Towards a Spirit of Harmony

Tags

harmony, spirichat, spirit

The idea of harmony is well known in the field of music. It is perhaps best described as “the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect”. According to many experts, harmony is referred to as the “vertical” aspect of music, as opposed to melody, which is the “horizontal” aspect of music.

Let us take this idea of harmony into our everyday lives. The combination of “simultaneously sounded thought processes”, which produce a current of harmonious thought to elevate our thinking, could be considered as harmony. However, if we do not have, or develop the patience, to listen to these diverse thought processes, we may fail to tune into the underlying harmony of the lessons that are being directed our way.

The philosopher, Lao Tzu, has stated the importance of harmony very elegantly:

When we live in complete integrity,
We will be innocent like newborn babies.
We will sing all day without being hoarse,
because we will be in full harmony.

To be in harmony is, is to live in the Great Integrity, the ultimate wisdom.

When harmony reigns, and we rule ourselves with felicity, everyone gains, and we will all live in simplicity.

– Lao Tzu ( Tao Te Ching)

The ideas of integrity, simplicity, innocence and wisdom – all of them seem to emanate from the elevating idea of harmony. So, whether it is listening to a piece of classical music, or paying attention, being fully present to the one who is communicating with us – we can seek and find harmony. My good friend, Wayne Mcevilly reminds me:

an ear need not be “trained” in order to distinguish harmony from its opposing forces – an infant has this capacity –

So, perhaps, we need a return to “infancy”, in order to rediscover harmony? Will we rise to the challenge? Will we find harmony within the discordant notes of our “life noise”? How will our concerted, conscious movement towards harmony uplift our spirit? What are some ways that we can find harmony within diversity?

I invite you to join the #SpiritChat community on Sunday May 19th at at 9amET. Let us share together with our thoughts on twitter, and create a spirit of harmony that will resonate in the great integrity… As always, your thoughts are welcome in the comments. Namaste.

Kumud

Update: Here is the html transcript for our twitter chat. Here are the questions asked during the live chat on Harmony. Thank you, and Enjoy! 🙂

Q1. Visualize #harmony ~ what does it sound and look like to you? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336105456659480576

Q2. What brings you closer to a sense of harmony? What takes you away from it? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336106917506187266

Q3. What is the connection between harmony and diversity? How do we honor it? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336109283445981186

Q4. “Aim at complete harmony of word, thought and deed” – Gandhi. Is this practicable? How? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336111143812730881

Q5. Forgiveness is one key to achieving inner harmony. Agree or disagree? Why? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336113072013975552

Q6. What can younger/older generations teach each other about harmony? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336114175237558272

Q7. How does harmony (or the lack of it) impact our relationships and communities? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336115297260032002

Q8. Let us send out a message… We can create more harmony of Spirit by… #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336116263606702080

Bonus Q9. What action(s) will bring you closer to harmony this week? Reflect and/or share 🙂 #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/336117338808123392

Practical Spirituality Series – Compassion and Listening

Tags

compassion, listening, spirichat

As April draws to a close, and I reflect back on the conversations within the #SpiritChat community – we have grown through spontaneity, paused in patience, and healed through perseverance. A lot of folks have shared their thoughts and concerns, and whether they realize it or not, they have serendipitously helped even those who may just be watching silently. I thank each and every one of you who takes time to share in our weekly community hour on Sundays at 9am ET. Your sharing has become an essential part of many folks’ lives, and I am indeed humbled that I have the privilege to host and ask questions.

In some of the past months, we have utilized the final Sunday of the month to pause, reflect and summarize the conversations that we may have had during the month. In that vein, I am proposing to start a monthly conversation on “Practical Spirituality” on the final Sunday of every month. This is not to say that our regular conversations are in some sense Impractical (at least I hope that they aren’t). However, these month-end chats will help us to perhaps focus on sharing practical techniques, resources and conversations that may have had a significant impact on us during recent weeks or months.

We will kickoff this “Practical Spirituality” segment with two subjects – compassion (suggested by Leslie Carothers, @tkpleslie and Janet Nestor, @janetnestorlistening. They are very closely related – ergo, “compassionate listening” comes to mind. So, what is so special about compassion? This word comes up many times during #SpiritChat – we have even had an entire chat dedicated to compassion.

This week, we will focus on Practical Compassion and how we can incorporate it, consciously and subconsciously into our daily lives. Compassion for self via self-care, for others via empathy and giving, are but two examples. How has your compassing quotient (ratio of giving to receiving) been lately? The second, and equally important topic is listening – a fundamental trait that we can all be working to improve on. How do we become better listeners – not just with our ears, but with our hearts, minds and our whole beings? Does our current lifestyle encourage more of listening or more of talking? How has your listening quotient (ratio of listening to speaking) been lately?

I invite all of you who have read this far to join us on Sunday April 28th at our regular time of 9amET in our weekly #SpiritChat discussion on twitter. I look forward to all your smiling faces in the twitter stream as we share and listen with compassion. Come prepared to share some of your favorite quotes, books, people and websites. Sharing is caring!

Kumud

On Healing through Perseverance

Tags

healing, perseverance, spirichat, trust

The two topics that we have discussed so far in our weekly Sunday morning conversations in the month of April with the SpiritChat community have been – Spontaneity and Patience. The discussion about patience last week (April 14th) was vibrant and lively. Little did we know that the events that were to follow in the week would be a huge test of our spiritual strength, and patience. (I refer to the events in city of Boston, which affected a lot of my friends. I am sure a lot of our readers and #SpiritChat community members have were affected by these events too).

When traumatic events happen, and we try and process the news, images, videos, tweets and other information that come our way, it is easy to get overwhelmed. We may tend to go through a range of responses which vary and transition between shock, dismay, anger, sorrow, grief, and many more. Some of us may look for reasons, ask questions like “why or how could such an event happen” and so on.

Once our emotions and questions subside, we may look towards moving forward, helping others who are suffering, and perhaps even revisiting some of the areas which provide us safety, strength and warmth. This is where a community of friends like #SpiritChat can step in, and possibly help. My good friend Jon Mertz wrote a wonderful post on one quality that could start the healing process – endurance.

In order to gauge the pulse of the community, I asked for feedback for a #SpiritChat topic on Friday evening. I was made aware that the need may be of “facilitating healing, restoring trust after the trauma” (via twitter user Barbara Oliver). Or, as Christa Gallopoulos said – we may examine “tolerance”. Louise Rooney suggested that we could examine “discernment”, and how we (did or did not) practice it. Thank you all – I will weave your thoughts into the chat questions and future topics.

It was Meredith Bouvier’s suggestion of “perseverance” that seemed to speak the loudest to me. I also happen to believe that perseverance is closely tied to patience, and is a fundamental part of the healing process. So, this Sunday, April 21st at 9amET – I invite you to come and share your thoughts on “healing through perseverance”. What does perseverance mean to you? Is perseverance just another name for stubbornness? How do we develop perseverance? How does it influence our spiritual journey, our core strength?

I wish you all inner peace, a return to equanimity. Till we meet again… Be well. Namaste.

Kumud

On Spontaneity and Patience

Tags

patience, spirichat, spontaneity

The #SpiritChat conversation on Sunday April 7th was about Spontaneity ~ A conversation that was expertly guided by my good friend and veteran #SpiritChat-ter @EmeliaSam. I asked her to take on the helm of the chat as I had hatched some last-minute spring-break plans with my family. So, at very short notice, Emelia agreed to take on the role of chat host, so that the community could gather, engage, discuss and uplift each other.

The transcript for the chat on Spontaneity is available at http://bit.ly/sc-tr-040713 ~ I invite you to read and see the brilliance of the #SpiritChat community in full flow. It was very heartening for me to know that there are leaders in the community willing to serve, spontaneously 🙂 I thank all of you who showed up and engaged, and supported Emelia. Spontaneity brought a lot of smiles to a lot of folks. Thank you again.

As I searched for the discussion topic for our April 14th chat, I decided that it may be interesting to explore the opposite of spontaneity. I am far from being the spontaneous type (although I am getting better at letting myself go :)) – I lean more towards being (overly) thoughtful, deliberate and careful. I like to describe it as “patience”. It may not be the exact opposite of spontaneity, but I believe that it is an equally essential tool to have as part of our spiritual “bag of tricks”.

Some may posit that patience is just an euphemism for procrastination, indecision, laziness. Perhaps. However, we are all familiar with the aphorisms of “haste makes waste” and “good things come to those who wait”. So, as always, there are two sides to the story of patience. Which side do you lean towards? In what circumstances does patience approach procrastination?

Some may posit that patience is an indicator of determination, resolve, and staying power. A virtue that can stand us in good stead in situations where spontaneity may not be the best path to follow. So, how does one decide – should one exercise spontaneity or adopt patience? What informs patience? How do we develop it?

All of us who walk the spiritual path are well aware that, without patience, a little forbearance, progress would be difficult. One may posit that patience is the foundation of faith and prayer. One of my favorite quotes on patience is by the mystic Kabir, born in India in the 1400s. In response to one of his followers, who was questioning why it was taking God so long to answer his prayers, he said:

Patience, dear heart. Will He, who has known every hair on your body since you were in your mother’s womb, forsake you now?

In this age of instant messaging, communication and social media, perhaps patience is a dying virtue. The pressure to respond quickly, for time always seems to be of the essence, puts patience to the test. Yes, in a way, twitter chats like #SpiritChat do not help the matter. All those questions compel us to try and respond, quickly 🙂 So, how do we find the time to develop patience? Or is it a virtue that has been replaced by something else, something better?

So, as usual, we have few questions as we transition from spontaneity to patience. I invite you to join us Sunday April 14th at 9am ET on twitter in #SpiritChat ~ I look forward to learning from all of you.

Be well. Be patient. Watch the universe unfold.

Kumud

Update: (Abbreviated) Transcripts for the live chat ~ On Spontaneity and Patience ~ bit.ly/sc-tr-041413 ~ share and enjoy – Thank you!

Questions asked during the chat are listed below. I invite you to answer in the comments ~

Ready? Q1. Patience. What image or feeling(s) does the word invoke for you? #SpiritChat 

Q2. In this "fast paced" world, is patience still a relevant virtue? Why or why not? #SpiritChat 

Q3. Are there any important life-lessons that IMpatience has taught you? Do share. #SpiritChat

Q4. "Patience is the companion of wisdom" -St Augustine. How can we develop more of it? #SpiritChat

Q5. Are there life-situations where patience is a liability? How so? #SpiritChat 

Q6. Patience or Spontaneity. How do we discern which to choose in the moment? #SpiritChat

Q7. What is the connection between patience, wellness and healing? #SpiritChat 

Q8. What two or three things do we need to add to patience to move forward spiritually?  #SpiritChat

Some quotes on patience that I uncovered while I was preparing the chat questions ~ sharing with you!

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These are your greatest treasures.” Lao Tzu

“One minute of patience, ten years of peace” – Greek Proverb

“Patience can conquer destiny” – Irish Saying

“Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things – with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope.” – Corazon Aquino

“Patience and fortitude conquer all things” – Emerson

“He that can have Patience, can have what he will” – Benjamin Franklin

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” – Leo Tolstoy

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” – St Augustine

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions” – Rainer Maria Rilke

The Spirit Of Easter ~ SpiritChat Pauses

Tags

easter, spirichat, spirit

Last year, around this time of the year, #SpiritChat paused on Sunday April 8th. The occasion was the Easter holiday weekend ~ an occasion for family get-togethers and travel. I invite you to read that post and return here. I had explained the reasons for the pause in our weekly chat, and why I thought it was important for us to focus on the Holiday. Of course, I am reminded that this year, many also celebrate Passover on this weekend. And I am sure there are many other celebrations in many regions and cultures around the world which mark this family weekend.

This year, in 2013, Sunday March 31st also happens to be the fifth Sunday of the month. So, we have already had our fair share of #SpiritChats this month, haven’t we?! If you have missed any of them, please go through the archive and enjoy the questions and transcripts. If you are relatively new to #SpiritChat, make a few new friends ~ if you are a #SpiritChat “veteran”, you know that we love to pause, reflect, recharge, renew and come back with gusto.

And we will do just that. As a matter of fact, Sunday April 7th, I will probably still be traveling back from vacation, and hope to be back on land 🙂 So, I am not sure who will be hosting the chat April 7th, or in what format it will be. Perhaps, folks of the #SpiritChat community will step up and make it happen ~ with or without me asking the questions. To paraphrase my good friend @waynemcevilly ~ “maybe it’s a good opportunity to see what the folks will do in your absence”. Intriguing, isn’t it?! (see update below!)

So, to sum up. We pause March 30th. And as we all pause, let us ask ourselves – Is our spiritual practice commensurate with the change that we seek within? Who will you invite into your heart and home as a sign of renewal? Who will you forgive? Who will you re-connect with? Yes. I couldn’t resist leaving you with a few questions to ponder. For I shall be pondering the same. Pauses help us ponder.

Update: We resume April 7th with the wonderful @EmeliaSam taking charge of #SpiritChat ~ the topic will be “Spontaneity”. Emelia has been a part of the #SpiritChat community almost since its inception. All of you will have a wonderful time with her! Her twitter bio reads: “Author.Educator.Doctor.Speaker.Change Agent. You deserve a life that you love. I’ll help you build one. #360SOUL” Thank you, Emelia, for agreeing to step up to host the chat at short notice. Very grateful!

Thank you for reading. I wish you all great spiritual renewal over the next two weeks. Be well.

Kumud

A Spirit of Renaissance

Tags

renaissance, renewal, spirichat, spirit

We have been talking about spring, a change in season, a renewal in nature and all the manifestations that come with it in the external (and internal) world as a result. We talked about letting go, making space for the sacred, moving towards spiritual success, and nurturing wellness through radical self-care over the past few weeks in #SpiritChat.

After last week’s chat, I received a couple of tweets that made me realize that the impact we have as a community goes far beyond we realize, or we can imagine. I have often said that “every tweet matters” and that “every tweet has an opportunity to influence someone positively”, even if only momentarily. We can nurture wellness in all that we do if we change this to “every thought matters” and “every thought has an opportunity to influence someone positively”. For our thoughts becomes our words, which when spoken with positive force, become our actions and our habits.

However, it takes a certain amount of change for us to adapt a thought process that is dominantly positive. In last week’s discussion, our guest host @JanetNestor shared a startling statistic ~ that 70% of our thoughts are negative, which leaves 30% for the positive. Even if this statistic does not apply to all of us, and even if it the numbers are closer to 50/50 for negative/positive thoughts, we still have a ways to go. So, what is this amount of change that will get us to shift to the positive, and stay there?

Borrowing from chemistry, the principle of activation energy comes to mind. Two chemicals will not react with each other unless a certain minimum amount of energy is supplied. A similar principle in physics is that of quantum change – once an atom is provided enough energy, it will “jump” from one state to another. I posit that our thoughts, positive and/or negative are like that too. They need enough activation energy to make a quantum jump from one state to another – hopefully from the negative to the positive.

I am convinced that this is the Renaissance that some of us are looking for. This activation energy, so we can make the jump. Where does this activation energy come from? One source of it is community – offline and online. When the offline world is not meeting our needs, we turn to online – and the opposite is true too. The other sources of energy are nature, art, music, books and meditation. Many masters have defined meditation as the simple act of sitting, observing our thoughts, like clouds moving across a blue sky. This act of slowing down is not a waste of time. It is critical to us tapping into the deep well-spring of energy that resides within us.

Yes, we need to take small steps, do small things with love, on a regular, daily basis. But occasionally, a renaissance in our spiritual lives can move us to a state which opens our heart to higher insights. As Leonardo da Vinci said:

There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see. ~ Leonardo da Vinci

So, what we need at certain times in our lives is a renaissance of spirit, fed by activation energy, to make a quantum jump forward in our spiritual path. I invite you to come and explore this idea of renaissance ~ of revival, renewal, resurrection, reawakening, reemergence, rebirth, reappearance, resurgence, regeneration ~ with the #SpiritChat community on twitter. Sunday, March 24th at 9amEDT/1pm UK/6:30pm India.

I wish all of you great insights, and better vision. Namaste.

Kumud

Update: Transcripts for the live chat ~ A Spirit of Renaissance ~ bit.ly/sc-tr-032413 (full) and bit.ly/sc-tr-0324-qa (QnA only) ~ share and enjoy – Thank you!

Questions asked during the chat are listed below. I invite you to answer in the comments ~ note that you can share your answers in the comments in your twitter feed. Or you can click on the link at the end of each question to answer it and engage with the community. Do try it 🙂

Ready? Q1. Spirit of Renaissance. What does that phrase mean to you today? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315811988326461442

Q2. What are some activities that fuel your personal “Spirit of Renaissance”? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315813649090502656

Q3. Other than fear, what else prevents us from moving towards renaissance? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315814807007813634

Q4. Engaging in positive thinking is enough for a spiritual renaissance. Agree/disagree? Why? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315816619370745856

Q5. One meaning of renaissance is re-birth. What has to “die” within us, for re-birth to occur? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315818358589255681

Q6. Once a renaissance has begun within us, how do we sustain it over time? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315820171581341696

Q7. Renaissance is re-awakening. How do communities play a role in our re-awakening? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315821565117865984

Q8. Some personal best practices to effect a renaissance for us, our communities, are… #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315822890241097728

Bonus Q9. Who (person/project) is a role model of Renaissance spirit for you? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/315823824442650627

Nurturing Wellness through Radical Self-Care

Tags

healing, self-care, spirichat, spirit, wellness

Janet Nestor (Special Guest Editor)

Every person alive is interested in the concepts of health and healing. Health determines
the quality of our lives. The word “healing,” the way we usually think of it (but not the
way we use it) indicates a positive change taking place within our mind, body, emotions,
and spirit—or within our family system. But, if we are not careful, the word “healing” can
take on negative implications. I am asking you to raise your level of awareness.

Most of us feel we have to heal our emotional and physical wounds in order to achieve
robust health. We feel that we have to draw upon outside resources in order to accomplish
overall well-being. If we are sick or injured we are interested in our speed of healing,
wanting to heal as quickly as possible. If we are anxious or depressed, we want those
feelings to disappear. When asked how we feel about our illness or injury, we reply almost
unconsciously using negative concepts that are deeply ingrained within our hearts and
minds. Often our replies sound similar to these:

• “I’m healing. I’ve been impatient, but I am gradually getting better.”
• “I never thought I’d still be healing from this illness after all these months. I’m
  ready to go back to work, but I’m not quite up to it.”
• “I’ve had better days. I’m tired all the time, and I nap a lot.”
• “Why did I have to get so sick? I’m tired of being in the house all the time and
  tired of being a burden to my family.”

Each time we think or speak the word “healing” in this way, we indicate that we are
somehow broken or impaired by events such as surgery, the flu, a car accident, an early life
trauma, a fight with a family member, or the loss of a loved one. Think about the innocent
words you and I might have spoken, completely unaware of their implications. Within
the same sentence we’ve used the word “healing” in association with words like illness,
suffering, and death to create what I refer to as a negative pairing. A negative pairing occurs
when the word “healing” is placed with words related to a weakened state of being, disease,
and suffering. Words like “illness” and “disease” are lower frequency words and perceived
as negative, therefore carrying a negative emotional–physical impact. When we habitually
pair a high-frequency, positive impact word like “healing” with low-frequency negative
impact words, we inhibit our mental–physical–spiritual ability to heal.

Negative phrases such as, “This illness has been exhausting” reinforce the fact that your
illness has lasted a long time and you’ve had to fight your way through it. “I am finally
healing” might be said to mean, “I was so sick I thought I was going to die.” Our carelessly
spoken words actually reinforce our suffering and support our current perception of
suffering. They remind us of our emotional–physical struggle with illness, feeding our
mind and body negative messages about the ability to heal. Each time you innocently
say words similar to those above, you may be slowing your recovery in any current and
all subsequent illnesses by declaring, “I’m a slow healer” and “illness threatens me.” The
more positive we are, the more we pair positive words and concepts together, the healthier we become.

Healing is not about recovery from illness, surgery, or divorce. It is about our virtues, or the
positive aspects of self: acceptance, wellness, joy, kindness, love, tenacity, vigor, tenderness,
and compassion. When we embrace our virtues and incorporate their energy into our
perception of life, we uncover our capacity for wholeness and wellness. Discovering and
embracing our inner light, our potential, is the true spirit of healing. It is the realization
of this empowered healing spirit, this limitless potential that I want to share with you.

Healing is achieved through: Turning on the light of your soul and allowing it to shine. Living from your heart center and within the awareness of your own light. Living within high frequency virtues that support and sustain a positive, robust life. Trusting in the process of life and trusting your own wisdom. Filling your mind with positive thoughts. ~ Janet Nestor

Here are some examples of how you might put your new definition and philosophy of
healing into use. Rather than say “I am finally healing from the flu,” it is much better to say
“My body is strong and getting stronger every day.” Instead of saying “The worst is behind
me now, and I continue to heal from my injury,” it is more positive to say “My body is a
miracle and very good at its job.” By changing the way you express yourself, you begin to
use positive words to define your healing and recovery. You’ll learn to do this as you use
this program to unleash your internal power and your inner peacefulness.

Food for Thought

• When I am sick or injured, I am able to be positive and nurturing with myself.
• Health, Healing, and Wholeness are spiritual concepts.
• I understand that my body is constantly repairing, healing, and balancing even when I am feeling happy and well.
• My mind-body-spirit system is “intelligent” and I can communicate with each system whenever I choose.
• My body believes every word I say and think and tries to follow my directions.
• What personal virtues, or positive attributes, do I want to incorporate more fully into my life?

Janet Nestor

I am very excited that Janet Nestor has contributed this week’s post for our weekly #SpiritChat. Janet is a published author of two books on wellness and healing. Janet “works with clients concentrating on personal empowerment and positive living via various Energy Psychology techniques, Mindful Lifestyle Training, Soul Detective work, energy healing and cognitive and insight oriented discussions”.

Janet and I invite you to join our discussion of “Nurturing Wellness through Radical Self-Care”. Please join us and the #SpiritChat community on Sunday, March 17th at 9am ET/1pm GMT on twitter. I also welcome you to leave a comment for Janet below in response to her post, or to ask any questions. Thank you. – Kumud

Connect with Janet on her blog: www.mindfulpathways.com
Connect with Janet on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Pathwaystowholeness
Connect with Janet on twitter: www.twitter.com/JanetNestor

Update: Transcripts for the live chat ~ Nurturing Wellness through Radical Self-Care ~ bit.ly/sc-tr-031713 (full) and bit.ly/sc-tr-0317-qa (QnA only) ~ share and enjoy – Thank you!

Questions asked during the chat are listed below. I invite you to answer in the comments ~ note that you can share your answers in the comments in your twitter feed. Or you can click on the link at the end of each question to answer it and engage with the community. Do try it 🙂

Ready? Q1. What image(s) or feeling(s) does “wellness” evoke for you? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313274998133510144

Q2. What area(s) of your Life feel like they need nurturing right now? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313276466701930496

Q3. If we know that self-care is important to wellness, why don’t we practice more of it? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313278475614175232

Q4. What is the connection between affirmations and healing ourselves? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313280317807017984

Q5. Negative thoughts often invade our mind. How do we minimize their impact on our wellness? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313281768675483649

Q6. How can mindfulness create a better self-care practice for us? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313283261038227456

Q7. In what practical ways can we raise our energy levels, nurture wellness? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313284922943082496

Q8. I will nurture wellness, radical self-care by – share three actions… #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/313286646927876096

The Spirit of Abundance

Tags

abundance, spirichat, spiring, spirit

The last two weekly discussions in #SpiritChat have discussed the ideas of “Letting Go – Making Space for the Sacred” and “Springing to Spiritual Success”. Both these discussions have energized the community as we have incorporated the theme of a change in season (from winter to spring in the Northern Hemisphere) into the ideas of examining what is sacred to us, letting go of what isn’t sacred, creating space for the new. A sort of spiritual “spring cleaning”, if you will, which moves us forward on the path of “success” in our spiritual journey.

One characteristic that we observe in nature as spring emerges from winter is that of abundance, which happens as the earth around us renews itself, and literally springs to life. As I glance out the windows of my sunroom every morning, I slowly (but surely) see the buds emerging as signs of life on the branches of the tall willows and oak trees. The squirrels have an extra spring in their step as they dart around, excited about the change, and the abundance that it will bring to their seemingly simple lives. We all have experienced this change that spring brings with it, renewing us with hope for the future ~ the outward abundance bringing feelings of inner abundance.

However, it is very often that we, in the busy-ness of our daily lives, become inured or unmindful of this abundance that surrounds us. We are so busy trying to make a living, engaged in our “struggle”, enamored by our everyday stories, that we may lose sight of the beautiful stories that nature is unveiling every day around us. A few of us may become “hardened” over time, for we get messages like ~ “get a tougher skin”, “don’t let them see you sweat” and so on.

While some of these strategies are necessary to “survive” in the world, are they really meaningful to help us thrive spiritually? Do these messages create a “lack mentality” rather than an “abundance mentality” within us and cause our spirit to shrivel rather than expand? To take it a step further, what is the connection between abundance and prosperity? What does it take for us to let go of scarcity thought process and adopt a mindset of abundance? Where does true abundance come from?

I invite you to come and share your thoughts on abundance with the #SpiritChat community in our live, weekly chat on twitter with hashtag #SpiritChat at 9amET / 1pmGMT on Sunday March 10th.

Thank you, and I encourage you to Let Go. Think Abundance. Be well.

Kumud

Update:Here are the filtered transcripts for Qs 1 to 8 only. You may find the entire chat at full transcript version – Enjoy! Thank you to all who shared in abundance!

Ready? Q1. What area(s) of your Life feel the most abundant right now? #SpiritChat 

Q2. Where does true abundance come from? How do we cultivate it? #SpiritChat 

Q3. How can we develop abundance mentality? Why is it important? #SpiritChat 

Q4. Is there a connection between Letting Go and Abundance? #SpiritChat 

Q5. The spirit does not know a lack of abundance. Agree or disagree? #SpiritChat

Q6. How does our personal abundance affect our families and communities? #SpiritChat

Q7. What does a life of spiritual abundance look like to you? Are you living it?  #SpiritChat

Final Q8. What action(s) can we take to manifest abundance in all areas of our lives? #SpiritChat

Letting Go – Making Space for the Sacred

Tags

letting go, sacred, spirichat, spirit

Spiritchat Guest post by Marjory Mejia

There is an air of renewal and regeneration in the air, a fiesta of sorts in the inner workings of life. Spring signals rebirth, new growth, life force awakening with a sense of enthusiasm, curiosity and adventure. Are you feeling it?

We might feel the calling to tune in with nature and feel part of the natural landscape of life renewing herself. So, how do we get ready to align with springtime and welcome nature’s wake up call?

One way to prepare for new growth is to get our spaces ready, after all, they are the stage sets for the unfolding of our life, sacred mirrors that reflect our evolving souls.

We can bring our attention to the spaces we inhabit and gently prepare them by letting go on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. We release from a place of trust and love and a sense of sufficiency. We let go and purge so we can make space for new life ready to burst open and flow. Thus, we engage in a more sustainable lifestyle, a way of living that keeps the flow of nature going.

“Breathing in, I see myself as space. Breathing out, I feel free.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

What to let go? This will vary from person to person. But there are some thoughts, beliefs, patterns that we can begin to release on a collective level for the healing of our local and global community.

Rebirth as a manifestation of the sacred

As conscious co-creators, we find ourselves awakening to deeper currents of voice, song, and purpose. We notice new life emerging from the depths of our being and nurture this new life with reverence. Perhaps it isn’t new; perhaps it is ancient life force awakening, growing with the new found confidence of a river that finds joy in the free unfolding of its path.

Here are some potential questions for us to reflect upon

• What does spring symbolize and signal in your body, mind, and spirit?
• What comes up when you prepare your space for new life?
• How can letting go be a helpful practice as we prepare for spring?
• Can letting go help us reveal the sacred? in what ways?
• … and more …

Marjory Mejia

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I dream of a world, awakened, connected, inspired. A world, revolutionized—by meaningful spaces that deepen and elevate our sense of what is truly beautiful and possible, in this life. Here’s to poetry, consciousness and love ~ Marjory Mejia

–>

Marjory is an architect, writer and artist passionate about awakening a sense of sacredness and flow in the spaces, hearts, and lives of her clients & community.When she is not revolutionizing spaces and hearts with one-on-one sessions, she is exploring the poetics of feminine space in her free writings and creating healing mandalas that send ripples of joy into the world. Subscribe to her digital sanctuary & get a beautiful spirit-lifting gift. You can read more about her work at awakening sacred flow.

I invite you to join our discussion of “Letting Go – Making Space for the Sacred” with special guest Marjory Mejia. Please join us and the #SpiritChat community on Sunday, February 24th at 9am ET/2pm GMT on twitter. – Kumud

The Spirit of Exploration

Tags

exploration, spirichat, spirit

I was ten minutes late to the seminar.

I had no idea when I walked into the monthly “innovation forum” that the speaker was going to be discussing interstellar flight. The fifty odd scientists and engineers – or should I say, explorers – gathered in the room sat with rapt attention as the speaker from the British Interplanetary Society talked about travel beyond our solar system. To near and distant stars. While on the surface, this may sound like the stuff of science fiction and Star Trek, I decided to go along for the journey with the speaker for a little while.

“I had the ambition to not only go farther than man had gone before, but to go as far as it was possible to go.” ~ Captain Cook

He talked about being inspired as a kid by the likes of Jules Verne and Arthur C Clarke and Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov. He discussed the heydays of interstellar flight research in the 1950s and 1960s, when concepts and fission and fusion energy gathered steam. He showed a lot of artists renditions of moon-landers and cities on distant planets – these renditions gave life to the elaborate vision. There was mention of Breakthrough Propulsion Physics and warp drives and what it will take to get to the nearest solar system in, say, the next 100 years.

“We go into space because whatever mankind must undertake, free men must fully share.” ~ President John F. Kennedy

As I sat there listening, I couldn’t help but marvel at the energy and belief, drive and passion of the speaker. It reminded me of the saying ~ “You catch a dream by hanging out with big dreamers”. He took us on an exploration journey into the future, where the future was made believable. Or at least, it seemed feasible, if the challenges could be overcome. He painted a vision, a dream that was so huge and so big, that it made the technical problems that I work on every day very minuscule. And, once again, I was led to re-examine my place in the universe. It made the ninety minutes that I spent in the “energy field” of that seminar very worthwhile.

So, why do I tell you about this experience? And what does it have to do with #SpiritChat? Well, the exploration of what lies without, the vast cosmos, has a close connection to what lies within. Or so I believe. Those of us who gaze at the stars and wonder what lies beyond, who explore the connection between the suns, the moons, the planets and the galaxies, are perhaps also explorers of what lies within. We know that we may not physically be capable of interstellar flight, but the flight within can perhaps give us a glimpse of that experience.

“A religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths. Sooner or later, such a religion will emerge.” ~ Carl Sagan

I invite all star-gazers and spirit-explorers to come on a brief journey of exploration, as we traverse the frontiers of the spirit within ~ the beauty that we will see, the surprises we will encounter, the lessons we will learn. And perhaps answer the question ~ why do we explore? Join us February 10th, 9amET/2pmGMT on twitter.

Be well. Dream big. To the stars…

Kumud

Update:Here are the filtered transcripts for Qs 1 to 8 only. You may find the entire chat at full transcript version – Enjoy! Thank you to all who shared!

Questions asked during the live chat on Exploration. Please use the link next to each question to respond, and add #SpiritChat to your response so the entire community can see your reply. Thank you! (You can respond in the comments below too, if you prefer. Thanks!).

Q1. The Spirit of Exploration. What feelings does this invoke within you? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300606532293386240

Q2. Where does our desire to explore come from? Where do we truly feel it? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300608470959411201

Q3. What do we risk by NOT undertaking our journeys of exploration? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300610232697114624

Q4. Unguided or Guided exploration. Which do you prefer? Why? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300612248261505024

Q5. How do we prepare for, handle the storms that we may encounter during exploration? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300613897776406530

Q6. The experiences of exploration are personal, can’t be shared, even if we try. Agree/disagree? Why? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300615378005020672

Q7. Exploration will lead to discovery. What may we discover? What will we do next? #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300616926315544577

Final Q8. What new frontiers are you exploring as part of your life mission? Please share. #SpiritChat
http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/300618143221575680