I was standing in line at the bank a few days ago.  The tellers were very busy, and the line was moving a bit slowly.  A man in front of me said, just loud enough for a couple of us to hear; “I hate this bank with a passion!”  Wow! 

As weird as this man’s statement was to me, I don’t think that he’s all that unique.  I’ve often heard people talk about things that they “hate”, or “dread”, or “fear” - with a “passion”.  It’s a very different use of the word passion.

Passion is often related to love relationships or ideal occupations.  We’re used to hearing people talk about the passion they feel for their love partner.  We’ve seen lots of books and seminars about following your passion, as it relates to your occupation, to achieve the ultimate success.

But what about those times that we catch ourselves being passionately angry, or hateful, or fearful?  Do you suppose that this is the most appropriate use of our passion?  Passion is a very powerful emotion.  It carries a great deal of energy, and can affect not only our moods, but our health, and the health of our relationships with others.

When I find myself being passionately angry, it wears me down – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  When my passion is directed to things that I love, I find that I am energized by it.  Then again: sometimes a good passionate burst of anger releases things that have been bottled up inside of me, and the end result (after a good rest) is good. 

It all boils down to awareness.  Once you are aware of your passion, you can choose the direction and manner of your passionate displays.  You can choose what serves you most.

So, become aware of your passion.  Decide for yourself if you are using your passion in a way that serves you and enhances your life.  If not, don’t beat yourself up – just consider making a new choice. 

For me, I think that I’ll love things with a passion, and leave the hating alone.

Namaste!

Susan M Wright

Fear and Money

I have always had a roof over my head, food on the table, and some money in my pocket.  With all of the changes in our economy, and all the bad news on TV, I can see how people can become fearful about not having enough money.  For most of us, that would mean a lifestyle change.

So, I took a look at all of the luxuries in my life that I could do without - if it became necessary.  With this awareness, my mind was at ease for the moment. 

Then, I took a closer look at this experience of “fear” and noticed that fear is about some point in the future.  Fear is not real.  It only exists in our minds.

By adjusting my spending as my income changes, and living within my current means, I keep my mind out of fear of the future and live in the flow of my life stream.  Life is good.

When fear presents for you, stop your mind and ask yourself; “What would put my mind at ease now?”  I simply focus on what is here in front of me now, and let the future be the future.

Lots of Love,

Wolfgang