Tag Archives: #peace

The Pathway to Enlightenment

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“The pathway to the state of Enlightenment is via non-attachment rather than negation. Neutrality allows for participation and the enjoyment of life because, experientially, life becomes more like play than a high-stakes involvement.”  
~David R. Hawkins~ 

Neutrality creates a flow of acceptance in your experience and allows you to genuinely be at peace no matter what unfolds. It is also a wonderful indicator when karmic agreements have been completed. The emotional intensity subsides and the person or situation no longer creates an emotional charge.

Apathy, on the other hand, is a state akin to helplessness. One sees no point in living, feels like nothing will change and the personality becomes trapped in heavy energies that suck the life out of the people around them.

To find a personal state of grace and balance, we must cultivate the ability to allow life to unfold without attachment to outcomes. The dance between dark and light opens our consciousness to explore the space in between, a resting place, which allows healing to take place.

After this time of peace, we embark upon the next level of consciousness which is Willingness. The journey proceeds with a new understanding of hope, optimism and intention… and from there, anything is possible.

Being Peace

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“Being in peace doesn’t mean absence of misery, it means absence of conflict in the mind.”
~Abhijit Naskar~
Peace is something to be, not something to discover. Many people seek to find the right teacher, book, meditation or answer that will create peace and enlightenment in their lives; however, peacefulness does not come from adding to your experience. It comes from stripping away all that distracts you from the peacefulness of being.
If you desire peace in your relationships, you must become peace. Rather than fighting against things or people with which you disagree, choose to support causes that bring healing and joy with vibrant authenticity. Seek to be the light that transforms.
What you fight, you strengthen. Every thought, word or action taken in anger actually feeds greater energy into that which you disdain. To create a loving world, we must be love, and like peace, love is not something that we can discover. It is the natural state of our being when untouched by ego or desire.

Gratitude and Awakening

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“The great awareness comes slowly, piece by piece. The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning. The experience of spiritual power is basically a joyful one.”
~M. Scott Peck~
Spiritual awakening is a progression. Step by step we expand our vision, cultivate new knowledge and find ways to apply it to our lives. Though a shift in consciousness can happen in an instant, more often it occurs over time. Periodically take a moment to assess your responses to life. It’s likely that you’ll discover you process challenges differently, are less reactive and move more quickly from anger to peace. How much have you grown over the last year, or five or ten?
Ease and grace are born of experience. After facing repeating patterns meant to assist us in our spiritual growth, we finally experience a break-through and everything begins to change. The awakening soul learns to utilize thoughts and intentions in ways that are positive and empowering.
With conscious awareness, the world seems less threatening. Life becomes more joyful as we take risks and expand into new experiences knowing that each step is guided by love. When you can be at peace in your own truth and be a conduit for the light of the Divine, you’ll step into the majesty of the present moment – aware, enlightened, awake. This is your destiny.

Peace Work

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“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh~

As you silently do your work you emit ripples of energy that flow outward. Changes are left in your wake that you may never see. A kind word, a compassionate ear or a soothing touch can be extraordinarily transformative.

Life provides various opportunities to observe your level of consciousness in the world of form. Nothing is more important than how you are choosing to experience this moment. Self awareness will help you to be mindful rather than reactive. What you consistently do becomes a natural aspect of who you are.

When your insights, inner dialog and actions are in harmony you’ll notice that every experience leads you to be more awake. Everything is about expansion. We learn to drop limiting perception and purposely enter the realm of Oneness.

What we do matters. Each of us has the opportunity to be an example of connectedness and love. Live authentically, remember to laugh at yourself and let your life be your message.

Stillness

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“Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. No more is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let stillness direct your words and actions.”
~Eckhart Tolle~
Silence is more than the absence of noise. It is an inner communion with peace and awareness. In the stillness we become open to receive and it is within that gap of ‘no mind’ that we can touch the infinite.
Our current experience of the world is one of bombardment – a blend of sound, marketing, opinions, expectations and ego-driven thought. Our senses are often overwhelmed. Many spend each day running to accomplish many self-imposed tasks while neglecting the one thing that truly matters – grace.
Create pauses throughout the day to appreciate the beauty around you. Stop and breathe. Find something for which you can be grateful. Imagine joy flooding every aspect of your being. Touch the realm of limitless possibility and you will discover inner sacredness and beauty.
In the midst a cacophony, stillness can be accessed by dropping your resistance to noise. Your acceptance is another gateway into stillness. As you practice being at peace with what is, you’ll discover new depths of perception and serenity. This is where inner wisdom resides.

Consistent Practice

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“The greatest gift that you can give to this world is to make the mind still.”
~Ajahn Chah~
Throughout your journey of awakening, you will feel drawn to different ideas, modalities and paths to enlightenment. As you find tools that inspire you, consistently work with them. If there comes a point where you “outgrow” that particular passion, that’s ok. Bring something new into your repertoire and move forward.
We never stop learning. Don’t allow complacency to trap you in a mindset that stalls your exploration. When life begins to fall into place (and it will!), it’s important to stay consistent with your spiritual practice rather than waiting for a time of imbalance to inspire you to begin anew.
The key is to walk through life with ease and grace no matter what unfolds. As you cultivate greater awareness of your strengths and step into empowerment, you’ll naturally bring peacefulness into the present moment. Many upon experiencing that sense of ease, think they’ve reached the final destination and pause; however, there are infinite levels still waiting to be explored. As with anything we do, practice makes it easier. It tones those spiritual muscles and makes our journey effortless. Even extreme challenges don’t seem to disengage those who have a powerful daily spiritual routine.

Nurture Your Spirit

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“Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.”
~Bell Hooks~
When we take the time to care for ourselves, we have more to give those we love. It’s important to make yourself a priority. Create moments of balance and peace, set your intentions, eat mindfully, express gratitude and choose to bring the best version of yourself to your interactions. When you have clearly defined boundaries, others will learn how to honor them.
Your way to peace is unique. Through trial and error you’ll discover what brings you joy, what drains your energy and how best to navigate the ebb and flow of life. When others act in a way that prompts greater clarity about your own needs, be thankful. That soul has played a vital role in your development.
You are a master in the process of awakening. Everything that unfolds in your experience is a purposeful aspect of your life’s journey. When operating from a space of balance, peace and insight, you’ll be able to consciously utilize whatever life has to offer in a meaningful, empowering way.

See Beyond the Illusion

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“Peace can be made only by those who are peaceful, and love can be shown only by those who love. No work of love will flourish out of guilt, fear, or hollowness of heart, just as no valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.”
~Alan Watts~
The world that we experience with our physical senses is merely an illusion we have collectively created. Its purpose is to provide a playground of discovery. As spiritual beings having a human experience, we seeded this place with sparks of infinite possibility, ever-evolving creation, and movement.
Getting lost in the illusion is one aspect of the game. We immersed ourselves so entirely that we forgot the truth of our limitless, eternal Being. From that space of perceived separation we entered the game of karma, which teaches the value of opposites and paradox until the power of neutrality is learned. As the karma is cleared we begin to once again sense connectedness which underlies all things.
When you find yourself lost in the mind, overwhelmed by feelings, or frustrated by a limiting situation, seek to ground yourself and access the balancing energy of our sacred mother earth. From a space of stillness, softening the stories of the mind,  it is possible to see beyond the illusion.

The Practice of Compassion

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“Rage — whether in reaction to social injustice, or to our leaders’ insanity, or to those who threaten or harm us — is a powerful energy that, with diligent practice, can be transformed into fierce compassion.”
~Bonnie Myotai Treac~

It can be challenging to watch others who choose to be in great pain. Each of us has a role to play in this life and ours may be to foster a sense of compassion for those who are lost in the lower levels of consciousness, delusion and dysfunction. At times, their struggle feels like someone who is drowning who inadvertently clings to another in their panic, overwhelming the would-be rescuer.

The practice of compassion is linked to a deep sense of peace, wisdom and detachment. When we learn to be in the world but not of it, we cultivate a soothing response to the challenges of life. Rather than judging those lost in distress we act from empathy and compassion, teaching by example.

You are a blessing. It’s natural to feel misunderstood – and, in fact, that is a powerful aspect of being an old soul. If you can stand alone in your truth and comfortable with your own journey, you are awakening.

 

Belief

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“Being spiritual has nothing to do with what you believe and everything to do with your state of consciousness.”
~Eckhart Tolle~
There are nearly eight billion souls currently on the planet. No matter what you choose to believe, it is likely that you will find many who agree with you. As we evolve, this becomes a subtle manifestation of the ego. Beliefs become more deeply solidified and adhered to until a “us versus them” mentality arises.
When we seek to codify the Divine, we limit it with our words. It’s important to remember that descriptors, beliefs, research and rules are all merely pointers and should be utilized only to spark an awakening. Learn what you will in whatever way speaks to your heart and then bring a deep Presence into all that you do.
Expanding consciousness is a byproduct of your own journey. Next lifetime you may approach your evolution in a different manner so you can cultivate a deeper understanding of the various ways to awaken. For now, live in alignment with your true nature and let your life be your message.
No matter what you choose to believe, seek to infuse it with the higher levels of consciousness: love, joy, peace, enlightenment.