Living With An Open Heart

When entering into relationship with a lover, child, friend, business partner or pet, remember not to collapse yourself into that union. Leave enough room for each of you to be separate and whole so that you retain your unique authenticity. This freedom creates room for growth and discovery. Allow the winds of heaven to dance in between you and choose to experience life with an open heart.

Partnerships provide a reflection of your self love. As you evolve, you are less needy and less likely to attach your happiness to others’ actions or choices. You discover the beauty of creating space in which each person can thrive.

The Universe supports every aspect of your growth and will always provide the perfect situation to assist in your soul’s development and expansion. When you encounter patterns or beliefs that no longer serve you, observe and release them.

As each layer of limitation falls away all that remains is the pure potential of love. You stand at the doorway of infinite possibility. Choose to bring an unprotected heart to your meeting place and you will transcend perceived blockages, ultimately transforming them into ever-evolving aspects of your strength and empowerment.

Enlightenment

When you begin to make substantial progress in your own spiritual growth, you may encounter resistance from the people around you. It can be surprising to witness push-back from those who will benefit the most from your increasing awareness; however, it’s also the best proof that you are indeed evolving to new levels.

As we change, the world around us must change. The resistance you experience serves two purposes: it allows you to continue cultivating the attributes of a spiritual, evolving person and shows how much impact your soul’s growth is having on those around you.

In a relationship, the person of lower consciousness actually has the most difficulty. As one person becomes more empowered, more present, they choose to disengage from the drama. The lack of energy exchange is very frustrating for those still engaged in psychic vampirism.

Cultivate the qualities of compassion, kindness and gentleness. You can remove yourself from the cycle of drama, and step into the power of higher consciousness. Love those who challenge you. They are playing an important role in your development. Your purpose is to awaken. Celebrate it, love it, welcome it, and be a witness of the profound transformation happening within you.

The Celtic Vows of Friendship

“You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh~

Relationships offer fertile ground for spiritual practice. When in doubt as to the appropriate action or response, utilize the Celtic vows of friendship. Ask yourself, “Am I honoring his or her path as sacred?” Often we try to get others to adjust to our path. The key is to allow enough space for each person to thrive while offering love and support. Love is simply discovering who you are in the presence of another.

It’s important to be self-observant. Are you bringing an open heart to your interactions or do you keep protective measures in place? Relating to another is authentic when we feel safe and empowered; therefore, notice when you are closed down and tend to your inner state of consciousness prior to your interactions to ensure that you are open.

Nothing is more important than your state of consciousness in the present moment. Zen calls upon us to reside in the Now without distraction. Practice being fully present with those who grace your life. You’ll discover that time slows as inner joy is awakened. Love creates a space in which a transformation can occur.

Union

When we come together, a synergy is created that shines brilliantly throughout the universe. This is what love looks like. It is fluid and expansive and allows us to explore life as we discover who we are in the presence of another.

In union, watch how your energies merge and change. Relationships reflect our desire for Oneness. Choose to leave enough room for the winds of heaven to dance in between and enjoy the beauty you create during moments of connection.

All relationships ultimately lead us to a greater union with the Divine. As we learn to provide consistent, loving acceptance for those who grace our lives, we experience the joyousness that results from watching them discover their unique way of being in the world.

Acceptance allows those you love the freedom to shine. In the present moment we can choose to give support and affection with a peaceful, open heart, and honor the riches and inspiration the other has to offer as sacred.

Allow compassion, kindness and gratitude to create a foundation for healthy, supportive relationships. Love with a gentle strength. Love in a way that expands your own heart and you’ll discover a well that never runs dry.

The Playground of Awakening

“Whenever your relationship is not working, whenever it brings out the ‘madness’ in your and in your partner, be glad. What was unconscious is being brought up to the light. It is an opportunity for salvation.”
~Eckhart Tolle~
Our relationships are the playground of spiritual awakening. Whether with lovers, family, co-workers, friends or the frustrating person behind you in line at the store, each plays a significant role in your souls development. When you choose to bring a higher consciousness to your interactions, there is a greater possibility of staying present in the midst of challenging situations rather than becoming reactive.
When you interact with someone who is caught in the pain of unconsciousness, become a source of compassion. Observe what arises for you and hold it in your loving embrace rather than feeding the situation with additional negative energy.
One of the greatest gifts you can give is the ability to hold space for another. The choice to stay present and listen without defensiveness or judgment creates space where a transformation can occur. As long as one person is conscious, new energy has the potential to break through old patterns and limiting beliefs.

Relationships

“Contrary to the romantic fantasies we have about relationships, in actuality they often push us directly into our blind longings, our dark fears, and our unhealed pain.”

~Ezra Bayda~

We wade into relationships as children and begin the process of experiencing egoic desire, often learning through identification with the idea of “Mine!” The ego builds its identity and we watch it play out again and again throughout the various phases of life. Whether challenges comes through family dynamics, friendships, lovers or co-workers, observe the repeating patterns in your experience.

The power of subconscious programming and belief is sometimes hard to see clearly. Our soulmates assist in the process of discovery. As we become self-aware, transformation begins. Once we are no longer enslaved by desire or blindly lost in the mechanisms of the mind, our relationships will then reflect health, balance and peacefulness.

View yourself with love and compassion. Likely, certain beliefs and tendencies were passed down through generational experience. Simply observe and bring loving awareness to your interactions. Spiritual transformation is a subtle process that impacts every area of your life. The illusion of separateness will ultimately lead you to experience Oneness. Honor the processes of your awakening as sacred.

Compassion

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
~Leo Buscaglia~

The transformative power of compassion is awakened when we choose to truly hear one another. Being fully present calls upon us to drop our preconceived ideas, cease out internal commentary and listen with the heart. Spiritual practice calls upon us to cultivate the awareness of the bond we share with all beings. Our role is to care for the earth and all the creatures with whom we share this amazing planet.

Authentic relationships are possible only when we have an awareness of who we truly are. When we can see through the mechanisms of the ego to the true spirit of another, we can dance within the paradox of human compassion and higher awareness while holding space. In this manner, we create space in which transformation can occur.

Holding space is far different from fixing someone else’s problems or seeking to ensure that they avoid pain. By honoring all paths as sacred, we operate from the premise of love and acceptance – allowing the lesson, offering support and sowing seeds of compassion.

The Power of Love

“While the mind sees only boundaries,
Love knows the secret way there.”
~Rumi~

Ego-driven love is filled with fear. The mind doesn’t feel fulfilled or complete so it attaches to another person and, for a time, gets a glimpse of communion. Relationships will always act as your greatest teachers. They eventually bring old wounds to the surface and then the ego says “You’re not who I thought you were!” or “You’ve changed” …and we begin to play the roles required for one another’s growth.

To experience healthy, supportive relationships, one must begin within. The amount of love we have for ourselves determines the amount of love we are willing to receive. As we mature spiritually, we no longer expect someone else to be anything different than who they are. We enter into authentic communion – accepting, supportive, fearless, empowered. The person on the receiving end of such energy feels free to grow. Together you walk the path of transformation and your love simply lights the way.

Any moment can be the catalyst of your awakening. When we can see only love, the Now becomes a doorway into a new way of being. There is nothing to fear – step into the light.

Being Peace

“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.

Friendship

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.”
~Elisabeth Foley~

True friendship occurs when we have discovered wholeness within ourselves. Instead of looking for someone to complete us, we discover the joy of unity between two unique and empowered individuals who allow the winds of heaven to dance in between them throughout their shared journey of awakening.

Cultivating the art of acceptance is a lifelong process. The greatest gift you can give another is to allow them to discover their inner truth in whatever way which is most appropriate for them. In doing so, we create space in which a transformation can occur.

Bring conscious presence into your relationships by giving those you love the space they need to grow and thrive. See your connection as a sacred, living expression of Divine love as you walk in beauty and honor the perfection of the journey. When you come together, enjoy the moments of support and laughter and when you have time apart, celebrate the fact that your friendship is an expression of trust, harmony and sharing.