Tag Archive for: spiritual

Prince of PEACE: A study in contrasts

For many of us, this weekend is one where we are winding down from our Christmas celebrations and festivities. And for some, December has been a time spent focusing attention on Jesus Christ as the “Prince of Peace.” No matter your affiliation or spiritual tradition, however, I welcome you to explore with me here on the blog, this concept of peace, and of peace stewardship. It’s not of course, limited to a particular religion, or any religion, for that matter.

Are we not each a steward of peace, if we choose to be?

I realize that making this choice may seem too large, too assuming, nay even a completely hopeless notion, what with the seemingly endless examples of violence and strife – in our own communities, in our schools and movie theaters here in the United States, for example – and for each of us in various ways throughout our own countries as well as abroad. Perhaps.

I am awake to the endemic and pandemic:

  • Intolerance
  • Lack of understanding
  • Failure to empathize
  • Clinging to exclusion rather than inclusion
  • Perpetuation of separation rather than unity

I am also awakening to, and drawing from, however, the deep potential for peace that awaits within. It is available to each of us. We are at liberty to invoke it at any time. When we embody that peace, it cannot help but lend hope to ourselves and to those around us. Call me naïve, and yet, I am willing to carry forth this sentiment and from the point of realization that peace on earth really does indeed begin with me (and you).

I ask you to consider: What is your piece of the peace? 

Peace: It’s a moment by moment thing

This is not to suggest that it’s easy. Nor, am I suggesting it’s even plausible to maintain a sense of peace all day, every day. I’m only suggesting that we try. It’s worth our making the attempts, wouldn’t you say?

Admittedly, I’d say that peace is a moment by moment thing. I certainly don’t live in a state of peace at all times. I slip in and out of it, moment by moment. And yet, I may decide to bring peace to any given situation, in any given moment.

Also, peace may not mean completely free from conflict. It may, however, mean embracing a sense of gratitude, of serenity, of home.

So, to that, I say: Let’s create our own playful peace puzzles!

Ready to get your own peace party started?

Taking the letters of PEACE, I invite you to make your own peace offering – to yourself, and to anyone else who needs it. There’s no science to this – it’s art.

I’m not suggesting that these will solve the world’s crises. They may, however, provide a few moments of solace, and a brief respite and recess away from the disharmonious world around us. May they provide you the space to refrain from discord, and instead step out into the world from a place of peace.

Peace be with you.

Peace be within you.

Peace emanate from you.

For your consideration:

I’ll start. Here are three playful peace puzzles that I’ve put together for posting here on the blog:

Precede Engagements of Anger with Conscious Empathy

Preciously Embrace All Coziness Eternally

Proactively Entertain Abundantly Creative Enterprises

Okay, your turn:

I’ve left one blank for you to complete – feel free to do this one on your own. Have fun!

P__________ E __________ A__________ C__________ E __________

I invite you to share your own playful peace puzzle and any other peace related thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul! 

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved. 

Yes, you have the music in you!

“When the night is falling

and you cannot find the light

If you feel your dreams are dying

…Hold tight.

You’ve got the music in you.”

–The New Radicals, You Get What You Give

As we approach Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere, daytime shortens and nighttime lengthens. The natural world settles in for rest and rejuvenation before it springs forth at the next turn of the wheel. It is also a time of Christmas lights and Hanukkah lights.

This time of year is also one of carols, hymns, and other songs and types of lyrical merriment.  It’s also a time when the muse moves through each of us.  To turn a phrase:  As without, so within.

In this edition of Soul Notes, let’s allow ourselves to breathe in the beautiful music that surrounds us this time of year – and at the same time, let us behold the music that stirs within us. Music from the outside and from within:  One is physical; the other, metaphysical, perhaps? Spiritual, for certain.

As the year draws to a close, I invite you to take an accounting of the music within you that you have already “let out” this year, for all to hear. At the same time, consider this:

What music is still within you, that has been laying dormant, that is ready to rise to the surface and be expressed? What have you been subduing, that you may benefit from bringing forward into next year, and out into the light?

You’ve Got the MUSE-Ic in YOU

In Greek mythology, there are nine muses, all dedicated to and presiding over the arts and sciences, one of whom is the goddess of music.

There are various etymologies for “muse” and “music”.

Suffice it to say, however, that it is not sound, by itself, which makes “music.” It is the feeling of satisfaction that it invokes within the person receiving and perceiving the sound. It is the stirring of deeply felt emotions which constitutes music, and that separates it from noise. As with the muses themselves, music inspires. It brings forth beauty. It encourages the heart.

InSPIRation

From the inside out

Creation

Moves through you

Out into the world

You feel it in your body

Sensation

Vibration

Rings

Rattles

Roars

Harmony

Evoked

Alive!

It spurs on a deeper and richer experience. It touches and awakens your spirit, your soul.  Nineteenth century physician (and member of the “Fireside Poets”) Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. offered up this spiritual prescription:

“Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.”

– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

He also said that most of us go to our grave with our music still inside us. It is not about getting ready to live.  It’s about living fully expressed, before our time runs out.

So, as you embrace this time of year, I invite you to find some quiet moments to reflect on what you desire to bring out from the darkness into the light.  Is it a book?  Is it a composition of another sort?  Any other creative endeavor? A new way of showing up in the world?  In your community? In your relationships?

I’ll be doing the same.  I’ll let you know how it goes!

Wishing you and yours all the joys and blessings of the season.

For your consideration:

Get quiet, and reflect for a moment: When has a particular piece of music moved you?  What was it about it that touched your spirit, your soul?

Okay, your turn:

When has music inspired you? In what ways?  What about your own MUSE-ic inside you?  What within you is ready to be expressed?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

Comfort Zone/Discomfort Zone (Either/Or): Is it Really that Simple?

How many times have you heard or read something along the lines of: “To grow, you must always get and be outside your comfort zone”?

Personal development types often talk about how important it is to go outside your comfort zone.

There is definitely some validity to that, to a certain extent. Sometimes we stay static and hang on for dear life to the status quo even when we have or in spite of  having strong feelings to the contrary.   We may be yearning for a positive change in our lives, yet we stay stuck because stepping out of our usual routine feels scary, uncertain or even dreadfully painful.

Let’s break down the concept, however, a bit more. I’d say there’s a vital distinction to be made between what may or may not be within your comfort zone, and what resides within your alignment zone. Focusing solely on what is or isn’t within your comfort zone I’d say is too darn simplistic. “Change (solely) for change’s sake” — always, and in all ways, without scrutiny — is a rather compulsive, rudimentary and dare I say dumbed-down approach to spiritual growth.

Let’s dive further into this whole idea. Let’s fine-tune it.

Here are examples to help illustrate what I mean:

Let’s say that over the years, you’ve become comfortable in a relationship, or in your career (or even with regard to your living room furniture, for that matter!) Let’s say that you keep going along living your life with these people or things, etc. — keeping things as-is — keeping things “status quo” – so to speak, because well, it’s familiar. Surely, it is often easier to keep things the way they are, instead of risking them in exchange for the unknown.

What if, however, one or more of these situations no longer serve you, and are no longer in furtherance of your highest good? Or, what if they never were what your soul truly desired, and somehow you found yourself with these people or situations or things in your life? What if the relationship, the job, those home furnishings —whatever they may be– really don’t  “light you up?” Well, that’s a pretty good sign that even though they may be considered as being within your comfort zone (i.e., in terms of “hey, at least they’re familiar. I know what it is I’m getting”) — they may not be within your alignment zone.

In these situations, it IS in your best interest to stretch outside your comfort zone, and take the leap, with faith and trust, to make a healthy change. The good news is that the first step off the ledge is by far the scariest and the toughest. The more you do it, the more familiar THAT then becomes. You then have the experience of having done it (and you survived – yay!) Hey, what do you know, THAT (new thing) itself becomes less uncomfortable. That builds confidence, and satisfaction.

When A Situation Does Not Serve You or Your Highest Good

If you heard my interview from the Soul Shine Series, you’ll recall that I left the practice of law right in the middle of a recession, without another job lined up. I listened to my intuition that told me that being a civil litigator was anything but in alignment with whom I was meant to be in this world. Even though I had offers from other law firms back then, I made the conscious choice to take instead, a corporate job in legal sales, where I could find respite from the often 70-hour weeks and strain of contorting myself into what had really begun to feel out of alignment for me.

Despite the “good money” I was making as a lawyer, the conflict and lack of congruence with my authentic self that it required, was not in service of my highest good. Leaving the practice of law, and a high paying job before I had secured another one (I was steeped in law school debt too at the time), was definitely outside my comfort zone.   Alas, however, it was beautifully and soulfully rooted well within my alignment zone.

I’m not suggesting that this type of leap is right for everyone.  It may not have been right even for myself at another point in my life.  At that juncture, though, for me, it proved to be a very good choice. I’m forever grateful for making that decision to “jump ship”. I started that corporate job on July 1st of that year. On July 2nd, I found out that my father had died suddenly from a massive heart attack. Eight months after that, my dear brother died from suicide. I cannot even imagine what it would have been like for me to experience those deep back-to-back losses while still practicing law. My new boss and team at my new corporate job were blessedly supportive and deeply understanding. And, I now had a newfound, sacred space created for me from which to grieve.

A really key factor is deciding for yourself, from a place of self-respect and self-honor: What is and is not with your alignment zone. For more on how to get clear on what is in alignment for you and in congruence with your soul’s desires, go here.

“All the comforts of home”

Now, maybe that relationship, that job, or your favorite comfy chair, are in fact within your comfort zone and in alignment with your true, authentic self, and your soul’s true desires. Well, in that case, I say: Bravo! Brava! Congratulations! There’s no need then to force yourself to step outside either of these zones. There’s no reason to step blindly outside your comfort zone purely in the name of so-called “personal growth”.

It is not wise to live outside your comfort zone all the time. To do so, means running the risk of becoming addicted to change for change’s sake. You end up staying so busy trying out new things that you’ve left no room to cherish, savor, and delight in any of them! You run the risk of treading roughshod right over any opportunity to observe, reflect upon, and learn from the experiences.

It’s a matter of integrity

Ready to fine-tune this concept even more?   I’ve not really heard any gurus put it quite this way in the 20 years or so that I’ve been involved with personal transformation. And, when my own intuition brought it to my attention during the last year or so – it nearly knocked my fuzzy slippers off!

Okay, here it is –

It’s really important and often may be necessary, to venture outside your comfort zone if and only if  it stretches you in a life-enhancing, life-fulfilling way, for you (and not for anyone else). Allow yourself to make those distinctions on what is accordance with your own standards, and not judging by anyone else’s.

If stepping up and out of your comfort zone provides the personal growth you need to pursue your dreams and in furtherance of your soul’s desires, then that is what is within your alignment zone. And to that I say, full speed ahead!

If you’re yearning to become your full, 100% genuine, full-grade, authentic, YOU – that only you can be, and that the world NEEDS you to be – THEN, you beautiful SHINING LIGHT you – that is when you do step right up and out of your COMFORT ZONE, to FULFILL YOUR DESTINY!

If, however, something feels completely outside your alignment zone, do not allow yourself to be lured into stepping outside your comfort zone just so that you can say that “you’re growing”.   You may be simply growing what ends up being (for you, anyway) a patch of weeds, rising up from contaminated soil. When, instead, wouldn’t you rather create your own beautifully sacred and authentic garden?

It can be great to take an inspirational leap — but, just be careful what it is into that you’re leaping. You may be leaping into a fluid, soulfully infused river that is guiding and leading and taking you toward your divine destination. Or, you may be lured into a thrashing current of muck that ends up taking you way off-course, throwing you against the rocks, and catapulting you right out of your integrity and authenticity. Being out-of-integrity is in no way in furtherance of your divine purpose. It does not uplift you or anyone around you. It does not lead to higher consciousness.

Dare to buck the system, especially when it’s out of integrity for you, no matter how deceptively cloaked, and under the guise of “personal growth,” it may be!

Let your intuition be your guide. It knows the truth. It knows your truth, for you. For tips on invoking your intuition and conducting your own “gut checks” go here.

The beauty of support

I would encourage you to seek outside support along the way, as well.   It is essential to have support around you from loved ones and other kindred spirits who honor and replenish you along the way. Seeking and securing guidance from a trusted advocate, counselor, mentor, or other teacher can be hugely beneficial as well. We are not meant to do this all on our own.

Throughout your transformational journey, make your choices wisely and with care. Why? Because you’re worth it. Definitely worth it!

For your consideration:

Get quiet, and reflect for a moment: What is something right now that you truly and authentically desire, that is outside your comfort zone — and how would stretching outside that comfort zone bring you closer to your desired state? On the flip side, allow yourself to get clear on what one thing that may seem pressing for you right now — that, even if you were to go outside your comfort zone — simply would NOT be in alignment for you? What is something that if you were to pursue it, would simply feel completely out of integrity?

Okay, your turn:

What’s one true (and in-integrity) desire — that if you were to step outside your comfort zone and attempt — would completely rock your world in the best way possible? In contrast, what’s one thing – that even if you were to step outside your comfort zone and attempt – would end up making you feel out of alignment and ultimately as if you were a sell-out?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

What is Alignment?

In this edition of Soul Notes, we visit the topic of what it means to be divinely aligned. What is alignment, how you can tell, and what are some ways to get and stay in alignment – with your authentic self and with your soul’s true desires?

For our purposes here, alignment may best be described as arrangement in appropriate, relative positions. It may be alignment in the physical sense – such as getting a chiropractic adjustment to your spine. It may also be alignment in the metaphysical sense – such as an aligning of your chakras, or energy centers. It may be a combination – such as aligning your mind, body and soul.

Let’s take, for example, an automobile traveling down the road. When in alignment, barring any intervening forces, it moves forward (or backward!) in a perfectly straight line. The vehicle moves efficiently, with minimized wear and tear on the car’s suspension, brakes and tires. Alignment makes for an even distribution of force. A driver may compensate for poor alignment through (over-)steering the car, but that exerts more wear and tear on the driver and the vehicle. (I know, I know, we’re talking physics here on the blog! It’s okay to include science in the discussion, once in a while, right?)

Similarly, reflect for a moment on those times when your spine feels out of whack. You may then seek relief by going and getting a chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractors are trained in the aligning (or realigning) of the vertebrae in your back and neck, and may make adjustments to other joints as well.   Chiropractic adjustments are designed to help restore the body to its natural alignment and to allow the body to maximize its own natural healing ability.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

~ Mahatma Ghandi

Okay, great – now what about spiritual alignment? For your consideration, I pose this question: Is spiritual alignment really that much different from physical alignment?

As with a harmonic symphony, your soul when fully aligned makes for beautiful music in your life; it lays the foundation for deeply gratifying and fulfilling experiences.

How do you know when you’re in alignment? How can you tell?: THE SIGNS  

Just as with visits to the chiropractor, throughout your transformational journey your body gives clues as to when your soul is out of alignment, too. It comes down to paying attention, and to being a “Sherlock Holmes” in your own life!

Here’s the #1 best way to tell when you’re in (or out) of alignment with your authentic self: 

#1: The gut check

If you’re like me, I bet you can easily recall those times when you’ve noticed a queasy feeling in your stomach — when you just know that something isn’t right for you. Or, maybe it’s been a frenetic rush you feel coursing through your blood stream, or when your head suddenly starts hurting for no apparent reason? Or, maybe you feel weak in the knees; or, you feel your hands clenching, or your “heart sinking” in your chest?

Absent any actual threats to your physical well-being, these instances tend to be your body’s way of letting you know something is out-of-alignment with who you are, and what’s authentic for you.   Someone else may feel just fine in that given situation; for you, however, it’s just not ‘right.’

#2: The “What lights you up?” check

A kissin’ corollary to the gut check would be what I call the “What Lights You Up?” check.   When time simply flies by, and little if anything distracts you, and you feel that your whole body has been lit up from the inside out — You know that feeling? That’s a pretty darn good sign that you’re in alignment with your true, authentic self.

Following the clues:

Think of it as a Mapquest® or a global positioning system (GPS). Often, there are different ways to get to the same destination. One route may be the fastest. Other routes may be more scenic. Road hazards may come up along the way. If and when that happens, do you stop your trip altogether? Do you stop the car in the middle of the road, and abandon the journey? Nope, to get to your destination, you pay attention to what’s happening in front, back, and around you – and make adjustments along the way. The journey is fluid, not static.

The Mapquest® or GPS is simply the tool or resource you use to help you navigate. Have you ever received a “recalculating route” message coming from your GPS? I have, plenty of times! If and when I veer off course, it ever so politely alerts me to get back on track. I can ignore the message.   If however, I desire to get to my intended destination, I better take heed!

Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

So, I encourage you to do the same with your own life. By now, if you’ve listened to any of my interviews or watched my earlier video series, you know that it is the intuition which I feel serves as our own internal GPS. Use it, and use it often! Turn it on! Fire it up! And, trust it. Proceed in accordance with the messages and signals it sends you.

Why is alignment so important?

It’s important, and dare I say vital to be in alignment with your authentic self, because it makes for more productive and enriching life results, and makes this thing called the “human experience” better for you and those around you. It enhances the experiences of those whom you’re destined to serve, and in furtherance of your great work in the world. The world needs you! – The authentic you!

In contrast, as set forth above, the cost of not being in alignment is: undue stress, feelings of frustration and disappointment, and often sadness. It also takes its toll on your mind, body and spirit, all in disservice to your overall well-being.

So, with that, I leave you with the following tips to help you get and stay in alignment:

  1. Meditate/Get Still/Quiet (for 11 minutes)

Set aside 11 minutes that you will commit to being free from distractions, and pose this question to yourself — allowing your intuition and divine guidance to provide any and all information you need to receive:

“With regard to this particular (issue/situation), what is most in alignment for me at this time?”

  1. Write, Draw or Doodle in Your Journal

Next, write, draw or doodle in your journal about the answer(s) you received to your question.   What words, phrases, or pictures represent what has come up for you?

If you’d like to receive additional information or clarification on the question you’ve posed with regard to a particular issue or situation, feel free to ask again!   It may take doing this more than once or twice to get the full “download.”

  1. Keep a Log: “Gut” Checks & “What Lights You Up” Checks

Start keeping a log of those instances throughout the day or week, when you notice or feel in your gut that something is off track. Additionally, keep a record of those instances when you feel most excited, fulfilled, lit up, and on fire!

Do this daily for one week, and set aside another 11 minutes at the end of the seven days to review your log.  What patterns, if any, do you notice? Is there anything that really jumps out at you? Any surprises?

  1. Seek out kindred spirits with whom you can share your spiritual journey and soulful quests.

“Birds of a feather flock together.” – Proverb

As in nature, we as humans benefit from traveling together with others on a similar path, quest or journey.   It helps tremendously to gather together with other souls who are spiritual seekers and those, like you, who are yearning to live full out and in complete alignment with their authentic selves.

  1. Enlist a trusted mentor, guide, or advocate devoted to your success.

Having an advocate on your side who believes in you, supports you and holds you accountable, makes for accelerated alignment and long-lasting success.

For your consideration:

For you, what does it mean to be fully aligned?

Okay, your turn:

In what area of your life do you feel most in alignment? Which area or situation in your life feels the most off track or out-of-alignment for you right now?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

My recent initiation

Since JT (Justin Timberlake) has already brought sexy back, I’m bringing “sistren” back! According to the Oxford dictionary, both brethren and sistren shared common parlance until the 1600s, when the word brethren started to take over.  I say there’s plenty of room for both!

I joined a new (for me) sacred sisterhood this weekend. After nearly a year of study, on September 26, I, along with my sistren apprentices, received my formal initiation as a “Keeper of the Water” (Keeper).

As with many other types of initiations, we each took solemn vows and made sacred commitments. As our elder has so beautifully taught us, we have each now entered into a love-centered contract with the Divine.

And, it certainly doesn’t end there. With this initiation, it has truly just begun. And, will begin again. It’s creation. And, it’s rebirth. We are neither the first, nor the last of the Keepers. What prevails is the devotion to creating sacred space for, and holding, compassion and unconditional love. Love for ourselves, for each other, for Mother Earth, for Grandmother Moon, and for the grandmothers and angels who watch over us all.

We each have our own medicine to bring into our circles and in how we show up in our lives. It is ours to bring forward; ours to share. There is much healing to be done.

Initiations of Various Types

Initiations vary, of course, in terms of their specifics.   All initiations, though, tend to exact a certain demonstrated level of commitment and a meeting of specified requirements. And, what rings true throughout, is the sanctity of the occasion.

Some examples:

There is being knighted. There is priest hood, and priestess hood. Often handed down through the generations, there is the becoming a “keeper” of a sacred tradition, rite, or ritual.

There are sororities and fraternities. And there are fraternal and sororal orders.

While pursuing my undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, I was initiated into a leadership society known as The Order of the Golden Bear. Each initiate was nominated and then inducted at a formal ceremony.   Referred to as “Fellows” once initiated, members are to carry forth the Order’s charter and pledge to uphold the group’s mission and purpose.

Also while in college, I participated in the Catholic Church’s RCIA (Rite for Christian Initiation of Adults), whereby after a year of devotion and study, I joined the other catechumens to be initiated into the Church during a several hour ceremony at the Easter Vigil.  Once initiated, we began our year-long role as a Neophyte, and with that accepted and carried out our new duties. Our first act of service began that very evening, when we anointed each of the congregants with holy oil.

Fellowship

With my Keeper initiation and the others, I have experienced a sense of fellowship. My “fellow” (sistren!) Keepers and I have each fulfilled the specific requirements, and at the same time all underwent a shared experience as we proceeded though our apprenticeship as a group. Along with a certain comaraderie, we more deeply formed a spiritual bond, a sacred sisterhood. It became clear that in our new role, we were to be continuing a centuries’ long tradition which at one point had gone dormant, and has since been honorably and solemnly resurrected by our elder, our teacher.

May I get a witness

As with Ceremony, with Initiation comes an element of being witnessed. Other members of your initiate class join you as you receive your initiation. They observe your initiation and hold sacred space and compassion for you and what you’re accepting. Among other things, their witnessing serves as an acknowledgement of where you’ve been, and more importantly, where you are headed, as you step up into this next role.

It is in effect a rite of passage. I’ll leave the topic of rites of passage for further exploration perhaps at another time. For now, I invite you to allow the idea and experience of “being initiated” to resonate with you.

As a newly ordained Keeper of the Water, what it means for me is this:

I accept this new role and its responsibilities with reverence, dedication, and devotion. I vow to continue to practice all that I’ve learned, and to do my best to honor the traditions of the grandmothers, and of the sacred feminine.

When I stumble, I promise to stand up. And, to carry on. And, to continue to hold. Again. And again.

For your consideration:

For you, what does it mean to be initiated?

Okay, your turn:

Have you or a loved one ever been initiated?   If so, in what way did you or they perform certain duties or functions? What would you like others to know about that experience? Is there a role you’d like to step into, at this point in your life? If so, what would that be, and what is drawing you towards that next level, experience, or role?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

Seasons change

As we approach the time of “equal days and equal nights” and in the Northern hemisphere while we are transitioning from Summer into Autumn, let’s take a moment to reflect on the changing of the seasons. During Fall (Autumn) trees slow their growth, reduce their production of chlorophyll, and transform their leaves. There’s a natural cycle, a natural sequence. In the insect world, too, there’s a life cycle that takes its course in alignment with the changing of the seasons. It’s ongoing. And, it’s universal.

Cyclical.

Circular.

There’s a shape to the year.

As with the animals and the plants, it applies to us, too, of course.

We start off each year in Winter, and come back around the circle, lapping around the seasons, with a return back into Winter, and the start of another year.  You may also think of the seasons in terms of quarters, each season representing one-fourth of the year.  (See kids, it IS helpful to know at least a little math!)

So, for this year, we’re three-quarters’ of the way in! As with a harvest, it’s a good time to reflect and “take stock.” It’s also a good time to envision what you desire to continue or to have more fully flourish, for the remainder of the year. We’re heading into and leaning into the home stretch!

Transitions

Rhythm

Flow

From one to the next

A progressing

A stepping back

Surveying

A returning

Begin again

Yields of the fields

From within your own life, which of the “the fruits of your labor” from the past few months have come forward? Autumn’s harvest time is an ideal space from which to appreciate and partake in the blessings that abound, and that BELONG to YOU! Correspondingly, take a moment to reflect and decide — which ones would you like to let go, to release — to allow to die out, as they no longer serve you at this moment in time?

Take stock

As with a shepherd’s flock or a farmer’s field, this time of year, I invite you to take an inventory – an accounting, of your own life.   From where you started your year, what desires have you been nurturing, watering, and tending to? Where have you directed your devotion and care? Which desires have you perhaps been neglecting?

Which of your “crops” did well, and really flourished? Were there some that produced abundant fruit? In contrast, which ones did not fare so well? Was there an adverse change in conditions along the way? Were there unforeseen storms that may have wreaked havoc with your field? If so, how did you respond? Going forward, are there adjustments you can can and would like to make?

For me, my year as you may recall started with bringing into fruition and to you, the first installment of Soul Notes, and this blog. I’ve been fulfilling my heart’s desire to bring this to you on or near the New Moon and Full Moon each moon cycle since January. I consider it an honor and a privilege to share these posts with you, and to bring forward my version of some of the wise teachings I’ve received from my mentors and from other influences I’ve sought out and benefited from during my spiritual journey.

Another of my heart’s desires this year has been to step into my role as a ceremonialist. Holding sacred space and conducting in-person women’s circles in and near my home, along with conducting Full Moon “Ceremonies in the Park” allows me to bring this desire out into the physical realm. During this time of ever-evolving technology, even with all its benefits, I also relish the sublime opportunity to connect person-to-person and to be in contact with the Earth and the natural world!

This year, I also held a Summer Solstice ceremony and celebration at my home. During that time, at the “mid-year mark,” we each set into motion our intentions and sacred commitments for the second half of the year. Three months later, I have revisited those intentions. I invite you to do so, too.

Growth Cycles

Birth

Rebirth

Annuals

Perennials

 

 

 

Seasons of the year ~ seasons of your life

As with the seasons of the year, it’s helpful periodically to take stock of your lifetime journey as well. Reflect. Evaluate. Surmise. Where are you in the seasons of your life? Are you ready to embark on a new chapter?

Allow your desires really, truly, FULLY to express themselves. If you’re feeling the inclination, the yearning, the pull to explore some “next steps” in this season of your life, in honor of your true desires, I wholeheartedly support you! Explore. Set out on the grand adventure. Dare to desire, and desire some more. Along the way, seek out a trusted guide. TURN ON YOUR SOUL. It’s time for a BIG let-go and let’s GO!

For your consideration:

Did you make intentions at the beginning of the year? Or, at the mid-year mark? (Or, even if perhaps you didn’t, I encourage you to take time to set some in motion now.)

As you survey your year, what do you notice? What has unfolded? What would you like to continue? What would you like to release? You get to decide. Choose, with confidence.

Okay, your turn:

Where are you at this point in your year? Take stock of your own personal growth. An accounting. An inventory. And, share what has come up for you.

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

As we introduced in a previous post:   Yogi Bhajan, a master of kundalini yoga and spiritual teacher for decades to thousands worldwide, taught a set of principles that he coined the Five Sutras of the Aquarian Age.

This edition of Soul Notes draws to a close our 5-part series, with this one devoted to Sutra #5: “Vibrate the cosmos. The cosmos will clear the path.”

“Vibrate the cosmos. The cosmos will clear the path.”

[Sutra 5, Yogi Bhajan]

This sutra is a call to action.

Everything is in motion

Everything is moving. It’s all energy (and matter). Everything and everyone is vibrating at its own frequency. We’re a human body full of molecules (as is the chair you are likely sitting on right now) and all is moving as we live on a living planet that’s also moving. The earth is orbiting the sun. The moon is orbiting the earth. I love those “you are here” photos taken from space. It helps to take this larger view. It reminds us that with the cosmos comes expansiveness and limitless possibilities.

Ready and awake

For the most part, animals in the wild often remain still, lying in wait. They reserve their energy by springing from and then returning to a natural, neutral state. When the time is right, they spring into action. They do so at just the right, intended moment.

Are we humans that much different? Wouldn’t we also benefit from springing from and returning to our own natural, neutral state? Neutral does not mean passive! It does not mean stagnation. It is not a state of non-awareness. Quite the contrary. It’s a state of full alertness. It’s being truly awake to all that’s around us!

Tip: Setting aside time for a daily practice furthers and facilitates this state of what I would call “alert neutrality.” Some forms include: meditation, prayer, quiet reflection, observation, writing in a journal. For the benefits of a daily practice and some examples, go here.

Spring into action and make waves!

Like the strings of an instrument, be it a violin or guitar or a banjo — and whether it be by way of plucking, picking, or strumming the strings — each sends off a unique vibration.

Our own voices provide a channel. We each have our own built-in vibration creator! Chanting, humming, singing, they all carry their own vibration, too. And, whether you’re on your yoga mat, in the shower, or in your car – use your voice, and vibrate to your own private cosmos!   This will raise your own frequency, and in turn will impact those with whom you interact throughout the day.

It’s as if we’re knocking on Cosmos’s door, and saying with confidence, “Hey there, Cosmos! Bring it on! I’m ready! Clear the path! Let’s go!”

Remember that you may always return to a neutral state. Reserve and extend your energy wisely. Refresh, regroup, and reset. We don’t always need to be clearing a new path. When we are ready, though, we know what to do – vibrate the cosmos, and the cosmos will provide!

Lighten the load raise your vibration

Again, a daily practice plays a helpful role in getting you back to a neutral state and in tune (pun intended) with what you desire to set in motion. What is it that you’d like the cosmos to clear the path for? What burdens are weighing you down, that when lifted, will raise your vibration?

From a place of inspiration and divine wisdom, set the vibration and then let go. Trust the cosmos to clear the path for you. When activated, your desires set in motion the future you intend to create. Your thoughts and your words hold their own vibrations, too. You get to decide which ones you embrace, and which ones you discard. With this (e)motion set in motion, you’re primed to take inspired action. That one action in turn creates another, and another, and so on, and so on. The ripples continue on, creating the desired results.

That is not to say that you’ll be able to control all other vibrations coming toward and all around you! It is to say, however, that you get to decide which tune you wish to play.

“When you pray, move your feet.” – African proverb

In conventional society, we’re often told “not to make waves.” And, “don’t rock the boat.” Phooey! This Sutra gives us permission – in fact, encourages us – to do precisely that. Ocean waves, sound waves, waves of light — nature is full of waves that carry energy with them. So too, shall each of us. During these enlightened times, the yearning, the impulse, is there. We no longer feel satiated by staying in one place. We feel the urge to raise our vibration. That’s the build-up of pressure that is ready to be released. (For tips on starting, so that the pressure will be off, go here.)

So, here we go:

Stir things up! Shake things loose! With your archer’s bowstring, pull back your arrow and let ‘er fly! The time is now.

Okay, your turn:

Are you ready to vibrate the cosmos? What path do you intend to clear? What are you sending out?  Are you vibrating at the frequency of love? Of service? Of loving service?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

Ready for another of Yogi Bhajan’s 5 Sutras?

Yogi Bhajan, a master of kundalini yoga and spiritual teacher for decades to thousands worldwide, taught a set of principles that he coined the Five Sutras of the Aquarian Age.

This edition of Soul Notes continues our 5-part series, with this one devoted to Sutra #4: “Understand through compassion, or you will misunderstand the times.”

“Understand through compassion, or you will misunderstand the times.”

[Sutra 4, Yogi Bhajan]

This sutra is one of pure beauty.

With this sutra, it just seems right to take it word by word, each precious word. Remember dissecting and diagramming sentences in English class? Okay, I won’t go there exactly, but I do feel that this particular sutra packs an especially powerful punch! Let’s explore each word or phrase in turn. Throughout, I invite you to tune in and lean into the feelings each invokes.

Understand

Understand what, or whom? Does it relate to “the times”? Understand the times? If so, it is a reference to understanding the new age, the Aquarian age. Or, rather, does it mean to understand each other? How about remembering to understand ourselves? I’d venture to say that the answer to these questions is “all of the above.”

Through

Notice that the sutra includes the word, “through.” The word chosen was not “by” or “with” compassion. It’s through compassion. Through suggests that it comes from within, and not from without, from outside ourselves. Through suggests motion, flow, fluidity. It is not passive. It’s active. As so shall we be active in invoking this sutra and its intention.

It is through and from the heart, not the mind, that we live compassion – we ARE compassion. No matter how many positive thoughts  we may have, it is through a compassionate heart that we live in and through our truth. It is through and from the heart that we embody our divine essence.

Compassion

The word compassion means “to suffer with.”   Suffer means to carry or to bear. So, we carry that feeling or emotion. Again, it’s active, not passive.

Compassion also suggests a shared feeling, understanding or experience. At its core, it suggests oneness, not separateness. This harkens us back to Sutra #1: Recognize that the other person is you. (For a refresher on Sutra 1, go here.)

Recently I started my “Family to Family” training with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), a mental health organization devoted to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. As I shared in an earlier post, my brother died by suicide. And, as a child, on more than one occasion I witnessed my mother (who is bipolar) attempting to kill herself. I believe strongly that part of my own spiritual path and calling includes helping others whose families include one or more persons living with a mental illness.

Through the Family to Family course we are learning about brain disorders, including: schizophrenia, bipolar, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and related mental misfirings.

A recent class session was devoted to empathy and compassion – for our loved ones (suffering from these types of brain disorders), and for ourselves. According to the NAMI Family to Family program, empathy is: “The intimate comprehension of another person’s thoughts and feelings, without imposing our own judgment or expectations.”

Many of the behaviors displayed by someone with these disorders seemingly don’t “make sense” to the other family members. Additionally, the behaviors are often erratic and unpredictable, leaving the family members living in a constant state of uneasiness. And, for the person with the disorder, the behaviors often are driven by the need for self-protection and a yearning to feel safe in what truly seems to them to be an unsafe world.

Throughout the empathy learning module, we explored a number of guidelines. Although created to help family members feel compassion toward the person with a brain disorder, I’d venture to say that as with Sutra #4, these are wise words to apply to many a situation in each of our lives. A few of the guidelines are: 1. Don’t criticize; 2. Don’t buy into the stigma all around you; 3. Praise the positive behavior every chance you get; 4. It’s okay to set limits – all persons require rules of conduct and cooperative standards by which to live; 5. Remember, everyone can only try to do their best; and 6. Live from a place of grace (tolerance, endurance and self-restraint), while at the same time extending compassion to ourselves during those times when we may not quite muster up all these graces.

“Let compassion win, and you win.” –Yogi Bhajan.

Or you will misunderstand the times

The times are these.  Right now.  The new age.  The Aquarian age.  These are exciting and exalted times.  Through compassion, may we each rise to meet them.

Okay, your turn:

In what ways has compassion served you and those around you? Is there a time when you wished you had shown more compassion, to yourself or to someone else? What does it feel like, for you, to feel compassion?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

Sutra #2: There is a way through every block

 

As we introduced last time:

Yogi Bhajan, a master of kundalini yoga and spiritual teacher for decades to thousands worldwide, taught a set of principles that he coined the Five Sutras of the Aquarian Age. This edition of Soul Notes continues our 5-part series, with this one devoted to Sutra #2: “There is a way through every block”.

 

 “THERE IS  A WAY THROUGH EVERY BLOCK”

[Sutra 2, Yogi Bhajan]

This sutra is one of hope, inspiration, and a call to trust in yourself and your own divinity.

Believe this to be so!

First off, it’s important to believe this to be so! Believing, and trusting, that there is indeed a way through every block instills a feeling of HOPEful(not helpless)ness. What you decide to do next stems in large part from this belief. I invite you to consider it a fundamental foundation from which to carry you forward if and as blocks present themselves.

Feel stuck, and searching for a way to get “unstuck” and need help moving forward?

As Yogi Bhajan proffered: “[A]ll it takes is committing one’s self within one’s self.” Ongoing commitment allows our inherit nature to take its course. Just as an ice cube melts as warm air envelopes it, so too do our perceived blocks, as we allow our own nature to take its course.   It is in our nature to seek infinity. “[T]he finite will exalt the Infinity, the Infinity will exalt the finite.” (The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, published in Aquarian Times, September 2007.) Let things that “get in your way” dissolve. Allow your light, your truth, your infinite nature, to emerge.

Discernment: Examine, Explore, Inquire

Awareness is a huge first step in moving through your blocks. Okay, awareness, “check.” Now what? Once we are aware or conscious that there is a block, which way is the best way through? It may take discernment, deliberation, reflection. Deliberation is smooth, slow, methodical consideration.

In those moments when facing a “block,” consider the following:

Is it real, or perceived? Is it an actual block, or does it only seem and feel like a block? Is it truly blocking your destination, or can you go around it (choose a different path, to get to your destination)? What IS your destination? Feel into it. Allow your heart (not your mind) to speak. – The divine speaks through the heart; truth emerges from the soul, not from the mind.

Bring it out from the inner depths and out into the light! Let your own light shine through – through the “block”! See it from another angle. Hold it up to the light, as if it were a prism. What (new) reflections do you see now?

This is where meditation, journaling or yoga come into play – very helpful! (Oh, and breathing…remember to slow down, take a pause, and breathe!) ~ For tips on and types of a daily practice, go here. ~

Recognize when it’s quicksand pulling you down, and when it’s merely gravel shifting beneath your feet.

Conscious Choices     

You are in control of your choices. One choice may be to allow the block or situation to melt, like a “block” of ice…let it dissolve, decompose. Among other things, this preserves energy for you to approach the larger blocks, the “big boulders” that show up on your path, your spiritual journey. Be aware that not all blocks are created equal. It is okay (and wise!) to decipher which ones are which. Is it a block that can be dismantled, like a structure, broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces? Is it a block that may benefit from a change in shape? Consider whether it may be recombined in some way? How about reconfiguring the components, like a set of building blocks?

Remember, one of the choices available to each of us is: to do “nothing”! If made consciously, to fit a specific situation, doing nothing may in essence be “everything”.

Releasing Judgment

When a block appears, many of us tend to get caught up in the judgment – of ourselves, of the situation, of other people who may be involved. Really, however, that gobbles up lots of precious energy, and does little if anything to propel us forward.

And, often we unnecessarily compound the (perceived or actual) block, by allowing ourselves to get caught up in expectations as to form, timing, and the exact result that may come once we’ve moved through the block. Trust that there is a way through every block, and focus on the beauty of all that is, within Sutra 2. Trust that the form, timing and exact result will be in and for the highest good. This releases the pressure, and helps us step away from unhelpful distractions. It also creates space, so that we may acknowledge the true desire from within our heart, not the ‘masquerading one,’ the ‘trickster’ one residing in your ego.

Next: Take (Soul-Inspired) Action

You are self-empowered to choose how you move through every block. Remember though, to make a choice. Decide.

Even if it’s a decision to let go and let live – do it from a place of sovereignty, not by helplessly “giving up” and relinquishing control of your own life. It’s not about capitulating, or abdicating responsibility for your station in that moment, and the direction to which you’re heading. You are in control of the RUDDER on your boat! You get to decide where you’re steering, and to which spot on the horizon you’re heading! Yes, you’ll face trade winds, and headwinds, and cross-currents – these, however, need not be BLOCKS on your journey. They are merely influences, and ever fluid, forces. You’re still the captain. The commander!

Cease resistance. Lean into all that you are. Into all that is. Infinity.

Okay, your turn:

What, if any blocks, are you facing today? Is it a block, or a perceived block? What does your empowered self say is the next step? Where are you pointing your ship, and what soul-inspired provisions are you bringing with you?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

THAT kind of anniversary

In this edition of Soul Notes, I bring to you another personal story. This time, it’s about “one of those” anniversary dates. You see, March 5th each year holds a special place in my calendar.

The kind of anniversary that brings with it its own challenges as well as opportunities for honoring, healing, and growth

I bet you know the kind of anniversary I’m referring to…the kind that maybe you don’t always feel like talking about? Or, maybe you do, but you’re not sure who would want to listen? “Have I told it to that particular person already?” you ask yourself. “Is the story ‘getting old’”?

Is it just a story, or is it more? I’ve come to realize that for me it’s not really just another story, as much as it is an opportunity for healing. And for honoring… the memory of another person, another soul. A sibling. My brother.

My brother died on March 5, 1993. “He took his own life,” as the saying goes. It was a suicide.

So, March 5th for me stands out as the anniversary of a violent act — one that resulted in: a death, a killing, a murder, a suicide, of someone dear to me.

I realize, of course, that all kinds of other events happened that day, too. Beautiful, glorious things happened, in other peoples’ lives, on that date. Those events, however, are not what I remember on March 5th each year.

Each year, though, I do have a choice. I get to decide, for myself: Is it a day I’d rather just ignore, and move right on through…you know, “stay busy,” and treat it as if it’s just another day on the calendar?   Or, do I allow it to immobilize me completely, and encase me in deep sadness, depression, and grief? There’s at least one other choice, too, and that is: HONOR HIS MEMORY, in some personal, poignant and meaningful way. This year, with guidance from a wise mentor, I chose the latter.

What I did to honor his memory this year

This year, March 5th fell on a full moon. Living near the ocean, I headed there as twilight approached. I walked along the beach, with a candle and camera in hand. The brisk ocean breeze meant that as soon I’d light the candle, it would quickly blow out. (The symbolism of this, believe me, did not escape me.) Nonetheless, I stayed true to my intention, and said a quiet prayer of gratitude in honor of my brother and the special bond we shared.

The photograph shown here is one that I took that night. I snapped it while standing on the sand, with the ocean to my back, and with the full moon rising ahead of me in the distance. It captures what I saw as I looked back toward the beachfront, with the houses dotting the bluff.

As I looked up at the moon, I couldn’t help but wonder if my brother ‘saw’ me there that night. I believed that he did, and that he knew then and knows now that he and I are still spiritually connected.

I took in the moonlight and felt my brother’s presence from the other side of the veil. I thanked him for his guidance (I do feel that he guides me even now), and told him that my solemn wish for him was that he be at peace.

With my heart now full and my spirit uplifted, I nodded to the moon (and to him, really), and walked back to my car. Reverence was the theme for the evening. Pure, deep reverence.

Okay, your turn:

In what ways do you honor a loved one’s memory? Do you have a ritual each year that you invoke on a particular date? I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2015 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.