“Be still and find your peace today.”
Our mind
“Be still and find your peace today.”
Author: Karen Lang
Counselor/Energy Healer
Grief Mentor/Mindfulness teacher/ Author of two books.
The Web of life
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” – Chief Seattle
Understanding connection to others and our environment is not easy to understand and in fact, it’s easy to avoid, because it makes us face the responsibility and vulnerability of ourselves in the world.
For years I unconsciously believed I was a separate identity in life. I knew that what I did affected others but I don’t think I ever felt liable. I never thought about my responsibility towards the whole.
I avoided my connection back then because I wasn’t ready to acknowledge the consequences of my actions and it was easier to find someone else to blame.
I now believe that it is only through death that we find connection again. It can be a death of a loved one or just a death to part of yourself that connects you back to the truth. For me, it was when our son died and I faced what life really means, it challenged me to find what I was connected to.
It was through experiencing death that I was forced to search for that connection again in order to survive. When we do not connect back to what we were once apart of, we become lost in our grief and in the illusion of the world.
Every part of the earth should be sacred to us. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow, every humming insect.
I no longer wanted to be a sole identity, broken on my own. I craved to be apart of something bigger and feel the comfort of the whole again.
It takes time to re-connect. We have lost it for so long, we all need time and patience to get it back again. To see the connection and oneness in our world, in our environment and in each other is a gift, and it takes a disciplined practice to understand it.
To go beyond the mind and reconnect with the deeper reality of life, different qualities are needed. We need surrender, non-judgement, an openness that allows life to be …instead of resisting it and the capacity to hold all things in the loving embrace of your knowing.
So as this New Year begins, look deeply into how you live your life and learn to find stillness in your life and create a practice that helps you find that connection again, in others and everything around you.
“When you seek to find the connections between problems, you can find unexpected solutions, just as a person picking up a coin finds the other side”.
Our Shadow
“It is our responsibility to bring into the light that which is darkest.”
What is our shadow? Shadow is an aspect within each of us, that part of our nature that we would rather not share if possible, because the shadow holds our vulnerabilities.
Our shadow is often the part that we don’t wish to see in our life, and just as often a part that we can’t see, and yet, for some reason we have no trouble seeing it in others.
I always see my shadow when I’m irritated with others and start being judgemental towards life and myself. I see my shadow more quickly now and let it go more quickly, simply because when I practice meditation and yoga it opens me up to see more clearly.
If we are not honoring a practise daily through humility, then the ego gets involved, and when we think we are greater than our ego, we lose sight of our shadow.
“Through humility we hold the medicine of love and wisdom. Humility keeps us teachable, on a humble path, an authentic path of power.”
Humility is the ability to use a higher thought process to evaluate the situation as it is, truthfully and honestly. As we step into global and unity consciousness through a practise of meditation, yoga and stillness, we must carry the understanding that there is plenty for all.
We have to be willing to self-scrutinise by checking our motives. What are my motives? What am I fearful of? What can I change in myself to make life more joyful and abundant. Try and stay out of fear in every situation. Acknowledging it, without judgment, can transform it.
“It would be much more to the point for us to make a serious attempt to recognise our own shadow and its doings. If we could see our shadow, (the dark side of our nature), we should be immune to any moral and mental infection.”
It’s the doings, not the shadow, that get us into trouble! Energy is energy; it’s what we do with it that matters.
When we notice the shadow in someone else, instead of sitting in judgement of them, try holding them in a higher place through forgiveness and love and see what happens.
If we resent so and so because they did x, y, and z, we can ask ourselves, “How did it affect me? What could I have done differently?”
When we see the shadow, place it onto the table and surrender. “Oh, yeah, that’s me, too.” Once we have seen it, it loses its power, and we can choose how to respond differently. Honesty gives us freedom from self-deception.
“Let’s honor all the beautiful medicine out there that is trying to grow. Let’s ground ourselves in our own truths with open eyes and a compassionate heart.”
Stepping out
“At times we are all afraid of losing what we have, whether it’s our life or others or our possessions. But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world were written by the same hand.” – Paul Coelho
My Aunty lost her son earlier this year and she has struggled immensely with her grief and her guilt. Today she called to tell me about an experience she had, as she was walking along the beach.
She said she was walking alone, lost in the moment when suddenly she felt her son’s presence strongly come by her side. At first she looked behind her because she was sure someone was near her and yet, she saw no-one. She then felt his hand placed softly on her back and he said “All you need to do, is keep moving forward.”
Such a simple statement and yet it was exactly what she needed to hear, to help her in that moment and encourage her. She was overwhelmed for a few hours after at the thought that he was near her, but as she began to absorb the words he said, she realised it was all she needed to do and that she didn’t need to know how or why it happened.
When we feel overwhelmed in life, whether it is from grief or loneliness or feeling that life is not working towards your goal, you do not need to do anything besides accept, let go and continue to move forward.
If we stay in the pain of the past or locked in what we need right now, we cannot see the bigger picture ahead and all that life will bring us. Instead, when we have the courage to sit in our pain and see and accept it for what it is, you will begin to trust that change and peace will come, just like the seasons and the sunsets.
As we all reflect on what this year has taught us and has given us, let us not forget that when we thought nothing was changing, it did, or when we thought life would never get better it did, or when we never thought that one of our goals would be completed it did or will in time.
We just need to remember to keep moving forward, always in hope and in love and never lose sight of how precious this moment is.
“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness.” – Eckhart Tolle
Our Mirror
“Everyone who comes into our life blesses us with the opportunity to forgive, love and accept the parts of ourselves they are mirroring.” – Sa Silvano
How often are we annoyed at others in our life and yet feel they are separate from us and our own beliefs about who we are? Did you know that the things that annoy us, is just a mirror of our inner self and the parts we do not accept?
When we are conscious of this thought, we will begin to see that the external world is simply showing us what is hidden in the shadows of our inner world. – Sa Silvano
It is difficult to understand this concept. We hide different aspects of ourselves unconsciously and so it isn’t easy to confront or see this truth. While we continue to deny this truth, we will continue to have the same type of people come into our life and show us what needs to be accepted.
Once you understand it is in you, you can bring light and love to this part of yourself and allow it to heal. You will be amazed at how quickly your outer world will respond to this healing and it will give you a different reflection from those around you and how you live your life.
So how can this healing happen?
Sit quietly on the grass or ground at home and take some deep breaths. Feel the part of yourself that is angry or hurt, ask where in your body are you feeling this and then send love and breath to that area.
If you can’t feel it, then just keep breathing deeply and allowing your anger and hurt to be released into the earth or ground with each breath.
See the person you are angry at in your mind and forgive them. Breathe deeply. If you need to do this a couple of times then do. Now see this person surrounded in light and breathe deeply.
Ask yourself where inside of you there is a need to let go and heal. Feel where it is and forgive yourself. Breathe deeply.
Now see this person with you surrounded in love and light, hold that image. Breathe deeply.
There is not always an instant fix for our pain and yet, practicing this ritual and meditation daily, will help release any anger and hurt towards others and move us into a higher understanding of our connection to everyone and the gifts they bring us.
LIVING IN THIS MOMENT 