Fire Kindles Visions

"Man may have discovered fire,

but women discovered how to play with it."

Candace Bushnell

The end of the year stirs memories, regrets and loss, and the new year offers hopes, dreams, and second chances.  When we unearth our emotional debris, a sacred clearing is made.  Inner speculation creates visions for what seeds are to be planted in the fertile ground.

We feel movement of spirit within our thoughts and our inner flames begin to dance.  As they swirl with anticipation, the movement adds character and depth to the fire.  Our passion ignites and our imaginations dance in the fire.

The fire in the belly is the catalyst for gathering our thoughts, yearnings and passions.  It creates energy to expand our presence beyond our wildest dreams.  The new year is to experience all that we can be with beginner eyes and the trust of a child.

Becoming Undone

"When you think your life is falling apart,

it's usually falling together in disguise."

Charlotte Eriksson

Aversion to challenge limits our growth and impeccable plans do not guarantee safety.  Even when we are in total alignment with body, mind, and soul, we can stumble and fall.  Our undoing may come as one swift blow or misfortune can chisel off one hunk at a time. 

The obvious is human beings are faced with difficult aspects in life as part of a process to fine tune  life purpose.  Life purpose frequently is not recognized until we have traveled the rocky road towards self discovery.  

When we can present in an authentic manner, we have resurrected ourselves from the debris of numerous disasters.  We have allowed hard times to strip us of what we no longer need to proceed in a particular direction.  The wounds on our bodies and the scars on our hearts are medals of the living.

Creative Dialogue

"Anger, resentment and jealousy

doesn't change the heart of others --

it only changes yours."

Shannon L. Alder

Gently direct positive thoughts to the small crevices of joy in life.  Hold that space in loving light until it grows.  Let positive feelings expand from the small particles into the blood flowing through the body's veins.  

Expand what is uplifting and discard what pulls like a heavy weight.  Make the choice to no longer be stuck in sadness, allowing goodness to grow.    With deep breathing, the lungs fill and our mood shifts and we vibrate a willingness to let go.

Once our body feels strong, our mind is tempted to follow suit.  It too wants to reach higher ground and the support of the body's vibrant thrust, propels us into clarity of thought.  Hang on to that crisp thought! Let it expand into an entire paragraph and allow the day to author a creative dialogue!

My God, Woman!

"You say you're 'depressed' - all I see is resilience. You 

are allowed to feel messed up and inside out.  It doesn't

mean you're defective - it just means you're human."

David Mitchell

When I look back over my life, I am pleasantly surprised to see my trials and errors surface as resilience.  I am astounded by my ability to have survived and by my skills to navigate through shit storms.  Back then, in the midst of holy fire, I never caught a glimpse of anything personally positive.

In depth relationships with kindred spirits have shown me that life leads us through the thick and the thin, shaping our character and testing our integrity.  The pain is so raw, we are unable in the moment to perceive any kind of meaning to the madness.

Eventually we catch a glimpse of our matured face and think, "My God woman, you have survived!" As we inventory the true meaning of life, negativity falls away and the elements worth treasuring shine through our smiles.  Our hearts warm with the knowing we may have been challenged,  but our resiliency was our shield.

Suffering in Silence

"There are wounds that never show on the body

that are deeper and more hurtful

than anything that bleeds."

Laurell K. Hamilton

Domestic violence can be detected by simply examining the physical body for broken bones, fractures or bruises.  Emotional abuse is a complex experience that can remain hidden, never to be exposed as there are no physical signs.

Careless words can break a person's heart.  Demeaning remarks can stunt ability to thrive.  Even cold silence impacts emotional development.  There is no emergency room where emotional trauma can be cleansed, medicated, and wrapped in gauze.

Teasing and sarcasm can be painful like arrows shot to the heart.  Bringing up past hurtful experiences does not have a positive intention and breaks the momentum of healing.  Endeavor to use supportive and uplifting conversations to assist those suffering in silence to survive holiday cheer.

In the Midst of People

"When you're surrounded by all these people, 

it can be lonelier than when you're by yourself.

You can be in a huge crowd,

but if you don't feel like you can trust anyone 

or talk to anybody,

you feel like you're really alone."

Fiona Apple

Christmas time triggers emotional responses that are normally repressed.  Strange memories float to the surface and we are reminded of being alone or ignored or desperately unhappy.  Standing in the midst of people, we can thoroughly experience the sense of solitude or isolation.

The holidays do not have to be a time for sadness.  We make the choice of what we will dwell upon.  We select the topic and extend the energy to be lulled into pain or to extend our will to create warmth and acceptance. 

In spite of our wounds, we have the choice to create an aura of calm.  Self-nurturing can heal us in a moment, lift our spirits, and create a life we want to live.  It is not easy to do, but it is totally possible.  So instead of dwelling on pain, we can create a safe space where we can rest, recharge, and survive within the holiday spirit. 

Spirit of Christmas

Wishing everyone the Spirit of Christmas:

Love, Acceptance, Hope, and Renewal!

Virginia Carlson

Christmas at Midlife

I am no longer waiting for a special occasion; I burn the best candles on ordinary days.

I am no longer waiting for the house to be clean; I fill it with people who understand that even dust is Sacred.


I am no longer waiting for everyone to understand me; It’s just not their task.


I am no longer waiting for the perfect children; my children have their own names that burn as brightly as any star.


I am no longer waiting for the other shoe to drop; It already did, and I survived.


I am no longer waiting for the time to be right; the time is always now.




I am no longer waiting for the mate who will complete me; I am grateful to be so warmly, tenderly held.


I am no longer waiting for a quiet moment; my heart can be stilled whenever it is called.


I am no longer waiting for the world to be at peace; I unclench my grasp and breathe peace in and out.


I am no longer waiting to do something great; being awake to carry my grain of sand is enough.

I am no longer waiting to be recognized; I know that I dance in a holy circle.


I am no longer waiting for Forgiveness. I believe, I Believe.

-Mary Anne Perrone

Keeping Vigil and Ritual

"I'd write and read and let myself, a little at a time, 

step down into myself ~ like a stairway down into a dark, intimate kiva ~ 

where the work of vigil is taking place, the necessary attending."

Mark Doty 

HEAVEN'S COAST

Christmas Eve stirs emotion within me.  The warmth of my fireplace keeps me grounded, but I gently slip deeper into a vigil, longing to connect with my soul.  Whispers of saints and angels call out to me.

The passage into the darkness encourages me to let go of fear, sadness and remorse.  My heart radiates with love beckoning me to continue the descent into my most inner chambers.  It is there where I can safely shed my physical suit and slip into the veils of sacred dwelling.

The ritual of going within is a long time practice of mine.  I experience nothingness to the fullest.  I am lifted to see the holiness expanding across the Universe and the grids of light safe keeping those unaware.  Christmas Eve is the birth of innocent bright light overcoming the darkest parts of self.

Break in Routine

"Awaken from your numb state and reclaim

your position as a decisive individual who is driven

by curiosity and revelations rather than by mere habit."

Daily Om

Routine helps us to manage our lives in an efficient way.  It brings comfort to know what we will be doing throughout our day and defends us from unexpected upheavals.  The outline we follow generates a sense of security, but it can also cause us to become stagnant.

When the unexpected invites us to make new decisions, we begin to feel more alive.  Our confidence can grow and anticipation can heighten our imaginations.  To step out of routine causes us to take a more active role and not just be on automatic pilot.

When we allow ourselves to experience a novelty, we awaken our creative spirit and alert all of our senses to partake in the newness at hand.  As an active participant, we feel more powerful and in control.  As we breathe in new life, we awaken sleeping dreams and rebirth stunted expectations.  Our spirits begin to soar as we imagine once again living life to the fullest. 

The Love of One

"You only need one man to love you. But him to love you

free like a wildfire, crazy like the moon, always like tomorrow,

sudden like an inhale and overcoming like the tides.  

Only one man and all of this ... "

C. JoyBell C.

Whether a lover is a man or a woman, they help us by reflecting ourselves back to us.  They truly listen to our dreams or nightmares and retain the information for future use.   With an awareness of our sore spots, they encourage and support our journey.  They hold our hand while sharing their own dark spaces.

Love provides a space for us to just be who we truly are ... no masks, deceptions or need for control.  We can bring our issues to the light while feeling safe, not repressing wounds and fears in the darkness. A sense of equality exists,  giving each person freedom to explore, not limiting priorities to just one.

Authentic love empowers, not enslaves.  A fire kindles turning into sky high flames dancing in the dark and smoldering during the day.   The full moon calls to us for crazy making as though we were once again uninhibited children.  The connection pulls like the undercurrent of the sea with great waves washing over the union, cleansing and restoring balance.  We must not settle until we find the one.

Warm Honey

"When someone loves you,

the way they talk about you is different.

You feel safe and comfortable."

Jess C. Scott, THE INTERN

Emotional safety is one of life's most generous gifts.  Although it is similar to physical security, emotional safety is significant on its own.  Physical safety protects our bodies and our homes, while emotional safety protects our inner thoughts, feelings, and desires.

Whether we are with a lover or sister of the heart, we feel loved.  This encourages us to be fully seen, knowing our weakness or shortcomings will not be used against us.  We can speak without minimizing, we can touch without restraint, and we can deeply feel the goodness of being alive.

When we are loved, we are treated with respect and provided with emotional support.  The  sense of freedom expands, not contracts during relationship.  Love is a foundation to inspire, explore, and to blend together without becoming stifled.  Love is like warm honey poured thickly over words, actions, and deeds.

Sexual Ecstasy

"She wanted something else, something different,

something more.  Passion and romance, perhaps, or

maybe quiet conversations in candlelit rooms, or

perhaps something as simple as not being second."

Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

The gift of passion courses through my heart and uncontrollably flows throughout my body.  I have known passion for my children, in my career, and writing, but not so much as sexual ecstasy.

There are books prompting women to never trust a man, as they are often carried astray by the lure of sexual passion.  Other writings claim passion is a romantic term never fully released in the human experience, and if so, only a 'flash in the pan'.  My life experiences unfortunately created a skeptic housed deep within me.

Perhaps sexual passion is experienced by many, but sexual ecstasy arrives on the throes of love.  It is through the intimacy of a love connection one is truly seen.   When one fully trusts through love,  they embrace wild urges, guttural sounds, and the lightning bolts of miraculous freedom.

Soaring with Freedom

"This is simply my religion.  No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy.  

Your own mind, your own heart is the temple.  Your philosophy is simple kindness."

Dalai Lama XIV

The vast amount of money spent on churches, temples, sports arenas and government buildings is appalling.  Human ego rises to materialism in any sanction of life.  Our culture promotes the bigger the better, disconnecting from the jewels of Mother Nature strewn across the ground.

To live simply with deep appreciation for life itself, heals the wounded soul.  Our connection to all that is holy is broken by the obsession with things.  To reclaim our essence, we shed material layers until we can find comfort in standing in our own skin.

Naked, nothing is hidden.  Ears can be used for truly listening and the eyes capture the animation upon appearing faces.  When the hands are empty, they reach out to embrace and the vibrations of the hearts unite.  We all become one, soaring with freedom.

Choosing A Rail

"It's my experience that most folk who ride trains could care less where they're going.

For them it's the journey itself and the people they meet along the way.  You see, at every

stop this train makes, a little bit of America, a little bit of your country, gets on and says hello."

David Baldacci

THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN 

Existence is about riding in a train, aligning energy, creativity and dreams.  Each adjoining car offers experiences to live life fully.  The question is which train will travel towards our intended adventure.

The journey is collective in one sense, but individually experienced from train car to train car. We can simply be inactive in a cargo car or interactive with passengers in the club car. We can speed forward viewing the landscape from the front of the locomotive or gently watch fading scenes from the caboose.  

Riding the rail is filled with sensations and vibrations.  Our bodies can be rocked or swayed.  We can develop a sense of rhythm and the conductor is prepared to help you find your way.  The ticket can be transferred at any train depot, but we must choose which rail will connect us to our yearnings. 

Strides Toward Peace

"I have been trying to find a voice within myself

that is neither intellectual nor cloying, 

a voice that is simple and true 

about what I will and won't tolerate."

Courtney Martin

WE NEED A NEW AMERICAN STORY

Choosing to simply monitor the outcries of politics, nature, and injustice, we can move through what we cannot change and wisely use our energy for what we can create.  We learn to serve with integrity and embrace responsibility for our individual challenges.

It is vitally important to be aware of the happenings in our family, community, country and world, but there is no advantage to become stuck in the drama.  We can choose information to support our opinions, we can be intolerant of opposing views, or we can open our minds to the possibility of each offering holds a nugget of truth.

When we focus on our individual existence as being a symbol of the greater Universe, we can then impact life effectively.  We can choose to create our life with integrity, beauty, and justice.  As each individual chooses to behave in this way, great strides can be taken towards peace.

Hearing or Listening

                                                         "There's a lot of difference 

between listening and hearing."

G.K. Chesterton

We may be aware of music playing in the background of a store, but chances are we are not really listening.  Our attention is spread between the jewelry we see or the material of clothing we touch or the fragrances of aromatherapy.   Our minds may also be distracted by tasks left incomplete or people who make demands upon us.  

The same applies when people are conversing.  We may be looking directly at them, but our minds might be in a thousand places.  We do not get the urgency of their information nor the sense of pain in  their voice.  We are not fully present in the moment.

When we listen, it is an entirely different experience!  We see the excitement in the eyes, the emotion on the face and the intensity of the voice.  When we open our hearts, we can discern the deeper meaning in the communication.  We find ourselves with a new understanding  of who the speaker truly is and where their voice is coming from.  With listening fully, a connection or bond is strengthened, and we may be touched by something new.

Unveiled Purpose

"Find out who you are

and do it on purpose."

Dolly Parton

Our souls come into the world in physical form filled with brilliance and insight.  Then the lack of support and pressure from our culture leads us away from our God given blessings.  We then wander through time and space trying  on masks in effort to please others.  

We become estranged from our natural soul beauty.  We develop shame and feel disconnected from the deep meaning of our existence.  Eventually we search for our roots and purpose.  It is a journey of traipsing  through trial and error.

To connect with our original self is stimulating and can be empowering.  We persevere to return to our spiritual connections pursing greater understanding of the relationships we retain and the lives we live.  With a sense of holy union, our unveiled purpose begins to thrive.

Listen to the Teachings

"I have been and still am a seeker,

but I have ceased to question stars and books;

I have begun to listen to the teaching 

my blood whispers to me."

Hermann Hesse

Children in solitude laugh and play as though friends were gathered around them.  They have imaginary friends and magical insights abound.  It is unfortunate we lose these aspects as we are laughed at or ridiculed; and yet, they tend to appear in later years.

Through mediation we visualize interactions in differing scenarios or realms.  In dreams, we create what is seemingly impossible.  Through prayer, we converse with the unseen.  So our ability to communicate remains in tact throughout our life.

Dreams are too often kept silent and not shared.  We may feel self-conscious to share an insight appearing out of no where.  Our yearnings remain trapped in our fears.  It is only when we become aware of our personal worth that we gain the freedom to exercise our imagination with abandonment.

Soul on Fire

"Thou shalt decree a thing,

and it shall be established unto thee:

and the light shall shine upon thy ways."

Job 22:28

I have decreed, "I am lovable and worthy" and it is changing my life.  As I see my lovely self through new eyes, I discover my strength instead of being distracted by weakness. My little flame so boldly burning has shed light upon my  path.

"Who are you?" might I ask.  I don't want your labels, titles, associations, or family name.  I want to look inside your heart and sense the warmth of your own flame.  Show me what is unique, sincere, and imagined dreams.

Is there nothing  you yearn for?  Do you no longer feel fire in your belly?  I have chosen how to best  tend my fire, to keep it hot without burning my self  to ashes.  I will brace against the winds of time and deflect the rains of all tomorrow, to keep my soul on fire.

Imploding Memories

"Just as a snake sheds its skin,

we must shed our past

over and over again."

Jack Kornfield

The past can surface unexpectedly and caught off guard, our sense of balance can be altered.  We think we have dealt with the imploding memory, but it remains a force within.  Not only does it haunt us, it tampers with our present as well.

When we remember that we alone decide how much energy we invest in each situation, we can gain better results.  It is not about controlling, repressing, or erasing a trauma.  It is simply about our own ability to acknowledge the incident and then simply let it go.

The harm is not exclusively about the incident.  It is imperative to realize how much the past memory colors our present.  The recurring emotions can misconstrue what is happening before us in the present.  The old thoughts distort even a healthy occurrence.   Allow fresh eyes to view the unfolding 

with an open heart and mind, prepared to welcome goodness into life. 

Do Not Be Dismayed

"Do not  be dismayed by the  brokenness of the world.

All things break.  And all things can be mended.  Not

with time, as they say, but with intention.  So go. Love

intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally.  The broken 

world waits in darkness for the light that is you."

L. R. Knost

The brokenness of the world weighs heavily upon everyone.  The focus on negativity impacts our body, mind and spirit.  What if we looked at the worldly dysfunction as an opportunity to put into motion intentions to make things right?

It is man who is weakening the earth, not any higher form of divinity.  So if destruction is caused by man, correction can be implemented by man.  The question is how to perform as an individual with enough power to impact a world.

Within our relationships to family, friends and community, we can utilize our highest good in spite of differences.  What is our highest good?  To live peacefully by respecting diversity.  When each individual enhances personal integrity, those in close proximity feel the loving energy.  We become a light onto the world.

Dodge the Connection

"Don't let your inner dialogue

get the best of you."

Panache Desai

Touch is vitally important for thriving.  All of us need a warm embrace, a tender hand and a gentle kiss upon the cheek.  Often we are surrounded by love, but our inner critic does not allow us to physically engage.   

A compliment is extended and our inner critic immediately dismisses it, but a minuscule negative remark will linger in brilliant and bold colors.  We tell ourselves we are undeserving or not good enough.  We physically and mentally dodge the emotional connection.

If we look into our immediate environment and do not see loving kindness on the faces of those whom surround us, we definitely need to seek a new community of friends.  It is necessary to invest ourselves in conversations with kindred spirits, allowing a relationship to prosper. Acquaintances can turn into deep relationships if one ventures out of their comfort zone by turning down the volume of the voice of fear within. 

Tool for Change

"One of the greatest regrets in life is being

what others would want you to be,

rather than being yourself."

Shannon L. Alder

In front of the fireplace, I spread the collection of high school writings, now brittle with age, My raw and threatening words bled across the page. Mourning with helplessness,  I could barely find my way.

It was a time of war in my home, as well as in the world.  I was suffocating from parental friendly fire while my friends in Vietnam were falling to the ground.   I rarely looked up to the sky, never really believing a star would lead my way.

I am not certain as to why my heart was aware of hypocrisy and injustice at such an early age.  I clearly did not see peace in the world and I frequently questioned my stay. Years later, I am still disillusioned by the worldly stage.  Except  now  I extend light as a tool for change.

Vital and Alive

"Laughter indeed, makes you feel vital and alive,

but it's not the only thing 

that can make you feel that way."

beautiful you

rosie molinary

We tend to isolate ourselves saving release of emotions for social situations.  Days might go by without that special hug, the tenderness of a loved one's voice or the acknowledgement of being alive.  We depend too much on others to brighten our day or neglect to reach out for needed connections.

Too often, we become accustomed to our heaviness, having no awareness of moving through life in solitary emotional confinement.  It isn't until we join a kindred spirit that we once again begin to heighten our awareness  and welcome laughter, hugs, and insights.

When the sun cannot peer through heavy clouds, our moods take a dive.  It is imperative to add something lively to the day ... music, dance, coloring ... that will lift our spirits up.  Creative expression increases our energy and life once again becomes fun.

***Visit Teri Freesmeyer's  Laughter Yoga on Facebook

Dissolve Avoidance

"Get quiet.

Breathe deeply.

Go inside where

the feelings live.

Describe what's there."

SARK

As an extroverted story teller, I distracted others from my pain.  I added humor and "VOILA" avoidance was attained.  Little did I know,  how deeply dark emotions were building within me, weighing me down.   Unworthiness and self-loathing eventually took its toll.

On one occasion, I was sharing a family story like a comedy routine which was guaranteed to stir  laughter.  My wise and trusted friend, Judith, asked me, "Yes, but how did that make you feel?"  This inquiry stopped me dead in my tracks and the protection of humor fell away.  No one had ever inquired as to how I felt.  I felt nothing but pain.

I  began to slow down,  breathe deeply  and connect with my feelings.    It was uncomfortable and  often painful, but once my burden was touched by light, it began to dissolve ... through artistic measure, yoga, energy work and journaling.  The feelings of worthlessness began to transition into the discovery of my  true self.

Mired in Emotional Muck

"There is no beauty in sadness.

No honor in suffering.

No growth in fear.

No relief in hate.

It's just a waste of perfectly good happiness." 

Katherine Stoykova Klemperer

Life  brings us through sadness and suffering and allows the experience of fear and hate; but it does not intend for us to linger very long in any particular arena.  It is when we become stuck in a particular emotion that we unnecessarily elongate our feelings.

Each experience can increase our depth of understanding, but we lose our way when we get mired in emotional muck.  Our focus shifts and we often miss the mark.  Happiness is the intention, the reward awaiting our arrival.

Any sense of punishment is distorted.  The teaching within each of life's lessons is what is meant to fill our hearts.  We are meant for loving, not shame.  We cannot prevent our automatic emotional feelings, but we can choose how long we entertain them.