A New Year's "Light" Show

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After the magical days of Christmas holidays…when pine-scented boughs and cranberry candles perfumed the air and glittering lights whispered their grace-filled secrets into our happy hearts…decorating our spaces with joy and celebration…

after these magnificent days have passed and things have grown so very quiet and restful the steady, sure-footed march of the New Year alights on our doorstep, enters our homes and slides into our hearts.

It’s time…to renew and redirect our energy to the wonderful life we have imagined and make the changes that were placed on hold as we made merry and felt merry and loved the "merry" of the holidays.

Now, there is a NEW JOY that awaits us and it is born of reflection and inspiration and discipline…our New Year’s Resolutions.

Much has been said and advised about NYR’s…suggestions that we examine our lives, compiling a list of every change we can imagine…suggestions that we make NO resolutions and not place ourselves under that kind of stress... even a suggestion that we only try to improve ourselves by one percent in the category we identify as “most needed” or, even better, “most desired” and, thereby, let our accumulated steady, slow progress become its own source of motivation.

This morning in the quiet moments when I found myself awakening a different thought occurred to me.

I had been searching for a simple resolution…one that would be easy to hold onto and yet would change my perspective and this is what arrived in response to my request:

As you go through the day and encounter many moments…some relaxing and some difficult and challenging…as you go through the day, just take a moment and imagine how your Higher Self would respond to what is happening. Do not put any pressure on yourself TO DO what Higher Self would do. Only IMAGINE it and TAKE NOTE.

This sounded wonderful to me…and it feels instinctively that just choosing to put myself in the place of imagining a Higher Response would do some subtle, behind-the-scene work for me even while I went busily about my day, impressing my consciousness with a more beautiful, more loving, more joyful way to navigate it…and, most importantly, a way to be my own SOURCE of happiness and satisfaction.

And it actually sounds and feels quite practical, too, to become, on a continuing basis, the ANCHOR for my joy.

So I am going to give it a pop!   This means I may pause a few seconds before I react and respond to what is going on…allowing myself the time and perspective I need to call up a Higher inspiration than what would automatically appear on my default button.

It will be very interesting to take this journey and, no doubt, it will have its own BRILLIANT  LIGHT SHOW as I enter into this universe!

                                                                         
                                                                        

                                                                                     
                                                                                        Marie Helena

Dolce Far Niente

In the midst of the holiday season when so many preparations are being made…Christmas trees bedazzled with shimmering lights, ingredients assembled for an array of culinary pleasures, shopping excursions planned to catch the latest sales, spotlighting of porches and roofs with illusionary reindeer…

In the midst of all of this, does it seem strange that I would wish you Dolce Far Niente... The Sweetness of Doing Absolutely Nothing!

And yet, what more perfect time to just BE in the midst of all of these treasures?

Time moves so quickly now as we hasten to finish our self-appointed tasks for the holidays and, if we don’t pause to take in the ambiance and flavor and spirit of these moments, they will be gone before we know it. We will be left with crumbled Christmas wrappings to clean up, dishes to wash from the fabulous dinner we have prepared and an exhausted body for our reward.

So let’s imagine another dimension to our celebration.

I invite you (and myself as a reminder as I write this), to not miss a single breath of this breathtaking season. To allow the brilliant red poinsettias to nourish and sustain us with their glorious color and powerful presence. To honor the trees populating our landscape outside as they abide winter’s passing and keep their spring secrets warm inside their roots for us. To enjoy the delicately flavored herbal tea and gingerbread one sip and one small and succulent bite at a time as delicate snowflakes descend outside our windows. To watch the faces of the young and young-at-heart as they embrace the magic of families gathering and the waves of joy layering the room as gifts expected (and surprised) are revealed.

Let us all fully embrace the beauty of this season, honor its festive and joyous rhythm and reverence the  MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS  being given to us!

                                                                                               Marie Helena

For our experience to feel whole, our body must be allowed to permeate our expe...rience, BE our experience, entirely. And our awareness must be released from living in our heads and allowed to flow into EVERYTHING.

Meredith Murphy
EXPECT WONDERFUL

Forgiveness or Understanding?

One of the strongest messages we grow up with and continue to hear throughout our lives from all sources of authority is the importance of forgiveness.

 Forgive yourself!  Forgive everyone!
 
But what if there is nothing to forgive?

What if everything everyone does is merely a forward or backward move or perhaps even a filibuster in the dance of their life, all depending on the stage of their evolution?


What if everything they do has NOTHING to do with us and everything to do with their journey?  A journey which is based on their experiences, their personal growth, their unresolved issues, their unhealed pain.  Given all of these variables, it is truly impossible for us to judge or evaluate the choices they are making.  But, for some strange reason, we seem to think we can interpret their actions and that is our ONLY point of reference...ourselves.

It's pretty easy to do this...we all do it most of the time...It's our 
habitual response but it causes SO MUCH TROUBLE!  We can end up feeling hurt or angry or sad and depressed and what they are doing is NOT ABOUT US!  We are the subject of the scenario because we happen to be in the picture at this time; we are the scenery and setting for the playing out of someone's latest life challenge.  What if we really GOT that and, therefore, NOTHING felt personal?

 
There would be nothing to forgive.  For ourselves or others.  We are merely the playing field where someone works out the latest step in his evolution with any accompanying banging and clatter and others do the same for us when we are engaged in one of our "adventures".

 
I know it's pretty radical to expect everyone to see this...especially when our emotions are embroiled and our egos feel challenged.  But how wonderful it would be if we could navigate our lives from this trekking star:  Nothing to forgive.
 
We are ALL doing what we came here to do:  use the resources of earth school to finally get the Big Picture of our lives.

                                 
                                                                         Marie Helena




image from wallpaperswide.com


                     

The Best Christmas List of All

It's December and time for our Christmas to-do lists. 

Some especially ambitious individuals have started on their lists many moons ago.  But for those of us who kick into high gear after Thanksgiving...it's time to get down.

And I bet you have LOADS OF ITEMS on your list: 

 buy a Christmas tree (and decorate it), 

 shop for presents,

 plan a holiday party, 

 balance that budget so finances will work smoothly,

 try some new holiday recipes...

oh, and clean the house (including those jobs you've left undone but now have to do because out-of-towners will be staying with you).

I'm guessing you might be exhausted just thinking about these tasks and that's nothing compared to the EXHAUSTION you feel when you start trying to complete the tasks and keep on trying...even when you are stressed and tired...and in need of sleep and relaxation and nourishment. 

In other words, when the concept of BALANCE has gone completely out of your life.

 

Just yesterday I got   a wonderful idea  about this whole conundrum of how do you get the work done and avoid feeling STRESSED to the max.

 

And here it is.

This is probably going to sound radical to you, but after some reflection I am convinced it's the answer to this problem.

The first premise of this idea is:  Christmas (and all of the preparations that go into the holiday) should be fun.  

Easy enough to say.  But, you may wonder, how can we have fun doing the Christmas to-do list when we are bone-tired...weary...dragging ourselves around?

The answer is not to do it.  DO NOT make yourself do the things on that list when you are not  IN YOUR POWER and have good energy, a  positive disposition and are ready to be in-the-flow.  

Just DO NOT do that list of tasks when your chin is on the floor.

Instead (and here comes the next premise) do WHATEVER IT TAKES  to get you  back to your place of power.  This might mean taking a  nap, relaxing, having a lovely conversation, enjoying  nourishing food for your tired body (and eating it slowly and tasting and enjoying every bite).  WHATEVER IT TAKES.

Then...when you have reclaimed your power (whenever that is)...do something on the Christmas prep list.

 

You are probably thinking THIS WILL NEVER WORK.  There won't be enough time. 

But here's my thought: 

If you've ever pushed yourself to do things when you DID NOT have the energy (physical, mental or emotional) to do them, then I am sure you know there is a hefty price tag on that delightful maneuver.  

And I bet this is when you develop that cold or catch that flu or get so totally out-of-sorts that nobody wants to be around you.  

Then...what good did it do to have the things on your list completed and you can't even appreciate what you have accomplished?

 

I know...I know...this concept will take some reframing of the way we usually tackle our tasks but consider this:  

How wonderful would it be to actually enjoy all of the holiday preparations...to be in such a lovely space that  it felt like you were constantly accessing the joy of Christmas and what it represents?  

How lovely also for all of those around you to engage with the happy, positive person you know you can be!

 

Wouldn't it be worth taking the leap to give this a try and then see how everything plays out?  

And, by the way, this isn't just a wonderful plan for Christmas...I think it's the best way to engage life all year round.

So start making that special list of all of the wonderful things that will rejuvenate you and move you back into that DELIGHTFUL place of joy and power and make that one THE LIST you always remember!

                                                                                        Marie Helena

image from vickiblackwell.com

The Unfolding

One of the most beautiful gifts we have in our lives is experiencing the natural flow of things.

The Unfolding.

The rhythm and music and pace of whatever it is that we are witnessing...experiencing...enjoying...and, most importantly, learning from.

This unfolding, if left untouched, is a work of art unto itself.  It carries the truths of the universe, some easy to embrace, some more challenging.  If we interrupt  the unfolding, we lose our chance to take in the special meaning.  If our egos try to influence the flow to move in our direction, we miss what is being presented to us.

A good reason to be an observer and a witness to life and, thereby, a receiver of information about the absolute perfection of the Divine Universe!

   

                                                                Marie Helena

Vignettes

Sometimes the task of living the whole day in the way we aspire to feels daunting.  It seems like a lot of work lies in front of us.

We ask ourselves…Will we be able to keep centered and calm and responsive?  Will we be able to give our loved ones beautiful listening?  Will we clearly honor the paths of others even when they choose different avenues from ours?  Will we be able to fully embrace each moment that presents itself to us?

But,

What if we broke up our day into segments?  What if our day was filled with many VIGNETTES…each with its own rhythm and pacing and needs (and blessings, too)?  What if we could see our way clear to just truly embrace the vignette we are in at that moment and engage fully and be present to that context, landscape and scene?

Seems like it might be easier to navigate our day.

If we direct our attention to the segment we are currently enacting, that’s all we need to do. And consider how wonderful it will feel if we perform like the STAR our Higher Self knows we are.  How satisfying!  How motivating! It will undoubtedly give us energy for the next vignette to come.



Consider dividing your day into scenarios.

The scenario of waking and greeting the day and deciding to amp up your vibration by intending and choosing to BE LOVE in all of your encounters.  The scenario of breakfast... having your morning coffee while you contemplate the beautiful day outside of your window.  The scenario of how you interact with the persons who enter into your life, extending beautiful listening and compassion as you give the gift of attention and reveal what you are feeling at that moment.  And the many other scenarios to follow, each with its own unique vibration, pacing and energy.


Why not set the stage to always have an enriching and enlightening experience, embracing each challenge and opportunity one vignette at a time?  There will always be something to enjoy and, even more importantly, something to learn about ourselves from the way we move through our day.


                                                                                               Marie Helena

The Second Guitar

One of the coolest ways to demonstrate resonance is to use two guitars. Pluck a string on one of the guitars.  Now lightly touch the same string on the second guitar.  It will be vibrating because it has the same frequency as the string you plucked.

Paradigm Shift



Resonance is a principle of life.  We all  resonate based on matching vibrations.  And this fact can be observed very readily in interpersonal relationships.  We can be very susceptible to the vibrations expressed around us. Been around a happy person and found yourself smiling? Ever been around someone mired in gloom and found yourself dropping into that vibration?  And what about someone who’s making judgmental statements and attacking you?  How easy it is to play back the “sound of the string” you just heard!

If, however, you can take a deep breath and hold your center, cut through the outward expression you are hearing and realize that any negativity being manifested is coming from fear or pain, perhaps you can reach into the beautiful and gentle pool of compassion and ask someone if he is experiencing some difficulty…ask, perhaps, if you can be of some help…and, at any rate, listen with a kind and loving heart to what the person needs to express…even if it comes out in emotional, raw language…even if it is difficult to hear.  If the person senses your caring and concern, he may, indeed, speak his truth and, thereby, release some of the pain he is holding onto.  Perhaps your kindness can help unmask its unsettling disguise and, like an alchemist, transform the erratic energy of the moment into the soft sound of love being given and received.


When you find yourself face to face with an uncomfortable or awkward or upsetting situation, ask yourself:  What would Love do?  

 If love is your guiding principle there is no place you can go where you will not make beautiful music.  Let your “Second Guitar” play its own melody…the melody of your caring heart!



                                                                               Marie Helena

Secrets of the Universe

Spiritual author Gary Zukav tells us that when we practice acts of  
love, fear begins to disappear from our lives.

What an intriguing thought:  The on-going offering of love releases fear!

 
As I reflect on this concept, a simple, mathematical observation comes to me.

I have read authors on many occasions who say that there are only two primary emotions:  love and fear...and so it seems to me that if one of these emotions prevails, the other will only take up the space that is left.  

And, to extend this thought even further...

If Love is fully present in every moment, there will be no space for fear.  

Could it be that simple? 

Perhaps there is also something intrinsic to this equation regarding the substance of love...and fear.

Love implies a fullness of heart...generosity, caring, compassion..joy that is waiting to be shared.  Fear implies a lack...of abundance, of trust, of safety.
 

In order to feel joyful and generous I think we must first feel EASE and SAFETY and, perhaps, that is the first and possibly most important thing that love gives us...a sense of safety...the feeling of "home"...a place where we are free to be ourselves and know "it's all good".
 

So, perhaps, the question is:  Can we look at the world and sense this AWESOME FEELING OF SAFETY?

Can we find it in the order and cycle of the seasons moving through the year?

Can we see it in the way a tree takes root and grows?  

Can we feel it in the rhythm of a fetus growing in the womb and, after birth, progressing steadily and in perfect order through the stages of life? 

 

Perhaps the consideration of these beautifully orchestrated events can provide us with the sense that we ARE safe...that there is a Divine Order at work and a loving and caring Creator authoring this order.  

And, if we are, indeed, safe, we can relax into ease and naturally share that beautiful space with others.  

This, then, delivers us directly into love.
 

And, when we practice acts of love and nurture it, love grows exponentially.  And the MORE we love, the less room there is for fear.
 
The choice is ours:  expansion or contraction...love or fear?

The structural beauty of the universe seems to offer the evidence of expansion (Love).  Is the possibility of this conclusion yet another gift we have been given?


                                                            Marie Helena



image from emergent-culture.com

The Ladybug Conversion

With the heart of a child your dreams come true.

universeofsymbolism.com


Nature always provides us with the inspiration we need to move forward.  The LADYBUG is a powerful messenger to us, especially at this moment in time.  She tells us to let things flow at their natural pace.  She represents Divine feminine energy. We often prize action, logic and strategy, but ladybug highlights our intuition.


During a period of dissonance and unrest, the spirit of the ladybug guides us to a beautiful expression of faith and wisdom as expressed in the curiosity of a child.


Esther Hicks, American inspirational speaker, shares the message that we always behave in accordance with the momentum of our vibration.  Our words and actions stream directly from the accumulated effect of 
our trajectory,  When someone cannot give us a response that feels honoring to us, it is because his vibration has already accumulated momentum in a different direction.  


This is where he is and it has nothing to do with us.  We can best enter into this moment by recognizing what that person's momentum is and, with the purity and curiosity of the child, make an effort to understand what has brought him to this place. 


This expansion of our awareness will help us be instruments of love and compassion and will contribute to a global awakening of our Higher Selves.  Every intention to understand the feelings of others is a powerful wave of resonance in the process of healing.


Can you imagine A WORLD OF LADYBUGS intuitively ministering to the pain and fear-filled trajectories of wounded hearts?


                                                                              Marie Helena



image from www.pinterest.com
EmBoundArt ~ Melissa Johnson

Groundhog Day Revisited

You are here to learn from experience and create yourself over and over again.

Paradigm Shift




In the movie Groundhog Day 
Bill Murray plays a weatherman who is assigned to cover the annual emergence of the groundhog from its hole.  He finds himself enfolded in a blizzard that he didn't see coming and relives the same day over and over, experimenting with his actions and reactions each day, eventually evolving into a Higher version of himself.


On a primal level,  this is the story of every man's assignment in earth school.  We run into "blizzards" we didn't see coming and eventually learn to surrender to what IS happening...or not.  The choice is ours.  We can flow with the energy or push against it with resistance.  Our work is to choose a reaction or response to each blizzard and see if we like how it feels to us.  If we don't like the feeling we get from our choice of action or reaction, we can choose to do something different and see how that feels.


Like Bill Murray in the movie, we have unlimited opportunities.  And it is very interesting to note that after some experimenting and experiencing of the consequences, Murray ultimately decides to become a Higher version of himself.  Given the opportunity to respond in any direction, he chooses the path of generosity and caring.  This choice brings him delight, leading me to conclude in this analogy that we are happiest when we follow the impulses of the heart.


Groundhog Day is a traditional holiday celebrated on February 2nd, but we live our "Groundhog Day" on a daily basis and that is a good thing for we get endless opportunities to become the next, grandest version of ourselves.


How best to evolve and find peace and serenity?  That is a question we all live with. It is my belief that we ARE MADE from love, that we in our essence ARE love and that when we ACT FROM love, we sense and enjoy our true nature.


Dennis Waitley, American motivational speaker, writer and consultant, has a beautiful prescription for this question.  Waitley says:

Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. 


Regardless of how entangled we get in our own snowstorms and blizzards, how lost we might feel during moments of fear or distress… the simple formula of love, grace and gratitude feels like the way of Providence bringing us home to ourselves.


                                                                                                 Marie Helena




image from mycutegraphics.com

Blow Open the Door

Navigating earth life can be a very challenging proposition. 

There's lots to be aware of physically, mentally, emotionally...and...keep in balance if we are to sustain our health and well-being.

Now imagine that on some level we choose to add another layer of concern and  "self-appointed" responsibility to our list of things to manage...

the  PRESSURE OF KEEPING OTHER PEOPLE HAPPY 

and THE PAIN OF SUFFERING when they don't land in that "satisfying-to-us" space.  

I am speaking of co-dependency...an emotional state which seems indigenous to earth dwellers because it is so widely experienced by us.


CODEPENDENCY layers our life with emotional and corresponding physical fatigue because the work of  keeping everyone happy is NOT OUR JOB but we have somehow missed that message and are trying to  squeeze 96 hours of effort (a conservative estimate) into 24!



No  wonder we are so exhausted and beside ourselves. 

No wonder we can be so easily  agitated and stressed.  

We are fettered...we have chained OUR happiness to the impossible-to-control happiness of others and when they are not OK, we are not OK, either.



It all comes down to needing someone else to give us their stamp of approval.  

We want everyone to "get" us...

to understand us...

to see it our way.  


But we don't NEED them to do this (even though it feels like it) because WE can make that assessment for OURSELVES.  

We don't need a team of consultants, a task force, a VIP to endorse the way we are because WE are the VIP and we have somehow failed to recognize this.



Did we miss our job description?  Did we miss the fine print?  


Not to worry...because that's what earth life is all about...
REMEMBERING that "WE GOT THIS".  


And, when we do remember, it is GLO RI OUS...
it is FREE ING...it is let-out-of-jail BEA U TI FUL!



We have a masterful assignment in just taking care of us and the fact is everybody has that assignment...so let's not mess with the plan.



We can all co-exist taking care of ourselves...speaking OUR truth... and also listening to OTHERS' truth.  

And it is OK if we don't see things the same way...it is actually interesting and exciting as long as we know that we have the right and responsibility and the innate know-how to make our own decisions AND change them whenever we've learned a new way to do things and want to give it a try. 


We do not need other people's endorsements and they don't need ours.
 

Let's Blow Open the Door we've been stuck behind  and let a fresh, authentic vibration power its way into our lives...

the awareness and  satisfaction of knowing WE are in charge of our happiness and our own decisions.


                                                                          Marie Helena


image from realsolutions4life.com.