Month: January 2020

  • Seeking the Next Level of Consciousness

    There are infinite levels of experience and consciousness to explore.

    \”Rare is it to be born a human being, rarer still to have heard of Enlightenment, and even rarer still to pursue it.\”  
    ~Buddha~

    Consistency, will and devotion are the most important aspects of inner transformation. Like water which slowly erodes rock, purposeful spiritual work eventually transforms one\’s life situation and perception, opening the way to new levels of consciousness.

    While moments of clarity and ecstasy often pivot our direction or awaken us from the sleep of illusion, it is the daily application of spiritual truths that creates a permanent foundation from which to work.

    You are more powerful than you realize. Your words, thoughts and beliefs create your reality; therefore, observe them to ensure that the energy you add to your experience supports your growth rather than reinforcing any situation which appears to be blocking your joy.

    At first, nothing may appear to change and indeed, things may seem to get worse. This often happens when we place our attention upon an aspect of our life experience or personality that we would like to shift. Resistance to change is an indicator that something profound is getting ready to unfold. Since all transformation begins within, find the tools that work for you and make them a priority in your life. Change will naturally unfold.

  • Dissolving Ego

    Give up all desire, demands and expectation and what remains? The joy of being.
    \”If the only teacher you have is your suffering, you will need a substantial dose of it for the ego to dissolve. But if the power of spiritual teaching is already at work, then a minor event can dissolve the ego.\”  
    ~Eckhart Tolle~

    Anything can be the impetus for dramatic change. The evolution of your soul is in progress and all that is required is to immerse oneself deeply within the present moment. There is nothing to learn, nothing to attain… just be.

    Who would you be without the dramas of your life? What lies beneath thought generated fear? Peace resides just beyond the illusions of the mind. Without distraction, you can begin to access the limitless possibilities of being and live as a unique expression of the Divine.

    The source of all joy and peace resides within you. Set an intention today to allow the ego to dissolve. Do not try to remove it, just allow. Observe what arises. You are not the thoughts nor the content of your experience. You are the awareness. You are expanding. You are love.

  • The Road Less Traveled

    The moment you choose to live for yourself instead of conforming to society\’s expectations and demands, you set yourself free.
    Follow your joy.
    \”Be fearless. Have the courage to take risks. Go where there are no guarantees. Get out of your comfort zone even if it means being uncomfortable. The road less traveled is sometimes fraught with barricades, bumps and uncharted terrain. But it is on that road where your character is truly tested. And have the courage to accept that you’re not perfect – nothing is and no one is – and that’s OK.\”  
    ~Katy Couric~

    Your journey is unique. There is no roadmap and ultimately there are no guarantees. Every situation offers an opportunity to succeed or to learn; therefore, there is no way that you can fail, for even the most daunting of challenges will leave you transformed.

    The unexpected delights instigated by meeting new friends or rediscovering soulmates combined with the excitement of cultivating the less used facets of the Self make everyday an adventure. People you meet may walk with you for a moment or for a lifetime. Enjoy the moments of love, support and connection.

    Choose to bring a sense of acceptance, wonder, humor and trust to your exploration. Be grateful for the adventure – you may never pass this way again.

  • Facing Challenges

    Honor your challenges. They will bring out the best in you.

    \”Seek the wisdom that will untie your knot. Seek the path that demands your whole being.\”  
    ~Rumi~

    Our collective purpose is to awaken by consciously facing our challenges. Together we create paradoxes, engage in karmic contracts and learn to rise above perceived limitation. The threads that bind us together create a beautiful tapestry – messy on one side, artistry on the other.

    No matter what you face, know that it works toward your highest good and the highest good for all involved. Each of us must play our part according to the role chosen for this lifetime, current level of consciousness and the prompting of the heart. There are no mistakes and everything serves a higher purpose.

    You are perfect in your imperfection. Bring presence to your interactions and allow them to teach you something new. Honor your path as sacred, for it is ultimately leading you home.

  • Lead Gently

    Be receptive and allow others to find their own path.

    \”Imagine yourself as the great ocean that allows and encourages the smaller streams to come to you.\”  
    ~Wayne Dyer~

    In your interactions, even when you may feel that you know best because of your experience, beliefs, state of consciousness or knowledge, choose to lead with humility. The Tao te Ching teaches that we should be like the ocean – remaining low, receptive and accepting.

    The consistent use of these energies encourages others to come toward us. Rather than operating from ego or impatience, we can cultivate the ability to lead gently. This allows those who grace our lives to learn at their own pace and work through their unique interpretations of their life experience. Ultimately there is no right way to awaken. Each much carve his or her own path back to the Source.

    Practice receptivity. Without thoughts of when or how, await what flows to you with an open heart.

  • Awakened Living

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    Be willing to explore the hidden facets of yourself.

    \”When the energy is dancing in you, in unison, in a deep harmony, in rhythm and flow, you become a blessing to the world.\”  
    ~Osho~

    The more you share, the more you have. Sharing becomes a vibrant, life-affirming energy that creates expansion in your own experience. This celebration of life brings a loving playfulness to your life situations.

    Give without attachment. Awakened living calls upon us to see life as an adventure, allowing the energy of the Divine to flow unimpeded through us as we open to a higher consciousness.

    You are an infinite being filled with unlimited potential and possibility. The next moment can bring an insight that changes everything. Drop predictability, risk all and know that everything in your experience is leading you to greater understanding and compassion.

  • Release all desire

    Release all desire and what remains? Pure joy in the present moment.

    \”When the grace of love is revealed, be a mirror to reflect it.\”  
    ~Rumi~

    The mind craves. It plans, regrets, projects and desires. The thoughts that play in the background of our lives distract us from experiencing all that the present moment has to offer.

    When we choose to experience life as it is, the mundane is seen as extraordinary. The worldly becomes sacred. Challenges transform into inner wisdom and grace. You can create this in your life. Begin now, with what you have from where you are. By residing fully in whatever unfolds without the desire that it be any different, you enter a space in which transformation can occur.

    Practice simple joy in this moment. Find something which soothes your soul. Give it your full attention. Express gratitude. Your true nature is joy.

  • Healthy Relationships

    Acceptance is an act of love.

    “The spiritual practice of relationships is about working on ourselves only, freeing ourselves from the constricting grip of our own unhappiness. It is not the other person’s job to take our unhappiness away; our discomfort is our own responsibility. Attending to our spiritual tasks – seeing our judgments, opinions, beliefs, demands, and staying present with the fears out of which they all arise – frees others to move toward us. Then, when they no longer feel the need to defend, they become more willing to take care of their job. Thus joy in relationships becomes possible.”                          ~Ezra Bayda~

    Every relationship in your life, no matter how fleeting, provides an opportunity to practice loving, healthy interactions. The more proficient you become, the more peace you experience in your day-to-day life. When others become lost in the grip of ego, your balance and equanimity can transform even the most challenging of situations into spatial awareness.

    How would your experiences change if you were not subject to disappointment? What would it take to simply allow those who grace your life to grow at their own pace while offering acceptance, love and support for their journey? These states of higher consciousness are more easily accessed when you are free of expectation.

    Encircle the world with your love. Small, consistent kindnesses can spark the light of consciousness to awaken. Everyone and everything is our teacher.

  • Patience

    You will encounter moments of tremendous insight and growth interspersed with moments of disruption and confusion. Be patient with the process of your awakening.

    \”Expecting an epiphany – some single moment of insight that will forever banish the experience of fear, anger, neediness – may prevent us from noticing the slow and almost imperceptible ways spiritual practice subtly transforms us. With patience and perseverance, our habitual reactive patterns slowly erode, until one day we find ourselves in a situation that had always made us anxious – and we notice the anxiety is simply gone.\”
    ~Ezra Bayda~

    Impatience is a tremendous barrier on the road of transformation. We must retrain ourselves to slow down and be a loving witness to the illumination of the spirit. Practice seeing beyond the roles that people play with the understanding that love is the bridge that connects us.

    Let nature teach you her ways. Observe her persistence and resilience as the seasons change. Trees exist in perpetual grace, beginning as the tiniest of seeds and eventually reaching toward the sky. Flowers bloom and die, sharing their beauty, scent and promise of new life.

    Your journey of awakening is the same. It has taken lifetimes for you to reach this moment, and no matter how far you have come, you have barely scratched the surface of the true meaning of infinite possibility. Give yourself time to explore, to feel, to experience. Immerse yourself within the present moment and be open to receive the love, light and laughter of the universe.

  • Being Present with Emotion

    Our varied responses to life and to one another can be used as vehicles of awakening.
    \”Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.\”
    ~Eckhart Tolle~

    Whatever happens in your experience is precisely what is needed for the next steps of your spiritual growth. The highs and lows of life awaken deeper aspects of your inner wisdom. When you can be fully present within the circumstances of your life situation and consciously reside in the energy which unfolds, you will be able to face the shadows and emerge strengthened.

    Moment of challenge are absolutely required in order to bring limiting beliefs to the surface. In those moments, utilize conscious breath to clear the mind and simply observe what is. The light of your conscious awareness transforms all that it shines upon and awareness is the first step of change.

    The more aware you become of habitual patterns, limiting thoughts and reactivity, the less control these things will have in your experience. Initially they may seem overwhelming; however, as your spiritual journey progresses, you\’ll process through them more and more quickly until you find that you have set yourself free.