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Illuminate or Shine?

Likely you’ve been told (by me as well as by others) to shine your light! Be kind, generous, thoughtful, use your gifts: SHINE! Shine also your inner light ever so brightly by letting the love and joy in your heart be seen in everything you do. The world needs our light, yes?

Yes it does! In fact, it needs our individual lights so much so that this wisdom:

Better to illuminate than merely to shine. Thomas Aquinas

is even more needed than “Shine your light”.

What???

To illuminate is to invite others to shine. We will experience the absence of darkness only insofar as we all shine brightly. So…

Every chance you get, choose to illuminate! Encourage and invite, be present to and celebrate, step aside so that another’s light can shine. Be that which illuminates. Be the spark, the starter. You may not be perceived as a bright light as your neighbor shines brightly, but the world will be a much brighter place with everyone shining with you!

How willing are you encourage your neighbor to shine?
What does your ego need to release in order to choose illumination?
What’s possible if you do?

 

 

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Are you REALLY an independent thinker?

Stop and think with me: What is it that drives most of your decision making, your actions, your beliefs? Do you consider yourself to be independent, freely choosing your thoughts and responses? Or, are your thoughts the by-product of decades of conditioning from society, family, religion, political persuasions, co-workers, authors …? You get the the idea.  How often, if ever, do you really make an independent choice, one that is totally free of the influence of “other”?

Is it even possible?

Each of us has come to this point in our lives having been “fed” ideas formed by the world around us: our country of origin, the family religion (or lack thereof), societal norms, our race, our financial well-being, the books or music we’ve chosen or which were popular at the time. And we have, most likely, formed opinions about life based on all of this! My question today:

Are you REALLY an independent thinker?

might be restated as: Continue reading “Are you REALLY an independent thinker?”

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Salute to Parents

Working parents, stay-at-home parents, new parents, … Today’s message is for each of you who is raising one or more young persons with intention in the midst of our over-filled lives. Know this: you are attempting the most challenging task there is! It is also the most vital to our society and the most rewarding.

What has me writing this to you now?

Continue reading “Salute to Parents”

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Prejudice

airport-2

While traveling awhile back, I decided that I would walk through the airport, singing, smiling, and attempting to make eye contact with those passing by. Very few folks, men and women alike, do so. Most are staring into the distance or into electronic gadgets or, in response to noticing my gaze, immediately turn away. I continue, a bit saddened by our lack of connection.

Then I sit. Waiting for my plane, I notice the eyes of a man gazing at me. And I immediately divert my own eyes. What is that about?

Embarrassed at my reaction, I know that it is prejudice, fear, the idea that a man (as opposed to a woman) could hurt me or have bad intentions.

I feel like a sitting duck. Yet, minutes ago, I was walking through the airport subjecting others to my gaze, knowing that I had only “good” intentions.

I must ask myself:

  • In what ways do I make others uncomfortable?
  • Is my behavior rude, rather than a gift?
  • What about my own prejudices?
  • What part is wisdom and safety?
  • What is simply unfair prejudice toward a fellow human being?

I am continuing on my journey. I commit to remaining aware of my inner judgments. I commit to question them and release all that is in me which prevents me from being one with you at the center of my being.

What is your intention?

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Soul Retrieval

LaserBeams

You know that my passion is inviting others into passionate, purposeful, powerful living for the sake of this planet, humankind, and the spiritual evolution that is happening now. I desire to live my passion daily, moving in the world, ever ready to be the invitation to another and not needing to know who may be impacted in any given moment. I’d like to invite you into living this way as well.

I have a vision of this way of being from my morning centering that might land powerfully – or not! So I’ll express it two ways.

First, know that you are having an impact, touching people, in every moment. With that awareness:

  • What is the impact you are having?
  • How are you a gift?
  • How do you bring out the best in people?
  • Is your presence coming from the deepest, most positive and powerful essence that you are?
  • Is that presence a laser beam into those you meet – inviting their deep, powerful, positive presence to emerge?

If you can see your laser beam, take a moment to imagine humanity interconnected with laser beams drawing out the best in one another. Got it?

How bright is our light?
What happens if you let your beam dim or die?
Whose light isn’t shining now?
Who have they not touched because you didn’t touch them?

Here is the other way of stating my morning vision. I believe in the idea of interconnection, of each one of us being part of one great whole, or “soul”, expressing on this planet as “me”. And I have heard of “soul retrieval” though never experienced it as such. Today, however, I imagined myself as one who does “soul retrieval”! The eyes are the window to the soul. When I am clear, when my vision is unimpeded by negative thinking, assumption, fear, … then it is my soul which sees. And what my soul sees is your purity, your essence, your soul. By seeing as my soul, I see your soul, and essentially, retrieve it! Imagine being part of world-wide soul retrieval!

Are you ready to do some soul retrieval? If so:

What blocks your soul vision?
What would clear it?
What would you see in others from clarity?