Week 14 – October Sky

“October Sky” was the movie I chose to watch for our movie assignment this week. We were to look for the four tiny habits of persistence.  Those four habits are 1) Definite Major Purpose (DMP), 2) Positive Mental Attitude (PMA), 3) Plan of Action (POA), and 4) Mastermind Alliance (MMA).

Initially an indifferent student, Homer Hickam was inspired by seeing Sputnik in the sky over Coalwood, West Virginia. From then on, his DMP was to build rockets. Even though the path to success was riddled with reasons to stop and conform, Homer stayed the course and remained largely positive the whole way.

Their plan of action developed slowly with detours along the way. As Homer realized the resources he needed, he formed necessary alliances with Quentin (the smart kid who’d been ostracized at school), men with expertise from the mines, and via a teacher who believed in them.

Granted, it was a movie, so it showed a clear progression to achieving a goal with representative challenges faced by the four boys who gave a town hope. Too often, the only way to succeed is portrayed as sports, and for many communities, the elusive “football scholarship” is the only option for their children to achieve a different outcome from what may otherwise be a bleak future.

Academic scholarships or other professional options are not seen as viable. I was not aware of those options, and even the options that I was aware of seemed too far-fetched to be feasible. I did my first year of college on loans. Then I dropped out. When I returned, I was enlisted in the Air Force, and used tuition assistance to complete my degree while working full time. Twelve years and seven schools later, I earned my undergraduate degree. I persist until I succeed.

At the end of the movie, they gave a brief summary of what the key players did with their lives. They make Homer out to be the rocket scientist, but if you check out his website, he’s so much more (but isn’t that the case with many of us?).

The movie portrayed an interesting conflict between father and son, which seems like something most people would recognize. The exchange toward the end regarding Homer’s hero was telling. I always hope parents realize they are their children’s heroes.

 

Week 13- Reciprocity

“I promise to give without expectation of reciprocity from the channels I enrich because I know I am in the dynamic flow of giving and receiving.”

This is another one I thought would be easy. After all, I have a few chosen charities I contribute to,  and I expect nothing in return. But wait! There’s more!

Reciprocity isn’t only about monetary donations. What I’ve come to realize for about the last month or so is each time I am irritated or angry because something I’ve freely given isn’t appreciated, that’s an expectation for reciprocity–in the example used, appreciation is being sought in return for whatever action I’ve taken.

Sometimes, what I thought might help isn’t helpful, so why would the person appreciate it? Sometimes, it just needed to be done, and the doing was “reward” enough.

No matter what the right answer is, and I’ve discussed it imperfectly here, I have learned “expectation of reciprocity” has a much broader application than when I first began making the promise several weeks ago.

As I am able to better keep this promise, I will be much happier. I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy. I always keep my promises.

JeanS

Week 13 – By the Compass

When I retired in 2008, I removed my watch. For me, I thought ‘Living by the compass’ is easy. Been doing it for years, right? Not so fast, Sport!

My husband began dealing with a serious health issue at the end of August. There’s a procedure that can correct it, but certain conditions must be met first. We tried in mid-October. Condition not met. We just tried again. Condition still not met. Proceeding with the procedure could kill him. We don’t want that.

Frustrated, I found myself thinking, “Isn’t it about time we could do this?” Nope. This is a process that has to go by the compass, not the clock.

Week 12 – We’re Omnipotent

This is getting exciting. I’m enjoying Week 12 of the Master Keys.  Where to begin?

(1-2) The first few paragraphs really lay it out there. Creative thought is the key. Anybody can do this. Well, anybody who has to capability of thought. Thinking is free. Nobody can take it away from you (well, perhaps with drugs and other ways of limiting one’s ability to engage his or her mind). That’s important, because this gives credence to the line we were taught as children that we can be anything we want to be.

(3) “We know that thought is building for us the thing we think of and actually bringing it nearer.” Too often negative thoughts intrude upon the positive thoughts we have and negate our effort.  Our thoughts must be laser focused.

(4) To keep from going backward, one must go forward. But how? With three essential steps. 1) know about your power, 2) have the courage to dare, and 3) have the faith to do.

(5-7) With these three things, you can construct the ideal business, home, friends and family, or environment. Materials and cost are of no matter. Your mind can imagine all these things in great detail. But you must maintain your focus. Scattering your forces will result in nothing — like a sculptor changing the sculpture ever fifteen minutes. Without the focus, the product is muddied.

Before you think these thoughts will magically produce results, it isn’t quite that easy — but close.  Paragraph 22 says, “Things are created in the mental or spiritual world before they appear in the outward act or event. By the simple process of governing our thought forces today, we help create the events which will come into our lives in the future, perhaps even tomorrow. Educated desire is the most potent means of bringing into action the law of attraction.” In short, once we’ve conceived and believed, we see the ways we can make our thoughts a reality.

Next it gets interesting, and I found the explanation for why I am initially resistant to new ideas, and why most other people are, too.  Paragraph 23 explains: “The mind cannot comprehend an entirely new idea until a corresponding vibratory brain cell has been prepared to receive it. This explains why it is so difficult for us to receive or appreciate an entirely new idea; we have no brain cell capable of receiving it; we are therefore incredulous; we do not believe it.” Once we’re heard an idea and have time to think upon it, we can believe it and see it as a possibility.

(24)  The Omnipotence of the law of attraction, and the scientific method by which it can be put into operation opens possibilities to those who are enabled to take advantage of the resources it offers. Taking advantage of the unlimited powers which may be yours by cooperating with Natural Law is done by concentration or attention.

(25) The intention governs the attention. Power comes through repose. By concentration, deep thoughts, wise speech, and all forces of high potentiality are accomplished.

(26) It is in the Silence that you get into touch with the Omnipotent power of the subconscious mind from which all power is evolved.

Practice will help perfect these processes, but we each truly control our destiny by our thought and how we use our minds to achieve our most significant desires. If we are not seeing the path, then we have not perfected the process, but we can all improve. Can you imagine how exciting this could be in your life? Can you see it? If not, give your mind a little time to begin to imagine what could be and let it run with the positive things that could be in your life.

 

Week 11-I Am Whole…

I began experiencing sciatic pain yesterday (this was worse than my total knee replacement back in April and maybe worse than the pain in my yet-to-be-replaced knee on a  bad day). Last night, I was miserable. Then I remembered we have this affirmation. I began repeating “I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy” over and over. Gradually, my mind was able to focus on that instead of the pain, and I was able to sleep. What a great Law of Substitution example!

Week 11-Am I A…Fraud?

This is an interesting week. I’ve been sailing along on the Master Key Experience (and there truly is NOTHING like it!). I thought I’d been doing pretty well. I’ve been doing my reads. I’ve knocked out my services — I made sure they were easy to do, but everything needed to be done. That’s what the Subby needs, so I did it.

But there were some…

I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy.

As recommended, if I thought someone I knew needed the affirmation, I’ve been saying it for them. I say it for my cats. One of my cats, the reclusive one, has been more responsive lately. How cool is that? But a little insight? Sometimes, when I’ve been saying it for someone else, I’ve come to realize, I need to say it for me (because, in some situations, I’m the one who needs it more).

So why the title? Old Blueprint wants to address things that bother me. Things I’m not doing that I think I should be. But the Law of Growth says, “The things I think about grow, and the things I forget atrophy without exception.”

So if I want the old blueprint to go away, I need to not talk about it, right?

I am whole perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy.

But…

I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy.

I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy.

Week 10-Hey! Wait A Minute

Most of you don’t know this, but I have eight indoor cats. How is that relevant, you ask? Well, it turns out at least one of them thinks I should have discussed my Movie Poster with him or her.

I included a page of a view outside an Amtrak train window on my poster, because we take long distance train trips planned jointly with my husband every year or two. We enjoy this, so, naturally, it’s part of my movie.

The cats go to boarding school during those trips. Somebody has taken it upon themself to “apply the knowledge” and begin to remove that picture from my poster. Apparently felines have DMPs, too, and mine is at cross-purposes with theirs.

In other news, since I’ve begun using the affirmation “Rossie is whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy,” she has begun to emerge from her hiding place under the rocker (nearly three years) and seek our companionship.

Have any of your pets responded to the program in any unexpected ways?

Week 7-Day 1 of the Mental Diet

Today’s the first full day on the Mental Diet. So far, I feel as if a switch has flipped, and I’ve entertained either positive thoughts or positively worded thoughts. I’m certainly in a better place than when I first received the Mental Diet to read.

I found my compass and put it on a lanyard to wear around my neck.

I’ve fleshed out all the topics for the April A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme for 2016 is MKMMA, so I had to come up with MKMMA topics to match each letter of the alphabet. X was the most challenging, but I’m going with Xanthin. Can anybody guess how I’m going to tie it in to MKMMA? Tell me in comments, or if you subscribe, feel free to hit reply on your email.

How is your mental diet going?

Week 6- Closeout

A truly interesting week to closeout.

I knew October was going to be a tough month, but I wasn’t expecting November to begin as a challenge. I had different plans from life. I adjusted, but this was the first week I wasn’t able to complete all the course requirements.

At least I was able to get a solid start on this week’s assignment — making an audio recording to music. I got it done.

Another aspect of this week’s assignment, the 7-Day Mental Diet is going to be a blast. Yes, I’m being positive. Want to do it with me? See the box at the top of the sidebar to the right? Put your email address in and send it in (don’t forget to validate your request by clicking on the link in your inbox) to get a copy of the diet for yourself. We can play along together.

Or watch this space this week for updates. I guarantee it will be an adventure.