As you walk in the world, it’s important to express gratitude for all that unfolds in your experience. Everything and everyone is your teacher. See the potential within each person and situation through the eyes of love – recognizing the divinity, fulfillment and sacredness of the present moment.

This conscious approach to life sets the stage for perfection. Coincidences and synchronistic energies merge to provide whatever experience your soul needs most for your growth. A simple “thank you” acknowledges your recognition of the love and support that accompanies you each and every step of the way.

Be the change you wish to see. Embody compassion, kindness, joy and gentleness, expecting the very best from all that you have drawn into your experience. You are a master in the process of awakening.

Living a spiritual life is not some distant perfection that you will someday experience. It is the daily practice of bringing a sense of peace and inner purpose to your daily journey as best as you can, from where you are with what you have. As we awaken, we naturally cultivate more tools and a greater ability to navigate through the challenges and beauty of life.

Trust your inner wisdom. You will draw in the teachers and experiences that are most appropriate for your journey. See each moment only as an opportunity to shine. The infinite gifts of love are waiting to be discovered.

Today my intention is to be a living, loving expression of the Divine.

but the love that is the nature of our being.
~Ezra Bayda~

To enter into love is much, much more than the desire to be loved or to fall in love with another. As we realize our true purpose, it becomes possible to fall madly in love with life itself. The dance of experience becomes a flow of passion that seeks to embrace all that it sees – the colors and textures, the artistry and music, the unique beauty of every living being, the whispers of nature and the still voice of the Divine.

Choose to express love as much as you can throughout the day. Begin within, employing supportive and empowering self talk. Then, extend it outwards, speaking only words that lift others up and finally express joyful hope for the future. All that you speak sends waves of energy throughout the Universe which will return to you in miraculous and surprising ways.

“When difficulties arise, one of our first reactions is to ask ‘Why?’ We want certainty, logic, simple causality. We think this kind of knowing is necessary to alleviate our discomfort. Yet, most often, the reasons we come up with to explain why we think and behave the way we do are at best only marginally accurate. In reality, everything affects everything else, everything relates to everything else. The complexity of this interrelatedness defies description, and our subjective filters make explanation even more dubious. Yet we still look for simple explanations to account for what we see, unaware of the blinders obscuring our vision. Deep understanding never lies in the cognitive world of why, but in directly experiencing the ambiguous complexity of the present moment.”
~Ezra Bayda~

To take a step beyond the world of why, we must rise above thought. When we dance in the realm of pure potential holding the knowledge that we are right where we need to be, all struggle stops. Being fully present and open to life allows direct access to our inner wisdom. Choose to view your journey as an adventure. See your challenges as opportunities to shine. Go beyond the world of why into the power of the present moment. All that you need is already here.

As we practice the art of being aligned with what is, it becomes apparent that we can’t drop all egoic resistance simply because we want to. Resistance is human nature – resistance to change or negative experiences, self-deception, blaming, complaining. However,  through conscious awareness, it can be transformed into a powerful aspect of spiritual awakening.

“The specific practice is to more toward, and to fully reside in the physicality of our discomfort, allowing the fear, the sadness, the grief, to be breathed directly into the center of the chest. In the darkest circumstances, breathing into the heart is the one thing that will always be a genuine response to the moment. The process of surrender is to take it all in – the distress, the resistance, the breath into the heart, the environment – and to feel it all fully.”
~ Ezra Bayda~

This process allows us to discover the paradoxical duality of existence, how everything is intertwined, the beauty to be discovered within all movements of experience, and ultimately, empowerment and a greater sense of compassion for others who struggle with resistance and fear in their own lives.

What remains hidden silently runs our lives. Facing our fears by bringing them into the light of day and allows us the ability to live from love.

“When life presents difficulties we can crumble or we can learn. Aspiring to be free tips the scales toward learning. The willingness to open to life difficulties does not depend on liking them.”

~Ezra Bayda~

To bring yourself present in the midst of a challenge, observe that fear has arisen and recognize that is a by-product of ego-driven thought. When faced with a situation that requires immediate response, we simply move into action. When the mind takes over, we become paralyzed by confusion, “What should I do? What if I make the wrong choice? What if I fail?”

Act from the heart and allow circumstances to unfold as they will. You will either move the energy forward, learn something new or get clarity regarding your true motivations or attachments. See life as the patient and loving teacher it is.

You are far greater than the sum of your experiences or imprinting. The soul seeks to break free of limitation and to expand into the realm of infinite possibility. Continually drop the limiting story line of “me” and explore the world around you with the knowledge that you are loved, guided and supported each and every step of the way.

Today my intention is to release every negative, destructive, fearful idea and thought from my mind and my life.

“See if you can give more attention to an action, rather than the result that you want to achieve through it. Give your fullest attention to whatever the moment presents. This implies that you also completely accept what is, because you cannot give your full attention to something and at the same time resist it.” ~Eckhart Tolle

When we attach our happiness to a specific end result, we give away our power. The ego loves to delay joy by planting the idea that “when so-and-so is mine, I’ll stop feeling so alone” or “when I have this job or this much saved in the bank, I’ll finally be able to feel safe.” All of these ideas treat the present moment merely as something to get through in order to experience some better moment in the future.

You are responsible for your own joy. Feel it Now. No matter what you desire to accomplish, joy in this moment is the key to manifesting the life of your dreams. Plans fall apart from time to time, people may do the opposite of what you wish they would do, you may miss the mark… the only thing over which you have any control is how you choose to respond.

Treat this moment as sacred. Whatever you choose to do, do it with complete mindfulness and bring a sense of playfulness into your experience. Your willingness to take conscious action is far more powerful than allowing your actions to be led by anger or fear.

You are a master in the process of awakening.

“Your inner purpose is to awaken. It is as simple as that. You share that purpose with every other person on the planet – because it is the purpose of humanity.”

~Eckhart Tolle~

Oneness is the destination. Life is the journey. Each path is unique and offers whatever experience is required for that person’s growth. When in the midst of challenge, it can be easy to forget ones divinity; however, if you have the presence of mind to remind yourself (without judgment) that you are a work in progress, you’ll be able to tap into your inner wisdom with greater ease.

The energy required for awakening drains away with every distraction that besets us. Paying bills, relationship struggles, gossip and blame, anger, drama… the list seems endless. One by one, we can eliminate these wastes of energy from our lives and utilize our power effectively in the present moment.

Complete acceptance of the Now allows the infinite and unconditional energy of the Divine to flow through us without hindrance. The willingness to be present with life’s experiences is the key to awakening to your true nature.

“The beliefs that are most deeply hidden often have the greatest power over us. Their strength dissipates as they are brought into the light of awareness.” ~ Ezra Bayda

The light of consciousness transforms all that it shines upon. Do not fear or hide from your past – embrace it. Every perceived error, challenging situation or moment where we may feel that we have missed the mark has played a role in our developing awareness. Sometimes we have to be who we aren’t in order to discover who we are.

Living a life of complete acceptance provides the grace that comes from not needing to hide any aspect of yourself. Those deepest, darkest secrets that once held so much power of you now transform into a sparkling manifestation of a multi-faceted piece of art.

Enlightenment is a process. Step by step we explore the layers of false beliefs and limiting patterns that block us from love. Real joy is often just a quiet presence in the moment.

Anger destroys our joy in the present moment. Whether it is slight irritation when things don’t go as expected, seething at the injustices you read about or watch on tv, resentment and non-forgiveness to those who have harmed you or the righteous anger of judgment, you have made a choice to give away your power.

Acceptance does not mean that we don’t take action in situations that require action. Rather, it is the awakened persons decision to operate from a higher level of consciousness; thereby, utilizing energy in it’s most potent form – love.

When you feel yourself becoming triggered by a person or event, the negative energy can seem to arise from the depths and overwhelm the situation. To cultivate the ability to recognize and shift before problems are created, utilize the exercise Ezra Bayda calls “Nonmanifestation of Anger.”

Once a week, devote the entire day to this practice. From the moment you awaken until you fall asleep, make a conscious effort not to express negative emotions, externally or internally. It’s wonderful to discover that anger is almost always optional. When you notice your thoughts shifting into a story of anger, become aware. Observe the ego. You always have a choice and habitual reactions and behaviors can be changed.

The five steps of transforming anger:
Recognize it – notice the story
Reframe it – see it as an opportunity to evolve
Clarify – notice where you attached to an end result
Bring awareness to the physical experience of anger
Let it be – have compassion for the struggles we all share

Commit to living as a vibrant expression of life itself.