This book of prayers and affirmations by bestselling author of The Artist's Wa y, Julia Cameron, is full of inspiration and encouragement. Beautifully packaged, these pocket prayers are perfect for carrying around or sharing as a gift. All too often we yearn for a more spiritual life but tell ourselves it's too difficult. But the smallest prayer is heard and answered. The simplest overture meets with a loving response. Each of the prayers in this book is a starting point. Taken collectively, they offer an approach to God that is powerful as well as simple. These prayers not only allow us to reach out to God, but they allow God to reach out to us. The book is called Life Lessons because each entry is a corrective to commonly held misconceptions of the divine. Like the postures assumed in hatha yoga, they stretch us gently. Through these prayers, we learn more of ourselves and the divine. Julia Cameron is the author of more than forty books, including such bestselling works on the creative process as The Artist's Way , Walking in This World , and Finding Water . A novelist, playwright, songwriter, and poet, she has multiple credits in theater, film, and television. She divides her time between Manhattan and the high desert of New Mexico. INTRODUCTION All too often we yearn for a more spiritual life but tell ourselves it’s too difficult. We believe that God is hard to reach and so, discouraged before we begin, we do not even try. The truth is that God is easy for us to reach. The smallest prayer is heard and answered. The simplest overture meets with a loving response. The tiny book you hold in your hands is a book of simple prayers and meditations—or, if you prefer, a book of simple overtures to God. Each one offers a starting place. Taken collectively, they offer an approach to God that is powerful as well as simple. These prayers are not a one-way street. They not only allow us to reach out to God, they also allow God to reach out to us. I have called this little book Life Lessons because each entry is a corrective to our commonly held ideas about the divine. Like the postures assumed in hatha yoga, they stretch us gently. As we assume the positions indicated, each entry becomes a lesson. We learn more of God—and of ourselves. A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR In this book you will find that God speaks to you as both “I” and “We.” This is because we are sometimes guided by a singular force, and sometimes by a ministry of angels. 1. Little one, why are you anxious? Why do you worry and fret? I am with you always and I intend you great good. Still your frantic imaginings. Feel my calm. There is no need for panic. You are led carefully and well. There is always a choice: fear or faith. With faith comes the certainty that my world is unfolding exactly as it should. Trust in me. Trust in God— good, orderly direction . Everything is in divine order. There is a place for you, safe and protected. Feel my security. I prosper you. You are my child. 2. Little one, you turn a blind eye to the beauties of my world. I say to you, “Open your eyes and with your eyes your heart.” Dare to love. Dare to appreciate the loveliness all around you. On a snowy night feel my peace and tranquility. Snowbound, let me be your companion. Feel my calm. I am peaceful and so, too, can you be. Rest your heart in my quietude. Dismantle your fears and trust that all is well. 3. Dear one, bring me your troubles. I take great joy in untangling your complicated life. You are overwhelmed but I am not. Your many problems are child’s play to me. You have a shadowed heart, but I bring light to it. I illuminate your difficulties. I give you a lantern heart. Ask me for guidance and I will lead you one step at a time. Your path becomes broad and clear. I bring you clarity and grace. 4. Little one, you have lost a beloved. Your heart is numb, stricken with grief. You feel empty as if your loss has scraped bare the chambers of your heart. Listen to what I tell you now: death is a portal. Your beloved lives on. What you see as an ending is really a beginning. Your loved one feels joy, not sorrow; expansion and freedom as the transition to being “home” brings happiness and peace. Celebrate your beloved’s life. Do not mourn what is past. Go forward listening for the subtle signs that life lives on. Your loved one loves you still. Offer prayers of gratitude for all you shared. Your bond continues as you open your heart. 5. Hurried one, you pray for guidance but then rush on, missing my reply. You tell yourself I ignore you when it is you who ignores my answer. Hear me now: slow down, temper your frantic pace. Velocity is not your friend. Breathe deeply. Open your heart. Inhale the guidance that I would give to you. Focus on the precise moment we are in. Count it as a blessing. My guidance comes to you softly, without haste. Listen. 6. Little one, you strain for a solution. You