But What If…

But what if…
Those three words were hovering in my forebrain when I woke yesterday morning and it occurred to me how often they interrupt what may otherwise have been a seamless experience.

Think how often we here them…
“But what if I lose my job!”
“But what if I don’t get that call!”
“But what if it rains!”
and and and….

I was part of a beautiful Satsang (group meditation) on Sunday with Stephen Russell (Barefoot Doctor) where the theme was ‘Surrender to Grace’ – rather than grasping at life, letting go and relaxing into the flow of it.

The timing was perfect. (That in itself is perhaps redundant… isn’t’ it always?) We explored the yin/yang of existence… what comes up must come down (but will indeed go up again.) So the bottom line and excellent advice: LOVE IT ALL. The ins, the outs, the gray skies, the blue… it’s all part of our amazing, precious, -and limited – time on earth.

This quote from the Dalai Lama seemed appropriate here: “According to my experience, the principle characteristic of genuine happiness is peace, inner peace.”

And inner peace is found in loving this moment. And this. And this.

But what if… it’s all perfect? (It is.)

Affirmation: I inhale peace. I exhale peace. I am peace.

Welcome to the Land of In-Between… Gestation Periods

Ahhhh…. think we may all be familiar with this one. You are standing in a space where one chapter in the book of your life is complete but the next one is still not written (or perhaps even in outline form.) And you find yourself in the ‘Gestation Period Waiting Room’ (or what Melody Beattie, author of Language of Letting Go calls, ‘the void.’ Truth be told, I imagine we are always in that waiting room on one level or another, it’s just that sometimes the void is a bit more pronounced, shall we say.

The cool thing is that even though it may be stressful feeling as if you are straddling two ledges of existence, it can also be a wonderful time to STOP and focus on what it is that you truly desire to experience in this next stage of your life. Hence, a ‘gestation period.’ The seeds are being planted with every thought and every word and every visualization.

Here’s a little acronym I have come up with to align yourself with the BEST of outcomes, even when things are currently a bit of a blur.

B – Breathe. This step is really the easiest because luckily it is something that keeps performing whether we pay it heed or not. BUT when we DO bring our awareness to the flow of the breath, it has all sorts of wonderful benefits like reducing stress, pumping up the immune system, and bringing us into the moment. Definitely worth the effort.

E – Expect miracles. Even when the outlook is a bit bleak or even completely foggy, developing a sense of expectancy and optimism can not only bolster our spirits, but it sends a wave of positive energy into the brew. So why not?

S – Savor the moment i.e. be patient. I know, sometimes easier said than done. My Mom always said I was BORN impatient. I was due on March 10th and arrived on Valentine’s Day. (Of course, I know that I chose that day. Not so much a timing thing as a desire to be born on the day that represents love.)

T – Trust. Oh yeah. Now there’s a biggie. And how often do we hear it mentioned with that other little four-lettered word ‘just’ prior to it : “JUST trust.” OHHHH… Okay. Just like that. Would that it were so simple. But the interesting thing is that trust is a (spiritual) muscle. The more we use it, the more natural it becomes. One of the reasons I am writing this is to develop my OWN ‘faith biceps.’

SPIRIT GATE

An acupressure point that we practice quite often in our yoga class is also optimal for bringing down levels of anxiety and helping with sleeplessness should that be triggered as well. It is called the ‘spirit gate’ and is located along the heart meridian (Heart 7). If you trace a line down from your little finger with your palm facing you, just over the wrist crease about a thumb’s with toward the middle of your forearm, you will find it. Holding this spot for 30 seconds to a minute on both sides will bring a feeling of calm and inner peace. Great one to know.

So here’s hoping that the next time you find yourself in that in-between place you will at least have some activities to keep you company as you hang out in the waiting room.

Here’s to the BEST of outcomes… and remember to always let love fill in the gaps where doubt comes in to play.

Affirmation: I am cleansed, refreshed and renewed, as I move on to the next step of my journey.

Celebrating the Power of “I AM” Through the Chakras – The Road To Freedom

What does it mean to be free?

When we can reach a place of non-judgement, both of ourselves and others – a place of total forgiveness – for ourselves and others- and through this, a deep awareness of our infinitely Divine nature, this is true freedom. This is where healing takes place. This is love.

Let us honor our crown chakra, our connection to the Divine and in so doing, may we open ourselves to this idea of freedom. Let the light of the crown flow down, celebrating the beauty of all the chakras paying heed to the unique gifts they offer. This will then support and magnify the blessings contained within each of them.

We honor the root chakra for the gift of stability and earth support. We honor the sacral chakra for the flow of abundance in our lives and our ability to create. We honor the solar plexus for our sense of power and courage to walk the path. We honor our heart chakra for the gift of compassion in our lives and our ability to give and receive love. We honor the throat chakra for enabling us to celebrate and express our truth and purpose. We honor the third eye for the sense of intuitive knowing that emanates from the indigo light within. We honor the crown chakra for our infinite and all-loving connection with the Divine.

So with breath and movement, may we bring awareness to these fields and ask that any blockages to a free flow of energy be removed that we might serve each moment of our lives in the most free and joyful manner.

I’d like to now share a meditation with you that will enhance this practice. We will be bringing focus to the power of the words “I AM.” We must be really cognizant of whatever we say that follows those two words because that is what we will be manifesting and magnifying within our lives. Hence, saying I AM and anything derogatory or less than empowering should be consciously avoided. We will be using the I AM to enhance the gifts of each of our energy fields.

I will be ringing a chime for each chakra and then introduce you to the statement in the form of “You ARE… ” after which we will repeat that statement in the form of I AM three times. (Please see link to audio version below.)

ROOT CHAKRA….. YOU ARE STABILITY AND SUPPORTED BY MOTHER EARTH.
(I AM STABILITY AND SUPPORTED BY MOTHER EARTH.)

SACRAL CHAKRA…. YOU ARE CREATIVITY, ABUNDANCE, AND FLOW.
(I AM CREATIVITY, ABUNDANCE, AND FLOW.)

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA …. YOU ARE GODDESS ENERGY AND TRUE WARRIOR SPIRIT.
(I AM GODDESS ENERGY & TRUE WARRIOR SPIRIT.)

HEART CHAKRA…YOU ARE COMPASSION AND BOUNDLESS LOVE.
(I AM COMPASSION AND BOUNDLESS LOVE.)

THROAT CHARKA – YOU ARE TRUTH AND AUTHENTICITY.
(I AM TRUTH AND AUTHENTICITY.)

THIRD EYE – YOU ARE ALWAYS GUIDED BY AN INNER LIGHT
(I AM ALWAYS GUIDED BY AN INNER LIGHT.)

CROWN CHAKRA – YOU ARE AM EXPRESSION OF PURE DIVINE LOVE.
(I AM AN EXPRESSION OF PURE DIVINE LOVE)

Now come into pushpaputa, a mudra representing openness, acceptance, allowing by bringing your hands palms up in front of you at heart level, like you were holding a handful of flowers. Let light shine down through your crown chakra and through all of the chakras, seeing them balanced and clear. Then bring your hands into anjali mudra – prayer hands – and draw them to your heart space, in non-judgment, in total forgiveness…

You are a pure Divine expression of Love…. you are free.

Namasté.

Link to audio of this essay and meditation:

Honoring Anahata… Our Heart Chakra

The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart. – Rumi

When we share from our hearts, it’s an echo that comes back to us.

Let us look today at the magnificence of our heart chakra from the physical, emotional and spiritual perspectives. Anahata (Sanskrit for our heart chakra) physically encompasses the organs of the heart and the lungs also the breasts and the thymus gland. It offers us two of the most tender gifts of life itself: our heart beat and our breath. It is the bridge between the physical and spiritual…. the earth and stability, the water and the flow of our lives, the fire and our warrior spirit linking to our gifts of self-expression, our intuition and our Divine presence.

The willingness to open the heart space and allow love to flow freely to and from us is perhaps the healthiest thing we can do for our bodies and our souls. That is the whole reason we are here – to experience our connection with all other beings – in the realization that we are all ONE. There is no separation.

This all begins with self-love. The ability to look into our own eyes and say (and mean), “I Love YOU.” Controlling self-talk is also of extreme importance… How often we berate ourselves in this negative practice. (“How could I be so stupid? I can’t believe I did or said that, etc etc.)

Because I believe that we cannot truly love another from a place of truth until we love ourselves wholly and completely this becomes intrinsic to the experience of love itself. When we fail to honor and appreciate who we are, what appears to be a loving exchange may more likely become a gesture of obligation – or a sharing in the hopes that it will be returned. When, however, we come from the authenticity of the heart, it just IS. Pure, simple and magnificent.

So let us honor our heart chakra…. for the physical, emotional and spiritual bounty it offers.

AFFIRMATION: As I love, honor and appreciate myself more each day, the Universe responds in kind.

The Downside of Martyrdom (or How To Lighten Your Load and Survive)

Martyrdom is highly overrated and the rewards come just a bit too late. Please excuse any unintended sarcasm… I am in no way implying that those who came before us and attained martyr status don’t indeed deserve our respect for that which they endured in the service of others. BUT knowingly or unknowingly playing the role of martyr in our everyday lives is really not a healthy use of time or energy.

When we find ourselves carrying a load that is disproportionate to that which we are meant to carry, it is time to breathe and ask for help. This assistance can come from various sources: from those walking the earth plane alongside us as well as, and perhaps even more importantly, from the Divine, a wellspring of eternal assistance.

This week in yoga class we are honoring the Root Chakra (at the base of the spine) and the traits of stability, steadfastness and our right to be here. The realization that this is not the equivalent of being ‘weighted down’ but rather, light enough on our feet that we are able to walk the path with sure footing aids us in maintaining balance in this field. One of the most important ways we can do this IS by asking for help when we need it and understanding that this is a strength, not a weakness.

There are physical as well as emotional repercussions when our root chakra is out of balance. Some of the physical manifestations can be lower back pain, neck and shoulder tension, arthritis as well as constipation or diarrhea. Emotionally, we may experience fear of letting go, attempting to keep everything status quo because that’s where we have that facade of ‘control’ or in the opposite scenario, feeling that the ground is moving under our feet and we are on a slippery slope.

In either case, finding that mid-ground and moving in a forward direction at whatever speed is currently healthy will allow us to truly experience the support within and around us and look towards our goals with a sense of security, trust and belief.

AFFIRMATION: I am a traveler, light and carefree on this exquisite journey called life.

Lower back pain is perhaps one of the most frequent conditions affecting a wide variety of people so I have put together a short video that provides some suggestions for relief. This a flow that will acquaint you with various acupressure points as well as yoga poses to bring relief to back pain as well as relaxation. Enjoy!

http://www.sagebutterfly.com/2013meditation.html#back

Celebrating “In-Between” Moments

Having just come to the end of yet another year, we many times berate ourselves for all of the things we said we were going to accomplish but haven’t quite yet… “Wow, where did the year go?” we ponder, as we recall those goals that still lie before us. And the list for the new year begins to take shape.

Now I am definitely a fan of having goals. It does indeed keep us on purpose. But what I would also like to suggest is finding the beauty and peace in the ‘in-between moments’ … the threads of time that weave together the larger tapestry. Moments shared in conversation with friends or in quiet contemplation… Moments spent sipping a favorite tea or a fine glass of wine… Moments cuddling with your beloved pet or sharing stories with your child… Moments watching the setting sun or the wind dancing in the trees… Moments of sadness experienced with a loss of a loved one or the passing of an era that magnify the importance of our soul connections…

And what is it that connects us teach and every one of these moments? Our BREATH. The seamless flow of inhale and exhale as we ride the wave of life experience. So, as we celebrate the ending of 2012 and the anticipation of 2013, may we also be mindful of THIS moment, the beauty of simplicity, the tenderness of love and heart-based experience… and the invaluable gift of our breath that allows the very adventure to unfold.

Affirmation: In this moment, I treasure the flow with my breath and the beating of my heart, miracles of life unfolding.

Wishing you the realization of dreams coming true and the peace that arises from honoring the beauty of the present moment.

Divine Alchemy: Pave Your Road with Gratitude and Gold

There is a wonderful book called “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers in which she extols the value of taking risks and adapting an optimistic stance that that you can carry with you no matter the circumstances in your life. At the very beginning of the book she mentions something that probably happened to most of us (and that most of us may even still practice in our own lives…) As a child when leaving the house, her mother always called out to her, “Now BE CAREFUL!” Not once did she say, “Now go take a few risks.” This, of course, magnifies the belief that it is a ‘scary world out there’…. But what it boils down to at a core level is that if something ‘bad’ happens, “I won’t be able to handle it.” (In this case, something happening to her child.)

This led to the consideration of balance within our chakras and how our Warrior Spirit plays a starring role. If a blockage exists in any of the energy fields, it is on some level related to fear – fear that we won’t be ‘able to handle it’. In our yoga class this week we are celebrating the correlation of the solar plexus working hand-in-hand with the Divine. When we embrace that Warrior Spirit, our God/Goddess Energy, and either dispel, transmute or banish those fears as we truly trust that we are always and in all ways connected to something so much greater than these ‘so-called’ obstacles, the channels within us will become clear. We are then open to allowing the flow of magic that stems from the knowledge that we can INDEED handle it, especially when honoring our connection with the Divine.

And speaking of MAGIC, AS we honor our true Divine nature, we become Alchemists… turning whatever lies before us on our path into Gold.

The fact of the matter is, borrowing perhaps one of the most important affirmations I’ve learned from Stephen Russell (Barefoot Doctor): WE CREATE OUR OWN REALITY. And I don’t mean just about manifesting ‘stuff’ in our lives. The most powerful part of being the creator of your own reality, the DIVINE ALCHEMY, is that it’s UP TO US how we respond in any given situation. THAT’S how we really become the magicians.

I believe there are really three basic realms of fear:
1) ‘REAL’ fear. (You are standing at gunpoint ….)
2) You are about to embark on something big in your life but are filled with angst – either of failure OR success… (What then?)
3) You have made it up and are projecting what ‘could happen’. (The most insidious kind)

The three ways of dealing with the above:
1) Dispel the fear…. If you are in a situation where it is ‘real’, ask for the guidance of Divine protection and know you will handle it. (This can, of course, require great trust that becomes stronger and stronger as we ‘work the trust muscle.’)
2) Transmute the fear… Remember that both fear and excitement ‘light up’ the same part of the brain. Turn the angst you may be feeling as you move into a new adventure into enthusiasm.
3) Banish the fear… If you are ‘awful-izing’ about all that can go wrong, call on your Warrior Spirit and turn your awareness into what you DO want to experience.

Like standing on a see-saw, if you are perched too far to one side or with your legs too far apart, you are going to be out of balance. But if you stand closer to the center, you have the leverage. The world is a constant play of Yin and Yang, expansion and contraction, it just is – part of the human experience. So the more we can stand centered and peaceful within who we are, fear banished, glowing within our Warrior Spirit, channels clear, the Divine Alchmey can then take place.

Feel the fear and do it anyway. (You, the Divine, can handle it.)

AFFIRMATION: I am a Divine Alchemist. I create my own reality. The road I walk is paved with Gratitude and Gold.

CHANT: Shanta Prashante, Sarva Bhaya Upasha Mani Swaha – (Dispel fear – come back to Source.)

Namasté.

Click here for an audio version of this essay.

You Are Magnificent.

Place both of your hands gently on your heart space and say, “I AM MAGIFICENT.” Even if thoughts attempt to intervene and convince you otherwise, allow the essence of these words to merge with your heart… and shine.

I was pondering this affirmation that I had shared this week in yoga class as I donned my running shoes and left for my daily tour through the neighborhood. This morning’s run offered a different ambience than I had experienced in quite some time.

The sun that had shone warmly from his majestic space in the sky was replaced by a heavy fog that hung in the trees, dew blanketing all flora and fauna. It was actually rather mystical, like running into the mists of Avalon. The birds were quite vocal with their song from perches high in the cedars and oaks and birches as I strode by, my breath even and deep, welcoming the cool air into my lungs.

I took the opportunity to become aware of my world in 3-D… aware of what lay beneath my feet, before and to the sides of me, as well as behind me. It was as if my physical being softened into the all-pervasive presence and any sense of separation was dissolved. Feeling this, the recognition that ‘separateness’ is nothing but an illusion became much more comprehensible.

The belief in our own magnificence surfaced yet again. We are made up of the same spectacular energy that turns an acorn into a oak, that blankets the heavens with starlight, that ushers in the dawn and the dusk… When we embrace this gift of life, we shine. And when WE shine from our hearts, we invite others to do the same. By honoring our greatest gifts, we honor all others in our life and pay homage to our Higher Self.

The beauty of the morning brought all of this home in an even deeper way. One world, one voice, one diverse expression of LOVE.

Affirmation: I Am MAGNIFICENT. When I shine from my heart, I invite others to do the same.

Click here for an audio version of this essay.

The Divine Orchestration that is You

Are you ready to relinquish control?

That is the question that I asked my yoginis in class this week … and that is also what I am gently asking myself now every morning (until the query need no longer be made.)

It’s a biggie. It means LETTING GO. It means surrendering and trusting that we are connected to a Higher Power that is more than willing to embrace us and lead the way. How reassuring is that?! And yet I believe that most of us still cling to the illusion that we are in charge. No matter how we long we resist or force or coerce or push the round peg into the square hole, we KNOW this is the course to take, damn it.

But I invite you to stop. Take a breath. Even if it’s with the ‘little things’ at first, just test the waters of detachment. Ask for guidance. (This, by the way, is a key step. As is letting that guidance in.)

As we explored this notion in class, we were celebrating the relationship between the crown (our connection to the Divine) and the heart chakras. When we bring awareness to the ever-present connection between these two fields, we are able to release the need to force outcomes, to mistrust the path, to believe it’s all up to us… And seeing as the heart is associated with the element of air – ‘Inspiration / In-Spirit’, this is without a doubt the sacred realm the Higher Power chooses to communicate this direction.

But I’m not saying that developing this trust in the relinquishment is an easy task. It’s a bit like ambling down a forest path, surmising the layout and deciding to close your eyes for a few steps hoping that you will stay on course. How quickly we again open our eyes to insure that we aren’t headed for a pothole or about to trip over a tree branch. But when we fully rely on the guidance of the Divine, we needn’t worry about the so-called obstacles that appear on the road before us.

I feel that this is something that we learn a little at a time by breathing into the energy of our heart – the Infinite Love that we are. And the more often that we practice this, the longer we remain in that place of peaceful acceptance, until one day, it will be where you reside all the time, rather than just visit on occasion. The realization that we don’t have to ‘do it all alone’ is priceless.

To deepen this understanding, here is a little Chakra Play practice I would like to offer you by bringing awareness to the crown as well as the heart chakras and the seed sounds associated with both.

The seed sound of the crown is silence and that of the heart is YAM. So we will begin by inhaling in through the crown, sending the breath down into the heart in silence. Open your hands, palms up in a gesture of inviting the guidance of the Higher Power as you do this. The next breath will bring you directly into the chamber of your heart as you tone the seed sound of this chakra – YAM – and place both hands directly on the heart space as you do so. Continue to move between the two energy fields for a few rounds – hands open in silence as you breathe into the crown, hands on heart as you breathe and tone YAM.

Then, with palms open, come into the following affirmation:
“I live in peace as I surrender and trust the Divine Orchestration of my heart’s desires.” Repeat this several times, in a state of allowance.

May this exercise bring you the tranquility and courage associated with trusting that our path is guided and we are lovingly watched over every step of this earthly journey.

Namasté.

open hands

unclench your fist…
open your hand -
allow life to filter through
like fine silken sand
on an endless beach of time.

cling not
to the illusion of control.
you may as well
pluck a cloud from the sky
and place it in your pocket
to display on your mantel…

rather,
trust the
unfolding…
the Divine Orchestration
of the song
that is
you.

unclench your fist…
open your hand.

- Maureen

Click here for an audio version of this essay.

Parables of Nature…. Blackberries and Spiders

Recently I posted an article that recounted two lessons on love. Well they just keep on coming and this time, nature-inspired.

With the blackberries again coming into season, I recall what I learned from them a year ago at this time. These luscious treats are directly on the route of my morning run down to the beach and I always reach out for a berry or two as I go by. (Or three or four.) Sometimes they look JUST ripe enough to eat, but as you attempt to pluck them from the bush, they resist – unless you pull hard enough. THAT was the lesson from last year. If you don’t wait until the time is right, you will end up with a sour berry. If you DO have the patience to wait it out, ahhhh….. sweetness.

Well, this year, what struck me about the blackberry bush, is that although they all get the same amount of sunlight, same rainfall, and and and…. you will see a branch with several berries all bright green… and ONE fully ripe. Now go figure. WHY is just one of them ripe? So of course, being the deep thinker that I am, I had to propose a metaphor. We all evolve into higher states of being at our own pace. Another timing thing.

Now for parable number two. Yesterday morning when I went to leave the house for the first time (to go for a run and eat berries) there was a web directly in front of the entry way with a beautiful little spider happily snoozing after a hard night’s construction job. (Have you ever heard a spider snore?)

Now I SO did not want to wake her… and even more importantly did not want to dismantle her amazing handiwork. BUT I could not pass without damaging the web. So I very gently attempted to move it and her to the post just a foot or so away – and as I did, the entire web collapsed and she ran for her life.

I felt awful. I tried to apologize but she had already split the scene. So, the metaphor here? Well, I am reminded of the Message of Shiva, the Hindu Deity representing destruction and transformation. The old must be demolished in order to make room for the new to emerge. Death and rebirth.

So perhaps I did my little 8-legged friend a favor? She hopefully went on to rebuild in a much more opportune location where she not only wont have to put up with human interference, but also perhaps to enjoy a more bountiful resting space.

Which leads us to the following two questions….

1) Are you ready (ripe) for moving into the next stage of your game (regardless of where others in your life currently find themselves?)

2) Can you appreciate the beauty of Shiva, knowing that sometimes we must dissolve what IS to allow the unfolding of what is to BECOME?

No matter how you answer, I wish you auspicious timing and progress on your journey, this amazing adventure called life.

AFFIRMATION: I find beauty in every unfolding moment allowing and welcoming change when change is for my Highest Good.

Click here for an audio version of this essay.

Sweetness of ‘right timing’