Anne's Note reminds us of The Joy of Reunions. The Main article, Look for the Presence, emphasizes our need for recognizing the Presence in the midst of everyday life. The Healthy Living article, Self-Massage, offers some suggestions for helping yourself through massage. The Anne Talk, EZosophy, is another opportunity to learn how practicing EZosophy can make our lives EZier. The Featured Product this month is Anne's first book, Offbeat Prayers for the Modern Mystic.

The EZ Mantra: "Everything can be EZ or at least EZier." – Anne Sermons Gillis

Living EZosophy, June 14, 2016
Published Weekly on Tuesday Mornings

Phone: 281-419-1775
Email: [email protected]

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  A Note From Anne

Our Ageless Mind

Dear ,

What a wonderful time I've had going to my 50th high school reunion. Lucy, our dog, Jim, my husband, and I drove to Greenville, North Carolina. We stayed with cousin Libby in Black Jack, visited my nephew and his family in Williamson, visited with my brother in Bath, with my childhood neighbor in Greenville, and attended two wonderful shindigs. I planned one of the reunion events and it was a resounding success. Seeing old classmates, hugging, picture taking, and reminiscing provided a soul tonic. I missed the first reunions because I thought I wouldn't have a good time or fit in or what other ego based logic my mind spit out. Then one year I attended my 25th reunion and was transported to another time. These people, regardless of how large or small a role they played in my early life, formed the warp and weave of the amazing container I call my life. From then on, I attended every reunion.

This 50th reunion was magic. There were people there that I started kindergarten with that remained in the same schools with me for 14 years. 30 of our classmates had passed away and we acknowledged them. It was sobering to realize how many of us were gone and that we would never see some of the people at this reunion again.

There is always a unifying constant, and as the egoic mind trumpets its message of separation, the Source of our Being belts out the music of the unity. We are one world, one people, and one life and, as far as I see it, each encounter is a divine appointment. What began as seemingly unrelated events, encounters, and friendships, gave way to the foundation that gave me my groove! Thank you Greenville, NC and Rose High School for raising me.

After the reunion quest, we left Greenville and spent a couple of hours with Jim's sister at Oak Island, then we were off to see my wonderful grandchildren in Charleston, S.C. We went from there to see my niece and sister in Ormond Beach, Florida then headed home. What a privilege it is to travel and see friends and relatives and to join with my human family on such a personal level.

Anne

  Main Article

Look for the Presence

As I walk the neighborhood paths, I marvel at the canopy of trees bowing toward each other. It's a tree tunnel. I stop and touch a tree and think “Wherever two or more are gathered together, in my name, I am there in the midst.” The tree and I are touching essence and we are in harmony; I experience the mystical third. But there are not really three; there is just one Presence—Radical Presence.

When we recognize that we are one with everything, we see the Presence as everything. Our awareness is the radio that receives the signal of oneness from the Infinite Intelligence, known to most as God. When our minds are scattered and tattered by the winds of thought and the demands of our comprehensive “to do” lists, the Oneness signal is obscured and we experience the illusion of separation.

The story of Adam and Eve is the story of separation. No one really ousted them from the Garden of Eden; their minds took them from oneness to duality. Their consciousness created that sense of separation. The state of Oneness holds everything, even opposites, in a loving embrace where conflict can't exist, but Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They moved from Oneness to duality. Adam and Eve became the lost children of God (Presence, Consciousness).

The story of the great separation moves throughout our most powerful literature. The children of Israel are lost. They seek their homeland. Dante's Inferno speaks to the ultimate separation. The knight's journey is about the healing of this thought of separation from the source.

Many ask why this sense of separation occurred, but this question won't heal our sense of separation. The answer, though simple, is elusive. Oneness reveals itself to a clear, uncluttered mind, but we don't want Oneness; we want complexity. We don't want simplicity; we want challenge. The drama of living gives us a sense of existence, while stillness scares us. If we dwell in the stillness, we worry we will disappear or at least be bored. When the drama reaches danger level, we finally stop and ultimately surrender, but wouldn't it be smart to surrender before our lives got out of hand?

What was that answer? What magic can restore our vision? How can we return to the garden? It's simple. Look to the Presence. Look for the Presence in everything. Focus on the Presence rather than on words and thoughts. Look at the Presence. Look as the Presence.

One of the best ways to see oneness is to apply love to everything. Love offers freedom, and when we are free, we don't feel alone or separate; we feel oneness. When someone offends, rest in this thought: “Love is here. I don't have to wait for others to be nice to me or treat me with admiration and respect because love is already here. It is ever-present. Love is maximal in this moment, in this space.” When we focus on love, we focus on Presence, and when we focus on Presence, we return home. Love is always here; we just have to tune our awareness into it. We are one, and when we move our mind from our familiar garish mental drama to that Oneness, we always find that life is EZier and EZier.

Anne

  Quotes

"We live on the edge of consciousness, dipping in only briefly for the truth."
— Anne Sermons Gillis

"The mind is our entertainment center. We entertain ourselves with make believe stories crafted from our thoughts."
— Anne Sermons Gillis

"People don't argue because they are right; they argue to feel alive."
— Anne Sermons Gillis

"We love to view and review life, but we're not adept at actually living it."
— Anne Sermons Gillis

  Featured Product This Month

  What is EZosophy?

Click the graphic above to learn about EZosophy.

NOTE: If you are viewing this on a cell phone, be sure to scroll to the right to see the other column.

  Healthy Living

Self-Massage

I love self-massage. It is easy to do and takes just a few minutes. My favorite series of self-massage is hands, feet, and head. I like to do them when I awaken, but often when I am riding in a car, not driving, listening to a lecture, or watching, I massage my hands or feet.

There are many techniques for hand massage. Here's my sequence:

• Hold the little finger tightly in your hand, with all your fingers wrapped around the little finger, and squeeze, then pull the finger out, turning it as you pull it out. It's like you are unscrewing your finger from your other hand.
• Do this for each finger, including the thumb.
• Pinch the ends of each finger.
• Pinch the web between each finger.
• Rub the palm of the hand with your thumb while holding the back of your hand with your fingers. Rub and press all over the hand.
• Next rub the back of your hand. Lay your hand on a surface, make a fist with the other hand, and use your knuckles to stroke the exterior of your hand.
• End by shaking out your hand.

Repeat with the other hand.

Feet – use the same sequence with the feet.

Head – Stress cuts blood flow to the head. Massage increase that flow.

• Make a fist and use your knuckles to lightly tap on your head. Start in the middle of the head and tap outward into a spiral. Do this three times.
• Grasp your hair in pieces and give each hair section a little tug.
• Rub your entire scalp with your fingers.
• Massage the bottom of the scalp where it attaches to the neck.
• Pull the ears out on the top, side, and lobes.
• Rub the jaw muscles with your knuckles. Apply pressure.
• End by rubbing your hands lovingly over your entire head, including the face.

Reflexology Socks

You can buy socks like the ones pictured above that mark each part of the sock with the corresponding part of the body that is affected when you massage it.

Self-massage does more than relax the muscles. It activates pressure points and activates sluggish chi. This is a wonderful way to keep the energy going if you can't exercise due to a broken limb or other mobility issues. The head massage helps you sleep at night, but you skip the tapping. You want to calm down at night, not energize.

Use these daily or whenever the mood strikes. They are simple to do, take only a few minutes, and the benefits are tremendous.

  Anne Talks

Today's Anne Talk is an interview of Anne and her EZosophy philosophy by Ken Keis, an authority on how to increase and multiply your success rate. This is another opportunity to learn how practicing EZosophy can make our lives EZier. Time: 1:00:15.

  Anne Art

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  Anne's Schedule

All times here are Central Time.

Sunday, July 17, 2016
11 AM Service: "Creating Ease"
Unity of Brazosport
507 S. Brooks St. (Hwy 36)
Brazoria, TX 77422
Phone: 979-798-4171

  Call or Email Anne Now to Schedule
  Your Next Meeting with her.

You may reach Anne by phone at 281-419-1775 or click the button below to contact Anne by email. Anne is also available to officiate at weddings and funerals.