Be Present.

I shared this with my friends, the Bliss Sisters, this week, and I thought it was something special to share with all of you as well.

Release of all your guilt, resentment, and "need" to punish yourself or others (you cannot access the past). Let go of the fear, anxiety, worry, and antipation (you cannot access the future). None of those things serve the present (which is all we truly have!). All of those emotions exist as a result of living in the past or fabricating a future. The pain body wants you to hold onto these feelings for dear life and bear the weight of all those escapist, negative thoughts. But YOU are not the pain body - the pain body is NOT part of your core being, though it would like us to believe that it is.

Just relax, and still the mind. Be kind to your heart, and don't dull its rhythm with thoughts of what was or what might be. Roll with life and accept things as they come. This week leading into the crazy full moon has been such a lesson in stilling the mind, as my ruling planet Uranus (the most erractic and unpredictable of the planets) has been having a hay-day. I am finding that the less plans and commitments (expectations) I have this week, the less I sink into the guilt or worry. More on my thoughts about the full moon soon...

Be Still.

This is a lovely reminder for today and the week ahead. Often times I rely on things outside of myself to bring peace to my heart and mind. It's easy to blame my work load, the weather, how many times I made it to yoga last week, or a tiff with my little sister for the disturbance of that inner calmness. But really, no matter the circumstances around me, I am the only one responsible for that peace. We truly do have complete control over it. It's all about your outlook, and if you practice optimism or pessimism.  

I was reminded of a sweet quote when reading a book a friend lent me...

"We're all in the gutter, only some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde

How true! We are all amidst junk and unpleasantries. But it's our perspective when we are in that place that really dictates our happiness and peace. Have a beautiful week everyone!

"Anything to make you smile..."

Peace of Mind.

Last night I was restless. I woke up at 4 in the morning and couldn't go back to sleep. My heart was racing and I felt like someone was trying to break into my place. I became very alert and sat up for what felt like an hour. I eventually drifted back to sleep, but I awoke to my alarm feeling groggy and exhausted.

I know that feeling. I know it well. I usually get that way when I'm holding onto expectations or when I'm living dishonestly (meaning, not being true to myself). I didn't realize until this evening that I was so far removed from my morals in some of my actions lately. I have been playing by selfish rules and expecting SO much that the Universe keeps slapping me with harsh warnings. 

First a restless night. Then a $63 parking ticket. Then a money-mongering letter from the IRS. Then an unexpected medical bill. Then a rough, distracted yoga class. Oh, and this all happened within <24 hours. 

...oh yeah, and just a couple days ago, the Universe took my phone away from me. That stupid color-coded LED light on my Blackberry did nothing but tempt me with expectations. Pink - email. I hope it's from X. Green - text message. Oh, maybe it's Y. 

I've been focusing on the wrong things this month. My horoscope shouted loud and clear that my attention should be on my career. And there are many signs that show I have lots to be excited about and dialed into at work. Yet I have chosen to invest so much of my time and my emotions into empty possibilities. EXPECTATIONS. They straight up suck the joy right out of life! And the Universe punishes us harshly when we try to override its chosen course for us. Boy, have I been feeling that.

Tonight I am choosing to surrender my expectations and let the Universe guide me. I am going to listen to the planets. Within the next couple days, Uranus is going to be belligerent (especially to Aquarians). And then we have an insane full moon at the end of the month that will challenge us all. The last thing I need is more odds stacked against me. Peace of mind overcomes those who can surrender, and those who "process life as it is, rather than as they think it should be."

The xx - Sunset

Surrender.

I know this has been shared many times before. But I'm finding strength and comfort in this quote today. It's a beautiful reminder that the Universe has a bigger plan for us - a plan that extends far beyond the everyday wins and loses that we sometimes let define our week, our year, or even our life. 

Think about how small we are in comparison to the huge masses that float in space. When you look up at the night sky, don't you feel your size? Let's think about the moon alone, which affects all of us and our earth in immense ways. How? (brief educational tangent) The moon and the earth are attracted to each other, and the moon pulls at everything on the earth's surface. However, the earth can hold its own and keeps everything in... everything except for its water, which is always moving. The moon pulls at the earth's bodies of water, thus causing the water levels to rise and fall (tides, waves, etc.) About 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water, so the moon is pulling at a lot. Guess what is also made up of 70 percent water? YOU. Try to tell me that the moon doesn't affect you. And the moon is BIG: if you could "unwrap" the moon, it wouldn't quite fit inside Asia. YOU ARE AFFECTED. 

Think about how small you are... and then think about how small a "thought" is. You can let it be as "big" as you want. But in the grand scheme of things, there are much greater, more powerful energies guiding us and crafting our experiences. Those magical figures (moons, stars, planets...) know so much more than we ever could, reaching way beyond the petty problems we create for ourselves. And it's best to trust them and accept the obstacles or treasures they plant in our paths. Because they are there for a reason.

This world is so polarized... defined by opposites. You have to fall so that you know what it feels like to stand tall on your own two feet. You have to hurt so that you know what true love really feels like. You have to fail so you know how great accomplishment feels. You have to let go so that new people and experiences have room to come in.

It's a roller coaster. It's all ups and downs, ebbs and flows. Even the heart monitor shows that...peaks and valleys... if that line was flat, you'd be dead! Life is destined to have those highs and lows. And the sooner we accept it, the sooner we will begin to enjoy feeling each and every moment, whether it's an up or a down. You can choose to see the balance and accept the natural push and pull of the Universe, or you can choose to feel flailed around, always waiting for the ride to end. "IT is happening!!!" That's fine, whatever IT is. IT will happen, and IT is happening with purpose, reason, intention - even if measly little you can't fathom why or how. Instead of trying to figure it out, just let IT happen. Surrender.