Straightening twisted perceptions

“On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day.”—Rumi

So I’m not clear on whether this is a threat or an exciting promise. But I’m about to step up my blogging game, meaning you will likely be hearing from me more often.

When E-Squared debuted 11 years ago, I blogged a lot. The year I pitched The Course in Miracles Experiment, I blogged near-daily about the Course lessons I follow every year. In fact, it was you guys, my lovely readers, who convinced me to turn those reflections into a book.

Lately, the muses have been tapping me on the shoulder. “Hey, Pam,” they keep bugging me. “It’s time.”

Evidently, they have another book they’d like me to deliver. Like training for a marathon or really anything that requires a bit of time and attention, you have to work your muscles. You have to practice. When I’m writing every day, the words start flowing like lava from Mount Vesuvius.

My belief is that anyone who wants to write just has to show up and start taking notes. The Cosmic Concierge, as I often call it, does the heavy lifting.

At this point, it won’t be daily—especially since I’m heading out of town for a week. But I am making this commitment to the muses and to you. It’s much easier to keep your word when you give it to others. I have this annoying tendency to break some of the resolutions I only mention to myself.

So thank you for being my workout partners. Here’s my thought for the day:

I just read Ellen Langer’s new book, The Mindful Body. I’ve written about this Harvard psychology professor before.  She does lots of research that keeps proving thoughts play a starring role in our health. She’s the one who did the study about the hotel maids who lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and reduced their body mass index once they were told their job amounted to a full body workout. They changed nothing EXCEPT their beliefs.

Langer believes most medicine is simply a prod for our minds to heal our bodies. She mentioned that Thomas Jefferson’s doctor, a prominent physician of his time, regularly prescribed placebos and told America’s third president that disease was largely psychological.

This statement, of course, will get you booed out of most Madison Avenue offices today. After all, there is big, big money to be made from dispensing medicine.

But like everything, it pays to notice who benefits from creating perceptions of need, especially those that involve disease, scarcity and fear.

I prefer aligning my beliefs with Aristotle who said “a quiet, happy mind makes the body healthy.” Happy minds also provide about anything else you might need.

Have a marvelous Tuesday, my dears!!

#222 Forever!

Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest book, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World)