Expansive Life

We often forget the expansiveness of Life. We live in rooms within buildings within neighborhood within towns within states within countries within hours within days within weeks and we forget how large and timeless it all truly is. This compartmentalization makes some feel safe and others feel trapped. John Muir once wrote, “The grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never dried all at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.” And within these words we remember. Our soul reminds us of the many worlds some only visit in dreams, it reminds us of the lives across the globe who we do not touch flesh to flesh, yet our hearts still can beat as one, and of the ancestors before us who still visit and remind us of our lineage. We remember that we are not meant to be small. We remember we are all one. We remember that many also hold the wants and hopes we hold within our heart.

When we begin to remember just how vast our opportunities can be we see possibilities in everything. We see lessons everywhere. We find beauty in the single blade of grass, in the dried seed casing, and in the eyes of a stranger. We are able to walk through our day with an understanding that to be fully in this moment means bringing attention to all that is here and now, not to get lost or give attention and energies to yesterday or tomorrow. We then are the divine audience to the wonders of life, others and ours. We honor and celebrate, we witness and take part and we live fully in the moment at hand with appreciation of what is offered us.

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 Lisa Meade

The Long Winding Tale

One thing I have learned from my spiritual life coaching practice is that the longer the excuse, the more it is hiding the truth. Sometimes our truth is so brilliant and beautiful that we have to spin a long, long tale to wrap around it so that we no longer are reminded of it. For some, they feel they are not ready for their truth; they want to hide from it, run away from it and keep others from seeing it too. Most of us would not dream of stealing from someone. Yet, some steal from themselves routinely. They steal from their potential. They rationalize why the time is not right, the benefit is not for them, the opportunity belongs to others and they begin to believe the excuses over their truth. They hide from their own inner light.

And yet, it takes only one second, one breath to experience when we act in our truth and embrace that moment, we feel the gates of our soul open wide and all the energies and inspiration shine through. One experience like this can be life changing. When we feel that moment of freedom we feel our soul come alive with the breath of our divine truth. That can never be undone. For many that is enough to begin taking steps on the path of authenticity and freedom. We let go of the lies that we used to tie us down, to hold us back and to keep us small. The pain is no longer stronger than the power we find in our truth!

Philip James Baily once stated, “The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat one’s self.” Cheating one’s self of the beauty awaiting you, keeping yourself from the blessings that are brilliant gifts with your name on it, turning down the possibilities and opportunities that cross your path and reach out to you…all this serves no one. It is not as though someone else will then receive them, that is not how it works. What the Universe showers down for you, is meant for you, to help you grow, to encourage you, to challenge you and to bless you. It will never feel the same for anyone else. It is a soul loss and a waste when you keep yourself from being who you are meant to be and from receiving the blessings that have come your way.

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 Lisa Meade

Are You In Alignment?

Financial guru, Suze Orman, was on television the other day offering advice to folks facing investments in today’s tough economy. She stated, “In order to live a rich life, everything about who you are must be one, in alignment, and in pure harmony.” I sat there an immediately lapsed into my spiritual thought process and lost track of the rest of the television interview. What wisdom! And money aside, how right for EVERYTHING else in our life! But let’s not turn this quote into a book, just a blog! So how do you define rich? For some it includes money or possessions, for others it is lifestyle, family and friends and for others it is opportunities, career, and calling. Regardless of your definition think on this … in order to be rich in life, everything about you needs to be aligned, whole, one and in harmony, agreement or synchronization. WOW! What a fabulous intention to set one’s focus on.

Think back to a moment when you really did feel rich. Go there in your thoughts, think of where you were, who you were with, what the circumstances were and how you felt in your body, your mind, your heart, your soul. Now, slowly step back and look at that moment, that day, that time and check in and see how your alignment was. Odds are things were pretty much in great configuration and you were shining brightly and filled with joy and ready to leap forward!

So how do we bring these types of moments more and more into our day? Obviously, it is going to take something on our behalf to make it happen. I believe it begins the moment we open our eyes, beginning our day with gratitude to have yet another gift of a day to share with others, to be in service, to shine brightly, to interact in loving relationships, to strive towards health and well being, to inspire, to be inspired, to dream, to stretch and to reach! And we have ONLY opened our eyes!

Then there is the opportunity to connect with Source; regardless of your personal practices, bringing the sacred into the ordinary aligns our soul with our being. Taking the time to step into the realm of our spiritual self, to honor and celebrate that aspect of our selves and to unite this essence with our actions creates a spiritual union that serves us and others well.

And how shall we cherish and celebrate our bodies? Do you check in with your body daily, asking it what its needs are and feeding it foods that serve as fuels and health promoting energy? Do you move it and use it as it is designed to be used, dancing, hiking, stretching, and climbing through your day with grace and ease, delight and intention? What does your body long to do that you have not given it the time to?

Oh so many things to align, and we haven’t even spoken of thoughts and the power in them, making sure that they are in position with our intention of living a rich life? And what of our heart and its rhythm and outreach, it’s capacity for self-compassion and healing? As you can see, coming by the riches in life, takes a good amount of intention and focus, effort and insight, but oh how preciously wonderful it feels when it all comes together. And how glorious we see ourselves to be, how amazing our lives show themselves as they are, and all possibilities become an adventure to explore! Oh the beauty of it all.

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 LISA MEADE

Supportive Distance

The past few days have been spent, for me, in service to others, mostly family members. It was a full week of decision-making, events that provoked stresses and feelings of vulnerability for many of my family. Each one sought me out to vent to, to share with, to inquire from and to explore possibilities with. Being a mother of five children, this is something that I have grown accustomed to, but admittedly it is these times when two or more of them need me in this manner all at the same time that I feel the weight of it all. After much good work, insightful processing, patience and gentle unfolding, each has found them selves on the other side. They were able to walk through the door of decision and lesson on their own with my tender encouragement and love. Now we can celebrate the forward movement each has made on their path. Now we can look back at the lessons that sparkle like gems for each. It is beautiful.

And for me, now I can find some time for pause. As Cesare Pavese states, “Just a bit of silence and everything stops in its actual place.” And that is what I need on this day, just a bit of silence so that life can return to where it needs to be, so that I can engage with it in the place that I am and so that my family can continue moving on. I think there are times when we become engaged in the lives of our family and friends, sometimes because we are invited in, other times because our energies are required and then sometimes because we want to be. Regardless of the reason, it is important to our family and friends that we stay present and that we remember it is THEIR story that is unfolding. We do not need to be brought into the drama of it. Loving support means we are able to remain nearby but do not become so involved that we are living it for them.

I think for some this can be challenging. There are those who are the fixers, who want to undo any hurt or wrong. There are those who are the diversion makers who try to draw away the loved one from potential pain or suffering. And there are those are the participants who become enthralled in the story, even though it is not there own. Learning how to be supportive and caring without stepping into any of these roles is sometimes challenging, but always important. It is within this space that we are allowing the one we love to learn what they need to, be who they are becoming and gain the lesson that is waiting for them, while we continue to love, encourage and witness for them with honor.

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 LISA MEADE