Whether by myself or with many,
Warm or cold,
In a place familiar or the unknown,
At the moment I begin to feel disconnected,
I wrap myself in my memories and experiences,
The times when I felt or longed for love,
And those precious moments I encountered,
even if just briefly,
the unconditional essence of my being,
Always there, all ways there.
Cloaked in this love, I am never alone.
Love everyone and everything around you as if it were an arm, a leg, an extension of you.
We are all formed of the same chemicals and the same energy as everything around us. In that way we are all connected – we are one.
So, when we love beyond the perimeter of what we perceive as our structure and identity, we exist in a pure space of love…of ease…of freedom.
Oh, but wait…that would require pure love for oneself! Perhaps the true challenge lies in forming a steady stream of love for ourselves in order to feel pure connection through love beyond us.
Love requires truth. Truth requires fearless looking. Looking requires unconditional feeling. Feeling requires objective knowing.
So what if we open our eyes to see without fear, our mouths to speak authentically and empathetically, our hearts to feel without labels and judgement, and our minds to accept unlimited possibilities?
What if we can each find the “coeur”age to unconditionally love ourselves, to bathe ourselves in love?
Then, could we live as one love?
Perhaps just like with so much else in our lives, these days are calling for us to release ourselves from engrained beliefs, resist holding onto outdated information, and let go of old ways of doing things. These days are providing an ideal space for new and beautiful growth, the kind that emerges from sloughing off the decay.
In the quiet stillness of the morning’s dawn, I sit, knowing my fullness. Visions and reflections upon a life that is joyful, playful, peaceful, successful, grateful, “easeful,” all floating through my consciousness. I smile in all of the fullness and the goodness that I feel in those quite moments.
And, as the day rolls in and I leave my perch of stillness, of knowing who I really am, in walk the dominant thoughts and beliefs, those who come bearing gifts of knowledge, perspective, and guidance.
Disguised as motivation and inspiration, they convince me that they should stay. As the days go on, more and more of them fill the walls that are me until there is no room for much of anything else.
It becomes harder and harder to return to the visions of the joyful, peaceful, successful me as more and more of my thoughts and beliefs are no longer playful, easeful, and grateful, but are doubtful, stressful, hurtful, “limitful” and “lackful.”
With this set of beliefs and thoughts, how can I expect to live out my heart’s deepest longing, my rightful life of grace and ease, my natural state of happiness and goodness? I cannot.
So, I dig down deep, barely remembering that beautiful being that is me. I close my eyes and breathe deeply. I drop back into the stillness of the early dawn and on each exhale I thank those dominant thoughts and beliefs for their visit. I wish them well as they whisk away on the mist of my breath.
I return to simply being…in all the strength, beauty, vitality, richness, ease, and joy that is me.
Being in the way I was meant to be.
Spiraling upwards.
Energy lifting.
Feeling so blissful.
Finding my joy.
Sensing my balance.
Knowing my strength.
Freeing myself to be me.
My body is the vessel of my being.
It holds me, carries me, represents and protects me.
Why do I judge it, harm it, ignore it?
My body has unconditional love for me, always doing its best to support whatever next idea I have about how to decorate it, what to put into it, how to use it.
It will not last forever and it may not always be able to do or give me what I want, but in the still of the night, no matter what I ask of it, if I listen very carefully, I can hear it saying, “I love you”…every organ, every bone, every muscle, every cell.
It’s time to love it back…unconditionally.
Can I ask “How are you?” for the sake of simply caring?
Can I learn of your pain, your mistakes, your successes, without judging?
Can I know that your different opinions, ideas, and ways of doing things are exquisite because they are you?
Can I trust that all of your decisions are yours, not good or bad, but those necessary to lead you along the path that is you?
Can I resist the urge to selfishly invade your experience just to feel more powerful from the distant shores of my perceptions?
Can I love and respect you enough to allow you to mind your own business?
Can we all just live freely and in peace to exist in the space of our own decisions, to learn and grow in our own unique ways, and just go to work at the task of being what we were made to be…our own selves?
Root down in humility.
Let love shower over you like a soft spring rain,
The warm rays of peace and ease fill you.
So full, whole and content
That love and joy have no option
But to penetrate existing boundaries,
Bursting, springing, popping out into the world.
Allow self love to bud and peace and joy blossom.
To receive it on the outside, achieve it on the inside.
Clouds of anger, judgment, and doubt that swirl within
Block the rays of love, acceptance and trust that shine without.
Peace on the inside…Peace on the outside.
No expectations.
No resolutions.
Just Intention.
Your desired gift to yourself and the world, celebrated, shared.
Put away doubt and fear.
Repeat your intention with truth — make it so.
“I am…”
Radiant…joyful…powerful…open…beautiful…graceful…confident…inspiring…
Calm…strong…grounded…intelligent…aware…wise…
Compassion…acceptance…love…peace…
I am…
I AM.
Monday Mindfulness 