How To Handle Global Pain

             This morning I woke up to yet another horrific event. Any act of violence is an attack on our collective soul's well being. We are all affected by it, even if we don't know about the event. It is energy put out into the world, and affects us deeply and powerfully. It is true that the world has always had sad moments, scary threats and disturbing events, perhaps what is happening now is no more than what has always happened, but today we are living with greater awareness, we are a small community on this small world, we have all chosen to come to this earth to grow and expand as our soul journeys through its evolutional process.
Many of us are empaths and what affects the majority of people in jolting ways, affects us on a cellular level - both physiologically, and emotionally - how do we protect ourselves from such devastating impacts? When you take in so much of the pain and sadness in the world without any way to fix things, change things and make things better, it is easy to grow desperate and hopeless. While I wish there was a way for all of us to have a direct and profound impact to change things for good, and wave a magic wand in hopes to make it all better, the truth is, we cannot do that, but we can make a difference. Our efforts can be invested in so many ways. We can start with our intention, do a true self scan and think about all the groups/people/organizations/religions/etc. that you absolutely despise, think of how angry you get when the thought of them comes to mind, and then focus on releasing that anger, think of replacing the thought of them with people/loved ones/animals you care for. Use this practice every time you feel indignant and irritated at the news. 

         When it is all said and done, what good came out of anger, hate, and judgment? All the prophets, teachers and gurus in history succeeded at leaving a powerful imprint because they found a way to love unconditionally and view others compassionately. It is at the core of all their messages and teaching moments. We all go to the gym to work-out, to exercise and develop healthy muscles and bodies, but there is no gym where we can exercise our muscle of compassion and love, there is no gym where we can jog for the health of our soul, that is a practice that needs to happen within. Mindfulness, meditation, prayer, and contemplation are all great exercises to develop that muscle of compassion and love. If we choose to fuel our actions with love, we cannot produce evil and pain. Suffering is unavoidable, but our suffering should not be in vain and in utter senselessness. Or suffering is meant to help us grow and evolve at the spiritual level. Spirituality is not a religion, it is not a political stance, it is not an affiliation, rather, it is the very core of who we are and why we are here. You do not have to believe in anything, not even life after death, in order to be spiritual. Your spirituality is your compass, the very tool we all need to guide us towards our purpose and higher Self.
We may never understand why things happen in the world the way they do. We may question the purpose and reason for all this madness. Ultimately we have control over one thing only, our reaction. If we allow our intuition to roam freely instead of holding it hostage under the influences of society and the indoctrination of society, then we will unquestionably gain all chances to make a difference in this world.  

The Craft of Living in Contentment

     It is said that life is truly very simple, but we often complicate it. Has this been your experience? My life, personally, has been a merry-go-round of simple pleasures, intriguing adventures, and complicated challenges. In it all however, I have seen and come to firmly believe, life is, indeed, quite simple. When we view it from the perspective of the organic nature around us, it is easy to see that the simplicity and intricacy of life is quite intuitive, richly complex with detail that seems to flow and fall into place effortlessly, can't we also experience life in the same way?

           

         Do we choose to complicate things, or are we in fact victims of our self-imposed circumstances? It has been proven time and time again that we are, without question, the creators and makers of our destiny. Karma is not a game of revenge, but a compass with which we can decide the outcome of our lives. If we face traumas and trials with a scholar attitude, we will undoubtedly learn the lesson and eliminate that hurdle from our soul's journey. Sometimes that takes time, it takes multiple tries and frequent exposure, but our attitude makes all the difference in the end. If we approached life and its lessons as a process for our higher good, we will experience contentment and serenity, regardless of the ultimate outcome. Wouldn't it make everything far more tolerable if our attitude shifted from victim mode to creator mode? If creator is an intimidating responsibility for you right now, then see yourself as a co-creator, co-create with the forces of the universe and the collective energies of all soul beings! When we are faced with challenges or forks in the road, we are intuitively invited to make a shift, a change, it is an invitation to overcome our limiting belief system and break free from our self-imposed ball and chain. The possibilities are endless when you take charge and control of your path. 

“The closer you come to knowing that you alone create the world of your experience, the more vital it becomes for you to discover just who is doing the creating.” 

― Eric Micha'el Leventhal     

        If in the end this experience called life is impermanent, why then waste it, by feeling stressed and anxious? if the outcome is ultimately the same for all of us, death, and a possible life after death, why choose to go through it with a pressing degree of worry, sadness, anger and fear? It might be easier said than done, but everything is easy when initially said, with a little bit of practice and patience, we can become masters of any craft we choose, including the craft of living in contentment. 

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Soul Respite

              We often find ourselves halted, stuck, even desperate. It is hard to understand what the sensation is when we are in the thick of it. I have "struggled" (for lack of a better word) with this sensation my whole life. As a child, as a young adult and in my full grown-upness. What I have come to know for sure and without a shred of doubt, is that this halted feeling of being stuck in desperation is the prompt to reset and reignite our next big accomplishment. If we give ourselves permission to acknowledge that these accomplishments are personal and subtle, instead of societal's version which is measured in monetary success or fame and prestige, we will more often than not welcome this lull and embrace the fullness of its sensation, because we know without any hesitation, that it is a gift from our higher Self, that is far wiser and egoless than our mental chauffeur. Our true accomplishments on a soul level come from our ability to say we are content with the way our present moment has unfolded.

          For decades the phrase "it is a state of mind" was an utter cliche that was used to excite athletes in pain, judge people battling depression and mental illnesses, justify one's motivation and enthusiasm in the face of adversity, but today we have scientific proof that the state of mind is in fact a tangible and quantified verb. Our minds are governed by our higher Self, when we have, sadly, believed that each part of our being is genuflecting to our insecure, inexperienced ego driven mind. We ought to rephrase this powerful mantra to "it is a state of Self". Each time we affirm that, we are lead by our higher Self, we automatically became more in tune with our innate intuition and sageness.

           When our bodies are sick, the best remedy is rest. We can take all the medicine a doctor prescribes and we can see all the healers that come recommended, but until we rest and give our bodies the respite it needs, the recovery process will be longer and the healing will be temporary. Such is the case with our soul. Even butterflies have to land to nourish and satiate themselves. When we are at an assumed dead-end, or fork in the road, or simply feel lost, our soul needs to rest. We can overwhelm it with all the medicine and imposed pep talks, but nothing will do the trick until we fully take the opportunity to pause and lovingly acknowledge the power of this phenomenon. The most basic ways our spiritual Self draws our attention to the need to reassess our direction are several, illness is the most common, sometimes minor and other times serious, physical obstacles, tragic events, job loss or social discontent, family struggles and relationship challenges, these are all some of the basic circumstances that nudge us to observe the doorways that lead to an essential space for growth, change and transformation.

           Awareness is step one towards change. Recognizing that it will take time, is step two. If we can intellectually wrap our minds around these two steps, the sky is the limit, and step three - making the change - is no longer a feared obstacle. Affirming in our deepest core that we are not meant to suffer, but rather our suffering is meant to free us, is by far the most empowering concept in order to start making productive changes in our lives. Some of us need to work a little harder because we've been dealt slightly poorer cards in the game called life, but it's often not the cards nor the game, it's the player - so decide what kind of player you want to be, a defeated and sore loser or a savvy and assertive player ..?  

Are You Worthy, or Priceless?

       

       How often have we each felt like we needed permission to be ourselves? How frequent do you find yourself apologizing for having to say or do something to justify being yourself? It is safe to say that through different life stories, circumstances and journeys we have all experienced that "unworthy" or at least "am I worthy enough?” feeling. The truth is, let me say it loud and clear, you owe nothing to no one - UNLESS - you are hurting someone, and even then, sometimes it can't be avoided if you are to live totally authentic.

It takes courage to go out there and speak your mind. Sometimes you don't even open your mouth, but your mere truth offends and insults others, giving them the opportunity to judge you and condemn you, leading to your own self doubt and perpetual cycle of unrest. This feeling begins at a very young age, we find ourselves as insecure children eager to please our parents, our teachers and eventually our peers. We carry this compass with us throughout our adult lives, in our family, the community, at our jobs and with our chosen circle of friends. It is a soul crushing way of living. We let go of our personal power when we allow others the opportunity to live in our heads and hearts.

There are many situations in which consideration of others and their feelings is a noble choice, I don't think we must go about this life doing whatever we please without thinking twice about the impact it can have on others, but I do believe that the line is very fine between what is socially/politically/morally correct and what is authentically/personally/spiritually uncompromisable. 

Sometimes to live a fully honest and genuine life we can't help but offend, hurt and even disgrace someone. The reasons for this outcome are several, it could be that we choose a path that does not, in any way, align with someone else's belief, or that natural evolution changed either participant, enough, that we no longer see under a compatible microscope. But more often than not, our desire to live our true destiny comes at the cost of recognizing and rejecting a pattern in ourselves that was caused by an imposition from someone else's choices. A clear example of this is parents who believe so whole heartedly in a way of life that it chokes the soul out of one or more of their own children for fear of judgment and rejection. Religion is one of many ways to recognize that. Another way I've seen this play out and experienced this personally, is by choices, good or bad, that a parent makes for themselves without any awareness of the impact and huge ramifications it will eventually have on their child. Outside of the spiritual truth, in the human realm, I did not choose to be born where I was born, I did not choose to have two powerfully contradicting cultures as my own, I did not make the choices either of my parents made for themselves, but all of those things without question, influenced me in both positive and negative ways. 

I grew up believing it was my duty to protect others even when it meant living with unspoken pain and even shame. Our family behaved one way when we traveled, which under any intellectual perception, was a normal and healthy way, but for our own protection they made it clear it was taboo to talk about it when we were back home in our conservative culture in the Middle East. I understand as an adult why I was steered in one direction, and then the other by my parents, but I also realize now, as a wiser adult today, after my own struggles and challenges, that a model based on secrets and altered truths only fuels the fire of self doubt, of shame and of limitations. 

The journey towards full self approval comes at the cost of upsetting, angering and even hurting others. It comes at the high price of alienating and sometimes losing loved ones for good. Make sure the choices you are selecting, ultimately make you feel deeply good about yourself, if there is a shred of doubt that who you are becoming makes you second guess yourself, then pause and ponder. Look around you and evaluate your life, are you moving forward and climbing uphill or are you feeling disturbed and even disgusted by your environment? To live your highest self and with deep convection that by doing so you will meet your life purpose, is perhaps, a worthy enough price to pay, because only then do you go from the sense of unworthiness to a self of pricelessness.   

The Gift Of Dark Times

Me and a Soul Sister experiencing a powerful Soul rebirth 

in Asheville, NC 2017

          Many of us know what light looks like, feels like, sounds like, and even tastes like …. But it’s only because we have known the darkness as intimately as we've known the light. It is when we are found in total despair, utter pain and full-on challenging times, do we truly seek and search for that calm and peace that only light brings forth. We have no need or pull towards the light if we did not taste deep and profound darkness.

        Many live in a perpetual cycle of dim light and are, one can argue, content. They find solace in their limited ability to see objectively and decipher reflections with the partially hidden sights due to the dimness of the light in which they live. These souls have not had the opportunity to taste true and full darkness, they have not opened their eyes when the light was out and either missed the opportunity to embrace the lessons taught in these moments of lightless hour, or were never, perhaps, given the gift of pain. 

       In pain, indeed, there is a gift. The greatest gift of all, if we are alert and aware. Only when we allow our Self (with the capital S) to receive and face these hardships, are we then able to turn trauma into spiritual triumph. Bravery is a prerequisite, courage is a requirement, and love is the essence to get through the storms of life and turmoil of self.

       One cannot fathom joy if they have not experienced sadness, cannot understand caring if they have not seen abandonment, cannot imagine “out” if they have not lived “in” … and accordingly cannot know light without truly seeing darkness. 

        In darkness I have seen perfection. I have been blinded by potential and hope. I have been slapped and shaken only to realize I was fainting in a land of despair and loss. In the moments of silence when you are drowning in sheer solitude and aching for restoration, do you then believe that there is another way, another side and another option. 

        Locked in a dark room my options are many. I can find a way to break and hammer against the wall until it cracks open enough to see light. I can slowly dig a tunnel in the ground to find my way out the other side … and I can simply feel my way around the walls until I come across a switch that turns on a well installed light bulb in the ceiling. Sometimes we are stuck in rooms without a switch and light, and the tunnel digging takes longer, other times it takes a little more strength to forcefully break though the walls and find light and freedom - but to our oblivious surprise, it is usually as simple as feeling our way patiently, intuitively and calmly around the walls until we find that switch. 

        I have personally experienced blinding light, as well as maddening darkness. In those alienating places of soul dimming energy, I sometimes reflected and wisely awakened, other times I bravely stood and marched forth fearlessly, and more often than not, I curled up in agony, comforted by my own breath and tears, until I was ready to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes of butt kicking life lessons. 

       We are all equipped with that compass of soul orientation, we all have intellectual weapons of mass production and we all posses the gift of eternal life beyond the planetary human level.

       This law applies to our individual Self as well as our collective experience. We can see the personal darkness as a solitary place of confinement, but at times, the darkness strikes in a communal force, with a vast imposition on a societal model or in the common established order.

        Next time you find yourself lost in a dark room unable to see a beam of light, ray of sun, or candle flame, know that you are given an opportunity to awaken the strongest force within you. Open your arms and your heart to the loving gift of the divine. Remind yourself that NOTHING comes easy, but it is nonetheless, so beautiful and worthwhile. To become an expert in life and a productive member of the soul collective, you have to endure the lessons, the tests and the hands-on internship of life. Once you learn that and truly get it, every moment of darkness will seem less threatening, but what’s more, every moment of light will shine so brightly within you, and as a consequence, through you, as you journey on your human and spiritual adventure of eternal enlightenment.