Secrets of Spiritual Happiness

Secret #10 -- Play the Game of Life with Empowerment

 

    

 

By Sharon Janis

 

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Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.

- Zig Ziglar

 

One of my earliest demonstrations of the connection between my state of mind and the outer world came during my teenage years, when I enjoyed playing on pinball machines, and could usually play a pretty good game.   (For you young ones, pinball machines were the predecessors of video games.)  

While playing, sometimes for hours on end, I'd occasionally notice an uncanny connection between my state of mind and the mechanics of the pinball machine.  

Every now and then, I would step up to the machine in a flustered or disconnected state of mind.   Maybe I was worried about something, feeling out of sorts, or grumbling in my mind about one thing or another.   I'd put the quarter in, and each ball would shoot right down the middle and out the gutter, without giving me even the slightest chance of reaching the ball with either flipper.   A hopeless pinball like that is a rare event, but there were times when it would happen to all 5 balls in a row - as though that particular game was unshakably destined to be lost.   It was as though an angry "pinball god" was blocking the flow of "pinball grace."  

I noticed that these losing games tended to happen when I was in a negative or worried state of mind, and wondered why that might be the case.   After all, it's when you're feeling down that you could really use a good game to cheer you up.   But the opposite seemed to be the case.

Then, there were times when a different kind of shift would happen.   I'd begin to play with a relaxed and peaceful state of mind, with a sense of contentment, and an empowering feeling of trust in my heart. Through that magical porthole of peaceful contentment, I would become free from what I'd later come to know of as ego - the aspect of our self-identification that is the source of unwanted feelings such as worry, anger, greed, pride, and fear.   Ego is the opposite of true faith. The ego always wants to protect itself, and that frame of mind takes us out of the flow.   Since faith is a main key for spiritual happiness, ego can definitely be an obstacle to achieving that happiness.   Ego makes every ball go down the middle; freedom from ego creates a stupendous winning game.

While playing pinball in a state of relaxed contentment, it would sometimes seem as though the hands of pleased gods were directing the path of that little silver ball.   Effortlessly, I'd watch, as the ball leapt into all the best and most valuable twists, turns, nooks, and crannies of the pinball machine.   Bell after bell and melody after melody would chime out to dramatically announce all the new combinations that were racking up points up faster than the machine could even keep up with.   I'd hear this symphony of pinball glorification, punctuated by loud clicks as the machine registered newly won free games.  

I would be focused and relaxed at the same time, watching with selflessness, enjoyment, and a happy spirit, as an almost magical display of action took place before me.   These accomplishments were apparently coming from my own hands and mind, but were obviously being orchestrated by something far beyond my own apparent abilities.  

Sometimes, the ball would eagerly dash around, amassing hundreds of thousands of points, without even coming anywhere near my flippers.   And when it did come near the bottom of the machine, my fingers would effortlessly and masterfully flip the flippers at just the right moment, and with just the right force to send things back into powerball mode.

You can also apply this teaching to your game of life, considering the pinball as a metaphor for your ball of creative effort.   One way to improve your game is to increase your level of practice and skill.   However, the best help comes from what appears as grace.   And, in fact, it is grace.  

Grace is the magical wild card in this game of life.   Grace saves us just when everything appears ready to crumble.   With a touch of grace, even our smallest efforts bear great fruit.  

Although grace often appears to fall upon us for no apparent reason, there are ways to draw grace toward us - by our thoughts and actions, and with an inner state of surrender to the divine, in whatever form that may take for each one of us.  

One important task on the quest for spiritual happiness is to discover how our thoughts and actions are manifesting to bring us either happiness or unhappiness, despair or joy, and struggle or ease. This is a research project that each of us must perform on our own, in the laboratories of our own minds, actions, and experiences.  

Many books are available to give hints, information, and inspiration on our journeys of discovery.   Nevertheless, you ultimately have to discover your own power in your own way.   Just as you have to take your own physical exam and your own driving test - no matter how many servants you may have who would be willing to take them for you - in the same way, your spiritual happiness is ultimately your task alone, although supported and nourished by the blessings and grace of many known and unknown great ones from past, present, future, and the eternal now .  

Part of becoming strong enough to handle a great amount of personal power is to have to go through the lessons and growth of watching and learning for yourself.   It's like how a butterfly must struggle against the cocoon in order to develop the wing strength to fly.   If someone tries to be helpful by opening the cocoon, the butterfly will not be able to fly.

Don't worry if your journey brings some struggles and strife.   Don't worry if the road sometimes doesn't seem to make much sense.   Don't fear that you will never be worthy.   You are already inherently worthy in your deepest essence.   This is the Amazing Grace that saves every so-called "wretch" like you and me.   Play your game with love and joy, and trust in that Amazing Grace.

 

 

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