I just finished being the co-MC, with my husband, Angus, for the 3PGC conference in Los Angeles. The conference had amazing Three Principles practitioners from all over the world speaking. There were both seasoned and new teachers sharing their insights. The focus of the conference was redefining happiness. The speakers each pointed in their unique way to happiness being deeper than a transitory state of mind, and instead, a permanent, unchanging state of consciousness that is a hallmark of our true nature. We don’t need to do anything or create a certain circumstance to have it. It is who we are. 

The deeper part of ourselves that is our formless nature is permanent and ever present. We know we are experiencing it by the quality of our feeling experience. Love, happiness, peace, and joy are beautiful feelings that let us know our thinking is aligned with our authentic self. We don’t need to do anything to fabricate these feelings. They are our default setting.

It was very enjoyable to co-MC with Angus. He was funny and charming. I was also really moved by an insight he shared. Leading up to the conference Angus was extremely nervous. More nervous that I knew. He got really caught up in his insecure thinking, and, as a way of coping, he created a structure for a performance he could hide behind rather than being authentic in the moment. However, on the night before the conference, he realized all he needed to do was to be himself and to speak from his heart. He shared this experience at the beginning of the conference. His authenticity was inspiring. In his genuineness, with out even trying, he was funny and completely lovable. His sharing struck a beautiful note for the conference and gave everyone permission relax and be themselves.

I, on the other hand, I was not nervous about being an MC, nor was I anxious leading up to my plenary. My nerves hit me just as I got on stage to give my talk. This is the least practical moment for nerves to come on strong. Fortunately, I gave myself room to acknowledge my experience. This helped me to get over myself and take my thinking less seriously. When I did this, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to forget about my nervousness and be present.

After the conference, I am struck, once again, by the simplicity of the Three Principles philosophy, and by the impact something that simple can have on transforming lives. We heard people from all walks of life with a wide range of  circumstances share how they are experiencing more peace of mind and wellbeing as a result of this understanding.

When answering questions in one of the morning Q&As, Cathy Casey compared understanding the principles to riding a bicycle. She explained when we understand how a bicycle works, we can learn how to ride it easily. We may be a little wobbly at first, but, with practice, we get the hang of it, and then, before we know it, we are off and running without any help. She pointed out how understanding the principles has the same impact. When we appreciate how our psychological functioning works, it makes the ride of being human so much easier. Simply by:

• recognizing that we create our experience from the inside,
• seeing that our feelings do not come from our circumstances but from our thoughts,
• understanding we bring our thoughts to life through consciousness, and
• knowing we are connected to the unlimited potential for fresh thought

we have more resilience. We become less attached to the experience we create, because we know we have infinite capacity for new thought. This frees us up to enjoy our beautiful experiences, and to more gracefully wait out our painful experiences because we know they are subjective, transitory, and illusory.

As I reflect on what is present for me after the weekend, I feel hopeful. I feel connected with the oneness of our shared humanity. As a spiritual being having a human experience, I am more confident in my ability to navigate my humanness more gracefully, and I am more grateful for the glimpses into my divine nature. I am experiencing a natural buoyancy and effortless confidence as a result. I see more clearly there is no getting life wrong. All I need to do is show up as myself and do my best. I can trust myself to be responsive in the moment, and I don’t need to be perfect. My best, whatever that is, is good enough.

This allows to me release even more internal pressure as I pay less attention to my thoughts about myself. When I am freed up in this way, I am better able to connect with others. I am more capable of being of service. I am able to be present in the moment. There is less thinking going on and more living happening. As we all do this collectively, the power of this focus is a creative force bringing love into the world. That is what makes me hopeful because nothing is more powerful than love.

Rohini Ross is a psychotherapist, a leadership consultant, and an executive coach. She helps individuals, couples, and professionals to connect more fully with their true nature so they can experience greater levels of wellbeing, resiliency, and success. Her years as a therapist give her significant insight regarding the impact and importance of State of Mind on fulfilling potential. She supports her clients with achieving success both personally and professionally. You can find out more about Rohini’s work on her website, rohiniross.com.