Wisdom of the Tree

"Ah. to be like a tree 

With all its bent and unbent places,

A whole and holy thing  

From its topmost twigs

To the deepest taproot

To all the good and graceful 

Space between."

Carrie Newcomer

Trees have been a consistent presence in my life.  I have always been aware of the life flowing within them and the unique energy found in each one.  I have marveled at the intricacies of the root system, and the cycles they follow.  The communication between them creates a sense of holy origin.

Their growth offers a template of many stages they pass through. ... root systems powerful growth; supporting branches; feeding tiny buds; changelings of colorful flowers or leaves;  withstanding the powerful wind, rain and snow.  They, too, suffer losses: broken limbs, disease; disrespect from humans.  

Trees are a symbol of courage and power.  They are examples of endurance and courage.  Their pleasure comes from the space between capturing both silence and sound.   They offer areas where animals or birds may take refuge or rest.  The massive branches offer shelter and a place for children  to climb and their mighty trunks are a safe haven for a soul to lean in and absorb the wisdom of the tree.

Throughout My Life ...

"It's too bad war gets all the attention;

it's too bad the plant is easier to see

than the root."

Cameron Conaway

Throughout my life, I have worked with families and children with multiple burdens.  On the surface, they appeared to be forlorn, misguided, and limited in both resources and education.  It would have been easy to judge them based on the deplorable living spaces.  The personal story of their upbringing or challenges in life brought new found understanding and compassion.

Throughout my life, I have had relationships with families and children who had great wealth, but also had a multitude of problems.  Once the back story surfaces on the emotional neglect, abuse, and dehumanization, judgment gave way to gentle kindness.

Throughout my life, I have noticed too often the focus is on behavior itself without seeking the origin causing the abnormal.  To resolve random acts. we all must begin to recognize and understand the pain of each other.  Resources are needed for the physically threatened child, the emotionally abused teen, and the angry adult.  

Believe in the Possible

 

"Open your eyes, mind and heart -

and then (only then) you will see."

Rasheed Ogunlaru

In a sacred moment, a special understanding may surface, altering our perception indefinitely.  In the midst of a stroll through nature, we may suddenly have clarity regarding a situation seemingly to have no resolve.  Wrapped in the silence of yoga, prayer or meditation, we may find ourselves guided to a new path.

Divine Spirit is persistently bombarding us with insights, but our attention is being sucked dry by drama, crisis or chaos.  Angels hover around us and orbs gently cascade into view, but our vision is so narrow we do not see anything but our personal smallness.

Hope is seen in the kindness towards strangers.  Joy is felt when we participate in right action.  Love is experienced in the authentic respect for each human being.  If we have our eyes wide open without judgment in our minds, and our heart believing in the possible, only then will we see the abundance surrounding us.

Holding Light

"Sending love to all those who are trying their best

to be nice and gentle despite being the in the midst

of negative as well as critical people ..."

Latika Teotia

Love is being sent to you to refurbish the strength used to hold steady the peace in your heart.  You are recognized for being a silent partner with others who are quietly focused on respecting the uniqueness of others.  Your diligence in restraining from judgment is duly noted.

It saddens me to recognize the battle for equality is never ending.  I am disheartened to learn my history books ignored our own savage aggression.  Discouraged that history is repeating itself, I turn inside and kindle my light with hope the radiance will be seen by you.

We must not be overwhelmed by the outside world.  Speaking our truth is done so with caution and just listening and extending love and light might be the best we can do for now.  Every morning be grateful for the blessings in our lives and every evening be thankful to have radiated light in the midst of darkness.   Although we may not be in each other's sight, the vibration of our light will resonate to strengthen those holding light.

Spiral and Desire

"Life spirals in until it is a single point

of light - the soul, 

in all its radiance, glowing."

Danna Faulds

Life is a journey leading us in and out, exposing our diverse personalities, while shifting the depths of the life we follow.   Some say life is a dance where movement swing us out and then coils us back in. The repetitive movement strengthens our rhythm, daring us to swing further out into life.

In the middle, our dancing shoes become worn and we make the choice to place our naked feet upon the ground. We yearn for parts of our selves that have been left behind and we begin to coil back into the still of the spiral in search of our authentic selves.    

Life lures us from on end of the spiral, offering masks, parties, and abundance which equals a joy ride farther from where our heart yearns to be.  If we carefully descend down into the spiral, we begin to notice a small light beckoning us forward.  It is the journey to this light, to the radiant soul, that illuminates our passage to the heart's desire.

Patterns and Tapestries

"Change me Beloved into One who 

embraces my own uniqueness, knowing

You come in countless ways."

Fall is an excellent time to unearth an old journal and open the heart to all that is scrawled across the pages.  The reader discovers parts of themselves they have left behind or mastered to a higher degree.  We swear we don't remember writing the elegant phrases, and amaze ourselves about the things we worried about the most...which never happened.

Each page of the journal reflects a different aspect of our lovely self that may appear to be contradictory, but not at all.  As we go deeper, we become aware of the different patterns we have made while the book as a whole displays our tapestry.

When we are writing our stories, we are aware of the struggles at hand; but when we survey them as our history, we are startled to see the bigger picture.    The old entries have joined together reflecting the uniqueness of our journey.  What once did not make sense is unveiled to be a special passing of time.

Lust for Life

"Sometimes we're asked to drift away from the crowd

in order to be found by what we love."

Mark Nepo

There are numerous roads to heaven and decisively different vehicles, so the journey becomes personalized as we expose ourselves to options and choices.  To blindly travel the highway of another we cease to recognize the very exits leading to our true sense of self.

As the traveler avoids detours, the depth of character, the expansion of emotions, and the heart's desire might be lost, minimized or dissolved.  If we steer our vehicles into differing lanes, we will begin to sense our natural rhythms and vibrations.

If the vehicle is continuously joy riding, there is no time nor space for authenticity.  It is when the traveler slows the pace, he or she begins to bond with the silent world.  As the journey evolves, the stars will lead us to challenge, wisdom, and a lust for life.

To Not Be Forgotten

"Books deliver information so that experience 

has a chance to exercise creativity."

Richard Diaz

A retired English Professor maintained a relationship with one of her students who became a recognized author.  Over the years, meetings between them grew in directions stretching both of their ideas, styles, and creativity.  It vitalized the professor and stimulated the author.

The author had numerous ideas, but they never seemed to manifest with depth until after a session with his mentor.  He would encourage her to recall episodes in her life and favorite passages in books which brightened her disposition and added color to her face.  

A reader discovers the author's books that contain excerpts from the retired prof's career and is propelled into a journey of his or her own.   The book expands the compassion of the reader who in turn carries the message of the author and the tales of the teacher out into the world to not be forgotten. 

Folk Life Festival

"Folk Art is the artistic expression of the people."

Michael Miller

On a colorful fall day, Hannibal, Missouri hosted their annual FOLK LIFE FESTIVAL.  Families were enjoying hands on early crafts and experiences such as walking on stilts, steering a captain's wheel or choosing a wooden replica from Tom Sawyer or Becky Thatcher days.  The vendors were all dressed in period costumes willing to share tales.

Artistic pieces and folk music lined Maine Street.  Kettle corn and cider were offered, but there were special meals of ham, green beans, potatoes and onions; chicken and noodles; beer bread; bread pudding and apple everything!  

With the Mississippi River as a background, the quaint town offers unique shops and eateries.  Resting in a shaded beer garden, the opportunity to chat with other visitors created a comfortable setting where there were no strangers.  If this tickles your fancy,  check out Hannibal's GIRLS GET AWAY weekend! 

The Ancient Law of Life

"Trees are sanctuaries.  Whoever knows how to speak to them,

whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.  They

do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by 

particulars, the ancient law of life."

Hermann Hesse

As a child growing up in a large city, solitude was hard to come by.  Living in an apartment building hampered my access to nature.  The apartment building offered one large tree and it became my friend.  As I grew older, I rode my bike to neighborhood parks where I found space to be me.  In high school I had the opportunity to go on canoe trips portaging up into Canada.  The Canadian trees  were like meeting extended family.  In a small college town overlooking the Mississippi River, my relationship with trees deepened.

Throughout my adult life, I have maintained my kinship with trees.  They are by far my inspiration.  I am aware of all of the differences between the numerous trees, but find myself able to love each and every one... bark, leaves, seedlings, root systems, wood and longevity, 

Like trees, I want to become aware of the differences in people, but still see them as fellow human beings.  I have no desire for priority or selective distinction as I wander through diversity, striving to be capable of appreciation and understanding.  The world is a sanctuary and we must learn to speak and to listen in order to learn the truth. 

Open the Field

"Focus on faith and grow your roots strong and deep

so no one can make you believe in something that is

not good for your soul."

Molly Friedenfield

The stream of the collective unconsciousness continues to run through me like a current moving down a stream.  It is not a threatening experience, but my eyes have been jammed open.  I respect diversity, but the collective is showing me the depth of deviation out in our world.

Once I moved though shock, I began to perceive how often I considered others to be abnormal until I followed the history of the culture or the storyline of the individual.  The lesson at first vague became clear as the fresh idea of having no opinion settled in.  In a broad sense, there is no reason for me to delve into a person's roots except to learn and understand.

Ultimately, to place judgment aside, there is no other reason to be present except to listen.  With understanding, there is still no reason for opinion.  Respect erases motivation to change others, and opens the field for heartfelt communication.    To be present, to listen, and to understand form the roots of peace.

Further Understanding of Reality

"Each of us is a unique thread, 

woven into the beautiful fabric

of our collective consciousness."

Jaeda DeWalt

Recently, I have been pulled off course and find myself to be overwhelmed by the collective consciousness.  Dark thoughts and horrible actions have been gathering in my mind, even though I know they are not mine.  It takes longer for me to be grounded and even more difficult to remain aligned.

This morning, I was reading Eknath Easwaran thoughts and beliefs in THE BLUE JOURNAL.  I came across comments about reaching a level where we are exposed to the collective consciousness for specific reason.  He comments about the world needing to recognize each individual and how we can do that by experiencing the collective.

I feel relieved to realize I am not stuck on some negative plain.  I am visiting a level where my sheltered belief system can be exposed to the true diversity of man.  I can now be aware of these diverse thoughts but to let them gently flow through me.  They are an education on diversity, not a platform to judge or condemn.  It is to further my understanding of reality.

Fog or Pearls

"These things will destroy the human race:  politics without principle,

progress without compassion, wealth without work, learning without

silence, religion without fearlessness, and worship without awareness."

Anthony de Mello

Living in the Foyer is a book I wrote about our bodies being like a mansion.  When we are small, we run the in the upper halls of the mansion playing in every room and sliding down the banister.  When we begin to engage with peers at school, we sense that not all parts of us are acceptable.  So we begin to close off parts of our self by shutting the doors upstairs.  Life continues to gain control and we  gently close and sometimes slam doors to be accepted by others.  Stifled, we find our selves cramped, Living in the Foyer.

Being aware of massive space above us, we eventually yearn to climb the stairs and rediscover our authentic selves.  Opening one door at a time, we remember what was originally important to us and we start feeling the nudges to live authentically once again.  Some doors are carefully closed with respect, but the majority of them lay discoveries of a lifetime.

If we feel cramped, living a false life that no longer inspires us, it is time to return to what we have hidden.  Maybe we stopped dancing as father expected us to master the piano.  Perhaps we gave up our hours of painting in order to attend our hunky boyfriend's football games.  We may have put aside our heart's desire to make room for raising children.  Time returns to us and we have the option to fall back into a fog or to focus our energy on resurrecting the pearls within.

Journey Not Competition

"I am convinced that the jealous, the angry, the bitter and the egotistical

are the first to race to the top of the mountains. A confident person enjoys

the journey, the people they meet along the way and sees life not as a competition."

Shannon L. Alder

Intimate Resting Space

"The resting place of the mind is the heart.  The only thing the mind hears all day

is the clanging bells and noise and argument, and all it wants is quietude.    The 

 only place the mind will ever find peace is inside the silence of the heart.  That's

where you need to go."

Elizabeth Gilbert

Those who are fortunate to travel to worldly places have a treasure box filled with exotic memories, but they may come home exhausted.  It is not healthy to wait until a vacation appears before nurturing body, mind, and soul.

It is important to experience the silence in our heart, letting the mind prattle on without us as we gently sink into solitude.  We can take a candle or a reverent symbol and place it in front of us.  There is no need for soft music, but it does add to the experience.  Slowly breathe in through the nostrils, pause, and then exhale slowly through the mouth.  

Our eyes are focused on the candle or the symbol.  Eyes may close as all worldly things fall away or they may remain loosely focused while the vision blurs. With continued breathing, rhythm aligns us with our natural pace.  This experience, no matter how short or long, will nurture and nourish us as we are suspended in our intimate resting space.  

Empower With Light

"the light that we shine

illuminates the magic around us.

we are indeed each other's candles."

terri st cloud

When we think of uplifting a person in sorrow or assisting a person in peril, we generally think of what we can say or do.  Actually, just being present and holding space for them can be more effective.  We can let our inner light beam out to them blending our energies.

When challenged, we must seek and find the solution.  If a loving person hands over a remedy, immediately righting the wrong, we will not have corrected a thing.  The same challenge will return, but may look somewhat different.  Teachers may abound, but we must decipher what is best for our own healing process.

The point is, we must find what resonates inside with our own hearts.  What is right for one may be terribly wrong for another.  If we gather friends around us, we can use their presence or their energy to search inside more thoroughly for the perfect remedy.

Cocoon Of Silence

"When you connect to the silence within you,

that is when you can make sense of the 

disturbance going on around you."

Stephen Richards

I will not choose to live in oblivion, nor will I be pulled into mass hysteria.  Although emotional and sensitive, I attempt to stay only in the moment as an observer.  When I do not personalize what is occurring around me, my perception is broader without filters creating some sense of clarity.

I exit my reveries and slide into my heart where I can just feel.  The growing fear in the world enters and exits without pulling me with it.   In the shelter of my heart I can use my energy to create a powerful light to shine out into the world.

As my vibration heightens, I ask Divine Spirit to carry my light wherever it is needed.  It may be spread across countries, forests, communities or families.  My energy flows as I remain in a cocoon of silence.

Positive Vibration

"It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth,

how much money you have gathered or how much attention

you have received.  It is the amount of positive vibration you

have radiated in life that matters."

Amit Ray

Elders extending their stay on this earth offer us valuable wisdom if we but slow down and listen.  Millionaires across the world use profit to help those in need, but is the intention recognition or freely giving from the heart.  No matter how long our stay on Mother Earth or how much we have accumulated, the important experiences involve positive energy.

There is no price nor limitation on our ability to share positive energy.  We can use the words loving kindness or anonymous gentle assistance.  Positive energy can be the high of pulling a stranger from a burning car without concern for the self or the inspiration of watching a hummingbird in flight.  It is the action of giving without any consideration of personal gain or control over the other.

In yoga, meditation or prayer, positive energy can be felt within the body.  The vibration stills our soul and calms our fears.  We are lifted to our authentic radiance to be shared in a silent place or a space across time.  The greatest joy can be extending light into the lives of many.

Stimulate or Annihilate

"You've been criticizing yourself for years 

and it hasn't worked.  Try approving of

yourself and see what happens."

Louise L. Hay

Dr. Masaru Emoto completed scientific experiences with water and the impact of words.  Water crystals exposed to constant negative thoughts were quite small.  Water crystals exposed to positive words and music were larger with intricate designs.

Another study was made of posting negative words on paper wrapped around a plant.  The same was done with positive words on another plant.  Both plants were placed equally in the sun.  The plant with the negative words grew, but did not thrive.  The positive plant flourished.

Taking the experiment to a greater scale, observe the impact of words upon the self.  What is the personal reaction when we soothe the inner self with kindness and comfort versus self inflicted hate chatter?  The usage of our chosen words can either stimulate or annihilate.  This is so elementary and yet I am prompted to sadly ask, which words are you using and are you aware of the impact?

The Act of Wandering

"I had always been blithely convinced that if I followed the side roads for long

enough, I'd trip over something wonderful, that thing you never know you're

looking for until you land on it that suddenly makes the universe a much bigger

place than it ever had been before."  Emily Horner

The path well traveled has never been my chosen route.   I did not set out to be different nor did I hear a voice coaxing me into isolation.  My journey has been an act of wandering without expectation.  My curiosity leaned towards the behaviors of people seemingly unimportant.  While mightily carrying goodness out to others these special souls were as good as invisible.

It was the less traveled road that led me to mentors and masters appearing to be no one special.  They did not impose a belief system upon me; rather, they pondered vast ideas of diversity.  These teachers encouraged me to follow my own path, to absorb the ways of nature, and to use my heart as a compass.

I reside near the end of my sun dimpled path, reviewing volumes of words.  Some have come from ancient script and others through intimate relationships; but honestly, very few are mine.  My words have simply been  tiny vessels carrying wisdom from an uncharted time opening the minds and hearts of others, expanding my Universe into the grandest place of all.

"What is going to happen to us?"

"What is going to happen to us?"

Tsukumizu

It is important to be grounded (feet firmly rooted in the Mother Earth, spiritually connected, and living in the moment) or balanced (awareness without emotional attachment).   To let go of one's concerns or past burdens and not to be overwhelmed by the unknown, one must live in the present.

I intellectually understand these concepts and diligently practice them, but admittedly, it is getting much harder to do so.  I am street smart and know how to navigate safely, but the reality is no matter how safe I think I am, there is no protection from random happenings.

Even when I focus on the goodness and minimize my fears, there is a part of me remaining anxious.    I will continue to open my heart to others and  to  believe in visions of peace.  My dreams will  be filled with hope for love and kindness.  Unfortunately,  I will continue to wonder what is going to happen to us.

At Least, Pick Up Trash

"Poverty is the worst form of violence."

Mahatma Gandhi

Once we pull back the claws of fear, we begin to notice actions we can use in the midst of our busy lives tainted by violence.   We have space to create goodness every day remaining in our local community  without spending millions of dollars.  Poverty, isolation, hopelessness, illness or loss, lower the sense of control and edge us towards unexplainable actions.

We can find ourselves questioning what we can do to make living safe, and by tweaking our perceptions we discover endless small ways to contribute.  The majority of us cannot go global contributing large amounts of money, but we can go local and share our abundance.  

Invite children to color to express their hidden fears or let them dance to lively music to let their stress out.  Attend a youth group and simply listen to what young people are thinking.  Help a frantic parent by offering a meal or snacks for the family so the adults can be reaffirmed of kindness.  Play the piano for the elderly or write a letter for them or offer to read a favorite passage.   If a person is limited, pick up trash.  All efforts work towards the betterment of all.

Genius Headed The Other Way ...

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent.

It takes a touch of genius ... and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."

Ernst F. Schumacher

Acts of violence are triggered by passion, memories, injustice, or defensive responses.  Once initiated, the violent action spills into the lives of the innocent.  Never is there just one person who is changed by brutal works whether physical or emotional.  We all become tainted in one way or an other.

The violent action scares me as it is so random everyone is vulnerable.   Then there is fear of retaliation which could lead to further chaos.  Every year isolated incidents lead the world farther from peace and closer to destruction.

We have choice as to how we will react.  Will we be sucked into the violence or will we have the courage to turn with compassion towards our fellow human beings and together create courage?  The key to reducing violence is within the recognition and respect for healing the wounded of mind and spirit.

Energy Flight

"When people of similar frequencies come together, output is not a simple sum

of individual work, but exponential.  In science we term this phenomenon as

resonance.  Output at this stage is beyond any logical limit."

Ravindra Shukla

Whether a massage therapist or an energy worker, individuals are trained to recognize the levels of energy in others.   As one practices working with the human body, levels become familiar enough to discern different frequencies.  A person can also learn to balance or adjust energy levels.

With no training, a person can immediately feel a negative energy as the little hairs on the back of his or her neck stand out upon meeting a stranger.  Conversely, an individual can meet a mentor for the first time and be drawn to his or her calm an/or nurturing energy.  Unfortunately, if a group of people gather in chaotic energy, combustion is likely to happen.  The opposite, a love-in!

Our physical bodies are instruments needing to be fine tuned.  We can use art, music, yoga or meditation to adjust our energy.  It is important to choose our surroundings carefully as where ever people gather, energy expands.    When a group of kindred spirits join forces, the energy increases, enhancing the experience.  The greater the resonation, the deeper or higher we can transform. The elation often felt in group gatherings can be difficult to explain but be remembered indefinitely as a flight out of time.

This or Something Better ...

"Believe in your infinite potential.

Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself."

Roy. T. Bennett

There are those who hold out for the one big break, for the huge windfall, or the chance of a life time. We set our sails for a distant island and our narrow focus does not become aware of options floating in the waves that would lead us to something greater.

If we think we are the master mind of our fate, we are in for a rude awakening.  In our single mindedness, Divine Spirit is unable to guide us.  The Universe sits back and watches us pour all of our energies into our man made visions.  We have prayed for success, but we included provisions that regulate the outcome.

Our prayers can express our wants and needs, but it is vitally important to include at the end, "This or something better."  For years I was vigilant in my prayer that never wavered, but included permission for the Universe to be creative.  In the end, my prayer was answered and it was bountiful, so much more than what I had requested.  If we include the Divine in our plans, our journey will still be filled with lessons, but will include unexpected joys.

Perform Feats of Accomplishment

We are capable of performing feats of accomplishment 

when we acknowledge the importance of our individual duties.

Daily Om 

Children of my generation were taught to be 'seen and not heard'.  We attended activities that our parents arranged and our time was endlessly spent outdoors playing hopscotch or hide and seek.  Idle hours were filled with imaginative play. 

Our future lives were often dictated for boys to enter the family business or for girls, to focus on cooking, raising babies, and absolute devotion to a husband.  There was little emphasis on authentic self, personal dreams or yearning to be out in the world.

It is no wonder there is such difficulty for women to shed the feelings of being selfish if they choose a career or to not have children.  Stepping out of the kitchen and from under male dominance was no easy task.  Unlike young women of today, we pursued our callings later in life when our children were gone.  But we did it!  We have cut the shackles and searched productive paths to express our unique gifts and reclaim our value as an individual.  We each contribute a special aspect of our choosing.  Celebrate ... you are beautiful you!

Choose Love Over Violence

 

"If you are looking at anything from one point, from one angle,

you can never attain wisdom because wisdom is to see all the 

things from every point, from every angle."

Mehmet Murat ildan

This planet is populated by diverse individuals who  need to be loved, heard and seen.  We are called to respect diversity without the need to punish or destroy.     I abhor violence of any kind and I continue to pray for the innocents who get maimed or tortured o turned away.

When Mother Nature reacts to the careless pollution, the drilling, or the endless acts of dishonor to this earth by man, I do understand her anger.  Mother Nature uses the weather to catch our attention regarding the needs of others, the needs for our earth, and to broaden our opportunities to practice oneness.

I believe our hearts are strong enough to embrace others with compassion even if we do not understand their path.  Families can rejoin and embrace;  neighbors can be introduced and respected; and individuals will not be lost in such darkness causing them to turn to hatred.  Let us pool our wisdom, broaden our perspectives and live in love, not violence.

Move The Hell On ...

  

"Bad stuff does happen sometimes, always remember that

but remember that you have to move on somehow. You

just pick your head up and stare at something beautiful 

like the sky or the ocean and you move the hell on."

James Patterson

Even with the smallest sensitivity, we absorb the individual pain of personal loss as well as the collective pain of the world.  We may feel overwhelmed by sorrow or suffocated by fear.  It is difficult to control our individual behaviors or the actions of locals, but the control over massacres is nonexistent.

We can find a healing for our personal loss and volunteer locally to assist in the loss of a community, but what does one do for those harmed in Boston, Ferguson, or Las Vegas?  What parcel do you send to heal the wounds of those residents or visitors violated, maimed or life taken away?

If we turn to the ocean, the waves may soothe our aching hearts.  When we turn to the sky, the moon beams light through us and we can find hope in the dancing stars.  We can stroll through a park and listen to the trees and falling leaves, hoping our heavy thoughts will be will be blown away by a gentle breeze.  What toll this violence takes upon the heart, but we move on dreaming of peace.

When Heaven Applauds

"To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act

is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer."

Mahatma Gandhi

There is much to be said for the tremendous energy created by individuals gathering together.  When minds join together, God smiles.  On the other hand, we do not have to patiently wait for an opportunity to join forces with others.  We can generate a positive outcome in our own space. 

We are consistently prompted to help a woman across the street or nudged to encourage the mother at wits end.  Singular actions are powerful, but we tend to downplay our own effectiveness.  Outreaching to others does not have to include money.  We have so much to give the options are limitless.

When we mindfully embrace our own abundance, we are eager to share our bounty with others.  With alertness, our perception of doing God's work expands.   Paying it forward, becoming an anonymous donor or sharing time with others are all acts of love and Heaven applauds!   

Focused Loving Heart

"Fear less, Hope more;  Whine less Breathe more;

Talk less, Say more; Hate less, Love more;  and all

good things are yours."

Swedish Proverb

We are capable of reducing fear which allows more room for hope.  Fear devours our energy and has the power to freeze us in one place ... but only if we choose to allow it to do so.  If we have the awareness to replace fear with hope, our lives will unfold in just the same way, but on a higher level of understanding.

Fear distorts while hope encourages.  If we complain endlessly, we are simply drawing more negativity to us.  When we choose to deliberately breathe deeply to expel negative thoughts, our bodies remain healthy.  When we  are in a place of wholeness, we do not feel the need for constant chatter.  Importance shifts from the minuscule to deeper thought.

If we focus on being centered in the moment and not tangled in our past, we are free to love.  There is no reason to hate if we are in the process of filing ourselves with love.  Life will always be challenging, no one is spared; but, with a focused loving heart we are not as apt to stumble and fall. We begin to see the goodness in all things while taking our lessons in stride.

The Hound of Heaven

"Change me Beloved one into one who knows You

are the ultimate protection.  Let me stay fully in the

moment, anchored in Divine Strength."

Tosha Silver

Our nature seems to cycle from bravery to courage, and from calm to endurance.  When one of life's challenges arrives, it will receive a welcome based on where we are in our cycle.  If we cultivate our connection with Divine Spirit and remain in the moment, we will be anchored in spiritual strength.

When we communicate with the Universe or Divine Spirit the connection builds our confidence.  We feel a sense of protection and experience unity so when facing challenges, we do not feel alone.  When we learn to surrender to spirit, we become more resilient.  When we no longer resist, our energy carries us forward more swiftly.

How hard do we want our path to be?  Avoidance temporarily suspends our lessons, and we are fooling no one by hiding.  I once heard God referred to as THE HOUND OF HEAVEN (book).  Divine Spirit does not give up on us.  Our tracks are followed while angels and guides patiently wait our surrender.