The Power of Presence

 

For a few decades now, my husband and I have run a martial arts dojo. Every year, we hold a New Year's Opening Ceremony and introduce a theme for the year's training.     Throughout the year, I think about the theme often - if I'm really applying the theme and noticing when I'm not. I realize it's a bit late in the year to be sharing this information, however, it's more the experience with this theme that is meaningful.  The theme this year is Presence.   First and foremost, for me, Presence has been keeping tabs on the energy I bring to a given situation, whether with people or by myself. What Presence am I bringing to my training, to my teaching, to my family, my work, my house chores, my exercise and spiritual practices?  In turning that attention outward, I notice the Presence others are bringing to my home, my conversations, and my plans. I also question whose Presence is affecting my and others' decisions or actions, even when they are physically absent.    In addition, what spiritual Presence am I allowing or requesting to influence my life?    I invite you to be aware of your Presence this month.  Presence is a powerful aspect - even when we're not.

Ho-oponopono and Love

Late last month, CeCe, our 15-year old cat, wasn't walking on one leg. After an annual checkup and tests, multiple medicines were prescribed. She was walking again within days.  Two weeks later, CeCe had an episode. Upon return from an ER vet visit with even more medication, she promptly projected blood from both ends. Figuring this was the end although there was no true explanation for her physical state, I stayed next to her all night, praying, giving Reiki, telling her I loved her. Somehow, she made it through. It wasn't her time.   Two weeks later we were forced to visit another ER vet since one of the medications previously prescribed put CeCe into heart failure. Medications were juggled again, and that week, CeCe's regular vet refused any follow up care.   Feeling abandoned and unsupported, the search was on for anyone who could help within reason. Despite another recommendation to walk CeCe over the Rainbow bridge, which we almost followed, Cece, again, made it clear she wasn't ready.   We took faith in a fabulous new vet and singular treatment. Within days, Cece's heart failure was managed, and after a week of stabilization, recent updated care for IBD was introduced with positive results thus far.   It's been touch and go for a month now, and the emotional roller coaster is beyond real. The other day, CeCe decided to not take her medications and even though I know each day is on her terms, I was feeling distraught.   Spirit encouraged me to write CeCe a letter.    As I sat down to write, I found myself feeling all the feels of her lifetime with us - the days we'd play hide and seek, when she'd wrestle with us playfully, her insatiable appetite, and her loud complaints when we were two minutes late for mealtime.   I also discovered a deep sorrow for as life happened, I spent less time with her due to stressful jobs, keeping the house a certain way, raising children, adopting additional cats, and trying to keep everything together. My heart ached for her forgiveness.   Then I remembered all the times she ventured to places in the home she knew were off limits, eating my plants, or sitting smugly after misbehaving as if asking what I was going to do about it.   After all of that surfaced and passed, all I could feel was love. I loved this small animal so much for all we've been through and the connection we have endured.   I realized then what I needed to write:  Dear CeCe,  Thank you for everything and teaching me about you and myself.  Please forgive me for my shortcomings, and I release you of any shortcomings I judged you as having.  I love you so much and then some.   As I finished my short letter, I realized I was sharing the essence of the Ho'oponopono prayer with her, which pinpointed all I wanted...all I needed to say.   I know she knows how I feel. There is no doubt. We're closer now than we ever have been. These experiences with her have deepened not only our connection and understanding of each other, but also my connection with myself.  I've also been reminded that requesting and offering forgiveness, saying thank you, and telling people you love them is important every day. Saying those things now creates a deeper bond, if all are open to it. And when the time comes for our loved ones to move on from this earthly existence, we'll be able to flow with their process in more ease, grace, acceptance, and love.

Angelic Light Weaving

 

Feathery, Light, Symbolic

Joy, Realistic, Calm

Information Sharing

Heartful Caring

Shining Light

Angel's delight

Human Perception of

Divine Conception

Ideas Abound

Magic Resounds

Cherish

Remember the people closest to you. You know...the ones you shut out when you're hurting. The ones you lash out at when you're anxious or confused. The ones you treat meanly sometimes because you've been stressed for months. 

Remember and know the ones who look past your words, your anger, your disapproval, and love you just the same. The ones who check up on you periodically. The ones you cheer you on regardless. The ones who support you in ways you don't completely know. The ones who help you pull yourself back together again. 

Remember these people in your lives. You know who they are. 

Cherish them, thank them, and send them love from your heart to theirs in deep appreciation for them taking the time to notice, the action to care, and the love to let you be yourself.  

From Forgiveness to Freedom

 How does it feel when you forgive someone?

How does it feel when someone forgives you?

Forgiveness creates better emotional health and can grow deeper relationships. If we hold grudges, we may be perpetuating emotional and mental blocks due to the lack of forgiveness. By practicing forgiveness, we create peace, provide a model for spreading goodness, and lighten our energetic baggage as we move forward in our lives. 

For the month of May let's plan to take a few moments each day and bring in the energy of Forgiveness. Let's understand the benefits of forgiveness and our role in forgiving people in our relationships, as well as requesting or accepting forgiveness from people too.

A few wonderful forgiveness methods include:

• saying the Ho'opono'pono prayer
• placing individuals or groups of people (including ourselves) onto a forgiveness altar in our mind's eye
• writing a letter of forgiveness to someone (they can be deceased or living) and burning it. 

Incorporating a daily forgiveness practice helps us release the hold the past may have on us, and gives us permission to move forward, lighter and freer than the day before. 

Allow the magic of Forgiveness to harness the Freedom you've been yearning for!

A Child's Smile

Walking outside the other day, I saw a child riding her bike towards me. I stepped out of her way, she smiled at me as a thank you and I smiled back.  

It was then I realized how much smiling was needed!

So - thank you to the innocence of the girl who smiled at me today. Her smile opened my heart, even if it was for a short while and became a stepping stone to move me into an even better space.

Here's to smiling at the next person you see today! 😃

Healing Angels

Have you ever woken up one day and found yourself not ready for what the day may hold?  Where maybe fear, frustration, or a blank wall of resistance seems to permeate your mind?  

The other day, I woke up like that and for the first hour or so, I spent energy trying hard to block the discordant emotions - to keep them from surfacing or festering. After wrestling with this for awhile, I decided to walk into another room, sit down, and ask for help from the angels.   

Within 20 seconds I felt a rush of energy shift inside and out, took a deep breath, let the worry and tension go, and relaxed into the soothing energy of the angels. They came to my aid, and all I had to do was ask and be open to receive. 

In full gratitude and relief, I sat in their energy for only a minute or two as I had a calendar of events to attend to. I would rather have stayed there longer and fully basked in the energy of the healing Angels; yet, I found myself going back to that space throughout the day for periodic angelic pick me ups. 

I hope you do the same today - and everyday - for the angels enjoy helping us out when we request their gracious assistance, and they also love to participate in our joys too. They're our 24 hour-a-day cheerleaders - and when we sit quietly for a few breaths, we can feel them with us, and may even hear theirs wings flutter.