Please enjoy the following Chapter One sample of the Saying "Yes" Series course. See The Freedomers Say "Yes" for a sample of that series. To order, go to Book List and Order Information . |
MESSAGE FROM JOYANNA If you enjoy this booklet, please pass it along, and send a donation to Inner Freedom Ministry. This is a ministry-by-mail to anyone seeking inner freedom. The following letters are from people behind walls of limitations of their own making habits, patterns, illness, poverty, or addictions. "Your courage to bare your feelings to us all has given me courage to face my own." Judy L. "Your course covers the three main areas of self-help: religion, psychology, and metaphysics." Edith I. Your donations support this ministry which has reached out and touched thousands of inmates behind steel, concrete, or barbed-wire. The following letters attest to the positive benefits: "Thanks for being there. For giving a damn.'' Donnie Halbert. ' 'Your course has taught me to think positive, even in this negative environment, and this creates a lovable atmosphere and condition for successful living. And it's helped me destroy "fear" in the mind, which can kill you.'' Charles Glenn (released -- deceased) ' 'Some times I feel as if you are right here next to me. Over the many years I have known you your spirit has touched mine in so many special ways, and when everyone else gave up on me you were still there for me.'' Bobby Lusk (Death Row) ''I love what has taken place in me and my life; I've changed from a selfish, lonely, broken-hearted fool to a new man with hope, faith, and above all love. I love that your course has helped me find 'Me.' For the first time in my life I love me.'' Paul Lammons (released) |
Saying 'Yes' to Inner Freedom" Series Series of 4 Booklets: "Yes:" Agreements and Commitments Believing is Seeing In God We Trust What is Your Focus? Compilation of The 4 Booklets: Saying "Yes" to Inner Freedom: The Course Supplementary Material: The Freedomers Say "Yes" to Inner Freedom: The freedomers' inspiring answers to questions from Rev. Joyanna's course show how agreements, commitments, faith, beliefs, and trust can be applied, even in prison. Their stories that brought them to crime, and also their dreams, and hopes for the future remind us that they are human beings seeking inner freedom too. TABLE OF CONTENTS AGREEMENTS AND COMMITMENTS: Chapter 1. An Agreement Began my Ministry Chapter 2. Making Your Agreements; Saying "Yes" Chapter 3. Keeping Your Commitments; Doing It Chapter 4. Sky-dive Process Chapter 5. The Supreme Agreement; Ultimate Commitment Home Activities Published by I.F.M. (Inner Freedom Ministry) 601 16th ST. #C-PMB333 Golden, CO 80401-1937 All rights reserved Copyright © 1991 by Joyanna Freeland |
CHAPTER 1 AN AGREEMENT BEGAN MY MINISTRY While in my quietude, I heard God say, "Write a book that includes your former Pot O' Gold Course, your new Inner Freedom Ministry, and your recovery from stress-out. "Oh my gosh," I gasped, "How do I explain the transformation to inner freedom? How do I start?" The answer seemed simple, but not easy, "Just start at the beginning. I'll show you as we go along." So I said "Yes," though I felt this to be an impossible task. But I began, and step by step the process continued through many revisions. I had discovered that inner freedom begins as we learn to make fewer agreements, saying "Yes, I'll do it." And then fulfilling our commitments by doing it. My Inner Freedom Ministry for prisoners began when I said, "Yes, I'll do it" after reading in a Metaphysical Newsletter a request from Al, a prisoner, for correspondence. I wrote to Al (who calls himself my #1 con), the first of several thousand whose names have since passed through my correspondence ministry; some briefly, others have become friends. One prisoner came, then five, and more and more. I could no longer write to so many, so to keep my commitments I wrote a monthly Newsletter with the motto, "If only all the hands that reach could touch." The prisoners responded with letters, artwork, cartoons, poems, all of which I shared in The "Rainbow Connection," my monthly publication. Riding the crest of the wave with my enthusiasm I personally tried to reach hundreds of confined men. I had not learned the value of simplification when I started my Ministry. I felt myself tiring. I would force my weak, tired, aching body to sit at my computer to write letters, or to finish the publication. Sometimes I would just stop and rest as I gazed out the window to the sunshine glistening across the ocean in my southern California home. I threatened to quit after delivering each issue to the post office. The pressure intensified, but committed to keep my agreement, I pressed onward until I finally stressed-out. Stress and its recovery process is very real. No pills, bandages, surgery or diets, no quick-cures; only rest and a new "do-it-yourself" attitude beginning with self-honesty. I needed to simplify my ministry, but I didn't want to desert the Freedomers; they had enough hurt and desertion in their lives. But their abandonment pattern caused them to be emotionally unresponsive and often abusive. This triggered my abandonment issues, so I decided to focus my efforts only on those prisoners who responded. This relieved much stress as my mailing list reduced from 350 to 125, and eventually to about fifty loyal supporters and participants. Then to avoid the deadline pressures I stopped the "Rainbow Connection." Instead I sent a Christmas card with the message of my new focus, "I LOVE YOU." I learned the value of "making fewer agreements," so I could keep those I did make while enjoying much needed time for recovery. During my recuperation I discovered many facets of myself and God as I pursued stress-related therapy programs. I realized that sometimes God says "No" to our frenzied pace so we can slow down and say "Yes" to "leisure time and inner peace." ******* |
MAKING YOUR AGREEMENTS Ask yourself, "What am I willing to do to bring about my transformed life? How much time am I willing to put into it? What changes am I willing to make? What am I willing to face within myself?" Are you willing to give up game-playing, attention-getting, controlling? Are you willing to do the Home Activities? (Read them now beginning page 8) If so, make a simple, one month Agreement that is possible to fulfill, such as the following example: "I will make fewer Agreements and keep the ones I make. I will complete my Home Activities. This simple Agreement can be a stickler; completing your Home Activies may become a challenge. You may become creative in your "reasonable" excuses to stop. For instance, you may develop a terrible cold that stuffs up your head so you just can't think, or you may have unexpected guests whom you must entertain every minute, leaving you too tired. Are you asking, "So, what do I get out of making this Agreement?" What do you want to receive? I suggest that you keep your expectations simple and possible to attain. Write out a statement; For example: "I will complete my Activities. As a result, I expect to receive..." (add your requests). As you discipline yourself to keep your Agreements, emotional reactions will surface in the form of the three r's: rebellion, resentment, or resistance. Observe your body for fear or guilt symptoms of tightness or tension. Ask yourself, "What prevents me from keeping my Agreements? Am I punishing myself? My parents? Someone else?" ******* |
KEEPING YOUR COMMITMENTS You are now ready for the next step, DOING IT! Keeping your Agreements. Commitment! Do you feel a knot in the pit of your stomach, a constriction in your throat, a light-headedness or dizziness. Surprising, isn't it, how many things you have started and never finished? Think back; how many relationships have you entered into only to bail out when things got a little rough -- Or was it when things got smooth -- when they began to work? Why? Is it to get out before someone dumps you, or bails out on you? Keeping a commitment is scary. If your relationship is working, you may have a fear that something awful will happen to end it; that perhaps it is better, therefore, to end it yourself first. Did you see the movie, "Two for the See Saw"? Shirley MacLaine's character was so afraid of losing her lover that she set it up to lose him. Many of us do that in one way or another without realizing it. Or, we may be holding on to him/her with such guises as illness, or helplessness. Take a good look. Is it worth the game-playing? What would be the price if you gave up those games? Too high? Perhaps not. What about commitment? Are you willing to make an unconditional commitment, or do you want plenty of loopholes, escape hatches, and alternatives? Here are a few typical reactions: 'Till death do us part,' you've got to be kidding. That's forever! You mean if I buy this house I have to sign a contract for thirty years? Forget it, I'd rather rent. Start my own business? What if it fails? Well, let's start with something simple. How about finishing our Activities? Oh-oh, there go those knots in the stomach, constriction in the throat and the light-headedness of the fear symptoms. ***** |
SKY-DIVE PROCESS The following process will reinforce your agreement and commitment experience. It is most therapeutic to tape the process and hear your own voice (or have it read aloud). Close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax. Imagine yourself standing in the doorway of a large airplane. The plane is flying toward a specific destination; your life's destination. You are wearing a parachute. You are going to jump. As you stand in the doorway, tune in to your feelings, and become aware of your body sensations. Are you excited, scared, fearful, apprehensive; or are you trusting? What about your parachute? Was it properly prepared? Is it safe? Will it open? What about the fall itself? The landing? The destination? Tune into and become very aware of your thoughts and feelings, your body sensations. Is there tightness, constriction, tenseness? Is it a pattern? Get in touch with your thoughts and feelings about this jump. They are good indications of your approach to life. Since you are standing there in the doorway with your parachute on, you have already made the agreement. The next step is doing it. Commitment. Once you step out of that door you won't be able to turn back. The loopholes, alternatives, considerations and cop-outs will be gone! Are you ready to make that commitment? When you are ready: JUMP!!! As you fall through the air become aware of your physical sensations; the feel and sound of the wind rushing by rippling your clothes, of the airplane fading into the distance. Open your arms wide like a bird for balance, control, safety. Experience the endless space. Listen to your heart beating. You may taste the coppery fear in your mouth as you are aware of your emotions; or you may feel the sun on your face reflecting your thrill of exhilaration. Or perhaps loneliness causes a cold, clammy sensation. If you are a trained jumper, you may utilize the mental sensations of countdown-- 2000, 1000-- to offset the intensity of feelings. A sense of gratitude for whoever folded your parachute may envelope you as its jerk jolts you out of your concentration. Again, a physical sensation as the harness tightens your clothes against your body. Now you feel safe. "Thank God, I can do it!" Floating safely through the sky blue nothingness, feel a calm peace as you give up control. This is surrender. As you drift through infinity give some thought to this landing. Are you going toward your destination? Did you consciously choose or are you just drifting? Is there another place that would better serve your purpose? What is your purpose? Would you choose the same destination if given another chance? What have you created for yourself? What awaits your landing? Well, it is time to find out. You now have landed! Where are you? Remove your parachute, and look around, become oriented with your surroundings. Who and what are awaiting you? This is a good time to project in your imagination the future that you chose. Where will it lead? Is it all that you wanted? Is it believable to you? What are you going to do with it? Are you willing to say "Yes" and then do it? When you feel complete with this part of the Process ask your inner guidance to reveal to you how all this pertains to you regarding Agreements and Commitments. When you are ready, become aware of your present surroundings, yourself and whoever is with you. Open your eyes and Be Here. Now jot down in your notebook the highlights of your experience, insights, future changes. ******* The Universe Responds to Commitment Until one is committed, there is hesitation, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence acts too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. Goethe |
THE SUPREME AGREEMENT; ULTIMATE COMMITMENT Our relationship with God requires the ultimate commitment. So of all our Agreements, this is our highest: to recognize and experience, and love our God-self (God-within). Are you able to make such a commitment? You mean to tell me that my commitment to God is fulfilled by loving myself? What process is involved? Yes. The first priority is loving all that you are, and this culminates in your vibrant aliveness as you embrace the Light, Love, Self, Soul, and Spirit that compose your Higher Self. And from this joy overflows the radiance that allows you to love others as you recognize the God within them. But first we begin by clearing and releasing the past in order to change the present and develop the future. There are no creeds to follow, words to recite, or rituals to obey. So now with no church to guide or devil to blame we must take responsibility for our own lives through our choices of thoughts, words, and actions. But we find little agreement from our friends as we're alienated from social mores, and soon we feel isolated and deserted. But we are not abandoned. Now we focus on God as the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient benevolent Father, always guiding, protecting, and blessing. We have touched upon the secrets of mystics known only to those willing to fully surrender old concepts. However this glimpse of inner freedom can become a terrifying reality as we explore the foggy void between the old and the new reality. Stepping into the unknown Path we pray for God's guidance to make clear our way. The journey causes us to face our fears, guilts, and loneliness as we learn the true meaning of faith, which is saying yes to the unproven. And after awhile we discover the fog is lifting, and we begin to see more clearly. We see our lives are improving: more good times than bad times; no feeling of separation; no duality of good and evil. Only God. Recognizing our oneness with God fulfills our search for health, harmonious and loving relationships, rewarding job, money, leisure time, inner guidance, and peace of mind. We are enjoying inner freedom. ******* |
HOME ACTIVITIES We are working one-to-one as you read the text and complete your Home Activities. I talk to you as I would in person. And I want you to know that I really love you, and support you no matter what happens. I've probably already been through it myself. So I've mentioned things that may come up for you. If you have any questions, just ask your inner guidance and it will tell you what I would have been guided to say. Of course, you might feel you don't have any problems, but I encourage you to study the following questions and activities. If nothing is stirred up; if you aren't having some emotional reactions, intellectual judgments, or perhaps the gamut of both, then you're either holding in your feelings, or you are not being honest with yourself. As deep feelings are touched you may get angry at me. Good, that's a normal part of the transformation process. You may decide not to continue. That's okay too. However, you may find, as have others, when detached from emotional reactions, you are able to honestly look at what triggered those feelings. With this clarity you can push through the barriers and continue. *** THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES INTENSIFY YOUR INNER FREEDOM PROCESS. SELECT THE ONES THAT INTEREST YOU. THE MORE TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT INTO THEM THE MORE LASTING IMPRESSION UPON YOUR CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS. APPLY THEM FOR AT LEAST ONE MONTH. KEEP A JOURNAL TO RECORD YOUR EXPERIENCES AND FEELINGS. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE AND AFTER READING THE TEXT. (NOT JUST "YES" AND "NO" ANSWERS). MAKING YOUR AGREEMENTS: 1. Write out your feelings and emotions about Agreements. 2. List past Agreements made and broken. How can you rectify or make restitutions? (Be aware of over-commitment). 3. Write out your Agreement for this course. 4. Ask yourself, "What gets in the way of my keeping Agreements?" (See text) 5. What are your conscious and subconscious deterrents to keeping Agreements? 6. Become aware of Agreement incidents around you. Enter them in your notebook. 7. Make a list of Agreements that you can fulfill to enhance your inner freedom program. KEEPING YOUR COMMITMENTS: 1. Write a list of the projects and relationships you have started and never finished. 2. What can you do to complete each of the above? 3. Make a list of other Commitments. Do you plan to: keep them, change them, or drop them? 4. What are some of your "escape hatches"? 5. What can you do to eliminate those "escape hatches"? SKY-DIVE PROCESS: 1. What fears, emotions, body sensations did you feel as you stood in the open doorway of the plane? 2. What were your considerations regarding the parachute? 3. What "came up" for you regarding Agreements and Commitments? 4. What did you find out about your purpose in life, goals and destination? 5. What answers did your inner guidance give you regarding Agreements and Commitments? SUBCONSCIOUS IMPRESSIONS: 1. Prepare a poster about Agreements and Commitments using magazines and newspapers. 2. Read articles or books about Agreements and Commitments. 3. Read Bible passages referring to Agreements and Commitments (also promises and covenants). A Bible Concordance is helpful. 4. Listen frequently to songs that refer to Agreements and Commitments. ******* |
Please enjoy the following Chapter One sample of the Saying "Yes" Series course. See The Freedomers Say "Yes" for a sample of that series. To order, go to Book List and Order Information . |
">
">
">
">
"YES" AGREEMENTS AND COMMMITMENTS by Joyanna Freeland |
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">