Peace Within

“If you avoid conflict to keep the peace, you start a war inside yourself.”   Unknown

Wow. Wow.  I am liking this one a lot.  Brava.  Bravo.  Yes.   

I never much liked conflict.  I still do not find it relaxing as I find myself holding on to this same belief.  

I am starting to look at it differently.  Conflict may appear/show up as to open doors to kindness, openness, vulnerability and to create for ourselves a better understanding of living and/of each other.

Every time I was forced to face conflict, (it very often had to come to a 'force' pushing me to it to make me go 'there') it almost always came out with a solution to a better way.  Most of us want to support each other and feel connected and cared for.  Most of us care.  I was often the 'go-between', the 'peacekeeper', the 'spiritual wayfinder' that would lead the person(s) and situation(s) through the conflict that had arisen and/or was present.

It was never fun in the beginning.  And when I found myself in the center of it open to delve deep and for everyone to be heard, there were always willing participants and caring people that were open to find a solution.  Now, that to me, is one of life's greatest blessings; greatest joys.  To create peace where there is adversity or misunderstanding through miscommunication or lack thereof.  It is a wide open door if we let it be.  To feel heard and to know we matter instead of turning off, running from, be uneasy or letting anger fly free.  

When I don't say something that is important to me at the same time my truth and my feelings arise, I am allowing conflict within myself.  I am hiding.  I am making what matters to me unimportant.  I am, perhaps, making myself small.  When I speak up, out and from the truth of what arises for me, I am showing courage and love.  I am showing trust and vulnerability.  I am putting it 'on the table' so to speak so others may do the same.  No matter.  This is what I choose because I am giving myself the freedom to Be Me.  This is a freedom to create and live in my own peace.  This is a vulnerability that allows change for me; for others; for the situation.  And I like this possibility a lot.  When it works [and it usually does], I love the outcome.  It is a big deal.  It is the world I want to live in.  

May you give yourself the freedom to Be U. 

If this is the world I want to live in, I must be willing to live it through myself first, perhaps.

May you be aware if you feel conflict, do you keep it to yourself and, maybe, create war within or do you address it with love and openness to process, dissolve or alter it into a better way.

Conflict means a disharmony of action, feeling, or effect.  When we speak into the conflict with everything that brings it about for us, it is the only possible chance of resolving or changing it so the feeling of it will not fester and grow.  

It always eventually shows up to be addressed in different, louder, more serious and more harsh forms.  

Jump towards conflict to walk through it with the best of intention and to know what the reality of it is and, maybe, even where it comes from.  

May we all care with open, loving hearts and minds.  Oh the beauty that lives within this place of openness and love.

May you know it. breathe it, live it, be it.

Peace not War.  Oh the things we can accomplish and empower through this way of living.  Praying for good for all.  Harmony and homeostasis/equanimity for all.  

Crazy Hazy Daze

These days are interesting.  'Interesting' is one word for them...  My experiences of chaotic-ness, survivors, wisdom seeking, laughter, upset and 'IDKs' are abundant and (what feels like) blasting me.

The fire alarm system is being tested in the high rise I currently live in.  The alarms and warnings are going off.  I'm uncertain if the elevator can be used as it says not to use it when the door opens.  The Management Office does not answer the phone.  When I called Security, the person did not know the answer.  I went for it as I had a contractor waiting for me 21 floors down.  Did I mention that I have a 'thing' with elevators for a long time now.  It is called 'fear'.  [Underlying as it is, it has stayed with me.] And, It all worked out.

I felt like I had many choices of response.  I stood without a response for a moment or two and then I just laughed.  I heard myself saying that God is showing me how strong I am.

Perhaps, that is what is happening for You.  You are being shown how strong You are.  Even when we don't feel it, to admit it is strength.

Every person I talk to has 'interesting' things going on in and around their lives.  Many are in 'survival mode'.  There are some that are in 'thrive mode'.  There are some that are in 'sit back and do nothing mode'.  There are some that are in 'get angry and let the tension go' mode.  Some are in 'push forward mode'.  Most of us probably alter through them as this is what being human really is.  #realtalk

How You feel matters.  There are real reasons for feeling what is coming up.  For me, it helps to investigate the feeling.  See it from outside of myself.  Sometimes, a clear answer shows itself.  Sometimes, there is a lot of haze between what I am feeling and the answer.

Honor where You are.  Honor what You are feeling.  Honor You.

What is your very best way of doing this?  What does the reality under (or is it above) the feeling show/tell You?  Are you feeling your best way through?  Is love present?  Can you reach love?  We can choose to feel what we need to and, yet, feel our best in the situation.  Give and feel a kindness to ourselves that opens up trust in ourselves.  A trust in the process.  

May you always support You.  

Breathe deep.  Relax into your body.  Open to your truth.  Process what is present from the most loving part of yourself that is available to You.  

Perhaps, this is how we can be as cool as possible in the heat of a moment.

I wish you your cool as possible in the heat of the moment.

Amazing is what is happening in our world just now.  There are many other words to describe what is happening.  And, there has never been a more amazing time as every one and every thing is touched as One.  

You are here now because who You are and what You know and how you share You matters.

Matter on beautiful one.  Matter on.

Possibilities are Endless

With the world [yours, mine and ours] in the state of what can feel like chaos, an avalanche of change, so many new ways of doing things and a plentitude of new words, acronyms and meanings, our possibilities (at this moment and time) are, possibly, more endless than ever before. 

Now is the time to open to fulfillment from inside of ourselves; now and going forward forevermore.    

Not only are our possibilities endless, but You are endless in your ability to grow, change, transform, evolve and live your way 'home' to You.  To what is and to who you truly and really are.   

Ongoing creations, questioning of traditions, speaking up and out, showing up and out.  Saying no when you feel to; saying yes when you really want to. 

We are leaving the habitual/learned fear behind.  We are leaving our masks behind.  We are bringing forth and embracing our uniqueness.  

We are learning to open up to love, the vastness of what we all want and is born with(in) our innocence.  

Oh the endless views and the endless possibilities into the endless love that we are here to live and die with. 

I saw something the other day ‘Do not fear dying, fear not living'.  I say breathe into yourself and breathe out the knowledge and instructions that is imprinted on your soul.  

May you let yourself feel, play with, allow and invite the connection and feeling of being true to You and live into, onto, forward and through the possibilities of YOU just being You. 

Your heart beating, your lungs breathing, your mind open grasping what is true.   Letting go of anything untrue and reaching past the horizon into the endless depth and the open vastness that shows itself to You when you decide to be still and listen.

Launch Yourself

I took this picture one recent evening after dusk seeing this ‘cloud’ formation highlighted by what I thought was maybe the full moon.  

I learned the next day it was a rocket launch that I had missed and this was the after affect. 

Oh the things we can see looking at the sky.  

Oh the things we can ‘see’ looking within.

May you search and feel within yourself   Expand what is there.  It is information to guide, help and support you.  

Let it take up space in your mind and feelings; your senses and truth; your mastery of You; your world, our world.   

Let the love within you light up your own life.  Realize the door to your heart works both ways.  Let your love go inward and outward.  

You truly being You in your most open, freeing and loving way is the imprint that is needed.  It is the imprint that you are here to let/make happen.   

Experience and share it.  Empower the world as you are meant to.. just by being You/U.

Thank You.

Honor and Be

I do not know where to begin; where I will go.  

My brain is tired.  My body is hurting.  My breath is not doing it for me.  What is next could be a real adventure or a real lesson.  Who knows.

I am discombobulated and disconnected.  It almost feels like it takes too much work to feel connected.

I know there is an underlying connection of being connected just because that is the underlying truth of human beingness (for me).

To feel connected as we each go our own way, process our own processing, being true to who we are or at least the awareness of our selves more and more.  My feeling of connectivity is a bit dormant as I fear the new connections from truth being known and lived.

I know how I have done it in the past that has made it feel like connections are alive and ample.  This new way that seems to be knocking, I do not know it, recognize it or am I sure of it.

I take a deep breath.  I know that to flow with all these feelings will take me to where I'm going and allow me to trust that I am where I am supposed to be.

The human side of me is questioning the depth of what or what doesn't matter.  

It is definitely not working because 'I've always done it this way'.  It is definitely not working because 'that is just who I am'.  

There feels to be a presence surrounding me and in me that is standing by for it's turn to live in and through my aliveness.

I'm not really sure what this means..  It is what I am feeling and what thoughts come to me as I open up to what to type here.

I'm not having a whole lot of fun.  I'm not in a state of ease and simplicity.  I sure do welcome both.  I believe in both.  I'm ready to live in and through both again.

Will I get there.. I shall see.

I believe I will get right where I'm supposed to be through allowing and bringing Me (my truth) into what is now.

How do I explain and share it when I myself do not have a good handle on 'it'.

I know nothing else just now than to open to what is my experience; trust it, keep my heart and mind open, and allowance settle into each and every cell of my beingness.

Gather.  Release.  Breathe.  Feel.  Even when there's no structure or knowledge of what is happening.

I stand as openly true of myself, through myself, for myself, for others, for the world.

May you stand as openly true of You, through You, for You, for others, for the world.

Honor.  Honor.  Honor.  

There is no good use for hostility.  That blocks the honor.  

Who are you through your loving heart open to feeling the way that you do?

Oh la la.   May the best come forth, show itself, show us, be present and be received.

The only limitations are the ones we believe in.  

Be free.  Be true.  Be real.  Be raw.  Be U.  Be.

Honor and Be.

Words

Words.  Each one has a meaning.  Words put together create meanings.  A paragraph can create a full imagined picture in our minds.

And, I'm thinking, that there is not any of us that will experience any one thing exactly as another.

I came to my computer thinking that I was going to write a post titled 'Blah Blah Blah'.  When I got here, 'Words' came forth as the title.  

I've been feeling a discomfort within that comes from listening and processing stories of how this life [that is here now] is being experienced by many of us.  There seems to be an across the board feeling of tiredness that feels extra difficult (mentally, physically and spiritually).  Yet, from within each one of us, an unique story is alive and happening; growing and becoming.

Truth isn't always prevailing or being lived through.  Habits are being wrought by our newfound experiences in this lifestyle of change and processing.

We are feeling things we may have buried within ourselves.  We are creating things from so much uniqueness and around the world connections.  We are challenged processing things that we never needed to process before.  We are being asked to be open to know a deeper peace.  We are being forced to explore and really see life as it is.  What used to happen only over there and to other people are touching all of us.  

Lessons in our own breathing and breath are more available and transparent than ever before.

Blah.  Blah.  Blah.

Perhaps, it's time to let the words go and offer a peaceful existence within ourselves and each other.  Feel our way forward.  Feel our way through.  Feel.

Who are You through your feelings only...  Can you choose to honor your feelings...  Do you want to...  Do you think they matter...  Do you think our feelings, possibly, could lead us into and through ourselves to come out most true to living what is inside of us outside in the world...

May you feel and honor and respond lovingly to every feeling that is with and/or in You.

Be Uniquely You.  Feel the uniqueness of You.  Honor your uniqueness.  

On the other side of these feelings, as we honor them with our own love, they are processed and released; free to create and not weigh us down.  

What words will we then choose to use and create our stories of our lives afresh...

Really Real

What has been with me to share for a day or two has been about tension in the body.

I had realized years ago that it felt like I was always tense in my legs; my quadriceps really.  Upon further investigation and with professional help, I realized I was holding them tight with a purpose that made me feel that I was prepared for anything that came my way.  It was a way, I thought, that was protecting myself and had me 'on the ready' to deal with pain and/or hurt if it should happen.  I guess I had my body set always on defensive mode. 

Going deeper, I realized that holding tightness or tension in my legs did nothing but keep me in stress mode and the inability to fully relax and let go.  

Are you, perhaps, holding tension somewhere in your body (always or a certain amount of the time) out of habit and/or protection mode?  Perhaps, if you wish, do a scan of your body just now and ‘investigate'.  Welcome awareness.

May you melt into yourself and let go again and again and again.   Let your body be free to relax, to feel your blood flow beautifully and to let your body do its thing through complete letting go and being tension free.  Your body knows what to do.  This is giving it permission and trusting it to do so.

It is like getting out of the way and letting life flow naturally through you.  Let life happen around you.  Be the calm, cool, free and wise You.  To heal, to grow, to flow, to be, to create harmony and homeostasis throughout the wholeness of You.  

So much solves itself as we support its flow and work with it instead of against it.  

Like a stream, it finds its way.  Like the process of life, there is always forward movement.  

May you flow with life freely.  Your life.  Your being.  Your body.  Your thoughts.  Relaxed and open.  

How many times have we gotten through things we never thought we would.   Our life changes.  We change.  Yet here we still are and we can choose how we want to participate in each day.  

I best enjoy ‘the day’ when I'm open, kind, in tune and connected with my true awareness and experiences.  When I allow my own calm, peace and joy or even just the possibility of joy again to always participate in each breath; as often and as much as possible.   

Life is full of ups and downs or what can feel like ups and downs anyway.  Just what if life is full of lessons and opportunities to self-create a loving, caring, and true expression of who we are through a oneness, a togetherness that can uplift as we participate with this natural flow.  As we live in this mode, we invite and know suffering to be less intense and less lengthy and we allow joy to be greater and more present.  

All this seems to always be within reach and present.  It is our reaction, awareness, upbringing, habits and thoughts about it all that matters the greatest.  That make it so.  May you choose your greatest. 

White Sunburst

I was out on a boat today.  The sky was the color of many different blues.  There were fluffy white clouds that looked like cotton balls.  The water was a deep navy blue and we could look down and see through to the bottom.  The water temperature was 88.4°F.  The water temperature.  I knew I was going in.   I had to.  The water was calling me.   The water was heavily salted and so divine.   My entire being let go and relaxed deeply and fully.  I heard myself say that any stress within my body, I release here now, knowing that it will fully dissipate.

Earlier, before we got in the water, as we were cruising in a wide open sea of water - void of other boats - I heard myself pray to let my body and soul be free to fly together in unison and experience life as I am supposed to.  With an ease of my body and the brilliance of my soul, I prayed for my body to soar with my soul.  The word 'spirit' came to mind and I went on thinking about the difference between soul and spirit.  What came up for me was that the soul is strong, everlasting and solid; it remains steadfast.  Spirit is flighty, ever-changing and soars but also can feel defeated; and it can experience everything in between soaring and defeat.   

My spirit interchanged throughout the ride.  My soul remained steadfast   My body enjoyed relaxation and openness.   It also experienced free and open movement by adjusting with the flow of the water's movement underneath the boat.

I became very aware of the sun glistening on the water.   The breeze feeling very welcomed.  The heat of the sun bright and intense.  The salt water on my skin glorious.   Moments of peace and meditation.  Moments wondering if I can pull myself back onto the boat.  Heck yeah I can. 

During the day I felt bursts of energies within myself and around me.  I knew I was experiencing a gift; a blessing.

It was just a normal experience of me being me and I was pleasantly able to tap into so much more.  It was the experience of watching me experiencing the boat day.

It felt like a gift of connection, play, and openness.  My soul, spirit, body and mind fully engaged in an experience of oneness with everything.

There were bursts of me being me in a gloriousness of life and all that I am and all that was present.  It was a full experience of me being me as I was called to, able and felt right tapping into.

I feel to call it 'white sunbursts'.  It felt like something that would be a burst of brightness and pureness.  A divine energy of trusting all that my heart was open to; all that is; all that I am.  

May you open up to the gloriousness of your life and all that you are and all that is present in your experiences of you being true, open and trusting You.  Everything you want and need to tap into...  Everything that you do tap into..  Just maybe, some moments can feel like 'white sunbursts' opening up your experiences of You being You with pure and full participation, awareness and oneness.

'White Sunbursts' - they are happening.  They will take us forward in the most brilliant of ways.  Non-binding life.  

Your truth, trust, openness and awareness of You being You and responding accordingly.  There is nothing more beautiful.  The white sunbursts of You.  

                                                 

Your Way

Your way (with wisdom and loving openness) is the way for You.

Your life.  Your feelings.  Your thoughts.  Your experiences.  Your challenges.  Your passion.  Your love.  Your uniqueness.  Your desires.  Your calling.

All of these things is what creates your life.

Honor your feelings and respond gently and lovingly in open awareness to them.

'Watch' your thoughts and choose the ones that feel best thinking and discard the ones that are hurtful.

Experience your experiences with your heart and mind open.

Notice your challenges.  Flow with and Breathe into them and, often perhaps, allow your own innate silence [that is your connection to your all-knowing You] to arrive with your best answer to them.

Let your passion ignite in everything you are passionate about.

Your love will lead you into and on your best path(s) forward when you let it fill you wholly up and also put it into everything you do. 

Freedom to be and share what you are on the inside out loud on the outside of you.

Create what you desire by staying with and in the desire of same.

Your freedom, awareness and choice of all these things is the life you came here to live.  

As you live in your freedom, awareness and true choice with trust and love, may your life be ignited, infused and be full of every thing You.

As we live in our truth, through honesty, love, trust and awareness, we free others to do the same.

Let us get on it, in it, to it and be it.

Picture This

Life.  You are the one that can create it to be through your innate knowledge, your belief in it and actually imagining the feeling of what it feels like to live the life you dream and/or know to be yours.

With so much unsettled and an opening up of so many things just now, it just may be one of the best times ever to create your best [most true, most You] reality.

Get silent and what do you hear?  Breathe and what do you feel?  What do you want to speak?  What is in you to create?  What do you enjoy?  What do you Not want as part of your dream(s) for yourself?  

If you could do anything at all, what would it be now?  

Are there places you want to go?  People you want to experience or experience life with?  Things that call to You?  Feelings that keep coming up?  Desires that stand strong?  

All you need do is breathe, feel, experience this moment and open your heart and mind.

What comes to you can be yours.  You don't need to worry.  It's best to let love.  

Combining the innermost you with your life as it is now -- just the consciousness/awareness of it with your own truth and trust, will lead you on your best paths forward.

Whatever is meant for You will happen.  There is nothing or no one that can stop what is truly meant for You.  

Breathe into your dreams through the all-knowing silent nature that is You(rs) and gently invite up the feelings that are inside of You.  Let this combination draw you out and forward.   

May you paint a picture in your mind of what you want your life to be like and allow the reality of it to begin.

Perhaps, there is no better time than now.  

May you live out loud into your most favorite realities from the raw and honest depth of You.