Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Don't Let 'This Can't Last' Defeat You

It's an awfully funny and strange thing happening to me.  All I have to complain about lately is that I can't decide where I'd like to go on vacation next.

It used to be that I'd have places I'd love to visit but not have the financial means to do so or that I couldn't get the time off from work.  Not anymore...and thankfully so.

That transition from being in a place of 'I can't afford it' or 'my company won't approve it' to 'where should we go next' has snuck up on me.  And as the realization hits, the immediate thought that teases me is 'how long can this goodness last'?

What I know from all that I've learned is that if I keep the focus on the vision for my life - especially when those jolts of fear of 'this can't last' show up - I am staying in my power.

I acknowledge the feeling of worry that this will all go away and I bless that feeling.  And then - I surrender to a power that supports me in achieving my goals and dreams.

My spiritual evolution in learning how to use the creative process, how to set a mental equivalent for the life I desire, and then doing what is next for me to do, has been transformative.  Application of my spiritual practices - setting intentions, affirmative prayer, life visioning - has given me tools to let my life be directed by Spirit.  And keeping it all going has been key to developing new habits that show me, in real ways. that all my needs are met.

Practice.  Habits.  Small steps.  It works!

So, today, I set the intention to continue down this path that is working, taking small steps and allowing my life to be guided by Spirit.


"It's funny how day by day nothing changes.  
But when you look back, everything changes." 
~Author Unknown

"If you can't fly, then run.  If you can't run, then walk.  If you can't walk, then crawl.  
But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."  


Affirmative Prayer:
Taking a deep breath, I turn my attention to the Divine Within.  It is the Perfect Grace of Goodness that I call God.  Life sustaining.  Life altering.  Forever creating.  It is the majesty of a setting sun over the mountains and the twinkling of each star that lights the night sky.

This grace and majesty is the essence of who I am.  My natural state of being is love and light, beauty and joy and abundance.  And I am guided, in every moment, by an Infinite Intelligence the works as me, that blesses around me and that serves through me.

Embracing this knowing, I can see clearly that I am a part of something bigger than my human eyes can see.  My beautiful and amazing life flows easily and effortlessly toward a greater good than I can imagine.  As a unique expression of Spirit, I glory in being here at this time, allowing Life to move through me as I hold my vision on what's next for me.  I say Yes! to my growth and evolution and, by doing so, I remind others of their magnificence.  I welcome the joy found in taking small steps on this journey, guided by intuition and fueled by imagination.  I sit quietly.  I take a deep breath.  And I let go.

And in letting go, I give thanks that the right and perfect choices are always in front of me.  I ask for a sign and I am grateful that it is answered in clear ways that I can understand.  And I say thank you, Sweet Spirit, that my new habits are impacting my life and others in positive and meaningful ways.

Connecting to the Source Within, I release my prayer to the Law of Mind, open to receiving my next step on this journey of ever expanding good.  I am grateful. I am free.  Amen.  Alleluia.  And so it is.


Photo courtesy of Hartwig HKD/Flickr

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Have A Wonderful Weekend



Happy Weekend!  We're hosting a small group at a local winery for some wine, cheese and chocolate pairings.  It's a fun place run by some lovely men from Ireland and England so I'm looking forward to my Saturday afternoon.  What are you up to this weekend?  Hope it's filled with fun....and here are a few fun and inspirational links from around the web....


Did you know you can eat yourself happy?

8 behaviors that can help increase your lifespan

We all have things in our lives to be grateful for - but sometimes its easy to forget

Love this! 

Are you close to your sister?

We have to love ourselves enough to say no sometimes

8 solid ways to boost your motivation

How to use regret to fuel your dreams

Turning your dreams into reality

When was the last time you told someone how you really felt about them?

Finding your passion by simplifying your life

You deserve happiness


And some words of wisdom to leave you with: "Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are." ~Bernice Johnson Reagon

Photo courtesy of Alice Popkorn/Flickr



Thursday, July 16, 2015

Disrupting The Pattern Of Blame

Part of my spiritual journey has been learning to deal with disappointment.  When I hit an issue that left me feeling sad or frustrated or confused, I wouldn't complain but instead look for something positive in the situation.  But the emotions that were stirred by the situation would not always go away so easily.

It was almost as if I was tip-toeing around the real issue behind the disappointment. So I had to take a hard look at the emotions that showed up.  One of the repeating patterns that I would go to over and over and over again was blame.

If I was frustrated with a project at work, I would blame the others on the team for their lack of commitment to success.

When I was locked out of the house recently and had to walk about 15 minutes on a foot that was injured, I blamed the other person for being so thoughtless.

And, when a cabinet was delivered to our new home today, I expected it to be a beautiful white wood cabinet with drawers. Instead, it was a metal behemoth that takes away from the energy in what I hoped would be a warm and welcoming meditation room.

As I started to turn to blame my husband, Kevin, for not clearly explaining exactly what we were ordering, it hit me that here was an opportunity to create a new normal.  So, rather than blame, I opened up to the possibility of a different response.

Rev. Mark Anthony Lord spoke at our Center for Spiritual Living in San Jose this Sunday and, as I made that choice to be open, I heard his voice in my head saying;  "Feel the disappointment and forgive.  Feel the sadness and forgive.  Feel the hopelessness and forgive."

In that moment, instead of blaming, and instead of looking for the positive in the metal cabinet that showed up, I stayed in the feelings of disappointment, and I practiced forgiveness - of Kevin AND of myself.

I was also culpable in the choosing of an office cabinet.  I needed forgiveness as much as anyone for not looking more closely at what I had agreed to purchase.

It took some time and some work, but through this new practice, I can see a release of my old pattern of blame and the stirrings of a new pattern of forgiveness.

The really exciting part of this revelation for me is now looking for the evidence of how the Universe will rise up to support me.  What am I here to learn about this process of forgiveness?  It's a question that is leading me on a new path, an even better path, to a life filled with awe and wonder.

Today, I set the intention to let go of my old pattern of blame and to call on the support of the Universe by practicing forgiveness, remaining open to receiving the ever-increasing good that comes from life-affirming practices.


"Your life is the fruit of your own doing.  
You have no one to blame but yourself."  

"True forgiveness is not an action after the fact, 
it is an attitude with which you enter each moment."  
~David Ridge


Affirmative Prayer:
Taking a breath and turning within, this new day is filled with the goodness of the One Creative Life.  It is the Divine Presence of Love that showers all with grace and abundance and joy and happiness.  It is heard in the singing of the birds as they build their nests.  It is seen in the brilliance of the sun that streams through the window.

I look at this new day with the fresh eyes of God in me and through me, seeing the holiness in every person, in every creature, that shares this Universe with me.  I am filled with the amazing potential of sweet Spirit within, creating a day that sees the diamonds in the rough, that uncovers the pearl within the oyster, that witnesses the miracles of everyday life.

Taking this vision of limitless potential into my day, I let go of any feelings of blame that may surface.  I plant the seeds of forgiveness and welcome the out-picturing of prosperity that is the result of releasing an old pattern that no longer serves me.  I accept the blessings of healed relationships as I tune into the wisdom of knowing that I have the power to change my response to whatever this day will bring.  And I affirm that I am patient and tolerant with myself and with others, seeing only the good that comes from making a choice to feel my emotions and to forgive.

I give thanks for the lessons that have brought me to this awareness that I have the power to choose how I respond. I am grateful that my day is filled with magnificence and possibility, simply because I am in that vibrational energy.  And I say thank you, Sweet Spirit, for the good that is already mine as I see it and feel it in my soul.

Releasing my prayer to the Law of Mind, knowing it is already done, I stay in this energy of gratitude.  God is all there is.  And I am one with all that is.  Amen.  Alleluia.  And so it is.

Photo courtesy of Ajari/Flickr

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Have An Amazing Weekend



What are you up to this weekend?  Now that we've moved into our new home, I've noticed that my car is the next big purchase we likely need to make.  So, I'm planning on test driving a few cars to get a feel for what I'd love to drive.  Lexus?  Tesla?  Whatever it is, I'm excited to watch how the Universe will support me in this new desire.  And, here are a few fun and inspirational links from around the web....

You're most creative when you should be sleeping

Why "shameless self-promotion" needs to go

Sick of saying yes when you mean no?

Be your own guru

Someone has finally made your childhood dreams come true

4 ways your darkest moment can positively change your life

Consumed by food? 6 lessons on overcoming disordered eating

If you're a woman in your 30's or younger, you must read this

What you give out will always return

The art of making spiritual excuses


And I love this thought on success from Iyanla Vanzant: "Success is a birth process. The idea, thought, dream or goal you have is like an embryo in the womb. That embryo must be nourished. You must feed it good thoughts. Surround it with a good environment. Nurture and love it."  Enjoy your weekend!

Photo courtesy of Sascha Kohlmann/Flickr

Thursday, July 9, 2015

The Tricky Dance Of Mother-Daughter Relationships

Becoming a mother was an exciting experience.  And with the birth of my second daughter, I was equally as enthralled with motherhood.

Speaking their first words.  A smile that softens any heart.  The easy breathing of a toddler at nap time.

Even with all of those beautiful moments, anyone with children knows that parenthood isn't always easy.  Quite often, flexibility is required.  A small child can easily, and often, throw a wrench into the best laid plans.

As my oldest daughter, Ashley, grew into her teen years, I thought I had mastered flexibility and would avoid the classic teen tension between mother and daughter.  No chance!

And as my second daughter, Haley, turned 12, the typical teen trials were hitting their stride.  I tried to breath through it as I vowed to protect my girls from life's challenges.  But they pushed back.

So, I jumped in and waded through two girls going through their teens, knowing it is the natural evolution of childhood into becoming an independent person.  Many days, I would go to bed critical of my role as a mother and critical of my daughters actions and choices.

But I also realized it was an opportunity to open up and experience my role as a mother as part of MY evolution.  After many hours spent contemplating and meditating and good old-fashioned soul searching, I got to the place of being able to see the things I could give praise for rather than be critical.

It doesn't mean I didn't still have times where I would blow up at some of the situations the girls would get into.  I'm sure, at the heart of it, it was my natural protection from being hurt by their words.  Or, fear that I had not kept them safe from life circumstances.

Now, I'm at the place where both of my girls are out of their teen years and starting lives of their own.  My relationship with Ashley and Haley has deepened.  It is filled with love.  And it is, in large part, because we have traveled this journey of parenthood together.

So, I say thank you to my girls for the experience as I set the intention to allow for the unfolding of our 'what's next', declaring that it will be filled with the passion and power and beauty and joy that works for each of us.


"Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, 
than the raising of the next generation."  

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children.  
One of these is roots, the other, wings."  


Affirmative Prayer:
As the sun sets and the sky is filled with brilliant and beautiful colors, there is the recognition of Divine Grace.  It is the grace of God that sustains, that encourages, that fulfills.

That life of grace is God in me and as me, and I allow Life an opportunity to become more of Itself through me.   I surrender and become an open channel through which Spirit expresses wonderfully all around me.

Meeting all that comes my way with joy, I am blossoming as I accept the place where I am right now in my relationship with my daughters.  Resistance falls away and I lean into this present moment with all of the ebbs and flows and nuances my journey here.  I embrace an attitude of openness and allow Spirit to show me my greater yet to be as a mother, as a wife, as a spiritual seeker.  A magnificent sense of freedom and satisfaction fills me as I declare that my life is blessed and filled with miracles.  And I welcome the wisdom that is gained as I stay centered in the truth that motherhood is a privilege and I have been honored by it.

I give great thanks that I am moved along in my relationship with my daughters powerfully and beautifully.  I am grateful for the harmony and peace that winds its way through our time spent together.  And I say thank you, Sweet Spirit, as I say Yes! to the beginning of what's next for me.

Surrendering this prayer to the Law of Mind, I take delight that it is done and unfolding in right and perfect ways.  Spirit's love is everywhere present.  Amen. Alleluia.  And so it is.

Photo credit: Ashley Massone

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Have A Wonderful Weekend



Happy July 4th weekend!  Downtown San Jose will actually have a fireworks show again this year so we're off to enjoy the festivities.  Be safe this weekend, whatever you're up too.  And, here are some fun and inspirational links from around the web....

How one patient reversed 17 years of brain aging

Grandmas attempt to define modern slang words - lol

Growing and changing the world one thank you at a time

Wake up ready to face the day

Being productive in the right way boosts happiness

The only yoga pose you need for great sleep

Understanding inspired action

5 ways I'm happy with my supposedly "old" age

The size of your audience doesn't matter


And a quote for the weekend to leave you with: "Feelings are like waves. You cannot stop them from coming but you can decide which ones to surf." ~Unknown.  Enjoy your weekend!

Photo courtesy of James Niland/Flickr