Day 232 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - The Times We Most Easily Find Ourselves...

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Lesson 232: The Times We Most Easily Find Ourselves...

“The times we most easily find ourselves as one of One are in times of great heart opening: the tantra of sex, birthing a baby, helping someone die, helping someone in tragedy. These are all times our hearts crack open, without fear.”

— Sara Wiseman

Today we are to think of a time where we opened beyond ourselves and tell of our experience in detail.

One beautiful moment I have was with an elephant in Thailand on my volunteer trip. I am not sure why I decided to go volunteer in an animal project but the ad came up on Facebook, I was going through a tough time and I needed something for just me. I was going to travel to a foreign country on my own and wasn’t sure how that would go. I took the plunge and if worse came to worse, I could always buy a ticket back home if I couldn’t find the tour guide in the airport. Let me tell you, it was pretty nerve racking going through Thai customs by myself.

I didn’t know what to expect as I had never done anything of a tour group nor did I ever do any international volunteering. We travelled to a town called Surin. It was a great to see community and the villagers all accommodating and friendly to us tourists. Part of the experience was to feed elephants, clean them, cut bamboo for more food, clean their poo and then any other activities the village needed. It was life changing to say the least. My moment of being open beyond myself was a touching moment I had with one of the elephants named Kaewtar.

We are properly warned to not walk in between elephants or get too close as they can crush you in excitement. It seems pretty obvious that they are gentle giants. One day in the river as we’re washing our elephants, I decided to throw caution to the wind and place my mind to Kaewtar’s mind. I am not even sure why I did it. I just wanted to feel a connection. I believed I communicated with her through my mind to hers. She did her elephant rumble and I felt the rattling in my head. I don’t even really remember what I said to her but one thing I know is that I wanted her to be happy. She was a beautiful soul and I hoped that we could exchange energy for a moment. It was such an unforgettable memory that I will always cherish. There is not many people that can say that wanted to connect minds with an elephant.

I wasn’t sure what my spiritual path was yet, but there was something that told me to connect with this elephant, so I did. I feel like this was part of my spiritual journey to expand myself to be more open. I’m glad for the experience as it changed me and my whole life experience. All I remember is that I wanted to be better in my life. I wanted to be more to the world and that was a lovely gift to receive from an elephant.

Day 232 - A Year to Clear - Our Quiet

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Lesson 232: Our Quiet

“We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather about us that they may see, it may be, their own images, and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps even with a fiercer life because of our quiet.”

— W.B. Yeats

New week is a new theme and we have “cultivating stillness”.

This is quite exciting in that we all need those moments to quieten down the mind or what’s around us, right? So, I think this week we will explore new methods or practising quietening down things in our lives. This I feel ties in with self-care but also allows moments of clarity to come about in life. It’s possible that meditation is one of the solutions but I’m hoping for something else. Always up for new methods of being.

Day 231 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - After You Have Been Through...

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Lesson 231: After You Have Been Through...

We are moving through four passages of the heart. So far we have been through pain, compassion and currently going through connection. As we pass through the passages, you will find that even though you might slip into pain, you might not actually stay there for long. You might see that you move into compassion and connection easily from pain. Today we are to slip back into pain and see how long you remain there before you move to compassion and then connection.

I actually had a depressive moment on the weekend. I felt a bit lonely and that about how I’m never going to find someone I truly connect with for a long term partner. You know that same old gem that can pop up from time to time. I was thinking about all the things I didn’t have rather than looking at all the abundance I had in my life. I think what triggered all of this, is that I went on some dating apps online and realise that there aren’t many men wanting a serious relationship. They see me as someone just to sleep with and move onto the next. I think that in itself is quite sad, but I’m not judging people’s lifestyles, it’s more that it’s sad trying to find someone that wants genuine connection. Anyway, I was talking to a friend who tried to cheer me up and I eventually got out of my funk. I went to have dinner with friends and came back home to rest. I think it’s that need of wanting more than what’s in my life, which is fed by ego and not really looking at what’s good in it.

My slump lasted just an afternoon and it was something I pulled myself out of. Just reminding myself that I am blessed and it will happen in time was what I needed to do. I reassured myself that I was making an effort and that’s a positive thing. I think I just forgave myself for having downward thoughts of myself and told myself that I can do anything and things will happen. Just being around friends was a good way to be reminded of good things in life. I am going to be fine.

I think it’s important to note that we will fall down at times, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to stay there. It’s more like a passing and going… just let it flow, though also let it pass. If it’s going to come, just let it. It’s how you let the wave pass which makes all the difference.

Day 231 - A Year to Clear - Check In WEEK 33 - Nourishing Mind and Spirit

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Lesson 231: Check In WEEK 33 - Nourishing Mind and Spirit

The week has been a good lesson on self-care. We are not our optimal selves if we are doing everything for everyone else. If we take a moment to just nourish our minds, body and spirit, then it allows us to be whole towards others. There is no point running on empty and feeling like we’re stretched thin, if we are not taking rest and care to do things that lights our souls.

I thought it funny that this week’s lessons coincided with my leave I took off from work. I just didn’t want to be at work because morale was low and I felt like it was impacting me. I feel better for doing nothing. I spent most of the time just watching TV shows or movies I’d been wanting to watch but never got around to. I hung out with friends and slept a lot. I think that’s all I wanted to not think and do simple things so my body and mind was rested. It was the best thing I did for myself. I feel like once I get final stages of declutter done, then I will be able to be free and feel comfortable in my own living space. Just a few more things to do before the end of year (that’s my goal) and I’ll feel lifted.

So remember self-care is important and to place yourself first sometimes. It’s not selfish if you’re being run down to the ground, feeling exhausted all the time. Hit the refresh button so that you’re at your best and then help others.

Day 230 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - When You Think You Are Separate...

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Lesson 230: When You Think You Are Separate...

Today we are to think about the misguided belief that we are separate. We sometimes tackle things on our own or reside into loneliness. We can talk ourselves out of not seeking help from others or not wanting to have the company of others. We need to believe that we are all “One”. We are able to connect more than we do or even realise. Today we are to practise that being “separate is illusion” and to imagine ourselves being separate and then as one, separate and then as one… See if you can break the illusion of us being separate.

I think separation is caused by the immediate environment we live in. I live in the Western world and even though we have things like the internet that brings people closer together, I have never felt more disconnected in my life. I think the internet has created a world where people are locked behind their screens and this doesn’t allow for personal interaction. I don’t really get the sense of community from it. If I think about tribal communities, they are the epitome of true connection and practise oneness than I ever have, or possibly will.

By doing this exercise, I can see that we as a collective are and can be “One”. I feel like the problem is that of our environment that separates us from one another. We buy our homes, we live in them with our immediate families, we may not interact with our neighbours, we focus on our family but not of others, we say bye to our children as they grow up and then we retire by ourselves or with a partner. I’m not saying that is everyone’s life but it’s pretty much the setup of the society I’ve been brought up in. There may be moments where we join a club for sports, arts, interests… though is that ever long lasting? We work hard to go home to rest and then rinse and repeat the day. It’s quite clinical in a sense – routine accompanying our lives to pay for the lifestyle we create. We are so disconnected from one another when we don’t have to be. We can establish true connection at any given moment.

I think if anything, this exercise has opened my eyes to trying to lead a life of more connection. If I am not getting enough, there is nothing stopping me from seeking it. Maybe I just need to try more in order to feel this oneness. At times, I do feel as though I am more connected to nature than people, though it still encompasses this feeling of oneness, so have I learned the lesson? If everything is energy and everything is cycling around on this Earth, then maybe we have more understanding of oneness than we realise. Maybe just being aware of our collective energy is all that is needed to feel more connected? I guess I will ponder on this further…