Recently I’ve started to read my metaphysical texts again, usually in the early mornings. It has been a long-time habit of mine, but with this year’s unpleasant (to say the least) personal COVID (and now MAC) experience there wasn’t much desire on my part. Waking up every morning in misery and pain didn’t inspire me to grab a book and dig into higher concepts. Trust me, I should have!

The truth always heals, practice is the key. I’ve known for a long time that thinking and feeling is causative, for all of us. Each person creates their own experience, may it be happiness or pain, their immediate world.

So, after months of discomfort, struggling, doctor’s appointments, therapy and soul searching, I reached out to what I know is the real healer: Truth, the Truth of how Mind works. The Truth about Universal Laws. I finally started to study again on a regular basis.

This morning I picked up a skinny booklet by Neville, a writer from the early 50’s. The booklet is called “Feeling is the Secret”. He talks about our feelings and their effects. Here are some excerpts:

“The world, and all within it, is man’s conditioned consciousness objectified. Consciousness is the cause as well as the substance of the entire world.”

“Be careful of your moods and feelings, for there is an unbroken connection between your feelings and your visible world. Your body is an emotional filter and bears the unmistakable marks of your prevalent emotions.”

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and feel as true, the subconscious can and must objectify.”

Think about those 3 simple paragraphs.

What I’ve learned over the years: There is only one Mind. Much has been said about consciousness and the subconscious, one being the 'awaken state' and one being the 'latent state' of Mind. Make no mistake; they are one and the same, with two different functions.

Our awareness takes in all of the outside impressions, the imprints of our five senses. The subconscious, however, takes these imprints and transform them into our experience.

Our minds have the capacity to reason and feel. Both must be in sync in order to produce a positive experience. So, the question “How do I feel today?” should be carefully examined and answered honestly.

However, whatever we think will not have a positive manifestation unless we keep our feelings on the right side. Right feeling gives birth to right ideas and right experiences. Right feeling, or love, is the mother of all creation and appreciation is the treasure chest of the heart!
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I appreciate you!

The early morning hours are my favorite time of the day. Right before daylight I make a cup of coffee and sit quietly in my bed sipping the hot goodness. I’m not a coffee drinker, but that one mug warming my belly sure makes me happy.
 
My doggy Leila is still laying peacefully next to me and my mind is clear and uncluttered from the imminent day’s events. The perfect time to have my conversation with God and set the right tone for the day. I’m not saying this calm mindset ‘holds up’ all day, but I surely try!
 
The routine starts with giving thanks for the blessings I have received and for the blessings that are coming my way today and every day. I remind myself to pay attention to my immediate thoughts. This shows me what my habitual demeanor is, it exposes my true feelings about any situation I’m dealing with. Lip service can be deceiving, it’s the feelings which will shape my daily experience.
 
It is easy to be thankful for all good things, but what about things and situations that “look” bad? Yes, I also include the physical and mental pains and emotional agonies in my prayers. I know that these distresses and heart aches are presented to me by the Universe as lessons, so I can learn and improve myself, i. e. my thinking and feeling. A seemingly bad situation is only another opportunity for me to make changes in my life. They are lessons, many times very painful lessons, but nevertheless lessons demanding to be learned. Resisting the signs from the Universe (and there are many if one would just listen) and continuing with habits of lesser than good nature will only bring on suffering. I ask myself: “Have I suffered enough?”…Haven’t we all suffered enough?
 
Saying “thank you” to the Universe with sincere appreciation puts me instantly into a positive frame of mind. I am assured that gratefulness will catapult me into a higher frequency and will trigger loving thoughts naturally. Like anything else, it gets easier with practice, and it will keep my focus on what’s right rather than on what’s wrong.
 
I remind myself again that gratitude is a feeling that results from honest appreciation. Appreciation of the life I already have. It is a knowing that I am blessed no matter what the circumstances are in my current life. The surest way to improving my life is through sincere gratitude, forgiveness, kindness, and an appreciation of even the smallest things.
 
No matter what my present situation is, I acknowledge, and I am grateful, that I am not a helpless human being, struggling to survive. I, at this point of my unfoldment, know that I can change my situation according to my sense (knowing and feeling) about the situation. All it takes is lots of earnest practice, abiding to Universal Laws and loving kindness, especially forgiveness for self and all people I encounter.
 
Have a lovely grateful day! 
​ULRIKE

Nearly 40 years ago, my life changed. The 80’s with its awakening and free thinking introduced me to many open-minded people who familiarized me with the study of metaphysics. All aspects of my experiences changed to the better. In return, I wanted to share all this goodness with my friends, family and all people who would listen. Full of enthusiasm, I began to submerge myself into these new concepts, learned, practiced, proved the workings of these theories, and eventually received my teaching certificate and started to write about my findings. 
 
However, as an inspirational writer and teacher, I had to seriously think about my ‘voice’. What did I want to get across to my readers? What was it that needed healing, nurturing, and empowering? What were the most helpful topics? How could my words and thoughts be of benefit?
 
I wanted to talk about stories of real live experiences; mine and others. Not lofty ideas and unreachable goals, but down to earth, authentic encounters that could benefit from sound reasoning and a change of mental attitude.
 
However, I realized early on that I could not change anyone’s experience but my own. All I could do is work on myself daily and use this practical approach by applying my newfound knowledge about Universal Laws, Cause and Effect. It was my persistence of applying the Laws that changed my experience, hence my life.
 
And as I used my outer voice for kindness, encouragement and positive reinforcement, my inner voice was working repeating mantras of truth and good will. What’s so fascinating is, our outer voice can utter many things but it’s our inner voice that reflects what we really think and believe.
 
Please acknowledge, we are all part of the Universal puzzle. We all have a role to play. And since we are part of this grand plan, we must remember that the All-mighty looks at us without judgment or favoritism. It does not punish or reward, there is no personal favoritism. It only acts according to Universal Law because God is not a person. ‘It’ is the substance, or power, called Love, Goodness, Kindness, Intelligence, Wisdom – the All-power. God’s true name is Love.
 
The gist of this is: we must reconnect with the Almighty Source of the Universe and live the best life we can imagine; we need to listen to our own innate Intelligence. Consciousness is the one and only reality. Our individual consciousness is our awareness. The more we focus on being aware, the more we will become aware of the Truth. Our spiritual wellbeing should be our priority. Happiness means many things to many people, but whatever it consists of, it should always be on top of the list.
 
The “Kingdom” is within, not without. Our inner voice is what counts. There is where the truth lies. As I said at the beginning: Our outer voice can utter many things but it’s our inner voice that reflects what we really think and believe.
With Love, ULRIKE

This is an interesting conundrum; the idea of ‘Am I less than, you are less than, he or she is less than’…less than what?

I’m certain we all have compared ourselves to someone else at one point in our lives who seemed to be better looking, smarter, richer, younger, or in some way better, at least in our eyes.

Yes, I admit, just recently I saw myself as less than, because it appeared that the other person was exactly that: younger, prettier, more desirable to someone I love. It stung deeply. But then I asked myself: “Why not embrace who I am and what I stand for? Am I really ‘less than’ just because of appearances?”

Franz Kafka: "Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way."

The truth is that I am not this or that, not male or female, not white or black, not Mr. VP or Mrs. Superwoman. The fact is that I, my Soul, simply is the ‘I AM,’ (my awareness that I exist) nothing more, nothing less. ‘I AM’ contains all there is. Think about that one!

In dealing with my mental pain, I remembered that everyone (even the unlovely and unkind) is already perfect and good by nature, because each of us is an individual particle of the God-power. It’s our actions that are sometimes ‘not so good’.

Acknowledging the fact that I am in charge of my own life and knowing that I am the captain of my ship enables me to decide which direction to go. Loving myself and taking command over my own destiny takes courage and willpower. I have the courage to do so. I have the power to create my own perfect and loving world. Much easier said than done, I know, but I realized at that moment that I cannot be ‘less than’ my creator has created me, and therefore ‘I am not less than’.

As I am working on correcting my feelings and dispositions about my self-esteem and self-image, I find implementing the changes more difficult than expected. But I encourage myself to not give up. I accumulated my habits over a long period of time; so it will take time to change my mindsets and unravel the emotions. There are many layers of unresolved thoughts. I must keep digging, peeling off layer after layer, and stick with sound reasoning, and soon I will see the progress of my labor. It only takes 51 percent to tip the scale to a more positive experience. “Keep plowing”, I tell myself, “keep plowing…”
With Love, ULRIKE
​www.thehappypaintbrush.com

“What have you done lately to make yourself happy?” this is how my therapist usually starts the session. I think for a minute and he repeats “Really, not ‘what have you have done to make others happy, or help someone in need, or give support to your husband, but what have you done for yourself?” I think deeper and quietness ensues.
I always have, and still do pride myself in what I’ve accomplished, listed on my life’s goal list. I’m a list maker. I’m a planner, sometimes maybe too much of a planner. I live how I want to live. My desires are not elusive, nor imaginary. They are solid goals, achievable through my yearning, determination, and sincere want. I always make sure, however, that this desire is good not only for me but for all concerned. Selfishness has no place in Goodness.

My daily work is part of my self-expression. I express myself in many ways, and I make sure that I love what I do. When I love what I do, I am certain, I will express my highest self, my true nature, and through this love contribute to the good for all. Well, at least that’s the way I look at it.

But with all these goals and ‘black and white’ approach (another term I learned from my therapist) did I forget something? Did I miss the variance of ‘there is a middle ground’? Did I forget the enjoyment of self-love? Did this regiment of daily strategic planning and analytical reasoning neglect the wellbeing of my soul?  Did this habit of not always doing what’s mentally healthy for me, cause some of the challenges, because I overlooked the fact that I am valuable too? Did I ignore my capacity of self-love, thinking it wasn’t all that important, as long as I did right by others?
I gave deep thought to the statement: ‘Start loving how you want to be loved.’

I cannot give true love (not affection) if I doubt my own self-love. Am I good enough? Am I worthy of love? Are the doubts and fears of negative childhood experiences still influencing my self-worth today? Of course, but this love for self must be felt. I’m not talking about ego or self-aggrandizement. I’m talking about humble, kind, and grateful self-love.

Words are empty if they are not felt in the deepest chambers of your heart and I realize that I am the only one that can root for myself and accept myself as the person I have become. I do like myself, at least that much I can admit.
I appreciate that others are supportive and stand by me in hard times, but my true rooting and cheering comes from an inner sincere desire to be the best I can be. The best, not as a competition, but the best according to the Allness of Good, the factual Law of the Universe.
With Love, ULRIKE

I am by nature a positive, always looking for the good in everything, person. But like everyone else, after a couple of years of despair, sickness, and daily bad news, it has taken a toll on my psyche.

I’m ready to pick myself up and crawl out of this darkness. It’s time to see that goodness still exists, people want to get back to a somewhat normal life with joy and laughter, governmental improvements are starting to come to fruition, and there again is hope. Hope which had lessened to a degree that it no longer provided comfort, it had appeared to have lost its power. However, hope, which seemed to have been buried deep down, was still hanging on by a thin threat in my heart. Thank goodness!

And here it is, I am hungry for more spiritual food. I am no longer content with the daily fast-food I have provided myself by watching the pessimistic news, including my own wrong thoughts, moods, worries and fears, that I allowed to seep into my daily doings.

I am starting by being the gourmet diner I was before this disease struck, and going forward, I will feast from the delicacies of true Spirit only. I have that option and this feast is already waiting for me, ready to be served. My (and your) true purpose is upward progress, and when achieved, will free all of us from karmic bondage.

I know in my heart: Life is always full, not empty. It is full of opportunities, ideas, and the capacity to heal, love, grow as a person, and to fulfill my dreams. I tell myself that I must continue to see the good and full life only. Because Truth is Truth. Truth is the Allness of Good, and one day we will look back and realize this invaluable fact. 
With Love, ULRIKE
​www.thehappypaintbrush.com

‘Aaah, Patience! Where art thou?’ For some reason, the phrase ‘Give it time’ has been coming up a lot lately. Is the Universe trying to tell me something? Am I not seeing the signs?

I’ve heard ‘Give it time’ from friends and business partners, it pops up on TV, may it be in an ad or a show; even my doctor is periodically reminding me for the last couple of months: ‘Give it time’.

If you are like me, you want things to move, ideas to come to fruition, life to go on comfortably. I want to spice up my life with some fresh, new ideas. Why be stuck with the old and outgrown? After all, I have imagination, I have desire, and I have the power to create. So why this rush to action? Why not ‘Giving it time’?

Do I feel like I’m running out of time? Is the sense of time quickly passing a concern of mine?
 
I frequently remind myself that life is an adventure, a learning experience. Every day something new emerges, something else to solve or handle. Isn’t that the excitement of living? Does it feel like all my goals and ambitions will fade away by slowing down and ‘Giving it time’?

But here we are in these uncertain and confusing times, seemingly stuck, out of control, or so it seems, and therefore we are tempted to not only take control back of our own situation, but also to advise and lecture our loved ones.
If I can’t move fast enough with my own plans, I reason, at least I want to make sure that they are on this journey of betterment with me. Why do I assume I know a way out? Is it my defense mechanism brought on by years of self-preservation?
 
‘Give me time’ they utter, ‘I’m not ready for this…’ and so I must be patient and allow them to unfold on their own terms, their own time, inching their way toward perfection ever so gently just like the rest of us.
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And while my inner angels whisper ‘Give it time’ I remind myself not to forget to enjoy the process and to turn challenges into possibilities in a kind and loving way. Not just for them - but for myself. 

Every year, as the season changes once again and Spring approaches, I can’t help but think about the metaphysical meaning of the Cycle of Life.
 
I’m looking at my garden, now dormant and somewhat bare, through my large patio doors. I’m waiting for the gardener to give him the OK for the yearly pruning and trimming; getting the plants ready so the blossoms can sprout in their full glory again in a couple of weeks.
 
I can see the plants and bushes are getting ready to grow. Small green leaves will be peeking soon into the warm California sun. Oh, how I enjoy seeing this growth, the unfoldment of nature - reflecting the workings of Mind. Limitless Mind unfolding its full potential.
 
Looking back at ‘Winter’, the dormant or reflective time, has passed, at least here in the desert. A new awakening is in the air. I can feel it, smell it – there is hope of warmer days to come.
 
I know that Winter represents a resting period in the mental, a time-out to allow rejuvenation shown forth in nature. Renewal, revitalization, refueling of Spirit, and getting ready for the abundant explosion of more Life.
 
Everything we see is a visible expression of our Consciousness, a mirror image of our innermost soul substance. ‘Thought in action’ you might say, acting out our own personal movie.
 
As part of my experience, even in my garden, I am the creator, the writer, director, and actor. I am in charge, good or bad, successful or not, I am writing the script and I am choosing the actors.
 
Reminiscing about the gentle awakening of Spring; representing the infancy state of Consciousness with its germs sprouting eagerly, unfolding tiny flora and curiously peeking out of mother earth’s fertile ground.  Still small, yet powerful seeds of Life are always pushing upwards towards the light - just like the Soul wants to push upwards towards God’s glory. The gentle warmth of Spring embalms my Spirit and gives renewed hope to a new day.
 
And pretty soon we’ll be approaching the full splendor of summer. I embrace the life sustaining light and warmth of the sun. I fully absorb this invigorating force and feel the growth my Spirit has achieved.
 
Summer represents ‘Youth’ with its unlimited strength and fearlessness. The ‘Summer of our Mind’ is the time to reason and to make sound choices, the time to pave our paths. Enjoyment of the moment so desperately yearned for; this is the season to define who we are and to choose the road we will travel going forward.
 
As Summer dwindles and cooler days are on their way, I think about what comes next. Autumn, with its ripening of mature thought, it reflects ‘maturity of the mind’, fruition, fruit at its best!
 
At last, we have come to an understanding of our true purpose in life. We have reached yet another stage in our unfolding process. This season is the culminating mental state that defines who we are at this moment in time. And so we can rest once again.