Ah Man Blog

Remembering Faith, Tradition and Community

And so the holiday season officially starts.  What does that mean for you?  For many people, it usually means the beginning of holiday shopping.  For some of us, this year will be different.  We will have to think twice about spending money on lots of gifts.  And for some, it will not even be a matter of thinking twice; it will just be impossible.

How will you react to not having as much disposable income this year?  Will you feel deprived?  Or will you just tighten your belt, put your head down and try to get through this financially tough time?

Remember that gifts are not always things purchased from stores.  The best gift someone receives from you might well be your compassion and giving of yourself.  Remember that you are a part of the greater community of humankind.  And even more importantly, you and all of your faith and belief are gifts from God.

No matter what your financial situation is, focus on what the upcoming holidays are really about.  Whether you observe Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or some other custom, I urge you to approach the holiday season with hope and joy.

To learn more about Michael Hoare and Ah-Man visit here.

Thanksgiving

Is not every day a day of thanks?  Knowing that there are others who don't have what we have is one thing.  Doing something about it is another.  We can all do something.  Smile to all you see.  Help others in whatever way you can.  You can always give something: a prayer, a dollar, food, an encouraging word, etc.

In the beginning, Thanksgiving was a harvest festival; a time to express appreciation for the abundant harvest.  Today, families get together to share food and love.  However, it's not always so easy to share the love (not to mention trust, forgiveness and acceptance), even with -- or maybe especially with -- the people with whom we are the closest.

Let's face it.  Sometimes it's difficult to be with other family members.  Especially when they are causing some type of pain.  Try to remember that it could be that they are in pain without even knowing it.

We are living in difficult times; times when it may be difficult to rise above the challenges and see the goodness in our loved ones.  And if, despite your efforts, you just cannot see that goodness, then try to see them as children of God.  You might not know why it is they act the way they do, but try to let it go and leave it with God.

Have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving!

To learn more about Michael Hoare and Ah-Man, visit here.

National Elections Over: God Wins!

When we slow down and smell the roses, as the saying goes, we can see that everything that happens reflects Divine timing.  Does that mean we do nothing?  No!  We do what we think is the right thing.  We vote for who we believe is the best person to run our great nation, our state, our community.  It's not about being right or wrong.  It's about standing up for what we feel is right, and letting go of our expectations when it's over.  The Big Bang happened over 13 billion years ago, and if the temperature were off by just 1/14,000th of a degree, human life would not exist.  There is a Divine plan!

So if things went your way with the elections, you should feel good, but that does not mean you need to rub it in someone else's face.  That will serve no purpose, except to disconnect you from your heart . . . your Ah-Man.

If the elections did not go your way, pouting about it won't help, that's for sure.  That too will disconnect you from your Ah-Man.

Remember to do your best and leave the rest up to God . . . the Universe . . . your Higher Power . . . whatever name you have for that which you believe in.

As Sri Daya Mata, a great devotee of God, once said, "It never really matters what happens, but what we become through what happens."

To learn more about Michael Hoare and Ah-Man, visit here.

Forgiveness and Acceptance

For the primordial man, trust brought freedom, faith and the ability to practice unconditional forgiveness.  Unconditional forgiveness means to forgive without expecting anything in return.

This does not mean that you are meant to be a doormat so that people can walk all over you.  It means that you can forgive others and, if necessary, remove yourself from their company.  When in the state of unconditional forgiveness, you understand that everything happens for a valuable reason.  You can accept the most traumatic experiences because you have achieved a state of acceptance in which you will trust yourself, no matter what the situation.

Acceptance is absolute trust; absolute faith.  When you are in your place of acceptance, external events and conditions can occur, but they don't trigger the old reactions.

When we arrive at the stage of acceptance, we are in a place where we instinctively make the right choices about God, self and others.  Our primordial man is balanced with Ah-Man and this truly is the state of peaceful.

To learn more about Michael Hoare and Ah-Man, please visit here.