Invitation to the Dance

 

Simplicity is such a beautiful virtue.  It has a purity and clarity to it...and a certain easewhich comes when we understand the basic principle upon which something is operating.  



Let's apply that to life in earth school which can seem so full of twists and turns, complications and complexities.


But maybe it really isn't what it appears to be. 


Our souls have chosen to have an earthly experience and have designed opportunities for us to learn the lessons we have selected for ourselves.  Those opportunities include the circumstances and events in our lives and the people with whom we come in contact.  Each of these plays a part in our earth school story representing an opportunity for us to be encouraged, affirmed or inspired by what we experience. Some of these vignettes are positive and delightful...some are challenging, frustrating and even painful.  All of them provide us with the impetus for growth and change if we so choose.


Viewed from this vantage point, life reveals itself to be a number of scenarios
which attract our attention and invite us to embrace each opportunity by stepping INTO the Present Moment, navigating our way through intense circumstances, acquiring new wisdom and stepping UP to a new and grander version of ourselves.


The protocol is simple AND profound.  We need not worry about what will happen to us next as IT'S ALL GOOD.  We only need decide IF and HOW we want to rock each opportunity.


We are the designers of our multi-faceted plan.  We have come here to experience, to learn.  Because of our agreement in the veil of forgetfulness we may be bewildered by the unfolding of these events but, on some level, our soul clearly knows the heights we can reach.




Are you dancing with this Divine Universe in the amazing story of YOUR life?

                                 Marie Helena 

image from Thyme Graphics

Heaven's Casino

 

Here’s what we know:

People like casinos.

And in our earth density this is what our casinos are like: crowded, noisy, full of smoke and, sometimes, reckless squandering of money that should be used for the basic needs of living. It’s true that people do enjoy themselves there because there is always the “promise” of the win…the hope of doubling and tripling the money and maybe even scoring really BIG.

These casinos are an earth density version of a GAME.

Then there is the GAME of pretending…pretending that we are alone and not the creators of our lives. This game is like a casino, too, and in this casino we experience ups and downs, fun-filled times and challenges and suffering of our own making, but suffering nevertheless. We question why things happen and sometimes feel we are victims of what we call fate. There are many great moments but also lots of upsetting surprises (which we have programmed in and have forgotten). We are playing a GAME that we have forgotten the rules to. Which is actually pretty risky and foolhardy…like gambling in a real casino…but this is a virtual one.

And since we seem to love the concept of casinos so much, perhaps we could up the ante and take a look at the ultimate casino, ETERNAL LIFE.

Here’s what’s different about this casino. 
EVERYBODY WINS BIG. ..EVERY TIME!

Instead of rolling dice and pulling handles on slot machines we are watching ourselves in the movie called The Challenges of Living in Earth Density. And everything we see is an illusion. But this is an awesome game and, therefore, everything seems real. This includes the very wide range of experiences that humans encounter. Including conflict and fear and suffering. We have literally forgotten that we have dreamed these up so that we can learn the lessons we want to have.

The big part of the game, the part that gives us the truly BIG WIN is when we understand that we are already perfect…we are Divine Beings having a human experience…and all of this is a highly sophisticated illusion we need to move through in our attempt to make the connection with our Divine Selves. And when we really get that it is our Divine selves who are running the show…who have actually constructed this casino so that we can play this game of remembering who we are….that is when we become the really big winner. 

Imagine the celebration when one of us gets it. Hear that excitement, the roar of the spiritual crowd. Listen to the comments from your soul family:

“Aha, I knew he was on to us! Way to go!”

“Here’s comes another breakthrough. What fun. And earlier than I expected.”

“What a fantastic job she’s doing. Awesome!”

Now, that is the ultimate casino. And it’s full of the most beautiful and fun-loving creatures, our Higher Selves. And they are just waiting for us to play the GAME of catch-up. 

Let’s play ball!

                                Marie Helena 

    

The Cart Before the Horse

 

 Ev-er-y-bod-y has heard the old adage..."Don't put the cart before the horse". 

And it makes good sense (as all cliches tend to do).  

However,

The Divine Universe doesn't follow ordinary rules.  

It's  so original...and creative.  

What I've discovered in my life (and I'm sure it's tucked into yours somewhere, too) is that the fabulous, infinitely wise, infinitely powerful Universe LOVES to put the cart before the horse...and by this I mean it provides the solutions BEFORE the problems appear.


Let me explain how this plays out in my life.  


Whenever something is troubling me and I am feeling stuck...not sure how to proceed or lacking the energy or motivation to go to work on the issue...as soon as I take a moment to breathe...to relax...a soundless bell goes off (it's something I just feel) and I gently recall something I had read the day before or a comment someone had made to me recently or, even more frequently, I remember a blog post I have written that reminds me of something important I had grasped and understood earlier but have since forgotten.  And that something I have forgotten is ALWAYS exactly what I need to remember now...today...IN THIS MOMENT.


Sometimes the "direct-tions" are even more direct.


Each day I check my blog's list of the ten most popular posts.  This list is changing moment by moment.  It is based on what posts people are reading and the information is coming from around the world as I know that 110 countries have accessed my blog.  I look to see what is being read each morning and, without fail, it's something I need to be reminded of THAT DAY.


How BEAUTIFUL is that!  Individuals around the world are choosing my posts to read and, in so doing, they are ministering TO ME.  They are helping me become the next, grandest version of myself.


Talk about Love circling back to us!  I send out my thoughts and they come back to me EXACTLYwhen I need them.   


Wow!  What a system!  And that's just one example of how this beautiful dynamic works.


I KNOW...I am SURE...
that YOU have a heavenly guidance system in place. ..the CART before the horse.  


Maybe  you haven't discovered it yet.  Maybe it's hiding in plain sight...a little heavenly merrymaking and mischief.  PLEASE look around and tap into this awesome, original and brilliant celestial stratagem.  


We are all so very loved.   : )

        
                                                                                      Marie Helena

The Honoring of Pain

 

When I am healed,

  I am not healed alone.

                A Course in Miracles

  

Even though we may make a practice of consciously expressing ourselves in a thoughtful, considerate manner, when we speak to others, sometimes the words we choose or the way we speak them unwittingly ignite a land mine of unhealed emotions buried in someone's psyche.  And, sometimes, the person we are addressing is not even aware that the turbulence now showing itself has been brewing under the surface.  

In this moment, without meaning to, we have pressed a hot button and our button-pressing, unfortunately, gives way to an explosion of fear based emotion fiercely aimed in our direction.  

Voices intensify. Energy steeps and stews.  Now EVERYBODY is feeling agitated and the stage is set for torment and tribulation.

Or not.

WHAT IF in our own emotional evolution, we have learned a powerful way to defuse a distressing situation...and bring insight to the chaos?

 

WHAT IF we have learned to OBJECTIVELY observe what is occurring?  To step back and dispassionately discern another's distressful reaction?   

WHAT IF with compassion (and no trace of judgment) we were to gently and patiently ask the other if fear or anxietyhas flared up in them in that moment?  To ask whatconclusions they may have drawn?  What pain they may be feeling?

WHAT IF we were to study their PROCESS to help us understand the "message" of their emotions? 

Moving from the heat of the moment's reaction to a gentle desire to understand what is transpiring in another is a profound act of transformation.  It is the practice of alchemy...the process of transmuting a common substance into a substance of great value...for the gift of compassion and the desire to understand bring to light pain that needs to be released and a heart badly in need of soothing.  

Is there a greater gift we can give to another than to see and hear and honor what has unconsciously been driving their behavior and deeply affecting their view of the world?

We are here together to minister to each other and help release the pain that is preventing the experience of joy.  

We are here together to listen to the "music" of each other's heart...no matter the cadence or cacophony...creating a symphony of acceptance, love and understanding.  

We are here together to share the treasure of our own spiritual evolution.

The honoring of pain...however it shows itself...is a most eloquent expression of compassion.  And, when we create these moments of beauty, we experience the wonder of that gift being reflected back to us by others who have been touched by the gentleness of our hearts.  

                                                                                     Marie Helena

 image from innerharmony.com

The Honoring of Pain

 When I am healed,

  I am not healed alone.

                A Course in Miracles

  
Even though we may make a practice of consciously expressing ourselves in a thoughtful, considerate manner, when we speak to others, sometimes the words we choose or the way we speak them unwittingly ignite a land mine of unhealed emotions buried in someone's psyche.  And, sometimes, the person we are addressing is not even aware that the turbulence now showing itself has been brewing under the surface.  

In this moment, without meaning to, we have pressed a hot button and our button-pressing, unfortunately, gives way to an explosion of fear based emotion fiercely aimed in our direction.  

Voices intensify. Energy steeps and stews.  Now EVERYBODY is feeling agitated and the stage is set for torment and tribulation.

Or not.



WHAT IF in our own emotional evolution, we have learned a powerful way to defuse a distressing situation...and bring insight to the chaos?
 
WHAT IF we have learned to OBJECTIVELY observe what is occurring?  To step back and dispassionately discern another's distressful reaction?   

WHAT IF with compassion (and no trace of judgment) we were to gently and patiently ask the other if fear or anxietyhas flared up in them in that moment?  To ask whatconclusions they may have drawn?  What pain they may be feeling?

WHAT IF we were to study their PROCESS to help us understand the "message" of their emotions? 


Moving from the heat of the moment's reaction to a gentle desire to understand what is transpiring in another is a profound act of transformation.  It is the practice of alchemy...the process of transmuting a common substance into a substance of great value...for the gift of compassion and the desire to understand bring to light pain that needs to be released and a heart badly in need of soothing.  


Is there a greater gift we can give to another than to see and hear and honor what has unconsciously been driving their behavior and deeply affecting their view of the world?

We are here together to minister to each other and help release the pain that is preventing the experience of joy.  

We are here together to listen to the "music" of each other's heart...no matter the cadence or cacophony...creating a symphony of acceptance, love and understanding.  

We are here together to share the treasure of our own spiritual evolution.


The honoring of pain...however it shows itself...is a most eloquent expression of compassion.  And, when we create these moments of beauty, we experience the wonder of that gift being reflected back to us by others who have been touched by the gentleness of our hearts.  


                                                                                     Marie Helena


 image from innerharmony.com

The Magnificent Licorice Jelly Bean

Sunday dinner at my daughter’s home is always a wonderful event. Sunshine streams through her home, evidenced in so many ways.  One way is through the awesome messages that appear in some form of art on her walls…

Have an amazing day. 

Listen with your whole heart.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

Love well.

My daughter and her family are also a source of Sunshine as they always greet visitors with open arms and warm, affectionate hugs, expressing their delight to have someone enter into the flow of their day.

Another way that Light shines through in this loving oasis is in the beautiful way she decorates for each season and holiday, celebrating all events of the changing calendar In order of their appearance on Mother earth.

And, on this particular Sunday, Easter, of course, was in full bloom in all of its glory.  All of the family’s favorite dishes had been prepared and  a very special signature Easter delight could be found in the center of the table:  a brilliantly colored assortment of jellybeans had casually arranged themselves as they were lovingly poured into a glass dish to bask in their Easter springtime glory.

And, as I fondly remember the lovely occasion, I ask:  Who has not experienced and delighted in the robust yet petite extravaganza of taste that is the jellybean!

After finishing our dinner, I eyed the brightly colored, tempting gems in their dish still reigning with such pomp and pageantry in the center of all of the festivities. 

It is time, I thought.  Definitely time for me to indulge in  this Easter delight   Perusing all of the available flavors, I selected what would be THE jellybean of my day.  To the chagrin of a few individuals still nearby, I selected the licorice jellybean.  Apparently, this was not a flavor of jellybean favored by them but, as a connoisseur of licorice, I could not have been happier.  

Now here is what I find to be most significant about my spectacular Easter jellybean:   

I only needed one.

ONE solitary jellybean, unadorned by a parade of cousin jellies, burst happily into its robust flavor as I took my first bite.  ONE jellybean satisfied my search for the perfect sweet ending to the lovely meal.  ONE delicious licorice jellybean evoked my culinary adoration.

There was no need to eat a second… in fact, it seemed as if a second would somehow dim the glory of the initial experience.

To me, it feels like my licorice jellybean “moment” that day was a microcosm of all of our life experiences.  It is a fact that I had been filled with lovely anticipation of the Easter celebration and also bathed in sunshine vibrations at my daughter’s home, but it is also true that the first...and only...bite was GLORIOUS and so wonderfully and engagingly SATISFYING.

What if we could reside in that incredible state of awe where EVERY FIRST MOMENT we encountered held something magical and entertained or delighted us or

 taught us something we did not already know.  What if our first taste, our first encounter could springboard us into new wonder or knowledge or appreciation!

It so easy to move quickly past the initial moment of our experiences, missing the majesty of each and every first encounter.

 Can you imagine the  magnificent “licorice jellybeans” just waiting to burst into our lives!

                                            Marie Helena 

                                                                                    

image frjom unixtitan.net

Holding Our Light

Everything changes when you emit your own frequency rather than absorb the frequencies around you.

                                                      Barbara Marciniak

We are all aware of what it’s like to “feel the vibe” when we encounter someone who is struggling with some upsetting emotions.  It is so easy to absorb that vibration. 

Suddenly, there it is surrounding us, cloaking us if we let it. And it’s hard to escape, difficult to be unaffected.  But what an awesome opportunity to hold our own light, even in the face of what might feel heavy or negative.  To emit and sustain our own beautiful frequency.  

What if we were to hold space and clarity for our own intention and vibration?  What if we were to see ourself in a luminous spotlight...an emanation that moves when we move...that goes where we go...beautifully illuminating our corner of the world?    

This SPOTLIGHT is a physical expression of our BOUNDARY.

From this vantage point we can view all the many other spotlights around us, each shining on other persons. We can be an OBSERVER as each individual lives his life...writes his own story.  And, most importantly, we can clearly see the difference between their spotlights and ours.

When we are able to hold our own light, it does not matter what kind of situation we encounter.  It is irrelevant because it is not ours.

We are not held at the mercy of what is going on around us. We are Creators… not reactors and not victims.  We create the space in which we wish to exist and we choose to sustain it. 

And, in doing so, we demonstrate for others the beauty of PRIMEcreation.  In this space, we also grow in strength and spirituality and are more able to extend compassion to the individuals in the spotlights where it is needed.

We are here to learn and practice the holding of our light until it becomes an effortless and ongoing sharing of unconditional love.

And everything changes.

                                        Marie Helena

    

image from ArtHearty

Easy-to-practice and Fun Watercolor Painting Techniques

The Acceptance of Grief

Whenever we experience a loss...and, especially, a significant loss...we are thrust with great impact into the work of GRIEVING.

The process of grief can occur quite naturally for us if we have a clear channel open to our emotions.  

Hopefully, we have been fortunate enough to learn by instruction, example or experience the importance of letting ourselves feel and express our emotions...such a significant lesson to learn for our happiness and health.  

And, because we have learned this lesson, we are able to allow ourselves to experience the natural expression of our pain and distress.

This reflection is not about that process. 

 It is about what happens AFTER  we grieve.  

We may be able to express our emotions freely whether it is through words or tears or sensory experiences of the body.  But where that grief takes us NEXT is worth pondering.

The grieving process can leave us with a heaviness and sadness...permeating our day as we carry it through our every thought, word or action.

The process can color our day so strongly that it seems impossible to get out from under this storm.

Or...

This process can free our spirit 

as the rain opens the sky to the sun...

as Mother Earth nurtures the seeds which have been planted on her terrain...

as the crying baby responds to having its needs met and now sees the world with eyes of beauty and wonder.

The process of grieving is truly beautiful...

representing our connection with another,
our treasuring of the gifts of that connection  

and, because we enter directly into feeling the experience, it represents our ACCEPTANCE of the natural unfolding of the Divine Universe.  

This unfolding carries the truths of the universe, some easy to embrace, some more challenging. 

There is nothing for us to do but BE in this moment.

Like the underside of a work of embroidery, our lives can appear to have many loose, chaotic strands, but when we turn the fabric over the beauty that is intended emerges.

In our earth journey we mostly see the haphazard strands with no clear pattern emerging...but our spirit knows the beauty of the work of art that is our lives and the way in which that art is unfolding.

An awareness of and a faith in this process help us to know on a soul level that the acceptance of our expression of grief is an affirmation of our humanity.

It is a gift...a cleansing...ultimately nurturing and preparing us for whatever work lies ahead in our journey. 

It is an important part of the rhythm and music and pace of LIFE itself.

                                 Marie Helena 

The Ides of March

L

Let go of the need to defend your position.

       don Miguel Ruiz



It happens so easily to all of us.  We suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a highly spirited discussion and discover that we are face to face with an opposing or alternate perspective and so we automatically step into the role of “defender” of our position, digging in our heels...gently at first and then with increased vigor...as we set out to convince others of our point of view.  

What is it that encourages and even entices us to go for the “win”?  What is it that is driving this behavior that is so prevalent...and even predictable in the human psyche?

And, while we ponder that, imagine how disarming it would be to encounter an individual who has no need to convince everyone of the validity of his position, no need to be recognized by everyone as holding the "right" answer.


I had my own personal encounter with a situation like this a few years ago during a holiday gathering at our home.  It was a very subtle experience but later I strongly felt the significance of the moment.

Several people had been invited over for the holidays and we were chatting happily and enjoying the interchange.  I am not sure how we landed on this topic, but someone introduced the subject of 
The Ides of March.

At that point, I enthusiastically interjected myself into the conversation, remarking that I happened to know that The Ides of March fell on March 12th and that I knew this because The Ides of March was the birthday of a good friend of mine with whom I had worked.  One of our guests commented that The Ides of March was actually on March 15th.   At this observation, I strongly asserted that I was certain it was the 12th and that I had a memory of holding a very specific intention to recall that particular date.  After my interjection our guest declined to assert his belief that March 15 was the date in question and the group moved on past the consideration of the event’s date to its actual meaning.

By the way, Wikipedia describes The Ides of March as "a day in the calendar notable for the Romans as a deadline for settling debts."


This little incident was long forgotten by me until  a few months later on March 15 when I happened to hear a commentator announce that it was The Ides of March.

Oooooops!  I thought and looked online to verify this unexpected piece of information.  As I absorbed the correction, two thoughts circled in my brain.  The first was:  How did I ever confuse this date and become so convinced that I had it right?  The second was:  What a considerate 
guest we had hosted at our home that evening during the holidays.  The visitor had obviously known his information was right and yet he chose not to make a point of debating this with me in front of the others.

This gesture of his felt important to me.  I saw this behavior as evidence of his generosity and thoughtfulness and I made a point of telling him so the next time we spoke.


How refreshing it had been to engage with someone who was not harboring a strong competitive need to prove his point.  And, on the fifteenth of March, the point was made for itself quietly and with no aggressive fanfare.


This choice of action of our guest that night most certainly revealed his honoring and understanding of human emotions.  Giving me the opportunity to learn for myself what I did not know was actually very profound.  He clearly saw that the date itself was not the primary issue and neither was emerging as the person who had all of the answers.  

He had no need to engage in a battle of rightness; he just wanted the opportunity to plant the seed of what he knew to be true.

This individual was obviously able to enter into a moment and quietly leave his gentle signature on it, inviting others to engage with the information in the perfect moment for them.  No need to defend...just a subtle awareness and affirmation of how we learn best when we are in the most relaxed and curious frame of mind.

What a splendid idea!  No “debt settling” of The Ides of March...rather just an eloquent exploration.


                                                                                                     Marie Helena

The Office Manager

Good MORNING! This is the Office Manager.


Your soul station directs, your life force moves and we choreograph your day!

What is your pleasure this morning? We have several packages always available for you. 

The Blues Cruise
Are you in the mood for a sad day where everything seems to be slipping away from you?


Perhaps you’d like...

The Gothic Glow
Mostly dark with a small spotlight shining on all of your problems.


Or,  you might prefer

The Rainbow Reward
No matter how things unfold, there is always the hint of a rainbow around the corner, encouraging you to keep moving.


Or,

The Sunshine Stream
A bright and focused light helps you to examine each event and circumstance in a dispassionate and objective manner.


Then, there is what is rapidly becoming our most popular package,

Love Light
A sprinkling of moonbeams falls gently on every moment helping you see with soul eyes what is really happening.



Remember, we are not limited to these packages. We can design whatever you can imagine.

Please leave your order for the day and the heartbeat at which you can be reached for delivery.

Hot Pink Gloves and the Boomeranging Bands

Last Monday I sat waiting in my podiatrist’s office for his nurse to take an impression of my feet for a new set of inserts for my shoes.  I have cuboid bones that randomly like to “relocate”, launching parties of misalignment, inviting my knees and sacrum to go rogue and join in the fun.  Needless to say, my visits to the podiatrist (though wonderfully philosophical) are serious and necessary.  So, on this day, I was expecting a rather scientific procedure coming my way when in walked the doc’s nurse waving hot pink rubber gloves in the air which matched none of her attire and, therefore, seemed incongruous and rather hilarious.

It wasn’t long before I could see how perfectly they suited her persona because she immediately launched into a vaudeville routine as she began the work of preparing me for the impression.  As she delightfully performed for her audience of one, she made a point of warning me that the black elastic bands she was about to use to secure my plaster booties have been known on occasion to boomerang off the walls.  As if to highlight their adventurous nature, the black cords sported a blue bauble on them and I was struck by how prettily they accented the hot pink gloves even while I could hardly keep from laughing as every comment she made seemed to outdo the humor of the previous retort. 

Now, mind you, I was supposed to be sitting still and relaxing during this procedure and this was no easy task since the doc’s nurse was so funny and entertaining.  After she finished her work on my feet, she ceremoniously took an elegant Shakespearean bow at the doorway and invited the doc back into the room, announcing him as the next act with an excellent vaudeville-worthy introduction.

OMG, I thought...what great fun this was!  The energy...the delight...the unexpectedness of it all.  I found myself wishing I could program my entire day in this exhilarating vibration and then wondered...why not?  Of course I could do this.  The routine performance of our daily tasks usually feels like punching a notch on our to-do belt.  You know...that heavy belt that grows more cumbersome as the day progresses.

Where are our hot pink rubber gloves?  Our boomeranging black elastic bands? Our Shakespearean bows?  The FLOURISH of ourimagination?

Tomorrow I awake with a new Shakespearean mantra:

The game’s afoot.  Let us have pomp and circumstance!



                                                   Marie Helena

image from moziru.com

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