What adventures lie ahead? Miracles await discovery, new dimensions are waiting to be explored and unfound facets of your personality are ready to shine. When we choose to see infinite possibility in the world around us, life becomes a mystery to be lived rather than a business to be managed. If there is one change you wish to make as this new year unfolds, let it be that you become more aware of any limiting thoughts and words and make a conscious decision to make joy the top priority in your life.

Limiting behavior includes complaining… if something bothers you, change it. If it cannot be changed, change your response to it. Whatever we put our energy into grows stronger, so complaining in any form is an act of self sabotage – it robs you of joy in the present moment. Certainly things will arise that can inspire us to shift consciousness. As soon as you notice the desire to mention how something bothers you, take a moment to go into silence. Ask yourself if you have the power to change the situation. If the answer is yes, make the conscious choice to speak about the solution or new approach rather than the problem itself. If the answer is no, become aware of the ego’s desire to speak and begin the process of moving into acceptance. This process will transform your life and your experience in magnificent ways.

Today my intention is to love what is.

Now is the time to recognize whether or not you allow yourself the extraordinary gift of being at ease with who you are and where you are. All of existence wishes to welcome you – the moon and stars, the earth and all her creatures, the rocks and mountains and waters are our brothers and sisters. In this dance of life it’s important to take a moment to be at ease in the present moment. Take the time to savor the exquisite tastes and textures of life in your own unique way.

In my area of the world the wind is blowing tonight. Great gusts of pure energy at once seem to test and cleanse as I reside safe and warm in my sacred space. So it is with life – we have the ability to create a sacred space within us that provides shelter throughout the storms of experience. Each of us, as divine and infinite beings, has a dignity that blends with that of existence itself. We are the vehicle through which the Divine tastes the physical world and love falls upon us from all directions.

Challenge yourself to become aware of what you may be clinging to – does your strength come from within or from a perceived fortress of safety around you? Loosen your grip and discover the freedom and expansiveness that sharing can bring. This is the moment to become one with life.

Today my intention is to be open to the creativity that wishes to express itself through me. I am willing to step into union with the Divine, comfortable in the mystery of existence.

Each of us chooses to come to this planet to accomplish the same thing – to awaken to the divinity of Being and the Oneness that connects us all. All of existence weaves together in a tapestry of experience, lessons, insight and awareness that will guide you throughout this process of awakening. There is a primary inner purpose – to awaken, and a secondary outer purpose – whatever role you have chosen as the vehicle for that awakening. For some this means family, for others it may be teaching, artistry, healing, building… thankfully, there are infinite ways to live in one’s truth while remaining aligned with our inner purpose.

When you place more importance upon the outer purpose (the transitory experience of this lifetime), the inner purpose suffers. This often creates repetitive patterns and blockages that plague us until we clear them and return to the true purpose of our earthly experience. There is nothing more important than your state of consciousness in the present moment. All joy, clarity and freedom come from this state of inner balance and flow into all that we choose to do.

“Your entire life’s journey ultimately consists of the step you are taking in this moment… This step is primary, the destination secondary. And what you encounter at your destination once you get there depends on the quality of this one step.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

Today my intention is to take one more conscious step forward.

Guilt is one of the most destructive energies in the Universe. It steals the joy from the present moment and blocks one’s ability to be happy. It is quite one thing to feel badly when we have wronged another or missed the mark, seeking to redress the imbalance and put things right, if possible; however, extended guilt (getting lost in the story) creates clouds of self-doubt and feelings of worthlessness that lead to self punishment… usually in all sorts of creative ways.

While we all ultimately seek mastery and perfection, it’s important to remember that you have always done the best you could with the knowledge, soul experience and insight you had at the time. This is true of everyone. Part of the process of spiritual evolution is to learn from our mistakes, move forward and approach similar situations with a greater degree of consciousness the next time they come around.

The seeds planted by experience take time to mature and grow. Be patient with the process of your awakening. The world has forgotten the beauty of patience. There are many ways to connect to the power of peace within the present moment such as gratitude, meditation or fully immersing yourself in conscious breath work or loving action. Seek beauty and balance in the midst of every step of the process: action, patience, integration. In the silence, the seeds of transformation continue to grow and the flame of awareness will guide your journey.

Today my intention is to seek the Divine in everything. This moment is sacred and I will allow my mind and thoughts to enhance my life.

When we forget that the mind is simply a tool and allow it to dictate the flow of our lives, we allow its judgments and opinions to block our ability to receive all the good this world has to offer. The fathomless beauty of experience needs space to explore. Intuition, compassion, kindness and acceptance dissolve the obstacles we carry within us. As we immerse ourselves in the flow of experience with no expectations, no demands, we find it easier to experience gratitude and enthusiasm for whatever life brings.

Listening is one of the best ways to control the antics of the mind. It allows us to enter the sacred space of the Divine, momentarily forgetting about the “little self” and our attachment to the false illusions of the role we play in this lifetime. This Yin, this beautiful receptivity opens the crown chakra and creates a space in which a transformation can occur.

No matter what you choose to do, whatever your preferences, simply approach the present moment with the wonder of a child. Trust the process of life knowing that ultimately it will lead you to your highest good. Every moment provides a wonderful new opportunity to become more of who you are.

Today my intention is to remember that the present moment contains a doorway to the Divine. I am willing be still and receptive.

Almost all challenges in relationships come from wanting people (or the situations in which we are entwined) to be different from what they are. Yet relationships offer a powerful space in which we can do our spiritual work. When your soul is ready to work on healing a particular aspect – worthiness, judgment, fear, self-image – an energy is sent out like a beacon in the night. On a soul level we call for someone to assist us in our endeavor. The souls who respond will then enter your life and play the required role in order to bring up the issue that is ready to be experienced and released. Those who challenge us the most on the physical plane love us the most on the spiritual plane. These soul mates are willing to risk losing your love in this lifetime in order to help you to accomplish your soul’s mission… and often we do run from these situations until we recognize the pattern, go within and create a space in which a transformation can occur.

Once the outmoded pattern has been released or the limiting thought rejected, we will no longer have a need to draw in challenges of that particular nature. Then our relationships become mirrors, reflecting our growth, and we celebrate with one another in the joyful dance of awakening. All of life provides exactly what is needed for your soul’s evolution.

Today my intention is to remember that I am loved beyond measure… and always have been. I am grateful for every moment that has brought me here Now.

There are many ways to live in the world and still be happy. It begins with the choice to do so. Each of us has chosen a particular aspect to work on this time around and once we understand the role we chose when writing the basic blueprint of this incarnation, we can choose to live life in alignment with that goal. They are:

• Growth – the spiritual seeker experiences a series of challenges and obstacles to experience in order to evolve more quickly. These souls want to pack as much learning as possible into this particular lifetime
• Re-evaluation – one chooses to focus on one or two issues. This limits the scope of their experience and is a very inner-directed goal
• Acceptance – the life-long issues for these people are related to being accepted by others and learning to be accepting within their own life
• Discrimination – situations occur in order to cultivate the ability to choose what one wants or does not want in one’s experience. These souls may have had a series of recent lifetimes of being overly accepting and are now working on breaking free from that pattern
• Dominance – these souls see life as a win or lose game. They are driven to overcome personal challenges or lead others and prefer to be in control
• Submission – provides experiences in which the spiritual seeker can be totally supportive of another person or group in order to feel fulfilled
• Relaxation – these souls arrange a life in which they can relax and go with the flow. Usually used to recuperate after a series of difficult lifetimes

Spiritual awakening is not a “one size fits all” experience. In different lifetimes we choose different roles and none is better or more evolved than another. Teachers who have mastered their particular goal for this life can effectively teach others who have chosen the same role. It’s important to remember that we must honor each path as sacred. A person with a role of Dominance will think that ‘going with the flow’ is poor advice (and for them it is). An understanding of roles (both our own and others) can help us cultivate unconditional love and acceptance as we walk our own journey of awakening.

Today my intention is to accept myself and create peace in my heart.

One of the most beautiful aspects of spiritual awakening is the discovery of one’s own power. In each moment we have a choice. We can flow with the events that unfold or fight against them. We can accept others as they are or try to change them. We can get lost in the stories of the mind or learn to rise above them. Whether engaged in healing or bliss, you are right where you need to be. This Verbal Chakra Balance is an effective way to keep mind, body and spirit in alignment:

• Today I am willing to accept a miracle…
• to see clearly
• communicate effectively
• love unconditionally (beginning with myself)
• project the aura of a goddess
• embrace my beauty, creativity and the joy of being
• walk my talk and speak my truth with integrity

Today, let me be masterful, magical, powerful and peaceful. Let me be an authentic example of unconditional love and acceptance. Let me be a loving reflection of the peace and Presence in others.

Our words have power. When you choose to begin your day with gratitude and consciously set an intention, that energy flows out into the Universe with great intensity, only to return in magnificent ways. We discover the many opportunities to put these desires into practice while expanding our awareness. This is the moment of transformation.

It has often been said that the only constant in life is change itself. We continually move through cycles of transformation – birth and death, beginnings and endings, love and hate, health and imbalance – flowing through the experience of opposites in a vast, exquisite pattern of movement as part of our evolution. Everything plays a role in this dance of awakening and the more centered we become, the easier it is to reside at the core of this energy, peaceful… knowing that “this too shall pass”.

Life repeats itself. Patterns replay until we become mindful enough to shift the paradigm of our belief and expectations. One of the most powerful aspects of spiritual awakening is the joy of finding the flow of ease and joy in the midst of our human experience. This comes from discovering and cultivating trust in your inner guidance. It speaks in whispers, gently reminding you that you can feel more balanced, whole and integrated if you so choose.

In a darkened room any light, no matter how small, will transform everything. Find the source of light within yourself and allow it to guide you through the mazes of the mind into a space of connection with the Divine. There is more joy that you can imagine… and it waits to make your life radiant with blessings.

Today my intention is to love who I am and reward myself with thoughts of praise and support.

Periodically, we are offered a glimpse into the eternity of our existence. These moments of understanding are meant to reveal karmic patterns so that we may break free from repetitive cycles that no longer serve our spiritual growth. The events of your life are often a replay of lessons that have been part of your experience for lifetimes and these patterns are as ancient as the journey of your soul.

Karmic contracts play a profound part in our journey of awakening: they allow us to experience both sides of a situation so that we may learn compassion while cultivating our understanding of divinity, or we might agree (on a soul contract level) to participate in a particular challenge in order to assist others in their evolutionary process.

Moment to moment we learn to leave the past behind. In faith, we discover that we have the ability to carry innocence and harmony within the world of form. You have the full support of the Universe and it is safe to jump into the unknown – adventures await. Be present with whatever life offers for every situation offers an opportunity to integrate freedom into your experience.

As you break through the limiting patterns of your conditioning, the truth of your heart will make itself known. This is the moment of transformation.

Today my intention is to honor all paths as sacred.