Principle of Reciprocity --
                      Life as a Dialogue

                                        "The Gods believe in `Matching Grants."
                                                                               Carl Rogers

                                   There is a principle of Reciprocity that teaches,
                                   "Life believes in `Matching Grants,' and thus
                                   reciprocates and responds in kind by giving us
                                   whatever our actions show that we'll accept."

                                  As we accept and run our lives by that principle,
                                  we begin to see our lives are a life-long dialogue
                                  with that force that tries to teach us by the things
                                  that it causes to have happen to us in our lives,
                                  and that how we act determines what we attract.

                                  We play our part by how well we listen and react
                                  in response to whatever it causes to happen to us.
                                  Then it reacts back based on how we responded,
                                  giving us whatever our actions show we'll accept,
                                  while trying to teach us what it wants us to learn.  
                                  So the next lesson takes place on a higher or a
                                  lower level of learning, depending on our reaction.

                                  We can see this operating, and actively participate in
                                  the process and use it to help us on a day-to-day basis
                                  with our self-sabotaging impulses.  To do this, make a
                                  list of your self-sabotaging actions, thoughts or feelings.
                                  Then grade yourself each day on how well you did in
                                  the last 24 hours in each area. 

                                  For any area where you have an unacceptable grade for
                                  the day, use the tool of Directed  Meditation to ask the part
                                  of you that caused it, "What all are you trying to say to me
                                  by causing that to happen?" And write down every thought
                                  that comes to mind or floats up during that meditation.

                                  Then after you've done that, ask yourself, "What will I do
                                  in this area today to do better today than I did yesterday?"
                                  And add that as a commitment to today's list of sabotaging
                                  behaviors you're monitoring and things you want to work on
                                  or do during the day.  Then grade yourself on this behavior
                                  as well when you review the last 24 hours during your daily
                                  grading, meditating & rededicating to your priorities tomorrow.                                     


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