In this moment



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If you read my blog occasionally, you'll know that quite often I will gather inspiration from a quote.  This has happened today.  Being a fan of Jerry and Esther Hicks, authors of many books on Universal Law as delivered by Abraham, I receive weekly emails to my Inbox that contain a Quote of the Day.  Today's quote is as follows:

No one can deny you or grant you anything. It all comes to you by virtue of your vibration. - Abraham (Excerpted from the workshop in Lincroft, NJ on Tuesday, October 15th, 1996 #600)

This is such a simple, yet powerful thought and statement. Just before it hit my Inbox, I was sitting here reflecting on how I feel.  I do this on a regular basis, throughout each day, becoming a sort of bellwether for myself.  The way that I feel in that specific moment in time indicates how I react and move forward throughout the rest of my day.  If I'm not feeling so great in that specific moment, that is my immediate signal to shift my thoughts, per Jerry and Esther's books' suggestions, and create a different harmony, or vibration.

You know how sometimes, God/Universe will interact with us in a beautiful way and deliver just the most perfect thought that matches how we're feeling?  This is what occurred with the above quote, and it is the personification of Universal Law, to my way of thinking.

I have made no secret of the fact that Life isn't always a bright, sunshiney, flower-strewn meadow for me.  I step out of bed each day with my own personal challenges, responsibilities and dreams to better myself and my circumstances.  Some days I hit the best note possible, other days I don't.  Here very recently, I have been making more of those wee steps of progression, embracing the better thoughts, choosing to focus on uplifting mindset. 

And today, in the small, quiet hours of the morning, just moments prior to reading the Hicks-Abraham quote, I was smiling because I was very consciously aware of feeling....happy.  That warm, satisfied, just all around good feeling that we are occasionally blessed with was suffusing my mind and body.  Then I opened the email containing the quote above and I laughed out loud at the delightful Divine Order of it all.

I am in a space where my skills are being recognized and appreciated by colleagues - both those in the blogging world, and also those in the professional arenas where I make my living.  I am building up a client roster of people that I truly enjoy working with, and this makes me equally happy.  As Abraham has indicated, this generates happiness and that uplifting tone, harmony and energy begets more of the same.  It has happened over a vast stretch of time for me, yet now that it is clearly manifesting, it has almost caught me off guard with the gentle evidence. 

My last post, Choosing Positivity, was a requested guest post for Mansi Bhatia's wonderful blog, First Impressions.  Perhaps this post is an adjunct, or continuation of that general theme.  Normally, I do my best to not repeat themes in concurrent blog posts, but this is what hit me this morning and it felt appropriate to write about.

I have pondered esoteric laws and concepts from my very early years, as I have always been a rapt student of this type of knowledge.  For a great many years, I understood the concept of Universal Law on an intellectual basis, but it was the nuances that escaped me.  I spent many years focusing more on the "Don't wants" than focusing on what felt better in that particular moment.  When I finally came to clarity on that specific application of Universal Law, I remember rolling my eyes at myself with how I managed to overlook that part of the whole equation for so long.  As we all know, the Lightbulb Moments hit when we are ready to receive them.  I was close, so very close in my younger years to that clarity, but not quite ready to fully grasp the simplicity therein.

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I'm very good at what I call "getting in my own way".  I have a strong tendency to do things the hard way first, every time.  Why, you might ask?  My brain just seems to be hardwired in that manner.  Until someone points out the exquisite beauty and obviousness of the more simple approach, it just doesn't occur to me to do it that way.  It can be comical to family and friends, because I confuse them at times with my elaborate approach to some very simple task, applying great amounts of energy and concentration and enthusiasm...until someone says, "Dawn, have you ever thought of doing it THIS way?"  This is the point where I always stop dead, absolutely captivated by their suggestion, my brain all a-goggle with the searingly simple method they have suggested.  It is as though the Heavens open and a bright ray of sunshine beams down upon my fair head, with an accompanying orchestra and choir in the background.

No, I'm really not kidding.  Sometimes I really do just do things the hard way first.  Okay, LOTS of times I do things the hard way first.  It's just my nature, apparently.  This is not to say, however, that I enjoy making things difficult for myself! Indeed, it is always a goal of mine to simplify and find more logical methods. 

At this point in my life, I feel I have come to a very solid, positive approach that serves me well.  I know this because when I check in with myself throughout the day, the majority of the time, I detect joy.  Happiness is the note of the morning for me and I have to admit, it feels pretty darned good!  What makes it even more enjoyable is that I am quite aware that I am responsible for this inner feeling of satisfaction and happiness.  I have chosen the steps to maintain that positive outlook, even during the days where I would much rather embrace gloom and irritability.  I've made that conscious effort to focus on the next best feeling thought and emotion.

Oftentimes, that next best feeling thought is tiny....minor to the point of being relevant only to my heart.  Yesterday, it was me standing at the mailbox and glancing up in the sky to see a cloud shaped like a bird's wing.  This morning, it was the simple realization that although my work is not where I would wish for it to be just yet, it IS getting there.  I have work coming in the door after a very long, stressful dry period, and it is work that I enjoy.  I am helping people and making a difference in the world with these new projects, and for me as a writer, this is sublimely satisfying.  That satisfaction is glowing inside of me this morning, blossoming into a larger sensation of happiness as I take time to identify it, focus upon it and feel appreciation for it.

So, today, my inner feeling is one of simple happiness.  Nothing complex, although admittedly the path to get here was riddled with obstacles and myriad frustrations at times.  I am happy, in this moment, and I am taking time to focus on this emotion that is welling up inside me.  I imagine it to be a warm glowing ball of Light, much as I have described in other blog posts, and I imagine that this same emotion, this same energy, vibration and tone is calling out.  Remember, my friends, that thoughts and words are energy and translate into electrical impulses that dart outward to the Universe!  According to Universal Law, this energy is attracted to similar energy...vibrating and spinning, flying outward to unite with more of the same, then returning to us, bringing again, more of the same.  More of the same, only amplified! 


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I am reaping the benefits of structuring my thoughts, habits and actions, and these benefits are that I am happy, satisfied and feeling fulfilled on many different levels. My plan for navigating the day is to continue to dwell in this feeling of happiness.  In each moment that I focus on this quiet sensation of bliss, I am, in effect, dialing accurately into the vibration of God/Universe/Spirit and creating a high level of harmony that will continue to perpetuate itself.  In this moment, this awareness brings a smile.  In this moment, I greet myself as an incredible part of the bigger picture that creates my reality.  In this moment, I am basking in a lovely, happy place.  I hope your own day brings you equal joy, my friends.

Just Be

I have spoken many times before in blog format about the frantic pace we lead daily, particularly here in the United States.  I'm no different from the majority of people in this regard; I've been working diligently to establish a new branch of my writing services.  The lagging economy affected everything about my writing career two years ago and I am still adjusting and laying new foundation blocks.  So focused am I that I become my own worst enemy with taking care of myself, not getting enough sleep, not eating correctly and most importantly, not taking time off!

We all know the basic rules - you can't have day without night, hot without cold, light without dark, happy without sad.  Subsequently that old axiom of "All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl" truly has merit and weight to it.  When I begin to feel smothered in this manner, I know it is time to step back.  So, recognizing that certain frustrations have been building within as I'm racing madly down the road to a serious lack of balance, my thoughts turn to the exact opposite of my current daily existence.  In a word...FREEDOM.

What does it mean to you?  Freedom.  The very word conjures up all manner of emotions and mental images, feelings, expectations, hopes, dreams and wishes.  Freedom represents my beloved country, the United States of America, with her symbol that of the noble Bald Eagle.  I cannot witness one of these beautiful birds in flight without getting a lump in my throat and feeling the sting of tears.  Watching these majestic birds wheeling freely across the blue skies seems to speak to something very elemental within most of us.  When the word 'freedom' comes to mind, invariably, I mentally conjure up a bald eagle in flight.

Specific to my current frame of mind, freedom represents making a living doing what I love.  Not being chained to a dead-end existence in corporate America, as that experience always slowly saps my vitality and energy.  I chose to leave that world and pursue my own path with freelance writing.  Yes, I am accomplishing that goal in slow and sure steps.  Yet there is a niggling sense of frustration and lack that tells me I am getting in my own way.  I tend to excel at dancing with this particular nemesis.  So, with this recognition comes knowledge that it is time to stop.  Simply stop everything and just be.

At times such as these, I always reflect on the few true vacations I've taken.  One in particular was a 12 day trip to Hawaii.  I went with a group of friends and because of the time zone changes wreaking havoc with my Circadian rhythms, I regularly awakened fairly early.  Now, if you know me even slightly, you're aware that I'm not a morning person.  Not even close!  But during that time in Hawaii, I would wake up before the majority of my room mates, shower, dress and take a walk around the neighborhood where our hotel was located.  Across the street was a Catholic church that was always open and I would stop there to sit in the quiet, holy space, listening to the birds singing and just soak in that blissful feeling of freedom we have on vacation. 

I loved it - I chose what to do each day and I answered to no one but myself and the group of people I was with.  No bosses, no phone calls, nothing but my own personal choices and whims for the day.  I can remember being clearly conscious of the delight of that daily existence, feeling the surge of endorphins and pleasure coursing through me that freedom brings.  This is what I need to find a way to incorporate in my life now.

Tomorrow will be a day of freedom.  At times it is necessary to make a ruthless shift and literally walk away from the world for a moment.  Breathing, embracing a certain isolation to purge what was becoming a tangled jumble. Focusing and being what some might deem selfish in order to come back to quiet, come back to balance and reconnect with the pureness of my dreams.  An outward, deliberate and physical act of meditation.  Recapturing that sense of absolute freedom and pleasure in just being.

Law of Attraction concepts dictate that unless we are feeling joyful, we are out of balance and out of connection with the Source, that which we call God/Universe/Spirit...the names for Divine Energy are numerous.  I am feeling that disconnect and it is manifesting as frustration and dissatisfaction.  Yet these same unbalanced emotions are tools.  I am now at a point in my life and evolution where I am able to identify these potential obstacles much sooner than in the past.  I am happy for this awareness, as it allows me to consciously shift and adjust more quickly.  It isn't always easy or enjoyable, but it is necessary.  It is also not feasible for most of us to live in an eternal vacation mindset.  This is not what I am suggesting in this post; I mean more for us to access the pure happiness we experience when on vacation and create an environment that encourages those feelings to manifest daily.  I have stumbled with this in my own personal daily experience, so it is time to recalibrate.

This moment in my life is high charged and delicately balanced.  Webster's Dictionary defines the word Fulcrum thusly:

1 a : prop; specifically : the support about which a lever turns b : one that supplies capability for action

This is what I feel to be taking place - I am at one of those pivotal points.  I can ignore the warning flags and emotions and continue to create more of a tangle in various areas of my life, or I can heed these emotions and be proactive.  Obviously I am choosing the latter.  This is not to say I am in the midst of crisis or impending doom; to the contrary, life is good.  What I am focused on is making it better, and keeping a weather eye on anything that distracts me from embracing happiness and feeling a true sense of satisfaction in my existence.
 
What will this produce, this moment out of time?  I have no idea.  The main goal of the whole exercise is to just be.  I am promising myself a day of bliss in whatever form that manifests.  No contracts will be thought about; looming deadlines will not exist, bills can wait and troublesome connections are relegated to a distant back burner.  I am taking a personal holiday and re-establishing the bonds within myself with the dreams I came here to accomplish.  The laws of quantum physics and nature dictate that energy given is energy that returns, amplified.  My intention is to dwell in an energetic mindset that is positive, happy and open to all that is good.  Negative energies and people who get in the way of this objective are stumbling blocks that distract us all from dwelling in perfect accord and balance with our purpose and dreams.  The amplified energies that return to me are within my ability to shepherd and guide.  This is my own gentle reminder to myself that I chart my own course, and it is healthy and intelligent to choose happiness and freedom.
 

Oftentimes when I begin to feel bogged down with a lot of junkie energy, I meditate on the mental image of being suspended in the mist that blows down off a waterfall.  I imagine that mist floating through my physical and etheric bodies, sweeping clean all dark spots, all smudges of other peoples' energies, dissipating fatigue and disappointments and leaving behind a refreshed person.  A cleansed body, mind and spirit.  This is such an effective mental meditation that I do it quite often...unless I allow myself to get distracted and caught up in superfluous issues, people and circumstances.  Time now, to be.  Just be.
 

I don't know if this will resonate with anyone else.  No doubt anyone reading this post will remember a similar moment in their own lives where they had to slam the proverbial brakes on and symbolically leave the planet for a while.  I'm off on a journey to reconnect with myself, take silken energetic thread and stitch my joyfulness back into brilliant, fluid fabric that will ripple and shine and as a Dream Catcher would, capture those corresponding energies that match my dreams.
 

Just be.  That's the goal.  Those are the instructions.  Two simple words that allow a world of experience, releasing of spiritual blocks, and soaring until I feel renewed.  Writing about this with clear intentions is already lifting my spirits and I am smiling as I come to a close.  Perhaps this blog will nudge you to take a personal moment...a day of freedom for yourself.  If so, don't freeze up - don't stress out, as those are contradictions of your goal.  Be good to yourself.  Be joyful.  Be free.  Breathe in each individual beautiful moment.  Absorb it all.  Release the negatives and for this one moment, concentrate completely and magnificently upon YOU.  Just....Be.

Stackable energy

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I believe in energy existing in our lives in a manner that is very logical and has meaning, intent, substance and results from the gift we are given of Free Will.  I also believe that all of the above is helped along with a gentle guiding hand on our respective rudders, nudging us this way, prompting our attention to take that tiny, often overlooked back road, or to hold the door for that stranger, to engage in a seemingly random conversation...all in order to encourage our steps in the next best direction.

Why am I saying all of this?  For the past two years, (and I have mentioned this in several recent blog posts, so forgive the slight repetition here) I have been going through a transition - something I've called an incubation process, and other times I've dubbed it "useful limbo".  The limbo part of the process appears to be rapidly reaching its zenith, because I am now seeing the jumble of experiences, the forays of energy, the textures, sounds and colors all beginning to come together in a bit of a rush.  This gives the impression, at first glance, that everything is happening at once and it can feel overwhelming. 

Don't get me wrong, I am beyond appreciative to see the beginning manifestations...a return...ROI in Law of Attraction terms.  All the earnest energy, all the envisioning and dreaming with clear intent are now returning in their inevitable, beautiful boomerang-like arc from their journey out to God/Universe/Spirit.  I often wonder how that energy that has my own unique Dawn fingerprint journeys outward.  What would the journey look like if I could follow it?  Watch it swoop and sojourn, darting deeply into this well of corresponding energy to match up to that particular word of intent....follow perhaps a more leisurely undulation into mysterious swirling depths of a different energy cloud to gather threads for a completely different intention, marrying it all seamlessly. 

I often imagine this process to be of some musical and energetic expression beyond our three dimensions that creates a harmony to match my own in a manner that is inexpressibly beautiful.  In fact, I doubt that the mere word "beautiful" would be sufficient to match what this dance of light actually creates out there in the Great Unknown where God/Universe/Spirit delights in weaving the threads, sparks and notes together for each of us. 

And so it dallies out there, performing an acrobatic feat beyond our human ken, twirling madly in some areas, drifting as lazily and gently as an autumn leaf in others, collecting the energy with an application of time that fits my unique harmony.  As it begins to return to me, my human mind, my human heart and human eyes see it as wondrous, but also slightly chaotic.  I remind myself constantly that it is just an illusion that the returning energy only seems to be all hitting at once, giving the impression of actions and experiences stacking one on top of the other.  The reality is that the pieces of energy which appear to be rushing at me wildly, clamoring for attention and building up in a tall, narrow tower similar to children's building blocks are actually "stacking" that high to give me a moment to simply stare upward and witness my own creative genius at work. 

I am being given the chance to gaze at this high, narrow tower and see clearly what I have wrought with my own sincere actions, dreams, intentions and words.  I am aware that when I get past the first rush of exhilaration and slight doubts that always accompany each door opening to success, each building block will regally and purposely shift from the tall, narrow tower to place itself in a firm, rock solid foundation.  I believe the energy stacking sensation is merely to call our attention to sharp focus.  I recognize that I have not done all of this alone - that gentle hand on the rudder, that quiet presence that embraces me has been there guiding the thoughts, intentions and dreams as they travel outward and eventually return with purpose.

There are the loving, reassuring whispers that come softly into my heart, and with them a sense of calm.  Do I still feel trepidation?  Yes, to a degree, because I firmly believe that we either feel Love, or we feel Fear.  All emotions are derived from those two true sources.  So, although minor thoughts of slowing the mad rush down exist, much more clearly, there is exhilaration as I recognize that after a lengthy incubation and useful limbo, the time is approaching for forward momentum to fall into place. 

It is occurring as I write this post, with so many energy blocks in that stackable tower that as I tip my head back to gaze upward, I admit to a slight thrill of "What have I done?" type of thinking niggling at the periphery of my conscious mind.  I don't spend much energy focusing on those doubts, as I recognize them to be a natural part of moving forward.  Caution is never a bad partner to take along on any rush into our personal, individual futures.  That being said, I am more inclined to simply stare up at that sparkling, brightly faceted narrow tower of energy and feel an immense satisfaction.  The layers and building blocks soar above me and show me clearly that I am now stepping away from the useful limbo phase into a moment of more mobile, active application of energy.

At this moment, I find it apropos that I am on this brink...full of aspirations and dreams.  This is a time of quiet, that proverbial calm before the storm, and I choose to view the storm as a positive.  It is a storm of energy blocks stacked very high, and as I was a strong hand in the creation of these dreams, I admit to liking how loftily it ascends.  Rather than quailing, I feel a definite sense of sureness and destiny, and overall, that never ending curiosity that drives me onward. 

I also admit to wishing, just once, for a wee glimpse of that energy fingerprint....for a wee moment, to dash outward in tandem into the Great Unknown and be a bit of a tourist....and perhaps I actually do achieve that in a different state.  It is all tied intrinsically together, after all, to produce the individual stories we all choose to live.  I'll be content, though, with wrangling those stackable energy blocks into that solid foundation, and continue to build the Now into a bright experience.

Allow love

Does anyone reading this sometimes struggle with being open to being loved? Does that statement sound bizarre, or does it strike a common chord for you? I'm one of the ones that tends to get in my own way with that concept, sometimes rather spectacularly. I'm accustomed to being the one watching out for friends, being protective, nurturing, loving, supportive, etc. Yep, throw out the psycho-babble terms....co-dependent might be one that applies to that mindset. I won't argue the point. I think we all feel much safer and more in control when we're the ones doling out the care. Flip the tables on us and send someone our way to take care of us, nurture, protect, encourage, support and love and hmm....that feels a bit odd. Perhaps a bit unnerving.

I'm aware of my issues with control, have been for years. I work hard to keep it to a sane level and most days I feel I'm doing pretty well. Recently, I finally sat down and wrote out a list of things I'd like to invite into my life - that good old life mapping process, Law of Attraction at its most basic application. The very first thing I wrote was, "I want to meet new friends, or come back into contact with old friends, who are loving and caring towards friendships in the manner that I am." Basically, I was saying I want to be loved as deeply, openly and outwardly as I love the people in my life. Some might read that statement and think it sounds slightly egocentric, patting yourself on the back for your ability to love. I disagree - if there is one thing I can say about myself, without an egocentric mindset, it is that I know how to love and express it openly. It is one of the things I appreciate the most about myself, and in recognizing this fact, I felt, for the first time in a while, that I deserved just as much care and love as I freely give to others.

Well, let me just say that this small exercise is beginning to bloom extravagantly in my life. New and old friendships are sprouting up all around me. Interesting that I'm using gardening analogies here! I feel that I have always been blessed with people - family and friends - who genuinely love me. What I felt was missing was actually hearing that love expressed, or, in lieu of hearing the words spoken, seeing them written. I bow to the necessity of electronic communication to a certain extent.

Very early this morning, a dear friend sent me a song link on my Facebook page, expressing in music that he believes in me. It was so unexpected, kind and loving that I stared for long moments and thought, "Wow, that's exactly the type of thing that I would do for a friend. So, this is what it feels like to be on the receiving end!" Other friends are making phone calls out of the blue and making comments that heretofore would have been quite uncharacteristic for them. Still others are sending emails that say, with simple, heartfelt words, the things that I asked to hear when I wrote that list. All of this is not to say I feel disenfranchised, unloved or neglected - to the contrary. I am rich with blessings and love. I just needed to hear, see and feel that love become manifested in a different way.

Has it been easy for me to accept? You'd think the answer would be a resounding "Yes!" In fact, it has been a bit of a challenge to open up and allow this love into my heart. That may sound churlish, and that isn't the intent - I do accept the kindness and love and appreciate it all more than I can put into words. It is those quiet moments alone, when I sit and absorb it all that have me a bit off kilter, realizing that allowing love is occasionally a much bigger struggle than giving love. The beautiful part of this whole process is how magically simple it has been. It was completely unnecessary to trot out all my defense mechanisms, shore up my highest, titanium walls and deepen the moat surrounding my personal fortress. I just took a breath and allowed love in. It was and continues to be, wonderful!

The first step - identify what you want. The second step - ask for it. As most of us who study the Law of Attraction concepts, or the Bible or other holy texts know, those first two steps are the easier ones to accomplish. The third step - allow what you asked for to manifest. That one takes some work, I admit it! I've said it countless times, that being loved is such a simple thing, and this is an immutable truth. Recognizing it and being open to it is the challenge. It's like putting on a new pair of shoes - sometimes they feel a bit tight and odd to begin with, but if you're patient, those shoes begin to adapt to your shape and fit like the proverbial glove. The same concept applies to allowing love - it may feel a bit odd and uncomfortable at first. Give it some time, let the love meld with the shape of You. Once it feels like it fits, you're just getting started....the next step is to continue!