What Are You Committed To?

Did you know that happiness is the object and design of our existence? Okay just a reminder. But how do we get there? Did you know that Yogi Bhajan gave us 7 Steps to Happiness Here they are:

1. Commitment

The first step is commitment. Commit to kindness and compassion. In every life you are meant to commit. That is why the word is commit-meant. Commitment gives you CHARACTER.

2. Character

Character is when all your characteristics—all facets, flaws, and facts—are under your control. Yin and yang meet there, totally balanced. Character is a pattern of behavior where you can clearly answer and stand before your own consciousness. Character gives you DIGNITY.

3. Dignity

Dignity is when you act as a god for another. People start trusting you, liking you, respecting you. Dignity will give you DIVINITY.

4. Divinity

Divinity is when people have no duality about you. They trust you right away. They have no fear about you. Divinity is when you put yourself and your life on the line to serve another person or a creature. Divinity gives you GRACE.

5. Grace

Where there is grace, there is no interference, no gap between two people, no hidden agendas. Grace is when you’ve developed a presence that works. Grace gives you the power to SACRIFICE.

6. Power to Sacrifice

The power to sacrifice is when God sits in your heart and presides in your head. You can stand any pain for another person. That sacrifice takes you to HAPPINESS.

7. Happiness

Happiness is when you can be thankful for the chance of being these seven things.

I love that the first step is commitment. Some people think that they can jump right to sacrifice, but they can't.... It doesn't work that way. Commitment is the bottom line. 

But commitment to just anything won't work. If you are unhappy, investigate your commitment and ask yourself what you are committed to. Some people are very committed to their neurosis. Some people are very committed to their illness or victim status. It's okay to be committed to these things. It's your choice. But it won't make you happy. I think about all the time that people spend on these commitments and I have to tell you a little secret--being on the spiritual path is wonderful and blissful and it takes the exact same amount of energy. No more. No less. The results sometimes are not as immediate--but same amount of energy. 

My friend Mandi was intolerant to gluten and lots of other things for years and finally she decided she wanted to spend that time and energy on trying to be healed rather than on being gluten intolerant. She asked God how to do it and He told her, and she committed.  And guess what? After a few months of regular fasting and her other prescription from God (a meditation) she heard Him call her name and say "you are healed through my power." 

My friend K jokes that people are intolerant of so many foods now because it is not PC to be racist or prejudice against people anymore. There may be some truth in that, sadly. I'm not saying these things aren't real. I'm just saying that all healing comes from one source. If you heal yourself through essential oils, or through food, it still came from the one source. If you haven't received healing, look to the source first and there may be a surprising answer. It may take time, but it's a do-able good journey with God as your guide. 

I had a friend whose mother was in a car accident and couldn't work for a while and was on disability. She wasn't really that injured, but it was a chance to collect disability and sort things out. But instead of getting clear, she spent the time and money and energy on a small claims law suit against the other driver. It was seriously all she talked about and complained about and it was months and months over less than $2000 dollars. When she finally dropped the energy of it she was able to make 10 times that in the same time period. It takes time to recognize our patterns, because we have to be strong enough to handle the truth. And then it can take time to change them. But The Great Do-er is loving and giving and patient. 

I invite you to commit right now to changing the patterns. To healing, kindness, and compassion.