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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Here or There?

   
 









                                                                       



"...we cannot be in the present 
     and run our story lines at the same time."


                                                 Pema Chodron
                                                                        

Hmmmmmmmmmm.  This one really has me thinking.

Our "stories" come from our experiences, our conditioning, the beliefs we have been taught.  Together they form our reality...the reality we know and operate and live by. 

 But...is our reality what is really there? 

 Or, is it always clouded by our limited perception?
 

And, if so, is there a way to take in the bigger picture...hopefully, the whole picture or as close as we can get to it from our human perspective?

Is that what Pema Chodron is talking about when she says our story lines prevent us from being in "the present"?

 

It is true that our stories (what has happened to us, our suffering and pain) seem to travel with us.  We take them everywhere we go. 


Everything that we experience is viewed through the subconscious lens of what has occurred in the past.  If we feel that someone has hurt us, for example, we protect ourselves from the fear of further hurt by shutting down emotionally and becoming inaccessible.  It's how we make sense of things and know how to feel and react.  It's our interpretation of the world.

But Pema Chodron seems to be saying this lens we use is really like wearing blinders and prevents us from truly knowing the essence of things


We deal only with form...specifically, the form we engaged with in our personal experience...a very specific, limited form for which we ourselves shaped the meaning. 

What if we are missing the true nature of things by being stuck in our stories and not consciously opening up to the essence of what is?

 

Perhaps that essence is only accessible if we approach it with an OPEN heart..not one that is carrying the wounds of the past.  


Perhaps we limit ourselves by reacting to something that only truly exists in OUR reality?  

What if we are missing the purity and beauty of a moment because we only see and feel what we have previously experienced?
 

Our stories really give us a VERY limited view of what is out there.  


What if we drop the stories knowing they are only the product of a moment in time we encountered because of many circumstances? 

And, what if, instead, we open ourselves up to the majestic and compelling draw of the Present Moment which speaks to us with the power and presence of  PURE BEING untainted by the pain of our unhealed hurt...IF we are listening?

 

Perhaps, then, we can transcend the limitations of our earthbound existence and enter into the incredible, glorious pageant of  the world we really live in but very rarely see.
         


image from schoolofwisdom.com

Sunday, May 27, 2012

As Far As You Can Go


If your everyday practice is to open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing down, trusting that you can do that – then that will take you as far as you can go
And then you’ll understand all the teachings that anyone has ever taught.

                                                   - Pema Chodron



Wow!  What an amazing concept...and can we actually reach this beautiful state?

What would it take to accomplish this?

What does it really mean to  OPEN TO ALL OF YOUR EMOTIONS  in your everyday practice?


First,
 I think it means that you are  IN the Present Moment and NOT carrying  the gunnysack of old, unresolved issues in your heart. 

You have expressed the conscious intention to heal this pain and are now trusting the Divine Universe to present you with the opportunities and tools you need to do this.  

You have let go of trying to solve your problems and have surrendered to the wisdom of the Divine Matrix which encompasses ALL issues and problems and circumstances and knows the greatest good for all involved, iincluding you.


Second,
it means you are centered and balanced and have the energy to pay attention to what is going on INSIDE and OUTSIDE of you.

You have taken good care of yourself and have honored the messages of your body. 


Third, 
it means you accept that the  Divine Universe is continually presenting you with opportunities to master the lessons your soul has chosen to learn and you know that to learn these lessons you need to fully and consciously engage with your emotions and the circumstances and persons and events you are encountering.



In this BEAUTIFUL STATE I have just described you will find it effortless to extend caring and compassion to yourself and others, to support them in their journeys  but not take responsibility for mastering their lessons, to flow with life always remembering Gary Zukav's teaching that everything that will ever happen to you is for the healing of your soul.


When you are able to embrace every moment with conscious awareness, compassion and love,  you will have understood that an open heart gives us ALL that we need and that LOVE...of yourself and the world and everyone in it... is the answer to every question.



image from imagesforfree.org

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

A Secret to a Happy Life

                         

              "One of the secrets to a happy life is continuous small treats."
                                                                           Iris Murdoch




Bet you loved reading that one!  It just feels so wonderful to do nice things for yourself.
 

Like sipping a lovely cup of tea (perhaps with a cucumber sandwich or special pastry  like the English do...just for fun)...

Or buying front row tickets to your favorite sporting event...

Like dipping your toe into a warm lake and then taking it out to pad barefoot on the soft, sandy beach...


Like settling into your lazy boy chair and finally picking up the novel you've been waiting to dive into...

Or perhaps being entranced by the
glittering sapphire butterfly you spotted outside your window and deciding to follow its delicate flight.


Mmmmmmmmm.  Sounds great.

But besides the obvious pleasure these activities evoke, there are other great reasons for treating yourself so wonderfully.

And here they are.
 
***********************************************************************************************
Besides delighting your physical body these activities also soothe your emotions.  And do you know how delightful you are to be around when you are relaxed and happy?

 

Enjoying a lovely indulgence makes you very aware of that present moment and reminds you of the importance of mindfulness.

 

When you do things for yourself that you love it's easy to feel appreciative and gratitude always raises your vibration.



Enjoying these wonderful sense delights reminds you of the joy of inhabiting a physical body.

***********************************************************************************************

We ARE, all of us, unique creatures  experiencing the challenges of attending earth school.  We work hard and have many lessons to learn.  

And sometimes we get weary.

Delighting ourselves with lots of small treats on a daily basis is one of the best 
investments for a happy life we will ever make.

So spend some of that awesome energy on YOU!





image from tcfgwinnett.homestead.com

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Standing By

 



When someone is telling us of his pain or distress, what is the most POWERFUL way we can respond?


First, we truly know that this experience is a part of the person's sacred journey and we honor it.

We do this by NOT presuming to know what is the best thing for this person to do. 

We trust that this vital and important information is available to him  as and when he chooses to access it.

Most importantly, we respond to the emotion he is expressing with the present moment gift of beautiful, mindful  listening and compassion.
 

When a person is feeling physical/emotional pain, he responds in a heart-centered way to being comforted and soothed by someone who is truly attempting to understand his feelings.  

Once a person feels heard and understood and cared about (soothed), he is ready to move forward on his own journey toward learning and understanding what the situation is trying to teach him.  

Now, the individual feels strong enough to begin to envision a way of helping himself that reflects strength and creativity (and that is inspired by his Higher Self ).
 

Standing by the person (by expressing caring and compassion) as he navigates his issue gives the STRONG message that he already has access to all of the strength and Divine wisdom he needs.

Standing in the way (by trying to solve the issue) gives a strong message, too...and that message tells him that he needs someone else to fix things for him.
 

It is not easy to remember the best way to offer help and support to someone in pain or distress.   We tend to feel the very human impulse to make things better for someone we care about. 

But the very best way we can help is to offer our listening and caring and compassion and to show by our intention and actions that we know the person can find all of the wisdom he needs within his own heart.



Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer.
                                                        Rachel Joy Scott




image from freshrawlife.wordpress.com

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The Beauty of Jumping In

 


Have you ever gone to the beach, checked out the temperature of the water with your toe and then pulled back from wading in?

Brrrrrrrrr.    
Too cold for you.  You are definitely not ready for this.  


 But then, while you are standing there contemplating the situation, an energetic soul suddenly rushes past you right on into the water, splashing all the way. 

 "Wow!" you think.  "How can they do that?  That's too big a shock to the system.  And not for me.  Oh, no.  I need to get acclimated to things first."
 

While the boisterous adventure of the fearless bather does create an unexpected but exciting disturbance in the (quiet and peaceful) field of force around you...there is a certain beauty to the courage and bravery of the very act of "jumping in"'. 


It symbolizes an all-encompassing embrace of "What Is"with the commitment and determination to navigate whatever obstacles present themselves on the journey.

 
Which brings me to a very interesting and inspiring quote about dealing with life's problems from Mark Victor Hansen :

"Don't wait until everything is just right  [...] There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions.  So what.  Get started now.  With each step you take you will grow stronger and stronger."


 
Are you, like most of us, someone who likes to wait for the "perfect moment"?  


And do you know why this is so?
 

Is it because you are lacking some faith in your ability to deal with the unknown and wish to line up (or at least wait for the lining up of) as many  circumstances as possible that would be favorable to your desired outcome?

Is it because it feels too frightening to take on the responsibility of making a radical shift in your life?

Are you worried about what other people will say or think about you?

 

Even though you may have identified several concerns about the issue of taking action... 


I have found that when you feel stuck in the way you react to situations, it is utterly a-ma-zing to see the impact of a single,  conscious intention to take the higher path.  
 
Even just voicing the words aloud,  "I aspire to _________________" starts us on the journey and notifies the Divine Universe that we are reaching for the Next, Grandest Version of Ourselves.   And, as always, the Universe  hears our intention and responds with opportunities for us to move in the direction we desire.

 
Even when we don't feel up to being this new version just yet we can start the process by "jumping in" to the fray with the recognition and declaration of the person we aspire to be.  

 
It's a bold, brisk step...it begins to break the hold of our old pattern of behavior.  


It's a conscious intention and it's a clear and simple way to offer ourselves the encouragement and support we need for the work involved in our transformation.

Additionally, it shows the people around us a picture of the person we want to be.  


It's the sending of a heart message which is impossible to resist.  And now the  persons involved in the transaction, having heard what you truly want to become, will become guides for your spirit.

 And THAT'S  The Beauty of Jumping In!


image from zazzle.com

Friday, May 11, 2012

The Ride of Your Life




Spiritual writer Eckhaart Tolle comments often about the power of the Present Moment and the importance of our acceptance of it.  

Recently, I encountered
a quote of his in which he goes beyond that guidance, instructing us to do more than just take the Moment and reconcile ourselves to it.


Here is the leap he is recommending.


"Accept - then act.  Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it." 

And Tolle promises us that this action "will miraculously transform" our whole lives.

What a  powerful concept to consider!  


This action would ensure a strong forward movement in life without the doubts and misgivings that we sometimes harbor about the choices of our actions.


If we were actually able to do as Tolle suggests, what would that say about us?


It would say that we trust we are unconditionally loved and cared for.

It would say we have an unshakable faith in the wisdom of  Divine Guidance.


It would say that we understand that everyone and everything exists together in the Divine Matrix.

It would say  we are not attached to the whisperings of our ego.

It would say we have chosen the creativity and excitement of the spiritual evolutionary path over the comfort of old " fixes".

It would say that we watch with anticipation and expectation for synchronicities to show up and point us to areas of our lives that need attention.



What a system!  

Could  it be more perfect?
If you were to take an audit on the stipulations listed above...where would you land? 
Are you ready to take the ride of your life?



image from sacredgeometry.com au 
Geometric formations are mathematical formulae that describe states of universal order. The various shapes have the ability to generate the same proportional systems that govern the fundamental processes of creation. Each shape contains information about the universal dynamics that issue from Source and link all levels of creation.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

The Eyes and Ears of Love






"If all you did was just look for things to appreciate you would live a joyous, spectacular life."

Abraham Hicks


It's a gray, gloomy day and you have just dragged your weary body out of bed.  Sighing, you reflect on what is waiting for your attention.

What happens next depends on the CHOICE you make about how to experience your day.

You can predict and expect a difficult scenario with a long to-do list of things you DO NOT want to do.

Or...

You can be the eyes and ears of Love, just looking for beautiful things to enjoy.


Like the shower-rain cascading down your body, waking up your sleepy skin with a splash of good-morning messages...leaving you refreshed and now wide-awake and alert...

Like the bounce of your sneakers and the comfort and warmth of your snuggly socks...

Like the allure of coffee brightly brewing just for your pleasure...

And the bed you just made with pillows fluffed and blankets smoothed, ready for your next sojourn that evening

And the scent of the freshly mowed grass of your early bird  neighbor

And the stirrings of other family beginning their preparations for the day.



Gray day or not...you have just started YOUR day with an abundant supply of beautiful  inner weather because you CHOSE to look for things to appreciate.


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  And you,  beautiful soul that you are, know that the Divine Universe loves you unconditionally and has gifted you with many simple pleasures and, therefore, you are eager to uncover, discover and revel in their glory.

You are finding everything right and beautiful and joyous in the world.
And that's YOUR spectacular life!



image from e-nidhi.com

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Can You Hear Me Now?






Don Miguel Ruiz tells us that it can be very exciting to create a masterpiece instead of the emotional drama earth dwellers so often experience.
 

Perhaps you've never thought about bringing artistry and beauty into your life.
Perhaps you feel  what's going to occur in your future is beyond your control and may not be pleasing to you.
Things will  just happen and you will be left with the JOB of reacting to them.   Hence, the origin of "emotional drama" as you may feel you will be left to deal with events you do not desire and, consequently, you express your dismay, your apprehension and anxiety and, sometimes, your utter frustration.
 

But what if you are missing something in this picture?

 
WHAT IF THESE EVENTS ARE NOT WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE? 
 

What if they occur NOT to make you the victim but to inspire you to become the best person you can be...to reveal to you something important about yourself that needs attention...to help you develop wisdom...or compassion...to help you be more generous and loving?
 

According to spiritual teacher and author Gary Zukav, there is nothing you will ever encounter in your life that is not for the healing of your soul.

If that is true (and I believe it is), we are receiving on a daily basis the subtle clues we need to recognize the path to our spiritual evolution.

 

How TUNED IN are you to these messages?

Are you aware that they can arrive from the most seemingly unimportant detail...from an offhand comment someone makes waiting in line at the store or the paragraph you read when you open up the pages of a book...
 or,
that the message may arrive from a major event... from the storm that brews when everyone in a crisis becomes reactive or the project you put so much time and effort into fails.
 
The Divine Universe is always, ALWAYS working on your behalf in the most creative and  powerful way to bring these messages to your attention...messages that ultimately contain the INSP
IRATION for your transformation.  IF you are listening. 
 


These messages may be delivered in the most unexpected ways.  And it is greatly entertaining to see how they manifest in our experience.

We can give an unconditional YES to life when we pay attention to what is happening and choose to learn the lessons contained in the circumstances and events that are being presented to us.

In doing this we weave together the GIFTS of these spiritual  sparklers tucked into the corners of our busy days and use their wisdom and love to create the masterpiece Ruiz is describing.
 
.
This awareness and attention will truly produce the joy of awakening to the mysterious and engaging "music" that is playing so lovingly and serenely by the Divine Universe in the background of our lives.



image from stushieart.com