Being Love

“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.

Finding Gratitude in Grief

“In some ways, [gratitude] makes [grief] more profound, because it allows you to look at it. It allows you to examine your grief in a way that it is not, like, holding up red hot ember in your hands, but rather seeing that pain as something that can warm you and light your knowledge of what other people might be going through.”

~Stephen Colbert”

Compassion is learned through experience. In Presence, we can create space around emotions that arise and transform our wounds into empowerment. Challenges help us to discover facets of insight and awareness that are ready to shine. When you can turn toward your grief and embrace it, it becomes a powerful aspect of your awakening.

Our history does not define us, but it does inform us. Rather than thinking the challenge shouldn’t have occurred, or believing the “if only” created by the mind, see everything as part of the perfect unfoldment of your life, the exemplary movement of love and loss, lessons and values that can only come through depth of emotion.

Our shared humanity is the key to spiritual awakening. We all walk the same journey and we can find joy in walking one another home.

Soul Friends

“One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.”

~John O’Donohue~

When you connect with a soul friend, the recognition is immediate. A bond has formed over several lifetimes because of the many interactions you have shared and the feeling is simply one of coming home. Celebrate these beautiful souls. They offer assistance on your journey of awakening.

The roles we play have a purpose and those who grace your life need you to be exactly who you are. Be authentic, loving, open, vulnerable and trust that your higher Self has broader vision than your human perception allows you to see. There are beautiful intricacies in play. Each thread of experience leads us to greater compassion and awareness.

Our soul friends will sometimes act in a way that inspires us to break out of our comfort zone. This is where your growth accelerates. Be willing to trust that you are right where you need to be. Act with integrity, do your best, accept what is. There is far more to life than meets the eye.

A Journey of Discovery

“When you regain a sense of your life as a journey of discovery, you return to rhythm with yourself. When you take the time to travel with reverence, a richer life unfolds before you. Moments of beauty begin to braid your days.”

~John O’Donohue~

Walk forward and allow yourself to be drawn by a sense of wonder into the unknown. When you learn to trust the processes of your awakening, it becomes easier to experience life as an adventure. Leaving behind the need for plans and a mapped out future, we explore with the exhilarating freedom which comes from being open and vulnerable.

Discovering your inner truth comes through experience. Nothing is guaranteed, but the search helps us to grow. Allow yourself to be insecure, to face adversity and accept the challenges that the unknown has to offer. Much of spiritual awakening is prompted by the realization that there are vast levels yet to explore.

Life is here to offer whatever is needed in order for you to explore your unlimited potential. Taking one step at a time and giving your complete attention to the Now can bring new passion, creativity and clarity in to all that you do.

Contrast

“Beauty does not belong exclusively to the regions of light and loveliness, cut off from the conversation of oppositions. The vigour and vitality of beauty derives precisely from the heart of difference. No life is one-sided; the life of each of us is animated by the inner conversation of forces which counter and complement each other. Beauty inhabits the cutting edge of creativity — mediating between the known and unknown, light and darkness, masculine and feminine, visible and invisible, chaos and meaning, sound and silence, self and others.”

~John O’Donohue~

Wisdom arises when we allow the soul to experience what is without judgment. The richness of various ideas, textures, perceptions and soul expression creates a vast tapestry of exquisite beauty. Contrasts allow us to experience life from several different perspectives as we explore the nuances of wholeness. We must dance within dark and light to fully appreciate the perfection in the imperfection.

Positive and negative, sorrow and bliss, yin and yang teach us of the infinite possibilities inherent within neutrality. Resist nothing and instead, allow yourself the opportunity to fully experience the present moment with an open heart. There is always something new waiting to be discovered.

Life allows us to learn from one another through contrast. Quietly appreciate differing viewpoints and history. There is a sacred unity at the core of your being and it comes to life through being a witness of life’s beauty.

 

Integrity and Awareness

“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

When you embrace your unique way of being in the world and open your heart and mind to new energy, you become a powerful co-creator in your daily experience. A healthy foundation is built on integrity and awareness. Your willingness to keep evolving while living in alignment with your truths allows you the freedom to be consistent in the midst of transformation.

This is where judgment stops. Energetically, we cannot hold the vibration of judgment and love in the same space because they are in opposite realms of experience. The best way to release judgment is to ensure that you are acting with integrity and doing your best. With nothing out of balance, we can see without labeling, forgive without drama and navigate our days with patience and peace.

Life is your canvas, your blank page, a song that is waiting to be played… add to it often. Let it change as you change knowing that the slightest adjustments can have the greatest impact. What we choose to create with our energy matters. Each us of adds something beautiful and unique to our collective experience.

Contentment

“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 you choose to approach the Now with a sense of peacefulness and an inner knowledge that nothing is lacking, you will experience the freedom to be found in the pleasures of existence. Honor this moment as sacred, set expansive energy in motion and life will hold you in its embrace.
Gratitude and appreciation take you more deeply into the present moment. Let contentment and stillness free you from the distractions of the mind. The journey inward is limitless. Close your eyes and listen. Be. Accept the love and energy that rains down upon you from all dimensions. The seeds of your awakening are nurtured by purposeful quiet interludes. In the space of infinite possibility we discover our unique way of being in the world.
Enlightenment can come in many forms. Use whatever life offers as your doorway to greater insight and awareness. Health, relationships, work, the messages of nature – all offer pointers that play a significant role in your awakening. Presence is the gift of contentment.

Miracles in the Stillness

“To understand the immeasurable, the mind must be extraordinarily quiet, still.”
~J. Krishnamurti~
Within the stillness lies unlimited possibility. When we can quiet the ravages of the mind, we discover that the present moment is filled with countless little gifts. Enter the gap by being very gentle, very receptive. Awareness seeks to experience itself through you.
Gaze at the clouds as they move across the sky. Notice how the shadows change. Hear the calls of birds in flight. The canvas of life is constantly in motion, each movement effortlessly creating a new work of art to appreciate. Even as I write these words, I find myself enjoying the candlelight as it flickers on my altar of friendship.
By bringing a gentle awareness into the Now, you will be more able to recognize the sacred in everyone and everything. As you continue to awaken, the veils of illusion which have clouded your perception begin to separate and ultimately dissolve into faint memory. The time has come to step into awareness of your true nature and walk forward with wonder.At the deepest core of our being we are the observers, witnesses of the miracle of existence. From this space of awareness we can engage with the spark of life and love that resides within us.

Destiny

“When the Soul wants to experience something she throws out an image in front of her and then steps into it.”
~Meister Eckhart~

In our free-will experience, nothing is carved in stone. Prior to birth, we arrange unique life situations by creating a blueprint that will set the stage for particular lessons and karmic interactions to facilitate our awakening. Our destiny is to rediscover Oneness through the experience of perceived separation.

When ready to cultivate a particular aspect of spiritual awareness, we energetically send a beacon of light into the universe asking for assistance. Those who answer the call come in love to play whatever role is required for your growth. Rather than resist what your soul has set into motion, step into the experience. This conscious approach ensures that you will emerge transformed.

Honor the processes of your awakening. While our vision is initially limited by design, we can learn to expand perception through stillness and Presence. It’s helpful to have an awareness of the physical story and patterns in which we are engaged while simultaneously seeking deeper meaning and insight.

You will never know how amazing you are until you see the power of your light in motion.

 

The Awakened Life

“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.