Category: spirituality

Gratitude Sunday ✨

Unity StoneLeave a comment

Gratitude

The world can be a scary place, but there’s no reason for it to be. The best way to manage your anxiety is by focusing on the good things that are happening in your life and being grateful for them.

Just say “thank you” all the time. You say it to your family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers. And why shouldn’t you?

Saying “thank you” to someone can be a great way to make them feel appreciated or acknowledged.

Saying “thank you” to everything shows gratitude for its usefulness or helpfulness in making life easier or more enjoyable.

Saying “thank you” to life means saying thanks for everything in it—the good things and the bad things—because without either there would be nothing at all!

But did you know that there are even more ways to express your gratitude?

Here are just a few:

◦ Always count your blessings.

You know how much you have to be grateful for, and you make a point of reminding yourself regularly that you are blessed. Whether it be because of your family, health or friends, you are grateful for what you have been given in life.

It’s helpful to keep on top of gratitude with daily rituals so that each day can be as positive as possible. There will always be things in life which aren’t quite perfect but there’s no point getting down about them because they can all change overnight!

◦ Find the good in things and people.

Begin to notice and focus on the good in things, people, situations. When you look at the bright side of things, it easier to be optimistic about life. This is not only a positive trait, but also a useful skill that can help you see things in an objective way. When you know what is going on around you, whether it’s at home or at work, then there’s no need to be stressed out about anything!

You never focus on what you lack; instead, you choose to be happy with what you have.

Don’t compare yourself to others.

Don’t worry about what might happen in the future.

Don’t worry about what you did or didn’t do in the past.

Forgive, forget, move on!

This applies FIRST to YOURSELF. When you can do that, the rest will most likely just fade away.

◦ Be optimistic about all aspects of life.

◦ Don’t be afraid to try new things.

◦ Don’t be afraid to fail.

◦ Don’t be afraid to be yourself.

◦ Don’t be afraid to be different.

◦ Don’t be afraid to take risks, even if you think it’s a “crazy” risk that won’t work out the way you want, or if there is a chance of failure or embarrassment involved in taking action (even if it might seem like a small chance).

◦ Ask for help when needed and accept it graciously when offered, even from someone who may seem untrustworthy or unreliable at first glance (i.e., an unexpected source).

◦ Be grateful for everything—even the little things.

It’s easy to get caught up in your day-to-day life, but take time daily to stop and remember what you are grateful for.

Being grateful makes you happier, healthier, and more productive at work, so why wouldn’t you want to do this every day?

Be kind to people for no apparent reason. It feels good to be kind to others. It makes their day, and this could change someone’s life. You’ll feel better about yourself when you’re kind to others. Even in the worst situations, look at things with the positive vibe of kindness.

And finally, just be still. Sit in silence and see ALL these things as good things because they make life interesting and exciting! Because without challenges we wouldn’t grow as people…BORING!

Final Thoughts

Remembering to be grateful is not only good for your mental health, it can also help you live a more fulfilling life. When you focus on what you have rather than what you lack, it can make all the difference in how happy and contented you feel on a daily basis. If you want to take this even further, try practicing gratitude meditation—it’s one of the best ways to get in touch with those feelings!

✌🏻❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew

✨Friday Gratitude✨

Both noble saint and wretched sinner am I; centered and still, I AM. ~ Unity Stone

Unity StoneLeave a comment

Both noble saint and wretched sinner am I; centered and still, I AM. ~ Unity Stone

Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu

Nineteen

Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier.

Throw away morality and justice, and people will do the right thing.

Throw away industry and profit, and there won’t be any thieves.

If these three aren’t enough, just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.

✌🏻❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew ☯️

Cold Full Moon Gratitude 🌕

Unity StoneLeave a comment

Hey, fun synchronicity I wanted to share this evening. All day today I was bombarded with signs and symbols of Aquarius ♒️ (my birth sign); I even had my exact birthdate show up on a couple of random receipts.

Later this evening, while at my favorite store, Goodwill, I found a very cool Aquarius coffee mug and immediately claimed dibsies. Got to the register and the price was $2.16 ✨; my birthday is February 16th.

Thank you more please ✌🏻

✌🏻❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew ☯️

Big day of Gratitude

Unity StoneLeave a comment

I don’t normally share much personal information, I prefer to share inspiration; but today is an extraordinary day! So here goes…

Thirteen years ago today, December 12, 2008, I was Emancipated! In the past, this ‘anniversary of sorts’, came and went without much notice or attention.

Today however, I am struck by the deep significance of that day; that moment. It was, as I’ve now come to realize, the first day of my new life.

🎶Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road 🎶***

As amazing as my new world was (and it was magnificent); filled with rainbows, unicorns, and butterflies; you know, all that happy bullshit. Bliss was mine! I had finally found the peace for which I had chased most of my life.

Well kinda; it was until it wasn’t. This newfound ‘bliss’ slowly faded back to the mundane. The amazing brilliance, boundless inspiration, and sparkling newness soon returned to a flat, grey, and tiresome daily existence (just like I always knew it would).

Change is hard, shit, life is hard; but so much more so when you fight against it; against yourself.

I personally fought the good fight, the long fight, the painfully exhausting battle to recapture that elusive ‘peaceful bliss’. I fought hard; until I didn’t anymore.

Turns out, deep within spontaneous surrender, the un-fight, I found not only peace, but something deeper; I realized contentment. I found where peace is generally fleeting and fragile; contentment, with compassion, patience, and simplicity grow a balanced, subtle, yet durable stability of contentment.

So today, I am filled with joy, love, respect, reverence, appreciation, gratitude and contentment for ME. Today I sing the song of myself. I AM FREE!

Namasté ✌🏻

***Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) ~ Green Day

Lyrics:
Fuck (mumbled in the intro)

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why

It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It’s something unpredictable
But in the end, it’s right
I hope you had the time of your life

So take the photographs and still frames in your mind

Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time

Tattoos of memories, and dead skin on trial

For what it’s worth, it was worth all the while

It’s something unpredictable
But in the end, it’s right
I hope you had the time of your life

The tree

Unity StoneLeave a comment

As I wandered, distractedly, down a deserted sidewalk today, I came upon the most magnificent tree. You could see that when it was very young, it had been planted in a beautiful planter box surrounded by sidewalks. Plenty of room for this new resident to begin life.

Now, many, many, many years later, the happy young tree, surrounded by sidewalks, had outgrown it’s home.

The sidewalks now formed a solid barrier; the tree had expanded and filled every millimeter of its available space…and more.

The tree was currently in the process of climbing over the edges of its concrete prison walls! ‘Escape at last’ I thought.

I asked the tree, ‘Why do you try and escape? Is there not enough soil and water to nourish you? Are you not content here? Where will you go?’.

There was a long silence and the tree spoke; ‘Go? No, no, no, you have it all wrong’ laughed the tree. That’s not why I’m climbing out; to run away. It’s all about the adventure; the journey!’

The tree continued, ‘there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome with time, patience, and persistence; and I am blessed with all three. So how far can I go? I don’t know; let’s find out. Game on!’.

I laughed, then smiled and thanked the wise old tree.

As I began to walk away, I looked back once more; the tree giggled and said ‘After you, I insist.’

✌🏻❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew ☯️

No matter…

Matthew Rasey, LMTLeave a comment

NO MATTER who you are;
NO MATTER where you are;
NO MATTER what you’ve done;
NO MATTER what you think of yourself;
NO MATTER how you feel right now;

You are ALWAYS at the CENTER of the circle.

There is no-thing special to be done, no-thing enlightened to realize, no-thing secret to learn, and no test to pass. You are already there, in the CENTER, and you have always been.

Don’t think so? If untrue; Who then judges your worthiness? Who is your captor, your jailer, your punisher, the demon that prevents your entry? And from where does it arise?

ALL ‘THINGS/THOUGHTS’ exist in the CENTER as well; floating like clouds, they offer the illusion of the infinite; yet are only ungraspable, un-THING’d, patterns and shapes.

Take a deep breath and feel content REALIZING/KNOWING that the CENTER belongs to YOU, is YOU, and manifests as YOU.

Marvel at the perfect and ever changing shapes and patterns as the clouds drift by ~ personally have never seen an ugly cloud.

The sky allows ALL clouds and makes no effort to grasp or hold on to them; they come and go freely.

Take time daily to close your eyes and just ‘watch’ as the clouds in YOUR mind arise and then feel them freely drift away.

Namasté ✌🏻

We are 1

Matthew Rasey, LMTLeave a comment
We grow out of the earth, just as branches out of a tree. Some short, some long, no matter; each branch supports the other to create a tree. And so it is.
Isn’t it the same for each of us? How can we feel separate, disconnected, or alone when we are the glorious and unique branches of the earth; some short, some long…NO MATTER. And so it is.

✌🏻❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew ☯️

Kindness is Contagious

Unity StoneLeave a comment

Kindness is also the KEY to our personal freedom and contentment. Genuine Kindness is a true expression of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

However, Kindness is only one side of a coin. The other? Unkindness. Luckily, one side of a coin cannot exist without the other. They are ONE.

We live in the ‘in between’.

For example we perceive things as rights and wrongs; trusts and deceits; highs and the lows; loves and fears; goods and bads; truths and lies; elations and anxieties. Each of these feelings NEEDS the other to exist. They go together; they are ONE.

We are conditioned to see them as separate, unrelated things; we then ATTACH the ‘Correct Conditioned Emotion’, to each feeling, based on our own unique perception. We then ‘act’ upon that emotion, based on our ‘Automatic Conditioned Response’.

Take Elation and Anxiety; at each of their extremes, they can leave you rolling on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, and oblivious to everything else. The ONLY difference; the emotion we ATTACH to the feeling.

When we DETACH and ALLOW; we are released from our shackles; We are FREE.

So I choose Kindness and Love. ALWAYS!

I share it freely, FIRST, and MOST importantly, with MYSELF; and then to all other living things, WITHOUT EXCEPTION!

So, what about YOU? What will YOU choose?

Choose wisely.

I AM.

☮️❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew ☯️

Enough

Unity StoneLeave a comment

“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish enough “Hello’s” to get you through the final “Good-bye.”

I Wish You Enough – Song by Scott Perry ~ Inspired by the poem by Bob Perks

☮️❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew ☯️

And in the end, the Love You take, is equal to the Love You make…

Unity StoneLeave a comment

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”

~ Robert Fulghum

☮️❤️🎶

Namasté Matthew ☯️