Soul surfing

Soul Surfing

For those who love the water, nothing can be more fun than getting out in the ocean, swimming their boards out to the waves and getting on top of the waves and riding them to their hearts content. The exhilaration of catching the  big one is always thrilling and a great source  of satisfaction and joy. I have seen absolutely stunning photographs of surfers doing what they do best within a tunnel of waves, keeping speed, balance and poise as they then exit the surf. When perfectly in the moment they are at peace with themselves and all their surroundings. They are at that moment sheltered if you will by the crest of the waves. So too is the same situation with our souls. 

We dive into the ocean of our lives with great enthusiasm and vigor. Just like the ocean waves, there is a certain measure of unpredictability that goes along with the experience. We wait, we watch the ripples of energy of the waves and then swim towards the swells, just as we would in each unfolding life endeavor. We can either approach the wave with fear or with love. It is not an adversity to be overcome yet an encounter to experience. With fear there is no hope of surfing. With taking on the wave or experience "head on" in the moment we do not spend the energy to keep the event in our heads or minds yet instead prolong it in our hearts. Once we climb the swell we can enjoy the time there or we can be petrified of falling off the wave. Seasoned surfers will do the former.  If we are too premature in trying to attack the wave, and hold on to the life experience when not ready for it, we invariably will falter. If we delay in reaching for an opportunity we end up with the same. It is all about timing and and knowing when the experience is instinctively approachable and knowing when YOU are ready. In the end it is the experience that we live through that will allow us to know versus the other way round. 

Once under the crest of the wave, we coast along the wave itself, yet in fact it is through a series of waves that we are traveling. With balance to stay on the board, with agility to be able to quickly course correct, and sheer joy of the present we either successfully come out of our experience with a Kodak moment or crash into the merciless wave force. An idea to ponder is that in life if we attempt to be in a state of compassion and balance it with forgiveness and temper our outlook with gratitude we too can have Kodak moments. With negativity and lack of focus, the tide of the life's waves will toss you around like a piece of untethered sea weed. Reaching the crest of your life is an experience that we all as "soul surfers" aim to enjoy. Look around at all the other soul surfers out there that you pass by each day and at every moment. Some are well trained in this art and some are not, and some are on their way to learning all about the surf that we call life. It takes practice. Physical strength, being nimble, and stamina are all helpful traits, yet I have seen all ranges of 10-80 y old people attempting this sport, some succeed and some fail. It is better to have tried and failed than never at all tried your hand at anything. Now do not go and jump in to the ocean to experience surfing because I said so, instead happily go and jump in to your life's ocean and try your hand at skills sets of compassion, love and gratitude that may just keep you above water. Patience, understanding and freedom from doubt, are skills needed to stay on the board. Faith and surrender are necessary skills that will get you back to shore safely once you traverse the moment to moment wave experiences.

What a lovely day do go out soul surfing....

The Lovliest flower in the garden !

  The Loveliest Flower in the Garden

Anyone who spends the time to tend to a garden knows that there are always a few flowers or bushes that are their special  flowers amongst the entire collection that is the pride and joy of the gardener. Those particular flowers have unique properties such as either rare colors  or color combination, or petal formations or inviting centers and so on. They are cherished and nurtured accordingly. We all have such unique properties whether it is in the form of character traits, or special gifts or extraordinary abilities. Each person is here at this particular time, on this planet for a reason with something to offer the garden that is the universe.

You may think and believe that you do not have a special skill or are devoid of any ability but that is where your limited thinking and those of others imprinted upon you do not let your flower to bloom to its full potential. Whether it is a gentle way of packaging a box, picking up garbage or the unique ability to sense another person's feelings or create a beautiful piece of art, perform a musical sonata, sing like an angel or perform brain surgery or simply bring peace to someone in need through your comforting words and presence.  A skill, a trait and predisposition to enhance the greater good of the world is possessed within all of us. Like the flower how do we plan to reveal it? 

The universe will provide you with all the necessary elements to survive and flourish but in order to bloom you have to do your part. Sun, water, soil, oxygen, adequate nourishment and  gravity are all elements that are given. The wild card that makes the difference between you or the flower withering away versus blooming to full potential  is the belief that you and the flower can be the loveliest and the most beautiful in the garden. This is simply faith.  Not only does the Source and universe want you to succeed, by giving you and the flower all the elements to flourish, yet all you have to do is reach out and take it. That takes faith and trust in yourSelf and in your Creative Source. The fear in not taking the plunge of faith for those who believe that something greater than yourself does not exist is the exact proof that it does. Nothing exists without its opposite. So if you do not believe in faith as it "does not exist" then you should not be fearful, ergo you are afraid of something that does exist, so take it and live happier.   

You are the loveliest flower in the garden of the universe. Fact. You have every ability to flourish and succeed. Fact. You are going to bloom to your full potential. Faith. Subtle difference, true yet it makes all the difference in the world. You have a special gift, a unique ability, and an extraordinary destiny to embrace as you find your own talent as the special flower in your personal garden of characteristics. Looking from a bigger perspective you are the most beautiful flower ever seeded to blossom in the Creator's garden of the universe. Make your Gardener proud and full of joy too, and radiantly bring out your blooming qualities. 

You are a unique and lovely flower just like every one else. 

Policing your soul

Policing your soul

When crimes occur, the police intervene. The job of the police is to maintain law and order. Rules and regulations are set by society and these are enforced by the police. For our soulful  experience here on this planet we set our own rules and regulations. When our soul's plan gets derailed, who intervenes? Whose responsibility is it to police our soul? The answer is tricky, it is no one. The Divine soul does not need policing, it is the mind that needs to be set right. You are the only one who can alter your journey to the path that you choose to take. It may be a bad path that you are on, yet it is simply an experience for the soul. If you so choose, You can rewrite your path and travel the alternative perhaps better course. 

Just as the police are strict and disciplined, you have to do the same to your mind. It is a strong and powerful ally when needed  yet a weak and feeble criminal  as it wanders astray frequently if not watched from one second to the next. Sometimes greater force is needed to subdue a suspect. In this case, the mind is guilty as charged and needs considerable disciplined force to bring it back into balance. This force is sheer will of You. The soul yet is always observing and never really judging. It is a silent companion here for the ride and the experience in whatever shape or form that it may take. The mind takes You in many different directions and paths. Some of these paths benefit your Purpose and sometimes it  does not. It is a murky line that is crossed, as one might argue what is the purpose of this life. Is it something specific or simply to experience whatever comes Your way. 

Meditation and awareness of the mind's  activities are typical ways to "serve and protect" your higher purpose and life. Being fully engaged on a daily basis with this practice is like being the cop on duty. Patrolling your thoughts are not just necessary but practical ways of keeping your mind from creating any offenses.  Reaching the court system is certainly not desirable for anyone. The relentless mischievous mind is always up to something and may land up under disciplinary systems, namely therapy !!! A close vigil of the mind is similar to the concept of neighborhood watches, except do not spend your time looking at other peoples actions and issues and waste your time commenting or gossiping about them. 

Do you hear the sirens? Uh oh what have you done now? Stay focussed. 

Effortless living

Effortless living

I wanted to explore an interesting concept that I recently uncovered. Many a time I have tried hobbies or tasks that I have always approached with great vigor and focus. My mind takes over and everything that ensues in carrying out the task becomes a precise sequence of procedures. The chore then becomes just that, a chore, and invariably not met with success. Whether it is a golf swing, learning a new sport, tackling a new endeavor or any thing that suits your fancy and requires some level of understanding it does not matter. What matters is how you approach the said activity. You can either use your mind and follow protocol or use your heart and soul and follow it instinctively. Obviously I am not suggesting that you can fly a plane without learning basics of flying, knowing procedures etc. yet once you are flying, the experience must become wholesome. This is not done with the mind yet instead with the use of the heart and soul. It is these 2 senses that will make the difference between a rocky flight and a smooth enjoyable time. 

When you see professional golfers playing a tournament, there is a feeling you get of awe as they effortlessly swing the club and displace the ball to exactly where they intend for it to land. This is called getting out of your head and into the moment. That is where the effortless life exists, in the moment. It is not about doing the task. It is not about completing the task. Moreover it is about being there in the moment that the task unfolds. Once you know the basics and fundamentals in anything that you do, allow that those skills to sink in and just do it. Nike did not coin that advertising phrase by accident, JUST DO IT ! Being in the total moment, you carry out your once perfectly mind planned event with effortless motion. Living life effortlessly is a state of being and not doing. It is the difference between soul-full  or "mind-less" living and mind-full living. Letting yourself go and letting your Self take over is a subtle remark with a major distinction and change in outcome. A great athlete is one who makes the committment with the whole of their heart and the average athlete makes it whole heartedly with their mind and gusto. 

Being in the moment I grant you is not easy. However I would submit that it is meant to be easy. As you collect each moment to moment of staying aware and present you may find that you end up with a few seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years and soon a lifetime of living effortlessly and a fully on purpose life. When you are surprised that suddenly a golf swing was so perfect that you cannot believe that you did it, then that shot was living effortlessly. When you are shocked how easily you were able to complete that marathon faster than you have done in the past, then you are living your life effortlessly. When you submit that you are going to live your life in this manner, that feeling has to come from deep within and accompanied by a surrender into the moment. You may almost feel like you are floating, and that is  probably because you have ejected your "mind" out of you and what is  left is YOU.  Anything that you choose to do can also be made into an effortless state regardless whether it is at home or at the workplace. Let not your "job" become so monotonous that you do not enjoy it, yet instead effortless that you are the best at your job at any time. Just remember that effortless living does not mean easy living, it means on purpose and soulful living.

That was easy, I must not be doing it right. That was effortless, I am alive.

Doing your duty

Doing your duty

What is your duty? Is it to your family? Is it to society? Is it to your job? Is it towards your country? Or is it to yourSelf? These are questions that we each have to answer for ourselves and the answer is unique and personal. Duty is also accompanied by fear. This is not necessarily a fear of doing the wrong thing yet more not providing due diligence towards that duty and then feeling like we are coming up short. We do this regularly but more so when dealing with the duty towards ourSelves. A fireman would not be very good at his duty to save others in need if he or she were afraid of the fire. A pilot would not be very good at his or her flying duties if they are afraid of heights. A doctor would not be helpful if he or she was frightened of talking to their patients. Similarly we would not be paying the correct allegiance to ourSelves if we were fearful of taking care of our needs. These may be in the form of quiet time for us to reflect on our lives through meditation. Perhaps it is doing some physical exercise and keeping our bodies healthy. It could even be spending time praying and connecting to your Source. Spending time to enjoy personal hobbies that give you joy and happiness.  Probably choosing healthier choices to eat or drink might also fall into the category of dutiful behavior towards yourSelf. 

If you cannot take care of yourSelf then the needs of others be it family, dependents or a nation cannot be met. It all starts from you. For example Santa Claus has to make sure that he does not get "sleigh-sickness" as he whizzes around the globe in one night at Mach 5 delivering presents, otherwise he would not be an effective "hope deliverer." Once his personal fears of  the roller coaster like mid air flying and constant turbulence are overcome, especially the fear that wearing no seatbelt may be a problem, are faced then the journey to every chimney top and post office station becomes simpler. Drugs and alcohol are not really forms of fear banishment but merely liquid encouragement to stay composed in the face of fear, which unfortunately manifests as the opposite reaction to what you are looking for.  

We are perpetually exhausted from all the mental, physical and emotional bombardment of responsibilities and stimuli yet the duty towards our personal Selves continues to be neglected. The unhappiness that we emanate is our Spirit calling out for help and reprieve. If the call is answered we delve into a world of negativity and misery, and once this sets in, our ability to help anyone or change any event is seriously diminished. With every day,  become more aware of your duty to Self. This is  not some selfish call to arms and abandon your overall responsibilities and sit on the couch and demand your time. In fact it is just the opposite. Becoming more proactive and carving out your personal time for yourSelf is just as important as fulfilling your roles as parent, coworker, friend, spouse or any number of roles we jump into with that superhero mentality. Be kind and gentler to yourSelf. Listen to yourSelf. You have needs that can only be met by you, and not by anyone else. Loving yourSelf is as important and necessary as it is loving another. 

Attention ! Duty calls.... and its all about You. 

Emptying your garbage bin

Emptying your garbage bin

Every day various household items from the kitchen or various rooms all get tossed in your bin. Tidying  up your high traffic areas, and keeping areas clean is a very natural thing to do. Anything that is not used, worn out, dirty is tossed. If it can be recycled then into the "recycle" labelled bin they go, otherwise everything unwanted or unneeded is discarded into even bigger trash cans that are kept outside the housing establishment for pick up once a week by the town receptacle collectors. This is quite normal for the physical yet where this becomes even more useful and necessary is when we apply the principle to the mind. 

Our computer-like brains are constantly in a state of flux. Organizing, processing, clearing up and redistributing thoughts, memories and ideas are all typical "cleaning" up features that we do all day long, and sometimes better processing habits when we dream. Unloading your mind is necessary while you keep your high traffic consciousness free and clear to pursue the next inevitable thought that comes your way every second. Even when you use your real computer you have to periodically empty the trash bin that is full of unneeded files, programs and cookies to enable faster processing of your computer. Our minds are full of corrupted programs, useless "cookies of stimuli", clusters of trivia and piles of memories noted by all our senses. Random things we see, smells we pick up, sounds we hear, feelings we perceive through touch and taste, are all constantly clogging our "sense shield" and pinging them as stimuli. Our brains process them ALL and filters them very quickly to see if we ever need to react to them, leaving us in a state of an ever ready reactionary mode if you will. Being in this state is not good long term as physically this is no different than keeping your car running in neutral with  your foot on the accelerator at all times. You either use your brake or the engine dies, one way or another you will stop. 

The mind takes in all these sense stimuli  and locks them away for further processing needs. Your consciousness then tries to sort them out at its pace. This is why through hypnosis the memories can be brought forth and remembered. It is all trapped in the box of your mind waiting to be processed, come out or get deleted.  In order to keep you sane from moment to moment the  stimuli are "absorbed" by the brain for later, yet after a while you get fatigued, negative and "down the dumps "and we simply blame it on life or others or the ultimate coup de grace, we blame ourselves for our problems. If we choose not to lay fault with anyone especially ourSelves, and simply be more aware of this interesting process of cleaning up on a regular basis we may end up being happier. 

Daily meditation, with quiet breathing and allowing your mind to wander, and it will wander, yet gently bringing it back to center, helps sharpening and focussing the mind to start going through the innumerable stimuli and seeing what is needed and what is not needed. Being aware of the breath, keeps you in the moment and your consciousness can transfer what is needed from subconscious storage to the forefront. If irrelevant, useless, or not needed, then it can be dumped into the trash can. Constant practice of this technique helps clear up all your rooms of your mind and keep your high traffic areas clean for a more vibrant, alive, awake, and fulfilling experience. Now recycling your trash  in terms of older memories is another story altogether. Once you are facile in this clearing process, the question really then becomes how big of a trash can do you need? If you keep cleaning and emptying your mind you might need less and less of a sizable bin to use, but initially get the largest one you can find.

My my what clean rooms of your mind you have....