Loving Awareness

“Wherever you are and whatever you do, be in love.”
~Rumi~

Learn to look beyond the physical roles that people play in this life. Awakening calls upon us to see and respond to one another with open hearts and this cannot be done from a space of judgment. Only conscious practice can help you to cultivate the skill of loving awareness.

As always, the place to begin is within. Create a moment of stillness. Close your eyes, just be present and breathe. Feel the energy of the divine flowing through you and from you and notice how it extends outward. Your human form is a temporary expression of spirit. Now open your eyes. Whatever you see is another temporary form of spirit – a tree, a chair, the sky, a grasshopper… stop everything and honor that form as sacred. Sense its energy and recognize the reflection of yourself within it.

Try this as you walk through the world. When interacting, stop and look beyond the physical expression of the person in front of you. Sense their spirit and purposely interact with them from this level of awareness. You may be surprised at the openness with which they respond. Teach Oneness through your compassion and kindness. Honor this place, this moment, this experience as sacred.

Your Sacred Space

A day of gratitude, expansion, healing and growth begins the moment you awaken. If you haven’t properly tended to the energy in the household, layers of emotional sludge begin to build up and it can be challenging to begin the day with a clear heart and mind.

Everything in the home space has a definitive impact upon you. Clutter, broken objects, unfinished projects and unpaid bills emit vibrations that keep you off balance and feeling like you’ll never catch up.

Create a home that is a sacred space of peace, power, growth and transformation. Fill it with loving energy and see it as a place that nurtures your soul. Consider setting an intention that the entryway brings a sense of grace to all who walk through.

Quiet moments tending your garden, reading in the sunshine, doing yoga, playing music, preparing food, meditation, prayer, journaling, residing in conscious breath… anything that soothes your soul is a doorway to peace.

You are the conduit through which the Divine experiences itself in the world of form. With this in mind, look upon life through eyes of wonder, mystery and delight and it will become a sanctuary where your conscious experiences can be honored.

Love Begets Love

When you feel the brunt of someone’s anger, be compassionate instead of defensive.
When you are triggered and the ego wants to withhold, consciously move forward with kindness instead.
When you are judged… Be love.
Acceptance, unconditional love, honoring all life as sacred, being the peace you wish to see, Radical Forgiveness… all these concepts inspire us to be better; however, it’s important to remember that we require opposition in order for us to cultivate these amazing qualities.Be grateful for those who challenge you. Personally or globally, each of us is playing the role that is best for our collective growth. When you choose to drop judgment, limiting beliefs or hatred, and purposely see beyond the physical, everything is love. Life provides the perfect experience needed for our awakening.

Happiness is your own responsibility. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted by the drama or unconscious behavior to which you might be subjected. The moment you view yourself as a victim, you forget how powerful you are. Cultivate the ability to live open-heartedly in spite of the shocks of life. Anything that shakes you up is an opportunity to awaken the most beautiful and empowered aspects of your true nature.

The Beauty of Acceptance

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.

The Sound of Silence

“When you reach a calm and quiet meditative state, that is when you can hear the sound of silence.”
~Stephen Richards~

Stillness is powerful. Within it, one can walk through life in a way that is empowered, calm, and patient. Create space to lovingly re-connect with the fullness of who you are. This purposeful movement of energy and intention transcends limitation and brings greater balance into your life experience.

Seek to be a conscious expression of love today. Infuse your work, passion, play and spirituality with kindness and compassion and you will discover the deepest truth of who you are. Your soul will rise above and shine through the illusion.

We are engaged in a dance of form. Enjoy it! Spiritual awakening is a conscious blend of the mundane and the mystical, dark and light, intensity and peace. The contrasts we experience teach us the true nature of balance. There is a great depth of spaciousness which resides within you. Step into the silence and see if you can sense the infinite wellspring of potential that is waiting to be discovered.

The Power of Awareness

“The outer world is a reflection of the inner world. Other people’s perception of you is a reflection of them; your response to them is an awareness of you.”
~Roy T. Bennett~

This new day is filled with limitless possibility. Honor the sacredness of the present moment through gratitude. When we stop and recognize the beauty of creation, we become loving witnesses to life itself. Everything is a reflection of your own state of consciousness. So when a rainbow awakens wonder within you, turn inward for it is an indicator of your own wonder and magic.

Gaze upon one another with love. Your smile has the power to awaken joy. Your consciousness has the power to awaken the consciousness of others. Your compassion has the power to awaken compassion in others. These are the gifts that you give the world. And it is forever transformed because of your sojourn in it.

Awareness activates dormant energies. Our ability to create is incredibly powerful; therefore, end your gratitude moment by setting an intention. If each of us chooses to be an authentic example of kindness and patience and states this intention out loud each morning, what might come of it?

Creating Joy

“I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments, gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude, inspiration, and faith.”
~Brené Brown~

Your thoughts create your reality. Plant seeds of kindness and gratitude and nurture them in ways that support your own peace, power, growth,  and transformation. Consider any limiting thoughts to be weeds which must be removed quickly before they multiply and take over the garden of your creation.

You can manifest joy in your experience Now. This moment is the gateway to transformation. No matter what your circumstance, remember that happiness comes from within. Choose to find it in the little things and observe how it expands outward.

Whatever is unfolding in the field of your life’s expression is exactly what your soul requires for awakening. Intensity, peacefulness, solitude or throngs of activity, frustration or flow – all are a manifestation of the Divine. Bring the best version of yourself to the present moment and the future will take care of itself.

Sometimes, deep in the uncertain cacophony of life, a skyward glance to appreciate the clouds or stars will remind you of the continuity that exists. You are one with this permanence. You are infinite. You are love.

Being

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

~Paulo Coelho~
Love calls to us… the earth seeks to embrace us with her beauty, her light and nuance. Allow this divine love to inform every decision by lifting yourself up to greet it. When we slow down and pay attention, everything has something to teach. We learn patience by walking through an ancient wood. We discover joyful appreciation when witnessing the fleeting nature of wildflowers opening to receive the sun. The soaring path of a hawk can remind us to rise above in order to get a new perspective.
The mind will often attempt to distract; therefore, it’s helpful to align yourself with Presence by filling your days with tiny sparkles of peace, gratitude or meditation. Find beauty wherever you are and periodically take a moment to just be. Awareness is transformative. Each of us has an opportunity to consciously participate in our collective awakening.
Rather than seeking love or peace or enlightenment, be love. Be peace. Your unique way of being in the world will demonstrate what enlightenment looks like.

Everything is Music

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”
~Albert Einstein~

Have you ever stopped to listen to the symphony of existence? All of life plays its perfect part in the symphony of your experience. Dedicate a moment today to listen to the song of your heart. The beauty resides within the contrast and the silences as much as it does within the melody.

Step outside and hear the music of nature. Existence itself sings your name with messages of love. Feel the rhythm and allow it to move your soul. When you find the place where sound and spirit meet, you’ll discover a new depth and breadth of experience.

Become a pure channel for the creative energy of the Universe. Open yourself by learning to embrace periods of silence. Remove all distractions and focus on the beat of your heart and the breath as it fills your lungs. Realize that you are a vibrant, living, evolving work of art.

Sacred Journey

“Every action that is conscious, and that aims at bringing about a result, arises from a motivation. My religion is very simple: my key motivation is love. My religion is kindness.”
~ The Dalai Lama ~

It’s important to remember that you are responsible for your own joy. When you seek fulfillment outside of yourself, you choose to give away your power. Then happiness becomes measured by expectation, attachment to outcomes and reliant upon other people’s choices.

When gratitude, mindfulness, joy and peace come from within, we gain mastery over our own experience. Now life becomes a journey of discovery and adventure. We bring a different energy to the present moment – one that is empowered and aligned with life itself.

Should you notice any form of discontent arise in your experience, observe your thoughts.When you shine the light of consciousness on the ego, it loses momentum and creates space where transformation can occur.

Compassion and love are empowering qualities to explore. Infinite and immeasurable, there will always be new levels to discover. As we learn to create balance and joy within, we become less susceptible to outside events and a greater source of peace in the world.