Cease Clinging

"Moving toward what we love and not just toward the destruction of enemies ...

And that's what I feel like it's important to do upon rising each day."

Elizabeth Alexander

To focus upon our strength is not a selfish endeavor.  It takes time to recognize our authenticity as we take it for granted. We minimize our gifts, while maximizing the talents of others as we pave the road to a mental state filled with self-criticism and false limitations.

When we become aware of uniqueness, our first response should be that of respect.  When we are given a compliment, a simple thank you is appropriate, not denial.  We need to embrace kind words long enough to nourish our heart.  When we cease clinging to the negative comments, we begin to feed the good within us.

This works both ways of course.  When we notice a particular strength of a stranger or dear friend, we need to vocalize our admiration in order for them to grow along with us.  Even if 50 insults are being linked together, ignore them.  Let what is loved come into focus so we can honor each other  creating more space for good will, not destruction.

Two Realms ... Water and Air

"I can still only see a dragon fly,

its wings as thin and light as silk

and its body the color of rainbow.

But on the wings of this dragonfly 

I take off and fly, for my soul 

carries no weight."

Daniela I. Norris

Dragonflies have existed for over 180 million years. These ancient beings inhabit two realms ... water and air.  They are nymphs in water and become air borne through metamorphosis.  They are expressions of emotion and mental blended together.  Their wings are fairly clear when they first enter light and their colors deepen with maturity.   

The dragon fly nymph embodied in water is similar to our childhood filled with emotions and passion.  As it learns to take flight into the air, experiences add color to the silk like wings.  As we learn to control our emotions and passions, we too add color to our lives.  It is important, however, to blend emotion and passion with our analytical thought process.

Structures in the dragon fly shell scatter and refract light appearing iridescent blue and green which has been associated with forms of magic and mysticism.  As they age, they go through many transformations reflecting life is often not quite the way it appears.  Dragonflies encourage us to use our light to see through illusions and to let our own light shine upon new visions.

***Information based on Animal Speak by Ted Andrews 

Ego and Fear, Hand in Hand

"When we see that the world is enchanted,

we see the revelation of God in each

individual person and creature."

Richard Rohr

Once we embrace the concept of life being a school, we gain corrective insight about others.   We are all students, faced with challenges to help us evolve into our highest good.  Discerning  each person is striving for individual clarity, competition decreases.  We can all move forward in our own individual search, believing we can be embraced in spite of imperfections.

When we look into the eyes of one other, we can acknowledge differences without feeling any threat. We can share our expertise and advance together.  As each person feels purposeful and respected, no one is left behind.

When we feel ourselves particularly threatened by someone socially or professionally, we can usually discover ego and fear hand in hand.  If we endeavor to see the sacred in the other, negativity falls away and we can continue to move forward acknowledging the Divine in each of us. We may never be friends, but at least we don't have to be enemies either.

Set Up To Fail

"If you obsess over whether you are making the right decision,

you are basically assuming that the universe will reward you for one thing 

and punish you for another. The universe has no fixed agenda. 

Once you make any decision, it works around the decision." 

Deepak Chopra

Circumstances present themselves as opportunities for us to expand, enhance or engage.  The universe is interested in encouragement and support, not in a right or wrong  outcome.   Our thoughts, dreams, and desires are heard and we are then offered situations where we can invest our passion.

The Divine must find it challenging to shape our lives into dreams come true.  It must be frustrating to hear, "I want to be a rocket scientist!"  Guides begin to orchestrate connections, but then a short time later hear, "I want to be learn ballet!"  Angels shift and prepare for the new scenario until we are once again inconsistent with our goals, scattering supporters into altered directions.

Unexpected opportunity is not a test, but a chance to shift our direction.  We may feel fear in our belly, but once we step through that illusion, we can gain clarity into what could unfold.  We evaluate all sides of the situation and explore our highest good.  The universe does not set us up to fail. 

 

Unspoken Message of the Sun

"Your thoughts are your message to the world.

Just as the rays are the messages of the Sun."

Amit Ray

As we choose to minimize negative thoughts and embrace our surrounding community with compassion, we  offer  peace to the world.  When our contribution is laced with integrity and honesty, we create a deeper nature.  From our hearts, our responses vibrate a higher level of energy for others to receive.

Sunbeams give energy to all growing things and warms the surfaces of boulders and streams. We can look into the sun and feel the warmth across our faces and gently receive the unspoken language of the sun.  Our softly spoken words carry tender messages just like the rays of the sun.

We may navigate silently throughout our day, but our essence brushes against everything we pass.  When we understand the vibrational connection between all of us, more effort will be made to extend positive thoughts and well being to all.

Edit the Story

"The eyes only see what the mind 

is prepared to comprehend."

Henri Louis Bergson

The mind filters what the eyes can see and this is for our emotional protection.  Our eyes automatically adjust to protect our eye site and our mind expands and contracts to calibrate emotional responses to shock. 

We tell ourselves stories to make the situation more comfortable or accepting.  We edit the incident hoping we never saw what was suddenly apparent.  Privately, we tell ourselves we can improve a situation that it not repairable. Few react directly to flashes of reality. 

Even though denial may allow us a pause of peace, reality will continue to project a lesson  until we are ready to face it.  The process of digesting life can last years, months, days or hours.  The pace is dependent upon how open we are to accepting the reality.  The ability to discern our individual involvement and the degree to which we can change are vitally important markers.  When we recall the numerous times we have superseded challenges, our resilience will advance us towards wholeness.  

 

Release Analytical Thoughts

"When we drop out of this mental world into the Now,

we experience a depth, a richness, and a joy and peace

that feel sacred."

Gina Lake

Both sides of the brain are individually important, and if used together, produce samplings of masterhood. The analytical side of the brain tends to run full throttle, while the creative side becomes an afterthought. The height and depth of our existence, however, is vividly experienced when we eliminate our mental process and experience being in the moment.

When our creative brain in not distracted by analytical thoughts, we can experience the significance of each moment.  Our essence surfaces through sensitive awareness of what surrounds us as well as what is within us.   The fresh impressions of the moment and the triggered perceptions define the sacred areas of our existence.

In the creative space of our essence, we sample how life was meant to be imagined, and felt.  The impressions and insights recognized connect us with all things.  When we are willing to release our analytical thoughts in the moment, our essence is filled with sensations of peace and joy.

Cultivate the Earth

"There's nothing more powerful than a woman

who knows how to contain her power and not let it leak,

standing firmly within it in mystery and silence."

Marianne Williamson

Feminine power is having the right to express passion, opinions, and style of life based upon inner discovery and guidance.  It is about having options and the freedom to choose.  Listening to internal communication in the form of meditation, contemplation or prayer, women follow a path to share, reflect, and encourage. 

Places of solitude are created by women where sacred connections are made with nature, Universe, intelligence and creativity.  Resilience, courage and compassion are the elements of their foundation, allowing them to face challenges and make constructive shifts in the world.

Women become sensitive to the mysteries of the world.  Their awareness catches the movements of the veil.  They trust the realms of diversity, and move gracefully in the midst of chaos.  Empowered women  continuously align their body, mind and spirit. With compassion, empowered women cultivate the earth.

Susceptible to Resistance

"When you touch the celestial in your heart, you will realize that the beauty of your soul is so pure, so vast and so devastating that you have no option but to merge with it.  You have no option but to feel the rhythm of the universe in the rhythm of your heart."  Amit Ray

So easily we forget the mystical dreams and the sacred silent messages floating in and out of our lives. No matter how awe inspired we may be in a singular moment, time tends to erase it from our memory.

The more sacred the moment, the more susceptible we are to resist it.  We do not allow ourselves to captivate  the magic in life for we do not feel worthy or fear our imaginations are running away with us.

It can be overwhelming to feel the rhythm of the Universe within our celestial hearts.  It is difficult to believe we are energies of light, sparks of Divine Wholeness. We make a shift once we comprehend our meditations or dreams in relation to understanding present life.

Arch of a Rainbow

"Dare to love yourself

as if you were a rainbow

with gold at both ends." 

Aberjhani

If our focus is on the outside, seeking a mate to love and hopefully be loved in return, we are not valuing our inner gifts.  If anything, we are hoping to disguise parts of ourselves to be more generally accepted. So what does it mean when a mentor instructs us to love ourselves? We are not interested in loving ourselves, we want someone else to love us!

When our focus is on the inside, we find ourselves searching for the goodness within.  We explore our strengths and process our mishaps, making clear space for new beginnings.  The stronger we begin to identify with our shining light, the easier it is to attract like minded people.  When we honor and respect our inner qualities; share our joys and bungled messes; and strongly identify with goodness, others will do the same.

There are degrees of color in the arch of a rainbow which is true about our path in life.  We soak in yellow sunshine,  dance in blue rain,  heal with the green earth, survive red fire experiences, and bask in the purple mysteries.  When we learn to accept and love ourselves, just as we are, we begin to experience the love at both ends.

It Matters To Me

"Remember, we are all affecting the world every moment,

whether we mean to or not."  Ram Dass

It matters to me if you are having a good day, as whatever energy you are carrying inside of you is going to seep out into the world.  If you are filled with anger that  energy will flow out onto the students you teach, the people you love, and the work you do.  All around you, this negative energy will be attracting more anger, devastation, or hopelessness.

It matters to me if you can look through the fear and see the lesson in the situation or if you can discern what the situation is triggering from your past.  When you can process components of the experience, you will begin to accept how you feel and learn the lesson before you.  With a deeper understanding, you return to the world with a positive energy helping to uplift those around you.

It matters to me that everyone recognizes their individual importance in this massive world.  One person may not be able to make a world shift, but numerous individuals projecting positive feelings out into the world will affect a portion of it.  Your individual positive light will deepen your human experience and brighten the darkness of others.

Intervening Angels

"Although nobody knows whom he reveals

when he discloses himself in deed or word,

he must be willing to risk the disclosure."

Hannah Arendt

The Human Condition

We would probably prefer to keep a low profile, not be singled out, or receive unnecessary attention.  Whether at a party or convention, we hope to blend in and then gently fade away.  By maintaining a low profile, we remain hidden. Then out of no where, an emergency occurs and out of character we impulsively step forward to help however we can.

Guidepost Magazine throughout the years revealed endless stories of strangers who intervened in a crisis and then mysteriously slipped away.  Were these people simply shy or a fugitive?  No one ever seems to identify the intervening angel.

Every one of us has the potential to trigger goodness in others.  Our small acts of kindness are just as important as those of heroes.  There is something magical about positive action without any recognition.  Collectively, our random efforts uplift the lives of others.  The next time we are nudged, let's engage and be an intervening angel!

How are you, really?

Kahlil Gibran (Lebanese poet and philosopher):  "My friend, I am not what I seem.  Seeming is but a garment I wear - a care-woven garment that protects me from the questionings and thee from my negligence.  The 'I' in me, my friend, dwells in the house of silence, and therein it shall remain for ever more, unperceived, unapproachable."

We want to see our friends and family happy, so it is easy to buy into their projection of 'everything is right in my world'.  Do we sincerely listen to the answer of the question or do we  directly move on to our agenda?  

What would happen if we gave pause after the first response, allowing an arena for someone to respond a little deeper. If we sat silent not breaking eye contact, what else would be shared.  Perhaps we don't want to get involved in other peoples drama, but there is a difference between listening and being involved. Every person we know hides a portion of his or her true self.

As we hide parts of ourselves, the more invisible we become.  When we no longer believe anyone is seeing us, we begin to loathe ourselves which distorts the vision of the inner and outer worlds.  Offering the opportunity for a person to feel recognized can change the direction of a life.  "So, how are you, really?" 

Written or Read

"The importance of a writer is continuous...

His importance, I think, is that he is here 

to describe things which other people are

too busy to describe."

James Baldwin

One topic can be distributed to ten people and each person will reflect a personal attitude.   Even  writers who support the same subject matter, will report in differing ways. The reader of the ten documents will absorb the information through his or her own filters.  Thus the story unfolds.

Each of us have a right to tell our own story without fearing whether or not we will be believed, judged, or supported.  When we write our history, we validate our existence and a sense of self-confidence and compassion forms.  What we have kept hidden no longer holds us back from growing and expanding.  We are released through the telling of the story.

Those who read our stories are drawn to our experiences as they can identify with certain incidents or are curious.  Although every story is different, there is a common thread that wraps us together.  Not everyone chooses to explore personal development, but they can reflect and learn by reading the written word.  Those who write extend the experience to those who are willing to learn.  There is power within all words whether they are written or read.

Maintaining Sanity

"Everything can be taken from a man, but one thing:  

the last of the human freedoms -

to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances,

to choose one's own way."

Viktor Frankl

Our culture has become so fast paced we feel as though we are no longer running our own life ...  it is running us.  Commitments to career, family, and community leave creases in time which are for necessities like food, medical attention, or transportation.  We may not be able to  alter our situations, but the freedom to think is consistently present.  

It is said that one's attitude is the last of the human freedoms.  So no  matter where we find ourselves, we need to exercise our freedom to dream or plan.  The danger is when we become apathetic or numb, we are apt to lose ourselves body, mind, and soul.

Throughout the centuries, stories reflect how humans in isolation maintained sanity by keeping an active mind.  Whether a prisoner of war or a kidnapped victim, the odds of survival increase with the ability to creatively use the brain.  Cramped in small quarters, a person can visualize physical activity. In a dark place, dreams of freedom help to maintain emotional health.  Prayers for alternate choices support the spirit.  Creativity of the mind can ensure a sense of freedom, but we must be mindful to use it!

Gently Return

"Everyone sees the unseen 

in proportion to the clarity of his heart,

and that depends upon how much he has polished it.

Whoever has polished it more sees more -

more unseen forms become manifest to him."

Rumi

The young child who has yet to have a broken heart, shines so brightly, magic is attracted.  The youthful hearts who have escaped trauma, lovingly absorb what others don't seem to see.  At first the unbelievable that is somehow seen, is shared out loud, but the child is shushed until he or she speaks no more.  The innocent continue to watch the mystery of our world, savoring every glimpse of other realms and mentally recording what others do not hear.

The young children who have been traumatized begin to stretch into other emotional realms where they can escape personal reality.  Dissociation allows a space where the unnoticed wounded can feel safe or protected.  In the suspended pocket of time, imagination can expand into an explosion of color or sensory textures softening the souls.

Dare we forever forget what we knew as a child?  Are we able to reconnect with a passion of old or a dream buried in emotional debris?  Can we awaken the memories from a long ago past that nurtured and polished our hearts?  If we gather silence around us like a well worn quilt, and unleash the restraints in our creative minds, clarity of the unseen will gently return. 

 

The Simple Solution

"In the silence of the heart, God speaks."

Mother Theresa 

Conflict resolution, and relationship restoration are approaches to untangle the inappropriately entwined cords of experience. Additional support can be found in therapy, mediation, or pharmaceutical assistance.  In desperation, one might gravitate towards obsessions such as exercise, food or drink leading to addictions.  Our brain becomes locked leaving no room for fresh remedy.

The simple solution is usually the last one we try ... surrender with compassion.  As we sit in silence, we can allow all aspects to fall into a natural order.   We can sort through what part we play or determine who owns the problem.  Breathing deeply allows space to form between our projected fears and reality.  By eliminating drama and  releasing judgment, we find ourselves in a vulnerable place.

It is within this stillness, the heart can whisper words of guidance, courage, and resilience.  Divine Spirit has a million ways to send messages, but we must be prepared to listen and then begin to advance with a higher level of thinking.  The simple solution is to work with compassion towards the best thing for everyone involved.  

Imaginary Grid

"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities

brilliantly disguised as impossible situations."

Charles R. Swindoll

When we remain too focused, we overlook great opportunities at hand.  If we slow down, and  consider a random option, we may discover a golden nugget of inspiration.  It is all about broadening our perspective.  In observing just outside of our narrow view, a small aspect may brighten an entire experience.

While visiting a lavender farm on Maui, a smile led to an introduction which then led to the realization these strangers lived not only in the United States but forty-five minutes from me in Champaign.  Attending a woman's conference in Nashville, I introduced myself to the woman sitting next to me and she had lived numerous years in Peoria thirty minutes from where I had worked.  In Acapulco I met a young couple from St. Louis who rapidly became friends. We ran into each other again years later in Quebec.

Although these incidences are minor, they illustrate the little gems we can collect when we expand out of our comfort zone.  Our world becomes smaller as though there is an imaginary grid connecting all of us in one small way or another.  We are surrounded by pleasant and unpleasant situations that are capable of enhancing our human experience.  The more closed off we are, the less we grow.

Temporary Home

"The point is that when I see a sunset or a waterfall or something,

for a split second it's so great, because for a little bit I'm out of my brain,

and it's got nothing to do with me."

Chris Evans

It has been a full day of creative action and intimate discussions with friends.  Blood continues to race through my veins and my mind will not stay still.  I wandered out onto the secluded patio with my tea to sit in silence while the sun fell from the sky.

Mentally I emptied my thoughts into the sun being embraced by the horizon.  Darkness would soon be upon me as I waited for the moon.  And there it was, brilliantly floating across the sky!  I knew my bare feet were no longer planted on this ground, as my wings had taken off for the sky.

In these rare moments, I am no longer me as I am gracefully absorbed into the oneness of all things. This is an experience of being embraced by all that there is from the past, the present, and the future. There is not an awareness of beginning nor ending, just a suspension in all inclusive peace, love, and joy.  It is only when my earthly body begins to feel cold, that I return with a radiant heart to my most temporary home.

Coffee House Writing Rituals

Coffee House Writing Rituals is a creative collective whose mission is to reframe the writing business model to support and encourage authors. We meet twice a month at Edgar's Coffee House, 95 Plummer Blvd, Chatham IL . Our workshops are open to the public, please feel free to pass info to other writers.

Naked & afraid describes every author who expresses from the heart, who writes with intention and authenticity, who fears rejection and even ridicule. Friday, the 13th, we discuss our fears & draw courage. Right now, where are you as a writer? We will explore: •What idea or interest? •What is your biggest concern? •What corners have you turned? •What obstacles in the way? •What observations do you have? •What feedback do you need? •What is your biggest fear? •What unique talent do you have? •What wisdom serves you? •What skills to develop?

After being Naked & Afraid, be inspired to JUST WRITE! Two hours devoted to creativity and shared work with the group. Ask for the feedback you want/need or simply read your works to hear them and gauge their power. Edgar's coffee House, 95 W. Plummer Ave, Chatham May 20   9:30 AM to 11:30 AM $5 Donation

Angst In Not Knowing

"One of the hardest things you 

will ever have to do, my dear,

is to grieve the loss of a person

who is still alive."  

Unknown

Boundaries are beneficial in relationships, as long as the borders remain flexible.  If we feel pushed to the edge, it is best to have the option to either expand or contract.  Our decision considers whether or not we are feeling confined or unprotected.  The line of our demarcation is adjusted according to  friendship, career, stranger or foe.  

We allow others to wander outside of our boundaries and whether they return or not is based on the limits of both parties.  A boat may sail off into the sunset metaphorically or spiritually, leaving us bittersweet or relieved.  There is angst in not knowing if paths will ever intersect again.

When our tolerance has been broken and relationship has been terminated, there is great sorrow.  The level of emotion deepens with the realization this has happened not by death, but through choice.  When we deliberately excuse a person or we are dismissed, the loss intensifies.  The relationship may die, but the flesh still lives.

Coffee House Writing Rituals

Coffee House Writing Rituals is a creative collective whose mission is to reframe the writing business model to support and encourage authors. We meet twice a month at Edgar's Coffee House, 95 Plummer Blvd, Chatham IL . Our workshops are open to the public, please feel free to pass info to other writers.

Naked & afraid describes every author who expresses from the heart, who writes with intention and authenticity, who fears rejection and even ridicule. Friday, the 13th, we discuss our fears & draw courage. Right now, where are you as a writer? We will explore: •What idea or interest? •What is your biggest concern? •What corners have you turned? •What obstacles in the way? •What observations do you have? •What feedback do you need? •What is your biggest fear? •What unique talent do you have? •What wisdom serves you? •What skills to develop?

After being Naked & Afraid, be inspired to JUST WRITE! Two hours devoted to creativity and shared work with the group. Ask for the feedback you want/need or simply read your works to hear them and gauge their power. Edgar's coffee House, 95 W. Plummer Ave, Chatham May 20   9:30 AM to 11:30 AM $5 Donation

In Search of the Self

"You have to find a Mother inside of yourself.

We all do.  Even if we already have a mother,

we still have to find this part of ourselves inside."

Sue Monk Kidd

Pioneer in family and addictions, Claudia Black's observations with dysfunctional families can tear barriers down and create healthy identities.   Her coined concept of  the 'inner child' specifically defines and embraces recreating a healthy self.  Her articulate wisdom, triggered realms of understanding for the wounded child.

Sue Monk Kidd takes us a step deeper loving our inner child, but also nurturing the entire self just as a mother would tend to her nest.  We can encourage and value ourselves; apply empathy and compassion; and create a sense of safety and identity.

Writer and author, Mark Matousek discusses the importance of a mother's gaze.  It can impact our developmental stages creating a sense of  invisibility, vulnerability and abandonment or fulfillment,  confidence and security.    He states that our yearning for emotional healing can be addressed through our spiritual concepts and application.

All three of these remarkable beings point us inward towards personal recognition and empowerment.  It is time to begin, excavate a little deeper, or take a glorious leap in search of the self.

Descend The Spiral Staircase

"You read and write and sing an experience,
thinking that one day these things

will build the character you admire to live as.
You love and lose and bleed 

best  as you can, to the extreme,
hoping that one day the world will read you
like the poem you want to be."    
Charlotte Ericksson

Within each of us, there is a library filled with wisdom, fantasy, and mystery.  When we harvest these stories, we find inconsistencies, delusions, and deceptions without a sense of reality.  If we explore the details, we come across reflections of pure love and unquestionable joy.

The human experience is not a happy fairytale nor is it a tale of horror.  The non-fiction edition of life is filled with all aspects of possibility and waisted moments of opportunity. The captured dialogue between family, stranger, or mentor may be misunderstood while read out of context or it may refurbish the passion of a lost dream.

As we descend the spiral staircase into the depths of our inner libraries, we cannot help be impacted by the overwhelming accumulation of texts, documents, and diaries.  Extracting the truths of yesteryear that no longer support our perceptions is easier than releasing the romantic daydreams that ended with an unforeseen expiration date.  We decide to savor the lined binders with recorded snips of insight and quirks of pain. The ramblings express unexpected clarity allowing the truth to shine.

Trusted Words of Others

"Every fragment of self-talk is a little story in the head

that goes around, and then you look at reality through

the lens of the little story."

Eckhart Tolle

The car dealership told me I needed new brakes that the vehicle was worn down to the brake pads.  I groaned, knowing I rode the brake too hard! My car was then taken to a trusted small business for the brakes to be replaced.

A few hours later, I received a phone call telling me that the car had been dismantled and the brakes were fine.  Just to be on the safe side, instructions were given to go ahead and replace them as surely they were nearing repair and the car was already taken apart.   The mechanic refused to do it.  He explained the brakes were fine, no where near replacement.  This honest man did not charge for his labor or wisdom.

Puzzled as to why I so readily bought into the idea of the brakes being worn, I did some back history about my driving skills.  I was able to recall practicing for my drivers license test and my father criticizing me "You ride the brake too much!"  Over 50 years ago, a negative comment was slipped into my belief system and unknowingly continued to thrive.  To fault,  I have trusted the words of others stringing them into stories defining my life.  I believe I have some serious editing to do!

How To Love Forever

"When you are a mother, 

you are never really alone in your thoughts.

A mother always has to think twice, 

once for herself and once for her child."

Sophia Loren

There are grandmothers who have buried ancestral stories into the hearts of grandchildren.  There are mothers who have rooted trauma into the lives of the their children.  There are children who have found surrogate mothers to heal their souls, while surrogate children have filled the hollow womb of women.

Not all women are mothers and not all mothers are mothering.  Some have simply been a vessel to bring children into the world while others have birthed children to nurture and nourish.  There are grandparents raising grandchildren while mothers are absent. 

My greatest opportunity was birthing four children who taught me endless lessons and how to love forever.  My life evolved around raising these sprouts to appreciate colors, fragrances, and the richness of this earth. I did my very best to protect them and then to let them go.   They will blossom in my heart forever.  

Skews Our Outlook

 

"When you find peace within yourself

you become the kind of person who can

live at peace with others."

Peace Pilgrim

Once our feelings have been bruised, we begin to question the intentions of everyone.  We listen more carefully anticipating criticism and we lay in wait for judgment.  The pain we feel is negative and like attracts like.  The negativity skews our outlook and we no longer focus on anything positive.  

There are two components to rectifying this situation.  One:  It is inevitable our feelings will be hurt, but we can choose to not obsess about the situation.  Let it go.  Two:  Remember the words of others reflect their own wound and we can choose to not take  embrace the misplaced anger.  

We cannot help but feel the ping that accompanies thoughtless words or actions of others, but we can be flexible. If it rains, we reach for an umbrella.  If it is hot and sunny, we reach for sun screen.  In both cases, we are flexible, taking action to protect ourselves, and then carry on.  Reach for compassion for all involved and then continue on our way.

 

Golden Waters of Possibilities

"Do not struggle.  Go with the flow of things,

and you will find yourself at one with the

mysterious unity of the Universe."

Chuang Tzu

Resistance is different from an alarm of danger.  We unfortunately resist even great things simply out of fear.  Fear is strongly bonded with ego, so any suggestion of change or risk is felt in the body as threatening.  Procrastination teams up with resistance as a distraction from any forward movement.

Postponing what is good for us is counter productive, and yet we repeat this behavior on a regular basis.  We are willing to expect failure rather than reward. Filters from our past distort what we see ... disaster instead of opportunity.

When our energy is channeled into what might go wrong, there is scant force remaining to propel us forward.  If we enter with narrow perspective, we are limiting our outcome and encouraging self-sabotage.  Come on, let us dip our toe into the golden waters of possibilities.

Depth of Our Cleanse

"The words of kindness are more healing 

to a drooping heart than balm or honey."

Sarah Fielding

If we are faced with a challenge, we step into it fully or choose to ignore it.  On one level we know it is a lesson, but on another level we do not want to extend ourselves into emotional challenge.When we are not operating from a sense of confidence, we have a tendency to self-sabotage.  

We do know what is best for us, and yet we frequently do not make healthy choices. Our ego tells us it is "easier" to go with the flow ... discontinue self-discovery when truth appears.  It may be "easier" in the moment, but in the long run, it indeed becomes excessively difficult. 

When we choose to address our issues, we enter a cleansing cycle, but with options ... light rinse, heavy soak, or gentle spin.  Depending upon how deeply we want to heal, determines the depth of our cleanse.  With every application of compassion, our heart initiates recovery in our body, mind, and soul.  At each attempt to heal, we remove layers of darkness allowing the light to come in.