The Perfection Underlying All

In the midst of all of the joy and challenge of our world, may you know in the coming year the inevitable, inescapable truth of Divine Good in all things.  This post, from last year, remains my wish for you.

During this time of year, as many are honoring the growing light of God consciousness being born within each of us, I offer up my humble blessing.

May you find more of those moments where in the middle of whatever is happening your mind is content and your heart is full because you know that all is well.

May you trust more, and laugh more, as you turn over your expectations about how things are supposed to be and make more room to just enjoy the ride.

May you know the peace of being born of a perfection so absolute that all you need ever do in this life is rest in it.

May you move ever closer to that sacred but tricky balance of knowing your own eternal divinity within this precious, bumbling and often chaotic human life.

May you notice the blessing that you are and the blessings that you receive in the year to come.

And may you stand tall and be peace on earth as you remember who you are, and may the bright beacon of your remembering shine brightly over those around you.

You are the light of the world!

Being God in Otherwise Ordinary Moments

My feelings often turn to awe when I remember the precious gift that is this life. Along with those feelings, I end up wondering what is mine to do to best honor the gift I’ve been given. Like many others, I yearn to fully express the light of God that shines within me.

While at the same time realizing that all that happens is right and perfect and definitely enough, I am also aware of wanting to do more to share the greatness of my experience of being spirit in a body. And so today I am again left wondering, what is my spirit’s next step in expressing myself as God?

When I take the time to ask the question and then stop to hear the answer that wells up from deep within me, the answer always comes through different words but the essence is the same.

I am reminded that I have shared the many gifts I’ve been given not so much through the bigger, life-altering moments that I will probably remember for a lifetime, but in each and every small moment of my life.

I share the profound gift of divine wisdom living through me in every sacred moment that I live, when I consciously choose who I want to be, and then be that person.

It is through every small thought and action of each ordinary day that I choose to express the light that is always there shining brightly within me.

In any moment, I can choose the kindest possible interpretation of another’s actions, recognizing that I never have the complete story about someone else’s experience. I can speak clearly and truthfully, allowing the vibration of my truth to affect a situation.

In any moment I can consciously let go of fear by turning a situation over to God, allowing myself to be fully and joyfully present, knowing that all is unfolding for good. I can take an extra moment to smile at or hold a door for a stranger. Or I can stop often and acknowledge my deep gratitude, saying thank you for the light that lives in my heart.

All we need do is ask, as often as we’re aware enough to do it, “What would God within me do now? And now? What about now?” Our awareness of ourselves as God allows God full expression in the world. In every small moment that we are aware of this, we add ripples of ever-expanding light to our human experience. We make each moment extraordinary.

May you remember the God of your heart in your everyday experience, and may this tool be a blessing. . .

Being Open

I am at a time in my life when my choices, both conscious and unconscious, are guiding me toward being more open. To do that I’ve had to see how fear keeps me closed down in resistance to what is. How automatic but unrealistic it is to assume that by resisting something we can keep it from happening, or control it somehow! Things unfold as they will, and I appreciate the opportunity I’m getting to see just how tiring and unproductive my struggling really is.

In this vast, amazing world we know that every combination of circumstances can, and does, occur to help us remember the truth. I know this, but it doesn’t stop me from digging my heels in when the situation is happening in my life, and causing me to worry over an outcome that might not go the way I want it to. Some things just feel like a problem when I’m looking at them from my human perspective.

I think I’m finally beginning to find the blessed happy medium, where I can step up in action toward a goal or outcome that I believe in, but not need to hold on so tightly to the outcome.  It is important to remember that my perspective is valuable, and that my efforts in pursuing them are good enough regardless of the outcome.

As worthy as I may feel a direction is, there is so much more in the mix in the form of all of the other people who I share my experience with, and what is helpful to them in their growth and remembering.

We all see things through our own unique lenses, and our opinions shift. Sometimes we’re clear, but at other times we’re afraid. People get sick. Finances change. Even with the best laid plans, stuff happens.

We never really know what’s coming around the bend because it’s dependent on what will serve our collective good, and that’s an awful lot of variables. But the one thing that we can trust is that it is all working for our good, and because of that we can learn to let go. We can do our active part to the best of our ability, and then let the outcome unfold as only divine wisdom can orchestrate.

In trusting that the outcome is never in question, we can be fully open to our path, knowing that however it unfolds, we can fearlessly express the divine within. We can also be open to others’ experience, acknowledging the divine expressing in them, also.  That is a precious gift, to live in open, joyful expression of ourselves, without concern about the outcome.

May you trust enough to stay open to what comes, and sing the song in your heart through it all. And may this tool be a blessing. . .

Trusting the Process

I saw this recently on the internet, source unknown, and it spoke to my heart.

What you seek is far greater than anything you have ever known.
There is nothing in the past that can possibly describe where you are going.
No past experience will explain the new person you will soon discover within yourself.
You are learning.
Keep that in mind as you stumble and fall; you are learning.
Keep in mind when you are tempted and become distracted from your truth that you are learning.
Give yourself the gift of compassion.
Give yourself a sense of grace.
Remind yourself that you have chosen this way and you have the power to accomplish it.

May you always trust the perfect process that you embody, and may this tool be a blessing. . .

Surrendering, Again

And again, and again. We’ve probably all heard the term “sweet surrender,” and there are times when I am acutely aware of just how sweet it really is.

How easy it is for me to take on the weight of the universe, or at least the weight of the situations playing out in my little corner of the world. Sometimes it feels like I need to act, to help, to fix, or to contribute what I hope will turn out to be a bit of light in the darkness. And when the situation of the moment is a particularly challenging one, heavy with the conflicting agendas, perspectives and fears of other people, my energy gears up to try to manage all of it.

Although I am not fighting, it feels like a battle to my body and my spirit. My contribution to the situation becomes a huge burden, fraught with responsibility and the feeling that there is simply no way to win.

But most gratefully time and life experience are very effective teachers. I remembered this morning that I have been here before, more than once. I have faced times when I felt at a loss about how to bring about the best outcome, and when I felt that I lacked the resources I needed to keep going. In those times, the most important and effective thing that I did was very consciously choose to surrender.

I remembered difficult times in the past, when my frequent, simple prayer to God was, “May the best happen for all.” It was my mantra, an affirmation of what I wanted and what eventually came to pass.

Rather than get caught up in the “how” of a situation’s best resolution and struggle to make it happen, I can surrender. By turning the “how” over to God, I create so much more space for myself to just move forward as the best me I know how to be, without fighting against anyone else’s choices or expression. Not only do I bring peace to myself, but I open the door for a more profound wisdom to play out.

In letting go I experience the sweet truth that I really never walk alone, and that all I need do is my best. As long as I’m doing that, God within me guides the rest, and all is well.

May you know the peace and clarity that come with surrender, and may this tool be a blessing. . .

Mothering Yourself

Regardless of our gender, our age, or our ability to take care of ourselves, we all need mother. Mother is a deep, archetypal force in our collective consciousness that begins in childhood with our birth mother’s role in fulfilling our need for unconditional acceptance, love and safety. As we mature and find our own way in the world, in order to be our best selves we must grow in our ability to mother ourselves.

I pass a small farm on my way to work in the morning, and lately I’ve been enjoying watching the young calves standing near their moms, sometimes feeding but mostly just standing close-by. They seem to be trying to maintain just a bit of physical contact. We know that human infants are healthier and less anxious with regular, close physical contact, and I’m sure it’s true with many other species as well.

We accept that mother is important for the young, but what about as we grow older? It’s not common for adults to be aware of or express a need for mother, but I believe it’s always there. Our mothers may no longer be present in our lives, or we may not look to them to provide the love and acceptance that we seek, but we need it nonetheless.

I’m finding that my adult self experiences a need for mothering in many different ways. Sometimes it’s that feeling of being alone or lonely in the middle of my busy, people-filled day. Other times I’ve come to recognize it when I’m frustrated or disappointed with someone who isn’t acting in accordance with how I think the world should operate. When I’m too focused on taking care of business and not enough on myself, and I start feeling resentful or overwhelmed, it’s a sure sign that I need mothering.

The first step in mothering ourselves is asking “What do I need?” Just stopping to ask the question is an act of mothering, because that’s what “mother energy" does; it seeks to nurture and protect. In the middle of the busiest day there is always something that I can do to take care of myself, even if it is only to stop and take three deep breaths, or smile and say thank you to the divine wisdom that breathes in me.

We may be grown-ups, but the child we were lives in us and contributes her perspective to all of our experience. We may be better able to reason through things and navigate the world effectively, but the dear child within never stops seeking mother.

Ask yourself often what you need, and do your best to listen carefully and nurture that need. You may be needing more quiet time for reflection and introspection, or you may need more fun. Whatever it is, engage it fully. Get on the floor with crayons and paper. Roughhouse with the dog. Lie on your back in the grass and watch the clouds float by. Sing to yourself, and for yourself. Brush your hair. Take time to watch the geese as they fly honking overhead. Make faces at your dinner partner and giggle, or better yet, show up with some big, wax lips. Stop and let yourself do absolutely nothing for five minutes, and see how delicious it is. Set a timer if you have to. The possibilities are endless.

May you always mother the child within you, and may this tool be a blessing. . .
(Dedicated to my daughter, Mara, with love)

Letting God Do the Work

When the alarm woke me for work this morning, it interrupted an amazing dream. In the dream I faced a series of challenges, and in the middle of each challenge I noticed feeling pushed and unsure how to proceed, just as I do in real life when I’m not sure how to handle something.

What was different about this dream is that none of the trying circumstances continued to play out. Instead of engaging them, I chose to breathe into my heart, and then simply tell myself that God is at work here.

In my dream I moved through this series of obstacles quickly. They weren’t really big things, but I was aware of knowing exactly how to manage them. As I reminded myself that God was at work in the situation, the obstacle ended and a new one started. I didn’t get caught up in the stories, but just breathed into my heart, and remembered that it was all God at work.

I felt such peace when I awoke. I also felt empowered by being able to live my own truth in my dream, rather than become caught up in some story that took on a life of its own and left me feeling like I had no choice but to get dragged along.

I was reminded that by feeling buffeted by circumstances, we are provided with opportunities to choose to see a higher purpose in our experience, and with that choice the highest comes to pass.

It’s an act of faith to let go of every challenge we face and trust that in doing so we allow divine consciousness to do its best work. But that’s exactly what happens. It can be very scary to choose not to worry about things that are uncertain or seem wrong somehow, but the more often we take those leaps of faith and do manage to let go, the more able we are to get out of our own way and allow creation to work through us.

My dream reminded me beautifully of the divine purpose of this life, of its challenges and how to handle them, and of the truth of myself as an unlimited creator. I am so grateful for the infinite good that expresses in all things, even my dreams!

May you lay down your burdens large and small to God’s infinite good, and may this tool be a blessing. . .