“The luminous and shocking beauty of the everyday is something I try to remain alert to, if only as an antidote to the chronic disenchantment that seems to surround everything these days.”—Nick Cave
Although I didn’t know it at the time, the reason the experiments in E-Squared worked so beautifully is because well, they can’t NOT work.
Gifts, winks, nods from the beneficent universe show up every single day. What the E-Squared experiments did was encourage readers to pay attention. The 48-hour experiments tricked us into temporarily shifting our focus from “oh-no” to “wow.”
Luis Alberto Urrea, the prolific Mexican-American writer and poet, was here in Lawrence this week. I loved him and his wife, Cinderella (yes, that’s her real name), SO MUCH.
A story he told about the medicine women he met while researching his amazing novel, The Hummingbird’s Daughter, brought everything into focus for me.
Every day, the shamans told him, is your birthday. Yes, you typically celebrate it once a year. However, all day, every day you’re being sent gifts.
We’re mostly blind to this avalanche of astonishment because we’re busy wanting something else—say, more followers, a skinnier body, a higher-paying job.
The world, the medicine women pointed out, never stops talking to us, never stops sending messages. We don’t always get them because, well, we’ve built a lot of walls.
The gifts aren’t always huge—maybe a ladybug or making authentic eye contact with a stranger or the majestic sky ballet of a pair of hawks overhead.
But whether you’re paying attention or not, the gifts are always there. As Urrea said, “We live in paradise and we forgot.”
Yes, I still take umbrage at things happening out there in the world. And you better believe I’m heading to a–let’s just call it a “No Kings” party– later today. But in the meantime, I plan to celebrate today’s birthday, to bring back love notes about my endless gifts.
#222 Forever!
Pam Grout is the author of 22 books including E-Squared, Thank & Grow Rich , The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World)and her latest, The Ego’s Playbook.
45 Responses
So true, Pam. As well, thanks for going to the No Kings Day. I live in Canada now but am sending lots of light to my beloved country of birth and know that, while looking at the shadow side is quite uncomfortable, whether within us or in our world, there is so much good that will come out of it all. As you suggest, it is the good and wonderful that I will focus on.
Yes, there is SO MUCH good that will come out of it–it’s all a gift!
Lovely. Everything makes sense except the part about heading to a “No Kings March.” That’s kinda focusing on something you don’t want. I’m loving what is.
Thanks
I love community and the raucous joy we create when we’re together. Believe me, there are also many gifts there.
Pam, I love everything that you write – this article included – and also, I was wondering the same thing as kw. I LOVE this reply! It’s an excellent point, and you reminded me to open my eyes just a little bit wider… Thank you!
I can imagine that it is lots of fun. I remember going to the Moratorium March in the 60’s where there was half million people on Boston Common. Exhilarating!!!
I kinda go along with kw. Nowadays I would go to a “pray for peace” demonstration or some such. Focusing “Mr. T” seems the opposite direction for me to look. Would rather focus on the beautiful Earth we live on and send some compassionate love to the folks who need it. That’s the way to change the world. I have proven to myself more that once that all we need is love. “It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”
Deborah Lee, I agree with you completely. Thank you!!
Absolutely! Absolutely! Love IS the power. The only power!
I love it when I open my email and there is something from you there! ❤️
Thank you!!! I appreciate you took the time to send me a little love note.
YES!
Yes-squared!
This was Yes to new connections of any kind as Amazing Awesomeness and Joy. Thanking you always.
I love that the only thing that’s real, the only thing that anything’s ultimately about (be it rallies, conventions, whatever) is LOVE!
I love looking for everyday joy. Now this it is spring there is a specific kind of woodpecker that shows up in my neck of the woods only this time of year and I love looking for them! I love the yellow forsythias in my yard, pink skies at night and the last of the fireplace season as frost still lingers at time 🙂 enjoy the march!
Thank you, sweet Katy G, for this beautiful gift. I love reading about your forsythias and woodpecker and pink skies.
a terrific post; I am paying attention —
Me, too! Me, too!!
Have you ever thought of doing an E2 certification for people who want to use your work (among other texts) to teach? If so, I want to do it.
If I’m remembering correctly, a lot of folks have used E-Squared for various classes, book groups, etc. No certification necessary. These gifts are freely given to all.
Hello Pam. Thank you for sharing another wonderful and insightful post! I agree, “we live in paradise and we forgot.”
I hope you won’t mind, but a thought immediately entered my mind when I heard about the “No Kings” march. This is just my take, but I think it’s valid. I’ve always found that its important to place out attention toward our intention–in other words, upon what we desire. If we don’t desire to ruled by “kings” that act like dictators, isn’t it wise to march peacefully for what we desire in mind: Say, perhaps, a knowledgable and wise politician that honors the wishes of the people that he or she is supposed to represent?
I learned this point once from another law of attraction teacher who likened our attention to an internet browser. I believe it was a “he” who said when we type in “no guns” on the internet, all of us know that the internet is going to bring up thousands of pages about guns!
Anyhoooo, not complaining. Just trying to offer, with, as always, kindness and love.
Thanks, my friend! I totally get it. I’ve even said it–about the “no” attached to anything. And I’m SO GRATEFUL I can make anything into a love fiesta! Which is really all that really exists!
You’re welcome, Pam. You know what? Right after I replied, I thought I should delete my comment. I hope you could feel that it was made from love. I once attended a rally (about “something”) and I wondered how I could go without contributing to the apparent issue.
Way to go for making anything into a love fiesta!!! Sending love and kind wishes, always!! 🙂
I went to beautiful sun filled small town rally today. I stood with a couple who had the best flags! She has stage 4 cancer and can’t afford one of the treatment option but was still so happy about being there with her husband. Not complaining, feeling blessed. We exchanged ideas about cancer and it was all perfect! My miracle today.
You said it, friend! No complaining! Just celebrating what we want to see! Because what we want to see is the truth and the structure suggesting otherwise can’t last. Because, well, they’re not REAL, they’re not TRUTH!
Today I watched my husband vacuum and vacuum this old rug over and over – the kind that never wants to shed its cat hair and other nonsense. Once he finished and left the room, I looked down at the rug and saw a single, beautiful ladybug. Either he missed it with the vaccuum, or it flew in just as he was leaving to say hello.👋
Happy Birthday to me. ✨️💗
I LOVE that you saw a ladybug! Perfect little birthday gift!!
Perfect reminder!
Thank you so much.
Kate
You are welcome so much!
Thank you Pam! I love the title of this post, I love the quotes, and I love being reminded that we live in paradise where gifts abound endlessly, even when we don’t notice them. They’re there, but we have our “block out the gifts” sunglasses on instead of our “spot the magic” ones. Silly duffers we are! I too often leave my “spot the magic” glasses at home, or on the bedside table instead of wearing them during the day, but its amazing what a difference it makes when I remember them! 😁🥸🤩 Thank you for reminding me to never take them off! 😍
Love you Pam! Big hugs being sent to you from me across the oceans between us. 🤗🌏🌎🤗
Love you, too, dear Jenny Louise! And glad we all have those “spot the magic” glasses.
I love you and I love receiving your posts. You have been a mentor to me for many years Your post opens with ‘Things are not getting worse, they’re getting uncovered…’ Things are indeed getting uncovered. But what you resist will persist and where attention goes, energy flows. I will continue to follow your lead and place my attention on everything that is good and beautiful in this world. I’m not putting my head in the sand; I am aware, but I want to help expand the good and the beautiful. So, today I’ll look for my ladybug and at some point, make eye contact and smile at a stranger. Thank you Pam for all the good you have brought to our world.
Thank you, sweet friend! I love celebrating EVERYTHING!
Absolutely Love this! A wonderful reminder !💗
Yes! As Paul and John said, “TODAY IS your BIRTHDAY!!”
Well said and a great reminder to focus on what WE can control: our focus.
Yes, always we’re in command of our focus. And I love that the things I like focusing on are actually TRUE. Whereas the other story is just a temporary blip that can’t last in the end.
I needed to be reminded of this today & everyday💖✨🌸🦋 Thank you for the reminder☮️💖
It is my pleasure!
You are such a light!!
Thank you!!
Love you, Pam, have picked up 3 of your books, love your emails, look forward to them, but to hear you fell for the no kings illusion… disappointing.
That’s what I love so much about community. We love and support each other even when we disappoint—as humans sometimes do!
Pam, I have a question. What thoughts did you think as you protested in the no Kings gathering. I felt a lot of love 💕 from people at the Boston protest.
I thought that your attending the No kings rally was just your expressing the Love you have for humanity and being the change you want to see in our world. I think it takes alot of courage to step out there for human rights Pam. I do respect everyone’s opinions, but each soul knows individually what it is called to do. We have to leave room for that💫