Happy-Go-Lucky

I was recently described as happy-go-lucky.  Today tho',  I'm feeling a bit out of sorts.  It's almost like dark rain clouds are hanging over my head.

After hearing myself called easy-going, I'm challenged by what to do with these feelings.  I keep trying to overcome them by looking on the bright side but it's not working very well.

I really want to be that person who can let things slide off their back.  But, if I'm truly honest with myself, I need to plug into what these out-of-sorts emotions are trying to tell me.  After all, I'm a spiritual being having a human experience and that includes experiencing these human emotions of frustration, unhappiness and anger.

So, today I'm making some time to listen to what these feelings are trying to tell me.  I'm grateful for a spiritual practice I learned from Michael Singer's book, The Untethered Soul.  As these feelings come up, I step outside of myself and notice the feelings - that's it, just notice them.  Maybe I say something like, "Isn't it interesting that I'm feeling so frustrated right now."

Then, I let it go.  And I continue that process.  Pretty soon, I do notice that the energy around my feelings of frustration are dissipating.

I think the true insight is that in acknowledging the uncomfortable feelings and letting them go, I really am transforming my life to be more fitting of the happy-go-lucky person I am.  I guess it's all part of the learning process!

Today, I set the intention to surrender to feelings of heaviness, acknowledging them and then releasing them, allowing a greater Universal Intelligence to transform them.

"If you sit within the Self, you will experience the strength of your inner being

 even when your heart feels weak. Once you learn that it's okay to feel

 inner disturbances, and that they can no longer disturb 

your seat of consciousness, you will be free." 

~Michael Singer

"Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle." 

~Benjamin Franklin

Affirmative Prayer:
Turning within and taking a breath, there is a sense of Spirit that welcomes all.  It is the fire and creativity that sparks life, always conspiring for the greater good of all.

I open my heart and feel the movement of Spirit within.  It is the Divine seeking expression through me.  It is the Creative Intelligence that moves through my imagination, my thoughts, my feelings.  I am a consciousness that is blissful and joyful and loving, allowing for a greater awareness to be born through me.

In this moment, I let go of old programming that tells me I am not enough. I am sheltered by Divine Life, able to feel all of my human emotions and then release them to the Infinite.  I accept the healing that happens as I let go of any judgements around fear and frustration and remember that my nature is gentleness and serenity and grace.  The mind and heart of God move through me and I welcome the wisdom that leads me to a great life of endless possibilities.  I ask "What is it that I need to know about these feelings?" and answers are revealed in clear ways that I easily understand.

I give thanks for the windows and doors that are opening through my acceptance of ALL of my feelings.  I am grateful for the glory within that allows me to live from a place of acknowledgement and release as I embrace my happy-go-lucky nature.  And I am grateful for all that has blessed my life.

Knowing my good is at hand, I release this prayer to the One Divine Mind in faith that the Law will make it so.  The seeds have been planted and I only need water my garden.  And I let it be so.  And so it is.

Photo courtesy of Greg Westfall/Flickr

Dive Deep Into The Stillness

"When you contemplate the nature of Self, you are meditating.  That is why meditation is the highest state.  It is the return to the root of your being, the simple awareness of being aware.  Once you become conscious of the consciousness itself, you attain a totally different state.  You are now aware of who you are."  ~Michael Singer, the untethered soul

I'm convinced that has to be one of the most beautiful things I've ever read.  In part, that's because, of all of my spiritual practices, meditation has to be the most challenging for me.

I often feel like that scene from Eat, Pray, Love where Julia Roberts is trying meditation for the first time in the temple.  She fidgets and watches the time and gets frustrated at trying to sit so still.  Of course, the revelation for her comes when she chooses to focus her meditation time on contemplation of how she can serve someone else.

That is when the magic unfolds for her.  And, that is what speaks to me most about what Michael Singer wrote.

When I spend time in contemplation, rather than trying to quiet my mind, I come out of my meditation feeling so much closer to Spirit.  And, when I focus my awareness on my conscious thought and simply notice the thoughts as they occur, I start to get to the root of who I am.

I've also noticed that when I focus my awareness, I can listen more deeply for the answer to my questions.  So as I contemplate who I am and how I might serve or how I can uncover my gifts and talents, my intuition feels heightened.  Time seems to slow and sometimes, I get a visceral feeling like I am truly connected to Source.

The good news I'm starting to recognize is that, as I come out of contemplation and go about my day, I can more easily tap into my heart when I need to make a decision.

In fact, I believe that is EXACTLY what is happening in my life right now.  Last week, I made the decision to leave my job and take a break.  It's definitely a leap of faith but I've had no real feelings of concern (only one noticeable "yikes" moment last week).

My heart feels light and I'm seeing opportunities to volunteer and contribute pop up out of the blue.  And each day that I take the time to connect through contemplation of Self, I feel that my life is transforming into something so much more meaningful for me.

So, I keep practicing this 'most' every morning. My favorite question to ask in contemplation this week has been "How does it get any better than this?"

As I go about my day just noticing and being aware, I can start to see evidence of how it IS getting better.  And as I see the evidence, I ask the question again; "How does it get any better than this?"

What does the Universe answer?   Something even better than I imagined possible...

So what are some questions YOU can contemplate during a time of stillness?  And, do you trust your own intuition when you get the answers?

Today, I set the intention to make time to contemplate the nature of Self, becoming more of myself in the process and trusting the guidance of my heart as I make choices.

"The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness."  ~Lao-Tzu

"One of the great saints, Ramana Maharishi, used to ask, 'Who am I?' We see now 

that this is a very deep question.  Ask it ceaselessly, constantly.  Ask it and you will 

notice that you are the answer.  There is no intellectual answer - you are the answer.

  Be the answer, and everything will change."  

~Michael Singer

Affirmative Prayer:
As the crescendo of this day grows stronger, it culminates in the knowing that there is only One Life.  A Divine Perfect, Truth that is harmony and grace, love and gratitude.  It is an awe-inspiring Divine Intelligence that energizes each moment with power and perfection.  And it is an Infinite Presence that creates everything out of Itself.

Sensing and embracing this truth, my heart and my soul celebrates that this Divine Life yearns to express through me and as me.  I surrender to the Infinite Intelligence that I call God and awaken to living a life inspired by faith and trust.  And I am clear that I am guided daily by a Divine Power simply by saying Yes! to the realization that I am One with Source.

As I step into a life designed to reveal the Divine Source within me, I make the time to be quiet and listen for answers.  I ask questions like "How does it get any better than this?" and Spirit says, "This way, follow me."  I let go of any thoughts of lack or limitation and allow my desires full reign to out-picture in my life.  And as I follow my intuition, the richness and opulence of the Universe is laid out for the pure enjoyment of it.  Seeing the results of my consciousness of Oneness unfold in beautiful ways, I welcome the continuing exploration of who I truly am - a spiritual being having a human experience.

Surrendering to the perfect mind of Spirit at my center, I am deeply grateful for the unfolding of the highest and greatest good that life has to offer me.  I am thankful for the insights that I receive daily as I remain open at the top.  And I am filled with gratitude for the richness and opulence that remind me that all of my needs are met, right here and right now.

From a place of awareness of my good, I release my word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done.  I know exactly who I am!  And I let it be so.  And so it is.

Photo courtesy of Trey Ratfcliff/Flickr

The Perfect Books to Read When You Need Healing

When I'm feeling the need for inspiration or there is a piece of me that needs healing, there are a number of tools I use.  Top of my list - books.  Books can change my mood from blah to woohoo! and they let me know I'm not alone in some of the challenges I face.

Here are six books that help me stay inspired.  Some are more recent than others but all of them are very relevant.  And - if I'm short of time and need a pick-me-up, I choose a book, center myself with a breath or two and randomly flip to a page or let the book fall open where it will.

Every time I've done this, the Universe always delivers to me the perfect text that I need to read in that moment.

Book One:  practicing the presence; Joel S. Goldsmith

This classic book from 1958 has transformed my daily spiritual practice of meditation.  If you are in need of a mantra, flip to any page in this book, choose a sentence to reflect on and go within.  You will soon feel the presence of God surround you and deepen your connection to Source - guaranteed.

Book Two:  Illusions; Richard Bach

If I am ever questioning my faith, this book reminds me that I am a powerful co-creator.  It is also where I borrowed the idea to let a book fall open to any page and read it to see what the Universe might be trying to tell me in that moment.

Book Three:  The Untethered Soul; Michael A. Singer

When I get caught up in my reflexive responses to challenges that show up throughout my day, this book reminds me that I am in control of my thoughts and feelings.  It has great, practical tools to set my conscious mind free from limiting beliefs.  The more often I turn to this book for help, the less other people are able to push my buttons.

Book Four:  The Power of Intention; Dr. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Dyer is wonderful at explaining how we are all co-creators with Spirit.  This book was my inspiration for setting daily intentions for how my day will unfold.  It also reminds me that once I have put my intention out to the Universe, I need only to let go and let God.  Part II of the book is filled with powerful intentions and is a great starting point if you are new to the concept that God is within each of us.

Book Five:  Peace from Broken Pieces; Iyanla Vanzant

"All things are lessons that God would have us learn."  When I need to put something in perspective, this book cuts to the chase and forces me to look at myself.  Forget about my story - what is it that I need to forgive and/or to heal?  The book also makes me feel that I am in a safe place, remembering that nothing can separate me from the love of God.

Book Six:  This Thing Called You; Ernest Holmes

It takes most people some time to get used to how Ernest writes and speaks. For me, this book was one that was clear and concise when it comes to determining how life got to be the way it is.  At its core, it is about prayer.  Any feelings of anger, sadness, hurt, frustration seem to fall away when I sit with a passage or two from this book.

So, today, I set the intention to embrace the pleasure of reading, knowing that time will be made for the opportunity to spend a moment with my favorite authors.

"We should think of our lives as an increasing awareness, an ever-growing

 and expanding consciousness, a never ceasing progress of individual and 

collective evolution.  There should be a constant joy in expansion, an 

enthusiastic sense of adventure in the progressive unfoldment of spiritual 

awareness.  It is enough to know that our good is with us today, that tomorrow 

this same good can be multiplied, and so on forever."

~Ernest Holmes

"When you realize how perfect life is, you will tilt your head back 

and laugh at the sky"

~Buddha

Affirmative Prayer:
There is a perfection in every moment of the day and night.  It shines as brilliantly as the sun and as effervescent as the moon.  This perfection is at the heart of the One that I call God, moving through and around all of Its creation, showering beauty and joy and peace and love over all this is.  Closing my eyes, I can sense the perfection of the One living within me, expressing as me, and filling me, just as the stars fill the night sky.

Absorbing the Power and the Presence of Spirit, there is a knowing that I always have an abundance of time to enjoy the pleasures around me.  Affirming my love of reading, I savor the opportunity to sit with a book that inspires and teaches and heals. Each author has written words that jump off the pages toward me in an amazing clarity of awe and wonder.  And I am called toward books that provide the words and phrases I need to hear in that exact moment.  Regardless of circumstances, these books hold a truth for my life that is relevant and filled with grace.

Claiming this, I sit in gratitude for my perfect eyesight that allows me the privilege of reading the written word.  I am thankful for the presence of Spirit that flows through each author as they write what calls to them.  Each life is Divinely guided and book and reader find each other in the perfect timing of the Universe.  For this, I am grateful.

Embracing this awareness, I release my prayer to the Divine action of the Law, knowing that it is already taking shape in perfect and glorious ways.  And I let it be so. And so it is!