Is the Universe Friendly?

I have recently come across the work of Eric Rolf and he asks 4 big questions. The first is, "Is the Universe Friendly"? My answer to this is not as simple as I first thought. If my answer is black/white, no/yes, at least I know what to expect. If I think it depends on the circumstance then the universe would be capricious. I would be victim of its whims. Intolerable.

I did not grow up thinking the universe was friendly. I grew up with guilt and fear as motivators. Yes, there is beauty, order and majesty at every turn but I was always checking my back and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I have since changed my belief. Yes, the universe is friendly. Look at my Gamzu theme. No matter what happens, this too is for the best. I see the emergence of this theme is my appraoch to learning and proving to myself that the universe is infact friendly, even when it doesn't look like it. Clearly i am walking in the direction that holds that the universe is friendly.

The news is now filled with images of California burning. The stock market analysts are decrying the decline of the dollar and the next wave of housing drama. And I ask again, is the universe friendly? This is the crossroads. If the universe is unfriewndly, and my world is in danger of collaspe,I feel justified to behave like chicken little, sleep poorly, and stuff my feelings with food. My reaction to the threat is enough to scar me for life, even if the events never unfold.

If the Universe is friendly, then I know at some deep level that all is well and will work to my best interest despite all appearances. I start looking for the open doors and opportunities to recreate my life in a joyful way. It works for me to believe that the Universe is friendly, no matter what. Gamzu!

I see it in the big things. I don't always feel it in day to day life. When the pup has diahrea in the house for the umpteenth time today but he doesn't poop fast enough when I take him outside. I am in a hurry and know I will have more to clean up when I get home....the universe does not seem so very friendly. I realize the stress of such mundane things are self created. At the same time, I notice how ingrained old beliefs really are and what level of conscious attention and intervention is needed to realloy shift my core reactions.

I am not disparing here. I am noting I am on a journey and the climb to the top of the mountain is punctuated with twists, turns and downgrades. It is a step to realize I am choosing my framework and acting accordingly, patiently (or not)with every aware moment. That I can choose to see the universe as friendly is one way I answer why do I love my life so much.