The joy of living as myself
 |
Description
Book Introduction
The wrong beliefs we've learned since childhood, and how to wake up from them.
“You get what you give.” “Self-love is selfish.” “If you truly love, give everything.” “Something is wrong with me and needs to be fixed.” “The medical system is responsible for my health.” “It’s just an accident.” “When you die, you are guilty.” “A spiritual person has no ego.” “Women are inferior to men.” “You should always think positively.”
These are beliefs that are familiar to almost everyone, regardless of East or West.
There are probably many people who agree with all ten or more of these or who grew up believing them from childhood.
Needless to say, Anita says all ten of these are false beliefs. (These ten false beliefs are also the table of contents of this book, in order.)
In each chapter of this book, Anita examines ten beliefs we unwittingly accept as truth, drawing on her own experiences and those of those around her, from people she meets in lecture halls and even at airports and markets.
At the end of each chapter, a section titled "Living in Heaven Right Now" reveals the truth behind the false beliefs explored in each chapter and outlines the steps needed to break free from these false beliefs and live a life of truth.
“You get what you give.” “Self-love is selfish.” “If you truly love, give everything.” “Something is wrong with me and needs to be fixed.” “The medical system is responsible for my health.” “It’s just an accident.” “When you die, you are guilty.” “A spiritual person has no ego.” “Women are inferior to men.” “You should always think positively.”
These are beliefs that are familiar to almost everyone, regardless of East or West.
There are probably many people who agree with all ten or more of these or who grew up believing them from childhood.
Needless to say, Anita says all ten of these are false beliefs. (These ten false beliefs are also the table of contents of this book, in order.)
In each chapter of this book, Anita examines ten beliefs we unwittingly accept as truth, drawing on her own experiences and those of those around her, from people she meets in lecture halls and even at airports and markets.
At the end of each chapter, a section titled "Living in Heaven Right Now" reveals the truth behind the false beliefs explored in each chapter and outlines the steps needed to break free from these false beliefs and live a life of truth.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
introduction
First Belief: You Get What You Get
Second Belief: Loving yourself is selfish.
Third Belief: If You Truly Love, Give It All
Fourth Belief: Something is wrong with me and needs to be fixed.
Fifth Belief: The Health Care System is Responsible for My Health
Sixth Belief: It's Just a Coincidence
Seventh Belief: When you die, you will be punished for your sins.
Eighth Belief: A Spiritual Person Has No Ego
Ninth Belief: Women are inferior to men.
Tenth Belief: Always Think Positively
Reviews
Acknowledgements
Translator's Note
First Belief: You Get What You Get
Second Belief: Loving yourself is selfish.
Third Belief: If You Truly Love, Give It All
Fourth Belief: Something is wrong with me and needs to be fixed.
Fifth Belief: The Health Care System is Responsible for My Health
Sixth Belief: It's Just a Coincidence
Seventh Belief: When you die, you will be punished for your sins.
Eighth Belief: A Spiritual Person Has No Ego
Ninth Belief: Women are inferior to men.
Tenth Belief: Always Think Positively
Reviews
Acknowledgements
Translator's Note
Into the book
When I was born into this world, I only knew how to laugh, love, and let the light within me shine brightly.
But people told me to stop laughing.
“Life is serious.
“If you want to get ahead of others, that is.” So I stopped laughing.
People also said:
“You can’t love just anyone.
If you don't want to get hurt, then so be it." So I didn't love anymore.
People also said:
“Don’t reveal your light.
“There’s nothing good about getting too much attention.” So I stopped shining my light.
And then it withered and shriveled and died.
Only after death did I learn that the important things in life are to laugh, love, and let the light within me shine brightly! --- p.8
Self-love isn't all about constantly complimenting yourself and telling yourself how great you are.
To truly love yourself is to love the real you, the human you with your hidden weaknesses, your ability to crumble when criticized, your failures, and your disappointments.
True self-love is loving yourself even when everyone else turns their backs on you! That's what I mean when I say love yourself as if you'd die if you didn't.
And I know all too well that if I don't love myself, I will truly die! --- p.57
“If you want to know what kind of love you have, ask yourself this:
'Does this relationship set us free or enslave us?' And answer honestly.
A relationship based on unconditional love sets each other free.
“Lovers in this kind of relationship are not tied together by some force, but by choice.”--- p.69
“Not only have I never been able to love myself unconditionally my entire life, but by constantly thinking that I was unworthy of love, I have also deprived others of the opportunity to love me unconditionally!
This realization alone has drastically changed my relationship with Danny (my husband).
Because I could be myself, not who Danny thought I wanted to be.
"Then I felt a tremendous sense of liberation! And once I started living as myself, our relationship became more joyful and refreshing! Because I could fully accept myself without the need to change, my desire to change Danny completely disappeared, and I was able to fully accept him." --- p. 77
“We tend to take spirituality too seriously.
So, I can't enjoy life anymore.
The most spiritual act possible in this world is to live as yourself, to love yourself, and to love your life.
The best way to do that is to have fun and laugh! Don't worry and try too hard to become more spiritual.
We are already incredibly spiritual! We are perfect, just as we are right now.
Knowing that, we throw a celebration party!” --- p.81
When I died and came back to life, I resolved never to do anything I couldn't enjoy or that wasn't right for me.
--- p.93
I want to make it clear that our bodies are not battlefields and that we need to stop treating them like one.
There is no enemy to defeat anywhere.
(Omitted) Disease is one way our body communicates with us.
Our bodies use illness to show us that there is a better way.
Of course, we could die from cancer or any number of other diseases.
And we will all die at some point, one way or another.
But death is not an enemy to be defeated. --- p.122
“I believe that I have some kind of inner guidance system that is always guiding me.
This guidance system is something that everyone has and is always trying to communicate with us.
But when we're overwhelmed by conflicting information or too nervous, it becomes difficult to connect with this guidance system.
Especially in today's world where information spreads at a rapid pace, it's much more common to feel overwhelmed by information.
When something like that happens, I go on an information fast.
(Omitted) Just like not eating for a day or two, it means not receiving any new information from the outside world for a day or two.
The longer the better.
“When I clear my head like that, I start to hear my inner guidance system speaking to me.” --- p.129
“Don’t worry about anyone being upset because of the choices you make.
I need to surround myself with people who love me, support my choices, and give me strength.
After all, it's your life and your health." --- p.138
I believe that self-awareness is the most important thing we can do for ourselves… and for others! Knowing yourself means knowing what makes you happy and what makes you unhappy.
It also means knowing which path leads to true love and well-being and knowing how to choose that path.
It also means that we know that we are much bigger, more powerful, and more magnificent than we have ever been taught.
When you fully know and love yourself, you can convey that love and awareness to others.
“Living with a fully awake, fully nurtured, fully tuned-in, and joyful self, rather than a fearful, deficient, and dysfunctional self, is the best we can do for ourselves and for everyone else.” --- p.218
During my near-death experience, I realized that the important thing is not to live positively, but to live as myself.
I didn't need to get rid of my negative thoughts.
All I had to do was love myself for who I was, not who others wanted me to be! If I'd known that, I would never have been afraid of my own thoughts.
Because you must have realized that your negative thoughts are also a part of you.
Denying my negative feelings and believing that such negativity was bad only made things worse. --- p.278
I am not saying that the law of attraction is not true.
Positive thinking and attitude definitely help.
But just as much as our thoughts and attitudes, we ourselves attract various events and situations in life.
We are destined to attract what truly belongs to us.
In other words, whether it is positive or negative, if it is something that is truly needed at that moment, it is somehow attracted.
The more we love and value ourselves, the more naturally it will become to live joyfully, and the more often we feel worthy, the more we will live a life that invites those feelings.
At this point, we will naturally reach a positive state.
This is a much healthier state than being forced to be positive.
To reach that state, you must no longer try to think or feel in a certain way.
And we must embrace all emotions as they are, including disappointment, frustration, pain, sadness, and heartbreak.
Because these are deep properties of our humanity.
--- p.282
Wayne Dyer used to use an orange as a prop when he was on stage, because it was useful in metaphorically telling a story.
Whenever he felt he had made his point on stage, he would throw oranges into the audience.
In fact, that teaching about oranges was the last post he made on Facebook before he died.
“If you squeeze an orange, you get orange juice.
That juice comes from inside the orange.
The same logic applies to you.
When someone pressures you, or says things you don't want to hear or criticizes you, anger, hatred, resentment, tension, depression, and anxiety will come out of you.
If what you want to give and receive from people is love and joy, change your inner self.
Then your life will change too.” --- p.289
Listen to your heart and enjoy combining the vibrant colors the universe displays to create your own masterpiece.
Then you might be surprised by what you create.
When we listen to or play beautiful music, our goal is not to finish listening to the entire piece or playing it.
The important thing is to enjoy the sweet and enjoyable journey that each note of the music brings.
And as Wayne always said, “I mustn’t die without ever singing the song inside me.”
But people told me to stop laughing.
“Life is serious.
“If you want to get ahead of others, that is.” So I stopped laughing.
People also said:
“You can’t love just anyone.
If you don't want to get hurt, then so be it." So I didn't love anymore.
People also said:
“Don’t reveal your light.
“There’s nothing good about getting too much attention.” So I stopped shining my light.
And then it withered and shriveled and died.
Only after death did I learn that the important things in life are to laugh, love, and let the light within me shine brightly! --- p.8
Self-love isn't all about constantly complimenting yourself and telling yourself how great you are.
To truly love yourself is to love the real you, the human you with your hidden weaknesses, your ability to crumble when criticized, your failures, and your disappointments.
True self-love is loving yourself even when everyone else turns their backs on you! That's what I mean when I say love yourself as if you'd die if you didn't.
And I know all too well that if I don't love myself, I will truly die! --- p.57
“If you want to know what kind of love you have, ask yourself this:
'Does this relationship set us free or enslave us?' And answer honestly.
A relationship based on unconditional love sets each other free.
“Lovers in this kind of relationship are not tied together by some force, but by choice.”--- p.69
“Not only have I never been able to love myself unconditionally my entire life, but by constantly thinking that I was unworthy of love, I have also deprived others of the opportunity to love me unconditionally!
This realization alone has drastically changed my relationship with Danny (my husband).
Because I could be myself, not who Danny thought I wanted to be.
"Then I felt a tremendous sense of liberation! And once I started living as myself, our relationship became more joyful and refreshing! Because I could fully accept myself without the need to change, my desire to change Danny completely disappeared, and I was able to fully accept him." --- p. 77
“We tend to take spirituality too seriously.
So, I can't enjoy life anymore.
The most spiritual act possible in this world is to live as yourself, to love yourself, and to love your life.
The best way to do that is to have fun and laugh! Don't worry and try too hard to become more spiritual.
We are already incredibly spiritual! We are perfect, just as we are right now.
Knowing that, we throw a celebration party!” --- p.81
When I died and came back to life, I resolved never to do anything I couldn't enjoy or that wasn't right for me.
--- p.93
I want to make it clear that our bodies are not battlefields and that we need to stop treating them like one.
There is no enemy to defeat anywhere.
(Omitted) Disease is one way our body communicates with us.
Our bodies use illness to show us that there is a better way.
Of course, we could die from cancer or any number of other diseases.
And we will all die at some point, one way or another.
But death is not an enemy to be defeated. --- p.122
“I believe that I have some kind of inner guidance system that is always guiding me.
This guidance system is something that everyone has and is always trying to communicate with us.
But when we're overwhelmed by conflicting information or too nervous, it becomes difficult to connect with this guidance system.
Especially in today's world where information spreads at a rapid pace, it's much more common to feel overwhelmed by information.
When something like that happens, I go on an information fast.
(Omitted) Just like not eating for a day or two, it means not receiving any new information from the outside world for a day or two.
The longer the better.
“When I clear my head like that, I start to hear my inner guidance system speaking to me.” --- p.129
“Don’t worry about anyone being upset because of the choices you make.
I need to surround myself with people who love me, support my choices, and give me strength.
After all, it's your life and your health." --- p.138
I believe that self-awareness is the most important thing we can do for ourselves… and for others! Knowing yourself means knowing what makes you happy and what makes you unhappy.
It also means knowing which path leads to true love and well-being and knowing how to choose that path.
It also means that we know that we are much bigger, more powerful, and more magnificent than we have ever been taught.
When you fully know and love yourself, you can convey that love and awareness to others.
“Living with a fully awake, fully nurtured, fully tuned-in, and joyful self, rather than a fearful, deficient, and dysfunctional self, is the best we can do for ourselves and for everyone else.” --- p.218
During my near-death experience, I realized that the important thing is not to live positively, but to live as myself.
I didn't need to get rid of my negative thoughts.
All I had to do was love myself for who I was, not who others wanted me to be! If I'd known that, I would never have been afraid of my own thoughts.
Because you must have realized that your negative thoughts are also a part of you.
Denying my negative feelings and believing that such negativity was bad only made things worse. --- p.278
I am not saying that the law of attraction is not true.
Positive thinking and attitude definitely help.
But just as much as our thoughts and attitudes, we ourselves attract various events and situations in life.
We are destined to attract what truly belongs to us.
In other words, whether it is positive or negative, if it is something that is truly needed at that moment, it is somehow attracted.
The more we love and value ourselves, the more naturally it will become to live joyfully, and the more often we feel worthy, the more we will live a life that invites those feelings.
At this point, we will naturally reach a positive state.
This is a much healthier state than being forced to be positive.
To reach that state, you must no longer try to think or feel in a certain way.
And we must embrace all emotions as they are, including disappointment, frustration, pain, sadness, and heartbreak.
Because these are deep properties of our humanity.
--- p.282
Wayne Dyer used to use an orange as a prop when he was on stage, because it was useful in metaphorically telling a story.
Whenever he felt he had made his point on stage, he would throw oranges into the audience.
In fact, that teaching about oranges was the last post he made on Facebook before he died.
“If you squeeze an orange, you get orange juice.
That juice comes from inside the orange.
The same logic applies to you.
When someone pressures you, or says things you don't want to hear or criticizes you, anger, hatred, resentment, tension, depression, and anxiety will come out of you.
If what you want to give and receive from people is love and joy, change your inner self.
Then your life will change too.” --- p.289
Listen to your heart and enjoy combining the vibrant colors the universe displays to create your own masterpiece.
Then you might be surprised by what you create.
When we listen to or play beautiful music, our goal is not to finish listening to the entire piece or playing it.
The important thing is to enjoy the sweet and enjoyable journey that each note of the music brings.
And as Wayne always said, “I mustn’t die without ever singing the song inside me.”
--- p.291
Publisher's Review
New York Times bestseller author of And Then Everything Changed,
Anita Moorjani's new work!
“When I die and come back to life, I can’t enjoy it or
“I decided that I would never do anything that wasn’t right for me.”
―This book, page 93
Anita, author of "And Then Everything Changed," shares her tips for living as your true self.
This is the new book by Anita Moorjani, author of And Then Everything Changed, which became a New York Times bestseller within two weeks of its publication, has been translated into over 45 languages, sold over a million copies worldwide, and was adapted into a film by Scott Free Productions in Hollywood in 2015.
In this book, she delves into the ten main 'false beliefs' that dominate our society, and tells us through her own stories and those of those around her how these false beliefs drive us into fear and anxiety. Furthermore, she explains how to 'live as your true self' without being swayed by these false beliefs, using the wisdom she gained from her near-death experience.
After writing her first book, And Then Everything Changed, Anita thought she would never write another book.
I wrote a sort of memoir about my near-death experience in February 2006, when I was in a coma for thirty hours while in the final stages of lymphoma, and I also wrote about the wisdom I gained from that experience, so I figured there was nothing more to say.
The most remarkable insight she gained from her near-death experience was that this life on Earth could soon become heaven, and that she returned to this world instead of going beyond death because she understood that “heaven is a state, not a place.”
She wanted to experience that kind of heaven herself in this life.
But every time she tried to apply the insights from her near-death experience to her life, she ran into obstacles.
Especially when I was meeting people and trying to blend in with them.
“One day, I looked back and saw myself struggling to get along with people who didn’t fit in with me” and “being shaken by the worry that I might disappoint people.”
As her fame grew thanks to "And Then Everything Changed," she began receiving mountains of letters and emails from people who were touched by her near-death experience, and people wanted to invite her to come and hear her story.
She talked to as many people as she could and wrote back, but it was always not enough, and not being able to help those who were suffering enough became another source of pain for her.
I wrote a book to share how to bring joy into your life, but in reality, joy was disappearing from my own life.
One day, Anita headed to her favorite beach near her home.
I sat on the sandy beach and looked out at the distant sea, appealing to the universe.
“I died and came back again.
What should I do now? My heart aches so much.
“How can I help all these people and myself, trapped in a mere body?” As he raised his hands and surrendered to the universe, not knowing why he had returned, a quiet whisper came from somewhere along with hot tears.
The voice asked, “What did you learn from your near-death experience?”
“To love myself unconditionally, to live as myself, to shine my light as brightly as possible.”
“Love myself unconditionally.
And live as myself.
“Let my light shine brightly.” As she answered, Anita asked the voice:
“But this world doesn’t support that kind of thinking and feeling.
This world seems much closer to hell than heaven.
“I don’t know how I can help them by loving myself!”
The voice answered.
“If you are surrounded by people who do not believe in their own true power or have never felt it, it is easy to forget your own true power.
And most people live without believing in that power or feeling it.
“If you focus on other people’s feelings and what they want, you will get lost in a world of fear,” the voice continued.
“My cancer was cured when I realized how loved and precious I was.
It is this very realization that will help you create a heavenly life on earth.
When you're lost in the world's problems, no one can help you.
So when you feel lost or discouraged, just ask yourself this:
“When on earth did I stop loving myself? How can I start to cherish myself more?”
At a moment when she was nearly entangled in the web of life's drama, she remembered what she had learned during her near-death experience, and thanks to this, she reconnected with the universe and returned to her true self.
And it occurred to me that if we could uncover why we give our inherent power and authority to the beliefs this world teaches us about life, how these beliefs are wrong, and what truths are hidden beneath these false beliefs, as she often did before her cancer and after her near-death experience, more people could find relief from their suffering and find joy in life.
I wanted to teach you the simple truth that you can enjoy the 'joy of living as yourself' when you live as the protagonist of your own life, and I wanted to teach you how to live happily without relying on anyone or anything outside of yourself, and even small ways to check yourself when you wonder if you're doing well.
“We are born knowing the truth about who we are.
But as we grow up, we forget that truth and try to fit ourselves into the mold that society dictates, domesticating ourselves and conforming to its rules.
We are taught to look outside for guidance, and so we come to accept other people's expectations.
And when we failed to live up to those expectations, we felt inadequate or defective. … … This destructive pattern will never change unless we boldly shatter the false beliefs this society has told us and expose the lies that have influenced our thinking.” (This book, pp. 19-20)
The wrong beliefs we've learned since childhood, and how to wake up from them.
“You get what you give.” “Self-love is selfish.” “If you truly love, give everything.” “Something is wrong with me and needs to be fixed.” “The medical system is responsible for my health.” “It’s just an accident.” “When you die, you are guilty.” “A spiritual person has no ego.” “Women are inferior to men.” “You should always think positively.”
These are beliefs that are familiar to almost everyone, regardless of East or West.
There are probably many people who agree with all ten or more of these or who grew up believing them from childhood.
Needless to say, Anita says all ten of these are false beliefs. (These ten false beliefs are also the table of contents of this book, in order.)
For example, if the belief that "you get what you pay for" is false, what is the truth? The truth Anita learned from her near-death experience is this: "No matter how imperfect we may seem, we all deserve unconditional love simply by existing; love doesn't have to be sought," and "The universe loves us all deeply and eternally, no matter what we say or do."
If I live by this truth, even if someone belittles me or treats me poorly, I will be able to feel compassion for them, knowing that it is not because I have done anything to deserve it, but because that person is in pain and confusion, and the wounds within them have not healed.
Anita, too, was a dark-skinned Indian child who attended a British school in Hong Kong and was bullied by her peers for a long time. This led to her growing up to be someone with low self-esteem, unable to accept compliments or being overly grateful when people spoke well of her.
I thought I had to work hard at everything to prove myself, and I predicted that I would be rejected wherever I went.
That's what she said.
“So you can imagine my astonishment when, during my near-death experience, I realized that not only was I worthy of unconditional love simply by existing, but that I was a special, unique, valuable, truly beautiful, majestic, and powerful creation of this universe in every way. … I didn’t have to prove anything, I didn’t have to achieve anything, I didn’t have to be anything.
“It’s just like the sun setting in the evening and rising again the next morning.” (This book, page 33)
What about the belief that "loving yourself is selfish"? The truth is, "I can't give to others what I don't have, so to truly love someone, I must first love myself."
Anita teaches you how to love yourself more, as well as how to recognize when you are loving yourself.
For example, if you have many moments like this, it is proof that you love yourself more.
“When you decide to do things that seem fun and enjoyable instead of worrying about what other people think or think,” “When good things keep happening and you no longer feel guilty about having a pleasant life,” “When you no longer feel embarrassed by people’s compliments but feel genuinely grateful”… …
The saying, “A spiritual person has no ego,” is a common trap that people who follow a spiritual path, such as practicing mind study or meditation, fall into.
What is the truth? According to Anita, "We came here to experience separation and duality through all the colorful and contrasting qualities that make up this world."
“This kind of experience is impossible without the ego.” We are something much bigger than the ego, an infinite self, but at the same time, it is because of the ego that we know who we are and can express our own uniqueness.
The ego is absolutely necessary for living in the material world, and if it were unnecessary, we would not have been born with an ego in the first place.
In each chapter of this book, Anita examines ten beliefs we unwittingly accept as truth, drawing on her own experiences and those of those around her, and from the stories of people she meets at lectures, even at airports and markets.
At the end of each chapter, a section titled "Living in Heaven Right Now" reveals the truth behind the false beliefs explored in each chapter and outlines the steps needed to break free from these false beliefs and live a life of truth.
Today, just as she foresaw upon returning from her near-death experience, Anita travels the world sharing the profound insights she gained from her experience in workshops, lectures, and conferences. She also regularly appears on major television programs around the world, including CNN, Fox News, and the National Geographic Channel, sharing the joy of living as the protagonist of her own life.
Anita Moorjani's new work!
“When I die and come back to life, I can’t enjoy it or
“I decided that I would never do anything that wasn’t right for me.”
―This book, page 93
Anita, author of "And Then Everything Changed," shares her tips for living as your true self.
This is the new book by Anita Moorjani, author of And Then Everything Changed, which became a New York Times bestseller within two weeks of its publication, has been translated into over 45 languages, sold over a million copies worldwide, and was adapted into a film by Scott Free Productions in Hollywood in 2015.
In this book, she delves into the ten main 'false beliefs' that dominate our society, and tells us through her own stories and those of those around her how these false beliefs drive us into fear and anxiety. Furthermore, she explains how to 'live as your true self' without being swayed by these false beliefs, using the wisdom she gained from her near-death experience.
After writing her first book, And Then Everything Changed, Anita thought she would never write another book.
I wrote a sort of memoir about my near-death experience in February 2006, when I was in a coma for thirty hours while in the final stages of lymphoma, and I also wrote about the wisdom I gained from that experience, so I figured there was nothing more to say.
The most remarkable insight she gained from her near-death experience was that this life on Earth could soon become heaven, and that she returned to this world instead of going beyond death because she understood that “heaven is a state, not a place.”
She wanted to experience that kind of heaven herself in this life.
But every time she tried to apply the insights from her near-death experience to her life, she ran into obstacles.
Especially when I was meeting people and trying to blend in with them.
“One day, I looked back and saw myself struggling to get along with people who didn’t fit in with me” and “being shaken by the worry that I might disappoint people.”
As her fame grew thanks to "And Then Everything Changed," she began receiving mountains of letters and emails from people who were touched by her near-death experience, and people wanted to invite her to come and hear her story.
She talked to as many people as she could and wrote back, but it was always not enough, and not being able to help those who were suffering enough became another source of pain for her.
I wrote a book to share how to bring joy into your life, but in reality, joy was disappearing from my own life.
One day, Anita headed to her favorite beach near her home.
I sat on the sandy beach and looked out at the distant sea, appealing to the universe.
“I died and came back again.
What should I do now? My heart aches so much.
“How can I help all these people and myself, trapped in a mere body?” As he raised his hands and surrendered to the universe, not knowing why he had returned, a quiet whisper came from somewhere along with hot tears.
The voice asked, “What did you learn from your near-death experience?”
“To love myself unconditionally, to live as myself, to shine my light as brightly as possible.”
“Love myself unconditionally.
And live as myself.
“Let my light shine brightly.” As she answered, Anita asked the voice:
“But this world doesn’t support that kind of thinking and feeling.
This world seems much closer to hell than heaven.
“I don’t know how I can help them by loving myself!”
The voice answered.
“If you are surrounded by people who do not believe in their own true power or have never felt it, it is easy to forget your own true power.
And most people live without believing in that power or feeling it.
“If you focus on other people’s feelings and what they want, you will get lost in a world of fear,” the voice continued.
“My cancer was cured when I realized how loved and precious I was.
It is this very realization that will help you create a heavenly life on earth.
When you're lost in the world's problems, no one can help you.
So when you feel lost or discouraged, just ask yourself this:
“When on earth did I stop loving myself? How can I start to cherish myself more?”
At a moment when she was nearly entangled in the web of life's drama, she remembered what she had learned during her near-death experience, and thanks to this, she reconnected with the universe and returned to her true self.
And it occurred to me that if we could uncover why we give our inherent power and authority to the beliefs this world teaches us about life, how these beliefs are wrong, and what truths are hidden beneath these false beliefs, as she often did before her cancer and after her near-death experience, more people could find relief from their suffering and find joy in life.
I wanted to teach you the simple truth that you can enjoy the 'joy of living as yourself' when you live as the protagonist of your own life, and I wanted to teach you how to live happily without relying on anyone or anything outside of yourself, and even small ways to check yourself when you wonder if you're doing well.
“We are born knowing the truth about who we are.
But as we grow up, we forget that truth and try to fit ourselves into the mold that society dictates, domesticating ourselves and conforming to its rules.
We are taught to look outside for guidance, and so we come to accept other people's expectations.
And when we failed to live up to those expectations, we felt inadequate or defective. … … This destructive pattern will never change unless we boldly shatter the false beliefs this society has told us and expose the lies that have influenced our thinking.” (This book, pp. 19-20)
The wrong beliefs we've learned since childhood, and how to wake up from them.
“You get what you give.” “Self-love is selfish.” “If you truly love, give everything.” “Something is wrong with me and needs to be fixed.” “The medical system is responsible for my health.” “It’s just an accident.” “When you die, you are guilty.” “A spiritual person has no ego.” “Women are inferior to men.” “You should always think positively.”
These are beliefs that are familiar to almost everyone, regardless of East or West.
There are probably many people who agree with all ten or more of these or who grew up believing them from childhood.
Needless to say, Anita says all ten of these are false beliefs. (These ten false beliefs are also the table of contents of this book, in order.)
For example, if the belief that "you get what you pay for" is false, what is the truth? The truth Anita learned from her near-death experience is this: "No matter how imperfect we may seem, we all deserve unconditional love simply by existing; love doesn't have to be sought," and "The universe loves us all deeply and eternally, no matter what we say or do."
If I live by this truth, even if someone belittles me or treats me poorly, I will be able to feel compassion for them, knowing that it is not because I have done anything to deserve it, but because that person is in pain and confusion, and the wounds within them have not healed.
Anita, too, was a dark-skinned Indian child who attended a British school in Hong Kong and was bullied by her peers for a long time. This led to her growing up to be someone with low self-esteem, unable to accept compliments or being overly grateful when people spoke well of her.
I thought I had to work hard at everything to prove myself, and I predicted that I would be rejected wherever I went.
That's what she said.
“So you can imagine my astonishment when, during my near-death experience, I realized that not only was I worthy of unconditional love simply by existing, but that I was a special, unique, valuable, truly beautiful, majestic, and powerful creation of this universe in every way. … I didn’t have to prove anything, I didn’t have to achieve anything, I didn’t have to be anything.
“It’s just like the sun setting in the evening and rising again the next morning.” (This book, page 33)
What about the belief that "loving yourself is selfish"? The truth is, "I can't give to others what I don't have, so to truly love someone, I must first love myself."
Anita teaches you how to love yourself more, as well as how to recognize when you are loving yourself.
For example, if you have many moments like this, it is proof that you love yourself more.
“When you decide to do things that seem fun and enjoyable instead of worrying about what other people think or think,” “When good things keep happening and you no longer feel guilty about having a pleasant life,” “When you no longer feel embarrassed by people’s compliments but feel genuinely grateful”… …
The saying, “A spiritual person has no ego,” is a common trap that people who follow a spiritual path, such as practicing mind study or meditation, fall into.
What is the truth? According to Anita, "We came here to experience separation and duality through all the colorful and contrasting qualities that make up this world."
“This kind of experience is impossible without the ego.” We are something much bigger than the ego, an infinite self, but at the same time, it is because of the ego that we know who we are and can express our own uniqueness.
The ego is absolutely necessary for living in the material world, and if it were unnecessary, we would not have been born with an ego in the first place.
In each chapter of this book, Anita examines ten beliefs we unwittingly accept as truth, drawing on her own experiences and those of those around her, and from the stories of people she meets at lectures, even at airports and markets.
At the end of each chapter, a section titled "Living in Heaven Right Now" reveals the truth behind the false beliefs explored in each chapter and outlines the steps needed to break free from these false beliefs and live a life of truth.
Today, just as she foresaw upon returning from her near-death experience, Anita travels the world sharing the profound insights she gained from her experience in workshops, lectures, and conferences. She also regularly appears on major television programs around the world, including CNN, Fox News, and the National Geographic Channel, sharing the joy of living as the protagonist of her own life.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: May 31, 2017
- Page count, weight, size: 304 pages | 388g | 144*214*30mm
- ISBN13: 9791188244003
- ISBN10: 1188244000
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