From Mud to Miracles
Friday, 26 February 2016
How to Serve the World in One Word
Love. It's that simple. It doesn't matter who you are, what you do or don't do, your back story, or your front story for that matter, we can all help save the world. By being loving.
Great. That's a nice easy answer, job done! And, if you're anything like me, you may be thinking, 'But what the heck does that mean?' Well, one thing I have learnt recently, which has helped me enormously, is that it does not mean that you have to feel love flowing through your heart continuously. I can't tell much self-inflicted shame and failure I have felt for not feeling more love; what kind of spiritual disciple am I?! It has been a tremendous relief to let that idea go.
What divine being would want us to feel trapped and belittled by any idea, anyway, much less a so-called spiritual idea?
So it's not so much about the feeling, as it is about the intent and the 'beingness'. Stating our intent to be loving every morning is a useful practice, I find, because it reminds of my personal foundation stone, the Thing That Matters Most To Me.
As I go through my unremarkable days, I try to remember to treat others with kindness, respect and acceptance. Of all of these, I think acceptance matters most because it honours the journey of everyone else, it births love's gifts of kindness, compassion, tolerance and forgiveness.
We fight what we can't accept; when we can surrender judgement and trust that, for better or worse, everyone else is doing the very best they can in that moment, we move into acceptance and then the fruits of love can flow. After all, have we all not made mistakes? Even mistakes that others saw coming a mile off? We feel valued when others accept us, life-gaffs-and-all; that's why acceptance is Love's midwife.
We are all, beneath the surface, longing to be seen, to be accepted and to be valued for who we are. If we can give that gift to another, we are sharing love. This simple - but not always easy! - practice allows us to create Heaven on Earth one moment at a time, one person at a time. And a world filled with people who feel seen, appreciated and respected will indeed be paradise.
When Love Flows, Life Flows.
Thursday, 25 February 2016
Why I bless my food
As child in a Catholic school, we said grace before every lunch break. As a child in a Catholic school, I paid little attention, racing through it to get to my sandwich. But I've changed. I have a renewed interest in blessing my food for a few reasons.
Blessing my food, means taking a moment to notice that I am eating, that I have stopped doing everything else and I am about to bring something into my body. It's a reminder to become aware, to become more mindful of what I am doing.
When I returned to blessing my food, I remember being bowled over by how miraculous it is that we have food at all. We take for granted that seeds know how and when to grow, or even what to grow into, not to mention the complex dance of rain, earth and sunshine that all food depends upon. The creation of food is a mandala of Life, of the goodness of this exquisite planet. It's easy to forget that.
The second reason I bless my food is because I genuinely believe that it increases the nutritional value of the food I eat. So much of our land, not to mention our seeds, are depleted from decades of over-chemicalisation, from pesticides to fertilizers (the downers and uppers of the agricultural world) that I don't believe it's all zinging with vitamins, bursting into radiant good health within me. But by blessing it, I think I open a window of opportunity for the 'impossible' to happen, for those nutrients and that goodness to be reawakened in my food, alchemically. After all, look what they have discovered happens when you pray over water: the composition of its crystals change to reflect the energy of the prayer.
I have a wonderful friend who thinks I may as well believe in magic. And fairies. I think she gave up discussing these things with me when she discovered I believe in both! This world is miraculous. We are naive if we think we are the masters, that we know it all.
Too often, we take the seen, as much as the unseen, for granted. Pausing for a moment to bless, to give benediction (literally, saying good things) engages the bridge between what we can see and what we believe and opens the doors to all sorts of miracles.
Blessing my food, means taking a moment to notice that I am eating, that I have stopped doing everything else and I am about to bring something into my body. It's a reminder to become aware, to become more mindful of what I am doing.
When I returned to blessing my food, I remember being bowled over by how miraculous it is that we have food at all. We take for granted that seeds know how and when to grow, or even what to grow into, not to mention the complex dance of rain, earth and sunshine that all food depends upon. The creation of food is a mandala of Life, of the goodness of this exquisite planet. It's easy to forget that.
The second reason I bless my food is because I genuinely believe that it increases the nutritional value of the food I eat. So much of our land, not to mention our seeds, are depleted from decades of over-chemicalisation, from pesticides to fertilizers (the downers and uppers of the agricultural world) that I don't believe it's all zinging with vitamins, bursting into radiant good health within me. But by blessing it, I think I open a window of opportunity for the 'impossible' to happen, for those nutrients and that goodness to be reawakened in my food, alchemically. After all, look what they have discovered happens when you pray over water: the composition of its crystals change to reflect the energy of the prayer.
I have a wonderful friend who thinks I may as well believe in magic. And fairies. I think she gave up discussing these things with me when she discovered I believe in both! This world is miraculous. We are naive if we think we are the masters, that we know it all.
Too often, we take the seen, as much as the unseen, for granted. Pausing for a moment to bless, to give benediction (literally, saying good things) engages the bridge between what we can see and what we believe and opens the doors to all sorts of miracles.
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
What is a Lightworker?
I've often heard the term used, but never really understood what a Lightworker is. Today I got a little clarity, thanks to Golden Age of Gaia (which is well worth checking out)
A spiritual seeker pursues enlightenment for themselves before all else. A Lightworker is someone who seeks to help others, above and before their own enlightenment, almost as if that is of secondary importance.
It's an interesting distinction that I found helpful because I'm not sure where I sit on the continuum. I wish to help others but feel I never help enough, and every day I check to see if I've woken up enlightened; you know, just on the off-chance! In short, I'm interested in both.
This clarification is useful because, in a way, it means that I can stop worrying about my own enlightenment; wondering and fearing that I may be doing something 'wrong' and missing the boat. Mind you, even in that phrase I hear the teachings of childhood religion echo back to me, 'Be Good or God won't let you into Heaven', and the constant fear - I was a sober child! - that I was just not measuring up. I have that even now.
It's always good to become aware of the conditioning that holds us back, and by revisiting its earliest roots our consciousness we can begin to melt all the heavy distortions we have carried around on our backs for decades, generations and perhaps even lifetimes.
I'm not sure which pigeon hole is mine, but I now know this; I can let go of the inner whip my ego has used to shame me into feeling a sense of failure for not feeling the joy, bliss and even enlightenment that others on the path so often report.
As Matt Kahn says, 'Whatever arises, Love that'. It takes a lot of the weight out of heavy emotions like shame, fear, apprehension and unworthiness to name just a few...
A spiritual seeker pursues enlightenment for themselves before all else. A Lightworker is someone who seeks to help others, above and before their own enlightenment, almost as if that is of secondary importance.
It's an interesting distinction that I found helpful because I'm not sure where I sit on the continuum. I wish to help others but feel I never help enough, and every day I check to see if I've woken up enlightened; you know, just on the off-chance! In short, I'm interested in both.
This clarification is useful because, in a way, it means that I can stop worrying about my own enlightenment; wondering and fearing that I may be doing something 'wrong' and missing the boat. Mind you, even in that phrase I hear the teachings of childhood religion echo back to me, 'Be Good or God won't let you into Heaven', and the constant fear - I was a sober child! - that I was just not measuring up. I have that even now.
It's always good to become aware of the conditioning that holds us back, and by revisiting its earliest roots our consciousness we can begin to melt all the heavy distortions we have carried around on our backs for decades, generations and perhaps even lifetimes.
I'm not sure which pigeon hole is mine, but I now know this; I can let go of the inner whip my ego has used to shame me into feeling a sense of failure for not feeling the joy, bliss and even enlightenment that others on the path so often report.
As Matt Kahn says, 'Whatever arises, Love that'. It takes a lot of the weight out of heavy emotions like shame, fear, apprehension and unworthiness to name just a few...
Monday, 22 February 2016
Using the power of love and meditation to transform the planet
There have been experiments done that have shown that when 100,000 meditate together urban crime reduces in a statistically quantifiable way. Imagine what can happen when Millions of us meditate together, at the same time, for world peace.
We each want to matter, deep inside, we all feel the calling to leave the world a better place than we found it, to have been a part of the solution. This is the easiest way I've ever seen to make that difference. By meditating at 12 noon on March 11, 12 and 13, we can amplify world love and world peace. I for one, can't wait.
Check out more here.... http://goldenageofgaia.com/2016/02/21/planetary-heart-meditation/
We each want to matter, deep inside, we all feel the calling to leave the world a better place than we found it, to have been a part of the solution. This is the easiest way I've ever seen to make that difference. By meditating at 12 noon on March 11, 12 and 13, we can amplify world love and world peace. I for one, can't wait.
Check out more here.... http://goldenageofgaia.com/2016/02/21/planetary-heart-meditation/
Friday, 12 February 2016
Sliding across timelines
One of my intentions in revisiting this blog was to push my own boundaries. I've always shied away from anything controversial because I know the opposition I have faced from my nearest and dearest. I also know I am not alone in that scenario, many of us keep quiet lest we upset those around us. But the time to own our truth is dawning. The sun is rising, so let us unfurl the radiant beauty within each of us in its warm caress.
While my life is very normal in some ways, in other ways I've been blessed with some amazing experiences which I would like to share with you, partially to honour the full scope of who I am and partially to honour the full scope of who you are. We are, none of us, 'just' human beings. We are multi-dimensional beings, taking on a human incarnation to help the planet through a pretty tricky Ascension process.
One of these miracles that I would like to share, happened fifteen years ago. I had gone to meet a Spiritualist recommended to me by a close friend. After the initial introductions, we went to his front room, along with his wife, and he suggested I close my eyes. He kept asking me where I was and I named about ten different countries. Then he asked me to describe what was happening.
While films and books talk of 'jumping' across timelines, this was like sliding across timelines, or even melting into different time sequences. I saw many different lifetimes. I think they were some of my lifetimes because I could recognise people from this lifetime in the scenes that unfolded before me, even though they looked completely different from how they appear now.
Some of the lives were happy, actually, I can only remember one happy lifetime. All the others showed life challenges. One of them even showed me a future life challenge, steeped in symbolism that I only begin to understand now, all these years on.
The other interesting aspect of this experience was that there were tiny details in a few of those lifetimes that I could not have known, but that I subsequently discovered were true on television documentaries and newspaper articles.
I wrote out all the details of each lifetime afterwards, and put a password on the document. I was never able to remember the password! It doesn't matter. The legacy of the experience lives on within me. Life is more than we imagine <3 br="">3>
While my life is very normal in some ways, in other ways I've been blessed with some amazing experiences which I would like to share with you, partially to honour the full scope of who I am and partially to honour the full scope of who you are. We are, none of us, 'just' human beings. We are multi-dimensional beings, taking on a human incarnation to help the planet through a pretty tricky Ascension process.
One of these miracles that I would like to share, happened fifteen years ago. I had gone to meet a Spiritualist recommended to me by a close friend. After the initial introductions, we went to his front room, along with his wife, and he suggested I close my eyes. He kept asking me where I was and I named about ten different countries. Then he asked me to describe what was happening.
While films and books talk of 'jumping' across timelines, this was like sliding across timelines, or even melting into different time sequences. I saw many different lifetimes. I think they were some of my lifetimes because I could recognise people from this lifetime in the scenes that unfolded before me, even though they looked completely different from how they appear now.
Some of the lives were happy, actually, I can only remember one happy lifetime. All the others showed life challenges. One of them even showed me a future life challenge, steeped in symbolism that I only begin to understand now, all these years on.
The other interesting aspect of this experience was that there were tiny details in a few of those lifetimes that I could not have known, but that I subsequently discovered were true on television documentaries and newspaper articles.
I wrote out all the details of each lifetime afterwards, and put a password on the document. I was never able to remember the password! It doesn't matter. The legacy of the experience lives on within me. Life is more than we imagine <3 br="">3>
Thursday, 11 February 2016
Why are we afraid to love ourselves?
When a lesson, an insight, an expansion of consciousness wishes to be known to us, it pops up everyone. Uncondtional love for ourselves. I can't turn around, but there it is. If I were to turn within, I might even find it there too!
Or would I? I grew up in Catholic Ireland. Fear, guilt and shame were so intimately woven into social, family and personal lives that we didn't even notice it. It was just how it was. So I've rather misconstrued the spiritual path what a probably familiar distortion; I've constantly striven to be better.
Now, on the surface, that's not the worst flaw, or even the worst distortion of the spiritual path, but it is, shall I say, a little childish. It makes the Divine a parent, and turns me into a child, trying but constantly failing. From the perfect perspective, I can never feel secure nor can I ever trust either the Divine or myself. The constant failure, shame and frustration has worn me down. When I am this disappointed in myself, how can I love others unconditionally?
I am finally coming to understand, we cannot give what we do not have. Acceptance, forgiveness and love are the foundation stones of life.
We are human. Let's not fight that, let's accept life with all its mud and miracles, let's forgive ourselves when we land in the mud - or indeed, when we create miracles, as many of us Light Workers have previously feared success and the spotlight. What was Jesus' last message on the cross? Forgiveness.
Through acceptance and forgiveness we naturally arrive at love. It is our essence and is always flowing, waiting to be noticed. Provided we can keep out of our own way!
It may seem trite to say, but the relief to feel that it's ok to love myself. It's ok to mess up. It's ok to shelve the concept of perfection, and what is perfect anyway? Perhaps perfection, like enlightenment, is in the last place we seek it.
Perhaps the acceptance of imperfection is true perfection. Perhaps that comes, not from the human level, but by seeing our lives as if we were looking down on ourselves, watching the play of our lives unfold. Would we be so critical then? Or would we be accepting, patient, forgiving, loving, knowing that we are doing the very best we can in every moment. Such unconditional acceptance and forgiveness can only be a blessing for a society and a world that seems increasingly fractured. It's a small step for us, and a giant leap towards world peace.
Or would I? I grew up in Catholic Ireland. Fear, guilt and shame were so intimately woven into social, family and personal lives that we didn't even notice it. It was just how it was. So I've rather misconstrued the spiritual path what a probably familiar distortion; I've constantly striven to be better.
Now, on the surface, that's not the worst flaw, or even the worst distortion of the spiritual path, but it is, shall I say, a little childish. It makes the Divine a parent, and turns me into a child, trying but constantly failing. From the perfect perspective, I can never feel secure nor can I ever trust either the Divine or myself. The constant failure, shame and frustration has worn me down. When I am this disappointed in myself, how can I love others unconditionally?
I am finally coming to understand, we cannot give what we do not have. Acceptance, forgiveness and love are the foundation stones of life.
We are human. Let's not fight that, let's accept life with all its mud and miracles, let's forgive ourselves when we land in the mud - or indeed, when we create miracles, as many of us Light Workers have previously feared success and the spotlight. What was Jesus' last message on the cross? Forgiveness.
Through acceptance and forgiveness we naturally arrive at love. It is our essence and is always flowing, waiting to be noticed. Provided we can keep out of our own way!
It may seem trite to say, but the relief to feel that it's ok to love myself. It's ok to mess up. It's ok to shelve the concept of perfection, and what is perfect anyway? Perhaps perfection, like enlightenment, is in the last place we seek it.
Perhaps the acceptance of imperfection is true perfection. Perhaps that comes, not from the human level, but by seeing our lives as if we were looking down on ourselves, watching the play of our lives unfold. Would we be so critical then? Or would we be accepting, patient, forgiving, loving, knowing that we are doing the very best we can in every moment. Such unconditional acceptance and forgiveness can only be a blessing for a society and a world that seems increasingly fractured. It's a small step for us, and a giant leap towards world peace.
Wednesday, 3 February 2016
Meeting the Angel of Death
Most people, but by no means all of us, fear death. Perhaps it's the unknown element of dying, 'what happens now?' Is it really going to be ok? The unknown often triggers fear. But we don't fear falling asleep or waking up, and in a way, both of those are mini-deaths too. At night, we die to our day time personality; in the morning, we 'die' to who we are at night when we leave our bodies through dreams, soul work and myraid other activities.
Yet death is the one inevitable event in life - well, after we ascend, that too will change! - but speaking for the present moment, it is the one certainty with which we all live.
Last summer a dear friend of mine lost her nine year fight with cancer. A few days after her memorial service, I sat down to meditate. I had no sooner centred myself when the most beautiful being appeared before me. She was tall and it was quite hard to see her because she radiated such an intense golden platinum light, but what was unmistakable was the intense feelings of joy and welcome, that radiated from her, a feeling of 'coming home'. I felt wonderful while I was with her.
I asked her name and her answer really surprised me, "the Angel of Death". I admit, I was a bit taken aback, but it didn't dawn on me that she was there to bring me home! Perhaps I sensed it was just a visit. A wonderful blessing.
There's no grim reaper, that's our projection of our collective fear. There's no darkness, but an abundance of light and love. And bliss.
I haven't feared death - at least consciously! - for many years, and this visit reconfirmed my belief that we are surrounded by Divine love at all moments: night and day; in life and in death.
I offer this story because it is my heartfelt intention that some of the peace, love and, yes, joy, that I experienced may touch you, so that we can all share her gift. There is nothing to fear, she is the most sublime companion, bathing us in more love than we have ever experienced in our lives, welcoming us home to the essence of who we are, Love.
PS! For a different angle on this, you may be interested to read my piece on The Miracle of Miscarriage
Yet death is the one inevitable event in life - well, after we ascend, that too will change! - but speaking for the present moment, it is the one certainty with which we all live.
Last summer a dear friend of mine lost her nine year fight with cancer. A few days after her memorial service, I sat down to meditate. I had no sooner centred myself when the most beautiful being appeared before me. She was tall and it was quite hard to see her because she radiated such an intense golden platinum light, but what was unmistakable was the intense feelings of joy and welcome, that radiated from her, a feeling of 'coming home'. I felt wonderful while I was with her.
I asked her name and her answer really surprised me, "the Angel of Death". I admit, I was a bit taken aback, but it didn't dawn on me that she was there to bring me home! Perhaps I sensed it was just a visit. A wonderful blessing.
There's no grim reaper, that's our projection of our collective fear. There's no darkness, but an abundance of light and love. And bliss.
I haven't feared death - at least consciously! - for many years, and this visit reconfirmed my belief that we are surrounded by Divine love at all moments: night and day; in life and in death.
I offer this story because it is my heartfelt intention that some of the peace, love and, yes, joy, that I experienced may touch you, so that we can all share her gift. There is nothing to fear, she is the most sublime companion, bathing us in more love than we have ever experienced in our lives, welcoming us home to the essence of who we are, Love.
PS! For a different angle on this, you may be interested to read my piece on The Miracle of Miscarriage
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