Tag Archives: #ezra bayda

The Path of Awakening

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“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.

Being Love

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

The purpose of our journey is to discover the love that resides at the root of all situations. Unconditional love – for oneself as well as others – once discovered, is something that no one can take from you. How empowering it is to find a way to love even those who may have caused you harm. Great freedom awaits those who seek this high level of consciousness.

You can create space in which transformation can occur. When demonstrating love for a child, life partner, friend or family member, allow for infinite possibilities to be explored. Support them as they navigate their journey of awakening by being a consistent force of loving kindness in their experience.

When someone feels trusted, accepted and loved, they thrive. With no opposition, one can experience expansion rather than wasting precious energy on protection, explanations or defensiveness.

The best way to provide this space of empowerment is to continue your own work. When we focus on ourselves and explore the nuances of our conscious living, we bring a greater awareness to all of our interactions.

Detachment

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“It is only in our thoughts that ideas, beliefs, and problems become solid, dark and unyielding. Reality itself is moveable, light, ever-changing. In our minds we seem trapped, in reality we are utterly free.” 
~Ezra Bayda~
Detachment is worlds away from apathy. While apathy says “I don’t care” within a cloak of darkness and despair, detachment allows one to be fully engaged in life without fear or disappointment. This is the secret of happiness and it can only be found within the present moment.
Allow the Divine to express itself through you. In the Now we can participate in life’s dance by choosing to be in harmony with what is. In our free will universe there is always a choice. When in the midst of anger or disruption, we might ask, “Why am I choosing to be angry when I could easily choose to be joyful?” The answer is simple – the stories of the ego have created enough energy to temporarily take over our state of consciousness. The spiritual seeker may be distressed to realize they’ve temporarily dropped to a lower state of consciousness; however, identifying unconsciousness actually indicates that you are awakening.
Step into awareness, breathe deeply and understand that you are free.

Cultivating Strength

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“When you reach the point where you think you can go no farther, taking one more step, one more breath into the heart, is all that’s required.” 
~Ezra Bayda~ 
Every challenge you face reveals another aspect of your strength. Do not avoid your challenges; instead, approach them with conscious intention. Awakening souls seek to be tempered by experience and desire to observe our evolutionary progress in action. When problems arise, they provide an opportunity to see how conscious awareness impacts our daily experience. Life is a barometer that will always provide a indication of your level of consciousness.
Learn to create sacred spaces within your journey. Sprinkle gratitude, prayer, meditation and stillness throughout your day. Periodically, stop and look around you and choose to stand in awareness of life’s miracles. These brief pauses will move you out of the mind and into Being. In every moment you can create a unique and joyful interpretation of all in your experience
Those who have risen above tremendous challenges have a deeper level of compassion and strength that can benefit the world. Consider that you have chosen your life-path with a specific purpose in mind and then share the gifts you have discovered.

Walk Gently

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“Peace is found not through seeking peace, but through residing completely in what is.”
~Ezra Bayda~

The awakened spirit walks gently through life, seeking to be present and peaceful. This creates a powerful blending of the spiritual and the mundane.

Living a spiritual life is not some perfection that you will experience at some point in the future. It is the consistent practice of bringing a sense of peace and inner purpose to your journey as best as you can, from where you are with what you have. As we awaken, we naturally cultivate more tools and a greater ability to navigate through the challenges and beauty of life.
Listen to the prompting of your inner guidance. Celebrate your breakthroughs while learning 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.
Trust your inner wisdom. You will draw in the teachers and experiences that are most appropriate for your journey. See each moment only as an opportunity to shine. Infinite gifts of love are waiting to be discovered. 

 

Embrace This Moment

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“We wish for people to accept us as we are, but in so doing we reject them for who they are.”
~Ezra Bayda~
The awakened heart sees beauty and potential. In a world where many struggle in darkness, we must cultivate the ability to shine the light of consciousness in order to assist with the collective awakening of which we are all a part. Never doubt the difference your light can bring to a situation.
Old souls see the life from a higher perspective, and while your voice may seem to be in the minority, part of your journey is to learn how to maintain your faith in the face of opposition.
Sometimes it may be challenging to bring your grace, optimism and light to the present moment. Begin by being the change you wish to see. Operate from love and allow your conscious actions and measured responses to demonstrate a different way of being. Choose to see the perfection in the imperfection.
Gratitude opens our ability to see clearly. Appreciate the beauty that is around you with the knowledge that your energy will enhance whatever it is focused upon.

The Awakened Life

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“Looking with a mind that’s awake reveals the shimmering pulse of life. Looking with a mind full of thoughts reveals only your thoughts.”
~Ezra Bayda~

We are all masters in the process of awakening. Even though we have the same ultimate purpose, our paths to enlightenment are unique. Once you discover what inspires you, find ways to weave it into your daily experience. Create your own mindful rituals that set the stage for greater awareness.

Consciousness seeks to express itself through you. In order to fully experience the present moment, it’s helpful to periodically set aside the mundane and choose to walk in the world with a sense of wonder.

This vision quest offers limitless nuances to explore, infinite facets of light and energy that dance in joy at the prospect of your awakening. All of life conspires to assist you on the journey.

There is nothing more important than your state of consciousness in this moment. Sometimes it’s enough to close the eyes, breathe slowly and deeply and simply go inward. Sense the vastness of possibility within you and visualize an expansion of your energy with each exhale. These little moments of restorative peace can bring you back into balance.

 

 

Loving-Kindness Meditation

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Loving-Kindness Meditation
(from the book Beyond Happiness by Ezra Bayda)

Using conscious breath, draw your attention to the present moment. Think of someone you have positive feelings for and breathe them in to the heart chakra. This activates your innate loving-kindness. As you continue with slow, conscious breaths stay with each line below for a few breaths each. Visualize radiant energy expanding outward…

To Oneself
Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, extending loving-kindness to myself, exactly as I am right now.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, there’s no one special to be.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, just being.

To Another
Breathing (name) in,
May you dwell in the heart.

Breathing (name) in,
May you be healed in your difficulties.

Breathing (name) in,
May your heart be open to others.

To Everyone
Breathing everyone in,
May you dwell in the heart.

Breathing everyone in,
May you be healed in your difficulties.

Breathing everyone in,
May your hearts be open to others.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.

Nurturing the art of loving-kindness cultivates a foundation of peaceful contentment. You can walk through the world in a way that is empowered and healthy, and this simple mediation is just one way to consciously align yourself with the Now. Realize on the deepest level that you are a channel through which limitless love can flow.

Facing Challenges

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“The spiritual practice of relationships is about working on ourselves only, freeing ourselves from the constricting grip of our own unhappiness. It is not the other person’s job to take our unhappiness away; our discomfort is our own responsibility. Attending to our own spiritual tasks – seeing our judgments, opinions, beliefs, demands, and staying present with the fears out of which they all arise – frees others to move toward us. Then, when they no longer feel the need to defend, they become more willing to take care of their job. Thus joy in relationships becomes possible.”   
~Ezra Bayda~   

The obstacle is the path. Be aware that what you do not want to change is exactly what you need to look at the most. Have the courage to turn inward and face your shadow-self with loving, ruthless honesty. Your attention and awareness begins the process of transformation.

Bring a sense of adventure to the journey of your life and seek to find unique ways to face the hurdles you encounter. Whether found in health, relationships, finances or within your spiritual practice, you are ready for something transformative to enter your life. Your willingness to be an active participant in your own growth guarantees movement in your experience.

Be kind to yourself. There will be moments of brilliance as well as times when you may miss the mark. Empowerment calls upon each of us to take personal responsibility for our current state of consciousness so that we can engage life with an open heart. Act from the heart and allow circumstances to unfold as they will.

Exploring the Depths of Emotion

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“Experiencing our emotions fully, without wallowing in them or turning away, allows us to break through the layers of protective armor and connect with the heart. Fully felt, our emotions can clear the path to the deep well of compassionate love that is the essence of our being… and we are free to receive all the world.”   
~ Ezra Bayda~   
Just a little bit of insight and awareness can transform your entire life. You can only truly understand what you have experienced; therefore, it’s important to explore the depths of emotion. When emotional pain rises to the surface, it is an indicator that it is ready to be healed. These deeply buried wounds of the past are repeatedly reflected in our life experiences until they are cleared.In order to receive healing, we must choose to become vulnerable and open to the love of the Universe. Openness and acceptance create a space where we can dissolve the struggle and suffering once considered by the ego to be necessary and unavoidable… From this state of wholeness, we can help others to become whole as well.

Feel your way to freedom. Honor the emotions that arise with the knowledge that they are meant to help you break free from restrictive thoughts and beliefs. Untethered, the energies of infinite possibility feed the flames of your life purpose in a transformative and powerful way.