Top 10 Songs That Will Make You Cry (S)

Igniting Great Light Through Love and Appreciation

Topic: Well Being |

In the portion Shmini, on the eighth day, Moses thinks that he might be the High Priest, but, as it says in the Midrash, the Creator instead tells him that Aaron and Aaron’s children are going to be the High Priests and the ones to do the important spiritual work in the Tabernacle. And when you read the story, it sounds like not only was Moses confused in thinking that he would be the High Priest, but also almost as if the Creator wanted him to be confused.

The Midrash says when Moses was chosen to be the leader and take the Israelites out of Egypt, he argued back and forth with the Creator. The Creator told Moses He wants him to be the person, the conduit, to bring the Light and leadership to the Israelites and to take them out of Egypt, but Moses says, "No, I am not the right person,” and this goes on for seven days, back and forth.

The Creator then says to Moses, "I keep telling you for seven days that you should be the one to take the Israelites out of Egypt, and you keep telling Me that I should send somebody else. Therefore, I promise you there will come a time when the roles will be reversed; where you will be thinking for seven days that you are chosen for something, and at the end I will tell you, ‘No.’” And this is referring to what we are talking about now; Moses does the spiritual work in the Tabernacle for the first seven days, but on the eighth day, the Creator says, "Oh, sorry, it is not for you. Call Aaron and his sons, they will be the ones who will be the kohenim and do the work."

Moses, during the seven days of arguing with the Creator, thought his brother Aaron, and not himself, was the right person to take the Israelites out of Egypt. So, whatever that thought was about his brother, clearly, it was not selfish; why, then, does it sound as if the Creator is punishing him for it? Why does it sound like it was important for the Creator to have Moses think wrongly for the first seven days that it was his job to do, and then finally tell him to call Aaron and his sons because they are going to be the ones to have the job of High Priests? What is the secret?

The answer is an interesting teaching from the Midrash brought by a French-Spanish kabbalist who speaks about why the specific place the Temple was built, on top of the mountain in Jerusalem, was chosen. We know, as the kabbalists teach, it is the physical place Adam was created from, it is where Isaac was brought for the Binding of Isaac, it is a place where they say Noah brought the sacrifice when he came out of the Flood; however, there was a singular reason it was chosen to be where the Temple was built.

What was that reason? He brings the Midrash to answer this, which says there were two brothers who owned fields that bordered that spot. One day, they found a huge treasure on the border, exactly between both fields, and they started arguing about whose treasure it was, each one saying to the other, "It is not mine; I can tell by where it was found, it is your treasure." They each wanted the treasure to go to the other and did not honestly believe it was theirs. The Creator saw that each brother wanted to give it to the other, and so He decided this is where the Altar will be, and where the Temple must be built. Therefore, the Midrash is telling us that the Temple was built there because neither brother said he wanted it for himself nor wanted to split it; their love was so strong for each other that each brother’s first inclination was to give it to the other before taking it for himself.

So, the Midrash says this is the reason the Temple was built there, and not because of all the other things. We always talk about the concept of “love your neighbor as yourself,” but at the core, when you think about it, the most powerful love is not sharing. Sharing is when you have something you know is yours, but are going to share it with or give it to somebody, or sharing is giving what is ours simply because of the love we feel for the other person. And it is important to understand that what happened between these two brothers is not that one was sharing with the other. It is that the love each had for the other was so overwhelming that their first inclination was not to give it to the other, but to say, “It is not even mine,” which is a very different level than saying, “I have this and I am going to share it with you;” rather, it is, “I love you so much that I do not even see it as mine. It is absolutely yours.”

That is what happened between these two brothers, and the secret of that type of love is what enabled the building of the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple, in that location. We need to understand that greater than sharing and greater even than “love your neighbor as yourself,” which is manifested in the action of sharing, is a love so great you no longer see anything as your own, and immediately see it first as somebody else’s, therefore being quicker to give it to them than taking it for yourself. This is a very important secret, and the one that we find with Moses and Aaron.

When the Creator came to Moses and told him, "You are the right one to bring the Israelites out of Egypt,” it is not that Moses was being humble in saying his brother should do it. Rather, it was because of his love and appreciation for Aaron that his first inclination was it should go to Aaron. Therefore, when Moses says, "Send somebody else," he means, "Send Aaron because he is greater than I, he is more spiritual than I, he is more elevated than I, he is the right person for the job.” So, when we understand this, it means that at the Burning Bush when the Creator comes to Moses, it was not that Moses was being spiritual. It was that he was so overwhelmed with his appreciation for Aaron that he could not see anything except for the fact that Aaron was the right person for that job.

And that was the reason – and it is an important understanding – that Moses merited taking the Israelites out of Egypt; because for those seven days he was overwhelmed with love and appreciation for Aaron, and the desire to give him everything. That is why Moses was able to be the conduit for the Redemption. So it was not simply an argument between Moses and the Creator. It was a step that enabled Moses to be able to reveal the Light of 

the Final Redemption.

The Creator tells Moses, after seven days of arguing back and forth, "Go, become the leader, and when Aaron sees you, he will have joy in his heart. Because just as your love and appreciation for him is overwhelming and you believe that he should be the one to be the conduit for the Redemption, he feels the same about you." And it was the coming together of the love and appreciation between Moses and Aaron that allowed the Redemption to occur. Because any great Light, as we said, has to be revealed through a culmination of great love and appreciation, and where, here, Moses was desiring to give to Aaron first, and Aaron was desiring to give to Moses first.

So, we asked the question, why does the Creator allow Moses to be confused for seven days, thinking maybe he will be the High Priest? Because in order for the great Light of the Tabernacle to be ignited, there had to be, just as at the time of the Redemption, the overwhelming appreciation and love of Moses to give to Aaron, and Aaron to give to Moses. Therefore, the Midrash says very beautifully that besides those two brothers who had the two fields where the Temple was built, we do not find in history two people who had such an overwhelming love and appreciation for each other that their first desire was for the other to receive before them as Moses and Aaron. How do we know that Aaron truly felt great love and appreciation for Moses? Because, as we said, the Creator tells Moses, "Aaron will come towards you and he will have true joy in his heart." And Rav Shimon Bar Yochai says it was in the moment when the Creator saw the overwhelming love from Aaron to Moses that He says, "This is the person who needs to be the High Priest. This is the person who can reveal the Light of the Tabernacle."

And this is true in our lives, as well. Whether it is between spouses, friends, and so forth, if you want to ignite real great Light, the state of love and appreciation that brings a person to say, "This person deserves it before I deserve it," is what ignites great Light. As we said, that is what ignited the Light of the Redemption of Egypt, that is what ignited the Light of the Tabernacle, and that is what ignited the Light of the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple.

If not for Aaron experiencing the same joy towards Moses’ having the position as if it were his own, the Redemption from Egypt could not have happened. If not for the love of the two brothers, where each one desired that the other have the treasure, the Light of the Beit HaMikdash could not have been ignited. This is the state we need to be in in our daily interactions, with people we are close to, and eventually, with more and more people. The Light of the Final Redemption can only be ignited by a person who comes to a state of such overwhelming love and desire to share that his first inclination is, "This person deserves it." It is a very important understanding.

The Daily Practice that Brought me Back to Life.

Via Annette Huebneron Mar 27, 2016

We all have those rituals we do.

The ones that seem to keep us sane.

Whether it’s savoring the morning cup of coffee or the walk in the park. This is something different,  a practice accessible in all moments, and anytime you crave that same peace of mind.

For years, I ran continuously from place to place. College, careers, a booked-up social life and my get-it-done attitude left me with no time to catch my breath. The days were packed full.

This may sound all too familiar to so many of us.

I had taken a wrong turn somewhere along the path toward a life with no time for listening or paying attention to what was taking place around me. I was set on barrelling through to the finish line, to dominate my ego-centric world.

This happened until the day I fell. It was a hard fall. I tripped and skidded down the path. The realization that life was passing me by, while I was too busy to slow down and smell the roses was a painful one. It was hard and at times, an ungraceful transformation toward appreciation and awareness.

It began with a simple realization that my productivity level did not equate my self-worth. I forced myself to slow down and place real meaning behind my actions and how they made me feel. I’d lay or sit on my bed, I began enjoying the silence. I focused on my breath. I finally had time to breathe. In these simple moments of meditation, I would have colossal realizations about myself and how I navigate through the world and the existing constructs in it.

My life did a 180.

My breath caught up to me and with it the awareness of the present moment. That’s what breath brings. That’s the job of the breath.

Every time.

Breath is life.

The present moment is solely where we live.

In moments where you feel disconnected, stressed about the future, or depressed about the past, come back to your breath. It will not fail you. With it, it will bring awareness of the present.

What do you hear, see or feel right now?

We shall not fear the silence for it is when your soul speaks. We have every answer to every question we’re looking for, but in order to hear, you need to agree to pay attention. Without stopping to listen, you will never hear the answers waiting for you.

If You’re Going to Eat Meat, Follow these 6 Rules.

Via Mark Hyman

Is eating meat good or bad? That depends on who we ask.

Paleolithic enthusiasts say meat is essential to longevity. Vegans will tell us to avoid it at all costs. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently stated processed meat and bacon are carcinogenic, and red meat is most likely as well.

Studies that take a pro- or anti-meat stance often miss the bigger picture. They overlook the sugar and the refined carbs in a typical meat-eaters’ diet, or that most meat eaters consume a highly processed, inflammatory diet.

Admittedly, it would be almost impossible to perform an accurate study about meat. Many studies demonizing meat use subjects who are smokers, drink too much, eat way too much sugar and processed foods, eat very little fruits and veggies, and do not exercise. These are all important but often-overlooked factors about what contributes to disease.

If we look at all the data, about half the studies show meat is a problem; half of them don’t. For the ones who show meat eaters in a whole aren’t a healthy bunch, it’s probably not the meat but smoking, sugar, and sedentary lifestyle that creates heart disease and other problems.

Without sugar and refined carbs and with lots of high-fiber fruits and veggies, meat actually can be a health food, lowering inflammation and improving all of the cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Many meat studies also focus on industrially raised meat, which is full of hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides with more inflammatory omega 6 fats from corn and fewer anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats.

Simply put: In the absence of refined sugar and carbs with adequate amounts of omega 3 fats in our diet, grass-fed beef, wild game, and other meats are not a problem. Remember too that a Paleo diet also includes lots of plant foods like fruits, vegetables, and nuts. 

Depending on those and other factors, eating meat can become healthy or unhealthy. These six rules can help us make the best choices when we eat meat:

1. Choose grass-fed, pasture-raised organic meats. They’re more expensive, but ideally we’ll eat less of them and more plant-based foods.
2. Stay away from processed meats like deli meats. These are the meats the WHO are talking about that have proven to cause disease, illness, and cancer.
3. The way we prepare meats is an important factor to keep in mind. High-temperature cooking like grilling, frying, smoking, or charring actually causes problems. It also happens when we cook fish or chicken that way. All of this leads to the production of compounds called polycyclic-aromatic-hydro-carbons (PEHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which studies show cause cancer in animal models. Changing our cooking methods can reduce our exposure to these toxic compounds. The same rule applies to grains and veggies—cooking these foods too high-temperature can cause the same problems.
4. Focus on lower-temperature cooking for meat and veggies including baked, roasted, poached, and stewed.
5. Focus mostly on vegetables. Fill a plate with at least 75 percent phytonutrient-rich, colorful, non-starchy veggies and use meat as a condiment or a “condi-meat.”
6. Consider combining the best traits of Paleo and vegan, which I’ve called “Pegan.” Learn more about that hybrid diet here.

I’ve gone more in-depth about meat and choosing the right fats in my new book Eat Fat, Get Thin, which can be ordered here.

In what I believe will become the pivotal book about dietary fat, I provide a full run-down on what foods to avoid, what foods to embrace, and how to prepare them. I’ll show how a properly designed diet rich in dietary fats can make us lean and healthy.

Have you become more aware about choosing higher-quality meats like grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, and wild-caught fish? Share what you’ve learned below or on my Facebook page.

Beginner’s Chakra Meditation: How to Tap into your Power & Confidence.

Via Lindsay Carricarte

The chakra system is an energetic highway that brings us to a place of harmony and balance.

Think of it as a connection flowing between mind, body and soul. When all channels are open and clear the energy flows, bringing us to a state of harmony within. When we interact with the world from this place, we sow seeds of harmony, love and light.

Not very long ago, I had no idea what a chakra was, or that serious imbalances and energetic blockages within me were at the root of most of my behavioral, emotional and physical disorders/dis-eases. Since diving deep into the ancient Sanskrit teachings on balancing and healing these energetic centers, I have become a different person, free from many of the limitations that I lived under for many years. I didn’t realize my insecurity and powerlessness were self-imposed. I didn’t know I could rewrite my beliefs as easily as I sat down to mediate. Working with my chakras showed me I could. It showed me where my personal power and strength was buried inside of myself and allowed me to ignite the fire of personal power.

These benefits are waiting for anyone who has the motivation to step up and work for it, and it is my goal to present a beginner’s practice, chakra by chakra, to help anyone who is seeking change.

Here, we will explore and discuss the third major chakra—the Manipura, or the Solar Plexus Chakra. This is the center of confidence and personal power.

In a sense it is our own personal Sun—radiating pranic energy throughout the body. The sun gives Earth life as manicure gives the body life.

Previously we worked with Muladhara and Swadhisthana. As a beginner, I encourage you to balance and work with each chakra starting from the root and working up.

“In the same way that the sun continually radiates energy to the planets, Manipura Chakra radiates and distributes pranic energy throughout the entire human framework, regulating and energizing the activity of the various organs, systems and process of life.”  ~ Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Kundalini Tantra

When to work with Manipura: you struggle with confidence or insecurity; you struggle with anger and control; you fear rejection or feel powerless in life; you feel lethargic and weak; you struggle with setting boundaries; your behavior is self-defeating and you don’t believe in yourself; you get angry and irritated easily and have a hard time letting things go.

This chakra is located a few inches above your navel, around the area of your solar plexus—just below your sternum. Imagine that it encompasses your upper abdomen and lower ribcage. Its color is yellow. It is our link to the sun and the ability to change and transform. It is important to work with this energy in order to grow spiritually, as insecure fears and lack of personal responsibility keep us at the mercy of others. Take charge of your life.

This is your center for self-confidence, spontaneity and energy. The ability to approach life with zest no matter what arises sprouts form this chakra. It governs will-power and personal power. Early trauma arising from having been a victim of control, bullying, overbearing parents or teachers, shaming, belittling or emotional/physical/sexual abuse can cause blockage here.

Are you controlled by your past?

Positive aspects of Manipura manifest in your ability to experience joy in life, as well as your drive, determination, stamina, self-discipline, work-ethic and perseverance. The need to control and judge others may indicate excessive Manipura energy. Negative aspects include wrath, jealousy and resentment. If you struggle to feel the fire of life or you feel weak-willed and cowardly, this may indicate deficiencies or blockages here. Do you find yourself often stuck feeling like a powerless victim to circumstance? Do you often quit before success comes? Are you over-competitive, taking it to the extreme? Are you prone to childish tantrums and outbursts when you don’t get your way?

Manipura strongly relates to transformation. This chakra is an energetic powerhouse. It is about our ability to convert what we take in—be it food, ideas, beliefs or information— into more usable forms of energy. When this chakra is unbalanced, it manifests in passive-aggressive behavior, extreme lack of confidence in self, anger, rage, bitterness, jealousy, pride and stubbornness. It governs how we relate to the world and how we go about accomplishing our goals. Do we quit when challenged or things get difficult? Do we refuse to take responsibility for ourself and our actions? Do we meekly fold at the slightest hint of a challenge to our ideas? Do we constantly defer command to others?

Manipura governs digestion—known as digestive fire in Ayurveda. Imbalances may manifest as heartburn, indigestion, ulcers, lack of stamina, lethargy, procrastination, or apathy. It helps with pancreatic, liver and adrenal functions, as well as governing sight. It governs the digestive tract as well as blood sugar. Curiously, it also governs the feet, which are what we use to stand firm, tall, and confident in the world.

This chakra’s element is Fire, its color yellow, its sense sight, its organ is the eyes, and its planets are Mars and the Sun.

The mudra (I use fire mudra) calls for both hands in a fist resting on your lap, with thumbs pointing up (like you are giving a thumbs up!).

To begin a chakra meditation practice, start simple:

• Sit down cross-legged, or lie down.
• Start your breath work to become still and present. If you use stones, citrine, honey calcite, sunstone or tiger’s eye are great for opening Manipura. Any yellow or sunny, fiery stones will resonate here.
• Begin to focus and visualize your breath traveling to the middle of your solar plexus region as you picture the color yellow.
• Take at least five deep, cleaning breaths that you send to your chakra. Breathe in slowly to 10, hold for 10, breathe out slowly for 10. (Start with five seconds if needed.)
• As you breathe, picture the breath cleansing your chakra. Picture the spinning disc of yellow energy, glowing cleaner and brighter with each breath you take. See it. Let it show its shape to you. Imagine a ball of yellow fire, like the sun, out in front of you. See it moving into your solar plexus, burning away all that no longer serves you.
• Use a mantra as you breathe in and out. “I offer all my negative qualities to the fire of transformation. I am open, courageous, safe, and secure. I bring this to others.” “I embrace my appetite for living and my digestive fire enables me to swallow all that life brings. I am powerful and I take responsibility over all areas of my life.”
• Picture a beautiful fire. Feel how it purifies and cleanses, destroying all that holds you back. feed it your fears and insecurities.
• Flow through yoga asanas geared toward this chakra—Parivritta trikonasana (Rotated Triangle Pose), Parivritta Utkatasana (Seated Twist) Jathara Parivritti (Reclining Spinal twist), Ardha-Matsyendrasana (Half-Spinal twist).
• Don’t rush through, but rather practice the asanas, to build your feelings of stability and strength in them. It’s all about finding the best version of the pose for you, at any given moment. Holding and breathing into the asanas is where the magic happens.

So many of our perceived failures and judgements in life arise from unbalanced Manipura. We must face what lies here in order to tap into our personal power that imbalances may be blocking us from. When I finally shined the light on this chakra, it allowed me to empower myself—to finally step into my own comfort zone within myself where I found self-discipline, leadership qualities and a talent for achieving whatever I set out to do. I did not have these abilities before working with Manipura. I was a quitter and a victim of the world before this.

The goal of working with Manipura is all about tapping into the fire of personal power and zeal for life. We connect to fire, which transforms. We find that others are inherently drawn to us and our ideas. We find the balance of strong yet sensitive. we are comfortable in emotions as well as boundaries. We are soft yet hard when needed. We can lead without controlling. Beware though—when Manipura is healthy and flowing we must watch for those that would be drawn to our power because they want us to take care of their needs. Doing so only robs them of their own growth.

Keep in mind, this is meant to be a beginner practice. Chakra work is something that goes deep within, tapping into an infinite source of ancient connectivity. If you quiet yourself, your chakra will tell you what it needs. Believe it or not, they will work to heal themselves once you start giving them the energy and attention to do so.

Many of our problems occur because, like a wheel, one spoke out of alignment results in a flat tire. When all chakras are open and running in a balanced state we find harmony within our mind, body and soul. Remember—have fun!

I would love to answer any questions or comments below! I look forward to hearing about your chakra work.

Sat Nam!

“LET THE UNIVERSE USE YOU”, BY REBECCA CAMPBELL

By Global Love Admin

Being of service is merely being in flow with the Universe. The quickest way to fall into flow with The Universe is to allow it to use you.

Anything any human has done you can do too. This is not to say that you are intended to do what they did in the way they did it, but it means that the same potential that exists in them also exists in you. Which means that Oprah or Richard Branson or Amma or whoever you admire is no more special than you. No one is. They are no less special than you either. No one is.

What we see as ‘special’ is their ability to work WITH the Universe and allow their true nature to be revealed. They have learned how to say yes to the highest potential the Universe has in store for them rather than trying to scheme it up themselves. They have surrendered to the Universe and allowed it to work through them. Perhaps they have done so for lifetimes on end and thus they are better at surrendering, but they are no less special or full of potential than you. When you break it down, being of service is merely being in flow with the Universe.

We waste so much time trying to strategise what we should do next, overthinking every move. I am blown away at how many people I admire say when questioned – I didn’t think much about it – it all just kind of happened. THAT is flow. THAT is service. THAT is surrendering to what is rising in you, because what is rising in you IS what the Universe has in store for you. Your highest potential. Your only job is to continue to commune and say YES.

If we bow to this organising principle of the Universe and surrender to it over and over again, our path and purpose and highest possible potential will not just be shown, it will be made real. But if we wait for the roadmap before we trust or move, we will remain stuck. For when we are waiting for the roadmap we are not trusting in the flow and we are relying on our own strength. Meaning we are seeing ourselves as separate from the rest of Life. Meaning we are not IN the flow. When we are in the flow we are delivered things in perfect timing. The moment that you surrender to this intelligent force and get out of the way, a life that you could previously only dream of will become real.

Being of service is merely being in flow with the Universe. The quickest way to fall into flow with The Universe is to allow it to use you. 

The Universe, this intelligent force wants you to succeed. It wants you to flow with it, for when you flow with it you are in service to it and you are adding to the overall harmony of the Universe. You turn from resisting it to being part it. Moving with it. So to be of service is really to turn to the Universe and say, I will not resist or rely on my separate strength any longer. I am now willing to surrender to You. All that is.

The Universe wants you to be in harmony with it, it is your ego that resists. And there is much of society that resists too, with their hidden and sometimes not so hidden agendas. But if we start each day in complete surrender, in service, allowing the light of the Universe to flow through us, it is only a matter of time until we fall into flow with everything else. Life becomes aligned.

The form of spiritual practice that I have found best in falling into flow with the Universe is Light Sourcing.Which is basically flooding yourself with the light of the Universe. Allowing yourself to receive all of the things that the Universe is trying to send to you and allow what is rising in you to energetically do so. To allow your cells to get into alignment with the same power that governs the spinning of the planets, the tides, the moon, our monthly cycle, all of it. Within a month of doing this practice my life began to change. Within a year of doing this practice all that I deeply yearned for was my reality – things did not work out how I expected them to, they worked out better. For I was flowing with life so life was flowing with me.

Another tool to get you in the flow of service and surrender to the Universe is this prayer. I say it over and over again each and every day:

I am here to be truly helpful.
I’m here to represent that which sent me.
I do not have to think about what to say or do because that which sent me will direct me.
I’m happy just to be here.
Knowing that all grace is within me.
I will be healed as I let the healing happen through me.

– A Course In Miracles

You can either surrender to the all powerful flow of the entire Universe or you can rely on your now strength (one person) and fight against it. The choice is yours. The quickest way to fall into flow with The Universe is to allow it to use you.

Discover Your Ikigai—(Your Reason For Living).

Via Alex Myles

“The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both.” ~ James A. Michener
~

Ikigai is a Japanese word that translates to “the reason for being” or “a reason to wake up each morning.” In Japan the word is widely used to describe a healthy passion for something that makes us feel as though life is worth living to the fullest.

It is believed that everyone has an ikigai, although not everyone has yet understood, discovered or developed it.

Ikigai is often used to describe a devotion that we have to something that we find fascinating, to the extent that we may become quite obsessed or even consumed by it. However, we also have full freedom to decide how much of ourselves we freely give, and the choice to submerge ourselves is entirely our decision.

The interest in our ikigai can be so deep and strong that we may literally live and breathe it every day and align to it mind, body and soul, even altruistically suffering for it if necessary. Regardless of the blood, sweat and tears that are shed to put the work in, we tend to stay loyal to our ikigai and weather all storms that attempt to keep us from it once we have evoked and embraced it.

If someone asks us to choose between an ikigai and a relationship the person giving the ultimatum may not get the outcome they hoped for. If we are ever forced to abandon our true path, due to an external source making the decision for us or deliberately severing the ties due to control, jealousy or for other irrational reasons, we may feel as though we have lost a part of ourselves and we will very likely feel devastated and heartbroken.

Due to having a powerful connection to our ikigai we have the stamina and endurance to persevere when the going gets tough, while others who do not have the same resonance may give up and fall by the wayside.

This warrior-type energetic allegiance sets our ikigai aside from any regular hobbies or interests, as we feel as though we are a part of something special and we cherish and identify it as being an inherent aspect of who we are.

An ikigai is often described as an intense internal burning desire to carry out a personal mission that we have a strong affinity to. We may not be able to reasonably explain why, but we will feel a magnetic attraction to explore a particular path and will feel drawn towards anything that is associated with it. When we manifest whatever is pulling at us, we will receive an intense internal satisfaction, which makes us feel fulfilled and gives new layers of meaning to our lives.

Finding and igniting our ikigai is not a complex task. When we are quiet and still it is often the first thing that comes to our mind when we think about what we would do if we had as much time or resources required to bring it to life. The reason I mention “life” is because an ikigai takes on its own energy and once the creation has been birthed it gains momentum so that it feels to its creator as though it is “alive.”

Although an ikigai can be realized by pursuing a specific goal, ambition or dream, it can also be something as simple as setting an intention for a new way of expressing ourselves or interacting with others. For example, some people find depth of meaning in cooking for and caring for their family. Other people find it through genuine and sincere acts of kindness towards others, or it could be discovered by setting a mindset to open up to all new possibilities so that we let in a limitless amount of spontaneous and life-changing opportunities.

The basis of an ikigai is that it is immensely pleasurable and that it not only benefits and enriches our own life, but that it also enhances other people’s lives too. It is about finding value in something that we love doing while mastering and developing talents and skills to ensure that it is sustainable.

This sets us a personal challenge, without any pressure, so that we can improve our ability as time passes. We then naturally add new personal elements, so that our expression of ourselves is uniquely crafted and a personal tribute that we can feel proud of.

I discovered my ikigai through writing and being of service, mostly by spending my time campaigning to reduce the relentless suffering that billions of animals endure daily. I found ways of channeling the pain I was experiencing whenever I thought about the cruelty that is inflicted on animals. I now turn this frustration to action, so not only do I no longer sit feeling helpless and outraged, I also change the world for each animal that benefits from the relentless work that is being carried out by many organizations across the world.

I write blogs, post in groups, send emails and support and educate the people who are directly involved in the unimaginable torture and agony that goes on in the industries that provide our food, drink, clothing and many other products. By remaining compassionate throughout for both the animals and people, I am able to understand, to a certain extent, why people make the choices they do and this helps to put in measures to ease the devastating effects this has on the animals.

In many other areas of my life I internalize everything and this previously caused a large amount of emotional energy to build up, which  eventually became very difficult to manage or process. Now that I have discovered how cathartic writing is, I have been able to unearth and heal the forgotten or rejected parts of myself that could not be soothed or mended in the same way through alternative healing practices.

Since starting to write and share my experiences, I have been amazed and somewhat bewildered to hear that my words often reach people on all corners of the planet who have also battled through very similar situations to the ones that I experienced. Sharing my ikigai and finding other people who resonate with it empowers, motivates and inspires me further to continue with this impulsive need to further explore and expose the shadows that accompany me as well as of humanity.

Since I was very young I felt a profound inner peace whenever I was able to turn my world inside out and spill my imagination or jumbled up thoughts onto paper. Being able to make sense of my inner ramblings through sorting the words in to some kind of logical manner, so that they could be put into context, was a huge relief as my thoughts were released from my overloaded and overwhelmed mind.

I shelved this passion for many years as motherhood took over, however, in its place I found meaning and a sense of divine purpose in raising my child and guiding her so that she could find the treasure inside her and then turn it into something sustainable that is of great personal value. I held off writing so that I could devote my time to my family, although, I always knew that one day I would return back to writing as soon as an opening appeared that allowed me the space, time and calmness that my creative spirit cried out for.

Writing, and having the opportunity to unravel the knotted mess in my mind has quite literally been life saving at times and has altered my whole way of being. However, I also have to remind myself that I’m a great believer in things happening exactly when they are meant to so that I do not look back with regrets.

Even though everything develops when it should, this isn’t suggesting for a moment to put off whatever feels like a “soul purpose” until the “time is right” because, truthfully, there will never be the “perfect” time.

I do, however, strongly believe that when we are fully ready, our ikigai will dramatically reveal itself and call us to action in a way that we cannot fail to take notice. When this happens we will find it almost impossible to resist the urge to faithfully follow wherever our heart is leading us to.

I urge that when that door opens wide, and we feel that burning sensation crying out loud so that we listen, we stop for a moment and think about how we can work and play simultaneously to bring this meaningful pursuit to fruition.

This doesn’t mean we have to totally revamp our whole life all at once—we can allow our ikigai to softly, gently and gracefully hold our hand as we take the first steps towards a transformational journey.

There is no rush, no time limit, demands or expectations, as it will all unfold the very moment we pay close attention to whatever already exists within us.

We can have as many ikigais as we desire throughout our lives and give our attention to more than one at the same time. There are no rules or regulations with an ikigai as it is purely about following what is integral to us and then managing it effectively so that others can benefit from it in some way simultaneously. Existing aligned to an ikigai is believed to be one of the main reasons that many people live very healthy, long, harmonious and blissfully happy magical lives.

“The Purpose of Life Is to Discover Your Gift. The Meaning of Life Is to Give Your Gift Away.” (or share it!) ~ Attributed to William Shakespeare

Create Completeness (OM)

As You Believe

by Madisyn Taylor

When we affirm that we are fulfilled rather than deficient, we are asserting that contentment is a natural way of being.

The creative power of the universe is infinite. A single molecule's destiny is as important as the consequences of the largest supernova. Human potential is subject to this power, but because we are sentient beings, each of us is permitted to choose whether we will struggle against it or work in tandem with it. When we give voice to our desires through focused meditation or solicit the help of spirit guides, we draw upon the universe's creative power to achieve certain ends. However, because our words are not all the universe hears, the response we receive may surprise us. The discourse we establish through our appeals is a blend of speech, thought, intention, and subconscious reflection. When we ask the universe for something, the unspoken message is that what we want does not exist, and the universe accepts this as truth. Conversely, we manifest completeness through affirmations in which we declare our desires as if we have already obtained them.

When we affirm that we are fulfilled instead of articulating deficiencies, we are asserting that contentment is a natural and necessary element of human existence. Our essence is an expression of fulfillment—the universe wants to satisfy our needs and desires. When we describe our realities in positive terms, we are not denying the challenges inherent in existence. We choose not to focus on lack or dissatisfaction because we understand that the energy of our thoughts will determine the response we receive to our entreaties. Ask yourself how you would feel if your wishes were granted, and then allow yourself to internalize that emotional state. Try to create a picture of satisfaction so vivid that its reality is unquestionable and tell the universe that your vision is fact. At the close of your appeal, express your gratitude, as it is your acknowledgment of the truth of your fulfillment that will set the creative power of the universe into motion.

Working in perfect unison with the creative power of the universe will empower you to manifest spiritual realities in your material existence. As you affirm the beauty, peace, and goodness that already exist within in your life, your capacity to sense and understand their influence will become increasingly sophisticated. To meet your needs and achieve your desires, you need then only banish all thoughts of emptiness so that the energy of completeness can attract fullness into your being.

For more information visit dailyom.com

Cultivating Appreciation (KB)

How many of us appreciate that every day that we wake up is a miracle? We don’t have to wake up; there are a lot of people that don’t. We generally don’t see things that way, though. Indeed, in our mind, it is normal, not a miracle, for us to wake up. I remember how a great person once said to me, “I wish that everyone in the world would get sick for one day in their life.” Why? Because that is the way a person comes to appreciate health. We, as human beings, live in a space called the "Desire to Receive.” We live in a place that says, “As long as I am getting something, then everything is OK.” So all too often, we take the commonplace things—like waking up—for granted. Today, remember to appreciate the fact that YOU have been given a wonderful gift today.

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know...

...that no one does anything they do not want to do.
  

You always have a reason--and usually, a pretty good one--

for doing what you are doing and choosing what you are

choosing. Be careful not to convince yourself that you are

doing something against your will. Such a thing is impossible.

Therefore, be honest with yourself as to why you are choosing

to do a particular thing. Then, do it gladly, knowing that you 

are always getting to do what you want.

The statement "I have no choice" is a lie. You can choose.

You simply do not prefer the alternatives

available to you, for whatever reason. So you

select the outcome that you most prefer.  Isn't that power?