Existential Angst Anyone?

 “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs

I find myself feeling stuck lately, without a vision or inspiration and when this is the case I tend to just do what is right in front of me. I take care of the details of life with a gnawing feeling of purposelessness. During a period like this lots of "why" questions tend to come to the fore and the I end up with "what's it all about Alfie?"
My sister's motto is a quote from Longfellow " I myself must mix with action, lest I wither by despair." It sounds like good advice.

Im very good at keeping busy, being a creative type, there are often not enough hours in the day. Part of that busy action must involve heart connection or it can feel very empty; heart connection with other humans, with animals and most of all with the creative self. There are so many rewarding ways to be involved in life.

And I think there is another layer to this involvement.
I have always been a proponent of Vision Boards for setting intentions, getting excited about new possibilities, creating goals, imagining a future we can feel happy about.

Michael Beckwith Spiritual teacher, leader and Minister of Agape church in Los Angeles says "...the visioning process is about engaging creativity at its utmost, embracing transformation, and saying 'yes' to the best within us ...creating a reality that is literally beyond your imagination."

The visioning process on which he built his very successful church involves getting very quiet, going within and really listening for guidance. We are each here with a unique gift to give. What works for another may not be for you. In the visioning process we ask a series of questions such as, what qualities do we need to embody, what things do we need to know, what do we need to change in our life, and how do we need to unfold spiritually in order to bring forth the vision? This process puts us in alignment with the one energy that animates us all and is a unique expression through each according to who we are. Going with this flow within each of us serves the world in a way that gives us purpose, feels authentic and enriches those around us. We may be called to let go of fear, to take action, to find a new courage in ourselves but for me the alternative is not an option.  
Please leave a comment if this blog was helpful to you, thank you and Namaste.

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." —John 10:10.
(For more information on this process and Michael Beckwith's book on the subject;
 http://www.dailyom.com/library/000/002/000002846.html)

New Year, Old You?

Its a new year today or so we are told. The old calendar is no use. We have to get a brand new one, it feels like a chance for a fresh start.
And it can be an opportunity to reassess the state of our lives, relationships, careers and implement changes, set new goals and adjust our sails, if we are willing to change our thinking, our actions and consciously create something new.

“You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it. You must learn to see the world anew.” Albert Einstein

"Learning to see the world anew," - that means the world does not change but we who looks on it change our perceptions, our consciousness. Only you know what shifts you need to make in your own thinking.

For me as I assess my own circumstances I have decided I need to simply be more conscious of how I use my time and energy, my greatest resources. I have a tendency to set goals and ignore opportunities to follow through on implementing the steps toward that goal. Negative thinking and fear are two major impediments to pursuing my goals. So seeing the world anew for me means really evaluating the truth of the doubts and fears I become conscious of as I allow myself in the moment to be mesmerized by the worlds distractions.  If I want to create a new experience in 2013, my way of seeing the world anew is being in integrity with myself, becoming more conscious of how I spend my time and energy and creating a new consciousness with which to see my world.
How will you see the world anew and create a Happy New Year?
For inspirational stories from others who look to a higher power for support in change see www.SpiritIsTalkingToYou.com

Small Daily Tasks

"A small daily task, if it be really DAILY, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules"
Anthony Trollope

This wisdom is a good thing to remember when we are feeling overwhelmed or that we cannot seem to achieve all we would like to. It reminds me of water on limestone, it has the power to wear away caves over time. Similar to love, whose action is gentle, it has the ability to make its way into the hardest heart with daily acts of kindness.

We put off so much saying I need an entire free day to tackle this task, or I need a consistent day off to really make a dent in this goal. Its not true! This is just one way to hold ourselves back from achieving. We get out of testing ourselves, we can avoid failure but in doing so we also avoid success.

So if you are attempting to love yourself more today or love a difficult person in your life or achieve a major task, know that persistence is omnipotent. Do something in line with what your heart is prompting you toward today, no matter how small. Place reminders on your fridge or somewhere you will see it to remind yourself to take time DAILY. You can achieve so much in just five or ten minutes a day - EVERY DAY. Novels have been written this way. Fitness, closer family connections, forgiveness, a more beautiful home, clearer consciousness, more peace, all of these things can be and have been achieved this way.

What could you attempt to do? I'm certainly giving thought to this idea. I know there is power in it.
I'll keep you posted.

Goals

“Our passions are the winds that propel our vessel. Our reason is the pilot that steers her. Without winds the vessel would not move and without a pilot she would be lost.” Proverb



They say goal setters have a better chance of success and understandably so. Especially if the goal is chosen with the heart and supported by the mind. I know for myself I have set goals I did not achieve because my heart was not in it. It was something I thought up out of reasoning alone and tried to achieve out of sheer force of will. Trust me that doesn't work.

The will has to be the servant of the heart, supporting its choices. The heart is the guide and the compass. It tells us what makes us happy, what excites us, what we are passionate about. The mind can choose what step will take us where we want to go. The mind can talk to us when we get disheartened and remind us to reconnect with our inner guidance. Using the analogy in the quote above - the pilot can steer the boat so as to catch the wind in its sails once again.



So as you set your course toward your goals know there are no doldrums if you ask your heart to become engaged. Know that passion and persistence are a powerful combination and success is the joy found in the journey. Bon Voyage! I look forward to seeing you on the high seas!


“If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him”
Seneca, Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD