Walk Gently

“Peace is found not through seeking peace, but through residing completely in what is.”
~Ezra Bayda~

The awakened spirit walks gently through life, seeking to be present and peaceful. This creates a powerful blending of the spiritual and the mundane.

Living a spiritual life is not some perfection that you will experience at some point in the future. It is the consistent practice of bringing a sense of peace and inner purpose to your journey as best as you can, from where you are with what you have. As we awaken, we naturally cultivate more tools and a greater ability to navigate through the challenges and beauty of life.
Listen to the prompting of your inner guidance. Celebrate your breakthroughs while learning from the challenges that arise. Everything works toward your highest good – always. With this in mind, fear departs as we take a greater role in what we choose to create and how we interpret the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
Trust your inner wisdom. You will draw in the teachers and experiences that are most appropriate for your journey. See each moment only as an opportunity to shine. Infinite gifts of love are waiting to be discovered. 

 

You Are Joy

“You will arrive at the realization that you are just joy itself, and everything you do arises out of this joy, out of this spaciousness, light, and love.”
~ Mooji~

You are an aspect of the Divine experiencing the illusion of separation. Your loving awareness sparks awakening in those with whom you interact. When you are led by love, when you can step out of the maelstrom and into joy, you become a peaceful haven through turbulent times. Through contrast we discover the Oneness that connects us.

Give those you love space to work through their own lessons. Interact with kindness and integrity, knowing that everything works toward the highest good for all involved. Regardless of how it appears on the physical plane, love ultimately resides at the core of all things. As we each do our work to heal both personal and collective wounds, keep in mind that awareness is the first step of transformation.

Observe without commentary or judgment. Take ownership when necessary and then choose right action. Right action arises through expanded consciousness and mindful choices. Purposely utilize the lessons contained within every situation and you will awaken a version of yourself that is  peaceful, inspiring and empowered.

Solitude and Celebration

“Celebrate who you are in your deepest heart. Love yourself and the world will love you.”
~Amy Leigh Mercree~

In the silence of stillness we can discover our own inner potential, beauty and ability to love. The human condition prompts us to seek out one another to engage in lessons, contrasts, support, connection and communion. But when we base our joy upon others for fulfillment, we begin to block the flow the authentic flow of experience. Create a silent space within you where love can reside. Let it be filled with innocence and wonder, awe and clarity. In that space, the concept of “I” disappears and we become more aware of the spark of the Divine within us.

Discover the beauty in moments of solitude, the freedom of it, the purity of it, and choose to become one with all that you see… the wildness of spring, the smile of a dog, the purr of a kitty, the caress of a breeze… interactions are sacred when we approach each moment with this sense of openness and possibility.

Quiet celebration transforms you into a conduit for pure Divine energy. Let the joyful song of your soul bless all that you see.

The Sacredness of Laughter

“There are many ways to the Divine. I have chosen the ways of song, dance, and laughter.”
~Rumi~

Your presence is transformative. When life seems challenging and the weight of expectation feels a little hard to bear, it’s important to remember that you do not need to seek the light. You are the light.

Humans tend to get lost in illusion and forget their sacredness, innocence and inner beauty. One way to spark healthy self-awareness is through laughter. When you can share a moment of connection, laughing until tears come to your eyes, everything else fades away and you are fully present once again. Laughter is the souls way of reminding you of the joy that always lingers just beneath the surface.

Share kindness. Share compassion. But most importantly, remember to let your inner clown out to dance once in a while. Trust the love that flows through the universe. Your willingness to laugh opens you to receive the blessings that life has to offer.

Enlightenment

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
~Rumi~
Enlightenment is ongoing. Layer by layer we release old energy and limiting patterns and step ever closer toward the fullness of who we are. This slow, transformative process is simultaneously both unique and universal. We must each walk our own path.
Trust the processes of your awakening. What you require for your transformation is what is unfolding in this moment. Resist nothing. Instead, turn toward the object of your frustration and embrace it with an open heart and you will be transformed.
As you awaken, you will naturally do things differently. Spiritual maturity arises through consistent practice and one day, you’ll observe that you respond to old triggers in a completely new way.
Your ability to see through the mechanisms of the ego creates opportunities to be less reactive and more mindful in your daily interactions.  This is what is meant by being in the world but not of it. Living at a different level of awareness, we cease to contribute to the dysfunction of our collective experience and can ultimately lead by example. Peace begins within.

Sanctuary

“…for you know that soft is stronger than hard, water stronger than rock, love stronger than force.”
~Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha~

The only thing over which you have any control is how you choose to experience the present moment. It’s time to reignite life’s mystery and leap fully into the spiritual experience. The energy that we put out into the world matters. Your sense of connection matters. More than ever before, life needs peacekeepers, artisans, free thinkers, healers and creators.

Consciousness has expanded because of a willingness to journey through darkness. As we emerge from the shadows, we find ourselves transformed, and it is this strength and awareness that can now be brought out into the light. The role of the awakened soul is to demonstrate what empowerment looks like in the world of form. Gentleness, kindness, and compassion arise when we have cultivated them within.

Keep it simple. Focus only on this moment and how you can bring the best version of yourself to whatever unfolds. Even solitary, mundane tasks take on a sacred quality when you are thusly engaged. Imagine how life would feel if you consistently experienced the Now in this manner. Your peacefulness creates a true sanctuary.

Strength in Solitude

The more powerful and original a mind, the more it will incline towards the religion of solitude.
~Aldous Huxley~

Stillness opens the possibility of transformation, creativity and empowered solutions. Busyness is a form of avoidance. When one runs non-stop from the moment they awaken, they block the peace and presence that is found in the stillness of the present moment. So in your solitude, be still. Don’t think of the next task that needs to be done, replay past events in your mind or worry about the future. Just be. Know. Honor yourself, your space and the present moment as sacred.

Become the observer rather than the doer. In the silence of stillness we can explore the gifts of the soul. The human condition prompts us to seek out one another – to engage in lessons, contrasts, support, connection and communion – periodic moments of solitude help to create balance within our interactions. Nurture that silent space within you where love can reside. Let it be filled with innocence and wonder, awe and clarity. In that space, the concept of “I” disappears and we become more aware of the spark of the Divine within us.

Loving-Kindness Meditation

Loving-Kindness Meditation
(from the book Beyond Happiness by Ezra Bayda)

Using conscious breath, draw your attention to the present moment. Think of someone you have positive feelings for and breathe them in to the heart chakra. This activates your innate loving-kindness. As you continue with slow, conscious breaths stay with each line below for a few breaths each. Visualize radiant energy expanding outward…

To Oneself
Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, extending loving-kindness to myself, exactly as I am right now.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, there’s no one special to be.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.
Breathing out, just being.

To Another
Breathing (name) in,
May you dwell in the heart.

Breathing (name) in,
May you be healed in your difficulties.

Breathing (name) in,
May your heart be open to others.

To Everyone
Breathing everyone in,
May you dwell in the heart.

Breathing everyone in,
May you be healed in your difficulties.

Breathing everyone in,
May your hearts be open to others.

Breathing in, dwelling in the heart.

Nurturing the art of loving-kindness cultivates a foundation of peaceful contentment. You can walk through the world in a way that is empowered and healthy, and this simple mediation is just one way to consciously align yourself with the Now. Realize on the deepest level that you are a channel through which limitless love can flow.

The Awakened Life

Like water eroding rock, the awakened life is one of gentle, consistent, conscious actions that leave a permanent impression. Attempting to force change, whether in yourself or others around you, is akin to a flash flood that temporarily wreaks havoc and leaves destruction in its wake. Living your truth; however, is a series of small actions that can transform even the most challenging of situations.
Everything plays a role in your awakening. Recognizing your judgments and understanding the fears out of which they arise allows you to consciously choose responses that bring peace to your life situation. Uncertainty is another path that ultimately opens the door to new ideas and insight. Anger points the way to repressed energy. Rather than wondering “why?” when things go wrong, seek understanding through direct experience rather than wandering aimlessly in an intellectual playground.
The key is to accept what is. Bring a greater awareness to how you choose to experience the present moment. When you take responsibility for your own state of consciousness, your actions will reflect empowerment and kindness.

Be Still

“Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity”
~Lao Tzu~

Quiet the mind and go within. No matter what is unfolding in your life situation, you have the ability to be at peace. Use all that you are experiencing to facilitate the next phase of your spiritual awakening. Silence is the key.

We are so conditioned to think our way through challenges that we can momentarily forget we are divine beings who are guided, loved and supported each and every step of the way. In those moments of feeling lost or overwhelmed, the first instinct is to dwell on the “coulda/woulda/shoulda” of regret.

Go within and simply be. Open to the light of the universe, and there you will discover the insight and peace you desire. Know that you are right where you need to be and the experience you are having holds the key to enlightenment. Periodically, spread your arms wide, open the heart chakra, and visualize energy flowing into you from the Sun. Just be and receive and breathe. Let this light infuse your entire being.

Honor the sacredness of your journey. Gratitude and appreciation open your heart to receive the many blessings that life has to offer.