A Tender Place

I believe there is a very tenderplace in every human heart.  A place where unconditional loveand compassion reside.  This is a gift we come into the world with but, sadly, gets clouded over from the limiting experiences we undergo.  As a result of this, it is sometimes difficult to access this beautiful oasisbecause we have all been scarred by emotional debris and are in varying stages of doing the work of clearing it out.

I believe there is a way to access this place...a way to help ourselves and to help others connect with this beautiful resource and that is by letting them know the emotions we are experiencing in our body.


So often, when we are triggered or affected by an assumption or a comment made by others, we react with stony silence or a counterattack, drawing the conclusion that we have not been supported or understood.  We feel alone… and sad… and uncared for.  But the reason we feel this way may be that we have not clearly communicated in a very primal and pure way what we are physically experiencing in that moment. 


When we choose to engage with another in a moment of upset or distress exclusively in the mode of this-is-what-you-did-to-me, we miss the opportunity to avail ourselves of a resource of great power that has the potential to bridge the chasm that we are feeling between ourselves and another...and, that is, the sharing of the raw emotions we are experiencing. 


What if when we feel upset or attacked instead of moving immediately into an expression of blame or hurt feelings, we were to take a breath and softly and gently describe the feelings that are taking hold of our body?


For example, we might make a comment such as "In this moment I feel my heart racing and my chest feels tight and I don't know why."

For some beautiful, and, I believe, spiritual reason, the nonjudgmental description of the emotions we are experiencing in that moment has an intense, transformative effect on both individuals involved in the conversation. The person describing the feelings being experienced accesses what lies beneath his surface default reaction of protecting and defending themselves. The person who hears the feelings described experiences the sharing of sacred information.  And both are transformed in that moment because they have together entered into a journey of exploring the pain that is occurring without the heavy armor of accusation, guilt and recrimination.  


In order for an experience such as this to take place, both individuals need to be prepared for it and agree to this very different response to conflict.  Perhaps an understanding can be reached during a peaceful moment to speak to each other in this manner when feeling deep distress.

There is something so intuitive, so powerful that occurs when we truly feel the stirrings...and sadness...of the human heart.  That beautiful, tender place in each of us rises up effortlessly in this epic moment for the purpose of understanding and soothing the emotions being revealed with such deep authenticity.

Whether we are the person expressing the emotions revealing themselves in our body or the person hearing them expressed by another… in this interaction, we enter into a sacred covenant of understanding and compassion, helping to heal ourselves and helping to heal another.


As simple as a soft, gentle step away from the usual fray we engage in and into a space of Divine interaction, offering and receiving the tender grace of a kind and loving heart.


                                                         Marie Helena

image from pinterest.com

When We Are Ready

 The creator gathered all of creation and said,
“I want to hide something from the humans until they are ready for it.

It is the realization that they create their own reality.”

The Eagle said, "Give it to me, i will take it to the moon."
The creator said, "No, one day they will go there and find it."
The salmon said, "I will bury it at the bottom of the ocean."
The creator said, "No, they will go there, too."
The buffalo said, "I will bury it on the great plains."
The creator said, "No, they will cut the skin of the Earth and find it even there.”
Grandmother mole, who lives in the breast of Mother earth and who has no physical eyes but sees with spiritual eyes, said, “Put it inside of them.”
And the creator said, “It is done!”

I am so excited to share this story with you.  I found it this morning in my email posted by a friend and it touched my heart so deeply.

These few, brief words give us a significant lesson about life:

The  purpose of our earth journey is to discover that we are magnificent beings with the ability to CREATE our own adventures and experiences.

We CHOOSE what we want to believe and those beliefs affect our feelings and emotions.  Those same feelings and emotions are then reflected back to us in the people and circumstances which populate our lives.


The realization of this comes when we are ready...when we have asked ourselves important questions...when we are able to view our lives as observers full of curiosity and wonder...when we look into our own hearts for answers. 


At the end of this pilgrimage lies this DISCOVERY.  

And this discovery empowers us to experience life not as victims...but as creators.  

We share this Divine gift which waits for our perception.  It is a beautiful flower, waiting to open and bring us joy. 

Cultivate your "garden"...
water your curiosity...
listen to your heart...
feel the rhythm of the universe...

and you will find yourself right in the midst of  this breathtaking bequest.

                    Marie Helena

FIDDLERS on the Roof

In the vibrant, captivating musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye and his Jewish brethren give voice so brilliantly to the longings of their heart.  

There is celebration.  There is dancing. There is toasting.  Laughter.  There is commiseration.  There is sadness.  Tears.  There is hope. 

And, most importantly, there is an embracing of reality

Tevye and his cohorts in Anatevka have found their way to this all important EMBRACE and it is sourced in their honoring of community and in the way they care for each other.

Though they live their lives steeped in the architecture of tradition, they unmistakably express themselves… they chirp, they warble, they whine, they shout.  They cantillate and croon lullabies in a metaphorical and literal manner.  They sing their joy.  They sing their misery.

They do this because SOMEONE is listening. 

In Anatevka Everyone is listening.  Listening.

There is caring. There is concern. There is COMPASSION.

In Anatevka people want to know. They want to understand. They may not agree with each other but they want to hear each other’s stories.  They are counseled by the HEART.

Is Anatevka a reminder to us of how we were created…to engage with  each other, to learn from each other, to find our way by sharing our perceptions of how to SEE our journey?

We all have a great need to be heard, understood, and loved.

Ultimately, we are all Fiddlers on the Roof in search of community, connection, and meaning.

        

                                     Marie Helena

Image from Fiddler on the Roof  (the musical Broadway poster)  Playbill Store

The Ultimate Prescription

Emotions play an important role  in helping us process what is happening in our lives.  

They enable us to take in the impact of an event, feel its significance to us and express our reaction or response. 

They carry our feelings outward...moving them out of the body,  clearing any emotional residue and purging us of emotional toxicity that might be hiding inside us.
 

But there is an even MORE POWERFUL function of emotions that we experience in our life. 

Regardless of the kind of emotions we are feeling, they are all doing HUGE WORK in strengthening…or weakening the body.

Rhonda Byrne, author of  The Power  tells us that, "Every feeling you have saturates every cell and organ in your entire body."  

If you are radiating love, "you receive the full force of health through your body at an astounding rate."
 
On the other hand, Byrne tells us that  tension from anger, fear, stress, etc. causes your nerves, cells and blood vessels to contract, “changing the vital chemical production in your body...all of which reduces the force of your health.”


LOVE appears to be THE ULTIMATE PRESCRIPTION  for strengthening and protecting  the immune system and every cell in the  body. 

This means that WE CONTROL THE STATE OF OUR HEALTH by what we choose to believe and, therefore, feel (through the force of our emotions).


We DO NOT have to stay programmed to any beliefs we have been taught that violate what is in our hearts, our intuition, our instincts.  All that we have to do is stay true to our authentic selves by recognizing, acknowledging and speaking our truth. 

This includes accepting and acknowledging ALL that we feel, including the troubling emotions. 

It includes giving them a voice (actually BEING their voice) so they can be heard and embraced by us. 

By not denying these emotions, by not chasing them back into the shadows we are LOVING WHAT IS and, because we let ourselves love what is within us, we naturally extend that love to all that is around us.



iT IS MY BELIEF THAT WE NEED TO COURAGEOUSLY CONSULT OUR HEARTS, MAKING THEM OUR FINAL AUTHORITY IN ALL OF OUR DECISIONS. 

In doing this we will feel the beautiful freedomof designing/embracing our own life journey and will be inspired to choose the universal path of caring and love.  


This path CAN be our legacy if we are not impeded by a compelling need to meet another's expectations at the cost of our own honor.



Nature is Divinely designed to serve us and reward our self honoring and consequent outpouring of love by taking BEAUTIFUL care of our health and vitality. 


To achieve this,
LOVING and ACCEPTING OURSELVES 
are the ultimate prescription.

                              Marie Helena



image courtesy of ClipartHeaven.com

On the Way to the Light

 

There is a vase of flowers sitting on my desk. Baby white carnations. In a very tall, (actually, too tall) glass vase with a square opening. The interesting thing about the arrangement is that most of the flowers peek out the top a few inches and a few of the flowers, the shorter ones, are actually under the water.

The carnations crowning the vase are expressing their joy and enthusiasm, coexisting together, sharing their “home”, brushing one another’s petals…making the bouquet even more radiant.. They look like love expressing itself.

The carnations under the water level seem to be nourished by the liquid around them which is clear and translucent and seems to be holding some mysterious message. It’s as if they are exactly where they need to be and are getting just what is required for them at this moment in time. Their stems touch the bottom of the vase just as do the taller ones…each flower is grounded, regardless of its placement.

I can’t help but feel there is a lesson here.

On our way to the top of the vase where we shine in all of our glory…we may well need to stop and be nourished by the water of others’ kindness. We may need to be open to receiving the care often given to us with such love and compassion. 

I think sometimes we don’t recognize that we need to be immersed in the water or even that someone is providing it for us…but it is life-giving and sopowerful…a step  on the way to the Light.

Perhaps, like the flowers, we need to pause in our day, experience our thirst, let ourselves be satiated and recognize who is sustaining us with this beautiful gift.

                       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 

The BLOSSOMING of Our Lives

 

The BLOSSOMING of Our Lives

You are all as much extraordinary phenomena of nature as say trees, clouds, the patterns in running water, the shape of fire, the form of the galaxy.                           

Alan Watts
                                                   


We have all become so very adept at noticing what is "wrong" with ourselves...that we're not quite good enough...that we fret and worry...we make mistakes, poor choices ...have lapses in judgment.  And this is because we have all been, as Alan Watts puts it, "bamboozled" into attempting to live up to others' values and expectations instead of finding our own path to paradise.


But, you know how soulfully we revere aflower...

which breaks the earth when it is ready in sleepy nods, 
stretches to the sky under the watchful eye of the sun and beautiful breezes,
blossoms open in perfect resonance with nature's invitation,
generously releases its delicate scent upon the surrounding spectators...


Watts says we are every bit as extraordinaryas that gorgeous phenomenon of floral magnificence...doing its thing...BEing a flower... 

as WE authentically act from deep within our own hearts.



We do not judge the flower for its flower"ness" nor criticize its moves.  There is no floral bashing.  Nothing for the flower to be chastised for.

A flower is what it is...a flower.  And a flower does what flowers do.

And Watts is saying that WE ARE what we are...physical specimens, human beings...and WE DO what human beings do.  We sing, we play, we strive, we stumble, we rejoice, we grieve and it is...all of it...our Journey. 

Our wonderful, magnificent Journey!



Whatever we are doing…it’s part of what’s going on and Watts says it’s Time to Wake Up to this and adapt the Japanese concept of Judo which means The Gentle Way.  

Watts advises...Do not condemn, criticize, judge yourself…but rather accept that this is part of the flow.  Accept this. In Watts' words...Go along with it.  Go along with it.


And, while we are doing what humans do, while we are BEing extraordinary phenomena of nature, I feel we need to celebrate ourselves...all of us...all of ourmoves...every one...

for in those moves we are growing, shedding,embracing, becoming, remembering...doing what we do...as do the flowers, the trees, the clouds, water, fire, the galaxy.


The moves we make are not missteps though we may perceive them to be. 

They are the unfolding...and, in some cases....the unraveling...they are 
The BLOSSOMING of Our Lives...and they are, every step in every direction, magnificent opportunities for our evolution.



WE are a manifestation of the Journey to beauty and joy and truth...

and every move we make in the direction of that glorious goal is what we are innately designed to do...grow...learn...and...Love.

                           Marie Helena 




image from sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com

Cutting Edge: The Calling

A few weeks ago my podiatrist shared a fascinating anecdote with me during a routine office visit.  We love to have our chats together and. on this particular day, I found myself immensely inspired by something he told me. 


It seems the doc was having a meal alone one evening in a restaurant when he was invited by an acquaintance to join him and four other friends at another table.  Now the interesting thing about this is that the five gentlemen who were sitting together were all very conservative in their beliefs and my podiatrist leans way in the other direction.  


The subjects discussed by the group during the lengthy conversation which took place  that evening were religion and politics...a red flag zone if ever I'd heard one.  But the doc told me that just as the conversation opened, he announced that he does not argue religion or politics.  He just discusses them in order to understand others' points of view.  

 
I was intrigued as I heard his no arguing stipulation and wondered how the conversation had evolved after he made that statement.  With the most delighted demeanor,  the doc informed me that the conversation that ensued (with him on one side and the five gentlemen on the other) had been enlightening and stimulating and gentlemanly in tone.  And, as the doc departed the gathering one and a half hours later, he was informed by group members that he had presented thoughts and ideas they had never considered before.  



Wow...I thought.  And WOW again!


What a profound result had occurred that day from the very sincere declaration of the doc, "I don't argue religion or politics." 

I wondered...
What if no one "argued" religion or politics...or anything else for that matter?  What if we talked to each other to learn about what others believe and why and how their beliefs have affected their lives? What if we listened to what others said without feeling threatened or intimidated?  What if we had nothing to prove and, possibly, something to learn from hearing other points of view?


The world would surely be a very different place than the way it is right now.  It would more closely resemble a gathering of curious scholars and philosophers than often being the hotbed it is of arguments and disputes that sometimes culminate in unrest, injury and violence.


Why do we have a need to compel or persuade others to "see things our way"?  Why is it so threatening to us that others reject our beliefs?  Why do we need to see OUR ideas prevail? And why are some of us sometimes willing to inflict mental, emotional or physical injury on those who do not share our views?  

Have we not come to this earthly dimension to learn, to experience, to discover for ourselves what there is to know?  And are we not gifted with the company and comradeship of other earth travelers who are also here to discover FOR THEMSELVES what there is to know? Why argue with each other when everyone has been given this same calling?  Why not stay open to learning what has been noticed, accepted, embraced and assimilated by others and try to understand what they have learned that has felt so important and appealing to them?


"I do not argue.  I discuss so I can understand."  

 
Can you imagine the wealth of sharing and mutual support that would take place if every man clearly embraced his highest calling "to understand"...perhaps one of the most powerful and needed changes that could ever occur on our planet!


                                       Marie Helena


image from pinterest.com

Divine Feminine Energy

 

As we celebrate the beautiful occasion of  Mother's Day, my thoughts are drawn to the power and beauty and significance of Love as it is expressed in Divine feminine energy.  This beautiful Grace which streams so elegantly from the hearts of women.  Such an exquisite blessing.  It seems to be their birthright . . . their gift to the world.

Somehow, women intuitively know that when someone is experiencing pain, in that moment there is nothing more powerful, more healing than for that person to feel understood.  To have someone mirror back to them an understanding of the intensity of their pain or distress and how it is affecting them.

This essential longing to be understood is a vital part of the human condition.  Without this loving kindness it is difficult for an individual to move forward into an acknowledgment of what is transpiring.  And, without that acknowledgment, that acceptance, it is impossible to move through the experience to the other side. . . . to the peace that comes through Surrender.

The feminine heart holds the key to the unfolding of this process.  We are all so in need of this exquisite form of compassion.  When we receive it, we find the energy to lead ourselves through the dark night of the soul.  This precious feminine offering is the antidote to loneliness, to abandonment.  It promotes caring, a sense of safety, connection.

Because our world is changing and evolving it is wonderful to note that feminine energy is now being expressed by males as well. And, in return, masculine energy is leading by example the demonstration of the importance and value of steadfastness and devotion.

How wonderful that we an all minister to each other, sharing the precious and pleasing endowments of our earthly lives!


                                                                      Marie Helena

                                                             
image on Pinterest
Joyce Hicks watercolor

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