The World Needs You

“The path to love requires open-hearted attention to the very things that seem to block our way to it.”
~Ezra Bayda~

All change begins within. When we consciously bring the light of awareness to the challenges of our lives, we begin to recognize the illusions from which they arise. Transformation occurs as we dissolve our self-imposed limitations and boundaries, strip away any preferences that have crystallized into demands and enter into the stillness of the Now.

The ego will tell you that you must work with the other in order for things to change. Talk, expectation, desire, compromise, blaming and justification simply tie you in deeper to the egoic mechanisms of the mind.

As a spiritual seeker, it’s important to realize that everything is your path of awakening. Don’t bury the lesson underneath your fear, simply keep bringing the light of awareness to it. This is the slow transformative path to freedom.

The world needs you to be your beautiful, unique self. You bring something imperative to our collective experience. Rather than limiting that unique expression by trying to keep everyone else happy, seeking inner happiness and balance will allow your joy to transform the world around you.

Be Kind

“The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands.”
~Robert M. Pirsig~

Everything begins with you… how you choose to start your day, what gets your attention, the things you choose to read or watch or what you put into your body. Bring kindness to every choice. Let your life be a loving conversation with the Divine.

Our universe is designed to provide experiences that accelerate growth, inner wisdom and awareness. When we understand our relationship to the whole, we participate more fully in the evolution of our collective consciousness. Enlightenment is a state of awareness that we ultimately bring into our physical experience.
We are called upon to be pure channels for Divine energy. Release the need to blame anyone and instead, choose to accept people as they are. There are no enemies – simply souls playing various roles in our collective awakening. Those who are still asleep need your love, not your judgment.
Cultivate a greater understanding of yourself and others. When you create inner balance and peace, you’ll discover that joy expands when it is shared. Let your unique expression of life spark joy in others by extending kindness whenever possible.

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.

Wisdom

“Wisdom is knowing I am nothing,
Love is knowing I am everything,
and between the two my life moves.”
~Nisargadatta Maharaj~
Our human experience is one of paradox – everything is messed up, yet everything is ok. When we pull back from the stories of the mind and become loving observers, we discover the ability to live within the paradox.
We are One, yet each of us has a unique path of awakening and each of us must do our own work. Contrasts are required: there is no love without hate, no light without the darkness, no awakening without sleep.
Learn to see the value in everything. Move out of blame and desire and instead, see yourself as an infinite source of energy experiencing the illusion of separation. Seek only to awaken. Know that your journey is infinite and that you will never stop learning. But also, know that you are Divine, a master in the process of remembering. Human perception is small and limited… life and love are immense.

Self-Realization

“Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.”
~Ramana Maharshi~

Impatience is an indicator that we do not trust the process of our awakening. The ego wants events to unfold differently and creates a low level of anxiety, always seeking for the next thing. This is a distraction that prevents us from truly appreciating the present moment and all that it has to offer.

Slow down and cherish what is in front of you, no matter what that may be. Even the most mundane moments are a gift from the Divine and your awareness can allow you to recognize miracles where none were perceived before.

Too often spiritual seekers develop attachment to outcomes. The process of awakening becomes laced with desire for better relationships, more abundance, balanced health… and we utilize these physical indicators to measure how our spiritual walk is progressing. However, realizing that you are already complete frees you from becoming lost within the illusion.

There is no way to achieve wisdom except to remove the obstacles that block your perception. This cannot be taught by others but must arise from within. This is self-realization. Allow the sense of wonder to take you on a journey of discovery. Peaceful presence can become the foundation of your life.

Know Thyself

“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.”
~Socrates~

You are far more than the experiences of this life. Underneath the concept of what role you play, your likes and dislikes, goals and dreams, fear and desire, is the true infinite nature of your divinity. Life is filled with opportunities to know yourself at the deepest level.
Practice looking beyond the obvious. Create silent spaces in your experience to explore the vastness of the infinite. See your life as an adventure with the knowledge that you have the ability to emerge from any challenge with surprising courage and resilience.
The awakening spirit lives in his or her own truth. Led by passion and compassion, they walk the path less traveled. If others seek to admonish them, it’s ok. When others seek to revere them, they simply turn inward.
Each of us walks a unique path and it cannot be defined by anything other than our inner wisdom. To know yourself as Consciousness having a human experience frees you from being dependent upon outcomes. A playfulness comes into your life and you’ll discover the joy that is your true nature.

Awareness

“Awareness is the greatest alchemy there is. Just go on becoming more and more aware, and you will find your life changing for the better in every possible dimension. It will bring great fulfillment.”
~Osho~

Let your life be the living flame of awareness. Layer by layer the veils of illusion are burned away and we open to receive the gifts which are available. It may be hard to imagine the beauty that awaits, but truly that is the one and only reason for your sojourn in space and time – discovery. There is nothing specific that you need to do, only drop that which blocks your vision.

The paradox of the world is to live in it while bringing greater awareness to all that you do. Choose just an hour today and approach every task fully present – no multitasking, slow and conscious, grateful and alert. This will teach you how to become the observer and see the sacred which resides within every moment.

Your inner guidance speaks in whispers – the more you trust it, the stronger it becomes and the more attuned you are to the wisdom which emanates from the very core of your being. The way to know that you’re on the right path is that you will feel more whole, peaceful, balanced and integrated, even in the midst of a challenge.

Disruption

“…something very beautiful happens to people when their world has fallen apart: a humility, a nobility, a higher intelligence emerges at just the point where our knees hit the floor.”
~Marianne Williamson~

Acceptance is saying “Yes” to life. It is not dependent upon liking what is unfolding, rather, it is an inner awareness that releases the ingrained habit of struggle and allows you to step into the present moment with power and grace. Life’s disruptions reveal your strengths.
You are much more than this body or this experience. You are a vast, infinite energy that is in the process of discovery. Simultaneously unique and part of the Oneness that connects us, we are here to discover how to live from the heart.
The purpose of the human existence is to experience every facet of life. So, lifetime after lifetime we play in the world of form. We interact with one another as lovers, enemies, teachers, family and friends in order to discover compassion. Our challenges send us on new roads of adventure and discovery. When you are ready to learn, you’ll find that everyone and everything is your teacher. Living in alignment with your unique way of being in the world will help you to access your inner wisdom.

Your Moments of Stillness

“Alone-in moments of prayer or meditation, or simply in stillness-we breathe more deeply, see more fully, hear more keenly. We notice more, and in the process, we return to what is sacred.”
~Katrina Kenison~
There is no right way to enter stillness. The beauty of exploration is discovering the ways in which your unique light comes alive. Over the years I’ve found peacefulness in the small moments of conscious gratitude – sitting outside with a good book, writing in the early hours of the morning, watching the sun rise as I commune with the Divine, eating mindfully. There is nothing unusual or earth-shattering about my practice. It simply soothes my soul.
Your peacefulness is the barometer of your awakening. As you engage with life, be the observer. Notice how you respond to the unexpected or the unwanted. Simplify where you can and fill your experience with little sparks of joy. The infinite source of life itself seeks to express itself through you. Give yourself time to be. The pathway to love is lit from within and in order to access that guiding wisdom, stillness is required.