Proper seeing begins with noticing all those areas in our life that are working well. We literally embark on an inquiry where we ask, “What is working in my life? What can I be grateful for?” And as gratitude becomes our dominant vibration, we soon begin to see that we have far more to be grateful for than we may have even realized. The wonderful truth is we can be grateful for both what is wanted as well as what is seemingly unwanted, for hidden in what appears unwanted are opportunities for growth and expansion. So as we see properly we begin to notice even the hidden blessings. We realize that Life is always for us, and that all things are always working together for our good. Today, dwell upon what is working in your life. Let your gratitude be the doorway that guides you into proper seeing, where you will realize with sweet delight that Life truly is magnificent beyond measure.
Tag Archives: appreciation
Daily Guide For Inspiration: Live Each Moment To Its Fullest
We live in a society where it seems to be the norm to always be focused upon arriving at some future moment. Many individuals are going through their days rushing getting from one thing to another, never stopping to take in the splendor and beauty that can be found only in the here and now. Today, give yourself permission to live each moment to its fullest by pausing every now and then, by giving thanks for the marvelous blessings that surround you, and by basking in the feeling tonality of enormous appreciation. Stop for just a moment to watch a beautiful sunset, or contemplate the enormous radiance of a blooming flower in springtime. Realize that life is not about arriving at some place in the future, it is about the journey itself. And the journey is always ongoing. It never ends. So enjoy this never-ending journey that is your very unfolding by enjoying the present moment. And enjoy the present moment by being in a continuous state of awe and wonder for what Life has freely given to you out of itself. Then you will see that it is all very good indeed.
Daily Guide For Inspiration: Blessings In All Things
Gratitude is the key that unlocks the door to our greatest fulfillment. When we make it our practice to never take anything for granted, but to feel gratitude and appreciation for everything that shows up in our lives, we are giving all those things that we have asked for permission to show up as well. Gratitude is saying “yes” to what is, and in so doing saying “yes” to what is seeking to emerge. Today, look at your life and begin to give thanks for even the smallest blessings. As you make radical gratitude your way of life, you may take it a step further and give thanks for even those things that the surface mind may have labeled as unwanted. When you give thanks for even the things you think you don’t want, you are releasing resistance to the flow of Life, and in so doing you create the space for all those hidden blessings to be revealed to you as well. It is a fundamental truth of Life that blessings may be found in all things—for our challenges are merely stepping stones, and all seeming difficulties are simply opportunities for us to become more fully ourselves.
Daily Guide For Inspiration: A Committed Relationship With The Source Of All Creation
The initial awakening experience—when we first find ourselves immersed in a powerful awareness of the Divine Presence—is very much like love at first sight. We experience moments of rapturous bliss and ecstatic appreciation. Everything has taken on a new vibrancy and a deeper meaning. Then as the relationship evolves, communication is key. So we spend time each day communing with our beloved Divine Source. We enter into each moment of prayer and meditation as if it was our very first time. We remain open to new insights and revelations. We cultivate a willingness to grow and become more of ourselves. And we keep ourselves available to discovering new facets about our own place within Existence that we may have never considered before. Now one thing we may be sure of—being in a committed relationship with the Source of All Creation is nothing less than an adventure throughout eternity. We may not always know exactly where we’re going, but we know it will be exceedingly and fundamentally good! And we know that wherever we go in the physical, we may experience that sweet sense of homecoming at any time by simply turning within to the core of our being.
Meditative Thought: The Greatest Gift Of Them All
There could truly be no greater gift than a life lived consciously. When we begin to live our lives in an awareness of our true nature, our inherent divinity, and our limitless potentiality, each and every moment may be filled with such overflowing delight that deep gratitude and joyous appreciation become the order of our days.
When we live our lives in conscious awareness of who we really are, we no longer live in the world of the little self, where we see ourselves as separate from everyone and everything around us. Instead we feel our intrinsic oneness with All That Is, we sense that the Ineffable Presence that creates infinite worlds is at home within our very own being. And so we give ourselves permission to let our light shine with such luminosity that we can’t help but brighten the paths of those whose lives we touch. We shine as that beacon on a hill, realizing that we are here because we have much to give. And a life lived in conscious awareness of this is truly the greatest gift of them all.
Peace of Mind: Transcending Thought
“Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of self that is conditioned by the past. In you, as in each human being, there is a dimension of consciousness far deeper than thought. It is the very essence of who you are. We may call it presence, awareness, the unconditioned consciousness. In the ancient teachings, it is the Christ within, or your Buddha nature.”
Eckhart Tolle — Stillness Speaks
The above quote points to a powerful truth that is at the essence of living the awakened life. And that truth indicates that it will be to our benefit if we learn to transcend the world of thought, and instead enter into the realm of experience.
The importance of this cannot be overstated. And that is because if we do not learn to transcend the world of thought, we may always get caught in yet another belief system rather than actually having a powerful experience of that which is Real and Eternal. It is certainly true that, if we are to be caught in a belief system, it is beneficial for us to be caught in a positive belief system – it is better to have a belief system that works, that is life-nurturing and all inclusive, rather than one that is based upon an exclusivist mentality. Yet the truth is that, sooner or later, as we mature on the spiritual path, we must learn to move beyond mere thoughts and ideas, and turn to experience.
When you have beliefs, all you ever have is a theory. Yet when you have experience, theory begins to blossom into a way of life. And that’s why, as I’ve stated before, it is only in the realm of experience that transformation can occur. Transformation is not an intellectual exercise. Transformation does not occur in the mind. Transformation always occurs within the core of your very Being.
The topic of this particular entry is “Transcending Thought.” And this also includes transcending positive thought. Let me explain what I mean by that.
Very often we might mistake having a higher state of awareness with simply offering what we may call positive thinking. Yet there is a big difference between positive thinking and being tuned into the unadulterated consciousness of the life-giving, all-sustaining Source of All That Is. In other words, positive affirmations are good, and they are certainly useful tools as we progress on our journey into living the sacred and empowered lives we are here to live. Yet affirmations, no matter how positive, are still thoughts. And that makes them tools, much in the same way that language itself is a tool that we use in order for us to connect, to articulate and share our feelings. So too is positive thinking a tool that we may use to catapult us out of a narrow perception of fear, doubt, and worry into an awareness of Life as it really is.
And here’s how Life really is: the entire Universe is for you, and nothing could ever be against you other than your own perception. You are a creative being, meaning that your thoughts, beliefs, and expectations are always being mirrored back to you – regardless of whether or not these thoughts, beliefs, and expectations are conscious. You are fully equipped with the faculties and the qualities found within the Creative Impulse of the Universe, and you are here so you may express and reveal these faculties and qualities in your own unique way, utilizing your unique set of gifts, skills, talents, capacities, and sensibilities.
Now at first this may seem like yet another belief system. Yet as we begin to mature and evolve, and as we begin to practice certain spiritual tools and principles, we begin to realize, in our own experience, the powerful truth behind these statements. And we may also realize that this is merely one way of articulating the deeper nature of Reality. There are many ways in which we may go about putting this to words. The words aren’t really all that important.
So until we arrive at this realization, it may be a belief, and that is all well and good. Because, remember, a positive belief system is always better than a negative one. Yet, sooner or later, we will come to realize that what surpasses even the best of all belief systems is having the actual experience. Once we have the experience, belief is no longer necessary. Just as belief in electricity became unnecessary once Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, so a belief in the deeper truths of Reality becomes unnecessary once we have the experience. And it is the experience itself that will lead to a powerful transformation occurring within the sacred space of our own awareness. Slowly but surely, our lives will begin to change as we learn to embody more of our true nature.
So as you use your affirmations, as you train your mind to consciously think positive and empowering thoughts, let yourself be aware that the affirmations and the thoughts are tools that you’re using. They are powerful tools, which is why new affirmations are being posted here on Awakened Life Now every Sunday. Yet as we let these affirmations speak to our hearts and minds, let us always remember to maintain an awareness of that sweet realm that lies beyond thoughts and beliefs. For it is only in that transcended realm that we will meet in joyous communion with our sacred I Am Presence. It is in this blissful awareness where we may access the unconditioned consciousness that was referenced in the quote that began this entry. And it is in this state of tremendous peace that passeth all understanding where we find our Christ within, where we discover our Buddha nature, and where we unveil our Krishna awareness.
Fellow travelers, what a sweet, sweet journey we are on, indeed!
LET’S DIALOGUE!
What materials – such as books, seminars, or workshops – have you found helpful on your spiritual journey?
What are some of your preferred spiritual practices?
And if you are just starting out on your journey, what are some of the questions you may have? Is there anything unclear that you’d like to have clarification on?
I would love to hear from you. So please don’t be shy, we’re all on this journey together. ;)
Much Love and Blessings!
Meditative Thought: Stop. Look. Listen. Breathe.
Today, as you move through your day, give yourself permission to stop every now and then, and just take in what’s around you. Simply. Just. Stop. You can do this anywhere at any time, for this does not take long.
And as you stop, notice the nowness and the isness of the moment. Be fully here now. And then, listen. Listen with your inner ear.
Notice how you feel. Notice the Presence of that silent witness that is your True Self. And allow yourself to feel a sense of appreciation. Give thanks for the moment — just the way it is.
And take a deep breath. Let yourself to be anchored at the center of your very Being. At the center you may tap into that infinite wellspring of peace; you make yourself available to insight and guidance; and you maintain a reverential awareness of your true nature and your true identity as an individualized and totally unique expression of the One Life there is.
And with this deeper awareness you will find that – not only are you more effective and more at peace – you will also be of greater service to those whose lives you touch. You become a blessing to yourself and to everyone around you.
Meditative Thought: Self-Love
We are only able to see what we are. That is to say that everything we perceive in someone else is also within us. If it wasn’t within us, we would not be able to perceive it.
When we see something we admire in someone else, it simply means that there is a potentiality within us that is waiting to be realized and activated.
And when we see something that we do not like, if that nagging voice is urging us to be judgmental, it is actually an indicator that there is something within us that we have denied — something about ourselves that we have labeled as “not okay.”
It is simply a sign that there is an opportunity there for healing, for growth, for cultivating a higher understanding, and for learning to love ourselves more fully and completely.
It is only once we love ourselves unconditionally that we have within us the capacity to love another unconditionally. For we can only give away what we have. To give love, we must have love. And to have love, we must love ourselves.
So give yourself permission today to fall in love with the individual you see looking back at yourself in the mirror. Give yourself permission to truly see all the magnificence, all the potentiality, and all the inborn genius qualities that are there.
And the more you fall in love with yourself, the more you will fall in love with everyone else.
Meditative Thought: Trust
Trust is a high form of appreciation.
When we learn to trust in the Divine Life Principle, no matter what is happening on the surface level of our lives, we are declaring that we know that, in the Mind of God, all things are always well.
This sense of all being well allows us to be in a state of constant appreciation, regardless of what seems to be going on in the so-called external.
This high level of appreciation is the essence of trust.
And that is because rather than relying on our physical senses, we have learned to perceive with the Inner Eye. We have cultivated True Vision. We have learned to listen to that soft and sweet voice emanating from the core of our being. The voice of intuition.
When we are in touch with intuition, we begin to catch glimpses of the divine order that is always present. And rather than feeling that we must control every situation, we learn to relax. We can simply let go and to let God.
There is a refreshing lightness, a sense of ease and grace that accompanies all that we do. We have become impervious to the drama that is being played out on the surface level, and we have instead made ourselves available to what is seeking to emerge in us, through us, and as us.
So let us make it a habit to contemplate the always present divine order, regardless of how things may appear to the surface mind. And let us learn expect that everything that comes to us will not only be for our own individual good, but for the highest good of everyone involved.
Meditative Thought: Sacred Service
A sign that we are maturing on the spiritual path is when we begin to release our acquisitive nature – the part of us that is always seeking to get something – and instead commit to being of service.
Rather than going out into the world, believing that the world somehow holds our happiness, we instead have a very real and powerful sense that our happiness comes from within. It emanates from the core of our very Self.
And it is with this awareness that we are overcome with a palpable lightness of being, where every instant becomes a celebration, and everything we do we do with a glad heart.
Rather than asking, “How can I get what I think I need in order to be happy or survive?”, we instead approach every moment, every situation, every interaction with the question: “How may I be of service? How may I bring value? How may I be a blessing?”
We have realized that we are not here to try and get more stuff. Instead, we know that we already have it all, and it is our joyous task to simply demonstrate this truth in our experience.
We are here to freely share all of our gifts, skills, and talents; to freely shine our light, sing our song, and dance our dance.
And when we do this – which is seeking first the Kingdom of God, the Realm of the ever-expanding Good – we soon find that everything we thought we needed to chase after comes bursting into our experience.
Our lives are filled with riches and blessings beyond our wildest imagination simply because we are the blessing. And Life will always reflect back to us exactly what we are.
