Gigi Langer

Worry Less Now!

 Love More Now!

Attitudinal Healing Principle 5: Now is The only Time There Is

image of book cover: attitudinal healing

Jerry Jampolsky, one of the early readers of A Course in Miracles, simplified its complex lessons into the 12 Principles of Attitudinal Healing (AH). AH groups have grown into a worldwide service that can be applied to almost any difficulty. 

In my recent blogs, I summarized the first four AH principles:
Principle 1. The Essence of our Being is Love, and Love is Eternal
Principle 2. Health Is Inner Peace, Healing Is Letting Go of Fear
Principle 3. Giving Is the Same As Receiving
Principle 4. We Can Let Go of The Past And of The Future

Principle 5. Now Is The only Time There Is: Pain, grief, depression, guilt, and other forms of fear disappear when the mind is focused in loving peace on this instant.  

In Teach only Love, Jerry Jampolsky writes: “The present is the only time we can choose between love and fear. When we fret about the past or worry about what to do in the future, we accomplish nothing, and this generates various forms of pain. A mental shift back into the present helps remove the source of misery. “

 “I have been impressed with how quickly pain can disappear when we direct our attention outside ourselves in a caring way toward others. This care or joining can be in our willingness to receive love as well as our willingness to give direct help to another.”  

“Our present thoughts and choices are the sole determiner of our present experience. In essence, NOW is the only time there is. It is in the NOW that the love energy comes through us. It is in the NOW that we are not judgmental and we can see clearly what is going on. We cannot control the external world. We will never be peaceful if we try to do so. We can, however, learn to control our thoughts. As we change our thoughts from those of getting to those of giving, we will start to notice evident changes in the outside world.”

Suggestions for Living in the Present

“If we stay in the present, we are best able to deal with anything that comes our way. If we are someplace else, it is not possible to make decisions. 
1) Fear of Future. “How simple it is to acknowledge that we are not in a position to see the outcome of anything, and that all the worry in the world cannot control the future. Simplicity lies in putting effort before results.”
2) Fear of Past. If we analyze the cause of each of our mistakes, we are living in a past that can’t be changed. “How simple it is to resign as our own teacher–to turn quickly from the past, because the present is where our life is taking place.” 
3) Judging is not Love: “We are not responding to this instant if we are judging any aspect of it. The ego looks around for something to criticize, for shortcomings and weaknesses, usually in the past. Love looks upon the world peacefully and accepts; it searches for any sign of light and strength.”  

More About Attitudinal Healing

You can easily find Attitudinal Healing groups by searching in your area. They are helpful for anyone who is struggling with any life situation. Many years ago, I joined my mentor, Jane Stallings, in California to become a facilitator for Attitudinal Healing groups. There, I got to meet Jerry Jampolsky (now deceased). What a wonderful contribution he has made to the world!

Source material: Teach only Love by Jerry Jampolsky and AH Review Principles Booklet

Love More Now: Facing Life’s Challenges with an Open Heart is now available from Amazon HERE or Barnes and Noble HERE. PAPERBACK ($9.99) E-BOOK ($4.99) These low prices last through April, so get your copy now!
Thank you for helping readers find Love More Now by POSTING a REVIEW on Amazon.

Gigi Langer has been sober 37 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. Her 50 Ways to Worry Less Now won an Indie Excellence Award in 2019. Gigi worked at Eastern Michigan University for 25 years, and now lives happily in Florida with her husband, Peter and her cat, Easter.

gigi langer worry less now

Attitudinal Healing Principle 4: Let Go of The Past And Future

My latest book “Love More Now,” is greatly inspired by A Course in Miracles and Jerry Jampolsky’s Attitudinal Healing. It’s a pretty simple recipe for peace of mind: CHOOSE LOVE (an open heart) OVER FEAR (a closed heart). Two major sources of fear are thoughts about the past and future.

What is Attitudinal Healing?

Jerry Jampolsky, one of the early readers of A Course in Miracles, simplified its complex lessons into the 12 Principles of Attitudinal Healing (AH). AH groups have grown into a worldwide service that can be applied to almost any difficulty. 

The 12 Principles of Attitudinal Healing
1. The Essence Of Our Being Is Love
2. Health Is Inner Peace, Healing Is Letting Go Of Fear
3. Giving And Receiving Are The Same
4. We Can Let Go Of The Past And Future
5. Now Is The Only Time There Is And Each Instant Is For Giving
6. We Can Learn To Love Ourselves And Others By Forgiving Rather Than Judging
7. We Can Become Love Finders Rather Than Fault-Finders
8. We Can Choose And Direct Ourselves To Be Peaceful Inside Regardless Of What Is Happening Outside
9. We Are Students And Teachers To Each Other
10. We Can Focus On The Whole Of Life Rather Than The Fragments
11. Since Love Is Eternal, Death Need Not Be Viewed As Fearful
12. We Can Always Perceive Others As Either Loving Or Fearful And Giving A Call Of Help For Love

In past blogs, I summarized
Principle 1. The Essence of our Being is Love, and Love is Eternal.
Principle 2. Health Is Inner Peace, Healing Is Letting Go Of Fearand 
Principle 3. Giving Is the Same As Receiving.

Principle 4. We Can Let Go Of The Past And Of The Future

The past is there for our learning. All of our experiences are valuable ones and add to our growth, if we choose to view it that way. Things that we have done that we label as “wrong” are merely experiences for us to learn from and build upon. It does not serve us, however, to dwell on the past. Things like “if only I had done this or that” or “I wish it were different” only serve to hinder us.
    The fact is that we are in the present and we need to deal with what is going on NOW. This, again, is done by retraining our minds to stay aware and alert. It is so easy to slip into either the past or the future, but we are not truly alive unless we are living in the present moment. The future can be exciting or scary, depending on what is going on in our lives. We can dwell on the anxieties of the future all we want, but it surely does not give us peace.
    There is an important distinction here. All this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make plans for our future. Of course, that is important. The distinction is that while we are making plans for the future, our consciousness remains in the present.     
  We can’t foresee the future, so it isn’t productive to dwell on what may or may not happen. We can only set our intentions for the future, like making reservations, and then take steps to make them happen when they actually manifest and become the present.
    The important aspect of this Principle is that we can elect to change past thoughts that are not beneficial, or that are hurtful. To do this, it is important to become aware of them, and then make a conscious decision to let them go. If they come back again, we just repeat the process. Every time something comes up that we don’t want to hang onto, we can make a fresh decision to erase the tape.
    One of the concepts that is particularly valuable in Attitudinal healing is “My mind can change all thoughts that hurt.” This is a powerful tool if we want to change our perceptions and create a new reality.

More About Attitudinal Healing
You can easily find Attitudinal Healing groups by searching in your area. They are helpful for anyone who is struggling with any life situation. Many years ago, I joined my mentor, Jane, in California to become a facilitator for Attitudinal Healing groups. What a wonderful experience. Plus, I got to meet the late Jerry Jampolsky

Source material: Love is Letting Go of Fear, by Jerry Jampolsky and AH Review Principles Booklet

Love More Now: Facing Life’s Challenges with an Open Heart is now available from Amazon HERE or Barnes and Noble HERE. PAPERBACK ($9.99) E-BOOK ($4.99) These low prices last through April, so get your copy now!
Thank you for helping readers find Love More Now by POSTING a REVIEW on Amazon.

Gigi Langer has been sober 37 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. Formerly crowned the “Queen of Worry,” Gigi resigned her post many years ago and now lives happily in Florida with her husband, Peter and her cat, Easter.

gigi langer worry less now

GUESS WHERE I’VE BEEN!?

gIGI lANGER

I GOT TO PLAY WITH THESE LITTLE ONES!

As many of you know, I have never had children–couldn’t stay married long enough! And. although I’ve been close to my grand-niece, Layne, she’s always lived far away, so I had little time with her when she was young. So, please indulge me as I share a few pics of my wonderful visit with my youngest grand nieces and nephews: Sofia and Tomas.

Last month I went to Seattle (Puyallup) to help my sister Marcia take care of her four grandchildren–two teenagers and 6-year-old twins!–while their parents enjoyed a dream-trip to the Holy Land. My other sister, Cissy, joined us for a week so we could all be together.

We had so so much fun! The two older children were a great help and pretty self-sufficient. But of course, the twins wanted to play and enjoy their grand-aunts! And boy, did we ever play! Soccer practice, library, shopping, game arcades, and Easter festivities, including a wonderful church service and a home-made Easter-egg hunt. 

Gigi Langer, Aunt
Gigi Langer

What Else Have I Been Doing? Resting!

Needless to say, I did very little “work” on marketing my new book, Love More Now: Facing Life’s Challenges with an Open Heart. I just needed to rest, and ignore that voice that said, “You gotta be doing X or Y, because…”  When I heard it, my entire being said, “No! I will not obey that driving force today. I will do what feels right, and ‘working’ just doesn’t appeal right now.”

Of course, when I tried to ignore that voice, I got a very uncomfortable feeling right in my gut. And my self-preoccupation just increased (“Are we okay? Am I depressed? Why don’t I want to work?” What will happen if I don’t force myself? But, I stuck with it. Those old survival strategies (“If I don’t perform, I won’t be loved”) just hate to be challenged!

In spite of all this resistance, my True Self was very clear: It was time to stop the constant “tense striving.” Then, as always happens when we’re ready to let go of an old character flaw, just the right experiences turned up. Here are some of the practices that dissolved the fears underneath my self-centered striving so I could open my heart to the guidance of Loving Energy (God) and my True Self.

  1. Naples of Unity Lenten Daily Meditations. The church across the street has a new minister, Rev Claudia Rene. I had heard good things about her, and noticed she was offering daily meditations online every day for the 40 days of Lent. I’ve never really tried to “give something up” for Lent, but I was quite willing to let go of my constant striving. So I signed up. OMG! Those 40 days transformed my fears into vague shadows.
  2. Twelve-Step Retreat. My sponsee (the irrepressible Harriet Hunter), and I had planned to go to St. Leo’s Quest retreat in Tampa and it came at the perfect time. The main theme was meditation, but the fellowship and sharing truly opened my heart to myself with compassion. I didn’t have to resist this transformation that was going on inside my heart and mind.
  3. “I rest in God.” This mantra came up in my Monday night Course in Miracles Study Group with Karen Casey. One dear friend shared how she repeats this phrase as she tries to calm her mind of worries about her family, health, and life. For some reason, I was entirely ready to absorb this lesson. Yes, I can REST—without striving—because my higher power has my back and is taking care of all the things I thought I had to work so hard to “get.”
  4. Michael Singer’s Untethered Soul. In spite of how often I’d heard friends rave about this book, I had resisted reading it–partly because I was writing Love More Now, and didn’t want another writer’s voice in my head. But now I can see that I read it at just the right time—last week, in fact! WOW! What an amazing use of detailed metaphors to illustrate how our fears have been closing our hearts—needlessly. There is no need to defend ourselves from our fears and old patterns, as we are already resting in the security of God. 

NEEDLESS TO SAY, LIFE IS CALM AGAIN AS I REST IN THE CENTER OF MY SOULD AND LET IT CALL THER SHOTS….AHHH! RELIEF!

Gigi Langer with Love More Now book

Love More Now: Facing Life’s Challenges with an Open Heart is now available from Amazon HERE or Barnes and Noble HERE. PAPERBACK ($9.99) E-BOOK ($4.99) These low prices last through March, so get your copy now!
Thank you for helping readers find Love More Now by POSTING a REVIEW on Amazon.

Giving Is the Same as Receiving

give to others worry less now

Giving and Receiving Are the Same

In my recent blog posts and newsletters I’ve been introducing the principles of Attitudinal Healing (AH).  Jerry Jampolsky, one of the early readers of A Course in Miracles, simplified its complex lessons into the 12 Principles of Attitudinal Healing. As a child and adult psychiatrist, he first began applying them with children facing terminal illness. Soon the AH groups grew into a worldwide service that can be applied to almost any difficulty. Today, we consider Principle 3

In Jampolsky’s book, Teach Only Love, he gives this explanation: “When our attention is on giving and joining with others, fear is removed and we accept healing for ourselves.”

So, How Do We Do It?

There are many people in this world who are labeled givers. Givers usually have a hard time learning how to receive.

There are also receivers, who are great at receiving but don’t really know how to give.

Givers are usually rescuers who manipulate the other person. If the person doesn’t respond to their expectations they are disappointed.

The receiver, on the other hand, makes many demands on another and never seems to get his or her needs met.

Both look to the external world to fulfill their needs, and both tend to have emptiness inside.

The Attitudinal Healing definition of giving and receiving comes from another place. It is egoless. There are no conditions, no expectations, and no boundaries put on the extension of people sharing love.

When we have no goal or desire to change another person, or no need to get anything from them, a different dynamic takes place. We are actually only there for that person in an egoless way, and we can start to feel a sense of inner peace.

As we begin to feel a sense of joining with another
person, we seem to forget about ourselves. We become less concerned about our own feelings as we extend and expand. It is at this point that one feels the gift of giving and receiving becoming one. The supply is endless, and we become more and more full.

Where Does It Happen?

This kind of interaction takes place in the AH groups–a safe place for people to extend themselves towards others. They are able to forget their self-consciousness and through this become empowered with love to be able to reach out toward another without expecting something in return. At this point the person who is being helped almost automatically can let go of fears or anxieties and become one with those in the room.

When people are truly operating in this mode, fears are released and healing begins to take place.

(Source: Definition of  the Principles of Attitudinal Healing)

Love More Now: Facing Life’s Challenges with an Open Heart is now available from Amazon HERE or Barnes and Noble HERE. PAPERBACK ($9.99) E-BOOK ($4.99) These low prices last through April, so get your copy now!
Thank you for helping readers find Love More Now by POSTING a REVIEW on Amazon.

Gigi Langer has been sober 37 years, and holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. Formerly crowned the “Queen of Worry,” Gigi resigned her post many years ago and now lives happily in Florida with her husband, Peter and her cat, Easter.

gigi langer worry less now