You are the Artist Painting the Picture of Your Life

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Each one of us creates our personal reality through our perceptions.

 

Perception is how we interpret our environment through physical sensation. Whether we are conscious of it or not, our perceptions determine the way in which we see and experience absolutely everything in our lives. One way to understand our individual perceptions is to imagine that we are all born with our own personal paint brushes and a palette with an infinite array of colors. Our lives are the neutral canvas on which each of us paints our own individual pictures, depending on how we perceive our experiences.

 

 

The greatest divine gift given to humanity is free will

to choose our personal perceptions.

 

 

Will is defined by Webster as follows: to determine by an act of choice; the mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending. When we are aware that we can choose our perceptions, we empower ourselves to live consciously and, through our thoughts and imagination, we can choose how we want to perceive our experiences.

 

 

Each of us is an artist painting our own personal reality

through our unique perceptions.

 

 

We tend to label only certain types of people as “being creative,” such as dancers, artists, singers, sculptors, and chefs. The truth is that each one of us is an artist painting our own personal reality with the brush of every thought we have.

 

 

While we may all be looking at the same scenery, each person’s picture is different because we all sense life in a unique and individual way. One person’s picture may be delicate brushes with a few objects of pastel colors, another a very busy picture in broad strokes of vivid colors, yet another in all different shades of the same color with no objects at all. Two world-renowned artists demonstrate this contrast of world view beautifully. Picasso expressed his feelings through dramatic and bold art using seemingly random strokes of deep, vibrant colors. Monet’s art was a gentle expression of nature through pastel colors using delicate, intricate strokes.

 

 

This is why we can all experience the same thing, yet have entirely different responses. It also explains why ten people can interpret the same situation in ten different ways, each one thinking that he or she is “right.” It does not matter how anyone else sees the scenery, the individual pictures of how we perceive situations with our minds are what is real for each one of us.

 

 

Understanding that everyone has an entirely different way of perceiving their life experiences helps us to embrace another person’s point of view without judgment. It also helps us to appreciate the infinite number of ways in which each one of us expresses our feelings and views of life. Through our acceptance of the differences within each other, we honor the gift each one of us brings through the genuine expression of our true self.

 

 

You can read more about how we create our own reality through our perceptions on page 36, The Power of Oneness. Live The Life You Choose.

 

 

What are some ways in which you express your creative nature?

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

The Path to World Peace Begins Within

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As the debate over whether U.S. lawmakers should give President Obama authorization to launch a military strike against Syria continues, many of us are once again feeling the enormous inner conflict and deep sadness that comes with trying to reconcile the stark contrast between war and peace. Because our natural spiritual state of being is unconditional love, I truly believe that, at a soul level, every human being desires peace.  The question is:  How do we create it?  

 

 

The emphasis is on the  word “create” because peace is a sense of well being that originates from the inside, beginning with the intention of the heart.  If we are “looking” for it, we will not be able to find it  because peace is not something that comes to us from the outside.  The condition of our physical world is a giant mirror reflecting back to us the collective thoughts of every person who is part of our earth family. Since thought is creative, whatever we focus on expands. Therefore, what we are seeing is an indication that part of our human society is predominately focused on judgment, violence, greed, and crime. 

 

 

We can point a finger of blame wherever and to whomever we want, but it does not change the truth that each one of us has played a part in creating the condition of the world in which we live.  Perhaps it has been in seemingly minor, passive ways, such as getting caught up in the turmoil and conflict of the world by watching and listening to endless news reports of violence and acts of desecration. Or, it could be as intensively aggressive as being a perpetrator in a massive heinous crime.  Judging who is “most wrong” renders us powerless and only creates more separation and discord between us and within our lives. 

 

 

We can only change the quality of our collective personal reality by taking personal responsibility for the part we have each played in creating it. Since all change begins at the level of self, when we change our individual lives, the world around us changes as well.   

 

To create peace within your own life, try some of these basic ideas. You will be amazed at what unfolds! 

 

 

Meditate – Create a space of at least 20 minutes every day to sit in a place of peace and quiet.  Your meditation can be as simple as sitting on your sofa and focusing on your breath.  The importance of this cannot be overstated, for it is within the silence that you can remember your mind and body connection with spirit. 

 

Pray – Ask for divine guidance as to how you can best bring peace to the world; envision what a peaceful world looks like. Most importantly, imagine the feeling of peace within your own heart.

 

Forgive –  Let go of the need to be right.  All conflicts, whether it be in personal relationships or between countries, originate from the perception that one party is “right”  and the other is “wrong.”  Would you rather be right or do you prefer peace? (You may find it helpful to read my blog on Forgiveness, April 23, 2013.) 

 

Live consciously – Align your thoughts, words, and actions with the spiritual values of love, respect, peace, and cooperation.  This requires diligent practice and is the most effective way to live a peaceful life.

 

Be mindful of what you feed your mind –  Stop watching violent entertainment shows and videos and modify the amount of time you spend following the news. There is a difference between being informed and immersing yourself in the fears of the world.  Instead, spend more time reading, watching, and listening to information that inspires you and nourishes your soul. What you put into your mind is what it feeds back to you.

 

Commune with Nature – Spend more time outdoors in the beauty of nature.  Nature regenerates your body, mind, and soul and balances your energy.  

 

 

Even though the status of the world may seem overwhelming and out of our personal control, we each have the power to contribute to world peace. It begins with our personal lives, starting in this present moment.  Every person makes an enormous difference in creating harmony within the world.  Like a drop of water, every single thought we have ripples out into the massive sea of the collective thoughts of all humanity.  By choosing thoughts of love, we automatically unite with other like-minded souls in forming a field of energy that has the infinite power to exponentially create an entirely new world.

 

 

NOT ONLY CAN WE CREATE WORLD PEACE, 

IT IS OUR SACRED MISSION TO DO SO!  

 

 

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra  

Getting Unstuck

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We have all had times in our lives when we have felt “stuck.”  What an uncomfortable feeling!  It is like being sucked into a dark emotional whirlpool of indecision and total lack of direction!  When this happens, we go round and round until we actually begin to believe that we are living a life with few or no options.

 

The state of occasionally feeling stuck is part of our spiritual growth and generally follows major shifts in our lives.  It often follows a period of trauma, such as: getting divorced, losing a loved one, a health crisis, or financial loss. Interestingly, it is equally common to experience this feeling following “positive” changes in our lives, such as: getting married, the birth of a child, sending the last child off to school, getting a promotion at work, moving our home location, or retiring.   

 

Often times we deal with the aftermath of going through these traumas and major transitions by “freezing,” which is actually the equivalent of an emotional aftershock.  As always, we need to respect ourselves by honoring and expressing the feelings we have that accompany the shifts within our lives.  We need to be aware of and express grief, anger, resentment, fear, and the myriad of emotions that each experience brings out within us.  Also, this period of emotional plateauing is healthy in that we may require some time to stabilize ourselves in order to prepare for shifting into the new priorities that follow major life changes. 

 

A problem arises only when we remain in this “frozen state” for long periods of time by continuing to focus on the past. Continuing to resist the changes in our lives, whether positive or negative, can cause a great deal of suffering and, over a prolonged period of time, can eventually cause depression.  Depression causes a paralytic state of mind that blocks our creativity and ability to flow with change.  

 

There is an underlying theme beneath the feeling of being stuck:  When we experience major change in our lives, we tend to pause and question our purpose.  In other words, as we end one stage of life and begin another, we are called upon to create new ideas of what we want to do with our lives.  Major life transitions are intersections; and, just as we do when approaching a traffic intersection, we need to slow down in order to switch directions.

 

Here are some suggestions for getting unstuck and moving “into the flow:”

 

1. Express Your Feelings – Be aware of your emotions and express them to supportive people in your life. This helps your mind to process the changes you are experiencing with greater ease and helps to keep your heart open.

 

2. Forgive Yourself – Many times we beat ourselves up with the “I should have,” “I wish I had,” and “If only” statements.  Some of the life shifts you are experiencing can feel like walloping blows to your sense of third dimensional security.  Be kind to yourself by acknowledging that you are doing the best you know to do with what is going on in your life. 

 

3. Develop the Habit of Self-Loving Dialogue – Consciously choose to talk to yourself as though you were your own best friend. By making this a regular practice, you will eventually reinforce your self-esteem.

 

4. Focus on the Lessons Learned Through the Changes – Every experience you have ever had has helped you to become wiser and more whole.  When you glean the life lessons you most need to learn from your challenging experiences,  you will not repeat the same unproductive patterns.

 

5. Express Gratitude for the Lessons – Expressing appreciation for both the ups and downs of life is a wonderful way to attract blessings and to live in a state of grace, no matter what you are experiencing.

 

6. Create a New Dream – The completion of each state of life offers the opportunity for the beginning of a new one. This is the perfect time to decide what you would like to do to expand your life through new adventures. (You may find it helpful to read my previous blog from August 27, “Creating Visions of Your Desired Reality.”) 

 

7. Step Into Your Dream – The most effective way to break out of inertia is to take action.  NOW is the time to take the first step toward fulfilling your visions of new beginnings. You do not have wait until the perfect time, the perfect place, or the perfect opportunity.  There is no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to being the author of your own life.  Every single action that you take toward realizing your new dream creates momentum. As the famous Nike slogan so aptly expresses, “Just Do It!” 

 

The energy of life is dynamic, so change is inevitable.  HOW we experience change is a choice.  When we resist change, we feel stuck; when we accept it, we free ourselves to learn and grow and to experience inner peace, no matter what is going on in our outer world.  

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

Creating Visions of Your Desired Reality

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The more we evolve in our personal spiritual healing, the more apparent it is that there is a large gap between our present physical reality and the ideal experience of a world of unity and wholeness.  How, then, do we get from where we are to where we want to be?  How do we stretch out into new realities which we have never seen with our physical eyes?

 

 

We all have dreams tucked away in our hearts of our ideal version of life.  Whether we remember or not, each of us has the extraordinary ability to bring our dreams of a kinder, more enlightened world into our physical reality through the practice of creating visions.  Visions are mental pictures, inspired by the soul, clarifying the quality of life we truly want to experience. While ordinary sight is our ability to see tangible things with our physical eyes, we also have the amazing capacity to see from an infinitely, more expansive perspective–we can see with our mind’s eye (also known as our “third eye”) by imagining something we want to see which is not yet visible in our concrete physical world.

 

 

What is the purpose of creating visions?

 

 

Visions give meaning and purpose to our lives because they are the mental images which guide our actions toward a desired outcome.  Visions originate at a soul level and fuel our passion for living.   In the immortal words of Aristotle, “The soul cannot think without a picture.”  When we truly understand this, it is hard to imagine why we would ever want to live our lives without conscious visions of new realities.  Most of us would not consider building a house without a blueprint of how we want it to look when we are finished–we would not mindlessly start digging out foundations, drilling holes, and nailing up walls without any idea of what we want to create.  Yet, when it comes to the most important structure we can ever build, the context of our lives, we tend to aimlessly react to situations without ever taking the time to envision the ideal of what we want to accomplish.

 

 

How do we know what we want to envision?

 

 

The seeds of our visions are within our dreams.  When we speak of dreams, most of us think of the unconscious messages we receive as we sleep. Our nighttime dreams link our conscious with our subconscious and reveal our innermost thoughts and feelings.  Although nighttime dreams many times appear to make no sense (from a logical point of view), they often provide us with spiritual guidance and insight.  Our dreams are not only revealed in the unconscious messages that are received as we sleep, but also in the conscious desires we constantly carry within our hearts that are begging to be expressed through our actions.  Our daydreams express our aspirations and are many times revealed in the “I’ve always wanted to” statements we find ourselves saying. It is that irrepressible inner drive we have to do something no matter how illogical it may seem – that inner voice that relentlessly speaks to us of things we need to do in order to honor our need to genuinely express our true self.  If we have suppressed our heartfelt desires for a long time, we may think we no longer have any dreams.  The truth is that no matter how long we have squelched dreams of what we want to achieve in our lives, they remain within our hearts until we claim them.

 

 

What are some effective ways in which you can reinforce your visions?

 

 

While dreams are the seeds of all new possibilities, they can only come true if you support them with your actions; and, as always your actions are a choice. Below are a few suggestions for activating your visions:

 

Focus – Since visions are fueled by the soul, focus on the qualities you want to experience in life (such as love, joy, peace, harmony, fulfillment, health); rather than material accumulation.

 

Written and verbal statements – Words have creative power! Develop a habit of talking and writing about what you WANT to see in your life, rather than complaining about how things are.

 

Meditation/Visualization – It is very effective to take 5-10 minutes every day to find a quiet space, close your eyes, and  imagine yourself experiencing a desired situation.  It is particularly effective to imagine how it FEELS to be experiencing what you desire.

 

Prayer –  Ask for divine guidance as to how you can best serve humanity.  This will attract opportunities into your life that align with your talents and interests.

 

Pictures and Drawings – Visions can be literal or metaphoric.  Drawing pictures stimulates the imagination and brings your mental pictures into physical visibility.

 

Gratitude Journal  – Writing in a journal about what you are grateful for opens your heart to receiving the flow of Universal blessings that are already there for you.

 

Physical Enactment  – Pretend that what you are imagining has already come true and that you are acting out the vision.  For example, if you desire to move to a new home, start cleaning out your closets and get organized as though you have already signed the contract to buy a new house.  This sends out a powerful message to the Universe that you believe in your ability to be creative.

 

Be Open to Outcomes – When you consistently hold a vision of living the quality of life you choose, the Universe answers in ways that are for the greatest good of all.  Let go of trying to manipulate how your visions unfold and surrender the outcome to the far more magnificent infinite potential of the Universe.

 

 

Ultimately, we are all here to love and be loved.  Each of us is internally programmed with special gifts and unique ways to bring unconditional love into this third dimensional reality.  Visions make it possible to ignite your dreams sparks by transforming the passive mode of merely wishing for something into the far more dynamic mode of pro-actively co-creating with the Universe.  With practice, you will discover that your visions create a guiding light that magnetizes you to live in the light of spiritual love.

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

Why Are Our Thoughts So Powerful?

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Whether or not we are conscious of it, our minds are always working.  Every thought we have is an energetic impulse which is constantly creating who we are and the circumstances within our lives.  This means that we are each participating in the awesome process of creation with each and every thought that we have!  Creation is not only something which has already happened – it is the eternal moment-to-moment manifestations of our thinking.  Manifestation is the process of our thoughts becoming evident to one or more of our five physical senses.

 

 

The creative dynamic of thought is sometimes referred to as The Law of Manifestation.   Like gravity, manifestation is a principle of nature which is constantly in effect, whether we are aware of it or not.  We begin to appreciate the miraculous power of our thoughts by understanding some of the dynamics of the Law of Manifestation.

 

 

All of our thoughts manifest into our physical world.

 

 

Absolutely everything we see and experience in our physical world began as a thought.  Whether it be the chair on which you are sitting, the birthday party you recently attended, or the picture you admired at the art gallery, it all began as an idea in someone’s mind.  You are always thinking; therefore, you are perpetually creating.  We are all channels of universal energy which is consistently flowing to and through us.  Because universal energy is the essence of life, it is neutral; however, as it flows through our minds it becomes positive or negative, depending on your perceptions.  Your thoughts, both positive and negative, generate your reality. Hatred and violence are manifestations of negative thoughts, just as love and peace are manifestations of positive thoughts.  Since you are automatically always creating, the question is:  Do you want to create consciously from the space of spiritual truth, or do you want to unconsciously allow the energy of mass consciousness to govern your thoughts?  Living a life of integrity requires that you master your own thought process on a conscious level rather than allowing your thoughts to be controlled by others or trying to control the thoughts of others.

 

 

What we focus on expands.

 

 

When you steadfastly hold to an intention, whatever you are concentrating on expands, whether it involves a person or a situation.  For example, when you consciously intend to focus on what you like about someone, you find more to like about that person and your relationship with that person is very likely to improve. If your intention is to concentrate on their faults, you will increasingly find more to dislike about that person, which is bound to create more difficulties in your relationship.  Likewise, when you focus your attention on the things that are going “wrong” in your life, you will create more problems within your life to confirm your thoughts that life is a constant struggle.  When you dedicate your attention to all the things that are going “right” in your life, you will observe and experience increasingly more pleasant situations.

 

 

What we think is what we attract.

 

 

When we set our thoughts into motion with our intentions, the universe responds through the law of attraction.  Because every thought is an electrical impulse, each of us is like a radio station in that we transmit our thoughts by sending out a certain frequency.  The frequencies of our thoughts are vibrations.  The vibrations of our thoughts magnetize other thoughts on the same frequency.  This means that whatever we send out is what comes back to us – thoughts of love attract loving people and situations;  just as thoughts of fear attract fearful people and situations.

 

 

We can change our reality by changing our thoughts.

 

 

If you don’t like what we see in your exterior world, you don’t have to wait for the circumstances to change.  You have the creative power to change your external circumstances by changing the internal world of your thoughts!

 

 

How many times have we heard ourselves and others say that our lives will be better when we have more money, more time, less work, fewer problems, and the list goes on and on.  When we do this, we are, in essence, waiting for our circumstances to change us instead of changing our situations.  Our life circumstances are not the cause of thoughts – they are the result of the thoughts we are sending out to the world!  We do not need to wait for situations to change before we feel better.  When we choose to think differently, the circumstances will follow our thoughts.

 

 

Life is not a permanent condition.  It is a dynamic process of constant change and growth.  If we don’t like what we are attracting, we have the power to change how we are experiencing life by changing the thoughts we are projecting.  Our frequency then changes, as does everything we attract.

 

 

What an amazing realization!  We have the power to change the condition of our lives. When we change our thoughts we change the world around us!  After all, we ARE infinite potential!

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

Having the Strength to Be Vulnerable

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Vulnerability is a word that tends to have a very negative connotation in our society.  The associations that come to mind when we think of vulnerability are: susceptible to being wounded or hurt; being open to attack and criticism.  Vulnerability is one of those words that society (and the dictionary) has labeled as a “negative emotion” and one to avoid at all costs.

 

 

As a result of these perceptions, the automatic response that most of us have to the mere thought of being vulnerable is to shield ourselves from any potential attack on our energy by putting up an emotional wall around ourselves. We may even think that if we can protect ourselves from being hurt by someone else’s thoughts, words, and actions, eventually we won’t feel any pain.

 

 

This seemingly self-protective strategy ultimately backfires because when we become numb to pain, we also become numb to experiencing the flow of joy and love in our lives. Putting emotional armor around ourselves actually creates a disconnect between the head and the heart.  Every human being is vulnerable because we all want and need to be loved and accepted.  If we deny our own vulnerability, how can we possibly have empathy and compassion for other human beings?  Empathy and compassion are not experienced in our heads; rather, these self-empowering emotions can only be fully experienced through the heart.

 

 

When you try to avoid being vulnerable,
you are judging yourself for not being perfect

 

 

When you judge yourself, you feel afraid that others will judge you as well.  In an effort to “protect” yourself from having your perceived weaknesses being seen by others, you then have to hide all the parts of yourself that you don’t like by stuffing these fearful emotions somewhere into your mind and body. Ironically, in this futile attempt to “protect” yourself from others, you actually hurt yourself. By not bringing these hidden fears into the light of awareness, eventually your repressed feelings will surely erupt into mental, emotional, and physical pain and suffering.

 

 

 
Everyone has a “shadow side,” which is simply the love that is
trapped inside of us that we are afraid to express.

 

 

When we choose to express our complete, authentic self, we bring our “shadow side” to the conscious light of awareness, thereby creating the space to heal all the parts of ourselves. The following are some healthy ways in which we can allow ourselves to express our vulnerability:

 

1.  Lighten up with humor – We tend to take ourselves so seriously.  There are times when it is entirely appropriate to laugh at our own “mistakes.”

 

2.  Admit when you don’t understand something – Many times we repeat the same unproductive patterns  because we are afraid we will be judged as “stupid” if we ask more questions.

 

3.  Express your honest feelings in a kind, respectful way –  This applies equally to situations where you think that what you have to say is not going to be popular.

 

4.  Tell the truth –  even if it is something so small that no one would know the difference.  Complete honesty creates self-respect and encourages others to do the same.

 

5.  Ask for help when you feel you can’t handle the work load – We don’t need to sacrifice our health and well being to prove to the world that we are capable or indestructible.

 

6.  Take responsibility for your thoughts, words, and actions – When you feel you have hurt someone, face up to it by offering an apology.  You will feel better, and so will the other person.

 

 

Vulnerability does not mean rolling over and allowing yourself to be kicked around.  Expressing your vulnerability is actually an amazing strength that involves standing up for yourself by completely accepting all the parts of who you are – the beautiful and the unattractive parts, the strong and the weak aspects, as well as the successes and the failures that you have experienced.

 

 

If we do not judge ourselves harshly, then it follows that we will not be critical of others. When we accept our Whole Self – warts and all – we open the path for genuine communication in all of our relationships because it sends the signal to others that it is OK for them to be imperfect as well.  It is an acknowledgment of the truth that we accept something we humans all have in common – we are each here on earth to learn and to grow.

 

 

When we are willing to be vulnerable, we are giving ourselves permission to be seen in our entirety. Through this complete acceptance of self, we begin to comprehend the true meaning of unconditional love – for ourselves and others.

 

 

Unconditional love is, indeed, the ultimate in self-protection. 

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

What is the Difference Between “Giving Up” and “Letting Go?”

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Most of us have been barraged throughout our lives with messages about the importance of “never giving up,” so the thought of ever “letting go” might seem weak and powerless.  In fact, you might perceive that these two concepts are totally opposite.

 

 

So what IS the difference between “never giving up” and “letting go?”  Actually, I believe they are different sides of the same coin.

 

 

Never Give Up

 

 

Many of us associate the phrase, “never give up” with a perception of having a relentless, uncompromising, pre-conceived idea of how we view things should be, as well as maintaining a dogged determination to make it happen. This interpretation feeds into the illusion that we have control over other people and outer circumstances and can prove to be very exhausting and frustrating.

 

 

I believe that the loving, spiritual meaning beneath this phrase
is never give up on YOURSELF. 

 

 

In order to stay true to yourself, it is healthy to never give up on:

 

     1.  Remembering that you have the power to co-create with the Universe.  You do this by praying, imagining, clarifying dreams, holding visions, and setting goals that serve to take you in the direction of creating the qualities of life you choose to live.

 

     2.  Persisting to have the enormous amount of courage it takes in order to face your fears head-on.

 

     3.  Mustering up the inner strength required to handle the many set-backs that occur when things do not turn out in the specific ways you have imagined.

 

     4.  Rising above the criticism that you face from people who do not support you in your dreams, visions, and goals.

 

     5.  Committing to take action on the infinite numbers of things you need to do to cooperate with the Universe to make your dreams of a better life come true.

 

     6.  Having the faith to believe that every experience you have is taking you in the direction of Wholeness, no matter how it looks in your physical world.

 

     7.  And that’s where “letting go” comes in.

 

 

 

Letting Go

 

 

Many of us associate the phrase “letting go” with giving up, resignation, quitting, and “losing.”  Far from the truth!  Actually, “letting go” is an attitude of tremendous inner spiritual strength.  It means that after we take full responsibility for honoring our personal roles in co-creating with the Universe by “never giving up” on ourselves (items 1 to 6 above) – we then “let go” of trying to control how everything manifests in our lives.

 

 

Simply stated, “letting go” means letting go of our personal attachment to outcomes.  When we “let go,” we are not sacrificing anything.  Indeed, we are creating a vastly larger space to allow for the  Infinite Potential of the Universe to create magnificent outcomes that far transcend our human perceptions.  This is because we are choosing to put the limitation of our egos aside and  accept  that Divine Love is at work in manifesting how our thoughts, words, and actions appear to us in our physical world – even when the outcomes don’t coincide with our personal ideas. “Letting go” is having the faith to accept that the Universe is totally cooperating with us through the power of unconditional love.

 

 

When seen from this higher spiritual perspective, we can see that  “never giving up” on ourselves and “letting go” of our attachment to outcomes are two dynamics that actually work in perfect harmony!

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

You Are Worthy!

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Do you constantly long for wonderful things in your life that just don’t seem to be happening?  Perhaps you are hoping for more love in your relationships, greater financial abundance, a career you truly enjoy, and better health.  You have worked hard, may have thought about the quality of life you desire in countless ways, imagined it, and prayed for it – and still, it just doesn’t seem to be manifesting into your reality!

 

 

So why aren’t your hopes and dreams for a better life coming true? 

 

 

In your pure state of spirituality, there is a higher aspect of yourself that already knows you deserve to be loved, joyful, healthy, peaceful and living in abundance. This is the natural way of being your Essential Self, or often times referred to as your Higher Self, that is connected to spiritual truth. When your thoughts are in harmony with your truth, you remember that you DESERVE to receive all of these blessings.

 

 

There is also another aspect of yourself, which is the ego part of your mind, that dwells on thoughts of fear.  All thought is creative, so whatever you are experiencing is a giant mirror reflecting your predominant thoughts.  When you focus on fear, you create fearful circumstances.  When you choose to focus on unconditional love, you create loving experiences.  Since fear is the opposite of love, when you choose thoughts of fear, you are blocking the flow of blessings that naturally flow to you through the energy of unconditional love.

 

 

One major way in which we block the flow of blessings manifesting into our physical reality is through guilt and shame.  

 

 

When we hold on to these self-defeating fearful emotions, we are basically sending out a conflicting message to the Universe:  “Yes, I ask for all these blessings to come into my life; but no, I can’t accept them because I am not deserving.”  By doing this, we are separating our Spiritual Self from our Physical Self and are standing in our own way of receiving,  Not surprisingly, we don’t feel like we are in the flow of life.

 

 

If you are feeling guilty or shameful, you are most likely dwelling on the past and judging yourself for all the things you have said or done to hurt yourself and others. Perhaps the rationalization you are using for holding onto guilt and shame is that you feel the need to punish yourself for the many things you may have said or done in the past that you now perceive as “wrong.”  The problem is that this type of self-flagellation does not heal anyone or anything. In truth, holding onto guilt and self-punishment is a form of ego that confirms victimhood.  If not expressed and transformed, chances are that your feelings of guilt and shame will turn into long-term resentment, bitterness, and anger because you are not being kind to yourself.

 

 

Express your feelings

 

 

Feeling guilty and shameful at times is human and appropriate.  This is why it is important to be honest with yourself about your feelings and express them in a constructive way.  Talking with a non-judgmental friend or professional health practitioner, spending time with people you love, participating in physical activity, and being with nature are just a few ways to let out your emotions. Expressing your feelings of guilt and shame is healthy – on the other hand, making these feelings a permanent foundation for your beliefs about yourself  is extremely damaging.  It can become a constant excuse for denying yourself the quality of life you want to live.

 

 

Forgive Yourself

 

 

After you express your feelings, FORGIVE YOURSELF.  Forgiving yourself does not mean that you just forget about everything.  Forgiveness is a choice to stop living in the past and adjust your thoughts to focus in present time, where all possibilities exist.  Forgiving yourself actually requires that you take full responsibility to choose healthier thoughts and actions.  Since the past is already behind you, you now have a choice:  you can drag along the pain and sorrow of your past experiences, or you can carry forward the lessons and growth that you have gained from dealing with the many challenges in your life. While this may seem like an oversimplification, this single decision will have a healing effect on your thoughts, your feelings, and your actions – in other words, it will change your whole reality!

 

 

Then make a commitment to yourself to be as honest and kind as you know to be to yourself and others from this point forward.  This intention, based on forgiveness of self and others, requires an enormous amount of practice every day in every way.  It is more than worth it because it harmonizes your thoughts with the frequency of Universal Love and will clear the way for you to receive the infinite blessings you DESERVE.

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

Choosing to Have the Courage to Be Yourself

This is an image of a bright blue sky with beautiful clouds with the the word Courage written into the clouds

© phloxii/shutterstock

 

Ironically, one of the greatest fears we humans have is that we will be vulnerable if we express our true self to the world.  In an attempt to “protect” ourselves, we many times project emotions which we do not authentically feel, display behaviors which are designed to please others, and say things we don’t really mean.

 

 

Why do we do this? 

 

 

We live in a society in which we are conditioned to focus primarily on outer stimulation. From earliest childhood, many of us were taught by well-intentioned parents, teachers, and caregivers to define ourselves by what other people think of us.  Seeking the approval of others quickly became the major motivation for most of our behavior patterns, starting very early in the lives of many of us.  As a result, we may have developed a belief system that our self-worth is determined by the opinions of others rather than learning to develop our own sense of self-esteem based on inner values.  Unless we became aware of this perception and chose to change it, we most likely continued to perpetuate this belief into adulthood.  

 

 

Why does this cause pain in our lives?

 

 

One of the tenets of the Universal Law of Manifestation is that we attract what we project.  Accordingly, if we do not project our authentic selves, we will not attract responses from other people that align with who we truly are.  For example, most of us have been in numerous life situations where we have knocked ourselves out trying to please someone by being the selfless mother, father, spouse, sibling, or friend.  We emotionally gave and gave until eventually we felt depleted.  We were desperately seeking approval for our heroic deeds.  When we did not get back what we considered an appropriate response, we felt totally unappreciated and, perhaps, even rejected.  This seemingly selfless approach is far from selfless because it cultivates an environment where everyone is looking to everyone else to feel regenerated.

 

 

Does it take courage to express our true self?

 

 

Of course it takes courage to live an authentic life in which we are projecting our honest self, rather than hiding behind layers of veneers that we have designed to deflect the hurtful thoughts and actions of others. It is important to remember that  “courage”  (root word cuer, meaning heart) does not mean the absence of fear; indeed, we all have fears.  Having courage means that we make a conscious choice to live from the heart by choosing thoughts, words, and actions that are aligned with our spiritual values of kindness, cooperation, and respect for self and others. Interestingly, when we are being who we truly are, we are actually able to detach from needing approval from everyone else because there is an inner peace and sense of confidence that comes from living in integrity.

 

 

The only real “safety” any of us has in life is the security of being our authentic selves.  Every single one of us is amazingly special.  NO ONE ELSE CAN BE YOU!  No other human being has your particular personality, your one-of-a-kind brain, your special body, and your extraordinary soul. YOUR UNIQUENESS is a contribution to all of humanity.

 

 

When you express your TRUE SELF to the world, you are sharing the physical expression of the Love and Light of your soul. What could be more “safe?”

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

The Power of Prayer

The image of a peaceful and beautiful woman praying with light streaming on her face

© Subbotina Anna/shutterstock

 

 

In the midst of a physical world in which we are all being tremendously challenged to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, there is nothing more effective in bringing us peace and balance than prayer.

 

 

“Prayer” is a word that is many times used in a completely religious context. 

 

 

While prayer is a part of most religions, it is so much more than a practice or ritual that is specific to any religion. Whatever differences we may have in our personal and religious perceptions, studies consistently show that the majority of our world population believes in a spiritual Supreme Being.  The terms we use to describe this Supreme Being are very personal and depend upon our individual beliefs. In religions, this life force is referenced by many names, some of which are God, Jehovah, Adonoi, Yahweh, and Allah. Some of the spiritual terms used to describe this creative life force are: Creator, Creative Source, Universal Love, Oneness, Supreme Being, Source of Unconditional Love, and Universal Source.

 

 

 
It does not matter what we choose to call this Source of Unconditional Love – We are all connected to it! 

 

 

As we awaken to our truth, we are remembering that we all have a direct soul connection with this Field of Unconditional Love. This awareness also helps us to realize that prayer is much more than a religious exercise – it is a human experience!  We do not need to do anything to “qualify” ourselves to be able to pray, nor do we need to be sanctified in any way. Our ability to pray is as natural as breathing. Since we cannot define it in human concepts, we can only experience it as a constantly emerging energy of life within and all around us. We can feel it in our hearts as unity, expansion, and wholeness. 

 

 

Prayer is the bridge that links each of our individual souls to each other and to the Source of Unconditional Love. 

 

 

When we pray, we are opening our hearts and minds to inviting the energy of unconditional love into our lives. I think of prayer as having a radar connection to “Home.” While we are immersed in darkness – it is our point of reference in the midst of confusion and chaos. Our prayers are always answered. Sometimes we don’t recognize the universal responses to our prayers because they do not manifest exactly in the ways that we are expecting from our individual perspectives. Because prayer links us into the “Power of Oneness,” it is our connection with Infinite Potential, so there is no limit to the blessings we can receive through prayer. Prayer is on a frequency that resonates with divine light – the same light that is the core essence of each one of us – and has the potential to transform any person and any situation in ways that far transcend our human rationale.

 

 

Ask and It Is Given

 

 

The essence of this immortal message has been echoed so many times, in so many ways, and in every language; and yet are we really listening to this message? It is such an awesome and wonderful truth that we find it difficult to believe: WE CAN ASK FOR ANYTHING WE NEED!  Indeed, the only reason we receive so few answers to our prayers is that we ask for so little!  It is through prayer that we can remember truth in a world of drama and illusion, receive inspiration even when we are totally discouraged, and ask for direction whenever we feel lost. The energy that comes into us through prayer gives us the strength to move forward even when we feel vulnerable and fragile.  As we perceive prayer in this light, we realize that it is not necessary to be in a state of panic or misery to justify praying, nor do we have to wait until we have free time or are in a special place.  In fact, prayer is so much a part of our nature that we can pray anytime and anywhere: in a church or in a sports stadium; alone or in a crowd; with our eyes open or closed; aloud or in silence.

 

 

Most importantly, prayer helps us to remember, at the deepest level of our being-ness, that no matter what we are seeing and experiencing, no matter how challenging our situations may be, and no matter what our human differences are, every one of us has the ability to access spiritual truth through our direct connection to Infinite Wisdom.  WHAT A POWERFUL REALIZATION!

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra