Remember To…

 

Take it easy on yourself today…be gentle…and non-judgemental…

Know that you deserve Love, and Compassion, and Peace…

And when you know it for yourself…you will know it for others too.

Pass on the Peace!

Blessings and Love!

Monday Message ~ Compassion

 

Good Morning! In keeping with our tradition here, to seek guidance and wisdom for a message to begin our week with…I turned to my set of “Angel Cards” by Kathy Taylor and Joy Drake to see what message they had for us today. As I closed my eyes and ran my hands through the cards, the one that surfaced and stuck to my fingers was:

Compassion

I long ago lost the book that went with these cards, but it is not difficult to ascertain the message this one is sending us today. The world, and many of those in it, have turned hard. There are so many who judge, ridicule, and hate…too many…and it seems that Compassion and Kindness have been put in the background. So too, when we forget to have Compassion for others, we forget to have it for ourselves…and it creates a pattern that is not easy to change. We have to actively desire to change this pattern…and that begins with ourselves.

Today, let us carry this word Compassion in our minds. Carry its meaning in our hearts. And let it work through us in action. Begin by looking in the mirror and letting our Self know we have Compassion for our own paths and the trials set forth on that path, the struggles we overcome to continue on that path, and then endeavor to show ourselves Kindness and Gentleness, nurture ourselves with Love and Understanding…for we are Warriors trying to make a difference and find some Happiness to live too. We deserve to show ourselves Compassion, rather than judgment, fear, or disappointment. Our paths are what they are for a reason.

So too, are the paths of others. So we are called to take that Compassion out into the world and Shine it brightly. Look to our neighbor, co-worker, stranger…and know they have their story too, their road strewn with pebbles obstacles too. And as we share that Compassion with others, it grows within us, and spreads out like a great lovely mist, sprinkling sweet gentle energy over us and others to balance and transform those negative energies that would think they have the power.

Let us show them just how powerful Compassion can be…and change the world, our world, a bit today.

My own heart reaches out to All of you, in deep Compassion as you manage your life and path. I know it is not always easy, and sometimes downright painful…but know you make a difference in this world…simply by being you. So I turn my heart toward you and let my Compassion flow to you. May it envelope you in a warm, loving embrace of nurturing and support.

Blessings!

Weekend Inspiration ~ Faith In Your Future

 

I think we can all agree…there is a lot going on in the world, and our own worlds, and it has us thinking of how we will manage and get to “our future”. And what’s more…we are not sure what that future holds. Globally, it is not a time of peace and harmony. That makes us wary and unsure, because we have to live in these times and try to pull some happiness and success into our lives out of that lack. It can make our own lives off balance and…combined with our own individual issues…it can be discouraging.

These times take our courage and strength to get through. But consider this…if we allow all these things we worry about to weigh so heavily on us that we stop having Faith in our future…then we have lost that future right there, in that moment. The one thing that will make the future better…is if we have Faith in it now. If we Believe the future will rise up to meet us and be good…then we can Make It So.  We can not give up now! For ourselves, or for the world.

We are all magnificent beings with so many gifts and skills and love and compassion. Who is going to tell us we can not have the future we want to have? And certainly…we should not let that be ourselves who tell us that. Let us Believe in ourselves…in our Future…and have Faith that, for the Belief, Effort, Love, and Strength that we spend now…those are the cornerstones of what the future will hold.

Be Inspired To Have Faith In The Future…

BLESSINGS TO ALL AND YOUR FUTURES!

FOR THEY SHALL BE GRAND AND BE-YOU-TIFUL,

IF WE JUST BELIEVE, WE CAN MAKE IT SO!

Monday Message ~ Flow

 

Happy Monday my Good Readers! I hope you had a wonderful…and Comforting…weekend. It is the start of the week, so our Monday Message post is at hand. This time, we are seeking our message from the Runes…so I plunge my hand into the bag of stones and pull one for us. Pulling “The Book of Runes” by Ralph Blum to me…I set down the stone and see that it is…

Laguz:   “Flow, Water, That Which Conducts”

Message (paraphrased): “Unseen powers are active here, creative and fertile powers of Nature. The attributes of this Rune are water, fluidity, the ebb and flow of tides and emotions, of careers and relationships. Laguz fulfills our need to immerse ourselves in the experience of living without having to evaluate or understand. It speaks to the desire for comfort and the satisfaction of emotional needs, to the lunar side of our nature. For, while the sun strives for differentiation, the moon draws us toward unity and merging.

This Rune often signals a time for cleansing: for revaluing, reorganizing, realigning. A Rune of deep knowing, Laguz may call you to study spiritual matters in readiness for self-transformation. Success now lies in contacting your intuitive knowing, in attuning to your own rhythms. A Rune of the Self relating rightly to the Self, Laguz signifies what alchemists called the conjunctio, or sacred marriage. In fairy tales, it is the end where the hero and heroine live happily ever after”.

from The Desk of MarDrag:

So, the start of the message this week is to still “go with the flow”…a reminder that we all need to hear sometimes. It is often difficult to go with the flow, especially if it appears the flow is taking us other than where we think we want to go. We question, ponder, and seek answers…but at times, it is called for to keep moving whether we have all the answers or fully understand or not. There are times when understanding does not come until we have moved through the circumstance. Would we hold our flow back or stop it for this?

The word “Comfort” also comes up here, and I have been feeling this for everyone. I wish I could hold all of you in my arms, stroke your hair, and whisper comforting words to you. I think we all need a great deal of Comfort in these difficult days, but mostly get precious little of it. That is why it is so important to remember we can give Comfort to ourselves. Yes, it is nice to get it from others, but if we can’t, then we should not let ourselves down by withholding it from ourselves. Seek Comfort!

And finally…we will find a deeper understanding, or knowing, as we take time to reorganize any chaotic thoughts, or chaos in our surroundings. With cleansing comes clarity. Do deep breathing exercises, meditate, or do cleansing and grounding exercises. Make them part of our daily routine. In doing these, we access our intuitive side and find our own unique rhythm. Make the time! Because, with this, we form a deeper relationship with the Self…and in coming together with our True Self…magic happens…and fairy tales, dreams, and desires come true!

Blessings!

Thoughts For The Day

“Every day, tell at least one person something you like, admire, or appreciate about them.” ~ Richard Carlson

from The Desk of MarDrag:

Especially yourself. It seems these days we have gotten into the habit of focusing on the negative long before we acknowledge any positive. Specifically in people. Just look at social media sites. Well…let’s change that pattern. Like the quote says…every day, say something nice to someone, or acknowledging, or compassionate…just for the sake of saying it, not for any ulterior motive. And we should begin by saying those things to ourselves in the mirror as soon as we wake. What a difference that would make to the day for everyone.

“If you had a friend who talked to you like you sometimes talk to yourself, would you continue to hang around with that person? “ ~ Rob Bremer

from The Desk of MarDrag:

I found this quote after finding the one above…and it fits in well here. Self-talk is something we go through each day with, barely aware of what it is or what we really say to ourselves. If we paid more attention, something tells me we would be shocked. AND, if we listened as if it were someone else speaking to us…would we allow them to go on? Would we even be around them anymore? Would we be indignant or hurt? Take note of your self-talk. And if it is anything less than perfect love and perfect trust…see the first quote above and carry on!

“Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.” ~ Barbara de Angelis

from The Desk of MarDrag:

Do absolutely everything in the name of Love. Send every thought, feel every emotion, say every word, take every action…with Love. That is All. Love is All.

And I send All my Love out to you!

Blessings!

Tuesday Affirmations ~ About Fear

 

It is “Affirmation Tuesday”, so I took to my “Gifts of Affirmations” Cards (by Amy Zerner & Monte Farber) for our quote today. An interesting card came up…as we have been talking about Change, Potential, and New Beginnings…which can bring out the Fear in us. Here is the card and the message:

Gift of Compassion ~ “I Use My Fears As Signs That Guide And Protect Me”

Message (paraphrased): “Use this gift when your fears prevent you from acting in your best interest. Our fears exist to help keep us safe from harm and from repeating mistakes we have made. If we seek to understand why we are afraid, we can make fear our friend and helper, not our master. It is important to avoid fearing success and the many changes it will bring.”

from The Desk of MarDrag:

So, Fear is a two-sided coin. On one side, Fear is our helper. It keeps us safe from harm and lets us know when something is in our path that we should stay away from, or alerts us to danger or harm. It also helps us to remember past mistakes that we are “afraid” to make again, and if we listen, we make better choices and decisions because of that Fear.

But, there is the other side of the coin of Fear also. That Fear debilitates us if we allow it to. That Fear can take command of our lives and cause us to shut down and stop living the life we are meant to live, and enjoy. It can keep us from new experiences, growing, and having loving people in our lives. It can also, as the affirmation says, keep us from moving forward to success and the changes being successful can bring. You have heard the saying…it is easier to be a failure than to fear success.

You have also heard, I am sure, the saying that the only thing to really Fear is Fear itself. And I do believe this is true. So, if we seek to understand what we Fear and why we Fear, then we can either release it and let it go, or master it, so we can function in spite of it…rather than allowing it to master us.

The thing is, Fear is inside of us, so we have created it. And, if we create something, we can “uncreate” it. Knowledge is power, so if we gain knowledge about our Fears, then they become less powerful, (as our power grows), and they have less and less impact. In addition, those things we Fear “will happen” most of the time don’t happen…and we have spent all that energy on the Fear instead of on taking action, or on being happy.

So, ask yourself this question…what purpose does Fear have in my life? Write it down, make a list of pros and cons (like a two-sided coin). Writing brings clarity, and a list will show you what to keep and what to discard. Draw a line through the Fears that do not serve you. Put the list somewhere you can see it and, when you feel a Fear taking command, look to the list to see if it is one that helps you. If it is not, and it has a line through it, remind yourself you have crossed that one “off your list” and discarded it…and it has no power over you anymore. And let it go. The more you do this, the more your mind will retrain itself to recognize a healthy Fear, or one that keeps you hindered in your life, and soon, you will not be controlled by it any longer. YOU will have the control back.

Seek to be the Mistress/Master of your life and all things in your mind and heart. You are the commander…steer yourself in the right direction!

Blessings!

A Word About Judgment

 

“Judging is preventing us from understanding a new truth. Free yourself from the rules of old judgments and create the space for new understanding.”  ~ Steve Maraboli

“Love is the only mirror we must use to judge ourselves and others.” ~ Bodie Thoene

“Don’t concern yourself with the opinions of those who judge you. That is placing on them an importance they do not have.”  ~ Donna Lynn Hope

“A person that judges others will inevitably judge themselves harshly. It is only when one stops judging others that one can truly appreciate the beauty within.”  ~ Ando Oomae

“How would your life be different if…You stopped making negative judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day…You look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey.”  ~ Steve Maraboli

“If someone isn’t what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.” ~ Paulo Coehlo

“As long as we continue to live as if we are what we do, what we have, and what other people think about us, we will remain filled with judgments, opinions, evaluations, and condemnations. We will remain addicted to putting people and things in their “right” place.” ~ Henri J.M. Nouwen

“You can’t judge people and touch their souls at the same time.” ~ Tama Kieves

from The Desk of MarDrag:

On yesterday’s post, “Thoughts For The Day”, one of the quotes I wrote about was on how we treat people and Judgment. I have been pondering on the subject since then…and was compelled to write a post focused on the word…the concept…of Judgment.

We have all experienced Judgment…and being Judged. It is a notion that sweeps through our lives on a daily basis, whether we are the ones being Judged, or doing the Judging. In a (or perhaps MY) “perfect world”…I would take that notion, that word, out of our vocabulary completely…because I do not think it enhances our lives in any way.

Yet…it seems to have become a wave that is gathering water…growing and roaring…and swallowing our tolerance for our fellow human beings. It breaks my heart! Because each and every one of us have our life story, have walked the pavement of our lives, have trudged the hills and valleys…and just for that accomplishment…we deserve respect.

Judgment is an impulse…born of our own insecurities about ourselves. If…we truly loved our own selves unconditionally…we would not be compelled to Judge someone else for what or who they were or were not, or their actions. We can have an opinion…an impression…stand by our standards and what we personally view as right or wrong…but it is not within our right to lay that upon anyone else. Our perception is just that…our perception, based on where we have come from and what we have learned in our lives. The person standing next to us has had a different life…and has their own perception. Would we have it that they lay their perceptions upon us?

And yet…again…we have all experienced this. We have been Judged and held for wanting. And the worst culprit of that Judgment upon ourselves…is US! How harshly do we Judge ourselves, our thoughts, our actions…within one day? How aware are we of the dialogue that fills our minds about the beliefs we have about our worth? How much insight or compassion do we have and show ourselves for doing the best we can in this moment?

Judgment attacks a souls’ worth. Whether it is of yourself or another.

When we feel the urge to Judge…perhaps we could stop for a moment…and replace that thought with Compassion or Love. While a Judging thought creates anger and frustration (toward the self and others)…a thought of Compassion or Love creates a feeling of well-being, tolerance and acceptance…something we all want and need in our lives.

Life these days, in this world we have become confronted with, is hard. I believe one of the reasons things are as they are is because we have forgotten that we are here to share this land with each other, share our Love, and live our lives in Harmony. What use then…is Judgment?

So, the next time you are faced with a Judgment upon yourself from someone else…cast it off. Do not make it your own…for it is nothing having to do with you. It is the other persons’ perception…and only that. And…the next time you are taken by a whim to Judge someone else…ask yourself to what purpose is it…and then turn that thought into a loving one. YOU feel better…you make the other person feel better…and then you feel even better for making someone else feel better. Get it? Wink!

And now…I have waxed philosophic for a long post here…but I feel so strongly about this. I believe everyone has a right to their lives…successes, failures, unwise choices, silliness and all. And I Judge no one for who or what they are. I have not walked your path…I have not had my toes pinched by your shoes…I have not had my heart broken or soul mangled by your pain…nor have I experienced your pleasures and joys. So…who am I to Judge?

 

 

 

 

 

I send each and everyone of you Loving Thoughts today…and everyday…and Blessings and Wishes for the Best for you. My heart soars with Love…my soul spills over with Compassion…because you are all Magnificent Beings in your own right, doing the best you can…and You deserve to know that you are worth it!

Blessings!