How to connect with Spirit Outdoors

There is nothing more revealing, raw and sacred than the natural truth found in nature. (To me), this is “Spirit”/”God”/”The all”…
and we can all use a large dose of what Nature holds for us –

There are no secrets when you choose to engage with the natural surroundings. In order to appreciate life, it only takes a moment in the beauty and to treasure the simple complexities of our landscape with the life that occupies it.

The most amazing thing is how it all reflects –

It is said that imitation is the highest form of a compliment – 

Well, emulation is found all around us (which can make me feel very small.) And in this space of smallness (vulnerability) is a beautiful truth, no matter how you look, what you do, how you live – we, you and I are that reflection. The repetition is uncanny with the mind-blowing geometry and rhythm and the connection of the song is undeniable.

Being in and with nature is the quickest way to re-connect when feeling separated from your faith, and the chaos of urban noise has you agitated. The rhythmic sounds are everywhere and can quietly calm even the most restless and angry Soul. There is music in the silence, and the rage of the sea. 

From the tiniest microorganism to the oldest tree, from debts of the ocean to the stars in the sky the wonderment can take your breath away. And as it does, you get to replenish each breath with clarity –
The music sings the melody of the creator; it is the pulse of the entire Universe as is it dances, drink it in.

When the Buddha said, “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
I see this as meaning these things are always present, as is our total connection.
…And (to me) there is nothing more comforting than knowing the Sun and the Moon will always rise no matter where I am or how many clouds are over me –

The truth of purpose is found in our own nature, and brought out even more when accept the synchronicity of it all.
Nature has a way of bringing it to light, to the heart as directed by Spirit. Reconnect.

Listen to the melody... (dl) 360 degrees of inspiration ( full circle)

Most of us experience the burning question at some point in our life - “Who are we, why are we here and what is our purpose?” And spend a long time looking for an answer.

Some come into it by an aching curiosity, and some come to this journey out of duress. Some will analyze it to death by going deep, and some will just leave it be… but I have to tell you; all the masters, all the visionaries, all the knower’s of the world and beyond have not come to any single agreeable conclusion.

There are of course, commonalities that we all go through – Pain and suffering being number one. The second is the extreme complexities and mysteries in the Universe that our simple minds cannot yet comprehend, and another is a huge separation we have instilled throughout our society by race, creed, color, religion, and status.

It all begs to have answers so we can have a logical understanding of yin/yang, black/white, atrocity vs. beauty.

But a solid answer…? It will never happen. There are too many variables, too many opinions, and too many outcomes.

Even if there were a tangible answer, it wouldn’t matter; all we do in our Humanness is complicate what is innately true.

So while Science and Religion and their theories are in conflict, (one against the other along side of us - battling for the exclusive right to be right), we invent narratives. Stories and explanations to whom and why, what and where.. (Because it makes us feel better and intelligent) … And we ponder.

But here is a thought…there is nothing to do –

We are born; we die. What we live in-between is living.

And self love? It is gone, thrown out like trash - We continue to suffer, yearning for the elusive explanation all the while we mistreat our mind, our body and Soul with poison thoughts/food/and lack of pleasure and activity. It is no wonder we cannot hear the answers, we are too closed off – but still want to know why we cannot get an explanation and retribution from it all.

Ego check -

So the question still remains, how can we find truth in a world that holds so steadfastly to an ‘absolute’ and when we are full of drama and negativity?

Perhaps this will help –

Pay attention. Pay close attention to the whispers of the Universal knowing. Hear the sounds of inertia singing loud, beckoning us to answer the call to change.

Purpose is revealed when the heart can respond to these calls.

When we decide to stop whining and complaining about the trivial, get out of the doldrums of the urban/suburban mentality that lays wasted in material wants, clarity will find us. Life completely alters when we get out of our heads and into being of service to someone, anyone that we meet along the path.

Purpose is born out of the flow (kindness, service, truth) then, it will die and be born again. This is our cycle, just as like seasons – everything new becomes old then new again. It changes as we increase our intellect along side of the natural intellect already in place for us…. All truths are held in the sacred home of our heart.

Love rules and Kindness knows no borders. So when you are asking the eternal question – listen carefully, thoughtfully and mindfully to the answer. Then live it.

Our duty is as simple, (but no less, or no more important) than our breath and the way we chose to live our life (minimal or to the max.) Intention and follow-though will carry…

How we accomplish it…. ? That is a different subject. (dl)

The simple principal of having wealth is 'not wanting' it... Bring it on.

~ Abundance is only as good…  (like everything else) as the relationship you have with it. (How you view and directly interact with its meaning.) If you feel it is associated with negativity, or if there is doubt that you deserve to have it, have it all, nothing will ever come.

Can you see this barrier?

It is only when we decide to welcome life and all it holds, that we are allowed to bask in the light of our contentment. It is settling into the rightful mind-set of enough, and in this space is the pool of prosperity.. And rightfully so.

What does it look like? Everyone sees it differently. But when there is respect for wealth, (spiritually, mentally, physically and socially), then abundance will rain down… because the closer you get to spirit, the less you will actually want or need. It becomes internal and it will remain internal until implosion – That is the time in your space, where all that is around you is almost too much. Giving enhances..

Then, as you let go of material desires - you don't suffer for the lack of wanting.

Priorities alter, life simplifies, and want is relaxed by fulfillment. You don't spend money on the extraneous stuff and voila - your bank account magically begins to grow right along side your stability. And all the while that abundance becomes a standard of integrity, not monetary value. The matter of ‘principal’ is through the heart, not principal earnings.

Because when you chase of dream of higher ethics, (instead of the trivial,) the tendency to realize fruition is quicker, easier and far more fulfilling. It comes in to you in ways you could have never understood in the past of all your wanting.

Ask for alignment with the simple things and then work to them. Life will flow in accordance, meaning... exactly how you relate to your inner abundance (dl) 

www.facebook.com/360degreesofinspiration

As I am scrolling through my feed, I notice that lately, there is an unusually high amount of complaints and ranting going on…
(Even the positivity bandwagon has a smidge of the sarcastic.)

It looks like a backlash of the pleasers, appeasers and the ones who have tippy toed around some BS in order to keep the peace are standing up. Which of course, is fine. Yay… Stand tall.

But maybe the question is: what is there to prove? And who are they/we trying to convince? Vindication only satisfies the empty, hungry, hurting ego – not a stable, and full soul.…And it may be good to vent, but not so good to vent about being judged while condemning and judging the judgers. See the irony here?

It is pretty easy to get lost in our own perspectives (as I am right now.) The minutia of our daily grind takes precedence and well, we simply forget how meaningful life is without drama, and we fall into the trap of the ego/mind wanting acknowledgment of the trivial.

So – perhaps to be “right”, but in our own space is the answer, (the higher road) because we don’t need to look for approval or the accolades in and of our own opinions. That is exactly how we all separate, (begin to take sides.)

There are no winners in an argument, ever. There is nothing but heat and in the end ...who cares really? When we start a war with words, all bets are off. The oneness is gone, separation we try to avoid gets wider, deeper and the hole is far from full.

When we get hurt by another, our natural recourse is to respond but when we allow that ignorance to enter our head, the only thing accomplished is a bruised ego –

The thing about being “Spiritual” is that the path to peace is to learn and discern what our inner truth is – not take on someone else’s view of it.  ~ don't take it personal ~

Breathe… Don’t subscribe to anything in that doesn’t feel good.
So before the rant flies off the fingertips or worse, consider the source and then the consequences of the road you are about to embark on.
In the end, it saves a lot of wasted time in regret and apologies. (dl)

~ The great façade of a well-dressed world

I do Yoga…

But I don't meet and greet, or say goodbye with Namaste. I live in my yoga pants, not because I want it be known I do yoga, but because I am 53, and they feel good on my menopausal belly. On occasion, I drop the f-bomb (but not as much as I used to). I have a deep respect for Mother Nature…(However, I am not a fan of some of her antics i.e. mosquitoes, slugs, and other assorted sea creatures.)

So what’s the point? It is simple.

Our practice doesn’t need a facade. Practice is an ongoing transformation of the internal without having to compete with another or make a statement about it, and it is personal. – There are no rules especially in Yoga, so as we all try to be unique there isn’t an “image” to follow – (which completely resonates with me, I am not too good at following…)

Most importantly…WE don't have "to be, or look like" anything but a body in motion with an intentional quest to rise (mentally and physically.)

NO one said, “it looks or sounds like this” – The ‘look’ just evolved, but it doesn’t have to be seen as the dread-lock dude or the flowy clothed woman. It doesn’t mean the mala wearing sun child has more wisdom, or the tree hugger has more peace. It also doesn’t mean the body sporting a 6-pac has better balance in their life –

It is all a facade (good or bad), and those exteriors are no more real than the Armani Suit wearer, Gucci bag holder, or the neatly quaffed runner sporting Nike head to toe. But do we become what we wear....Some would say this to be true.

They would argue that our clothing, our expressions our swag is all an extension of self.  Perhaps…It is hard to say.

– Is this a judgment? Yes.  But when we long to stand out, (and we all do until we figure out it isn’t necessary) it is easy to fall into the image trap, and the outside is the first thing within reach. Obviously, the exterior is changeable with the least amount of work which is fine, but walking the talk is what  sets us apart creates a beautiful soul.

~ When you begin inside, the rest just flows naturally…

So to keep on track here –

Through our practice, we emerge.. the exterior layer is secondary.

It isn’t what we wear, say or how we look. It is how we live, breathe and what we know inside beginning with love, respect, and kindness.

It isn't saying and reciting Sanskrit or bowing deeply - it is living the meanings fully. It isn't how many poses you are good at; it is what the pose does to your heart/mind body and soul.

No matter how you clothe the outer, the heart and mind need to be attended to, as well. They need the sun to shine on their nakedness, and they also need to be clothed and protected from the elements (mental/physical stress) - but that won’t happen until there is inner purpose.

This is the beauty of Yoga; it does this brilliantly hand in hand with a commitment to self-betterment, not a pseudo-exterior.

Live well, be well – Move.

Silently find your stance and wear that stance with a quiet inner pride. The transformation evolves from a little light inside to a glow that is seen for miles. When it is genuine there is no reason for a facade, clothing is optional, and the heart is completely transparent… Get your wings on, fly your warrior (dl)

~ The remains of 'Love'....

"Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident”.

** Louis de Bernières **

I talk about the ever-changing form of love a lot. It has so many meanings and so many faces for us all, (which makes it very difficult to pin down.) But, it really doesn't need to be categorized or measured; that is the biggest problem in relationships.

We make love something other than it is and it becomes riddled with expectations. Then it is blamed for the let down and the inner pain when in fact it is our own distortion and comparisons that tear it apart. The relationship becomes this 'thing', based on a memory or a fairy tale or both (wrapped up in delusion.)

So after the fire has died, and the thighs don’t quiver in lust anymore it is very hard to rekindle the flame. It takes skill and artistry to keep a spark alive and quite frankly, most don’t have the wisdom, knowledge or the energy. Which (to me) is empty – That emptiness is a hole that is left in the ashes in the core of the soul. Yet, it is the very core essence that was seen at the beginning. It was seen through the eyes of “being in love” and is now viewed as nothing.

~ We could all learn to love nothing ~

Because underneath it all…. is how two people were brought together –  

It is “the fortunate accident”, the beautiful meeting, and the electricity of bodies colliding to make one love. But the truth is, real people change.

And when it is over, the most important thing to remember is gratitude. It often gets lost in the blame and the mess, which remains in the heat of the memory. That memory is usually comprised of how it was, compared to how it is.. and it hurts.

So to salvage the pride and recapture the misplaced moments, a simple Thank You to that relationship is the key. Say thank you for their time, their presence, and all that you (as a couple) went through together. It can ignite a big beautiful sigh and perhaps some inner peace. Once you arrive here, it can shed a lot of light on whom you love and how you love. Forgiveness reigns in gratitude.

– This is the artistry in the lesson and can paint your heart a new color when you feel it has faded to black.

And just that simple understanding…our love changes, changes everything - Period.

It grows up, it rises, it falls and it is a lifetime of stories.

Even if you try to deny it, it is always here/there – Just as the seasons, night to Day, day to night. Birth and death, the beginning and the end - it is life and Love is the ultimate thread through it all.

Don't be fooled by a dwindling emotion – Emotion is not solely love.

Love is that gift in a fleeting moment. We, you and I can never hold it. If we try, just like water, it only slips away. Then poof! Like magic, yes, the love has changed again.

The best way to love is to let it be. With that, there is freedom. With freedom there is acceptance and in acceptance… there is pure love, everything in tack. It rises from the ashes again. And that amazing Love is “art and a fortunate accident” that is ready to bring us to another time and place, with someone new to collide with.

There are no coincidences – ever. (dl)

~ Addicts do one of two things; disrupt your world by their presence, or disrupt your world by their absence...

The typical reason that our friends/family disappear without a word or explanation is: They are doing or being someone/something that they know we would not approve of, they cannot face us. 

 …And even if they are with you, right in front of you, they are far far away. They have lost their presence to the addiction as they leave us dumbfounded without cause – and it hurts.

When they go, they may or may not re-surface...upon the return, the motives are less than clean. They will show up with an apology and an excuse while you sat in turmoil trying to figure out if they were dead or alive, and what in the world you did to have them exit so suddenly. They tend to go in and out of our lives as if we were willingly opening and closing the door for them. Oh how distorted that view is as we remain completely invisible - and it hurts. 

They are masters at sabotage because their actions of inconsideration are out of intoxication. They push you away, do things they know will disappoint, hoping to get you so pissed you explode. This method is how they lay blame in their ever-unaccountable being because it is easier for them to be horrid, than it is to come clean.

~ Here is where you get a huge dose of life (a lesson of inner strength), but only if you are willing to dive in to get past them - even when it hurts ~

Please understand it is not about you and there is nothing you can do but love them anyway. It is locating that love you hold for them fully, deeply, truly...  (far deeper than the addictions are to them.) You have to prove it to yourself – and it hurts.

Whether or not they come through, or come clean… You must. (Going down the rabbit hole with them is so uncalled for and you need to be clear and clean to survive) - Their desire has nothing to with you. Get it right… You will be last, you will be lost, and you will be given away to the addiction.. But remember, they can't take your soul – Even when you hurt.

These people, (our family and friends) live in constant pain, self-loathing and the only light they have is a drink of bad reality. They have been placed in our lives for many reasons. Your call. But the sooner you release them unto themselves, the sooner you will find inner peace.

The damage they do? It IS repairable, but rarely forgotten. Please forgive yourself first then embrace them with all your heart. You cannot fix them, change them, or show them a better life unless they ask and are ready to do the work (and the work is HUGE). But it is not your job, no matter how much they "need" you, they need themselves more. Don't enable. Make them accountable – even as it hurts.

And through it all, remember that this too shall pass. So when they heal, (if they heal) what “was” has come and now gone; it is up to you to move on with or without them.

Addicts affect all they come in contact with – but it works both ways to the good and bad. This is a higher level of understanding, being able to create a gift out of potential disaster. Find your compassion; locate the love, it is there... just let it all go - One small step to change. 

Time heals and only time can tell that you/they will be better and stronger for it…

Even though… it hurts. (dl)