This book offers some insight into our mind's complex connections and the myriad coincidences that help shape our opinions and behaviors.
It offers a view into some of the ancient Vedic wisdoms and prescribes twice-daily meditation and chanting mantras to acquire a greater level of awakening and awareness of universal truths.
The Seven Principles of Synchrodestiny and their accompanying Sutras:
The First Principle: You are a Ripple in the Fabric of the Cosmos
Sutra: Aham Brahmasmi (ab-HUM bra b-MAHS-Ittee) The core of my being is the ultimate reality, the root and ground of the universe, the source of all that exists.
The Second Principle: Through the Mirror of Relationships I Discover My Nonlocal Self
Sutra: Tat Tvam Asi (tabt Cvabin Ali-see) I see the other in myself and myself in others.
The Third Principle: Your Inner Dialogue
Sutra: Sat Chit Ananda (sabt chit ab-NAN-dab) My inner dialogue reflects the fire of my soul.
The Fourth Principle: Intent Weaves the Tapestry of the Universe
Sutra: San Ka lpa (sahn KAL-pah) My intentions have infinite organizing power.
The Fifth Principle: Harness Your Emotional Turbulence
Sutra: Moksha (MOKE-shab) I am emotionally free.
The Sixth Principle: Celebrate the Dance of the Cosmos
Sutra: Shiva-Shakti (SHE-vab SHOCK-tee) I am giving birth to the gods and goddesses inside me; they express all their attributes and powers through me.
The Seventh Principle: Accessing the Conspiracy of Improbabilities
Sutra: Ritam (REE-tahm) I am alert, awake to coincidences, and know that they are messages from God. I flow with the cosmic dance.
I have listened to this audiobook several times over the last month, trying to absorb as much of it as I can. I have to admit that I was not often in a good position to perform the exercises as he described them, but I have tried to take many of his recommendations to heart.
interesting quotes (page numbers from paperback edition with ISBN13 978-1400054312):
"We can never fully understand the how, where, and when of anything, even something as simple as boiling water. We have to surrender to uncertainty, while appreciating its intricate beauty." (p. 84)
"We live like actors in a play who are given only one line at a time, going through the motions without understanding the full story. But when you get in touch with your soul, you see the whole script for the drama." (p. 90)
"Intention provides opportunities that you have to be alert to. Good luck is opportunity and preparedness coming together. Intention will provide you opportunities, but you still need to act when the opportunity is provided." (p. 116)
"People who are tuned in to the deeper self can access this deeper domain because this self is not separate from the universe; the Buddhists say that your 'self' is an inter-being that is interlinked with all that exists. You are inseparably part of the cosmic quantum soup." (p. 137)
"Now we know that putting your attention on coincidences attracts more coincidences and applying intention reveals their meaning. In this way, coincidences become clues to the will of the universe, providing a way for us to see the synchronicity and take advantage of life's boundless opportunities." (p. 138)
"Another thing you can do to nurture coincidence is to keep a diary or journal of coincidences in your life. After years of note-taking, I classify coincidences as tiny, medium, whoppers, and double-whoppers. " (p. 141)
"Our dreams are not only projections of our own consciousness; they are, in fact, how we interpret our life paths. The mechanics of the dream and the mechanics of what is happening to us in the so-called reality are the same projections of the soul. We are merely witnesses." (p. 143)
"You can pave the path to enlightenment by understanding the plan written on your soul, by nurturing the relationships that give you context and meanings, and by enacting your mythical drama. Out of that is born love and compassion. Out of that comes fulfillment and completion." (pp. 148-149)
"Do not choose who you wish to be, or even which qualities you most admire, but seek out the qualities that you feel drawn to, that motivate you, that inspire you. You will know them when you find them. Best of all, there are no wrong answers." (p. 155)
"You are the full potential of all that was, is, and will be." (p. 159)
"So, the word mantra literally means an instrument of the mind." (p. 171)
"We all mirrors for others and we need to learn to see ourselves in the reflection of other people." (p. 188)
"The essential nature of the universe is the coexistence of opposite values. You cannot be brave if you do not have a coward inside you. You cannot be generous if you do not have a tight-fisted person inside you. You cannot be virtuous unless you also contain the capacity for evil." (p. 190)
Namaste: "The Sanskrit word namaste (pronounced nah-mah-STAY) means 'The spirit in me honors the spirit in you.' Whenever you first make eye contact with another person, say 'Namaste' silently to yourself. This is a way of acknowledging that the being there is the same as the being here. When you do this, everything about you - your body language, your expression, and your tone - will be recognized by the other person at some profound level. Even though this greeting is silent, the other person will consciously or unconsciously register the respect implicit in your greeting. Practice this exercise for a few days, and see if you notice a difference in your interactions with other people." (p. 196)
"Of course, the best way to have all your intentions realized is to align your intentions with the cosmic intent to create harmony between what you intend and what the universe intends for you. Once that congruence comes into being, you'll find that synchronicity takes on a larger role in your life. The best way to create that harmony is by nurturing an attitude of simple gratitude. Acknowledge your gratitude for everything in your life. Give thanks for your place in the cosmos and for the opportunity your have to further the destiny we all share. Part of creating harmony is abandoning grievances of all kinds. Grievance comes from the ego. Animals don't have any problems with grudges or grievances. It's only among we human beings that intention is so often encumbered by all sorts of emotional baggage. You must let all that go in order to create a pure intention." (p. 210)
"Anger motivates us to harm others, moving us in the opposite direction from enlightenment and unity consciousness. Anger clouds any perception of unity. Anger is only about the ego. Rather than moving you toward synchronicity and enlightenment, anger pushes you backward, closing you down to the transformative messages of the universe.
It is therefore critically important to control this form of emotional turbulence. Venting anger really does not help. Venting simply gives fuel to the anger and allows it to grow. Angry feelings need to be dealt with in a positive way as soon as possible after they arise. The goal is not to fuel the anger, or try to smother it by burying it. Instead, we must convert the anger, or any other destructive emotion, within ourselves.
The first step to converting emotions is to take responsibility for what you are feeling. In order to take responsibility, you must recognize the emotion. What are you feeling? Where do you feel it in your body? Once you can identify the feeling, witness it. Experience it as objectively as possible, as though you are another person looking in. Anger is triggered by pain. Describe the pain from this objective point of view.
After the pain is identified in these ways, you can begin to express, release, and share the pain. Transform the painful experience into new awareness. Eventually you may even be able to celebrate the pain as another step on your road to spiritual enlightenment. When you embrace the pain in this way, emotional turbulence will disappear and the path to synchronicity again become clear." (pp. 222-223)
"Don't stand by my grave and weep.
For I am not there.
I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond's glint on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
In the soft hush of the morning light,
I am the swift bird in flight.
Don't stand by my grave and cry,
I am not there,
I did not die." Unknown Native American author
(p. 262)