​God does not look one way or another, God is everything and everywhere. God is Love, Light, Power. Have you ever thought openly about this concept called God, or have you blindly accepted the teachings of a certain faith or religion? If you have pondered these ideas, please share your thoughts with me.

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 of his suffering, supposedly because we are sinners. We are at fault for his demise. 

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

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. I am however, I reasoned, the only one who knows exactly what I think, feel, and want. So this God and I know the same things about me. He felt very close at the time and I realized that there was a special connection between me and this God, which was supposed to be mysterious and intangible, and reachable only by church-going and prayer.

What I couldn’t understand at the time was that he also 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 34 years of intensive studies of Eastern and Western philosophies alike, and teaching metaphysics, the science beyond physics, I have come to the conclusion, that my God is everyone’s God. There is no difference. No matter what your background, faith, race, or religion, it is one God, 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.

I wrote my deductions on this subject matter in my first book, “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, have to choose wisely as to what I think. It is my duty!

God is good. So I have to be, and act, of good to live up to God’s standards. It is my duty!

God is Intelligence. So I, being part of this Intelligence, have to act intelligently and in accordance to the truth. It is my duty!
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God is Love. So I, being part of the all permeating mother Love have to love all beings and God’s creations, it is my duty!”
 
For now and forever more.
​www.modernthoughttheories.com

​During one of my workshops, I was recently reminded of the power of word habits and how important these habits are in communicating with each other, but also within ourselves. We have formed a specific speech pattern with favorite expressions and use it in our daily communication with others. Mostly, we are not aware of what we are saying, or how we come across. We just speak and react verbally.
 
We also have a specific way of talking to ourselves. Think about your inner dialog. Are you encouraging yourself or are you telling yourself that you will fail, get sick, or aren’t smart enough? Are you using phrases like “I can’t”, “I’m not able to”, or something less suspicious like “Every time I do this, or that, I end up not feeling good”? Negative expectations will get you more negativity. The Law of Cause and Effect works at all times.
 
The issue is, we are not paying close attention to our words, i.e. thoughts.
 
Webster’s Dictionary describes a habit as: a usual way of behaving; something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way. We are creatures of habit. We act and talk the way we are used to. Years and years of practicing the ‘norm’, has made us automatons rather than thinking and reasoning individuals.
 
Since we are individuals we also perceive different words differently. It all depends what they meant to us during our formative years. We have stored the meaning in our sub-conscious and now we are interpreting these words as we see fit. Again, we didn’t take the necessary diligence to analyze where these verbal attacks come from, if we are the culprits.
 
Words can spread quickly, especially in this day and age with the internet and social media. Words are alive, they are fluid, they influence, they can heal and sooth, but they can also cut into the heart like a razor sharp knife.
 
So let’s start changing the usage of words to more appropriate ones. For example: We use the word evil, horrific, terrible, etc. when describing someone’s less than good actions. Let’s replace it with the word ignorance. Personally, I rarely use the word evil, but choose it sometimes to denote a great wrong. In reality all evil is only the effect of ignorance and therefore unreal. Ignorance can be destroyed.
 
By gaining wisdom, we replace ignorance. By gaining wisdom, we are allowing more love to flow into and from our being. By gaining wisdom, we are changing our inner core, reflecting more of who we truly are. Let us choose our words wisely and let us think with a kind heart before we speak.
 
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:37

​Habits and behaviors are sometimes difficult to break. Being taught since childhood that we have to confirm to certain standards has made us automatons rather than individuals. Parents and teachers, coaches, religious guides and anyone that we’ve ever came into contact with have left an imprint on our subconscious mind. Deep down we have accepted the rules of society. We thought we were ‘good’ if we conformed to the mind-sets of others.
 
In order to change our perception of who we are to who we want to be, we must first create a clear picture of our ideal ‘self’. Then, and only then, can we slowly change our perception of ourselves, hence our image and likeness.
 
Well, the truth is that we are naturally equipped to unfold from within and that all knowledge is already stored in this vast ocean of consciousness. We do not need the outside perceptions to show us the way. In a matter of fact these outside roadmaps all lead to the same place: misery, illness, unhappiness – an inharmonious life.
 
Pesky demands of our society include male and female stereo typing. They also include the race for a career and always having to win and to be the best. This encourages competition and induces unneeded stress. The stresses of today’s world have promoted alcoholism and addiction of any kind in order to cope. Our habits, good or bad, have strengthened over time. Our behaviors are the actions stemming from those gradually acquired habits. Repetition is the key.
 
Breaking a habit, or more than one habit, will require diligent work. So whatever our negative habits which we are trying to change are, repetition, repetition, and repetition again, is necessary to change our innermost thoughts and convictions. But remember, don’t be too hard on yourself when working on ‘self’ - you are not alone. We know now that negativity creates illness and unpleasant experiences and who doesn’t want to feel good, healthy, appreciated, and loved?
So how can we break the cycle?
 
The first step is to know who and what you want to be. Honesty with self is required to accomplish this objective. This takes some diligent thought and sincere soul-searching. I’d say we can all agree that we certainly want health, wealth and happiness, even though, health, wealth and happiness might have many different meanings to each and every one of us.
 
Use those 5 essential application steps:
 
-          Self-observance, through honest soul-searching
-          Establish a new mind model of yourself, through finding out who you really want to be
-          Stay focused and determined in changing your thought habits to a more positive outlook
-          Do not doubt that you can accomplish what you have set out to do and stay on course
-          Love yourself and treat yourself as the wonderful Spiritual Being you are
 
Have a HEALTHY, WONDERFUL and BLESSED 2016!
​www.modernthoughttheories.com