Enlightenment

When you begin to make substantial progress in your own spiritual growth, you may encounter resistance from the people around you. It can be surprising to witness push-back from those who will benefit the most from your increasing awareness; however, it’s also the best proof that you are indeed evolving to new levels.

As we change, the world around us must change. The resistance you experience serves two purposes: it allows you to continue cultivating the attributes of a spiritual, evolving person and shows how much impact your soul’s growth is having on those around you.

In a relationship, the person of lower consciousness actually has the most difficulty. As one person becomes more empowered, more present, they choose to disengage from the drama. The lack of energy exchange is very frustrating for those still engaged in psychic vampirism.

Cultivate the qualities of compassion, kindness and gentleness. You can remove yourself from the cycle of drama, and step into the power of higher consciousness. Love those who challenge you. They are playing an important role in your development. Your purpose is to awaken. Celebrate it, love it, welcome it, and be a witness of the profound transformation happening within you.

Express Your Joy

“Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.”
~Robert Fulgham~

Balance isn’t something that just happens when life falls into place; rather, it is the foundation of a life that is grounded, joyful and complete. Much of the world’s angst comes from the desire to please or care for others at the expense of one’s own happiness. People struggle to satisfy perceived expectations and often put their needs on pause.

The challenges we face help us to discern what is important to create and maintain balance. How would you discover your boundaries if someone or something didn’t cross them from time to time? See those who challenge you as healing angels rather than frustrations. They are teaching you what is truly important.

The awakening spirit understands that fulfillment comes through finding their own unique way of being in the world. There is great beauty to be discovered throughout the journey inward. As you create balance by tending to the needs of body, mind and spirit, you’ll find that you have more to give those you love – more compassion, patience and kindness. Then life becomes an outward expression of your joy.

By the way… according to palmistry, the wider you hold your thumb apart from the hand, the more generous you are. You’re looking at your hand right now, aren’t you?

Attachment

At the sacred center of yourself is freedom from the bondage of the mind, from limitation, and from fear. Cultivating the art of non-attachment frees you to live a life of purpose in harmony with all those around you… and because your heart is open, more will be drawn to you.

The Tao teaches that when we shift our energy from acquiring to being a conduit for the Divine (allowing light and energy to flow freely), we realize that there is more than enough.

This same approach can be applied to anything or anyone in your life. The tighter you cling, the more the ego causes you to operate from fear, and the more lack you create in your experience. Conversely, allowing creates a space for fulfillment. Start small. Give away something that matters to you. Share the joy that this object has brought you.  Then observe how you feel. Is there a lightness? A sense of freedom? A lingering regret? Pay attention to your degree of attachment.

Next, focus on a specific belief. Purposely lose your rigidness. Observe when you want to speak up to give an opinion and consciously choose to remain silent. Again, the degree of discomfort shows your attachment to an idea or to being seen as right.

Non-attachment creates a flow of ease and grace in your experience. Call upon the silent knowing of your soul and offer loving compassion in every corner of your life.

Psychic Vampirism

When someone is lost in dysfunction, they are completely unaware of their ability to connect to the Divine. Unconsciously, they replenish themselves by absorbing energy from the people around them.

This energy exchange can happen in a few ways but primarily it comes from strong reactions. Whether in the form of anger or arguments, frustration or egoic response, the action is the same. Your aura grows large (you might even feel a rush of energy at this point) and flows outward toward the other person. They absorb it and walk away from the interaction feeling much better… leaving you with the need to process and recover your balance.

You can stop this unhealthy flow through neutrality, genuine compassion or unconditional love. For most people, neutrality is the easiest place to get to quickly. When you choose not to respond or feed the energy in any way, you are protecting yourself. The people may (unknowingly) feel thwarted and try another angle, but if you can remain neutral and/or compassionate, eventually they will either move on to deal with someone more reactive or learn something from the interaction.

Choose to abstain from co-dependent energetic behavior. This gift of love allows each person to process through their own lessons and challenges while teaching you the art of compassionate detachment. When you do choose to consciously engage, you become a channel through which pure energy of the Divine can flow. This is invigorating rather than draining – uplifting and limitless – and a healthier way to assist one another on the journey.

Higher Consciousness

“Wakefulness makes it possible to take risks, break through personal limitations, and enjoy taking on challenges. Living on the edge of uncertainty sharpens the senses, promotes alertness, and helps one pay attention to experiences. Living on the edge of uncertainty can also feel most uncomfortable.”
~Jose Stevens~

Everything is energy. Ones level of consciousness determines their vibrational frequency and together we form a symphony of exquisite beauty and nuance. The purpose of life is to allow your experiences to awaken your inner wisdom and compassion. The spiritual seeker pays attention to the underlying energy inherent in all situations.

Awareness helps one to be more grounded and rooted in the present moment. This allows us to navigate challenging situations without getting lost in the drama or reverting to lower levels of consciousness. Everything is interconnected; therefore, your awakening sends waves of energy throughout the Universe, touching and transforming life itself.

As you discover your life’s purpose and your life task, you’ll create greater meaning, substance and balance that will reverberate throughout every experience that you have.

Act with integrity, do your best, accept what is… You are contributing to the awakening collective consciousness of us all.

Integrating the Self

This is the moment of tremendous healing and transformation. The only moment that truly exists is the Now and there is no need to delay the evolution of your spirit. There is great power in honoring the awakenings which have sprung from walking in darkness and we find that sometimes we need to be who we aren’t in order to discover who we are; thus, all paths are sacred journeys which lead us to the light of awareness.

Judgment of others is the quickest way to bring our attention to something within us which is ready to be healed. Since we all act as mirrors for one another, utilize those moments of ego related thought and response to address the shadows aspects of the Self that are ready to be integrated and expressed in positive ways. Often, the result is an expansion of compassion and acceptance.

There are many wonders within you waiting to be discovered. The myriad facets of your unique expression of life sparkle by reflecting the light around you. Remember to be patient and gentle with yourself and allow the joy of the journey to be your guide. There is much more to life than meets the eye and the best is yet to come.

Compassion

“Detachment does not mean non-involvement.
You can be deeply involved but not entangled.”
~Jaggi Vasudev~

Love, whether expressed through romance, friendship, our relationship to the planet or to ourselves, requires the gift of space. When we drop expectation and neediness, what remains is authentic compassion and kindness. We learn to honor every path as sacred, thriving during moments together as well as those spent in solitude, and consistently tend to our own healing. In this manner, loving relationships are based upon mutual respect rather than excessive drama and there is no desire that anything be other than what it is.

Many people believe that emotional reactivity and conflict proves that someone cares. This is an ego-driven concept that measures worth by how much energy we absorb from one another. When you notice that you are no longer interested in participating in drama, love becomes a higher, more accepting quality that is born from the culmination of experience. From there, we enter the realm of detached compassion.

Allow those in your life to learn their own lessons in their own time-frame and in their own way. Let the winds of heaven dance in between you. This is a gift of love.

Self Discovery

“Call to mind the deepest, darkest, most negative truth about yourself – and know that this ‘truth’ is a lie.”  
~Ezra Bayda~

Sometimes we have to be who we aren’t in order to discover who we are and everyone faces their own dark night of the soul as part of the quest to awaken. These moments can create feelings of loss and confusion; however, they are a necessary aspect of transformation. The ego will often play a script that says, “If only this person knew [what I’ve seen, been through, done], they’d see me differently.” And thus, we see ourselves as separate from one another because of our perceived deficiencies.

Nothing is further from the truth. Our very human struggles are what allow us to rise above, cultivate compassion and drop judgment. The more we work with our hidden wounds, the more we discover the love and Oneness that bind us together.
Be gentle with yourself. When someone appreciates beauty or courage or tenacity within you, know that it is a loving reminder of things you may have forgotten. You are a work in progress, a master in the process of awakening. And no matter how much you’ve learned so far, know this – you are just getting started.

Make Love Your Foundation

The foundation of personal integrity and compassion is love. This is a much higher vibration and more powerful than any moral codes, commandments or judgement. Those who are willing to judge others are also ready to suffer separation in order to feed the ego’s need for superiority. It’s much easier to condemn another than to look within and face the need for change.

Conscious spiritual seekers bring an entirely different quality to their experiences. Always ready to forgive (or to recognize that forgiveness is not even necessary), he or she embodies compassion for those who struggle with unconsciousness and understands that everyone is in the process of transformation, regardless of how it appears.

The awakened version of morality comes not from conscience, fear or societal pressure but from a higher state of consciousness. Seek always to become more aware of your own inner mastery and wisdom – this will allow you to live in complete harmony with the Divine and you will see it reflected by the world around you.

Often society will not understand the peacefulness of an enlightened person – Where is your anger? Why aren’t you complaining about the state of the world? Aren’t you worried about what might happen? Let love express itself through you in unusual ways and be the change you wish to see.

Shared Blessings

To participate in the flow of the universe, we must become adept at the art of giving. When joyful and balanced, you have more compassion, patience, insight and treasures to share.

Life operates though a dynamic and consistent energy exchange. We create a flow of abundance through our willingness to share. No matter what you wish to create in your life experience, set it in motion by giving and receiving with joy, enthusiasm and compassion.

Make a practice of giving to everyone with whom you come into contact. A shared experience, a blessing, a note of support or a flower can spark miracles into motion.

You are a powerful force of love in the world. Your light is transformative, moving effortlessly through time and space of our collective consciousness. In a world of limitless possibility, there is great joy in exploration. New experiences awaken facets of your spirit that are ready to shine. When we choose to share our gifts, we are transformed.

Never stop learning – there is always something new to discover. When we approach life with childlike innocence and wonder, we are able to play in the world of form with an open heart, full of infinite potential.