As I was on my way to drop off my portfolio to an animation company one day and feeling nervous, I said a prayer as I parked my car and began to walk to the building. Arriving at the cross walk a man was standing there with a folder of animation under his arm. "You must be going my way" I said, "can I follow you as it's my first time to visit this company and I'm unsure how to get there." We chatted and it turned out he was the owner of the company! "Who are you?" He asked.
My immediate thought was, " I am a spiritual being in this body that people know as Joan Doyle."
I wish I had spoken that out loud for it was my absolute truth in that moment but instead I fumbled with the mundane details of my work history.
I did not get any work from that company and it was all OK but I felt I missed an opportunity to open up a deeper conversation. For it is my belief that we are each not the labels we wear, nurse, artist, teacher, librarian....we are angels in each other's lives and here to be of service, to heal and be healed, to love and be loved and most of all to grow in understanding of who we truly are as the light.
The next time someone asks you, "who are you?" I wonder what you will say and if for a moment you will pause and remember this Truth about yourself, that you are a spiritual being in a body with a name looking at another beautiful soul wrapped in a shell.
Maybe you will!
In and through all things Love is the message that Spirit would have us know; that we are loved, that we are love and that love is always the answer. Let the words you read here be a message for you today from the Universe that created you, perfect as you are.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
The Dawn Has Come
Happy New Year to you all.
I hope you are feeling positive even if its just a date on a calendar it does give us the opportunity to re-evaluate our choices and make new ones, to look at the past and see what we might like to change about our direction and what ways we can be more proactive in creating the life we want.
I am feeling very positive and as always being conscious of the guidance there is available for us all as I navigate the mundane of my daily tasks.
As some of you know I have been grieving the loss of my beautiful mother. Having lived in LA for the last 20 years I have had a letter from her almost every two weeks over that period of time despite my weekly phone calls! In her thoughtful way she always tucked into the envelope a poem, a photo or a clipping from the Irish newspaper that she thought I might enjoy. I miss her little love notes but fortunately I kept quite a few and have been perusing some of them and sharing them with family.
Now in the first new year she did not see I have been blessed in being busy work-wise and I feel the shift of my focus to my future and not the past. And yet her love is always with me.
Just yesterday I was putting away some printer paper and there as I rearranged the drawer I found a poem and piece of card with a quote in my mothers handwriting. Coming upon it unexpectedly was like the delight of finding a letter in my mailbox. Seeing her familiar handwriting lit up my heart.
And the quote - like a message from beyond said;
"Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come."
by Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet
I was delighted with my first message of 2014 from my mother in Spirit.
Keep your eyes open, Spirit is talking to you and together we can make it a great 2014.
I hope you are feeling positive even if its just a date on a calendar it does give us the opportunity to re-evaluate our choices and make new ones, to look at the past and see what we might like to change about our direction and what ways we can be more proactive in creating the life we want.
I am feeling very positive and as always being conscious of the guidance there is available for us all as I navigate the mundane of my daily tasks.
As some of you know I have been grieving the loss of my beautiful mother. Having lived in LA for the last 20 years I have had a letter from her almost every two weeks over that period of time despite my weekly phone calls! In her thoughtful way she always tucked into the envelope a poem, a photo or a clipping from the Irish newspaper that she thought I might enjoy. I miss her little love notes but fortunately I kept quite a few and have been perusing some of them and sharing them with family.
Now in the first new year she did not see I have been blessed in being busy work-wise and I feel the shift of my focus to my future and not the past. And yet her love is always with me.
Just yesterday I was putting away some printer paper and there as I rearranged the drawer I found a poem and piece of card with a quote in my mothers handwriting. Coming upon it unexpectedly was like the delight of finding a letter in my mailbox. Seeing her familiar handwriting lit up my heart.
And the quote - like a message from beyond said;
"Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come."
by Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet
I was delighted with my first message of 2014 from my mother in Spirit.
Keep your eyes open, Spirit is talking to you and together we can make it a great 2014.
Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.
Rabindranath Tagore
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/dawn.html#ymqbLvvb5IiKHLkm.99
Rabindranath Tagore
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/dawn.html#ymqbLvvb5IiKHLkm.99
Friday, November 1, 2013
A PSALM OF LIFE
How much does a parent love a child? Parents who are reading this know exactly how much they love their children, many would say they would lay down their own lives for them.
This is how much each of us is loved.
Children of God. Children of the Universe.
What we need is always provided, consider the lilies of the field...
I offer this poem today. It is a gift from my own mother for it was a favorite of hers and from the writer who offers it to a forlorn or shipwrecked brother. We can make a difference in this life he says and so I hope today this poem may be just what you need. It is offered with love.
A PSALM OF LIFE
WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN
SAID TO THE PSALMIST
TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream ! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real ! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal ;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way ;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
Be a hero in the strife !
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
Let the dead Past bury its dead !
Act,— act in the living Present !
Heart within, and God o'erhead !
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time ;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate ;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
This is how much each of us is loved.
Children of God. Children of the Universe.
What we need is always provided, consider the lilies of the field...
I offer this poem today. It is a gift from my own mother for it was a favorite of hers and from the writer who offers it to a forlorn or shipwrecked brother. We can make a difference in this life he says and so I hope today this poem may be just what you need. It is offered with love.
A PSALM OF LIFE
WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN
SAID TO THE PSALMIST
TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream ! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real ! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal ;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way ;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
Be a hero in the strife !
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
Let the dead Past bury its dead !
Act,— act in the living Present !
Heart within, and God o'erhead !
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time ;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate ;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Your Soul's Evolution
Reading Deepak Chopra's book "Life After Death - the burden of proof," he says,
When the disembodied soul tunes in to the frequency of a loved one back on the physical plane, that person may feel the presence of the departed; two souls can commune even though one is vibrating in the material plane and the other in the astral plane.
Do you feel this is true?
Have you ever had an experience that has convinced you of the coexistence of departed souls in the same time and space as we inhabit?
Musing on this I realize for myself I have always felt this to be true, but it has become, over the three years since my father passed away, a more real experience, something I accept.
As I mature I am less rigid in my beliefs. They are results of upbringing, social influences and the ideas of those we hold in high regard. I have never spent time in Mongolia otherwise I might believe whatever Mongolians believe. I live in California and some might say that is a place that has some far out and bizarre ideas. I think coming from Ireland I have a nice balance in my belief system!
What I do know for sure is that beliefs change. Experiencing diverse cultures and trying out new ideas for size loosens firm beliefs, shapes new ways of seeing things and opens us to possibilities we might not have entertained before. I am grateful I can say yes to Deepak's ideas as I identify the evolution of my own beliefs. This I also see as part of the evolutionary journey of the soul in this lifetime. Can you identify how you have evolved because of some experience you have lived through?
I would love to hear about it, so please leave a comment on this blog so we may all learn from your evolution.
When the disembodied soul tunes in to the frequency of a loved one back on the physical plane, that person may feel the presence of the departed; two souls can commune even though one is vibrating in the material plane and the other in the astral plane.
Do you feel this is true?
Have you ever had an experience that has convinced you of the coexistence of departed souls in the same time and space as we inhabit?
Musing on this I realize for myself I have always felt this to be true, but it has become, over the three years since my father passed away, a more real experience, something I accept.
As I mature I am less rigid in my beliefs. They are results of upbringing, social influences and the ideas of those we hold in high regard. I have never spent time in Mongolia otherwise I might believe whatever Mongolians believe. I live in California and some might say that is a place that has some far out and bizarre ideas. I think coming from Ireland I have a nice balance in my belief system!
What I do know for sure is that beliefs change. Experiencing diverse cultures and trying out new ideas for size loosens firm beliefs, shapes new ways of seeing things and opens us to possibilities we might not have entertained before. I am grateful I can say yes to Deepak's ideas as I identify the evolution of my own beliefs. This I also see as part of the evolutionary journey of the soul in this lifetime. Can you identify how you have evolved because of some experience you have lived through?
I would love to hear about it, so please leave a comment on this blog so we may all learn from your evolution.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Every day a little rebirth
Every day as it passes becomes part of yesterday and by so doing it is a little death. And each morning we are reborn.This was my message for today from "The Book of Light" by Alexandra Solanado.
I've been thinking about my mother who passed from this world not three weeks ago. I recognize the truth of the statement and know for both she and I there is a rebirth with every passing day. Each of us continues on our journey.
Mothers are such special people in all our lives, whether our experience of them is good or not so good, whether we knew them or were nurtured by another. In our lives they are like the adverse wind that makes us stronger one way or another.
We have both mother and father in us forever. Created by the two we can never truly be separate of them. I breathe today because of them. They breathe in me today. Every tree or beam of light I see, I share with them if I choose to see it that way; being ONE.
"It is such a gift to still be in the body" said Thich Nhat Hanh this Saturday at the Pasadena Convention Center. "so enjoy the senses, give thanks for our eyes, be grateful for this mortal existence.
Let the mother in you breathe, let the father in you breathe, simply be here now with what is. This will lessen suffering and open us to joy."
I breathe in gratitude today for all that has been, all that is and all that has yet to be.
Namaste.
I've been thinking about my mother who passed from this world not three weeks ago. I recognize the truth of the statement and know for both she and I there is a rebirth with every passing day. Each of us continues on our journey.
Mothers are such special people in all our lives, whether our experience of them is good or not so good, whether we knew them or were nurtured by another. In our lives they are like the adverse wind that makes us stronger one way or another.
We have both mother and father in us forever. Created by the two we can never truly be separate of them. I breathe today because of them. They breathe in me today. Every tree or beam of light I see, I share with them if I choose to see it that way; being ONE.
"It is such a gift to still be in the body" said Thich Nhat Hanh this Saturday at the Pasadena Convention Center. "so enjoy the senses, give thanks for our eyes, be grateful for this mortal existence.
Let the mother in you breathe, let the father in you breathe, simply be here now with what is. This will lessen suffering and open us to joy."
I breathe in gratitude today for all that has been, all that is and all that has yet to be.
Namaste.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Do you believe all you think?
We all have bad days, I certainly do and today started that way.
At the beginning of the year I committed to doing things differently and the key to that I believe is thinking different thoughts because our thoughts are the seed we plant and soon see the results of in our experience. So as today started with some ugly thoughts rattling round in my head I wondered what should I do here, will I go with these self defeating thoughts that feel so familiar even if unpleasant?
Even as I was wondering about this my friend called and we prayed together. Ahh what a salve to my soul, to lift my thoughts to a higher level and see from the perspective of the Divine. How interesting too how I can instantly see the Truth for her sooner than for myself. And vice versa. I guess that's why we keep friends around.
Following that phone call I listened in to a 30 day Prosperity program I committed to 17 days ago and again I got a message I needed to hear and here it is...
Just because I think I cant I don't have to believe me!
Ha ha! I loved it, thank you Spirit! All my negative thoughts just got shot down because I choose not to believe them. Like the Wizard of Oz they have been shown up to be a load of hot air! So what is the Truth I replaced them with, its this, from Ernest Holmes...
"Good and more good is mine. An ever increasing good is mine. There is no limit to the good that is mine. Everywhere I go I see this good, I feel it, I experience it. It presses itself against me, it flows through me, expresses itself in me and multiplies itself around me."
Your beliefs are your choice, so what will it be today? I believe this the best day of my life because I am here and I am alive and I have free will. I am creative and a blessing and I expect to be blessed today. You can too.
At the beginning of the year I committed to doing things differently and the key to that I believe is thinking different thoughts because our thoughts are the seed we plant and soon see the results of in our experience. So as today started with some ugly thoughts rattling round in my head I wondered what should I do here, will I go with these self defeating thoughts that feel so familiar even if unpleasant?
Even as I was wondering about this my friend called and we prayed together. Ahh what a salve to my soul, to lift my thoughts to a higher level and see from the perspective of the Divine. How interesting too how I can instantly see the Truth for her sooner than for myself. And vice versa. I guess that's why we keep friends around.
Following that phone call I listened in to a 30 day Prosperity program I committed to 17 days ago and again I got a message I needed to hear and here it is...
Just because I think I cant I don't have to believe me!
Ha ha! I loved it, thank you Spirit! All my negative thoughts just got shot down because I choose not to believe them. Like the Wizard of Oz they have been shown up to be a load of hot air! So what is the Truth I replaced them with, its this, from Ernest Holmes...
"Good and more good is mine. An ever increasing good is mine. There is no limit to the good that is mine. Everywhere I go I see this good, I feel it, I experience it. It presses itself against me, it flows through me, expresses itself in me and multiplies itself around me."
Your beliefs are your choice, so what will it be today? I believe this the best day of my life because I am here and I am alive and I have free will. I am creative and a blessing and I expect to be blessed today. You can too.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
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.
"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
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
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
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Divine Operation
This quote from Judge Troward is one of my favourite affirmations of our co-creative ability with Spirit.
So often we see whats possible because we know some one who achieved a particular thing that looks like something we would like to do also. We forget that even more is possible, something unique to us, our version, something never seen before. In the field of possibility only Spirit can imagine what our limited minds cannot. Use this to allow Spirit to dream your dream.
"My mind is a center of Divine operation. The Divine operation is always for expansion and fuller expression, and this means the production of something beyond what has gone before, something entirely new, not included in past experience, though proceeding out of it by an orderly sequence of growth. Therefore, since the Divine cannot change its inherent nature, it must operate in the same manner in me; consequently in my own special world, of which I am the center, it will move forward to produce new conditions, always in advance of any that have gone before."
So often we see whats possible because we know some one who achieved a particular thing that looks like something we would like to do also. We forget that even more is possible, something unique to us, our version, something never seen before. In the field of possibility only Spirit can imagine what our limited minds cannot. Use this to allow Spirit to dream your dream.
"My mind is a center of Divine operation. The Divine operation is always for expansion and fuller expression, and this means the production of something beyond what has gone before, something entirely new, not included in past experience, though proceeding out of it by an orderly sequence of growth. Therefore, since the Divine cannot change its inherent nature, it must operate in the same manner in me; consequently in my own special world, of which I am the center, it will move forward to produce new conditions, always in advance of any that have gone before."
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Beyond Fear
A big part of this life is about embracing our fears and not running from them or diverting attention elsewhere as much as we would like to. Challenging
times can be seen as opportunities for growth rather than something we need to avoid
at all costs.
As part of that, we can remember that being brave is not about having 'no fear' As Susan Jeffers tells us - "Feel the fear and do it anyway." These times are asking us to know our own strength and creativity, ingenuity and courage. We truly are stronger than we think. Do you believe this?
I absolutely know it and so I invite you to trust it too.
"So the next time you encounter fear, consider yourself lucky. This is where the courage comes in. Usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear. When I was first married, my husband said I was one of the bravest people he knew. When I asked him why, he said because I was a complete coward but went ahead and did things anyhow."
~ Pema Chodron from "When Things Fall Apart"
As part of that, we can remember that being brave is not about having 'no fear' As Susan Jeffers tells us - "Feel the fear and do it anyway." These times are asking us to know our own strength and creativity, ingenuity and courage. We truly are stronger than we think. Do you believe this?
I absolutely know it and so I invite you to trust it too.
"So the next time you encounter fear, consider yourself lucky. This is where the courage comes in. Usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear. When I was first married, my husband said I was one of the bravest people he knew. When I asked him why, he said because I was a complete coward but went ahead and did things anyhow."
~ Pema Chodron from "When Things Fall Apart"
Thursday, November 1, 2012
What makes you happy?
Has a piece of music or any performance or piece of art ever lifted you out of the mundane? Have you felt something well up from inside you, such as joy, awe, or simply a pleasant feeling as a result of an encounter with a truly inspired creation, be it a song performed with abandon or a piece of art that evokes an emotional response?
I know I certainly have.
I just read a comment from Yo-Yo Ma in "Imagine" a book by Jonah Lehrer where is says that in perfecting any technique especially in the case of professional musicians they are constantly subject to criticism as they study and learn. BUT he says if he got up on stage and thought only about the critics it would stifle any performance. The key he says, and I feel this applies to anything in life, is to play with the abandon of a child. A child is playing for pure pleasure, it makes him happy. This he says is the only reason to play, and I say it is the only reason to do what you do in life.
I hope that there is some place in your life where you can play with abandon, and if you are fortunate, I hope it is what we call your "work."
I know I certainly have.
I just read a comment from Yo-Yo Ma in "Imagine" a book by Jonah Lehrer where is says that in perfecting any technique especially in the case of professional musicians they are constantly subject to criticism as they study and learn. BUT he says if he got up on stage and thought only about the critics it would stifle any performance. The key he says, and I feel this applies to anything in life, is to play with the abandon of a child. A child is playing for pure pleasure, it makes him happy. This he says is the only reason to play, and I say it is the only reason to do what you do in life.
I hope that there is some place in your life where you can play with abandon, and if you are fortunate, I hope it is what we call your "work."
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Daisy
My friend Daisy passed away on Sunday night. She was 89 years old and has been slipping away for weeks. Although I had been praying for her peaceful transition it was still a shock when I heard the news that she was gone. Immediately my mind went to was anyone with her? - I did not say goodbye - I wish I had been there - she never said goodbye. I though of all the years I had been visiting her and I knew I would miss her sweet energy.
Needless to say I was in a funky mood all day, out of sorts, not feeling like I could give 100% to anything. I had a meeting at 2 and I went and was distracted for a couple of hours but as soon as I got in my car, Daisy was there with me again or rather her loss.
I thought of what my friend Bob, a medium had said to me, "we can each communicate with our loved ones on the other side, we don't need a medium, it is our own openness that allows them to come through."
(You can read the complete story in my book Spirit is Talking to You, called "Bob's Gift")
Feeling all the unsaid goodbyes, I began to speak out loud in my car as I drove, saying how she was missed and I hoped she was Ok. I let out all the thoughts I was keeping in, as if they had no place to go.
They had a place and they went out to Daisy. As I began to run out of things to express I found I had to speak for her now and say "Thank you" to myself for being there for her. It was really Daisy saying her goodbye and that was so typical of her to be expressing gratitude.
One of the last things at the nursing home that she had said to me was "Thank you" - her blue eyes opening and then closing to drift into sleep.
Instantly I felt the weight of grieving lift from me and I was back to myself again.
That night I randomly opened a book that had been sitting unread on my table and the verse I read was a message from Spirit. It was a quote from John O'Donohue in a book by Wayne Dyer.
"I believe that our friends among the dead really mind us and look out for us...we might be able to link up in a very creative way with our friends in the invisible world. We do not need to grieve for the dead. Why should we grieve for them? They are now in a place where there is no more shadow, darkness, loneliness, isolation or pain. They are home. They are with God from whom they came."
Thank You Spirit!
Needless to say I was in a funky mood all day, out of sorts, not feeling like I could give 100% to anything. I had a meeting at 2 and I went and was distracted for a couple of hours but as soon as I got in my car, Daisy was there with me again or rather her loss.
I thought of what my friend Bob, a medium had said to me, "we can each communicate with our loved ones on the other side, we don't need a medium, it is our own openness that allows them to come through."
(You can read the complete story in my book Spirit is Talking to You, called "Bob's Gift")
Feeling all the unsaid goodbyes, I began to speak out loud in my car as I drove, saying how she was missed and I hoped she was Ok. I let out all the thoughts I was keeping in, as if they had no place to go.
They had a place and they went out to Daisy. As I began to run out of things to express I found I had to speak for her now and say "Thank you" to myself for being there for her. It was really Daisy saying her goodbye and that was so typical of her to be expressing gratitude.
One of the last things at the nursing home that she had said to me was "Thank you" - her blue eyes opening and then closing to drift into sleep.
Instantly I felt the weight of grieving lift from me and I was back to myself again.
That night I randomly opened a book that had been sitting unread on my table and the verse I read was a message from Spirit. It was a quote from John O'Donohue in a book by Wayne Dyer.
"I believe that our friends among the dead really mind us and look out for us...we might be able to link up in a very creative way with our friends in the invisible world. We do not need to grieve for the dead. Why should we grieve for them? They are now in a place where there is no more shadow, darkness, loneliness, isolation or pain. They are home. They are with God from whom they came."
Thank You Spirit!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Return to Love
We are all innocent, Marianne Williamson says in her book, A Return to Love. When a person acts unlovingly, if they lie or hurt us with
criticism or judgement, that it is a call for love. If we can step out
of the way of the insult or negative behaviour and remain nonreactive we
can find our power. Our power lies in seeing the illusion or dream the
other person is in and seeing with the eyes of Spirit. We are
instruments of love not of defense of the ego.
The choice to act this way is not easy but it is within the realm of our choosing. We can ask for help in this shift of perception. Outside circumstances don't bring us peace, it comes from within. Are you willing to stop withholding love as forgiveness? Do you choose love or fear? Let us not let the closing of another's heart tempt us to close our own.
Let's choose love today!
Namaste.
Available now as an e-book for Kindle. "Spirit is Talking to You" by Joan Doyle
www.amazon.com/Spirit-Talking-You-Inspiration-ebook/dp/B0091FU3F2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_Aw8nqb0SZD8QV_im
The choice to act this way is not easy but it is within the realm of our choosing. We can ask for help in this shift of perception. Outside circumstances don't bring us peace, it comes from within. Are you willing to stop withholding love as forgiveness? Do you choose love or fear? Let us not let the closing of another's heart tempt us to close our own.
Let's choose love today!
Namaste.
Available now as an e-book for Kindle. "Spirit is Talking to You" by Joan Doyle
www.amazon.com/Spirit-Talking-You-Inspiration-ebook/dp/B0091FU3F2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_Aw8nqb0SZD8QV_im
Saturday, August 4, 2012
I have a dream
As I continue to read the "Art of Possibility" we come to the idea of drawing conclusions. How often have we drawn a negative conclusion after something does not work out?
Myself I have to confess, too many times to recall. It's a bit about pessimism but also a self judgment. With thoughts like "Well, I wasn't good enough anyway," "Wouldn't you know, just my luck!" or "I knew it wouldn't work," I conclude it had to be about me and that somehow I, more than the next person, is less deserving.
A downward spiral ensues making me less open to possibilities. Now if I can instead just state the facts without attaching some kind of conclusion about myself or what it all means then I can more easily move on to what might come next.
"I have a dream..." could be the next statement as I picture how I would like things to become.
So, no blaming, no wishing things had happened differently, no resisting the world as it is, brings me into the present moment. Being in the moment allows me to discover the road from here.
Are you looking at your glass as half empty instead of focusing on the contents? Do you have a dream? Then it's time to look at the bare facts, to stop the downward spiral and ask what next? Ideas have a place to present themselves in this way of thinking.
Past disappointment or failures really have no bearing on anything I create today, and have no part in my future. Or yours, unless you let them. What do you want to do?
Myself I have to confess, too many times to recall. It's a bit about pessimism but also a self judgment. With thoughts like "Well, I wasn't good enough anyway," "Wouldn't you know, just my luck!" or "I knew it wouldn't work," I conclude it had to be about me and that somehow I, more than the next person, is less deserving.
A downward spiral ensues making me less open to possibilities. Now if I can instead just state the facts without attaching some kind of conclusion about myself or what it all means then I can more easily move on to what might come next.
"I have a dream..." could be the next statement as I picture how I would like things to become.
So, no blaming, no wishing things had happened differently, no resisting the world as it is, brings me into the present moment. Being in the moment allows me to discover the road from here.
Are you looking at your glass as half empty instead of focusing on the contents? Do you have a dream? Then it's time to look at the bare facts, to stop the downward spiral and ask what next? Ideas have a place to present themselves in this way of thinking.
Past disappointment or failures really have no bearing on anything I create today, and have no part in my future. Or yours, unless you let them. What do you want to do?
Sunday, July 29, 2012
You make a difference
As I continue to read "The Art of Possibility" I am heartened by the examples of how perceptions changed people's experiences.
One story the author, Zander, tells is of a young woman on a beach where thousands of star fish have been stranded, high and dry and soon to perish. A man approaching the girl from a distance perceives her to be dancing with a graceful movement raising her arms in the air. As he gets closer he sees that she is throwing the star fish back into the ocean. In a mocking tone he comments that there are star fish as far as the eye can see, what difference can saving a few make. Smiling the young woman reaches down and tossing one more out over the water she says serenely "It certainly makes a difference to this one."
If we don't look to measure the degrees of success or failure of a venture but approach it as someone who can contribute, it changes our experience of life. The young woman could just as easily have abandoned her task seeing the futility of her endeavor but no, she is serene in the act of contributing to this one star fish. Zander asks us to put it to ourselves, "How will I be a contributor today?" When we ask this question we more easily come into the present moment and there is no where else to be, no other person to be with, we look to contribute to this moment, to this person, to this endeavor. It shifts our thinking from - what do I get out of this or evaluating, will my effort be worthwhile?
So I declare myself a contributor today. I throw myself into life as someone who makes a difference. I don't have to understand how or why.
I am inventing myself in a way that we all are, everyday. How are you inventing yourself today and how is it working for you?
.
One story the author, Zander, tells is of a young woman on a beach where thousands of star fish have been stranded, high and dry and soon to perish. A man approaching the girl from a distance perceives her to be dancing with a graceful movement raising her arms in the air. As he gets closer he sees that she is throwing the star fish back into the ocean. In a mocking tone he comments that there are star fish as far as the eye can see, what difference can saving a few make. Smiling the young woman reaches down and tossing one more out over the water she says serenely "It certainly makes a difference to this one."
If we don't look to measure the degrees of success or failure of a venture but approach it as someone who can contribute, it changes our experience of life. The young woman could just as easily have abandoned her task seeing the futility of her endeavor but no, she is serene in the act of contributing to this one star fish. Zander asks us to put it to ourselves, "How will I be a contributor today?" When we ask this question we more easily come into the present moment and there is no where else to be, no other person to be with, we look to contribute to this moment, to this person, to this endeavor. It shifts our thinking from - what do I get out of this or evaluating, will my effort be worthwhile?
So I declare myself a contributor today. I throw myself into life as someone who makes a difference. I don't have to understand how or why.
I am inventing myself in a way that we all are, everyday. How are you inventing yourself today and how is it working for you?
.
Friday, July 27, 2012
An "A" student of life
I'm just reading the book, The Art of Possibility and being very inspired.
The writers are a couple; he a conductor, composer and teacher, she an executive coach and family systems therapist. Published in 2000, it's message has never been more needed as it is today. We need new possibilities as we deal with a quickly changing world.
The Zanders say our realities, based on our beliefs, are all invented anyway so why not invent a positive view of yourself and the world. Give yourself and everyone you meet an A. See the Michelangelo statue inside the rough piece of clay before you and watch it emerge, encourage it's emergence. As we let go of judging by our standards we open to people we would not before have aligned with, there by opening to possibilities heretofore cut off from us.
By giving yourself an A, it does not mean you don't have to work hard anymore but it frees you to take risks as you don't have to toe some imagined line in order to deserve approval. You already have it!
It is not about raising self esteem or boasting, it simply takes you out of the idea of success/failure and brings you into the world of possibility. It allows you to acknowledge as well as be, all of who you are without having to deny any part.
Try it out for a day and see what results, I like the feel of it don't you?
The writers are a couple; he a conductor, composer and teacher, she an executive coach and family systems therapist. Published in 2000, it's message has never been more needed as it is today. We need new possibilities as we deal with a quickly changing world.
The Zanders say our realities, based on our beliefs, are all invented anyway so why not invent a positive view of yourself and the world. Give yourself and everyone you meet an A. See the Michelangelo statue inside the rough piece of clay before you and watch it emerge, encourage it's emergence. As we let go of judging by our standards we open to people we would not before have aligned with, there by opening to possibilities heretofore cut off from us.
By giving yourself an A, it does not mean you don't have to work hard anymore but it frees you to take risks as you don't have to toe some imagined line in order to deserve approval. You already have it!
It is not about raising self esteem or boasting, it simply takes you out of the idea of success/failure and brings you into the world of possibility. It allows you to acknowledge as well as be, all of who you are without having to deny any part.
Try it out for a day and see what results, I like the feel of it don't you?
Monday, July 23, 2012
Mercury Retrograde
Have you ever heard someone say Mercury is retrograde and that's why they are having a bad day or why they were late, didn't get your e-mail, missed the plane?
If not let me just explain here that this is an astrological term that means that because of how the earth and mercury are moving in their orbits it appears from our vantage point here on earth that the planet Mercury is traveling backwards. The effect of this energy, similar to the effect the moon has on the tides, is to create delays, mix ups, make us go back over old ground, make travel plans and communications go askew. Mercury is the planet associated with travel and communications, as the moon is with the emotions. When it is in retrograde we go over old territory in one way or another.
Of course what you believe dictates your experience so if you give this idea weight then expect events to take unexpected turns and not a lot of progress to be made in new ventures while old ventures get movement.
Personally I have always been fascinated by astrology having explored it in some depth in my twenties and I see it not as many do, as a prediction of something set in stone but rather as something that indicates areas of life that pull at our attention at any given time.
This week for instance I had a face to face meeting with an old friend I had not sat down with for almost two years. At the same time someone from college contacted me through Facebook - when I last saw her has been more years than I care to remember! We e-mailed every day this week finding out what the other has been up to and seeing where in our lives we have both gotten wiser.
And Mercury is retrograde right now so how perfectly appropriate to be involved in such activities.
Whether you think its a lot of rubbish or not, I ask you to look at your last week and the one coming and report your findings.
There is a time for every thing so why not take this time to review something from the past that has been asking for your attention. Its a great way to use the energy of Mercury retrograde.
Mercury goes direct August 8th.
If not let me just explain here that this is an astrological term that means that because of how the earth and mercury are moving in their orbits it appears from our vantage point here on earth that the planet Mercury is traveling backwards. The effect of this energy, similar to the effect the moon has on the tides, is to create delays, mix ups, make us go back over old ground, make travel plans and communications go askew. Mercury is the planet associated with travel and communications, as the moon is with the emotions. When it is in retrograde we go over old territory in one way or another.
Of course what you believe dictates your experience so if you give this idea weight then expect events to take unexpected turns and not a lot of progress to be made in new ventures while old ventures get movement.
Personally I have always been fascinated by astrology having explored it in some depth in my twenties and I see it not as many do, as a prediction of something set in stone but rather as something that indicates areas of life that pull at our attention at any given time.
This week for instance I had a face to face meeting with an old friend I had not sat down with for almost two years. At the same time someone from college contacted me through Facebook - when I last saw her has been more years than I care to remember! We e-mailed every day this week finding out what the other has been up to and seeing where in our lives we have both gotten wiser.
And Mercury is retrograde right now so how perfectly appropriate to be involved in such activities.
Whether you think its a lot of rubbish or not, I ask you to look at your last week and the one coming and report your findings.
There is a time for every thing so why not take this time to review something from the past that has been asking for your attention. Its a great way to use the energy of Mercury retrograde.
Mercury goes direct August 8th.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
The Tudors
I just finished watching the Tudors, a TV series on the reign of the infamous King Henry the VIII, of which there are 38 episodes. At first I thought the series was too much of a sexy soap opera but soon I have to admit I found it absolutely fascinating.
I learned many things from watching this series.
History was brought to vivid life as I was lured into the constantly shifting politics of the Royal Court at a time when the Reformation was taking hold in Europe. Having been raised a Catholic in Ireland and remembering Mass said in Latin I got a deeper understanding of the grip of Rome on its distant subjects and of the difficulties involved in breaking with tradition and old beliefs.
Having grown up with the effects of tension between Protestant and Catholic in my country I got to see in this TV series some of the roots of the divisions in their rituals and loyalties. Of course in Ireland the tension was also deeply linked to oppressor, (the English Protestants) and the oppressed (Irish Catholics.) It was as if the country held more firmly to it's beliefs because of the persecution.
Change is never easy and it was not in England either; this breaking from Rome, for the peasantry of that country were as much oppresses as those in Ireland. There was no religious freedom for them as their monasteries were sacked and the lands handed to those in the King's favor.
And presently in Ireland, after all the years of fighting for Catholicism, the churches are greatly depleted as scandals and rigidity leave a sour taste in a society jaded and skeptical as economic boom was followed quickly by a return to austerity. In the light of all those burned at the stake, hanged drawn and quartered, beheaded and more, I wonder at the world of men.
I am left with a line from the series resounding amid all the other thoughts and ideas and it is this...
'Praise the God of all, drink the wine, and let the world be the world.'
Amen.
I learned many things from watching this series.
History was brought to vivid life as I was lured into the constantly shifting politics of the Royal Court at a time when the Reformation was taking hold in Europe. Having been raised a Catholic in Ireland and remembering Mass said in Latin I got a deeper understanding of the grip of Rome on its distant subjects and of the difficulties involved in breaking with tradition and old beliefs.
Having grown up with the effects of tension between Protestant and Catholic in my country I got to see in this TV series some of the roots of the divisions in their rituals and loyalties. Of course in Ireland the tension was also deeply linked to oppressor, (the English Protestants) and the oppressed (Irish Catholics.) It was as if the country held more firmly to it's beliefs because of the persecution.
Change is never easy and it was not in England either; this breaking from Rome, for the peasantry of that country were as much oppresses as those in Ireland. There was no religious freedom for them as their monasteries were sacked and the lands handed to those in the King's favor.
And presently in Ireland, after all the years of fighting for Catholicism, the churches are greatly depleted as scandals and rigidity leave a sour taste in a society jaded and skeptical as economic boom was followed quickly by a return to austerity. In the light of all those burned at the stake, hanged drawn and quartered, beheaded and more, I wonder at the world of men.
I am left with a line from the series resounding amid all the other thoughts and ideas and it is this...
'Praise the God of all, drink the wine, and let the world be the world.'
Amen.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Busy Lives, your choice.
So busy, everyone says it today, life is so busy! And its true; we are subject to so much more data, activities and people than ever before in human history. Its progress; technological advances and population growth. And it has its advantages. I can Skype my family in Ireland, I can create my own website, blog, connect with lost friends on facebook, print my own photos, research any subject I choose to and I can work at home.
Does all this increase my happiness and peace of mind? The answer is a definite NO! And a definite YES! The choice is mine to make. I am 100% responsible for the quality of my experience.
I realize that nothing is so important that I choose it over my body's needs for exercise, proper nutrition, sleep and real time with real people. So often I choose to complain that I don't get enough sleep but who puts me to bed too late? I end up with neck pain because I didn't get up from the computer at work for four hours at a time!! I'm not enslaved and chained to my desk. There may be deadlines to meet but a two minute break every twenty minutes will make me a healthier employee and save me dollars at the chiropractor later.
So today I choose to have a joyful experience, to know that its the quality of the moments that matter most.
After all, who knows how many moments we have left? Choose well today and make it a wonderful day.
With love,
Joan
Does all this increase my happiness and peace of mind? The answer is a definite NO! And a definite YES! The choice is mine to make. I am 100% responsible for the quality of my experience.
I realize that nothing is so important that I choose it over my body's needs for exercise, proper nutrition, sleep and real time with real people. So often I choose to complain that I don't get enough sleep but who puts me to bed too late? I end up with neck pain because I didn't get up from the computer at work for four hours at a time!! I'm not enslaved and chained to my desk. There may be deadlines to meet but a two minute break every twenty minutes will make me a healthier employee and save me dollars at the chiropractor later.
So today I choose to have a joyful experience, to know that its the quality of the moments that matter most.
After all, who knows how many moments we have left? Choose well today and make it a wonderful day.
With love,
Joan
Friday, February 24, 2012
More Stories
I've come across ho'oponopono. Anyone heard of this beautiful Hawaiian spiritual practice?
It is based on the idea that we are always replaying DATA - old memories, formed opinions, set beliefs in our heads and so as we encounter others and situations we are full of perceptions and judgements rather than being present as our essence or pure soul. The practice of ho'oponopono then is about CLEANING, letting go of dead material and being free to be spontaneous and inspired by love, our essence, or divinity. Its very much on the lines of "the power of NOW" or non-attachment in Buddhist terms.
The unique thing with ho'oponopono is there is a mantra for self cleaning and it goes like this, (directed to your enemy, your friend, your body, your family, your boss, yourself or anyone you have ever though badly of)
I LOVE YOU,
I'M SORRY,
PLEASE FORGIVE ME,
THANK YOU.
I liken this process to coming into alignment with love, what would LOVE do here? There are many ways we come back to this place of stillness and remember who we are. The book of stories I am compiling about how Spirit talks to you is all about just this. These stories of signs and momentary encounters are all incidents that bring people back to the TRUTH, I am a spiritual being. If you have a story you would like to contribute go to www.SpiritIsTalkingToYou.com.
And remember your divinity today, you are a creative and loved being and so is every person you encounter.
It is based on the idea that we are always replaying DATA - old memories, formed opinions, set beliefs in our heads and so as we encounter others and situations we are full of perceptions and judgements rather than being present as our essence or pure soul. The practice of ho'oponopono then is about CLEANING, letting go of dead material and being free to be spontaneous and inspired by love, our essence, or divinity. Its very much on the lines of "the power of NOW" or non-attachment in Buddhist terms.
The unique thing with ho'oponopono is there is a mantra for self cleaning and it goes like this, (directed to your enemy, your friend, your body, your family, your boss, yourself or anyone you have ever though badly of)
I LOVE YOU,
I'M SORRY,
PLEASE FORGIVE ME,
THANK YOU.
I liken this process to coming into alignment with love, what would LOVE do here? There are many ways we come back to this place of stillness and remember who we are. The book of stories I am compiling about how Spirit talks to you is all about just this. These stories of signs and momentary encounters are all incidents that bring people back to the TRUTH, I am a spiritual being. If you have a story you would like to contribute go to www.SpiritIsTalkingToYou.com.
And remember your divinity today, you are a creative and loved being and so is every person you encounter.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Your Story
We have many stories don't we; the story of our lives and how we come to be where we are, stories of happy times and not so happy times. Our stories solidify the conclusions we have come to about who we are and where we are in our lives - they are the words that describe who we are. Our stories are important to our identity, who would we be without them?
Now that is a good question. Who would you be without your stories? Is it a bit scary to imagine removing those stories? Who would you be if you didn’t have them?
Maybe without those stories we would be the essence of the life that we were when we were born. Imagine that. Then we had no story yet. Who were we then?
We are still that underneath our stories. In some cases our stories have dampened that vibrant, open eyed innocence and wonder. We can reclaim it. We can loosen our attachment to our stories especially if they limit us in some way.
Lately I decided to compile stories into a book, combining my stories with other people's stories of how Spirit talks to them in their lives. I struggled with the idea of myself as an author or anthologist. Who am I to do this work having been an artist all my life? Now that's a limiting idea born out of the story I tell myself. I may be new to writing but I have endless enthusiasm for this project. That enthusiasm is who I am - the essence I was born with. I have not let my story restrict the TRUTH of who I am as a creative being. Are your stories limiting you?
Now that is a good question. Who would you be without your stories? Is it a bit scary to imagine removing those stories? Who would you be if you didn’t have them?
Maybe without those stories we would be the essence of the life that we were when we were born. Imagine that. Then we had no story yet. Who were we then?
We are still that underneath our stories. In some cases our stories have dampened that vibrant, open eyed innocence and wonder. We can reclaim it. We can loosen our attachment to our stories especially if they limit us in some way.
Lately I decided to compile stories into a book, combining my stories with other people's stories of how Spirit talks to them in their lives. I struggled with the idea of myself as an author or anthologist. Who am I to do this work having been an artist all my life? Now that's a limiting idea born out of the story I tell myself. I may be new to writing but I have endless enthusiasm for this project. That enthusiasm is who I am - the essence I was born with. I have not let my story restrict the TRUTH of who I am as a creative being. Are your stories limiting you?
Check out my website www.SpiritIsTalkingToYou.com and see if there is an author in you because I believe we all have a story worth changing but we also have a story worth telling.
NAMASTE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)