The Lantern Within

It is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of another year; a year of up’s, a year of down’s and a year of experiencing just about everything in between. There have been some outstanding ‘blink and you miss it’ moments entwined with moments where time seemed to stand still, frozen and silent, yet teaming with life and wisdom at the same time. There have also been moments when we have experienced both at the same time; feeling at the epicentre of a whirlwind in a kind of frozen state of raised awareness where time slowed down and sped up, and slowed down...

Although we should, by now, be used to such oscillation and vacillation in life, even the hardiest amongst us had moments of breakthrough, release and revelation at times. The undulating ebb and flow of life has led each of us on different pathways in life, but every single experience has cumulated in a deeper sense of knowing and interconnectedness. Some of us have faced some long dark nights of the soul, yet, despite these challenges, an incredible aura of strength has risen up from within, lighting up the darkness like a lantern glowing brightly.

It seems that it has been our willingness to turn and face the discomfort and the challenge that has enabled us to embrace a new level of conscious living that now feels so life affirming and life enriching. Although there are times when we feel as though our inner lantern is swinging wildly in the tumultuous storms of life, the light still burns brightly, guiding us home and bringing us a sense of reassurance and knowing that whatever life brings us, we have the courage, strength and tenacity to continue to grow, blossom and flourish.

This inner light is of course our soul; the core of our wisdom and our strength, bringing us the ability to weather the storms of life. We each have a light within and it is this light that gently carries us when times get tough and inspires us to step into unknown terrain in order to reach a point of breakthrough or release. Even though we are not always aware of this inner light, it is always within us, burning brightly. Sometimes the layers of clutter and distraction build up, shielding the light from our eyes and disconnecting us from so much in the process. It is often when we feel disconnected that we need this light the most, but the only way to reconnect comes from letting go and turning to face the pain, the Truth and the present moment. 

Watching the ebb and flow of the cosmos and standing under the infinity of the universe is awe-inspiring and incredible, but one can feel exceedingly small at the same time; one soul in an ocean of souls, all seeking guidance and wisdom, insight and hope. Some stand as lighthouses and watchtowers for others, illuminating the path and offering a warm smile of reassurance; these beacons of light collectively illuminate the heavens and new lights switch on as more and more souls reach a stage of reckoning; that point when nothing feels the same anymore. There is no ‘right’ path to illuminate the light within as different souls have different pathways to touch the divinity within. There is a lesson in being without judgement, without tolerance (as that implies ‘putting up with others’) and instead being love and compassion, as we allow the lights within to come together as One.

As we continue to embrace this time of infinite possibility, we should no longer feel shaped and defined by all that we cannot do, but feel inspired to celebrate all that we are. Such a shift is pivotal as it takes us away from chasing rainbows and ever-distant horizons, to instead living life now, in this moment. As the lights within continue to grow brighter, we owe it to ourselves to use the radiance of this light to live the best life possible and to live consciously in the present moment. We can never truly know what lies around the next corner of life, so why not embrace this moment and let go of living conditionally (watching, waiting and hoping for the right moment to come) before we live life?

The path ahead will inevitably be paved with more ‘blink and you miss it’ moments as well as those ‘still, frozen and silent’ moments, and it will also be paved with even more moments that combine the two, and we have a choice now: we can get lost in the oscillation and lose sight of the light within or we can turn and face the howling winds; weathering the storms as we come alive, allowing our inner light to burn brightly, illuminating the soul and bringing us even closer to home...

Conscious Being; Being Conscious

As we step ever more consciously towards the gap that rests in between where we were and where we are going, and in the space between the constant cycle of endings and beginnings, there is a growing sense of re-connection to Truth as we begin to realise the full extent of what it feels like to be awakened and alert.

Conscious living involves a willingness to step beyond all that we know in order to explore new terrain on all levels of being. Although we intuitively feel that such a path is a natural progression, and it sounds exciting and liberating, we can find ourselves pondering what it really means? What does conscious living really involve and how come we are always on the path towards living consciously but never quite able to get there?

Although each of us is walking a path of increasing awareness, it can be hard to know quite how to dot the i's and cross the t's when it comes to getting it 'right'. We can tangle ourselves up into complex knots as we try to unravel the many different threads that weave the great tapestry of our lives. It seems to follow that the harder we look, the more confusing things become as more questions arise rather than answers. We then dig even deeper, chasing solutions and understanding, and this simply creates more knots and tangles. Sometimes being a spiritual and conscious being is both frustrating and perplexing!

There comes a time when we realise that continual digging cannot bring us the inner sustenance and nourishment that we seek; and we begin to reach towards something more. We step beyond the realms of religion and the new age, seeking enrichment; something that warms our souls and brings us a sense of release as we can finally let go of the knots and tangles that have been shaping and defining our lives for so long. Of course, there are many who find joy and connection through their religious beliefs, but for many of us, there is a sense of disconnection as we can no longer find all that we seek from such pathways.

The path to God is a profoundly personal one and one that is now taking us beyond all that we know and love spiritually and energetically as we try to make peace with the unknowable expanse of being an integral part of an infinite puzzle. Yet, despite these shifts, we still come back to the question as to what conscious living truly means.

Of course, we know that being mindful and living in the present moment are key facets of living consciously but when our beliefs feel shredded and torn, scattered and dissipated, it can be hard to find any true sense of wisdom from being either mindful or aware of the present moment. In fact, it becomes easier to turn our heads and look away from the present moment as it seems saturated with unanswerable questions and expanding uncertainty. However, these feelings are natural as they represent our humanity and our unbending desire to evolve and be free.

It seems that the key to untangling the tangles comes from a willingness to accept the presence of the knots in the first place. Once we have turned, faced and leaned into the discomfort of accepting our imperfections and embracing our complexities, everything somehow becomes easier as we let go of layer upon layer of beliefs, story lines and 'stuff'; it melts away as we longer see knots but beautiful, incredible and amazing opportunities to evolve, expand and blossom. Of course, such a shift in perspective doesn't remove the reality of dealing with life's ups and downs, nor does it fix the daily challenges we face, but when our perspective shifts away from the heaviness of life to one of mindful awareness and present-moment consciousness, suddenly we feel lighter and more able to cope.

Yet, we want to do more than cope; we want to thrive, expand, evolve and be free. We want to be awake; to feel alive and to be conscious of every single breath, thought, heart beat and moment. We want to know the joy of being connected and the love of knowing that we are integral parts of the Whole. Such awareness feels infinite and beyond our comprehension, and in many ways it is, but, at the same time, we intuitively know that it is not beyond us; never has been, never will be.  It is only when we perceive it to be beyond us that it moves out of our reach.

When we realise that we are already Whole, connected and awake, we realise that there is nothing we need do in order to live the best life possible; we instead accept that being in the moment is the most precious gift of all. Yet for many, all this talk of consciousness, awareness and the present moment feels alien as the reality of life gives them no leeway for expansive thought; there is no room for awakening when the business of keeping on keeping on is so consuming. However, this is the point, as the more we realise that keeping on keeping on is not how it has to be, the more we can accept that by welcoming the present moment with open arms, the more we can elevate our awareness beyond the cumbersome and heavy pedestrian-ness of life and towards living, and being, free.

Conscious living is just as much a state of mind as it is a state of being; when we feel conscious, our thoughts expand and we finally know that we are home. There is no 'do' here as we rest consciously in the moment and celebrate the true gift that life brings. We so often take being alive for granted, and it is often only when we face trauma or challenge we realise just how special, precious and incredible we are. As every single one of our millions of cells interact and go about their daily business, they enable us to be the conscious vibrant and magnificent beings that we are. Although some of us might have daily challenges, it is still important to honour the universe within us that brings us life.  The more we focus on the life affirming, the more connected and conscious we become. Although this cannot remove reality from the equation, it does enable each and every one of us to take a deep breath of life and exhale...

Knock, Knock

How many of us spend our lives searching for peace and trying to find our own little piece of happiness? We look for healing, release and resolution to pain, trauma and other facets of our life experiences as we seek out wholeness and completion within; we focus on eradicating the pain as though it is a layer of darkness within that obscures the light and keeps us from living, breathing and being Truth.

Such a path feels right on so many levels, after all, we are awakening and evolving with each passing moment; we are not the same as we were this morning, let alone last week or last year. Yet, at the same time, it is hard not to feel a sense of discomfort with the seemingly constant need to fix, heal and repair ourselves and our souls as it keeps us focused on eradicating the pain and misery rather than lifting up our heads to the sun and embracing the joy instead. Of course, this is not to say that we should try to deny or ignore the pain, but when we focus on this as a pathway to 'completion' we run the risk of becoming lost in the emptiness because we have forgotten to leave a door open for joy. 

It is only natural for us to rationalise that once we have eradicated all of the pain, the struggle, the trauma and the misery from our lives, all will be well. After all, these can hang over us, sapping our energy and diminishing the light within. We theorise that once we have stepped beyond the pain then the floodgates of happiness and joy will burst open, filling our hearts and souls with love and a joie de vivre so powerful that all is bright and shiny once again. Yet, we quickly realise that the feelings of incompletion remain as we have not, as yet, fully eradicated the darkness; so we never fully connect to the ‘joy consciousness’ but tend to feel a deeper sense of emptiness instead. 

It seems that until we honour and celebrate ourselves for all that we are, rather than for all that we are not, we can never find that Utopian wonderland within. Until we realise that we are not incomplete until we heal but are complete already, we can never truly be free of linear time or conditional living and being. It is human nature to want to be fixed, but there are aspects of life that we can never fix or eradicate, and why would we want to as cumulatively they make us the vibrant and wondrous souls we are today?

Healing is not about fixing our faults; it is about loving ourselves despite them. Healing is about living consciously and living vibrantly. Each of us has different challenges and struggles, but these add to the richness of the tapestry of life; without them, life somehow feels emptier and less rich. Of course, there are those experiences that we can never understand; we can spend our lives trying to make sense of what happened and why, never truly moving beyond the experience and letting go. As a result, we remain victims, stuck in linear time, feeling the weight of the pain or confusion that has enveloped and consumed us for so long. This is not to say that we should try to forget the past, but rather we need to find a way to no longer allow it to define our present or, indeed, our future. Although we cannot undo what went before, we can learn from it, evolve and reabsorb it into our consciousness in order to become free and to live vibrantly as is our birthright.

We often spend so long trying to resolve the past in order to live fully in the present that we forget about the present completely. This conditionality keeps us locked chasing perfection, completeness and healing rather than realising that we are already perfect, whole and complete; this is a state of being that is both achievable and realistic to embrace. 

It seems important now to shift the focus and the vibration of our lives in order to embrace a more enlightened way of living and being. Life is not about striving for perfection, it about living joyfully and vibrantly. This is a choice of course, and so many still seek out perfection, success and material abundance as the true measures of a happy life, but there comes a point when we step beyond this to open up our hearts and souls towards something simpler, but richer, at the same time. 

We can continue to chase healing and completion, and of course healing itself is a wonderful and powerful gift to the world, but when the shift of healing changes away from being fixed to being awake, aligned and in balance, everything changes as we let go of conditional living to instead embrace a life of conscious awareness, making each and every moment precious, valuable and significant.

As with many things in life, this is a choice: we can choose to stay as we are, waiting for the floodgates of joy and love to burst open once we are 'fixed', or we can open them consciously now and dance freely in the outpouring of love and joy that follows. We are vibrant, magnificent and incredible beings and we have the universe within each of our millions upon millions of cells; we are integral parts of the universal whole. Knowing this, why limit ourselves? Why hold back, waiting for the moment when everything fits together before we live our lives? Surely being the miracles that we all are, we owe it to ourselves, one another and the universe to shine?

Caught In A Moment

As many of us continue to stand between the periphery of the Self and the infinity of universal consciousness, both expanding at an exponential rate, there is a sense of being caught in a moment that is both full of clarity and full of confusion at the same time; it is as though we have stepped into a space that is the accumulation of everything we once were, the accumulation of everything we have yet to be, as well as the revelation of all that we are.

In this ‘in-between’ time, some may feel lost and alone but many are beginning to feel a stirring of hope as though land has been sighted after many weeks at sea; there is a sense of gentle anticipation as we watch the horizon growing ever-closer and within reach. Yet, at the same time, there is still a need to be conscious of where we are now as the present moment is the marker that will help us to remain centred and connected; if we get too lost in the excitement of what may or may not lie ahead, we run the risk of losing the connection that we have so carefully tended and nurtured for ourselves.

Of course, it is hard to remain in the present moment when glimpses of the future are so tantalisingly close and full of allure, but it is important to stay as grounded as possible in order to continue the process of expansion and cohesion of the soul. A contradiction in terms perhaps, but when we feel the nature of these words, intuitively we know they make sense.

No one ever said that being human was easy, and there are times when the collective, and very audible, sigh of living can be clearly heard when we face another shift, another challenge or another wave of change. We all have those ‘enough!’ moments; those times when we just want some peace and quiet rather than more change, shifts and ‘stuff’, and yet they still happen whether we want them to or not. This is, of course, a part of being alive, and change is inevitable whether we want it or not. At the same time though, it is important to take ownership for our thoughts, beliefs and perspective as these ultimately shape and define our lives. 

As we stand in betwixt where we once where and where we are heading, we can feel a sense of frustration that we still haven’t reached the promised land of where we want to be, but when we realise that being alive is not about living in perfection but it is about evolving and growing, it becomes easier to see that reaching the promised land is unlikely to happen when we are alive as that would defeat the idea of being alive. 

However, the concept of heaven on earth is a powerful one, and intuitively we know that it is possible to live an awakened and connected life. Yet, so many of us find ourselves eagerly anticipating those greener pastures: those ‘fixes’ that place conditions on our lives. ‘Once I have lost weight then I can...’, ‘once I have that job then I can...’ you get the drift. 

Living conditionally keeps us firmly locked in linear time and on a future focus, and although looking ahead brings us inspiration and motivation, it can also take us away from where we are now and this diminishes our sense of Self as it removes our connection to the infinity of life. When we pause and take a deep breath of life, we begin to open up to the true expansive nature of being alive. Although we naturally seek out success, achievement and living the best life possible, we often use these as measures of a happy life; yet, does being a success truly equate to happiness? Perhaps we have been looking at this equation the wrong way round? 

It seems that the time is now upon us to upend the apple cart of life in order to let go of the beliefs and storylines that have shaped and defined our lives and our perspectives for so long. Why should we remain locked in living conditionally, allowing fear to lead the way when we have the opportunity to step beyond this in order to focus on the real business of being happy? 

This is a choice of course, and for some, the devil that they know is where they want to be, but for others, the concept of devils and deep blue seas has shifted as we realise that life is not about one or the other but it is about both. The Self and the infinity of the Universe are one and the same; God is within us just as we are within God. Of course, intuitively we know this but when it comes to living, breathing and being this we often get lost in storylines, fear and other entrapments of being human that keep us apart from the very thing we seek. 

The time has now come for us to let go of the side rails as we stand in betwixt the Self and the Universe; it is time to become One with All that we Are in order to consciously and whole-heartedly embrace this precious and life-altering moment with clarity, vision and strength. What happens in this moment is the most significant and important life event we could ever have as it is all that we can ever have...

Shelter from the Storm

Seeking shelter from the storm and feeling lost and alone continues to be powerful themes for a great many souls as we try to navigate the winds of change and find relief from the feelings of disconnection and isolation as we venture ever deeper within and open up to the beauty and wisdom that resides there.

As we consciously open up to connecting more deeply with the Whole, feelings of disconnection and discombobulation increase as we let go of the familiar and step into unchartered terrain. Despite opening up our hearts, minds and souls to the vast and magnificent universe, it can be hard when we still feel hollow and empty inside. When we turn from left to right, right to left seeking guidance, support and companionship on our spiritual quests, it can feel overwhelming when we find no one standing there; watching and waiting with hand outstretched and a warm smile illuminating the grey skies. Although intuitively we know that we are never truly alone, we still seek comfort and reassurance as we walk forwards, and we want to know that there are others who walk the same path. 

Yet the storm from which we seek shelter is not battering down our defences, the storm is a reflection of the turmoil within as we begin to willingly dismantle our own defences and stand naked, bare and vulnerable underneath the spectacular panorama of the billion stars above us and the infinity of life, both within and around us. When we let go and open up to Truth, we realise that the defences that have long kept us safe and sheltered have been the very things that have prevented us from fully awakening. Therefore, although we intuitively want to seek shelter from the storm, in order to advance, we need to face the storm head-on and become One with it. We need to let go of fear and become allies with the raging winds, howling rain and blackened skies as these represent us stepping from living conditionally and unconsciously towards living unconditionally and consciously.

How do we ‘let go’ when the storm is raging and we feel so isolated and alone? How can we feel reassured that despite knowing that we are moving in the right direction, the winds are still creating havoc and the cloaks we are wearing do little to keep out the cold and rain? Such questions twist and turn in the recesses within and yet, intuitively it still feels right to carry on, to keep on facing the storm and to let those inner defences and turrets down.

Many of us have, over time, built castles and fortresses within to stay safe, but now we have to choose whether or not to stay hidden in those castles or to remove the walls, brick by brick until we have fully let go. We are in a kind of ‘in between’ stage, where the storm is still raging and the castles are still present, and yet, we no longer find shelter from the storms within in our carefully built castles and fortresses as they no longer make sense to our deeper need to stand free.

During the still moments, when we inhale a full breath of air, we see beyond the storm and those inner defences. In the distance we can see a light coming on, then off, on, then off and realise that this is the lighthouse of the soul leading us home. In many ways, the lighthouse is another form of defence, but we do not find ourselves hidden within its walls but standing on the shoreline with waves pounding the rocks and the light shining brightly illuminating the way. The light shines brighter when we are beyond the fortified walls, as it is our soul’s way of guiding us home.

It can be hard to open up to the full equilibrium of life; day and night, pain and love are but two examples of the pendulum that continually swings back and forth with each passing moment. Life is not static, it was never meant to be, but when the storm rages with such ferocity it takes our breath away, it can be hard not to seek out retreat. For those of us moving through the layers of consciousness, it is hard not to touch spiritual depression as it represents an awareness that so much of what we once held dear no longer brings us the comfort that it once did.

Of course, it is only natural to want to find shelter, but intuitively we know that we have not come this far only to retreat once again. The going is tough but the light is breaking through like the rays of the sun creeping over the hills in a new dawn; the process feels slow and arduous at times, but when we re-centre, we realise that we are making progress; we can then bathe in the light of the new dawn with a sense of inner satisfaction that we are nearing home.

Home in this context is unique to the individual; after all, we all have our own Truth and our own spiritual awareness. Even though we may still feel isolated and alone as shift upon shift seeps into our psyches, intuitively we know that the only way to seek solace is to ride the waves until we reach that point of stillness where everything slots into perfect alignment once again. No one said that spiritual awakening would be easy, but, as human beings, the relentless pounding of the energetic and spiritual storm has taken its toll. We need respite, reassurance and reconnection.

The more we open up to the light within and to realising that we are the ones dismantling those castles and fortresses, then we shift from disempowered and confused to re-empowered and a little less confused. Okay, so we might want crystal-clear clarity, but we have to have faith and trust that this will come in time, for now, we need to reclaim equilibrium as best as we can and give ourselves a break from constantly trying to push ahead to get to where we think we need to be.

The storm might feel chaotic and full of turmoil but it is also cleansing, healing and renewing; feel the vibration change and this will begin the shift from isolation to re-connection as we no longer seek shelter from the storm but we find joy by opening up to its power and energy in order to be cleansed and set free...

Lost and Alone

Many of those walking the path towards self-awareness and self-knowing are feeling increasingly isolated and alone. It can sometimes be hard to gain a sense of Self or a sense of knowing when the world is spinning, shifting and changing so intensely, yet, at the same time, intuitively we know that through this chaos, clarity comes.

Depression is usually associated with the emotions: sometimes a chemical imbalance in the body and sometimes a reactive response to life challenges. Some feel so much that they feel like they have no filters and feel overwhelmed as a result, but others feel nothing at all; a kind of emptiness and hollowness inside. Yet, there is another kind of depression, and this is so frequently overlooked: it is connected to the spiritual and it comes in all shapes and sizes, tending to result from an overwhelming sense of disconnection from the Whole. It comes from the desire to find meaning or belonging, but simply feeling more lost or alone than ever. 

In our quest to find meaning, purpose and a sense of belonging in life, it seems inevitable that we will walk down some long, arduous and painful long dark nights of the soul. Of course, intuitively we understand this, but when we find ourselves in such a place it is hard not to feel alone, isolated and disconnected. We look around to others for understanding and compassion, but we often only find sleepwalkers and those content to amble through life without ever really lifting up their heads to even contemplate, let alone seek out, more meaning to life. 

As a result, it is easy to understand why so many seeking spiritual union find themselves feeling so alone; although we intrinsically know that the union we seek is with God, it is inherently human to want to walk such a path with others. When we struggle to find truly like-minded souls, we can feel isolated and begin to question ourselves and our lives on an even deeper level, leaving us feeling tied up in knots rather than bathing in the bliss that we know is possible. 

Perhaps spiritual depression is a part of the different ‘stages’ of faith, after all so many of us have walked varied paths in life to get to where we are now. Many of us have struggled with religion and tried to seek out meaning in the new age, and yet we have still not quite found ‘Utopia’ when it comes to spiritual enrichment. When we reach a point of realisation of the ‘bigger issues’ and know that ultimately we stand alone with God, we can falter and feel the pain of stepping free from the flock; we can suddenly feel quite vulnerable and exposed, and although we know that God is with us always, as human beings, we can struggle with this immensely. 

Maybe we should take heart to know that there are many feeling this way at the current time. Knowing that we are not alone warms the heart, and yet, in truth, this is not the kind of reassurance we need as to step from spiritual depression to a state of harmony and balance, we need to be free of the need for reassurance in the first place. It is therefore no wonder that so many of us are tied up in knots as on one hand the human side of our nature wants comfort, balance and a sense of belonging, but the continually expanding spiritual side of our natures wants to be free and at one with the Whole, not only taking us beyond the need for belonging but beyond the concept as well, for once in such a space, we intrinsically step into a space of knowing and wholeness, and the human frailties suddenly shift away from intensity and depression to balance. 

We can sometimes feel torn in two trying to find balance between the human and the spiritual, but it is only by ‘letting go’ that we can finally touch the peace that we seek. Standing in betwixt such a dichotomy isn’t easy, particularly when we know that we have to move through it in order to evolve. Many step back and walk away, preferring instead to hold on to the familiar, but there are those of us that have walked on, facing the winds, the rain, the cold and the unknown head-on, and although there seems to be little respite or shelter from the storm, when we pause and look back we realise just how far we have come. 

Of course, knowing we have made progress is reassuring but when we feel isolated, alone, disconnected and spiritually depressed, it can be hard to feel euphoric or elated at the same time. All we can do is our best to ride the waves and weather the storm as we carry on and allow the lighthouse in our souls to lead the way. Although there are times when the light is dim or out of view, we inherently know that we are walking the right path. Sometimes, we have to feel more alone and isolated in order to strip back the layers and reach down into our cores, for once we are stripped back and bare, we can then feel the true joy of divinity in ourselves and in our lives. 

Many dance in love and light, but in many ways, this is an avoidance strategy of facing Truth and the true neutrality and duality of the Universe. Like a day without a night, without dark or pain, there is no context to love, so we need to embrace the full spectrum in order to find equilibrium within. This is a challenging process as it takes us through spiritual depression, isolation and confusion, but when we reach the other side, we face a new dawn of incredible beauty and stillness; it is a dawn of self-realisation, balance, connection and joy as we no longer feel the pressure of disconnection but we feel a true sense of being fully awakened and an integral and vibrant part of the Whole...

Dungeons and Dragons

Lost in the mists of time are legends of dragon-slaying, dragon-slayers and fire-breathing creatures of magic and awe. Myths of monsters and men are deeply entwined in cultures and histories around the globe. Although we may now feel that such days are behind us, it seems that the dragons are alive and well, living in the recesses within, snouts steaming and wings outstretched ready to soar...

During this time of continued inner unrest there is an increased awareness of the ‘monsters’ within; the monster in the wardrobe lurks ominously in the corner and even though we intuitively know that fear feeds it, we still tend to do everything within our power to avoid getting too close or to face that fear head on.

As a result, by avoiding the fear and trying instead to keep on keeping on, we create a kind of mental dungeon which stops us from feeling connected and unified with the universal whole. Our vision becomes narrow and it is hard to see the wood for the trees (or the wardrobe) in terms of the bigger picture of our lives. Instead of seeing solutions and resolutions, we see challenges and mental paralysis. 

Of course, for many it is easy to cling to the sinking ship of what we know, as the familiar can somehow feel reassuring regardless of how life affirming it actually is. At the same time, when we gaze into the water below, it is understandable to have doubts as to whether or not it is safer to stay on board or to leap free into the unknown depths. 

Whilst we all know that the monster in the wardrobe is a representation of fear, and that ‘there is nothing to fear but fear itself’ (FD Roosevelt), embracing this concept in the real world can be somewhat harder to master as fear can shape and define our lives in so many ways. Fear can be powerful and it can literally suck the life force out of us if we become consumed by it, yet when we are consumed by it, taking a deep breath to become free can feel nigh-on impossible as it can feel as though there is no air. 

Combine the mental dungeon and the monsters within, and we can find ourselves trapped in a kind of spiritual paralysis where on one hand we can feel the love, interconnectivity and unity of the universe, but on the other it can be hard to take a deep breath as the fear keeps the breathing shallow and light. We want to bathe in the light of the Divine and live the best life possible, but we feel trapped in current circumstances that hold us back and prevent us from expanding into the unknown.  

Yet, why do we fear the monsters within? Are the dragons truly something to fear or slay? Perhaps the dragons of myth and legend present us with an important lesson now and with the need to make a choice: friend or foe.

Of course, we naturally fight and resist mental dungeons and spiritual paralysis, but what if these only result because of the struggle? What if it is our natural tendency to be that knight in shining armour to rescue ourselves that creates a kind of spiritual and mental agoraphobia preventing us from befriending the beast within? Is slaying the dragon the only path to healing, wholeness and inner unity? What if it is the struggle to be whole and healed that keeps us locked in a perpetual state of lack and want, feeding the fear and keeps us away from the very thing we seek: equilibrium? 

Pausing for a while to contemplate the idea of letting go of the struggle; the vibration and energy of the moment changes considerably as the fear subsides, the angst fades away and the inner dungeon becomes illuminated by the radiant beams of the sun and by the glowing heart of the dragon. It seems that it is the struggle to be Whole that is creating the incongruence; for until we accept that we are Whole then there will always be a gap between where we are and where we want to be. 

So many of us have spent so long trying to slay the dragon and trying to fix ourselves and become Whole that we have failed to notice our magnificence and Wholeness. The dragons don’t diminish us, they complete us. This is not about surrendering to ‘dark forces’ within but it is about no longer allowing fear to suck the life breath out of our lungs preventing us from living the lives that we intuitively know we were born to live. 

If we fear the monsters, the dragons and even the leviathans, we turn them into the very thing that we resist the most: doubt, pain, angst...Yet, when we befriend the forces within, we do not give up and let the pain take over, but we lose the need to fear fear as the dragon suddenly changes shape as we no longer see a shadow lurking ominously in the darkness at the back of the wardrobe, but we can marvel at the colour, splendour and magnificence at this important and integral part of our essence. 

We are now knee-deep in a time to open up the cupboard doors to let the light illuminate all of the corners, nooks and crannies within. It is important not to fight the dragon but to realise that the dragon is a part of the complete puzzle of our lives. We are the accumulation of everything we have been, everything we have done and everything we are yet to do. So, when we face the opportunity to ‘jump ship’ in order to head for a new wave of spiritual consciousness that inspires freedom within, the dragons can come along as well, for they are a part of us; always have been, always will be. 

We no longer need to see the dragons as huge anchors weighing us down in burden and fear, but to realise that our life experiences make us the unique, special and amazing souls that we are today. We are ready now to take strength from the fear and to realise that the true perfection in life comes from the imperfections (the nicks, cuts, grazes and gashes) that life has brought our way. No one is perfect, but this is what makes us magnificent! 

As we step free from the inner dungeons of restricted thoughts, diminishing beliefs and storylines that no longer serve a life affirming role, the dawn light changes as we start to feel the strength rising up from within inspiring us to soar with the dragon; to love the imperfections, flaws, contradictions, paradoxes and nuances within and to realise that it is these very things that give our lives and our paths shape, meaning and context...

Castles in the Sand

Standing on the beach, it’s hard not to feel a deep sense of connection with the moist sand under feet and the gentle sound of the waves lapping the shore. The beach stimulates a mixture of childhood memories of building sandcastles, splashing in the shallows and exploring rock pools for signs of life. Those memories contain something special as they come from a time where the imagination made it possible to bring the castle to life; as a child, the imagination was enough to have fun with even the simplest things. A cardboard box could be a plethora of things from a camp to a shop counter, and a building in the sand could be a fortress or a fairy tale castle; an intricate and complex construction taking hours to take shape.

Of course, the thing about castles in the sand is that once they are built, the sea quickly reclaims them leaving the space where it once stood in childhood majesty and perfection a blank canvas once again. Yet, as a child, this was no deterrent, for one simply built a new castle and then another one. It seemed so much easier to live in the moment back then. 

As an adult, standing on the beach doesn’t conjure quite the same magic in quite the same way. It can be hard to become blissfully absorbed in the moment without thinking about ‘reality’: life, work, love, bills, money and life (and not necessarily in that order). Yet, when we pause for a moment, we become one with the sunlight dancing across the shimmering sea and the whoosh of the waves as they ebb and flow. In that moment, everything stands still and we can take a big, deep breath that feels life-affirming and life-enhancing. 

Nothing changes, but everything does at the same time. When we look around, we can see our footsteps etched across the sand marking the journey that brought us to this moment. When we look beneath our feet, an imprint remains. Then the tide turns and it is all washed away. Should we look back with regret that the past has been washed away or should we feel the joy that the tide and the sand have given us the gift of being completely in the present moment? 

With a blank canvas, we are presented with a choice as to where the next step goes; when we consciously connect to the present, suddenly we can find ourselves captured in a moment of magic and amazement as we expand and connect with the infinite possibilities both around us and within us.
 

This can feel overwhelming, and many will struggle not to be bothered about finding the path ‘back home’ as the mind kicks in, trying to over-ride the magic of the moment. Yet, when we take a deep breath we can feel ourselves expanding with the Universe as we gain an inner knowing or sense that ‘all is well’; it is as though our breaths become synchronised and unified as we dance with the sunlight on the waves and allow our consciousness to ebb and flow like the changing tides. It is only when we unify that we let go of the consistent and persistent flow of worries and angst that knock at the doors of our lives. Of course, although such moments cannot change our reality, they do at the same time because we no longer find ourselves consumed and driven by fear and the heaviness of life. 

The beach makes for a powerful analogy and there is a risk that we can become lost building castles in the sand and dancing with the waves, and yet, what is the risk here? A risk that we might become so balanced, euphoric and awake that everything changes for the better or a fear that reality will seem even harder to juggle when we return? Sometimes we have to step into the unknown in order to grow and evolve, and, somewhat ironically, we often resist doing the very things that intuitively we know we need to do, because ‘reality’ makes us act differently. Reality doesn’t make us act in any particular way, we do that ourselves.

We have a lot to learn from the liberated imagination of childhood, and it seems important now to expand into this moment in order to embrace life fully and consciously; it is time to take a big deep breath of now...

What the Winds Bring, the Current Takes Away

As we continue to feel wave upon wave of insight, wisdom, shift and change lapping the shores of our souls, there is a growing and undeniable sense of strength rising up from within us as we begin to find a new level of balance and alignment from the shifting sands. It seems that the more we allow ourselves to become One with the waves, the more we are realising that the sands are our true foundations in life; the rocks and the foundations are those things that we cling onto in the hope that we can resist the currents and keep hold of all we know and love. 

Yet intuitively we know that nothing is every truly permanent, however much we wish it to be. Continents drift, rivers carve out valleys and mountains turn to dust over millennia. Although we know this, it is still hard to accept the impermanence of life as it can somehow feel defeatist. However, it seems that it is through the act of accepting of impermanence where we can find our true strength and ride those shifting sands with a deeper sense of knowing and wisdom. 

‘What the winds bring, the current takes away’ is an age-old Hebridean saying which highlights the fragility of life. We can never know what lies around the next corner, but rather than allowing this uncertainty to keep us tangled up in knots of angst or uncertainty, the time has come to become One with the winds and the currents in order to ride with the changes rather than against them. Such action allows us to be more present in life as we can take each breath and every step consciously and somehow more deliberately.

Allowing ourselves to become that grain of sand takes faith and courage as it means letting go of so many of the storylines and beliefs that have shaped and defined our lives for so long. Letting go of the hand rails and having trust in life feels inevitable, but it is only natural to hold our breaths in uncertainty as it feels contrary to all that we know and all that we have created in our lives.  Life is a fragile balance of ebb and flow, we often take much for granted and our expectations as to what constitutes a happy or a ‘correct’ life can be exceedingly high. Whilst it is only right to have ideals and expectations that push boundaries, we can run the risk of placing conditions on our lives that we cannot be happy until we have achieved all that we feel we should achieve in order to be Whole. 

When we merge with the ebb and flow of life, we do not become pieces of driftwood floating aimlessly along with the currents, but we become conscious awakened souls, embracing every single moment with presence, vitality and awareness. There is a significant difference in the vibration of these two states, and the more we can connect to the vibration of conscious living, the more our lives will expand as we let go of those storylines and beliefs that keep us anchored in fear and uncertainty. Of course, becoming One brings no guarantees; it doesn’t smooth over the cracks or take away the pain, but it enables us to lean into the discomfort in order to become empowered and inspired by it, rather than defeated and diminished by it.  

So, as we feel those waves lapping the shores within, we have a choice: we can either try to cling to what the waves are washing away or we can feel invigorated and refreshed by the blank canvas appearing at our feet. Sands shift, life changes and stuff happens, but the more we can be mindful of our reaction to all of this, the more we can not only release those old storylines and patterns, but let go of the need to create new ones. The time is now upon us to let go of the fear of the impermanence of life in order to grab every single moment whole-heartedly with passion, love and conscious awareness. 

The days of sleepwalking are over as we each have a choice now: accept the ebb and flow of life, or resist it and fight the currents. Whichever path we choose, we need to accept responsibility for that choice; own it and be accountable for it. Remember that what the wind brings the current takes away; become One with this now and feel the power rising up from within... 

Anchors of the Past

How many of us are conscious and fully ‘present’ in this moment? So many of us try to be but it is often the case that we find ourselves in the present moment by default as we are anchored to the past and locked onto chasing the horizons of the future; we are in the present moment as we are trapped between what went before and what may or may not lie ahead.

Of course, to be in such a situation is part of being human, but perhaps only because we expect it to be. We seek self-definition from the past in order to shape our present, but our focus is not truly on the present as we are constantly looking ahead to the horizons and dreams that reside there. Confused? Well, that’s understandable!

It seems that we constantly tie ourselves up in knots trying to live consciously and more authentically, but we believe that in order to do this, we have to understand the past and the future in order to define and shape the present. Of course this is true in some ways, but the more we focus on what went before and on what may, or may not, lie ahead, we forget the present and lose sight of the Truth of whom we are.

This living conundrum shapes our lives on so many levels for we want to understand in order to evolve and grow, but the more we dig, the less present we become. There comes a time when we have to step back from digging in order to consciously awaken to the present moment. Whilst the past has shaped our lives, we are more than our pasts. Equally, whilst the future can bring our lives a sense of destiny and purpose, the future, by its very definition, hasn’t happened yet and we run the risk of diminishing ourselves in ‘what if’s’ and other conditioning states of thinking and being if we focus too whole-heartedly on what lies ahead.

Although we know all of this, it somehow seems too difficult to untangle ourselves from the inextricable tangle of past, present and future. Yet, do we truly need to untangle ourselves or should we stop struggling instead? The latter may feel defeatist, but spiritually and energetically it feels deeply empowering and inspiring as it is a sign of trust, faith and acceptance. Acceptance is not surrendering (although it is an act of surrender to the Universal Whole), nor it is demeaning or disempowering; it is the ultimate act of faith and an opening up of mind, body and soul to the true magnificence of life.

It seems that the more we struggle, trying to understand and make sense of life, the further away from truth and peace we become. It is the struggle that is innately human but it is also the struggle that keeps us away from the joy of living consciously. Such a conundrum is hard to embrace, for our reality makes it so important to want to understand, but when we stop trying to push and struggle for wisdom, we realise that the wisdom we seek is already within us; it is us.

Sometimes we have to let go in order to find terra firma once again but the act of letting go involves free falling into the unknown. What lies beneath the clouds? We fear jagged rocks or other unthinkable challenges, but intuitively we know that whatever life has in store for us (and we can never be sure), the light within will always be there to guide us and give us strength. We often forget about the light as life has become too busy and too cluttered with things to do, places to go and people to see, but when we pause for a moment, we re-connect and realise that the light is our soul and the source of inspiration and wisdom.

When we become conscious of the light, the need to dig deeply into the past or the desire to chase the future diminishes as we are able to relish the joy of where we are now. The past no longer anchors or chains us, and the future no longer drags us forwards. Instead we become vibrant, awake and alert, embracing life fully and unconditionally. Of course, being human, means that there will always be times when we look back or forward as that is our nature, but when we are centred and aligned, such excursions can bring us wisdom and insight as they no longer define our reality.

There are always lessons to be learned from the past and inspiration to be tapped into by looking forward, but when we stop seeking these to define us and instead define ourselves now, in this moment, everything changes as the vibration shifts from being present by default, to being present by choice and this distinction is so important now as it allows our consciousness to expand and become One with the Universal Whole…

Unification and Empowerment

It is hard to deny the somewhat intense and deep sense of shift and movement occurring at the current time, particularly on the planes within. There is a profound wave of healing sweeping through layer upon layer of consciousness as each of us begins to shed aspects of our Selves, our lives and our paths that no longer serve a positive or life affirming purpose. Yet, this clean sweep is not blasé or gung-ho in shape or form, as every single thing we shed is significant and represents a willingness to create more space within as we step back from the need to define ourselves by the past or by aspirations of the future.

We have reached a stage of inner knowing where we feel ready to embrace the true vibration of healing and that is to find balance and empowerment through acceptance and love. Healing can often invoke a sense of incompletion as we strive to be healed before we can live our lives, and yet, the more we chase the state of ‘completion’ the more we realise that we have more puzzles to solve and riddles to untangle before we can reach that promised land. Therefore by seeking balance and empowerment through acceptance, we can begin to let go of the cycle of chasing completion through a fear of being incomplete and instead shift the balance towards love and wholeness. Although this does not ‘fix’ us, it takes us away from the somewhat perpetual and continual need to dig, probe and unravel in order to understand our Selves and our paths in life. 

Of course, we will always dig to some extent as that is a part of being human, but there comes a time when too much digging keeps us locked in the past and chasing the future. There is only so much we can learn by what went before, and although the past helps to inform the present, it doesn’t create it, as we do that. At the same time, the more we gaze longingly into a future where we can feel Whole and complete, we diminish the value of the present as we fail to give it power or definition. 

Yet, present moment awareness is not really at the crux of these shifts, it just helps us to become more aware of them. At the crux of these shifts is a willingness to unify ourselves on all levels; bringing together past, present and future, perfection and imperfection, fear and faith, light and dark...

This inner unification is not about surrendering to the ‘dark side’ (if indeed there is such a thing) or giving up on our dreams, but it is about taking a step beyond living conditionally and linear time to instead loving what is, exactly as it is, now.  So many of us spend our lives defining ourselves by past events, past choices and past decisions, and yet we also know that many of our experiences in life are beyond our power. This begs the question as to why we continually choose to define ourselves by such things even though they are now behind us in the past?

Of course, it is hard not to let the past define us as it is already grounded and set in stone; it has happened and is therefore a solid reference point. And yet, we intuitively know that the present is our true reference point as the past is behind us. We can therefore become tangled up in knots trying to unravel this equation as we want to live now in a unified and balanced way, but we cannot get beyond the need to heal, fix and find completeness from understanding the past and shaping the future.

Such a conundrum seems all the more poignant whilst we go through this current wave of shift as we are being reminded that we are vibrant and awakened beings, connected to the Whole and an integral part of the bigger picture. 

We have long been seeking new ground beneath our feet that feels solid and stable, but it seems that we are now ready to embrace a new way of living and being that involves us letting go of the side rails and finding strength from exploring unchartered terrain. Even though this new world may feel strange and unfamiliar, it also intuitively feels like home as we let go of the past, and of the clutter within, in order to take a deep breath of life...

The Lighthouse of The Soul

As we continue to stand on the rocky shoreline of life, many of us have found ourselves consumed by the desire to scramble over the rocks until we reach that untouched stretch of golden beach; it seems that the desire to overcome the rocks and the unpredictability of the tides has taken over our focus and energy as it is a human tendency to seek out calmer seas and smoother terrain. Yet, when we pause for a while to gaze at the current moment, we realise that just because the shoreline is rocky it does not mean that it is not a life-giving or life-affirming place to be. When we take a closer look, we can see the life teaming amongst the rocks and the energy of the sea vigorously bringing us new life with every turn of the tide.

The rocky shoreline stimulates every single sense and with every deep breath of life that we take, the sea air and the energy can invigorate the soul and instil hope, exuberance and belief. When we become conscious of where we are, rather than consumed with thoughts of where we either want to be or feel we should be, we fully awaken to the richness that is already within and around us. 

Although life can be unpredictable on the rocks, when we pause and re-centre we re-connect to the light in the distance that switches on, then off, then on again. Even though the waves crash at our feet, the light soothes and calms as we intuitively know that it is there to guide, protect and illuminate any challenges we might face. When we pause in the moment we realise that this lighthouse of the soul is always present, but life is often too full of chatter and distraction for us to notice. Yet, when we do re-connect to this brilliant light, we no longer feel small and vulnerable on the rocks, but our essence expands as we feel able to breathe freely once again. 

We spend so much of our lives with our breath held in, trying to cling on to what we know or trying to fight ahead to get to where we want to be that we so often lose sight of those beacons of light that are available to each and every one of us when we open up our hearts, minds and souls to their presence. The light switches on, off and on again, whether we see it or not, but when we do see it we realise that we no longer need to fear life or chase life, as we can simply choose to be alive instead.

The lighthouse reminds us that despite the rocks and the highly-charged waves, we do not have to get lost in the chaos as there is always an air of calmness that we can connect with. When we feel the power of this connection, the need to chase horizons or to get to that beach changes, as we begin to realise the value of where we are now. As the light switches on and off, it is not affected by worry, angst, doing or chasing; it just is what it is and does what it does. This simplicity acts as a timely reminder for each of us to pause in times of storms and in times of calm in order to re-centre and re-align. There is no ‘do’ about the lighthouse of the soul; it just is. 

When we apply this light to our own lives we can begin to let go of the layer upon layer of worry, action and doing in order to become One with the light and to let it lead the way. After all, every lighthouse has a role and we would be wise to acknowledge this rather than trying to think that we know better and push ahead regardless. 

Becoming One with the light within is not a sign of surrender or giving up though, it is a sign of conscious awareness as we step from fear to a place of peace and strength. Whilst we can never know what the rocky shoreline or the pounding waves have in store for us, the same can be said for that golden beach. At the same time, why be consumed with getting to that beach to make life better as this diminishes the value of where we are now? Placing conditions on life (once I get to the beach then all will be well, etc.) is only natural, but it devalues the present immensely. Although, in this moment, we may not be where we ultimately want to be, to dismiss it is to dismiss the lighthouse and the beauty of the rocks, the waves and the mysteries beyond.

So, as we pause for a while and re-align our breaths and our souls with the present moment, we can feel a deep sense of comfort from the light switching on and off. Yet, there is no panic when the light switches off; there is just peace and stillness. When we attune with the light, we stop fearing the dark for they no longer remain separate entities in our lives but they merge into the Whole and remind us that we are all integral parts of that Whole, and this allows us to become One with the lighthouse of the soul and to take a deep breath of joy as we stand amongst the rocks and feel the life force of the oceans lapping and pounding the shores of the soul...

Spiritual Quicksand

The shape and form of words reveals a great deal about the vibration or power of our inner dialogue. Our language is revealing as it reflects our current state of being. For example, we might feel like we are walking through treacle or stuck in quicksand at the current time, and such insights create powerful images which keep us locked in a storyline of being stuck in quicksand because we perceive that we are. Our perception matters a great deal, and the more aware of this we become, the more we realise that our thoughts shape our lives.

When we consider the quicksand analogy we can immediately feel a sense of contraction within as we energetically connect with the impulse to resist and struggle against the drag of the molten sand beneath our feet. Of course, struggling is the worst thing to do as the more we struggle, the deeper we sink. We know that our best chance lies in doing the one thing that feels counter-intuitive and that is to spread the weight of our bodies by laying down over the surface of the quicksand; we need to get as much contact as possible with the one thing that is threatening our very existence. 

Such a philosophy can be applied to many things in our lives such as fear, pain, distress, anxiety etc. The idea of connecting more deeply with these might feel counter-productive, but intuitively we know that by connecting to them more consciously we can step away from being consumed by them as we no longer fear them but become One with them instead. Yet it is the act of direct contact that we often fear the most as we can feel exposed, naked and vulnerable, not knowing if our act of increasing contact will ultimately lead to our rescue or if it will simply leave us even more exposed, naked and vulnerable. 

Mindfulness and conscious awareness of the present moment is so important now as we continue to open up our hearts, minds and souls to the bigger picture of our lives. The more we awaken and breathe in the air of the new dawn, the more we realise how integrated and connected we truly are. When we struggle against life or against the situations that we find ourselves in, we can become entrenched and stuck, and although letting go of resistance and surrendering to the moment takes a huge act of faith as we reach into unknown territory, we know that this is exactly what we need to do in order to shift the vibrations of our lives away from life-sapping inner-dialogues and analogies towards something far more life-affirming and enhancing. 

Becoming One with our fears takes great courage as it suggests a willingness to stop resisting and to start accepting. This is not the same as ‘giving up’ but a more conscious act of present-moment awareness that re-empowers us as we choose to let go of resistance and become fully aware of all that we fear and all that we are. Whilst this in itself might not change the reality of the situation that we find ourselves in, when we stop struggling we shift our vibrations to a more expansive level of awareness and this can help us to see the ‘bigger picture’ and to step free from the all-consuming panic-state. 

Of course, as human beings, we are used to keeping on keeping on and pushing against the currents as this is a part of life, but is it? Is it really the ‘norm’ or is it this way because we expect it to be this way? We could get tied up in knot after knot trying to unravel such a question, but it seems clear that we need to find a way to stop resisting and struggling now as the more we struggle, the tighter the knots become. Life no longer seems to be about keeping our heads above water or trying to stay afloat in quicksand; the analogies are changing and shifting towards something brighter, fresher and more life-affirming. 

How we see our own lives is so important for it gives shape, texture and definition to our reality. Life may have its challenges and we may not be where we truly want to be in life, but is resisting our reality going to change this? Or will the resistance simply find us even more deeply entrenched in challenging analogies and vibrations? 

The time is now upon us to open up our hearts, minds and souls to the present moment and to become fully conscious of life exactly as it is. We can then stop wallowing in the mire and fearing the quicksand, and instead see the beauty, expanse and infinity of what present moment awareness actually brings into our lives. Once we take such a step we realise that, as energetic and vibrational beings, we have the power within us to raise the vibration away from the struggle to one of joyful acceptance as we choose to dance with this new vibration in life; we can use the power within to re-calibrate the energetic vibration of our reality. This is not the same as pulling away, unravelling the knots, denying them or struggling; it is the ultimate act of fully embracing the moment and in this moment realising that we already are Whole, complete and magnificent.

The Infinity of Life

The edge of the morning is a special and potent time of day. As the dawn light gently caresses the whispering trees and kisses the earth with tender warmth, a powerful silence emerges full of sound, energy and life. In those few moments there is a sense that, after the slumber of the night, everything is fully alive once again; every tree, every flower, every rock, every sound and every atom stirs and awakens. In such moments of pure unadulterated connection to All there Is, it is as though the Universe itself has awoken and taken a full and conscious deep inhalation of life.

Many never notice the edge of the morning as life is so focused on keeping on keeping on and there is no time to connect to the infinite possibilities contained in those few moments. Yet, when we consciously choose to open up our hearts, minds and souls to the vibration and energy of these few moments, the energy somehow becomes more tangible to work with and articulate. It is as though we bathe in the infinity and we become a more conscious part of it. Of course, even if we do not notice the edge of the morning, we are still a part of the infinity of the Universal Whole, but when we become conscious of it everything changes, for we expand and become One with something quite amazing.

Yielding to this powerful feeling of connection seems so important now as we continue to coalesce and unify with Divinity. The process of awakening to our true magnificence is a journey of many layers and many levels, and it is on this journey that we realise that we no longer have anything to prove in order to become Whole as we realise and accept (wholeheartedly) that we are already Whole. Such a recognition may seem small or insignificant, but it takes us away from feeling incomplete, broken or damaged to a place of feeling alive, connected and complete.

Whilst we all have experiences in life that can create cracks and chips, voids and sometimes enormous chasms within, when we are connected, we know that every single experience matters, as every single one makes up the Whole. In other words, everything matters and we no longer need to push away those aspects of our Selves or our lives that have challenged us, as we instead breathe them in and re-absorb them into our essence. This is not the same as wallowing in the pain or the challenges though, as this carries a different vibration: one of acceptance and gratitude.

Acceptance and gratitude may feel hard to muster when life gives us lemons, but when we shift our perception we begin to realise that even the lemons bring us strength, context and meaning. So many of us try so hard to push away the pain, trying to dissolve it or remove it, but when we make the conscious decision to re-absorb it with tenderness and love, the vibration changes and softens, and we shift from chasing completion to being complete.

At the same time, the more we let Spirit into our lives, the more we feel the connection to the infinity of life and if we allow ourselves to be in the moment and to enjoy the experience, we let those barriers down and feel every single cell within vibrating with energy and divinity. If we become grateful for such connections, our hearts, minds and souls open up like new buds responding to the light.

When we step consciously into moments of pure magic and infinity, there is a sense that time slows for a while as everything moves in slow focus; it is as though the Universe slows for a while to allow us to take in just a tiny taster of what it is to be fully awake and aware of Everything. In normal time, such awareness isn’t possible for there is simply too much to absorb, but as time slows, we inhale infinity and this transports us to a completely new level of awareness and life.

It is so important that we choose to give ourselves the gift of grateful presence and to take the time to pause in these moments as they remind us that we are alive and integral parts of the Whole. Sometimes, when we step briefly out of the ‘flow’, we become aware of the discord in our lives and this can help us to see the bigger picture and inspire us to make adjustments in order to re-align and re-centre.

When the dawn light caresses the trees and awakens the earth, do the birds press the snooze button to get another 10 minutes of slumber or do the flowers wonder whether blossoming is really worth the effort? Do the trees stop growing because they are too worried about what lies in their day ahead?

It is so easy for us to become consumed by linear thoughts and by angst, over-thinking and analysis that we forget to do what we were born to do: to breathe, to live and to be. When we embrace the infinity of life, we realise that we are part of a cycle that keeps on turning, whether we are conscious of it or not, but by becoming conscious we open up to living more whole-heartedly and more vibrantly, for we are allowing ourselves to become One with ourselves and with infinity.

Whilst such words sound great, it can sometimes be hard to feel their appropriateness when life feels uphill and hard work, but when we pause and open up to the magic and divinity, our perception shifts and we realise that it is our birthright to live consciously and it is our destiny to blossom. The meaning of this is unique to each and every one of us, but when we feel the vibration of these words, we intuitively bring together the concepts of Self and infinity into a beautiful, cohesive and magnificent One...

 ‘And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom’. Anais Nin