Forgiveness Empowers

“Anger and blaming others takes a lot of energy away from healing. One of the most powerful emotions that has to be expressed is forgiveness.”
~Candace Pert~

 

Anger and resentment are a waste of your precious energy. They drain vitality and ease from your life experience and harm no one but yourself. This energy can be transformed into strength through gratitude, meditation, mindfulness and a conscious choice to be free from the past.
The spiritual path calls upon us to reside fully in life, as it is in this moment. If there are pains that you carry, do not feel that you must push them down or deny them; rather, bring them to the light of your consciousness and transform them through acceptance and forgiveness. Reinterpret the past through the filters of your current state of awareness and you may discover that freedom is at hand.
Forgiveness is not about the other. It is a gift that you give to yourself. There is no need for physical closure or a meeting of the minds (though these may occur naturally in time), just a quiet peace in the present moment that will open your ability to love, trust and believe once again in the beauty and mystery of life.

Separation

Some people grace your life for a moment, others for a lifetime… and everything possible in between.
Accept whatever unfolds in your experience. People enter our lives to offer new insights, ideas, feelings and lessons, staying as long as our soul requires. For those with whom we share karmic contracts, interactions may be filled with the emotional highs and lows of human connection; however, they always offer opportunities to expand our consciousness and grow in ways that we’ve never imagined. When emotions become more neutral it is an indication that the contract is complete. Bless those who have graced your life. See them as the loving teachers that they are and send them on their way with encouragement and gratitude. The time spent apart is infinitesimal compared to the bond of eternity, wholeness and Oneness that we share.

 

When you choose to live in acceptance rather than spend your vital and precious energy clinging to the past, you are free to live life empowered, joyful and fully anchored in the Now. At the deepest level, all things are one. There is no separation and our purpose is simply to awaken to this knowledge while helping one another along the way.

Willing to Receive

“The true path to happiness requires our openhearted attention to the exact things that seem to block our way to it.”

~Ezra Bayda~

Happiness is a choice. Rather than embracing fear or becoming lost in complacency, purposely seek joy in the present moment and reengage life’s magic.

When you realize that the ego is running old scripts – getting lost in ideas of this will never change or what’s the use? – place all of your attention upon it. Operating from healthy awareness, you may discover how much the ego would rather be right than be happy. Self fulfilling prophesies strengthen the original story, idea or imprint. When others attempt to offer a different perspective, the mind will often reject it out-of-hand rather than risk being wrong.

Happiness exists in the midst of contrast. We can mourn a loss while appreciating the beauty of the sunrise. By taking responsibility for our state of consciousness in the present moment and choosing happiness in the Now, we set the stage for life to rise up and meet us where we are. Be willing to accept healing in wherever form it may arrive. You choose the filter through which you create your perception of life.

All Paths Are Sacred

All conflict arises from wanting someone to be different than they are. This one misguided approach to life is a source of great distress for many and it plays out in myriad ways every day.

 

Become a compassionate listener. Pay attention without internal commentary and cultivate the ability to see beyond the conditioning of the mind. When we approach one another with genuine interest and acceptance, the other person begins to feel safer. They drop some of their defenses and we experience an authentic moment of connection.

 

Consciously practice this with each person with whom you speak today. Listen and honor their path as sacred. Ask probing questions and see if you can discover something new. Expand your awareness through conscious interaction.

 

Seek the Divine within the present moment – the majestic energy of the infinite is all around you. Choose to see beyond labels and roles to the truth of the spirit within. Support each journey with compassion and kindness.
There is no greater gift than acceptance. It opens the heart chakra and cultivates our ability to be fully present. Celebrate the dance of awakening, in whatever form it may appear, knowing that all ultimately works to our highest good.

Stillness

“Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. No more is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let stillness direct your words and actions.”
~Eckhart Tolle~
Silence is more than the absence of noise. It is an inner communion with peace and awareness. In the stillness we become open to receive and it is within that gap of ‘no mind’ that we can touch the infinite.
Our current experience of the world is one of bombardment – a blend of sound, marketing, opinions, expectations and ego-driven thought. Our senses are often overwhelmed. Many spend each day running to accomplish various self-imposed tasks while neglecting the one thing that truly matters – grace.
Create pauses throughout the day to appreciate the beauty around you. Stop and breathe. Find something for which you can be grateful. Imagine joy flooding every aspect of your being. Touch the realm of limitless possibility and you will discover inner sacredness and beauty.
In the midst of cacophony, stillness can be accessed by dropping your resistance to noise. Your acceptance is another gateway into stillness. As you practice being at peace with what is, you’ll discover new depths of perception and serenity. This is where inner wisdom resides.

It’s Not Personal

“Life is a continuous ebb and flow, like the seasons, like the ocean’s waves. When we learn to ‘ride’ with them, our life becomes easier, with less resistance.”

~Romy Macias~

Yesterday I was on the receiving end of a barrage of anger from a neighbor. Because I am not bi-lingual, it was difficult to know exactly why she was angry; though, it didn’t take any great psychic ability to get the gist that she didn’t want me to use her trash can. So, responding to that, I simply said that I was sorry and would not do it again in the future. As the yelling continued, I finally was able to indicate my lack of understanding and wished her a good day as she glared at me, seemingly desirous of a confrontation of some sort.

In that moment I could recognize that she was likely triggered by something else prior to the interaction and observed (thankfully) that I had very little egoic engagement. Even if the attack was personal, I couldn’t understand so no reactivity arose within me.

That led me to realize how easily we can walk in the world when we view egoic reactivity as speaking another language. Understand that everyone has their own struggles and more often than not, others’ reactivity is not personal.

If you speak the language of compassion, then anger can be recognized as an entirely different level of communicating. To be gentle with one another, seek only to be aware of your own state of consciousness, own what’s yours, and discard the rest.

 

Love Begets Love

When you feel the brunt of someone’s anger, be compassionate instead of defensive.
When you are triggered and the ego wants to withhold, consciously move forward with kindness instead.
When you are judged… Be love.
Acceptance, unconditional love, honoring all life as sacred, being the peace you wish to see, Radical Forgiveness… all these concepts inspire us to be better; however, it’s important to remember that we require opposition in order for us to cultivate these amazing qualities.Be grateful for those who challenge you. Personally or globally, each of us is playing the role that is best for our collective growth. When you choose to drop judgment, limiting beliefs or hatred, and purposely see beyond the physical, everything is love. Life provides the perfect experience needed for our awakening.

Happiness is your own responsibility. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted by the drama or unconscious behavior to which you might be subjected. The moment you view yourself as a victim, you forget how powerful you are. Cultivate the ability to live open-heartedly in spite of the shocks of life. Anything that shakes you up is an opportunity to awaken the most beautiful and empowered aspects of your true nature.

The Beauty of Acceptance

There’s something inherently beautiful about living in a state of acceptance. When experienced as an authentic state of being, all drama is removed and we can flow through any situation with empowerment and peace.

Last night, my mother and I moved into a new phase of our relationship. I realized that much of my natural Presence was something that I learned from her along with my love of reading, creating a sacred space and the ability to be comfortable in solitude.

For the last few years she’s lived in a cottage in my backyard. After a tumultuous childhood and the weaving of karmic experiences that firmly set me on this path of healing, it was interesting to discover that many of the old wounds would be healed by helping my parents with their end of life work. Having them so close on a daily basis allowed for healthy shifts in our relationship.

During my last session yesterday, I received a simple, calm voice message. “I’m not doing so well and I need help.” I went to her cottage thinking that I could lift something or perform some small task. Immediately, I could see that she was off, and simply sitting in the darkening living room. It turned out that she had had a minor stroke which doubled her vision enough to impact her sense of balance and ability to walk safely.

So we did what many parents and children do – worked with medical care, a lengthy emergency room visit and ultimately appreciating the competence of the workers at a nearby hospital. While not fatal or insurmountable, this moment ushered us into a place of transition where we can both learn new things. I awoke this morning feeling only gratitude for my journey, the people in it, and the ways that we can explore love.

Observation, Awareness and Transformation

As we change, the world around us is transformed. When we seek the Divine within our circumstances, it will surely be recognized. The dramatic shift in vibration changes our relationship to the present moment and the result is nothing short of miraculous.

Imagine a life filled with acceptance, delighting in the Now, comfortable with the unknown, sharing your gifts and living immersed in faith… can you?

  • Observe your interactions today. Notice the pleasures, the difficulties and how much you allow others to impact your joy
  • Should you notice any judgments that arise, purposely shift to acceptance and see how that changes your energy. How does it change the energy of the situation?

Observations bring awareness and awareness brings transformation. When we are balanced and empowered, it becomes easier to remain peaceful when faced with unconsciousness or challenging situations. One important aspect of awakening is realizing the unique beauty of your journey, your attributes and what you bring to this experience of being human on planet earth. There has never been, nor will there ever be, anyone with your way of being in the world. Wherever you reside on the journey, celebrate the awakening master within you.

In this moment, you are right where you need to be. Whether engaged in the art of discovery, struggling with the past or at ease within the Now… all things serve your path. You are weaving the tapestry of your existence, and as you release the old patterns that no longer serve you, new patterns emerge. They are born of your experiences, but not limited by them.

Acceptance, Joy and Enthusiasm

In order to bring a higher consciousness to all that we choose to do, each action must be approached with acceptance, joy or enthusiasm. These three states of being bring empowerment to every aspect of our lives. They ensure that we are giving the best of ourselves to the Now.If you are functioning from a space of obligation, resentment, impatience or boredom, you will find that you are creating pain for yourself as well as for those around you. At the very least, move into acceptance. Even tasks that aren’t “fun” can be transformed into awakened doing. Acceptance means that you are at peace with whatever needs to be done.

If you cannot access one of these three states, immediately stop what you are doing. Remember that you are responsible for your own state of consciousness in the present moment and shift your thoughts and motivation into a healthier vibration.

Joy and enthusiasm create a flow of expansion and positive change in your life. When you bring these heightened dimensions of energy to your actions, everything becomes an opportunity to awaken. You’ll find yourself discovering the sacred within the mundane and life itself will rise up to meet you.