It has been a long time since I've been to this forum. I took the little I had and walked with it for a while. What I learned about Hindu is still only a small portion but I have been able to find peace, calm and a place where I can focus on "getting over" instead of letting my physical health rule my thoughts and my body.

Since these earlier posts I have moved away from Apple Valley, met and now live with a wonderful woman and have been able to take my concerns as they arise and place them before the gods. This is an interesting maneuver for me and I'd like to explain it better. Being raised in Baptist thought and practice there was little room to question God or think outside of the preformed packaging which is God Under Glass as I think of church. Now, however, I can see my thoughts churning into something that isn't positive and then simply take those thoughts and direct them towards my little Ganesh here in the house. This seems so silly to some but my brain injury (suffered many years ago) complicates my ability to stop my mind from churning various thoughts around and around until I am worn out and depressed.

Now, this simple task, grab the thoughts in my mind's eye and place them before Ganesh, stops, thwarts and brings peace to where before I would have made myself quite sick.

I spend a few minutes each morning in quiet meditation seeking help in maintaining calm, peace of mind and joy. So simple. Just a quiet time to pause, stop the crazy before it can begin and take control over the processes in my mind that prior would run amok. I simply ask Ganesh to help me remain calm, logical and orderly in my thoughts and mind. Such clarity. The peace is like a wave over my person that eases my muscles and soothes my mind.

Because of the brain injury some tasks could be very difficult. Now, these are made a bit easier. Again, I seek help from Ganesh to show me what I am not understanding, or what I need to know. It becomes clear in just a few moments. As if I can see "how" within my spirit and then I just go complete the task.

All of this has brought me so much joy and has restored my happiness. I smile more, get out more and have become a new person. MY health is fantastic and I find I have encouraging words of Love, Joy, Hope, Peace and Freedom to give to others. Being around people is a joy and I try so hard to be encouraging, to talk of Great Things and speak lovingly and help them see that good things are all around them.

I'm sure there is so much more to know, so much more to be doing but I kinda push back as being Baptist is a contest and I just can't deal with that nonsense anymore. Each day I walk as close as I can to being loving, kind and joyful. I have found the ability to do that by meditation and concentration on Ganesh mostly but also on letting go of spiritual perfection. My friends see that I have changed. They enjoy the "new me" and are asking me what changed. I just tell them I have found peace and hope that only an Elephant can bring.

In love,