The thought that comes to me today - is that if I want to be honoured and respected in this world - then it has to start with me. If I can learn to honour, love and respect myself - then this will become something I attract from others. It always has to start at home - with me. I find myself contemplating how many things and actions I have done in the past that do not really honour me - but are done because I am trying to please someone else. Trying to gain someone else's approval and to please them. This is not honest. This is disrespectful of them - as its not done from a clear open-hearted willing place... and its disrespectful to me - as its not what I really want to do. Its not me being in my truth. The reality is - that we cannot make someone else happy - we cannot change ourselves enough to ever make someone else happy. It never works - because within ourselves we start to bubble and brew - and we find this internal pain and anger - because we are not being ourselves - we are not being honest. We cannot find our own happiness by pleasing others either. Again - because that internal part of ourselves will become restless and start making an internal fuss... and this shows in our vibration - and no matter how hard we try and hide it - we never can - it will be felt. If I think back and reflect - I can see how hard I have tried in the past - to be the peacekeeper. I have bent and twisted to try and appease others - but it does not work. In the end its me who breaks... I bend to far and.... snap! - something inside of me breaks. This is my distant past I am talking about - not so much the current me - however - I still feel that tug of my inner child who demands that I bend and twist to appease others. That inner child has been terrified of upsetting people. In her childhood reality - that could well have been dangerous... it would have made the bigger people angry and then it got very stormy in her world... so she was truly doing her best to keep the storms at bay. This was all, of course - her perception of how her world was... and some parts of it truly were stormy... but - we are no longer there - her and I. Its now up to me to remind her and to keep her feeling safe by showing her the world I really live in. Its easy for her to forget and to put huge pressure on me to appease - as she gets really terrified... but... I - the big me - knows better now. I know that my world is mostly a calm one, and that I am in fact surrounded by so many loving people. These beautiful people are not going to hurt me. These people really want me to just be me... and they love me for being me. But - I have to keep on reminding myself that this is how it is... and in this way - remind her and show her what a lovely world we live in, and to just keep on being me. After all - this is the greatest gift I can give this world - and myself - is the gift of being me. I am a beautiful, loving being. I am mostly a very happy being (except when I am not being me). The gift of my loving heart and my insights into this world - mostly by studying myself- is what this world really wants from me... its why I am here - to just be me. This is why we are all here - to just be our wonderful radiant selves. When I truly honour myself and my truth - then I walk a very beautiful life and I feel great - and then mostly - the people around me feel good too. Yes - there are times - when being me requires that I do not do what someone else's ego wants me to do. This will cause that ego to perhaps flare up and get upset with me.... but - this is not them being their full selves...and who shall I honour more - their ego, or their true selves? Who shall I honour more... my ego or my true self? I honour us both more - by being true to me, as in this way - I am being true to them too. So - there may be a brief ego storm - but - it will pass and the sun will shine again, and I will be safe in the calm center of my full being... it does not have to touch me or blow me off course- no more than a brief storm bothers me when I am snuggled up inside sipping hot chocolate. In fact - we will both be much happier for the loving truth - we will both grow from it. Much love to all on this beautiful southern spring day!!
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Hello there - while this is my 17th blog post - it is the 30th day of this challenge I set for myself. I have just been away in Melbourne - taught a great workshop which was very deep. I came back feeling high - but also very tired - so went to bed very early last night and slept in this morning. I am feeling tired today... so I started my day with a relaxing bath. This is one of those days where it would be so easy to just allow myself to let go and not do much more... and sometimes that is the right thing to do...but today - its not... Today I need to keep on going. I need to get back into my routine and give myself the right things that will bring my energy levels back up. I know that eating fresh fruit and raw food is good for me - but honestly - I don't feel like doing that..however - its the right things for me today - so - I am doing it - despite my ego wanting to reach for the quick and easy fix. My ego really wants to be lazy... I did give myself good rest time and I did lie in a bath, relax and read - but to continue is not the right thing. I know there are things I need to do today - and doing them will make me feel good... so I am sorry dear ego - its not a total laze out today - its a compromise. There are things that will make me feel good, and that I need to do to lift my field.... ahhh - but can you see how I am having to talk myself into doing them? Yes - it takes that extra reach - that decision to choose the things that best serve me, and then to reach for them - to strive for them - against my other self wanting to give in and just sleep and read and eat junk. Its the eat junk thing that gives it all away as being the lazy cop out!!! Sleep yes - I have listened to my bodies need for that and I have given it what it needs. Relax - yes - I have given that to myself as well... but cop out - no.... there is this part that does want to cop out - that wants to reason with me and say -"well you have done so much and just come back from teaching - and and and".... and its actually wanting to avoid taking the next step. It has fear... its actually afraid of the growth that is happening and the changes. It does not want to take those next steps yet - as its all feeling too much too fast and too big.... let me rather stay back in the discomfort I know...hahah... there is it.. the fear that the ego holds of growth. So - with much love and compassion for that side of myself - I reach out and in - to the me who can stand up and who can take the right actions... my Higher Self... and this self lovingly makes me herbal teas, and leads me to the ginger which always gives me an energy boost... who gives me the time out I need and also knows when its time to get up and get moving - as when I move I feel good. This same self got me jogging on the spot while running my bath and touching my toes and doing some exercises... and yes - I do feel much better for it. Its this same me that is making me sit here and write the next blog.. saying -" keep on going - you can do it.... just keep on taking the next step - just one more step today - come on - you are doing so well - just take another step today and then you can rest and relax again.. and reward yourself - you have it in you - yes - you can!!" This lovely self takes my hand away from the quick fix junk and reaches instead for the quick fix and easy to eat fruit... see - its still fast and easy - just better for you dear one. This voice - is the voice of loving compassion - leading me forwards to be a better me every day.... this is the one to listen to.... and so I will. let your voice lead you today - even if just for an hour - listen to that other you today and see what steps you can keep taking to take you to a better you. Much love Arleen I have mentioned before that I am married to a wonderful man. He is someone I call my beautiful beloved... unless I am out of my center - then I can call him all sorts of names - and some of them none too flattering. The same goes for all the other beautiful people in this world. The truth is - when I am grumpy - I see the world through my grumpy glasses - and then - you are all just horrid things that annoy me. Well - let's take that truth deeper - if I am the grumpy one wearing grumpy glasses - then I am the one filled with horribleness and I am seeing my own internal workings reflected back at me... and you are all just mirrors... a reflective surface that I am projecting my stuff onto. Thank you for bearing the brunt of my grump! I am not saying that there are not truly horrid things out there in the world - there are. There are people out there that are so out of their center - and who have forgotten who they truly are - and are being that horribleness they feel inside all over. But that is the key - they are not being present to their true self - they are not being centered in their beautiful spirit being. If we were truly centered in our spirit self - we could not actually do those horrible things to others. Bringing this back to myself... I have noticed that when I am telling myself old stories and replaying bad experiences from my past - over and over in my head - then I seem to attract the moodiness in others... and my experience of them - and of myself - is a reply of that old story in some way. I have also noticed that when I am in my body as a more spiritual being - more aware of my full self - then I seem to tell myself good things in my head - and then - the people around me seem to reflect that - and I experience more of their beautiful selves. So the key seems to be present. What does being present mean? For me - its being in the moment. Being aware of all that is around me in an awakened way - in this state - life is magical. Its beautiful. Its alive. I am aware that I am a spiritual being having a physical experience. I can feel the energy of this. I can feel the life force in all that is around me. My mind is a good place to be. I am aware of my thinking and I am conscious of what I choose to think and dwell on - knowing that its a creative magnetic force that draws more of what I dwell on to me. My dearest beloved husband is often at the receiving end of my thought experiments. Thank you dear one. I noticed once - that as I lay in bed thinking negative thoughts - my hubby rolled over away from me - and he was fast asleep. I did not think much of this at the time.. but - then I started to think of something really quite beautiful and suddenly he rolled back over towards me. I wondered if this was just coincidence, so being the curious being that I am - I consciously shifted my thoughts to negative again - not of him - just something negative... and he rolled again... Poor chap - I continued with switching thoughts in random combinations for some time - and he responded to each positive and negative with a roll towards and away from me. I did repeat this experiment over a few nights just to check if this was the case every time... it was. This showed me - to my mind anyway - that there was definitely some form of force at work here. So take this deeper - if I am projecting something negative towards life - then life responds by reflecting that negativity back at me (in this case one could think of it as a form of rejection)- and then if I am projecting something positive towards life - then life responds in a positive way back to me (Acceptance). So - am I subconsciously impacting on all those around me with my own thoughts? Does this mean I should try and think about those people I am interacting with in a higher way, or just think more positive thoughts in general? Will this impact on how I experience them and life in general in the future? You will have to try this out for yourself to figure it out - but for me - I can say that yes - this is very true. When I expect the worst from someone - I get it - one way or another. If I am in a downer mood - then all sorts of things go wrong for me. Likewise - when I hold a positive thought towards someone - or just any positive thought if I struggle to think of them in a positive way - then at best - I get a neutral reaction from them, or they just are not on my radar - or... I get something positive... either way - win win... for them and for me. Now - they do have free will and free choice - so this is not a case of mind manipulating them to give me what I want. What I find is that the situation changes to a more positive one for the highest good of all. That phrase - "Highest good for all" - is the outcome I try to hold in mind - and no - I am no saint and far from perfect - so this is not my everyday always experience.... this is just something I strive for... WHEN I REMEMBER TO DO SO!!! Its got to be a conscious act and eventually - I believe - with enough practice - will become more of a habit. Lets face it - we became negative through practice - so fair enough - it may well take some practice to become more positive. Much love Arleen I do not think I have ever really understood what it really means to be free before. I have always understood the concepts and spoken about it - but to really feel it - that is something new. We talk about freedom in so many ways - emotional freedom, freedom of expression, financial freedom etc... but - what does it really mean? I went into my deep morning meditation the other day - all of 10 minutes - and in the middle of it - I suddenly thought - I am free - and I really felt it. Its a feeling and a mind set - its got nothing to do with what I do or do not have in my life. Its a feeling - that no matter what happens out there - and no matter what I am bound to in various contracts ... those are external things - and are not impacting on my soul - on my life force. In essence - I am energy. Energy is free. You can channel it and you can hold it and do things with it - but.. in and of itself - it is free. Any thoughts of being tied down or bonded in any way - are thoughts. Yes - I have rent to pay and that is a contact..but even so - within that contract - I am free if I feel free. I choose to honour the contracts - but they do not need to feel like a form of bondage that strangles me. In the past - they have always felt like they have huge weight - likes balls and chains and shackles - and I have felt dis-empowered... and freedom was something that could only be attained once this contract was complete or that bill paid - or this thing done. When this happens - then I am free to do this or that - and when this happens - then I will feel free.... so there have always been all these conditions I need to meet before I can feel free. Of course - with this sort of thinking - then the magnetic attraction of thoughts comes into action and just draws more and more bondage to itself - and freedom remains an idea - but not something that can ever be attained. What if we are just free anyway?? We are energy - we are souls... and souls are always free. What if the feeling of freedom is the first step to attaining freedom in all other areas of life? This is the feeling I really connected to the other day. I am not my beliefs or programming. I am not my contracts... I am not stuck.. it just has been feeling that way. There are no real chains and metal balls hanging off my body - its all just concepts. These things are given weight - and we give them that weight.. and then they feel heavy and we can become burdened under their weight. But - I am energy. I am soul. I am spirit. My thoughts become my reality. So - if I feel free and think free - then I am free...and no paper contracts can feel like a heavy burden - unless I think them that way. This does not mean that I do not honour them - I do - but in a very different way. I do so without the agony...without the pain and burden.. and perhaps... they then are removed and dismantled from my life a lot faster if I detach from the old meaning I have given them... if I remove the weight and burden of them. I see that I can be in a physical prison - but I can still be free. I think this is something Nelson Mandela learned... they put him in prison and they made him do physical labour - however - they never took his mind - they never took his freedom - he always had that - and that was why he could be there and find peace, and why peace eventually won over... because he was already free. Freedom is a state of mind , and it results in a feeling of being free... and then - the more we feel and think this way - the more our lives will begin to reflect it in all other areas. So my freedom does not occur when various burdens and contracts are lifted off me - my freedom is already there - and the more I can feel that and think in that way - the more various burdens and contracts will dissipate and be lifted off me. Hmmm...this is rather delicious and I think needs a lot more time to be spent feeling it. Much love Arleen As I sit here and contemplate what I have learned over the last few days that I need to share with you...the words - "Trust - Everything is OK" - come to mind. I am feeling good. Things are working out. Things have been up and down. But - everything really is OK. My bank account is not yet overflowing with $$ - but I have enough for now. I have a lovely home to live in. I have good food to eat. I have clients sending me messages about how well things are working out after balances. I have a wonderful family and very special friends who are all very supportive. When I reflect on all these things - I can see that everything really is OK. Things are working out. I cannot see the solution to everything yet... but I can feel its OK. I can feel into the future , in a sense, and feel that its going to work out - its all going to fall into place and its going to be OK..because it is already OK. In fact - if I really reflect on how things actually are - right now in this moment - things are pretty good... and in many areas - things are actually great. This is the feeling I must keep hold onto and nurture and keep on reassuring my inner frightened child - we all have one of these inside us telling us panic stories of what if this and what if that???. So who do we let rule our lives? The frightened inner one or the stronger soul being that is also who we are... the adult self if you like...give it any name that works for you - but here I am talking about that part of us that is calmer and knows, and is much wiser... the one we can trust. For me - its my soul self... the one who is connected to the greater Cosmic Energy flow... and this I can trust completely. Its this part of myself that I need to connect to as much as I can - and especially when things go off track... when I feel the fear and the panic coming up to the surface... and wanting to drive me. When I become aware that there are many parts of me - and although they all have their roles in my life - I become aware that some of them are better suited to some jobs than others. I would never let a frightened child drive a car... so why would I let a frightened child drive my life? So when I feel the feeling of the frightened panicky one taking over...I need to connect to her... I check in with her and I ask her - what do you need? So there is an observer me - always watching now - observing how things are going, and this one can ask the questions... Become aware of this in yourself... can you sense that part of you who can observe and question? You want this one to become more dominant as they can really help you. Then as the frightened child responds - the observer me can provide what is needed where possible... and that could be a reassuring voice from the stronger me - the adult me... or a call for help from an Angelic Being who I can then tap into for energetic help and inspiration. It could even be the common sense me who say - you need a mechanic/plumber/doctor - call for help. These are those moments where I breathe - and just pause for a few minutes... this pause and connection... helps put everything into perspective - and then - I get the right part of myself driving and directing/creating my life - and I get better results!! This is where I am able to start to tell myself a better story...and then start to create a better outcome - and then yes.... everything really is OK..because this I can trust to work for me. Much love Arleen What an interesting day!!! I did my first mini webinar group balance today. I had 9 wonderful people hop online with me so that I could try out the group balancing on webinar - and I am delighted to say that it worked out rather well. I was a bit nervous - not from the point of view of doing the balances - I do that well and I have no issues there - but just more from doing it all in a new way - where I am not that familiar with the technological side of things. So I just kept on taking deep breaths and affirming that technology and I love each other and all will be well... and it was. I felt a huge emotional uplifting after the session... and shed a few tears of huge gratitude for all the help and support I am getting through this process - I was so deeply touched. I have some other ideas now that I will apply for the next one - a larger group one - next week!! So - one more thing done!! This wonderful feeling then got blasted to hell by an interesting event that happened. I will admit I felt a huge energetic hit and fell right off my nice little center... So - back to the steps - express the emotions and get the steam out of my being. Beloved hubby was on hand so I just did a nice vent for a while and talked it all out of my system. I followed this by writing a few letters - not to anyone in particular -but just about the issues that this brought up... and then followed that with another discussion with the dear hubby again - who helped me see more into the whole situation and to find a good solution. Followed this with another talk to another good friend - who again has helped me see deeper into it... and keeping on breathing. No where do we need to tackle these things alone - as there are some really lovely people out there who can be these beautiful sounding boards... and there are also thousands of Spiritual beings who just love to help out... call on them!!! All is well... all is well - and handing this over to spirit to be dealt with. There is so much help out there for us when we need it and its very much a matter of reaching out and letting it in. By doing these things the steam gets a chance to be released and then the calmer me can come back into the center of my being - and from here - I know I can make the right choices and take the right actions that will serve the greater good. If I just acted immediately - then it would have been an ego re-action - not a soulful response. So I find its really helpful to just go to a safe place and vent and express the emotional stuff that gets triggered - and then reach out and just talk things through for a while to one or two really good safe neutral people who can help ... more I find that they just need to listen and reflect - they don't need to solve or fix - although often they have great insight and ideas... but - what I find will happen is that through doing these things - I can reconnect to the higher aspect of my being - and this aspect of me can take good responsible actions if needed. Many blessings dear ones Arleen I woke up this morning and was not feeling that well - the room was spinning a bit and I was feeling very tired. I did my meditation and centered myself and did not push myself to walk as far as I usually do - just did a short walk - and then took care of myself. Asked my body what it needed - strong black dandelion tea and a simple slice of toast. I did this all day - just kept on checking in and giving myself what I needed when I needed it. Oddly enough - I was still able to do quite a bit of work and start working on the webinar. Since I stated this self coaching journey for change - I have asked myself to just keep on taking daily steps. This has been building up to this webinar thing. I took the plunge a few days ago by putting a post on Facebook asking for people to offer to volunteer to be part of a test group. Phew - ok - step one done. That was enough for one day - especially as over 45 people put their hands up - that is a lot! Many want to know how to do this themselves... ok - so I have a choice there- I can give into the fear and freak out - or I can just take it one step at a time. I found myself taking lots of deep breaths - doing one step - and then backing off and going to do something else. Then taking more deep breaths and taking another step - and then walking away. I am no techno whizz... I have a small notepad thingy - you know - the smaller than an ipad thingy - sitting in my desk drawer... got it for free through my car insurance... and I have no idea what I am supposed to do with it. I put things on it and I tried it out about 3 times..and then put it back in the drawer... too hard basket. So - if that freaks me out - running a webinar, making my own website and writing a blog - that's nightmare stuff!!!! Now - do you understand why the room was spinning this morning and I have been feeling like I have been whipping around a roller coaster?? This stuff scares me!!!!! I am lost. I have no clue... I just have this idea and this desire to make a change. The choice here is to give into the fear - or to move past it and invoke the courage it takes to keep on taking those next steps!! So - I am daily invoking that beautiful Divine and loving Cosmic energy (call it by whatever name works for you). I am starting my day by connecting to that energy stream and pulling it into my body. Then - many times in the day - when I talk about taking those deep breaths - I am again breathing in that Cosmic supportive Divine energy... and connecting to that aspect of me who can already do this. My beloved Hubby - Adrian Hanks - has a great name for this aspect of ourselves - he calls it "The Future potential Self". So imagine going forward in time and there you are - a greater version of you - the you who can already do all of these things - who is a whizz at webinars, for example. Tap into that self - imagine going into that self and feeling what it feels like in there..breathing it in... and then letting that self take over and coach you in what to do. On that energy stream - this has already been done - and done well - therefor - it exists and therefor - you can do it - and you have done it. So I keep on tapping into the "me who can". I let my future guide me into taking the next step. So - keep it simple - just do it one step at a time. Invoke the Cosmic Divine Energy stream - this is instant courage and support. Invoke your future positional self - the me who can and has already done it. Take the next step. Breathe - relax - reward yourself... and then do it all again when you are ready... one step at a time. So back to that webinar - today - I did not one - but two test calls. My lovely hubby already uses the platform zoom - so decided to use that one - as I have help on hand. So he did a call with me and could come into my office and show me what to do. Then my lovely friend Marianne from Norway was on hand - so we did another test call. Tomorrow -I go one step further and I will run a session with some clients using it. Then Thursday - I will run a small group balance on it with just a few more people... and then.. I will set another time - that works better for more people... step by step - and the future will reveal itself. Oddly enough - I am feeling so much better tonight - had a nana nap on the vortex mat after lunch... and then ran those two test calls... ahhhh...breathing again... see - it wasn't that bad! Much love Arleen Today I was soaking in the bath, reflecting on what has been happening in the last few days and what to write about... what have my lessons been? I have had a wonderful weekend of love and romance with my beloved hubby, and then yesterday we had a stand at a health expo. I gave a session to a lady and much of it was about looking at what she had managed to do in a day - instead of focusing on all the things she could not yet do , or had not managed to fit into the day. So often we do so many amazing things in a day and instead of celebrating what we have achieved - we berate ourselves on all that we have yet to do. This gives us a sense of never being about to get there - and being angry and frustrated with all that we have yet to do. This pulls our energy down. A wise person once said that life is a journey - not a destination. We are supposed to enjoy the journey and revel in the discover of each step we take - delight in the sights and the experience...instead many of us complain that we are not there yet. Like children in a long car trip... are we there yet? Are we there yet?? Stop... look around you - enjoy the ride... look at the scenery - its so beautiful.. enjoy the experience of getting there...because... there is no there..its an eternally evolving journey - not a destination. Celebrate all that you have done to get here...take the time to really appreciate the effort it has taken you to get this far. Reward yourself along the way. This will give you the energy to keep going. If you whine and complain along the way - its becomes so hard and tedious and you end up wanting to give and and just go back. This is like someone who takes on the challenge of swimming across the English channel... they swim and swim and swim and swim... and its foggy and misty so they can't see the shore yet, so they don't know how close they are...and they get frustrated so they turn around and go back. Had they just kept on going they would have arrived at the shore... it was foggy and they could not see it - that does not mean its not there. Once they get there though - they have achieved this part of the journey - but - if they are adventurous - they could keep going and explore the wonderful world on the other side. On the other hand... its a good idea to have a goal and a destination... and to aim for it - absolutely. This gives you the direction to focus on. But, if you keep looking back at all that is not right and all that is wrong in life - its like walking backwards on this journey... and that does not work out that well, as when I do that - I tend to trip over things and fall over and walk in circles and bang into things. You have to keep your goal and your destination in mind... but - along the way - enjoy the process and celebrate each step you take - celebrate all the little victories you achieve... and these are the building blocks that take you to the mayor goal - the big victory. The building is built from hundreds of small bricks... not one huge one. So many people live life backwards.... they complain about not being where they want to be - and about all the things that they did not get and all the things that are wrong in life... but... they are not focused on what they want..they are focusing on all the things they do not want - so they then move towards those things they do not want - as they are walking backwards. You move towards what you look at - or what you focus on... if you want more good stuff - then focus on all the good stuff you already have achieved - on all the good stuff that is already in your life... at everything that is already working - at all the things that you have going in your favour... and hold that focus and celebrate it. Feel the gratitude for it...this acts like a powerful magnet and pulls more of it to you and pulls you in the direction you want to go because that is what you are looking towards and focusing on -while celebrating and enjoying the journey - it gives you energy. So today - look at all that you have achieved... celebrate all these mini victories and you will see how many are actually large major victories. Feel how great that is.... and then use that energy to pull you along the journey towards what you want. Much love Arleen Its my 11th Wedding anniversary with my beloved hubby really is scoring high on brownie points this year - with a surprise date to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performance of Stravinsky's Firebird, among other beautiful pieces. What a special romantic and beautiful evening. I was once a classical clarinet player, and have a music degree - so music is very very special to me. When I listen to music like this - its not just sounds going over me - but through me and into my cells. The music really touches my heart and I feel the music with every fiber of my being. I can be totally transported to the spiritual realms... and into heightened states. I become very present with the music. I realised that there are many times a day I let this happen in other areas of life - but - why am I not striving to become more conscious of the effect of being so present and connected to more of life in even more areas? When I eat something that is really wonderful - I let the flavour and the smell and the taste really come alive in me... I totally awaken to the experience... its an amazing thing to do - I call these toe curling ecstatic experiences. You know the food is really good when my toes curl up. When I am outside - I lift my head to the sun - with eyes closed - and really connect to the energy of the sun - feeling it penetrate my cells and bring the energy into any areas of my body that need its life giving energy and warmth. When I see a beautiful flower - I really take the time to look deep into it.. to touch it and really feel it... to smell it and let that sense wake up different areas in my body. When I see a beautiful dancer moving - I see in wonder.. I let their performance touch my heart and my soul.... they move me. When I look deep into the eyes of someone I love - I reach in there right deep into the soul to see them - really see them.. for who they really are... no thoughts in my head - just a full sensing.... So I find myself thinking - why not do this for more things in life - for the more ordinary.. the more mundane...?? How will this impact me?? So I tried it out today...I went with my hubby to watch his eldest son play a footy match... and while I am a great fan of this beautiful young man - I am not the greatest footy fan... so why not just sit there in deep appreciation and just be present and see what happens?? I found myself in awe of the dedication of these young men doing their thing... the energy moving through their bodies - the absolute focus and presence it takes to be able to catch that ball and kick it... the delight and the pain they experience... the love they feel for it.... the sun in the sky...the smell of the grass - the delight of the supporters... the absolute focus and dedication of the flag holders... In all of this I found myself becoming more at one with it all...more accepting of it all.. more in awe of life... and more in connection with the pure essence of life that is pulsing in every moment in everything... my mind became calm and clear and my heart opened.. and I felt very alive and present.... fully there... with very few thoughts running through my mind - just a beingness. I did the same with a cup of tea.... the warmth from the cup... the smell...the feel of it in my mouth and going into my body... my bodies reaction to it... and with it all a deep appreciation for all that had to happen so that I could have that moment of bliss with tea. I have been doing this with many things today... just really taking a moment to be fully present with something I am doing or someone I am with - or something I am seeing.... It brings me into a much deeper sense of being and knowing... I am totally there ... in all the deeper aspects of my soul... its really beautiful. Try it out - just be there and really experience - with all your cells and senses...and see what happens... let you food move you - really be present to the taste - really smell it - look at it - taste it....experience it.... Watch someone - anyone.... and really be there with them in that moment - really see past their clothes and how they are doing whatever they are doing... and sense into them... the deeper being that is there.... Look at a flower... really look into it - feel it - sense it... feel how it makes you feel and the impact it has on you - touch it...smell it...experience it. Life can be such an enlivening and yummy experience. Much love Arleen I was not too sure what I was going to write about today - until my daughter tagged me in a Facebook post about a young boy who gives strangers flowers because he likes to make them smile. In our family - we have random days... we love to give things or do things for strangers - to see them smile. For me this all started a long time ago when I saw the movie - "Pay it forward" about a young boy who comes up with a school project to change the world - where he would do 3 things that really meant something - and in exchange - those people who received - would pay it forward to 3 other people and so forth. So I have always held that idea that sometime in my life I would love to do this for others... and I have managed to do so in a number of ways. The reality is - I get huge pleasure from this - so its not actually just one sided about selfless giving - because there is always a form of receiving that happens in giving. I did not realise this until I started to do it. I thought originally - wow what a lovely altruistic thing to do...but I discovered that I got a huge amount in return for giving... and I became hooked. I get a real kick out of seeing people happy - and I love to do secret things where people do not know its me - but I know.... and I can just imagine the delight they get... it can be something little - it does not need to be some huge thing that costs a fortune. I love to give flowers to strangers - in fact its become a family game... where we get a feeling that someone somewhere needs flowers... so we buy a bunch or pick a bunch and then go look for the owner... its wonderful...and the stories that come from them when they tell you why its them who needs the flowers on that day. It can be doing little things like handing the cashier an extra $5 to be deducted off the next persons shopping and not hanging around to see their face. Or popping a little gift into someones post box - just because.... or writing a letter to someone...sending a card to someone... anything really - and as simple and small as smiling at someone and saying hello. I have discovered that in this gift of giving - I receive so much... the joy and the delight is contagious and so uplifting. My heart expands and I feel good... so really - giving is self serving in so many ways when done from this space. It does not work this way if we give from expectation or resentment - that brings us down - but when we give with no expectations and no requirement - it is so freeing and rewarding. I have been deeply blessed in my life where people have given to me like this - or helped me in some very beautiful ways that have made a huge impact on my life. I am always grateful for these experiences. I sometimes found it so hard to accept and oddly - those where I felt guilt or doubt about the gift -things turned sideways with it all. Those where I was able to truly receive in the mode it was offered have taken me so far in my life. So we need to see how we are giving and how we are receiving. Are we doing so out of guilt? Do we feel obliged? Do we feel resentment at any level? Are there strings attached? Is it all open and clear about what is expected? Are there expectations? Its ok if there are - we just have to be clear about it so that the energy flow is there. Its the hidden stuff where we are not clear, that leads to trouble later, and all sorts of confusion and upsets. So when we give - lets be clear about our intentions behind it, and likewise when we are receiving. This will free the energy flow so much more. So today - think about this and watch yourself, and our own motives. There is no right and wrong here - but an awareness that clarity and openness will go a long way to releasing old patterns and blockages about giving and receiving. Much love to all Arleen |
AuthorArleen Hanks Archives
August 2019
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