Feb
17
2012
Good morning, good night and goodness in-between
When morning arrives there is this precious moment when we first realize we are awake. In this moment, sleep may try to pull us back into dream land or our soul may nudge us making the possibility of going back to sleep less likely. In this moment, before we open our eyes, smile and say a quiet little “thank-you” for the day that is about to unfold. This quiet little “thank-you” sends a wave of grace and appreciation out into the Universe. The vibration we emit is the vibration we attract. Getting into the flow of appreciation from the beginning of our day sets a tender tone. This is the perfect time to let our imagination paint a beautiful picture. After all, it is a brand new day unfolding. We can imagine ourselves courageous, well balanced and capable of handling anything that comes our way with Grace and ease. We can imagine ourselves experiencing peace of mind throughout the day and especially when we come up against something unexpected. We can imagine the very center of our being strong, fluid, and over flowing with love. Our imagination is a powerful tool that we can choose to use to assist us in creating our day.
Beginning our Day
As we slowly get up and begin moving into our day, we can choose to allow this delicious feeling to fill our heart center and our entire body. We can even imagine this feeling of appreciation filling all the spaces in-between the cells and atoms of our body and all around us. As the day progresses we can add to the vibration of gratitude and appreciation, emanating from our very being, by simply saying thank-you to people and experiences throughout the day, whatever they may be. Developing a sense of gratitude for all our experiences, regardless if they are challenging or smooth, allows the energy of Grace and Love to flow through us unimpeded. The more our very being vibrates at the rate of appreciation and gratitude the more we attract situations and people that are happy and appreciative. Happiness is an expression of our true nature and is found in the deep acceptance of the self. The more we align with appreciation the easier it is to accept ourselves just as we are with enough courage to change the things we see that need changing.
Ending our day
Each night before we go to sleep say a little “thank-you” for the day. It doesn’t matter what kind of a day we had, say “thank-you” for this day. To end each night with a quiet little “thank-you” sends a message of appreciation out into the Universe. You are ending the day on a wave of gratitude.
Gratitude and Appreciation = Good health
It has been brought to our attention through science, that the emotions of gratitude and appreciation positively affects our physical heart and brain function making us more creative, better problem solvers and even more intelligent. Frustration on the other hand, shows a marked decrease in creativity, problem solving and intelligence. For a person who indulges in frustration, the effects on the body are revealed by the production of harmful biochemicals that weaken the body and the immune system. A mere fifteen minutes of frustration can take nearly twenty hours for the body to regain a healthy chemical balance. With information like this at our disposal, who would want to miss an opportunity to choose appreciation and gratitude over frustration?
Yes, we live in challenging times.
I do realize we live in trying times and some may say, “It is not that easy to be happy or to choose gratitude and appreciation.” It is my hope that you are curious enough to try this sweet easy way of beginning and ending your day. Be curious to feel what it feels like to be the instrument of setting the tone of your day before you even open your eyes and set the tone of your dream time as you end your day. You will find that one flows into the other. The gratitude you end your day with will greet you in the morning. The gratitude you start your day with will kiss you good night.
in the spirit of appreciation, Grace and curiosity
love , Astara
(I wrote this article for the November issue of Wild Sister magazine) 
Feb
2
2012
Jesus said,” If you bring forth what is within in you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”
This is powerful and worthy of contemplation.
Good times and challenges:
If you are in a dark place~ know that there is an end. Do not feed the folly or give credence to the voice that says “this is all there is” or “this will never end.” That voice is deception. It is denial. It is the fearful wounded aspect of self and it is false.
Remind yourself of the truth.
The light is present and soon I will see it. It is within me. The light has never left. I am simply finding my way home. I will persevere. This is my choice.
Find …. yes I will Find my way Home to the light, where I can see the beauty that life is. In the light, life itself opens to me in such a way that I am able to see the love, wonder, and the possibilities. I embrace life with all that I am. This is the truth.
The Voice Within:
This voice that soothes with love and honesty, with courage and patience in the dark and in the light is the voice of Mother/Father God speaking through the soul of our being that is awake and aware of His presence.
Remember, present actions have an effect on future desires. This includes the thoughts we entertain. We travel through the darkness clearing and making room for spiritual expansion. The light of spirit, the love of God, when called upon will illuminate our path and vibrate hope~ a positive expectation without attachment. This lifts us as we make our way through the dark passage, reminding ourselves that the dawn is coming and more will be revealed.
Renewed Power to Decide:
Greater clarity will fuel our decisions. Making decisions fuels our courage and inner strength. Our inner strength then fuels better and more courageous decisions and so it goes until a new pattern is born. One step at a time takes you somewhere. Walk toward love, walk toward light, starting with our thoughts as we allow our emotions to express honestly. With our thoughts, direct the energy in motion ( emotion) to rise up and come into resonance with love. Emotions free from repression raise our overall frequency. This is transformation, this is healing. Bring forth what is in you and it will save you.
The Journey:
As one walks through the underworld of their own subconscious, they face fears that may have been long forgotten. Forgetting them does not rid us of them as the vibrational pattern continues to send a message out into the world whether we acknowledge it or deny it. The vibration is true. This is one of many reasons so many people are taking the time to discover who they are under all the pain and confusion. They are looking for the light within. This is a worthy journey indeed.
There are many things hidden within us that must be worked out. We can do this a little at a time and as we do we develop our intuition, skills of discernment and grow to gain emotional maturity. Our ability to love and be loved reaches new heights. Kindness becomes a way of living everyday life whether we are in the dark for a moment or two or standing in the light because we have begun to remember. With a calm contemplative mind the light of our spirit illuminates events in life and we can see them for what they really are. This opens the way for making choices that are supportive and appropriate for our growth.
Phases of Growth:
Periods of growth are often followed by times of suspended activity. Times of suspended activity are needed for contemplation and review of ones life path. These times are typically not appreciated. Our way of life puts extraordinary emphasis on activity and feeling good. However, there are many other phases in growth and in life that must be nurtured and respected for evolution to be on going and sustainable. Time of suspended activity is one of them.
Emotions become quiet during times of contemplation, a time of shedding light on inner truths. When looking at our reflection in a still clear pool of water, with the light of the sun or the moon, we are able to get a good look at ourselves. When the water is murky or turbulent, no matter how much light is shining upon it, we simply cannot see much at all. This is true of our mind as well. In the calm one can truly embrace their spiritual path and bolster not only self-esteem but also courage to forge ahead when the impulse and inspiration of activity emerges from this quiet contemplative phase.
Those liberating themselves from old wounds find themselves in a dark place for a time. Do not despair. Instead Remember. There is light. The dawn is near. Let the pure light within guide you, speak to you, become you. Then each time you journey deeper you will not be afraid, you will be ready and steady because you will remember who you are. We are the divine children of a most loving Creator.
Will the soul that resides within listen and take heed of the inspired thoughts of spirit? Will the light of spirit within acknowledge the response of the soul and take all things into consideration? Contemplate, meditate, pray.
Hear the higher wisdom, listen to the message contained within, feel the response to this information truthfully and when the time is right act upon the inspiration. Life is truly mysterious and magnificent. The beauty of life is simply waiting for us to find that original spark within and nurture it so it becomes a beacon, a true celebration of life, lighting our path with love and joy.
in the spirit of love, peace and light
Astara
Tags: awake, aware, choice, courage, God, inner strength, light, persevere, personal power, self esteem, spiritual path | 
Comments (12)
Comments (12)
Jan
17
2012
Paramahansa Yogananda of Self-Realization Fellowship said , “You must not let your life run in the ordinary way; do something that nobody else has done, something that will dazzle the world. Show that God’s creative principle works in you.”
I find this to be a wonderful and inspiring thought. So why do most human beings hide their light, their unique gifts and talents from others? Perhaps they do not know what gifts they have been given or how to access them.
With a world gone upside down with greed, fear and repressed emotions it stands to reason that many people have forgotten their own true nature. And at the same time this makes it all the more imperative that we come to realize and embrace who we are and the knowingness that God dwells within us.
The time is at hand to begin to express our true divine nature to help restore balance to our own lives and to the world. As we grow and heal through the transformation of our energies and the expression of our God given creative principle, we have a positive effect on others and our environment.
Discover what lies within you:
In what way is the creative principle of God wanting to work through you? What has been nudging you for your attention lately? We are living in times that are asking, if not demanding, us to be who we truly are and to share our talents with others. If you have a sense of what this might mean for you and find yourself hiding it because of self sabotaging thoughts such I am not good enough, I can’t really do That, only a fool would expose such ideas, I don’t have time and so on, NOW is the time to course correct. Begin to send love and thoughts that support God’s creative principle in you so it may work for you. When it begins to work for you, you will discover that you have simultaneously paved a path that serves and gives to others as well.
The simple fact that joy begets joy and peace begets peace offers ample inspiration that your happiness and the expression of your true nature is important to the whole of life. It begins one person at a time and it begins with you and me. If our God given creative principle is not being given the love and attention it needs to express in this world, there is something missing. Our soul feels it, our spirit feels it. There is a lack of peace and joy and a heaviness we either ignore or haven’t yet put our finger on.
Self-Acceptance & Self Love makes for a better world:
Self-acceptance and healthy Self Love are keys to our growth. When we all come to realize that who we are is an important part of the whole of life here on Earth, we will begin to cherish and joyfully express the creative God principle within us. Can you image what a beautiful world we would live in? Take a moment and imagine living in a world where everyone expressed the love and creative principle of God within. Everyone would have enough with no need to hoard resources out of fear of lack. We would have no need to be competitive, which only causes separation, preferring unity consciousness and love.
We know our thoughts create our reality but that is only part of the equation. We fuel our thoughts with our passion, our emotions, our feelings. If we entertain a healthy thought but the feelings regarding the thought are not supportive, our ability to create and express that creativity will be diminished.
An example : Yes I can do this! that is the thought and yet the feeling supporting the thought is dread or fear of failure. So what do you do? Do you ignore the feeling and push it down hoping it will go away as you cover it up over and over again with the thought ‘I can do this”?
The answer is “No.”
To deny the feeling will steal energy from the ability to make ” I can do this” a reality. I would suggest that you explore the feelings of dread and fear of failure and dismantle the false belief that is fueling it. Release the fear, open for the light of God and embrace more of your personal power. This in turn will provide fuel to the thought “I can do this” in the form of excitement, confidence, love and hope. Your thoughts and feelings will come into alignment, and unify to express God’s creative principle in you. And when you do, the whole world benefits and I bet angles sing on high! Remember, God has given you this gift, the creative principle, so you may feel the joy of discovering it and expressing it in your own unique way. You are supported.
One step at a time takes you somewhere. One step at a time accomplishes something.
Where are you going and what are you accomplishing?
Are all roads leading to your happiness and full expression of your God given creative principle?
Are you ready to show the world that God’s creative Principle is working in you?
We all desire to live in a world where peace and love radiate everywhere and from everyone.
Remember you are an important part to the whole of life.
in the spirit of love and peace
Astara
Jan
4
2012
Seeds of thought: Part 4 of a 4 part series
Within any seed lies the potential for great beauty, great strength and wisdom. All it needs is proper nurturing for it to burst forth in divine time and splendor.
Ponder, contemplate, nurture and discover more. Teachings are guidelines that assist us on the journey of finding our own way, our own heart, and our own true deep connection to All That Is. Recognition brings ignition. Once ignited, we can then lighten up just a little more.
Seed#4 : Expansion and Contraction
Much like the tides come in and go out, our own expansion and contraction is a natural flow or pulse of life.
Inhale, we expand, exhale, we contract. Daily, we have subtle experiences of our energy expanding and contracting. Our attention and focus varying and shift throughout any given day. We see our life expand and contract weekly, monthly and yearly.
Contract: When contraction is natural timely and healthy it will be experienced in the form of retreat and rest. We allow our mind to rest as well as our body. To consciously feel the need for such time and adhere to these needs results in great strides in ones growth. Every spiritual warrior knows it takes courage and strength to retreat when the need has been made know to him or her. Contraction is the process that precedes birth. This can be the birth of new ideas, inspirations, renewed energy, birthing new projects or more of your authentic self as well as the birth of a child.
Expand: Expansion follows a time of contraction (or retreat ) expanding our consciousness and improving the health of our bodies. As we expand our consciousness; opportunities, understandings and insights are illuminated. Love is growing and life is unfolding in wonderful ways. To be attuned to subtle energy keeps us in the flow, trusting as we go.
A Bigger View: From a larger scope, all of humanity has been contracting for a very long time resulting in increased denial, pain and suffering. The tides have changed and now expansion in our ability to perceive the truth and broaden our consciousness is upon us. Each individual has an opportunity to positively affect all of life during these changing times if they choose to open to the newly expanding energies currently being given to us. It is time to give birth to more of who we truly are.
Expand our capacity to love and be loved: The physical world has no power over us unless we make ourselves dense by contracting our awareness, squeezing out love. This is not the natural contraction of rest or retreat but the debilitating contraction brought on by denial. The more an individual withdraws from love, prevents love from flowing through them or rejects love from others, the more dense and contracted the individual becomes. The denser the energy field of a person the deeper one goes into fear based mass consciousness. This painful contraction has many people obsessed with all things physical leaving little to no room for love, faith, trust and spiritual, soulful divine energies to expand. The more we expand in the vibration of love the greater our capacity to love and be loved.
The process of Expansion: Expansion is the process of being born into a new way of perceiving life. A higher vibration will bring new experiences, people and opportunities into our lives that match our new frequency. Life changes according to our vibration. When we accept the changes by flowing with them we can easily integrate and stabilize the new vibration. The more you love, the faster you vibrate. The faster you vibrate the less you feel the need to control anything outside of yourself. You become fearless during change and variety. Your experiences are deeper, more connected and loving. In a sense there is a slowing down that actually leads to rapid change. Time is not fixed but rather elusive when in the flow. There is always enough of it.
Enter the Contraction: Conscious releasing is entering into the contraction with intent to open space and give birth to more of who you truly are. Releasing old charge opens space for light and greater spiritual presence. We enter into the energies previously denied expression and movement due to misunderstanding, overwhelm and our inability to accept truthful feelings and experiences. This is a journey into the underworld of our own making. It has been designed by our adherence to denial, judgment and guilt. When diving into the “underworld” the feeling is unmistakably everything we have avoided.
As one moves into the contracted energy with intent to liberate oneself, acceptance is and must be your ally. Birthing more of all that you are will be more painful and take much longer than necessary if you find yourself fighting it, struggling with it or against it rather than surrendering to the flow. What we resist persists. The struggle only strengthens everything within that you are attempting to open and liberate. When entering into the contraction; breath, feel and open space as you let go of old wounds, memories, judgment and pain. Yield to the expansion process and trust that what you are giving birth to is more of the beautiful being you have always been. Spiritual awakening has begun. Spiritual awareness continues to expand our very being.
Healing way: When love and light enter where denial was, healing is occurring. Great understandings and expanding truth are made known to Man as he travels deep within. When the core of the contracted energy or pattern has ignited into the fullness of truth, reversals are no longer possible. This means you will not be repeating old patterns of behavior and creating the same old experiences. The expanding energy of light and love fill the opening created by it providing new perspectives, peace of mind and sense of purpose and belonging. Time is needed to tend, integrate and stabilize the new higher vibration. You will likely feel a slight contraction at this time. Honor the stillness; rest and retreat. Care for your newly expanded self ~ consciously. To do this is simple; eat light, drink water, write in your journal, be conscious of your conversations and entertainment. Keep them light and loving.
May you feel, honor and understand the natural flow of expansion and contraction and
Live Life Whole, Happy, and Free!
love, Astara
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