A Shift In Perspective

Oh, my youngest child is a squirmer! And I am a snuggler. And, more often than I care to admit, I am a sleepyhead. I had this Lovely practice that I enjoyed with my two older kids, which I assumed would be equally delicious with Baby #3. On days when I'm especially tired (usually because I've been up through the night with some Little Being who has had need of me for some reason) I will put on a movie, snuggle up with my Little One and a soft blanket, and instantly fall asleep. The warmth of little breath in my face, the sound of Disney music in my ear, and I am gone. My child is happy wrapped in my arms and rapt in a good movie.

My third child has had her share of nights in which I sacrificed my sleep for her comfort. But she follows up the next day with less than cozy cuddles. Rather than nestling in for a snug little block of stillness, she tosses and squirms, grabbing my sleeping head in her hands and turning it to ensure that I witness the unfolding scene. "Wake Up!" she demands, wanting my shared attention as the Dinosaur Train goes rolling into the Time Tunnel. Then she burrows her head deeply into my ribs, hiding from some new creature whom she has seen appear suddenly at this moment a hundrend times before. Rearranging my hair, shouting in my sleeping ear-- I've been battered, banged, and bellowed at time after sleepy time.

I had reached a point of frustration with this pattern. I was too tired to get up and play, too disrupted to feel any rest, when I had an epiphany: This Little One is a Power Snuggler! Her snuggles are active and fully engaged. They may not help me catch up on my rest, but how I appreciate her enthusiasm to bring me into her experience!

That epiphany changed my perspective; I knelt on the ground and shared it with her. "You are such a Power Snuggler, aren't you!" Delighted, she ran first from me and then straight at me, knocking me backward to the (thankfully carpeted) ground, burrowing her face into my neck and shouting out the muffled words, "POOOOOOOOOOOOOWERRRRRRR SNUGGLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!" In that moment, it all changed. My recognition of her gift freed her to express her joy more fully, and for me to receive it and to share my own with her. Now, we both enjoy our snuggles so much more. I've learned that our snuggle times are NOT opportunities for me to catch up on lost sleep. And I have learned that my precious little daughter has been blessing me with gifts far greater than sleep; I just had to shift my perspective to see them.

Chapter 1: Heaven on the Line

Hi! Thank you for reading Chapter 1 of Heaven on the Line. Please post your comments below.

If you have not yet received your complimentary copy of Chapter 1, entitled, "An Answered Cal"l, just go to the right sidebar and sign up for my newsletter. You'll have to confirm your subscription via email. Once you confirm, you'll receive a thank you letter with a link to your free download.  Enjoy!

Mahoal Nui Loa (Thank you very much) to everyone who is giving this chapter a read. I look forward to keeping you updated on the publishing process.

Love,
Mary 

The Importance of Being Extraordinary

Review: The Importance of Being Extraordinary: A 2 CD Set
by Wayne Dyer and Ekhart Tolle 

I really enjoyed feeling as if I were present in the room as Wayne Dyer and Ekhart Tolle sat and chatted for a spell. I began with the expectation that I would be sitting in on a lecture, with clearly defined bullet points and a list of lessons learned. What I found was that the lessons were gently woven into the context of a friendly conversation between two wise souls. Among other things, Wayne Dyer shared his transformation from a serious diagnosis to vibrant health; Ekhart Tolle shared the importance of staying in the flow of Spirit and avoiding the pitfalls of egoic thinking-- not in a lecturey way; more in a "been there; done that; not going through that again!" sort of way. I will listen to this conversation again. It was an enjoyable way to spend two hours and to experience beautiful spiritual principles aas they are masterfully applied in the lives of these highly conscious, heart-centered people.

Through their BookNook Bloggers' Community, Hay House was kind enough to provide me this collection for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

You Can Trust Your Life: A 4 DVD Set by Louise Hay & Cheryl Richardson

Recently I joined the Blogger's Community at Hay House Book Nook. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to review Hay House products! Here is the review that I just posted on Amazon.

You Can Trust Your Life DVD set by Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson

As I viewed this video of a workshop recorded live in London, I was delighted to find that I really felt as though I was participating in the workshop. Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson are two women who really practice the spiritual principles which they teach. They themselves are living examples of the positive effects of living from a space of self-love and positive affirmation. Throughout the workshop, they drive home these lessons, having audience members participate in their own elevation by immersing in self Love and in creating positive affirmations for various areas of their lives.

As I felt myself to be an audience member, I, too, practiced the assignments. I developed affirmations for the most challenging times in my day; for the morning as I awaken; and for the nighttime as I lay my head on my pillow. Creating positive expectation and perspective in circumstances where I might otherwise let negativity rule gave me a feeling of peaceful well-being and positive anticipation.

Initially, I wondered if this workshshop might be too beginner level for me. And there was "beginner level" work. Work which is valuable to begin with. We began with mirror work. I had often read of mirror work in Louise's books, but always as I was busy with reading, not stopping to practice and not feeling that I needed to do so. But as Louise looked in her mirror and said, quite tenderly, "I Love you, Louise; I really, really Love you," I cringed. Could I say that to myself? I paused the player, headed into the bathroom, and looked at myself. I began with my patterned behavior of noticing blemishes, tired eyes, and other reasons to be self-critical. Then I remembered Louise's instruction to look only with Love. I decided to look at myself the way that I think I must look at my family and friends when I really feel Love and appreciation for them. I had to think of them in order to glimpse my face in this way. And then I felt a warmth in connecting with myself, as I saw myself in a conscious state of Love. 

This self-doting felt awkward, but there was something else. I felt happy saying these sweet somethings to myself. I didn't quite believe it (which surprised me) but I did feel playful and happy. And it was great to see myself radiating Love rather than looking only for flaws when I glanced in the mirror.

I have been continuing with mirror work over these past two weeks, and I find that I am no longer instantly searching for flaws! Given the Law of Attraction, I'm grateful that I'll finally stop drawing more into my experience! In fact, I am beginning to feel joy, warmth, and affection when I see myself in the mirror. What wonderful energies to attract! There are times when I look in the mirror without paying attention, but after I've looked away, I suddenly remember. I feel like I do when I walk by my husband without stopping for a kiss. I go back to the mirror, just as I do my hubby, and give myself a burst of Love.

Cheryl, a founder in the field of Life Coaching, provided beautiful guidance and stories in living from the heart. Many audience questions surrounded the topic of unloving parents. Cheryl and Louise responded with compassion and powerful guidance to support adult children in honoring and Loving themselves, and in viewing offenders with a combination of a no-tolerance policy and compassion. Cheryl shared a beautiful and instructional story in which she transformed a tense, ego-driven conflict into a loving exchange as she tapped into the Universal energy of Love.

When I was finished with this program, I really felt as though I'd been able to enjoy the workshop, even though for parts of it I was cooking dinner, cleaning the kitchen, and preparing props for a workshop of my own. I didn't have to travel to London, as many who were gathered on the day of the filming did, and I reaped great benefit from my participation. I'm sure that I will watch this program again and again.

Hay House was kind enough to gift this DVD set to me through their BookNook blog program, in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. No other compensation is being given to me. However, I found this program to be so beneficial that I will be buying it, at my expense, in the future to give as gifts. 

From Fear To Love

This article was written on 12-22-12. Its message is timeless.

Good Morning,

It is 12-22-12. I am awake, witnessing the First Dawn of the New Dawn-- the start of a new cycle in time in which the energies of the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine are brought into balance and harmony through the Earthplane. This begins with an increase in the feminine.

This morning as I lay in meditation, I found my awareness drifting to many expressions of fear upon the planet-- greed, to the point of hoarding; political parties bent upon distributing resources among a small representation of the people: landowners decimating prisitine forests in pursuit of small vials of gold dust; female cirucumcision; bullying; oppression of many forms and throughout many parts of the world. And then I was shown, rising up from the hearts of each one of these "perpetrators," bubbles of fear. Fears of running out, of being left behind, of being overpowered... many many fears, each one an indication of the absence of awareness of our Oneness with Love, with One another, and with infinite abundance and well-Being.

With each group which I perceived, I witnessed bubbles which covered the earth and cast their dark shadows over the planet. I was shown three ways in which we may be of service to Love and ease these fears for others. First, I was given a net in which to gather these fear bubbles-- the weave of the net was of a sparkling, pink Light-- the Sacred Feminine, the nurturant, comforting, holding Mother energy of the Divine. With this net I scooped up these fear bubbles. I was reminded of the Law of Attraction, in which fear is really just the flip side of a desire. Those with a fear of lack have a desire for security. Those who fear oppression have a desire for inner peace. Those who fear isolation have a desire for unity. With the pink net, I was energetically eliminating fears by giving each soul what it truly desired, and this was represented in the form of a Dove flying free from each bubble as it bumped up against the net of Pink Light. Where fear once cast a long shadow a Dove now soared joyously.

Next with my arms I scooped up more fears and brought them into a filter of Love-- my own Sacred Heart, already attuned and aligned with the One Heart. As I brought these fears into my heart, I allowed myself to feel only Love. And with this came the third method showed to me. I began to cradle these fears in my arms, and as I did so they revealed their true indentity-- beautiful, frightened infants, whom I held tenderly and rocked and kissed, witnessing as they became peaceful, feeling absolute Love and adoration for these beautiful little beings, seeing them in all their beauty and wholeness. As they became soothed of fear, these precious infants settled into peaceful sleep. Swaddled in Love, I laid them down to sleep and picked up the next raging fear. The tenderness I felt for each precious inant gave me a beautiful sense of anticipation as I soothed the next fear, and the process of healing, through the simple administration of Love, became rapid.

Last night I had the honor of joining my Soul Sister, Kathy Milano, as she guided a group of Lightworkers to Dream the Future for our children, and for the next seven generations. As I allowed Love to heal fear this morning, I realized that every single thing that I dream for these seven generations of my own babies is right there, waiting to be visible once we have cleared our world of its configurations of fear. I am ready; I am willing, to do the work. I am grateful that it is so very easy for each one of us to do!

Recently Kathy asked me to paint some lettering on the walls at Soul Sanctuary. A myrial of questions encircle the room: "Who am I? Why am I here? How do I heal the world..." There are many questions. There is only one answer. Large letters in the center of the long wall read: "Love is the Answer." It is such a simple truth: Whatever the question, Love is the Answer. We begin in our hearts; we follow the action steps which Love guides us toward, and we bring our dreams to life. Fear is just a bubble-- it cannot stop Love and when met with Love it breathes a huge sigh of relief and becomes all that it forgot it could be. When others are steeped in fear, we can meet them with Love and provide the energy that they need to illuminate the shadows, that all may live in Peace, Love, Harmony, Vibrant Health and Abundant Well-Being. Thank you for living in your heart-- it is invaluable not only for yourself, but for All, as we are All One.