What you react most strongly to in another is a reflection of your own shadow. We created this world (and everything in it) to act as a mirror for the purpose of discovery and evolution. With this in mind, pay attention to those who trigger anger or frustration in your experience. Whether through a personal interaction or witnessing the actions of someone on the world stage, everyone is playing an important role in your awakening.

Should you find yourself getting triggered, observe the words you use to justify your position about the person or situation. Therein lies the clue to what your soul is ready to see. The things we desire to clear – arrogance, impatience, stubbornness, martyrdom, greed, anger, judgment – show up again and again in our experience until we recognize them within ourselves.

When you take responsibility for your own joy, the inner work begins. Release the need to be reactive (it is a distraction), the need to share the story with another (the ego is seeking to strengthen it’s position) and simply own your own stuff. When you find yourself becoming more neutral (or even amused) in the face of a similar situation, it’s an indicator that you have healed that energy within yourself.

New experiences bring new knowledge. They allow us to explore the sacred mysteries of life, discover hidden aspects of our strength and open the door to friendship and expansion.

Every amazing friend in your life was once a stranger. Something prompted you to reach out to cultivate relationship and communion thus bringing new threads of experience into your life. Remember that when you try new things and choose to live with an open heart.

Allow all your choices to be led by love rather than by fear. When you decide to take another step forward, your joy will light the way.

The gift of mindfulness provides the ability to live in harmony with life, both the pleasant and the unpleasant, without attachment to either. When we seek experience rather than outcomes, we become aligned with the present rather than striving for some distant projection of the future.

Evolution – on all levels – is simply a series of growth and changes that support one another. As we move through the ebb and flow of awakening, we are transformed. Level by level our consciousness expands and we are able to recognize new dimensions of ourselves and our life experiences.

Periodically take stock of your own growth. Chances are that you respond to life far differently today than you did a year ago, or five, or ten. Pause to honor how far you have come on the journey with the realization that it is just begun… and bliss awaits.

Acceptance, when applied to oneself, implies that everything and everyone you’ve encountered on your journey has played an integral part in the discovery of who you are. Based upon your soul age, state of consciousness and experience, you have always done the best you can – and so has everyone around you. As you have increased in wisdom, your perceptions and decisions have reflected that growth and will continue to do so.

The Divine seeks to experience life through you. All too often spiritual seekers fret that they should somehow be more evolved or empowered than they perceive themselves to be without recognizing that this is the limiting voice of ego. It can temporarily block the ability to embrace the present moment as it is.

Simply ask how you can bring the best version of yourself to any given moment. If you feel that you have missed the mark or behaved in an unconscious manner, realize that you are in the process of awakening. The ability to see oneself clearly is a powerful tool to cultivate on the path of transformation.

For the mindful spiritual seeker, life becomes a series of awakened moments. Even the most mundane aspects of living are transformed into powerful spiritual practice. When in a state of mindfulness, one makes healthier choices. Whether deciding what food to put into our bodies or taking time to create inner balance throughout the events of the day, we bring that alertness to all that we choose to do.

In mindfulness, even filling a glass with water becomes a sacred journey. Gratitude and compassion are natural by-products of higher consciousness – and they first begin within.

Awareness heals. It allows us to see beyond the mechanisms of the ego to the truth of our own divine nature. In awareness, it becomes quite impossible to harm oneself or others with hatred, judgment or unkind behavior. Rather, we seek to discover the sacredness of the moment and all that it has to offer.

Many people believe that they can’t be happy because their life is difficult. It’s actually the opposite: you can’t be truly happy until your life is difficult.

Challenges allow us to discover our strengths, our ability to forgive, to heal old wounds and show us how far we have come on the path of transformation. When things get particularly intense, it can seem that nothing we’ve learned on the spiritual journey seems relevant. But the challenges are the journey. When pain arises, you have the opportunity to discover how to open your heart and face your fears in the midst of it.

When you reach a point where you think you can go no further, take one more step forward and bring one more conscious breath into the heart. Love yourself enough to understand that is all that is required.

Let your life be your message. Bring all the gifts that you have cultivated so far to the challenges you experience. One by one, you’ll discover that you have the ability to transcend perceived limitation while honoring the path as sacred.

Give yourself permission to be amazing. Celebrate your unique journey and realize that you deserve the very best in life. You have control over how you relate to the present moment. When you choose the path of mindfulness, it brings a sense of harmony and grace to your experience. When you choose resistance, you suffer.

No matter what unfolds, we have the opportunity to accept or reject. Consider your state of consciousness at various times throughout the day and purposefully move back into acceptance as often as possible. That one choice creates  a series of beautiful moments which dictate the flow of your life.

You are a spark of the Divine in human form and were created to be fulfilled. Release all expectations and know that you are supported and loved each and every step of the way. You have unlimited ability to create a joyful, passionate journey and can begin this moment.

Our infinite journey toward wholeness is just beginning. With each discovery, we spark new growth and expansion throughout our experience. The exploration through time and space allows the gradual integration of wisdom, compassion, oneness and peace.

You are a unique work of art in process. Be willing to take risks, put yourself in new situations and stretch out of your comfort zone. This will allow you to discover new facets of yourself – your capabilities, nuanced perceptions, emerging talents and capacity for joy.

Every moment presents a wonderful opportunity for you to become aware of your gifts and clear about your life’s purpose (which is to awaken). You are supported and loved each and every step of the way.

Consciousness is the journey of expansion into all dimensions, the discovery of broader perspectives and the integration of all that we have learned. It seeks to express itself through our interactions and provides an opportunity to see life differently.

The human condition is one of forgetfulness – separation, drama, ego, desire. The spiritual seeker begins to drop the veils of illusion and opens to the infinite, only to experience the bliss of discovering that the truth lies within. This is transcendence.

Life is a tapestry of dark and light, a blending of dimensions from the depths of lower consciousness to the heights of love and communion. They exist together and when we cultivate the understanding that all are required in this dance of awakening, we begin to have a very different perspective of the world.

Your unique vision and gifts allow you to experience life in a vibrant, creative manner. Let your choices be led by love rather than fear. Seek adventure rather than security. Cultivate faith in the processes of your own growth and discover the limitless potential within you.

All that you need is already here. Joy is a conscious movement into gratitude in the present moment… and one that we should seek as often as possible throughout our varied experiences.

That is not to say that frustration, sadness or anger will not arise, for they certainly will, that is part of the human experience. Recognize and honor the fact that you have the ability to seek stillness and grace in the midst of life’s challenges. Your level of consciousness determines how you choose to navigate through life.