Tag: soul

Nature as a teacher of divine perfection.

by admin

Whenever I am feeling out of sorts, lost, ungrounded, anxious or looking to shift perspectives I tend to seek out the natural world as my teacher.

Nature teaches us many wisdoms. For one, it shows us how small and insignificant our perceived problems are. The vastness of a mountain or expansiveness of the ocean is a reminder that all is as it should be, it’s our concept or ideal around an “issue” that is causing suffering. 

“We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.”-unknown 

Tuning into the change of seasons, watching the ever expansive sky; sunrises, sunsets and the billions of stars illuminating the night teaches us that there are cycles to the self and life. That nothing stays the same, that part of our purpose is to embrace these cycles, as each transition is a step forward to the awakening of our divine purpose and gifts.

One day, a while back I was struggling with a perceived issue that seemed so big and insurmountable to me at the time. We took a day trip into the Sierra Nevadas in Northern California. We stopped at a lake; brought some food and drinks and stayed for the afternoon. I was mesmerized by the sunlight reflecting off the lake creating thousands of baby diamond light flickers off the water. My mind became still, as I embraced the moment.

A insight rolled in, as they usually do once I allow my mind to quiet down. 

“Everything is perfect, in divine time as it is. It’s your perception of reality that is causing you great discomfort and suffering.”

The insight was exactly right! Isn’t it our war with reality that makes us suffer? In that moment, ha! It was just a moment, I was able to let go and feel peace as I allowed and aligned with a open hearted trust, “things are in their divine place and as they should be.”

But of course the ego chimed in, my mind chatter revved up and I began having an internal debate with my soul, basically. Isn’t this so human of us to fight our true nature and divine truths? 

As at times I embody that same wisdom, it’s like having daily amnesia, I forget that all is on time and on purpose. Nothing happens in Gods world by mistake. I also realized if we don’t like the reality we have created for ourselves, we have the power to change it. However whatever reality or story we find ourselves in, there will always be lessons and challenges.   

There are blessings in each circumstance. Seems like a paradox, well because it is; often the things that bring us to our knees in life are nothing but doorways connecting us to the freedom within. 

Trusting the unfoldment of our lives. While doing our best to not resist or fight life’s circumstances or ourselves.. Rather, quiet the mind, takes some space and step into nature; if only to marvel at the magnificence of the natural world, while embracing the divine being that you are. 

All is as it should be. You are safe, you are loved.

Love, B.

Risk; the road to growth and joy

by admin

What is it about taking risks that is absolutely liberating and a bit scary at the same time? 

That sense of aliveness that comes from stepping into unknown territories and new frontiers. Risks are dreams waiting to be realized and consciously created. The willingness to take a risk, or chance is the ability to trust that whatever happens is guiding you more near to inner growth and joy no matter what the outcome. 

Everything begins as a dream, from our deeper self. We are the dreamer dreaming our own dream. A risk is a intentional action that acknowledges future uncertainty about deviation from an expected outcome. Risk measures the uncertainty one is willing to take to realize a possible future gain. Taking a chance on changing careers, moving somewhere new, investing in ones education, starting a new business all begin as a dream, a vision from ones heart and being.

I don’t believe our life dreams are random, they are leading us to our divine purpose and gifts.

Without risk there would be little growth for forward momentum, as nothing is certain or stays the same. To have choice to stay the same, or move beyond is a gift to our souls purpose. I believe within each human lives a dream that is asking to be known, seen and worked towards. That thing inside that feels “oh so right”- a true alignment with our mission is what moves us forward beyond current realities.

3 levels of taking risks:

Level 1: Dip your big toe in:

How do we know what and when is a good time to take a risk? Dip your toe in the water. Start by taking small risks. Play with the edges, get just a smidge uncomfortable. Learn to trust your instincts. Get curious about the outcomes, studying risk is a great way to begin. Be playful, explore and see how each time you take small steps, that can help you build more confidence in yourself and the universe in which you are co-creating with. 

Level 2: Turn within: 

Ask yourself what you really want for your life. Life map, what would it take to get there? What are your biggest fears and possible obstacles, and what would happen if you stayed the same, or grew into this new dream? Straight up journal and meditate on this, begin to listen to your soul and trust your inner compass, your true north. 

Level 3: The leap of faith: 

You have done the work to lead up to this moment. You have taken smaller, intentional risks, explored your edges of comfort and learned to be open to different outcomes. 

You are ready for the leap of faith! The bigger step towards your dreams aka: souls calling. 

Maybe you want to invest in your future with additional schooling, a new home, relationship or career. You are happy and comfortable where you are, you also feel there is something bigger waiting for you. 

Jump into the abyss of the unknown! Yup, it will be a wild adventure, you will fall and pick yourself back up; becoming stronger and more resilient. You will meet people along the way that will help you realize your dream. Even the perceived “obstacles” are opportunities for you to grow, and awaken your potential. You will question your decision at times, and remember the days you were comfortable and content. Through this all, you will also feel alive, excited and learn things about yourself you had no idea existed. 

You will create your dream, and it will look different that you imagined- most of the time “better”. You will arrive at your new reality a bit scuffed up, polished and even brighter than before. Like a coal under pressure that becomes a diamond.

It hasn’t been easy, but looking back you have grown so much as a person. You have made new friends, and built more confidence in yourself. You may, or may not have “arrived”.

At this point you realize that the dream you dream is a story inside you waiting to lived, not achieved. That each risk, large or small; bring your closer to living your life more fully, with presence and deep intention. With each risk, your heart opens to more grace and possibility. You learn that whether you take a risk intentionally or not, life itself is a risk as well waiting for you to play with it, exploring and learning great lessons along the way.

Risk; is the ability to tune in, listen and create our lives consciously with mad faith, moving from the place of desire to grow and create expanded joy in our lives, fearlessly.

Be still to heal: You are your own resource.

by admin

For most of my life I have ran from my feelings and my own sensitivities. what I mean by running isn’t necessarily a physical manifestation, it can show up in the form of distracting oneself. Distracting oneself with addictions, over working, busy work, exercise, perfectionism, social media, and other outside things to avoid or numb out uncomfortable sensations and experiences. What I have also learned that this is a coping tool for traumas small and large, a way to emotionally be ok. And honestly, it works well, until it doesn’t any longer. Eventually this pain or suffering is asking us to look at it, and love it.

I share this because I know I am not alone in this wanting to distract oneself from self defeating inner dialogue, stressors, disappointments in life, and patterns of pain. This does not make us bad or broken, these experiences makes us human learning to navigate the human condition. Being human is a art and science, and a lifetime of inner work, practice and remembering who we are. 

It has taken a lifetime to learn about myself (still learning, always) my patterns and tendencies of wanting to distract from life. For years I used alcohol to numb my inner sufferings. Seeking outside resources to fill that God sized whole within. Getting sober in 2012 was my first step in this wild adventure of awakening and healing. I believe the path of awakening evokes a clearer vision of the things that hold us back from our greatness and potential.

Walking through the things that trouble us, or hold us hostage in our own minds and hearts can feel like a hindrance, however they often are gifts in hindsight. Obstacles are often perceived as annoyances, however they are put on our path to strengthen our resolve and return us to our power within. Things are being revealed to be healed, within that knowing we can find freedom, and come back to our healing through authenticity. 

Along my journey of personal and spiritual development I have learned some key lessons that have guided me in becoming “unstuck” and helped me to move forward into healing and happiness. 

1.) Be still, slow down and get quiet. This is a tough one! It took me many, many years of inner suffering to learn that the the only way out is through. To this day, I still try the old outdated coping skill of distraction, only to find myself swirling and spiraling in my own self demise. When I choose stillness practices such as meditation, breathing, yoga nidra, journaling, self inquiry or simply lying on the floor- I feel myself begin to heal on a heart and visceral level. I feel myself beginning to integrate and return to my intrinsic wholeness. The shift within feels like balance, peace and serenity. Nothing outside of me fills me up more than these simple, yet profound practices. 

2.) Compassion and unconditional love for oneself. This is a practice that I believe is one of the most important and potent ones. Learning to cultivate a loving, kind compassionate relationship with one self, can change the trajectory of our life and the experiences we have with others. Being gentle with ourselves along the way is huge for cultivating compassion, and loving kindness towards oneself and those we hold dearly. Thích Nhất Hạnh quotes: “When the baby is crying, the mother picks up the baby and she holds the baby tenderly in her arms. Your pain, your anxiety is your baby. You have to take care of it. You have to go back to yourself, to recognise the suffering in you, embrace the suffering, and you get a relief.” 

3.) Surrender. Resistance to reality is futile! One of my favorites spiritual teachers Stephen Cope quotes, “Through practice, I’ve come to see that the deepest source of my misery is not wanting things to be the way they are. Not wanting myself to be the way I am. Not wanting the world to be the way it is. Not wanting others to be the way they are. Whenever I’m suffering, I find this war with reality to be at the heart of the problem.”

Being true to ourselves, aligning with “what is”, can transform the way we interact with our world. By not embracing what is, we are fighting, resisting and communicating to the universal intelligence that we don’t trust life and we know better.

I try to remind myself during times of anxiety and self doubt, “I do not know the big picture.” But if I believe, like I believe that all works out is for the greater good for all involved, I can relax deeper and find peace and trust in the mystery.

Surrendering to a power greater than ourselves is not giving up, In fact it is the strongest thing we can do. By surrendering, we are trusting in this power to help guide and care for us. 

By surrendering, we are getting out of our own way in which expands our perspectives and encourages peaceful solutions to our problems.

Learning to acknowledge when we are distracting ourselves from our pain and uncomfortable emotions is a practice. To hold ourselves with care, patience and kindness as we move through challenging situations within ourselves is a life long practice of mindfulness and loving acceptance to what is. We don’t see the world as it is, we see it as we are. Ghandi most famously quotes, “be the change you wish to see.”
Our growth and expansion as beings is one of the greatest services we can do for humanity. 

We all have the power within, to heal, grow and thrive. Be still, take a deep breath and know that no matter what, you are loved, and are right where you are supposed to be. 💜

Intuition is your soul speaking

by admin

I believe deep within our beings, is a light that is connected to the all. Through this light, we can transmute information, connect to different levels of consciousness and tap into our innate knowledge and wisdom.

It took me a while to learn how to trust myself and knowing. to be honest, it’s a skill I’m still acquiring and fine tuning.  Being empathic and sensitive is a gift, but can feel like a burden. To feel everything so intensely, and to see clearly can actually be quite a muddy and confusing experience. Tapping into our intuition takes practice and patience. Learning to discern intuition from fear or fantasy is a focused dive into the abyss of the soul and psyche. 

A lot of my life I remember being very sensitive and raw. Life just hurt. I could feel life and energy traverse through my being as a young girl. This made me shy, and a bit of a quiet loner. Looking back, I believe it was hard for me to distinguish my energy or thought from “the other”. It made it challenging to listen to myself, trust my intuition, when I had the noise of everyone else inside my mind and heart. 

When I was a teenager, until I got sober at 30 I used drugs and alcohol to numb my sensitivities. It worked! For a while.. until it caused more suffering than feeling all the feels. 

Deep in my being, I knew it was a gift. A intuitive nudge. I began studying yoga, metaphysics and the healing arts more in depth through out my 20’s and 30’s. This exploration guided me to understand my empathic qualities and to discover there are others out there that struggle and THRIVE with this same experience!

As I get older, I am able to hone in and harness the gift of sensitivity in a helpful way to myself and others. Being sensitive is like a energetic exposure to the world, a raw receptivity. More information comes through. It’s like my personal “antenna” is sky high; picking up on random info from all directions. The dial of the soul, calibrated, fine tuned to subtler frequencies. 

We all have this ability to tune in. 

I believe this ability to tune in with our sensitivity is our intuition. And our intuition is our soul speaking to us. How do we discern the information that’s coming through? Often our intuition is not something we “want” to do, yet feel “called” to do. When I check in and try to discern if the feeling, sensation or message I am getting is intuition, fear or fantasy? I ask my body, I see where I feel it. I try to sense it’s intention, and “where” that sensation is coming from.

If there is peace around it, heart spacious with a resonance of knowing-it’s often my soul speaking. Even if intuitively I am being asked to live beyond my comfort level, or to do something new and scary.. there is peace around it, a deep sense of OK-ness.

If there is mad, frantic anxiety around a thought or message coming in.. it’s often ego not intuition. If I begin to get in my head, instead of in my heart around an issue. That’s definitely ego and fear not intuition.  Lots of different stories created in the mind, fantasies and such.

This isn’t usually the soul speaking, rather a grasping from my ego out of fear.

However, sometimes visions- bursts of insight come through as truth. That is intuition. A message from the higher self.

Intuition is tuning “in-to-it” tuning into yourself. Listening, paying attention and acting from a place of alignment within. 

Listening to your soul speak, trusting it and acting upon it is a practice. It takes getting to know oneself on a intimate level.  A relationship with ourselves (and soul) is the foundation for all other relationships we attract and interact with in this lifetime.

A few powerful ways to touch in is through prayer, meditation, yoga or journaling. Quiet the mind, get still. Ask yourself lots of questions, get curious about what comes up. Notice where you feel the information in your body. What’s the energy around the information you are experiencing in your atmosphere of being? 

The body is a physical storehouse for the mind, emotions and soul. Check in, listen and trust your knowing. 

The intuition is a scared gift, a nudge to walk the path of your highest truth and self. 

Love, Brittany