See With Your Heart

"If you look for the worst in people you will always find it." were the words out of my youngest's mouth today. Though I believe this is not his personal quote, it did made me be in awe of his wisdom (again) and it gave me food for thought.

When you are mad you will find things to be mad about, whether they are true or not.  You will find proof to fuel your fire.  The flip side is the same: If you look for the best in people, then you will find good things too, again, despite of whether they are true or not. Depending on which filters you choose, you will tint your reality accordingly. Though the positive tint might make you more blissful, it is still also a distorted view of what is.

So how do you gain clear vision? How do you learn to see things as they are, nothing more, nothing less?

It is by seeing with your heart.

Drama

A lot of people exist in a constant state of drama. As you start to consciously pursue your inner path and gain more and more varying perspectives you start distancing yourself from drama. Even as you work to withdraw from it, people around you still often operate in the drama mode.

Note that the trick is not to fight it and believe that it will all go away the further you follow your path.  The reality is that no matter what you will always encounter it in some form or another and it is a measuring tool for you to see with how much ease you can keep your center in the midst of chaos. Though you will most likely attract it less and less the more centered you become, be aware and accepting of the fact that it is always just a stone throw away. Accept it as a part of life.

Menstrual and Moon Cycles

Did you know that the menstrual cycle is directly linked to the moon cycle, and that there is an ebb and flow to it all, like the tides?  Check out this article by Dr.Christiane Northrup for more detailed information:

http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/healthcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=138%20and%20child%20birth

Take Pictures

Take pictures, make lasting memories. Time flies by and before you know it so many changes have taken place. Though it seems time consuming and sometimes you don't feel like it, take time, in possibly regular intervals, to take a picture of something or someone you love, and/or even a short video.

This is a different way of documenting your life. There may come a time when you will cherish the small amount of time invested.

Find Humor

When you are stuck in an unhappy place, turn it around by seeing the humor in the situation. If you can get yourself or someone else to laugh about your or their situation, then everyone starts feeling lighter and happier. 

Sometimes we take ourselves and our woes way too seriously. All these worries are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Keep the proper perspective.  Find the humor in it.  It is always there lurking around the corner.  :)

Rain

Spring rains are the magical ingredient for the unfolding of life all around you. Nourishing, cleansing, and pure they wash away the remnants of winter making way for new flowers, foliage and grasses. Though the world turns a bit gray when it rains, it is followed by clear blue skies and sunshine.

Tears have a similar function. They are cleansing and help release emotions, making space for the sun to shine again. They help you move on to let life unfold further as it may.  When needed, let it rain.  It'll all be OK.

Time

Time is a funny thing.  Often you feel like you don't have enough of it and yet it is really just man made. It is a fleeting thing that you can never pin down, elusive in its very nature. By focusing on it, it really takes you away from being in the moment, from living your life in the now. Whether you follow it into the past or the future, it seldom, if ever, helps you to stay  in the moment.

Our lives are structured around time and it makes life tangible and focused too. It has a positive purpose. Simply be mindful of its capacity to pull you out of the now, which ultimately also hinders your ability to stay centered. Give time the space it needs, when needed, and let it go when it isn't serving a purpose. Let it be a tool, not your master.

Lies

"Hurt me with the truth. Don't comfort me with a lie." by Rihanna

Though the truth can hurt it will never hurt as badly as a lie that's found out. When you comfort with lies you are only extending the inevitable adding layers of hurt in the long run. It takes courage to state the truth because you know it might hurt the other person, but always remember that you are doing yourself and the other person a favor by not prolonging and adding to the complexity of the situation.

The Wind

The wind is an extraordinary force of nature. It is alive and wild. It can make you feel so small and insignificant as well as infuse you with power and energy.  It is dynamic, clearing and blurring all at the same time. It comes and goes as it pleases and nothing stands in its way. Its raw force can be terrifying and also inspiring. It is full of contradictions just as life can be.

Since we are a part of nature, all these elements are within us too. Isn't that an awe inspiring thought? What would it be like if you unleashed your power? What if you embraced the wind within?

Mistakes?

Life is all about making mistakes and applying what you learned. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. As Albert Einstein said: "A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new."

And if these mistakes help you learn, can you really call them mistakes?  Aren't they blessings in disguise?

Saying Yes And No

"When you learn to say yes to yourself, you will be able to say no to others with love." by Alan Cohen

I love this quote!  How many times have you said yes to something you really wanted to say no to?  Self sacrifice is not helpful to anyone. You can only give when your heart is full, and that only happens when you are good to yourself first, when you say yes to yourself first. Make yourself a priority and when you are overflowing with love share it in abundance.  :)

Your Dream

While watching the movie "Flashdance' today the following quote moved me: "When you give up your dream you die." So true.

Dreaming involves your imagination and when you stop using your imagination you stop being creative. Creativity is connected to Universal energy and thus, when you give up your dream, you give up your connection to your energetic source.

So what is your dream? What are you longing to create?

Give To Yourself

Just as it is important to give to others, it is equally important to give to yourself too.  Be aware of what you give to yourself. For a day, pay special attention to your needs and what you do to fulfill them. Give yourself a conscious special treat today, just because. There doesn't need to be a special reason to be good to yourself. Just be.  :)

Kindness

Today, add some kindness to your day.  Extend at least one kindness to someone/another living being. Put all your love into it and give it freely. Be grateful for the opportunity you have been given to be kind. :)

Our Father

Did you know that the prayer "Our Father" works on balancing your chakras? So if you feel your energetic system is not balanced, one way to balance it is to pray this prayer. Give it a try.  It will make you feel calmer and more balanced.  :)

Self-limiting Beliefs

According to Natalie Ledwell there are 3 main self limiting beliefs everyone has to different degrees.  They are:

1. "If I try, I'll fail."
2. "No one will want me."
3. "I'm not worth it."

If there is something you've been wanting to achieve but haven't been able to achieve, odds are you are being stopped by a self limiting belief that is deeply in bedded in you. Think of such an unachieved goal and why you might not have achieved it. Write down the following while you do this without judgement:
"I can't achieve this goal because__________."

Write down as many things as you think of.  Then go back and look at the self limiting beliefs listed above to find out which one is dominant for you to help you understand yourself better.

No Win Situations

Enforcing your will on others creates no win situations for both parties. The enforcer won't be happy because things won't go his way completely and the receiver won't be happy because his free will is being broken.

Seeing both sides and understanding the root of the disagreement is key as well as establishing what is most important to each party. Then brainstorm on how to honor both sides and come up with compromises. Often times it is the acknowledgement of a base need that needs to be addressed in order to make change possible, in order to start creating win-win situations instead.

Mutual respect and understanding are fundamental.

Count Your Blessings

Today, count your blessings. Literally!!! Pay attention to everything that happens around you today, all the little details that come your way to make your day brighter. Open your eyes and heart. Take it all in. Whether it is a tree in full bloom, a puppy crossing your way and saying 'hi', a stranger smiling at you, a penny on the floor, a breath of crisp fresh air, a ray of sunshine, a deep blue sky anything, big or minuscule, that makes you feel that you are special, that indeed you are blessed.

You will be amazed how many blessings are all around you in full abundance!

Unpleasantness

It is a challenge to learn how to accept unpleasant situations the same way you would pleasant situations. What makes a situation unpleasant is your own perception of it and the insecurities it triggers within you. Accepting the uncomfortableness and living in it is one way to make peace with it. Live it consciously instead of fighting it. Do what you need to do to work the situation through to resolution, even if it causes you more unpleasantness, instead of ignoring it or judging it.  It is there to help you grow and learn.

Spring Seeds*

Spring is here...the trees are blooming, the birds are back, the bees are busy pollinating the fruit trees and signs of life are everywhere. It's time to get the garden ready and start laying seeds.

What seeds would you like to lay within you? What would you like to see blossom over the next months? The seed of love? Gratitude? Patience? Joy? Hope? Strength? Understanding? Compassion? Truth? Fun? Other?

Pick your seeds and start today! Spring is full of promise and the awakening of life.  :)

Trust Your Vibes

Today, two males bought two rosaries at a store I was at with a stolen credit card, as we found out about an hour after the transaction. The vibe they were emitting while at the store did not coincide at all with the friendly talk that was coming out of the mouth of the older male, but which made sense when we found out that the card they paid with had been stolen.

It made me realize again how the unspoken, the vibe combined with your gut feel, can tell you so much more than the spoken word. So the insight today is to trust your vibes! If this is not something you are used to, pay attention to it and how it differs from your rational mind. The more you nurture and trust it the more in tune you will be with your environment.

Uncomplicate Today!

"Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated." by Confucius

Pay attention today to how you may be complicating your life all on your own. Take a step outside of yourself and simply observe. Observe one thing that, if you changed it, would make your life easier, and then change it. It is true!  We spend a lot of time making our own lives complicated.  Uncomplicate today!

When It Rains It Pours

When it rains, it pours.  Have you ever heard this saying and more importantly have you ever experienced it? Have you ever had one thing go "wrong" after another, after another, after another, etc?  Well, it happens to all of us in periodic intervals.

As more and more challenges are presented to you in shorter and shorter intervals, you might get to a point where you just feel numb and you soberly start wondering what else could possibly be coming your way, though it just doesn't seem to matter anymore. Explore this state.  It is almost like you are in the eye of the hurricane, where things become calm and though you know and see everything in turmoil around you it doesn't seem to affect you. In a very strange way this is another path to finding peace, to finding your center, your true self.

Physical & Emotional Wounds

Physical wounds take time and nurturing to heal. It is the same for emotional wounds. Just because they aren't visible to our eye doesn't mean that it needs any less nurturing or time to heal. Because they aren't visible you might sometime have the belief that you can rush through it, bury it, and or ignore it, which, of course, doesn't work.

So think of your emotional wound as a physical wound. Check it everyday and take care of it.  Make sure it is healing properly. Change the bandages as often as you need and clean it daily. Give it love and attention. When it still feels sore and tender, pamper it. Just like you don't judge a physical wound, don't judge an emotional wound either. Nurture yourself and take all the time needed to heal.

Reconnect

When we have resistance we get disconnected from God/Spirit/Allah/etc.. That is when doubts creep in, when you start becoming unsure of everything, when you start loosing perspective and spiraling down into a darker place. Know that it is your choice to become reconnected again. There is always that choice.

When you recognize that you are disconnected tell yourself: "I make the conscious choice to get reconnected!". Using it as a mantra and repeating it 108 times is one way to start the process, though not the only one.  Find the one that works for you and do it!  Get reconnected!  :)

Nurture

When you have someone you care about going through a rough time, a natural tendency is to want to console them and give them advice. And this may be completely appropriate depending on the situation. Keep in mind too that sometimes all that is needed is for them to have some space to cry, mourn, grieve or simply talk, with no other input of yours than to give them you attention, your time, your compassionate, accepting space.

All of us need nurturing at some point, so make space too to give this type of nurturing when your opportunity arises.  :)

Table Settings As Mini Altars

Surrounding yourself with things that appeal to you is important, from clothing, to furniture, paintings, etc. It does have an effect on your daily life, your moods, your energy, your chakras, and more. Not everyday is the same as you know by the way you choose different clothes and colors everyday, reflecting your mood and needs.

I saw the following clip on YouTube entitled "Table Settings As Mini Altars" by Denise Linn that I found intriguing, a little something to tickle the imagination, and thought you might enjoy it too. So here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwtKl1CDlh8

Enjoy!

Joy

 Here is an affirmation for you for today (as suggested in the book "Soul Coaching" by Denise Linn): "I am free to experience joy in every moment no matter what is happening in my life."

Throughout the day, constantly ask yourself: "How can I experience even more joy and fun today?". See what you can come up with!

Cutting Energy Ties

When you feel that somehow you are giving your energy away or someone else is taking it from you, there is a quick an easy thing you can do immediately. Use your hand palm open and cut through the air in front of you saying: "Cut!". Do the same on your sides and your back (as best as you can). It works instantly to cut any energetic ties that have formed or are forming.

Do it as often as needed. When it comes to power struggles the area most affected will be the solar plexus chakra. I always feel an energy surge within that area when I cut the energetic cord.

Joints

If your joints are hurting, a probable cause, according to Louise L. Hay in her book "Heal Your Body A-Z", is that you are fighting/not accepting changes in direction in your life.  Your degree of embracing the changes are reflected in the degree of ease of your movements.

If you have joint issues, reflect and see if this is the case for you. Where are you resisting the flow of life? How can you come to a more balanced and peaceful state?

See if you can shift your thought pattern. The following is a suggested new thought pattern as stated in the book: "I easily flow with change.  My life is Divinely guided, and I am always going in the best direction."