Are you Sick of Smoking Cigarettes? (May 08)
Are you one of the thousands of people in the Western Sydney struggling to give up smoking? Many smokers try giving up several times before achieving success, chances are if you are a smoker then you most likely want to give up, so why don’t you?…..It’s common knowledge that cigarettes contain the addictive substance, nicotine that maintains our physical addiction, interesting fact is, that 48 hours after you have had your last cigarette there is no nicotine left in your body. You are then faced with the daunting task of overcoming the strong psychological addiction you have over our cigarette smoking habit. Those of you who smoke know there are so many triggers that we attach to smoking; coffee, after meals, social drinks with friends, when feeling stressed, on the phone, to think, to have a break, to relax, for comfort or even to treat ourselves, the list goes on and on…..Many smokers unconsciously use cigarette smoking as a tool to find a peaceful or calm emotional state, the very act of smoking helps then person to psychologically create that calm state, and over time and through habit they believe at some level that without cigarettes they will not have the ability to feel at ease, quickly, ever again. So they decide they want to stop smoking, they have had enough of the foul smell and taste, feeling socially ostracised, the expense, and most importantly for health reasons. The subconscious mind does not like the idea, in fact it freaks out. ‘What do you mean!, now we don’t get to relax, what are we going to do, how will we cope?’ Stress and anxiety levels quickly begin to peak as the subconscious mind believes it cannot relax or find that comfort without a cigarette. It becomes unbearable as the smoker snaps at loved ones and co-workers and decides, ‘it’s just not worth being this upset myself and I certainly don’t want to create waves in my relationships, I’d rather smoke and be happy!’ and the cycle goes on…
To successfully stop smoking permanently, I believe the best way to do this, is to overcome the psychological/subconscious addiction the smoker has to cigarettes. Why would someone take up smoking again 6 months after going through successfully giving up? Simply because there was still a subconscious belief about smoking deep in the ex-smokers mind that had not been addressed. If you want to, yes you can stop smoking forever. If you are a smoker, ask yourself this question, how would like to feel when you become a non-smoker? Calm, relaxed, in control, at ease? Of course you would. Using up-to-date hypnotherapy and NLP techniques I can help you address your individual issues relating to your smoking habit, they may even go deeper than you realise, but that’s Ok because the focused outcome if to be feeling really good within yourself and that is achievable. To be most successful, it’s important to focus on the specific needs of the client, because the reasons why a person smokes vary.
Hypnotherapy is a gentle and relaxed state of body and mind with the client being aware of the therapist speaking and hearing what they are saying, it’s through the client’s willingness to create change that change can be created! If you want to stop smoking using, I believe, the most effective method, removing the need to struggle and fight with yourself, then be brave and give hypnotherapy a go, it actually works!
Spirituality (July 08)
What happens when we become spiritual? Do we suddenly change and start praying in public or discoursing on how to be saved on every street corner or mall? Do we corner our friends as if we had just come from an Amway meeting and want them to join our 'down-line?'
Spirituality is not obnoxious, not obvious, not worn on the sleeve, not forced on others, not grandiose, not prideful or haughty, not hurtful to the others around you. It is not religion! It is not Christian or Jewish or Muslim or Protestant or Born Again.
It is ethical, courageous, calm, blessed, peaceful, honest, pleasing to others, focused, tolerant, understanding and happy. Some say that it is the experience of the White Light shining within. Others have described it as a knowing. Knowing: their purpose; what their path is in this life; what they are here on this earth to do; what they are to learn; and, how this knowing helps them give care to others.
What is this White Light? Some religions call it the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Blessed Trinity. She* was sent by God to help us on our journey. Jews call it Shekena, the Light of God. Some just refer to it as the Sun God or Universal Light. Native Americans and aboriginals around the world believe that this Light is the Great Spirit of God. Muslims call it the Light of Allah; Hindus accept this as the Light of Shiva; Buddhists and Shintoists as God's Light. What is important is that it belongs to every human being on the planet if they accept it. That's a big IF.
When you got this Light within: You can 'give care' instead of 'take care' of others. You help others to be responsible for him/her self. You lead by example. You instruct and learn. You support the community. You are personally holy. You release the fears of others by your presence. You supply consolation when needed. You refuse dishonesty in all its forms. However, most importantly, you guide and serve.
Religions have given us the wrong models in most cases. They dictate! They judge! They pontificate! They make religion a tangible set of measurable religious observances that are legalistic and for the most part superficial. They have all fallen into the same trap of the Pharisees and Scribes in the Christian Bible. They focus on the observance of laws rather than on God.
Being spiritual is not easy; it requires you to grow and to be holy, and to be on your path. Growth means change and the acceptance of the changes. To be holy means an ever-deepening understanding and love of God. When on this path, spirituality comes to us. We allow the Light to help us know our purpose and mission in life.
By:
Rev. Fr. Martin J. Patton
Montgomery, OH - USA
Attitude....(Sep 08)
Whenever life acts we respond. If you win the lottery you might be happy. If you lose your job you may be angry. Whatever your reaction it will depend upon your attitude. Fortunately, we control our attitudes.
In determining how we face life it is our attitude that is the key. See whether or not you agree with the following statement.
"You are responsible for all of your experiences of life."
This statement is absolutely true but it is somewhat of a trick. The trick is that it does not say "in life" but "of life." You are not responsible for everything that happens to you, but you are responsible for how you react to what does happen to you. The formula is that, "Life acts. You react." Your reaction is under your control. In any life situation you are always responsible for at least one thing. You are always responsible for the attitude towards the situation in which you find yourself. Your attitude is your reaction to what life hands you. You can have either a more positive or a more negative attitude. Your attitude is under your control and can be changed. With the right attitude you can be a resilient person.
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