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What does it mean to have true freedom? Does it mean you can go anywhere you want, any time you want?
Well, this could be an aspect of freedom as long as you feel happy inside.

You are truly free when you know that you don’t need anything or anyone to complete you. You appreciate having people in your life who love you, but you know that they are not responsible for your happiness. You know that you are the only one responsible for awakening the joy that resides within you.

You are truly free when you can go to bed every night feeling peaceful, knowing that you did your best, that day, to treat others with kindness and respect. You know that your consciousness in clear.

You are free when you see the beauty in everything and everyone and don’t get into the temptation of allowing your ego to judge, to criticize, to compare, to put down, or to complain.

Finally, you are truly free when you open your heart to have a deep relationship with your Higher Power and understand that this divine power, flowing through you, loves you unconditionally.

In the final hours, how we walk this journey or earth, is what is going to be important. Did we move in the direction of loving without conditions? Did we put the effort into accepting others and ourselves without judgment? Did we look for the good in each experience? Did we value others? Did we choose to have a positive attitude? Did we express our gratitude? Did we smile enough or laugh a lot?

I invite you to reflect on the idea of true freedom and give yourself the gift to release yourself from any bondage. Here are some ideas:

• Become free from criticism, judgment. Choose acceptance
• Become free from guilt. Choose peace
• Become free from anger or resentment. Choose love
• Become free from playing victim or complaining. Choose to be joyful
• Become free from fear. Choose trust
• Become free from unworthiness. Choose to believe in yourself

Affirm: I am free because I express my happiness from the inside out

I believe that the present moment and each moment that follows is the perfect time to consciously choose to be the change we want to see in the world. As we decide to change from within, we are going to see the world outside of us very differently. As we let go of negativity, fear, doubt, guilt, judgment, resentment, and disappointment, we will be seeing it through new lenses, and our lives will feel more peaceful and joyful.

• Be willing to pay full attention on how you interact with others. Is it with kindness, trust, and a spirit of service? Be honest with yourself and commit to changing the aspects in you that you know need to be shifted.
• Forgive. This is a gift that you give to yourself. When you forgive you become free. Review your relationships and be willing to let go of past experiences. Ask your Higher Power to help you to forgive.
• Have a positive attitude about all life experiences. Pay attention to the quality of your thoughts, your language and your actions.
• Receive spiritual food. Every day read 1 to 3 pages of a self-development or a spiritual book. Find a spiritual center,  near your home, if you do not have one yet, where you can take weekly classes, attend, Sunday service and be surrounded by positive, loving people. When you nourish yourself mentally, and spiritually, you are going to become stronger and align more with the truth of your being, which is love.
• Be determined to do what is right to develop your full potential. Have the will power to take action and move forward in faith.
• Be willing to see the good in people. As you do this, it becomes easier to motivate yourself to be of service to them.
• Wear a smile in your face. Bring hope and joy to the human race.
• Meditate for peace and harmony. Click here to pledge your meditation hours

Written by Gloria Ramirez
To read this month’s  “Love in Action” Newsletter Click here

One of the best habits that we can develop is the habit of positive thinking. This habit can be our best life companion because even if things do not go the way we would like to, we can still choose to see the positive aspects of our experiences.

The challenge is that we were conditioned from early childhood to create habits of fear, doubt, criticism, guilt and insecurity. We now have to reprogram our subconscious mind to turn all negative habits into positive ones. This must be done daily by the power of our own will and the determination to not allow our minds to continue the negative conditioning.

We must examine our thoughts and be willing to create the habit of positive thinking. As we continue to do this consistently, we will be transmitting new energy outwardly and the law of cause and effect will respond in ways that will be very pleasing.

Many times we ask ourselves why is it that I am not able to succeed in life. I must not have what it takes to succeed. I am a failure, or I am not good enough. We allow our ego mind to take us into believing false ideas about ourselves and this is how the negative conditioning continues. We must have the courage to stop all of that chattering in our minds and convince ourselves that it is our birthright to succeed. If this were not true, we would not have any of the countless demonstrations of success in our own lives and of people who have succeeded even in the most improbable circumstances.

Here are some ideas on how to develop habits of success:

• Change the trend of your thoughts: Cast out all negative mental habits.
• Spread kindness everywhere you go.
• Associate with positive people.
• Develop a deeper inner connection with your Higher Power, including the power of prayer.
• Keep a grateful heart.

Affirm: I consistently develop habits of success

Gloria Ramirez
Coaching for Self-Mastery
Click here for more information

• Let go of all false and limiting beliefs about yourself
• Let go of all negative stories
• Have the courage and determination to accept your divine right to be successful
• Be willing to identify only with the truth. You are a child of God made in His image and likeness
• Affirm success, health and happiness

Written by Gloria Ramirez
To read this month’s  “Love in Action” Newsletter Click here

As I look back at my life’s journey, I realize that for me the definition of success has changed over the years. For a while it was more about external accomplishments and material possessions. Then I started to feel the urge of going inward and looking for the treasures that I had heard lay inside of me. Because this idea was so intangible for me, I had a difficult time understanding it and trusting the process of finding out if it was true. I kept wanting to look for happiness outside of myself or to expect people around me to make me happy. Many times I felt disappointed, betrayed, rejected and unloved. It was not a successful and happy life.

Years later, I have come to the understanding and to believe that true success is the inner realization of my being. It is in believing that my essence is love, joy and peace, and the more I am willing to live and accept this truth, the more I am able to experience inner joy and external success. I now understand the message from Jesus “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

This quote from Swami Kriyananda brings the same message: “For material success to be more assured and lasting, it must be paired with high principles.” This means to live our lives from our center, from knowing that we are the children of the most High and that we are already loved and accepted unconditionally and we do not have to go through life seeking approval and to be loved. The love that we are seeking is seeking us because is already within each of us. We just have to realize this truth.

We do not have to burden people with demands and expectations. On the opposite we can be accept everyone the way they are. The more we do this, everything we need will be provided because we are allowing our good instead of resisting it. The more we live our lives from our center, the more we will experience true success and happiness.

Affirm: Living from my center brings me success and happiness! 

Gloria Ramirez
Coaching for Self-Mastery
Click here for more information

Written by Gloria Ramirez

Going inward to embrace what life brings us, either victories or disappointments, is a wonderful way to liberate ourselves from the ups and downs of life.

Going inward means that instead of taking things personally, blaming others, or playing victim, we go within and think about the ways in which we can see the situation differently.

Even in the midst of chaos, disappointment, and stress, we can go inward and choose to align with the peace that already resides inside. The answers are going to be there and they will come from a space of harmony and love. Our soul is always going to give us solutions that unites and harmonizes us instead of creating separation and disharmony. This is what staying centered in our soul’s essence is all about.

The holIday season can bring us great joy and at the same time a lot of stress. It is up to us to choose to remain calm, no matter what is happening around us. All we have to do is go inward and connect to the peace and joy that await our awareness of their presence. Let’s do our best to keep the spirit of joy and celebration by reminding ourselves that it is up to us how we want to experience this holiday season.

Here are some ideas you can use to go inward:

• Be solution oriented. Do your best to focus on the solution instead of the problem. This will shift your energy instantly and with a calm mind you will be able to receive ideas.
• Use affirmations. Mentally repeat a sentence of the desired outcome. For example: I choose peace. I am peace. I feel peaceful. I choose joy. I am calm.
• Seek inspiration: Read or listen to inspirational messages
• Attune with your soul. Through your positive thoughts, language and actions, align with the qualities of your soul: love, joy, peace, compassion, generosity, kindness, patience and trust.
• Pray and take time to be in silence. Attune yourself with divine love and open yourself to the possibilities that come by the power of faith. Ask for guidance.

Affirm:

As I go inward in every situation in my life, I find peace!

 Gloria Ramirez

Written by Gloria Ramirez

 I recently lived an experience that impacted my life deeply and gave me a profound understanding of the miracle of life. Seven members of my family came from Colombia to visit me here in California. I was so happy to see them. On Monday, October 19th, they visited Ananda Village, the spiritual community where I live. They were very pleased to connect with the beautiful, kind people who live here and with the peacefulness of this place. On Tuesday, October 20th I planned a trip for my family to the Yuba river, about 40 minutes from Ananda. When we arrived at the river, everyone was admiring the beauty of the mountains surrounded by pine trees.

Even though the water was cold, some of us decided to get into the water. I swam to the other side of the river, a short distance but deep in the middle. When I got to the other side I sat on a rock to admire nature. From there I noticed that one of my brothers got into the water and he started to make funny faces, but because he tends to joke a lot, I thought he was joking. However I shouted and asked his girlfriend if he knew how to swim and she replied yes. I kept watching him until I did not see him any more. Suddenly I saw him floating under the water. He had drowned. I immediate jumped into the water and I do not know how, I placed his head on a rock. In my eyes he was dead; he looked blue and he was not breathing. I was in total panic and called for help. My other bother, sister in-law and brother in-law came and were terrified by what they saw.

My bother started to do CPR on him and my sister in-law mouth resuscitation, but we were so scared because for at least 10 to 15 minutes he was not responding. We were looking at him with such desperation and then I started to pray. He finally moved a little bit and I though this is a real miracle if he survives. At the other side of the river my sisters and sister in-law were screaming and praying for a miracle. They went out to the road to seek help but because there was not cellular reception in the area, they could not call an ambulance.

My intuition told me to get out of the water to get help. As I got to the other side I saw a couple and I told the man that we needed help. He immediately swam where my bother was. Then I ran to the road and the second car I saw stopped. A lady came out of the car and said, I am a nurse and I have a radio. This was another miracle. She and the man who was driving the car came from the nearby town and immediately called an ambulance. About half an hour later the ambulance was there and they took my brother to a nearby area where a helicopter landed and picked up my brother to take him to the hospital.

We found out later that he had hypothermia and his legs could not move because of the cold water. They took all kinds of tests and told the family that his lungs did not get any water. Three days later he left the hospital in excellent condition. Our family and myself are deeply grateful to God for the miracle of his life.

A few days later we went back to the river with my brother and to the town from where they dispatched the ambulance to thank everyone for their kindness and service. We met again the sheriff, the doctor and the nurse. They told us that they could not have a better reward for the work they do than to see someone they have rescued alive and well.

I think it is important to never take our life for grated. We are here today but we never know when it is going to be our turn. Some of the things we can do to maximize our time here on earth are:

• Appreciate life more and value every moment
• Be more compassionate, generous and kinder
• Forgive more
• Commit to being a better human being every day
• Laugh more
• Take time to do self-examination. Ask yourself
  • Am I willing to live in harmony with life, with everyone and to be at peace with everything in all circumstances?
  • Am I willing to change what I need to change to improve the quality of my life for the rest of the time I will be here on earth?

Let’s celebrate the miracle of life with profound gratitude!

Affirm: I am grateful for the miracle of life

Gloria Ramirez

Coaching for Self-Mastery

Click here for more information