Having a foundation of personal integrity cultivates life-enriching relationships with ourselves and others. Like the links in a chain, integrity is the strength we have that holds us to a higher order of "being." Personal integrity aligns our thoughts, words, and actions with the powerful flow of energy that is who we are. In aligning with this energy, we must hold true to ourselves, open our hearts to new information, and make impeccable choices.Recently, I had the opportunity to have a heart to heart conversation with my daughter concerning several lies she had told to cover up a series of poor choices she had made. What she needed to … [Read more...]
Cultivating a Healthy Partnership with Ourselves
To create a fulfilling life with amazing relationships, we have to first cultivate a healthy partnership with ourselves. Although this is the most important relationship we have in our lives, it can be the most difficult one to develop and sustain. Society places such emphasis on being in a romantic relationship, with the message that we are nobody unless we have somebody. So, we often set aside our own values, needs, and desires for those of another even when it comprises our very "being"-the essence of who we truly are. Until we cultivate a soul-hearted partnership with ourselves, however, we cannot possibly choose and develop healthy … [Read more...]
The Transformative Power of Intention
Like an inspired artist facing a blank canvas, we can use intention to alter the course and quality of our lives. Intention, when supported by our connection to a divine energy source, sets up the people, places, and opportunities that may shape our future realities. Using the power of intention is not about setting a specific goal and focusing so much on it that you lose sight of other possibilities. On the contrary, it is about being open to the many opportunities that present themselves in manifesting that intent, then making the discerning choices most likely to bring about the desired outcome. For example, Sheila had been in a … [Read more...]
Soul-Hearted Partners: Soul Mates and More
People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Soul mates appear in life for reasons that often have to do with the soul's purpose on earth and our spiritual progression. They enhance our lives by providing insights, unconditional love, and assistance with challenges.When soul mates appear in our life for a reason, it usually has to do with our spiritual progression. They meet a need or fulfill a desire that we have expressed and often, come to assist us through a difficult situation, providing us with guidance and support. Often, they appear serendipitously, as a godsend, arriving in response to the spiritual law of … [Read more...]
The Art of Letting Go
Letting go is one of the most important, yet most difficult spiritual principles that we are awakening to at this time. Like any art, it takes an open loving heart, expanded awareness, and sustained practice to become masterful. It also requires surrounding ourselves with the people and environments that support us releasing what is necessary in a healthy and positive way. Most of all, letting go requires trust in ourselves and our connection to source for it to become an essential element in our lives such as the air we breathe.Many people have asked me, "How do I let go? My answer is simple-we have to let go into trust. Letting go and trust … [Read more...]
Taking Healthy Breaks
Many of us feel fatigued when our personal and professional responsibilities seem never-ending and overwhelming. Sometimes, we even deny ourselves sleep, rest, and personal care in order to take care of all of them. Frequently, our many obligations compel us to forge ahead, ignoring the body's need to slow down, relax, and restore itself. This often leads to a feeling of compassion fatigue where our energies are drained from the "care taking" of others.Taking sufficient breaks gives our bodies an opportunity to let go of tension, fatigue and repair itself. When we allow ourselves to rest and restore, while letting go of our thoughts and … [Read more...]
The Pelican: A Metaphor of Transformation
In Cleveland, Ohio pelicans are rarely seen. Yet, I have been in awe of one particular pelican that took up residence at a lake near my home in Cleveland Heights. As long as I have lived here, this has been the first pelican to visit the Shaker Lakes. Moreover, for a pelican to come this far inland is quite remarkable. Each day since it arrived, I find myself walking through the woods around the lake and pausing, captivated by its elegance, strength and grace.The pelican's sudden appearance is an inspiration, a sign of courage and trust in its journey and in my own. I watch it glide through the water effortlessly even though it carries a … [Read more...]
Trusting the Flow of Divine Energy
Sometimes we can feel frustrated or disappointed when situations don't necessarily go the way we think they should. This may lead us to become more methodical, rigid or even inflexible. Rather than trying to control the situation through sheer force of will, we can choose to trust and align ourselves with the flow of energy that we direct through our hearts. Like surfing, if we simply tune in to each experience, breathe deeply, and allow ourselves to flow rather than resist, we will be able to move smoothly through any wave without falling off of our board.By attuning to the flow of divine energy in our lives, we can let go of our need to … [Read more...]
Soul-Hearted Partnership as a Transformative Path
The artist, Alex Grey suggests that "when two forces unite in love, a third power, a spiritual bridge, opens up to divine wisdom and guidance. He calls this power the Third Force, a potency that shifts a relationship into a transformative path." I refer to this energetic integration of two fully expressed beings, connected heart to heart and soul to soul as "soul-hearted." By being the collective conduit for this energy source, such a relationship can accomplish more than what would be achieved in isolation.Imagine a moment when you have experienced a combined surge of energy with a partner or friend. You may have been dancing, traveling or … [Read more...]
Opening to Deeper Levels of Intimacy
Most of us desire deeper, levels of intimacy with ourselves and our loved ones. Such meaningful relationships and intimate interactions begin with feeling "safe" enough to to freely and openly share our fears and insecurities. Opening up to another person and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable helps us establish the intimate connection we desire.We can let down our guard and the barriers that surround our hearts by establishing absolute trust in ourselves and our connection with source. This creates a foundation for an intimate relationship with another. Trust fosters full self-expression uninhibited by insecurity and opens us to heart to … [Read more...]