Love Where You Are

“You have everything you need for complete peace and total happiness right now.”
~Wayne Dyer~

Don’t wait for everything to fall into place before you choose to be happy. You are an exquisite work of art in progress, a masterpiece waiting to emerge from all the colors and textures and experiences of life. Choose to recognize your value and yet continue to do your work. Take time to notice and feel the perfection of the present moment. Experience its nuance and allow it to be as it is.

One of the greatest aspects of awakening is the discovery that all is well, even when things appear to be a mess. As you cultivate the tools of greater perception, it becomes easier to embrace life… all its beauty, wackiness, frustration and joy. Nothing is more important than your state of consciousness in this moment.

Respect yourself as well as those around you. Work for the fun of it. Know that life will present you with whatever you require for your awakening. Release the need to rush through your experiences to get somewhere else. You are right where you need to be.

Empowerment and Personal Responsibility

“If you understand it, the world is a great device to make you conscious. Your enemy is your friend, and the curses are blessings, and the misfortunes can be turned into fortunes. It depends only on one thing: if you know the key of awareness.”
~Osho
~

Challenging situations are blessings in disguise – always. When faced with frustration or pain, go deeper into the present moment. Without asking the other person to understand you, seek to understand yourself.
It is helpful to utilize the energy of gratitude by saying “I am grateful for this situation. Even though I may not yet understand the lesson or be aware of gift, I know one awaits me.” The willingness to be grateful in the midst of challenge opens you to higher levels of consciousness.
As you release old layers of programming and dysfunction, your life will naturally become more peaceful. Rather than being reactive, your responses will be mindful and empowered. The key to awakening is simply taking full responsibility for your life as it is while transforming the mundane into the miraculous.

Be The Light

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
~Martin Luther King Jr.~

Change how you see everything and everyone around you. All are our brothers and sisters in this dance of life. Nothing is separate. Our role is to be the loving witness of experience, bringing light and consciousness to the collective energy of the planet. Be motivated. Be magnificent. This is your moment to shine.
We are called upon to be conscious of the energy we bring into our life situations. Mastery simply means that we are willing to take responsibility for our actions knowing that we have a definitive impact on those around us. Each of us plays a role in the collective awakening of humanity. Some heal through adversity, some through loving example and teaching, while others simply bring light and kindness into daily activity. Find your truth and live it to the best of your ability.
Allow light to flow into everything you do. When you direct energy with the intention of sharing kindness and compassion, you bring something beautiful into being. You never know when your presence or loving action will be the miracle that changes someone’s outlook.

Contrasts

“Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.”
~Alan Watts~
Our collective experience of being human is to learn Oneness through the illusion of separation. As we learn how to reside fully in the present moment and become aware of the beauty in the contrast, we discover how to allow the dance of dark and light to unfold. The awakening soul is the observer. You are the portal through which the universe experiences itself.
The higher your level of consciousness, the more expanded your vision. If you are the conduit of awareness, then nothing is more important than ensuring you are clear. It does no good to run clean water through a rusty pipe. We view life through the filters of perception.
The polarities of time and space provide opportunities for us to explore the many nuances of experience. As the pendulum swings first to one extreme and then another, we learn though the contrast. We ultimately discover the many facets of love, finding our balance in the neutral position – a field of energy filled with infinite possibility.

Awakening the Heart

“You are here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and manifest your inner enlightenment. Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter.”
~Morihei Ueshiba~
Enlightenment is a life long process. There will be times when we feel empowered, balanced and ready to face the world with conscious intent and others when we may feel that we’ve missed the mark. The process of awakening is nuanced and layered with opportunity to discover hidden aspects of ourselves that are ready to shine.
As we awaken, the hold of the ego lessens. We learn to recognize old patterns and beliefs when they arise and utilize them as stepping stones to greater awareness. Act with integrity, do your best and accept what is. If you are true to your authentic nature you can allow circumstances to unfold as they will.
Everyone does the best they can based upon their soul age, level of consciousness, imprints and history. It’s helpful to remember this: if they could do better, they would… this is true for each and every one of us. Throughout the process of enlightenment, we are continually transformed and thus, transform the world around us.

Consistent Practice

“The greatest gift that you can give to this world is to make the mind still.”
~Ajahn Chah~
Throughout your journey of awakening, you will feel drawn to different ideas, modalities and paths to enlightenment. As you find tools that inspire you, consistently work with them. If there comes a point where you “outgrow” that particular passion, that’s ok. Bring something new into your repertoire and move forward.
We never stop learning. Don’t allow complacency to trap you in a mindset that stalls your exploration. When life begins to fall into place (and it will!), it’s important to stay consistent with your spiritual practice rather than waiting for a time of imbalance to inspire you to begin anew.
The key is to walk through life with ease and grace no matter what unfolds. As you cultivate greater awareness of your strengths and step into empowerment, you’ll naturally bring peacefulness into the present moment. Many upon experiencing that sense of ease, think they’ve reached the final destination and pause; however, there are infinite levels still waiting to be explored. As with anything we do, practice makes it easier. It tones those spiritual muscles and makes our journey effortless. Even extreme challenges don’t seem to disengage those who have a powerful daily spiritual routine.

You Are Loved

“May you realize that you are never alone,
that your soul in its brightness and belonging
connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.”
~John O’Donohue~
The infinite love of the Divine rains down upon you from all dimensions and surrounds you at all times. Though there are certainly moments when it is easy to feel separate, bewildered or overwhelmed, there it waits, patiently honoring the process of discovery until you are ready to access it once again.

When the light of consciousness shifts your perception, it allows you to recognize the guidance and support that is available, see your infinite potential and trust yourself enough to step into the flow of life.

Awakening is a free will process. We have plenty of room to play here in time and space while exploring all aspects of being human. Ultimately, the soul seeks to experience both the magnificent and the mundane. Your awareness is a dance of connection between the two.

We learn by experiencing contrast. A life filled with love is typically discovered by rising above our fears. When you are willing to face the shadows of the soul, you will emerge changed, empowered and courageous. Consciousness and self-love awakens life’s embrace.

Right Action

“Step into the fire of self-discovery. This fire will not burn you, it will only burn what you are not.”
~Mooji~

There is no need to struggle. As you move to higher levels of consciousness, you’ll naturally learn to find the flow of life and move into it rather than fight against it. The human tendency is to create stress. Anxiety, tension, fear and worry are so commonplace that many have come to believe that dysfunctional states are natural and unavoidable.

The process of awakening is not about change. It is the incremental release of everything that weighs us down. Layer by layer we let go of old patterns, beliefs, conditioning, expectations, resentments and ego-created stories until there is nothing left. In that space of no-thingness, we learn to love and experience things as they are. We become the space in which transformation occurs.

Imagine how much energy you’d have to utilize in the present moment if you were completely clear of unnecessary baggage. The gifts of transformation are already within you, waiting to be discovered. Enlightenment is a process rather than a destination.

See Things Differently

“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.”
~Albert Einstein~
The awakened soul sees things differently. As we enter higher levels of consciousness, we are able to view the world from a broader vantage point. Every breakthrough is the beginning of a new vision and a new way of being.
Before you speak, ask yourself if what you intend to say is helpful, loving or uplifting. If not, it can wait…perhaps forever.
Be mindful of what you choose to share with others. Your words have great power. Gossip, anger, frustration or judgment will waste precious energy by feeding it into what you do not want in your experience. Conversely, mindful communication calls upon us to ask ourselves if what we are going to say or share will be of positive benefit. For instance, complaining or sharing bad news destroys the peace of others in the vicinity; while a complaint followed by a positive course of action acts as an inspiration to create a difference and indicates one is taking personal responsibility for their own joy. Even better, the awakened soul doesn’t waste energy discussing the problem, they speak of the solution and then take action.
In a world that seems preoccupied with gossip, opinion, causes and boycotts – seek to accentuate the beauty of life. Participate in things that inspire and lift your spirit. Be a bringer of light who walks in the world with humility, passion and joy.

Adventure

“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
~Jon Krakauer~

Life should be an exploration, a dance of discovery. When we live fully immersed in the present moment, amazing things begin to happen. Coincidences unfold and we draw in the people and circumstances that conspire to move us into new directions. Have faith in this process of awakening and be willing to step out of your comfort zone.

Walking through the unknown awakens all of your senses. There are times when we simply must risk all and accept the gifts that life has to offer. Allow new friendships to enrich your your experience, teach you how to love and how to let go. Give up the perceived safety of control, expectation and attachment and simply learn how to embrace joy and celebration in the present moment.

Viewing your life as an adventure in time and space you allows you to become a loving witness to the infinite ways in which the Universe speaks. When you really pay attention, everything is a message meant to guide your unique path of transformation.