Guidance in the Present Moment

 "Wherever I am, guide my way."

   Tosha Silver

If we are able to develop a relationship with the Divine Spirit, we can receive guidance no matter where we go.  We do not have to hold a bible in our hands nor be on bended knee to experience the guidance of Divinity.

Coinciding with the idea of being present in every moment, God too, is present with us. We are able to pray upon the instant or listen for immediate indications of where to turn.  If one is waiting for a burning cross to appear or to hear a bellowing ancient voice from the sky, we will wait a very long time.  In the moment, God speaks to us and guides us through the unspoken word, the connections with others, or merely the breeze blowing through the trees.

In our imagination, we can place an ancient piece of lace across the troubles in our mind.  The lace will block unnecessary distractions from what we see and help to expose what we are called to recognize.  The obvious is often over looked, even if it is the best advice to be given. As we are distracted watching for that burning cross and stretching to hear a resonating  voice from the heavens,  we miss the simple messages lingering right before our eyes.

Embrace Uniqueness

"Be As Unique As A Snowflake:

Embrace All Your Dimensions."

Viola Shipman

There is a tendency during the winter to be more aware of our own weaknesses.  During the holidays, we seem confronted of how we are different or just don't fit in.  With family gatherings there is a greater chance we revisit broken memories.  Our emotions temper our outlook and we forget we have control to shift all scenarios.

Mental health becomes stronger when we view unusual parts of our lovely selves as assets and not weakness.  The very imperfection we feel branded by, can be turned around and expanded into our greatest asset.

We evolve into who we want to be, but it requires objectivity, self-acceptance, and imagination. Judgment is not allowed nor is comparison to others.  Examine the attributes of the self that ignite passion.  How can this passion be funneled into a larger portion of your life?  Can a mentor be found or classes to stretch strengths even further?  We are called to stand alone to reflect our differences in creative ways and just how wonderful it feels to embrace our uniqueness.  

Mindfulness Belongs to Everyone

"Mindfulness is beyond any one tradition or faith.  

It's a skill to integrate into your own life, just as it is."

HEADSPACE 

Mindfulness refers to being awake and aware of passing moments, to make the most of each space in time, to be present in that particular moment, and to not be absent in our own lives.  To be mindful increases the experience of life and decreases chaos, clutter, and wasted moments.

Think of a toddler sitting with a block in his or her hand.  He holds it up in front of his eyes and stares at it.  He twists his hand so he can see all sides of the block.  He feels the weight in his hand as he absorbs shape, color, and speculation. He may put it in his mouth.  Yes, he may fling the block across the room, but indeed, sometimes that is part of the experiment.

Mindfulness is a practiced skill.  Like mastering yoga or being fluid in a second language, one needs to practice it intentionally until it becomes part of our nature.  When life is on automatic pilot, we miss opportunities, knowledge, and peaceful moments.  When we live in the moment, we gain insight, tenderness, connection and a deeper sense of living.  Besides, it is free and can last a lifetime!

And Then They Were Gone ...

"Be the things you loved most

about the people who are gone."

  Unknown

Two dear friends of mine have recently transitioned.  One I knew forever while the other only a few years.  I am discovering the length of relationship is not as important as the gift they left behind.   Having set examples, I try to be more like them which helps to reduce the pain of their absence.

Louise was constant action, quietly helping others without any recognition.  In conversation she would catch the sound of need and within a day or so, the need had been addressed.  The beautiful part was she never told anyone else what she was doing or how she had helped.  Often, the benefactors did not know who had met the need.  John, on the other hand, had the bluest of eyes and listened with compassion.  He was animated in his responses and shared deep thoughts himself.  As the conversation unfolded, his eyes never strayed from the face.  He had the ability to make others feel vitally important.   He offered recognition, respect, and compassion.

My sense of loss for these two is purely selfish.  Both of them are in better places minus the pain they had been suffering.  When the energy of loss kicks in, I try to immediately take action in their honor.  By duplicating what they so effortlessly gave, I can still feel connected to them and keep their gifts alive.  My dear friends are gone, but their spirits linger.   

This Little Light of Mine

"There are two ways of spreading light:

to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it."

Edith Warton

Anxiety over choosing the best words to support others is not necessary.  Truth be told, we impact others simply by being present.  I do like to think of each person being a light of the world, reflecting goodness to each other.   As we stand before our friend or foe, we can mirror themselves back to them.  Catching a glimpse may redirect intentions.

Being still with our glowing light projected, we can lift the spirits of others or attract a kindred spirit.  Without exchanging words, the passer by may catch a spark or an insight to a situation that has been weighing heavily upon his or her mind or we may attract a magnetic smile from a kindred spirit.

Whether riding on a bus, subway or plane, it is a heart warming experience to sit back and beam light to every one sitting near.  We can cover the entire area with light or we can mentally touch each person with the gift of light.  The experience deepens as we silently whisper, "recognize all good things" or "allow an insight to build a dream" or "notice the beauty of this human experience."  The heart spreading light to others becomes filled with added bliss and joy!

Wisdom as a Candle

"Wisdom holds a candle to experience,

but you've got to take the candle and walk alone."

Lauren Kate

At every turn, life offers us an experience and our reaction creates either a positive or negative impact.  If we react impulsively, we may be projecting energy not really in line with our thinking.  If we discern for too long we may miss the opportunity completely.

"To take a candle and walk alone," does not suggest we retreat to a monastery or live on a deserted place on earth.  To live life, one must wander through the chaos holding close to our wisdom to guide us with every step.   "To walk alone," does not mean segregation nor isolation.  It simply implies the necessity of being the captain of our own ship.

As each person gathers his or her wisdom, it is based on their life purpose or unfolding unique skills. So in the midst of our family and friends, we may be surrounded by knowledge but it is based on each person's life skills.  We must walk in the light of our own wisdom to stay on our designated course.

Never Ending Story

"I learned without her saying a word

there are truly many ways to pray,

and lighting a candle is one of them."

Pat Schneider

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN...

Writing as a Spiritual Practice

Blessings to all on this day which is an opportunity for prayer in many shapes and forms.  Whether we find our lovely selves in temple or church or in the depths of nature, we have the opportunity to be thankful, grateful, or begging for forgiveness and strength.  

Most of us will be kept busy with food preparation, entertaining, or traveling as we check our lists and mentally prepare ourselves for overwhelming emotions.  On the very day designated  for  highlighting Divine Love, our emotions are definitely challenged.  No matter where we are, our feelings may be like buckshot impacting anyone who attempts to draw too near.

Although I miss the days of  Christmas Eve Services and Santa's gifts drawing my children around the tree, I am thankful for the solitude at day's end when I light a candle just for me.  I find it to be a sacred time to draw in the presence of all who are holy and each angel who has touched my heart.  While allowing only goodness to surface from the faces of the past and present, I find myself most thankful for the gift of life and the numerous realms beyond.  So strong is the sense of the non-physical never ending story, it is joyful to sit in bliss.

   

Emotional Blow Back

"When we're struck with cruelty, we can either inflict the same on others

like it's a rite of passage or decide that here is where it stops."

Joyce Rachelle

Holidays open our hearts, leaving ourselves vulnerable to emotional blow back.  As families gather, they tend to bring old wounds to the table imagining it to be a time for pay back.  This sounds heartless and yet there is truth to the saga of the emotionally wounded.

It helps a great deal if we prepare our selves, clear our own minds of past harm and fill our hearts with additional bursts of healing light.    When we enter a gathering, we can project our love from our hearts and hopefully into the hearts of others.  We can stop the gnarled family history, put an end to snowballing pain, and rise above the darkness while penetrating our light.

If we can remember repressed pain is coddled by insecurities and underlined by the need to be recognized, we can by pass the drama by applying sincere attention.  It is not about agreeing or endorsing, but acting as a human being.  We may not receive understanding from those who oppose us, but we can have the satisfaction we are a reflecting the light of love.

Candles for All Reasons

"It's the flame of a single candle

which will illuminate the darkest of souls."

Anthony T. Hincks

Credit is given to the Catholic Church of my childhood for my attachment to candles.  The very old parish was dotted with candles up and down the aisles; small vigil candles were shimmering from up front; and the altar candles were solemn and formal.   I tend to replicate church candles with ornamental candle holders throughout my house;  small votive lights or tea lights in my spiritual places; and altar candles on dining room tables or fireplace mantel.  

In my home, candles do not take precedence just in the holiday season, but all year long.  To have a candle lighted offers the sense of a presence.  It takes away from the feeling of being alone.  Burning candles for celebration has become a very constant action for birthdays, visits, deaths, new opportunities, hopes or dreams, special requests, and sacred offerings.  

My most favorite, perhaps, is to fill a round glass bowl with water and float small flowers or petals from flowers on top of the water while adding floating candles.  It makes a glorious center piece! While waiting for my new granddaughter to be born, I purchased a tall candle enclosed in glass.  I ignited the wick when my lovely daughter began labor and we let it burn until the new baby appeared.  The wick had burned completely to the bottom of the jar.  Little Rosemary Clare is her own light now creating an angelic presence in our hearts.

Place Work Boots Upon The Path

"Fill me to my core with self-acceptance and worthiness."

 Tosha Silver

Once, I received a pair of old work boots as a gift symbolizing my ancestors and the path I would follow.  I wasn't expecting diamonds or elevation into society, but work boots?  Really?  I examined my mind to what this could mean, but no explanation surfaced.

Eventually, I opened my heart, and blood coursed through me spreading understanding.  I was not only fated to talking my talk, but to walking my talk, into extended horizons to reach those who ached to be worthy and accepted.  For those I would serve, high heels would not keep me on even level nor would ballet shoes be of use to tippy toe around issues.  I needed  heavy boots to withstand the walk in the midst of the emotions of the heavy laden.

And walk, I did.  I placed my boots upon a journey to find those who had lost their way.  The heaviness of the boot allowed me to take my time, to not hurry and to be present with the broken hearted.   As it had been the way of my ancestors, my traveled path was to instill a sense of worthiness into the hearts and minds of others.  As I listened without judgment my intention was to reflect acceptance back into the eyes of the beholder with the hope worthiness would begin to grow.

Forgetting ... Harder than Forgiveness

"To forgive yourself and others

constantly is necessary."

Anne Lamott

The farther we travel down our path, we find our perspectives shifting about things we have done or said.  In the moment, perhaps we felt right and maybe we were, but in the long run, being right may have done more emotional damage.  We cannot adjust the past, but we can learn from the errors of our ways and compensate by forgiving ourselves and others.

We can forgive others in the way we want to be forgiven.  We can look beyond the right or wrong and see the person who needs love and just how that gesture will alter his or her behaviors.  We can see our weakness in others  and instead of approving or disapproving, we can offer an open heart to listen and release.

Forgiveness is not as difficult as forgetting.  We may allow the perpetrator to walk away forgiven, but the damage is often clearly present.  It may be masked as something else, but until we follow forgiveness with forgetting, we will carry burdens preventing us from taking flight into the true happiness we deserve.

You are loved ... Your are seen ... You are worthy ...

"For me, overwhelm and struggle were how I survived my childhood."

Bethany Webster

The Mother Wound

The holidays come with a bag of mixed emotions.  Between what we repress and what we fail to offer, we find our lovely selves to be ungrounded and unbalanced ... shaming the self.  Even when deep rooted trauma has been safely surfaced, triggers remain everywhere, whether it is santa, a Christmas tree or Holiday song.  

"For me, overwhelm and struggle were how I survived my childhood. Feeling alert, scanning for crises and problems helped me feel safe.   In the absence of a loving, present adult, I was hyper-vigilant.  Like a little adult, I learned, 'I have to take care of everyone always.'   It was a role  I carried out diligently as I felt my survival depended on it. It caused me to become the 'good girl', the 'over achiever', and 'super woman'.  The shadow side of this was that I didn't know how to rest, have good boundaries or say 'No'."  This was written by Bethany Webster, author of The Mother Wound.

The competing thrust to buy materialistic goods acts as a buffer to our emotions.  We distract ourselves with agendas and business.  I have heard many women state they are never 'done' until there is no more time remaining.  Exhaustion often follows which disallows us even further to effectively cope with what remains hidden. Create a small ritual to bring a sense of sacredness back into your soul.  Light a small tea light every night before bed in honor of your life.  Jot down three things you are grateful for or whisper a prayer of thanksgiving for being who you are.  You are loved ... You are seen ... You are worthy ...

Incomprehensible to Me ...

"The inner life of any great thing will be incomprehensible

                                    to me until I develop and deepen an inner life of my own."
                                                                       Parker J. Palmer

While rooting through old baggage, I was reminded of a special soul who was one of the brightest lights I had ever encountered.  I was stuck in a particularly bad pattern in my life and any sense of personal enlightenment was buried far down below.  The contrast between us was embarrassing.

I once asked her if she ever tired of being so 'happy' all of the time, and the question confused her.
I dug my hole deeper by mentioning how exhausting it must be to constantly project this glow.  Of course she didn't understand as she was the real deal and I had been buried in a heavy black tar of darkness.

All of these years later, I can thankfully understand her ability to genuinely live in happiness, to remain grounded, and be thankful for whatever abundance is bestowed.  Once my inner life deepened, only then did her glory become comprehensible.

Sense the Kingdom

"When you make the two one, when you make the inner as outer 

and the outer as inner ... then shall you enter the kingdom."  

Jesus

There are two sides to every coin meaning opposites can co-exist.  Individuals have both light and dark sides.  A split personality can be compared to two parts of the self:  the nature we project out into the world and the emotional temperament we repress within ourselves. 

When we tone down the search outside of ourselves, we can begin to hear our inner voice calling us into awareness of our full intention.   The focus falls upon developing what we have to offer to ourselves, community, and the world.  Once we embrace our self-worth, we can use our outer selves to carry out our intentions.

The importance, of course, is alignment.  We do not strive to  eliminate one side of the coin, but rather to balance the light and the dark, to embrace the presence of two sides.  When we are able to blend the inner with the outer, we discover a peace ... no longer fighting oppositions, tolerating constant imbalance, and living in a hell.   At long last, we sense the kingdom.

To See Too Much ...

"To see takes time."  

Georgia O'Keeffe

Years may pass before we are able to see the rhyme and the reason to which we have endured.  Infants are born with their eyes closed, reflecting the theory of seeing too much too soon can be  deathly overwhelming.  

We remain separate from our world as long as our eyes remain closed.  We may exist, but we will not thrive to the potential intended until we slowly open to all there is to see.  As our eyes begin to focus, we can discern between wants and needs, real and imaginary, and fact and fiction.

Unfortunately, there are numerous times we may wish to once again simply close our eyes from grief, loss, and helplessness.  We may wish to see no more, to simply fade into darkness forevermore; but, there are endless opportunities waiting beyond our challenges to enrich and bless our existence once again.  To clear our vision and adjust our sight, we are reborn.

The Candle Lights the Way

"Walker, there is no path,

you make the path as you walk."

Antonio Machado

To learn, we follow the paths of teachers and to be wise, we give action to shared wisdom.  Without application, whatever we learn awaits the opportunity to move us further along.  Simply knowing is not enough.  Utilizing knowledge is fuel for advancement.

Walking with others is vital, but at some point we are required to return to our own path for solitude to digest what we have experienced.  Our thought processes advance us down our own path, not duplicating the paths of others.  It is difficult to do this without self realization.

Not until we respect our lovely selves, and embrace both strengths and weaknesses, are we able to create the path we are meant to follow.  When we are able to live appreciating and applying our own significant gifts, we become the candle which lights the way.

Guests in the Story

"Remember that people are only guests in your story ...

the same way you are only a guest in theirs ...

so make the chapters worth reading."

Lauren Klarfeld

We are the authors of our stories with the option of editing.  Do we want deep drama and emotional turmoil or lessons and inspiration?  There may be characters in our story demeaning and criticizing us who can be deleted.  As writers, we can place more emphasis on those who assist us with passing through fear and shining in our own light.

As we explore each character in our story, we need to remember they are only guests.  They are a portion of the story being told.  We engage the reader as we highlight the positive aspects of our visiting character rather than drone on about mediocre contributions.  Use words reflecting the importance of the guest whether villain or heroine.  

As the author of a story,  one can rewrite passages of time as they shift in importance.  As we learn our lessons and gain insight, we may want to enhance or adjust the story line.  An awareness may surface a guest has stayed entirely too long or a realization we are the guest being called elsewhere to change the dialogue.  Use passages of time to enhance your lovely self with carefully chosen words and exciting destinations.

Follow the Silent Nudge

"When we become willing to be an empty vessel, we must let go 

of ideas of how our work should look and should sound."

Julia Cameron

When creative expression in any form floats through our thoughts, we should immediately jot the information down.  Whether an author, poet, quilter or gardener, creative inspiration frequently appears when we least expect it.

If we do not invest in the moment, the creative thought becomes transparent.  We begin to blend in accents from other resources, distorting the original vision.  What should be an unfolding joy becomes a stressful venture trying to duplicate what we have lost.  It is at this point we begin to get in our own way.

When we open our lovely selves to inspiration a creative element arises intended to be carried to another level.  The isolated image we receive needs our unique perspective. We are called to flow with the idea, not cram or impose random self-indulgent input.  Follow the silent nudge allowing it to gently unfold, awakening our inner artist.

Defining Life by Choice

"Own your life."

Akiroq Brost

There is a defining line between stepping through fear towards personal choice and giving in to fear by taking the actions of others as our own.  It is vitally important to know the lessons of others, but it is equally important to experience our own which may have different outcomes.

While listening to the policy of a group the message will either resonate with us or we acknowledge the silent nudge questioning the validity of what is being said.  We  rarely agree totally with others, but it is when our inner voice tries to get our attention that we need to reevaluate.  We may decide to step out of the box and design our own travel log.

For our lives to be truly our own, we need our fingerprints, accents and perspectives.  This is my life and it needs to reflect me and not necessarily the pathways of others.  Similar to testing a new pair of shoes, one must slip them on for size and comfort.  They may look outstanding on the rack, but may not support where our feet need to go.  Carefully examined plans, lead us to action which propels us past victim hood and into a heightened life experience.

Who Are You?

"Discernment is a process of letting go of what we are not."

Father Thomas Keating

We change from life experiences more than simple aging.  Often the movement is so gradual, we do not realize it ourselves.  There are various reasons for shifts in our thinking and not all of them are due to trauma.  A promotion, marriage, family extension or reduction can cause us pause just as a simple quote from a book can trigger our out look on life.

We might adapt our beliefs so slowly the change is not realized until later.  We may casually float a statement out with friends and they may be startled by new information we have been mulling over for a great deal of time.  When this adjusted way of thinking is 'outed' we may be called to redefine our comfort zone.  

Our relationship to ourselves must be updated and fine tuned.  We must follow through to change statements, actions, or thoughts to support our new ways.   If we do not stay in touch with our inner spirit, we will not be aware of these shifts.   If we are at the point where we don't feel as though we know ourselves any more, it is a red flag to delve inside and align our thoughts, actions, and words.

A Place To Feel Safe

"A place where you always feel safe within yourself."

Bethany Webster

Bethany Webster is an excellent presenter and writer zeroing in on the process of assisting the inner child.  Her theme is Mother Wound which is an umbrella to cover a multitude of lessons received  as a child from our mothers.  She stresses the need to create a 'safe place within' our selves.

It is ironic we spend the majority of life seeking a safe place outside of ourselves.  Perhaps we confide in it a family member or educational role model or a religious advocate, rather than cultivating our unique shelter within ourselves.

The fault is not seeking help, but the tendency for our person of choice to become our hero or guru who doesn't direct us back into our own individual strengths.  We are the witness to our lives and we are always the first person 'at the scene', so it makes sense that we become our best advocate while facing the challenges of life.  Our efforts need to be directed inward towards creating a strong hold where we will always feel safe.

Scramble to Justify

"Struggle can find no foothold when confronted with gentleness,

because conflict can only exist when fed by two opposing forces."

Madisyn Taylor

We each have endless wisdom, but somehow it fades together forming a backdrop that supports our life, when it really should be an articulate actor jumping onto stage.  When faced with a dilemma how nice to have a curtain call where immediate knowledge presents itself.

There is something exciting about reading an author's statement that grabs attention.  We have all heard the same phrases, but every once and awhile, the words line up differently and give us a nudge towards new perspective.

Madisyn Taylor, author of the DAILY OM acknowledges that conflict can only exist with opposing forces and writes: "Struggle can find no foothold when confronted with gentleness."    This idea of stepping back  with gentleness elevates  my thoughts to higher ground.  To me, it was a new approach ... to be gentle while observing both sides ...  rather than scrambling to justify! 

Right Here, Right Now

"Peace comes from within.  Do not seek it without."

Siddhartha Gautama

Our culture tends to hope for supernatural powers and heroes to save our world, overlooking the numerous souls who daily spread small acts of goodness contributing to the whole.  The bottom line is each of us desecrate and enhance the world we live in through our choices.

We shake our heads at large green plastic bags thrown into a ditch filled with trash and junk.  We would never do that, but we would fill our own garbage with unlimited plastic bags, bottles, and cartons.  We minimize our own discretions while pointing out the poor choices of others.

Individual choices trickle down and impact others.  We must hold our lovely selves accountable for the way we navigate through life.  We need to correct our thinking from, "I'm just one person, what can I do?" to "I am one person who can make a difference right here, right now!"

Time to Let Go

"Praise and blame, 

gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow 

come and go like the wind. 

To be happy, rest like a great tree 

in the midst of them all."

Buddha's Little Instruction Book

Trees have multiple roots growing deep and yet far from its trunk.  The multiple roots feed not only the tree itself, but surrounding trees as well.  Where are your roots?  We tend to think back to our birth place or childhood and unfortunately do not give as much attention to the parts of our selves we invest in community.  As we age,

Trees in nature so freely give pleasure, protection and inspiration, never requesting anything in return.  Ideally, we do the same.  Throughout our lives we offer compassion, encouragement, and our very presence to those passing through our lives.  We tend to be possessive with our leaves.

Trees display beautiful leaves in all shades of color and seemingly release them without need for control.  They have created, loved, and released; unlike ourselves.  We somehow envision our offspring to be a certain type, dependent, and eternally grateful for giving them life.  We have the underlying desire to let go when we are ready with directions as to where the leaf shall go. Unlike the trees, we mistakenly believe the leaves belong to us and become challenged when it is time to let go.

Out of Focus and Losing Control

"Help me release the need to control

outcomes; take my fear of letting go."

Tosha Silver

Change Me Prayers

Tosha Silver is the author of CHANGE ME PRAYERS which offers the reader passion and humor during the challenging times of transition.  She helps us be aware of our fears undermining our personal power and distraction from focus.  

If we are existing on automatic pilot, we may not be immediately aware of distractions leading us out of focus.  As stability begins to shift under our normal habits, fear begins to set in as we no longer feel in control.

It is a known fact that fear is not factual, but an emotion of choice.  We have the ability to choose courage, bravery, strength or even contemplation; but instead, we choose fear.   We want control.  We feel better if we are holding the reins, even though it is a mirage.  Control exits for a length of time, but life eventually calls us to let go.  It is an exercise in development with a surprise ending.

Bliss from the Sky

"The moon fled eastward like a frightened dove, while the stars 

changed their places in the heavens, like a disbanding army."

Pedro Antonio de Alarcon

Inner emotional waves are pulled by the moon.  To follow the magnificent globe of light as it glides across the sky, cleanses the darkness from the soul.   The language of the stars makes promises of hope and abundance yet to come.

Lifted from the heaviness of our bodies, our soul soars up into the sky of the lovely night. There is no loneliness as one establishes a connection with strobes of light beaming from the moon.  The twinkle of each star seems to be saying, "Yes! I remember you!"  

Over the years, the moon and the stars have gently comforted me.  In times of feeling lost, in depths of unspeakable judgment or when the heart is gently broken yet again, the sky has managed to transport me to a state of indescribable bliss.  Perhaps I will become one with this bliss and gently float in the dark sky watching over you. 

Choices Where Souls Are Free

"There are no goodbyes because we don't die, we transform;

So see you forever.  See you in the next dimension

where our souls are free."

Valerie Elizabeth Cooper

Neale Donald Walsch has authored numerous books (Conversations with God; Bringers of the Light; The Storm Before the Calm; The Only Thing that Matters; etc....), my favorite is Little Soul and the Sun.  Although a children's book, it offers depth for the adult.

Little Soul and the Sun portrays a heavenly young soul wishing to experience forgiveness in the real world.  One of the soul's best friends comes forward offering to descend onto earth and create a negative situation which calls for the young soul to forgive.  And of course, neither one will remember their heavenly connection.

So are some of our worst enemies actually our best heavenly friends?   Could this be the reason that we must forgive and treat others as 'you would have them treat you'? For someone to judge us critically or wound our hearts may be based on his or her exceptional love for us.  They might love us so deeply, they are willing to act against us in order for us to learn the necessities of life.   Imagine a soul who loves us so much, they would rather cast the first stone than have a stranger harm us.   

Life Begs Uniqueness ...

"Writers reinvent the world, create ways of seeing, through their precise way of depicting 

what is around them.  All you need is your own insight and bravery."

Karen Bender

Fear has a history of sabotaging the finest artist.  Not giving life to our words or the music flowing within us is a sacrilege.  We are undermined by fear, as we falsely assume the negative reception from family, friends or peers.  Our creativity is sadly broken sometimes before we even begin.

Perhaps our song doesn't have a cadence to match any recognizable music.  Maybe our abstract expression has never before been seen.  But is this not the point?  Our expression is authentic on purpose.  How boring life would be if all art was the same!

It is through the eyes of the artist that thought, sight or vibration becomes triggered.   The artist's inspiration may open worlds of our own imaginations which of course is the uniqueness we go to great extremes to hide or minimize.  The world is begging you to be you ... 

Parting the Way for Fantasy

"The world, I realized, brimmed even fuller with life than I had suspected,

rich with the souls of tiny creatures who may love their lives as much as we love ours."

Sy Montgomery

Hills of ants or the flutter of a butterfly entertains a child with delight.  As we age, we seek this delight on vacation islands or researching ancestral lands.  Whether child or adult, we have infinite choices as to how we invest our time.

I have traveled near and far, opening for deeper life understandings. Change in environment enhances visions and intensifies mystical verses seemingly spoken out of no where. Architecture of foreign lands, the wildness of the sea and majestic mountains will forever move me; and yet, there is the iridescent dragonfly hovering so close by me . 

Neither near nor far seems to be the singular ingredient to escape reality and hopefully dive into the mysterious.  It is a matter of slowing the breath and the mind, closing the eyes and ears, and having no preconceived expectations.  Escape into alignment with the birds and bees, the wind and water, parting the way for ecstatic fantasies!

Earth Angel Shares Light

"It is in the act of offering that light is born."

terri st. cloud

The dark figure had lost her light and could no longer remember where she was or where she had been.  Sharp red hot wires surged throughout her body as though she were being electrified.  There was no longer a sense of life or death ... every emotion had violently been flushed away.

An earth angel observed the dark figure, but was not afraid.  She felt compelled to move closer and share her abundance of light.  She began to visualize pouring sacred golden light into the top of this black shape.  She kept pouring allowing the liquid to course down the neck to shoulders releasing down to the arms.  As the fingers dripped gold, the healing light continued down the spine and into the legs securing a connection between the feet and the ground. 

The figure turned searching for the source of rekindled life now flowing throughout her body.  With loving kindness, her eyes searched for who had done this .... a witch or sorcerer, a magician or trickster, an alien or ghost?  Renewed with hope, the no longer dark figure gently turned back to her life passing in front of  the gray haired elder sitting inconspicuously in her isolated chair.    

Asking to be Heard

"There's a lot of difference between

listening and hearing."

G.K. Chesterton

Women have the tendency to be excellent listeners, but they may not hear what is really being said.  As little children, we listen to rhetoric or dogma as it shades our own perceptions, but we tend to carry on.  Then we are young adults listening, but beginning to question the rules being spun against our nature.  Adulthood tends to lock us into a predetermined profile, but truly hearing what is being said overcomes the habit of just listening.

Examine the face and discern if what is being said is supported by facial expression.  Is the person answering 'yes' while shaking the head 'no'?  Body language informs us if the person is rigid and up tight or laid back and relaxed.  Are we feeling abrasive anxiety from them or is there a swell of softness and security?  As we hear we can detect a deeper sense of a person's emotional elements.

When we listen, we are using our ears, but when we hear, we are accessing a diverse amount of information radiating from the speaker.  Instead of anticipating a perfect response, simply be present and embrace non-verbal indicators to receive the entire message.  Although we may be asked to listen, a person may actually be asking to be heard.

  

Perception of Waste

"An ocean of blessings may rain down from the heavens,

but if we're only holding up a thimble, that's all we receive."

Ramakrishna

Two women traveling on life's journey greeted each other as they rested upon a rock.  They sipped water and shared experiences, and although they did not know each other,  they had been walking the same path.  It was surprising to them that one woman had started weeks prior to the other woman.

"What on earth has taken you so long?" gasped the faster woman. "Did you fall or take a wrong turn?"  This woman was determined to figure out what had caused the other to waste so much time and not maintain a steady pace.

The other woman's face lit up with delight. "I lingered at the water fall listening to the rush of the falling water.  Then at sunset I paused to watch the blinding orange energy sink into the far  horizons.  As if this wasn't enough to fill my yearning soul, darkness crept across the sky exposing a moon so bright with magical  twinkling stars."  By moving more slowly, this woman was embracing the depth of her journey while the faster woman skimmed only the top layer.  Perception of waste is in the eye of the beholder.

Get Out of the Way

  

"We don't feel deserving of life's blessings,

we end up sabotaging ourselves."

Dan Millman

Peaceful Warrior

Elevated opportunities and options are available, but we don't realize they are meant for us.  We do not believe we could tackle such a gateway leading to support of our dreams and goals. We are so focused on one particular plan, we shut out the possibilities of something greater.  Negative self-talk nips it in the bud.

When I survey my accomplishments with two self-owned businesses, I remember embracing creative ideas with realistic awareness of pitfalls.  I followed my outline marking areas that I couldn't possibly fulfill.  I did not give up however, I asked for help.  In my community I shared my proposal with others and asked in what way could they help.  In prayer I expressed, "If I am really meant to do this, please continue to lead me to what or whom I need."

As I reached out to others, I listened to what they could provide and adjusted my needs accordingly.  Spiritually, I kept my dream flexible to truly be led and not to bull dose myself into rigid thinking.  If we tell ourselves, "I can't!" then we won't.  If we welcome sunshine, weather the rain, and remain grounded we will persevere.  We will be provided with what we need or something better, but we must remain expectant while reaching both outwards and inwards.  The synchronicity of life will blend pieces together if we get out of our own way.

Sustaining Strength

        

"If you saturate your mind with positive thoughts,  it will sustain you in any situation."Lailah Gifty Akita

Distinction between our original thoughts and emotions absorbed from others, will assist us in maintaining a positive outlook.  People can only make us unhappy if we allow them to penetrate us.  Boundaries need to be flexible to allow ourselves the ability to expand or retract, but they need to be strong enough to hold our own in the presence of overbearing or negative people.

In our heart, we may feel strong as we accept our limitations.  We grow stronger as we heighten our strong points.  We learn to be comfortable in any situation as we have developed the ability to discern between our personal makeup and the emotions of others.

While others choose to be unhappy or focused on drama, we can respect their space and still disengage.  Kindness allows the others to speak, but respect for the self nudges us to resist negative energy.  If we develop a strong sense of kindness in our heart, we can move smoothly through most any situations.