Let Go the ROPE

Are people getting up in your face with something they do or say? Are you feeling like you must say something to protect your honour, your position on the matter, or fight for that cause you so believe it?

When two you know take up sides in a battle does it beg for you to get involved? Do they bring the fight to your doorstep? Does your involvement truly get anywhere? Does it merely sea-saw or spin round & round in front of you & nothing good comes of it?

And what of past battles? When you see a certain person, visit a particular place, or hear a certain song are you not reminded of past clashes, predicaments & struggles, that even now have you embroiled or that you live a certan way, perhaps avoiding certain situations or people?  Then, friend, I would humbly & lovingly submit to you that it still "HAS YOU".

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Maimonides

we've all heard this one many many times, & yes, perhaps tuned it out by now. Let's consider it though, we know it is truth. Are WE teaching each other with what we know or are we keeping it to ourselves? This is excellent news, indeed a gift from God, IF we employ it! 
Does not, therefore the flip side of the coin also hold true? Hartbridge.ca is here to not only learn & discover for ourselves, but to pass on & to stir the hearts of those who land on these pages -we cannot make you believe either way, that's not for us to do, but merely offer tools for you to add to your repertoire as you see fit for your life-tasks.

Teach yourself how to escape a fishnet & you may swim free for eternity! Hartbridge.ca

To the point, again, as we were sidetrack by our thoughts! Thoughts are just that - thoughts. They are basically just energies. They pass in the screen of your mind as conflicts, battles, antgonistic banter, incredibly intriquing tidbits of information about your fave sports teams or anything attention-getting particular to YOU. They may be tasty morsels of gossip about the latest celebrity faupaux, office news or a mental barrage of voices reciting your overwhelming to-do list. In many cases, if not always, they're pretty negative at their root... BUT they are just thoughts. They have absolutely zero power,until we attach emotion or spiritual significances to them - until we respond (now & in past situations)
When we respond, out of choice, we are picking up the other end of  the rope & often unwittingly engaging in a tug-of-war. Sometimes we know where it's leading, but we feel powerless to resist, sometimes we do not recognize that we've grabbed the bait on that fish-hook. Both are important to recognize.

Recognizing that these are mere thoughts enticing up is really a key initial step into awareness. Recognizing that you've recognized is truly fantastic & you should congratulate yourself in that alone. It is the beginning of becoming aware that YOU are NOT your thoughts -YOU are the observer of the billions of "never-ending" tickertape of energies parading across the screen of your mind. Ultimately, you do have control, though in the beginning it does not seem so. Trust, there is a way to get the upper hand here - God always provides!
One of the most important early first things to do in recognizing thoughts is to understand them for what they are, They are just thoughts, yes, but why do they "get to you". They pray upon your emotions because some thoughts are great keys to understanding your need to forgive. They are spiritual energies from others & from oneself for incidents carried forward from other incarnations. Forgiveness of the people on the other side of those emotions, as well as forgiveness of self for whatever you may have done, allowed, reciprocated or held onto can free you of most hurts withing yourself thereby freeing your attachment potentially permanently. We will talk more of forgiveness as it is one of our most powerful tools for finding our way.
Oaths to one another, as Bryan Farnum from Clarity Radio, & many other healers have spoken/written of, have the power to "lock us in" to a negative connection, even incarnation to incarnation, such that we feel totally forced or obligated to give in to certain pressures.. This is big stuff! We must NEVER say to anyone "I will always..., I will never leave you..., I will always protect you..."etc etc To escape such obligations we need to go before God & denounce all oaths we may have made. It's worth diving in deeper on these issues as they can truly leave you caught up, or stuck, but once you free yourself you will discover much more freedom.
Use the same technique of denouncing to rid yourself of negative thoughts. Forgiveness & denouncing are practices worthwhile employing on a daily basis until you can no longer think of anyone else to forgive..

Once you've empowered yourself with peace, at least to some degree through the power of forgiveness & the denouncing of negative thoughts & oaths, you are now more able to begin to look at your thoughts differently. Especially in the practice of meditation or in any attempts at relaxing or calming oneself, but really at any time - just as things to observe. Only when you chose to, do you ever react & "pick up the other end of the rope -perhaps with an attitude to "play" with the thought - toy with it, but never let it control you.

You are that "observer" behind the thoughts & not the thought itself.  You are a very powerful, special, divine, magnificent entity behind it all,  Though you may be separated from such knowing on varying levels of this truth so far, this changes progressively with this practice.  Practicing with intent & gratitude as you continually seek will develop this knowing.  At first it may seem hopeless trying to find any level of escape from the barrage of noise that is the mind. Little by little, as you persist, gaps of calm begin to open up & with each step comes a little bit more & a little bit more.  Praying for assistance, strengthens your resolve & patience to stay the course - victory awaits! 

With each step forward you are also moving towards the real YOU. You move closer to the knowing & the recognizing of the faint voice or urges within yourself of what you truly DO WANT to be, to become, & to what you really DO believe in. It's a magical time. Do not expect total instant mastery over your thoughts, also referred to by many as the "ego",  Instead, pursue continual improvement a little at a time


As you continue to move forward with these tools, recognize that those enticing thoughts can be a road to freedom through forgiveness or an entangling web distracting you from the true YOU - a magnificent YOU.
So consider these tips before you pick up that rope -it's a lot of work to set yourself free if you do.

Keep going forward with the intent to finish the race, BUT NEVER STOP ENJOYING THE RUN - make it fun!!!