BETTER LIVING INSTITUTE

The Ever-Flowing Cup of Love

by Kira Van Ittersum

An Original Story ©2008

Once upon a time in a shire of old, a lovely young maiden set about her day as she usually did, making her porridge and brewing her tea in anticipation of her daily morning visit with friends. Each day the woodsmen would rap on her door and come gaily to sit about her cozy table sharing hearty laughs and endearing camaraderie, discussing in detail the colorful turns and times of their good lives. And so it was that she now eagerly prepared to accept them.

Soon, as she expected, a rap was heard, and she ran gleefully and swung open the heavy door to her cottage. There on her doorstep stood the rumpled heap of a man, wearing a hooded garb of filth and fray. Momentarily she was astonished and stumped. And then he spoke, “Could thou please provide a little sustenance for a poor old beggar? I have traveled far, and am in need of food and rest. Would thee be so kind as to allow me entrance here?’’

“Oh, dear me,” she said, catching her balance. “Indeed, come forth and I will gladly feed thee, sir.” And with that he gained his place about her table. Reaching into the cupboard, she found a special, highly prized cup, the one she saved for honored guests. She rinsed it well and filled it to the brim with warm tea and set it before her shabby guest. “There now, do drink!” she pronounced gladly. “And let me fill a bowl of porridge for thee also. I have made it very hearty. I feel thee shall enjoy it!” And she served him up a portion of the steamy, tasty delight.

Soon other rappings were heard and other guests were seated, though talk and laughter felt stilted on this awkward morning, and wary looks were exchanged, as her friends did not know what to make of this strange new visitor among them. She cast frowns of displeasure to every stammering, but familiar guest, and before long they were gently made to understand that her new guest deserved better of them.

In little time they were all offering him smiles and the welcome banter of their wee club, and he then became animated and joyous in their presence. They were all quite amazed at the knowledge he possessed about their small kingdom, and delighted in the colorful tales and adventures he shared. Most of them could remember the names and figures he recollected, and the lore he presented in detail certainly pointed to the fact that he had more than a passing knowledge of the area, and the tales often told in the shire. His methods of reintroducing these events were intimate, detailed, and spiked with humor, bringing about gales of laughter! Everyone present was impressed with his language and manner, despite his rough looks. After a bit the new friend took his leave with jolly handshakes and abundant thanks.

Once she had led her new guest to the door and bid him farewell, the others turned to their hostess imploringly. Things had turned out well enough. Even so, one after another summoned her answers to the questions they couldn’t help themselves from asking. ”Wherever did you find such a man? An interesting character indeed! Why is it that none of us have ever heard of him? And we noticed right off that you had offered him the special cup you save for fine visitors!”

“It turned out well indeed, yet, in all honesty I must tell you that I knew him not at all, “ she said, looking at them and blushing rather impishly. “And, yea, I must admit that for a slight instant, considering his state, I knew not what to say to him when he showed up at my doorstep asking my assistance. But then I thought of each of thee, and I knew that should any one of thee ever be in such need, I should only hope that someone like me, who had more than enough, would be willing to provide for thee. Then of course, my choice was wisely made, and I set about doing what any one of us would do for each other. It was no choice at all really. As for the cup, he had the greatest need, and so I gave him the best I had to offer. But, as for the content, every cup I served contained the same degree of love and nourishment; of that thou may be assured.”

Everyone had to agree that a blessing had occurred there that day, for each had made a new and wonderful acquaintance. Her friends then headed into their day, well fed, and happy with her decision.

The very next day a proclamation went forth from the palace that read thusly, “Your once miserable and miserly old king has just returned from an anonymous excursion into his shire. He is now a much wiser and nobler creature, having felt the good nature of his neighbors. Therefore, let every frail or hungry one among us now come forth to the palace to be fed, cloaked, and warmed. We are a good people who have plenty. Let it be known by those in need that our cups runneth over with kindness and nourishment for all.”

And so it is, in that far-off shire, to this very day!

 

Overcoming Fear

by Kira Van Ittersum

I said yesterday that I would continue about overcoming fear today. Let me say this, again an extension of yesterday’s entry, if you are worried about appearing egotistical, as I once was, you probably are. That is, it is only by having enough self-love to surpass the need for outer approval that you can truly get beyond the ego. Ego is an approval seeking entity. I hope this makes sense. Eventually, through God you learn to become your own source, which may sound egocentric, but it’s actually just the opposite. As long as we are seeking others to fill us up we can never fully be ourselves, let alone serve others. When we let God fill us up, we enter a state of self-reliance, knowing that, at the spiritual level, what we are is divine. We are all made of the same Spirit, and we wish to express that in our lives and to see it expressed in those around us.

            I do not think that I know all of the answers for you at any given moment, but I know that the answers are available, and together we may figure out a way to access them.

How do I know this? In the words of Deepak Chopra “When you feel that you have been touched by grace, that is your clue that God exists and cares about what happens to you.”

Many years ago, before I became a member of the clergy, I was atheist. People who know me now have trouble believing this, but it’s true. I thought that religion was a crutch for those who could not accept the finite nature of life. It wasn’t any dramatic event that changed my beliefs either. It was the continual wear and tear of life, the general purposeless road I was traveling. In short, I got weary. And there was also a persistent voice within me that kept saying, “I know I am a good person. Why is my life such a mess?”

            Life wasn’t a mess, but I was. I was totally out of alignment with my sacred center. One day when I was feeling particularly miserable, I screamed out in despair to God, “I don’t know who you are or what you are, but I know that you are there. Please, help me.” Within a week I had found a pathway that suited me at the time. That was the beginning of my healing path, and of my journey toward self-love. Perhaps giving my life to God is all the more important to me, because I’ve known the deep despair of life isolated from my Source. Once I realized that God is an abiding part of myself, surrendering to it seemed so much less daunting. It’s as if I had known this great truth, and I had resisted the definition of an outer apparition that ruled the world. I was like Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” realizing that everything I ever needed to find my way home had been a part of me all along, the part of me I knew as good and loving.

            Love yourself. Trust yourself, and know that you are God. We are all

 

Keep Sharing

by Kira Van Ittersum

There was a time when I was frozen by an inner dialog that kept me from sharing myself with others in an attempt to thwart the ego and keep it at bay. I so wanted to serve a higher purpose, not glorifying myself, as if by sharing what is good about me might diminish someone else. I’m still uncertain about this unseen force that keeps us nullifying our own abilities, playing small in the world, hiding what is best about us, fearing reprisals. At some point we have to get over all of that. We have to start speaking with a capital “I”, relinquishing all admonitions, leaving off any concern for how others may perceive us, especially when we know our intentions are for the good of the whole.

We do this with abandon the moment we become parents. There is no choice. There is a child in our charge. We set boldly about doing the job of parenting with resilience we never dreamed possible. Though we may feel uncertain of every decision we make along the way, we don’t sit about for days wondering about the proper way to change a diaper, or to feed a hungry little mouth, or quell demanding cries for assistance. With bleary eyes and determined fortitude we just get about what has to be done. Love keeps us going.

Love is the same force that moved me from fear to action in order to do what I’m doing. The reality is that I have only myself to express in this world. As much as it would be nice to remain anonymous, doing so would limit rather than forward my intentions.

What I’ve come to realize is that we are innately social beings, born with this need to be with others and to share what is best of ourselves. That much we have in common with our creator. God has shared all that it is with each of us. Like God we reach out to touch one another, to know and to be known.

In my own case, I discovered time and again that those I might fear offending are simply phantom friends who drop away into the busy terrains of their own lives, no malice between us, only different priorities. I found nothing missing in my life without their support. Others had stepped forward to take their place. In service of the greater good, there is never a lack of support.

Hang in there. Speak your truth. Never think yourself unimportant or unworthy. You are as much God’s emissary and anyone. Keep in touch, and may the blessings be!

 

Finding Inspiration

by Kira Van Ittersum

Recently Turner Classic Movies aired “The Agony and the Ecstasy”, a movie in which Charlton Heston portrays Michelangelo painting the frescoes that adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He had been commissioned by the Pope Julius II, who ruled, to decorate the ceilings of the big, barn like building bringing glory to God, and perhaps also to the pope, himself. Michelangelo had complained vehemently, saying that he was a sculptor, and not a “painter”. Yet, finding no release, he set about the work that he was compelled to do. He and his assistants built the scaffolding and painstakingly created stencils of the figures to be painted. But Michelangelo was not pleased with his work. Not much progress had been made when late one night he stormed into the sanctuary smashing and destroying the work he had thus far completed. Then he fled from the area and went home to Tuscany.

He was searching his soul, feeling that his work on the frescoes had not been right. He was intent on finding an answer to this dilemma. One day, while contemplating and staring into the Tuscan heavens, in that great sky cathedral above him he saw in some passing cloud formations the story of man’s holy creation and his relationship to his creator. You see, before Michelangelo could tell the story inspired by the Divine, he had to first be alone to see with God’s eyes. Scene after scene was revealed to him and soon he had the full story ready to share with the Pope.

Then, with renewed certainty Michelangelo confidently approached the Pope at a time when he was preparing to do battle with invading armies, and, with a single purpose, laid out his plan for the Sistine frescoes. The Pope took the time to look at the new drawings, for, after all, he was, first and foremost, a man of God, and he immediately concurred that Michelangelo had been right to seek this divine inspiration. Recognizing the genius he had originally counted on, the Pope forgave the artist’s boldness, and set him back to work. The miraculous beauty of the Sistine Chapel is the end result of that glorious insight.

We all have this connection to the glory of our own inner voice. Each of us can be divinely directed and brilliant in our work and in our lives. Like Michelangelo, we need only spend some quiet time in the peace and stillness of our own hearts to find inspiration.

 

Can You Go Home Again?

by Kira Van Ittersum

You can go home again. This I surmised after contemplating a question once asked of me. It was an interesting question and my answer, the answer, was even more interesting, though I hadn’t quite seen it at the time. God is always speaking if we could only pay attention.

I took a creative writing class at the Troy Library in a suburb north of Detroit. The class was taught by reminiscence. We were in a sense, writing the stories of our lives. The instructor purposely used pieces of music, art, rhymes and poetry to remind us of special memories, pulling out pictures and movies from file cabinets in our heads. She posed questions and gave us in-class assignments, allowing time for us to spill our past out onto paper. Often we would share the results of these exercises.

One day she said, “Thomas Wolfe said, ‘You can’t go home again.’ What do you think about that? Can you go home again?”  It occurs to me now that it is undoubtedly the theme of all our lives, for we are all going home. It’s the deep seated longing that we feel when we look upon a sunset, or the sacred mystery we touch when we look into the unspoiled eyes of a newborn baby.

Here’s what I wrote that day:

“Despite what Thomas Wolfe said, you can go home again. They say that home is where the heart is, and since the heart is limitless, that part of us which shifts with our awareness and imagination beyond barriers of time and space, each of us has the ability to instantly be wherever we focus our attention. It is by our attention that we can travel to the home in our memory and perhaps our dreams to re-experience the sensual pleasures and distresses of days gone by. Those earlier experiences can come to life for us again and again in vivid panoramic pictures, complete with sound, taste and sensation, and, if we are truly focused, we can pluck from these past life encounters a story to share, a lesson to teach, or an episode to move the hearts of others. If we desire, we can allow our stories to transform the lives of those around us, and thus give new meaning to our own existence, finding ourselves astonishingly ‘at home’ wherever we go.”

Perhaps you have a story or two from your life that you could share. Your life can be an intended blessing to the world. Who knows what your impact might be? One story at a time.

 

Being Like God

by Kira Van Ittersum

Some days when I awaken, for any one of a plethora of circumstances, I temporarily forget to be happy, forget that I am a part of a grand design. Sometimes I just don't feel good, I'm tired, I've eaten too much dairy or wheat or chocolate, my head throbs and I'm not with it.

Thankfully I have a practice, a habit that never fails to make things better. I wrap myself in warmth. I focus on what is real for me. I find a verse, or a song, or an activity...perhaps reading from a letter or a special book...sometimes my own journal. My mood begins to soften, my thoughts begin to crystalize into star dust, and I sprinkle myself into peace. It's right here within me...that connection to truth and joy.

Then often, like today, I sit down to write.

As an essential element in God’s eternal birthing, I am the writer through whom God writes. I am God in action. God and I are One. What is it that you are saying today, my Dear Beloved Creator? What do you wish to express?

“Life is movement! Get up! Get moving! Make each moment count! See the beauty! Drink it in. See the tapestry I paint for you. Stay awake through this Life we are making. Leave the misery of complaint. Be happy! Make each moment count. I am with you. I know you intimately, love you completely, accept you and want you with me always. I am the Lord thy God, the best of all that is or ever will be, and I choose to spend eternity here with you.  Where you are, I am. Your importance cannot be matched! You have my undivided attention. I am in every breath that you breathe. You exist because of me. I am the Life that flows through you. Trust me. Know me. Believe me. See me, feel me, hold me, BE ME! What I am, you are. You are made in my image. We are bold, adventurous, curious, excited! You are worthiest of all, made of the good stock! You have my full support. Let’s get going! We are making love. Rejoice in the love we are making. The best is yet to come! We are ecstasy, you and I. Hmmm, and you didn’t know. You’re in the palm of my hand, Dear . . . always here in the palm of my hand.”

 

The Importance of Interdependency

by Kira Van Ittersum

Time and time again I hear people talk about the dangers of being co-dependent, the inference being that it is a bad thing to depend on another. I don’t agree with that outlook. Certainly, we want to be capable and able to take care of ourselves to a point, but I don’t think that we were actually meant to go it alone in life. We are here to form bonding relationships, and to learn from those relationships. I don’t want to do everything for myself, and I don’t want my loved ones to think they have to either. I’m here to help in any way that I can. Giving to others gives my life its greatest meaning and purpose, and I wouldn’t want to miss that.

Just this morning one of my grown kids called to enlist my aid in naming his new company. He explained the parameters of his mission, and gave me a long list of web domain possibilities, asking me to hone it down to those I like best. It took me some time, but soon I was able to shoot him an email with my favorites. Then we chatted on AIM till we had come to a near consensus. The whole experience was a lot of fun. Not for a moment did I think that he couldn’t figure it all out for himself. The fact is that it was a whole lot more enjoyable to share.

I know a lot of people who rely on each other for support in all kinds of ways and in varying degrees. I think when a key player is lost, whether it’s a family, coupling, or other organizational member, that player is missed, as well they should be. It doesn’t mean we can’t regroup and figure out how to do things in other ways. It doesn’t mean we’re crippled for life. It means we had someone wonderful, someone of great substance, someone we cherished and valued, and the loss of that someone is most definitely felt. If that’s being co-dependent, sign me up. I don’t want to live in a life that is sterile and uncomplicated. It’s not for me.

I like the idea of interdependency. That’s when people who are whole and complete come together to share their talents and strengths for the good of the whole. And the greatest strength we share is our love. It’s really hard to do that alone.

What do you think?

 

Does Law of Attraction Really Work?

by Kira Van Ittersum

 

It’s all about vibrations. What you are emitting is what is coming back to you. It’s cause and effect, plain and simple.

Negative vibrations can affect you and your life for days afterward. We all have our share of weird energy, black hole days. The remedy: Watch what you’re thinking and simply ask yourself one question, “Is this what I want?” If it isn’t, stop thinking that thought. Think a new thought. Then those days when things are out of whack just seem to happen less and less.

If you trust in a higher power (however you think of it) to assist you, you can make an affirmation for your good and for the good of the whole. You can say, “I trust you to deliver my good. I know that you are in control of the solution that is for my highest and best good. I want peace and harmony in this situation. I ask for your help and I accept your love and guidance now. Thank you.” Then surrender the problem—whatever you perceive it to be and know that it is already taken care of, as now your order to the Universe has been placed.

Think about this: When you order something online, you expect it to show up. If it doesn’t, you know something is amiss, because you deserve it. You paid for it. Right?  It’s the same when you place an order with the Universe. If you’ve paid with belief and feeling, your order eventually shows up, and often in a way that fits you better than you even conceived possible. So, you can relax and trust. Be in that space of peace. Good is always with you and for you, and your order never gets misplaced.

Now I’m not saying you should stay in a bad or abusive situation . . . especially if you don’t see improvements there. It’s perfectly all right to use discernment and then do something to make a change for yourself, but it is much better for you if you can do that with peace in your heart. You don’t have to make others wrong. Just let them be, and watch as changes begin to occur, and you’ll find that you can move on to another experience that is a better match for you. Life doesn’t have to be a war.

You know the Law of Attraction is really the big Kahuna of all laws. It not only determines what happens in your own life, but it determines the life of the planet too. It’s been around for a long time . . . like forever . . . and, even so, many people still know very little about it. That’s why at the Better Living Institute we put a lot of emphasis on this law, but not in a forceful way. You are always free to accept, or not accept, anything we teach here. We respect your right to that freedom of choice. Still, we put it out there, because, having heard more about a subject, you may come to then notice this law and its influence in your own life. I believe that we are attracting, whether by conscious choice or not, all of the time. So, this knowledge may add something to your toolbox.

At the Better Living Institute we put emphasis on this. None of us is perfect, as far as I know, at being positive every moment or at magnetizing or attracting only those things that we want at every moment either. We are still learning newer and better ways to recondition our minds . . . changing habits and feeding ourselves proactively the kinds of thoughts and images that forward our goals and desires. It would be nice if we could just take a pill to make our lives instantly take a turn for the better. Here we know better living is a process. We are all learning. Perhaps the only way to root out negativity is to take responsibility for everything you think. You are ultimately the source of your own vibrations. You have to make adjustments in order to begin attracting what you want in life. There is no other way. The buck stops with you. It’s your personal responsibility.

Want cooperation? Give out praise, appreciation and kindness.

Are you barking orders? You can expect resistance.

Are you acting annoyed and impatient? Then you are more than likely attracting frustration and anger.

Spewing gossip and complaints? Your whole life may be a bit messy.

On the other hand, if you are being kind and loving, you are probably attracting helpfulness and solutions beyond your wildest dreams. How sweet is that?!! 

You see; it’s a no-brainer!

Other corrections to implement toward attracting your good might be:

• Good food
• Good music
• Loving, positive friends and family
• Humor or comedy
• Rest & relaxation
• Positive art
• Enriching stories
• Good movies

There is so much that we are only now learning about the brain and the mind, and the function of the universe at the most minute levels. New information is transformational and nothing short of phenomenal in its impact on our understanding of human behavior.

I have a lot of compassion for those who are skeptical, for I, myself, do not fully understand all of this. No one does. But I am fascinated enough to be paying attention. It behooves us all to keep an open mind for there are, in fact, laws that affect us in reality whether or not we fully understand them. I believe that the law of attraction is such a law, and that each of us is attracting whatever resonates with the vibrations that we are emitting, whether or not we know about this law, agree about this law, or even like it.

This is common sense. On some level, we all know how the attitudes we emit do help to shape our lives. And, because we can choose the kind of attitudes we adopt and the mental disposition we are living in, we honestly do have a lot to do with determine our reality. We each control the people we associate with, the television shows we watch, the conversations we choose to engage in, the recreational activities we engage in, the books and other media we read and watch. Even our reactions are our choice. We have that ability.

With time and practice, we can learn to live consciously in a more loving, kind, level headed fashion. You can, indeed, focus on the visions you want to create and see them as true, shaping that truth from the center of your heart. This isn’t rocket science. It’s not a hard concept to understand. You can see changes with very little effort.

 

If you have a story you would like to share with me, please comment to me below.

If you would like to use this entry in your own publication or on your web site, you may do so, but please use it in its entirety and include the following information:

Inspirational author and teacher, Kira Van Ittersum, is happy to share ideas and stories that move us toward kinder, more humane life principles and solutions that work for everyone. To hear more from Kira, please visit www.betterlivinginstitute.com. Thank you.

I Pledge to Be Fully Alive!

by Kira Van Ittersum

Hello everyone. I have been transitioning for a while, cocooning and changing, getting my own house in order so to speak.

My sabbatical has helped me. I see that life is not so much about providing all of the right answers, as it is about perhaps asking some of the right questions. It is also about listening and caring, about providing an open heart, and seeing through the eyes of another, perhaps rising to a view that has no side, but chooses to, in some way, serve all sides, allowing for an understanding of many viewpoints. We cannot truly love others if we cannot even begin to see who they are, to have some understanding of what they value and why. Perhaps if we look in enough corners, and enough hearts, we will find many of the solutions, that together we are seeking.

I’ve read so many books this year that I’ve totally lost count. I’m thrilled that so many beautiful people are sharing their thoughts and their wisdom, a reminder to me that we do little good by burying our light. Cocooning is okay for a while, but the time comes to practice again being alive and present out in the world.

Today I resume this endeavor to share and impact life for the better, one tiny step at a time. At the Better Living Institute there is a welcoming of caring people everywhere who have ideas and actions that attempt to bring peace and help to our world community. I am grateful to be here, grateful for this opportunity to begin sharing again.

This year I’ve been seriously taking on the concept of living in integrity. I am in no way perfect at any of this yet. However, today I am healthier. I am eating better food, preparing most of my meals at home, choosing what is more nourishing. When possible, I take a walk or do other exercise every day. As much as possible I keep my thoughts centered on the positive, spend time in meditation, being present in the peace that is within me, and seek humor and light entertainment or uplifting music and literature. I contemplate and ask for guidance from that inner Presence that is the source of all. I formulate my own goals and desires out of this guidance, because this is what I have observed working. As I question, the answers, appear. As this process continues, I trust more and more in that inner voice of inspiration, and I recognize it when it speaks. When I am aligned with that Inner Voice, life feels loving and good.

This is really a survival approach. The world has been in turmoil, and times are changing. So each of us is called to be at our best, for even more change is on the way. We are challenged to live our truth and to give service. In my case, I am living up to my reputation of being the “glue” in people’s lives, holding the space for the loving world I wish to create here. That first begins with making life right in my own domain.

Here’s what I placed on the wall above my computer a few months ago. “I choose to do my work enthusiastically, because it nourishes and enriches my own life. My work pleases me first, and then pleases others. I fully recognize that I can most effectively assist others when my own life is alive! So, from this day forward, my work is always done with creativity and excitement. This is my pledge to myself and to God (Source Energy). I pledge to be alive!” — Kira Van Ittersum

I am working again on creating stories that illustrate universal principles of love and kindness, for I believe the world needs these qualities. And I plan to record my stories, because my voice is healing, and it is a gift, which I now believe I can and should share. When my stories are recorded, I will begin making them available to anyone who wishes to read and/or listen. Perhaps speaking from my heart is the best that I can do for this world. So, I’m back at it, having never really left in spirit.

 

If you have a story you would like to share with me, please comment to me below.

If you would like to use this entry in your own publication or on your web site, you may do so, but please use it in its entirety and include the following information:

Inspirational author and teacher, Kira Van Ittersum, is happy to share ideas and stories that move us toward kinder, more humane life principles and solutions that work for everyone. To hear more from Kira, please visit  www.betterlivinginstitute.com. Thank you.

We Are Each Our Own Gift to the World

by Kira Van Ittersum

Each of us is our own gift to the world. Someone in this moment is saying, “Huh? Who? Me? I don’t think so.” So, here’s an exercise to try. Take a moment to sit quietly and remember something good, a happy time when all felt right in the world. We all have some of those memories. Let them speak to you right now. Allow your heart to open and just be with that rich sense of contentment that your sweet memory invokes, bringing those feelings into the present…into your now. Spend time with this positive experience for a few minutes each day, and watch to see what miracles occur.

We attract to us more and more of who we are. When we consciously appreciate what is good in our lives, we bring forth more good. It is the miracle of creation that is our birthright. Likewise, when you dwell on your misfortunes, you bury your good, and tend to snuff out any miracles that may be waiting in store for you. You see, you create your own universe by the state of your own consciousness.

Whether you take responsibility or not, just watch and see what is happening. This is the process of creation. The more you accept this and understand it, the more ease you will have in creating a life you enjoy. It all begins with a thankful heart, by being content and giving your joy to the world. Then a matching gift boomerangs into your life and lifts you further.

 

If you have a story you would like to share with me, please comment to me below.

If you would like to use this entry in your own publication or on your web site, you may do so, but please use it in its entirety and include the following information:

Inspirational author and teacher, Kira Van Ittersum, is happy to share ideas and stories that move us toward kinder, more humane life principles and solutions that work for everyone. To hear more from Kira, please visit  www.betterlivinginstitute.com. Thank you.