The Four Essential Elements

I'd like to share with you four essential elements of living that I believe can help you to focus on what really matters during this journey called life. These are four essential cornerstones, a foundation if you will, upon which you may build your life. These elements, much like earth, fire, water and air are part of our environment are four parts of our inner world that can be expressed in the outer world. Furthermore, as sovereign citizens of this universe, we have a right to claim them all as our own.

The first of these is LOVE. It is our purpose for being here. There is nothing more important to living a fulfilled life than sharing love with all of God's living world. There isn't anything else more valuable to devote your time to. The value of love is unique in that it increases only when given freely. Love is what brought you into existence, it is what will sustain you while you are here on this plane of existence and I believe it is the only path to the next place we are headed when this life is over.

Love is intimacy. Intimacy can be defined as the energy created between two or more people sharing in a common experience. Do you look other people in the eye when you talk to them? If you know like I do that 70% of communication is non-verbal, then you understand the power of a smile at the right moment. That moment is always there for you if you chose it. Love also takes courage. In this modern world it takes guts to maintain a loving posture in the face of so much negativity, but it must be done. For your own sake first and then for everyone you share this world with. Love is freedom. There's no better way to escape a negative emotional state than to chose love in a moment where you might want to feel anger. The feeling of liberation from the prison of negativity to the ultimate joy found in that simple act is exhilarating. The choice is always yours.

The next element is PEACE. You must acquire the ability to calm the storms of the mind just as we are told that Jesus calmed the storms on the Sea of Galilee. We must stay calm, centered and focused in the face of adverse circumstances. Calmness means keeping an even disposition under all circumstances and never losing the capacity for rational thought. Remember that you cannot always control people or situations but you can control your reaction to them. Staying centered is keeping your core beliefs, values and morals. These are the roots from which you grow your soul into what you want it to be and they are also expressed as the fruits of your heart in all of your thoughts, words and deeds. This is the framework of how you act in life, how you interact with others and how you relate to the intangibles such as faith, love, and good and evil. Peace is also being able to focus on the desired outcome of whatever you are facing and not getting caught up in the momentary difficulties of a problem. Find a way to be hopeful in spite of evidence or appearances. All of these aspects will help you to develop faith. Faith in yourself as well as faith in a higher power.

You must also meditate on the element of HEALTH. A healthy person is a strong person. We are a
trinity. A union of mind, body and spirit with the strength of each being essential to the well-being of the whole. It is necessary that the mind, the body and the spirit be properly fed, dutifully exercised and
devotedly sanctified for you to maintain optimal health. Your path to accomplishing these goals is as
individual as you are, so there's no intention here to lead you in one dogmatic direction or another regarding your choices. But know that in order to be the best you that you can be, you must take responsibility for your own maintenance. This requires a level of discipline that may seem difficult and unfamiliar at first, but it is paramount becoming a better you. Seek knowledge on how best to develop and practice the habits and the lifestyle that will ensure you, who are wonderfully made, are always at your best.

Last, but not least is PROSPERITY. Prosperity is the element that expresses your gratitude. It is not to be found in acquiring material possessions exclusively, but here is a better definition: Having the means and the resources to make your experience of this world as beautiful, as pleasurable and as unique as possible. This goes beyond material wealth to having the ability to see beauty and experience pleasure in the simple appreciation of all of creation. Your own experience of a sunset, a walk in the park or sharing a moment playing with your child is yours in a special way thanks to the wonderful array of senses we have available. Remind yourself of the simple acts of a child and the joy they find in play. Allow yourself to be carefree and thankful for the precious gift of life and feel the gratitude swell within you.

As you meditate on these elements and begin to consciously express them in your lifestyle, rest assured that during these changing times, the positive energy that you will create is adding to the well being of this planet and everyone on it. Never forget that the very best thing you can do for the world is to make the best of yourself.