KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

The Secret of Success Without Stress, by Guy Finley

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Have you ever wondered why success and stress seem to be inseparable companions in our world today?

Success in business means long hours, politics, and the never-ending struggle to achieve. Success in love means constant sacrifice and "working on the relationship." Success in school, art, music, science, and sports means the ever-increasing pressure to perform.

When we take a step back and look at the whole picture, it's hard not to wonder, "Is success today worth the cost?"

Is the fear and anxiety we feel in the present moment worth the promise of some perfect moment to come? If we look objectively at the fruit of our stressful days, and the deteriorating state of the world, we begin to realize that this is not a profitable trade. Compromising ourselves in the Now to insure a positive moment to come is a flawed formula for success.

On the other hand, in those rare moments when we happen upon a pure moment of peace and contentment—a glorious sunrise, holding the hand of the one we love, the clarity of an insight or epiphany—it is obvious that success itself is an integral part of life. It is in these moments that we can hear a faint voice whispering from deep down inside our hearts, telling us that we were born to be successful; and as human beings it is our natural right to strive toward excellence and enjoy the fruits of achievement.

This is the voice of intuition telling us that striving toward success is not supposed to be a drag—it's supposed to be light, bright, happy, and fun!<

It is trying to reveal the beautiful truth that success without stress is possible. The only problem is that we have ceased to listen to its wise counsel because we have been conditioned by society to place our attention on the objects of success, instead of on the principle of success itself. When we realize this simple misdirection that has taken place, we take the first step in learning to attract everything our heart desires.

And that's the main point of this article: It is possible for us to learn to attract success, instead of trying to chase it down though years of toil, disappointment, and heartache!

So how to we do it? How do we learn to attract the success we want instead of letting the desire for the objects of success push us around from problem to problem?

The answer is simple: We begin to doubt what compromises us.

We begin to doubt stress when it tells us we have to rush through our day. We begin to doubt fearful thoughts when they tell us we need to worry. We begin to doubt feelings of greed and inadequacy that bully us around by telling us that who we are isn't enough.

The reason that doubting negative states is a great key along the path to gaining our hearts' true wish is that this action separates our true self—who we really are—from whatever dark thought or feeling happens to be passing through us in the moment. We realize that we don't have to listen to dark thoughts and feelings; instead we understand that there is a choice, whenever we remember it, to not sacrifice happiness now for a future happy time that may never come!

One specific technique you can use to begin doubting these dark states is to ask yourself this question whenever you find yourself trying to overcome any person or situation that stands in the way of winning some imagined future success: "What would happen right now if I were to want what Life wants, instead of wanting what I want?" This may sound like a strange idea at first, because we are so used to trying to get hold of what we want. But, when we begin to experiment with the power contained in this question, we realize that this simple action has the power to raise the level of our entire life!

To understand this more clearly, let's look at what happens When We Want What We Want:

• We are often stressed and unsettled because life may not go the way we want it to
• We are often tired because we spend our energy struggling against the natural flow of events
• We are unable to sit quietly or go to sleep peacefully because our mind is always busy trying to resolve problems that stand in the way of our desires
• We are easily agitated when someone or something interrupts our plans
• We harbor resentment toward those who have "wronged" us in the past
• We lose sight of our true nature, because we mistake what we possess for who we really are

Now let's look at what happens When We Want What Life Wants:

• We are always on the winning side
• We are free from stress, anger, and anxiety
• We maintain confident self-command in any situation
• We are never sad or disappointed because things didn't go our way
• We always know the right thing to do
• We can never be taken advantage of
• We are fluid and responsive to what the moment asks
• We are free to be kind and compassionate, even in the presence of perceived "enemies"
• We are never bored, because we are perfectly happy just being ourself
• Our mind becomes quiet, peaceful, clear, and sharp

Can you see the power in this simple idea? When we invite life—instead of resisting it—we are freed from the stress and negativity that drains the positive energy required to be truly successful. We are given the ability to participate more deeply in the present moment, which allows us to access the higher mental and emotional states required to be more kind, creative, intelligent, and loving human beings…everything our heart truly longs for.

Want what life wants, and harvest the fruits of true and lasting success for yourself.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2009. All rights reserved.

I had a dream two nights ago that I was on my honeymoon with my future husband. (I don't know who he is - I'm single at the moment.) We were on a couch in a hotel lounge area, and there were four men in business suits loitering around us. I was sipping orange juice, and then I went to snuggle my husband. I put my head on his chest and told him I could hear his heart beat, after which he looked at me and smiled. In that moment, I filled up with the nicest, warmest feeling. In my dream, I felt really loved by this person. I felt really comfortable with him and his smile communicated that he loved me too. I touched him to make sure he was real and he felt like he was. The four men faded away, or I didn't notice them anymore. I must have awakened about four times after this dream, and in my half-asleep state, I kept remembering the dream and smiling. When I fully woke up the next morning, I could vividly recall the dream, and it left a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. Does this dream mean anything? I'm not really insecure about being single, though sometimes I wish the perfect guy for me would show up soon. I couldn't make out the guy in my dream, and he didn't resemble anyone I know. Thank You!

Neha

Astrea:

I'm so glad that you're not worried about being single for a while. Though many young people insist on rushing into marriage, it's always better to wait until you have your university years over before you make a commitment for life with someone.

Waiting a few more years before you get married is a VERY good idea, for Aries folks often make quick decisions in love that they later regret.

This doesn't mean that I'm in any way making light of this wonderful dream. It made a big impression on you, so it probably does mean that you're dreaming of your life to come. Fire signs often have prophetic dreams about their romantic futures, especially at your age.

While your dream doesn't give you many details as to the husband you will have, it does show how happy you will be in the future when you choose the correct partner. The fact that the man wasn't anyone you know - or that you couldn't clearly remember his face - doesn't necessarily mean that you don't already know him in real life, or that you haven't known him in another incarnation.

The man in your dream symbolized the kind of person you're hoping to marry. Many times people, places and things in dreams are symbols of other things to come, or represent things you're wishing for.

When we notice numbers in a dream, especially numbers of people, they often represent periods of time. For example, an old time fortune teller might tell you that the four men in your dream represent the four years it will be before you're happily married, which sounds about right to me too.

In the old books, four women in your dream would have meant four months would pass before you are with your intended husband. Numbers we remember can mean many things, but the passage of time is one of the most accepted dream interpretations.

Treasure this dream and the feeling it gives you. You may have it again and again between now and the time you are officially wedded to your beloved. Enjoy it when it comes to you, and enjoy the search for that man who gives you that warm and wonderful feeling. He's waiting for you, and he may be having a similar dream too!

*****

Susyn:

When dreams have a profound effect on us, we can be sure they hold important messages. The dream you've described is no exception, and appears to hold clues as to what you can expect when your life partner comes along one day.

Dreams, instincts and premonitions are often vague, and most do not reveal specifics about things to come, so it's understandable that you could not identify the man in your dream. However, you can trust your feelings in determining its importance to you.

In your dream, you found yourself married to the man of your dreams and already in the midst of your honeymoon, thus your feelings of happiness and security reveal not just the type of relationship you want, but also the type of relationship that is coming your way. Based on how loved you felt in the dream, when this man actually does come into your life, you'll know in an instant that he is the one even if he doesn't physically resemble the man in your dream.

The men in business suits might reflect the profession of your future husband as a business man of sorts. As there were four of them, these men might be symbols of the four cornerstones of a solid foundation, including the comforts of home, security and family, which are attributes metaphysically associated with the number four.

You mentioned that in the dream you were drinking orange juice, which is a fruit symbolic of nourishment and vitality. The color orange represents creativity and the start of a new cycle of life - another positive sign in your dream.

Though you state that you aren't currently concerned about getting married right away, this dream confirms that at some time in your future when you are ready, your true partner will appear, and you'll spend a wonderful life together.

When things do get lonely or you find yourself in an unfulfilling relationship, hold fast to this dream. If you do, it will be that much easier to free yourself from a connection that isn't right for you so you can keep moving forward until the right one appears.

All in all, I would say this was a very profound, premonitory dream. It's a wonderful glimpse of the future and an affirmation of the love that is coming your way.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.