Spirit Rising Ministries

I sit here by the river, enjoying the lovely view and soaking in the sun. My blanket is spread on the clover dotted green grass. A warm breeze caresses my face and I am peaceful. Then, I notice a bee in the distance, moving ever closer on its pollination quest. Perhaps I should sit somewhere else, I think, up on a bench or someplace with fewer flowers.

Bees make me nervous.                                      

But two thoughts come to mind:

     I have only been stung three times in my entire life.
     The last time was over fifty years ago.

I laugh.

I am learning that fear isn’t real. If it was, we would all have the same ones. I once read that fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. It is something I project out into the world, seeing the problem as external to myself. Then I run, hide, or defend myself against it. It is occurring to me today that I could simply stop projecting it.

The bees aren’t my enemy. Fear is. Bee stings are just one way I allow it to show up in my life. So today I’m choosing to sit peacefully amidst the clover, letting the bees be bees, and letting myself be me . . . calm, peaceful,

unafraid.

Let your spirit soar!
Paula                                                                    

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I can remember helping my aunt dry dishes when I was a little girl. I was relaxed until she cautioned me to be careful because the dish I was holding had sentimental value. I immediately slowed down and paid more attention to what I was doing; drying and setting the dish down ever so gently.

This morning, I had a similar experience while preparing my usual breakfast. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it except my state of mind. Having just meditated, I was feeling exceptionally peaceful and unhurried. As my movements slowed down more and more, everything I touched seemed to take on a sacred quality. From my vitamin pill to the eggs and the frying pan, I handled each item with tender, loving care. The slower I went, the more profoundly peaceful I became. I began to realize that it wasn’t the objects themselves that I revered. It was the state of being. I had become mindful of the sacredness of life itself.

If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend taking ten to fifteen minutes to consciously slow down some task you’re doing. Take time to savor each moment and love yourself and each object in an exaggerated way. Treat yourself and whatever you are doing as sacred and see how you feel. And the next time you have a delicate task to perform . . . don’t let fear make you careful.

 Let love make you mindful.                                

Let your spirit soar!
Paula

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Am I a morning person? (chuckle) I don’t think so. That’s not my high functioning time of day to be sure. I do usually wake up around 6:15am but I have no trouble convincing myself to go back to sleep until at least 8am. Then I still like to begin my day slowly after that. No morning jogs for me!

This morning I awoke at 5:15am. I mean I was wide awake and wondering why. As I’m becoming more accustomed to doing, I silently asked my higher self, what is this for? How should I use this time? I instantly heard, go outside.

I got up, had an early breakfast, and stepped out my back door to the smell of air that was intoxicatingly sweet, a gentle breeze, and the sun’s perfect warmth. An owl sung to me from a distance while smaller birds chirped their message of joy nearby. The sky’s soft blue watched over me and the earth’s bright green sparkled with dew beneath my feet. A plethora of tall stemmed purple flowers danced and swayed beside me. But what I enjoyed the most was the clarity. The air was so crisp, clean and fresh, so crystal clear, that it felt as if I was seeing with a new and improved vision.

So, why was I awakened this particular morning and prompted to go outside? The message was as clear as the air. It’s time to wake up; not just to the beauty of morning, but to life itself. If I stay asleep . . . I miss out.

Let your spirit soar!
Paula

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Today I was having difficulty coming up with a thought to share with you. Even though I quieted my mind and asked for inner guidance, the words just wouldn’t seem to come. Instead, I fell asleep. When I awoke, I decided to open the home- study course I’ve been taking. It’s a course on facilitating spiritual awareness classes. I had to smile when I saw these words: “When you ask, the words will come. But know that it is not the words which help others heal. It is the love and peace you extend which broadcasts like a lighthouse.”

So that’s what I’m reminded to share with you this week. It’s not so much our efforts in this world that are important. No matter how hard we try, we won’t always succeed. What’s important is the intention behind our efforts. If we come from a place of love and peace in all we do, we can never truly fail. All efforts are maximal.

Sometimes my words may touch you deeply; other times, not so much. Either way, please know that, underlying each thought, I always send you peace and love.

Let your spirit soar!
Love and Peace
Paula

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While doing The Electric Slide at my line dancing group this morning, the instructor began singing the lyrics to the song. She happened to pick them up mid-way with the line, “Heaven is everywhere.” I’ve danced to that song many times before but I never noticed those words. It made me think. How many moments have I spent in the dance of life without ever noticing Heaven? It reminded me that Heaven isn’t a place to get to. It’s a state of mind; a willingness to look past the worldly illusion of pain, suffering and strife and remember that love is the only thing that is real. It’s seeing and being love in each moment, no matter how strongly my senses insist that it isn’t there. When I can remember to come from that higher place, Heaven is everywhere.

Let your spirit soar!                                    
Paula

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