The Rearview Mirror Technique

Some spiritual principles are best appreciated in retrospect. This is especially true in recognizing that your Higher Self always has your greater good in mind. In our book "The New Perspective: Ten Tools for Self-Transformation" (published by Trafford Publishing) Tool Number Three states that "the universe unfolds as it should...100% of the time."

To discover for yourself how your Higher Self has an agenda that is for your greater good, use our Rearview Mirror Technique.

Look back at the events of your life. Look down the road you've traveled. When you view your life in hindsight you'll begin to realize that every single situation and experience you've had can be seen from a positive perspective and contained a gift. Once you realize how true this has been in the past, you'll begin to see that it's also happening in the present, even if it doesn't feel like it during those times that you've become caught in the story of your life. There's a big difference between your life presided over by Spirit and your story driven by the ego. Your story is your interpretation of life's events. Your story is the meaning you assign to what happens to you. Once the voice of Spirit helps you see that the past was perfect, you begin to become more confident that the future will unfold exactly as it should for your spiritual development.

We've come to trust that there are no accidents in life. Everything has a purpose, whether or not we can see it from our limited perspective. When we're able to quiet the chatter of the mind and hear the voice of Spirit, we begin to get glimpses of the bigger picture. And even when we're not able to grasp the larger perspective, we've found great comfort in trusting that there is a blessing in even the worst experiences. It's not what happens in life, it's how we deal with it that determines our peace of mind.

Putting Spirit in Charge

As we get better at putting Spirit in charge and viewing life through the eyes of love, rather than the voice of fear, our lives begin to take on a more positive tone. Our lives become filled with synchronicities and miracles once we choose to listen to the voice of Spirit.

Use the Rearview Mirror Technique. See what happens when you take time to look back at your life, appreciating the perfection of the experiences that have brought you to where you are today.

As you use the technique be prepared for your ego to sabotage the process. When the chatter in your mind challenges you with memories of pain and suffering, remember that those life experiences hold the greatest gifts for the growth of your soul. Don't give up on the technique. This is just the personality self's clever way of perpetuating fear and doubt. So, as you listen to that frightened voice, remember that it's bringing you a message. Step back and see the event from the larger context of your life. What did you learn in that situation? How did you grow? What was the gift for the development of your soul?

Ron's Story

When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with rheumatic fever. I was confined to bed for many months. I missed the entire second grade, had home tutoring and had to be carried once a month to doctors' appointments to have my blood drawn as they monitored the progress of my recovery. And at the end of my confinement I literally had to learn to walk again. The muscles of my legs had atrophied. Not a pretty picture, right? What possible positive purpose could this serve in a young boy's life?

It set the scene for my life's work. During my restriction to bed, I discovered puppets and, best of all, I discovered radio. Radio dramas and comedies of the forties and early fifties were truly grand entertainment in the theatre of the mind. I was captivated and fascinated with what came through that little magic box. I knew at age eight what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a radio performer. My dad carved a wooden microphone for me to play with and I built a make-believe radio control room out of cardboard boxes. At age eleve
I had not only figured out the duties of a radio announcer, I had taught myself ventriloquism and was performing for service club luncheons in my hometown and winning local talent shows. By age thirtee
I had hustled a job on the radio as a ventriloquist disc jockey.

The point of the story is that what seemed like my childhood tragedy became the launching pad for my life's work and joy. Incidentally, once the rheumatic fever had served its purpose, I fully recovered with no lasting effects and no damage to my heart. In 2004 I retired after fifty years in broadcasting.

I was not able to put all of these pieces together to see the gift until I used the Rearview Mirror Technique.

Rearview Mirror Worksheetnn 1. Take a moment to reflect back on your life, allowing a memory to surface of something that seemed like a challenging or troubling time. Write a few sentences about that.

2. Once the energy of that memory passes through your system, spend a few moments in contemplative meditation, asking yourself in a deep and meaningful way for any insights you gained or lessons you learned from that experience. List them.

3. If every experience contains a gift, what do you now feel was your gift from that experience? Write a few sentences.

Whether we're aware of it or not, the universe unfolds as it should 100% of the time. In retrospect we begin to appreciate how this principle has enriched our lives.nn(Other books by Ron and Denny Reynolds, in addition to "The New Perspective: Ten Tools for Self-Transformation" are "Art of Relationship: The New Perspective" and "We Are Here: The Voice of the New Perspective." All are available from www.trafford.com or www.amazon.com. Books are distributed by New Leaf Distributing Company and can be ordered at most book stores. For additional information visit Ron and Denny's web site: www.thenewperspective.com)n