Reality Spirituality: The Truth About Happiness

By Rebecca L. Norrington

RealitySpirituality: The Truth About Happiness is not a religion, but a guide that will assist you to live connected to the most powerful Energy Source. It teaches that we do not have control over what happens to us, but we do have control over our personal vibration, perspectives, responses, behaviors, words, and attitude. RealitySpirituality: The Truth About Happiness dissects our everyday life experiences down to the least common denominator, to reveal why we’re not as happy as we could be. It discusses proven but little-known formulas for real happiness. Most of us want to be happy; however, we daily and unknowingly engage in behaviors that actually subtract from happiness. Enlightening, valuable, and motivating, RealitySpirituality: The Truth About Happiness is one author’s unique perspective for a happier life—and ultimately, a happier world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jul 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483413419

Book preview

REALITYSPIRITUALITY:

The Truth About Happiness

Rebecca L. Norrington

Copyright © 2014 Rebecca L. Norrington.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

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Cover Design: Kristin Chase Klaiber ([e-mail])

Cover Photos: Shannon M. West (www.smwimages.com )

ISBN: 978-1-4834-1341-9 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 06/20/2014

Also by Rebecca L. Norrington

If I Knew Then What I Know Now, Our Quest for Quality of Life (a co-authored book)

DEDICATION

In Loving Memory of my father—Ralph Norrington. He’d often tell me, This is a great life, but I never believed him… until now.

To Marcelle D. Norrington, who chose me to be her only daughter. Our relationship evolves every day. I love you, Mommy.

To my only son—Nathan M. Norrington. You are the reason I needed to find answers.

To Ccid E. Cartwright, my Soul- and Best-Mate. I would not be me without you. I love you and your family.

To everyone else, whether you know it or believe it, you’ve all made a huge contribution to my spiritual growth… and I am grateful.

Contents

DEDICATION

PREFACE

In the Beginning—The Girl Without a Name

Back Story

The Secret

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

My Search

What Is RealitySpirituality?

CHAPTER 1

Happiness Is More Than a Feeling

You Have to Want to Be Happy More than You Want Anything Else

When You Make Happiness a Priority

Living Unconsciously—Your Obstacle to Happiness

Practice, Practice, Practice

Happiness versus Suffering, the Choice Is Yours

Who Defines Suffering—Man or God?

Do You Know Who You Are?

CHAPTER 2

Universe versus Man

The Pope and the Serial Killer

Realms of the Universe

The Realm of Knowing

The Realm of Thinking

What Is Real and What Is an Illusion?

CHAPTER 3

Everything Is Energy

The Importance of Understanding the Laws of the Universe

The Laws of the Universe

Immutable and Mutable Laws

1. The Law of Mentalism (Immutable)

2. The Law of Correspondence (Immutable)

3. The Law of Vibration (Immutable)

Your Personal Vibration

4. The Law of Polarity (Mutable)

5. The Law of Rhythm (Mutable)

6. The Law of Cause and Effect (Mutable)

7. The Law of Gender (Mutable)

The Law of Attraction Is Part of the Equation

The Mental Laws

The Importance of Understanding Mental Laws

What is a Law?

1. The Law Of Thoughts Arising

2. The Law Of Witnessing

3. The Law Of Naming

4. The Law Of Cause And Effect

5. The Law Of Emotion

6. The Law Of Focus

7. The Law Of Free Will

8. The Law Of Underlying Beliefs

9. The Law Of Substitution

10. The Law Of Mental Equivalents

11. The Mental Law Of Truth

CHAPTER 4

The Purpose of Life

The Meaning of Life

What’s So Important?

CHAPTER 5

Happiness: Mission Possible—Only if You’re Willing to Lose Control

Trying to Control Anything or Anyone Leads to Unhappiness

Mastering Self—My Greatest Accomplishment

Elements of Self-Mastery

Your Opinion Is My Opinion—Peace & Happiness at All Costs

How Does the Law of Relationship Harmony Work?

What’s Your Opinion?

My Past Exposed

Guilty or Not Guilty

What’s My Opinion?

Democrats versus Republicans, and Happiness

I Relapsed

A Dose of Irritation

Here Comes Da Judge

Universe to the Rescue

CHAPTER 6

Happiness and Forgiveness

Death and Forgiveness

Twenty Years Later

Hurry Up, Mom

Forgive as Quickly as Possible

How to Forgive Instantly

Five Facts about Forgiveness

When You Are Challenged

Forgive Yourself

CHAPTER 7

Death and Happiness

Back Story

My History

Ask and It Is Given

Ralph Norrington, My Father

What Pancake Taught Me

Back Story

Lessons

CHAPTER 8

How to Live in the Moment

Programmed at Birth

Are Our Thoughts the Enemy?

Tip No. 1

Tip No. 2

Tip No. 3

What’s so Great about Living in the Moment?

CHAPTER 9

The Bitter Pill of Dissatisfaction

Can Satisfaction Be Guaranteed?

CHAPTER 10

Money and Happiness

Background

Money = Success?

My Money Chakra Is Blocked

What I Thought about Money Was the Problem

A New Perspective

CHAPTER 11

Holidays and Happiness

Are Holidays Overrated?

Back Story

Is It Possible to Be Single and Happy on Valentine’s Day?

What Are You Doing for the Holidays?

My New Year’s Resolution for 2014

CHAPTER 12

Be the Change You Want to See in the World

The Solution

360 Ways to Be Happy

I Am at Peace

Universe, What Did You Say?

Universe, Why?

CHAPTER 13

Ask Rebecca Anything!

How to Relieve Anxiety While in the Moment

Your Worrying Has Got to Stop

Hear Ye, Hear Ye—I’m Worried about You

The Truth about Worrying

The Truth about the Ego

What We Resist Persists and What We Focus on Grows

How I Interact with My Ego

Change Your Perspective

Who Am I?

Quiet as a Mouse

360 Choices to Happiness

Intention and Commitment

Your Husband and Making Marriage Work

Gratitude

Another Perspective

University of Happiness Attendance Guidelines

What Else Is Wrong?

Happiness Is Always My Priority

A Few Characteristics of Happy People

Finally

RealitySpirituality Radio Show—January 2014

RealitySpirituality Radio Show—February 15, 2014

CHAPTER 14

REBECCA L. NORRINGTON QUOTES

CHAPTER 15

Conclusion

Author’s Note

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE

In the Beginning—The Girl Without a Name

(The names in the Preface have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals.)

Because of the progress in race relations we experience today, it’s hard for some in younger age groups to imagine the racial climate in the United States in 1955. That year, as in prior decades, race relations between blacks and whites were, at best, strained and, at worst, extremely volatile. Two significant events happened on December 1, 1955: on a crowded bus in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to obey a bus driver’s command to give up her seat for a white passenger, an action which sparked the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott that eventually led to the modern Civil Rights Movement; and, a little girl without a name was born on a cold, damp winter day in Los Angeles, California.

The little girl was one of nine babies delivered that day by a third-year medical student at Los Angeles County Hospital, also known simply as County, where the city’s underprivileged and minorities began their lives. Delivery of the baby was quick and easy, with no complications. The newborn was Addie Williams’ fifth of several children she would eventually bear.

Addie gazed at her baby girl’s tiny frame and face, void of feeling overjoyed about her new arrival or of feeling any maternal instincts for her daughter. Instead, she was consumed with shame, guilt, and embarrassment. It was as though she’d just been caught for an unthinkable crime and was now sentenced to a life in prison.

Back Story

Addie was a young, beautiful, troubled, and uneducated black woman. At sixteen, she found herself pregnant and forced to marry the kind young black man she would eventually disrespect with each passing year. Before the birth of this baby girl, Addie and her husband raised several children. Addie’s baby born on December 1, 1955, was the result of an unholy union, a business proposition, so to speak.

Harry Sole was the owner of the garment factory where Addie worked. He was a white man, with a wife and children of his own, and he paid Addie to have sex with him. It was a mutual arrangement that went on for several months before she got pregnant. When Addie told her boss she was pregnant, he gave her $400 and a command to get rid of it. Instead of using the money for an abortion, Addie purchased a car and found another job. Knowing there was a fifty-fifty chance the child could belong to her husband, she kept this secret for nine months, until the baby girl was born. Now, her nine-month bi-racial secret was out, literally and figuratively, staring her in the face. Addie was sick with panic.

At first glance, her husband knew the newborn wasn’t his. The baby’s complexion was fair, almost white. This wasn’t the first time Addie had broken her vows. This time she had crossed all boundaries of decency and forgiveness by having an affair with a white man. Feeling humiliated and betrayed her angry husband threatened Addie with divorce, before leaving her hospital room.

I can only speculate about the thoughts that tormented Addie on that day. In reality, her life and her stability were crumbling with every moment of this baby’s existence. The child’s presence alone would initiate a lifetime of stares, questions, and explanations. Her family was being threatened, threatened by an innocent baby without a name. Admittedly, she’d gotten herself into this mess and she was determined to get herself out of it: Addie had no one to blame but herself. One of Addie’s best traits was being a survivor. After a couple of days, she contrived a solution to her problem because there was no way in hell she was going to allow this tiny creature to ruin her life. The nameless baby had to disappear, had to literally vanish from the face of the Earth—or at least from her life. But how?

Addie decided to put the baby up for adoption. Her husband agreed. However, it wasn’t going to be that simple. For nine months Addie had publically carried this baby in full sight. All of Addie’s relatives, both in and out of state, knew she was pregnant. How was a newborn baby going to disappear without an explanation? Two weeks after the child’s birth, the solution came to mind.

The Secret

It was another cold, damp afternoon, much like the day of the child’s birth, when Addie and her husband packed up all of the newborn’s belongings. It was amazing how much had been accumulated during the pregnancy. The crib, clothes, bottles, and several toys were quickly packed and hauled out of the house during one predestined afternoon, while Addie’s other children attended school. It was exactly two weeks after her birth when the baby girl without a name left her first home.

One of Addie’s teenage daughters was really excited about the arrival of the newest member of the family. She developed a daily routine of running home from high school to care for her newborn sister, and Addie was always grateful for the break. However, this particular day was different.

Addie looked away as her daughter rushed in, dropped her books on the kitchen table, and skipped toward the bedroom she’d been sharing with her new sister. When the daughter reached the bedroom door, she stopped momentarily. Something was odd. Her expression froze and she went into shock as she stepped into the emptied room. Her bed was still there, but her baby sister’s crib was gone! The bottles that were kept on the dresser were gone! The small toys stacked in the corner of the room, given as gifts months before her sister’s birth, were gone. The closet door was open to expose several empty shelves. Her new baby sister was gone! It looked as though the baby had never existed. The girl screamed to her mother, What happened to my sister? Where’s my sister?

She ran into the kitchen where Addie was sitting quietly at the table, unaffected by her daughter’s hysterical screams. That baby died this morning, she calmly told her daughter. Addie repeated the lie to her other children. She repeated the lie to her sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, grocery store clerks, bank tellers, co-workers, and neighbors. Only she and her husband knew the truth. Miraculously, they kept the secret for over forty years.

In 1996, on a blistering hot summer day in August, the dead nameless baby girl resurfaced in their lives. This was the story of my beginning.

To be continued…

Rebecca L. Norrington

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’ve been writing this book for over fifteen years. One of the many lessons I’ve learned is that I cannot speed up, slow down, or stop what the Universe has planned for me. I’ve finally surrendered and accepted my destiny. Universe, thank you for choosing me to write this book.

Foremost, I’d like to thank Ccid, my spiritual partner in this life. The Universe had plans for us greater than our own. I’ll never forget the first time you looked into my eyes and said, All I see is drama. I was raising my only child, and I knew then that I had to make a change. Thank you for sharing that Truth with me, and thank you for loving my son as though he’s your own.

Nathan, my only son, I love you regardless of what you do and regardless of what you don’t do.

Steve-O, my ex-husband, after years of challenges, you’ve managed to remain a friend. I love you.

Joyce Shafer, my spiritual mother, sister, and friend. I remember the first time we spoke: I shared with you endless amounts of negative judgments and thoughts about myself. Still, you loved me, accepted me, and encouraged me with Universal patience to find another way to live. Thank you for being an important part of my journey of discovery and growth. I love you, JLS.

Juanita, Romie, Donna—my girlfriends—you don’t know the meaning of obligation or guilt. You have always loved me unconditionally, and I am truly grateful for our friendship. I love you all.

To the thousands of students I’ve taught at the gym over thirty-plus years, thank you for being my favorite audience.

Ernest Holmes, visionary and spiritual teacher—your books, Science of Mind and Living the Science of Mind are my foundation. I am truly grateful for the needed guidance. Thank you for helping me to change the direction of my life.

To Abraham, and Jerry and Esther Hicks—I’m grateful for your message. Abraham, your words say it all: You cannot have a happy ending to an unhappy journey. I AM never complete.

To Barbara Berger and Tim Ray—for granting permission to include The Mental Laws published in their book, The Awakening Human