What Are You Giving

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." ~ Mark 1:35

As the Bible makes mention of prayer and fasting, there are no specifics concerning the custom of Lent. For many believers, these 40 days are a symbolic remembrance of Yeshua's time spent in the wilderness overcoming temptations in false promises offered in the whisperings of Shaitan (Satan). Yeshua emerges victorious, empowered and fully surrendered to God's charge.

"Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I have done it thousands of times." ~ Mark Twain

Many are focused on "giving up" something as a sacrifice of atonement during the lenten period. I have decided to "give in". To listen for the areas within me where I have harbored unforgiveness towards myself. To make peace with the successes I have not celebrated, the blame I have not released, and to accept the gifts from the Creator that await to take root in my spirit. 

As I lay prostrate before the altar of Jehovah, I will surrender in faith as Abraham did and give in to the promise of His pardoning. I will make a sacrifice of self to return to self love, forsaking the whispers of Shaitan that seek to keep me tethered in the bondage of unworthiness. I will instead listen for the voice of wisdom that is love unconditional. I will seek the guidance of Almighty God in a more profound way, from a deeper place.

At the end of this 40 days I hope to emerge purged, strengthened and girded in the full armor of God. Renewed and fit for battle once more. There is still much healing work to be done.

What do you need to give up or give in to during this season of reflection?
Are you willing to sacrifice the parts of self in need of healing upon the altar?

"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me." ~ Psalm 51:10

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Seek And Ye Shall Find

"Christopher, do you love me?" 
"Define love." 
~ Under The Cherry Moon

Love is in the air this week; that of the hearts, flowers, and box of chocolates kind. Many consider this heady romantic experience ideal and feel less than whole without it. Truth be told, some who are "in love" seem to be testing the limits of their pain endurance.

Some champagne toast that they 'belong' to someone who in turn 'belongs' to them on Valentine's Day as the relationship crumbles around them. My grandmother once told me, "We have to decide if we are fools in love or we just love being fools." For many this is a difficult moment of truth. Hence, Christopher's insightful advice to Mary.

"If our love is only a will to possess, it is not love. You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

An individual's personal definition of what they believe love should be dictates their experience in relationships. How often we wage battle for love that is scant, fleeting and inconsistent only to reject God's perfect love which is certain, abundant and everlasting. 

Our Creator breathes His love into each of us. It is through His vine we are all interconnected and it begins with self love. It is a mystery that we cannot fall 'in love' with every part of ourselves the way God does, yet we demand unconditional forever love from another.

"God desires to reveal His heart to us and reveal His heart into us as we seek His face." 
~ Bill Mills

It is the parts of us we deem unlovable we expect another to fill. We must seek God's love to fill these parts of ourselves with His Healing. God's love is unconditional because He is unconditional love. His love is such that He does not force it upon us. He offers and patiently waits without conditions. We are free to choose or refuse. 

Define love, seek and embrace the truth of who you are through the heart of God. In His bosom you are never alone and will never be made the fool.

Seek to stay centered in His love and find peace.

What is your definition of love?
How does the truth revealed in your definition determine what you seek in love relationships?
Are you willing to submit to loving yourself as the Creator encourages?

"Love is the sister to Truth. You must go to Truth to find her." ~ Suzy Kassem

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We Are Our Intention

"What you mean is what you get." ~ Brenna Yovanoff

Vipassana or insight meditation embraces the Socratic dictum of "know thyself". It assists in looking deeply, in cutting through our created delusions by allowing present moment observation of body and mind. This practice aids in cultivating the inner wisdom needed to increase the present and mindful awareness of our words and actions each day.

"From the intention springs the deed, from the deed springs the habits, from the habits grow the character, from the character develops the destiny." ~ Chinese Buddhist text

Intention is defined as the purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions or conduct. Simply put, our intention creates our present reality. And unlike goal setting, this energy is not connected to outcomes. In contrast, it helps us stay connected with self, with the integrity of our inner being from moment to moment.

T. Harv Eker penned the saying, "where our attention goes our energy flows and results show." Our attention is born of our intention and our innate focus is what manifests the moments we experience in the present. Seeking to "know thyself" in a more meaningful way by examining the deeper truths hidden in your intention increases your understanding of every conscious action you are taking.

"Ye will know the truth and the truth will set you free." ~ John 8:32

My vipassana practice has revealed my deep desire for peace which includes becoming ever mindful in acceptance of self, releasing attachments, facing fears, forgiveness, non-judgement, and trusting the will and wisdom of God. My greatest wish is to learn to access that place in me that is peace filled with mindful consistency.

Exploring your intention at the deeper levels can provide insight into what is driving you toward the people, places, and things you believe to be necessary for your daily existence. Your present must dos and must haves are speaking volumes. Pause and listen to what this Divine inner wisdom wants to share.

What is the underlying intention steering your life's energetic direction?
Are you working from a place of mindful awareness of your intentions each day?
In what ways would your current circumstances improve with awareness of your intentions?

With New Eyes

"The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." 
~ Marcel Proust

There are constant callings in our lives. A calling is different though not separate from our purpose. I equate purpose with life's meaning. Callings exist within each experience along the journey and speak to our evolvement. Callings, when we are open to them, aid in the expansion of the heart and enable us to fulfill our purpose with authenticity. "Open your eyes, look within," as Bob Marley says.

"The truth hurts, but denial's what will kill you. 
~ August Burns Red

We are always in the process of awakening from a trance of safety. A trance that insulates us and keeps us snug in our zones of comfort even when we are hurting. We see what we choose to see in every circumstance as we seek to make coping easier, our lives more palatable. 

George Benson penned a moving piece entitled, "Everything Must Change". Together the lyric and melody spin a deep melancholy steeped in a healthy dose of reality. Embracing the message in this song can lead us into the space of our sacred heart. The space that calls to us each time we feel the sting of offense, sadness, loss, jealousy, abandonment, rejection, etc. 

The list is endless, but each pang of discomfort calls our attention to a place within us in need of God's healing oil of love. If we awaken to the revelations concerning self in each calling, we can increase our capacity to love and vibrate higher. If we do not turn away, we can evolve more fully in our life's purpose. 

"The truth is all around you, plain to behold." 
~ George R.R. Martin

True freedom lies beyond the realm of our manufactured reality. As renowned author and teacher Jack Kornfield shares, "Liberation comes in finding composure amid all of life's experiences." Choose to trust God as He removes the scales from your eyes. Soon you will awaken and come to see yourself in and through Him with increasing clarity. 

Are you weaving webs of unreality as shields from painful truths?
What trance is your heart calling you to awaken from?
Can you trust God to heal your life once the scales have been removed from your eyes?

Neo: "Why do my eyes hurt?"
Morpheus: "Because you've never used them before." 
~ The Matrix

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