I think through my whole life I have always felt more then most. Sometimes this has been good, it allows me to communicate well and  is my secret skill, but equally I can feel when people are uncomfortable  or worse. When I was young this caused all sorts of issues, because my  reaction to people and situations was not always apparent. A few years  ago I had a profound experience. This experience seemed to manifest itself without any intention or goal of achievement. Before this and to this day I live my life as an average working Joe enjoying the simpler things.

I have your two set DVD’s, The Happiness Prescription. I just love them. I use the mantras and when I am all by myself I believe that I love myself. As soon as I am with others I feel the doubt I still allow myself to see me through my projection of what others think and say. Any suggestions on how I might get were I want to be. I truly believe that if I learn to accept and love myself then I will do the same with others and be better able to accept love in my life. Thanks for your attention to this matter.

Question:
I am 58 years young and have always had a difficult relationship with my mother. She had me when she was 17, married to my father at 16. I know her childhood was tragic, her mother died when she was 4 and was raised by her 17 yr old half-sister and her 19 yr old husband.

I have struggled my entire life to be accepted by her. My father was a serial player and she shut everyone out by a sharp tongue and eating. She attempted suicide when I was 7, but no one ever spoke of the incident. I just remember her in the bed and the ambulances.

I attended your talk tonight at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. You may or may not remember, but as you were signing copies of Jesus I was the one who asked you why you don’t make it a “pro-peace” vow instead of a “non-violence” vow. Wouldn’t a “doing” action be better than a “not-doing” action? Additionally, wouldn’t such a vow potentially lead to an attachment? I very much enjoyed your talk tonight and look forward to learning more.

Answer:

I have been drawn to your teachings for many years. I work as a nurse practitioner in the community and am a busy mother and wife. At age 53 I feel like I am fading away-my physical my emotional and my spiritual energies. Despite my understanding of foundation of health I cannot seem to return to a sense of vitality. I have moments but not a sustained effect. I have imagined if I ever found myself sitting on a plane next to you what would I ask? How does one forgive and forget the awful things you have done in life? What do you think is one or two of the most important things to do to feel better physically? Thank you for your consideration.

Answer:

In this day and age of “looking sexy” or “hot” … I have a very hard time with self-acceptance and body image.  I hear of people who go for cosmetic surgery, because ideally we perceive what is not “normal” or “acceptable”.  So we short change ourselves, comparing ourselves to what the media and pornography says is good looking or pretty.

I suppose you have a lot to do, but if you find just a little time to read my letter, then it would make me happy. I am 25 years old and i live in Sweden. I have been through a lot of things in my life, like sexual abuse, I have seen my father beat up my mother and I have tried through my years to protect my sister, and my brother who is younger. My mom and dad are from Kosovo, and they have a different culture than people in Sweden, so I have grown up with both sides of the cultures, bad and good ones. I managed to move from the city that my family lives in, in that why I started to live my life more. I have been living one my own for more than one year now.

I have been feeling emotionally disconnected from friends and family members for some time.

I have never displayed much emotion as it is. I go through the motions of greeting family members with a kiss and hug and being in their company. I contribute and attend family events, yet through it all I feel no emotion or connection. I would not say that I feel uncomfortable with this non emotion I am just very aware of it.

Sometimes in life we are surrounded by people who are just extremely difficult. Its said everywhere that you need to learn how to forgive and forget and sacrifice and tolerate…. I agree to everything.

I am from Finland. I probably did not get a single spiritual gene from my ancestors. My heritage is a working-class background, with peasant ancestors who did not speak much or have any intellectual endeavors. Could it be just so, that I am not capable of any enlightening experiences?