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.

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.

Love and Compassion

“For me, I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.”
~Neil deGrasse Tyson~
Awareness transforms the way that we walk in the world. Collectively and uniquely, we fumble our way towards enlightenment and as our consciousness expands, we gain a greater understanding of one another and view life from a broader perspective. This dance of awakening calls upon us to give greater consideration to how our actions impact one another as we move forward. Integrity is found in the choices that we make when we’re alone.
I feel honored when I am witness to loving behavior. I see people picking up trash as they walk their dogs, opening doors for another as they enter the store, working in community gardens, helping those whose voices are not heard and countless other demonstrations of love and compassion. These kindnesses are the by-product of awareness. Rather than being lost in the world of illusion or trapped in their own problems, they reach out – simply and quietly, fulfilling the souls purpose to awaken.
Open your heart today. Hear someone’s story. Understand a different point of view. Research a new topic. This world is filled with many opportunities to learn from one another, to love one another and to honor each path as sacred.

Levels of Consciousness

“World is a multi-dimensional reality. At lower level it is full with unconsciousness and competitiveness.
At higher level it is full with beauty, bliss and divinity. Focus on higher dimensions.”
~Amit Ray~
One’s level of consciousness not only determines their interpretation of life, but also how they will respond to it. The lower levels of shame, fear, anger, pride or grief lead to erratic, dysfunctional behavior as well as a limited mindset, and those who vibrate at the lower frequencies tend to be very draining to be around (psychic vampirism).
The awakening soul must first focus on their own state of consciousness. When you are deeply aligned with courage, willingness, acceptance or love, your expansive vision creates an opportunity to see things from a broader viewpoint. Rather than getting dragged downward energetically, we can take ourselves higher and create a mindful experience instead of one that is reactive.
Love and light surround you, always. While it can be easy to feel overwhelmed in the midst of life’s chaos, it helps to remember that all beings are working toward enlightenment. The only difference between us is where one resides on that journey. Let compassion open your heart and mind to new possibilities.

The Human Experience

The whole point of being human is to enjoy the various aspects of physical life… as beings of spirit, we had never experienced the taste of chocolate, known the warmth of a hug, or felt the intensity of emotions that arise from falling in love or feeling disappointment.

And so the experiment began. As One, we created a playground within the realm of time and space. We decided to dance in the arms of the Divine by taking a journey into new levels of illusion, and getting immersed within the dream, forgot the original point of human existence… experience.
However, even that forgetting was something that the infinite source of love had not experienced before and so, it too, fulfills an important aspect of a grander design – the joy of awakening.
Choose to slow down and savor all the tiny, exquisite aspects of being human today. Without inner dialogue or mind-made labels, simply be present with whatever unfolds. Let every action, sensation and experience be considered sacred. Consciously enjoy your food or an engaging conversation, run your fingertips across various textures, revel in your dog’s smile and take the time to enjoy the beauty and majesty of being human.

Gentle Strength

“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.”
~Kahlil Gibran~
True strength is measured by authenticity, consistency and compassion. The higher your energetic frequency, the more power you can access. Those who vibrate at lower levels such as anger, pride, apathy or shame must use force in order to feel heard. No matter what change you wish to create in your experience, it must be cultivated within you before you can bring it into the world of form.
When those for whom you care become lost in the illusions of this world, do your best to remain at the highest level of consciousness that you can in your various interactions. We must remain engaged in unconditional love in order to teach: situation by situation, moment by moment. This takes conscious and consistent practice. You are a conduit through which the Divine manifests; therefore, it’s important to clear anything that blocks your ability to love.  View the challenges you face as realms of infinite possibility that deepen your wisdom, cultivate your strength and bring aspects that require attention or healing into the light of awareness. This is the moment of transformation.

Reflection

“The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.”
~Wayne Dyer~
Sometimes it can be challenging to see ourselves clearly. One of the most beautiful aspects of the human condition is our ability to reflect truth to one another. You can choose to be an authentic, loving reflection of the Presence in others. Consider the impact your interactions would have if you consciously sought to discover and reflect the most positive aspects of the person in front of you.
When you enjoy someone’s integrity, compassion, kindness or sense of humor, it’s because they are reflecting some of your wonderful qualities. Likewise, when you see patterns of behavior that frustrate you, it’s important to look within. By simply taking personal responsibility it becomes easier to release limiting patterns of your own.
Pay attention to the words you use to describe the people you encounter throughout the day – they will provide tremendous insight. Each of us views life through the filters of our own perception. If there are things you wish to shift or heal, simply do so without any self-judgment or recrimination. Otherwise, honor and own your beautiful qualities and allow them to shine.

Compassion

It can be difficult to watch those you love harm themselves through self-sabotage, limiting thought patterns or repetitive behavior. The natural instinct of love is the desire to take away another’s pain; however, attempting to do so before the soul has truly learned the lesson involved merely prolongs the challenge. The same type of situation will manifest again in various forms until it is no longer needed. It’s healthier for all involved to raise someone’s consciousness (by raising yours) and detach from expectation.

Detached compassion is utilizing the wisdom of love in order to create a space of comfortable silence and well-being – the coming together of kindred spirits. In this manner, one can detach from the ego and move past blocks of perception into the realm of new possibility.

For everyone, this is a period of discovery. Not every pathway will lead to a definitive answer, but the joy is in the journey. Be supportive, kind and authentic. When someone comes to you and specifically asks for direction or advice, share your ideas without attachment – everyone processes new information in their own way and time.

Honor all paths as sacred by allowing the lesson, offering support and sowing seeds of compassion.

Finding Peace in Presence

As you develop inner richness and maturity, you’ll find that others will be drawn to you. In a world filled with busyness, opinion, drama and  the various games people play, the advanced spiritual seeker provides a calm space of respite.

The quest for love is actually a desire to achieve wholeness. Initially, we look outside ourselves for someone to make us feel complete. This distracts us from the true work of discovering our inner divinity and balance. Relationships offer a beautiful opportunity to practice finding that inner balance, and as we expand more fully into love, those who grace our lives will surely transform as well.

When we bring a sense of wholeness and peace into our interactions, it becomes easier to remain aware and present within the Now. We can connect with one another from the level of spirit.

Old souls typically break the chains of society’s repressive conditioning and opinions. They rise above unconsciousness and begin to live aligned with their true nature. Those who have yet to awaken find this upsetting… so used to misery, they see the enlightened person as unique and mysterious. In a space of love, consciously allow those with whom you interact to witness their own infinite potential.