Gratitude 6/12/13

June 12th, 2013

So the idea of gratitude and how important it is in manifesting has been brought to my attention lately.  To the point that I feel its worth sharing.  I know most of us grew up being told to say thank you and to be gracious.  It almost gets ingrained in us and before we know it it becomes like saying the Lord’s Prayer in a Catholic church, just rote and done without even realizing what is being said, lacking the emotion and intention.  Sorry to Catholics out there- I happen to have been raised Catholic and have a pet peeve when I go back to church and see people reciting the Lord’s Prayer in a monotone way without an cognition of what they are actually saying.  I feel that we all can relate to this condition especially when it come to gratitude.  ” Thanks”… probably said so many times throughout my day without even a true connection to the actual gratitude or emotion that should accompany those words.

Well I received a wake up call regarding this and I am hoping to pass it along.  I was reading a book recently that addressed this very issue.  I have read many things that say how important it is to thank God/ The Universe for all the blessings in our lives.  It sounds great and I truly mean to do it, but then I am tired, or running late, or just plain old not in a very thankful mood and it does not happen regularly.  Not only in regards to thanking God or the Universe but to the people in my life who do so much for me.  I mean we think they know we appreciate them but how often do we actually tell them?  I also have notice that I spend way more time thinking about and talking about all the things I do not have, or that are not going well- I seem to make plenty of time for that.

So the wake up call was that fact I was being given new motivation to make gratitude a priority in my life again.  To put it above the time I spend in wanting and identifying places of lack.   In this reading i was doing,  there was an idea related to manifesting.  The idea was that if we focus on the lack, on only asking for what we do not have that is the energy we connect to.  Its similar to how harmonics in music work.   In music harmonics is the unique creation that happens when two separate vibrations ( sounds) are attracted together through entrainment or seeking to find  similarities and then combine to create a third new vibration (sound).  So being that we too operate on vibration- each putting out our own unique vibrations through our thoughts, actions and words as well as just our being, it follows that  thoughts and words spoken to each other  about “I wish I had this or that and then I could be happy”  attach to the vibration of lack and together create a third vibration of endless needing and seeking.  On the other hand the vibration of gratitude attaches to the energy of receiving and creates on going abundance and fulfillment.   This concept blew my mind in a very deep way.  I know from observing the way things work in the Universe that there are these patterns of how things work.  The fact of how vibration functions and can be proven and seen in the material world through music applies to the vibrations of creation that we can not see or hear as well.  ( also please  forgive me for my simplistic version of how this all work- I am by no means a music theorist and only have the most basic understanding of the process).  The idea of harmonics is a real phenomenon in our world- it is how vibration interacts.  We also know through science that we are vibration.  So this pattern can be applied to us and our interactions with our world and with each other.

So what does all this talk about vibration and harmonics mean for me?  It means that if you want to begin to attract and take quantum leaps with the support of the Universe towards the things you want to manifest in your life- use the principles and supports given to us by the Universe.  Use harmonics to help amplify your manifestations.  The way to do this is simple- so long as you are willing to make it a priority in your life, to change old habits which can take effort.  It is done through aligning with the energies that create abundance and fulfillment.  The way we do this is through gratitude.  Every time we think about all the things that have been provided for us, all the things that we are grateful for in our lives and do so in a meaningful and deep way, we are sending out a message – a vibration that says ” I align with the energy of receiving”.  When we are aligned with that energy, the vibration of new creations or manifestations is allowed to flourish and grow in our lives.  Its like saying “look at everything I have in my life, of course anything is possible”.  It is a freeing energy that says we believe we deserve the happiness we seek and already have in so many ways.  When we focus on lack we are saying ” I am not so sure I deserve that- I mean look at all I am lacking”.

So the practice to bring into our lives from this message  is to truly practice gratitude- daily…multiple times a day.  Not those empty thank you’s, but with feeling and full conscious awareness.  Not just to the Universe but to all the people who you are thankful to have in your life.  Its ok to think briefly about ” hmm it would be nice to have a large sum of money, or to be able to travel,  or to have that job I have wanted, or that super cute guy as my boyfriend”  but do not dwell in the energy of wanting.  Think the thought and then follow it with gratitude for something  you do have.  Know that all things for your highest good are vibrating there way to you as you think about them- of course they are,  you are a positive being drawing positive things to you. You do not have to put energy into them or try to go seek them, or force them to come your way.  Putting that kind of energy into seeking identifies with lack- knowing you are drawing things to you in a positive way with gratitude speeds them your way.

One final word.  Its lovely to think thoughts of gratitude, but there is also a law to how energy works in regards to its power and strength.  When we think things they have definite power, however when they are spoken the power is multiplied and when we write or create with our hands it is even more powerful.  So if you truly want your gratitude vibration to ring out, think about speaking it out loud, writing or doing something in the spirit of gratitude- it will have an even more powerful effect than your thoughts.

Happy manifesting…  with the energy gratitude aligned with your thoughts and amplifying your ability to draw abundance your way.

With love

Eve

Energy Guide 4/20/13

April 20th, 2013

Topic: …pause

The energy that exists right now is like a continuation of the energy that has been around for the past few years- only a little more intense.  Many of us have had this feeling like we are waiting for something to happen.  People thought 12/2012 was going to be like walking through a door and this long awaited shift would suddenly be noticeable.  That day came and went and although many of us can see that indeed things are different- life as we knew it is not the same, truths are surfacing, broken patterns can not continue like they used to in the past.  In general it was not quite what we all anticipated.  It still feels to me like my new life is unfolding and has yet to fully take form.  I see it- I can see a hazy version of it- much clearer than the mass of confusion the last few years felt like.  However,  its not quite here yet.

The energy of this month seems to be a little bit of frustration that it’s not here.  I thought as I usually do that this was just me.  It was just me being impatient with what was taking form.  However, in talking with friends, in over hearing conversations and in talking with my inner voice- I know this is a universal feeling- at least for those of us sensitive to the changes that are happening.  It is true, all that we feel coming to us is coming.  It is also true that it is not quite here- and that feels frustrating.  Especially after the very long hard road many of us have traveled to get here.  I mean isn’t it time for the reward yet?  Seriously!  The Universe is clear…no- not quite yet.

The message this month is from the Universe.  I get it- I feel the same way you do but please listen to the wisdom of the Universe with me.  I would like to take control and make it all happen now too- I have waited long enough.  But that is not how it works.  We only delay ourselves when we push the Universe aside and do things our way.  The message is “please be patient- God is not finished working out the details yet”.  I smile when I write that because it reminds me of a plaque I bought for my dad on Fathers day when I was about 8 years old.   It read ” please be patient God is not finished with me yet”.  The Universe is saying that in terms of our new lives.  Hold on and let the forces of the Universe finish what they need to do.  If we push forward now we will  be accepting something incomplete for ourselves.  Our new lives will be a piece of what they were meant to be- they will be incomplete.

I received two messages loud and clear that I would like to share.  One was a ruin stone that I drew.  I was looking for an answer, looking  for guidance on when it all takes shape.  I see the pieces floating out there in space- I know its all happening the way I manifested it- yet things are not solid yet.  So I was asking for guidance on when it will happen- I am growing weary of the process.  The stone I drew was Eihwaz..defense.  The message of this ruin is that sometimes we are presented with blocks on our path and instead of looking at the block as a problem perhaps they are being placed there for a reason- a reason that in the end benefits us- only we can not see it from our current vantage point.  This is frustrating but once the block is removed or overcame in its proper time we can look back with gratitude and know things had to be delayed- that it all would not have worked out as wonderfully without the delay.  Eihwaz is about patience.   Its about recongnizing when it is not the proper time to assert our influence.  We can not act in hasty, hectic ways,  lusting after outcomes- we need to take a deep breathe  get comfortable with what is- appreciating the process and be in the moment.  There is something to be gained in this moment or we would not be here in this particular place.  There is one line that sticks out for me in this ruin’s guidance.  It says ” and yet even more than we are doers we are deciders”.  To me this says manifest what you would like- decide what you want to draw into your life and let the Universe handle the details…provide the opportunities.  This leads into the second message I received to help me through April’s energy.

The second message came from a book.  A book I picked up on a whim at a large book sale for a dollar.  Its called Notes From the Universe.  It contains these quirky little sayings meant to be from the Universe to anyone who is lead to that book.  I keep it in my desk drawer at work and when I feel drained or disconnected from God and the Universe I read it.  There was one message that stood out to me as an answer or help to this feeling of frustration I had about things not happening as quickly as I wanted them to.  The message was ” are you wondering why all that you have manifested is not coming to you?  Well its because you keep focusing on the how.  Stop doing that!  You focus on the goal, on what you would like, and let me figure out the details…okay? – The Universe.  Its paraphrased but that was the general idea.  It made me smile and was what I needed.  After reading that, as I talked to people I began noticing that all of us who were frustrated were saying the same thing…” I want_____ ,  but how? I mean it seems so unlikely and Ijust do not know how it will happen”.  And as long as we hold that thought…we will be holding ourselves back.  Ours thoughts create our reality.  If we keep asking how  and having doubt than doubt is what we bring into our reality.  Let go of the how and hold the belief that it will come to be.  Think of all the miraculous things that have happened in your life.  Did you plan every detail and have a step by step time line that happened perfectly as you planned?  Or did it just come out of no where and fall into place like magic?  For me the most magical things in my life have always…ALWAYS happened the second way.  I knew it was coming- I wanted it and it seemed unlikely and improbable and then like a lightening strike it all fell into place in front of my eyes.  If we are focused on the how we will miss the magical, miraculous opportunities that come.   If we will only accept our dreams in the way we imagine them coming true, with our details, we will miss the opportunities the Universe gives us to have them come true.

This is the true reason to try to be ok with the moment.  Keep your eye on what you know is coming to you- what you are manifesting in your life- know that it is coming- because you are creating it.  But let go of the details and be open to the present.  It is in the present  that the opportunities will be presented to get us to that place we are dreaming of.  April has that anticipation energy.  Our job is to take a deep breathe and wait patiently for our opportunities- they are coming soon.  If we force things we only miss the boat.  Keep your eye on the prize and let God…let the Universe handle the details.

With Love

Eve

Year at a glance 2013

December 31st, 2012

Even though I have not been writing as often as usual, I do enjoy tuning into the energy that is going on around all of us and creating these posts.  Feeling the energy of the months of the year to come is one of my favorite things.  When I tune into the energy I feel like I know when certain things I want to see happen are best able to happen.  I hope that this post helps you to do the same.  We always have free will and can choose to do things in our way and our time, it’s just things seem to flow more smoothly and turn out better if we wait for the little waves of divine timing.

2012 was an interesting year for many people.   There was an feeling of uneasiness.  This could have been due to the Mayan calendar thing  alone but I think it was due to something more.  I get this sense that 2012 served the purpose of leading us to begin to develop a sense of what is not “right” in our lives.  The uneasiness seems to be a symptom of seeing the things that do not fit who we are anymore.  There was little action taken in 2012 to remedy this.  It was like the whole year just shined spotlights on various areas of our lives and we could see all the clutter and garbage.  We may have even felt overwhelmed at times like ” what am I supposed to do with all this garbage- I don’t want it anymore but where do I put it all?”  That is the first step and that is what 2012 was about.  Before one decides to clean the house there has to be an awareness that its time to do the cleaning.  You look around and say ” how did this get so cluttered?”  You take it all in and decide that something needs to be done.  This is an important step in making change.  I often tell clients of mine that have patterns of behavior that are not serving them well to just notice when they do the behavior, don’t try to change it just notice it for a while to gain an understanding.  Then once they are aware of when and why they display the behavior then they can gently begin to redirect the behavior ( a slow process of continually redirecting yourself over and over until you unlearn the behavior pattern).   I am telling you this because this is the relationship between 2012 and 2013.  We have been watching the patterns, observing them, understanding them through 2012.  This has led us to feel uneasy in some areas because we did not like some of what we were seeing.  Now begins the process of changing and shifting those patterns.  This is not an overnight process and it requires diligence and effort.  The energy of 2013 will support us in changing the things that no longer serve us.

January

So on a micro scale when we have a pattern we are looking to break we first must decide what we would like to see instead.  If I want to get a new job – after observing and knowing the reasons why I no longer want my present job, the next step is to begin to imagine what I would like instead.  This is the energy of January.  We begin the process of change that will last the whole year by taking time to imagine what we would like to see in our lives.   Maybe this is a modern replacement of the New Years resolution.  Instead of focusing on loss and quitting something ( since that has been the focus of most of the last year) we instead focus on manifesting for the New Year.  Not what I want to stop but instead what I want to begin.  Set aside time this month to imagine the things you would like to see happen in this year.  Then further send the Universe the message that you are serious by beginning to take small actions towards those things you want to see.  This does not mean to go rushing towards a goal by say quitting a job and starting a business without a thought or a solid plan- it means begin making your plan on how you can start that business per se, while you are still working (if that is your thing).  It means make that plan and then begin to take steps towards improving your health, getting that relationship you wanted, what ever it is you are wanting in any area of your life.  The energy of January is about creating a strong foundation for the things you are calling into you life in 2013.  A foundation needs to be built solidly and can not be rushed or thrown together.  Its a slow process and worth the effort and the care to make sure it will hold the dreams you are creating for 2013.

February

This month seem very cold to me.  When I tune into it there is that cold wind blowing through, making that howling sound that sends a chill through your body even just hearing it.  The energy of this month is about cocooning .  Turning inside and taking time to nurture ourselves.  To think out the steps to reach your dreams.  January was full of creative power and now February is about taking a break to rest and reflect.  These breaks are needed throughout the year.  Its like the Universe gives us a little coffee break in the middle of our work day (the work day being a year’s span in this case).  Use this time wisely.  Maybe wrap up some of the things you began in January- make sure everything is in order before taking on more change and growth.  Think about way to move towards the goals and dreams you set in January, without doing them just yet.  Take time to rest and just be- life is not always about doing.  Usually these periods of rest are given to us just before a tough time of change will begin.

March

I have never had this image associated with a month before.  When I tune into March I get an image of a large hammer being smacked down on steel- like a metal smith, or Thor’s hammer.  Its not a warm fuzzy image and the feeling that accompanies it is not warm and fuzzy either.  We are always given a choice to begin to make changes in a gentle way first.  However, when we refuse to change and grow sometimes the Universe will step in and force the change in a less than gentle way.  Those of us who have experienced this know the difference between making difficult changes of our own accord with the support of the Universe, as opposed to having those changes thrust upon us.  Go through the second one enough times and you quickly learn to just make the changes no matter how difficult they may be on your own, its not a fun experience when the Universe pushes the changes usually.  In the end we can always say it was for the best and the change needed to happen but at the time it feels like the rug is getting ripped out from under out feet.  March is one of these periods of forced change.  If you have not listened to the messages of the last two months you will hear it loud and clear this month.  If you are refusing to change on your own out of fear or clinging to the past, the energy of March will rectify that, like it or not.  My advice is to try to honestly make the changes that need to be made ahead of time.  If you don’t have no fear- the Universe has your best interest at heart- even though the events of March that force change may cause some pain you will get through it and end up in a better place because of it.  So if you find yourself reading this in March after the event has happened to shake you up- please know that it will pass and things will improve and be better than they were before.

April

In true form when we are shaken by the Universe soon after we are rewarded for the changes we make.  This month’s image is of the sun beginning to pierce through the  thick dark storm clouds.  You can almost faintly hear the Hallelujah  chorus in the background.  This month you will see what the commotion of March was about, understand why it happened and that you are indeed in a better place because of it.  If you were among those who chose to change what needed to change of your own accord you will finally see the benefits of your work.  Things that seemed impossible when you imagined them in January will now begin to seem possible.  If you were among those whom March forced to change, you will now begin to heal and see why things happened the way they did.  You will see that what seemed like something bad was actually good and you will have appreciation for being forced to make the changes you did.  You will not see the full effect and impact this month but you will begin to get an understanding.  There are good things that lay ahead.

May, June , July

This is the first time this has been given to me in this manner.  It feels like a cop out but its what I am being shown.  Sometimes less words are better I guess.  I am being told to lump these months together.  They carry the same wonderful energy.  What we began to see in April we will now experience fully in these three months.  It feels like a windfall of gifts are given to us.  Like everything you imagine you want comes to you in an instant.  These months are wonderful and I have never felt anything like this before.  I keep seeing an image of the Price in Right – seeing that rare event when the person  (I saw this happen once to a woman named Myrtle) spins the dollar and then the dollar again on the free spin to win $10,000, and then they take both show cases as well.  Abundance in every sense of the word.  I want to fast forward to this time period right now (:   That is not how it works though- we need to do the work of the previous months in order to fully benefit from these wonderful months.  If you do not know what you want or have not cleared the space you will not get the benefits of these months.  Things will come to you but they may not be what you wanted exactly if you have not gotten clear or made space.  These three months are so wonderful they will also fly by quickly, another reason they are lumped together I guess.  They go by so quickly they feel like one month’s time.  Know that the effects of these months will be felt for years to come.  You will look back with a smile at these months and the gifts that were given to you.

August

Back to life, back to reality…who sang that song?  I hear it playing in my head when I think of August.  If you don’t know the song google it :-)  The energy of this month is about getting back into the reality of life.  Those golden times have past but you still are in the afterglow and will be for some time.  August reminds us that the process of change and growth is eternal.  No need to get depressed about it- its a wonderful thing.  We get to continually grow and expand and that in itself is a gift.  Work need not be hard, it can be enjoyable.  The day to day tasks of living can become something wonderful if you view them that way.  Sing a song while you are doing what needs to be done.  Enjoy life, even cleaning the kitty litter can be enjoyable if you put the love of your animals behind what you are doing.  Do whatever you do with love and you will find that your chores and tasks can actually continue to bring you joy.  Carry that afterglow into the ordinary and make your life and what you do extraordinary.  That is the feeling of August.  Its easy to feel joyful when on vacation but true joy of an even deeper level can be achieved when you find it in your day to day life.  Strive to make the day to day wonderful and fulfilling.  Find that spark, that inspiration so that you can do what you do with love in your heart and you will find that joy.

September

This month has a strange feeling to it.  Its not quite low but it does not have that spark to it like the last months.  Its like that sobering realization.  You could get down about what you see or you could sit in quiet contemplation and realize that everything is good.  Its like we all have our own choice this month.  The experience is the same but how we feel depends on us and how we choose to view the experience.   This is one of those pauses we are given.  On the heals of so much wonderful energy it feels slightly depressing though.  But it need not be.  This month we will look back over everything.  The things we have lost the whirlwind of the three months of late spring and summer and we will reflect.  Again it is how we choose to experience this reflection that will influence how we feel overall this month.  The feeling reminds me of how one may feel when remembering a loved one that has passed.  You can choose to experience the pain and sadness, the emptiness of what was lost or you can remember all the wonderful things that person (or animal) brought to your life.  Realizing that you get the joy of carrying that piece of them with you forever- no one and nothing can take it from you.  There is deep lasting peace in that.  So as you reflect this month keep that in mind.  Will you focus on the loss or will you focus on the gifts that are yours to keep in your heart forever?

October

This month is about reawakening.  Its not like we will spring back to life but more like a gradual appreciation of what is.  There is contentment to this month.  It seems like as the month goes on the joy and happiness increased.  I see a person looking serious and thoughtful with a straight face and a distant look  in their eyes and suddenly there is a little spark that begin to shine in their eyes.  That spark slowly spreads down their face.  Their cheeks begin to glow, they begin to light up and then at the end of the month a smile sweeps across their face.  Like that process takes the whole month.  The happiness felt is not like the excitement, new love kind of happiness.  Its a deep inner happiness the kind that is not fleeting but lasts and can not be taken from you.

November

This month continues with that deep inner happiness.  Its like a feeling that everything is good.  All the changes, the ups and downs of the year have indeed been for the best and now we know it deep inside us.  There is a gratefulness, a sense of gratitude.  I sometimes am overwhelmed with this deep feeling that I am thankful for the chance to get to live a life- like its such a wonderful gift and its special beyond words.  That is the sense of November- gratitude for life in general.  If you are not feeling this, its not to late.  Take time to imagine what you want your life to be this month.  There is still time to use the manifesting energy of 2013.  Begin to take those steps towards your dreams- you will be amazed at how much can happen in these last two months of the year.

December

I get a sense of awe.  Like I could never imagine, even feeling the energy of this year, all the things that will happen.  All the gifts, the changes, all the dreams that came true.  I feel like we will look back and just be amazed at what can happen in one year, and how quickly that year goes by.  Even if you can sense how wonderful 2013 will be I feel like by next December we will all be saying I had no idea how wonderful it was going to be, how much things could change, how dramatically and quickly- and best of all positively.  I am in awe feeling this energy and can not put words to it- its a good thing, a very good thing.

I feel like I want to cry tears of joy about the energy of this year.  I do not even have much to say in summary of it all.  Its going to be one of the best years any of us will imagine.  Even the “bad” things will lead us to greater joy and we will be able to see how they were necessary.  Enjoy this wonderful year and make sure you imagine what you want your life to be- 2013 is waiting to give it all to you.

With Love

Eve

Energy Guide 10/08/12

October 8th, 2012

Topic: It is what it is

When I say that phrase I get a smile on my face.  Nothing quite says release like those few words.  I have been hearing that phrase a lot, at work, in my private practice, from friends and relatives, even coming out of my own mouth.  September threw many of us for a loop.  At the end of it all we could say was “it is what it is”.  I can see how this particular phrase could make some people upset.  There is this very action oriented side of me that says- if you don’t like what it is change it! You are not powerless!  And as much as that is true and I still believe that people can sometimes get stuck in making excuses for not moving forward.  As much as I believe that there are times we do not take advantage of all the opportunities that we could.  There is also a truth to accepting the things that are not ours to change or control.  The trick is getting quiet enough to recognize when its time for action and when its time for release or acceptance. That kind of wisdom comes through practice in dealing with situations.  It comes from being able to sometimes hand over the reigns.

When I thought about this phrase I was reminded  of  the serenity prayer:  God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Truly that sums up today’s message as well as anything else can.  When I have been hearing and using that phrase of ” It is what it is” the past few weeks, I have noticed that it is not about giving up, or about being lazy, or waiting for someone else to do the work.  It has been said with this wisdom behind it.  Said in a way that conveys the idea that whatever situation is being discussed is not among the things that are not within the sphere of control of the person speaking.  It’s said with an exhale like “I need to let that go and not let it eat me up inside”.  It’s said in a way that conveys that the person has been worried about something they have no right or ability to control and they have now realized that there are somethings that need to be accepted for what they are before we can move on.  That stage is key in being able to move forward.

We have all known people that sit and worry, and fret over things that are so far beyond what they can control.  They become almost paralyzed by their obsessing over whatever the issue may be.  It begins to eat away at them mentally, physically, and emotionally.  The people around them try to tell them that they need to just let it go because they are hurting themselves with there obsessive thoughts or anger…but they do not move on.  We are all at risk for this.  We all have those things that we wish could be different.  We all wish someone we love would just listen to us, we know that if they had listened to what we said, they would avoid so much pain and heart ache.  We know that our ideas are right.  We all have these traits within us- these traits that lead to getting stuck, that lead to not being able to move on from a situation through acceptance.  There is a part in each of us that believes that if we accept what we can not change that something bad will happen.  I mean to accept something is to make it true right? It’s like declaring defeat.

In actuality to accept something is to look it in the eye. It is to choose not to even enter into the war and to let fate take its course.   To see a situation  truly and to then know it.  Once we know something it can not longer harm us in the same way.   Once a situation is brought to full light through acceptance we can easily see all of it, and begin to dismantle our fears about it.  The scary monster is really just a pile of dirty clothes on the floor.

That is the message this month.  To embrace the spirit of ” it is what it is”, not in a defeated way but in that wisdom of the serenity prayer.  To begin to look for the difference between what is within your control- look for the things you can do and to recognize the things that are not and acknowledge them and release the need to try to change what is not yours to change.  That way out energy is not wasted on things that we will never change with force and can be used where it is meant to be used.  This month just try to notice the places you are asserting your will, your control where perhaps it should not be.  Also notice the places you are giving up when you truly have work to be done.  Try to feel and see the difference.  As they say see the places where you can work smarter and not harder.  If you find yourself thinking in circles about someone else’s decision for their life, something that truly does not really concern you, notice it and try to realize the situation is what it is and that it is not something you get to control or change.  Notice all the places you try to control and all the places you shift from your responsibility.  Just notice and accept things as they come in the present moment, letting go of what has passed and not worrying about what will happen down the road.  In doing that you will find you free yourself from stress and anxiety and open yourself up the the happiness of the present.

If you would like to go a step further you can also try to forgive the things or people that you can not change.  Forgive yourself for trying to change them.  When we look upon our troubles, those we perceive as enemies, those things we see as blocking us and bring them to light- we then are free to see the good in them.  The ways the situation, or person  annoyed us or angered us may have been exactly what we needed.  We are free to let go of the pain and fear and to truly forgive and see the love in everything around us.  Again this is a next step so if all you are able to do is to notice the things you can change and begin to accept what you can not you are doing great and well on your way towards forgiveness.  That journey is a long and winding road and we all double back on it many times through our journeys.  Two steps forward one step back….it is what it is (:

With Love and Truth

May 27th 2012

May 28th, 2012

Topic: goodness of true human nature

These writings seem to be coming less frequently.  It actually is not because of my busy schedule- although it sometimes seems like there are not enough minutes in a day.  I actually have been checking in since doing the year at a glance and asking if I should write about various topics and patterns that are shown to me.  The answer until today was no.  Ideas would pass quickly and would not solidify into anything that could make up a message.  I at times feel like I should write- however it is clear that the feeling is my will and not from Divine will.  In this area I have worked hard to surrender and follow Divine guidance- I am working to apply that same idea to all areas of my life.

A while back I wrote about my experiences working with children in my day job.  I wrote about the cycle of revenge and how that pattern and its effects impacted our individual and collective happiness.  At that time I was giving the message to the children I worked with.  The message is that both sides always believe they are right and therefore see counter attack as justified.  I was trying to get the kids I work with to try something new- to try just letting go of the need to get even and see how its that need that actually causes and continues their unhappiness and drama.  It was not received well at that time.  There is always resistance to new ideas- perhaps even when I wrote in this blog forum that message was also not received by adult readers- I am thinking that may be the case.

It has now been over a year since I wrote that particular blog about revenge.  Recently I have noticed something regarding that subject, it seems the children that I work with are now receptive to the idea of trying things differently.  I have noticed that now instead of telling me ” I can’t do that” or ” that will not work, the other person will win, or will just keep attacking me”, the kids seems to be willing to say ” ok I will try it, I do not want to feel the way I am feeling anymore- so I will try it”.  They are applying the skills of letting go while still holding on to their own truth and goodness.  They are seeing how standing their ground and claiming their power without giving into the cycle of revenge has a powerful effect.  First they tell me the other person gets enraged and tries hard to get them to attack back.  If they hold their ground, the  other person eventually gets to a point where they can see they have lost their control.  That has always been the point- to hold on to your truth and not let someone else control you and force you into doing things that are not who you truly are.  There is a freedom in the discovery that you are in charge of your reactions and can choose a path of least resistance.

I work with kids in my day job and adults in my counseling practice.  I find that the issues seem different on the surface between the two groups- but underneath they have the same roots.  I generally introduce concepts to the children first- mainly because they tend to be more receptive and then I bring the same ideas to the adults- who’s years of experiences often keep them from trying things differently.  The experiences of these children will be the experiences of the adults.  Getting back freedom and being able to be true to the authentic self is the reward for letting go of that cycle.  Whether it be in actions or just in thoughts, holding on to revenge ideas keeps us imprisoned.  To free ourselves is to make a different choice.

There has been an interesting second layer to this process that I have observed in the children I work with this year.  As they let go of the cycle of revenge, they are having an interesting secondary reaction.  That is the reason I was led to write today.  They let go of the cycle and feel the freedom of taking their power back- however then they suddenly separate themselves from the person they were in the dispute with.  After feeling the happiness of having their power suddenly they come to me and say things like ” that person is just mean” or “they are just evil”.  And so the second half of this message is delivered here.  The truth is we are not so different from eachother.  Somehow our perceptions get twisted so that we believe we are.  We see things through our lenses and think that what we are doing is right because we understand our reason and can justify our own actions.  However we look upon others and pass judgments that they are wrong or bad because we do not seek to understand their motives.  Its easier to just say they are “bad” or “evil”.

The call is to see the real truth.  To see what is below the surface of what we perceive as reality.  It does not excuse behaviors that hurt others- but it seeks to call forth the truth of humanity.  Some people believe that human nature is flawed- that we are mean, greedy, selfish, power hungry by nature.  These indeed can be human tendencies- and we can perceive the evidence of them all around us if that is what we choose to believe.  Or we can see beyond all of it to the truth.  We are all, at our foundation, part of the same consciousness.  I am very certain of my own goodness.  I know I do not mean to hurt people. I know that I want to help people and to create happiness in the world.  Yet there are people that would perceive me as the opposite of all that I know I am.  This is not unique to me, we are doing this same thing to each other every day in our interactions.  We at times see a glimpse of this same goodness that is innate in all of humanity- but we choose to believe that people intend to harm us.  By doing this we choose to deny the real truth and seek the evidence to prove that we are right instead of seeking the truth.  Whatever it is you seek you will tend to find evidence for all around you.

This message is about the next phase in ending that cycle of revenge.  To see ourselves and the people around us in the real light of truth.  To seek and to believe in that goodness.  The practice is to state the belief in goodness whenever you are confronted with what seems like an attack.  This sounds easy, but its much harder than you think.  It is easy to get sucked back into believing a person is        ” bad” or “evil”- mainly because our emotions get stirred up when we feel someone wrongs us.  We have trained ourselves to react by separating – divide and conquer.  What I am being shown is that to end the cycle we have to remember we are truly united and are the same deep within our souls.  To believe in that means that suddenly you will begin to see evidence of that where ever you look.  When we feel like someone is trying to hurt us  take a step back, take a deep breathe and to say ” I believe in the goodness with in everyone”.  It may take several times get past that emotional reaction to attack back but it will fade.  When it fades we can then more clearly see why the other person may be acting in a hurtful way.  We can see their own hurt and ours is being played out in their actions- or ours.

An attack is a call for love and understanding.  Maybe we are able to show that love once we see the need for it in another through physical or verbal means- such as calling out the other persons fears and letting them know we are there, or just simply giving a hug.  Maybe its just a silent inner acknowledgement that we want God/ the Universe to let that other person feel loved, just sending them love in our thoughts as we back away and give them space to receive it.  The point is that we need to intend, to will to see the truth.  All action that is away from love is a cry for love.

It is important not to take this message like you should allow others to take advantage of you or others,  to allow people to act in a way that is away from their truth.  It means that we are being called to confront each other with the truth that is the same in all of us.  If someone is attacking to say ” I know you are hurting but I will not let you treat me like this”.  The next phase in working with the kids I work with has been to let them know that we are all helping each other grow and learn.  I ask them to help the kids in their classes to understand their behavior and to lead them to behaviors that will lead to happiness.  They do this by letting the kids who are displaying attacking behaviors know that they do not like the behavior.  I then ask them to say ” I do not like it when you (name the behavior) and I do not what to be around you when you are acting like that”.  They are then instructed to move themselves away- or to focus on other kids that are acting in a positive manner.  That is it- no talking about the person acting  in a negative manner, no drawn out need to try to get that person to change- just remove your energy from them.  (actually in a perfect application of this concept it would be to remove negative energy and send positive loving thoughts to the person).  This action of moving away after stating what is hurtful  states a fact and points out how the person is not acting in their truth.  It immediately points out what the result of that is- you will find yourself alone.  It is not done with negative thought but out of love and care.  We want everyone to be their true selves, we want everyone working together.  This action affirms that concept with love.  The last step in the teaching is that we do not isolate each other indefinately.  I sometimes will tell the children to add the following statement before they walk away-       ” when you are ready to stop ( name the hurtful behavior) I would like it if you would join us again”.  Sometimes I tell them to invite the person to play with them later on,  to somehow reach out.

We are all in training together, we are all helping each other.  What we see in our brother is also true within ourselves.  As we lead each other back to truth we are leading ourselves.  This message is not about separation it is about seeing that all the good within us is within everyone we meet.  All the things we perceive as wrong are also a part of ourselves as well or at least can be percieved as part of us through others.  If we help each other choose truth and align with our goodness- we will see our similarities and we will see our truth which is only love and unity.

With Love

Eve

year at a glance 2012

January 4th, 2012

Ok I am dragging my feet on this one because for me this is a daunting year to write about, while still being sure that I am not being influenced by all the 2012 hype out there.  But I will do my best.

This year begins with different energy than is usually felt right from the start for me.  The year typically has a bit of an energetic pattern with ups and downs that flow with certain months.  For example January tends to be a more solitary time, February more about reconnections, August and December have been big manifesting months.  These are constants that I have noted that seem to have held true for years.  Well prepare for the unexpected I guess.  To start with when I tune into January I expected to feel that solitary energy.  Its usually a message like ” hunker down, spend time recharging, focus on doing nothing” however this year the energy feels the opposite.  The messages seems to be of continued activity.  Like this month is about continuing to connect with people or reconnecting with those you may have lost touch with.  Its a fast paced energy that is not typical for January but it feels good.  It feels like the kind of month where you will find yourself balancing all of your social, personal and work demands and enjoying the activity.  What a nice welcome change for January.  So I am being urged to convey that we should not to shy away from the call of duty or the call to socialize but to embrace it and know that we will have the support of the Universe to give us the energy to accomplish and have fun this month.

February

Ok so after all that reconnecting and socializing it seems that this year February will be that reflection time.  I feel things slowing way down.   I definitely feel the cold settle in during this month.  Somehow Mother Nature is going to have a strong influence in encouraging us to take the time to stay in for a bit this month.  This is the time we need to begin conserving our personal energy in preparation for the blooming of spring.  It seems really important to take the time during February to reflect on where we have been personally and as a society as a whole and then think about what it is we want to see happen in 2012.  I know, shouldn’t we be doing this around New Years.  Something tells me people just didn’t feel like doing it then or they were way too busy.  The Universe is supporting that kind of inner reflection and personal goal setting in February.  When the opportunities come for this kind of soul searching it is important to take them.  If we chose not to then we indeed leave our fate to the wind.  I myself would rather be a co-creator and at least have some outline of the direction I would like the areas of my life to head.  Not that you want to sit down and have a detailed description of every aspect of your life and exactly everything that you want to happen in 2012, but to just think about things you want to enhance, things you want to change and perhaps rough ideas of how you would like those things to change, and also to think about the things you may have outgrown and spend time energetically releasing those things so that the intention is out there for events to happen to help you move on from them.

March

When I tune into March it feels sluggish.  I see that sloppy snow, grey with large puddles.  I feel like the air is cold and I actually feel that feeling of a spring time cold- feeling run down and stuffy with a headache. Something tells me this will not be an easy month.  Its like the little things of daily life will just seem to wear on us this month.  You know those times when you feel like you just want to run away to a tropical destination, alone where nobody knows you or wants anything from you, somewhere that you can just sit under a palm tree sipping a pina colada from a coconut shell with a little umbrella in it.  That is the feeling of March- Calgon take me away!  Its not like your world is going to fall apart this month but its just hectic and difficult to get anything productive done, and it just keeps piling up.  This is one of those months where if you can not get away you should just keep repeating the mantra  ”this too shall pass”.  Despite the arduous nature of this month it does seem like it goes by fast.  So if you are not able to escape, then keep your nose to the grindstone and know that it will be over soon.

April

Well we are still not out of the woods yet.  I tend to see weather when I tune into months and April seem especially rainy.  Very gray and drizzly.  The damp chill in the air.  April is typically rainy in Minnesota but it seems even more gray than usual.  Generally I begin to feel the beginning of a blossoming of spirit, an awakening of people ready to get out and get active after our Minnesotan hybernation however, April is not going to do it this year.  I feel like the traditional activities of spring cleaning, garage sale-ing, even getting a new spring look are best held off on.  This is another one of those gifts in disguise from the Universe- a time to reflect and go inward.  Maybe its time to finish up those few indoor things that you did not quite get to.  Its like things are put on hold so that we can catch up.  Make sure not to push forward with the usual activities before you have finished what needed to be done in the winter.  There will be time for the spring activities, if you rush and do them now you will either be re doing them or they will not work out well.  Its important to work with the energy of the Universe and to not try to overpower it or push past it due to tradition or sheer stubborness.  I have learned you will always regret doing that.

May

Now things brighten up a bit.  It feels like there are big changes this month.  Everything is brighter weather wise.  There is a lighter energy.  The energy is supporting getting out and getting things ready for summer.  It feels like many people may be going through personal transitions as well…maybe that is why Mother Nature was waiting for her transition from winter to spring, so that she too could support individuals with that tranformational energy.   Although individual change is sometime scary the changes that happen this month are good, even the ones that do not seem like they are good.  The month is like a door being opened and we are encouraged to embrace the changes that come to us, even if they are not what we thought we wanted.  Something tells me this doorway leads to exactly what we are wanting in the big picture, we just might not be able to see that from our current vantage point.  The key message of this month is to trust the Universe and to use the added energy to move forward in the direction we are being led.  To not resist in thinking that we need to control everything, if your intention is out there trust that you are being led to where you wanted to go, even if it means going backwards or sideways.  The Universe also will not do all the work to get you to where you want to be- it merely points you in the direction and opens doors, its up to you to walk forward and to maybe climb a hurdle or two.

June

I am not sure what to say about June.  I have never really felt this before but when I tune into June its like a blip on a tv screen.  Like a flash of light that flickers on and then quickly off, leaving just emptiness.  The feeling that accompanies this image is like the whole month just goes by in record time.  Its like I can not even see what will happen because truly none of it matters because the month is going to go so fast you would not remember or even notice if I told you some of the events.  Due to this I would caution you to not make a large amount of plans for June.  Something tells me we will be busy enough dealing with the fast pace of this month.  Having things planned will just lead to not enjoying them fully or becoming stressed out due to the plans that we make.

July

There is an electricity to July this year.  It seem positive.  When I think about July this year I get that sensation of all the hairs on my arms standing up and the tingles up and down my spine.  I am feeling like this is a big month to manifest things.  To have all those thoughts from February and April come into being in the physical reality.  I get this picture of being at this carnival on the forth of July that I used to sometimes go to as a kid.  I have gone back as an adult and it just lost its magic.  But this image I get is of how it was when I was a kid.  There is a magic that is intangible that is in the air.  Nothing amazing has to happen physically because the air just has this magical quality to it…when you feel it you know the memory will stay with you forever of this being one of those happy times in life.  Those times that you just say ” yeah that was great” and when people ask you what was great about it you really can not explain it- “you had to be there”.  Enjoy this time.  Be present and be in the moment.  Try to feel the energy of the things you do this month.  Gatherings with friends or family, outings to special places, time in your yard or house, time alone.  All of it has the potential to be magical this month.  Make sure you are noticing how special this time is and do not let it pass you by as you are distracted by mundane day to day things.  Take the time to smell the flowers and smile at what you have in your life.

August

August is another reflection time.  We seem to be having more of those this year than usual.  This one feels like a more sober reflection of what you noticed in July.  Instead of the magic and awe of noticing the blessings in your life that July gave us, this month is more about quiet reflection of what is right in our lives.  I see time spent alone on a walk or by a lake or river, maybe sitting by a tree or on a favorite chair.  This is less social and more about reconnecting to the Universe itself.  Taking the time to truly and almost methodically count all the blessings.  Its important to do this from time to time inorder to realize all that we have been given and all that we have achieved.  This is going to be hard for some of those Debbie Downer types but its especially important for them.  After all not taking the time to do this is what made you a Debbie Downer to begin with.  Let’s use the energy of this month to break that cycle and notice what is right so that we can use that silent powerful energy of good to help move us forward on our paths.

September

September feels very windy.  That wind that blows your hair in circle so that it gets stuck in your eyes.  The feeling that goes along with this is that these are the winds of change and they are a-blowin’ strong.  Don’t bother holding on to your hat because that blew away before you could grab it.  I feel like I am thinking ” so I just spent two months being grateful for everything I have so that now it all changes?”.  Yep.  The good news is that even though change is hard, especially when we are in a place where we kind of liked what we had going, in the end we generally say that the change was the best thing that could have happened.  It’s not that we will see that or feel that this month.  We will more likely be scrambling to clutch onto all the things we do not want blown away.  But when the wind settles and we inventory what we have we will find that perhaps we have gained some wonderful things for all of the things that we lost.  Do not expect to be doing that inventory this month just know that as you release this month, once thing settle down you will in a big picture sense be better off.  Nothing can be taken from you that you were meant to have, if its gone its because it was not yours to keep.  Easier said that felt or experienced.

October

There is a calm to October.  Again that slow drizzle.  I see the raindrops slide down the window.  That always reminds me of tears on a person’s cheek.  I used to watch the drops slide down the glass and merge together picking up speed and then suddenly stopping again, leaving that long streaked path behind them.  Sometimes I would follow their path with my fingers, with my eyes half focused and hazy.  The feeling when I have this memory is one of deep, deep reflection.  Its like doing that deep inner grief work.  Feeling those deep feelings of loss, of missing, of longing.  This month seems to be a time to redefine what really matter and what is really important to us.  We may have lost some things in September but what was really important?  What do we have left?  What have we gained? (think lessons and wisdomeas well as material things)  It’s at times like this that I often feel I am on the verge of finding a deeper happiness- a contentment.  It’s like things get rocked and jumbled around and then I can quietly realign myself with my own deeper truth.  This month is about doing just that.  Search within ourselves and figure out what matters for us and for humanity in general and decide what our role is in supporting those things that matter.  This is a month to build our resolve and to commit to what we want to see in the world and in our lives.  We commit because the work of obtaining that will not be easy and we know we have to be determined to go after it.  Reflect, gather that inner strength and decide what you stand for and what is important to fight for.

November

This is when it gets interesting.  I am not going to predict the end of the world, even the end of the world as we know it.  Actually every minute of everyday is the end of the world as we know it.  With each minute we have new experience and that experience shapes our perspective and the perspective of those around us… so the world is never that same as how we just experienced it, it is always completely new in many ways we just are not aware enough to see that.  This is when the 2012 hype really picks up.  Those people who are sensitive will feel this.  There will be an undercurrent of heightened anxiety in an already anxious part of the year.  It feels very uncomfortable.  Here is what I am being asked to covey.  We have the ability to lessen this anxiety in a few ways.  1) by not buying into it all and further magnifying it with all of our worries and talk and action around trying to stop whatever it is we think may happen 2) We can try to hold a space of calm, peace and self assuredness.  I believe the Universal energy supports and sustains me.  Whether I am in my bodily container or have moved on I remain and am a part of that larger consciousness (some call God, some call Spirit, some call Consciousness or the Universe, etc).  Simply put even if everything else goes…what is true and real of us remains and is eternal.  Hold those thoughts in a calm assured way and it will help you to deal with the crazy, panicked energy of those around you.  It will also help create places of calm where those swept up in the current of hype can find refuge.  November is when we really need to be mindful of the energy we are putting out into the collective.  Science has shown that our energy indeed influences people and things around us.  During this time, that awareness and mindful practice of putting out positive energy is very important.  We create our reality- whether your believe that or not does not matter, in the end you have nothing to lose by holding positive space.  Engaging in the hype and worry will most assuredly not lead to greater inner happiness.

December (da-da-dahhhh!- said kiddingly)

So here it is.  Just to put this in perspective.  Throughout history the end of the world has been predicted.  The most notable recent one was 2000- when computers where not programmed to recognize the year and it was going to lead to mass power failure, planes dropping form the sky, the whole inrfastructure of humanity crumbling due to its automization.  Well I remember where I was.  Pregnant with my first born and at a friends gathering.  Midnight hit and not a light flickered…the world continued as it always had.  Even if it had ended back then there was nothing we could have done to stop it.  I for one was where I wanted to be that night doing what I wanted to do…so if it ended I was ok with it.   Maybe as a human race we need that threat of it all ending.  Maybe that helps keep us doing what we want to do in our hearts and souls.  We are told what we should do so often that we begin to believe it.  Then when our lives are threatened, when we think it could all end, we search ourselves and begin to see what we really want to do instead.  Take this year 2012 and see it as an opportunity to do that.  It could all end in a million different scenarios that are being played over and over on every tv station, in every magazine.  If it does will you know that you have lived your dream, done what you have wanted to do in your heart.  That is what we are here for.  To follow the Universe, to ride the waves that push us towards what we were truly meant to do.  We have lost touch, many of us, with what we were meant to do.  Maybe Dec 21st 2012 is a new beginning.  Not one where solar flares take out satelites and bring down energy grids, but one where people faced with their immortality begin to truly live from there hearts.  Think of how truly different our world would be if masses of people suddenly did that.  It truly would be the end of the world as we know it and the dawn of a world the way God intended it to be.

Happy 2012- its sure to be an amazing year of learning and growth for us all.

With Love and Light

Eve

Energy Guide 10/20/11

October 20th, 2011

Topic: the endless circle of getting even

Long time no post!  Let me begin by apologizing for the long delay.  To be truthful I have always tried to maintain integrity with these posts- trying to follow wisdom from a higher source and taking care to not use this as a means to deal with my own stuff.  I have had, like so many others a tough couple of months.  Lots of ups and downs,  joys and disappointment- its been quite a ride.  Due to all of that, its been very hard for me to tell the difference between the message of the Universe and my own inner struggles to deal with all the ups and downs.  For that reason I held off on posting for a while.  I have still seen patterns and gotten messages but was somehow stopped from getting anything clear enough to post.  The past few weeks I finally received a message and had it confirmed over and over again to the point I knew it was a post that needed to be done.  Then when my own laziness kicked in a friend who reads the posts helped remind me that these posts are important and that I need to get off my butt and start again- she was much nicer about it but that was the message I took from the Universe through her kind words inquiring about the big gap in posts :)  So here we go again!

I have been noticing this pattern since last year.  I work part time at a school and last school year I was at a school with wonderful kids-  it was a higher poverty school with very urban students.  This theme kept coming up over and over and I found myself saying the same thing to student after student, and then to clients in my private practice, and to friends, sometimes even to strangers I did not know at all and also to myself.  I found myself observing this pattern of revenge.  Seeing this way of thinking where everyone seemed to be trying to get even with someone for something.  Not only was it a single act of revenge but then the person who the revenge was targeted on would then feel a need to also get even back…and so the cycle was created.

What I have seen is that for the most part the initial act was something that was done inadvertently.  I have come to believe that people are not usually initially trying to hurt eachother for no reason- there is usually a misunderstanding behind the actions that cause hurt.  At the school a child gives another child a look, or a rumor is spread that one student said something about another.  Then instead of going and asking the “perpetrator” about the incident, instead of making sure there was ill intent, the “victim” just assumed the guilt and malicious intent of the “perpetrator” and began plotting their revenge.  The “perpetrator” often times being unaware of what they did, or even that they actually had done anything at all to incite anger then is caught off guard and feels the revenge attack was unprovoked, then they begin seeking their own revenge.  Sometimes both sides then lobby others to take their side until large groups are caught in an “us” versus “them” mentality that is hard to break…I mean both sides believe they were in the right and the otherside started it all.

From outside this whole thing seems so silly and so easy to fix.  Its just  a matter of stepping back and seeing things clearly. seeing it all stemmed from a big misunderstanding.  But from the inside, the urge is so strong to not back down.  It becomes besides the point that it all started from a misunderstanding or miscommunication…all that matters is that “we” are right and the “others” must pay for the wrongs they have done.

When I explain it like this it is so easy for all of us to sit back and say ” that is so silly, people need to just let go of their ego or see the bigger picture” but when we are honest with ourselves we have all been in this same scenerio many times.  Heck some of us may be in the middle of it right now.  This is not something limited to urban youth, although sometimes they are the group we find it easiest to see the silly nature of this cycle in, especially gang related violence- that is this cycle taken to an extreme.  This same cycle spans across age, across race, across gender, across economic status..it is a human condition and frankly a human flaw…and we have all had or still have it to varying degrees.

The saddest part about this whole cycle, the thing that is truly only apparent to the people outside the cycle is that basically by engaging in it we are truly only hurting ourselves.  The energy, the negative thoughts, the planning, the self limiting it takes to plan revenge, to get even ends up often making us feel more drained and does not bring the happiness and satisfaction we think it will.  Many times those revenge plans boom-a-rang and smack us back in our own faces.  The best part is to watch that happen and then see the revenge seeker get even more mad at the “perpetrator”.  They say things like ” now look at what he did, now I am really going to get him” and begin planning even more ways to get even, seeing the self inflicted fallout of their backfired revenge as something the ‘perpetrator” did instead of seeing it was their own anger and revenge seeking that caused them pain.

When we step back from this cycle and try to disconnect from the emotional fuel that keeps the need for revenge burning we can see how unhappy all this revenge seeking truly makes us.  Masters who have learned non violence and can forgive people for their wrongs,  have done so by making a choice to disengage in this cycle.  They have seen how being a part of the cycle of revenge only can bring more pain and suffering.   By disengaging they find peace and inner satisfaction.  It is that cycle that keeps us in bondage.  The way to break free is to make a choice to not participate in it anymore.  When we begin to get sucked in, to remind ourselves to take a moment to see what is going on and to seek peace and reconnection instead of thinking happiness will come through getting even or ” letting that person know how it feels”.

Happiness comes from within, unhappiness comes from being so stuck in our own perceptions that we think they are the only way to see the world.  Opening up to another’s view allows for understanding and forgiveness.  It may mean you still disagree, but you now disagree with understanding and that allows space for compromise or to simply agree to disagree, without needing to force our will on another or get even with them.

As I talked to one little girl I worked with as she was telling me about her plan to get even, I asked her what the person she sought revenge on would think and what they would do..she said “well she will probably do it back to me” and I said ” what will you do?” and she said ” I will get her twice as bad then”  and I asked again ” what will she do?” and she said “she will probably do something to me”.  I then asked ” when will it end?” and she replied ” I don’t know”.  I then asked ” what if you just decide to move on and let it go, focusing on people who are kind to you and on other things besides this person you do not get along with?”.  She replied ” I can’t do that”.  I asked “why?”.  She replied ” because then she would win”.  I asked what that means and she could not answer.  I then asked ” what are you getting from this, is it making you happy?”  and she said “no, but it will when I get even”.  I said ” you have gotten even, but you still do not seem happy”.  She just sat and looked at me and I said ” Can you be the person who breaks this cycle?”  and she said “no, that’s just how things are in the world”  and I replied ” I do not want to be a part of THAT world I hope you can join me in my world its much happier here”.

This is not just a message for that little girl.  It is for couples who are stuck in trying to make their partner feel their pain, for parents and children trying to assert their will, for friends, co workers, rivals, classmates anyone who finds themselves stuck in the cycle.  Its our choice as to the world we want to live in, its our creation-ALWAYS.

As always this is a continual work in progress.  We find we are able to do it in some situations with some people and then months later we find a new situation that draws us unwittingly back into that old cycle again.  The point to these messages is to bring awareness to a pattern, to shed light on to practices and ideas that help to create happiness and freedom for all of us.  I write these things not as an expert at them but as a student who is also learning how to work with these ideas just as all of you are.  Awareness is the first step towards deeper long lasting changes.  So whether you find yourself in this cycle right now, or find you are being drawn in sometime from now..try to take that step back to create awareness of what is going on…try to see the big picture and see were the cycle began and look for ways to stop the cycle.  This message is not about letting people have their way all the time. .. its not about always giving in but it is about trying to create understanding.  It is ok to confront people when you feel they are doing things that hurt you or are not right, but be open to their true intentions and do not always assume they are trying to hurt you or others, or trying to create problems.  I find we are all just doing our best with what we have and what we know- sometimes giving knowledge is all it takes to break the cycle.  In the end it only takes one side to stop the whole never ending cycle of revenge and create peace.

Here is wishing you all a month of peace and understanding in your relationships and your lives.

Energy Guide 4/27/11

April 26th, 2011

Topic Riding the waves

When I first began thinking about writing this I told a friend I thought it was going to be about suffering.  With the theme of Easter and with my own personal struggles there was a lot of thought about suffering and the purpose of suffering.  I recently had my tonsils and adnoids removed, not an easy gig for an adult.  As I have been recovering I have been thinking about the pain and the purpose of that pain, the purpose of any pain we experience for that matter.  I thought about Jesus’ pain on the cross and what purpose that may have served.

A few times in the past week I literally tried to force myself to write (not usually how it goes- usually I have a huge urge to write even when I do not know what I will write about and it just flows).  This time I had all these understandings about pain and wanted to share them but was not able to- not yet.  Mainly because I had not gotten the full story yet and it would have been an incomplete message.

The past few weeks I have gained insight about pain and suffering.  We all are searching for ways to avoid pain.  Still it exists.  Even great masters  and spiritual leaders have pain in their lives.  Although great master do not experience suffering , generally.  The difference is that pain is an experience- it is a part of nature.  It is a part of what we came to experience.  Pain is brief, and once it is gone we scarcely remember it.  We for sure do not remember it vividly.  Generally pain comes with a lesson either about our emotions, or our physical bodies.  Do not over do a work out.  Do not push yourself past your physical limits or you will break something and have pain.  We learn about attachment to things and people and how those attachments without space, or without solid inner love and fulfillment leads to pain.  Mostly if we are really aware we learn that if we hold on to the pain and do not surrender to it as being a part of nature that we then suffer.  Suffering is pain that we are unable or unwilling to let go of.  Even in physical pain we can resist and struggle against what we feel or we can experience a surrender and an opening up to finding a spot of comfort within our pain.  When we do that we free ourselves from suffering.

When I think about Jesus on the cross I get this feeling like as he was in agony saying ” God why have you forsaken me”  that suddenly there was a surrender.  That had we been there to witness it would have been palpable.  It would have had an energy of it own that was felt all around and seen on his face.  A surrender to the pain and solace in God’s care the moment that surrender occurred.  When that transformation happened and surrender to God was chosen, suffering stopped.  Jesus was free to love all of humanity and beg forgiveness for those who persecuted him- not an act a man in suffering can do.

This leads to today’s ideas- that part I had been missing.  So often we try to end our suffering or even our pain by trying to find answers or by doing something through our own will alone.  People give all kinds of advice on what you should or should not do when you are in pain.  Pain has its purpose to wake us up, to honor our natural selves, to work with nature.  Pain is a reminder.  We can not outrun it, or out smart it.  We can shorten the amount and intensity of our pain however.  The only way is through the surrender to it.  To accept that at that moment we are feeling pain and to accept it as it is to work with it an not fight against it.  The moment we can do that, we then are open to the universal push that will allow us to rise above the pain. We open a space for nature to take action- for God to care for us.  It is not done through force of will it is done through partnership with the Universe.

I have been in pain for 11 days now.  I have known enough to know that when I was ready to heal I would feel it and know it was time to push myself.  I finally got that signal today.  If I had ego involved I would have said I needed to push myself five days ago- I sure was ready to but it was not in alignment with Divine time then.  If I had listened to people around me I would have been pushing myself after 3 days, and according to others I should not push myself now.  But to live in partnership with the Universe, with God one has to listen to that stillness for the signal- no one outside us can tell us, logic can not figure it out, and ego can not force it to happen on our clock.

The image I received today when I realized it was time for me to begin pushing myself was that of a wave.  Actually it was the idea of body surfing or boogie boarding.  When I was a kid I used to travel a lot (I had a flight attendant mom).  I went to the ocean a lot and loved to ride the waves.  I seemed to have a natural gift for the timing of those waves.  Other kids would struggle to catch it at the right time but somehow this little feeling in my stomach would say “now!” and I would start paddling and hit the wave perfect.  If you begin paddling too soon you tire out and can not keep up with  the wave to ride it right.  If you wait to long you miss the wave and do not have that added momentum to really make you sail across the water.  There is a balance between effort and the added push the wave gives to make for the perfect ride.  This is the same idea for anything we seek to do.  It is especially true for overcoming pain.  I have found in life whether is over coming hard situations, knowing when to talk about a subject, knowing when to pursue a dream or idea that if I listen to that still place it will give me the same “now” as I heard when riding the waves.

As we experience pain people around us will say “you need to to this or that now”, our egos will say “I am tired of this do something to make it better now”.  If we listen to that we end up expending energy for nothing.  We work twice as hard and never get the assistance of the Universe.  We are paddling before the wave and will tire out before we can catch it and ride it.  If we allow fear to keep us from moving forward or think that the Universe will do all the work for us we end up missing the wave entirely.  There is a balance to the effort we put in and the timing we chose to allow the Universe to help us get through all the experiences of life with grace.  When we stay out of other peoples  lives by refraining from telling them they need to do this or that right now, we allow them to experience their own flow and they can then experience the grace of the Universe.  I find shutting out the worries of other’s to be the hardest part to following that Divine timing.   I want to create a t shirt to wear with a wave on it that says ” allow other’s to follow their own flow”.  For some it may be their own inner voice  that  keeps them from following that timing.  Either the voice screaming “you need to do something now or all hell is going to break lose” (ego voice) or the self doubting voice that says “I am not sure if this is right, I am not sure if its time” (when the signs are everywhere saying “ACT!, DO SOMETHING NOW”)

I have been in pain the past 11 days but I have not suffered because I knew Divine timing would come and that wave would gather energy and that at just the right moment I could begin my work of paddling and work with the Universe to feel better.  I surrendered to my pain and listened to the things it had to tell me.   I would have suffered if I had thought I was in total control and could will myself better sooner than nature had intended.  I could stand to suffer more if I ignore the push to push myself to take action towards my healing now.  I have been feeling the wave gather its energy around me and I took comfort in knowing that it was coming without trying to force it.

Take time to sit in the stillness and to know that part of you.  That is the internal timeclock- that part of you that flows with nature.  You will find your timing to be perfect in anything you do if you get to know that place within you.  It is not made of logic and does not listen to what other people say about when you should or shouldn’t do things.  Its not a place where you figure things out with numbers, charts or formulas, its a feeling and it is always there to guide us.  When ego says ” I need it my way now” we can know that it is not in alignment with nature.  When fear says ” I am not sure if I am ready or if I can, or if I deserve this” we can know that it is not part of the flow of nature.  Nature does not give us signals to go if we are not ready.  Nature always flows and there is always a gradual build up of energy before the action.  When we are still we are in tune with this and can flow with it.  This is how pain is over come.  This is how we find fulfillment, by knowing that place.

When you are feeling the urge to do things now, or feeling like even though everything around you is saying its time to act that maybe you can not do it, take a moment to listen to what that silent place in you says.  Of course this doe not apply when you are in immenent danger that is what primal brain was made for, but when you are living day to day.  Check to see what that need for urgency or that self doubt is about and then try to see if you can find the Divine timing and flow instead of forcing you will or staying stuck in fear.  You will find life is much more pleasant  and the pain is much less intense when it occurs.

Take some time this month to find the space where you can catch the wave and work with the Universe in partnership.   The ride is exhilarating.  Enjoy!

With Love and Truth

Eve

innerguidance @evetoomey.com

April 12, 2011

April 12th, 2011

Topic:  More on Letting go

I have written on this topic before but it continues to come up.  Not as a reminder of the concept but because it is an ongoing process.  As we grow and change, there is always a need to continue to let go of the various things in our lives to make space for the new.  This has been written about in various spiritual and religious texts.  In Christian faith Jesus said to the disciples as they joined him that they needed to follow him empty handed.  There are various other spiritual and religious beliefs that say we can only truly receive God when we are empty handed.  Throughout my own journey I have heard people talk about this concept.  Generally there is this idea that it refers to the material.  The idea that we can not be too attached to material things if we want to connect to the Divine.  We have to be willing to give up the physical comforts and material excess to follow a spiritual path.  The understanding I was given this morning (actually it was being shown to me for the past few years- I just finally “got it”) was that it is not only money , and material items we are asked to not cling tightly too, we are asked to not cling tightly to anything of the physical world.  Lately for me and for a few others I know this has meant relationships of all kinds.

I have heard people talking about how as they have begun to get to know themselves and begun to follow their truth,  to follow their spiritual path, that they have begun to feel like they are “outgrowing” certain people or things in their lives.  I have heard others say “ I just do not seem to fit  with those people or this job, or this idea anymore”.  This feeling begins long before we are ready to let go.  We fight it because honestly we fear that if we let go of these people or things that there will be no one or nothing else there for us.  In a sense we keep ourselves stuck out of fear that there will be nothing new coming to us.

In my own life this manifest in friendships the past few years.  I had a sense as I began to discover my truth and began walking my spiritual path that many of the friends I had for nearly my whole life were not coming with me.  I tried to reason with myself and say I could keep them as friends, I could just keep the relationship superficial and be able to still have my friends.  As time went on it became more and more apparent that this could not be.  As long as they were there- even in a superficial way I was not allowing myself to move forward.  Every interaction was pained.  I felt like I was around people who would not accept the “me” I truly was.  They wanted me to be the version of myself I had created, a false shell that I struggled to let go of when I began to walk a spiritual path.  What started as a vague feeling, the feeling that they did not want me to change, became blatant.  I realized that these friends of mine did not know the real me, and what was worse is that they had no interest in trying to get to know that me, in fact they were fighting to keep me stuck as the person I had been before.

I am not judging or blaming my friends.  It was my doing alone that created the issue.  I, like so many others of us had created a false self based on my ego needs.  I wanted to be liked so I became the things that the people I wanted to be around wanted me to be.  I created an image of perfection and pretended that it was who I was.  Then when I began to long to be who I really was, I had a long road of searching and then of letting go of things that were not authentic to who I was.  I struggled to let go of ideas, ways of living, habits and finally through letting go of all of those false pieces was faced with the relationships that were based on all those things.  In the end when I let go of those false pieces there was nothing to form the foundation of many of my relationships.  That was a hard and sad realization that caused many tears.  I fought and held tight to those friendships.  I had been asked to give up so much the past two years, I bargained with the Creator that I should be able to at least keep my friendships- I could not go through the loss of everything I had presented myself to be and then be alone as well.

There was a sense with everything that I had been asked to give up that a promise was being made that new things, more in line with who I really am would come in to take the place.  I was not being asked to be alone forever- but to be alone for a period of time to allow the new to be drawn  to me.  I am in that place now.  Not totally alone like I had feared would happened- but I have let go of the relationships I was clinging to and it has created a gap, a space that is already being filled with new people and things.  It’s beginning to be filled with people who appreciate and want to know me for who I really am.  People who are not expecting things from me besides for me to be who I really am.  I can see clearly that the people I let go of were trying to hold me to an old version of me- one that I had outgrown long ago.

This is the letting go that is happening now for many people.  We are not asked to drop everyone and everything from our past.  I still have some great friends that have grown with me and are still a fit with who I have become. There are some people who support me from my past.  There are some people who I know still have a role in challenging me.  This is not about us turning our backs on people or things because they are not the way we would like them to be, or because they do not fit our ideas and thoughts. We are being asked to search deeper within ourselves and to be honest about the reasons we are clinging to certain things or people.  If they are there to challenge us, to help us grow then they should remain.  If they are there to support us and give us those much needed boosts up, then they should remain.  If there are things holding us to a version of ourselves that we have outgrown then we need to ask why we are staying connected to those things and people.  It can be a job, relationships, ideas we hold about ourselves, obligations, anything that keeps us from evolving and changing. When I let go of the friends I needed to let go of- it was not done with anger or resentment, it was done with deep love and appreciation for what those people gave me and for what I had learned from them.  I let go in order for me to go where I needed to go and to allow them to go where they needed to go.  I hold gratitude and good intentions in my heart as I think about them.  It took some ugly experiences that were full of hurt for me to see things clearly but in the place I am right now- I can see it was all from love and all part of God’s plan for me and for them.  I see bright things for me and I can feel it for them as well.  That feeling brings me peace and happiness and keeps me open to the fact that someday we may be led back together, but for now it really is time to let go.

As we continue down our paths we change and grow.  As a part of that change and growth we need to be able to let go of things that try to keep us stuck.  That is the way that we must come to the Creator empty handed.  We can not cling to anything and must be ready to let go for our own highest good and for the highest good of others- even when we are afraid.  There is freedom and joy in that kind of letting go.

With Love and Truth

Eve

innerguidance@evetoomey.com

Energy Guide 2/16/11

February 16th, 2011

Topic: Receiving

Again I find myself apologizing for the gap in time for these writings.  I had said January and February would be about hibernating and it sure has been.  I have found it hard to connect with others and have found myself going within more, seeming to have little to no energy to connect with others.  I know I have not been alone in that feeling, as the people around me also have been saying they just have not felt like doing much, and in fact have even felt irritated at the thought of having to be around others.  I am beginning to feel the inner push to gear up for connecting and being out and about again.

With that inner push comes some clarity about what all this hibernating was supposed to be used for.  The insight I have gained during my time away from others has to do with that balance within our relationships.  As I am urged to reconnect with others again, I am finding that special attention needs to be given to our willingness and ability to receive.  To achieve balance we not only have to be willing to give of our selves but also to allow others to give to us.  With out both sides of that equation there is imbalance.  Imbalance is what leads to that feeling of dissatisfaction, or feeling out of step with our world and with eachother

My own journey during these months of solitude brought to my attention the deep need I have to give.  Those of us on a spiritual path have this desire to give- to help.  That desire is strong, so strong that often we forget about allowing the space to let others give to us.  We seek ways to help, to reach out, to make a difference and give until we can feel empty.  Some have found that eternal spring to draw from so that they are able to give endlessly, some ebb and flow giving until empty and then retreating to “refuel”.  Either way our only thoughts are about how to give, how to help.

The energy of right now is asking us to look at the other side of that coin.  In order to give, we have to have someone to give to. If we are only focused on ways to give then there is no one to give to.  To complete the flow of energy we need to be both open to giving , to the outflow of energy, and open to receiving, to allowing others energy to flow through us in positive ways.  This can be as simple as deciding what things we can surrender control of in our day to day living and asking for help from those around us.  This could be asking a friend or relative to help with a task around the house, or a chore we have to do.  It could be asking for someone to be there to just listen.  It could be asking for someone to send us positive energy, or to advocate for us.  Mostly its about saying “yes” and accepting when someone says they want to help in some way and finding a way to use that person’s talents in the best way that can helps us.

Many of us are so used to handling things on our own.  We have been the trail blazers getting into the mindset of service to others.  We have taken that challenge and grown from it.  We have learned very well how to give.  As more people get into the mindset of service to others we all have to shift and balance.  We need to provide a place for others to give, providing that space for giving is a way to also give to others.  Just as we have the desire to give and feel fulfillment in giving, others feel that same desire.

I know that I have felt very frustrated at times when I care for someone and want to give and do things to support and help them but am blocked from doing so. Think about those times when you see someone you care about struggling with an issue and you want so badly to shoulder some of the burden with them but are blocked from doing so.  The person says “I can do it on my own”.  I know for me it feels like a hoplessness, a sinking feeling in my heart and stomach.  I am not sure why we are still blocking eachother from helping when we are supposed to be learning to do this thing called life all together.  The time has come to work with eachother.  I have begun trying to think about this when others offer to help me.  I used to say “ no, I got this, I can do it”.  It was the noble thing to say, I mean I do not want to be a burden to anyone right? I want to prove that I can do it on my own.  The thing that has been pointed out to me lately is that it is not about proving we can handle life’s challenges on our own, it’s about swallowing our pride and surrendering to the help of others.  We need to create a space for that balance of give and receive.  It is not more nobel or desirable to be the person who gives selflessly, life is about achieving balances.  Energy flows best when it is balanced- it completes a cycle and allows for harmony.   It is time to create a balance between what we give and what we receive from others.  We are being challenged to find the natural flow and not refuse to receive because we do not want to burden others or because our pride/ego has something to prove.

The challenge this month is to realize the gift we give to others when we allow them to give to us, to help us in our daily lives.  We are being challenged to change our perspective from a view where we see asking for and accepting help as a weakness or a burden to others, to one where we see receiving help from others as a gift and an opportunity for those who want to help us.  The energy of this time is telling us to surrender and to allow that balance of give and take back into our lives.  Its not about letting things swing the other way and only taking, not looking to give anymore.  It’s about doing both actions in a balance way that completes the flow of energy between all of humanity.  Learn to give by receiving and to receive by giving- by this harmony is created.

With Love and Truth

Eve