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CSLPV
c/o #403-2125 Burtch Rd, Kelowna, BC V1Y8N1
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Welcome to Your Dream Home - November 27, 2022
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The keys to the home of your dreams are in your heart and mind. Find out how to unlock the possibility and joy of being at home wherever you go.
Call to Action: The home we long for is the place where we can be our full, true, authentic selves. It’s a place of unconditional love and acceptance, where forgiveness is unnecessary because there is no harm, blame or shame. It’s comfortable and familiar—a place of sanctuary where we can rest, rejuvenate and re-create. We long for the place where we belong wholly (holy) and completely. In her book, Braving the Wilderness, the Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, Brené Brown says, “Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” The home we long for already exists. It’s not outside of us. No one else can create it for us. Our true home exists within. It’s up to each of us to find the keys within ourselves. We may point out the way for others, but they also must find it for themselves. In the words of Brené Brown, “Once we belong thoroughly to ourselves and believe thoroughly in ourselves, true belonging is ours.” The power is ours to return to the place we long for...whenever we choose. Claim the Keys to Your Dream Home! I think that when you invite people to your home, you invite them to yourself. ~Oprah Winfrey Affirmation: I’m at home wherever I go. |
H.O.M.E. Healing Opportunities Manifest Everywhere - November 20,2022
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Call to Action:
Not everyone looks forward to going home for the holidays. Sometimes “home” is the place that breaks us, leaving lifelong wounds that can be difficult to heal. H.O.M.E. may be the place where Healing Opportunities Manifest Everywhere. This week we discuss the “initiation phase” of the Hero’s Journey and how to withstand and navigate the trials and tribulations that are necessary for learning and growth. Carl Jung coined the term Wounded Healer to describe the archetype of those who transcend hardship and suffering and use their wisdom and understanding to help facilitate the healing of others. The hardship or “wound” can be anything from an actual physical injury or illness to the loss of one’s earthly possessions. You may recognize some famous Wounded Healers such as Christopher Reeve, Oprah Winfrey and Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban terrorists in Pakistan for her campaign for the education of girls.. Wounded Healers also come in the guise of the social worker whose brother died of an overdose, the AA sponsor, the asthmatic child who became a nurse, or the domestic violence survivor who raises money for the shelter or runs support groups. All of these people have transformed their pain and suffering into an agent of compassion and healing. While the circumstances leading to our wounds may be unique, the experience of pain is universal. No one escapes life’s challenges. How we choose to handle those challenges defines who we are and determines the trajectory of our lives. It is through our personal wounds that we gain access to the inner strength that empowers, heals and ultimately blesses. Knowing this allows us to give thanks in all circumstances I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become. ~Carl Jung Affirmation: I am grateful for ALL of my journey. |
Roots and Wings - November 13, 2022
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Call to Action:
“There are only two lasting bequests that we can hope to give our children—roots and wings.” This week we explore the relationship between freedom and safety and how childhood conditioning sets us up for what Einstein called “the most important decision we make.” Consider what the word “home” means for you in the ideal sense. Think about how at-home you feel in your day-to-day life. Is your home a place where you feel safe and fully self-expressed? Why or why not? If it’s not, what could you do to create a space that feels more emotionally and/or physically safe? Consider the role of boundaries or lack thereof in your situation. Perhaps there is a need for more or clearer boundaries. Maybe there are too many boundaries, or they are too rigid. Vision on what a happy, healthy home means for you and any others with whom you may live. Take time to establish a mental equivalent of that healthy, happy home, affirm it and claim it as yours. Love begins at home. ~Mother Theresa Affirmation: Our home brings out the best in me and others. |
There's No Place Like Home - November 6, 2022
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Call to Action:
Consider your life in the context of The Hero’s Journey. In what phase do you see yourself? Are you still in your comfort zone, afraid to venture out, while feeling that push or pull to do and be more? Are you experiencing trials and tribulations? Perhaps you have been intentional about your spiritual journey and feel confident that you have already “slain your dragon.” Are you living your divine purpose? How are you showing up as an ally or mentor for others on their journey? As you explore this inquiry, think about your possible next steps and what might help guide you to the next level of your personal growth and evolution. You are the hero of your own story ~ Joseph Campbell Affirmation: I am the hero of my journey. |
Take A Slice of My Pie - October 30, 2022
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Call to Action:
As we become aware and bring Everyday Wonder to the flow of money in our lives, we see how we enact the nature of the Universe. Everything is in the process of giving, retaining, and releasing. If we’re experiencing flow difficulties, it might be time to call in a consciousness plumber (that would be a Spiritual Mind Practitioner) to clear out the stuckness. Are you open to receiving and creating a greater opening? Do you care enough about yourself that you realize you deserve to keep some of that flow? And do you trust that Infinite Flow enough to release it gratefully and joyfully? To rephrase an old saying – God loves a cheerful giver, receiver, and retainer. All of these are aspects of the one process of Divine Flow of Life energy. Money is a divine idea that supports and embodies that flow. As we become at peace with the Truth of money, our finances reflect that peace. The naturally abundant nature of the Divine shows up everywhere in our lives and we live in joyful participation of the Divine Flow. This week, bring Everyday Wonder to the three aspects of Flow in your life. In order to be abundant, we have to be close to money. Often our relationship to money follows a push-pull, love-hate pattern similar to our other relationships. ~ Stuart Wilde, The Little Money Bible, p. 21 Affirmation: I trust and live in the Infinite Flow of Abundant Good. |
Money, So They Say - October 23, 2022
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Call to Action:
Money is a form of Divine energy. We don’t need to feel ashamed about our interaction with it, nor do we have to “dumb-down” or fake that we’re rich to create a healthy relationship with money. We need to let go of the old stories about the poverty of great spiritual teachers so that we are “good” if we are poor. We have to let go of clinging to debts and losses, attaching our identity to our money. We must recognize that we live within a constant flow of the Divine quality of Wealth in all its many forms. It is not “my” wealth – we just get to play with it. As we bring the mindset of Everyday Wonder – “kind attention” and curiosity – to our relationship with money, it will, like any relationship, blossom. This week, become aware of your thoughts about money as you handle it. Notice if you hear the ghosts of old myths haunting the house of your mind. Be a ghostbuster and send them packing. Replace them with friendly, supportive, expansive thoughts. The idea of the absence of Good is plainly spoken enough. The idea of where the Good must be, and is, we are not talking about as a [society]. ~ Emma Curtis Hopkins, Scientific Christian Mental Practice, p. 31 & 32 Affirmation: I free my mind to be an open conduit of Good. |
October 16, 2022 - Playing With Money
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Call to Action:
As we recognize that money is neither good nor bad, not something evil nor something to be worshipped, we align with the nature of the Universe, which is always flowing, always as plenty. We bring curiosity, Everyday Wonder to this tool of Divine expression in our lives. It is no longer a “taboo” topic. We don’t need to hide or flaunt, just BE with it. We free ourselves from the “thought cages” that have imprisoned our Divine splendour. Prosperity is not wholly a matter of capital or environment, but a condition brought about by certain ideas that have been allowed to rule in the consciousness. ~Charles Fillmore, Prosperity, p. 88 Affirmation: I open fully to Spirit’s circulation in my life as money. |
October 9, 2022 - Let It Flow
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Call to Action:
As we understand that our consciousness is cause in our life, we recognize that the only “work” we need do is to clear our consciousness of the congestion and restriction of the flow of the Divine. The abundant brilliance of the Infinite One is always shining, always expressing, always “on.” We just need to get out of Its and our own way. When we become meek, when we let go of “my way” and choose the High Way, the true nature of the infinitely abundant Universe can and does show up in our lives in ways that surprise and delight us. Abundance is natural to God;therefore, it is natural to us. Let it be! One day the sun admitted, I am just a shadow. I wish I could show you The Infinite Incandescence That has cast my brilliant image! I wish I could show you, When you are lonely or in darkness, The astonishing Light Of your own Being! ~ Hafiz Affirmation: I now let the Universal Abundance flow freely in my life. |
October 2, 2022 - Swimming in the Infinite Ocean
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Call to Action:
As we clear our old ideas of the Divine and recognize It as truly infinite, beyond our comprehension, yet expressing as us, we naturally let go of old ideas and beliefs which have kept us restricted in our expression of the One in our lives. As we recognize the vastness of Spirit and Its extravagant expression of Life, and we recognize our oneness with Its nature, we stop seeing lack and limitation as the path of “good, spiritual people.” Charles Fillmore declared that “it is a sin to be poor.” “Sin” means “missing the mark.” When we hit the mark – the bullseye – of the true nature of the Infinite, we no longer believe in old ways and old fears of Divine disapproval and reprisal. We step into the freeing awareness of an Infinite Presence of thriving, extravagance, and joy of full expression. We are That. This week, contemplate the opulence, the extravagance of the Divine, and your oneness with That Presence. “Abundance is not something we acquire; it’s something we tune into.” ~ Wayne Dyer Affirmation: I am always swimming in an Ocean of Infinite Abundance. |
September 25, 2022 - Failing Forward
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In many circumstances, failure is a given, but what a person chooses to do with the experience of failure is called resilience. Sometimes all that is needed to find success, the elusive solutions, and creative ideas is a little push at the hands and heart of wonder.
Call to Action: There is potentially more to gain from failure than there is to lose. Failing forward in your work means that you are growing, productive and willing to adapt. Beloved, go forward knowing success and failure are akin to one another. The real work is determining what’s next. Wonder allows a person to move beyond the stigma of failure into the wonder of “What if...?” No matter what, keep going and don’t give up. “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ~ Robert F. Kennedy Affirmation: I persevere with the strength of the Spirit within me. |
September 18, 2022 - Living Your Dream
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Call to Action:
Choosing a well-lived life is a risk. Choosing to live the dream held deep in the heart, mind and soul is even riskier. Still, the greatest risk of all is to die without truly living. So, why not risk, in the name of your dreams and a better way of being? 1. Be clear and honest about what you want from life. 2. Focus on the possibilities. 3. Choose to live life fully every day. May everyday wonder be the light that guides you. It is the perfect path created by only your dream and your presence in this world. Today can be the day that changes everything. The catalyst for this change is the recognition that everyday wonder is constantly and consistently available for every one of us. Go well into the light that is your life, your dream, and the work that is you! “Every person must decide whether they will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness.” [gender neutral] – Martin Luther King, Jr. Affirmation: The dream of God is awake and alive in me! |
September 11, 2022 - Creating a Life That Matters
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Call to Action:
Within the heart of humanity is a voice that is always speaking at the intersection of work and vocation. This voice speaks first to us to remind us of who we are. Next, the voice speaks for us into the world of life, work, and vocation to tell the world we are here. Finally, the generative power begins to speak life anew. As our true vocation begins to emerge, it weaves together the idea of self and the work of service to the world, as Frederick Buechner asserts when he defines vocation as ‘the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.’ Buechner’s definition starts with the inward idea of self and moves outward toward the world's needs. It wisely begins not with what the world needs (which is everything), but with the nature of the human self and the joy and meaning that reside within. This is the beloved work of everyday wonder that points us toward our soul’s journey, profession, and charge that pours out of us into the world, embodied as a life that matters. “Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess...” ~ Thomas Merton Affirmation: The work of my soul is creating a life that matters |
September 4, 2022 - Good Work
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Call to Action:
With the light of wonder before you as a guide, explore what your work is in this world. Doing good work paves the way to the achievement of every kind. I invite you to allow the mystery and the magic of everyday wonder to reveal itself in your work. May the revelation of everyday wonder allow you to surrender the box, the pattern and rules of life that have you bound and anchored. Wonder is the cost of admission to a more authentic way of being, belonging, and behaving in the workplace by empowering us to connect the dots of meaning, sharing and relationship. More important, is the imaginative space the words, “I wonder . . ." reveal for professionals in all walks of life to wonder for themselves. May your work be supported by the everyday wonder of work. “At its best, wondering combines doubting and dreaming in a powerful partnership to test value.” ~ Rachel Carson Affirmation: The doing of good work in the world is a wonder to behold. |
August 28, 2022 - Naturally Divine
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Call to Action:
Consider reading Ernest Holmes’ Declaration of Principles, also known as “What We Believe,” from the first issue of Science of Mind Magazine, published in 1927. “What We Believe” has been included in every issue of the magazine for the past 88 years. The invitation is to read the Declaration of Principles aloud, listening to each sentence and noticing what resonates as true. What do you believe to be true? Read it daily and notice how your body responds when you read the statements. If you encounter a situation where you feel sad, hurt, down, angry or disconnected, read the statements aloud. Pay attention to any energetic changes in your body or feelings. Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive. ~ Dalai Lama Affirmation: I am of the Divine Being; my true nature is Divine. |
August 21, 2022 - : The Fury, the Fuzzy, the Slimy, the Scaley and Everyone Else
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Call to Action:
The planet is awakening. We are being called upon to raise our own consciousness. If we are to make a change, we must be willing to face facts and examine them with a willingness to understand and grow. Finally, we take action where and how we feel called. There are behaviors and actions we can take that cover an entire spectrum. Animal abuse and cruelty encompass a range of behaviors from neglect to malicious killing. On one end, there is unintentional neglect that can be resolved through education. On the other end is intentional cruelty that can result when an individual has been a victim of violence or cruelty themselves. In the middle are those with a careless attitude towards animals and other humans. Perhaps we don’t do anything to intentionally hurt others, but we don’t go out of our way to help either. There are many ways to make a difference. Give love to the family pet, adopt an animal from a shelter, support animal conservation efforts, explore animal activism and veganism. Be curious, educate yourself and see how you are called to act. “One day we will know that all animals have a soul. Hopefully this knowledge does not come when it is too late.” ~ Anthony Douglas Williams Affirmation: I embrace all of Life, including the fuzzy, furry, and tiny. |
August 14, 2022 - The Water of Life
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Call to Action:
For most of us, it’s hard to fathom the idea of waking up before sunrise every morning and walking for hours to find a water source. Yet every day, around the world, there are people who do just that, standing in line to access a muddy hole in the ground that is shared with other human neighbors and their livestock. After they have filled their bottles, they carry 40 pounds of dirty water on their backs, all the way home to serve to their families. These people constantly suffer from stomach pain and diarrhea and lose their children to water-related diseases at unprecedented rates. This is the reality for 748 million people globally! That’s nearly 10 percent of everyone on this planet. The World Health Organization says that more than 3.4 million people die annually as a result of water related diseases, making it the leading cause of disease and death around the world. We’re the other 90 percent--those are born in places where we’ve never had to worry about finding water or question whether that water quality might affect our health. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, changed that sense of safety for some Americans, but not all. Many remain unaware and uninformed, continuing to support activities that pollute rivers, lakes and oceans, directly and indirectly. We waste water on indulgences, like lawns and golf courses in deserts. Meanwhile, drinking water reserves are becoming depleted, crops and animals are dying and many are reliant on bottled water or expensive water treatment systems. I invite you to change your relationship to water today. Be conscious of how you are using water. Investigate how water resources are used in your community. Think of ways to save on usage. Help bring awareness to wasteful practices, such as grass lawns in desert areas and offer sustainable alternatives, like desert-scaping. Give thanks for this precious resource and treat it with care. “When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.” ~John Muir Affirmation: I am grateful for the waters of Life that sustain me. |
August 7, 2022 - Earth Force, Report For Duty!
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Call to Action:
Why do so many of us feel separated from nature? What can we do to cultivate and nourish this relationship? We invite you to start today. Take time to notice the air inside and outside this building or your home. Take a deep breath. Notice the scents in the air and how they may change day to day. Be curious about what affects the air. Consider what you may be doing that impacts the air quality around you. Do you have trees and plants around your home, your neighborhood? What changes can you make to improve the quality of life around you? Don’t wait for Earth Day, April 2023 to do something for your community. Pick up and dispose of any trash as you walk in your neighborhood or local park. Remember that all is God, and all is Life. What we do to and for our planet and Life, we do to and for ourselves – both good or bad. Let us do that which is good, healing and wholesome for Planet Earth, all of Life, our human family, and ultimately for ourselves. "Silently repeat to yourself: I forgive myself for any ways in which I knowingly or unknowingly caused hurt or harm to any living being or creature. I forgive all." ~ Michael Beckwith Affirmation: I am One with all of Life on planet Earth. |
July 31, 2022 - The One and Only
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Call to Action:
This week’s call to action is to heed the words of Rumi and find all the places where we have built barriers to love, barriers to living more fully and wonderfully with and as our Divine Magnificent Selves. Select one item (codependency, resentment, betrayal, etc.) and begin to do the work of healing, transcending, transmuting, transforming, transmogrifying, and rising like the phoenix, ready to embrace the world with the Love and Wonder of Spirit which embraces Its own Divinity in each relationship we consciously choose to embrace and unleash this divine wonder, grace, love, and power. Reach out to a Practitioner, Minister, Therapist, Friend and begin the healing process, the recovery from an addiction to the old paradigms, behaviors, and consciousness that limited the ability to consciously connect with another and with God. “If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.” ~ Fred Rogers Affirmation: My relationships with everything demonstrates my relationship with God |
July 24, 2022 - We Are Star Stuff
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Call to Action:
This week, explore ways you can enhance and nurture your relationship with the body of God, i.e., Nature. Not everyone is a tree hugger, dog lover, or toes in the sand kind of person, and not everyone needs to be. The goal is to explore ways that work for you to expand your appreciation of and wonder of nature. Maybe that’s going to an area aquarium and learning about oceanic life and ecological balance and what you can do to support it. Maybe it's laying on your porch and stargazing while feeling the expansiveness of the cosmos and realizing those lights you see are of suns that burned out billions of years ago and yet their lights still shine brightly each night! Remembering that All Matter Matters, how can you honor and celebrate the Divine in all parts of and as all parts of Nature? “We are part of this universe; we are in this universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts, is that the universe is in us.” ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson, American astrophysicist Affirmation: Where I am God is, where I go God is! |
July 17, 2022 - You An Me Create Society
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Call to Action:
This week as you interact with the world, pause periodically and look at the societal norms you and those around you have agreed to follow through the lens of “a world that works for all.” As you notice things in your surroundings that are not demonstrating this vision, ask yourself, “what can I do to be an ambassador of this society that works?” And once you have your answer, do it! It might be volunteering at school, helping neighbor with yard work, speaking before parliament about Transgender rights, sending money or going to help Haiti with their water infrastructure, etc. And it is always an invitation to Treat but this week do so within a group and create and build the momentum of wonder as a new societal norm where you Treat and collectively move your feet. “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” ~ Buckminster Fuller Affirmation: I am a powerful catalyst of love within society. |
July 10, 2022 - You And I Are We
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Call to Action:
A world that works for all requires a level of consciousness that has never existed before because the world that we live in now has never before existed as it does now. Never before have so many people on the planet had the news, mass information, and an abundance of social connections readily available on the minicomputers (smart phones) that are carried around daily. This over-saturation of media has never been before and if we are to manifest a new world that works, then we must evolve into a new consciousness; a consciousness that calls us into deeper levels of connection in person and via technology. In a world where the pandemic pushed us farther apart physically, we came together digitally in creative and powerful ways. Today we are called to connect with others in new and powerful ways. Communicate, collaborate, cooperate with others in wonderful and meaningful ways that nurture, empower, recognize, and engage ourselves with one another because of the unconditional, immutable, irrefutable, and irresistible Power of Love! “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” ~ John Donne, “No man is an island” – A selection from the prose Affirmation: I celebrate the We, which is intimately One with Itself |
July 3, 2022 - Me Myself and I
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Call to Action:
This week, with wonder in your heart, explore yourself. Get to know you as if you were going out on a date with you. Become your own best friend in the process. And begin to fall in love with you. Maybe this occurs by treating yourself to a special dinner, a day trip where you get to enjoy your own company, or a unique gift you give yourself as a way of saying Thank you to YOU. Whatever way you choose, honor and celebrate you. And let’s be honest, this will be challenging for some of us. This is where we are invited to ask a trusted friend, minister, practitioner, therapist, or life coach to guide us on the path of rediscovering just how spiritually magnificent we are and how that magnificence is evident in our lives that may seem and feel mundane and anything but wonder-filled. Self-Care is also asking for support. “It’s all about falling in love with yourself and sharing that love with someone who appreciates you, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self-love deficit.” ~ Eartha Kitt Affirmation: The Universe loving Itself is expressed as my Self-Love |
June 26, 2022 - The One Body
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Call to Action:
Our bodies are Individualized Expressions of the Body of God. We are accustomed to dismissing them and somehow thinking we should transcend the physical, but by leaning deeply into the physical, we can have a deep experience of communion with the Divine. Our bodies are divine instruments, created so that we can experience this life, and can be used to enhance that experience and serve as a connecting point between the physical reality in which we live and the spiritual reality of who we are. These are not opposites, simply two aspects of the same whole. By listening to our bodies, we listen to the Divine’s instruction and guidance for our lives. This week, take time to really notice what your body is telling you, and follow its advice. What shifts, insights, or ah-has might you have if you use this magnificent tool? “When we liberate ourselves from the expectation that we must have all things figured out, we enter a sanctuary of empathy.” ― Sonya Renee Taylor, The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love Affirmation: I listen to my body, knowing it is speaking as God |
June 19, 2022 - The Body Remembers
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Call to Action:
Our bodies, quite literally, keep the score of every thought, mental attitude, and trauma they experience. Whether we try to push these pains away mentally or not, they are stored in our body and must, eventually, be addressed in order to live free and authentic lives. It can be hard to start feeling them, especially for those of us with many unhealed traumas or who are unaccustomed to going there at all. A gentle way to begin is just by noticing whatever sensation the body is having, and patiently and curiously considering whatever comes up. This process, while personal to each of us, can also be used to address and begin to correct the systems of oppression that have traumatized countless bodies and hearts for the last several centuries. This week, push through your personal discomfort as you get to know your own body and the discomfort that may come with hearing and learning about the experiences of people who have been affected by social structures. If you’re in the United States, read up about Juneteenth or find a local Juneteenth service to participate in. If you’re outside the United States, reflect on the collective trauma held by people in your particular country, as well as (Aboriginal or First Nations persons, African descendants, etc) and be willing to really hear their voices as we work together for collective liberation. "Mindfulness not only makes it possible to survey our internal landscape with compassion and curiosity but can also actively steer us in the right direction for self-care.” - Bessel van Der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score Affirmation: I feel and honor every sensation in my body. |
June 12, 2022 - Loving This Body
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Call to Action:
How amazing could it be to dive into the wonder that your body is, to truly accept and love and sit in awe of everything your body is capable of. Instead of using the power of our mind to tell the body it is somehow wrong, or to reject it as “outside” of what is spiritual, we must learn to embrace our bodies for giving us the opportunity to live in a physical world in a wholly spiritual way. God is as much in the body as It is in the heart, and by honoring and loving our bodies we have a richer experience of the Divine. Instead of using our powerful minds to tell our bodies that they are somehow wrong, we can use them to love the body we are in. This week, notice the thoughts you have about your body. Is this a friendly relationship? Are these loving things to tell yourself? Would you speak this way to another or directly to God? “Concepts like self-acceptance and body neutrality are not without value. When you have spent your entire life at war with your body, these models offer a truce. But you can have more than a cease-fire. You can have radical self-love because you are already radical self-love.” ― Sonya Renee Taylor, The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love Affirmation: I delight in the wonder of my body and treat it kindly. |
June 5, 2022 - Welcome to the Temple
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Call to Action:
This is a lot of information, and we’ll unpack it in the coming weeks. This week, sit with these two ideas: your body is perfect exactly how it is, and your body is a Divine tool that is absolutely vibrating with the flow of Source. How might you move about your life differently if you absolutely knew these to be true? How can you work toward becoming friends with your body, and listening to its voice? This month, we will work with different ways to relate to our body. Ultimately, body awareness is a practice of being very present in this moment, not about judging it as good or bad, thinking about the past, or worrying about the future. Become aware of your body through the week. Every day, select a part of your body to simply notice through the day. For example: How do yourfeet feel when you stand on them? What sensation can you perceive at your navel? Pay close attention to your left earlobe. What comes up? What thoughts do you have about your body, and what awareness does it give you? You will have more opportunities to explore through this month. My temple is my body My world around me my altar My words are spells Every thought an intention My actions rituals To manifest all that will be I am SACRED I am DIVINE -Ara Affirmation: My body is the house of the Divine on Earth. |
May 29, 2022 - Low Tide or High Tide?
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Call to Action:
Sadness is a common and natural emotion that we all experience. The global health pandemic that claimed the lives of thousands of people, accompanied by other extreme social situations is reason for sadness. The devastation caused to Mother Earth and the environment is reason for sadness. Situations in our own personal lives are fraught with reasons for sadness. We can take all these things into account and apply the love quotient as a soothing and healing balm. We can become more aware of the variations of sadness and how they operate and ride the waves of sadness knowing that they will eventually pass. We can allow ourselves to feel the feelings that accompany sadness so that we can process through them, but not give up on living life. We can allow the lessons that we learn from experiencing sadness to make our behaviors more productive for ourselves and others for healthier living. We can embrace greater compassion given the personal and global situations of the world. There is much that we can do as we navigate the space of sadness and allow it to turn to gladness as we move through it with love. “The way through the sadness and grief that comes from great loss is to use it as motivation and generate a deeper sense of purpose.” Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, The Book of Joy Affirmation: My sadness is transformed to gladness through love. |
May 22, 2022 - Looking Anger in the Eye
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Call to Action:
Anger can cause us to heat up, lose our temper and control. Anger, agitation, frustration, humiliation, or confrontation is not a place from which we can think rationally, negotiate compromise, or find amicable resolution. Anger causes us to be reactive rather than proactive, we can have a tendency to respond defensively, be extra sensitive, and take things more personally than usual. Anger can also provide an opportunity to examine what is really going on within that is causing this type of reaction. It can be a place of self-reflection and accountability, as well as open the door for greater compassion, empathy, and even apology if warranted. There could be hidden gems and treasures within, awaiting discovery through the emotion of anger. By using personal, spiritual, and mental tools to help calm down, in addition to the other analogies and techniques shared, such as turning the muddy waters clear, sending the anger waves to crash out at sea, and finding peace in the eye of the storm in the midst of chaos, we can calm the waters and find solace. Calming anger takes focus and willingness to shift in a different and more productive direction. “Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.” Benjamin Franklin Affirmation: At the center of anger is peace and calm. |
May 15, 2022 - If You're Happy and You Know It
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Call to Action:
Happiness is driven by a state of mind, consciousness, and awareness. If we live life from a place of enthusiasm, joyous expectancy, and positivity then it lifts our spirits and creates a pleasant aura about us. Life then feels less like drudgery, regardless of how bad things may be in our circumstances or in the world. We can learn to flip the story by shifting our perspective to see things more as an opportunity for learning and growth rather than focusing on the negative side of the picture. The more practiced we become at viewing life from this perspective, the more quickly we can learn to expect the unexpected, look for miracles at every turn, and have a brighter outlook on life. As we look less to others to bring us fulfillment and happiness and more to ourselves and the treasures within, we are more apt to realize that happiness DOES begin within me as the individual and we seize more control over our own destiny. We can then catch ourselves feeling happy, humming, singing, and whistling while we work, play, and pray because we have more pep in our step and more excitement about living and being alive. “If we are not in contact with pain, we cannot know what real happiness is.” Thich Nhat Hahn, Anger Affirmation: I’m happy to be alive living a joyful life. |
May 8, 2022 - The Fear Factor
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Call to Action:
Awareness is the key to conquering our fears, whether they are on the surface or buried deep within. If we allow ourselves to explore our fears openly and honestly, we can get to the root cause and lay the groundwork for healing. Vulnerability is an important aspect of moving through our fears so that we can peel back the layers and see what’s really going on underneath them. If we are willing to stretch and grow, the universe will support our actions with increased capacity to reflect, accept, and release. When we realize that fear begets more fear, then we can act more consciously from this awareness. We can examine our response to The Fear Factor to see how it drives our behaviors and ways of showing up. We can call forth our faith, along with our fears, and jump off the cliff of faith to move forward in life despite our fears. As we “feel the fear and do it anyway”, we exercise courage, faith, and trust. As we pursue healing and the manifestation of our intentions, we seek freedom from fear as we turn our attention to faith. “Failure is a feeling long before it becomes an actual result. It’s vulnerability that breeds with self-doubt and then is escalated, often deliberately, by fear.” Michelle Obama, Becoming Affirmation: I face my fears through courage, strength, and faith. |
May 1, 2022 - What Is On Your Spice Rack?
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Call to Action:
Like anything in life, practice makes perfect in maintaining emotional health and balance in our lives. Staying aware of our thoughts, moods, and disposition is a healthy practice. Creating balance in our activities helps our emotional center stay balanced. Exercise, rest, a healthy diet, positive engagement with others, deep self-care, spiritual practice, healthy stimulation, and activity all serve to support balance and harmony. If our mixture is too spicy or dull can be key indicators of areas that require extra attention or focus. These can be learning opportunities for calibration and healing. By paying attention to signs and signals of what may be seeking our attention based on our emotional response, we can take timely action where needed. Take a look at what’s happening around us in our lives or in the world, which may provide clues for exploration. Staying healthy in any area of our lives requires effort, including in our emotional response center. Being human is a dynamic process and requires ongoing attention. Keeping our emotion center healthy takes awareness, and often courage, compassion, strength, and faith. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou Affirmation: I am blessed and grateful for my emotions and feelings. |