How Are You a Messenger of Love?

My Valentine’s gift this year opened my heart wider – to the glory of God. And, my sweetie and I shared that amazing experience. We both wondered if we were too old for an indoor arena concert, but choose to go see TobyMac live anyway!

It was crazy loud. And complete overstimulation for me. Quite surprisingly, it didn’t matter.

Somehow, I surrendered to that deafening noise and powerhouse energy. It broke me open, reminding me to the depths of my being that the Love and Oneness of God is my foundation and that I am a priestess.

I thought I was going to hear fantastic, uplifting music. Turns out that fantastic, uplifting music called forth more of who I am.

How Are You a Messenger of Love?

TobyMac, Mandisa and Ryan Stevenson

TobyMac himself inspired me by asking us to pray for him – that more songs may come though him that reach people. Indeed, we need more messengers of Love.

I have prayed for him. And I pray for you and me. That we may each serve more fully as the unique messenger of Love that we are.

Thank you TobyMac for being a powerful, and loud, messenger of Love!

Join the conversation – post your insights, feedback and experiences below.

Revelation

I see with new eyes.

I see through the eyes
of relationship and union.

I close the eyes
of separation and judgment.

I live in the expectancy
of revelation –

expecting the purpose
of each experience
to be revealed –

as I recognize that I exist
in union with the
Source and Cause
of revelation.

Revelation

I see through the eyes
of relationship and union.

I see with new eyes.

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below …

Is Self-Love Actually Selfish?

The first definition of “selfish” on Dictionary.com: devoted to or caring only for oneself. Reading this, a few questions come to mind for me.

What if we take out the “only?” Devoted to or caring for oneself. What if we look at it from the viewpoint that we are all One? Devoted to and caring for oneself is then, in fact, caring for All? What if we take out the idea of my self interest is more important than your self interest? What if it isn’t either/or?

And, maybe most importantly, if every single person on the planet were devoted to taking good care of themselves, how much might that reduce struggle, fighting and hate? If I tend my own garden, maybe I don’t have to judge yours?

Right now, several of my clients are devoted to taking better care of themselves. Coaching them has taken me to the next deeper and expanded level of my own self-love.

From that, this new piece came forward.

Is Self-Love Actually Selfish?

Beloved

I love loving me.

I love valuing and appreciating me.

I love delighting in and cherishing me.

I love showing myself I matter deeply.

I love hearing me, seeing me, understanding me.

I love attending to me.

I love devoting time to me.

I love noticing and affirming me.

I love championing me.

I love loving the entire Universe that is me.

I love loving the entire Universe as me.

I love loving me.

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below …

What Happens When Love Breaks Through?

With Valentine’s Day next Tuesday, I’m happy to share this new piece with you.

Love Breaks Through

When you think your heart can’t hurt any more,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When we live courageously,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When I’m unbearably hard on myself,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When we feel so scared we’re paralyzed,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When your hatred seems justified,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When I notice my self-compassion,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When it seems there is no answer,
LOVE Breaks Through.

wild horses running in the grass

When our hearts are full,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When all you feel is despair,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When we’ve lost hope and given up,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When there’s so much tenderness in your heart,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When the injustice seems too great to bear,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When your arms are open wide,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When I don’t know which way to go,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When the rage threatens to consume you,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When it looks like we’re at an impasse,
LOVE Breaks Through.

Winter trees in fog

When I feel so alone,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When we have no idea how to solve this,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When you become aware you’re numb,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When it feels like there’s only confusion,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When we can’t seem to move forward,
LOVE Breaks Through.

sunset over the blue waters of Northumberland Strait, Prince Edward Island, Canada

When you feel like you’ve tried everything,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When I’m railing against what is,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When we aren’t sure of the question, much less the answer,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When we get comfortable with discomfort,
LOVE Breaks Through.

When I must say the hard thing,
LOVE Breaks Through.

Through every joy and every sorrow,
LOVE Breaks Through.

With every breath we take,
LOVE Breaks Through.

LOVE.
Breaks Through.

So, what about you? When do you notice love breaking through? What happens for you when love breaks through?

How Can We Cultivate Ill-Tended Seeds of Justice for All?

Sunday is Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday. His dream involved nonviolence, justice and equality, social and political reform.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr

This year, more than ever, I feel determined to See, Know and Create a world of Love. Despite outward appearances.

Today, it can look like we are so far from that. So, it’s imperative we live his dream.

 How Can We Cultivate Ill-Tended Seeds of Justice for All?

The Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial in Denver, Colorado. The irony of the fog is not lost on me. And still, we must continue to Create a world where his dream becomes a reality for All.

My dream involves activating each and all of us in coming to know that we are Love. And, that we are One. Looking beyond our differences to our shared humanity.

I fiercely hold the vision of this person in front of me loving and valuing themselves, no matter what. And in turn, loving and valuing those around them. Each of us together Creating a world of Love that dissolves any seeming division.

Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr. for planting the seeds of your big dream. It’s now up to us to cultivate those seeds, regardless of how ill-tended they may have been until this moment.

I’d love your comments and insights below.

Everything Is Waiting for You

Your great mistake is to act the drama
as if you were alone. As if life
were a progressive and cunning crime
with no witness to the tiny hidden
transgressions. To feel abandoned is to deny
the intimacy of your surroundings. Surely,
even you, at times, have felt the grand array;
the swelling presence, and the chorus, crowding
out your solo voice. You must note
the way the soap dish enables you,
or the window latch grants you freedom.
Alertness is the hidden discipline of familiarity.

AStrongBlogPost042716

The stairs are your mentor of things
to come, the doors have always been there
to frighten you and invite you,
and the tiny speaker in the phone
is your dream-ladder to divinity.

Put down the weight of your aloneness and ease into
the conversation. The kettle is singing
even as it pours you a drink, the cooking pots
have left their arrogant aloofness and
seen the good in you at last. All the birds
and creatures of the world are unutterably
themselves. Everything is waiting for you.

~ David Whyte
From Everything is Waiting for You
©2003 Many Rivers Press

What Good Life Is Just Beyond Acceptance?

Earlier this week, I drove to Denver to facilitate a StrengthsFinder team development for one of my coaching clients. As is want to do this time of year, it was snowing and the roads were icy for about the first 45 minutes of my drive.

I could hear the typical conversation in my head about how it would be fine for me to drive in the snow if it weren’t for all the other pesky drivers. And, perhaps because I had only myself to talk to, I reminded myself that the experience of my life is created from within me, not by external circumstances outside of me (those pesky drivers).

So, I decided to accept the other drivers and drove for a few minutes without saying much to myself. And, then I had an insight.

What if I put my focus on my relationship with the road? What if I noticed that I am One with the whole experience – the road, the snow, the other drivers? What if I allowed myself to receive the beauty of the experience?

Instantly my experience shifted from one of stress and tolerating to feeling relaxed and knowing I am always supported. I had a palpable experience of the state of grace in which I live – if I only but notice.

On my drive back from Denver, I was present to the glory of this moment  with the majesty of the Spanish Peaks near Walsenburg, Colorado.
On my drive back from Denver, I was present to the glory of this moment with the majesty of the Spanish Peaks near Walsenburg, Colorado.

Maybe 15 minutes later, the traffic thinned and there was no longer snow and ice on the road. And, my awareness of receiving WHAT IS stayed with me throughout the rest of the trip.

(Excerpted from my forthcoming book, “Strong from Within: Simple perceptions and practices for returning to the joy of you”)

The Happy Reason to Replace Special Relationships

Do I really want coffee to be my God? Or, do I want my lover, my Audi A4, my beloved niece or my precious kitty to be my God?

Or, am I willing to know my Divinity?

Both A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and A Course of Love (ACOL) ask us to choose holy relationship rather than special relationships. From ACIM, I’ve been aware of this concept for probably twenty years, but didn’t take it seriously until recently revisiting it in ACOL.

A special relationship is a relationship with anything or anyone that we believe will make us more worthy, loveable, whole, safe, happy, important, powerful and the list goes on . . .

A holy relationship is with our Self. It calls for joining of our mind and heart in unity. The holy relationship makes our Self one with all and brings the holiness of Self to all.

The Happy Reason to Replace Special Relationships

My ego has wanted a whole bunch of special relationships. And, every day that I read more of ACOL, the less that appeals to me. I am sensing more and more what it’s like to be one with all and to bring the holiness of my Self to all.

And, I am in awe of the freedom I’m noticing in my relationships with my coffee, lover, car, niece and kitty! My judgments, demands, attachments and expectations are vaporizing and my happiness is exponentially increasing.

(Excerpted from my forthcoming book, “Strong from Within: Simple perceptions and practices for returning to the joy of you”)

A Couple of Reasons to Drop Your Protection

“You are not a drop in the ocean.
You are the entire ocean in a drop.”
– Rumi

A Couple of Reasons to Drop Your Protection

I used to think of myself as a lone wolf. I rather liked that image of me. Today, I see that I thought I could protect myself by pretending to be separate.

Not only was it not very effective protection, it was also pretty isolating and lonely. Maybe you have your own strategies for protecting yourself?

As I’ve kept more of my attention on my Divine nature, I realize the absurdity of trying to keep myself separate. I’ve always known we are all One. I just hadn’t spend much time imagining what that really meant.

As my knowing of our Oneness has slowly shifted from concept to experience, I recognize that not only can I not keep myself separate, it also doesn’t serve to continue seeing myself as small.

Sometimes I do experience myself as the entire ocean in a drop. Sometimes I do experience Oneness with those around me, the environment, Life itself. And, other times, all of this still feels like a nice concept rather than reality.

I so appreciate you, here, on this journey with me! Regardless of how much I experience or don’t experience my entire Ocean-ness, I no longer want to pretend I’m alone.

You and I may know each other personally. Or, we may never have met. Regardless, the fact that we are both here now means we have created this opportunity to experience our deep connection.

I still have times when I make choices from fear, from protection. I also usually catch myself pretty quickly. Then, I take a deep breath and ask, “How can I choose from Love, from Oneness?” And I usually have the courage to act on the answer . . .

(Excerpted from my forthcoming book, “Strong from Within: Simple perceptions and practices for returning to the joy of you”)