Sometimes loss is as important as the things we gain in life. Loss is similar to growing a tree, in order for a new branch to grow we must prune off the branches that are stressing the plant. The same is true for the human condition. As we go through life, there are always areas that need focus and attention. There are things we want to change for ourselves and others. Learning what to lose and what we may gain by doing it is an important as siezing opportunities, or harvesting. Loss is also a time for reflection, we must not gloss over loss, sometimes we need to embrace it in order to move forward. Grieving is just as important as happiness and when we lose something close to us, it usually comes back later in a different form. It is necessary to be careful not to over prune our branches though. it is easy to stress our plants and end up killing the project. So, in parting, embrace your loss and see it for what it is, a chance to grow and mulitply the harvest of our lives.

By Rev. Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith

“Wherever you are in the spiritual continuum of consciousness, just say ‘Yes’ to it, enter it fully, so that you may be ushered into the next step in your unfoldment.”

In truth, the Universe has absolutely no secrets. The full display of its magnificence is available at all times, and it has been so since the dawn of creation. It could be said that the Universe is the ultimate exhibitionist. Experiencing its seeming miracles and understanding its laws are not dependent upon the Universe, for it is not fickle in revealing itself to some and not to others. … Nothing is secret to those who have the inner eyes to see, the lowly listening to hear, the sensitivity to touch, the cultivated soul to taste the Cosmic Elixir.

… When considering the secretless Universe, it is important to distinguish secrets from mysteries. The human mind can go only so far. Its sciences and telescopes can only penetrate so far. However, our inner spiritual technology can go all the way from secrets to mysteries. Mysteries are those areas that the human mind cannot reach, simply because it is not the mind’s function to do so. It is the spirit-soul that contains what is necessary to reach into the depths of life’s mysteries.

… First, it’s important not to make excuses for not keeping our daily commitment to meditate, pray, study and serve.

… We commit to doing our spiritual practices—both inner and outer—whether we feel like it or not. Feeling like it has nothing to do with whether we do it or not. This cultivates a nonattachment to the fruits of our efforts, which means that we do our practices for their own sake whether we receive immediate results or not.

… Secondly, we practice what I call the three Cs for transformation: conversation, company and commitment. Conversation is watching what comes out of our mouths. It is important to understand that our speech carries an energy, a vibration that advertises our state of consciousness. Is what we are saying necessary, kind and true? Are we gossiping, or are we talking about what contributes to the upliftment of our listeners and ourselves? Or are we spewing negativity?

Even if our words are “spiritually correct,” those who can sense the vibration they carry will know if we are genuine or not. Naturally, there is a time to share those things that weigh heavily upon our hearts, those things that we are working on within ourselves with a trusted confidant, counselor, spiritual teacher or friend. At times we must clear the air and take responsibility to talk with those our words may have hurt. At other times we may be called upon to say things that we know will hurt another for their own good.

… We’re not talking about suppressing or repressing here, but what the Psalmist meant in 141:3 when saying, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” It’s the motivation that’s important.

Next, it is wise to notice the company we keep, not in a judgmental way, but to observe the influence we have upon one another. … Those with whom we mix are very important to our spiritual practice because they support us on the path, keep us humble, and encourage us when we feel discouraged. Are you keeping company with those who have an affirmative approach to life?

… Conversation and company combine with commitment. When you become committed to growing, expanding in consciousness, to evolving, you release powerful life energy. Commitment is the fuel that drives your practice, which is fire that transforms consciousness.

… Consciousness is that which makes us aware of the contents of our being. Consciousness is the “watcher,” that which is beyond thought, beyond the thinking mind. It is the being of us. We are first and foremost consciousness. Now there are levels of consciousness: superconsciousness, Christ Consciousness and Cosmic Consciousness.

… We started out talking about the secretless Universe. There is some sort of intrigue that entices us as human beings toward secrets. … There’s a seduction in the word secret that can be used for positive purposes. For example, I know that you’re probably all familiar with the book and DVD The Secret, which has caused a universal conversation about possibility thinking.

I’ve done many interviews on television and radio about The Secret. People ask, “Why is this called a secret, or the secret, when it’s really not a secret at all?”

That’s the whole point: by calling the laws that govern our universe a “secret,” human interest becomes stimulated, inquisitiveness spurs people to investigate, especially when a secret is in plain print and one can easily be in on it.

… Beginning right where you are—and being honest about where that is—whether you are visualizing a better financial life for yourself or yielding to the evolutionary impulse that governs the universe—just say “Yes” to it. Wherever you are in the spiritual continuum of consciousness, just say “Yes” to it; enter it fully, so that you may be ushered into the next step in your unfoldment. And remember, we are always beginners because spiritual awakening is limitless. Fall in love with the secretless Universe and enter the Mystery that joyously awaits your approach.

This excerpt by Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith is from the Unity House® book Sacred Secrets.

What does yoga mean to you?

Yoga is a way of approaching life, of Being, of which asana is only a small (but important) part.  Yoga allows us to shed the things that prevent us from knowing our True Essence, and our connection with the Divine.  It’s a tool that removes stress from the body and mind, cultivates Peace and nurtures Consciousness – both in ourselves and the World.

What has been the most important manifestation you’ve created?

When your consciousness starts to merge with cosmic Consciousness, you start to acquire the 5 energies of Shiva: cit-sakti (all-Consciousness), ananda-sakti (all-Bliss), jnana-sakti (all-Knowledge), kriya-sakti (all-Action), iccha-sakti (all-Will). This requires letting go of many things while building Peace in the body and mind. When it happens, there is no difference between manifestation and being in the Flow, between you as a creator and as an instrument of the Divine. I was going to jokingly say: ‘Do I really have to say just one thing?’, but the truth is, we create nothing alone… The Secret and the Law of Attraction don’t work because they don’t recognize this fundamental Truth, one that was known thousands of years ago by the yogic rishis. It is through our choices that we align ourselves with the Divine… and then everything becomes possible.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned from your yoga practice?

That yoga is about Being and the choices we make… more than any physical act. When that is understood, Peace arises, and what is possible becomes limitless.

What is the meaning of consciousness to you?

I make the distinction between consciousness (little c, or citta) and Consciousness (big C, or Cit). Consciousness (little c) is the sum of our awareness and the product of our choices in life – what to think, what to do, how to be. Consciousness (big C) is beyond any definition or description our consciousness (little c) is capable of. It leaves you speechless, breathless.  Pure awareness of Love, the Divine.  Without Consciousness, nothing could exist.  Our consciousness merges with Consciousness as we progress on our path. This is what we are designed on every level of our being to do.

How do you feel the light and know that it is there?

It’s in everything I see, feel, hear, touch, taste and everything in between. It’s in the many miracles that happen everyday to nurture us, regardless of whether we live in harmony with the Divine or not. It is present in every moment of Bliss we experience.

Of all the people in your life, who was the most influential in helping you to form your life path and why?

My friend Steve, a yogi who lives yoga and has integrated its wisdom on every level of his being. It was his energy, his Being, not any one thing he said or did, but the sum of it all (especially the stuff between the lines). I don’t think he was aware of it when it first began, but I think he’s aware of it now.

What is the most effective/critical asana and why?

Savasana – it’s the only posture in which it is safe for everyone to practice pranayam, anytime.

What is yoga’s role in making this world a better place?

Yoga can be used in two ways – to destroy consciousness, or to nurture it.
I prefer the second option.

Nature's Balance

Being in balance in all areas of our lives is a perennial topic for discussion and contemplation. Often we may find ourselves over-committed, under-rested, over-fed yet under nourished, generally or very specifically unhealthy in some way and the key to clarity and wellness turns out to be that magic word – Balance.

Finding balance in a world where we are either pushed or pushing to be performing at our peak 24/7 365 can be a major challenge for many of us. It’s important to Take Back Control of your own life. To remember that you and you alone are responsible for creating your own reality and that you have the power to change what isn’t working can be the greatest gift you will ever give to yourself.

Start right now-are you willing-right now- in this moment – to take a time out? – To come back into balance? We are taught by some of the greatest of teachers to literally “stop the world”. It is our world, our creation, and we can and do have the power to stop everything right here, right now and ask some soul searching and very serious questions.

The first question you might ask yourself is this – When was the last time you took some time just for you? Not just a day off from work but some serious time out – 3 – 4 days, maybe even a week or two that is totally and completely unscheduled – time to reflect, to journal, to meditate, to rest, to review your life, to see where you are and where you’ve come from, to decide, really consciously decide who you are and who you want to be, to see where you are and where you really want to be going.

When we make the choice, the conscious decision, to stop, to take a time out and to deeply contemplate our passions, our purpose, our soul’s journey, we may find that there are some changes that need to happen and soon. Change can be very frightening for people and yet it’s the most natural thing in the world. Nature herself is a perfect example of the ever changing nature of our universe. All too often we busy ourselves to the point of exhaustion and collapse, merely because we are afraid to face the necessary steps that we need to take in order to change our lives, change our world and bring things back into a place of balance.

In the Peruvian Tradition of the High Andes we are taught about a concept known as Ayni. Ayni is a way of living in the world that is in balance with our own nature as well as with the natural world around us and all of our relations. The native peoples believe that we are all connected and strive to live lives of balance and communion with all that is.

A simple way to start the process of breaking through to balance is to track for yourself your own natural energy rhythms. Using a calendar and a scale from 1 – 10, each day mark a number for that day that is a measure of your energy level,. For example today you might be feeling very lethargic, not really wanting to do anything – maybe today is a 2 day. Tomorrow you might get up and feel all full of “piss and vinegar” as my mom would say – ready to take on the world and accomplish mighty feats – tomorrow might be a 10 day. When you have tracked your own energy for a month or so (at least 30 days is recommended) you then have a picture of your own flow – perhaps during the full moon you are totally charged, later in the month might be your down time. Chart the flow and begin to match your commitments and activities to your own true nature. Don’t say yes to that party when you know if falls on a day when you will likely be in the 2 zone. Go for it and book three appointments with clients and host a dinner party on your usual 10 day. Just bringing some consciousness to your own energy will start you on the road to balance. Make it a prayer – Lord may I bring a little more balance to my life and to the world today and may I begin with me.

Amethyst Wyldfyre, MsD Is a Multidimensional Metaphysician with a thriving practice in the Merrimack Valley of Southern NH – she can be reached through her website at http://www.amethystwyldfyre.com

Power&Possibility

There is power and possibility in everything that comes to us, in every experience and situation if we allow ourselves to connect with the inner awareness that is aligned with higher consciousness. We don’t need to strain to find the deeper wisdom within our experience. By acknowledging our own power and allowing for the multitude of possibilities for good inherent in every experience, this deeper wisdom is revealed to us.

Simply by allowing for such alignment, our awareness button is pushed to the “on” position. That awareness may not be conscious in each moment but can be recalled at will whenever we need it, so that we know that we know. Our direction becomes clear.
Aligned with higher light -filled resources in this way, we can utilize the intellect much more effectively. Our intellect is not the source, but the tool used to apply knowledge and wisdom in our lives.

Regardless of the breadth of our information or our IQ quotient, we cannot realistically ascertain the outcome of every situation based upon an unlimited amount of possible choices we could make. Applying strict logic is, well…..illogical. We can’t possibly make the best choices based upon human understanding alone.

We can trust that our understanding in unison with connection to higher awareness will always offer us the knowledge of the best opportunity or choice at the time. This may be further refined in the flow of future events but it will be the possibility best designed to offer us further unfolding options. This is where our power lies.

Realizing that we have an undeniable source of inspired wisdom, we can implement our life choices with confidence and trust. We understand that we can tweak those choices with ease as new possibilities arise that reflect our continuing growth because we haven’t painted ourselves in a corner of logic.

Many possibilities don’t present themselves logically yet those seized by some have become the source of power for many. Power and possibility lie dormant in each moment of our lives, outside of time or perceived limitation. Through our willingness to connect with something grander, we live the greatest lives possible.

Lorna was in tears, after having been so elated just a few days ago, she felt devastated, betrayed and deflated. Six long years had she been waiting and preparing for the moment and in one hour, her whole dream seemed to lay shattered at her feet. The man she had been seeing had finally decided to stay with his wife, even though he had assured my friend he loved her, and was prepared to leave his wife.

Six years had it taken to come to the culmination and courage to set divorce in motion. Six years of her thinking ‘will he, won’t he?’, six years of an hour here, an hour there with him, but invariably, him going back to his wife. Six years of sweet moments with him.

Six years of hope, and love and planning of a future. ‘If only’, when only. Thomas was with her all night to comfort her, Thomas, the loving father of her two sons, Thomas with whom she had a spiritual connection, could talk to for hours, but for whom she felt no burning desire and passion as she had felt for Jim. Jim was adventure, exciting, passionate love making. Thomas was deep, a friend, but nothing more. Six years ago, she left Thomas, they shared the boys and that was good. They had a deep friendship and Thomas was always there for her when she fell. Lorna realised that although life with Jim seemed more of an exciting journey, the only thing she really wanted for him was to be happy. Through her tears she decided to work through her emotions, and also to let Jim go and set him free to pursue whatever he needed to pursue, at the same time to allow herself to pursue her happiness.

Although early days, Lorna realised that six years on a life time is not really all that much, that she had relearned to love and to give and certainly to be patient! Even if life does not turn out the way you have planned can it still be worth while. Lorna committed to being extra nice to herself, and anytime she felt an emotion come up, to ask what it was here to teach her and tell her. She decided to honour herself, love herself and forgive herself.

I was watching Barack Obama on television a couple of weeks back. He talked about moving the political discussion from “divisive politics” to a more “civil politics”. He shared that partisan politics is getting in the way of real progress. I profoundly agree with him.

This got me thinking . . . Imagine what our world looks like, deeply consider how it feels, when we go one step further and remove all division and separation from politics and worldly living, when collective consciousness has shifted and we know ourselves to be One with God, humanity and all of life, when we see this is a precise description of reality. Imagine how it feels when we see God’s presence, the sacred and divine, in everyone and in everything and we treat people this way.

As I imagine walking down the street, this is how it feels to me — we will experience a deep love and empathy for each person we encounter and the world around us. We will share and we will appreciate. We’ll realize we are always looking at parts of God when we look out in the world. God is love, truth, joy, equality, acceptance, gratitude, innocence, and blessing so our hearts will merge with all we see and meet. We’ll see there is no separation between our mental, emotional and spiritual selves [with a little practice we can feel each other's mental and emotional energy]. Of course, we’ll see our individual physical bodies but we will not confuse this with real separation. We’ll see this for what it is: diversity in Oneness expressing and opportunity for physical connection from something as simple as a hug or kiss to something as elegant as making love. Cynical attitudes and judgments will be discarded. Prejudice based on race, culture, gender, faith tradition and sexual orientation will be impossible because no part of God can “have it wrong.” Outdated attitudes and orientations will be left behind like a chrysalis as we move into butterfly states.

We’ll see our daily life and living as an invitation to be in relationship with each other we encounter. Our primary concern will be how we nurture, love, and support the other. Of course, we’ll notice how others treat us and we’ll put energy into creating functional and loving relationships when they are dysfunctional but our primary concern will be with our own thoughts, words and actions. Are we coming from integrity? Are we being loving? Are we helping in ways we can?

Partnership relationships will have special place. Creatively loving the partner will be something delicious. Checking in with the other, offering assistance, sharing a complement, and planning the unusual will be staples in our daily relationship. Creating deep relationships with fantastic intimacy and real freedom will be the norm. We will become conscious of Self rather than Self conscious. Sexual expression will be unbounded. Deep love, imagination and creativity will create sparks…melting bodies together. Gone will be the stale, tired, worn-out sexual patterns that are commonplace today.

Everything will change. Our cultural story will come alive with new power and purpose. We will understand the invitation in life is to love and nurture each person in our life and all the life we come in contact with. We will enjoy creative new possibilities…manifesting health, loving relationships and abundance in all its various forms. Passion will come back into education, deep connection will accompany our interaction with the outdoors and environment, integrity and collective well-being will come back into politics, and so much more! We will see new possibilities and dream new dreams!

We in Humanity’s Team are creating this world today. Many of us will live to see it and feel it because we have collectively called forth this shift. The world is changing little by little, day by day. We will reach a “tipping point” within a generation. If this feels unrealistic and outrageous, please carefully consider the reality we know to be true. We are all part of God today. We have inherited God’s deep love, God’s creativity, God’s imagination and God’s eternal nature. The question is not, “how can we create this new world in a generation?” The world is as it is but most are asleep. The question is, “why are we living as though we are merely physical bodies limited in most ways when we know this is not true?” How long can the game go on? It must end and it will end — in our lifetime!

THANKS for being part of this fantastic journey – awakening humanity to Who We Really Are!!

All my love,
Steve Farrell, Worldwide Coordinating Director, Humanity’s Team

Written after a conversation with my friend, M in the back seat of her new car, spilling crumbs of a muffin, discussing Martin Buber and the I-Thou experience.

On a ceiling
in Florence
fingertip
reaches for fingertip
to unclothe
the Divine Encounter.

Upon contact
faces evolve
and unwittingly
drop
their identities.

Hands cease
wringing
and meet sweet
Palm to Palm ~
a mirror
gesture.

In an unmarked
passageway, Time
dissolves in the Disappearance
of the Self.

And in an instant
a whisper in the Soul
bursts the notion of
“I” and “alone.”

Absolute awe
washes the mind
and at once
understands
that just as White
frothing Waves
cannot separate from the Sea
neither can the Soul
uncouple itself from God.

Our interlocked hands
though many ~
extend for the contact.
And reveal and translate
the Divine Encounter:
We are One.

nannette kennedy

The early morning’s embrace is cool and comforting. Both my house and neighborhood are still quiet and sets the tone for my excursion into the garden. Silently, I gather my babies still standing straight in their plastic flat, a few garden tools and take them to my raised garden box…a humble alter where my good intentions and Mother Nature meet. As I kneel before the black space of possibilities, my focus shifts.
What appears to be an empty space is actually teaming with activity. I am momentarily absorbed in the activity of ants, spiders and worms. All seem to be scurrying about with ideas and intentions of their own. I admire their energy and tenacity.

I find my focus shifts more frequently than it used to a year ago. I remember having to actually use a force of will to take a moment and smell the roses so to speak. Now, I can be in the middle of a task and suddenly my focus shifts. I am then presented with a deeper meaning to whatever I would have formerly considered a meaningless activity. There is now a deeper meaning or connectedness to whatever I do. I attribute this to a near death experience I had last year. Since then, I see a connection among all things where before I saw none. Because of this, I believe I approach things with a mindfulness that I previously did not give myself permission to do. From somewhere a thought surfaces; I know that this year’s garden will be quite different.

My focus shifts again. I think about the soil as I move it and shape it. How long has it been here? Over the ages, what other plants and animals has it been a part of? Will it end up staying here or becoming a part of my tomato plant? Will it become part of me? I have never before considered the paths of existence a speck of dirt might have. With a look of bemusement that no one else sees, I gather my babies.

With a tender touch, I gently release each plant from confinement. In my hands, I hold each plant for a moment and close my eyes. I envision a healthy plant growing to its fullest expression. As I sit there in that moment of expectation, I feel the Reiki start to flow. In the ten years I have been practicing Reiki, I have never used it while planting. It seems silly that I had not thought of this before now. In fact, in the past, the garden was a chore. Turn the dirt, plant the plants, water the whole mess, move on to the next task. My, how things have changed.

I don’t know what to call it, but the moment when I am sitting in a quiet garden with a living thing in my energetic hands has both reverence and mystery. In my mind, it is where religion and magic intertwine. It is where a good intention begins its manifestation into reality. The symbols and colors I see behind closed eyes tells me something dynamic is going on here. Some say that we make our own reality. In my own little plot of reality, I pray that through divine alchemy my babies grow big, hearty and wholesome. The planting begins. Since no one is near to think ill of my behavior, I talk to each of my babies as I surround them with energy and soil and encourage them to grow.

Afterwards, I am sitting at the end of my garden and I reflect upon how it looks. The green, yellow and orange stand in brilliant contrast to the midnight soil. I think it is beautiful. As I gaze upon the garden a thought enters my consciousness…a garden is a reflection of love. A garden is the result of the light of your love shown through the prism of Mother Nature. You give of your time, energy, and hope and what comes back to you is magnified, manifold and colorful. Your garden reflects pure love without any of the human dissonance. Your love isn’t questioned. It’s sincerity is not challenged. It’s motives are not in doubt. Love spent in the garden actually comes back to you as more love. We could learn a lot from plants.

So, here is my advice. Skip the near death experience, plant a small garden and visit it daily. Give yourself permission to experience a connection where previously you thought there was none. Soon, you too will see that all things are intertwined and that a moment in the garden may be the most important part of your day. You may take away more from it than a bunch of vegetables.

Here I am with you now.
Our Days Pass, and I look with fervored anticipation to the harbringer of the next moment..
Heart panginand twittering away.

Your vivrant beauty
Eclispses this mortal shame
The kind nature
Has resotred and nourished me, your gentle temperment
Our destination?
As the dream leads
Present, Immediate, I hold unionized to you as I have always been and prepare for the interludes between.
Present, Immediate I hold unionized to you whatever you may do and wherever we shall transcend

Albert Einstein meets Rabindranath Tagore (14 July 1930)

This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

- Albert Einstein

Archbishop Tutu Signs Humanity's Team Oneness Petition

Desmond Tutu to Receive Spiritual Leadership Award

PRETORIA, South Africa, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ — South African Desmond Tutu will receive an international award recognizing his “vision, understanding and building of bridges,” a global spiritual group said.

The Nobel Peace laureate and retired Anglican archbishop of Cape Town will receive the Spiritual Leadership Award from Humanity’s Team, a global movement “awakening the world to oneness,” the group said.

Tutu — who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid and brought reconciliation to South Africa’s people a decade later — will receive Humanity’s Team’s highest honor April 18 at the movement’s 2009 global Oneness Summit in Pretoria, South Africa, said the group, based in Boulder, Colorado.

The summit will focus on oneness, especially as expressed in the southern African ethic of “ubuntu,” which means, “I am what I am because of who we all are.”

“Archbishop Tutu has dedicated his life to solving some of the world’s most insurmountable challenges with vision, understanding and building of bridges,” Humanity’s Team Worldwide Coordinating Director Steve Farrell said.

“He embodies many of humanity’s greatest visions of spiritual courage — of ubuntu — and is now an icon of hope far beyond South Africa,” Farrell said. “We consider it a great privilege to give this award to this spiritual leader and we are extremely honored he has agreed to accept it.”

Tutu, 77, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, said he was “deeply grateful” to receive the Humanity’s Team honor, which has become the standard among global awards for extraordinary expressions of inclusive visionary spiritual leadership through one’s life lived.

In support of the movement’s oneness vision, he signed a Humanity’s Team petition asking the United Nations to declare an annual global Oneness Day.

“We must recognize our common humanity — that we are all one, that our destinies are bound up in another’s, that I need you for me to be me and that we complement each other as essential parts of a greater whole,” Tutu said.

“If we could but recognize this fundamental law of our being, then we would create a glorious world in which all of us live harmoniously together as members of one human family, God’s family,” Tutu said, echoing a statement from his “God Has a Dream.”

“Life would truly be ‘on Earth as it is in heaven,’” he said. “God’s dream would become a reality.”

To learn more about the award, the petition and the Oneness Summit, visit http://www.humanitysteam.org.

United Press International has published press release.  Go to: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/02/10/Tutu_signs_appeal_seeking_UN_Oneness_Day/UPI-58711234284241/

PHOTOS:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu signs a Humanity’s Team petition at his office in Cape Town, South Africa, asking the United Nations to declare an annual global Oneness Day. – http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2009-Tutu-Photo1.jpg

Anna-Mari Pieterse, Humanity’s Team South Africa coordinator, Oneness Summit principal organizer and Oneness Day Petition coordinator, presents a copy of the Oneness Declaration to Archbishop Desmond Tutu at his office in Cape Town, South Africa. Humanity’s Team plans to present the declaration and a petition with at least 50,000 signatures to the United Nations urging the world body to declare an annual global Oneness Day. – http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2009-Tutu-Photo2.jpg

PRESS CONTACT:

Gerry Harrington
Humanity’s Team
+1 845 331 7168
mobile: +1 845 389-9201
gerry.harrington@humanitysteam.org

or

Anna-Mari Pieterse
Humanity’s Team
(012) 348-5621
mobile: (083) 445-0412
amari@humanitysteamsa.org

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

Make Sure You Stop to Notice the Blessings All Around You! Original Photo @2006 by Amethyst Wyldfyre

Blessings like butterflies come to us and often catch us unawares. How many times have we heard the words “Count your blessings!”? When we take the time to become consciously aware, to slow down, to breathe, we are able to make the space in our lives to truly acknowledge all the many ways that we have been blessed. As we count our blessings we automatically create an energetic link to Spirit which activates an infinite feedback loop that garners us greater and greater blessings to count.

The Universe is filled with raw un-manifest energy, where our attention flows that is where the energy goes. This concept called Ma Te Ah in Hawaiian is a wonderful idea to hold in our consciousness. When we think about our blessings we create an incredibly powerful force field or strange attractor as it’s known in physics that begins to both spin and magnetize more of the same to us.

Along with counting our blessings we also have the opportunity to take a moment to express our gratitude to the Universe for each and every one of them. Gratitude is the currency of the Universe and of course currency is gratitude in action. When we draw upon these powerful forces of good, naturally more good will manifest in our lives, in many forms, including financially.

As we garner greater and greater good it becomes vitally important to maintain the flow of acknowledgment for our blessings and gratitude for what we have received. It is wise to have awareness that what we have to work with is to be used and stewarded wisely for the greatest good of all concerned and not squandered haphazardly to satisfy the whims of the ego. Humility and an understanding that we have the capacity to harness these forces through the grace of Spirit is important to cultivate as is a state of balance in how we manage our resources.

Take some quiet time in your own sacred space today and let us begin to count the many blessings that we possess. Perhaps you will start your list with the physical: Are you healthy? Do you have a warm snug home? Are you well fed and clothed?  When you have exhausted all that you are blessed with in a physical way then move on to your emotional world: Are you loved? Are you surrounded by a supportive group of friends? Are you involved and connected with your family? Is your neighborhood or community a breeding ground for goodness? Moving on from there take a mental inventory: Are you well educated? Do you have access to books, literature, theatre, art, culture, and music? Are your colleagues mentally stimulating? Does your work enrich and excite your mind? Finally let’s look at the Spiritual: Do you have freedom to worship as you choose? Are you intimately connected with your inner world? Does Spirit speak to or through you? Are you free to share what you believe with others?

During the holiday season our many blessings become more obvious as we create outward displays of our celebration of the season and exchange gifts and spend time with our family and friends. It’s vitally important to remember that this time is a time for celebrating and sharing with others and that material goods are meant to be a small symbol of the deeper underlying energy of our feelings for each other.  Now that the season has passed and the focus has shifted we sometimes need to be reminded that these blessings are still here with us!

Blessings come in many shapes and sizes, sometimes those that appear to be the smallest in the end turn out to be the most valuable. The blessing of an open heart, a compassionate ear, the hug of a small child, a sunshiny day, a beautiful flower, a delicious ripe tomato, the mundane, everyday tasks that make up a life like fresh sheets on the bed, hot tea on a cold afternoon – everywhere you look there’s another blessing. By truly choosing to pay attention, to attend to that with which you are blessed you will discover a whole host of blessings surrounding you each and every moment. So the next time you feel down, sad, angry, lost, hurt, or fearful take a moment, take a breath, count five things right in front of you that are blessings and watch yourself become lighter and clearer before you know it! Thank you for blessing me with your attention today. The light within me recognizes the light within you and we are one – and blessed!

Amethyst Wyldfyre is a multidimensional shaman, healer, artist, author, blogger, performer, speaker and psychic who lives and works in the Merrimack Valley of NH.  She can be reached through her website or blog for more information.  She can also be followed on Twitter at @AWyldfyre.  (This article was originally published online by Aspire Magazine Dec./Jan. 2008)