Did You Miss the Celebration?

 

"You deserve to celebrate not only what you're becoming,

but who you could have become and fought not to."

Allies Academy

We prosper when we release baggage from our past, while keeping a mental collage of all the roles we have played.  From the distance of the present, we can reflect upon the chiseling we mastered to creatively carve and design our authentic selves.  

Wow! Isn't it amazing how far we have come?  Yes, there is still work to be done, but let the wonderment from our lessons nudge us farther into the unknown with joy.  Exploration uplifts our vision, unveils wisdom, and offers a healthy connection with all things.

Let us celebrate personal courage, dedication, and ability to do more than simply survive.  Our feet can do a happy dance and our hands can generously give waves and hugs.  Our ears can heighten awareness and our crystal clear eyes will spot magic, beyond the trees, floating in the sky. Let's celebrate our lovely selves! Come on, join in ... It's a celebration!

Configuring Above The Clouds

 

"and suddenly you just know it's time

to start something new and trust the

magic of beginnings."

Natural Life

The heavy clouds in the sky have shifted again, allowing the sun to penetrate through the darkness.  With this movement, breathing flows, possibilities appear and creativity ignites.  Passion returns and hope remains everlasting.

When the stars align reflecting clarity, portals open and we are beckoned into new beginnings.  Even though it is difficult to leave what is known, there is a deeper realization to feed and honor the soul.

In all of my years, what remains certain is life continuously changes, providing opportunities to fully grow into who we have always meant to be.  We gather our individual parts or lessons making a collage, forming what is truly meant to be.  

Nudged To Articulate

"We take control of our personal power by becoming 

courageous enough to articulate, out loud and concisely, 

the essence of our emotions."

Daily Om

As I stood before them with tears running down my face, I could feel my emotional feet wanting to run away.  How easy it would be to deny my nature as I have done so many times before with the intention of balancing the upheaval before me.

At times, it does feel easier to acquiesce to the voice of others, but the harm we do to our lovely selves is abuse through our own doing.  In spite of the emotions screaming through my heart, I find the strength to speak the truth as I know it.  Even if it changes nothing, I am honoring and respecting whom I am called to be.

Reclaiming my power, I feel strength return to my natural being. I am internally nudged to remember  my sense of integrity and the spiritual path calling to me.  Lastly, I am given freedom to focus on my own needs and how I want to spend my declining years.  

 

"Can You Hear Me, Now?"

"Get smarter every day by listening to your intuition,

looking at the world with the eye of your forehead.

Heal yourself with beautiful love, and always remember:

you are the medicine."

Maria Sabina

The inner voice of intuition might reach us through walks in the quiet of nature, but it has been known to scream for our attention as well. If we are headed in the wrong direction, stop signs, road blocks, and time consuming detours erupt.

In extreme issues, our resistance to inner guidance may take on a physical form. If we don't slow down, life slows us down ... illness, career termination or broken relationships. Intuition is related to the VERIZON commercial, "Can you hear me now?"

Life can feel stagnant as we view the world through tainted perceptions and faded colors. The spark of newness returns when we revitalize our 'third eye' to see the importance of both the outer and the inner experience. In touch with all parts of the self, we acquire new sight and the power to be our own best medicine.

Rash Behavior

 

"Many of our impulsive urges are our spirit's way

of effortlessly moving us toward right action."

Daily Om

Certainly, we all have experienced the raw end of impulsive behavior; but, what if we gently held the impulse?  If we do not react with a knee jerk response, but choose to open to possibility of what the impulse might imply, we can open the self to a message.

If we take the time to explore what they could mean, we often gain even more insight.  An impulsive thought can enrich our lives without prompting an impulsive action. Hold the impulse and imagine how the thought could enhance the life before you.

The practice of slowing down for evaluation offers heightened direction and trains us to avoid rash decisions.  Our impulses are not 'bad'!  They are a means of expanded communication.  Impulses come from our body with an element of truth and deserve speculation.

Connections with Joy

"It is only through mystery and madness

that the soul is revealed."

Thomas Moore

In a writing exercise, the administrator encouraged the participant to list things that brought them the innate sense of  joy.  The difference between happiness and joy was made perfectly clear explaining happiness was a trigger from what we have experienced.  

Joy is a spontaneous response.  It can best be seen in the faces of a young children.  They experience joy by watching everything with innocence. The adult, however, tends to see things through learned behavior triggered by previous events.

Joy is best experienced when we have no attachment to the situation. It bubbles up within us like an unexpected gift.  As an adult, joy may be experienced during the process of unfolding with a mystery or visions lifting our spirits whether experienced with the sun, moon or stars. Joy is the response of the soul, untainted by established patterns.

Embracing The Infinity Symbol

"One who conquers the sea today is ready

to conquer the ocean tomorrow." 

Matshona Dhliwayo

Learning to swim in Lake Michigan, physical strength was heightened while offering a sense of cleansing.  Life guarding at a pool instilled respect for water and need for safety.  Wading through streams collecting rocks or diving into waves in the ocean blessed my soul with forever connection.

My balance is equalized by all of the elements: water, air, fire and earth. The air I breathe expands and contracts within me while my passions are rekindled by fire.  The placement of my well traveled feet upon this sacred ground, supports and renews me.

Without a relationship with the elements, there is an eternity of blessings to be missed.  Imaging the infinity symbol, there is a momentum suggested for humans to give and thus receive to the fullest.   When we stand with respect, love, and honor for both challenge and reward, a life is truly experienced.

Never Ending

"Life's challenges are not suppose to paralyze you,

they're supposed to help you discover who you are."

Bernice Johnson Reagon

In time, we learn that sustained development does not protect us from upheaval.  There seems to be only 'in the moment' strength to help us face unexpected experiences.  Ideally, we have learned to stand in pain, while gathering fortitude to discover higher ground.

Whether mentally overcome with emotions or physically overwhelmed by the threat of  harm, we frequently may feel paralyzed by fear.  Trapped in the suspended moment, alignment seems very far away.

When reality sinks in and we prepare for a new journey, it is helpful to remember accomplishments from the past.  Strength is gathered as we feel the light within which we are able to carry into any darkness.  Life is the never ending process.

Land of Freshly Fallen Snow

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees."

Henry David Thoreau

There is hurt in my heart and I can feel fragments of the past becoming magnetized to this present pain.  I am aware that accumulating negativity will create a spiral down into the darkness where I really do not want to go.

Choosing to slip on my heavy winter coat, I enter the land of  freshly fallen snow.  I venture to the wooded walkway, simple blocks over the hill. As my feet touch Mother Nature's treelined haven, I instantly feel welcome, loved, and valued.

With each step, I gain confidence.  With each breath, I feel healed.  With each glance into the trees, I embrace the sense of connection with all.  Memorizing the sounds of scampering ground creatures, birds in song, and wind moving branches of the trees, I return home prepared to face life with the strength of a well loved tree.

 

Power Ignites

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  "If you are depressed you are living in the past,
  if you are anxious you are living in the future,
  if you are at peace, you are living in the present."
  Lao Tzu
  
  
  When I recognize that I have choice, a slip of power ignites.  If I can determine the difference between acting out old childish patterns or creating healthier scenarios, the power grows.
  
  
  There is little I can do about the pain I feel, but do I want to feed it with drama or strike upon something new?  The pain is still present, but it is modified.
  
  
  In this moment,  I can draw upon peace while minimizing both the past and the future.  Peace arrives abounding with love and compassion, cloaked in safety and protection.  Everything within is rekindled, confirming my power to face life from a healthier choice..
  
  
  
  

Freezing Passion

"Saying sorry too much is an anchor on your upward mobility."

Aimee Cohen

Too frequently, we freeze our authentic emotions as we fear being 'too much'.  We know others are uncomfortable with our raw feelings, so we hide our true nature.  When it hurts to stand by truth as we know it, we resort to falsely apologizing for our essence, actions, and opinions.  The need for acceptance overrides the desire to stand in our own strength.

The pressure in a highly personal or diverse conversation may build, and instead of honoring the self, we acquiesce by apologizing.  These are the times we fall out of alignment by prioritizing approval at all cost. This is how we illustrate how to deny the self.

In the extreme, our rage builds into a fire, melting the frozen denials of existence.  Our passion returns and we no longer accept condescending criticism.  We just might articulate these words:  "I am no longer apologetic for emotions, day dreams, and insights.  I am no longer willing to be silenced. "  It feels extraordinarily good to walk away, unapologetic!

Permanent Replacement For New Visions

"The hardest part about change is not making

the same choices we made the day before."

Dr. Joe Dispenza

Through experience, we learn to find immediate remedies to 'fix' unexpected problems.  We may choose to return with improved temporary reinforcements.  In the background of our thinking, we somehow know our 'bandaids'  will need replacement or permanent solution.

In relationship when things are off key, we try to hum different melodies hoping to establish calm.  We may adjust our timing or redecorate our surroundings, but ultimately, the truth surfaces needing in-depth processing.

When we are able to look at the truth, we begin to let loose of control and admit the need for  new insight.  With mantras or affirmations, we can advance into the brokenness, discovering  permanent ways to healthier living. With our heart newly filled with confidence, we begin to develop  visions. 

 

Triggers Without Abandonment

"As soon as you realize you have been hooked or triggered,

take a few deep breaths, recognize what has happened, and

state a simple intention to not abandon your self."

Matt Licata 

When we realize we have become stuck in a negative space, explore positive choices.     Physically, we can take a time out or mentally, replace habitual reactions. Objectively, remove the self from judgment, criticism, and overwhelm instead of abandonment.

If we retreat, comparing this event to the past, we may very well collapse into the role of martyr or victim.  With confidence, we can observe and remain present discovering positive actions leading us to a less dramatic state.

At times, there is a need to physically remove our lovely selves from a stagnant relationship or harmful environment.  The key is the push to take action into a healthier pathway.  We will suffer in life, but pain is not intended to be permanent.  When we remain 'present' in the moment, we will discover baby steps towards healing solutions.

The Power of a Smile

"Believe in true beauty and the power of a loving smile                                                                                                  because it can reveal the ultimate magic of life."  

Debasish Mridha

Flash a smile and feel the immediate uplifting results.  Even if just for one moment, we can interrupt our repetitive negative patterns.  Then we can smile and enjoy the reaction from others.  We might have brightened their day, lifted sadness, or established a connection.

Smiles are free, even when we are in the depths of loss.  It is the first step to healing even if it is insincere.  The heart notices the positive energy no matter how brief it might be and reminds us to look up, not down.

With practice, we begin to strap a smile on our face no matter what the day.  We slowly begin to identify with smiling, as a way of exchange without communication or giving even when we are not ready to receive.  Smiles are free so give generously!

Willingness to Stand Still

"Courage is a willingness to act from the heart,

to let your heart lead the way, not knowing what

will be required of you next and if you can do it."

Jean Shinoda Bolen

Just as we would choose flowers from a garden, it would be best to use discretion to choose how we feel. We release old anxious feelings or gut reactions, replacing them with an open space for unknown possibility.

We can feel anxious when holding space for change. By reducing inner child chatter and dismissing repetitive thoughts, we create fertile soil for enhanced growth. Our willingness to stand still requires courage.

When we turn off our automatic feelings, we can choose to reconnect with our heart to discern new pathways for happiness ... whatever that means personally. We create positive reframe by awaiting opportunities and crisply awake to participate in new beginnings.

***It is an excellent idea to buy lovely flowers to uplift our longings

for spring! Take joy in arranging them in a favorite vase. Enjoy!

Frozen in Place

"Sometimes your heart needs more time to accept,

what the mind already knows."

Moon Sister Tribe

We become frozen in place when we are not fully prepared to embrace reality.  Even when life is directly in full view, we may cast our eyes from what is before us. Using avoidance or denial, we extend our pain of disappointment, isolation, and chaos.

Although difficult, if we shift confusion to clarity, we still experience pain, but we preserve enough energy to continue in forward moment.  If our feet are paralyzed, we can direct our heart to melt the ice holding us in place

When we embrace reality, our personal energy can be used to propel us towards healing, options, and higher ground.  Taking a pause can allow us to gather our strengths and remember our positive outcomes from the past.  As we take in new breaths, we begin again and again ... the journey never ends.

 

Presence of Full Moon

 

"Moon beams, moon light, come fill my heart.

Make me strong, and never let us part."

Virginia Carlson

The full moon often triggers disruptions and inconsistent energy patterns, as we face outcomes from intentions made during the new moon.  Did we set a clear intention declaring amendments to our communication and actions?

The full moon casts light into dark areas overshadowed by what we have left undone;  unrealistic expectations or lack of follow through.  Were we truly committed or just creating lofty scenarios of desire?

When the full moon beams positive energy, we muster the strength to face reality.  We perceive with clarity the need to release attachments to outcomes and to embrace what lies before us.  The presence of the full moon offers connection of unspoken communication; awareness of personal integrity; and uplifting of love and harmony. 

 

Underlying Current

"Life is always where we are."

Mark Nepo

Whatever blooms, has an underlying connection of support.  The sprout stems from an undergrowth which unfolds into a blossom.  The supporting structure tends to be overlooked once there is an unfolding. 

This concept is also true about our inner growth.  Seeds of value are planted and if nurtured with insight, a stem is produced or a time line.  With continued attention, a bud will form and if we invest in it with positive vibrations, a blossom unfolds.  How will we provide for for what we grew ... cut back to the stem, dig out the roots, avoid and neglect?

Our positive vibrations are the undercurrent to our proposals, projections and sense of development.  If negative frequencies burrow into our thought patterns, the end result will not be as vibrant if we manage to stay the course.  Let go of what does not work; learn from personal patterns; and recreate with a higher level of positive current.

 

Winter Retreat of Discovery

 

"I need solitude; I need to feel I belong to myself."

Virginia Woolf

When all of the leaves have gracefully descended and temperatures have plummeted, my winter retreat begins. In the solitude, I discover my true nature and examine all of the ways I choose to avoid, deny, and emotionally escape.

In this stillness, I am inspired by the innocent falling snowflakes and the mesmerizing flames dancing in the fireplace or a simply lighted candle.  Freedom is unearthed as I revisit all that I hold dear as a human being or spiritual warrior.

With this distance from a faster pace, options, and perspectives surface in the quiet of my mind. There is clarity regarding my less than desirable choices and missed opportunities due to lack of participation.  This prepares me for a new beginning with the first signs of spring. 

Mourning and Sunrise

"my heart fell, as the sun set 

mourning what was never there."

Women of the Tree Clan

We go through life absorbing negativity, and forgetting to let it go.  We hide it within us which only contributes thickness to the dark.  Denial keeps reality at bay as we focus on the brightness of the sun.  In mourning, we wish our hurt away.

As the sun sets, it becomes challenging to face what we have avoided all day.  If our memories are stacked with the misconceptions of failure, we slide a slippery slope causing us dismay.  It is unclear as to how we can heal our lovely self and we resist the olive branch extended not so far away.

When it becomes clear that our misconceptions have lulled us into rugged terrain, and have repeatedly misled us from our true nature, there appears an opportunity to simply start again. Shedding tainted perceptions, our flame begins to glow giving  clarity of vision.  As the sun once again begins to rise, we pull our soul up into the realm of better choices and diversified   options.

Majestic Realms Beyond

"Visualization is day dreaming with a purpose."

Bo Bennett

In the darkness, the flame of the candle dances before my eyes.  The light is beckoning me to come forward, to fall into the warmth of the light and the magical components of visualization.

If I set an intention, my mind immediately begins to anticipate what just might appear.  When I sit in silence without intention,  my creativity is free to roam and connect with abstract artistry.

I have been blessed to have had 'vision' all of my life.  It has opened closed doors, raised shut windows, and offered escape.  Sit alone with a favorite painting, landscape or musical score, and allow your heart to explore the majestic realms beyond.

No Two Snowmen The Same!

"The highest form of knowledge is empathy for it

requires us to suspend our ego and live in another world."

Bill Bullard

Each one of us is born with unique markings and skills, while called to create an individualistic life. We are given a multitude of choices without expectation to necessarily duplicate the decisions of others.  And yet, we spend an enormous amount of time downplaying personal preference in an attempt to be accepted by society. 

Life illustrates how souls are lost or struggle no matter the position held in our society.  Loving kindness often arrives unexpectedly from strangers.  It is when a person has no interest in gain, but simply listens with awareness that compassion abounds.

When we are able to open to the depths of others, our pure hearts can beat loudly in recognition of a connection with all we do not know.  We can shine brightly towards others, heightening his or her sense of value.  What wonder there is in appreciating the challenges of others, uplifting the human spirit. 

 

Crayons From The Past

 

"I have been a seeker and I still am,

but I stopped asking the books and the stars.

I have started listening to the teaching of my soul."

Rumi

In the quietude of winter,  one can isolate an existing moment from old baggage and habits of fear.  By doing so, we experience what is before us without distortion.  If we no longer cloak a moment we are able to perceive the moment just as it is.

If we see our selves quietly positioned with a song bird or a butterfly fluttering about us, we are suspended in the beauty of the moment.  We do not drop into a dialogue about all of the past times we have seen a bird or butterfly! We remain in the beauty before us.

The soul calls us to be still while perceiving each instance. We have the human habit of coloring the present with crayons from the past.  It is vital to stop shading the new with shadows from painful memories.  Right now, in this space, a moment exists with a new lesson, insight or bliss.

 

Intentional Insight and Intervention

 

"We always attract into our lives whatever we think about most,

believe most strongly,  expect on the deepest level, 

and imagine most vividly."

Shakti Gawain

Life is an opportunity to learn, create, and experience.  Quality is less, however, if we do not take the time to reflect upon what we have learned, created and experienced.  To ponder what is before us without being triggered or stuck advances understanding of purpose.

If we are not open to messages serendipitously arriving, we will spend more time inquiring and less time propelling. If our vision is narrowed by previous experiences,  we will  miss extraordinary landscapes and views.  When we ignore reality, our growth is stunted.

When we experience life being a solid repeat of what we have struggled with over the years, it is time to step back and observe.  What action has been facilitated in the past, or not taken at all?  What can we do differently or mentally release for a full-filling existence? We must become the intervention we have mistakenly been waiting for. 

 

Beauty Triggers Connection

"Maybe the desire to make something beautiful 

is the piece of God that is inside each of us."

Mary Oliver

We limit our gifts to the world by believing we must be an established artist or published author or member of an orchestra prior to creative contribution.   This of course is a false perception.

The gardener dedicated to flowers, unknowingly produces benefits to others who happen to pass by.  The woman with a baby in a stroller attracts innocent emotion from those on the street.  The recognized impulse to reach out to assist one other also increases beauty in our world.

There is a spark within each of us reflecting our connection with Divine Spirit.  It is when we choose to take action with these prompts that we contribute to the creative spirit in the midst of all living things.  As we give the self permission to honor the natural gifts within, we honor the piece of God waiting for us to begin .

Experience New Space with Bravery and Compassion

"Whatever leaves your life, creates the space

for something better."

Carrie M. Bush

If we can view change as a good thing, we allow our selves to thrive in whatever emotion or perception is presented.  With hindsight, we frequently observe how what appeared to be a negative, actually produced a positive.

With the passing of the four seasons, we may lose something while gaining something else.  The same is true for the chapters in our lives whether they impact health, lifestyle or opportunity.  

When we can view change as an opportunity for freedom, we continue to move in forward motion.  The duration of change depends upon our acceptance and willingness to move with the flow.  The key of course is not to get stuck or triggered by past experiences.  Be brave and with compassion experience new space.

 

And So May It Be ....

"Everything that is meant for you, will find you...

Meanwhile breathe, smile, be thankful and be silent. Quiet walk, enjoying the scenery and the road without making the path a means to an end. Dive into the journey into this eternal moment here and now, and retreat within yourself, especially when you need company.

Let go. Just let go... Don't chase anything or anyone, because after chasing it you run away, you drive it away. Let the universe order energies and you, relax... enjoy the concert of images, the orchestra of flavors, and the sublime symphony of aromas and sounds.

Everything that is meant to NOT happen, will not happen, no matter how much efforts are made. Everything that is meant to happen, will happen, by more efforts that are made to prevent it.

This is the only holy truth. Whatever is meant for you, will find you. Well even though you still don't believe it and you still don’t feel it: EVERYTHING IN THIS DREAM OF ILLUSION IS ALREADY WRITTEN.

Meanwhile breathe, smile, be thankful, be silent... and let existence, simply, do its job. Just let the cosmos orchestrate its divine plan."~

~Deepak Chopra

This writing by Deepak Chopra says it all. It is an uplifting message to be read each and every day. Please enjoy!