When you nurture the art of loving-kindness, it cultivates the roots of self contentment.

“It is safe for me to enlarge my viewpoint of life. I am totally willing to learn to love myself.”
~Louise Hay~

Loving-Kindness Meditation
(from the book Beyond Happiness by Ezra Bayda)

Using conscious breath, draw your attention to the present moment. Think of someone you have positive feelings for and breathe them in to the heart chakra. This activates your innate loving-kindness. As you continue with slow, conscious breaths stay with each line below for a few breaths each…

To Oneself
Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, extending loving-kindness to myself, exactly as I am right now.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, there’s no one special to be.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, just being.

To Others
Breathing (name) in,
May you dwell in the heart.

Breathing (name) in,
May you be healed in your difficulties.

Breathing (name) in,
May your heart be open to others.

To Everyone
Breathing everyone in,
May you dwell in the heart.

Breathing everyone in,
May you be healed in your difficulties.

Breathing everyone in,
May your hearts be open to others.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.

Today my intention is to experience whatever is present in the openness of my heart.

Happiness comes from within.

“I focus on positive thoughts because the thoughts I think and the words I speak create my experiences.”
~Louise Hay~

The world is filled with infinite possibility. We know this, yet sometimes experience an internal struggle when the ego immediately jumps to the worst case scenario in a given situation. Typically, the damning thought begins with “What if…” followed by the most negative possibility.

When you allow a thought to replay in the mind, it creates a crease in your energetic field, making it easier and easier to get drawn back to that idea. The moment you observe limiting or negative thoughts arise, purposely ask yourself what other outcomes are a possibility. Think of at least 10 – they’ll likely span both the positive and negative. The more you consider, the more diffused the energy will be and it will be easier to consciously turn your mind to thoughts that support your joy rather than destroy it.

Happiness comes from within. Each of is responsible for our own happiness and thankfully, we are more than equipped to create it in our experience. The awakening soul learns to pay attention to whatever arises and utilize it as a tool for growth. Extend loving kindness to yourself and watch the changes flow throughout your life.

Challenges can draw us together in miraculous ways.

“I now free myself from destructive fears and doubts.”
~Louise Hay~

It’s easy to get lost in the stories of the mind, the collective dramas we experience and fears regarding an unknowable future. Every day ego-driven souls fill our consciousness with “what ifs?” that attempt to destroy the peace of the present moment. As an enlightened spirit in the process of awakening, utilize this tendency of our culture to practice your ability to see things differently.

The higher your vibration, the greater your perception. Life’s interpretation is far different when viewed from the levels of Acceptance, Love or Peace. You have chosen to incarnate during these times with a specific purpose in mind, perhaps to teach others a new way of being and assist in the awakening of a new level of consciousness.

Our collective experiences tend to draw us together. Challenging moments are always followed by an outpouring of love, kindness and compassion from those who have reached a level in their soul’s growth to recognize the potential that resides in the midst of heartache. Shine! Choose to be a conduit for the love of the Divine.

Today my intention is to cultivate harmony and balance in my mind so that I will see it reflected in my life.

Love is an inspired form of giving, love breathes life into the heart and brings grace to the soul.

“Love flows through my very being. It touches everyone I meet and leads me to greater compassion.”
~Louise Hay~

The goal of enlightenment is to cultivate unconditional acceptance – both of yourself and of others. As you explore new levels of consciousness, keep in mind that the true purpose of any relationship is inner growth. See each person in your life as a partner in this process.

Some may play roles that challenge you, some may support and uplift you and others may grace your life for just a moment yet leave incredible transformation in their wake. Love resides at the core of everything; although, there will certainly be times that it doesn’t appear that way.

Make all of your decisions based upon love rather than fear. The higher your vibration, the more expansive your vision and understanding will be. True love has no opposite. It lives in simple truth without attachment. When fear is involved, recognize it as an indicator that the ego has temporary control. Do your best to see through the stories of the mind and realign yourself prior to taking any action. Act from the heart and allow life to unfold as it will.

Today my intention is to help create a world where it is safe for us to love one another. I can be the change I wish to see.

Lessons will repeat until they are no longer needed.

“I am willing to release the pattern in me that is creating any negative condition in my life.”
~Louise Hay~

Repetitive patterns show us where we are stuck. They allow us to examine the unconscious beliefs that silently run our lives and provide the opportunity to address our challenges by experimenting with different approaches.

Eventually, you will come to recognize the pattern earlier in the process. Recognition transforms frustration into opportunity as you attempt to bring a higher level of consciousness to your life situation. Trust the wisdom of your higher Self throughout this process. Everything you experience plays a specific role in the evolution of your soul.

When you observe yourself bringing peace to a situation that was formerly fraught with anxiety, when you observe old patterns with compassion, love and humor, remember to give yourself credit for how far you have come. As higher awareness infuses your life with new insight and perspective and you’ll come to recognize the true magnificence of your own Being.

There is always something new to discover.

“I move beyond limited human-mind thinking and align myself with the infinite Divine Mind,where all things are possible.”
~Louise Hay~

“Enlightenment itself will make you the master of inner powers. Enlightenment itself will fill your life with light, wisdom and radiance. And on the day you are able to know; are able to wake up, you will find that you have always been Divine. You will laugh at how you believed yourself to be a beggar! You will wonder at how you had remained in a nightmare.” ~Osho~

People do not know that they’re asleep until they awaken. Everything seems real, sometimes frustrating, sometimes freeing; but upon awakening we discover the power of the mind… how it takes thought and images and sound and weaves an experience. Upon awakening we have the ability to see through the illusion.

Enlightenment is in a constant loving dance of celebration. Light flows through us into life. There is a wellspring of bliss within you. Don’t seek for it outside of yourself, look within. There are infinite levels of compassion and wisdom to explore.

You can be the change you wish to see in the world.

“My heart releases and forgives. Inner peace is my goal.”
~Louise Hay~

We are in the midst of a collective awakening. The process is often chaotic and there are times it is difficult to see how everything will weave together in a tapestry of Divine perfection. The awakened soul brings a higher state of consciousness to all that unfolds in their experience. You may discover that your way of looking at the world is significantly different than the perception of others in your life and that’s part of the process.

Each person views life through a unique filter that is created, in part, by expectation, past events, soul age and their predominant personality traits. For instance, a Young Soul vibrating at the level of Anger sees the world quite differently than an Old Soul vibrating at the level of Acceptance. The important thing to realize is that both are important. Both people are where they need to be on the journey of awakening, and both perceptions will expand to something new as they progress to the next level of consciousness.

When you purposely bring the best version of yourself to the present moment, you will learn what you need to learn and teach what you need to teach. Be here Now.

Live from the heart and let circumstances unfold as they will.

“Love operates in all of my relationships, from the most casual to the most intimate.”
~Louise Hay~

Since the world is a reflection of your state of consciousness and the relationship you have with yourself, seek first to create inner harmony. The resulting peace and balance will allow you to bring the best version of yourself to your life situations.

Every experience provides you an opportunity to demonstrate love. Love may call upon you to be a compassionate listener, to try something new, to let go and allow or hold space in a challenging situation. When you live authentically with an open heart, you will always take right action.

See if you can move into a space of love at least once in every situation in which you find yourself today. This can be as varied as the general love you have for the earth and all her creatures to the passion you have for something or someone in your life. Seek it in interactions with those who are challenging or when you witness negative information from around the world.

Allow love to guide your thoughts, words and actions and observe what unfolds in your experience.

Your purpose is to awaken.

“My inner quest is rewarding and provides me with many answers.”
~Louise Hay~

Underneath the layers of belief, thought, experience, opinions, preferences, programming and expectation lies a shimmering, sparkling, infinite energy filled with limitless potential. When we view life from the level of mind, all we see is the projection of our thoughts. When we view life from the level of spirit, we are able to recognize the sacred in ourselves and all that is around us.

It’s easy to get lost in what we see, but important to remember that our vision is considerably limited. The physical world represents 1% of what is happening on all levels of existence. Things will often present themselves as the opposite of the energy that is in play. Do your best to ground and center yourself so that you can see past the obvious to the realm of the Divine.

Our planet is a school that teacher through contrast. No matter what you experience, the opposite is equally attainable in that situation. Anger has the capacity to be transformed into forgiveness. Loss creates a space in which something new can manifest. Loneliness can teach you that you are enough.

See yourself as a glorious work in progress remembering that there is always much more to life than meets the eye. Have faith in the process of your awakening and trust that your higher Self knows exactly what is it doing.

When pain or discomfort rises to the surface, it’s an indication that something is ready to be healed.

“I am willing to let go of old beliefs that no longer serve me.”
~Louise Hay~

“Perhaps it’s the belief that we shouldn’t have any problems, any discomfort, any pain, that makes modern life seem so distressing. Life doesn’t match our image of how it should be, and we conclude life itself is wrong. We relate to everything from the narrow, fearful perspective of “I want” – and what we want is to feel good. When our emotional distress does not feel good, we recoil from it. The resulting discomfort generates fear, then fear creates even more distress, and distress becomes our enemy, something to be rid of. Let us instead examine our basic requirement that life should be comfortable. This one assumption causes all of us endless difficulties.”
~Ezra Bayda~

Even though discomfort is an indication of growth, that doesn’t mean that we will never feel safe, secure and happy. We most certainly will. The concepts of embracing uncertainty, facing our fears or transforming our challenges into aspects of personal strength and empowerment ensure that any discomfort will not be extended by buying into the stories of the mind.

Remember that “this too shall pass” and simply take one more conscious step forward. As you awaken to the infinite potential of your true nature, you will discover that you have the tools to manage anything that life throws at you.

Today my intention is to embrace what is. The experience I’m having is the exact experience I need for my soul’s growth.