Book Excerpt: Miracles Now by Gabrielle Bernstein

I do not believe in miracles. I rely on them. — Yogi Bhajan
     Over the last several years, our collective negativity and fear have adversely affected the economy, the environment, and the health of all beings on this planet. Due to new technology, global warming, financial crises, violent crimes, political turmoil, and planetary shifts, we’ve become more sensitive to the energy around us and the pace of life. The world has sped up and the changes we’re experiencing can be difficult to navigate. The intensity of this time can be very uncomfortable and, in many cases, paralyzing. Without clear direction, people can feel misaligned with their purpose, their relationships, and their overall connection to the world.      Right now we’re in a special and powerful position, because the world is having a spiritual awakening. When energy speeds up there is no space for playing small, and nothing can remain hidden. At some point all lies are brought to the surface and truth comes forth no matter how hard we try to hide it. Cynics are filling the yoga studios and the spiritual choir is growing larger. There is a massive call for more lightworkers, and now is our time to rise up and bring more positivity to the world. When the masses begin to vibrate with an energy of love, the world will no longer be a container for war, violence and lies.      This book will set you on the right path and help you release fear and tension to bust through your blocks fast. In this day and age we need ways to clear our stress and fear quickly because you simply might not have time to do an hour of yoga each day or sit in meditation for 30 minutes whenever anxiety creeps in. Having tools for creating fast shifts is imperative.      This book offers soulful methods for achieving peace drawn from some of the world’s greatest spiritual teachings. What’s unique about the techniques I’ve chosen is that you can use them to quickly clear your stress and fear any time—even if you only have a minute to spare. Let’s get honest: We’re overwhelmed enough. Our spiritual practice can’t add to that sense of overwhelm. Instead, our practice must be designed to bust through the stress and feelings of being overwhelmed fast so we can live with ease. This book is like a juggernaut for eliminating stress.      Miracles Now contains 108 techniques for the most common problems we face. Each technique will highlight the issue, then offer up spiritual principles, meditations, and practical, do-them-now tools. I will break down each technique, in an easy-to-digest way, while incorporating powerful spiritual truths, life-changing Kundalini meditations, and lessons and principles from the metaphysical text A Course in Miracles.      As a student and teacher of A Course in Miracles and Kundalini yoga and meditation, it has become my mission to translate these life-changing spiritual truths for all seekers. A Course in Miracles is a metaphysical self-taught curriculum based on the principle that when we choose love over fear we experience miraculous change. The Course emphasizes the practice of turning our fears over to the care of our inner guide and places strong emphasis on forgiveness. The Course teaches us that through the experience of forgiveness we will know true peace.      Kundalini is the yoga of awareness, which focuses on enhancing one’s intuition and strengthening the energy field. Kundalini aims to draw forth the creative potential of an individual to have strong values, be truthful, and focus on compassion and consciousness. Kundalini was brought to the West in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, a yoga master. Yogi Bhajan brought these teachings knowing we would need the Kundalini technology to balance the energy of what was to come. In the seventies Yogi Bhajan prophesized that these times would be tumultuous. In reference to these times he said, “The capacity of the mind will reach its optimum in order to deal with everyday life. The world will become smaller and smaller and smaller. So man's vitality has to become larger and larger and larger.” He felt it was his mission to give us the tools to calm our nervous system, restore our energy, and cultivate compassion.      It is a great honor to share the principles of both, A Course in Miracles and Kundalini throughout this book. These tools will help you release all that blocks your connection to your inner power. When you practice these techniques, fear will melt away, inspiration will spring up, and a sense of peace will set in. Most importantly, you will build a relationship to the power within you—and this power connection is essential. The power I speak of is your connection to love. The more we tune into our own frequency of love, the more love will spread. When love is the trend there is no room for violence and war. Trust me when I say: Your practice is crucial in the awakening of the world. Each person’s energy matters.      There is another reason these techniques are so important, and it goes beyond ourselves: As we release stress in our lives, we help others do the same. Think about it. When you walk into a room and you’re totally stressed out, you immediately bring down the energy—your friends, family, co-workers, even strangers can sense your tension and become uncomfortable. But when you enter a space calm and peaceful, you exude grace and ease. That grace is immediately bestowed upon everyone around you, even if they don’t realize it on a conscious level.      Your energy has far more power than you can even imagine. There is energy in your spoken words, in your emails, and in your physical presence. When we function from a fearful, low-level energetic state, our thoughts and energy can literally pollute the world. Conversely, when we function from a place of positive energy, the world around us becomes more positive. The truth is that fear cannot coexist with love. Therefore, we must learn how to dissolve all boundaries with love by taking responsibility for our own energy. In doing so, we’ll raise the energy around us.      To make this practice even more radical, I’ve set you up to be the miracle messenger. A Course in Miracles teaches that when two or more people are gathered in the name of love, a miracle occurs. Therefore, as you use these techniques you’ll be guided to share them. Each daily practice has been boiled down to a 140-character explanation. (And I know you can handle 140 characters.) If you dig it, share it. You can tweet the message, pin it, post it to Facebook, or pass it along on Instagram. Each Miracle Message will end with the hashtag #MiraclesNow. The intention for using the hashtag is to make sure your tweets begin to trend. There is no greater trend than the trend of love. When you are inspired, it’s important to share the message. (Ebook readers can share from their reader.)      My hope and my intention is to arm you with radical spiritual principles, transformational meditations, and mindful practices that will help you rise to your highest capacity, experience a more joyful life, and serve in a greater way. There is a massive payoff to following this plan: You will feel awesome! Your bucket list will become your reality, and you’ll live a life beyond your wildest dreams. Putting simple techniques into action every day is extremely powerful—because miracles arise from new patterns and shifts in your perception.      Practice these principles and you’ll quickly move through any pain that has been holding you back and make space to have a richer experience. And I’m talking about every aspect of your life: your relationships, your work and money, your health, your sense of self, and so on. Most important, you’ll have a toolbox of spiritual techniques for navigating the wild energy of this time.      The best way to begin this journey is to be open to each technique regardless of your initial reaction to it. My hope is that you try each one at least once. Give yourself the chance to be surprised. Then you can decide which tools are best for you. Even if you only regularly apply one of these tools in your life, you will experience miraculous shifts.      Now, let’s get this miracle train on the tracks and start busting through your blocks, releasing anxiety and living a fearless life. Let’s begin creating Miracles Now.
#1: Happiness is a choice you make.
     Whenever I’m asked about the greatest lesson I've learned, my response is: Happiness is a choice I make. It’s very easy to look for happiness outside ourselves; in a relationship, a dream job, or the perfect body weight. When we chase happiness externally, we’re simply looking for God in all the wrong places. The outside search is based on false projections we place on the world. These projections build up a wall against true happiness, which lies within us. This first exercise will help you understand how nothing “out there” can save you from the conflict that resides within. You must develop a rich inner life to enjoy life altogether.      Each time we make this shift and choose happiness, we experience a miracle. Our mind shifts from fearful delusions and reconnects to our truth, which is love. Creating these shifts requires a dedicated commitment to choosing love. To begin your commitment to new perceptions, start by paying attention to attack thoughts toward yourself and others. Whenever you notice your thoughts detour into attack mode, say out loud or to yourself: Happiness is a choice I make. Make this your mantra.      The more you retrain yourself to choose happiness over fear, the more blissful you will be. Repeating a new behavior is what makes change stick. When you repeat a new pattern often, you literally change the neural pathways in your brain. This shift helps true change settle in.      Happiness is your choice. You can choose today.      Now it’s time to spread the love! Tweet, Facebook, pin, Instagram, e-mail, and repeat the miracle message below. Pay it forward by carrying the message.
Miracle Message #1: Happiness is a choice I make. #MiraclesNow
— Gabrielle Bernstein, author of Miracles Now (Hay House 2014). To learn more about Gabrielle Bernstein and inspirational authors such as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Kris Carr, John Holland, Tara Stiles and more, we invite you to join us at the Hay House I Can Do It! event in Austin, TX, June 7-8, 2014.
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