When we find ourselves becoming more and more discontented with life, it is because we are not being true to ourselves and achieving our worth. Overcome your feartake that leap of faith and become the person you desire to be.
When we find ourselves becoming more and more discontented with life, it is because we are not being true to ourselves and achieving our worth. Overcome your feartake that leap of faith and become the person you desire to be.
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Overview
When we find ourselves becoming more and more discontented with life, it is because we are not being true to ourselves and achieving our worth. Overcome your feartake that leap of faith and become the person you desire to be.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781452518473 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Balboa Press |
| Publication date: | 08/04/2014 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 144 |
| File size: | 340 KB |
About the Author
www.newbeginningshypno.com.
She is a wife to Graham and mother to her two sons, Scott and Lee.
Read an Excerpt
Tales of Enchantment
stories to empower Positive self-change
By Wendy Riley
Balboa Press
Copyright © 2014 Wendy RileyAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-1846-6
CHAPTER 1
THE PATH
(Fear of letting go of what no longer benefits us and changing direction)
One day, a man decided to go to the zoo for the day. As he walked around the enclosures and observed the different animals, he came across an enclosure with a big brown bear and several smaller bears.
The big bear would walk from one side of the enclosure to the other. He went back and forth from one side to another, east to west, back and forth, west to east, all day, until nightfall, at which point he would go to his cave. It was here in his cave that he would dream and visualise what he really wanted and how he wanted to be. He knew he had an inner strength, an inner knowing, and an intuition, wisdom that could transform the way he was. He would lie in his cave, seeking the resources necessary for renewal and healing.
The bear would walk back and forth for hours, pacing along the same path from one side to the other, never changing his course. It was always on the same path, doing the same thing, day in and day out.
The bear was stuck. He knew he was stuck; his thoughts were keeping him in limbo. His thoughts represented or determined his feelings and behaviours. His thoughts were negative: They told him he couldn't move forward and that he wasn't good enough. He was worthless and useless, and he didn't deserve to be happy.
When he moved to the east, he felt that change was near. He would then go to the west, which showed him how to solve his problems, however he was frightened: He feared change. He feared moving from security, although dull and monotonous, to something new and unfamiliar. There was a part of him that wanted to change, and there was a part of him that wanted to stay stuck.
He longed to go swimming with the other bears in the pond at the top of the hill, where the other bears played happily in the water without a care in the world, jumping and splashing in the water and enjoying the coolness of the water out of the heat of the day's sun. He knew that when he growled at the other bears, it wasn't that he disliked them. Perhaps, though, it was because he was jealous of their being able to play without any concerns.
He wanted to be with them, doing the things that they were doing and being part of their world, however he was frightened. He longed for a day when he could be carefree and enjoy himself. He knew that the anger he felt for the others was actually anger towards himself. He was angry that he was unhappy and that he was unable to be who he really wished to be. He wished and desired to be carefree enough to socialise and be with the other bears.
One day when the bear was walking along his path, there was a thunderous bang. It was the loudest noise he had ever heard. This frightened him, and it made him jump and start to run up the hill. He stopped. He was no longer on the same old path: He was on a different path, and he started to look at his surroundings, for they were unfamiliar and strange.
He could see the old path he had walked every day back and forth, day in and day out. He no longer felt afraid to be on this part of the hill. In fact, he quite liked it. He could see so much more from that position. He felt more confident, stronger, and happier.
He could see the crowds of people who came to visit. He could see them laughing and having fun. He felt so much better about himself. He began to respect himself and change the way he thought about himself. He created positive thoughts and developed an attitude that he was good enough. He was worthy and useful, and he was happy.
Each day, the bear managed to move further and further up the hill until he reached the pond at the top, where the other bears were playing happily in the cool water. As he stood at the top of the hill, he started to wonder what he was so afraid of. He was now at the top of the hill, and he now knew his fears were completely unfounded.
He had allowed himself to let go of his old path and move forward onto a new path, one that made him feel alive.
The anxieties and worries that had kept him imprisoned were now gone. By letting go of the old, he was able to try new things. He then jumped into the cool water. He started to have fun with the other bears. He felt lighter, calm, relaxed, and free.
Like the flowing water, we must learn to go with the flow of life. It is through the challenges and difficulties that we realise we are at our most vulnerable. It is, however, when we are at our most vulnerable that we are in fact at our strongest. We can then understand that it is this darkness that encourages us and allows us to look inward to find light, courage, and love.
CHAPTER 2WISHING WELL
(To help increase self-belief, self-confidence, and self-esteem)
This is a story about a girl named Joy. She was out walking in the woods one beautiful autumn day. The trees were stunning with their array of colours. Some were red, others golden, and some of the leaves were still waiting to turn from green to orange or to whatever colour they were going to be. Joy took great delight in the many different colours and wondered at how clever nature was at adapting and transforming itself from one season to the next. She wished that she too could transform herself from the quiet, shy person she was with her many fears. She wished she were a confident person who believed in herself, her abilities, and her purpose in life. As she was pondering this, she came upon a wishing well.
This was no ordinary wishing well, for there were clear instructions on the wall of the well. The instructions said that anyone who wished to drink from this well had to dance around the well three times while saying the following:
I believe in myself
As I am worthy
I believe in myself
As I am fearless
I believe in myself
As I am in charge
Joy saw that once you have completed this rhyme three times, you must sit beside the well and imagine a huge cloud above your head. You must then release all your anxieties and fears until the cloud turns dark and ominous. Fill this cloud with all of your fears, worries, and anxieties. This cloud will then drift farther and farther away. The farther it goes, the lighter and more relaxed you will become. You will notice that things that would have bothered you in the past no longer have the same effect on you. You may then drink from the well.
So Joy began her dance around the well and chanted:
I believe in myself
As I am worthy
I believe in myself
As I am fearless
I believe in myself
As I am in charge
She repeated it for a second time:
I believe in myself
As I am worthy
I believe in myself
As I am fearless
I believe in myself
As I am in charge
The leaves began to swirl all around her. It was like a multicoloured coat of many colours. The reds, gold's, and yellows shimmered and twinkled in the autumn sunlight.
She began to laugh and feel free as she repeated the verse for the final time:
I believe in myself
As I am worthy
I believe in myself
As I am fearless
I believe in myself
As I am in charge
She then sat at the edge of the well, feeling safe, secure, and protected by her coat of many colours. She began to imagine that white fluffy cloud and began to release her misery and worries into it. She released her fear of not being good enough and of being shy and her lack of belief in herself. She released all the shame and guilt.
She released and let go. She forgave herself and accepted herself, and as she did this, she could see the cloud changing from white to grey to black. The cloud started to drift away into the sky. With it went all of her problems, worries, and unhappiness, never to return to her.
She then slowly lowered the bucket into the well until she heard a splash as it reached the bottom. She raised the bucket to the top, and some of the clear water splashed around the bucket and spilled onto the leaves on the ground. When the water landed on the leaves, they began to shimmer and shine as if by magic. Joy took a sip of water from the bucket, and she began to feel the magic of the water. She began to feel calm and free. She had an inner tranquillity and peacefulness that she had never experienced before. She felt safe, secure, and carefree.
CHAPTER 3THE TOWER
(Feeling trapped)
Now that you feel comfortable and relaxed, I want to tell you a story set within the grounds of a castle. I want you to think of a castle that you have visited, and I want to take you on a journey around this castle. This will be a magical and enlightening journey.
As you wander towards the entrance of the castle, you look up at the beautiful turrets, and you begin to wonder at the height and splendour of these structures.
I want you now to step inside the castle. We will go to the first room on the left. Go through the door into the room, and on the floor, you will see many rugs. When you look closer, you will see that these carpets are shimmering and moving on the floor and that they are all different colours and shapes. I want you to choose one. Choose one that draws your attention. Go right over to it, and touch it. As you touch that carpet, you realise that this is no ordinary carpet. Rather, it is one with such energy and enthusiasm that it draws you to it. Perhaps you are drawn to it because it's your favourite colour, or perhaps you are drawn to it because of the pattern and shapes on the carpet. It feels safe and secure, and it feels right.
This is no ordinary carpet; this is a magic carpet. The carpet is now inviting you to sit on it and explore the castle by allowing you to fly around the castle, over the roof tops that will allow you to see things more clearly and from a different angle. Imagine being able to view everything from down below or up above.
You are feeling so comfortable on your carpet and so relaxed that the carpet now feels part of who you are. To make the carpet move to the right or left or to stop or start it, all you have to do is think it.
As you sit on the carpet, it begins to move. The carpet moves slowly towards the window, and you drift through the window and out into a sunny spring day. The sun feels warm against your body, and you find yourself relaxing even deeper. You feel content and at peace. You have an inner knowing, and you know that change can start now or later today; you know that you may and will start to see things differently from now on.
The carpet begins to drift out into the castle's grounds and soar higher and higher towards the top of the castle. The wind whisks through your hair. As you become one with the carpet, you become one with yourself.
You now fly around the castle, going faster and faster until things begin to blend into one. The carpet slows when it comes to a tower on the east side of the castle. Beginnings always start in the east, since the sun rises in the east, and each day is a new day with a fresh beginning. It is the time of change. New ideas arise and awaken; change awakens. Spring is the season when all things begin to grow and awaken. The energy to flourish and develop begins here.
You are reminded of a story that you once heard about prisoners who had been imprisoned in that east tower. You hover on your carpet beside the window, peer through the iron bars, and begin to imagine what it would have been like to be imprisoned in that small tower.
The story went that many of the prisoners had been in that tower for ten or twenty years, and they had tried numerous ways to escape. They had tried to escape through the bars of the window, but the tower was so high that it was impossible. They would have fallen to their deaths if they had tried to make their escape this way.
They had tried to break down the walls of the tower to no avail. They had failed to escape. They had dreamed of being free and able to run around outside, enjoying nature and all that is. They imagined feeling the wind, sun, and rain on their faces, but they were trapped. Their frustration, isolation, and fear grew, and it made them feel hopeless, frustrated, and angry.
One day, a new prisoner arrived; he, too, looked for ways to escape, so that he could return to his simple, happy life. It was a life filled with love and security, a life of freedom. He asked the prisoners how they had tried to escape from this life, and they told him about their attempts to escape from the windows or to tunnel their way out.
The new prisoner went to the sturdy oak door and tried to open it while the other prisoners looked on in despair. They knew that it was hopeless; the only time that door ever opened was for someone new to arrive. Food and water were pushed through a hatch within the door. The new prisoner continued to examine the door, looking at the locks the handles, reviewing every part of the door. So instead of opening the door towards him, as all the other prisoners had done, he turned the handle and pushed the door in the opposite direction. The door opened. The door had never been locked. The prisoners had the ability all along to be free, simply by seeing things in an alternative way. The answers are always there, we simply have to remind ourselves to step back from the problem and see things in a different light. By shining a new clarity on something this allows us to move beyond our limitations.
As you hover on your carpet, you think about what has been trapping you or what have you imagined or thought that has been preventing you from moving forwards. What has been hindering you from escaping from this worry or trouble? There is always choice, and there are always solutions. A well-known therapist coined the phrase, "There are over 200 ways to wash dishes." There is always choice.
So take some time to think of new ways to resolve difficulties, worries, and anxieties with a new self-awareness of resources, experiences, and learnings that you may have overlooked. Be like the sun rising in the east. Perhaps by experiencing every day as a chance to learn, change, and grow, you can become what you most wish and desire.
CHAPTER 4THE SMOKE TRAIN
(The effects of smoking on the mind and body)
You're standing at the train station, waiting to embark on the next train, but this is no ordinary train. This is a special train. This train is an old-fashioned steam engine with three carriages. Which carriage will you choose? This train can go to the past, present, or future.
The first carriage is the one next to the engine, but there is nothing separating the carriage from the engine. The men in charge of stoking the fire are black from head to foot because the smoke and soot are bellowing throughout the carriage onto all the passengers. There is no door on the fire, and the men who have to stoke the fire are hot from the heat of the fire and black from the ash and soot. Their faces are black, and all that can be seen are the whites of their eyes.
The people in this carriage are all suffering from the effects of too much smoke; there are people coughing and clearing their throats. All the people struggle for breath. The heat is so intense, and this makes their breathing worse.
The people are all wheezing and gasping for breath in this carriage. Some could barely walk due to their breathing problems, and some are so thin because they don't have enough breath to eat. It was difficult to see who was there, but people could tell there were others by the sounds of their laboured breath. The wheezing that came from their lungs was raspy and forced.
The music being played in this carriage was "Every Breath I Take." Every breath is contaminated and putrid. With every breath, the air becomes more and more contaminated. This is all because they wanted to look cool and part of the in crowd back when they were teenagers. Whatever the reasons they had for starting, it no longer felt cool or fun. There was no fun anymore, and it most certainly wasn't cool. It felt dirty and smelly, and because it felt dirty and smelly, was it really that much fun?
In the second carriage, the people here are unsure of what they should do. Why should they change? They had glimpsed the future and seen what would happen if they continued on their present path. They now seen their health as a gift, and that gift is what they desired. They desired a carefree, healthy lifestyle because they wondered how it would now feel to be free from the burden of smoking. Because they longed for this, they realised that there is choice, and they choose to be a non-smoker.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Tales of Enchantment by Wendy Riley. Copyright © 2014 Wendy Riley. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction, 1,1 The Path Fear of letting go of what no longer benefits us and changing direction, 3,
2 Wishing Well To help increase self-belief, self-confidence, and self-esteem, 9,
3 The Tower Feeling trapped, 15,
4 The Smoke Train The effects of smoking on the mind and body, 21,
5 Chocolate Goddess Filling a void with sweetness, 27,
6 The Healthy Horse Overeating, 33,
7 The Duck That Thought She Couldn't Fly A fear of flying and releasing old patterns and behaviours, 39,
8 The Salmon Coping with daily struggles and worries, 45,
9 Harmony Island Dealing with anger, hurt, and disappointment, 51,
10 Mrs Allsorts Embracing the new and letting go of the old, 57,
11 The Spinning Plates Stress, insomnia, and getting life in balance, 63,
12 The Fairy Cake Baker To increase confidence and self-belief, 69,
13 Mr Moon and Mrs Sleep Understanding sleep, 75,
14 The Warrior of Light For people who feel they just don't fit in, 81,
15 Mud Huts Melting away those old self-limiting beliefs, 87,
16 The Bear Necessities Anxiety, worry, stress, and the need to let things go, 93,
17 The Pink Room Learning to love and support yourself, 101,
18 The Snake That Lost Her Hiss Fear of speaking in public or speaking up for yourself, 107,
19 The Race of Life Overcoming life's hurdles, 113,
20 Magical Garden To assist with balance, self-confidence, and self-esteem, 119,
21 Chained to the Past Letting go of old beliefs that no longer serve your highest worth, 125,
22 Bee like the Lotus Flower Overcoming diversity to achieve what you desire, 131,