The Gratitude Effect, by Dr. John Demartini, is the book we are discussing currently on Quantum Leap Book Club. The author uses poetic language at times to gain our understanding. I like his use of “bouquet” to describe the combination of statements and actions in our world that are pro and anti – this and that. When we experience opposition inside ourselves or someone else, he cautions us to recognize the alert of our possible rigid thinking or our limited belief.
Dr. Demartini reminds us that what we condemn is what we breed. Our opponents are just human beings with their own values and are serving the world as much as we are. Each of us contributes a unique and invaluable piece to the giant jigsaw puzzle of our universe. Opposites are needed for the big picture to emerge. Gratitude results when we embrace both sides wholeheartedly.
IGNORANCE – seeing one half and ignoring the other
WISDOM – seeing both sides of every event and of every person
Be on the alert for the balance and you will find divine perfection all around and will feel that you are loved. The result is a balance of support and challenge. Harsh tough love makes you independent. Soft love makes you dependent.
Challenges make us grow and can lead us to become empowered self-actualized individuals. Gratitude is a balanced perspective.
An EVENT cannot be negative or positive but always neutral until we judge and label it. When we take time to see both sides, we do not react but instead wisely act.
Our author uses the event of “911” as an example. There are three full pages in his book listing the blessings that resulted from this disastrous event. He recognizes the 911 event as transformative. Every crisis has a blessing.
When we are open to the big picture, we can recognize the fact that out of every great challenge comes a greater opportunity. We can recognize life as a perfect masterpiece when we look through our hearts and open our eyes to the gift of balance that exists.
FANTASIES
- Expect people to live outside universal laws – to always be nice, kind, cooperative (to be one-sided).
- Expect people to live outside their values.
- We want someone to be someone they cannot be.
- We expect ourselves to live outside universal laws.
- Unrealistic expectations of what we imagine God to be.
- Unrealistic expectations of mechanical objects.
GOOD NEWS
We can change the way we perceive our world.
We can change the way we act on our perceptions.
Setting our goals according to the universal laws and our values, we can take control of our destiny and transform our world.
The bottom line can be summarized by: “What matters is how you perceive what happens to you.”
Dr. Joyce Mollenhauer, ND, BSN, RN, Nurse Coach
I am privileged to be a co-host on a fun, interesting, and life changing radio show called Quantum Leap Book Club, a program of The Learning Center For Human Development. We focus on books that celebrate the incredible expansion and changes in Consciousness in our world.
(https://www.loaradionetwork.com/quantum-leap) or catch archived shows.
If you have an interest in making changes in your life, please take a listen and let us know what you think!.