Page 14 - horizons - 518 Issue

FROM THE HEART But each of them had to face and deal with their own demons.
If even the Beatles suffered from a sense of deficiency, you can
see what a fake that voice is, and why you should give it no
Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspira- credence and not let it stop you.
tional books, including the forthcoming The Tao
Made Easy. Join Alan in Hawaii this December for The pervasive belief that “I am a phony” is called “fraud
his life-changing seminar Transformer Training to
develop your skills and/or career as a teacher, guilt.” We all have it and there are several ways we deal with
healer, or leader. For more information about it. Most of us run from self-judgment by busying ourselves with
this program, Alan’s books and videos, free daily endless tasks and errands, working continuously, or distract-
inspirational quotes, online courses, and weekly ing ourselves with our Smartphone or other addictions. Others
radio show, visit www.alancohen.com. attempt to compensate for their perceived lack by building up
an ego-façade of braggadocio, competition, bullying, anxiety-
HOW TO GET INTO THE IN CROWD driven achievement, adding degrees, or collecting empty
trophies.
In high school I looked up to my classmate Rick
Brown, the quintessential cool guy. He was the good- Another group is willing to look within and heal self-judgment
looking captain of the football team and president of the by holding it up to the light of higher awareness. James
student council. He had a cheerleader homecoming queen Thurber, author of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, said,
girlfriend and was liked by everyone. I envied Rick because “All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are
he was at the epicenter of the in crowd, and I saw myself as a running from, and to, and why.” It is only when we are willing
distant outsider. to stop, step back, and tell the truth about what motivates us
that we can break free.
Years after we graduated, I ran into Rick and we reminisced.
I confessed, “I was always envious of you because you were in A Course in Miracles tells us that the world we have created
the in crowd and I was way out.” Rick laughed. “Really?” he is inside out and upside down, the exact opposite of the way
came back. “I always thought you were in the in crowd and I we were born to live. If you want to know what is true, take
was out.” most of what you have learned about how to succeed and re-
verse it. One of the most pervasive illusions is that we have to
I couldn’t have been more stunned. Here was a guy who had struggle to become good, worthy, and likeable. The ego thrives
all the accoutrements of success, all the things I wished I on creating fictitious gaps between who we are and who we
could be and have. Meanwhile he was envying me. How insane should be. But there is no gap. We are already good, worthy,
is that? That serendipitous meeting with Rick proved pivotal and loveable as we are. If we can love, honor, accept, and
for me. That day I realized that the voice in our head that cherish ourselves right where we stand, every door that we
tells us that we are defective or less-than is a liar. have sought to kick down would open effortlessly before us.

A story from the video series The Beatles Anthology illustrates Everything you do to try to become cool will backfire because
this very dynamic. At the height of the Beatles’ illustrious ca- you already are cool. God created you cool, and there is noth-
reer, George Harrison decided he wasn’t fit to be in a band as ing you can do to become uncool, except try to become cool.
talented as the Beatles. He went to Ringo Starr and told him, In the trying is the lying. The coolest thing you could do is be
“I’m not a real Beatle. You guys are the real Beatles, so I am yourself.
going to quit the band.” Ringo replied, “I was just thinking the
same thing—that you three are the real Beatles and I am the To envy another person is to deny the gifts you uniquely bring.
fake, so I will quit the band.” The belief that either George or One way to reframe envy is to replace the word with the let-
Ringo were not the real Beatles seems laughable and ludi- ters N.V., which stand for “new vision.” If someone has some-
crous, since each of those musicians was talented in his own thing you want, they are demonstrating that you are a match
way, and the unique synergy of those four made the Beatles to that attribute because you are aware of it. Everything you
the most successful entertainers in history. see in the outside world is a reflection of what is going on in
your inner world. “You spot it, you got it.”
10:30AM
SUNDAY So instead of separating yourself from that person or attribute
by believing it is outside of you, expand your vision and claim
MORNINGS ownership of that trait by realizing it is inside of you. Then you
heal the sense of separation and gain all that you thought you
missed.
Rev. Mark
The New Way POD Pasqualino
The Aquarian Building The in crowd is not a group of people you need to join. You
238 Peachtree St in Cocoa cannot get in because you are already in. The real in crowd is
www.thenewway.us Come find what you’re made up of those who are willing to look within to find them-
www.facebook.com/peopleofdiversity missing selves.
321-543-0058

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