Light a Candle...or Two

Tonight on my walk through the neighborhood I encountered, through an open window, a magnificent view of a table set in all of its glory. The table was adorned with two lighted candles. The table was primed for a gathering of hearts to feast around its borders. I thought to myself, “Someone’s birthday perhaps?”

But my heart wanted more…it carried me away to envision a nightly ritual of lighting candles, to celebrate the breaking of bread with the people I love.

What sent me in such reverie was the picture below, from yesteryear, posted by my sister on Facebook. (I wasn’t in the picture, as I was away to college…but it reminded me of the many meals that we shared around my family table.)

My heart so easily went back to those ordinary moments... those moments strung together with love that created me.

Those moments... that so easily slipped by without a wince of recognition of the beauty that they held.

Those moments... in my daily walk that elude me, because of my drive to move forward, forward into my future, forward into my dreams, when all along my dreams are surrounding me, right here, in this glorious moment of now.

Playing in my head was the scene from the play, “Our Town” when Emily came back to earth after her death to once again experience her 12th birthday. “I can’t! I can’t go on!” She sobbed, “It goes so fast. We don’t have time to look at one another.”

Join me, will you, and light a candle… or two and take a moment to celebrate the people, the moments, and the experiences that surround you.

Light a candle…or two, to remind yourself to take a moment to really “see” those closest to you.

Light a candle… or two, to remind yourself how easily the winds of change can extinguish a flame.

Light a candle… or two, to celebrate the glorious light that shines within you, the glorious light that shines within all, and the glorious light that created us all.

Yes indeed, light a candle… or two.

Making Friends with the Hungry Bear of Fear

When we take a stand to break free of our limiting behaviors and live the life our heart longs for, we must pass through the belly of transformation where the sleepy parts of our soul awaken in the same cave as the hungry bears of fear.

It is here, in the belly of transformation, that we must choose allegiance with the dream of our heart, or by default relinquish our dreams to the monarchy of fear.

The ruling powers of fear keep us small and subdue our dreams. When they have us in their grasp they feast upon our dreams and intimidate us to offer them up as a living sacrifice on their altar of darkness.

Chosing the dream of our heart is a choice that we are required to make again and again until we are living our hearts longing.

Pledging allegiance to our heart's desire leads us into the womb of creation, where our awakening desires merge with the fire of our soul. It is here, deep within the womb of darkness that we nurture our dreams into fulfillment. Dreams that surf the waves of our desires will never have the power to transform into reality.

It takes great tenacity to keep moving forward through the darkened corridors within, especially when we face obstacles and delays and our dreams are not manifesting overnight. This can cause us to lose heart and obstruct us from taking our next step.

So how do we tame the ferocious bears of fear and bolster our hearts so we can move forward into the life we desire?

Well we don’t do it alone. We give up our superhero cape (I can do it myself) and we surrender to Grace, not to hungry bears of fear. And then we keep surrendering, and we do it again, and then we do it again. We do it as long as it takes and we don’t give up. We keep moving forward armed with Grace and our hearts aligned with our dreams.

And then we find that Grace always meets us right where we are, even in the very belly of fear itself.

“I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.” Anne Lamott

Grace transports us to the "void" that transcends experience, a place of complete surrender where our fears give way to a tender embrace. A place where you know you are never alone, a place where all the sleepy parts of your soul can come forth and meet you and embolden you to stand face to face with fear and transform it with love.

From this place you realize that your fears, as intimidating as they seem, are your friends, nothing more then your thoughts awakening you to what you are feeding.

Become aware to what you are feeding. The dark energies of fear? Or the light energies of your heart?

Don't be afraid of the dark, see it as the womb of creation and keep moving forward with love knowing that your dreams have not been lost in the abyss of darkness, they are just being nurtured in the depth of your being and will rise to meet you, when you walk in the same energy as you dream in.

"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplacable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours." ~Ayn Rand

Wow! Can you say AMEN sista?

4 Tools of Engagement in Feeding the Life Your Heart Longs For:

1. ALIGNMENT - Live an aligned life, align with the vision of your dreams fulfilled and align with the support of Grace.
2. TRUST - Trust your dreams are being birthed in your womb of creation.
3. AWARENESS - Realize your fear thoughts are your friends, awakening you to what you are feeding. Ask yourself “What am I feeding?”
4. TENACITY - Stand and keep on walking, taking inspired action, again and again and again, etc, until you are living the life your heart longs for.

Oh, an added bonus…

5. COMPASSION - Be compassionate with yourself…YOU are unfolding perfectly and all is in Divine order.


How do you deal with the Hungry Bear of Fear?

The Three Fold Process of Mastering Miracles

In a quiet moment of meditation I was asked, “Who are you?” I found myself replying out loud “I am a miracle.” The question was asked again, “Who are you?”, and again I gave the same answer, “I am a miracle”. Undaunted the question was poised again with more force, WHO ARE YOU? "I AM A MIRACLE!” I replied with great passion. Tears streamed down my face, as I embraced the lesson being learned….

I had just finished listening to the audio version of The Three Laws of Performance, by Steve Zaffron. He told a story of the frustration of the great physicist and professor at Caltech, Richard Feynman.  His frustration stemming from his students trying to solve the problems of physics by learning about the laws of physics and not coming from the laws of physics.

It was a powerful moment of awakening for me. I “know” this stuff. The “stuff” that it takes to create a miracle. I know all about it. But until I come from it, it will continually be hit or miss for me.

Come from what you ask? For me it is coming from the laws of God and not just knowing about them. Coming from the place of “I am a miracle!” Coming from the place that “I already got it!” Coming from the place that “I am the stuff that miracles are made of!” Miracles are not something we find, miracles are something that we are! From this place of empowerment, miracles are second nature.

Do you not know that “The Kingdom of God is within you?” If you really know it, then you will live it. It won’t be mental chatter or conversations over tea. It will be in your very sinews, your bones and your tissues, it will direct your path and light your way, It will come from the very core of who you are.

With this I've created: The Three Fold Process of Mastering Miracles

1. Declare it! ~Declare who you are! Stand in your power as a heir to the kindgom of God!

2. Feel it! ~Allow this declaration to invade every cell of your body until you are nothing but the power of God. Feel it in your fingers, feel it your toes. Feel it to the depths of your being. You ARE the power of God!

3. Do it! Take inspired action from this place of empowerment. With every step that you take, FEEL the power of God flowing in you, through you, and as you!

From this place the Universe has no choice but to bless you. The Universe is a lover and not a fighter. It will not fight to be part of your knowing. Come from the laws of God’s power and from there will be God’s power, come from the laws of love and there you will be in love, come from the laws of success and from there you will experience success.

YOU ARE A MIRACLE! It is your time, take your seat at the table of God and feast from the abundance of God’s grace, God’s power and God’s love. The Universe is waiting for you and needs just what you are made of!

Are you ready to BE a miracle?

It is Your Time...Are You Ready?

How much would you pay for a chance to look into a mirror that allowed you to see who you really are?

How would your life be different if the image of your MAGNIFICENCE was blazed upon your consciousness and that is how you always saw yourself?

What would shift in your life?

Well the answer to that question for Deuce Lutui, the Offensive Lineman of the Arizona Cardinals, is everything!

Steve Hardison, his personal coach, reflected back to him who he really was and Deuce went from the “Lindsey Lohan” of football to The Best Offensive Lineman In The NFL! ~ Read his story here: TBOLITNFL

This could be your story too. It will require…well… nothing short of all of you…. Your mind, your body and your soul will be needed on this most heroic adventure of you.

Focus your energy, dive in and find your Personal Internal Commitment “PIC” and get ready to take some kick butt action, because it is your time and …You are so worth it!

3 Keys to fulfill your “PIC”:

1. FOCUS ~ Focus on Your Magnificence, not your faults. Look into the mirror of love, it will reveal to you who you really are. Love drops all masks and reveals the beautiful jewel of you!

2. COMMITMENT ~ Make a Personal Internal Commitment to be the BEST at your craft, your mission, your life! You deserve not only to have the best but also to BE the BEST!

3. ACTION ~ As you take inspired action, the Universe will meet you half way and place you in the right place at the right time to meet the right people and bring you the resources and tools you need to fulfill your commitment.

Are you ready to be you personified? Then start by allowing yourself to be blessed. See yourself as worthy to be the best. See yourself as a holy chalice, an infinite cup that is filled more and more everyday.

The more you are blessed the more you can bless. Do you get that? The more you are blessed the more you can bless. Say it over and over to yourself, “The more I am blessed the more I can bless.”

Allow, allow, allow all the love in the universe to flood your cells and renew your being. Sit in love, breath in love and visualize a radiant stream of light washing through you and bringing to life all your sleeping cells. Be alive, awake ready to take your place in the dance of life.

Let love pour through you and into all your undertakings. Be kind and gracious to yourself and others. See all with eyes of love, especially yourself. With this practice not only will you free yourself and open your voice, your life and your mission you will help to heal the world!

It does not serve anyone to play small! Run with the big dogs, fly with the eagles and keep moving forward in the power of your Personal Internal Commitment and know that as you do, you will reach the summit of your choosing!

I've Been Smitten by the Spirit of TBOLITNFL

Have you ever felt the rush of greatness flowing through your spine after hearing a story? It was another’s story but somehow you just knew it was your story too? That’s what happened to me as I heard Deuce’s story.

That evening I was unable to sleep as I tossed and turned in my bed. I knew that I was being called by a force, an energy if you would, that was singeing my ties to mediocrity and inviting me to break free. I finally had to “turn on the lights” and write until I found my core of truth…my “PIC” Personal Internal Commitment. I would love to stand and declare...

“I am committed to being stillness in action and feeling the beauty of who I am in all that I do. I am committed to share that beauty with all and see that beauty in all, transforming the world one heart at a time, beginning with my own.”

This story isn’t about “football”. It is about me and you tackling the giant of self-doubt that drafts us into the halls of mediocrity. It is about no longer sitting on the sidelines of who we really are, but turning within and finding our head coach in the form of our Personal Internal Commitment.

Are you ready to join the TBOLITNFL revolution? Are you ready to re-arrange your atoms into a new pattern by turning up the heat and going deep within to mine your treasure and create your diamond self?

Each of us will find our unique patterning that is calling to us. Our uniqueness, our diamond self, is exactly what the world needs at this moment. The world is waiting for YOU… so what are you waiting for? Share with us your PIC!

7 Steps to Easy Street

We’ve all heard the saying, “God never said life is supposed to be easy, He just promised it would be worth it”. I don’t believe for a minute that God ever meant for life to be a struggle or a dreary wasteland to only be rewarded in the afterlife. I am not denying the challenges that life can afford each of us. It can be dizzying to contemplate, much less experience. But did God really tell us that life isn’t supposed to be easy?

When I looked up the word “easy” in the dictionary I found among its meanings, “Free from worry, anxiety & trouble; Relaxed in attitude; Not hurried or forced; Light; gentle.”

Can life hurt? Absolutely. Can we experience loss? You betcha. Is change knocking on our door? Undoubtedly.

The way I look at it is, with each experience, each moment of our life we are at a crossroad and have two choices. Do we choose “Easy Street” or that other street that becomes the name of our choosing?

Does Easy Street save us from hurt, loss or change? No, of course not. A big part of the human experience is to feel and there are times that life doesn’t feel good.

But through it all can we go with flow of the moment? Can we release the fear and worry related to change? Can we relax and give ourselves permission to feel the pain of loss without telling ourselves that it isn’t suppose to hurt? Can we be gentle with ourselves through all the ups and downs of life and feel whatever is coming up? That is an “Easy” life.

Now I am not saying that we should marinate in our sorrows and grief and losses, but truly do feel them. Feeling the so-called “bad”, truly does carve a deeper well to be filled with the so-called “good”. As we become rich with the varying textures of life by being sensitive to our feelings we are granted the wisdom to know, the humility to see, and the compassion to share.

Open your heart to the entirety of life. Have the courage to feel deeply and explore all of its corners. Walk with your head held high down the street named “Easy” where the gentle breeze of Grace is always flowing and you “feel” its presence lighting your way.

Now that is the Easy Life. And Yes! Life is supposed to be EASY!

I would like to share my 7 Steps to Easy Street:

1. Follow Your Heart – Trust that your heart is connected to the Universal Heart beat and can see the bigger picture your mind cannot.
2. Go with the Flow – Drop the struggle and let go of your hold on yesterday.
3. Trust the Process – Trust the flow of your life to renew, restore and replenish.
4. Be Real – Don’t deny what you are feeling. Feel your way to wholeness and aliveness!
5. Embrace the Gifts – Each experience comes bearing profound gifts if we accept them.
6. Smile – Smiling lifts your vibration and all those who see it.
7. Laugh – Laughter is a great defuser and healer.

Welcome to Easy Street!

Pass The Passion Please

Passion is like butter; it adds richness to the staples of life.
Passion is a fire that dances in the soul allowing you to feel alive as it’s powerful elixir burns away the dross of survival. Survival is for Gilligan and his gang…not for you…not for a soul sister!

Are you stuck in survival mode? Are your dreams stuck in a secret corner of your heart and you don't know how to unstick them?

~Try some Passion...

Passion is the “yummy quotient” waiting for you to smear it on your slice of life and unstick the stuck.

If you listen closely you can hear your still small voice as it whispers in your heart, “Pass the Passion Please.”

Our dreams never die, they might be hibernating momentarily, but there they are, waiting for us to stir the dwindling embers that we have allowed the years to diminish.

Did you leave your passions in your Cinderellas lunch box of yesterday? Are you feeling too old?

Did you know?

· That the oldest woman to graduate from college, Nola Ochs graduated at age 95?

· That Susan Boyle’s musical talent wasn’t discovered until she was 47 years old.

· That Julia Child’s first cookbook was published at the age of 49?

· That Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first novel the Little House series at age 65?

Passion is not a youth entitled liberty. Passion spans the ages and comes in all shapes and sizes.

I’m sure, by now you have seen Susan Boyle on YouTube as she stood before the snickering audience and judges of Britain’s Got Talent and sang, “I Dreamed a Dream”. This magical maven was willing to pass the 4 most challenging hurdles on the passion test to have her dreams fulfilled, which are:

1. Believe in yourself even when no one else around you does.
2. Don’t be afraid to be laughed at.
3. Follow the dreams that come from your soul. They will never lead you astray.
4. And finally, Do it with all your heart.

Speaking of Magical Mavens…

I just finished listening to the audio book, Just When I Thought I'd Dropped My Last Egg, by Kathie Lee Gifford.

I happened to see it on the way out of the library and for whatever reason (I know, I know…there are no accidents!) I picked it up and decided to bring it home with me. I figured I would end up listening to a portion of it and eventually bringing it back before the fines started accruing.

It obviously wasn’t an impassioned choice from my conscious mind. But as we all know…our souls are always effortlessly bringing to us the perfect conversation, or person, or book to spur us on and keep us blazing our trails of glory.

As I began listening to her 4 cd’s I wasn’t expecting any “fireworks”, maybe at best a glint of entertainment. But the embers of her life glimmered with such authenticity, that much to my surprise, she was igniting the inner workings of my soul.

She has walked the heroes journey and experienced the depths of grief and the transcendence of grace. She has learned to forgive and to soften the blows with humor.

I felt my heart expanding exponentially into the land of limitless possibilities and bursting with the desire to create beyond my present borders. (Who said I was too old?)

She spoke to all of us 40+ women reminding us it is never too late and we are never too old. Her stories did entertain me and had me laughing out loud but also looking for a Kleenex as she shared from her heart.

As I reached the last story, as all good story tellers do, she left me wanting more….Yes, something more, more of life, more of connection, more of love, more of living from my very core at all moments…YES! Pass the Passion Please!Yes we are never too old and it is never too late to create the life that we desire.

Keep on reaching and never, never, never give up until you are living a soul-fully delicious life. And in the words of Kathie Lee Gifford, “May your day dreams turn into your dream days.”

And last of all remember to “grow old with me (with passion)! The best is yet to be.” ~Robert Browning