Wednesday, December 30, 2015

We are taking a recess until the new year. 

Enjoy the Light. Enjoy the Love. May peace, prosperity and abundance be your gifts and may you continue to be blessed beyond what can be counted or measured. 

Love & light, The Soulcerer's Path 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Deserving

We deserve to rest, to have fun, to enjoy life, to enjoy what we have accumulated and what we have worked for. Yet we focus so much on the thought of deserving that it borders on entitlement. We have corrupted the meaning. We say we deserve to rest as a complaint to how much we work. We say we deserve to sleep in because we have been up nights, again as a complaint to how much we do. We say we deserve the two pieces of pie with ice cream, one more glass of wine, or to spend extra on our credit card all because we feel deserving of it, entitled, due to some perceived imposition of life. We say we deserve to give someone a piece of our mind, to show our wrath, because we have endured so much frustration from many directions. This attitude gives rise to feelings of resentment, justification and guilt. We have twisted the satisfaction in accomplishing tasks and goals we aimed for.

What we don't often say is that we deserve to wake up a little earlier to have more time to work on the dream we have. Or that we deserve to meditate because there is so much we want to do and we want to be focused and centered. Neither do we often say that we deserve to eat well today because we have been feeling so good, that we deserve put some money away because we want to travel soon, or that we deserve a pause before reacting to problems in order to keep our calm, our focus and our energy high. What we deserve is what stems from our purpose, what we desire and what we are grateful for. We deserve to show up joyfully to life, offer and give the best version of ourselves, and allow for reciprocity without a feeling of entitlement. We deserve to stop living with a mentality of punishment and reward. Every outcome is a result of our choice.

Let us leave judgment aside today and purposefully have a great day. Let us change our perspective from one of victimhood to one in which we choose our moods, feelings, thoughts and responses. We deserve it.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, December 18, 2015

How are you?

Someone asks, How are you? Busy, we answer. Or Going crazy. Or Tired. Maybe we say something sarcastic in reference to how bad things are apparently going for us, or something negative. Sometimes we spill over our complaints to life in answer to the question.

Our answer sometimes has a second part to it which asks How are you? back. The reply many times comes charged with negativity as well. By now, not only are the two of us not well, we are dragging down everyone around us too.

We do this because we haven't channelled what bothers us very well or we haven't dealt with ongoing issues and so we bring them up to anyone who will listen looking for validation of our feelings and to share the weight of the burden. Yet when we are done complaining, we do not feel any better, we haven't changed anything, we haven't fixed anything either, and we have spread misery. We have passed on the negative energy. We would do much better if we stop glorifying how bad things are. We wouldn't have this constant need to gripe to others if we found healthy ways of venting what troubles us, of working with our issues, of seeking solutions.

Today is a good day to uplift ourselves and others by answering Very well, thanks for asking when someone asks How are you? If you are not well, try answering I am glad you asked, or Thankful, or Looking forward to what's to come. Make it a statement, a charm on the moment, a start on the future. If you need to talk to someone about problems that you are having, sadness or any other situation you are facing, seek someone you trust or talk to a therapist. Your wellness should be the focus, not the anxieties and troubles of the world. Go with the sincere intention of being well so that next time someone asks How are you? you can answer in a more positive way.
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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Through the cracks

The cracks are anger, despair, confusion, indecision, fear, sadness, mistakes, judgment, doubt, and pain. They are those feelings and emotions that fracture our sense of safety, certainty, tranquility, belonging, connectedness and peace of mind. Yet the cracks are also the slivers through which hope enters. Through them we can see outside to what circumstances and the state of the world may point to, which may increase our anxiety, or we can look inside of ourselves and see willingness, personal redemption, possibility, confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, curiosity, connection, power, and excitement for life. Through the cracks we can see darkness and we can see light. These ruptures in our personalities make us whole. They point to the truth of who we are. These fissures are openings through which we perfect ourselves, give of ourselves, receive, accept, do and think. Today is a good day to allow air to flow, light to shine and love to peek through our cracks, to look inward and see how beautifully the light enters and dances with our shadows. It is through the cracks that we will find understanding, empathy and compassion as well as joy, hope and harmony.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, December 11, 2015

The Difference – a meditation

Find a quiet and comfortable place. Sit with your back straight, either on a chair with your feet planted on the ground or on the floor with your legs crossed. Let your hands rest open facing upward, resting on your knees. Breathe.

Close your eyes and open up to thoughts that trouble you. Breathe in.

Let the feeling of discomfort be. Breathe out.

Breathe in. It is what it is.

Breathe out. There is another point of view.

Breathe in. I don't resist what is. 

Breathe out. I allow things to be.

Continue to breathe normally for a few minutes. Do not force your thoughts. Let the feelings be.

Open now to thoughts that comfort you. What are the feelings? Let them be.

Breathe in. A good thought changes my mood.

Breathe out. A good thought changes my point of view.

Breathe in. I am open to other possible thoughts.

Breathe out. I am open to guidance.

Breathe in. A new perspective makes a difference.

Breathe out. I am open to a new perspective.

Breathe in. I receive guidance.

Breathe out. I have a new perspective, a new way of seeing things.

Breathe in. I can make a difference.

Breathe out. I am the difference.

Stay for a few moments. Continue to breathe. Stay with this awareness. When you come out of your meditation, nothing will have changed, but everything will be different.

Namasté.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

The difference

Difference and change are not the same thing. The difference is a perception within ourselves. Change is an action taken. Something or someone may change, yet we may view it the same way we have viewed it. On the other hand, we can see things differently without there being a change. And that's the difference.

Change implies action which may or may not happen. To see differently is up to us...and this changes everything. In practical terms, this could be seeing the neighbor's mid-morning loud music (and his singing along) as a happy human letting loose, seeing drug-addiction as an illness that can be treated, a missed deadline as a call to reprioritize, faults that we find around us as opportunities to contribute positively by participating in solutions, obstacles as chances to take a moment to discern–to pause before taking further action, what bothers us in others as something we may need to work on within ourselves, and responsibilities as something that comes with our privileges.

I have learned the difference through meditation. In going within, I have found that many things around me remain the same, yet they are different to me. I have learned to deal with my feelings of impotence relating to what bothers me. I can't grief enough for the dead, hurt enough for those who suffer violence, ache enough for those who are hungry in order to change those circumstances. Going within in meditation quiets my mind enough for me to be able to hear something other than pain and fear. In meditation I become aware. I receive insight, inspiration, ideas, solutions and a change of attitude. I see differently. I see what is my part in all of this, what my lessons are, what my contributions can be and then I am then able to be the difference. I can apply this to all areas of my life.

Today is a good day to take a few moments to go within, to quiet our minds, to find tranquility in the midsts of all that bothers us, to see others–even the ones that make us angry–with kindness, to transform and evolve the way we think in order to see and be the difference.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Morning

"Good morning. Rise and shine." I wake my son up at the same time and the same way every day. He hears me, snuggles in and gets more comfortable. "I can't get up," he says sleepily from under his bedsheets. Of course he can't. He's settling in, doing the opposite of what will help him wake up. So do we. We get comfortable in what was, what has passed, what no longer works for us while wanting to get somewhere or do something else. We stay, snuggled in what is familiar, convenient and comfortable, doing the same thing over and over, thinking the same things over and over.

What if today we splash some water on our face, breathe in courage and shake off our idleness? Let's get up and go. Let's choose to do something different for the sake of our spirits. Let's liven up, choose a different attitude, a different way of welcoming the day and let's go in the direction of what we want and where we want to be.
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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Seasoning

I am seasoning. Not as in adding salt, spices or flavor to food, but as in being with the season.

Over the weekend, we had the beach all to ourselves. Miles of sand and shore were deserted. The sea had conspired with a gray day and a chill in the air. The sea was swollen. The tide was high and raging. The ocean roared in, then roared out. It was not quiet.

During the summer, the voices rise from vacationers and radios lined along coastline. The sea listens, receives, allows. This time, this season, it wants to be heard. It puffs, claiming space and solitude. This is no time to engage the sea at its edge.

I watched three young pelicans loitering on a tree. Rarely do they sit there. But they needed rest. Their experience is not enough for them to know that there would be no fish this time. The sea was tempestuous. The fish couldn't be. The sea had entered a new season.

And so it is with us. We season. We participate, collaborate, contribute, befriend, collect stories, laugh, do, perform, create, join, share, engage. And then we roar for silence, centering, a reclaiming of ourselves. It is necessary if we are to be sources of creation and creativity, music, poetry, lenses to beauty, communicators, dancers, teachers, healers. Today is a good day to be with the season, to let spring, summer and autumn settle at the heel of this time of the year. It is a good day to be winter as we would be winter. It is our season to collect ourselves. Soon, another time of the year will come and we will be ready for we have seasoned.

Winter. © 2015, The Soulcerer's Path.
© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Roll Call

"I am here."

Life gets hectic. Our attention gets divided many times throughout our day to the point we desensitize. We feel lost. We get lost. Time seems to consume itself in activities we don't quite remember. And then the day ends, another begins, and it seems to go the same way.

I caught myself in one of those moments. I was idling at a red traffic light looking out my window. I wondered what had I done all day. It was close to noon. I knew cognitively that I had taken care of many responsibilities. Yet, I felt out of touch. I whispered, "I am here." This helped me become aware of the moment – where I was, what the temperature felt like, the music playing on the radio.

I liked the exercise. I repeated it a few times during the day. Much like roll call, it is a calling of my presence to the moment, to life. Today is a good day to call on ourselves. Let's bring our attention to the moment. This is where we can enjoy anything, make a difference, be happy, make choices, take action, laugh, feel, cry, relax, taste life and breathe. Ask yourself, "Where are you?" Reply, "I am here."

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Invisibility

For many people, feeling invisible is an awful feeling. I should know. I have felt invisible many times. It is that feeling that you don't belong, that you are not valued, that others don't care. Yet, I have discovered that being invisible to others can be a good thing. This invisibility is different. It is one we choose, not out of a sense of separation, difference, or conceitedness, but out of a sense of purpose and reverence to what is important to us. This is not an exclusion, but an inclusion of what is essential. It is a self-disentanglement.

I have become invisible. It was not my intention. It was not on purpose. I became so after choosing many times to stay in, to focus, to go to the beach without an announcement, to listen from a distance, to watch from the branches, to disconnect from social media, to sit in silence, to remain in stillness, to keep my dreams private, to keep contact with a close circle of friends and loved ones–even if briefly. I don't know exactly when it happened, but it did and I am glad. After a while I realized, through the eyes of others, how much I had accomplished in a bit of time. I had less distractions and interruptions, which gave me space and time. I also received less conflicting and unsolicited advice, less opinions about my work and creative endeavors and less negative energy flowing my way. This allowed for clarity and discernment. I could see.

I could also be more present. My mind settled. I was able to let other things be without my involvement, especially those things that pull my attention but are not important and do not advance my path. This helped me rediscover what brings me joy and to make more meaningful and sincere connections. I cannot wait to reconnect with my wider circle of meaningful friends and family. It will be so much sweeter.

Invisibility can be a source of power. Being invisible can help us regain our sense of self, empowering us to achieve what we know is in our power to achieve. In invisibility we can be indomitable. We keep our power. We don't divert it. In invisibility we are not blocked, obstructed, or throttled for, as Frankie said to Grace, "...can't see me, ...can't stop me."

Today is a good day to find our haven within, to retreat into ourselves, to fill the wells of our spirits with inspiration, that we may find clarity, vitality, and the answers and motivation we need. With our energy spent on what matters, we can't be stopped. We will be seen, or not, once we do what we are meant to do. Meanwhile, we will stealthily work, create, learn, serve, give, share, and grow empowered in and by our invisibility.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Sum of all Fears

Our fears have been brought to the surface. The current atmosphere is not new, but with news and social media reporting terrorist attacks immediately, it seems the world is a more dangerous place. James Hardie-Bick, who studied the works of Ernest Becker and other existential thinkers, asserted that human evil has its roots in our need for "meaning, purpose, and self-esteem gained by achieving a heroic image of ourselves." In his work, he discusses how fear of our own death causes us to behave in hostile ways even in the absence of any immediate danger. We stereotype and reject people who are different from us to protect ourselves from the anxiety we feel out of not understanding. We bring about evil by trying to overcome it.

War does not solve conflict. War is the conflict. It does not reconcile differences, heal, or convince anyone of an opposing view. It's purpose is misguided. It does not bring peace. War is blameless. War is war. The responsibility for it lies with us. Peace begins with us.

The reasons for war may be important, but we don't act from that place. That is where conflict is. We find common ground. What is common ground? We are. We are people, all of us, who love, who dream, who have families and personal struggles, who believe as we have learned to believe, who have yearnings, who dream for something better, and who want to be significant, consequential and relevant in this world. Us against them gets us none of what we want. It creates divisions between us. Focusing on our differences and acting from that place breaks our spirits, spreads fear and hate, and breeds more fear and hate. We share this world. Appreciation and respect go a long way in healing our it, knowing and acknowledging that there are different ways of viewing the world.

Harmonious coexistence begins this moment. We don't blame ISIL, the Bush Administration, independent jihadist groups, the Vatican, AQAP, Syrian refugees, the French, or any other group. We cannot find solutions, healing or reparation there. We start by recognizing diversity and letting it be, not wishing for it to be anything different from what it is. The sum of all fears lies in what we don't understand, in what we find to be disparate. Today, let us try to understand and see our sameness. Let us add our similarities and move away from fear and closer to hope and love.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, November 13, 2015

A child is born

Children are not born without form, ideas, shapes or meaning. They are not born blank. They are not born to be filled in, formed, molded. They are not extensions of ourselves. They are not born to live the lives we haven't lived for our sake. Children develop into who they are. We are here as guides, mentors, protectors of our children. We are also their students.

He speaks softly and patiently as he gestures gently with his long, philosophical fingers. He has mystical questions and his own esoteric explanations to life. He is brilliant – in the light he gives off, in the harmony and peace he brings. As his mom, I am not lackadaisical, although some may think so. I am learning to be an allowing mom – observing him and honoring his unfolding.

I do not want to instill in him my fears, insecurities and anxieties. I want to help him realize his purpose, to know where possibility lies, to choose happiness, to have hope, to have faith in the Silence I have come to know through him. I want him to wander and wonder, to come to wisdom through his own exploration, to be self-awake, free of learned self-judgment and condemnation and the pursuit of goals set by others. I want to support and uplift him in a counterculture walk up a path of love, grace, joyful fulfillment and happiness. I want his commitments and convictions to rise from a place of knowing, not from obligation. I want his sense of responsibility to rise from self-security and love.

A child is born, not given to us to fix, program or make into something else. My child was born for many reasons. I understand one of those reasons to be a reminder of the goodness and the magic we are born with. Today is a good day to remember that we are children too. We were born with a path and a purpose of our own, a journey to be traveled for our fulfillment, our full realization. Let's take a moment to breathe into the quiet stillness within to find our joy, our reasons, our purpose, our intentions, our own feelings, our untainted Selves and live from there. Let's go there frequently, until we do it more than we listen to our conditioning. Let's go there enough so that it is there where we begin our thoughts and actions and so live the life we meant to live for ourselves.  

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Unfurl...a meditation

Find a spot where you can sit comfortably and undisturbed for a few minutes. Take a seat. Let's meditate.

We will do this with our eyes open. Our breath will be conscious and unhurried. Slowly in. Slower out. We will take out time. Time will not matter, but it will make a difference. We will be actively using our hands. When we open them, we will keep them relaxed. We will not straighten our fingers.

Let's begin.

Tighten your fists. Look at your hands as you hold your two fists tightly. Breathe in, deeply.

As you breathe out, slowly open your hands. Watch them open.

Breathe in. Hold your fists tightly. This is tension.

Breathe out. Slowly open your hands. Release the tension.

Breathe in. Make your fists. This is worry.

Breathe out. Slowly let go of the fists. Let go of worry.

Breathe in. Watch your fists. The more you tighten, the more they tremble. This is judgment.

Breathe out, slowly. Loosen your grip, loosen your thoughts.

Breathe in. Make your fists. Make them tight. This is attachment.

Breathe out. Slowly open your hands to receive.

Breathe in. Tighten your fists around your circumstances. You are tired.

Breathe out, slowly. Watch your hands relax. Focus on the now.

Breathe in. Watch your fists tightly bound around uncertainty. This is anxiety.

Breathe out. Slowly. Ease your hands open. All will be well.

Breathe in. Make a very tight fist. This one hurts. This is fear.

Breathe out. Slowly let your hand open to love.

Leave your hand open, unfurled. Breathe in.

Breathe out. Feel the difference.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Release. Unfurl. Let it be.

Image found at greenchicafe.com.
© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Big Brother

Some days are tougher than others to be a big brother. I don't mean a government agency spying on our every move, but to actually be a big brother.

My uncle passed away earlier this year. His children travelled here after the news for the services and the funeral. At a national cemetery, the service followed the protocol for a veteran's funeral. My cousin, his oldest son, bravely received the American Flag for the family in his dad's honor. This was tough to watch. How much tougher was it to bear this symbol of his passing for our family? This was a tough day to be a big brother.

Afterwards, my eldest uncle, the eldest brother, spoke in remembrance of his younger brother. How difficult it must have been to speak without breaking his voice into a million little pieces. He was big brother extraordinaire, offering comfort and consolation to his niece, nephews and his other four siblings when he himself needed comfort and consolation. And, yet, this is one of the big lessons, this is how we receive what we want and need – by giving it. This was a tough day to be a big brother.

My late uncle had three children. The big brother who sat sturdy to receive the flag was his middle son. His eldest daughter, in a manner of speaking, became a big brother that day as well. She had to make difficult and grown up decisions about her father's death. She was composed, elegant, brave. And she set a beautiful example for the rest of us. How do you make these complicated, important and impactful decisions without calling your dad for advice? For her too, this was a tough day to be a big brother.

Yesterday, the man who had been my father-in-law for eighteen years passed away. My son's grandfather died minutes before we could say goodbye. In the sadness, I didn't realize until today that it is now my ex-husband's time to embody this difficult big brother role. This, no doubt, will be a tough day to be a big brother.

As I type, I am still too close to mourning to know with certainty how the following days will unfold. As he travels here to be with his younger brothers he will have to make decisions as big brothers do and to set an example for his children, nephews and nieces during a tough few days to be a big brother.

Today these departed big brothers watch over us. This is a comforting thought. In the aftermath of illness, death and funerals, weeping, nostalgia and the stages of grieving, we are left with the memories made together, the legendary stories that others tell about them, the lessons they directly or indirectly taught us, the appreciation we develop and the faith that their spirits rest with Spirit. I am marked by both of these experiences. They bring me perspective, gratitude, hope and much love. One day too, as the eldest daughter, I will have to be a big brother, but for now I still have my dad and he continues to bless me, comfort me, protect me, guide me, teach me and make me laugh. He is making sure that when that day comes I am as ready as anyone can be on such a day.

We send Light and Love to all big brothers. May the spirit of your deceased loved ones be a light to you.
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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

What

Why we do what we do is not as important a question as our what. We have to answer what to understand why.

What is important to us? What do I want? What do I want to do? The answers to these questions are our what. My what includes my family, my love life, my spiritual life, my writing, my entrepreneurial goals, my travel plans, my financial goals, fulfilling work, time for leisure and relaxation, equilibrium, joy, prayer and meditation, my close relationships, sharing what I learn, contributing in line with my purpose, following my path and being well. My what is what matters to me. Yet, sometimes, I forget what that is.

We get distracted and sidetracked. We turn our attention to what we feel we are missing in our experience and to a limited perception of our circumstances. We fall into habits that pull us away from what we want to achieve. We also fall into gossip and get involved in issues that are not our concern. We procrastinate. We worry. We rile ourselves up. We are bothered by what others think or say. We get tired. This is when we should turn to our what.

Meditating on my what me centers me, realigns my focus and helps me see clearly. I get energized and the impediments to my what fade away. I return to a flow.

Today is a good day to remind ourselves of our what, to smile when we think of it and to bring our attention to it purposefully. Doing so will change the tone of our experience. It will also change the energy we give off. What we do will matter because it will be attuned to what matters to us and this will have a positive and significant impact on what we do, how we do it and what comes out of it.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Start

Begin where you are, not from where you wish you were. You are not there yet, but you can be. We don't start from the finish line. We start from where we are.

The finish line is our goal, our desire. It sets our general direction, but it is not our focus. Our focus  is what we do from where we are to where we wish to be. Our focus is where we have power and can make an impact. We set our goal and go from the starting line. Wanting to begin somewhere other than where we are can delay us, deviate us, confuse us, make us stumble and skip important milestones. Starting somewhere other than where we are is to cut corners and can limit what we can achieve. It can also deprive us of enjoyment, learning, growing, developing greater competency and proficiency and becoming more skilled. More importantly, starting somewhere other than where we are can discourage us for we make the process haphazard, chaotic and difficult. It breeds impatience and infuses anxiety into our efforts. This hurried version of ourselves is not the best.

Today is a good day to reassess our goal and where we are in relation to it. It is a good day to start from where we are. Let us purposefully find joy in everything we do. Let us focus on today. We are on our way and that is what truly matters.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Rituals

I have faith in rituals. My faith is not in the having any control over anything with my performance of a ritual. What I have faith in, trust in, is the outcome. This outcome is not necessarily immediate, but it is cumulative. In rituals I find comfort, connection to Spirit, grounding, reorientation, gratitude and a sense of order resulting in my well-being. No matter what, I am well. I put faith in, I receive goodness, well-being, awareness, wisdom, knowledge and a-ha.

Throughout my day I participate and respond spontaneously as I need to, yet, all goes better when I honor my rituals – morning meditation, writing, reading. Sometimes I have to adjust, to say yes to something else. The adjustment helps. Forgoing my rituals does not. At night, I take time to reconnect, unwind and decompress with other smaller yet just-as-important rituals that help me relax, sleep and mend. These rituals are part of my health, productivity, peace of mind and joy. They recharge me. There's more to these rituals and there are more of them. Some are daily, some are not. They bring cohesion to all that I am. Rites right my thinking.

The word ritual has a religious connotation. Rituals need not be religious. They align our energy and our psyche to what we believe. They can be a form of meditation. They bring composure to our scatteredness and keep us connected to who we are and what is important to us. Rituals can be as simple as a ball player making the sign of the holy cross at the bat, drinking a cup of tea in the bathtub every morning, lighting a candle in memory of a loved one, reading a verse from scripture before bed or going for a three-mile-run in gratitude for good health. They can also be more intricate and involved, by ourselves or with others.

This Wednesday morning is part of my ritual. Maybe reading this is part of yours. Rituals are an honoring, an observance of ourselves and our lives. Today is a good day to observe yourself and your life in a special way. What will your ritual be?

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Feel good playlist


Music is a great medium to transform our moods, to lift us up, to get out of a funk and into feel-good energy. Today is a good day to feel good. Pull up your iTunes radio, Pandora or Spotify and look up feel good tunes this morning. Here's what's on my playlist this morning. What's on yours?











Trenchtown Rock – Bob Marley
Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People
Hey Ya – OutKast
Happy – Pharrell Williams
Keep Your Head Up – Andy Grammer
Downtown – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Crazy – Gnarles Barkley
Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man – Bob Dylan
Get Lucky – Daft Punk
The Man – Aloe Blacc
Virtual Insanity – Jamiroquai
Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
Imma Be – Black Eyed Peas
You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon
Get Down On It – Kool & the Gang
Shut Up & Dance – Walk the Moon
Sugar – Maroon 5
I'm Nothing Without Love – Fun
Holiday – Madonna


Image downloaded from www.wallcoo.com.








© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.






Wednesday, October 21, 2015

We collide

As long as there is movement, there will be collision. Whether it is our elbows clumsily hitting the edge of our desks as we move about focused on the task at hand, bumping into others on the dance floor, backing up into our neighbors mailbox with our car, our lives colliding with the lives of others or our desires colliding with the desires of others, with motion there is collision. It is kinetic. We usually collide in opposing forces and direction. This shouldn't stop us from moving. The key is to keep moving, avoiding obstacles, deterrents and bumps by staying focused on our desires and goals – regardless of the motion or motionlessness of others. We stay the course.

Far from being an individualistic approach, keeping ourselves on track requires constant movement and commitment to our path. When we do so, we radiate an energy of productivity and positive action. Gains are increased for everyone for, with our activity, we encourage flow, initiative, liveliness. We inspire with our action. We contribute to our families, communities and economies.

We don't wait around for others and we don't try to keep up with others. This would trip us up. We move forward at our pace, consciously. Collision will happen, but, as we stay aware, purposeful deliberate and mindful, it will happen less and less. We flow, empowered by our determination and willingness and supported by our intention and Universal goodness.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Stay

In our fast-paced world, we tend to go from one thing to another without a distinction between one thing and another. We go from sleeping to jumping out of bed to the morning news to running around getting ourselves and others ready to jumping in the car to traffic to school or work or to school and work. And this is all before nine in the morning. We go on like this. A continuous stream of activity. We jump in and jump out with no awareness and we end up not garnering many benefits that can come from many of the things we do.

We go on vacation without breaking from work. We return from vacation and go straight to work. We meditate and, as soon as the chime goes off, we jump up and go. We do the same with journaling, prayer, walking in nature, yoga, swimming in the ocean, reading, deliberate daydreaming, having a good conversation, giving a presentation, talking with children, having a glass of wine, running and exercising, among other things. What if we stayed a minute or two after meditation or any other activity we do? What if we let the energy created or the knowledge brought about settle, sink in, before we prematurely go from one state to another? We could spark creativity, bring forth equanimity, find joy in our experience, fire up our imagination and our artistry, feed our vision, sort out our thoughts, assimilate what we learn, discover something new, find inspiration, understand better, slow down our heart rates, find satisfaction, gain insight, develop appreciation, and, at the end of the day, know how we spent our day. Isn't that better than going about in a frenzy?

Today is a good day to ease from one activity to another. Reap the benefits of everything you do. Stay a minute or two. Take a moment to think, ponder, reflect and enjoy before going on to the next thing.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Seed

This is our therapy. When life gets hectic, we head to the beach. There, he gave me a massage. I sat in lotus and completely let go as he worked the knots on my back. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breath. I was intent on not thinking. When I opened my eyes, a small crumb of something rested in the middle of my open hand. It was a metaphor. It was a seed.

Positive thoughts are powerful when they mean something to us, when we feel something good around and about those thoughts, when we have emotions that are congruent with what we think. Some days it feels close to impossible to align our spirits with a positive thought or feeling. Some days the world weighs on us and nothing feels quite right. Every effort we make on those days is towards carrying on, heavy-hearted, to keep up with our commitments and responsibilities. Our minds, spirits and bodies join in stress, confusion, sadness, anger, lethargy, indisposition and a sense of hopelessness. We vibrate low, giving off dragging energy, calling on to us more of what burdens us, more of the same. On days like this, a positive thought can feel forced and superficial.

How do we shift out of this funk? One seed at a time. We find one thing we enjoy and we relish in a good feeling around that one thing. We attach a positive emotion to it. We fully enjoy that moment. It is a seed. Nurtured with warmhearted feelings and emotions, it becomes the smallness that makes the day bearable for us. We begin to plant a change in our moods, spirits, frames of mind, temperament, attitudes, outlooks and circumstances.

Today is a good day to be deliberate. Intentionally find your seed. Pick a moment today, pick a good thought and attach your heart to it. Breathe it in. Plant it. Your seed could be a child's smile, a funny YouTube video, a kind gesture observed between strangers, an email from an old friend, your favorite something on special, a smell that reminds you of someone you love, a really good song set on the radio, among other things. Tomorrow, pick another good thought, another good feeling and, in time, you will create a habit of positive thoughts that mean something, can shift the energy in which you operate and make a difference.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 9, 2015

A better life

A woman was planning to hold a garage sale. She was running out of storage space in her house and could use the extra cash from the sale for unexpected expenses that had come up. As she and her friends prepared the items to be sold, she kept putting items to the side. Maybe not, she thought. Maybe I will hold on to this a little longer. "Why are you keeping those?", one of her friends asked. "Because I paid too much money for them to sell them cheaply."

Some things keep us from moving forward, from having more. Many times it is something that no longer serves us. It is difficult to give up the years we put into a marriage, the money we put into a house, the extra hours we worked day-after-day, year-after-year, in a career. We don't want to throw away all of the time and effort invested. We are afraid of invalidation, losing our identity, waiving our roles as experts in a certain field, having to begin again, feeling lost, not knowing what to do and being uncomfortable. We hold on to things, people and situations long after they have stopped fulfilling us, giving us joy, having any value or opportunities to learn and grow.

Until we do – until we let go, give up, walk away from, go another way – we remain stagnant and fearful. When we let go, give up, walk away from and go another way, a better life unfurls for us, bravely. Courage is its own call. It beckons itself. It metamorphoses into an act of faith. It summons answers, clarity and a path from the space we have created. That space is willingness and trust. It overcomes fear and apprehension. A curious attitude surfaces and life seems new again. It is. When we finally make the choice to release what no longer serves us, we release ourselves to a life we'd much rather have. Today is a good day to muster bravery and follow the path to a better life.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Speech Impediment

Many of us would not consider ourselves to have a speech impediment, yet most of us do. I don't mean the physical conditions that can cause someone to have a lisp or the psychological conditions that cause stuttering. The impediment we carry is our own speech. What we say to others, to ourselves, our mental chatter creates hurdles for us, unnecessary obstacles that delay our blooming, the full enjoyment of our days, the relishing of our relationships. Our stammer comes from our negative self-talk, our criticism of what is, the judgments we utter constantly. The energy spent on heavy spiels and incessant talk take away our power. Our words, spoken and unspoken, arise from our thoughts and beget corresponding energy and action. Movement and creation start here. Stagnation too. What we say matters. Our best intentions are blocked by our pessimistic, critical, judgmental talk. When we talk of improbabilities, impossibilities, when we use words such as can't, hate or should've, we lower our energy and our capacity to create great things. We diminish ourselves with explanations and qualifiers and defeatist talk.

Today, let us help ourselves with our words. Let's encourage what we want to accomplish with positive speech. When someone pays us a compliment, let's say thank you and mean it. This morning, as we enter the bus, the office, the coffee shop, the school and any other place we go to, let's say good morning and mean it. Words are incantations and can make things happen or they can block things from happening – good or bad. Let us pass on vibrant energy today. It is in our hands and it is in our words the power to remove the impediments created by our speech. Let us today uplift our discourse to embolden, cheer, support, inspire and motivate ourselves and others.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Thank you

It is usually those things that matter to us the most that cause us despair, heightened anxiety and the deepest grief. Our stress level can rise considerably for many reasons. It could be loss due to death or separation, fear of an unknown outcome at work, worry about the wellbeing of our children, instability as a result of fluctuating income, being overwhelmed with responsibilities, the consequences of wrong decisions, conflict in our closest relationships or health problems, among others.  It is easy to get caught up in feelings of hopelessness, discouragement and victimization. It seems we are always on guard. Ready for a fight or a run. And still, we have to carry on.

Today, let's take a few moments to shift from these heavy and negative feelings to feelings that will lift us up and motivate us. Let's use the power of our thoughts, the power of gratitude, in connection with our breath to relax our minds and ease the strain in our systems.

Set a timer for five minutes or longer, preferably one that will not startle you at the end of the set time. Sit comfortably and close your eyes softly. Breathe through your nose for a count of three and hold the breath for a count of three. Breathe out for a count of five.

Breathe in for a count of three. Breathe out for a count of five.

Bring to mind someone, something or a situation that may be causing you stress and say thank you. Find something to be thankful for about whatever came to your mind. Breathe in, 1-2-3. Breathe out, 1-2-3-4-5. If this is difficult, be thankful for this moment. Thank you for this moment.

Continue the in-three-breaths, out-five-breaths pattern of breathing for the rest of the time set on your timer.

When the timer alerts you, open your eyes slowly and smile. Stay for a minute or two before you continue your day. Feel calm. Nothing has changed, except for you. All is well as long as you carry this feeling of composure, internal balance and harmony. As the day goes on and you feel as though you may lose this sense of equanimity, come back to it by taking a deep breath or two and saying thank you.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

When tired, listen

I am tired. I don't say that out loud. I don't admit it to myself either. It's an old habit, one that stems from perfectionism and a misguided perception of personal failure and ingratitude. If anyone close to me sees it and asks, I will say it. But I never volunteer to say that I am tired.

Today, I am tired...and incredibly grateful for it. I realize that my body is telling me something. It is telling me to rest. My mind is telling me to slow down. There was a time I was not aware of this communication. Today, I am aware and I am listening. The miraculous side to all of this is in my vulnerability, my willingness and my acceptance. In my vulnerability I am supported and cared for. In my willingness, my circumstances are aligning and everything that is important to me is flowing. In my acceptance, thoughts are light, creative and uplifting.

Life has a wonderful way of synchronizing what we want and need with our experiences and our circumstances when we pay attention and heed what are mind and body communicate to us. I wanted family togetherness, personal equilibrium, productivity, enjoyment of what I do, laughter and well-being. I listened. I heeded. I received what I wanted and needed. I now feel connected, recharged, aligned, clear-headed and focused.

What is your body telling you? Is is asking for balance? Rest? Or maybe more activity? What is your mind telling you? Do you feel like your dragging your body, cluttered with thoughts, overwhelmed? Listen. Respond appropriately. Be well.


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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Gravity Pulls

To walk on the moon. That is one amazing thought. I watch historical documentaries about astronauts in training and preparation for their missions in space. I find one of the most bewitching parts to be the zero-gravity flights. I have yet to see an astronaut in training or someone in a zero-g simulator not in pure joy. It must fascinating to be that weightless. It must be amazing to not be pulled by gravity.

What pulls us? What pulls us in burdensome ways? What pulls us that we can't be in joy? What pulls us down from higher states of being?

We try. I know. But the day goes on and we get pulled into drama, negativity, gossip, bad news, blaming, aggression, anger, fear, revenge, hatred, emotional outbursts, crisis and guilt. In those moments, fighting against the pull seems to pull us further down. Resistance makes us hard, not as in stronger, but as in difficult, indifferent and unsympathetic. It also makes us irritable, sullen and despairing. We lose our enthusiasm, our power, vitality and stamina. In those moments, the best we can do is acknowledge how we feel, breathe and choose another thought.

Today is a good day to walk weightlessly. When a way of viewing life, negative forces, pessimistic mindsets, others' attitudes and headlines of doom and gloom pull you down today, recognize the pull, accept how you are feeling (mad, sad, confused, tired, done-with, disappointed) and breathe. Choose another thought, one that will help you lift-off from the heavy feelings. Choose a thought of possibility, goodness, joy or gratitude. One breath, one thought at a time is all it takes to pull ourselves up.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

The broken vase

On closer look, the lovely floor at the bottom of the fountain is made from broken pieces of tile. The colors blend so well, even though they are of different styles, ages and materials. They have come together to lay under this water and create something beautiful. So do we.

We come with our rough edges, our sharpness, our brokenness to harmonize with one another, to create, to become part of something exponentially greater and more beautiful. We come to add to the beauty of another and in doing so become more beautiful ourselves. We come to find comfort and to give it. We come to rise and to lift others into awe. 

As the vase breaks, we see the splinters of potential and possibility in the broken pieces. Today is a good day to recognize our shatters, cracks and fractures in others and so come to unity. We lay, edge to edge, welcoming, making room, allowing, connecting, cooperating, engaging, understanding, accepting, abiding with each other, prospering. In our diversity, we become one creation, one opus. Perfection is an illusion. Yet it is real when we choose to see wholeness, the meaning and the purpose of our lives fitting together. 

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, September 18, 2015

We the snobs

My eyebrows have become thinner in the past two years. This means I have to recreate them every day. Oh joy. They are one of those things I miss from my youth. Now, I have to navigate through the many options the beauty industry has to offer. And so, I recently made a trip to the makeup department of a large store. I found a product that I thought would do the trick and, there I was, squinting, trying to read the 6-point font on the packaging. An employee approached me and asked if I needed help. Yes, please. I asked him what was his professional experience with the product. What do you mean? He said lifting one eyebrow while shifting his body weight, crossing his arms and pursing his lips. I wanted to know about its quality and if other customers were happy with it or if any had returned the product for a refund. Well, that's because they clearly don't know how to use it. They are amateurs. He sassed. I stood there for a moment. We were talking brow powder, right? What was this chip on his shoulders about?

We become so stuck-up about what we do, about our field of expertise – law, science, literature, medicine, auto-mechanics, finance, public relations, creative arts, language arts, insurance, nutrition, politics, cosmetology, occupational therapy, fitness, research, architecture, yoga, meditation and spirituality, among others. We get wound up when others don't understand something we consider basic or obvious. Few of us stop to appreciate what a beautiful thing it is to share our knowledge with honor and love. We fail to remember that knowing what we know is about putting it into practice and sharing it. It is not about belittling, chastising, shaming, humiliating or admonishing another for not knowing what we know. We become snobs.

Knowing what we know is part of our purpose and when we act towards others with condescension, we disconnect from our purpose. When we look down on others we limit our growth and the fulfillment of our path and all of the dimensions of our Self. When we act with superiority for what we know, we separate ourselves from others.

What if today we understood when another is not aware of something we are, does not know something we do. We do not need more arrogance and know-it-alls. If the opportunity presents itself, let us share what we know with generosity of spirit. If there is no such opportunity or reception, then let us remember to extend kindness, patience and non-judgment.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Change comes about...

Sometimes we don't change because we get tired of life as it is, but because we get a taste of something good, better. We experience love, generosity, grace and are awakened to another possible way of being in the world, of participating in life, of experiencing others and ourselves. It feels like joy, like happiness, like something really good. Some of us have hit bottom, some of us have not, yet we have felt the wanting of something richer, nobler, more satisfying and fulfilling. We have somehow allowed some of it in and now we know better, we want better. But we don't know what to do. What we do know is that life as it is is no longer acceptable to us. We want more.

We may be tempted to make dramatic resolutions, intentions to change, grand gestures and take radical action. Yet, for now, we will do none of those things. For now we will surrender to this great feeling, this knowing, and trust it. We will nurture it and get clear on what we want. We tell no one. We don't explain or justify. We clarify, set our intentions and work through what we are afraid of. We create a vision and keep our focus on it. We come back to it every day remembering our feeling of something better. Obstacles start to fall away and a path unfolds before us. We walk it. We allow that taste in over and over again until it is our new life experience. And then we change. We become.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Wait and see

He raised his voice at me. I turned on my heel and walked away. I could still hear him back in the kitchen where I left him saying things under his breath, slamming drawers and cupboard doors shut. Angry, seething, I went back in there to engage in the argument. It was on. He was mistaken and I was going to set him right. But when I got there, I looked at him, took a deep breath and walked away. All I had to do was wait and see. It was a miracle.

I inherited his temper. My dad and I have short fuses and we can argue like the best of them. We know which buttons to push. I can't remember, though, our last argument – and that was the miracle: the recognition of the impermanence of the argument, of our behavior and of our perceptions, the letting go of my self-importance and self-interest. In that moment, I realized that none of what was happening was real and that it too shall pass. And it has. I was able to see through to my dad – a man I love, respect and admire. A man who, just as radically, forgives.

Today is a good day to remember that only what love holds is everlasting – kindness, respect, compassion, forgiveness. Everything else – our issues, misunderstandings, circumstances, points of view, justifications, whether we are right or wrong – is impermanent. Releasing our hold on what doesn't matter opens us up to what does – peace of mind, harmonious relationships, joy of life, well-being. Next time you are in a confrontation with anyone, whether it is someone you love or a stranger on the street, wait, let it pass and see.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

This is not a drill

This is not a drill. This is not a false alarm. This is not a dress rehearsal. This is a moment of action. In this moment, we put into practice everything we have learned on this path.

When our ego takes a hit, as in being excluded from a celebration or from an opportunity, find ourselves in conflict, as in having an argument with another, our teenager breaks curfew, our neighbor mows the lawn at 7 am on Sunday, the girls at the office start a gossip session, our husbands drink out of the milk carton, we get an email from our boss at an odd hour with an unrealistic demand, get cut-off in traffic, lock our keys inside our house, we don't get the news we are waiting for or our day doesn't go as planned, we don't react in our old ways, we respond using the tools we have learned along the way for this is the real thing. This moment is real. We don't pretend anymore. 

The moment to act with grace and a new awareness is not only in moments of responding to an external provocation. The moment to act with higher wisdom is also the moment in which we can choose not to fall into negativity, not to procrastinate our goals and the actions leading to achieving those goals, to have confidence in what we believe and a conviction in the course we have set for ourselves. This moment is one in which we exercise our ability to choose better, to act from a place knowledge, love, understanding, appreciation, strength and faith, acknowledging that all is well. 

Today, realize that this is real, that this is not a drill. Life is happening. Do not react unaware of your power to choose and act from your highest self. Today, act with patience, kindness, compassion, awareness, generosity, confidence, appreciation, responsibility and thoughtfulness towards others and yourself. We don't plan on doing better tomorrow. We do it today. 


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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Friday, September 4, 2015

Backwards Meditation

I have John Mayer's Your Body is a Wonderland stuck in my head. My body is a wonderland. Yours is too. The chorus in this song reminded me how connected my body is to my mind.

A few days ago I was very busy. We were moving, my graduate courses began, I had a book to proofread and get to my editor, my son had appointments I needed to get him to, new phases are beginning at work that are exciting and require attention and a storm was coming which we now had to prepare for. My head was all over the place. At one point I noticed I wasn't breathing. Not properly, anyways.

Our bodies tell us so much. Our bodies know when we are out of stasis. That lack of balance can lead to chronic headaches, sleep deprivation, fatigue, increased heartbeat, muscle aches, nervous fidgeting, suppression of our immune system, inability to concentrate, skin irritation, inflammation in our joints and changes in appetite, among other ailments. Many times, before we are aware that stress and anxiety are overwhelming us, our bodies already know. We should, then, become attuned to our them.

When my breath became shallow, I became clumsy and spastic. I made silly mistakes and kept forgetting things. My energy became uneasy. My mood suffered. My body was telling me that I was thinking wrong.

Today's meditation is meant to increase our awareness of our mind-body connection and to bring us back to equilibrium. When you feel your body tell you that you are out of balance, take a few minutes to practice this meditation to come back to center.

Breathe.

Sit comfortably.

Place your right hand over your heart and your left hand over your solar plexus.

Breathe.

Close your eyes.

Think of something that worries you. What bothers you? Is it money? Is it work? Is it your family? What is causing stress for you?

Stay with these thoughts for a moment.

Feel the rhythm of your heart change in your hand. Feel your heartbeat increase as you think of your problems...

money
issues you are having with your children
you have no time to do everything you have to do
the plumbing needs fixing
the interest rate on your credit card is too high
your supervisor's lack of respect
you are not getting along with your husband
your house looks like it will be in an episode of Hoarders
your tired by 9 am, everyday
you can't seem to catch a break
the cable man didn't show up
your computer is fried

Feel your mouth get dry.

Feel your left hand barely move as your breath stays superficial.

Feel your hand over your heart get clammy.

Your body is reacting to your thoughts.

Now, take a slow, deep inhale. Count silently to three. Exhale, slowly.

Keep your hands on your heart and solar plexus.

Breathe slowly and gently in. Breathe slowly and gently out.

Bring your thoughts into this moment.

Breathe.

Focus on your breath. In... Out... In... Out...

Feel your heart slowly settle.

Breathe. Keep your mind on your breath. In... Out... In... Out...

Feel your abdomen rise with the breath.

Breathe.

Feel it empty with your exhale.

You are here. Now.

Your mind and your body are connected.

Breathe.

Stay for a few minutes. Stay with your breath.

Stay a little longer.

Feel your body sway lightly.

Breathe.

Feel the lightness of your body. The heaviness lifts.

Breathe. Feel the breath in. Feel the breath out.

You are now centered, composed, serene.

Appreciate your body. Appreciate its wisdom.

Breathe.

Take this tranquility wherever you go.

Be. Go.
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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

"How rude!"

"How rude!" That was my reaction. I expected a different attitude from her because I was in a good mood. Yet the woman I was dealing with was not. Well, then, neither was I afterwards. However, as I drove away, I replayed the exchange in my head and realized I was not being fair. She was not really rude, she was just serious, matter-of-fact and not cheerful. In short, she was short with me. And there I was, judging.

We form opinions, mistrust, make assumptions and even make up stories to explain other people's attitude and behavior in order for them to make sense to us. He was born with a silver spoon. Her husband doesn't pay attention to her; he must be cheating and she knows it. That kid is trouble; he is probably off his meds. She has a chip on her shoulder. He thinks he's better than everyone else. These are some of the tales we make up – and spread – based on our limited interpretation of others. We even take it further. We look at others with squinty eyes looking for their hidden intentions. We become defensive and create doubt in our interactions. We assume we are being lied to, taken advantage of, that the other wants to win one over us or take something from us.

We fail to see that the other is just as confused, fearful and insecure as we are. They may sound sure of themselves. They may even act it. That's because they want to create what they think is a good impression, do not want their insecurity to come through or believe that this is the way they should act. We respond in ego in return. This clash of egos creates more cynicism, misunderstanding and separation. It is us versus them mentality. There can be no real collaboration as long as we continue to think this way. While we think the other wants something and we in turn want something ourselves we will not fully come to peaceful solutions to business negotiations, changes that must be implemented in our communities, disagreements between neighbors, conflicts between nations, tugs-of-war between divorced parents, discord in employee relations, standstills, opposition between groups that want the same thing, disharmony among family members and friction in every day interactions with others. We will not give rise to the most creative solutions we are capable of. We limit what we offer. We can't do better because to reach our level best ideas requires openness of mind and of heart, it requires giving up egoic thinking, fairness, that we see through the eyes of the other and that we revise our intentions to include well-being for all involved.

Today is a good day to stop ourselves at the point of criticism and try to understand the other. If we can't, then let's stop there and admit that we are judging and ask for guidance and help. A silent request of surrender and willingness. Aid will come. As will grace and a feeling of peace. Let us not take others so personally. Let us today come without defensiveness, see with fresh eyes, act from a place of gratitude, a willingness to participate in making things better and enjoy what we give and what we receive in terms of growth, expansion of our spirits and increased well-being.

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© Millicent Maldonado and www.soulcerer.com, 2012-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.