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October 2012 Newsletter

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My friend Jack Galvin had polio as a boy in the early 1900‘s. Even though doctors told him that he would never walk again, he refused to accept their limiting opinion. He forced himself out of bed and started pushing his body and relearning to walk. By consistent effort, he built the weakened muscles that the polio had left him. After a time, encouraged by his progress, he started running. He built up his muscles and mastered running to the point that he joined a football team! At this point, he was able to start working construction, doing plastering and masonry - when he was 12 years old.

I was 29 when I worked for Jack, who was 77 at the time. After 65 years, he was still working in masonry, and had built a business that at one time had 100 employees. At 77 he no longer managed big crews, but did the work himself. I was his ‘tender’ for a summer, mixing cement by hand and carrying it and bricks for him to use.

He had become THE world’s leading expert on Colonial style fireplaces. His work then was mostly building and repairing fireplaces of that style. He also was called to consult on ornamental plastering in Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

The toll of the polio was so severe that Jack didn’t have some muscles at all. One of his deltoid muscles was completely ruined by the polio. He just developed the muscles that he did have. He told me that he knew that if he stopped doing masonry, his body would quit entirely on him. Even though he would call off work when he didn’t feel well, we still worked 3 to 5 days every week.

While Jack only had 5 years of formal education, he wrote three books with his son. He was an historian who specialized in American History. His range of knowledge was broad. I could ask a question about Custer, specific Revolutionary battles, European cathedrals, or many other subjects, and Jack could talk on these topics for days. He did this as we worked, all from memory, including specific and numerous details.

At the time I was with Jack, his son was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. Jack’s guiding influence was clearly expressed in his son. Jack Jr. was a fine man, ethical, kind, and generous. Just the kind of person you like to see leading others.

I’ve been blessed by all the inspirational people in my life. Jack was one of the most exceptional. I’m grateful for having known such an extraordinary person, and thankful that he was my friend.

Timothy

How to Have Courage, Calmness, and Confidence

3-day weekend, October 18 - 21

Willow Kushler teaching class at The Expanding Light Retreat

Based on the book How to Have Courage, Calmness, and Confidence.
Winner of the 2011 International Book Award for Best Self-Help Book of the Year

Explore your strengths and weaknesses, and discover misconceptions within you that give birth to worry, fear, and nervousness. Free yourself from self-limiting attitudes, postures, and habit patterns and embrace your divine given soul-empowering strength.

Join Willow and walk away from this weekend recharged, and ready to meet and grow from whatever life sends you.

Inspiration from Swami Kriyananda

You don't have to be a slave to your bad karma. It was energy you put out in the past that created that karma, and if you put out the necessary energy now, you can get rid of it. Every hardship you meet with the right attitude and energy makes you stronger and helps to rid you of some of that karmic burden.

Success depends to a great extent on one's willingness to accept reality as it is: as something to be faced if you don't have the ability to control it. When you accept reality as it is, your energy becomes positive and that positive mental attitude, if directed wisely, will help you transform failure into success.

Success at anything depends upon concentrated energy. One-pointed concentration, if directed with will power and energy, generates a magnetic field that can attract success. So, do everything with keen interest. People who work with only half their mind focused on their task never really succeed.

Article from Clarity Magazine, Spring 2009

Radiant Health Tip

Five points to lead us in the direction of more radiant health:

A high level of energy
An attitude of willingness
Not wasting energy
Prioritize and focus your energy
Not obstructing the flow of energy

Join Melody for a weekend of Restorative Yoga to relax and renew your energy. Nov. 23-25 and Dec. 3-6

Will-Power

Affirmations for Self-Healing Book Cover - by Swami Kriyananda

Will power, and not the vague abstraction luck, is the secret of true achievement. Will power, on suble energy levels, generates what only looks like luck, by magnetically attracting to us opportunities. Our will is strengthened by removing from our minds the "no-saying" tendency: the obstructions of doubt, of laziness, and of fear - yes, even of the fear of succcess.

Will power is developed by perservering to the conclusion of whatever one attempts. One should start first with little undertakings, then proceed to bigger ones. Infinite will power comes from harnessing the little human will to God's infinite, all-powerful consciousness.

From Affirmations for Self-Healing
by Swami Kriyananda

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