It does not serve you to close yourself from learning. When you do, growth is hindered and progress is halted. The obstacle to overcome is knowing. If you believe you have the answers you do not seek. With a closed mind, you contract.
Therefore, unblock yourself. Open your thinking to a new knowing—the knowing that you will never know more than there is to know. This is being a seeker. As a seeker, you expand.
LIVING THE TAO: Today, listen to yourself in conversations. How much of it is you justifying or dictating your way? How much of it is you telling others, whether nicely or harshly, the answer is not their way? At the end of the day, was there an imbalance? How then, will you create harmony and open yourself to expand?
My 2018 focus is to intentionally live the Tao Te Ching. This is my third reading of Stephen Mitchell’s translation. I share my daily interpretations hoping to inspire you to do the same.
Embrace your journey. Experience bliss. Live the Tao.
]]>A fear-based decision is the seed of war. It is antagonistically protective and is void of you knowing your true nature within the universe.
Clarity of knowing makes way for surrender to life’s flow, the foundation of true security.
Truly feeling secure begins with knowing who you are. This knowing transforms the basis of your thoughts, actions and impact. Then instead of seeds of war, you will plant seeds of compassion.
LIVING THE TAO: Today, compare your belief system (religious or otherwise) to your thoughts, words and actions. Do they align? If not, there is more work to be done on knowing who you are. Consider reading Alena Edmondson’s, Who Are You, Really?
My 2018 focus is to intentionally live the Tao Te Ching. This is my third reading of Stephen Mitchell’s translation. I share my daily interpretations hoping to inspire you to do the same.
Embrace your journey. Experience bliss. Live the Tao.
]]>Perception can distract you from experiencing things as they really are.
Reliance on your physical senses only can lead your thoughts down a misleading path.
Settle your thoughts, close your senses and feel the power of your inner vision.
Silence your perception so you can feel your heart’s guidance.
You are in possession of an inner guidance system. Allow it to guide you.
LIVING THE TAO: Today, select a moment—perhaps the first bite of a meal. Close your eyes, get past the smell and taste, then ask yourself, “how does this make me feel?” If the answer is “nourished,” continue eating. If not, then choose a meal that is nourishing. Allow your intuition to guide you toward better health and an improved sense of wellbeing.
My 2018 focus is to intentionally live the Tao Te Ching. This is my second reading of Stephen Mitchell’s translation. I share my daily interpretations hoping to inspire you to do the same.
Embrace your journey. Experience bliss. Live the Tao.
]]>Senses distract.
The wise knows to trust beyond her senses.
She observes all things without attachment.
Her guidance is from beyond this dimension.
As I read Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Tao Te Ching daily, I reflect and document my interpretation with the intention of living the Tao.
The path of life is within.
The path for your life is within you.
The path to life is in you.
Deep within. Inside your core, waiting to be excavated again and again by prayer, reflection and meditation.
The path is invisible on the surface, but its contents can be made visible by going within to bring them out.
Its contents never end. As long as you need an answer for your journey, it is there. You only need excavate the answer.
Deep within you are discoveries waiting to be made, inventions to be created and ideas to explore.
At first glance on the physical level, this wonder cannot be seen, but somehow it is always there and can never be depleted.
The Deep within you existed before the first word.
Wisdom is there.
It is the Kingdom of God within you.
As I read Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Tao Te Ching daily, I reflect and document my interpretation with the intention of living the Tao.
You are walking on a dirt path that is speckled with gravel and bits of grass growing between rocks, the gravel and dirt. You feel secure because the ground is beneath you. Nearby you can hear the sound of water rushing down its own path.
You continue to walk down this path and you begin to notice that you can see water on either side. Then you notice a steep drop to your left and to your right. You still feel secure though because the ground is still beneath your feet.
As your walk continues, you notice what begins to seem like the end of the path. You continue to move in that direction because you know that your destination is up ahead. After more yards of walking the end has been confirmed. The very clear and obvious path does end. You approach it and wonder, “How will I reach my destination?” You continue to march forth with the question becoming louder and louder in your head.
Then you arrive. You are at the end of the the known path, but you have not yet arrived at your destination.
Now, the water that was just a faint sound earlier, is beneath you crashing violently against the rocks at the bottom this cliff. Yes, you have arrived at the cliff’s edge.
You want to continue, but you can’t. You will die. As you ponder what appears to be your only option–going back where you came from and finding another route–you feel a strong urge to keep walking. “WHAT?!” You question and exclaim. “That’s crazy talk! I can’t keep going forward. I WILL DIE!” But despite your exclamations, the urging becomes stronger by way of encouragements and signs.
Something inside of you knows that if you take the step, you will be fine. But your logical brain says no. “What now? Do I trust the extremely crazy yet compellingly safe-feeling urge, or do I go with logic?” you ask yourself.
Recently I read something that conjured up the guided image above. It was something that I’ve heard many times in various forms. It was, “I am totally confident in letting go and letting God appear as the abundant all-sufficiency in my life and affairs.” As I read those words, the one word that jumped off the page was appear. That led to a string of thoughts that went something like this,
Appear…as in show up. Let God show up…in every aspect of my life. So when I don’t allow God to appear, I am creating a blockage. Avoidance! When I avoid an aspect of my life, I am creating a block. This is why I can feel so blessed in many areas, and not so blessed in others. Oh my goodness! The areas I avoid are the ones where I am having the most difficulty. Why am I avoiding? Because I’m afraid God won’t show up. But isn’t God showing up in a bunch of other areas in my life? Yes. So you think God doesn’t have power in this area? God does. So why are you not letting God? Why are you avoiding this area? Why are you creating the block?
Why are you creating the block?
I arrived at this: it’s a simple choice. Allow God to appear as the abundant all-sufficiency in your life and affairs, or not.
If you choose to allow, your mantra is, “I AM totally confident in letting go and letting God appear in all areas of my life.”
If you can relate, please share your thoughts below.
]]>That was my situation years ago when my child was a baby and I wanted to enter a certification program. I was fixated on this program and didn’t have the money to pay for it, so I hatched a plan.
I would reach out to the Vice President or President of the organization and propose a plan where they would allow me in–without the funds–and I would work it off on evenings and weekends. And so I called.
The lady on the phone thought I was nuts. I still remember the conversation very clearly. Part of it went like this:
Her: I admire your determination dear, but we don’t do that.
Me: That’s fine. What date does the Vice President have available on his calendar?
Her: I’ll get you on his calendar, but we’ve never done that before so I doubt you’ll get a yes.
Me: Thank you. I’ll see you this summer.
Her: Wow. I really appreciate your enthusiasm dear, but don’t get your hopes up.
Me: Thank you again and I’ll see you this summer.
A few weeks later, I was in the bathroom talking to myself in the mirror–really praying–before I walked into the Vice President’s office to make the request.
After introducing myself and going through the pleasantries, I made the 2-minute speech I rehearsed many times before and just like that, with no convincing necessary, I got a yes. He admired my innovation and tenacity. We then chatted for about an hour afterward.
As I left his office, the lady I spoke to on the phone earlier–his secretary–asked me how the meeting went. When I replied, “Like I said, see you this summer,” she was in shock! HA! The thing that was impossible suddenly became possible!
Her response? “You’re certainly a lucky lady because that was a miracle!”
By the end of that summer I had my certification, and the 5-year “work it off” plan, was shaved down to 1 year! Another miracle!
I share this story to encourage you. When there is something that you have decided on as your goal, and you declare you can achieve it while holding your faith, you will achieve it–even when the odds are against you and others believe it is impossible.
Open yourself to the fact that miracles happen and declare, “I AM accepting of miracles.”
