Tag Archives: #ego

Love What Is

Posted on by
“The ego says, ‘I shouldn’t have to suffer,’ and that thought makes you suffer so much more. It is a distortion of the truth which is always paradoxical. The truth is that you need to say yes to suffering before you can transcend it.”
~Eckhart Tolle~

The human experience is paradoxical. Through anger we discover peace. Limitation teaches how to expand. Hatred transforms into love. Judgment paves the way for compassion. By immersing ourselves in whatever unfolds in the present moment without resistance, we can begin the process of loving what is. This shift becomes more fluid when we approach our daily life situations with conscious awareness rather than reactivity.

When you are ready to shift something in your experience, honor it with gratitude and proceed with the knowledge that it has taught the lesson or cultivated the new attribute for which it was meant.

To honor your path as sacred means to understand that everything plays a valuable role in your awakening. Nothing is dismissed as unimportant or “not spiritual.” On the contrary, all you encounter becomes meaningful and worth your loving examination. Self-reflection is the key. Turn inward, bring yourself into balance and experience life with an open heart.

Labels Create Limitation

Posted on by

“I am ashamed to think how easily we capitulate to badges and names, to large societies and dead institutions.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Once we drop mind-made labels of race, religion, sexuality, health, politics or heritage, we can explore life more fully. Labels create limitation that is often expressed throughout our varied interactions. Righteous judgment or reducing others to one dimensional entities is the ego’s way of creating division. Judgment and love cannot coexist in the same space; therefore, we evolve more quickly by choosing to love our way through challenging situations.

Many feel the need to belong or explain the tendency to act in a particular way; however, there’s a fine line between understanding ourselves and managing to a particular belief about a diagnosis or way of being. Rather than adopting an identity based upon one aspect of yourself, know that you are multifaceted, infinite and ever-evolving. Should you be working through a particular challenge, you may find it helpful to say, “I am working on becoming more balanced and present” rather than repeating the label and managing to it.

Work consciously to expand your vision. There are infinite aspects to explore and the willingness to drop limitation is required. Each person’s story is unique and through them, we can discover new ways of viewing the world and cultivate greater compassion. By giving up  preconceived ideas about others, we open to the love that already connects us.

Awakening From the Dream

Posted on by
Enlightenment is not about being perfect. It’s the process of experiencing a conscious, empowered life as best you can with what you have from where you are. Anyone can experience higher levels of wisdom, awareness and spiritual connection in meditation or on a mountaintop; however, mastery is bringing that same energy down from the mountain and infusing it into your day-to-day experiences.

There are dreams and desires that play scenarios in the mind. The “What ifs?” and “If onlys…” distract us by constantly projecting an imagined future, replaying the past or distorting our perception of the present moment. When we project our desires and attachments, others simply become a screen that reflects our projection to us, for a time. And then we awaken from the dream thinking “This isn’t what I thought it would be…” and of course it isn’t. It never was.

To be aware means that you are shattering the illusion and flaming passion for life as it is rather than an projected image of what it may or may not be in the future. The ego is a by-product of illusion. As we awaken, we begin to recognize this and experience it’s mechanisms less and less. This is the joy of awakening – discovering the beauty of the Divine within ourselves and everything around us and seeing through the dream.

The Joyful Heart

Posted on by

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

~Henri Nouwen~

Empowerment, mastery, fulfillment, abundance, freedom… all begin and end with joy. The only thing over which you have any control is how you choose to respond to life. Occasionally, the ego (in its reactive state) will tell you that imbalance is not only necessary, but expected. These are the moments when your intention is transformative.

When you observe yourself getting lost in the stories of the mind, purposely and lovingly seek out something which brings you joy and place your full attention upon it. Your attention determines where energy flows. In the midst of challenge you can choose to stop for a moment, watch the clouds create artistry in the sky, breathe deeply, and reclaim your balance.

You are more powerful than you know. Joy amplifies that power and expands your perception. Imagine how higher level responses can change the trajectory of a chaotic moment. Laughter is the outward sound of a soul that is awakening. It bubbles up, takes over and scatters the heaviness of the mind. Nothing is more important than your state of consciousness in this moment.

The Artscape of Emotion

Posted on by

Whether flashes of joy, celebration, fear, overwhelming passions, or the arduous journey of self-exploration, feelings create an artscape through which we must travel. Emotions add flavor and nuance to the journey of awakening.

When seemingly untenable feelings arise, it’s empowering to turn toward them. The light of your consciousness is transformative and facing your shadows begins the process of deeper self understanding. You are right where you need to be. Whatever is unfolding in your experience contains gifts that will allow you to shine. By honoring your pilgrimage as sacred, you can drop the ego-driven belief that something is wrong.

It’s healthy to observe and feel deeply; however, it’s equally healthy to cultivate the ability to recognize when the voice of ego is in play. It will always jump to ones deepest subconscious fear and amplify it; therefore, feel with understanding. Feel with purpose. Feel to cultivate compassion for all sentient beings who seek fulfillment, peace and balance in their experience.

Earth can be a challenging playground. The paradoxes of humanness are storied, and yet absolutely required for the artscape of your unique adventure. All of life participates in your awakening. Realize how far you have come. You are amazing.

Intensity

Posted on by
“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.

Humility Silences the Ego

Posted on by

“Spiritual practice is about increasingly entering into love – not personal love, but the love that is the nature of our being.”
~Ezra Bayda~

The souls only desire is to awaken. Once you have mastered a particular attribute, be willing to expand into unknown territory. As a lifetime student of love, you can interact with others knowing that they have entered your experience for a specific purpose. Life becomes layered with nuance when we discover that every aspect of it is simply a loving conversation with the Divine.

There is always something new to discover. As you expand into higher levels of consciousness, your perception changes. Old challenges or situations are experienced through a new filter that provides an opportunity to explore the lesson in a different way.

Humility silences the ego. When we recognize everyone and everything as a teacher, we become willing, open and aware. Drop your judgment, move into love and honor your own path as sacred. You are surrounded by miracles… you are a miracle.

When you live in celebration of life and love, you scatter the seeds of possibility. Everything around you expresses the harmony of that love and sparkles of energy dance in your light.

Honor the Journey as Sacred

Posted on by

“See the light in others, and treat them as if that is all you see.”

~Wayne W. Dyer~

People often get lost in judgment and miss the opportunity to experience the Now with an open heart. Discovering the role someone plays in this life can lead to a set of assumptions and beliefs that impact how we interact with one another. We have a tendency to feel comfortable with those who have a similar outlook and forget that our differences are what teach us the most.

When you find yourself forming an opinion about someone based upon how they refer to themselves (political party, religion or lack thereof, career, etc), keep in mind that he or she is an evolving soul like any other. When we interact without judgment or expectation, we emit a beautiful source of energy and vibration that creates space in which transformation can occur. Ego needs another ego in order to create conflict. As spiritual seekers, we can choose to consciously rise above separations caused by the mechanisms of the mind and touch someones life in a loving and peaceful way.

As you walk the journey of awakening, rising above challenges, discovering your strengths and learning from experience… seek to know the Divine in one another with appreciation of the various ways in which we weave a tapestry of exquisite design.

The Gift of Adversity

Posted on by
When your focus is on higher consciousness, problems seem to solve themselves… or your shift in perception may show you that they weren’t problems in the first place.
In the midst of challenges, the human mind wants to respond with blame and self-justification. Once we’re caught in the drama of desires, opinion and judgments, we are relating to one another from the limited viewpoint of the human condition and only limitation and distress can follow.
When we work to create greater awareness within ourselves, we relate to one another from the realm of spaciousness and love – holding the knowledge that we can traverse the levels of consciousness and ultimately move from conflict to communion. Empowerment comes by quieting the mind and going within.

Nothing in your life should have been any different than it was. There are no mistakes, only opportunities to discover your strengths and abilities. When we choose acceptance rather than resistance, life becomes a series of possibilities.

Everyone participates in this sacred process of discovery. Treat each person you meet as a disciple of love and wisdom. Bring patience to the process of growth – it often takes lifetimes to completely break free of limiting patterns.

In the end, we discover the truth of Oneness and celebrate the infinite potential of all beings.

Openness and Acceptance

Posted on by

“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.