There is a wonderful little tale, with great impact, in the book ‘Karma and Reincarnation’ by Paramhansa Yogananda. It’s called the “Magic Carrot” and in essence tells the story of a woman who never did anything good and acted purely evil. It seems appropriate to share this insightful tale at this time of fear and despair.
 
The story begins:
 
“The woman became more and more wicked as time passed, and at the time of her death she was thrust into Hades. The Angel of Death was hearing her complaints and the awful loud noises this woman was making and asked her to please remember one good thing she had done in her life. After thinking about it she told him that once, having a bunch of carrots for a meal, she found one with a worm inside and gave it to a hungry person. She told the beggar to only eat the good part of the carrot and to not kill the worm.
 
The Angel of Death said to the wicked woman: ‘That will do’, and quickly made the carrot appear. Then he told her to hold onto the carrot as good as she could; and promised that the carrot would get her into paradise.
 
As she was ascending to heaven another sinner grabbed onto her leg, and another, and another. As the woman saw that many others would benefit by holding onto her leg she got so angry that she tried to kick off the sinners. In the attempt to not allow anyone to be saved with her, she let go of the carrot.”
 
You can imagine what happened next. She spiraled down even further into the most unimaginable hell. Remember, even the smallest good deed or kind act will contribute to our salvation. Every tiny contribution we can make will be counted by the unalterable Law of Attraction or the Law of Cause and Effect.  As Goodness is all there is, nothing less is acceptable in this lifetime, or in the next and the next.
 
Have a blessed 2021
With Love, ULRIKE

The Holidays, I’m sure, bring out memories in many of us, reflections of more spiritual experiences during our upbringing. A reminiscing of where we were and where we are now in this chapter of our lives. Therefore, I found it appropriate to share my store with you my friends.

Being born in conservative Austria, I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and taught from an early age that there is a place called heaven and hell, and a God that needed to be feared. I was told that ‘he’ knows everything and would punish me for all my wrong doings. I had to go and confess my sins (wow! how many sins can a little girl have?) and the subject of religion was taught by a priest in our village’s grade-school. We studied the bible and talked about Jesus and all his suffering, supposedly because we are sinners. We are at fault for his demise. What a heavy load to carry in a child’s mind. 

What I, of course, didn’t know at the time was that this early age bible studying would set the cornerstone for my future knowledge about the scriptures. It also would educate me about one of the most closed-minded, mystical, and unreasonable religions in this world – Catholicism.

I was about eleven years of age when I started to wonder: “If God hears and sees all I do and think, it seems that he would know me well. On the other hand, I reasoned, I am the only one who knows exactly what I think, feel, and want - did this God and I know the same things about me?

My idea of God felt close at the time and I realized that there was a special connection between me and this God, which I was told was supposed to be mysterious and intangible, and reachable only by church-going and prayer. That part didn’t make sense.

What I also couldn’t understand at the time was that he at times acted like a monster. He killed people, even little children and my pet rabbit. He didn’t listen very well to what I or anyone else had to say. Just look at all the people praying for different things and never receiving anything in return, I thought.

As years went by, I distanced myself more and more from the physical aspects of going to church. Instead, I started a journey of self-discovery that landed me where I am today, seeing a new perspective of the Almighty power.

After 38 years of intensive studies of Eastern and Western philosophies alike, and teaching years of metaphysics, the science beyond physics, I have concluded, that my God is everyone’s God. There is no difference. No matter what your background, faith, race, or religion, it is one God (a Power not a person), one Cause, one Law, for all people. We are all One, stemming from this All-Power, being born from the Universal Source, the mother LOVE.

This impersonal God does not look one way or another, he does not choose between you or me, he has no preference. God is everything and everywhere. He acts according to Universal Law. God is Love, Light, Power, Goodness itself.

I no longer believe blindly or accept someone else’s opinion. I search, study and test everything that comes my way. I proof theories to myself so I can be sure that it is based on Truth, Universal Truth.

I will leave you with my sincere thoughts and wish you a wonderful Holiday and a much better 2021.
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My conclusion:
God is Universal power, the Almighty substance that sustains all life. I am part of this substance called Consciousness. I can think, and thinking is the conscious activity of this substance led by God’s urge of self-expression.
God is Wisdom. So, I, being part of this Wisdom, must choose wisely as to what I think. It is my duty!
God is good. So, I must be good, and act good, to live up to God’s standards. It is my duty!
God is Intelligence. So, I, being part of this Intelligence, must act intelligently and in accordance with the truth. It is my duty!
God is Love. So, I, being part of the permeating mother Love must love all beings and God’s creations, it is my duty!
 
For now, and forever more.
With Love, ULRIKE

I was talking to a couple of health professionals the other day - one an established, recognized physician, the other a psychologist – about the increase in health problems of so many patients, not all necessarily due to Covid-19, but due to the stress these uncertain times have put on all of us.

Both shared with me that the number of patients has dramatically increased in the past few months. Both also agreed that not only the pandemic, but also the uncertainty of our political environment, the threat of eminent violence in our back yards, and the anxiety and domestic tension this creates in the homes of our families have contributed to the immense increase in health problems. We all have our plates full, so to speak.

What can be done about it? How can we relieve the fear and worry, not knowing what’s going to happen tomorrow?

Firstly, I am a true believer that all is good, and everything will turn out OK. Easier said than done – I know, I’ve been struggling with this myself! But I have been holding on to the thought that the Universe, the Almighty, knows best and that all of these horrendous occurrences are lessons. Lessons we must learn in order to change our behavior toward each other and the planet.

This enormous health crisis cannot be eradicated with conventional medicine, home remedies, quick fixes, organic juices, lean food, diets, and all the other advertised cures we see on TV day in and day out. It takes science and scientists, devoted professionals, and the participation of all of us, including a change of attitude. The attitude that we are all One and that it takes all of our compassion for each other to heal our immediate surroundings and the Nation.
Remember, our physical and emotional aches and pains are the reflection of our painful, unhealthy, negative, fearful thinking. The body expresses our state of mind, be it calm and peaceful or full of tension and distress. The body is the faithful servant of our minds, mirroring forth the feelings we give importance to and the constant worrying about our future.

It’s not an easy task, but since we, by ourselves, cannot control the world and other people’s actions, let us make sure our own current thoughts are full of love and appreciation, and free of worry and fear (at least to some degree – one day at a time), so we don’t have to experience the same agony and discomforts tomorrow. We can control only our own reactions and behaviors – but it’s a start.

I do believe that real health and peace of mind comes from healthy, peaceful, wholesome thoughts, because harmony is the underlying principle of life. I‘m keeping the Faith!
​With Love, ULRIKE

Honestly, with the current situation of Covid-19 and the effects it has on the so-called older population, I’ve been thinking more often about ‘aging’ and how our mental attitude affects ‘getting old quickly’ or on the other hand helps us to keep a young spirit and a keen, alert mind as we go through this process of maturing.

One thing we all have in common: We are in this together. We are born into a so-called material world with its expression of birth – youth – adulthood, and then, old age. There is seemingly no way out.

What is aging?

We have been told and believe it is the deterioration of the body. At a certain stage in life our physical form will be falling into pieces and we assume that our organs can only work for so long.

However, in the metaphysical sense, the experience of aging only reflects our wrong sense of the ‘passing of time’. How can we slow this process down?

Instead of fearing the inevitable, we need to focus on mature, yet youthful, thinking - now. We must replace the ‘old’ outgrown thoughts with fresh, vivacious, and inspired ones. We must be interested in Life itself. It has been proven by science that the bodily organs renew themselves automatically on a regular basis. I’ve done some research on this subject and it’s quite fascinating, if you’re interested look it up.

Remember, healthy thoughts are natural, unhealthy and sick thoughts are unnatural. The good news is, we are wiser and more capable now than we were in our younger years. We are useful, strong, and in our prime. We are vital members of our communities. Even in our older years we can be of great value if we only use our given talents to enrich someone else’s life and enjoy everything that comes our way daily.

Living in the now, thinking in the now, and knowing that we are looking at a fulfilled and mature state of mind (rather than an old person) when looking at ourselves is the key. We must feel this truth deep down in our hearts, so we can manifest a healthy and rich life. Let us remember how blessed we are!
WIth Love, ULRIKE
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​“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” This adage has been credited to Mahatma Gandhi, however while the meaning of this saying appears to align with Gandhi’s philosophy, it has not been proven that it originated from him. Nevertheless, Gandhi, who was well known in India and the world by many people, believed in peaceful change. He promoted that it was more important to do the mental and physical work and not simply wishing or visualizing the world to change by itself or through some magical power.

Metaphysically speaking, it is the nature of each and every Soul to move forward and upward and therefore our experiences will sometimes reflect greater challenges, obstacles, and tests to keep us in upward motion. Not all experiences are positive as you well know. We might encounter unpleasantness, suffering and pain if we are stagnant, but we will be shoved forward through those distressing challenges. It might not look like it at the time, but we can be sure the spiritual Law of Progress works for all of us.

If we are active and grow through our own doing, learning our lessons along the way, the challenges will lessen and we will live a calmer, happier, more peaceful life. By doing so, we are naturally flowing and working with the Universal current; we are not fighting against ourselves and blocking goodness from entering our being.
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We must not sit idle and expect things to change by themselves or expect others to do the work. Unless we start right now by changing our part of the world, it will continue to appear the same to us. Yes, we must be the change we want our mental mirror reflecting back to us. All it takes is the courage for change!

With Love, ULRIKE

​Out of curiosity I looked up the word ‘harmony’ in the dictionary, researched Wikipedia, and on-line blogs, to see if other people wrote articles about ’harmony’. The only mention I could find was this: Webster-Merriam describes the word harmony as ‘internal calm: tranquility’, which unfortunately was the only description that can be used to explain the mental sense of the word ‘harmony’. All other examples were related to music or art.

Sad but true, ‘harmony’ – a harmonious mental state of being - isn’t discussed very much in our society, even though it is identical to ‘happiness’, which all mankind strive for. In my years of metaphysical studies, I was taught that ‘Harmony is the principle underlying all life’.

Think about this statement. ‘Harmony is the principle underlying all life’.

The Universe is always working perfectly and harmoniously. The planets are moving flawlessly, the plant life grows and flourishes without our help, babies are born every second, animals thrive without our interference and life in general keeps flowing per the great plan of Universal Consciousness. When left alone and undisturbed, life lives and progresses picture-perfectly.

Harmonious thoughts include ease, calm, comfort, in sync with nature, in tune with love, pleasant visions, inspiration, relaxed, and a healthy outlook in life to name a few. Harmony does not allow any disturbance whatsoever. It is ‘internal calm’, a genuine knowing that all is good, that we are indestructible beings of light, and that we are in charge of our lives. We can make it happen, together, in unison, as one body of good intention – Happy Thanksgiving!  

Yet here we are in these unusual and uncertain times with the Holidays in sight.
To me it seems like we should skip this year and try again in 2021. Aren’t we anxious and stressed enough by all that has been going on? Will many of the people still suffer and die of Covid-19, which has reached an unspeakable peak at over 120,000 cases per day? The answer is, yes!

Will the festivities this year fall short of family gatherings? How will we make the best of a dire situation? Do I really feel like entertaining a couple of friends or eat alone with my husband, who loves Thanksgiving dinner at his family?

Times have changed and we must do what is best for our fellow humans.

The spirit of Thanksgiving has long been a sharing of abundance. Being celebrated here in the US on the 4th Thursday in November, it symbolizes a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest.

Historically, this Holiday is rooted in English traditions, dating back to the Protestant reformation. We, in the United States, trace this tradition back to 1621, when a celebration in present-day Massachusetts was staged due to the especially bountiful harvest season that year. Pilgrims from England which had settled in the region carried on the tradition they were accustomed to. Not until the late 1660’s was this Holiday a regular annual event.

In recent times, we have extended this celebration to give thanks not only to the bountiful food we are blessed with, but we are also thankful for all the goodness we receive daily, and we are grateful for our good health, for warm friendships and love. This year, even though with all the changes and limitations, we must be grateful and give thanks. I would say even more so. We must stop worrying and look at what’s really necessary, we must evaluate what is of value. Despite of what we see, we must keep the faith and know that everything will be alright!
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I am eternally grateful that I am healthy, with a few minor tweaks, and that my family and friends have also been blessed with carrying on comfortably. I know that Good always wins over evil, sometimes not as quickly as I would like it. But in the end, we will be back at the table and enjoy each other’s company. God bless! 

​Morning Thoughts: I wrote this article for an Inspirational Magazine some years ago. But it still is true for me today…
 
Inspiration, what does it mean to me?
 
Every day, in this earthly life, there are ups and downs, deep emotional valleys and steep mountains to overcome. We have not yet learned to travel the straight and narrow road of Understanding, the Allness of Good. We still coast and veer off the path we travel. A sudden change of attitude or a jump back into a dark habitual mood always deters us from moving toward the light. How much easier does it seem to reach back to the old and outgrown thought habits of the past?
 
But it is this light, or moment of ‘seeing with the mental eye’, that inspires me to keep moving forward and to get back on the road to a better state of mind, hopefulness, eternal bliss - again and again. This glimpse of the Truth that all is good, and all is mental, and that we are part of this Universal goodness with its wonderful effects, is what keeps me going. I instinctively know the Truth when I keep my mind open to all possibilities.
 
Inspiration comes in many forms. A wonderful reminder of a past experience, a certain smell reminding us of a pleasant encounter, the sound of a song that triggers loving feelings, looking at nature and its wondrous bounty, or the birth of a baby are just a few examples of new hope and a fresh want for living. A new desire for a better tomorrow is born every second and readily available to us.
 
Indeed, desire is the starting point of all achievement, but most of all it is the starting point of imagination and the active spark or beginning of all creation. Desire is a spark in our consciousness pressing for expression. Life is unfolding itself. Life always presses for manifestation and progress. It is an ever-changing ongoing process. Like water, life flows.
 
With this in mind I make sure that my motivation is pure and comes from within the chambers of my loving heart. The Universe with its vast ocean of pure possibilities is ready and willing to provide, and I draw from this unlimited Universal gift.
 
Knowing that God is close and ever-present is all the daily inspiration I need to keep moving forward. Seeing the sunrise in the early morning hours reminds me that I have another chance to change my course; and I will travel happily toward my ultimate goal, which is perfect Understanding of the Allness of Good.

We see a lot of ego all over the world these days. The aggrandizement of an individual’s own perception of self. Not the true self, but the imaginary reflection of an insecure, puffed up, boasting mind.

From the day we are born we are cloaked in this make-belief, egotistical perception of what’s important. Big ego, it seems, is necessary to achieve dreams and worldly success. But is it?

According to Buddhism, the ego is the erroneous conception of the ‘self’ as an entity that exists by itself.

Ego measures the success and failure of our lives. Ego feeds our greed, it tells us we must be better, richer, more powerful – it is an endless stream of subconscious whisper, always ending in dissatisfaction and disappointment.

These last many years, and still now, I think of myself as a humble person. Many years ago, I proudly announced that I left my ego behind when I departed my entertainment job in Hollywood, but every so often a little glitch of my ego-self still appears. A small sting when not being recognized when I feel I deserve it, a slight ouch when I’m spoken to in a manner that I find condescending. Just small examples, but what’s left of my ego rears its ugly head on occasions, showing me that more work needs to be done.

In contrast, humility, is a word so very misunderstood. Humility is not weakness, it is strength. Real strength.
I’ve researched and learned that Humility translates into “grounded and from the earth”. What a wonderful character trait. We must be humble in our dealings with the Universe, grounded in understanding, and we must embrace the earth with love.

At this stage in my life, I’m mostly detached from things. Yes, I like my nice house, my car, the ability to purchase what I want, but I could lose it all and recreate without emotional attachment. I’ve detached from the want of having more and more, there is no more need for more, no feeling of lack. It is peaceful.

What is really important in this life, at least in my view? We must focus on our spiritual unfoldment and our all-inclusive attitude. We are vessels of this God-Consciousness, here to fulfill a purpose. We are pieces of the cosmic puzzle. Our true purpose of upward progress, when achieved, will free us from this self-inflicted, karmic bondage of the ego and suffering.

I remind myself often: life is good - that's the bottom line. If I doubt this Truth at any time, I must remember that it is up to me to bring this Goodness into existence.

It’s time to heal the wounds of grievance and ego perception. It’s time to grow spiritually. It’s time to acknowledge the one-ness of all people, not divisiveness and hatred.  It’s time to Love.
​ULRIKE