The Power of Meditation

Meditation is not about putting your mind into a hypnotic or empty state. Meditation helps us create an obedient mind, which yields immense benefits, including an enhanced ability to concentrate. With practice, meditation enables you to truly use your mind at will, as opposed to letting your mind use you.

For more on this and other topics to help you take control of your mind and increase the overall quality of your life, take a look at my most recent book The Short Book on Happiness, available through my website http://www.davidcanebooks.com/

I also post a weekly affirmation and Bible passage on my site. Please visit when you can...my website is geared toward providing useful tools and practice exercises to promote spiritual growth and overall happiness.

My best to you, and thanks for visiting...David Cane

Visualization Instruction for Today

I thought I would share a wonderful passage from Charles Haanel's "The Master Key System" on the practice of visualization. He sums it up brilliantly, as follows: "Make the mental image. Make it clear, distinct, perfect. Hold it firmly. The ways and means will develop. Supply will follow demand. You will be led to do the right thing at the right time and in the right way."

Joy and happiness to you today and always, and may all of your dreams come true...David Cane

Gratitude

The greater your feeling of gratitude, the more good will flow into your life. One of the most profound books ever written, in my opinion, was The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles, published in 1910. In his book, Wattles makes the following statement about gratitude. His words are as true today as they were when he wrote them:

The soul that is always grateful lives in closer touch with God than the one which never looks to him in thankful acknowledgement. The more gratefully we fix our minds on the Supreme when good things come to us, the more good things we will receive, and the more rapidly they will come; and the reason simply is that the mental attitude of gratitude draws the mind into closer touch with the source from which the blessings come.

Make your gratitude list today, and review it each morning...you will be astounded at the results if you practice this consistently.

Thanks for your visit...best of life to you....David Cane

Thoughts on Faith

Faith is knowing, with no doubt, that something you have asked for will happen. What you have asked for is a fact, even though it may not yet have manifested. My favorite definition of faith can be found in the bible. Hebrews 11:1 says that “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” (New American Bible) If you really think about what this means, and recognize the power and wonder behind these words, you might conclude that you have been selling yourself short for a long time. “The evidence of things not seen.” Other words for evidence are proof, confirmation, and support. What this tells us is that, if you pray for something, although you don’t see it, it already exists if you really believe. If you have this kind of unwavering faith, life just becomes a timing issue.

What are your thoughts on faith?

Spiritual Fitness

What constitutes spiritual well-being, and ultimately happiness? I believe we each need to answer this question for ourselves. For me, it is being comfortable with who I am at this moment. With myself, my relationship with God, and the direction my life is going. Most imortantly, attainment of these things has nothing to do with my current circumstances in life, or what's going on around me. Happiness is an "inside job" and once we understand and pursue this, the external world loses it's power. How exhilarating and wonderful it is to feel great at this moment...

For more on the topic of happiness, check out my recent interview on the Dr. Carole Lieberman Radio Show (go to March 3, 2009 Archives - The Cure for Your 'Money Blues' http://www.drcarole.com/radio.htm to listen to the show. Also, The Short Book on Happiness is available through my website http://davidcanebooks.com/

Affirmation for today: I deserve to be happy

Best to you...David Cane

Happiness in a Difficult Economy

Here is an op-ed piece I just completed, which is in the process of being published. I would love to get your feedback and thoughts!

The week of January 19th, 2009 was nothing short of exhilarating. I, like many, was inspired by the inaugural festivities and the optimism that was in the air during that unprecedented event. Everyone around me, it seemed, was happy for a couple of days, and felt that Obama was the answer to the financial turmoil our nation has been experiencing. It was amazing to me that in the midst of the most volatile economic environment our country has ever encountered we could generate such a collective, upbeat outlook.

As I pondered this further, I realized that if we could maintain this positive sentiment, many of the nation’s economic woes would diminish significantly. I say this because it is my belief that much of the downward trend in the economy is perception-driven. If we can improve our outlook, regardless of what is going on around us, together we can transform our nation.
We should not wait for the economy to get better. Rather, we need to make it better. Turning things around for this country starts with each individual. Yes, our nation is in economic chaos, but the ability to pursue life, liberty and happiness is still alive and well. As Abe Lincoln said many years ago, we are as happy as we make our minds up to be. Our nation’s well-being, I believe, is rooted in the American spirit. Our freedom of choice provides what we need to re-ignite that spirit. We can’t allow the Dow to quell our dreams.

The sooner we begin to take ownership for our own happiness, and stop relying on external conditions, the economy will get better and stay better. If we each do our part by practicing a new way of thinking, we can create a culture of sustained optimism.
Here are three things we can do to contribute individually to our own happiness, and collectively to the happiness of our nation:

1 – Take Ownership of Your Mind. Do you use your mind, or does it use you? One effective way to cultivate a positive outlook is by using positive affirmations. The affirmation “Today I choose to be happy,” for instance, if repeated silently to yourself for 10 minutes each day, will help you begin the process of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.
2 – Practice Gratitude. Each morning spend a few minutes focusing on those things you are grateful for. No matter what your present situation, move your thoughts to the things you can appreciate, such as the freedom to pursue happiness, your health, your family, your friends, etc. As you begin to see the “glass half full,” you will feel better about your life, regardless of external conditions.
3 – Accept the Present Moment. Accept where you are, but know where you are going. Acceptance is not a copout, rather it is a very powerful way to reduce stress and relieve any burden you may be experiencing right now. As you accept the present moment and your current circumstances, whatever they may be, you eliminate resistance, and can then move toward creating the future you want.

We are responsible for our happiness, and being happy is an “inside job.” Internal prosperity leads to external prosperity. We are also responsible for doing our part to contribute to the prosperity of this great nation, and choosing to be happy is a great way to do just that.

David Cane resides in Washington, DC and has been involved in Human Resources management for several large, global corporations. He is also the author of The Short Book on Happiness-Transform Your Life in 10 Days and can be contacted at his website at www.davidcanebooks.com <http://www.davidcanebooks.com>