liked this meditation on quitting smoking, and its implications for quitting other things. Freedom from addiction. A nice thought.

I couldn't quite find the right little dragon though.

resolution

When I was in school, my art teacher was the quite religious wife of a vicar. She I had occasionally hung out with her daughter, and in a moment of fondness she once told me that she included me in her prayers every day. At the time, I was quite freaked out by the idea of someone praying for me, I did not appreciate it - maybe just because it was her, with her halitosis and ostentatiously awful clothing she thought made her look 'the mad artist'.

But I've made a little resolution. I'm going to try sending positive pictures and intentions to people before I go to sleep each night. I suppose it's a prayer of sorts. I would think of it as a little extra energy, or focus devoted outside of myself. It helps me get to sleep too, that effort of concentration - better than thinking of bad things. You have to work to hold on to it.

Not wanting to be prayed for by Mrs.Vicar aside, the minister we hoped would marry us got kidney cancer just before our wedding and was unable to - we assumed he must have died as the general prognosis of the disease is so bad and few respond well to chemo. It took us a while to go back to the church, as it was so connected to my mother's death and I'd had more than I could take of cancer and death - but when we did go back, he was there, and healthy.

Similarly, a friend's husband has recently had a brain tumour operated operated on. He was diagnosed shortly after their baby was born. They're a very religious couple and have a huge amount of people praying with conviction for them, as did the minister. While the brain tumour is not completely sorted, the operation and results went as well as they possibly could have.

Basically I believe in the power of positive thinking. I once met a friend for dinner, and was woefully late. At the time she'd been seeing someone, and it looked like it might turn into something more. But he hadn't called since the last time he'd stayed over, and the whole way to the restaurant she fantasised about finding him there with someone else. And she did. And she said she totally made it happen - and what could she achieve if she used her powers for good instead of evil?

Well exactly. And the best thing about it is, if it doesn't work, what is there to lose? All you've done is sent a few good thoughts towards someone you care about or wish well.

I'm a big believer in pictures. White light around the airplane or car, or child. Drawing pictures of the state you want to realise.

So if you could all envision me with a winning lotto ticket in my hand, please... a money miracle happens to me today, a money miracle happens to me today

The Silva mind method is worth checking out - it's in a new incarnation since I heard of in the eighties, but I think it's pretty effective.