Spiritual Awareness

Spiritual Clarity: Changing the Channel

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On a recent teleseminar with Sonia Choquette about her new book, “The Answer is Simple . . . Love Yourself, Live Your Spirit,” I heard her say several times, “change the channel.”  Referring to more consistently choosing to live our spirits rather than our egos, she reminded us how to know the difference.

When we live from our ego, we need to control, be right and defend.  We choose from fear; feeling contracted, small and ineffective. 

When we live from our spirit, we’re loving, patient, intuitive, creative, open and courageous.  We feel expansive, confident and effective.

So, when we notice we’d like to change the channel to spirit, how do we do it?  The quickest way: do something we love, with bonus points if we’re moving our bodies and/or getting outside!

I keep a Top 12 list of things to remember to do each day to keep me feeling great, keep me living from spirit.  I have all my clients do the same.  Each person’s is unique.  Mine includes snow shoveling this time of year – I love snow and I get to move my body and play outside.  Many people do not like to shovel snow, but some love to hike or take their dog to the dog park, two things I don’t like and don’t do!

What’s on your Top 12 for Spirit list?  Write your list, post it where you’ll see it and you’ve created an easy way to change the channel any time you’d like!

Self Acceptance: Noticing my ego take a ride

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After I wrote about bringing attentiveness, clarity, generosity, strength and love to situations and interactions last week, I quickly got to experience falling short!  Ah, to be human . . .

I go to the same coffee bar almost every day and have playful interaction with most of the baristas.  A few days ago, I took it too far. I was in line behind an older gentleman who got confused several times while ordering his drink and cookie.  At one point he even asked if he’d ordered a cookie that sat right in front of him.  The barista patiently and kindly answered all his questions, and then exchanged a frustrated glance with me.

I then ordered my coffee and chatted with the barista about our weekends.  While walking out the door, I asked him as a joke, my coffee in hand, “did I order a drink?”

As soon as I said it and saw him glance out to the patio, I felt bad.  The man with the cookie was sitting on the patio, probably didn’t hear me, but what if he had?  

I reflected on why I had made a joke at someone else’s expense.  I like being a regular.  I like having a personal relationships with the baristas.  And, ick, I wanted to feel superior.  To someone who was having a tough time in the moment.  Ouch.  Okay, no wonder I felt bad.

So, while driving home, I fully felt feeling bad.  Then I offered compassion to all of us – the man, the barista and me.  Then I forgave myself and let it go with a strong resolve to bring more attention to a situation before I react from my ego.  Ah, the practice . . .

Spiritual awakening: Embracing change

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Since I have tended to like things to stay the same, today I’ve decided to consciously change my relationship with change! In the past (quite recent past, actually), I’ve had a tendency to love having the same friends, car, vacation spot, phone, clients, coffee drink, and hairstyle for many, many years.  Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t.  When it doesn’t, I tend to get cranky or super cranky!

Lately, I’ve noticed things seem to be changing waaaaaay faster than they used to.  Businesses come and go, the nature of my friendships change frequently, I need to learn new technology every day, my deli changes the dressing they put on my Italian sub, clients want different kinds of support, my toothpaste company quits making my flavor.  I’ve grown a bit weary of cranky and super cranky, so I’ve made up a new inquiry for spiritual awakening.

Instead of doing what I’ve always done, I’m checking in with my intuition more.  What would feel great in this moment?  Would I most love an Italian sub or does something else on the menu sound even better for me in this moment?  How does this new phone serve me better than the old one now?  What color feels energizing for me to wear today?  Which new client program would I like to offer now?

I’ve noticed that my own spiritual awakening involves opening myself to whole new ways of perceiving situations, seeing with fresh eyes, allowing myself not to just adapt, but rather to thrive.  Who knew I could love Twitter?

And, if all else fails, loving what is, as Byron Katie would say.  “What, it’s raining again?  It’s not suppose to rain this much in Colorado!”  Ah, loving what is . . .

I’m thinking that change is pretty much guaranteed!  So, I’ve made the very wise decision that I’d rather embrace it and flow with it, rather than fight it.

 

Spiritual clarity: From the abundance and beauty of hollyhocks

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Recently, I heard my spiritual mentor, Michael Beckwith, say, “Supply is infinite and invisible.  Money and things are not supply.  They are evidence of supply.  Just like an apple is evidence of supply from the apple tree.  Picking an apple does not represent loss of supply, just as circulating money doesn’t represent loss of supply.”

I know that what he says is Truth.  And yet, I sometimes find myself behaving contrary to what I know.  Even though I absolutely know there is an infinite supply of apples or pears or cucumbers or whatever I need in this moment, I may hoard or ration or worry about eating the apple.

As I drove to the grocery store today – to get more apples, of course – I noticed the most exquisite, red and pink hollyhock flowers growing in a neighbor’s yard.  As I enjoyed their abundance and beauty, I had to laugh to myself as I realized that those hollyhocks do not spend a minute hoarding, rationing or worrying.  They simply grow into the very best version of themselves that they can with the resources they have in each moment.  Ah, that our human lives could be so simple and grace-filled . . .

That is my desire for us today: that we allow ourselves to be “as the lilies of the field, toiling not . . . ,” that we allow ourselves to be as the hollyhocks of my neighbors yard and to receive the grace and bounty of infinite and invisible supply without hoarding, rationing or worrying . . .  

Spiritual inspiration: from within (day 18)

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This morning as I was listening to a Michael Beckwith recording I noticed myself scanning his ideas for something to spark my blog post.  Then, I read an ezine from my friend, Tama, with the same thought in the back of my head.

Finally I noticed the spot of anxiety inside me.  Instead of taking in Michael and Tama as nourishment for my soul, I was busy looking for something amazing to share with you.  As if that amazing thing had to come from outside of me.  As if nourishing me isn’t enough.

The anxiety has subsided as I realize offering you a slice of my process is way more than enough!  Please enjoy this slice as you revel in YOU being way more than enough . . .

 

On the eve of spiritual retreat (day 6)

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I am so excited about waking up tomorrow morning, getting in the car, pointing it south and heading to New Mexico for four days of personal, spiritual retreat!

My intention is to take a spiritual retreat every season.  My last one in August, I feel hungry and overdue.

Here’s to all that wide open space and soothing silence . . . 

I’ll catch you on the flip side!