The word dance is often used as a metaphor for life. Dancing is exploration, movement, expression, freedom. Sometimes there's sweat involved. It's not easy to dance well. It takes a lot of training and rhythm and navigating the floor. Some people love to dance; others not so much. For me, dancing brings me bliss.
To dance is to say Yes! to life and to be fully engaged and recognize how short life really is. There's so much to do and so little time and it's why we're writing bucket lists and dreaming of a better life.
I have a very good friend who was divorced after 33 years of marriage. It was so painful and difficult and I watched her suffer for several years. But all the while, she still chose to participate in life. She has never sat around for very long and felt sorry for herself. My friend is an inspiration to me because I have been shown the gift of positive attitude at work through one of the most difficult times a person can experience. My hope is that through this blog, someone else might choose to say Yes! to life and dance – even after going through something tough.
I love this song by Lee Ann Womack – I hope you dance. I thought I would include the lyrics so you can see the encouragement it brings:
I hope you dance.
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
Dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance..
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)
Here is the video in case you haven't seen it…it's really beautiful.
Sit quietly for 5-10 minutes and repeat silently to yourself, "I choose to dance."
To support your choice to dance, I recommend using Lime essential oil. It is known as the Oil of Zest for Life! You can use it before or after meditation, in your water* or add to a margarita later in the day.
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Let's first address your highest purpose. We all have a purpose. We were designed to learn, grow and share. When we grow into our full potential or as we are growing into our potential, we begin to share our gifts and talents with the world. Knowing your highest purpose is knowing yourself really well and what you want to give and achieve in the world.
But let's be honest, we often allow things, people and activities to suck our time KNOWING that it doesn't align with our goals or aspirations. Why do we do this? Well, we do it for a variety of reasons which could include feeling obligated, getting distracted, procrastinating, being in toxic relationships and so forth.
Now let's just say that we are actually AWARE that this is happening…that we KNOW we're being distracted or affected negatively by a person or people…and we're wondering how to retract from the behavior or company. It's not always easy – in fact it can be quite difficult sometimes – to withdraw from a relationship or change a behavior.
Today's MANTRA is an offering to support the conscious decision to move forward in life and do what's most important for your highest calling. While you may not have the answers right now as to HOW to make a change, this mantra will bring to your consciousness the awareness and a "calling to the universe", your desire for information and wisdom to make change happen.
Release means to get free from confinement, bondage, obligation or pain. It also means to get free from anything that restrains. Is there something or someone that is holding you back (restraining) from accomplishing your goals?
Now is the time to give yourself permission… loosen, dismiss, shake off that which is keeping you in bondage. Listen, it may not be a behavior or a person that holds you back. It could be you and something in your mind. Once you have an awareness of what it is, you can choose to liberate yourself – emancipate yourself – to be completely who you are and forge ahead, aligning with your highest self.
Sit still for a 5-10 minute meditation. Take this time to repeat today's mantra over and over, allowing it to sink deep into your heart. You will be surprised at how information or the support that you need will turn up when you least expect it long after this meditation. (Hopefully not too long!)
If you don't yet know your highest purpose, spend time alone, journal, pray and consider all that you are and want to be. Seek wisdom from the highest sources and work on this as it could very well change the course of your life and bring you more bliss than you can imagine.
Mantra – a word or phrase repeated out loud or in your mind which helps to manifest more peace and tranquility plus wisdom and guidance
Pray – to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc. (to God or an object of worship)
Divine – a supreme being (God)
Wisdom – knowledge of what is true or right coupled with correct judgment as to action, discernment or insight
Our Monday Mantra is designed to inspire you to take action for more peaceful living. It is easy to sit for a short period of time and do this. You don't have to make it a 30 minute meditation…just give it a few minutes. Today's mantra is to be said in the present tense, like…"I'm asking now God!"
Do you ever need advice? Do you ever wonder if you are thinking the right things, saying the right things or doing the right things? I like to bounce things off of my friends, but I usually pray first. If I don't sense an answer right away (and need one right away), I will go to those who I know spend time in prayer…so I know they are seeking wisdom and not just telling me things I want to hear. I want DIVINE wisdom.
Some people will tell you that you already have all the answers in your heart, mind, or head; however, if you tend to do things your own way all the time and you think you have control and all the answers, you are probably not able to connect with the divine source of knowledge within. Answers come from allowing full knowledge and truth to be forefront in your life. Answers and truth have a divine source – the place of wisdom.
So enjoy this mantra today. Allow it to open your heart to seek more from God and from life!
Who doesn't long to be loved? To be loved is to be accepted, to belong, to thrive. It is bliss.
There are many kinds of love right? We often think of romantic love first, but there's the love of God, the love of your family, the love of your friends and even the love of strangers.
LOVE is beyond measure. True love is to be honored, accepted and adored just as you are. Oftentimes, people fail at showing love. That's why I turn to God, because I know He loves me. He adores me. He adores you. How do we know that God loves us if we don't actually feel like we've been loved?
In the Bible, John 3:16 says, "for God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not parish but have eternal life." It's the only print record I know of where the love of God is clearly stated. Jesus lived and died to show us that he loves us, understands our suffering and accepts us just as we are. If we want LIFE, we follow Him to have it abundantly.
You may not have this kind of faith, but you may already feel loved by "the universe" or your family, friends, partner. That's wonderful, because it is proof that you are worthy of love (which you are) and you are enjoying the sweet gift of intimate relationships that I think God intended for humans.
If you are not feeling loved, you need to tend to the cave of the heart which knows great love for you. Just rekindle the fire by repeating this mantra…"I am loved. I am loved. I am loved."
Another way to approach this mantra is to say, "I am love. I am love. I am love." If you are love, you can certainly love yourself and therefore you are loved! In order to feel whole, we need to not just hear that we are loved, but believe that we are loved. This is essential for your self-care.
Try it. Sit for a few minutes today and repeat this mantra and then let your heart swell up with love for you – from God, from yourself, from the universe, from me!
Mantras from an Eastern Philosophy perspective – Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. are words, phrases or sounds that one repeats over and over to move from the thinking part of the mind to the heart center. The idea is to have a deeper experience with the self, to connect with truth and to the divine nature of your soul. We are often disconnected from God within who has many positive attributes, so we forget that from which we are made. Monday Mantra will offer a variety of words and phrases which you can use to connect more deeply with the cave of your heart and to God within. I'm choosing mantras that resonate with me; they are mostly in English. If they help you, please share! Mantra practice is a great self-care tool.
Today's Mantra: God is good.
Goodness comes from God. Goodness is morally excellent, virtuous, of high quality, honorable, worthy, genuine, benificent. My belief is that if we are going to rely on God for wisdom, we should hope that God is good. God has other attributes as well…faithfulness, wisdom, holiness, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotent. This is a Christian point of view, but other spiritual traditions recognize God as having these attributes as well.
Be reminded through this mantra, that God is good and resides in your heart. We are made in His image and if His goodness resides in you, then your goodness will shine.
God is good!
Sit comfortably and quietly, close your eyes and repeat over and over, God is good. Connect with your heart space as you breathe in and out this positive mantra. Start with 5 minutes and if you can go longer, please do!
To live intentionally takes an internal fire that is built by you and God. Every fire needs kindling. The kindling usually comes in the form of ideas…stirrings of heart thoughts that form a dream. It’s a co-creative experience between you and God.
This is my year of living intentionally. It’s not that I haven’t lived with intention before, it’s just now I’m making a declaration – a manifesto of sorts – to more fully live out my dharma. My intention is to inspire as many people as I can for positive growth and change – even with myself. My intention is to use my God-given gifts to manifest more goodness in the world. I want to spread more of the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 “But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control. Against such things there is no law.”
In order to live intentionally, it’s a good idea to define what that means. Intention is an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result. It is to have purpose or attitude toward the effect of one’s actions or conduct. There is meaning and significance in being intentional.
Being intentional is being on purpose. It includes designing or planning. It means to be deliberate in action – carefully weighed and considered, studied.
The word dharma is difficult to define because it has a variety of meanings stemming from Eastern Philosophy. For the purpose of this manifesto, we’ll say that dharma is all the actions a person takes which align with universal laws and the internal makeup, gifts and abilities a person owns. The ability to live out one’s dharma requires some self-actualization, self-study and self-growth. Oftentimes, life experiences (much of which is out of our control), can hamper self-growth. People who are in survival mode tend to grow much slower and have a more difficult time connecting with their own hearts. But it’s not impossible and I want to encourage you to dig deep – even and especially if you are struggling with matters that prevent you from doing exactly what you want at this time.
I have known people who have an innate ability to hone in on their gifts and use them from an early age. I see this as pretty rare though. A person has to be really emotionally even and sure of themselves, anchored by strong self-esteem to build a dream life at a young age. Don’t allow yourself to envy these people. We are each on an individual path with different things to learn. Some of us are late bloomers – and I include myself in that category!
There is a series of steps that you mentally and physically have to take to make something come to fruition. Sometimes it requires reading or studying. Sometimes it requires developing a new skill.
Here are 5 Steps you can take to begin living intentionally – on purpose – every day of your life.
1) Every day, acknowledge God, His sovereign care over your life and say a prayer of gratitude for this day. Thank God for your blessings – all the good in your life. Ask for wisdom and light to be infused into your consciousness throughout the day, so you can be directed from that light within. Ask for guidance and what it is you are supposed to do to manifest more of the Fruit of the Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Self-Control. Do this every day.
2) Develop a deeper awareness of your body – the sensations you feel as you go about your day. Also, begin to notice your feelings more – your emotional body. One way to do this is to practice yoga. Yoga helps to develop a keen awareness of various parts of your body at different times. Hatha yoga is the physical or purification process for strengthening and stretching the body, creating better circulation. It also helps to calm the mind.
An even quicker way to build awareness is to sit in meditation. Here you can breathe deep, scan your body, notice sensations and quiet the mind. Somehow quieting the mind allows divine thoughts to enter and act as guide and counselor. It gives you an opportunity to just be you without any outside influence or stimulation. This quiet time is necessary to get in touch with your heart, mind and emotions.
3) Write down on paper or type on a computer your thoughts. Share your innermost thoughts, dreams and desires. Write down why you feel so moved to have a certain dream. Write down the details of how you envision your life in its fullest capacity. Don’t hold back. Dig deep into your heart and examine what is most meaningful to you. Don’t hesitate to include your thoughts of what you think might be holding you back. It’s good to acknowledge your innermost thoughts – even if they are negative. You can always adjust your thoughts based on reality. Keep in mind that many of our thoughts are truly erroneous. Here’s where you need to examine your thoughts regularly and determine if they align with reality or not.
4) Set a course and plan of action. Determine what it is you want and how you’re going to get it. If you want joy on a more regular basis, plan out how you will attain more joy. It could be tethered to your spiritual pursuits; it may just be you want to experience a certain type of vacation. Perhaps you want to lose weight (get healthy), or maybe you want to build a dream business. Something as simple as getting back to nature can bring you more joy. Whatever you are dreaming about, list what it will take to achieve your dream. You may have to go back to school, take a course, hire a health coach or give something up to save for what you really want. I recently talked to a young mother who is currently a nurse. She has a dream of becoming a nurse practitioner. She knows it’s going to take another 4 years to get that degree. Right now, she is in the process of figuring out how she’s going to work part-time and go to school full-time while caring for her baby girl. Luckily she has help from her mother with her daughter, but it’s going to be a tough road. Still, she’s determined this is what she wants and is going to figure out how to do it.
5) Take ACTION. Remember ACTION is the key to following through with deliberateness. For example, if you want to gain more wisdom, find 5 books of Wisdom Literature. Begin reading daily passages to inspire you. If you’ve always wanted to learn to speak Spanish, buy that course and start utilizing it, memorizing and practicing your new language. If you want to lose weight, begin by studying yourself in relation to your eating and physical habits. Know that your body, mind and emotions are so tightly interconnected that they affect each other. Your thoughts affect your physical body. Your physical experiences affect your thoughts. Your emotions are messages from your brain that affect the body. Getting to know yourself and learning how to overcome any negative thoughts about your dreams is part of the growing process. Take the necessary action steps to achieve your goals.
Here’s an example of living intentionally. Doug decides to run a marathon. He thinks he can do it. He’s done it before but would like to better his time. Doug sets a plan to train for the marathon by running a certain number of miles per day. He gets up before work and runs. By marathon time, Doug is ready. He runs the marathon, beating his previous time. He wasn’t competing with others; he was competing with himself. Now, Doug feels empowered to do just about anything because he knows that if he puts his mind to it, he can accomplish what he sets his mind to doing.
No matter what your goal or dream is, you will have to be deliberate, be on purpose and set the course. The key to attaining your goals is in the action. Just Do It! – as Nike is so famous for declaring.
If you are already happy doing what you are doing, good for you! If not, spend a few hours, days or weeks with yourself assessing your life, what you want and how you’re going to get it. Remember, it’s a process. Not to be rushed, but to be put in motion.
In the event you are seeking financial freedom and are interested in working with someone who can teach you how to get that through the ever growing health-care market, check out my Work With Me page. This is a heart-centered business where you can impact hundreds or even thousands of people to live healthier lives. Let me know how I can help you get started fulfilling your biggest dreams!
The word dance is often used as a metaphor for life. Dancing is exploration, movement, expression, freedom. Sometimes there's sweat involved. It's not easy to dance well. It takes a lot of training and rhythm and navigating the floor. Some people love to dance; others not so much. For me, dancing brings me bliss.
Choose to Let Go!
