Change of landscape

While driving down the coast of Southern California I listened to the Oprah radio station and of course was completely inspired by the topics of the day.  “Spirituality and the quest to find it through inner peace”, such a common topic and yet we are still trying to find it.  Here I am driving down from a yoga centric weekend in LA, completely focused on spirituality, feeding my soul, living my art, surrounded by the collective conscious.  I had just left a yoga class and drove on down to see my family in Laguna.  Walking into their reality of compromised health, family issues, and the ebbs and flows of life’s cycles.  I was very inspired to write this:

Who am I ?  Am I my story, my stories of my life, the things I’ve done, the people I know, the places I’ve been, the awards I’ve won, the endless mistakes and accomplishments survived?

What if someone were really to ask…who are you?  What would you say?

Would you say, “I am a (job description).  I went to school here…I am from …I am divorced…etc.

Well that isn’t who you are, or is it?  Really, you want to just be that?  I mean, come on!  Who are you really?  Is there substance beyond that stuff that society labels you as or that your culture has created for you?  Do you really define yourself by this b.s.?

So when you get hit by this question the next time, go for it and expose who you really are.  I dare you. I want to see if you can be in the mystery of your own unveiling and hear what your soul describes self as.  Be the pioneer of your soul’s landscape.

Other inspirations from the lecture on radio, Eckart Tolle, and Carl Jung:

The question that keeps coming up and always does as a yoga teacher is “what is spirituality?”  Why is it so important that we define this?  I feel it is because it gets confused with religion.  The two are separate and together.  “Religion is a spring board into spirituality.”  I loved this quote from the Oprah show.  Why I bring up this topic?  I feel when you really expose yourself to who you truly are, you open yourself up the mystery of life.  You begin to let go of attachments to labels, stories, and your identity to it all.  You begin to look over the landscape of your life, the people you surround yourself with, the choices you make.  Changes begin to creep in. 

If you are ready for change?  Are you ready for change?  Change takes courage and serenity, just as the “Serenity Prayer” states.  If you are ready for change, ready for renewal of self and identity…be open to the mystery and symbolic energy that leads to transformations.  Yoke your soul with your path.  Make union with your soul and universal will, or if you will, God’s will.  This seems to me like spirituality.

The word “symbol” as described by Carl Jung best describes what most of us call “a sign”.  You have all heard it, “that was a “sign” what happened to you today”.  As Jung states, a “sign can be interpreted with no loss of meaning, but a symbol is the best possible statement or expression for something that is either essentially unknowable or not yet knowable given the present state of consciousness. Symbols open one up to the mystery.  And they also combine elements of spirit and instinctuality, of image and drive.  For that reason, descriptions of exalted spiritual states and mystical experience frequently refer to physical and instinctual gratifications like nourishment and sexuality.  Mystics talk about the ecstasy of uniting with God as an orgasmic experience and most likely it is the experience of the symbol unites body and soul in a powerful, convincing feeling of wholeness. For Jung, the symbol holds so much importance because of its ability to transform natural energy into cultural and spiritual forms.” 

“Jung’s Map of the Soul” by Murray Stein

The process of your authenticity shining through may not be a smooth path and people will confront you on it.  You will be tested.  In fact you may experience “symbols” and “visions” telling you to continue on, change direction, ask for help, etc.  Be open to the mystery instead of willing your self like you have for so many years.  There is something in you, way deep down in your soul that aches for this “trail blazing”, spiritual hunger, or new design of your life. 

Home

Home 

Looking all around me for inspiration, I see “my world” covered in color, textures, artifacts from my travels, books I’ve read and will read.  I feel stuck today for writing, I slept restless, ate too much too late, over stimulated from doing too much.  

It is time to go inward, to step back and have solitude.

Looking back at my personal cycles, seasonal shifts, my pattern has always been to return to my roots this exact time of year.  To return to the ocean, my place of birth, for renewal of spirit and soul in full knowing I will be replenished.  Southern California, Venice Beach, and Laguna Beach are my reprieve. As soon as I land, the smell of the ocean, the vibration of the cities rhythm soothes my soul.  I suddenly feel like I can breathe again.  My head becomes clear, my body becomes lighter, and my truest essence reappears from the heavy and oppressive heat and humidity of Florida summer.

Going back to your roots or your “special place” for renewal can be essential and almost critical for the creative, the artist, the healer.  One must “go back to the well” and nourish the soul to continue on the path.  Many writers speak of this “returning” or like the homing pigeon, the place of “home” simplifies and electrifies the being from a primordial level.  So if given the opportunity, go back, renew, shed your skin like the snake and begin again.

Dropping In

“Dropping in.”  Term used in healing modalities when the body relaxes, the mind and ego fall away and higher consciousness is revealed.  The feeling is extraordinary.  The senses are heightened and the inner listening is so great that nothing disturbed the essence of the calling back to Source.

What came out of this meditation today:

Through the darkness God/Source/Universe’s presence is so much greater.  Source is so good, the power so great, it is hard to comprehend.  Is it so that we go through darkness to see God in fullness, for clarity, and resolve?

Think of all the greats, the blessed ones?  They all went through dark nights, paths of pain, and continued towards the Source’s light.  In fact they recognized Source as a “coming home” with the greatest amount of security wrapped in perfect faith.

When you experience these dark periods, how do you react?

What is it about the path of darkness or “dark night of the soul’s journey” that seems so overwhelming, intolerable?  Is it because the light seems too perfect, unattainable, or even denied.  Self worth, self love, Ego as maniacal and running rampant. Do you think these play a role?

Oh I do!  For sufferings are the stepping-stones on the great path.  The walk through the fire initiates your soul. 

The ego can get us in these dark periods and in ways can get us out.  Ego is part of how we make decisions, instincts, self-preservation and creativity.  “The ego contains our capacity to master large amounts of material within consciousness and to manipulate them”.  Murrya Stein “Jung’s Map of the Soul”

It is usually the ego trying to defend itself within the darkness-the self will.  It is as if God/Source/Universe must humble you, to help you through the void. 

Are you willing to let go and “drop in”?

Embrace Detachment

Through the darkness of our souls journey, there are precious moments not to be skipped, rushed through, or dismissed. Dive deeper and allow for the moments to educate you for there is always an opportunity. The light can be magnificent if you allow it.

Embrace detachment.  Embrace the shadows of your existence.  Shadow’s can be so many variations of your personality you dislike or feel you have no control over.  The “her” that comes out when not getting needs met.  The “him” that acts arrogant when challenged on something unknown.  Embrace “him” or “her” and truly ask, “what do you need?”  From there, detach the “need” to control and manipulate your animus within yourself.  Make friends with your shadow.  Stop bifurcating, fragmenting, and downright being mean to your self.  If you don’t have awareness and change the pattern how will you attract others into your life that are not doing the same thing?

Be attached to your self-love, acceptance, and courage to give what is needed.  Honor all aspects of you.  See yourself as the flower with many petals, not just one or two, or the phoenix that spreads all his feathers, not just a few.  Rise up out of the fiery pit of your self-pity, loathing, or narcissism and be truly authentic.  Embrace all of YOU in awe.

Today I finally felt the creative juices flowing again.  The summer time, the full moon, the heat all give me a heavy dull feeling that is sometimes hard to shake.  So I took a bike ride to the studio to teach yoga this morning along the beautiful bayshore of Tampa to open my mind, receive prana, and get clarity.  Upon my return home, I honored my attention to creativity and the tired legs from movement.  I took time to read and elevate.  In hopes of absorbing more knowledge, I thought using the book case would aid the intention.  Maybe the whole body can absorb the pages, I don't know... :)

 

Taking Action

Today I take action.  I wasn’t in need of much sleep last night, my mind going creatively in so many directions, looking forward to sunrise.  This is unusual for me because I love the night, not the morning.  However, when this happens I feel relieved and renewed.  The oppressive, density of the Florida heat and humidity absorbs all the way into my brain.  The course of the moon leaving her fullness and towards new, relieves me from agitation and towards creation. 

Taking action today may mean: continuing the many projects I have begun this year; spending time with someone I am challenged having patience with; or enjoying some time with a hobby allowing the power of flow to emerge and create an even higher state of consciousness.  For you see, you cannot force any of these states of awareness to happen, you must wait for it…as with all good things in life, its not on “will’s” time, but God’s time.

How many times have you mistrusted the universe and followed your own will? Made choices in relationships and situations you had a gut feeling about and denied that intuition to find yourself in a mess?
Trust the guidance of the universe, make a clear channel for the energy to flow and provide what is best. Then the truth will be revealed with ease and clarity.

Making an offering to the universe "puja" in India as the rays of Source shine down upon us.

The beginning.

My journey begins as a public personality in social media.  It feels strange to write, speak to no face, no breathing body, no physical being in front of me.  However, I do know you are all out there, that this is a way to "touch" others from a distance.  The importance of "touch" in all aspects of human life is invaluable.  Touch is how we love, is how we express the value of knowing another being is here sharing the same life existence as me and you.  
May we touch one another by our words, actions, thoughts, and beings.  May we be open to the magic of our ability to love and receive love with all beings.  Most importantly, to love ourselves throughout this mystery of life.
Let the journey begin.