Allowing Happiness

“How simple it is to see that we can only be happy now, and there will never be a time that is not now.”
~Gerald Jampolsky~

Allowing is the secret to happiness. Once we begin to let go, space is created in our lives, and in that space we discover beauty that was there all along. All too often the mind engages in an inner warfare of holding on to old resentments or patterns that result in unhappiness. While we’re distracted by this inner dialog, life continues on.

Each of us has the capacity to set ourselves free from the burdens that we carry. Create enough openings in your experience to participate in the mysteries of the Divine. Don’t postpone your happiness – life is here Now.

Love this moment and participate in it fully. When it’s time to work, be fully present and engaged. When it’s time to relax, leave work behind and allow yourself the time to recharge. If the moment calls upon you to lie in the sun, enjoy every aspect of it.

As you develop your own inner richness and maturity, you’ll become less attached to the romanticized ideas of youth. Cultivating a connection to the Divine brings joy into the present moment. Sometimes the sight of a beautiful sunset will lift us out of thought and into Presence where joy resides.

Meditation

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
~Thich Nhat Hang~

In the midst of the bombardment of daily life, take time to just be – fully present, patient, easy, aware. Periodically quiet the mind, allow yourself to listen and bring stillness into your experience. Meditation, no matter how you choose to approach it, is an important part of staying balanced. There is a sanctuary within you where you can commune with the Divine.

Stillness and anxiety cannot coexist in the same space, nor can fear and love or hatred and peace. Every cell of your being is filled with Divine Intelligence and, in conscious awareness, the Universe responds. All that you seek is already within you.

Many people say that they don’t know how to meditate or feel that they can’t stop thinking. This is merely a product of the ego that sabotages your efforts before you begin. Just sit and be. Listen to the sounds you hear without identifying or categorizing. Notice the beat of your heart, subtle noises around the house or outside, and take one conscious breath… then another and another.

Holding Space

“Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it’s all over.”
~Octavia E. Butler~

To hold space for another is to offer consistent unconditional support while being a calming presence throughout life’s upheavals. Compassion is a gift that creates space in which another can discover their own strength, awareness and potential. Sometimes, love calls upon us to simply listen without advice or judgment.  Discernment is the ability to be a source of compassionate detachment.

When feeling overwhelmed, act with integrity, do your best and accept what is. Operate from a foundation of wisdom with the understanding that every circumstance works toward the highest good of all involved. There is much more to life than meets the eye. Often, the energetic or spiritual truth of a situation is the opposite of how it appears on the physical plane.

Your energy is transformative. Allow it to shine in such a way that others can navigate the dark night of the soul into the light of awareness and healing.

 

 

 

The Power of Presence

“True freedom is when all the stories, all the insights, all the realizations, concepts, beliefs and positions dissolve. What remains is what you are; a vast, conscious, luminous space simply resting in itself, not knowing a thing, at the point where all things are possible.”
~Enza Vita~

Presence is achieved by going inward. The ego disappears, the roles and life situations become transparent and only empowered silence remains. When you begin to realize that you are much more than the stories of the mind, you have planted the seeds of your own spiritual maturity.

You can bring a powerful sense of peace and well-being to this moment. Life presents opportunities to respond to darkness with light, to show kindness to those who seem to reject it the most and to experience the infinite Presence of the Now.

Ultimately, you create your own experiences, have your own insights and live a unique journey.  No matter how you choose to connect to the Divine, do it consistently. Let your life be a walking meditation with the realization that awareness is your true nature. As you drop old patterns and limiting beliefs, you are left only with the infinite mystery of your being.

Unconditional Love

“But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
~Kahlil Gibran~

Unconditional love calls upon us to honor each path as sacred. Regardless of how it sometimes appears, life is perfect and will always facilitate the appropriate circumstances for our continued growth. Choose to allow enough space in your relationships for each person to thrive. The awakening soul provides a consistent place of safety and acceptance for the other.

Love is discovering who you are in the presence of another. This type of soul-based love has no opposite. It will never get triggered into hate or anger, nor will it become mired in the endless loop of desire. It allows the present moment to be as it is.

When you can be grateful for every moment of your life without expectation or regret, you have arrived. Unconditional love creates a profound transformation in the way you choose to interact with the world. This is the true nature of your being.

 

The Gift of Presence

“Whenever you deeply accept this moment as it is – no matter what form it takes – you are still, you are at peace.”
~Eckhart Tolle~

To offer another the space to be who they are is a miraculous gift. Everyone we encounter wants only one thing: to be accepted as they are. Plant seeds of love and kindness by recognizing the sacredness in those who grace your life.

Think of how much energy is depleted by defending one’s viewpoint, life choices or expression of self. Rather than participate in this egoic activity, begin by accepting yourself as you are, as a work in progress. There is nothing to defend, nothing to explain. You are perfect, even in your perceived imperfection. Something new to learn is always within reach; therefore, the spiritual student seeks to recognize the gifts inherent in every situation.

Your self-acceptance will have a great impact on how much you are able to accept those around you. They will feel safe in your presence and will shine in unique ways. All that you experience is a reflection of your awakening consciousness.

Sacred Space

“The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it.”
~Henri J.M. Nouwen~

Simple things matter. Small acts of kindness can change situations in powerful ways. When we choose to live gently, we discover that our sojourn is filled with majestic spaces. Instead of rushing from one thing to another, one person to another, solving problems or acquiring more, we have the capacity to hear the whispers of wisdom.

Consciously create quiet space in your experience. The world is a sanctuary that is overlooked all too often because of our focus on the mundane. Today, seek to bring gentleness to your life situation, whatever it is, and treat yourself well.

In the stillness we can slow down and experience the fullness of life itself. You can step into the inner sanctum of the Divine, drink deeply of peace and bring that sacred energy into the present moment. All life has a rhythm, an energy that is constantly sparking creativity and rebirth. We are part of this beautiful rhythm.

Moments of inner silence play a valuable role in your spiritual awakening. Let your life be a communion with all that you see. The sacredness you experience is a reflection of your own energy.

Nature and Stillness

“Nature can bring you into stillness. That is its gift to you. When you perceive and join with nature in the field of stillness, that field becomes permeated with your awareness. That is your gift to nature.”
~Eckhart Tolle~

Behind the sounds, beyond the experience, under the chatter of the mind lies the brilliance of your own Divine nature. It’s important to periodically remove yourself from the cacophony of life and immersing yourself in nature is a wonderful way to realign with awareness. The same Presence awaits whether you are in the mountains or beaches, enjoying your back yard or sitting in silence with a beloved plant. Simply be. Allow nature to teach you of stillness.
 
Peace is a simple thing… all we need to do is clear away the clutter and listen. The conscious awareness of the spiritual seeker opens these moments of connection, and from there our perception of the world expands into something wholly new. Wherever you are, be there completely. Listen, just listen. Find the heartbeat of life and enter into it. You are infinite. You are divine. You are awake. And so it is.

The Journey Inward

“Inward is not a direction. Inward is a dimension.”
~Sadhguru Jaggi~
The world of form is filled with illusions that create the perception of limitation and separation. We seek security, connection, purpose and struggle to find it, often struggling against one another. Getting lost within the illusion, we forget to seek the lesson within the experience.
The journey inward is extraordinary and unique, and until it is begun life seems one-dimensional. As your spirit awakens, multiple dimensions open. With each level of consciousness things take on new meaning and we learn how to see through the illusions more easily. The journey inward is expansive. There is no end to the depths of understanding, love and connection you will discover.
Learn to embrace stillness. Take time to reside gently in the present moment with an open heart. The ego disappears, the roles and life situations become transparent and only empowered silence remains. When you begin to realize that you are much, much more than the stories of the mind, you have planted the seeds of your own spiritual maturity. Your expanding consciousness will inspire greater creativity,  compassion and a quietness of spirit, for you are the light of love.

I Drink From Your Well

“A mind that listens with complete attention will never look for a result because it is constantly unfolding; like a river, it is always in movement. Such a mind is totally unconscious of its own activity, in the sense that there is no perpetuation of a self, of a “me,” which is seeking to achieve an end.”
~Jiddu Krishnamurti~
In every generation there are new distractions to occupy the mind. Our role, as awakening beings, is to retrain habitual patterns to be fully present where we are. Allow there to be space in your experience. Give others your complete attention. Stop ‘killing time’ by doom-scrolling or playing games incessantly.
When you align yourself completely with the present moment, you’ll discover the expanding vibrancy of the Divine everywhere you look. Teeming with movement and miracles, the glory of our existence is constantly in the process of transformation. We can choose to bring this awareness into our conversations, our passions and our work.
Life is a dance of experience. You must be aware and present whether dancing with another or finding expression in the solitary movement of interpretive creativity. When you bring the best version of yourself to this moment, the future will take care of itself.