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What is the gift of you?

What comes to mind when you think of “beauty”? Perhaps you just traveled to the world of art or nature or someone (maybe YOU) dressed up in fancy clothes and looking gorgeous. If, instead, you traveled to qualities of being that you find beautiful, delightful to be with, powerful, then you and I are on the same page. If not,I’d like to invite you to look again. Think about someone you treasure, you love spending time with, who sets you at ease, who radiates an energy that simply feels good. Bring their full presence into your awareness now.

What is there?

Did you perhaps find any of these qualities:

Courage, Resilience, Positive attitude, Generosity, Grace, Integrity, Loving kindness, Compassion, Forgiveness, Honesty, Balance, Gratitude, Faith, Humility, Loyalty, Acceptance, Sense of humor, Good listening, Wisdom, Spiritual lightness and growth, Calm, Silent presence, Caring, Zeal, Enthusiasm, Passion, Understanding, Peace

They are beautiful to be with, aren’t they? Now … shine the light on YOU.

What qualities of inner beauty do YOU possess?
What if you let your light shine even more brightly?
What is the gift of you?

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The Talking Head

We human beings are beautiful, multi-faceted, complex organisms. Yet, often we navigate life using only our heads. We think, plan and reason our way through the events of our lives. We can talk ourselves into or out of just about anything.  As a “talking head”, we miss out on the information and delight from our five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, smell. We miss the richness from depth of emotion – both joy and pain. We miss the intuitive hits that are ever present but missed when we block the channel to our intuition. We miss all the signs from the Universe, invitations to co-create with Life, when we are living in our heads.

In what situations do you act like a talking head?
What would life from your “whole being” offer?

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Heart Excitement

I woke to an awareness of an energy in me – that of heart excitement. When I bothered to stop and be present to it, I felt a fullness in my chest and pounding in my heart. It was a feeling of opening that was expanding up through my throat and the crown of my head allowing light, joy, possibility and abundant ideas to flow in from the Universe, be received and molded by my imagination, and then energized by the energy flowing through my veins.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because this feeling, and the expansion of awareness that is possible, is accessible YOU! The trick is noticing. We must stop doing, stop thinking, stop managing and controlling long enough to become aware of other sources of insight. Yours may not be heart excitement – it may be tingling in your fingers. It may be a tightness or energy ball in your throat that says, “I have something to say”!

 How does your body speak?
What energy source do you ignore?
What would paying attention look like?

What practices will raise your awareness level?

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Learn to look inside!

“Whenever I’m in a quandary about the day ahead of me, I seek advice from the ones I trust. I look inside of me.”
from True Advice by Jeanne Loehnis

Life offers us decision points all the time. Daily we have little choices. Sometimes, the decision will have a big impact and it may feel like heavy challenge or amazing opportunity! Often, decisions which feel big weigh heavily and are hard to make. If that is the case for you, here are two thoughts:

First, consider using a variety of perspectives to help you “think outside the box” to discover options. Here are just a few of my favorite perspectives:

  • My Higher Power, God, Spiritual Guide
  • My emotional body
  • Society’s viewpoint
  • Self-compassion
  • Leaving a lighter carbon footprint
  • Playful
  • Seven generations before and hence

Second, practice seeing different perspectives in the little, day-to-day decisions. That way, when the next “big one” comes along, you’ll be in the habit of opening to possibility!

What answer do you find when you look inside?

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Living in the Question

But what is the question?

Here’s the thing. I am exploring this topic for the sake of my next public speaking engagement. Perhaps you will explore it with me. The idea comes from these lyrics:

Follow My Soul (video recording)

I’ve traveled in the city and followed other’s steps.
I’ve done each task before me. My life: a success.
I’ve learned well, for I thought all life’s answers were taught.
Now I’m starting over to dream in the clover
I hear new questions again.

The questions that are with me each day and through the night
sometimes send fear straight through me. I know not wrong from right.
Yet I know I must go through this uncertain time
and be with the feeling, as the unknown’s revealing. I’m
learning a new way to grow.

I’m living with the questions. I’m moving in the flow.
At times I ask direction, yet often I know
that the way, I would go is not the path I’ve been shown.
Yet, I’m gonna go there; follow my soul where
my heart it knows my truth.

Words and music by Jeanne Loehnis
Copyright 2003 Jeanne Loehnis Appleton, Wisconsin

For today, I will leave you with:

  • What is the question in your soul?
  • What answer do you follow that isn’t yours?