Peace Begins Within

 

A man in a grassy field with the sun shining on him in a meditation pose

© AlenD/shutterstock.com

 

Most of us would admit that we long to live in a world of peace.  Yet all we need to do to become aware of the hostility, violence, and turmoil within our physical world is to focus on the news and to give most of our attention to the people and situations within our lives that are causing the most disruption. The truth is that if we truly want to experience peace, we need to stop looking for it to appear in our exterior world and begin to create it within our own personal lives.

 

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 a place that we can find outside of ourselves.  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 in the non-peaceful aspects of our world is an indication that a large portion of our human society is predominantly 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 your power to create peace within your own life.

 

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 fear consciousness 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 innately 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 a world of peace.

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

 

 

Sandra Brossman is the author of The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose and the featured presenter in Live the Life You Choose DVD.  To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book or DVD box set at  http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/

 

The Light Is Within You

This is the image of a human with all their inner light shining through in vibrant colors

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As we evolve in our spiritual journey, we are increasingly hearing more and more about Divine Light.  The mere mention of the word light reminds us of many pleasant feelings, such as: radiant, bright, warm, delightful, floating, effortless, uplifting and clear.  We seem to intuitively know that light is synonymous with our truth, as is evident in expressions such as, “It wasn’t clear to me at first, but I finally saw the light.”

 

But what about darkness?  Most of us associate darkness with the negative side of life – such as: pain, fear, obscurity, depression, poverty, and sickness.  At a soul level, none of us enjoys experiencing the “dark side of life” –  and yet, here we are, living in a world in which we are personally and collectively experiencing sickness, violence, greed, crime, and poverty.  What is the meaning of all this darkness?

 

From a spiritual perspective, unconditional love is all that is real; therefore darkness is simply the absence of love.  We came to this physical world to remember our True Self through the experience of separation from our creative source. The greatest divine gift we have been given in this dynamic physical world of polarities is the power to choose our perceptions.  Since light (perceptions of love) and darkness (perceptions of fear) are  ultimate opposites, we can only remember the light through the contrast of darkness.

 

Many times our greatest growth periods come through the experience of the pain of separation.  Those of us who have experienced “dark times” in life through tremendously challenging situations such as serious illness and mental, emotional, and physical trauma know the opportunities within these situations to gain enormous wisdom and insight about life.

 

Indeed, there are lessons within our lives that may be much more apparent in the darkness of our despair because we can focus more intensely when there are fewer things to see.  It is like walking into a dark room—at first we can see nothing, yet after our eyes have had a chance to refocus, we begin to clearly see particular items even though the room is still dark.  Likewise, we can have some very profound insights about areas of our lives that need improvement while we are quietly lying in bed recovering from illness and surgery, during  the inactive times that may come with being unemployed, or by feeling disoriented in an entirely new environment.

 

Painful experiences also remind us how to be compassionate and non-judgmental toward others.  We can theorize about how it might feel to have a life-threatening illness, deal with a drug addiction, go through a divorce, lose a job, or have serious money problems; but it is the actual experience of living through these types of experiences that opens our hearts to express tenderness and total compassion to others who are wrestling with their own challenges in life.

 

We are all experiencing different dramatic versions of the pain of separation in our lives as we awaken to our true spiritual nature.  Be gentle and compassionate with yourself – resisting the areas of your life that are challenging your soul is like fighting with your own shadow.  The most effective way we can move through the darkness is to simply accept that our challenges are all a part of a masterful universal plan to remind us of our wholeness and our power to return to the Oneness of unconditional love.

 

As we awaken to this truth, we also begin to remember that the Light we are seeking cannot be found outside of ourselves through our material world.  THE LIGHT WE SEEK IS WITHIN – IT IS SHINING TO US AND THROUGH US.  Rather than react to the fear that appears as darkness, it is our spiritual mission to bring divine light to everyone and everything  through our mere presence.

 

Pure light includes the full spectrum of every color known and unknown to us.  When pure light passes through a prism, the prism refracts the incoming light wave into many other different wave lengths. When we perceive humanity in the metaphorical sense of being one gigantic prism, we see that collectively we form a beautiful rainbow coming from one source of divine light.  As we focus on the light within ourselves and all others, we begin to merge back into one brilliant wave of pure light as, together, we return to our original state of enlightenment and Oneness.

 

Namaste!  (The light within me honors the light within you),

 

Sandra

 

A portion of this message is an excerpt from the book, The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose.  To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book at http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/ 

 

Self-Evaluation of Seven Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life – Part 7 of 7: Trust in the Universe

This is the image of hands reaching out to the light

© STILLFX/shutterstock.com

 

Welcome to Part 7, the last of a 7 part series in which you are invited to become aware of the Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life!  Even more importantly, you are offered the opportunity to transform your self-limiting beliefs of separation and fear into self-empowering beliefs of oneness and unconditional love.

 

Our basic beliefs are the fundamental concepts we have formed about ourselves and the world around us, based on the mental input we have received throughout our lives. They are the underlying thought forms deep within our psyche that support all our views of life.  Our basic beliefs have a profound impact on the quality of our lives because they are the core of our personal values governing absolutely every perception we choose.

 

Many of our basic beliefs generate self-limiting thoughts because they are framed within our childhood perspectives, rooted in societal training, and do not reflect our whole self.

 

This week I invite you to become aware of your beliefs about your TRUST IN THE UNIVERSE.  Trusting in the universe is extremely essential in our spiritual evolution because it is our faith in the unknown that bridges our physical, third dimensional world of separation and the spiritual world of oneness.

 

Most of us are experiencing extremely challenging times in our lives right now.  We are experiencing turmoil in exactly the areas which, in the past, seemed to have provided us the most stability.  Many areas of our lives are feeling threatened, such as:  job security, personal relationships, positions of power, financial stability, and physical and mental health to name a few.  There seems to be a relentless hunger deep within us that cannot be satiated by the usual physical gratifications of food, money, power, sex, and fame.  It feels as though the very foundation of our security is vanishing!

 

If we are looking for our outer, material world to provide us with security and validation, we are most likely feeling disoriented, skeptical, and downright frightened about the radical changes we are feeling and seeing everywhere. While we may believe that the universe is taking things away from us, in truth, the universe is helping us to heal by removing the things in our lives that we have artificially depended on for our security.  As a result, we are compelled to look within our hearts and to trust in something greater than our material world to find our source of inspiration and regeneration. In essence, our egos are being dissolved to open the pathway to the realization of who we truly are on a soul level.

 

The following is a Self-Evaluation of Your Beliefs About Your Trust in the Universe.  As you scan through the questions, simply ask yourself, “Do I relate to the statements of separation, or do I relate to the statements of oneness?  The perceptions of separation correspond with fear and lock us into self-defeating behaviors, while the perceptions of oneness resonate with our spiritual truth of unconditional, universal love and open us to our greater potential. 

 

It is best to trust your immediate, spontaneous responses to these questions.  When we analyze ourselves and deliberate over the answers, we run the risk of falling into the trap of self-judgment rather than pure awareness.

 

Remember, this evaluation is not an exercise in self-criticism, nor does it involve judgment of others.  It is merely a tool to shed the light of self-awareness on the foundation of beliefs upon which we base our view points of life.

 

BASIC BELIEF #7 – TRUST IN THE UNIVERSE

 

Do I believe that I am supported by a higher spiritual reality that transcends the realm of our physical world?

 

Separation:  Feeling that we are all separate from each other and from our outer existence;  viewing one’s human potential as being limited to the physical plane of existence; believing that what is apparent to one’s physical eyes is all there is to reality; believing something can only be real if proven by logical concepts.

 

Oneness:  Believing in a personal, spiritual connection with a divine field of universal love and light beyond our human, physical existence; trusting that the universe is unconditionally supportive.

 

Which statements do I most relate to – separation or oneness?

 

Where does this belief originate?  (i.e. parents, family culture, religion)

 

Is this my own personal truth now that I am an adult?

 

DO I CHOOSE TO CHANGE THIS BELIEF?

 

The following are affirmations to transform your perceptions of separation and fear into affirmations of oneness and unconditional love:

 

Feeling of Separation: There is no reality beyond this physical world.

Affirmation of Oneness:  I am open to perceiving universal truth.

 

Feeling of Separation:  I am afraid to trust and let go.

Affirmation of Oneness:  As I trust and let go, I open myself to receiving love and universal guidance through my intuition.

 

Feeling of Separation:  I feel lonely.

Affirmation of Oneness:  I am open to experiencing a connection with a higher spiritual reality.

 

Feeling of Separation:  I can’t depend on anybody.

Affirmation of Oneness:  I open myself to the benevolent abundance and support of the universe.

 

Feeling of Separation:  How can I believe in something I cannot perceive with my five senses?

Affirmation of Oneness:  I am open to expanding my perceptions.

 

 

Every single belief that you have stored into your brain is the result of constant repetition that has come from yourself – as well as from others.  YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR BELIEFS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF AFFIRMATIONS.  It does not matter whether you initially believe your affirmations.  Affirmations are a mental stretch moving toward spiritual truth.  With enough repetition, you will come to believe your affirmations of oneness.

 

Trusting in the universe means we choose to remember that, on a soul level, we are all connected with each other, and all that is, through a higher spiritual life force that is governing the universe through the energy of universal love. We each have access to the infinite potential and universal wisdom that is inherent within this field of creation.

 

While we cannot perceive this spiritual world with our five senses, we can all access it  through our intuition.  Our intuition is our spiritual GPS that is constantly guiding us to choose thoughts and beliefs that are aligned with spiritual truth.  It comes through to us with gut level feelings, flashes of imagination, dreams, and feelings of expansion and lightness.

 

As we TRUST THE UNIVERSE to provide us with this spiritual guidance, we discover that our authentic “security” is and always has been our direct soul connection with the love of Spirit.  Through this remembrance, we become empowered to work together to move beyond our present physical world of separation as we harmoniously work together to create a new reality of love, peace, health, joy, and abundance for everyone.

 

What a wonderful time to be here on our dear planet Earth!

 

I pray that you have enjoyed expanding your belief systems as much as I have enjoyed sharing the healing process with you. I encourage you to continue to consistently practice transforming your feelings of fear into affirmations of love. Aligning your basic beliefs with the truth of spirit is the basis for all healing.

 

Remember, no matter how confusing and murky this transformation process may feel, the loving guidance of the Universe is unconditionally available to us every moment of every day.  Our path to Oneness is already there for us – we need only open our hearts and minds to seeing it.

 

Love and Light

 

Sandra

 

A portion of this message is an excerpt from the book, The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose.  To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book at http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/ 

 

Natural Disasters Remind Us That We Are All One

This is the image of a mountain range with beautiful magenta flowers in the foreground

© Creative Travel Projects/Shutterstock

 

 

The super typhoon, Haiyan, that roared through the Philippines last week is one of the most powerful storms recorded in history. At least 10,000 people have been killed and about 70 to 80 percent of everything in its path was swept away.

When nature unleashes its phenomenal powers, we are compelled to take notice.  It is times like these that we become acutely aware that we are all part of one human family, and that we are being called upon to come together to support each other and to bring balance to our earth in any way that we can. 

 

 
Regardless of our race, nationality, sex, creed, age, or socioeconomic status, we are one human family interdependent and interconnected with each other and with all the elements of nature.  Although we are each different in appearance and expression, we walk the earth together and share the same sun, moon, stars, oceans, and sky with each other, as well as with the animals, flowers, trees, grass, and rocks.  The way we take care of our planet is the way it takes care of us.  When any part of our ecosystem is out of balance, we become individually and collectively imbalanced.  When an animal, plant, or mineral becomes depleted, we have also lost a part of ourselves.  Like a circle of dominos, what affects any one of us automatically impacts every one of us. 

 

 
Natural disasters, such as typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes are all indications that our beloved Earth is seeking to balance itself.  Water is traditionally a symbol of emotion.  Since nothing is separated, when the waters of the earth create destruction and seem out of control, it is possibly a mirror image of humanity’s emotions also being destructive and out of control. Because we are a part of the earth, and the earth is part of who we are, every person has the power to contribute to the healing of our planet through the energy of divine unconditional love. Through prayer, we have the collective creative power to transform our earth. 

 

 

I invite you to say this prayer every day and to share it with many others. It will change your life; and in so doing, you will contribute to the healing of the world at large. Breathe in deeply, express each word slowly and with intention, imagine the beauty of a world of Oneness, and feel it in your heart as though it is already manifest.  Our thoughts create our reality, so one can only imagine the infinite transformational energy that can be generated by the majority of our world population uniting with each other in this vision prayer for global healing.

 

 


A Vision of Oneness

 

I am at one with the Source of Universal Light and the Ultimate Expression of Universal Love.


I am an open, active channel receiving and expressing unconditional love.

 

I am thankful for all that is. 

 

I am joyfully experiencing peace within, health at all levels of my being, and abundance in all forms that are in my greatest good.
 
I see my personal healing contributing to a
World of Unconditional Love, Harmony, Wholeness, Abundance, and Joy.
 

 
I surrender this vision to the unconditional love of the Universe. 

 

 

I know this prayer is answered in ways that are for the

greatest good of all.

 
(Excerpt from “The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose”,
By Sandra Brossman) 

 

Love and Light,
Sandra

 

 

For more information on how you can help to heal disasters and tragedies, you may find it helpful to access a former blog, What Can I Do To Help Heal the Disasters and Tragedies Within the World. 

 

For more information on healing your life, order the book, The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose.

 

 

The Person You Most Want To Be Is Who You Already Are

Text of the word Beautiful with YOU highlighted

© Wiktoria Pawlak/shutterstock

Do you ever find yourself using other people as a point of reference for establishing your identity?  For assessing your value as a person?  For measuring your level of accomplishments? 

 

 

 
Most of us do this at one time or another, and perhaps even most of the time.  Looking around and comparing yourself to others ultimately results in a game of self-judgment. You may decide that someone else is more beautiful, thinner, more important, healthier, more successful, wealthier, happier, and more powerful than you are. Of course, this may be true; but it is completely futile and irrelevant because the person you most want to be is who you already are!  We all have special gifts, and the whole point to your life is to explore the many facets of yourself.

 

 

 
This essential point became very apparent to me when I was recently attending a numerology course.  I use the example of numerology because numbers are objective.  Also, it is a widely accepted scientific and metaphysical premise that everything and everyone is a vibration of energy, and vibrations are numbers.  What is so beautiful about perceiving people through the lens of numerology is that it made me realize that everyone, in all the world, is special. We each have a particular name and a specific time that we are born to this world. 

 

 

 
These very personal factors have an enormous impact on your soul’s mission, how you think, your personality, and your life lessons. This is so amazing!  There is no “right” or “wrong” way to be who you are!  In fact, YOU are the ONLY person who can be the expression of your soul.  We were all born in the energy of unconditional love, and you are here to be the exquisitely unique expression of the energy you were destined to bring to this lifetime.  Your life purpose, the color of your eyes and hair, the shape of your body, your brain, your emotions, your talents, the people whom you attract into your world of experience, as well as how you experience life, are all expressions of the very special version of who you were born to be. Even your challenges in life have been designed by the Universe to keep you on track with becoming more Whole.  For example, if your soul’s mission in this lifetime is to become more open to change, you may find that you are presented with many situations that require you to be very flexible and willing to grow.  

 

 

 
Who you are is not determined by how you compare to other people.  Your True Self is the remembrance that you originated from the energy of Universal Love.  Because love is creative, it is expressed in many ways.  Each one of us has an innate talent and predominant gift to offer, whether it is in “loud” or “quiet” ways.  Your mission could be to be a peacemaker, to be of service to humanity, to create the foundation from which to build new ideas and forms, to be musical and artistic, to be a pillar of love for family and humanity, to be adventuresome, to bring revolutionary ideas into being, to be a messenger who brings the light of spiritual truth to the world, or all of these and even more!

 

 

One of the most effective ways you can live in your truth is to consciously align the decisions of your mind with the spiritual values of your heart. Follow your intuition and accept how the gift of your presence naturally unfolds every moment of every day by having the courage to be yourself. You are not here to win a popularity vote! Contrary to our inclination to think that we are “not enough,” there is nothing you need to add to make yourself more of your True Self. Spiritual healing is simply a matter of shedding the many layers of fear that you have used to cover up the perfection of your core being.

 

 

 
It reminds me of what Michelangelo said when he was asked to explain how he was guided to sculpt
the “Pieta”:

 

 

 

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

 

Free Yourself From the Worry Habit

This is an image of a person stretching their arms welcoming the day as the sun rises

© katja kodba/shutterstock

 

 

It seems everywhere we turn, people are worrying. Worrying is part of our human emotional makeup, and there are some conditions and situations where it can serve as a constructive emotion. Such as, motivating you to honor a commitment, meet a deadline, or avoid a dangerous situation.

 

 

Worry becomes extremely stressful and destructive when it gets to be a habit.  You can recognize that worrying is becoming a habit when you find yourself approaching most of the situations in your life from a fearful perspective. Chronic worrying can drain your energy, cause constant anxiety, paralyze your ability to make decisions, keep you up late at night, and can even make you sick.

 

 

Why do we worry? 

 

 

We worry because we are afraid, but afraid of what? Generally speaking our greatest fear is of the unknown. Usually, it isn’t the actual situations we experience that cause us to feel frightened nearly so much as our fearful anticipation of worse-case scenarios.

 

 

Interestingly, if you have adopted worrying as your usual approach to life, not only will you fearfully anticipate negative outcomes – you will also stress about potential positive outcomes. The things we worry about are only limited by our imagination: Fear of the lack of money, and fear of the responsibility that comes with financial success; fear of not being loved, and fear of the vulnerability of loving another; fear of losing a job and fear of staying stuck in a job, and the list goes on and on. You may even convince yourself that worrying is a good thing and that it helps you to solve problems and to prepare for the worst.  The problem with this theory is that whatever we focus on creates our reality; thus the saying, Worrying is praying for what you don’t want.  Recognizing this helps you to be aware that worrying is the problem, not the solution.

 

 

Worrying is a habit that can be healed. 

 

 

You can train your brain to manage stress in a more healthy way.  The following are some questions to ask yourself when you find your energy sinking into dreadful anticipation:

 

What am I thinking right now?  Awareness is the beginning of all healing. You are likely to be surprised at how many times you catch yourself focusing on negative outcomes.

 

What words am I using to communicate?  When you are listening to your own words, do you feel inspired by what you are saying, or do the words you are speaking make you want to crawl under the covers?

 

Am I in present time?  If you are a chronic worrier, you are spending most of your energy focusing on the future.  When you realize this, simply affirm, “I choose to be in present time.”

 

What am I worried about?  Sometimes actually making a list of things you are worried about helps to clear your mind so that you do not keep recycling different versions of the same issues.

 

You may even want to schedule a brief period of time every day to give attention to the things you have on your list of concerns.  Embrace your feelings, and give yourself permission to worry about anything you want during this period of time. The important thing is to give this worry period a specific time frame – the rest of the day is in the worry-free zone.

 

Is this a problem that I can solve?  You will most likely discover that many of the things you are worried about are not in your control because they are someone else’s lessons, and not something you can “fix.” On the other hand, if there IS something you can do,  be sure to get the problem out of your head and take action on your own ideas.

 

Can I change my perspective?  If you cannot actually solve the problem, you can always change your perception of the issue. In other words, if you have done all you know to do, it is very emotionally healthy to accept what you cannot change. Connecting with a higher spiritual power through prayer and meditation is the most powerful way to let go of our attachment as to how our ego wants something to be solved.

 

 

Asking yourself the above questions is a process that takes patience and practice.   Be gentle with yourself.  In time, you will most likely discover that this exercise will transform your worry habit into a much more loving and effective way to help yourself and others.

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

 

How Do We Let Go of the Past?

This is an image of the past, the future, and a person in front of the word NOW.

© Anson0618/shutterstock

 

 

In order to heal our lives and move forward, we need to let go of the past.  How many times have we heard this statement?  Yet, most of us feel at least a little resistance at the thought of letting go of the past.  In truth, most people feel a great deal of reluctance to “let go of the past.”  

 

 

 

Why do we resist?

 

 

 

Many times we hold on to the past simply because we are afraid of change. We have an amazing propensity to hold onto the familiar–even if it is causing us harm.  How often have we clung to a destructive relationship, a job we have long outgrown, or even a consistently poor performing financial investment just because we are afraid of change?  Generally speaking our greatest fear is of the unknown.  Since the very nature of life is change, we are powerless to remain in the status quo.  Our choice is to be victimized by the changes that are naturally evolving all around us or to make conscious choices that coincide with the quality of life we want to be living in present time.

 

 

 

Isn’t it important to remember the past?

 

 

 

Of course it is.  Healing our lives does not require that we forget the past. But remembering is not the same thing as becoming entrapped in old patterns of behavior simply because we are afraid to make changes. Past experiences, both positive and negative, serve us well when we learn from them and use these lessons as a springboard from which to launch new thought patterns that promote our health and growth. 

 

 

 

What we need to let go of is our tendency to continue to focus on the painful memories of the past.  Since whatever we focus on is what we create, every time we give our attention to a painful situation from the past, we give our energy to repeating the same patterns of behavior.  For example, if you habitually focus on childhood abandonment, you are likely to find yourself in many relationships where you are abandoned.  Just as importantly, it is essential to realize that every time you focus your attention on painful memories of the past, you re-create the stressful mind and body responses that you associate with that memory, such as grief, depression, and heartache.  
 
 

How Do We Let Go of the Past?

 

 

 

Forgive Yourself – Free yourself from your bondage to the past by forgiving yourself for the many choices you made that you now perceive as “mistakes.”  Sure, in retrospect, you might have done things differently.  Remember, you have gotten wiser with every experience you have had, so back then you didn’t have the same basis of knowledge that you now have.  

 

 

Forgive The People Who Have Hurt You – Take back your power!  Every time you blame someone for painful experiences in the past you are allowing them to rule your thoughts!

 

(You may find the blog on “Forgiveness, The Greatest Gift We Give Ourselves,” April 23, 2013, to be very helpful.)

 

 

Be Conscious of Your Thinking – Become aware of when your thoughts are focused on negative past events and situations.  Simply acknowledging where you are giving your attention empowers you to return your thoughts to present time.

 

 

Express gratitude for the lessons learned – Focus on how you have learned and grown with every experience you have had.

 

 

Choose to be in present time – Savor every moment of your life journey.  Since the past is over and the future is not yet here, the only time that is “real” is NOW.   

 

 

 

Where you are in life right now is the result of your thoughts from the past.  Being fully present empowers you to make new choices that can change your reality.  In fact, whatever you are thinking in this moment is creating your future!

 

 

 

Love and Light,

 

 

 

Sandra

 

 

 

You can access more insights to letting go of the past by ordering the book, The Power of Oneness, Live The Life You Choose™.

 

 

 

Do you have any experiences you would like to share that have prepared you to live in present time?  As always, I welcome your thoughts.

 

 

What is the Difference Between Conditional Love and Unconditional Love?

This is an image of a heart shaped cloud in the sky

© LilKar/shutterstock

 

 

Love – This is a word that is very frequently used in every language to describe our emotions ranging from something as relatively trite, such as, “I love your shoes,” to something as deeply significant as a mother saying, “I love you” to a child in the most vulnerable moment.

 

 

Is there really a difference between conditional love and unconditional love? 

 

 

The answer is, yes.

 

 

What is conditional love?

 

 

Conditional love is a polarized emotion, meaning that it has an opposite emotion.  The opposite extreme of love is hatred.  Conditional love comes from ego and  generally focuses on someone (like a romantic partner, child, parent, friend)  or some thing (like a house, a car, or a job).  When we love someone conditionally, we tend to want them to look, act, and think in ways that fit our own paradigms and expectations.  We hold others accountable to our expectations in order to qualify for our affection.  If they act the way we want them to, we express our approval; if they act contrary to our wishes, we withhold our expression of acceptance of them, usually in some form of anger.  Conditional love polarizes our internal thought process to believe, “I am right, and you are wrong, so I think you should see things my way.”  As soon as begin to judge someone as being right or wrong, it is our cue that we are not in a space of unconditional love because we are perceiving that we are the authority for someone else’s life.  This ultimately results in a power play for everyone involved because it focuses on control, which typically elicits a defensive reaction from the people whom we are trying to change.

 

 

Another version of conditional love is passion, a term we use for the sexual feelings we have when we meet someone with whom we have “chemistry.”  The term “falling in love” is a revealing expression indicating that we sometimes lose ourselves when we are involved in a passionate romantic relationship based on conditional love. Possibly, this is because we are looking for another person to complete us rather than looking to share our whole self with another. “Looking for our other half” is a statement that strongly indicates we are seeking to make ourselves whole through someone else, rather than working on ourselves to become more of who we truly are.

 

 

When someone acts in a way that vastly deviates from our expectations or does something to hurt us or someone we care about, we can transform the emotion of conditional love to the complete opposite end of the spectrum – hatred.  Hatred is a very strong emotion that is rooted in fear.  Hatred is extremely destructive and wreaks havoc on our mental, emotional, and physical well being.

 

 

What is Unconditional Love?

 

 

Unconditional love is neutral and has no opposite polarity.  The source of unconditional love is Spirit; therefore it is available to everyone without discernment, and there is absolutely nothing we need to do to qualify for it.  Unconditional love comes through to us at a soul level, beginning at the level of self-acceptance and self-forgiveness, and radiates divine light to everyone and everything.  When we make a conscious decision to choose thoughts based on unconditional love, it does not mean that we agree with everyone and everything.  It means that we consciously commit ourselves to expressing respect, kindness, and cooperation to everyone and everything in our environment.

 

 

Unconditional love is not something that happens to us or outside of us.  It is the life force of energy within our very being and is ingrained in every cell of our bodies.  We don’t have to search for love–we ARE, each one of us, the physical embodiment of unconditional love.  Because unconditional love is life energy, it is formless, infinite, constantly in motion, and unconditionally available to us 24/7!

 

 

Unconditional love has a positive effect on our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual state of being, creating truth, joy, beauty, health, harmony, and everything in the world that is in our greatest good.  The benevolent, compassionate nature of universal love flows through us and blesses everyone and everything it touches.

 

 

When we open our hearts to receiving and expressing the love of the universe, we feel expansive and radiant.  We automatically rise above the limitations of fear because unconditional love is infinitely more powerful than fear; in fact, unconditional love is the most powerful force in existence.  There is no amount of darkness that can blot out light; yet the tiniest amount of light can overcome darkness. This means that no matter how dark and chaotic our lives may seem at times, we can find comfort in knowing that our earthly world is always held within an infinitely larger context of universal love and light.

 

 

Remembering that we are each created in the energy of divine love gives us great inspiration and renewed hope that we each have the power to bring our own unique expression of unconditional love to the world, which brings healing to everyone and everything we touch.

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

 

What Can I Do To Help Heal the Disasters and Tragedies Within the World?

 

This is an image of a hurricane from space

© razlomov/shutterstock

 

 
Monday’s news of a massive tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, that devastated thousands of homes and demolished an elementary school, speaks to all of us.  Pictures of the broken remnants of  homes, cars, trees, and roadways looked like tinker toys haphazardly torn apart and scattered to the wind. At least 24 people were killed, including 9 children.

 

 

Looking at these pictures and hearing and seeing broadcasts of people sharing their heartbreaking stories of losing all their material possessions, and in some cases their loved ones, goes right to the heart.  What also typically accompanies this deep feeling of empathy and compassion for the pain and suffering of those who lost their lives and property is a feeling of helplessness.  The more we follow the media on disastrous events such as this, the more our emotions of fear intensify, causing us to feel even more powerless to help those in need.

 

 

Of course, it is only human to be disturbed whenever disaster and tragedy strikes  because we are spiritually connected, so what hurts one of us affects every one of us in some way.  On the other hand, because of this spiritual connection, it is also true that every one of us has the power to have a positive healing effect on others.  With this in mind, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE by adding to the healing energy of the world.

 

 

What Can I Do To Help?  

 

 

The following is a list that offers some suggestions as to how each one of us can make a difference by adding to the healing energy of the world.  This entire exercise takes only a matter of minutes:

 

 

1)  Limit your exposure to the media coverage of tragic events

 

Being aware of the world news is important.  Of course, we need to know what is going on so we can be intelligently informed of the condition of the world around us.  However, if you continue to be glued to your TV and stay focused on media recounts of tragedies and disasters, you are very likely to become mesmerized by the drama.  This causes you to stay stuck in fear. When we are in fear, we are powerless to make positive changes within our personal lives, as well as in the lives of others.

 

 

2)  Set an intention of love and healing

 

When things in the world are upsetting you, stop for a couple of minutes, take some deep breaths and imagine the energy in your head is moving down into your heart.  When your energy is focused in your heart, you are shifting from focusing on the fear within your mind to the love within your heart.  Think of someone or something you love – it could be a person, an animal, or a beautiful aspect of nature such as a sunset, blue skies, or flowers.  Allow yourself to feel the energy of your heart becoming more expansive and filling your body.

 

 

3)  Remind yourself that you are connected with Universal Love 

 

Imagine that there is a beautiful cord of brilliant white light connecting you with an infinite field of love and light.  Remembering this will help you to feel more peaceful, hopeful, and innately powerful.

 

 

4)  Use your imagination

 

Envision the situation and location that you would like to be healed, such as in this case, the area of Moore, Oklahoma and all of its inhabitants.  You may perceive this situation in many ways.  Perhaps you will see darkness, feel heaviness, or envision people who need help.  Whatever you sense is OK – It is simply becoming evident to you what is calling to be healed.  Now imagine everything and everyone you are perceiving is in a bubble of brilliant white light, connected to the Source of Universal Love.  Ask that whoever and whatever you are perceiving is blessed by the love and light of the Universe.

 

 

5)  Trust your intuition

 

You may sense many things, such as light, colors, images, and tones.  There is no need for you to logically understand what you are seeing or feeling.  If you have set the energy of your intentions in love and healing, whatever comes through your imagination is your unique contribution to the healing of the people and situations you have intended be healed.

 

 

6)  Release from the process

 

Take a deep breath and gently let go of whatever you are working with.  You do not have to stay linked to the situation.  In fact, by helping in this way, you are likely to feel much more peaceful and loving.  Also, remember that you can return to this healing process anytime for anyone and anything.

 

 

7)  Take Action

 

Constantly talking about the disasters and traumas of our world does little good. Instead, take action in whatever ways you feel guided to do, such as: making financial contributions, joining prayer groups, volunteering to help clean up damaged areas, donating food and clothes, to name a few.

 

 

Remember, every tragedy and disaster is an opportunity for each one of us to assist with the healing of the world by focusing our attention on divine love and light.

 

 

YOU DO MAKE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE!

 

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra

The Joy of Spring – A Time For Change and New Beginnings

©MitarArt/shutterstock

 

 

Spring is a glorious time of rebirth and renewal. The fact that all of nature is always in the process of transformation is most apparent in spring.

 

Everywhere we turn we see evidence of the cycle of new beginnings. The earth thaws and becomes soft again, giving way to the emergence of new growth. The latent force within seeds awakens, allowing buds and blossoms to slowly appear and then explode into new life. The rhythm of the seasons demonstrates to us that the life force of creation is constant change and growth.

 

So it is with our own energy in spring. The seasonal surge moves into and through us, creating the impetus to make a fresh start. It is a perfect time to renew ourselves and break out of our old “earth patterns” to reach higher levels of consciousness. So how do we do this?

 

We can only change ourselves

 

First, and most importantly, we need to remember that the only person we have the power to change is ourselves. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “We need to BE the change we want to see.” Change is something we tend to want everyone else to do. When we avoid taking responsibility for changing ourselves, we are placing virtually everyone else in charge of our lives, which is many times the very thing we fear the most.

 

“Spring” is not just a noun – it is also a verb. 

 

Second, I encourage you to embrace the full meaning of “spring.” It is not just a noun – it is also a verb, meaning to leap forward over obstacles. So what is our greatest obstacle in moving forward? As usual, it is fear, but fear of what? Generally our greatest fear is that of the unknown. Or to put it another way, most of us are afraid of change. This is, indeed, a real “catch 22” because change and growth are qualities that are inherent to the energy of life. Change is inevitable, but how we choose to experience it is a choice! We can accept it or we can resist it.

 

Since what we resist persists, one of the most effective ways I know to open up to change is to become conscious of what we are resisting.  Once we become aware of why we are resisting change, we have the power to transcend our perceptions of fear and open our minds to the natural flow of change.

 

Following are some of the rationalizations we use to resist change:

 

We want to feel safe: We need to ask ourselves, safe from what? Are we really safe when we cling to the familiar? It is our spiritual nature to be the expression of perpetual growth and expansion. If we accept change, we can move forward in harmony with the flow of life. If we resist it, we are bound to experience tremendous difficulties. Resisting change keeps us locked into mental, emotional, and physical patterns based on the past. The safest place to be is in present time, which frees us to create healthy, new perceptions.

 

We don’t have the courage or strength: Courage (root word cuer, meaning heart) does not mean the absence of fear. Indeed, we all have fears. Having courage means we have the heart to face our fears and to make changes for the better, even when we are afraid. Does it take strength to make changes? Of course it does, but it takes a lot more of our strength to withstand the turmoil of going against the natural current of change. If we think about the times our strength has felt most depleted, has it been when we used our energy to adjust to new challenges, or when we desperately tried to stay in the same space?

 

We want to be comfortable: If we are not moving forward, we eventually become stuck in the status quo. Is it comfortable to feel stuck? Even though we may feel a little insecure about moving out of familiar spaces, it is really quite healthy to experience the discomfort that comes from growth. Discomfort is caused by bumping up against the boundaries we have outgrown, indicating that this is time for our mind’s knowledge to catch up with our soul’s wisdom. When we feel the world around us is beginning to close in, we can’t resolve the situation by making ourselves smaller; however, we can choose to create more expansive perspectives.

 

We don’t want to experience confusion: Change does cause confusion, and what a blessing it is for us! Confusion scrambles the fixated thought patterns we have locked into so that we can rearrange them into a new system of ideas. If we think about it, the most wonderful events in our lives, such as moving to a new house, receiving a promotion, getting married, or having a baby, all create a temporary state of chaos. Eventually things quiet down, but as we look around, we see that we are in an entirely new space.

 

We want to avoid pain: In our attempt to avoid the pain of change, we many times hold on to the past. Ironically, the parts of the past to which we remain most attached are the very ones that typically elicit the most painful memories. For example, the parent who abandoned us, the spouse who was unfaithful, the employer who cheated us, and the friend who betrayed us. Holding on to these types of memories frequently breeds self-defeating feelings of guilt and unworthiness that fuel the illusion that we are imprisoned in a life with no choices. Most of the pain we experience in our lives does not come from moving forward. It comes from holding ourselves back.

 

If you resonate with any of the above rationalizations to avoid change, simply forgive yourself – it is time to move on!  The good news is that when we shed the light of awareness on the illusion of these self-limiting rationalizations, we free ourselves to accept change and to make new choices.  This allows you to greet life with fluidity and to see life as a process of growth. We all have the capacity to spring into action to embrace the joy of change.  Welcome new beginnings!

 

 

 

I welcome you to share any insights or experiences you would like to offer that would encourage others to embrace their process of change.

 

Love and Light,

 

Sandra