Be Happy! - July 2010By Sharon Taphorn, Vancouver, BC
Can one be happy, no matter the circumstances that are happening in one’s life? People are often challenged by the circumstances in their lives and get sidetracked by all the activity and challenges they face every day. How do we keep going and stay optimistic with so much happening that we can’t control?
I recall attending a workshop many years ago on science and spirituality that shared with us a beautiful quote by Dr. Jerry Jampolsky which stated “You can choose to be happy now, and there is never a moment that isn’t now”. At the time I thought they were rather extraordinary words, however I didn’t get the depth of the quote until I was going through a ‘dark’ period in my life. I’ve always been a believer in the philosophy of ‘fake it till you make it’, it has often served me well throughout life. However, there are times when we need a stronger foundation in our lives.
One of the thoughts that affected me greatly was realizing that one of life’s natural laws ~ we absolutely cannot change another person. We can only change ourselves. We can change how we look at and approach the things that are happening in our lives. I am a firm believer that we create our own reality, so how could I as a conscious creator, create circumstances that are less than favourable for me. This took me back to Jampolsky’s comment about being happy now. I can always choose to be happy NOW, in this moment, no matter what is happening around me. When things are tough, or I am not sure where to go next, I take a moment, get in touch with right now and decide that I can just be happy now, no matter what. It is simply a choice to be in this state, just as I can choose to stay in the less favourable state of unhappiness.
As I began to practice ‘being happy now’, I found that circumstances seemed to change, yet they didn’t change as much as I changed in those circumstances. I know from past experience and present moments that I can change how I look at the things around me. That shifting how I view the world changed the things that happened to me. It doesn’t mean that ‘bad’ things don’t happen in my life, it means I don’t view them as bad, I view them as opportunities to find more joy and happiness in my life.
One of my favourite ways to shift my perspective is to be outside in nature. I can sit under a tree and just be in that moment, noticing the beauty that surrounds me, watch children play, watch my dog run about in the sheer happiness of the moment, play on the swings, smell the flowers. Taking time out of all that is going on around me and release all of the thoughts, any tension, frustration, or tiredness that I was feeling and just be there, present in the beauty that surrounds me, and then consciously take in thoughts of what I desire – relaxation, serenity, strength, prosperity, and Joy. From this relaxed state, I can then look at my life from a new perspective. I can choose to be happy now.
I love to practice meditation while connecting to nature. Nature has no ego and therefore gives us love and rejuvenation anytime we choose to connect with it. Here is a simple meditation that can provide a wonderful healing and give you a break from all that is happening around you.
Sit or lie in a comfortable position under a tree. Take a few minutes and just breathe. With each exhalation let go of anything you don’t want or need; see all the tension and stressors leave your body. As you inhale, feel the beautiful energy of mother earth enter every cell of your body, feel it as it slowly fills you up with all the wonderful oxygen and love that our beautiful earth has to share with us. This is the time to release any old ways of life that no longer serve you. Imagine that your old ways, old patterns and all the obstacles that stop you from achieving what you want are leaving your body. Each time you release a breath, and release any limitations, you are creating room from something new to enter. After a few minutes of releasing, begin to imagine all the life force energy that is entering is bringing with it all that you desire – love, health, beauty, strength, vitality. Imagine a new way of life opening up, filling you with aliveness, vitality and more energy. See your life as you want it to be. Imagine this new life is here now and savour each moment of it.
When you feel that you are in a new state of being, gently bring yourself back into the awareness of the physical world and your physical body. See if you can retain that sense of newness in yourself. You are now in the process of creating a new life and perspective for yourself and enjoy each moment.
 Sharon's Bio: I am a Teacher, Healer, and Adventurer on this human journey. As an early indigo, I felt most at home with nature and animals. I have always been empathic and sensitive to the energies in my environment. Learning to work with these enhanced senses in the 3D world has been an interesting journey. I began to seek answers and clarity in books and libraries at an early age, my quest for a better understanding of why I could see, hear, feel and smell things others could not. This led to an exploration of many religions, beliefs and experiences, some dark, some strange. I learned the power of our thoughts, and working with other dimensional energies through classes on empowerment, workshops, books and life experience. A life threatening illness in my son when he was three led me to Nursing, which led me to alternative healing as my patients would tell me they felt better when I was working (I knew I had a healing touch and made a point of always touching my patients). And mother to a 22 year old multidimensional Indigo. - Email
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