I give Love this moment,
I give Love this day.
I give Love my mind,
I give Love my heart,
I give Love my soul.
I surrender to
the greatest good in me,
allowing lesser ideas
and preoccupations
to drop away.
I serve as an
ambassador of Love,
as Love.
I affirm and know
the brilliant Light
that I am.
Shining even under
the dark cloth
I sometimes throw over it.
I am coming to know
in each new moment
that the dark cloth
I have used
to obscure my Light
has outlived its usefulness.
In this moment
I am willing to release
outdated notions
of my own limitations
and step into
the Truth of my Light.
As I more fully experience
the alignment of my being
the enthusiasm of my breath
the excitement of my mind and
the overflowing joy of my heart,
I stand fully in the
Truth of my Light.
Dedicated to my coach, Jeff Patterson
Yesterday, to celebrate the Winter Solstice, I spent time in City Park hanging out near one of my favorite trees and watching (what seemed like) ten thousand geese. A couple of years ago, I “heard” that this particular tree’s name is Grace. which suits her so beautifully. She embodies natural, elegant grace.
As I pondered the gifts of the Solstice, I realized how completely and effortlessly Grace is Grace, the Light that is Grace. As is each of those geese the Light that is each of them. Goose number one: the Light that is Goose number one. Goose number two: the Light that is Goose number two. (I haven’t learned each of their names, yet!)
Without any strain, second-guessing or stress, every tree and every goose in the park is naturally and fully the Light that they are.
So, today, this day after the darkest day in the northern hemisphere, I offer you my deepest wish of this sacred season, given to me by the trees and the geese.
May you pause for a moment now to recognize and fully take in the completely unique Light that you are, a blessing to the world. No need to do anything, no need to be different than you are, no strain, no second-guessing, no stress. Simply breathing into the Light that is you.
“I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing Light of your own Being.” - Hafiz
Cindy Kirchhoff has declared today “Just Be Kind” day and she tied it into Cami Walker’s “29 Gifts in 29 Days” challenge.
If you’d like an uplifting focus and a positive mental attitude for today and the next 28 days, I highly recommend taking 6 or 8 minutes now to get started . . .
Here is my gift and contribution to Kindness today:
Path of Love
May I breathe into being fully present,
offering myself unconditional
attention, acceptance, appreciation,
affection and allowing.
May I gently release
judgment, fear, control and demands.
May I offer my love to everyone this way.
May I increasingly allow and receive
all the love that comes to me.
May I feel compassion
for those who are afraid to love,
even if they are lashing out.
May all beings find and choose
this path of love.
What if, just for today,
I feel grateful for everything in my life?
I’d start with the obvious:
My health, my home, my friends, my family.
My wonderful work, my bills all paid.
I’d move on to everyday joys:
My cat chasing a wad of paper,
The crisp, cool autumn air,
This delightful cup of tea,
The way the sun streams into my office,
My comfortable chair,
And my fabulous stereo.
I’d contemplate all the gifts I feel honored to offer the world:
My love, my enthusiasm, my centeredness,
My clear thinking and my insightfulness.
I’d revel in the gifts I receive from others today:
Their love, their generosity, their kindness,
Their encouragement and their patience.
I’d thank God for the gift in what I consider “challenges:”
A misunderstanding and disagreement with a friend,
A seemingly missed opportunity,
What looks like self-sabatoge,
Yet another headache or heartache.
I’d thank God for showing the face of God
All around me and from within me.
If I thought of anything for which I didn’t know
how to feel thankful, I’d feel gratitude
for the opportunity to see from a bigger perspective.
Until I could.
And then,
I’d feel profound gratitude for this incredible privilege
to be here now, alive on this planet,
contributing what I came here to give.
And then,
I’d do it again tomorrow.
What are you grateful for today?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Recently, every time I’ve turned around, I’ve had another opportunity to consciously choose my focus and choose my thoughts as I noticed my focus and thoughts heading toward negativity and fear.
As I pondered what might be causing so many opportunities all at once, I realized I have gotten lax about my daily spiritual practice. Several months ago I had gotten the smallest iPod, the Shuffle, so that I could listen to Michael Beckwith talks and inspirational music as I walked in the park. I have found this double dose of spiritual practice – the talk and the walk – does wonders for keeping my focus in the right place. Yet, I’ve only done my double dose a few times – not even weekly, much less daily.
When my daily spiritual practice is daily, I exponentially increase my ability to choose to focus on positivity, possibilities and love.
How about you? What works for you to keep your focus where you’d like it?
I’ve included a new piece, “Love in Action” that is helping me keep my focus on love – enjoy!
Love in Action
Feeling afraid . . .
Feeling hopeless . . .
Feeling stuck . . .
Have I finally, truly gone insane?
Do I definitely need medication?
Is it time to admit defeat?
Or . . .
Are these the panicked cries of my ego?
Longing to once again be in charge?
As I step into the unknown,
I desperately desire something familiar . . .
Taking a deep breath,
I realize the comfort of my breathing.
Something familiar:
My breath, my breathing, my Spirit.
Something familiar:
As I breathe deeply,
feeling my Spirit,
I feel Love,
pure, radiant, shimmering Love.
Something familiar:
As I feel Love,
pure, radiant, shimmering Love,
I know Love in Action.
Something familiar:
As I know Love in Action,
I feel myself putting one foot in front of the other
as I step into Love in Action.
Courageously moving forward
into the unknown
as Love in Action . . .
Thank you to everyone on the Thriving Coaches Roundtable today who asked for a copy of this meditation, affirmative prayer, opening for our gathering.
So, I have now publically commited to having the published book of these meditations, affirmative prayers, openings, centerings available to purchase by Christmas. Thank you so much for all of your encouragement!
Meditations tips: Feel free to use this piece and the others listed under “Mediation Tips” on this blog in any way that serves you and your clients . . .
Standing in the Center of Me
I’ve been tempted to step to the right
when I suspected that’s what he wanted me to do.
I’ve talked longer than I wanted because
I thought she would like me more.
I waltzed way over to the left
before I caught myself trying to please.
I’ve bent over backwards
until I noticed how much it hurt.
I agreed to projects that didn’t inspire me
because I thought I needed the money.
And, then it occurred to me:
all these contortions cause a lot of confusion.
Left to the whim of what I think you want me to be,
or what I believe she wants me to say or
what I hope he wants me to do,
then I am lost.
So I consciously choose to step back into the center of me.
In any moment, I choose based on how it feels to me.
Do I feel alive?
Happy?
Peaceful?
Whole?
Complete?
Loving?
Inspired?
Ignited?
Connected?
Expansive?
On purpose?
Of service?
Energized?
This is the center of me.
Do I feel less than?
Not enough?
Unworthy?
Self-conscious?
Drained?
Irritated?
Angry?
Sad?
Disconnected?
Confused?
Lethargic?
This is me attempting someone else’s dance,
attempting to stand in the center of something other than me.
Yet, there is no something else.
I can either stand in the center of me,
or deprive the world of my Self.
So, I choose now
to stand in the center of me.
“Standing in the Center of You” Coaching
If you would like empowering one-on-one support for Standing in the Center of You, check out Ann’s new, three-month “Standing in the Center of You” coaching program.
Knowing My Solid Foundation
After I wrote about embracing change last week, it didn’t take me long to realize that I needed to consciously be aware that my life has a solid, unchanging foundation. That makes embracing change a whole lot easier!
I cannot control everything that happens. Heck, some days I have a sense of how very little I control! What I CAN control involves what I bring to any situation, any interaction. I choose attentiveness, clarity, generosity, strength and love. In the moments that I fall short of bringing any of those qualities to the table, I then choose compassion, detachment and forgiveness!
I have been using this affirmative prayer to remind me of and connect me to my solid foundation. It helps me stay on or get back on course. Perhaps it can support you as well . . .
In the Eye of the Storm
With so much chaos in our world,
I have found it more important than ever
to deliberately choose my way of being.
I don’t know what will happen later today or tomorrow,
but I do know that I choose to bring my
attentiveness, clarity, generosity, strength and love
to whatever it is.
I do know that I choose to connect
more frequently and deeply
with those I love.
Reaction is no longer something I choose to indulge.
Instead I choose to be present with whatever is,
allowing it to move around and through me,
without attachment or resistance.
And, once again I choose to bring my
attentiveness, clarity, generosity, strength and love
to whatever it is.
To create your own solid foundation, join us for the Thriving in 90 Days! program starting Sept 24th.
Today in yoga class, I heard my teacher say, “This is not about pushing more, but rather opening into . . .”
Ah, such is so much of life when I notice myself trying harder and pushing more rather than simply surrendering and allowing. In those radiant moments when I truly know that I already am everything and that I already have everything that I seek, then I have nothing to seek. I can simply take a deep breath and relax into all of the love and abundance that I am!
Radiant Drop of Oneness
I am a radiant drop in the
ocean of oneness.
I am one with God.
I am all that God is.
All I desire and need is mine,
easily and effortlessly –
as I am willing to receive
the love and abundance
of me, of the ocean of oneness.
I am one with God, with good.
I am all that God is.
I am a radiant drop in the
ocean of oneness.
I am love, power, beauty and mystery.
I am love, joy, peace and hope.
I am love, brilliance, health and wealth.
I am love and abundance.
I am God expressed.
I am a radiant drop in the
ocean of oneness.
Thy will, not my will.
I am willing to be willing . . .
Breathing out my limited notions.
Breathing in Your expansive reach.
Breathing out my attachments.
Breathing in Your absolute abundance.
Breathing out my resistance.
Breathing in the fullness of Your allowing.
Breathing out feeling stuck.
Breathing in Your ever-present flow.
Breathing out feeling separate.
Breathing in the Oneness of all energy.
Breathing out feeling alone.
Breathing in reaching out . . .
Today, I am willing to do Thy will . . .
