Courage comes from the Latin word cor, which means “heart.” Courage sources deep within our hearts as self-acceptance and compassion. It encourages us to engage in every life situation no matter how scary as an opportunity for spiritual transformation.To be courageous is to lead with your heart, and reveal your truth―your inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences―honestly and openly. It dares you to fully express who you are as love.When you express yourself as love, you venture into the unknown territory of your own being. Being courageous doesn’t necessarily mean performing feats of external bravery and strength, but rather acknowledging … [Read more...]
Give Yourself Permission to “Just Be”
Giving ourselves permission to “just be” requires letting go of our preconceived mind-sets and beliefs about how we should live, and following our hearts instead.When you give yourself permission to be, you tap into an unlimited source of positive energy and creativity, and begin to see your experiences from an expanded perspective. From this “bird’s-eye view,” you can get new information about yourself, your true desires, and your souls’ journey.Accomplishments and achievements are wonderful, but if you are to live in a fully realized and authentic state, it is the light of your being, not the work of your hands that must shine forth beyond … [Read more...]
Blessing and Releasing: A Mantra for Letting Go
“The cure for pain is in the pain.” RumiHere I was walking the beach in Antigua surrounded by such natural beauty, a cherished and connected relationship with my husband and a life that I only imagined in my dreams; yet, I was unraveling, falling apart, and disintegrating into little pieces like the grains of sand I walked upon. For weeks since my beloved dog Cammi’s death, I felt fragile and vulnerable as if my heart was flayed open. The grief felt like an anvil pressing down on my chest. “It was too much pain to feel for my sweet dog,” I thought to myself. So I tried to grieve whenever my busy schedule allowed and then held it together … [Read more...]
The Healing Power of Love
There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and unspeakable love--Washington IrvingDespite the pain it elicits, loss shows us the healing power of love. It teaches us about the delicate balance, intensity, and richness of life and above all, provides the greatest opportunity for transformation. Loss is bittersweet for we cannot experience the pain of loss without first having experienced the joys associated with what has been lost. The heartbreak that wounds us most deeply eventually leads us to greater … [Read more...]
Sustaining Lightness in Our Lives
"You don't stop playing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop playing." George Bernard Shaw Sustaining lightness in your life is created by the choices you make in every moment. Trust that you are the co-creator of the inner and outer landscape of life so choose your thoughts, words and actions consciously. Be patient, tolerant, and flexible when life gets challenging or things don't go you way. Keep an open and loving heart and a great sense of humor no matter what is happening at the time. Being playful opens our hearts and sustains a flow of light energy so we hold steady in the midst of the natural twists and turns of … [Read more...]
The Power of Love
On my recent trip to Paris, I witnessed the eternal power of love not in the moonlit cobblestone streets, romantic outdoor cafes, or the sparkling Eiffel tower but in the collection of "locks of love" that adorn the Pont Des Arts bridge, one that connects the Louvre museum with the left bank. The love padlocks have taken off and this phenomenon is in countries such as Belgium, Germany, Japan and even on the Brooklyn bridge in New York City. This practice of attaching love locks to bridges all over the world symbolizes our universal yearning for continuous, consistent, and connected love. For those of you who haven't heard of them, a … [Read more...]
Love Connects Us All
"The supreme happiness of life consists in the conviction that one is loved" - Victor Hugo We all need to belong, to connect, to love and be loved. It is our divine nature for we are soul-wired for love and connection. The Sufi poet, Rumi beautifully expresses, "Love is the vital core of the soul. And of all you see, only love is infinite." Being and expressing love in spiritual connection with others is our divine legacy and why we are here. How many of us really know what we intend when we say, "I love you." Time and again, we look to the dictionary definition of love with its emphasis on romantic love for its meaning. We read about … [Read more...]
Our Heart: The GPS of Our Soul
Our heart is the GPS of our soul. It senses and transmits energy bypassing the brain so we receive spiritual information. Every person is born with this ability to be an open channel to their soul. However, each person tunes in to this energy flow differently. How open we are and how much we trust ourselves determines the extent this energy can be used. For some of us, it's natural and easy and for others, it takes continuous practice. Yet, for all of us, channeling this divine source of energy creates a fulfilling and purposeful life and sustains all that is well and good.The eyes in our heart are the window to our soul. Tuning in to our … [Read more...]
Living in the Flow of Love
"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance." John LennonLiving in love creates a constant flow of positive energy which dissolves fear, insecurity and negativity. We are love-a whole and complete energy without limits or boundaries. Living as the embodiment of love, we obliterate all negativity and sustain all that is well and good. It lifts us beyond the drone of the human condition and reminds us that we are this divine energy source capable of creating a fulfilling and purposeful … [Read more...]
Loving Others Begins with Loving Ourselves
"Those that go searching for love only manifest their own lovelessness, and the loveless never find love, only the loving find love, and they never have to seek it." D. H. Lawrence As philosopher Eric Fromm states in The Art of Loving, "What matters in relation to love is the faith in one's own love; in its ability to produce love in others. We are only capable of knowing and caring for another if we are also capable of understanding caring and knowing ourselves." In other words, the most powerful way to attract and experience great love, is to embody it. Being in an authentic relationship requires us to first open our hearts and then … [Read more...]