Are We There Yet?

“Impatience is a failure to trust in the universal intelligence and it implies that we are separate from the all-providing spirit. Impatience implies that our ego is the boss of desire.” — Wayne Dyer

Have you noticed there is an impatient four-year-old who lives in your mind? Are we there yet? How much longer before we get there? How much time is this going to take?

Time takes forever when we are waiting for an event to happen but disappears when we are living in the moment. Time seems endless when we want our goal achieved but vanishes when we release attachment to the results.

George Leonard shares in his book, Mastery, that in martial arts training, there is a moment when it appears the student is no longer improving. The skill level seems stagnant and stuck. Actually on the inside there is an abundance of activity of the mind, body, and soul all coming into alignment. The challenge is not to stop practicing but to continue, regardless of the outside results. Progress is happening on an inner level that we can’t see. 

Change happens, not always on our time schedule. This is the practice of faith.

Faith isn’t something we turn on or off. It is a seed planted in us. As we nurture and cultivate it, our faith grows deeper, stronger, and more profound. We build faith when we find something to be grateful for in the midst of a challenge or experience, a moment of joy in the midst of sorrow.

Faith expands when we appreciate each day as a treasure and every experience as a gift.

May your days be filled with patience, faith, and a sense of peace that you are doing exactly the right task, at the right time, with the perfect outcome.

Affirmation: I have the faith to live each day with patience and peace.

Excerpt from Soul Musings: Finding the Sacred in the Ordinary

Ask and Ask Again

“Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.” – Maya Angelou

When out to dinner with a friend, she asked if she could have the chicken warmed up on her barbecue chicken salad. “No” replied the employee. He didn’t say, “Sorry it’s against company policy,” “Not usually, but let me look into that,” or the most customer-centric answer, “Of course, we can do that for you.” His reply was clear: No. 

So she asked the question again, and the reply was still no. She rephrased the question and asked a third time. Finally, seeing that my friend was not going to take no for an answer, the waiter asked another employee who said, “Sure, I can do that.”

What fascinated me more than the disturbing lack of customer service, was my friend’s persistence in asking for what she wanted. Three times. She was never rude or arrogant, but politely continued asking. She was clear about what she wanted.

Wayne Dyer says, “We are divine enough to ask, important enough to receive.” This is a great reminder to continue to ask. It may not happen the first time or second time, but we should continue to ask with quiet expectancy. All that we desire is already available to us. Our work is to be willing to receive graciously and lovingly. Our practice is to live in a state of gratitude.

This is a simple yet powerful reminder of what is available to us every day. “Ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be open to you.” Matthew 7:7  

Affirmation: I accept that whatever I ask for is already known in the mind of God.

Perfect, Whole, and Complete

“If we are creating ourselves all the time, then it is never too late to begin creating the bodies we want instead of the ones we mistakenly assume we are stuck with.” — Deepak Chopra

When we feel good, all is right with the world. When the body is out of alignment or in pain, our mental state is less than optimal and our emotional state is shaken.

I know for me, when I am not feeling well, I tend to focus on what is not working pr what I don’t have. When feeling out of sorts, it is easy to feel frustrated, irritated and agitated.

Here are some of my go-to prayers for realigning with my Wholeness.

“In the infinity of life where I am, all is perfect, whole, and complete. I recognize my body as a good friend. Each cell in my body has divine intelligence. I listen to what it tells me, and I know that it’s advice is valid. I am always safe, and divinely protected and guided. I choose to be healthy and free. All is well in my world.”  –  You Can Heal Your Life,  Louise Hay

I am now knowing that my body is a joyful vehicle and I am celebrating it in Divine Love and thanking it for being with me on this remarkable journey in consciousness. I am now choosing to accept the awareness and the actions that are required to support me in realigning my form to hold and vibrate at this new frequency. Word I am Word through this intention. Word I am Word.” — Book of Love and Creation, Paul Selig

“My body is a temple of the living Spirit. It is spiritual substance. Every part of my body is in harmony with the living Spirit within me. The life of this Divine Spirit flows through every atom of my being, revitalizing, reinvigorating and renewing every particle of my physical body. There is a pattern of perfection at the center my being which is now operating through every organ, function, action and reaction. My body is a Divine Idea forever renewed by the Spirit.”

 —This Thing Called You, Ernest Holmes

Fragile: Handle with Care

I don’t know about you, but this holiday season has felt like a rollercoaster of emotions. Lofty highs and rock-bottom lows and depleting energy in-between. I found myself feeling blue for no real reason or feeling lonely with plenty of people around. I feel like I have a label on my forehead that reads — Fragile: Handle with Care.

We are all a bit fragile during the holidays. There are expectations, demands, promises, hopes, fears, worries, and grief all swirling together. We have our own personal challenges to deal with as well as feeling the pain of humanity’s injustices. 

Here is my simple practice to bring me back to balance.

• Breathe and remember the gift of life.

• Be mindful and acknowledge how I am feeling.

• Be grateful for all the blessings in my life.

• Love myself first and extend that love to others.

• Speak with loving kindness.

Here is a prayer that brings me back to Love:

I am grateful for this new day. I embrace this day knowing God is revealed as the radiant, energizing, joy-filled presence of Love. I know Love moves into the very cells of my being bringing light, harmony, and peace. I accept guidance to willingly let go of any resentment, hurt or disappointment. I invite the healing presence of Love to wash away any pain or darkness. I enter this day with a grateful heart and receive all the blessings Love has in store for me. And so it is. Amen.

Regardless of emotions or appearances in your life, please know that you are loved and appreciated.

May the light of the season guide your days with wisdom, fill your heart with joy and surround you with the presence of love.

Grounded in Principle

“Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it…It is just easier if you do.“ Byron Katie

I was hiking with a friend in the Mt Hood National Forest when she suddenly tripped, lost her balance and bumped into me full force. Fortunately, I was grounded and didn’t lose my balance. I picked up her hiking pole and we hiked on and enjoyed the beautiful day.

I reflected on this event later and realized its powerful metaphor for life. When I am grounded in faith, secure in my spiritual practice, steadfast in knowing truth, all sorts of obstacles can bump into me and I will not budge. Breaking news, upset co-workers or my own random thoughts and fears cannot sway me off my path. I feel stable, centered and can stand in the midst of whatever challenge is happening.

We are bombarded with overwhelming changes to our lives every day that can take an emotional toll on us. When our emotions are worn down and we feel distressed, we can be easily influenced and may make decisions that are not in our best interest.

Spiritual practice is more important than ever before— the need for us to stay grounded in principle and faith so we won’t falter and fall but will stand steadfast. Ernest Holmes reminds us, “Realizing that all action starts in and is a result of consciousness, prepare your mind to receive the best that life has to offer.” 

When centered in principle we can make conscious decisions —choosing discernment over judgment, caution instead of fear. We can create healthy boundaries instead of borders. Consciousness is the key.

Are you willing to be grounded in peace and not pushed off balance? 

Affirmation: I am grounded in my faith. I am fully supported by the Universe.