Tag Archives: #challenges

The Beauty of Acceptance

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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.

Your Divine Nature

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“Gradually we’ll learn from one another what we forgot. That we’re all one. Our relationships will enable us. The law of karma will teach us. Our challenges will focus us. Love will remind us.”
~Jose Stevens~
With our limited human perception, it’s difficult to process the idea of eternity. Time is a construct of the mind and often it drives us to hurry through the present moment in order to get somewhere else; however, the present moment is all there is. 

We are all participating in an exploration of separateness. The lifetimes we spend on this planet, the roles we play and the lessons we learn from one another are only the beginning of an incredible journey to rediscover Oneness. You are a spark of the Divine – infinite, eternal, and multi-faceted. When challenges arise, understand that a breakthrough is possible. The movement into awareness transforms your life experience.
 

There is enough time. Everyone on the planet will eventually evolve through all earth-based soul ages: Infant, Baby, Young, Mature and Old to finally discover that we are all One. Tending to your own state of consciousness will ultimately aid in the awakening of all humanity. Have compassion for yourself and for one another.

Conscious Suffering

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Spiritual practice has little to do with logical explanations. The mind will always question ‘Why?’ when challenges arise. This desire for knowledge is an egoic trap which tells us that we must understand in order to alleviate our discomfort. Any reasons we discover – psychological, physiological, karmic, etc. – are only part of the story. Oneness teaches us that everything is interconnected – and the infinite nature of complexity means both that we can discover multiple approaches that help us on our journey as well as the truth that, as humans, our vision and ability to understand is very limited.

There are blinders that obscure our vision. Deep understanding never lies within the cognitive world of ‘why’ but in experiencing the complexity of the present moment with an openness that defies explanation. We encounter both minute and life-changing challenges as we navigate the path of transformation and during each, the spiritual seeker has the option to suffer consciously. The contrast we discover between the mechanisms of the mind and the playfulness we experience when we feel balanced and connected is the paradox that teaches through the human condition in a way that leads us ever closer to the Divine.

All things work to the highest good (whether one has the ability to see it now or later). Should clarity elude you, take one more conscious step forward honoring each moment as part of your unique journey of awakening. Faith in the process of your development is key. There are gifts to be discovered in the midst of every challenge.

Live Gently

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“Shamans the world over strive to live in complete harmony with nature, the environment, the cycles of the seasons, the weather, and the varying patterns of the stars, moon and sun. To accomplish this, they cultivate the intelligence of the heart.”  
~Jose Stevens~ 

To live in alignment with life, we must first remove anything that blocks us from living in a way that is empowered and accepting. The spiritual path calls upon us to dissolve the ego, rise above the mundane and cultivate trust. There are many layers to this work and many roads to enlightenment. As you explore various teachings that ignite your spirit, your willingness to learn will draw what is needed to you.

Walk gently upon the earth and listen to your inner guidance. Celebrate breakthroughs and learn from the challenges that arise. Everything works toward your highest good – always. With this in mind, fear departs as we take a greater role in what we choose to create and how we interpret the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

This never ending process of enlightenment is filled with opportunity, for as you change, the world around you is transformed. Seek to discover the language of your heart. Messages from the Divine are all around you and miracles abound.

Intensity

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“For most people, their spiritual teacher is their suffering. Because eventually the suffering brings about awakening.”
~Eckhart Tolle~ 

Suffering, whether self-inflicted or the result of outside events, brings hidden aspects of our shadow self to the surface of our consciousness. Often these are things that have been repressed or ignored in the past and their appearance now has great import on your path of transformation.

When you are faced with intense internal challenges consider viewing them as teachers rather than something that needs to be eradicated or hidden. Look deeply within to the source of your conflict and then purposely surround it with love and compassion. Know that you are on the verge of an awakening.

These inner paradoxes lead us down roads we would never consciously choose to travel. They call upon us to shatter the ego-self and strip away things and ideas that no longer serve us. Intensity accelerates your spiritual growth in ways that simple study and desire cannot. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you are ready for this. Your spirit has requested movement and the fact that something new is arising indicates that you are ready to navigate your way to higher levels of consciousness.

Expansion

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As we enter higher levels of consciousness, our energetic frequency changes. We respond differently to life and see the world around us through new filters. Growth always elicits a response. Sometimes it is met with resistance and fear by those who have not yet awakened, while others are inspired to join us in the delight of freedom, new perception and the joy of expansion.

When you encounter push back or ridicule, it is simply the arising of wounds that require healing in the other person. In that moment, you become a catalyst in their awakening and you can choose to see that as a gift. Allow your light to shine, see through the fear and honor the process of transformation.

Do not turn away from the challenges in your life. They provide opportunities to put your newfound knowledge, beliefs and talents to the test. When the soul is ready to expand, it goes through a deep cleansing and purification process which prepares it to receive new levels of wisdom. This is why profound change often follows moments of breakdown or confusion. The structures have been shaken and one will ultimately emerge with a greater sense of peace and inner strength.

Change Comes From Within

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“Strong emotional reactions always signal the need to look more deeply at your beliefs.”
~Ezra Bayda~
No matter what challenges you may face, you hold the key to transformation. As you embrace new ways of being and thinking, your experiences change. The higher your consciousness, the greater your perspective.
Remember this: when your ego tries to tell you that you’ve tried everything and nothing works, you haven’t. There is always something new to learn and freedom awaits. Persistence on the spiritual path will eventually lead you to discover the ease and grace that comes from living consciously.
So, if you’d like to transform your work (or relationship or living condition), begin by changing the thoughts that create anxiety or displeasure. Choose to create joy in your experience and love where you are. The result? You’ll experience peace and clarity, perhaps realizing the situation is more pleasant than previously thought, or your positive attitude and energy will be powerfully focused on creating a new situation.
The greatest human error is to complain without positive action, thus creating a prison. When you recognize prisons you have created, it’s empowering to discover that you hold the key… and the door was never locked.

Living Courageously

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“The crowd neither wants nor seeks knowledge, and the leaders of the crowd, in their own interests, try to strengthen its fear and dislike of everything new and unknown. The slavery in which mankind lives is based upon this fear.”
~G. I. Gurdjieff~

To be a spiritual seeker is to discover your courage. Leaving the confines of the familiar we venture out into a new world, risking all. The willingness to explore the unknown paves the way to adventure as we learn to experience life with an open heart and open mind.

Throughout this process we encounter a stripping away of the ego. Layer by layer we drop beliefs and blockages that no longer serve us. Challenges allow us to cultivate fortitude as we discover new ways of experiencing all that life has to offer.

It’s important to be vulnerable and authentic. Don’t hold yourself back out of fear. The path of awakening calls upon us to recognize our potential. Faith and action transform that potential into actuality.

When you recognize the sacredness in all things, it brings a different quality into your experience. Operating from a detached sense of unconditional love also brings courageousness to the surface. Detachment allows us to give without demands. It is a purity that expresses itself through us. What would your expression of life be if you were fearless? Be that. Do that. Live that.

Space to Grow

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“People don’t need to be forced to grow. All we need is favorable circumstances: respect, love, honesty, and the space to explore.”

~Ellen Bass~

Collectively we all travel the same journey of awakening; however, every experience is unique. Give those you love the space to grow, to discover, experiment, succeed and fail. Life teaches every step of the way. Challenges create facets of strength and empowerment that ultimately lead to a unique expression of the Divine.

Our shared experiences teach us how to connect to one another. The energy that flows in contrasting circumstances creates expansion through the synergy of the dance of opposites.

In the ever-shifting flow of life there is a constant movement of growth and change. We are forever in the process of endings and beginnings, expanding into new areas of understanding and recognizing the validity of what serves us best on the journey. Don’t fear the amazing potential that wishes to express itself through you. Underneath the layers of thought and belief lies an infinite source of life that lovingly waits to be explored.

 

Openness and Acceptance

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“Let go of certainty. The opposite isn’t uncertainty. It’s openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox, rather than choose up sides. The ultimate challenge is to accept ourselves exactly as we are, but never stop trying to learn and grow.”
~Tony Schwartz~

Consider the uses of adversity. Challenges push us places we would rarely choose to go, yet we emerge wholly enriched by the experience. Understand deeply that all pain is self-imposed. Bring conscious awareness to your discomfort and you will discover ways to transform the energy into empowerment. This may look different from situation to situation but it always begins with openness and acceptance.

When you can face the mechanisms of the ego – old scripting, others’ fears, limiting patterns – you cultivate the courage that can only be found by one who has made the arduous journey. Each breakthrough builds upon the last and teaches that you are strong enough to weather the storm.

Wisdom seeks to express itself through you. With each step, honor your path as sacred and simply bring the best version of yourself to the present moment. This is the pathway of realization. You are enough and all will unfold in the perfect way at the perfect time.