Be proud of your unique gifts. There has never been, nor will there ever be, anyone who brings your perception and talents to the planet. No matter where you reside on the Path of Transformation, you are right where you need to be. It’s empowering to realize that in every moment, you are doing the best you can… and so is everyone around you.

Judgment blocks us from the ability to love. When we become tangled within the egos stories regarding others’ behavior, it distracts us from doing our inner work. Even more debilitating are the blockages we create when we judge ourselves. Personal responsibility calls upon us to see ourselves clearly, but that does not include directing judgment inward. All too often the spiritual seeker gets lost in the “shoulds” and forgets that patience and compassion are the greatest gifts we can offer – both to ourselves and to others.

Embrace the aspects of yourself that might have once made you feel insecure and integrate them into the Wholeness of your spiritual expression in this lifetime. As your confidence increases, so will your ability to participate fully in whatever life has to offer. Spiritual awakening is not meant to detach us from life, but allow us to delve more fully into it. Mastery calls upon us to share ourselves with the world.

Remember, different soul ages are here to experience different things:

• Infant souls – here to learn about physical survival, primal fears, still connected to the mystical
• Baby souls – developing and maintaining civilization and order, structure, rigid beliefs
• Young souls – learning authority, power, greed, heavily identified with the body and ego, success
• Mature souls – oriented toward group consciousness such as family, community or healing, often have lives filled with emotional drama
• Old souls – do not fit in with “mainstream” society, engaged in balancing karmic agreements, aligning inner purpose with outer expression

The final lessons of an old soul are based in self-forgiveness, compassion, acceptance and unconditional love toward the self and others. When we understand where others reside on the journey of awakening, it becomes easier to honor their path and accept them where they are. It would be a waste of energy to expect a young soul to understand the perception or actions of a mature or old soul… they haven’t yet reached that stage in their development.

All of us are walking the same road. Be true to yourself, seek spiritual fulfillment, detach from the intensity and recognize your connection to something greater. The best is yet to come.

Today my intention is to honor all paths as sacred.

The ego will tell you that you must win at all costs because it equates loss with death… and it a way, it’s true. Losing the ego results in the death of its control over your life and actions. The art of surrender is a way to empowerment. We recognize and acknowledge the ego’s desire to engage in a power struggle and consciously choose the opposite approach.

When we release that which no longer serves us, we create the space in which something new can emerge. From this perception, surrender and acceptance ultimately lead the way to greater strength, self-control and joy within our experience.

Surrender is nothing more than releasing the fear we have around a particular issue. We discover peace and renewed faith in the process of our awakening, and trust the Universe to support us on the journey.

In the same manner that magnets of the same polarity will repel one another, ego-based desire actually pushes away that which you seek. Acceptance immediately shifts the energy and you become a magnet that attracts. When we move into this receptive mindset, life flows more easily, struggle dissolves and grace emerges.

Choose to accept whatever comes today. Say yes to life and pay attention to how the energy flows around you. You can choose to cultivate the art of surrender and may be pleasantly surprised at the amount of beautiful, vibrant energy that is available for you when it isn’t being wasted in complaining, blaming or struggle. You can create the life of your dreams by living it today with what you have, from where you are.

Today my intention is to accept what is. The miracle of life is all around me.

Transformation is desired when we seek to have a better life. Spiritual awakening changes how we respond to the world around us and provides an opportunity to rise above the repetitive drama and challenges experienced by humankind. A spiritual approach differs from that of traditional religion by creating personal responsibility and consciousness rather than demanding one blindly follow dogma, rituals and outmoded conditioning.

The Path of Transformation is a journey for those daring souls who can drop all belief, unbelief, doubt, reason, mind and simply enter into their pure existence without boundaries and brings about tremendous growth, both personally and collectively. The more you discover about your unique strengths, abilities and way of walking in the world, the more your light can shine.

There comes a time when it’s appropriate to shatter the old patterns and limitations that have kept your energy from flowing freely. Embrace the light within and you may be amazed at what you discover when you take a risk and allow yourself to stretch beyond your comfort zone.

The greatest adventure of our journey in this world is to consciously transform darkness into light. We begin to understand our potential and share that passion with those around us through our awakened outlook, words and actions. You can be the light that sparks new knowledge and inspiration in others…  and light always illuminates the darkness.

Today my intention is to remember that peace begins with me. The more I change, the more the world around me is transformed.

As you raise your vibrational frequency your body begins to process energy differently. Thoughts move more quickly to become things. Your ability as a co-creator of your reality is enhanced and you may discover that life responds to you in a more powerful way. It’s important to take the time to nurture yourself as you go through this process because it can be doubly intense when you get knocked off-balance.

Realize the incredible impact you have on those around you and allow the light of kindness to shine through you. Your compassion will gently awaken those who grace your life, often in unexpected and beautiful ways. There is nothing more important than your state of consciousness… allow your choices to be led by love.

The spiritual journey is an infinite expansion. Continue to do all that you can to continue to heal yourself and ultimately, your life’s work will flow more smoothly. Each of us is responsible for our own joy and while our journeys can be vastly different, there is but one goal – to awaken to the truth of our Divinity.

Today my intention is to walk my talk and speak my truth with integrity.

When we are ready to heal a particular aspect of our lives, we send out an energetic vibration asking for assistance. A soul contract is completed on the higher levels of existence which draws in someone who will behave in a way that will trigger an old issue. As it rises to the surface, the ego begins its story, emotions flow, feelings get hurt and we become aware of the imbalance. This is the moment that the conscious soul seeker will turn inward, observe, heal and release using whatever tools they have discovered. Those who have yet to awaken to this concept will feel victimized, blame the other and likely create another layer of pain around the old belief.

These contracts are acts of love. Someone is willing to behave in a manner that will create an upset and risk losing your affection in order to help you heal a wound that you have carried, sometimes for lifetimes. This is why we say that there is no such thing as a coincidence. Every situation comes into your life for the sole purpose of healing. Patterns repeat until we recognize them and work to shift the original belief that created the conditions for the upset.

Those who challenge you the most on the physical level, love you the most on the spiritual level. As humans, it can be difficult to see beyond the role that someone is playing; however, the willingness to do so opens your perception and creates the space in which a transformation can occur. When we drop identification with victimhood, it helps us to look within for answers.

The good news is that you can measure the process as it is occurring by first recognizing when you are being triggered. Notice how quickly you come back into balance (over time, balance is recovered more quickly) and finally, you’ll consciously witness an interaction and remain neutral. That neutrality is an indicator that healing has occurred and you will no longer need to have that repeating pattern in your life.

Bless those who have been healing angels in your life. Without them, old wounds would remain buried in the subconscious, blindingly guiding your life while creating drama and emotional pain. And if you have ever acted as a healing angel for someone else, forgive yourself and realize that your soul was engaged in contract. We are here to assist one another on the journey.

Today my intention is to remember that everything works to our highest good – always.

One of the most loving gifts that we can give those who grace our lives is attentiveness. All too often people race from one moment to the next, always a step ahead, lost in their own mind and distracted during their encounters. We forget that every interaction has the capability to transform our journey in unimagined ways.

Many people feel unheard and misunderstood. Therapists often fulfill a role that is missing in their lives… others find strangers, hair dressers, or weary travelers and quickly drop into their stories without hesitation. For those who only wish to stay caught in their story and desire to feed it with repetition, I find that conscious attentiveness (along with compassionate detachment and healthy boundaries) actually repels them. The ego wants to be agreed with, supported and strengthened; however, conscious attention and holding a space of love doesn’t meet the egos needs.

We must be the change we wish to see in the world. If you want to be heard, slow down and listen. If you desire acceptance, practice honoring every path as sacred, no matter how it appears on the physical plane. Should you feel misunderstood, make sure that you have an authentic understanding of yourself. Life will reflect your state of mind back to you. The strength of your intention is a powerful thing, joy will meet you in the road.

Today my intention is to teach others that they hold the key to their own happiness.

When we have spent many years (or in some cases, lifetimes) carrying a particular belief or pain, it becomes part of our ego-identity. The mind cannot fathom what it would be like to be clear of that energy and creates resistance, even when it’s apparent to us from a logical perspective that we would be healthier and more joyous without that weight in our energetic field.

Nurture the willingness within you to let go of things which no longer serve your growth. Part of this process is observing and controlling the mind and being open to forgive (understanding the situation from a higher perception).

It can sometimes take a while to work out all the layers of old energy. If you are kind to yourself and gently persistent, you will eventually align your inner truth with an entirely new paradigm.

The limitless abundance of the Universe is available for all of us. There is an old exercise from Emmet Fox that is wonderful for dissolving old resentments:

Sit quietly, close your eyes and imagine yourself in a darkened theater. In front of you is a small stage. On that stage see the person you resent the most (either living or dead) and visualize good things happening to that person. See them happy and smiling and experiencing joy. Louise Hay suggests that we take this process a step further and then visualize ourselves on the stage, happy, smiling and abundant. It’s time to lighten the load that you carry.

Today my intention is to be willing to release outmoded and limiting patterns from my consciousness. The pathway to love is forgiveness.

And still, after all this time, the sun has never said to the earth,

“You owe me.”

Look what happens with a love like that.

It lights up the sky.

~ Rumi ~

The voice of Rumi filled my dreams last night… it’s wonderful to experience the love which still emanates from this amazing teacher of the 13th century. Just the thought of giving without attachment fills me with quiet expectation and the knowledge that it’s possible for each of us to discover within ourselves.

Nature is a wonderful teacher. All around me I see the dance of transformation as each aspect plays its role to perfection. Love lingers in each blade of grass, in each falling leaf, through the eyes of deer and the calling of crows, and is offered to us again and again in infinite form.

There are times when it seems the world only offers us the opposite. We struggle with feelings of separation, desire or disappointment and linger in the stories created within the mind… and yet, we can choose differently. The joy of conscious awareness is that it brings about limitless opportunities to reflect and be love.

Seek joy first within yourself. It must come from within in order to be authentic, unceasing and when it does, you’ll discover that it shines through you without any fear. The stories that seem the most true, the loudest and most insistent are the one that are the most suspect. The moments when we feel trapped are an illusion and the truth waits in the silence of the heart.

Celebrate your growth and allow it to expand throughout your experience. Recognize the aspects which bring pain as our teachers and know that there will come a time when they will be equally celebrated… for they have brought us here now and we are together.

Today my intention is to love what is.

The wellspring of energy from which we drink is infinite and we are consistently supported in love. The Universe never desires to punish or trick you – that type of thought is merely a mechanism of the ego used to distract you from the knowledge of what you can create.

Our ability to understand the nuances of spiritual awareness has evolved right along with us throughout the ages. Now we know that we can create while in lesson, we can have knowledge of the Divine while in lesson and are learning to trust the process of our awakening no matter where we are in that process.

Once you begin to step away from life’s drama, clarity comes more easily. As the observer, you will cultivate the ability to understand the patterns that repeat and with that understanding comes the freedom to choose differently.

However, remember that those who have yet to awaken to their divinity will not be able to see truth in the same way that you do – be understanding of their limitation. Much like the way our scientists and thinkers who had no way to measure energetic waves in the 1700’s simply could not imagine the possibilities that we currently take for granted still had the same truths swirling around them that we do, know that all will awaken in the perfect way at the perfect time.

The entire Universe honors and celebrates the work we are doing here. In spite of the limited perceptions inherent on the earth plane, many are beginning to rise above, and with the help of their angels, spirit guides, healing masters and helpers, are creating a new paradigm. You are instrumental in raising the consciousness of the planet and have chosen to be here now for a specific purpose. Allow love to lead you.

Today my intention is to honor the truth of my process and receive all the sparkles of joy, peace, healing and hope the Universe has to offer.

Every disagreement, every challenge that we encounter is an opportunity for spiritual enlightenment for all of those involved. All that is required is that one person be open to a new paradigm. The resulting shift in energy creates a space in which a transformation can occur.

Think of how important that makes your personal path of awakening. Your choices and actions set something powerful in motion – choose well.

It’s time to put down the burdens that you have carried. The load of “should and shouldn’ts” creates stress and struggle within one’s existence where none is required. Each of us has our own lessons, karmas and purpose, and in order to accomplish our dreams we must utilize our energy consciously.

Many times these burdens exist only within the mind… but that doesn’t mean they don’t slow us down or distract us. Today is the day to love yourself enough to set yourself free. Let your choices be led by joy (never by fear) and choose to play and enjoy your journey toward healing, empowerment and radiance.

Beauty can be found in the simple ordinary things of life. Gratitude opens your energy to receive. We can seek wholeness within the natural movement of this wonderful day. There it waits, waiting to bless you with peace.

Today my intention is to take things easily and simply, one step at a time.