This is where we archive inspirational writings from Rev. Doti.  Many folks have found her thoughts to be helpful, so we've decided to archive them here for you to revisit when you need them.  Click on the links below to find the text you are looking for.

• "How to Live Every Day in Heaven ... on Earth" (August, 2008)
• "Emphasizing Your Happy" (November, 2008)

Emphasizing Your Happy

(Originally published November, 2008)

Affirmation: I am a happy person – ready to meet the day
with a smile on my face, joy in my heart and peace on my mind.

     “Happiness is a Warm Puppy” was written by Charles Schultz in the 60s. I’ll never forget this little yellow book with its drawing of Linus, blanket in hand, petting Snoopy. It was sweet, charming and most of all -– it made you feel happy.

     There are so many things in life that make us happy, and yet sometimes folks have a tendency to emphasize the negatives in life.

     Take a moment to think of at least five things that make you happy. Was that difficult? Or did negative thoughts and images try to blot them out? Unfortunately the bad things just seem to have more impact on our mind than the good.

     Now, think of the happiest people you know. They’re the ones who seem to be able to find joy everywhere. These happy people quite often have much in common. Most feel that the happiness they have involves what they give to others. Allan Chalmers says, “the Grand essentials of happiness are: someone to help, something to love, and something to hope for.”

     Happy people also enjoy simple things like squirting folks with the garden hose, reading the comics, smiling at strangers, and eating the peanut butter straight out of the jar. Many small moments of happiness and feelings of joy crowd out the depression and dismay folks hold onto every day.

     Isn’t it strange how suspicious we sometimes are of happiness? If we have it we are sure that it can’t last. We tend to feel that there is something not quite acceptable about having things go right.

     When we were children we took for granted that each day would bring us greater happiness. We celebrated everything: flowers, animals, other children, loving adults, and learning – we embraced them all with open arms and growing joy. And everything made us laugh whether it was being pushed in a swing, chasing butterflies or making snow angels.

     What happened? One of the major problems in the world today is that we’ve lost our sense of humor. As many of you know – I spent six months of my life trying to be a stand-up comic. I performed in some nice clubs – but I realized I could never be a great comedian. I wasn’t bad – just not very good.   But, it was one of the most joyous times of my life! Each night I was surrounded by humor and laughter. And, it reminded me of the fun times I had as a child.

     I know I am often accused of being childish. I prefer to interpret that as child-like. I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things. I tend to exaggerate and fantasize and embellish. I have been told it is sometimes better to hear me tell about a party than actually being there! But, give me a fountain to wade in, a pile of leaves to scrunch through, a group of friends to amuse or a coloring book where I can go outside of the lines – and I AM HAPPY!

Famous Quotes:

“The pursuit of happiness is perhaps our most basic drive. It is even mentioned in our Constitution. How we pursue it, and even how we define it, varies from person to person. Perhaps what makes it so elusive is our problem in not only not knowing how to obtain it, but how to keep it around. Our highest spirits can be so quickly conquered by adversity.”

- Leo Buscaglia

“Happiness comes when your work and words are of the benefit to yourself and other.”

- Buddha

“Happiness is not having what you want. It is wanting what you have.”

- Anonymous

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

- The Dalai Lama

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

- Albert Schweitzer

“Happiness belongs to the self-sufficient.”

Aristotle

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”

- Denis Waitley

“Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”

- Helen Keller

“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.”

- James M. Barrie

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

- Marcel Proust

“Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”

- Nathaniel Hawthorne

“People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within.”

- Ramona L. Anderson

“Independence is happiness.”

- Susan B. Anthony

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh

     I attempt to experience Heaven on Earth every day: a beautiful, peaceful and holy place -- where problems dissolve into joy, people are loving and radiant, and the world becomes an enchanted wonderland. As an ordained UCM minister I know mystics from every tradition have tried to teach us: Heaven on Earth is already here -- when we're awake enough to see it!

     "What's she talking about?" you may ask yourself. "The kids drive me crazy; the commute-traffic headache hits me daily; stress at work is miserable; and household bills are piling up; and every day feels so difficult. Where would I find Heaven on Earth around here?" 

     Well, you've actually been there before! Perhaps one of these questions will help you remember what it was like:

• Think of the happiest time in your life. A first love? The excitement of pregnancy? A new career? A huge success? How did the world seem in that moment?
• Ever been astonished by an incredible sunset, magnificent landscape, or a moment enraptured by the sounds of birds? How did the world seem in that moment?
• Ever found yourself in a church, temple or other holy place peacefully absorbing its tranquility? How did you feel? How did the world seem in that moment?

• The mind becomes quiet. The inner world of racing thoughts, wishful fantasy, or endless "to-do" lists grows silent and you notice a stillness inside and out.

• Attention moves to the present; you no longer focus on past or future events. You start to see what's around you and discover the world's spellbinding beauty and perfection just as it is.

• A quality of holiness gradually emerges. The world seems filled with a Presence that is aware, awake, patient, and loving.

• Disbelief: Disbelief prevents us from even considering the possibility of stepping into that Heaven that is already here.
• Fear and Worry: When you worry and fret about problems, distressing thoughts prevent you from stopping to really see what's around you.
• Compulsivity: Instead of stopping to see where we really are, we rush on to the next problem. Driven by compulsivity, we rarely stop to "smell the roses" which is where the threshold to Heaven lies.

• Find a peaceful place to sit and stop everything. Disconnect from people, phones, and tasks, and be quiet for a few minutes. Breathe deeply, quiet your mind, and down shift from the hectic pace.
• Make a conscious effort to create a sacred space. Meditate, pray, or read something that touches you spiritually. Experience the Divine in whatever ways feel most natural to you.
• Now stop thinking, heighten awareness, and examine the world just as it is, without names, ideas, judgments, or beliefs. Look around you and see objects as if for the very first time. Notice colors, patterns, textures, and spatial arrangements of things, and how changing light affects their appearance. Open your senses, be utterly fascinated, and you will soon discover that the world is not what you think.
• Bring love and joy to whatever you experience. You already know how to love, love everything unconditionally in this moment and see the world change before your eyes.