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Unconditional Love:
When we start to place demands and expectations on another, we are not loving
unconditionally. To love unconditionally is when we do not expect anyone's behaviour
to reflect our needs, our demands or our desires. Each person displays love in the
way that is most appropriate for them. It is not up to us to tell them how to
love. What is up to us, is how we receive their love. When we do not place
demands on another, we allow them to display their love in a sincere way.
Living Effortlessly:
One of the phrases that I use frequently in dealing with people, is
"effortless". If something is not effortless, it means that there is a
cost. This can be either spiritually, mentally, physically or emotionally. It
is my belief that when it is not effortless, the cost outweighs the benefit. I also
believe that when something is effortless, it flows from the spirit. Effortless is
comparable to flowing downhill with the river as opposed to battling uphill against the
stream. When the energy is flowing and balanced, decisions and life flows
smoothly. When we make choices that don't feel right or are a constant battle, we
know on a very deep level that things are not "flowing". There is an
energetic cost to decisions which cause an imbalance of energy and often that cost can
cripple us energetically.
I don't believe life is meant to be easy, because I believe we are here to learn, grow and evolve. But, to that end I also believe we can make the journey much more simple. Sometimes, when things are not flowing rather than trying to "make it happen" it is best to recognize it is not happening for a reason. Everything in life happens for a reason and we can either try to ascertain the reasons and grow from each decision or we can continue to struggle and work against the universe. When we work with the universe and see the perfection in all things, we know that each circumstance, each experience and each lesson is to help us, to guide us and to allow us to grow and evolve to become all that we are destined to be.
The Perfection in
everything:
How can everything be "perfect" when there are children dying and people
fighting globally. How can everything be considered "perfect" when for so
many the struggle in living is far from easy. How perfect is it when a 37-year old
mother dies leaving her 6 and 9 year old with no parents. How perfect is it when
innocent children are dying of famine and AIDS. How perfect is it when everywhere
you look there is pain, suffering and sadness.
Yet, in my opinion, all that we see is just a perception of "reality". We don't and can't ascertain why children die, why there are wars and what the purpose of each person's life is. We don't see the bigger picture and we are not privy to the workings of the universe. For me, it has boiled down to faith. I have faith in God, the universe, the angels and love. I have faith that each experience, each pain and each struggle is part of a greater good that I don't necessarily know or understand.
Forgiveness:
I
believe that everything in life happens for a reason and we need only recognize the
perfection around us. People are not their behaviours and pure love is only
unconditional and never judgmental.
When we believe another has hurt us, the only thing we can ever
do is to forgive and love. When we forgive another, we don't need to express our
forgiveness of them, because often we have felt hurt for something that was not meant to
hurt us. Many times our need to forgive another is often to forgive them for
something that we perceived was done to us. It is not necessarily that they wronged
us, meant to wrong us or even believe they hurt us.
Forgiveness allows us to forgive another for our perception as well as for how we reacted
to our perception. Forgiveness allows us to recognize that people don't necessarily
mean to hurt each other but that we can rectify any situation by offering love,
compassion, forgiveness and truly feeling remorse at any pain, or perceived pain we have
caused another.
When we say sorry from our hearts and soul, others feel our love and it does indeed help
our own healing, our own growth and ultimately helps us find peace. When we forgive
ourselves and when we apologize to others, we are expressing our love: Our love of
self, of each other and of God.
Love is what matters in the world. This is my belief and my truth. I don't
believe in conditions or demands and I believe that what we put out comes back around to
us.
In the Moment:
The
past does indeed mark us. We are who we are because of what we have experienced,
seen and lived with. But we are not our past. We are now - in this present
moment - the greatest potential to be the best of who we are. That is my greatest
desire for all people is that they recognize the beauty that lies within and shine that
beauty to the world. We do ourselves a disservice when we fail to grasp the truth of
forgiveness, love and compassion. When we live for the moment of now, we recognize
that all that lies ahead, all that is happening at this present moment is within our grasp
to change, to beautify and to create the world as we wish it to be.
Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is a dream - all that we
have is now. By living in the present moment, we experience life as it is.
Compassion:
To have compassion for another person allows us to express our pure essence - which is
love.
Responsibility:
The greatest responsibility we have to ourselves is to find peace, find healing and be
true to who we desire ourselves to be. The path to healing requires great trust in
self and a great desire to shift that which needs to shift, be open to all possibilities
and know that ultimately healing is a personal journey. If a person wants to heal -
they can. In that same vein, if a person does not truly desire to shift, or fears
the changes necessary - they won't heal. Change takes great courage, healing takes
great courage - and ultimately the responsibility for healing lies on our own shoulders.
We have to desire it and work towards it and know that we are responsible for our
own health, happiness, peace and well-being.
The experience of Angels
The experience of angels differs for each person. There is no "rule"
in understanding the love of angels. There is no one truth or set way that angels
communicate with people. Angel communication can be felt, seen, heard or even just
experienced through a sense of knowing. There is no correct or incorrect way to
experience angels. All is perfect in whatever way one experiences the divine love
of the angels. It matters not if one believes in their existence. There is no
need to believe in them to be surrounded in their love. There is no prerequisite
necessary to ensure their love. We need not sit back and listen for them. We
need not wait for a sign. No matter what we desire, it need not matter because we
always and will always be surrounded by their love.
How do your angels let you know they are there?
You might hear them, feel them, see them, sense them or just know that they are with you. However you receive contact from them is perfect for you. Sometimes it's just a knowing that they are there with you to help guide and protect you. Generally that is all we need to know. Ask them for help and guidance - that is what they are there for! But be prepared to listen, take responsibility and do your part!
Each and every one of us can be in contact with their angels and guides. Sometimes people don't realize how easy it really is. All it takes is desire and trust. Know that you are not alone and know how truly loved you are.
The love that surrounds each person from their angels and guides is unconditional and pure.
As We See Others
The term "as we see others, so we see ourselves" to me, means that to judge another is to judge ourselves. Those character flaws and bad qualities that we so often see in others, if we look in the mirror, quite often we will see in ourselves. Sometimes, that which we judge harshly or find not to our liking in other people are the particular characteristics and flaws we ourselves appear to have. If we judge ourselves too fat, we seem to dwell on the outside appearance of others. If we consider ourselves pushy, we tend to judge others as pushy too. In many instances, we attract people to us who share similar characteristics. Often we find certain personality traits in others "offensive", yet we share those traits with them. If we could stop ourselves for one second and not judge them, perhaps we would stop judging ourselves. If we start to see the good in others and view them as their guardian angel, angels and God views them, then perhaps we will be able to view others "with love" as opposed to "with judgement".
We can't be expected to get along with everyone under every circumstance. People are going to be different with different interests, goals and desires. There are people who we are very drawn to and there are others who we share little in common with. We need not judge the people though. We need to be able to just accept the difference and accept that the concept that we don't need or want to spend time with people that we are not "attracted to" is completely acceptable. Discernment is the ability to say "I choose to not be around this person" and letting it go at that. Judgement is when you need to explain why and put a label on the person. "I don't want to spend time with John because he is grumpy and boring" is an example of a judgement. "I don't wish to spend time with John" is a discernment. There is no judgement of who John is or why you don't wish to spend time with him. You are not judging him, you are just making your viewpoint known that you do not wish to share time with him. I believe discernment needs no reason or explanation. Once a reason or explanation is given, then you have crossed the fine line into judgement.
I think it is important to not judge others for who they are or what they do. I don't have to like what others do, but I should not judge them for it either. I don't believe that is my place. I try to look at everyone, even someone who has done some things that appear to be terrible and I say to myself "they have an angel who loves them unconditionally". I try to view others with love, recognizing that their behaviour is not who they are. There behaviour is a reflection of who they are being only in that moment of time, but not the truth of who they are, their essence.
I believe that if one hold judgements toward others then they don't live as peaceful of a life as they could. If we accept others and let them be and don't judge them, we can live a life more filled with harmony and kindness towards others. Not judging others does not mean that you accept everything and don't stand up for your rights and the rights of others. Certain behaviours are not "okay" and recognizing this is appropriate. Furthermore, recognizing that we are not our behaviours makes it easier to not judge others.
It is my opinion that many people engage in
judgements due to their own insecurity. If somehow they can see themselves as
different from another, or better than another, then they can set themselves apart from
the others. They don't see themselves as part of the whole, but separate. It
has to do with not understanding that we are all part of God. When you see yourself
as different and apart from the whole it is easier to judge and label others.
Judging others starts in many instances when a child is very young. They are taught competition and to be "the best". They compare themselves, their marks, how well they did in their tournaments and how they look. They compare themselves to others and judge themselves to be too fat, too short or too tall. They compare others and again, make judgements. many children are taught compassion and respect for others, but in teaching them those qualities, sometimes the concept of judgement of others is overlooked.
To refrain from judging others, it is important to accept the differences in people and not focus on them. We need to look at the similarities. The similarities in my opinion often come down to "we are loved". No matter who we are, what we feel, think, do or don't do - we are all loved. This is a common-ground. This can keep us focused on the bigger picture, which is love. For me, the bottom line is about love. Try to see everyone as God and the Angels do, that we are all deserving of love and that we all have good within us.
Finding Peace
What is the secret to finding peace? What is the answer to the search for happiness within and contentment? Is there a special pill we can take that can help us become all that we are destined to be? Or are we destined to live in a place of forever wanting more, forever wishing for more and forever unhappy with who we believe ourselves to be.
Most people I know suffer from insecurity and a fear of not being good enough. What is good enough and why should we continue to think we are less than, rather than more than?
Insecurity stems from not loving ourselves enough, from not recognizing the beauty within and the love that resides in and around us. Insecurity creates fear and trepidation of trusting ourselves and those around us. We create scenarios where the good and positive attributes are overshadowed by our negative perceptions of ourselves. We are unable to view ourselves with love, but rather criticize our behaviours, actions and thoughts. This behaviour comes from fear, not love. It is counter-productive to healing and counter-productive to peace.
There are moments in time that we berate ourselves for rudeness, selfishness, anger, rashness, grumpiness, and a variety of emotions and behaviours that we don't like about ourselves. Yet, these behaviours are not who we are. When we learn to disassociate our behaviours from our true essence - that is when we will begin to find peace.
We are not our anger, our jealousy, our rudeness or any of these self-defeating emotions. Our behaviours and emotions are not who we are and once we stop letting them rule us and we start recognizing who we truly are - then we will begin to be free of our attachment to our behaviours - both past and present.
Peace can be found in a moment - because we are living in that moment and we only need open our eyes to that truth.
The secret to peace is simple. Live each moment in recognition of who you truly are and consider your behaviours in each moment as a testament to this truth. Forgive yourself for errors in judgment, angers and frustrations that block your path to yourself. Don't dwell on who you were yesterday, but consider and live for who you are today and who you wish to be each moment of time.
Insecurity will fade and be replaced with love, as we begin our journey to self-love and acceptance. As we follow the path to living in each moment and treasuring the now, we will replace the fear-based emotions and behaviours with the love-based emotions and behaviours. Our behaviours will begin to match our essence and our true beauty will begin to shine forth with greater and greater brilliance.
We are the masters of our destiny. We can choose to live in regret for who we have been or we can live in the knowledge of who we can be, will be and choose to be. The choice is ours. Peace is easy to obtain in each moment - once we take responsibility for who we are being.
Pets
I have been fortunate to have known many beautiful and loving animals in my life. In 1992, I became the proud mama to Tara and Dee Dee, two miniature schnauzers.
Dee Dee died April 17th, 2002. It was devastating for the family because we didn't realize she was even ill. She died in her favourite place on the couch as I sat stroking her.
As difficult as it was for us to lose Dee Dee, the family had some solace in the knowledge that Tara was still alive and well. Dee Dee was just over 9 1/2 when she died.
I believed I would have Tara with me for 4-5 years after Dee Dee left us. It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I had to let my darling Tara go with her sister this past May 12th, 2004. She had Cushing's Disease and her kidneys went into failure. She was a brave and beautiful dog and I made the difficult decision to ease her pain.
The love of a beloved animal is a beautiful and unconditional love. I was very fortunate to experience this with my girls.
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