“One truth you must consider. You are only as expansive, successful, joyous, peaceful and free as you truly love and accept yourself.”
~ Joseph
I saw this question in a book that I am reading. I knew immediately it was time to write about desire. There are so many beliefs about this subject that need to be examined.
Desire is a driving force, no question about that. There is however, a wide range of opinions about the pluses and negatives of desire.
I have to admit to a big bias here –
Today I have a special message just for you. Yes you, the person reading this. You might wonder, “How do I know you?
Well to keep this simple, let’s say I know you because you and I are one. We share the same collective consciousness. Our souls are connected. Our hearts have the same infinite love waiting to be expressed. We come from the same source.
I could go on but I think you get the picture. Beyond our separate stories there is so much we share.
Not only do I know you, I know what is possible within you. That is why I am writing to you today
You and I live in critical times that will shape the destiny of humanity and the planet. We were born to be part of this time because of our unique capacities. These capacities can only be realized if our minds and hearts are open.
Recently walking through a parking lot (I know this seems like an odd place but frankly any place is wonderful when the light goes on), I had a moment of great clarity. I welcome these moments of insight. They feel like a gift from a much wiser source of knowing than my ordinary mind.
The clarity was – The time is now for everyone to step forward with a total openness of mind and heart. This openness is essential for all of us to break from the old stuck ways that no longer work. Once liberated, together we can create new more expansive forms of expression.
New forms of expression are needed across our social structures, business models, economic systems, human services, planetary practices, and political and religious organizations. They could all work better for the good of all humanity and the planet.
You and I are here now to be powerful agents for positive change. The challenge is how to do this. How can we bring the endless flexibility and genius of our open minds and the infinite compassionate wisdom of our open hearts to work together for the greater good of all life on the planet? The task is monumental, the challenges never ending, and thankfully our possibilities and potential are awesomely incredible.
Life has a way of blinding us to what’s going on. Things happen and we close down. This is the nature of being human in a world so often powerful and too often overwhelming. What we see is affected by our experience of the world.
A number of years ago I had a very interesting experience and it has left questions in my mind about how much our emotions affect how well we see. One evening before I went to bed, I had a very positive insight and felt uplifted before I drifted off to sleep. In the morning, before I put my contacts in, I looked outside and could read the street sign. The strength of the corrective lenses I wear would make that clarity of vision nearly a miracle.
Yesterday I was at a gallery and something connected about art and how it is a vehicle to deepen our experience of life and open our channel to our spirit. There was a painting of a crow sitting on a window ledge and looking at the sun; it was titled at the Edge of Freedom. It seems crows are symbolic messengers for both my wife and I. For years the intuitive has come to us in a variety of forms with crows high the list. Inner messages call us to leave old stuck patterns and limiting beliefs behind and instead move into the wonder of the unexplored richness of life. This message came home with clarity looking at that painting.
As I read what I wrote above I see by my words that what I want to say is that there is so much we can become aware of and know if we allow the messages around us, the images, and the metaphors speak to us in the inner language of the intuitive. Everything becomes more alive when we are open to see, hear, feel and sense the wisdom of the universe.
How do you make contact with the other world of knowing beyond your rational mind?
What kinds of messengers or metaphors are knocking on the doorway to your higher knowing inviting you to further awaken?
Where do you have stuck patterns or places in you wanting to come into full expression?
What parts of you are touched by images or intuitions that keep showing up and begging you to pay attention?
Where do you keep pushing away what you know is right for you?
How do you diminish your own power by holding out against you’re your quiet wisdom?
None of this is meant to judge but to invite. You are unlimited potential in waiting; you are the grace of light longing to be expressed.
I want to thank Buddhist teacher Cheri Huber for the inspiration for today’s post. She tweeted something like, “Just change your story.” My inner voice said that is an excellent topic for my blog.
What stories am I talking about? If you take the time to observe what goes on in your mind and do so over a period of time, you will notice some regular themes. Most of these themes are ones that direct the way you see the world. Let me give you some examples:
You can have a story about money being bad, and you never seem to have the money you want. If you have a story about money being bad and you want to be a good person, then your story of money will keep you from having it.
You can have a story about not being good enough. That story plays every time you go after something and don’t get it. Soon you expect to fail and you feel that you are not good enough to have what you want.
You can have a story about how amazing you are, and everything you do turns out great. Believing in yourself usually means you take risks, follow your heart, and do what it takes to succeed. This story is one that you don’t want to change. If anything you may want to play this story more often.
Why would you want to change your story? Stories that don’t work for you like: you not being good enough, not deserving, not okay as a person, money as bad or any other negative story limits greatly the possibilities of your life. So when you notice a limiting story you play about who you are in your own mind, you then have the choice to change that story. You most likely have some deeply grooved stories that hold you back from having the life you desire (this is true of all of us.)
Changing your story begins by listening to what stories you have playing and then questioning whether they are serving you well or not. Most of the stories in you mind are thoughts that have been replaying for many years. These stories can be replaced once you are aware of them but if you don’t take the time to become mindful of your thoughts, these stories will limit what you want to make happen.
Simply put, pay attention to how you talk to yourself, you inner dialogue, the stories of how you see the world. As you notice ideas, beliefs and stories that are limiting you, you then have awareness. With awareness, you acquire choice. With choice you can change old themes to new ones that move you in the right direction.
Imagine having thoughts, ideas and beliefs about you and your life that make your life the way you want it to be. If you commit to listening inward, asking yourself questions about what you are thinking, and becoming aware of thoughts you want to replace, then you take back control of the life you long to create.
Here are some ideas to help you be more aware, take the time to explore these practices compassionately:
Keep on noticing until you understand what stories take you higher in life and which ones cause you life to close down.
Be kind in all of this noticing. To judge yourself negatively for the stories you have would be to begin a new limiting story or add on to one you already have. The best frame of mind is to just impartially get to know what is going on inside and upgrade the stories that need to change and energize the positive ones that are already there.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: I am changing my story.
Last night I placed this message on my Facebook page and today I want to share it with everyone who stops by to read my blog. I so much appreciate you and you interest in expanding your mind and opening your heart.
I am taking a scary but exciting leap. I am going to need your support. I will now make my living with my blog, my coaching and my training and presentations. I affirm this with all of you as my cheer leading team. I am putting a plan together now, with a relaunch of my blog, a spelling out of my services and products and the building of a co-created movement called Better World Together. Stay tuned, have your thinking caps on, your hearts energized and people in mind I can be of service to. Love and peace to all of you.
