Alignment

Your nature is to love; remember your nature.

don Miguel Ruiz




Why do we feel happy when we open our hearts to others? Why does seeing someone's eyes light up from our words or attention feel so glorious? Because it is then that we are in ALIGNMENT with Who We Truly Are.  We experience this blissful state because it is our calling. 

We are creatures of love who have donned the disguise of earth dwellers.  Our disguises are so complete and so compelling that we do not recognize ourselves.  But, even though our lives often feel steeped in challenge and contradiction, we resonate, we rejoice, we revel in our impulses of grace, gratitude and generosity.

And we may wonder from whence they have appeared.  Despite the travail surrounding us, somehow we have managed to look so lovingly upon the world and ourselves!

We do this because we are born to it.  We have chosen to be here. To "awaken" ourselves and to help others "awaken".  It is a beautiful exercise to witness and observe ourselves come home to love, to find our way.

When we perform an act of kindness, when we extend love and compassion to others, we feel an affinity, a connection to all that is beautiful in life.  Underneath all of the disguises of dissonance and distress, LOVE resides.  When we experience the blossoming of love, we have come HOME.



                                                                          Marie Helena

Your nature is to love; remember your nature.

don Miguel Ruiz




image from pinterest
fractal tears of joy

Leaky Faucets and Flat Tires

Do you really know how POWERFUL
you are?      

You are so POWERFUL that you can create a reflection of yourself in the environment surrounding you…and also in the persons who populate your life.

And, if you are looking, you can see “yourself” in whatever is going on around you.

Do you have car issues or a plumbing crisis? You are blocking something inside you and it is being manifested in your environment. It’s there as a gift. A knock, knock for you…just in case you have failed to notice what you are doing.

And if you find that the persons in your life are irritating you…knock, knock again. They represent something in yourself you have not dealt with.

It’s really a beautiful system…though it may seem like strange and radical thinking at first glance.

You are truly the playwright of playwrights, author of authors, star of stars…and you are creating and projecting the movie of your life for your own entertainment, education and enlightenment... everywhere around you.

What a majestic universe! What a magical production! That’s you and the story of your life!

                                                                               Marie Helena

What Would Love Do?

Whenever we are experiencing fear or anxiety…frustration or anger…and someone else is involved in the situation, we are often tempted to express our distress by accusing that someone else of causing the problem. 

An array of disturbing emotions washes over us…and, if we don’t consciously process what is happening…we can easily become the self-involved, suffering victim. 

It is so easy to feel STUCK in this turbulence…helpless…and, consequently, we often choose to REACT instead of respond…letting loose a litany of accusations about someone else's behavior.

When these moments strike, a conscious intention to ask one simple question about how best to proceed can save us from behavior we will later regret.

And that question is…What would love do?

If we aspire to having love inform and define all of the actions of our lives…then love is what we need to lead us through this storm.

Love, if summoned consciously, would inspire us to give ourselves understanding and compassion (for we are obviously experiencing some unhealed hurt which has been triggered and wants some attention). 

Love would also inspire us to give the other individual involved understanding and compassion (for, like us, he, too, has been triggered and his pain has been activated).


I believe that under the best of circumstances...when we are fully conscious and present and in good energy, we will act with this compassion and understanding.

 If we are not able to do this, it is because stress or exhaustion or some old, unhealed pain has appeared in our lives.  Acknowledging this and then taking steps to restore ourselves (and that is restoration for ALL parties concerned) to a place of beautiful energy and consciousness will empower us to come together at that point and navigate the distressful waters with sensitivity for everyone’s situation and circumstance.

Consciously asking ourselves this question will help make this happen:

What would LOVE do?

The answer to everything.


                                                                          Marie Helena

Perfect Time

One of the most popular occupations of earth dwellers  seems to be the frenzy of staggering preparations that go into the MAKING OF PLANS. 

Oh, what a glorious time we have acknowledging ALL of the circumstances we see surrounding us and figuring out how to accommodate every one so we can accomplish our special goal in the most satisfying way.

 

Parties are planned, important conversations mulled over beforehand, career goals envisioned, sports events practiced for, buildings designed, vacations imagined...

all in the never-ending dream of completing those arrangements in the most perfect, most beautiful, most satisfying way.

 

In our very earnest determination to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN we work so very hard...we struggle...we strive...we exhaust ourselves...
and we often forget that we have a Partner on our planning team.

 
A Partner that never tires...

A Partner that totally supports our dreams and visions...

A Partner that has the advantage of seeing ALL of the parameters of the project...

A Partner that is working within the context of THE DIVINE MATRIX matching   every need and desire with the perfect circumstance to bring them into fruition.

 

This Partner is the Divine Universe and this Partner unconditionally loves us  and supports us and gives us exactly what we need.

 

What we get  may not be what we want...what we have envisioned as the "best" way to achieve our goal...but it is the perfect way. 

It takes EVERYTHING into account and ministers to ALL needs.  

It is inclusive.  It is perfect.  It operates whether or not we are aware of its existence.

 

And it moves  in  PERFECT TIME.  This is most probably not the time schedule we have envisioned, but it is the one which BEST serves our needs and desires.

 

How wonderful to have such a magnificent Silent Partner operating in the business of our lives.  And there is no need for competition...for striving to get this Partner working on our side.  

This Silent Partner is already there...for us...and for everyone.

 

This Divine Process does not exactly jibe with our contemporary concepts of commercialism and competition.   It is not concerned with material gain.  It comes from a place of great depth and love and compassion, the HEART of our Creator.

 

Here's an interesting thing we can do:  

Watch how this Partner operates in our life and take note of the astounding Sensitivity and Caring and Intelligence that are present in Its intricate workings.

 

We will probably not see the magnificent, bigger picture at first, but, over time, we may catch it in an Aha Moment and, when we do, we can bask in the supremely beautiful awareness of knowing how very much we are LOVED.


                                                                             Marie Helena

image from ciracar.com

The Cutting Edge: Lose the Default

As we travel through the life map our soul has designed, we adopt a LOT of coping mechanisms to help us navigate the journey.  When things get really difficult, we find ways to sidestep the enormity of the lessons and rest our weary selves in the comfort of a subconscious, conditioned reaction, honed to perfection by our repeat visits to this isle of escape.


Tension in the workplace?  Misunderstandings?  Misinformation?  Traffic holdups?  Long lines at the supermarket?  Fretting family members?  Briefcase full of unfinished assignments?   
 
Stop!  Enough already.  

And here our culture and conditioning step in to give us options for these kinds of difficult moments.  A wine cooler...or chocolate...football...games on the IPhone...shopping...Whatever...

We may get some temporary respite from our chosen "distraction".  But, ultimately, it is not enough to drown out the din inside us.  Next, we have learned to figure out where we can assign the blame.  "Mikey" did it.  The world is full of potential "Mikey's".  It's their fault.  Whatever is wrong is their fault.  We can always make a case for why our problem and our reaction are someone else's responsibility.

And so, in the face of pressure and stress, we find the easy way out.  And these "easy ways" become our defaults.


But these default reactions don't serve us well.  Although they give us some short term relief, they ignore the Message we are receiving.  Something we are doing is not in alignment with our Higher Self.  And we need to see what is really transpiring.  And we need to find a new way to get that information.


HERE is the perfect moment for us to LOSE THE OLD DEFAULT.  Here is where we can recognize that we have been hiding by defending ourselves, attacking others or ignoring or covering up our upset with methods of comfort.  Here is where we can bravely try something new...lose the old default and design a new and better way to deal with what is bothering us. 

Like letting ourselves FEEL what is happening to us instead of "beating it out of there".
Like recognizing that our angst is coming from some unhealed pain from the past...pain which we originally buried because we did not have the tools to deal with it.  Pain we have been watching ourselves resurrect over and over and over...whenever we are triggered. 

How great it would feel to finally get that negative, stuck energy out in the open...see it for what it is...offer ourselves compassion for experiencing it and give ourselves and/or others understanding and forgiveness for, in reality, only doing in that moment "what we/they knew how to do".
 
This is tough, brave work and we must be gentle with ourselves when we undertake it. Now, our "default" may need to be quiet moments in nature, meditation...a cup of herbal tea. And a message delivered to ourselves and possibly to others that we need time to process what has happened and our reaction to it.

THIS is how we gain the opportunity to become our best selves, to begin to live what we aspire to be.  We change our old, predictable ways of reacting by FINALLY hearing the wisdom of the "Message".   By realizing that any upsetting reaction that we experience is really about us and some unhealed pain in us that needs to be addressed.  By owning our feelings and resolving to hear what they are trying to tell us.  It is THEN that we are able to lose the old defaults and replace them with something much better.  Something that makes us feel self-respect and self-affirmation regarding our response to VERY difficult situations.  

Simple...but not easy.  Cutting edge.  

 
                                                                      Marie Helena




 
image from hatoola13.deviantart.com

TEAM Marie Helena

I am always looking for new and creative ways to navigate my life journey... and a few weeks ago I was guided to a podcast by Michael Ellis which held me mesmerized for an hour.  

Ellis was discussing the fascinating concept of assembling a Brain Trust, itself the brainchild of Napoleon Hill, considered to be one of the great writers of personal success literature.


One of Hill's hallmark expressions (which you have undoubtedly heard) is:
 "What the mind of man can conceive
   and believe, it can achieve."
   

In the podcast  Ellis describes with strong conviction the strength and power of forming a Spiritual Brain Trust in our imagination. 

The members of this brain trust would be assigned by us to give guidance and support in their particular area of expertise.



Because the brain trust is an exercise in using our imagination  there are no boundaries or parameters other than those we construct for ourselves. 

 Ellis suggests we might want to recruit individuals who were famous for their talents and discoveries. 

 We could also bring in angels, spirit guides....whoever we wish to include in this special group of advisors and supporters. 

And, we could even go further and assign special tasks to the members of our brain trust, an idea that is especially appealing to me.



As soon as I heard this fantastic idea, I was ready to try it.  


The very next day I  felt the need for compassion during a difficult, upsetting moment and so I created a spiritual mentor for this.  It felt wonderful to call in a special coach who offered me her comfort and caring, strengthening me in the work of feeling and processing my emotions.  


Later, I recognized myself slipping into co-dependency during a conversation and I then created a new brain trust member assigned to help me recognize this default button whenever the old conditioning popped up. Just knowing I have guides  waiting to shower love and support and wisdom upon me gives me confidence and resiliency in dealing with life's challenges.


During the next week I experienced some intense fear from the actions of vehicles on the road and immediately called in five team members to help me sidestep the post traumatic stress that has occasionally lingered since my automobile accident.  Worked like a charm!  Five guides soothing and supporting me!



I have very quickly become  a HUGE supporter of setting up a Spiritual Brain Trust....and TEAM Marie Helena is growing all the time.


What a wonderful way to navigate the challenges of our day...accessing the resources, comfort and support of mentors  who are. of course, perfectly suited to help us meet our own personal needs (and why wouldn't they be as we created them for ourselves).


Ellis says that the mentors we envision in our brain trust are really elements of 
Our Higher Self.  How BEAUTIFUL is THAT!



I truly want to share the joy.  

Please consider using your imagination to set up your own personal brain trust.  Ask your mentors for assistance, consult with them...treat them as if they are real. 

They will become a source of power to you, an idealized version of who you perceive yourself to be.


                                             

                                                   Marie Helena


image from pinterest.com
Angelic adoration. picasaweb.google.comTE

The Amusement Park

By the time we leave our childhood behind and get on with issues of the "adult" world most of us have managed a trip or two to the glorious island of escape called
The Amusement Park. 


There we stuffed our faces with cotton candy while we waited in line to take our seats on VERY scary and unpredictable rides.  And why did we do this?  Because it was FUN! We screamed our hearts out and then turned around and doubled back for more.


Maybe we loved these "wild rides" so much because there is something in our makeup that loves the unknown... mercurial adventures, precarious positions, challenging perspectives.


Which brings me in a roundabout way to an interesting occurrence I had just this week. 

While sitting in morning meditation a few days ago I experienced a very unusual stream of imagery.  I often have images popping up during meditation and, in fact, they routinely do,  but this meditation scenario was the most delightful I have ever encountered.


Several Disney characters were whirling inside a powerful vortex, riding it downward at a very fast speed having the time of their life and shouting "Whee!".  


When they reached the bottom (as they all invariably did), they were bounced back up to the top and were each affectionately catapulted into a bed floating in space.  They were tucked into warm covers and were soothed, comforted and rewarded from their madcap adventure by having a nice, long rest.


The all encompassing feeling of this fantasy was one of fun and delight.  The Disney characters were All IN.  They had no question of their safety...of the road they were traveling or of the loving embrace (the comfortable, billowy beds) awaiting them at its completion.  The TRUST was implicit, palpable.  Its vibration provided a powerhouse of energy for this adorable and motley crew.

So, here's the thing.


The vortex in my meditation feels like earth school.  We've all experienced the WILD rides of life when it took us some time to
B r e a t he, take it all in,  restore our equilibrium, gain perspective and choose our response, hopefully learning from the lessons being presented to us.


The Disney characters bouncing back up to the top and landing in a comfortable bed feels like a message that we are always looked after and deeply appreciated for our sojourn on this planet.

And the fact that the characters were all having such an exciting, fun time feels like guidance on how to look at earth school as an exercise in curiosity and wonderment because it's all an illusion.  Real as it may seem, earth school is the vortex playground for trying on various personas and life situations to see what we can make of them...and learn from them, all the while sending the vibrations of our new wisdom out for everyone to energetically tap into.

When WE (our Spirit Selves) watch the glorious adventures we have designed for ourselves as earth dwellers, the story of our lives becomes truly enchanting!

                                                       

                                      Marie Helena

roller coaster image from clipartist.info
Disney characters image from childcoloringpages.net
pillow image from wikihow.com