​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