The following selection has been excerpted from Life Lessons: 125 Prayers and Meditations by Julia Cameron, a collection of short meditations that will uplift you and help you get in touch with God and other divine entities.
No need for panic
Little one, why are you anxious? Why do you worry and fret? I’m with you always, and I intend you great good. Still your frantic imaginings. Feel my calm. There’s no need for panic. You’re led carefully and well. There’s always a choice: fear or faith.
With faith comes the certainty that my world is unfolding exactly as it should. Trust in me. Trust in God—good, orderly direction. Everything is in divine order. There’s a place for you, safe and protected. Feel my security. I prosper you. You are my child.
Dare to love
Little one, you turn a blind eye to the beauties of my world. I say to you, “Open your eyes, and with your eyes, your heart.”
Dare to love. Dare to appreciate the loveliness all around you. On a snowy night, feel my peace and tranquillity. Snowbound, let me be your companion. Feel my calm. I am peaceful and so, too, can you be. Rest your heart in my quietude. Dismantle your fears and trust that all is well.
Illuminate your heart
Dear one, bring me your troubles. I take great joy in untangling your complicated life. You’re overwhelmed, but I am not. Your many problems are child’s play to me. You have a shadowed heart, but I bring light to it. I illuminate your difficulties. I give you a lantern heart. Ask me for guidance and I’ll lead you, one step at a time. Your path becomes broad and clear. I bring you clarity and grace.
Celebrate your beloved’s life
Little one, you’ve lost a beloved. Your heart is numb, stricken with grief. You feel empty, as if your loss has scraped bare the chambers of your heart.
Listen to what I tell you now: death is a portal. Your beloved lives on. What you see as an ending is really a beginning. Your loved one feels joy, not sorrow; expansion and freedom as the transition to being “home” brings happiness and peace. Celebrate your beloved’s life. Do not mourn what is past. Go forward, listening for the subtle signs that life lives on. Your loved one loves you still. Offer prayers of gratitude for all you shared. Your bond continues as you open your heart.
Focus on the precise moment
Hurried one, you pray for guidance but then rush on, missing my reply. You tell yourself I ignore you, when it’s you who ignores my answer.
Hear me now: slow down, temper your frantic pace. Velocity is not your friend. Breathe deeply. Open your heart. Inhale the guidance that I would give to you. Focus on the precise moment we’re in. Count it as a blessing. My guidance comes to you softly, without haste. Listen.
Let go and let God
Little one, you strain for a solution. You push the river, seeking an instant answer. You’re without patience, without faith. I say to you, “Relax. Let go and let God.” My answers are perfect, and they come to you with skilled timing. So rest. Don’t force events to yield to your will. Trust my timing and my benevolence. I wish you well.
You’re never alone
Little one, you feel alone and abandoned. This is false thinking. You’re never alone, never abandoned. We’re always at your side, guarding and protecting you. Ask us for help, and know that help comes to you. As you slow your pace, you feel our presence. Trust us completely.
Pause in your striving
Frustrated one, you would force people and situations to do your bidding. Angered, they rebel. You don’t get your way. Aggravated, you push still harder. To no avail. So now, pause in your striving. Allow me to advise you: “Easy does it.” This is no mere bromide. It doesn’t simply mean “slow down.” “Easy does it” means “easy accomplishes it.” Experiment with this advice. You will find its wisdom.
Live and let live
Stymied one, no one does as you wish! If only people would follow your lead, all would be well, you believe. But people do as they choose. You find yourself irritated.
What’s the solution? Put simply, it boils down to a slogan, “Live and let live.” Release others to their own agendas and put the focus on yourself: “Live.” Follow your heart. Ask what brings it joy. As you follow your bliss, your aggravation with others diminishes. You’ll know a new freedom and a new happiness. As you “live,” you will “let live.” Harmony is the result.
Take your cue from animals
Impatient one, you’re stern with your animal friends. Instead, take your cue from them. They love you patiently. They’re forgiving of your harsh moods. Learn from them. Teach them through love. Praise them. Say to them, “Good little one, good little one.” You’ll find that they respond to kindness. Treat them with love and feel their love come back to you.
Nurture your plants
Little one, nurture the plants that are in your care. Play gentle music. Speak to them with love. All living things respond to tenderness. Use discernment in their care. Your intuition will tell you when they’re thirsty. Offer them enough water, but not too much. Give them nutrients, again in moderation. Praise their beauty. Appreciate their green life. Take care to give them ample room for growth. Love their verdant spirits. They will flourish in response.
Appreciate quietude
Noisy one, learn to appreciate silence. Learn to lead your life without a voice-over. The news of the day is frequently harsh. You hear of catastrophe, not kindness. Your spirit flags. The future looms dark.
Stop your dire imaginings. Listen, instead, for the still, small voice that comes to you with quietude. Mine is a voice of peace, calm and optimism. It brings you much good if you open your heart to receive it. Your heart has ears that listen acutely. Silence speaks to them. Listen now and feel your mood gently lifting.
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| Julia Cameron has been an active artist for more than four decades. She’s the author of more than 40 fiction and non-fiction books, including such bestselling works on the creative process as The Artist’s Way, Walking in This World and Finding Water. A novelist, playwright, songwriter and poet, she has multiple credits in theatre, film and television. She divides her time between New York City’s Manhattan and the high desert of New Mexico. | |
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Excerpted from LIFE LESSONS by Julia Cameron with the permission of TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2017 by Julia Cameron. |
