A Good Day After All

“The most incredible architecture
Is the architecture of Self,

which is ever changing, evolving, revolving and has unlimited beauty

and light inside which radiates outwards for everyone to see and feel.

With every in breathe
you are adding to your life
and every out breathe you are releasing what is not contributing to your life.
Every breathe is a re-birth.”

Allan Rufus

The Master's Sacred Knowledge

The sky is an ugly gray.  It is cold out. There is no prediction for sunshine.  It is too late to go back to bed and too early for a nap.  I am completely unmotivated.  I decide to ignore the growing stack of laundry and allow the dust to gather yet another day. 

After running through a self-assessment, I know in my heart  I will accomplish nothing today.  So I decide to create a sacred space to do nothing in.  I start a fire in the fireplace, gather candles, and my favorite old quilt.  I fill a basket with books ... Rumi, Hafiz, Gibran; old dream journals;  Kubler-Ross, Moody, Weiss; Tolle, Braden, Nepo, Cohen;  and my current journal with a new purple ink pen.  I complete this space by adding  bottled water, a fresh carafe of coffee and a stash of snacks.

Once settled, I extend a prayerful invitation for others to come and join me in my newly created sacred space.  I request energy, love, and light accompanied by wisdom and insight.  My heart then opens wider to allow my self to change, evolve, and grow. 

I feel purposeful and content to experience my created day.  I realize we some times need to just stop and carve out a place for our sacred self to be nurtured, revitalized, and safely grow.  My heart is warmed by the gathering in front of  my fireplace ... kindred spirits, angels, and some  I don't know.  I find my self excited as it turns out to be a good day after all.

Sacred Foundation

When we acknowledge that all of life is sacred and that each act is an act of choice and therefore sacred, then life is a sacred dance lived consciously each moment.   When we live at this level, we participate in the creation of a better world.

~Scout Cloud Lee

There was a time each special day or season had its own time and space.  Now it seems everything begins in different time periods.  Some Christmas decorations were on display around Halloween and everything else  before Thanksgiving. 

It is important to find a balance between the buying and the donating;  the giving and the receiving; the social commitments and the family responsibilities; and the public and the personal expectations.

It takes focused effort to align our inner and outer worlds.  It takes deliberate planning and action to meet our needs.  It requires an awareness to make every choice congruent with how we want our lives to be lived.  Each and every choice builds our sacred foundation.

If we can treat each act as sacred, we will move through our actions more slowly, carefully, and with greater respect.  If we can fill our days with sacred acts rather than careless deeds, our life becomes more sacred.

If we truly master the sacred steps in our life, it does not matter what season it is at all.  Every day can be sacred and the world can be a better place for all.

My Sacred Space

Your sacred space is where you find yourself

again, and again.

Joseph Campbell

Today was the first day I walked solo again since my fall five weeks ago.  It was a matter of stepping through fear, ignoring ego's resistance, and doing what I longed to do. 

Fortunately, it was a glorious pathway back into nature without any mis-steps.  I found myself joyful to reconnect with favorite scenes and sounds.  Neighborhood yards had shifted into fall decorations, leaves had turned, and there was a crispness in the air. 

As I walked carefully and slowly, my body began to relax back into the routine I had followed for years.  My feet seemed confident,  my rhythm was steady, and my heart was held wide open.  I had returned to my sacred space where all of my surroundings were nature's sanctuary. 

By the time I reached home, I was happy and restored.  I more fully believed that I had simply had an accident and that my age had nothing to do with the fall.  I was amazed at how much better I felt to have returned to what had always been so familiar.  I felt nurtured and connected again with my self, the earth, and the spirits that surround ... my sacred space.

Creating Ritual

All rituals have roots far beyond Christianity, and that is why Holy Mother is a part of all of us.  When we connect with a spiritual vessel (Holy Mother) we can once again connect with our souls.

Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Untie the Strong Woman

A ritual can be as formal as a church rite or as informal as lighting a candle by our self.  A ritual can have ancient script and format or it can be a projection of personal thought.  A sense of sacred can be experienced either in the midst of  a multitude or in the presence of one.

A few decades ago, it was stated that women were falling away from God which was not the truth at all.  Women were falling away from organized religion in search of a personal relationship with the Divine.  They sought out sacred rituals of their own involving the elements of earth, wind, fire and water.  Rituals were created in the privacy of personal sacred space or during a gathering with others.  Sacred space was defined and created by each individual ranging from one candle by a bedside to drumming, singing, dancing, and ceremony. 

Women's relationships with Divine Spirit increased.  For some, the private sacred space was used in addition to regular church services with the family or for others it replaced the Sunday experience through daily observance of the freshly designed ritual.

Creating sacred space, adding ritual and ceremony empowers our inner spirit to welcome in the Holy Spirit.  A personal relationship with God, Mother Mary, or Masters and Saints allows an undeniable connection resonating within.  It is a powerful experience to assist us in our daily lives.

At the very  least, each morning light one candle in celebration of your life with a thankful and grateful heart.  This brief gesture when repeated becomes a definitive support throughout your day.  With ritual, you are simply recognizing the presence of Divine Spirit within your self and within your day.

No Trespassing ...

Unasked advice is a trespass

on sacred privacy.

Author Unknown

Years ago, I had a friend who was a career focused single mother.  She would rush home from a full day of high stressed work and into the demands of self-imposed elevated parenting expectations.  In order to allow her self some personal space as she transitioned from her professional life into her personal arena, she would enter the home through the garage door grabbing a base ball hat for her head.  The family knew that no one could ask or demand anything from their mother until she removed the base ball hat.  Amazingly, it worked.

We all lead very busy lives, usually trying to meet the demands of both work and family.  Even in retirement we are often called to be care givers to our extended family members.  It is difficult to say no to requests when we are just trying to preserve some personal breathing space. 

Perhaps we all need post-a-notes or stickers stating "No Trespassing".  We could apply them either to our private journals or our hats.  It would be a physical warning for others to respect our personal space.  For those who are creative, they could embroider or paint little signs to hang on the door knobs to the rooms considered sacred space. 

In our fast paced society, we all need a time out. Unfortunately, as adults, we don't have elders sending us to our rooms or to sit quietly in a corner reading a book.  Sometimes our alone time is when we fall exhausted into bed long after our bedtime. 

We are really talking about healthy boundaries. We cannot fault others when we fail to protect our time and space.  By setting an example, our children or grandchildren will learn the importance to give self permission to be nurtured or alone.  If we develop a strong sense of self, we will not only establish 'No Trespassing' in our personal arena, but in our
professional or social lives as well.

To Dream of Change

 Dream

and give your self permission

to envision a "YOU"

that you choose to be.

Joy Page

When you are snuggled in the safety of your own bed, you need to give your self a hug of acceptance and love.  You need to stop the words of criticism flowing through your brain and you know exactly the ones I mean.

"You are not good enough!"

"You never do anything right!"

"No one is ever going to love you!"

"If any one ever really knew you ... "

Original words of criticism are words usually spoken to you prior to the age of three.  They are held captive, creating deeper and deeper groves while being played over and over again and collecting other degrading words along the way.  Those words no longer serve you and you need to gently let them go.

Quietly in your bed, you need to focus on a bright light of love, letting it cover us entirely inside and out.  This bright light can be associated with any thing or any one you hold with respect and love.  It can be as simple as a moon beam, sunshine, angels, the light of Christ, or Divine Spirit.  Let this light wash over you, cleansing you of all negative thoughts. 

Allow this light to be unconditional love, bathing you in healing energy, and empowering you to dream of a positive life waiting for you.  Feel that you are surrounded by love and the Universe is encouraging you to move forward into the light.

As you dream, see your self dancing in the light, laughing and being happy while surrounded by loved ones.  Let the sense of worthiness fill your being.  Know with all of your heart that you are perfectly capable of accomplishing your dreams.

As your head rests on your pillow, begin to explore what changes are needed for you to proceed.  Imagine what you might want to do that will trigger the beginning of your dream. Start small with your plans, but visualize the entire dream come true.

You must be willing to change, and to be able to over come your resistance.  Know in your heart that everyone deserves happiness and everyone, including yourself, is deeply loved.  Open your heart to possibilities and dream a little dream.  Relax into it.  Give your self permission to think big.  What truly is your desire.

When a dream takes form, hold it in a sacred space in your heart.  Use all of your senses ... feel it, see it, hear it, touch it, and speak of it out loud.  Be aware of Divine Spirit supporting you and wanting you to succeed.  Ask for support and guidance.  Believe that anything, in time, can happen.

You must begin, however.  You must initiate the first steps and then follow through.  You must see your dream every morning and every night.  It is vitally important to think of it at meal times, mid-morning, and afternoon.  The more you can breathe it into being, the stronger it will become, attracting what you need.  

Be steadfast, disallowing 'ney sayers' but listening to solid advice that will perpetuate your dream.  Believe change will come.  Stand before a mirror and really, (I mean REALLY), look at yourself.  Love the new you before you.  Imagine with all your heart that the light shining through you is a reflection of love you deserve.

Carry your dream wherever you go, noticing the changes going on around you.  As long as you are working towards goodness without any harm to an other, the light will kindle change within you.

Wandering Down The Path Of Life ...

If we did all things

we are capable of,

we would literally

astound ourselves.

Thomas A. Edison

We have free will and so we may wander from a Divine plan, making wrong turns and false assumptions.  Eventually, life leads us back to where we belong.  We retrieve knowledge as we cycle in and out of lessons in life and hopefully try to apply what we know.

The course in life is best traveled if we have some idea of where we are wanting to go.  It is necessary to identify our dreams and desires before we set off traveling into parts unknown.  To keep balance, we also need to keep an open mind and be willing to alter our route.

As we travel, having a mentor can be pivotal and frequently the most authentic voice to listen to is the one deep inside.  By remaining connected to the Divine, life blends together in a more synchronized way.  

Sometimes the road we follow does not lead us where we thought we were going.  Did we miss a turn or take a detour?  To be aware of our attitude and actions while navigating can be the best compass we will ever need.  Consequences frequently are set into motion by our own careless actions.

We need to be well grounded in our life, to have a certain sense

of who we are and who we will serve.  If we are well balanced, connected, and grounded, we can wander anywhere and be delightfully inspired by the presentations before us. 

Sacred Space

Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.

- Joseph Campbell

Over the years, I have discussed sacred spaces with a diverse population of women.  Sacred spaces offer a place for a person to restore their spirit, discover answers, receive guidance, or simply just to 'be'.

A sacred space can be anywhere.  I have learned of some who have one chair in the corner of their home where they can feel safe and connect with what is holy to them.  Others may be more fortunate and have an entire room filled with books, music, desk with chair, and inspirational wall hangings.  There are some women who deem their entire home as sacred space.  Nature lovers may have a favorite park or a bench in their yard where they find time to be alone with the Divine no matter what the season.  Walking in the rain, sun, leaves, or snow can help focus on a sacred space within where we can celebrate our inner strengths.

Having a sacred space has everything to do with our personal faith or belief system.  It is a place we have been so frequently, we immediately slide into a contemplative mind frame, feeling safe and not distracted by surroundings. 

Many women in particular feel drawn to rituals that are not offered within the confines of their organized religion or desire to experience the sense of ritual in a more frequent and private way.  For some, lighting a candle to celebrate their life or sipping a glass of wine while listening to relaxing music or brewing a favorite tea to accompany the reading of poems and favorite writings.  Catching thoughts in a journal or randomly sketching brings us closer to our source. 

The Holidays are fast upon us with a new year approaching.  Memories of loved ones, career disappointments, neglected goals, and required tasks squeeze us with pressure.  It is important for us to have a sacred space we can visit every day even if just for a few minutes.  We need to refresh and restore.

If you do not have a sacred space, just momentarily close your eyes and visualize a space where you are safe, nourished, and can rest.  Celebrate your self and recall the goodness in others so that you can joyfully face another day.