Living Courageously

The only way to connect with all of existence is to go inward. Deeper than the stories of this lifetime and beyond the limiting patterns of belief, resides a soul who was willing to enter the challenging and beautiful school of physical reality. When you live with great awareness as the observer, life becomes a odyssey of discovery. Each step reveals new layers of wisdom.

In this free will world, nothing is guaranteed. We must believe in our potential in order to take a risk. We must explore the unknown, learn from our challenges, and constantly walk forward into the light of awareness. Too often, we hold ourselves back out of fear. From something as simple as saying “no” when appropriate to leaving a toxic situation or reclaiming individuality and confidence, we can find the strength within to make empowering changes.

Let your pilgrimage become a dance of awakening. Seek your own way of being, live authentically and remember that nothing is more important than your state of consciousness. Courage is the first step. Nurtured by faith and by movement, we grow towards the light of the Divine. Drop the ego, release attachment and most importantly, be willing to receive.

Suppression

When challenges arise, the natural human response is fight or flight. Both greatly impact the body’s immune system, nervous system and state of mental/emotional balance. The ego clings to the idea that something is wrong and that script can replay for years. These highly charged energies can damage the auric field and, left untended, wreck havoc with physical health and well-being.

The suppression of memories, anger, fear or sadness can be triggered by innocuous things later in life. A chance encounter, memory or dream can bring the unhealed aspects to the surface, and often open the old wounds. While overwhelming, these moments arise because your spirit is ready to bring light to the darkness.

Turn toward your shadows and lovingly bring them into the light of consciousness. Your willingness to be present with the process of healing amplifies your ability to transform distress into empowerment. You are absolutely ready to handle what rises to the surface. Keep in mind that the ego will be resistant, seeking to keep you locked into old patterns. This resistance is a true indicator that powerful energies of change are swirling around you.

Place your focus inward, be consistent, gentle, and honest with yourself. Take ownership of your state of consciousness and reclaim your power. Imagine the freedom that awaits when the past is released and you can write a new story.

The Divine Practice

“Until we have seen someone’s darkness, we don’t really know who they are. Until we have forgiven someone’s darkness, we don’t really know what love is.”
~Marianne Williamson~

Hatred and love cannot coexist in the same space; they are at opposite ends of the energetic spectrum. Yet here we are, collectively watching hatred unfold in it’s various forms – sometimes subtle, sometimes egregious. The Divine Practice is using hatred when it arises within you, and purposely choosing to see through the ego-driven behavior to the unlimited potential that resides within.

When you create healing in your life, you’ll see it reflected in the world around you. Many years ago, a particular woman in politics used to trigger me a great deal. She was reflecting unhealed aspects of myself (judgment, opinion, righteous anger and the need to be right). Noticing this, I honored her as a teacher and immediately utilized those emotions as part of my Divine Practice.

  • Observe, see what elicits a repetitive or reactive response from you
  • Take ownership – “I’m reactive right now because I, too, have that tendency.”
  • Utilize your tools – affirmations, meditation, gratitude, listening to the ego and then doing the opposite are great places to begin.
  • Force yourself to face the darkness within you. This can be done by purposely watching the person if they are not part of your personal life. Little by little your awareness lessens the trigger response (in my case it turned into humor) and you can be more in control of the energy you put out into the world.

Now when I see this lady, I smile to myself and honor her role in helping me to heal something that hid from my conscious awareness. Behind the veil of enlightenment, there is only love.

Challenges Expand Consciousness

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.”
~Paulo Coelho~

The soul seek to expand into new areas of awareness and the challenges we face, both personal and collective, play a powerful role in our development. Your attention begins the process of transformation. Bring a gentle self-awareness to the patterns that repeat and purposely seek to change your approach. When you break free of habitual responses, something new begins to emerge.

The tools that you have cultivated along the way become stronger when you have the opportunity to consciously utilize them. Rather than resist the tidal flow of energy, seek to flow with it and face any challenges that arise when they are still small.  See the field of life as a place to observe wisdom in action. Your higher self is guiding you throughout the process of awakening.

Harmony and Balance

With greater awareness, we begin to discover how often we create stress and imbalance in our experience. The souls purpose is to awaken. No matter what challenges arise, what karma we have arranged, or how successful we are at cultivating our unique gifts, it’s important to understand that nothing matters more than our state of consciousness.

Consciousness is measured by the degree of peace you are experiencing Now. Peacefulness comes from releasing things which no longer serve you, utilizing supportive self talk and allowing the love of the Divine to express itself throughout the various aspects of your journey.

You may feel compelled to accomplish certain tasks as part of your role in this lifetime. Every journey is different and exquisitely beautiful in its uniqueness. These outer tasks are merely the means through which your inner purpose is fulfilled.

Approach each moment with a conscious willingness to experience harmony and balance. Consistently take the time to utilize acceptance and then observe how life responds. Old channels of energy can be redirected through conscious effort. You can create powerful and positive changes in your life. Begin now by being conscious of the energy that you send out into the Universe.

Conscious Self-Talk

“If you celebrate your differentness, the world will, too. It believes exactly what you tell it—through the words you use to describe yourself, the actions you take to care for yourself, and the choices you make to express yourself. Tell the world you are one-of-a-kind creation who came here to experience wonder and spread joy. Expect to be accommodated.”
~Victoria Moran~

Embrace your uniqueness. Your self-talk has great power. It creates the filter through which you interpret the world, and sends out an energy that tells others how you expect to be treated.

Repeating patterns show us our deepest beliefs. It can be very challenging to see yourself clearly and others will often act as mirrors to provide insight into what you are putting out into the world. As you increase in awareness, you can consciously participate in changing your experience.

Observe your inner dialogue, listen to the phrases you tend to repeat and consider whether your words are purposeful or simply repeating an old story. Don’t fight against the old habitual patterns – what you fight, you strengthen. Begin by quietly noticing your words and allow your awareness to initiate the process of transformation. Become more conscious of how you choose to express yourself. A whole new world awaits.

The Path of Awakening

“The willingness to simply rest in the physical experience of your life is the key to spiritual transformation.”
~Ezra Bayda
~

Everything in your life experience provides an opportunity to grow. The physical world is a canvas and upon it, you can create whatever you wish.
You may discover that each time you focus on addressing a particular area of your healing, you begin to see the pattern of it everywhere. For instance: you seek to cultivate stronger self-esteem. All of a sudden it may feel that you’re under attack – others are unkind, demand too much from you or have no empathy for your feelings. These frustrations are not obstacles on your path – they are your path. The only way to address them is to go within, know your value and seek to address each situation with grace and empowerment in order to rise above. This is the process of growth.
Begin with daily efforts to be more aware. Bring a willingness to see clearly and consistently practice, practice, practice – everywhere you can. Your awareness alters and transforms the experience until one day you notice that you are handling situations that previously disrupted your joy… and handling them very well. You have set yourself free from an old pattern of conditioning into an arena of unlimited possibility.

Beyond Illusion

Step into the stillness of the present moment. As awareness expands, consciousness arises. In this space of enlightenment it becomes possible to see through the illusions of this world to the love that connects us. The healing power of the heart is absolutely needed now as we spin down the rabbit hole, mired in opinions and judgment.

Don’t give up on one another. Our collective patterns will continue to repeat until enough of us break free from the illusion to shift the energy into a new cycle of experience. The slow, often subtle changes that we go through (both personal and collective) are part of our spiritual journey.

First, work on seeing yourself with clarity and acceptance. This will improve the filters you use to interpret the world. With your depth of understanding you can demonstrate a different way of being, one that is compassionate, empowered and heart-centered.

Humankind suffers from a denial of spirit and the only thing that will create change is a shift of consciousness. As we re-discover the interconnection of all things, our choices will reflect wisdom and clarity. Honor this moment as sacred by celebrating your journey through illusion to the truth of your heart.

Creativity

“True creativity flows only from stillness. When stillness becomes conscious, the spiritual dimension enters your life and you begin to be guided by an intelligence far greater than the human mind.” 
~Eckhart Tolle~ 
Practice getting out of your head and let yourself be totally immersed in whatever you choose to do. When you bring a creative component to your actions, you become a channel for white light and higher consciousness. Imagine the difference between one who agonizes over a recipe, determined to get it totally right, stressing throughout the process and one who tastes and explores, dancing around the kitchen, enjoying the act of creating. What type of energy is being channeled into the food?
Art is your singular expression. Whether writing in a journal, painting, creating music, decorating your home or finding your unique style, releasing ego opens you as a conduit for divine inspiration.
Expression is the basis for transformation. You may wish to create (or renew) a sacred space in your home. Fill it with anything that inspires you and just sit with the energy. Don’t think – just be… then, bring that higher state of awareness and peacefulness into your day.

Transformation

Everything is constantly changing, evolving, growing. This natural process is what allows us to expand our perception while we explore new aspects of ourselves. As we journey through the phases of life – youth, power and wisdom, we tend to revisit old lessons in order to understand them from a different point of view.

Enjoy the phase you are in. Smile gently as the next group of souls fumble their way to enlightenment. We all need to make mistakes, and sometimes be who we aren’t in order to discover who we are. As we cultivate greater understanding, we do better. Ultimately, we have the joy of passing along wisdom to those who are ready to hear.

The greatest gift that you can give is a demonstration of love. As consciousness awakens it often appears as patience, kindness, wisdom and authenticity. Give with love. Be a witness to your own experience. Create a life filled with flow and vitality and you will never cease to be amazed. Expanding consciousness comes through understanding contrasts and seeing the value in all sides of an experience. In acceptance, anything can be transformed. Through sharing our gifts, we change the energy of the world around us.