The Spiritual Path

“Your life, all of your life, is your path to awakening. By resisting or not dealing with its challenges, you stay asleep to reality. Pay attention to what life is trying to reveal to you. Say yes to its fierce, ruthless, and loving grace.”
~Adyashanti~
Lessons will present themselves over and over until we no longer need them. The sheer repetitiveness of this process provides the opportunity to utilize the tools we have cultivated while recognizing our ability to overcome the challenges that arise. Eventually, the repetitive pattern dissolves and leaves our life experience. This is the indicator of a breakthrough.
The awakening spirit will often be in the midst of intense circumstances and suddenly realize they are facing the challenge more consciously than ever before. This surge of awareness brings with it a sense of gratitude, humor and empowerment.
Awakening is the process of releasing the things that block us from seeing clearly. Know that you are right where you need to be. Be patient with the pace of change you are experiencing because it’s likely far more profound than you realize.

The Miracle of Gratitude

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~Meister Eckhart~

As we learn to transcend the mechanics of the ego and rise above thought, we are able to recognize the sacredness in life and within ourselves. All that you see is a reflection of your current state of consciousness; therefore, choose to periodically remove yourself from outside distraction and just be. Experience the beauty of life without mental chatter. Immerse yourself in the magic of the present moment and feel the love that rains down upon you from all dimensions.

When we consciously spend time communing with nature in this manner, our energy is replenished. The stresses of the day become less important as simple gratitude transforms the mundane into the sacred. The small, ordinary things of life become vehicles of spiritual awakening. The laugh of a child, the love of a dog, clouds creating pictures in the sky, a flower opening to receive the warmth of the sun… everything is the voice of the Divine. Recognizing this, you are enlightened.

Dreaming a New World Into Being

“It is only in our thoughts that ideas, beliefs and problems become solid, dark and unyielding. Reality itself is moveable, light, ever-changing. In our minds we seem trapped, in reality we are utterly free.”
~Ezra Bayda~

Your sacred dream should be one that brings new movement into your life experience. Try this exercise from The Heart of the Shaman by Alberto Villoldo: Write a fairy tale that begins with “Once upon a time…” and include in it a prince or princess, a warrior (or warrioress), and a dragon.

Be playful and see where your imagination takes you. There will be messages within it from your subconscious. Observe what gifts and traps you discover. You may gain wonderful insight about where you are on your journey and what you can create next, as well as clarity about possible pitfalls that need to be cleared as you move forward.

In each and every moment we are dreaming a new world into being. When we aren’t guiding the dream consciously, we struggle within the collective energy of fear and limitation. You can shift your experiences with grace and courage and bring forth a new reality of joy from the matrix of creation.

It is said that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it. As you become more conscious, your choices will be more conducive to a peaceful state of mind. You can choose to bring a new energy into your life’s story. Let your awareness awaken and inspire you. It will open a world of abundance, wisdom and empowerment.

 

Living a Passionate Life

“Jump into the river, that is the only way to know life. Jump into the river. Never be a spectator. The spectator is the poorest person in the world.”
~Osho~

This planet is the only place to explore the nuances of human experience. While many tend to create opinions and judgments that dictate how they participate in life, the spiritual seeker understands that everything has the potential to teach and desires only to expand their awareness.

Has your life been a celebration? Do your choices create or reinforce a bubble of limitation in your viewpoints and beliefs or can you recognize everyone who graces your experience as a teacher? No matter what you choose to do, immerse yourself within it. If it has virtue for you, it will become a facet of your infinite beauty. If not, you will emerge wiser, stronger and more compassionate.

Being fully present with the totality of life brings freedom. There is no worry, no judgment… only the expansiveness of an infinite divine spirit exploring the beauty that only earth-bound experience has to offer.

Celtic Vows of Friendship

“May you be blessed with good friends,
And learn to be a good friend to yourself,
Journeying to that place in your soul where
There is love, warmth and feeling.
May this change you.”
~John O’Donohue~

Relationships offer fertile ground for spiritual practice. When in doubt as to the appropriate action or response, utilize the Celtic vows of friendship. Ask yourself, “Am I honoring his or her path as sacred?” The key is to allow enough space for each person to thrive while offering love and support.

“I am not subject to disappointment…” Most people respond to that line in the Celtic Vows with a gut reaction that says “That’s hard!” However, sometimes not getting what we want can become the greatest teacher of all. The level of disappointment one feels in a given situation indicates the level of attachment. This is always self-created.
Once you notice feelings of disappointment arise, observe them – their intensity, the inner story that accompanies the feelings and your response. In that moment, the conscious spiritual seeker can pivot and re-frame their internal dialogue, thus freeing themselves and finding joy in the present moment.
Bring the gift of quiet acceptance into your life experiences and discover a new way of being in the world. Your empowered responses will send waves of light outward where they will gather and most certainly return in beautiful and unexpected ways.

Awakening

“The willingness to simply rest in the physical experience of your life is the key to spiritual transformation.”
~Ezra Bayda
~

Everything in your life experience provides an opportunity to grow. The physical world is a canvas and upon it, you can create whatever you wish.
You may discover that each time you focus on addressing a particular area of healing, you begin to see the pattern of it everywhere. For instance: you seek to cultivate stronger self-esteem. All of a sudden it may feel that you’re under attack – others are unkind, demand too much from you or have no empathy for your feelings. These frustrations are not obstacles on your path – they are your path. The only way to address them is to go within, know your value and seek to address each situation with grace and empowerment in order to rise above. This is the process of growth.
Begin with daily efforts to be more aware. Bring a willingness to see clearly and consistently practice everywhere you can. Your awareness alters and transforms the experience until one day you notice that you are handling situations that previously disrupted your joy… and handling them very well. You have set yourself free from an old pattern of conditioning and emerged into an arena of unlimited possibility.

 

Expand Your Vision

“If you have put yourself into a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.”
~Les Brown~

Something magical happens when we look at life from a higher perspective. The path of the spiritual seeker is to consistently leave the past behind in order to reside fully within the present moment. Beyond the mechanisms of the mind – thoughts, opinions, confusion, stories, histories and other facades – there is great potential and power; however, the ego often distracts us from seeing clearly.

Each level of consciousness creates a filter through which we interpret our experiences. Someone who vibrates at the level of Fear or Anger will consistently create blockages or problems where none actually exist. One exercise is to write out a brief synopsis of a current challenge as interpreted by the ego. Then, create a new interpretation from the highest levels of consciousness you can imagine, and finally create a few more somewhere in the middle. This will help you to expand your vision while cultivating compassion for those who struggle with their own limited perceptions.

Cultivate the art of looking at life’s circumstances from the highest perspective possible. Your first reaction or mental position is simply the beginning of a spiritual breakthrough. Take a step back and see how your vision changes.

 

Go Within

“During my life journey I’ve discovered an interesting thing; once you stop seeking outside you discover what already resides within.”
~Rasheed Ogunlaru~

Whenever an imbalance is encountered, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual malaise, realize that the answer lies within you. Most people have heard that phrase hundreds, if not thousands, of times on their unique journey without exploring the true depth of that concept.

In silence, we create a space in which transformation can occur. Whenever you find yourself running in circles, trying to fix something in your life situation, feeling overwhelmed by stress or trapped in a repetitive relationship challenge, notice the simple fact that you are looking outside of yourSelf for inner peace and purposely shift into present moment consciousness.

You can create love, prosperity, flow, joy, movement or peace in your human experience by recognizing the old patterns that have been limiting you. Go within… love, listen, act… knowing all that you need is already here. When you choose to appreciate the little things in life that bring you joy, you create a connection to your inner knowledge and enhance your ability to listen. The direction and insight you seek will arise quietly from within.

Love, Light and Laughter

“You are a divine being. You matter, you count. You come from realms of unimaginable power and light, and you will return to those realms.”
~Terence McKenna~

Love lies at the core of everything. It awakens joy in the present moment and allows us to walk in gratitude, even during times of great challenge and transformation. Love shines the light of consciousness onto situations that the uninitiated deem “wrong” and cultivates compassion for those who need it the most.

Considered in this manner, you are love. There is nothing to seek, only layers of false belief to release. Moment by moment we draw closer to the truth of who we are and what we have come here to do. Nothing matters more than your state of consciousness. When you can find your way back to love, your decisions will resonate with powerful energy and intention. If you stumble along the way, take a moment to laugh, dust yourself off and take another step forward.

In those moments when the voice of doubt creeps in, know that you’re not alone. This is the illusion of the human condition. We have created a playground so vast and so all-encompassing that it takes over our senses on occasion, causing us to forget our true Divine and infinite nature.

Be observant of your thoughts today, perhaps keeping track of how many are kind and supportive and how many are trapped in limitation. Even if you only balance the scales in favor of love at 51%, it’s enough to overcome negativity and shift the world around you.

Stillness

“When you lose touch with inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world.”
~Eckhart Tolle~
Awareness brings a new type of energy to any situation. We cannot control other people or the events of life as they unfold. We can, however, control how we choose to respond to them. The quickest way to a healthy, conscious experience is to cultivate peacefulness and balance before challenges arise. Make inner stillness a priority. Slow down, breathe, observe. When the ego demands that you react or opine, purposely choose to move into mindfulness, acceptance and compassion prior to taking action.
In the midst a cacophony, stillness can be accessed by dropping resistance to the chaos. Your acceptance is another gateway into stillness. As you practice being at peace with what is, you’ll discover new depths of perception and serenity. In every moment you have a choice, accept or reject. Whether pleasant or not, what is, is. Rejection takes us out of the stillness of the present moment while acceptance takes us deeper into it.
You are a source of love and light in the world. When things are quiet, stop and take a moment to actively listen to the silence and it will awaken your inner peace. Nature provides wonderful opportunities to connect with the present moment through stillness – let your awareness rest upon a flower, a tree, a stone, and allow them to teach you.