This is a beautiful video of how things can be when we work together rather than compete or view others as “The Other” – hope you enjoy it on this happy Easter morning!

This is a beautiful video of drumming in honor of Earth day – feel the heartbeat of Mother Earth.

The drum connects our heart to the heart beat of Mother Earth…

There was a time when man took no more
than he needed
That time is gone…
There was a time when he gave something back
That time is gone…
There was a time when he worshipped the Creator
And honored Creation
That time too is gone…
And now the waters are polluted
Our natural resources are all but gone
And creation is dying…
It’s time…
To find our way back to the Earth.

~~Kevin Thunderhorse Wright

What is a contemplative practice?

It is a practice that can be active or still, religious or not, that brings you to the present moment, stills your mind chatter and helps you to focus, center and reconnect with yourself and the Divine.

Contemplative practices have many varied benefits, but in general, they tend to focus the mind and instill a deep sense of calm, peace and awareness. Every religion has some form of a contemplative practice within its arsenal of practices. Some of them include movement, such as the Sufi whirling dervishes or yoga; and some are much more still…such as meditation.

The benefits of incorporating a contemplative practice into your life include:

• Quiet the mind
• Develop Compassion
• Awaken consciousness
• Become aware of interconnectedness and unity
• Reduce Stress
• Enhance creativity and creative problem-solving
• Develop the ability to live proactively rather than reactively
• Ability to deal with the complexities of life

Some examples of Contemplative practices include:

Centering Prayer – this method has its roots in Christianity and the guidelines are as follows (taken from Wikipedia – according to Basil Pennington):
1.    Sit comfortably with your eyes closed, relax, and quiet yourself. Be in love and faith to God.
2.    Choose a sacred word that best supports your sincere intention to be in the Lord’s presence and open to His divine action within you (i.e. “Jesus”, “Lord,” “God,” “Savior,” “Abba,” “Divine,” “Shalom,” “Spirit,” “Love,” etc.).
3.    Let that word be gently present as your symbol of your sincere intention to be in the Lord’s presence and open to His divine action within you.
4.    Whenever you become aware of anything (thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, associations, etc.), simply return to your sacred word, your anchor.

Remembrance – this is the standard practice of Sufism and is similar to Centering prayer in that a word (in this case, the name of God, Allah) is repeated over and over again, often done aloud. The focus is on the heart.  This technique is aimed to gently open the ear of the heart, to listen with the heart. With the ear of the heart you can hear the whispers of love from the divine.  The Ah sound opens the heart opens the crown chakra and the divine vibration flows in. The “La” sound, and the La sound splashes the love into our hearts, scooping it up and drawing the love into our center.  After several minutes the floodgates open and the heart is filled with divine love and mercy.   Old wounds are healed, old grudges are forgiven, fears melt away, and the heart leaps with gratitude before the awesome mercy of God.

Walking a Labyrinth
A labyrinth (unlike a maze) has only one path leading to the center and back out again. There are no dead ends.
When you walk a labyrinth, you meander back and forth, turning 180 degrees each time you enter a different circuit. As you shift your direction you also shift your awareness from right brain to left brain. This is one of the reasons the labyrinth can induce receptive states of consciousness. It can also help to balance the chakras.
Each person’s walk is a personal experience. How one walks and what one receives differs with each walk. Some people use the walk for clearing the mind and centering. Others enter with a question or concern. T

Prayer Beads these can include Catholic rosaries, Hindu/Sikh “mala” beads, Islamic “tasbih” beads, etc. The repetitive nature of the prayers associated with each bead tend to help you clear the mind and focus on the heart.

Some other practices I haven’t included her are yoga, tai chi, rituals and ceremonies, mindful walking…What kind of contemplative practices are part of your life now? If you have none, think about one or two that you’re willing to try. Even something as simple as a hot bath with scented candles once a week can do wonders for the soul!

There is a saying that “Peace is not about avoiding trouble, work and hardships. Rather Peace is the ability to remain calm in the midst of life’s challenges”. This is something that I have struggled with and still think about sometimes. It is really easy to feel at peace and ease when things are going well and you are generally happy about the state of your life.

However, when there is chaos around us or things don’t go as planned or we have expectations that aren’t met, we can start to feel that tide of emotion rising up within us – anxiety, anger, fear, worry,  … the list goes on.

So, how does one go about finding that deep well of calm within – especially in the moment of challenge? Here are a few techniques that might help you with this:

1.    Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – this is one of a collection of techniques that use the body’s energetic meridians to effect emotional and physical change. It is also known as “tapping”. It has been used with great effect in any number of things, but its ability to deflect and lower panic and anxiety in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients is why I’ve listed it here. Basically, you tap on various meridian points (top of head, above eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, above lips, below, lips, below collar bone and under arm on side of body) with two or three fingers while reciting “Even though I (enter the feeling you are having here – e.g., feel worried), I deeply love and respect myself. Continue repeating this as you tap your way through the points. Check yourself after one round, if you still feel the feeling or another feeling, continue until you are at a neutral point. Get help from a good EFT practitioner if you need help.

2.    Remembrance – a Sufi practice of chanting the name of god (Allah) silently or under your breath repeatedly for 5 – 20 minutes. You can sit comfortably and if possible, close your eyes and place your hands over your heart area. This technique really helps you get into your heart space, which is where the calm resides.

3.    Chanting – An example of chanting would be the Hindu peace chant:

Asato maa,

Sadgamayaa
 Tamaso maa, Jyotirgamayaa ;

Mrityor maa, Amritam Gamayaa

Here is a link to a site that explains the meaning of the chant and some mp3 links so that you can listen to it.

http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/asatomaa.php

There is something about the vibration of sound that can change your energy field instantly. If this chant is too complicated for you, try simply chanting “Ohm” over and over again until you start feeling calm.

There are many more ways to get to that place of peace. These are but a few techniques that I use regularly to get back to feeling calm and centered when I find myself feeling overwhelmed, worried, anxious, fearful, etc. And the beauty of them is that you don’t even need to know WHY you feel the way you do. Just do one of these and watch your blood pressure lower, your breath deepen and your connection with the Divine increase. What more could you ask for?

Love this short video with a really upbeat song!

Is this what you see around you everyday?

Let me show you a trick…

Your energy is contagious

Love is energy…where there is love, there is peace.

The vibrational energy of love is very magnetic

We are in this together

The love you are looking for outside of you is already in you

You know it’s true… you are love…

Stop looking outside of yourself – the true power is in you.

With Love all things are possible!

So let’s dust our wings off and get back in action!

We must be the change!

Radiate the energy of love and all will want to be near you.

You will attract your best life.

Isn’t this what we all want?

Touch someone’s heart – be happy no matter what!

This is where we are meant to be always!

Love is everything!

Love is what holds the universe and all that is in it together.

Love is the most powerful energy in the Universe!

See how truly powerful you are!

Be the change you want to see. Smile from the heart and love others as you are loved.

Love is energy – pass it forward!

I love this video from William Ury, the guy who wrote, “Getting to Yes” in which he describes the secret to peace.

He mentions how in any argument or conflict, there are two sides. The surrounding community is the third element in any disagreement. The community can remind the other two what exactly is at stake – it is easy to lose perspective when we are involved in conflict. “When angry you will make the best speech you will ever regret!” We must see the bigger picture and the third side can help to do that.

Where’s the third side in the Middle East conflict – he proposes a first step towards this. He proposes that Abraham is the third side – the common factor in this conflict. And Abraham stood for the unity of the family – the interconnectedness of it all and his basic value was Respect – kindness and hospitality to all.

Terrorism is taking a stranger and and treating them like an enemy and killing them; the opposite is taking a total stranger and treating them as a friend. What do you think of the solution he proposes at the end? Taking a walk with Abraham as the common identity.

Here is a link to this solution: http://www.abrahampath.org/about.php

Often I am asked what EXACTLY is it that I do? I mean I have a lot of “labels – life coach, energy healer, spiritual teacher, astrologer, workshop leader, Reiki Master, interfaith minister…etc. That’s great – but, what do I DO?!?!?

Well, what I “DO”, bottom-line, is this: I help people to find their life purpose and live it. When you are living the purpose that you were uniquely created to fulfill, you are happy, life flows easier and you are making the world a better place – it’s a WIN-WIN for everyone!

How I do it is through a unique combination of spiritual coaching and energy healing methods. I help you get connected with your spiritual source so that you can find the answers you need within you. Then, you have this tool forever and always and can always resort to it whenever you have decisions to make in life. Some of the tools for this connection can be prayer, meditation, dreamwork, journaling, etc.I don’t want to help you get your life purpose and then leave you hanging – not knowing where to go from there. When you are done working with me, you are clear on your purpose, you have taken steps towards living it within the context of your ideal dream life and you have the tools necessary to move forward on your own!

The energy healing provides a beautiful way of releasing old patterns and beliefs, so that you are better able to surge forward into the life of your dreams as opposed to getting and staying stuck as so many of us do!

And, if you are still stuck or unclear after all of that, I also can pull out the “big guns” and determine astrologically what your purpose is and any challenges and/or positive personality traits you may have in helping you achieve it. This can be a great source of information and support in moving you forward towards your dreams.

I really loved this video which really explains what is going on with the shifts we are experiencing here on earth. It doesn’t really matter if you believe all the things she discusses in here. What is really important is the bottom-line message: Love is the Answer.

I think the message is so clear and so simple – LIVE FROM THE HEART. We are moving from being mind-centered to being heart-centered. When we are in our heart, we are attuned and aligned with the energy of the world, of Source and of our very being -  and we can “hear” much more easily and life flows more smoothly for us and for the entire planet.

Kiesha in Zurich from kedarvideo on Vimeo.

Our decisions need to be made from the heart – no longer the mind. We need to remember who we are.

Call for a free strategy session: I can help you live from your heart! Patricia@TheBlissfulSoul.com

My all-time favorite Christmas song is “The Little Drummer Boy”. I think it is a beautiful story of being yourself, knowing your gift and sharing it with the world. Please be gentle with yourself and know that you are enough just as you are – and you have something that only YOU are uniquely created to share with the world. Do you know what that is?

This is a unique rendition by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. I love the message of Peace on Earth. It’s one of my missions and passions in life. I hope you enjoy it – and remember, we are all One – no matter our religious preference, race, gender, sexual preference or country of origin. We are all equal in the “eyes” of the Divine.

I believe that once we are all living and sharing our unique gift with the world – there will be hope for a better, more peaceful world. If you would like help with determining your gift and living it, please feel free to contact me at Patricia@TheBlissfulSoul.com for a F*R*E*E session to see how we can move you forward.

Merry Christmas to all our Christian friends and Peace on Earth to ALL!!!!! Many blessings during this very holy season.

Deep Love to you,

Rev. Tricia

What is the Winter Solstice?  

Technically this is the longest night of the year – in the Northern hemisphere, this is usually around December 21st – 22nd. The world around us is dark and cold. In modern times, ignoring the rhythms of the earth, we rise while it is still dark and continue our activities – taking the kids to school, going to work, running errands – until well past the setting of the sun. With all of our artificial light, we forget how dark our surroundings are at this time.

Can you imagine a time before electricity, before scientists had explained to us that this phenomenon is simply caused by the tilt of the earth as it rotates around the sun? And that this darkness is just the result of the earth being tilted to its maximum position of 23° 26′ away from the sun…it is likely people could easily become fearful. The trees and shrubs, would freeze and dry up, often they would be buried under a layer of snow or frost. There was no guarantee that the sun would come back. People would watch as each day the sun would rise to a lower and lower point in the sky. In northern elevations, they might not see it for weeks or months at a time!

Oh, but then! They would notice that this cycle would reverse itself…can you imagine the joy and hope that entered people’s hearts at that time! The sun was returning! The world would not remain a cold, dark wasteland forevermore. This was certainly reason for celebration! And even those seemingly dead gardens would eventually spring back to life…there had been life lying dormant there all along!

The word solstice derives from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still)…the moment when the sun stands still…culturally, this event has been seen through the years as the time when the ebbing of the sun stops and it begins to return. Concepts of the birth or rebirth of sun gods have been common in many cultures through the years:

•    In Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses met on the winter and summer solstice, and Hades was permitted on Mount Olympus.
•    The Hopi Indians, also known as “The Peaceful Ones,” hold a ritual on December 21, the shortest day of the year, to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long winter sleep.
•    In many pagan and earth-based traditions, this holiday is celebrated as the rebirth of the Great God, who is viewed as the “newborn” sun.
•    In modern cultures gatherings at this time of year are filled with evergreens, bright lights, large bonfires, feasts, spending time with loved ones, and dancing and singing.

This can be an opportune time to STOP the busy-ness, STOP the “doing” and follow the rhythm of the earth. Much like the winter garden lies dormant, we too should take time to sit quietly and go within. This dark, cold, quiet time of year is perfect not only for hibernating bears, but also for our hibernating souls. We need the withdrawal and rest from the hub-bub of daily living to recharge and regenerate – to bring our own light and life back into the world.

Take time this week to have a daily check-in with yourself:

1.    STOP – take 10-15 minutes and find a quiet place to sit – no radio, music, television, kids, phone, etc.

2.    Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Focus on your breathe and imagine it flowing through you as you breath in and out.

3.    Imagine a small flame in the center of your chest. As you breathe in, the flame expands. As you breathe out, the flame flushes out anything negative in your thoughts or feelings.

4.    Sit in silence for a few more minutes. Remind yourself that there is NOTHING for you to do right NOW.

5.    When you feel complete, slowly open your eyes. Continue with your day remembering the calm darkness that envelopes you and the warmth of your light within that fuels you.

It is so important that we take the time to recharge, hibernate or go within and stay in that calm darkness, knowing that our light is always there – we only need to allow its gentle flame to regenerate and recharge in the silence of our own winter. And when we honor that cycle of death and rebirth, we will be even more prepared to perform our mission in the world – whatever it might be.

Blessings,

Rev. Tricia