There is Joy

“Laughter is wine for the soul – laughter soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness – the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living.”

~Sean O’Casey~

Each of us has the capability to create moments of joy throughout our expression of consciousness. In the midst of darkness, there is light. Countless opportunities to spark laughter reside within the various absurdities of life. The weight of expectation or desire dissolves within shared mirth. Celebrate those who bring a lighter point of view to our collective experience. Their unique perceptions open pathways to new areas of the subconscious.

Seek to fill your experience with countless tiny moments of joy rather than seeking to attain one particular goal. When we enter the field of awareness with humility and a sense of adventure, we open floodgates of energy that inspire, amplify and awaken, simplifying our journey.

Joy and peacefulness go and in hand. Approach life with a sense of wonder and for you, life will be transformed into something magical and  extraordinary. One spark of awareness can change everything.

Deep Understanding

Deep understanding arises when we strip away distractions. Thought brings distortion, words limit, and attachment creates tunnel vision; therefore, it’s a powerful practice to go within. In this moment, you are enough.Wherever you are, whatever you choose to do, fully immerse yourself within it. The Now is your doorway into greater awareness.

 

To step into total freedom we must release the need to label. The moment we narrowly identity to a particular religion, nationality, title or caste, we create separation. Separation breeds violence. And though many claim to seek peace, they do not realize that it must first be created within. Freedom is broad. In freedom, one is concerned with the whole of mankind and our collective journey.

 

So here we are living in a paradox. We set the stage of awakening by embracing our roles and living them to the best of our ability. When we step through the threshold of awareness, the form identity becomes superfluous and we begin to see through the roles people play to the truth of the soul.

 

In this truth, we get a glimpse of deep understanding and freedom. Gently detach and walk your unique path. The way forward will make itself known.

Labels Create Limitation

“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.

Cultivating Detachment

“I don’t mind what happens. That is the essence of inner freedom.
It is a timeless spiritual truth: release attachment to outcomes,
deep inside yourself, you’ll feel good no matter what.”
~Jiddu Krishnamurti~

When we utilize daily gratitude and acceptance as the foundation for creating peace in the present moment, we discover that ultimately, everything we experience is transformed. It’s important to enjoy all the various aspects of your unique journey; however, seek to do so with a fluidity that allows room for miracles to unfold.

Part of the human experience is immersing ourselves in life. Rather than seeking to shun the physical aspects of the world and meditate on a mountaintop, we integrate our spirituality into the mundane and learn that detachment is the key to happiness.

When we attach to a specific outcome, item, person, goal or self-concept, we create barriers that disrupt the free flow of energy and experience. The moment the unexpected occurs we have a choice to either accept or reject what is unfolding.

If suffering ensues, realize the amount of distress you feel is an indicator of your level of attachment. Should you notice excessive disappointment or sadness arising, go within and observe how previous expectations have dictated your current emotional reaction. This is the moment to remind yourself to create space in your experience for something new to emerge. Loss teaches us how to live and love with authenticity in the present moment.

Living Courageously

“The crowd neither wants nor seeks knowledge, and the leaders of the crowd, in their own interests, try to strengthen its fear and dislike of everything new and unknown. The slavery in which mankind lives is based upon this fear.”
~G. I. Gurdjieff~

To be a spiritual seeker is to discover your courage. Leaving the confines of the familiar we venture out into a new world, risking all. The willingness to explore the unknown paves the way to adventure as we learn to experience life with an open heart and open mind.

Throughout this process we encounter a stripping away of the ego. Layer by layer we drop beliefs and blockages that no longer serve us. Challenges allow us to cultivate fortitude as we discover new ways of experiencing all that life has to offer.

It’s important to be vulnerable and authentic. Don’t hold yourself back out of fear. The path of awakening calls upon us to recognize our potential. Faith and action transform that potential into actuality.

When you recognize the sacredness in all things, it brings a different quality into your experience. Operating from a detached sense of unconditional love also brings courageousness to the surface. Detachment allows us to give without demands. It is a purity that expresses itself through us. What would your expression of life be if you were fearless? Be that. Do that. Live that.

Understanding

“I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.”
~Hermann Hesse~
Experience creates understanding. Those who walk through challenges emerge transformed. They have a compassion and depth of knowledge unknown to those who have played it safe. Think of the difference between someone who has studied honey extensively – it’s molecular compounds, how it’s made, uses for it – and someone who has simply paused to taste and enjoy its sweetness. While one may have more time invested and learned complex words to describe it, the second has personal experience and greater clarity.
The mind, pretending to be important, will often ask questions that delay (how? why? when?) as a form of procrastination. The heart will prompt you to conscious action based upon your newfound wisdom.
Understanding will ultimately set you free. With each experience your perception of life broadens. Immerse yourself in possibility and choose to see beyond good and bad to the love that resides at the core of everything. Armed with depth and nuance, you can trust the whispers of your heart. Taste life. Allow its sweetness to inform you. No matter what arises, your compassion will continue to expand until it encompasses all that you see.

Right Action

“We go through our days responding and reacting, but it’s rare to really pause and ask…’Is this the kind of thing the person I would like to be should do?”

~Ryan Holiday~

Awareness ensures that your responses to life are empowered rather than reactive. Once the ego is no longer in control, your stillness and alertness will allow you to bring a higher consciousness to any situation. From that space of awareness, the action (or inaction) that is for the highest good of all involved will make itself known. Then you can act with integrity, do your best and accept what is.
Another way to observe right action in motion is that, once completed, it drops completely from your consciousness. There is no need to replay it, take credit for it, wonder if your choice was ‘right’ or worry about how things will unfold. This is the Divine working through you without ego-driven interference.
Cultivate mastery through the simple things of your experience such as driving, interactions with your children, the energy you bring to your work or your self-dialogue. The peace of Presence is always there. Honor the present moment as sacred by experiencing it fully.

Compassion

“We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead.”
~Roy T. Bennett~

Everyone carries wounds that silently (or not so silently, in some cases) control their lives. Rather than turn and face these shadows, the ego-mind begins a story of wrongness that gets projected outward. As a distraction, judgment and blame create all-encompassing stories that can keep the personality busy for years. Over time, the mantra around “the other” gets stronger as the ego becomes entrenched in the role of fighter.

Healing these wounds takes conscious and consistent effort. The first step is to take ownership of what is being reflected. When attention turns inward, seek to remove the reactivity and criticism by seeing clearly. Here is a simple visualization:

  • Surround the person or situation with the pink light of unconditional love. Say, “In love, I offer forgiveness to all those who have ever harmed me, knowingly or unknowingly, in all times and spaces, places and dimensions.”
  • Surround the person or situation with the purple light of awareness. Say, “In humility, I ask forgiveness from all those whom I have ever harmed, knowingly or unknowingly, in all times and spaces, places and dimensions.”
  • Visualize calming blue light around all, saying, “I accept emotional healing wherever it is required, on every level of existence, in every cell, thought, dream or memory. And so it is.”

This process sets energy in motion. Empowerment fosters compassion. This is how we help one another to heal.

It’s All Love

“Love is the bridge between you and everything.”  
~Rumi~

We are here to explore the infinite facets of love in whatever form they may appear. To live with an open heart is not about neediness or desire. It’s an authentic recognition of the sacredness in another as well as within ourselves. Your conscious interaction engages Divine energy and a healing exchange occurs. These preemptive acts of love are a masterful way of gently guiding your day to unfold in the manner you desire.

Kindness is never wasted. Pausing to smile or sharing a loving moment increases your own store of happiness. When you’re fully immersed in the Now, it’s easy to become a channel for the love, light and laughter of the universe. The right words will flow and your loving energy will plant seeds that may take root.

Allow intuition to assist your daily navigation through life. You’ll know the appropriate time for stillness, observation, kindness, action or holding space. One barometer of Presence is the ability to act and move forward without second guessing yourself. Once divine energy has expressed itself through you, the transaction is complete.

The Free Spirit

Our world is a playground of distraction. The mind gets lost in opinion, culture, status and drama and we must learn to rise above. The free spirit is one who is authentic and has discovered their own unique way of being in the world. They are untroubled in the midst of turmoil and seek to uplift those around them.

Be in the world but not of it. Learn how to harness the peace and power of Presence in this moment. Participate, but do not attach. Those who are willing to be receptive will discover much about themselves. As you enter the fullness of who you truly are, others will be drawn toward you. There is no greater privilege then to inspire awakening in another.

Strength is often demonstrated through gentleness. We are engaged in an ever-evolving dance with the Divine. Open the heart chakra, free yourself from distraction and honor the present moment by immersing yourself within it.

Spiritual growth ultimately brings the freedom and tranquility of heart that arises through forgiveness. Accept what is and live aligned with your truth. True, the world may ridicule or misunderstand you, but that too is part of the perfection of your journey.