Author: Karen Lang

Counselor/Energy Healer Grief Mentor/Mindfulness teacher/ Author of two books.

Receiving Abundance

by Karen Lang, posted in Uncategorized

“That’s what I consider true generosity: You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.”  – Simone de Beauvoir

Have you ever imagined winning the lottery and see yourself spending it but also see yourself sharing it with those you love?  Why is it, that we feel we need to be wealthy before we feel we can share?

Having an abundance of money doesn’t suddenly make us generous and although we imagine ourselves giving freely when we are rich, we often keep the same unconscious attitude of scarcity.

Giving generously comes from an open heart that knows, no matter what our bank balance is or how much food we have in our fridge, that there is always plenty for everyone and ourselves.

“If we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.”   – JM Coetzee

When we come from a place of scarcity, we are fearful that there is never enough and we feel we cannot give freely to ourselves or others.  We constantly wait for abundance to arrive and while we wait in scarcity, we stop giving and forget it is through giving generously that abundance is available now.

Often books on how abundance and wealth can come into our life, have mantra’s or thoughts that start with “I.”  “I am” abundant, “I receive abundance”, “I see my dream home or holiday”, “I deserve to be abundant” and it occurred to me that focusing on the “I” is not how the gift of abundance flows to us.

“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”  – Lao Tzu

I decided I would start to give freely to everyone I met,  I began to visualise myself giving freely as well.   When I shifted my belief from a place of scarcity to a place of giving it was then I started to feel abundant and abundance came to me.

I began to give freely of my time, my thoughts, my money and kept seeing myself have enough for everyone.  Not long after this shift in thought, I began to feel more energised and light and felt like I had enough for me and everyone else, I actually felt like I had won the lottery!

“Give, but give until it hurts.”  – Mother Teresa

It takes a conscious practice everyday to work against the feeling of scarcity, but overtime when you start to give freely on all levels, you will see that abundance is available for everyone and that there is a never ending supply when we approach it from a place of giving.

Plant seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love; it will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of nature.”  – Steve Maraboli

Patience

by Karen Lang, posted in Uncategorized

“Once the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loath to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment.” – John O’Donohue

When you trust in your heart to know what is right for you, you will find the doors that will lead you on the right path.

The best teachers have shown me that things have to be done step by step.  Nothing that means anything, happens quickly –  we only think it does.

The motion of drawing back a bow and sending an arrow straight into a target takes only a split second, but it is a skill that is many years in the making.

“He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg.” ~Chinese Proverb

It is difficult for us to be patient waiting for our dreams to unfold but when you find your path, you must ignore fear and the voices that are against you and take each step as it unfolds.

You need to have the courage to risk mistakes and although you will not always know the outcome, you do have a choice each day how to move forward.

Stepping out of the familiar is difficult, but if we decide to stay in our comfort zone of life, we will not grow.   Of course, we can always look back after the fact and see what we should have done but what you may find, is that it’s too late.

Although sometimes we do not know that the path we choose is always the best, when we take the first step towards trusting in a bigger plan for our lives and are patient towards our dreams, we will not be disappointed.

“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.”  – Eckhart Tolle

And if you do not like the life you have at the moment, then be brave enough to step out and discover how you can change your situation.  Search for people who inspire you and understand how life changes when we do.  It always begins with one step.

“So at the end of this day, we give thanks for being betrothed to the unknown.”  – John Donohue

Connect to a flow

by Karen Lang, posted in Uncategorized

“If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. ” – Deepak Chopra

Being out of control is scary.  When tragedy or challenges come into our life or an unexpected emergency occurs, we grasp for lifelines that are familiar to us and yet, they are often not there to hold onto to.

Our internal dialogue plagues us with thoughts of good and bad about every situation and if we base our day-to-day decisions on the approval or control of others, we will always fall short in living our truth and receiving the answers we seek.

Sometimes people mistake trying to control what someone else does as guidance, which it’s not.  Too often controlling people come across under the guise of “I’m just trying to help you,” and so when you are not sure what is best for you or that you are not strong enough to stand in your own truth, you will often be taken in the wrong direction.

When you allow yourself to connect to a solid trusting Spiritual Practice, you will start to connect to a flow that allows your life to unfold without resistance.  When we let go of our ego and tap into the truth that is always within you, you will find the answers to all your questions and become confident in your intuition.

Our ego is created on fear and fear blocks love and abundance to come through.  So when you make a decision to connect to a source of love and trust through your spiritual practice, you will find there is a perfect job for you and that there is a perfect plan for you and overtime, there will be an easy flow in life.

“Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined.” –  Deepak Chopra

I think for a lot of us, we are in the process of awakening and opening up to who we really are and what we came to do, which at times is difficult.    Yet I believe, if we always integrate the best of ancient traditions like Yoga and a Spiritual practice in our daily routine, we will find that each challenge or conflict along the way, can be overcome with a sense of destiny and purpose.

If we stay open to the fact that where we are right now is the perfect position and that those around us are here to teach us, we can make a difference in this world and find the peace and abundance we long for.

“There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle. – Deepak Chopra

Staying committed to a practice of stillness each day can open doors and opportunities that you never thought were possible.  Even during the dark days of pain, if you accept your experience in love no matter what unfolds, you can become aware that each day is a unique gift of hope.

Choices

by Karen Lang, posted in Uncategorized

“Let go of certainty. The opposite isn’t uncertainty. It’s openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox, rather than choose up sides. The ultimate challenge is to accept ourselves exactly as we are, but never stop trying to learn and grow.”  – Tony Schwartz

There are no certainties in life and even though we would like to think we have control over everything, when we realise this is not true, we can still trust and believe in a higher source that will help us work through situations that we don’t plan for.

Dont’ fight or resist problems when they come into your life.  Let go of trying to control the chaos and learn to control what choices and actions you can take amongst the chaos.

When we feel overwhelmed in life, it’s best not to over-analyse or over-plan.  Try to be still in your pain or fear, while you begin to understand what this situation can teach you.

“At the core of all well-founded belief lies belief that is unfounded.” Ludwig Wittgenstein

When we try to predict outcomes in stressful situations, it will only lead to paralysis and fear and you will not be able to make the right choices.

The imagination is the most powerful tool on earth.  If we want to progress in stressful situations, we need to lay it all out so that we can shift our focus onto things that matter.  Once we are calm amongst the chaos, we can then understand what action to take.

“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost

To stay calm through the uncertainties of life, we need to establish an anchor of practice to fall back on.  Daily Meditation, Yoga and breathing techniques allow a sense of calm in life and when our world falls apart with unexpected challenges, we know we can trust in a process that will get us through.

This practice will give you strength and courage to take on each day.  It is what will give you hope in the aftermath of loss or stress.

Managing uncertainty for its potential by practising calming techniques, is a part of what we can do everyday to reach beyond fear, to step beyond our limits and find peace no matter what unfolds.

“Don’t allow your mind to tell your heart what to do. The mind gives up easily” – Paul Coelho

Ripple Effects

by Karen Lang, posted in Uncategorized

“It is easy to believe we are each waves and forget we are also the ocean.” ― Jon J. Muth

It’s always the little things in life that create ripple effects on ourselves and others.  When we become aware of the little things we do and say each day and begin to appreciate the power they have on others, we learn to become conscious of our thoughts and actions and make decisions for the whole and not just for ourselves.

“Make everyday count, appreciate and cherish every moment and grab everything you possibly can, because you may never be able to experience it again.”

We when take responsibility for our life and realise that our actions will create a negative or positive effect, it can help us understand to “think before we act.”  For example, you are at the shops and a lady pushes in front of you and you feel annoyed, but perhaps you don’t tell her that she was wrong and so you hold this anger for her and instead of forgiving her, you take it out on the kids later on.

It’s the decision you make in the moment that will impact your day and sometimes your life forever.  On a larger scale, an example of the ripple effect would be the “Boston Bombings” and how the decision of two men changed the life of every person who was at the marathon.

“There are no rewinds in life, only flashbacks.  Make sure every moment is precious.”

How we react to every situation is important and powerful.  We cannot know what story or pain the person behind the checkout or the person behind the wheel is carrying and so when we treat them with compassion and respect we are allowing a ripple effect that will change people’s lives and our own forever.

Pay attention and become aware of your day-to-day thoughts and choices.  Make a conscious decision to be compassionate towards others, even if others seem aggressive or dismissive towards you.  Learn to be patient and kind even when you feel the opposite.

Try to see the best in every situation.  Know that we each play a part in the web of life and that every decision has a ripple effect.  Sharing a simple smile, helping someone in need or offering a random act of kindness can and does make a difference in the world, so each day make the right choices for yourself and others.

“Don’t hesitate to live every moment out of your life in the best way you can, because living is once, chances are rare…..and nothing is certain.”