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26 Sep 2017
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Of Two-Way Streets and Enriching Dichotomies

Our world of apparent duality offers a wealth of disguised enrichment opportunities. Consider:

A cyber buddy who currently lives creatively without residence wondered why a stranger would open her home and heart to her. She emailed, “I don’t understand why she’s being so amazingly generous. I keep telling her she just blows me away.”

I responded, “You never know what her own journey is…she may have needed to serve someone in exactly this way, and you are providing a golden opportunity, so it is a mutuality.”

This is the way energy works. When my lifelong friend Ellie fell and broke her hip at 96, requiring a lengthy convalescence in a rehabilitation center and later at home, I initially despaired about why Spirit didn’t simply call her Home.

Then I had a flash of insight: the enforced passivity enabled my fiercely independent friend to learn to receive, and blessed those who assisted her with the joy of service. I told her, “You would never have allowed it otherwise.” With wonder and her trademark humility, Ellie exclaimed, “Amara, you’re right!”

The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful

What appears adverse can be advantageous. I needed to park my car on a different street due to an upcoming festival, and planned to be out of town the following week. I gave the young man who acts as my “car surrogate” the spare key, and asked him to please move the car back once the festival was over.

Unbeknownst to me, a road crew was about to repave the street; tow-away signs went up the day after I left. If the festival hadn’t been scheduled (and, therefore, if I hadn’t given Danny my spare key) my car would have been parked in its normal spot — and towed during the week I was away!

More profoundly: A dear friend was in a near-fatal motorcycle crash earlier this year. After a month in the ICU, he learned he’d need a walker once out of bed, and would have only minimal use of his right hand for the rest of his life (he’s a southpaw, but still…). Eight months later, Rick says, “The accident was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

During his convalescence he lost seventy pounds and began exercising daily as part of his physical therapy program; the combination reversed his adult-onset diabetes. He’s grateful every day for the gift of life, and more open than he’s ever been. He says, “I cry if I’m happy, I cry if I’m sad.

“And you know what? It feels amazing. I have nothing to hide now; what others think of me is no longer my concern. I can be emotionally honest. I feel like this is another piece of the silver lining surrounding that terrible trauma.”

Sustained by his new outlook and the outpouring of love and support from friends and family, Rick’s regained almost full use of his right hand, and returned to work — as a practicing physician. Practice makes perfect.

Once you’ve been through the fire, you’re recast as pure essence; the superficial no longer holds sway in your life.

How Your Light Is Spent

Milton’s sonnet, When I Consider How My Light is Spent, exemplifies the nature of life’s dichotomies, and how we choose to interpret our time here. The full text reads:

When I consider how my light is spent

Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,

And that one talent which is death to hide

Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

My true account, lest he returning chide;

“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”

I fondly ask. But Patience to prevent

That murmur, soon replies: “God doth not need

Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best

Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state

Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

And post o’er land and ocean without rest:

They also serve who only stand and wait.

“Apprehension” means both anxiety and understanding. If you apprehend the meaning behind Milton’s final line, you will understand that simply being is what matters most.

Whoever or whatever your messenger is, listen deeply. Once you apprehend the message, invite yourself to let go, so that you may embrace this wisdom farther along life’s spiral. Allow yourself to be amused by the alchemical nature of any apparent dichotomy that shows up in your life. And know there’s an invisible cosmic trampoline beneath you, so you can rebound from pain’s mirage, spread your wings, and fly.

About the Author:

Amara Rose is a metaphysical “midwife” for our global rebirth. She offers spiritual mentoring, e-courses, a CD/mp3 of the journey to awakening, and an inspirational monthly newsletter.

Learn more at LiveYourLight.com. Connect with Amara on Twitter and Facebook.

15 Sep 2017
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Motivation vs Self-Discipline – Which Is the Key to Habit Formation?

Forming new habits can be both tough and exciting. Many factors play a key role when you want to create a habit but motivation and self-discipline are at the top of the list. Both of them will get you through a difficult period of self-improvement but you might wonder which one is more valuable.

Some people swear that being motivated can help you reach every single goal you set for you, while others are certain that mastering self-discipline is better overall. So let’s compare self-discipline and motivation in order to see which one is more helpful when it comes to forming new habits.

What is the motivation?

To put it as simply as possible, motivation is something that can help you achieve the unimaginable. Having a drive that propels you forward is crucial for habit formation. Try to remember the last time you procrastinated before an important deadline, but you were determined to finish your project regardless of the situation you put yourself into. It is the said motivation that got you through those hours of work because you wanted to complete your assignment and send it before it was too late.

Being motivated to form a habit will make you feel excited and enthusiastic. The link between motivation and your own emotions is evident so you can fuel it even more if you perform well. Your excitement about future will grow and you should allow it to carry you to the goal. But feelings are fragile, and motivation can disappear after a couple of days. If you underperform, your brain might feel different about the habit and you could try to self-sabotage yourself.

Putting all of your faith into motivation might not be the best choice if you are not ready to leave some room for possible mistakes. There will be obstacles because you simply cannot stop living your everyday life and shield yourself from the outside factors. Things will happen, and the levels of your motivation will eventually drop. You need to accept it and move along. And this is where self-discipline comes into play.

What is self-discipline?

If you are in it for a long haul, you need to have self-discipline. Motivation can get you started but being able to discipline yourself will help you form a real habit. Self-discipline does not have anything to do with your emotions, and you will get the work done regardless of how you feel at a certain moment. But strengthening your self-discipline can be extremely hard, especially if you have never really used it before.

There are many motivational speakers out there that can make you feel passionate about pursuing your dreams instantly, but there are not many self-discipline experts that can do the same. It is not a popular topic because it requires work and focus. Your aim is to turn your tasks into habits you will repeat every single day. Therefore, creating a schedule and sticking to it is a perfect starting point. Combine it with self-discipline, and you will be on a right track.

Some people believe that you can form a habit in only three weeks but a recent study proves that it takes a lot more – sixty-six days, to be precise. That is a long time, and you will most certainly underperform on some days, miss a workout or two, or procrastinate. Log the data and continue with your initial plan. Starting everything over just because you made a tiny mistake is not worth it and will not help you with forming a new habit.

For best results – combine them

Self-discipline and motivation are truly two different factors. But if you want to form long-lasting habits, the best thing you can do is to bring them together. Use the initial drive that comes with motivation and you will get through the first couple of weeks easily. Once you start to doubt your decision to form a habit, allow the self-discipline to take over and do the work while paying no attention to your emotions.

There will be days when you don’t feel like sticking to your routine – that is perfectly alright. You might need to find something that will pull you out of your bed and get you to work. So promise yourself small rewards – something enjoyable like a long bath or a night out with your friends. These will give you quick motivation boosts which might be a thing that will help you out in the long run.

Conclusion

Forming new habits is crucial for self-improvement. It will be an emotional journey so be well prepared for it because there will be ups and downs along the way. Mixing up motivation and self-discipline is the way to go. That is the best way to create habits, stick to them, and completely reinvent yourself.

Lucy Benton is a writing coach, an assignment writer who finds her passion in expressing own thoughts as a blogger. She is constantly looking for the ways to improve her skills and expertise. If you’re interested in working with Lucy, you can find her on FaceBook and Twitter

10 Aug 2017
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The Most Beautiful Question

“Hope and Memory have one daughter,

and her name is Art.”

~ William Butler Yeats

One day a cashier at my local organic foods co-op asked if I’d like to enter a contest to determine “The Most Beautiful Question.” The way he described it captured my attention, so I asked for the website.

He responded, “Oh, it’s not on the Internet. Just ask a question, and you may be a winner! Will you open that door?”

Intrigued, I asked, “You mean, what’s the most beautiful question I can ask someone else?” He agreed, “That could be a question!” The one he’d choose to ask is, “Why are you suffering?” Mine might be, “Who are you?”

This definition enlarges the scope of beauty by embracing awareness.

Holding the Both/And

All forms of beauty and art expand our perception, enabling us to more fully hold the “both/and”. Visionary activist astrologer Caroline Casey recounted a meeting she attended of scientists who also aspire to be mystics, observing, “If physics and metaphysics get married they can have a child: reverent science.”

This is where we are growing globally: towards a unity of former opposites, in every realm. We’re shedding our old skin, emerging from the chrysalis, morphing into wholly new beings. It’s arduous and joyful, scary and anticipatory all at once, as birth is.

And while our evolutionary symptoms can range from exhaustion to panic, the tools we can use to ground and comfort ourselves are surprisingly simple: Nature. Cuddling. Fasting from both “real” and “fake” news. Bonding with children and animals. Deep rest. And allowing art, beauty and creativity free reign.

Living as a Masterpiece

Creativity carries a high vibe. To begin to live as the masterpiece you already are, first consider how you learn best: are you predominantly visual, auditory, kinesthetic? Then choose an activity below and begin to integrate it into your life as “art school”:

Keep a journal — and try writing in it with your non-dominant hand.
Draw, paint, or sculpt your ideal work expression.
Sit by moving water. Sit in moving water. Sing while sitting in a stream!
Dance your dream. What does it feel like as flowing movement?
Walk the labyrinth, an ancient meditative art form. Visit the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator to find one near you
Enjoy on a device-free weekend. During this period, pay attention to your dream life; see if you have better dream recall and more vivid dreams.
Prepare a meal that is as aesthetic as it is nutritious. As you combine ingredients, imagine that you are cooking up your “work” of art.
Spend a day, alone or with others, in total silence.

In The Creative Connection: Expressive Arts as Healing, Natalie Rogers writes: “The creative process is a path to finding the divine self. Discovering the capacity to love is profound. Discovering the ability to receive love, whether it is from a particular individual or a universal source, can be so awesome as to be frightening to some people. However, tapping into that ability or consciousness is both healing and revolutionary in that it changes the lenses from which we view the world.”

Some questions for meditation and co-creation:

What would the world look like if we created it together to reflect our strength and vision as Spirit?
Who would we be if we looked within ourselves to find the answers?
Will you allow yourself to walk the beauty way?

About the Author:

Amara Rose is a metaphysical “midwife” for our global rebirth. She offers spiritual mentoring, e-courses, a CD/mp3 of the journey to awakening, and an inspirational monthly newsletter.

Learn more at LiveYourLight.com. Connect with Amara on Twitter and Facebook.

02 Aug 2017
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I Vow Not To Burn Out

Photo: “Superman Buddha, Force Within” by Elisa Insua

BY MUSHIM PATRICIA IKEDA

The following is a summary of the many vital points that were struck in the author’s article. You can read the full article here.

SUMMARY

This article speaks to many of us who spend our time fighting for social causes in whatever form be it art or activism. The main point of this article is that it’s not enough to help others, you have to take care of yourself as well. You can devote your undertaking to noble acts of divine providence in the interest of care for one’s fellow man/woman. Yet since these expressions of good will ultimately emanate from the self, or that which is housed in the self, one can agree that you have to take care of yourself before or while you help others. These deficiencies in self-care can spill into the great work you’re building toward in your professional, artistic, activist, and duty driven life choices.

For those of us with a calling to raise the bar for community and humanity, Ikeda explains the importance of pursuing systemic progress, grow and deepen spiritually, and care for one’s family without burning out. The key explained in more detail is that one has to create more forgiveness for not meeting all your expectations, and spacious schedules of spiritual practice that value being well rested. Rather than getting caught up what isn’t working in your life, one should focus living a sustainable lifestyle, physically, emotionally, financially, intellectually, and spiritually. Self-care, healing, and attention to the body and spiritual dimension are important to any spiritual/social justice leaders.

Spreading of knowledge and wellness is a group effort. It takes many people aligned with the same progressive stance to push forward in the spirit of progress. Thich Nhat Hanh has said that the future Buddha Maitreya may be a community, not an individual, Communities are in need of inventive ways to carve out spaces for wellness, and this article will shed some light on it.

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