Friday, August 28, 2015

From here to there

Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? What do you want to have? What is your "there"? How do you get from where you are to where you want to be?...to there?

The first step in the direction of there, of where we want to go or where we want to be at is to know clearly what that is. Be clear. Consider not only what you want, consider what makes you happy. What do you envision for yourself? Answer that without consideration for what other people want for you, their expectations or what you "should" want for yourself. Frame your desires in positive words, focusing on how you want to feel. In other words, don't focus on what you are worried about, what you are afraid of or the what-ifs that are full of doubt and pessimism. Be clear in a way that you feel the feelings related to the attainment of your wish and leave the details to the Universe. Intend and let go. Let go of control, of a specific result, of how the process should go. This opens you up to opportunities and possibilities you have not thought of.

One important element in getting there is keeping our desires to ourselves. We need support and encouragement. Yet we have to be very selective of who we share our dreams with. Other people's doubts, anxiety, insecurity, jealousy and fear seep in, tainting our goals, weakening our resolve, making us doubt ourselves and judge our intentions. To get to there we need to believe, trust and be already thankful. We need to stay connected to our inner guidance, our intuition. We need to follow the flow. It leads to our there. We do this by paying attention to how we feel, by listening to the silence within and observing the clearing path – resistance, obstacles and struggles fall away. Meanwhile, we do everything else with love trusting time and events as they unfold. We will know what to do and when to do it.

Today is a good day to consciously think about what you want, to take the first step in the direction of where you want to go, to clarify for yourself your vision. Take time to breathe into the feeling of being well, fulfilled, joyful, whole and happy. From here to there all there is is a conviction and a clarity of being. Begin. Be clear. Believe. Breathe. Go.

Image licensed through graphicstock.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, August 26, 2015

To know, to shift

"Awareness brings with it a shift." ~from The Soulcerer's Path Book One

Some of us don't want to look at ourselves too intently because we don't want to be conscious of what is there. We know that once we know, we have to do something about it.

We fill our days with activity–work, chores, shopping, mindless websurfing, facebooking. We fill silences with noise, entertainment and meaningless conversations to keep our attention elsewhere, our focus outside and away from ourselves. We fill all our voids with something rather than being in the void and being with the void in order to become aware of what is, what is there–or what is not. When we become aware of ourselves, we are required to act, to make changes, if necessary. These are personal and particular to each one of us. Becoming aware could mean a change in jobs, a relationship or our attitude about some things. It could also mean that we figure out that we are where we need to be, that things are good or that we are headed in the right direction. That understanding can bring us happiness. The change, the shift, could mean action, yet it is mostly a state of mind.

Today is a good day to become self-aware, without any judgment–good or bad, of what is. Take time to notice what is, as it is, and allow the right shift to happen.

Image found at hinamayatantra.wordpress.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, August 21, 2015

21 days, a meditation

Today is August 21. I have been counting down to this day for the past 21 days. I wanted our editorial calendar to begin today, on the 21st of the month. There's something special about the number 21. It calls to me for a variety of reasons, none of which are obvious and most of which are special only to me. Nonetheless, it is the 21st of the month and we begin our new bi-weekly regular schedule at the Soulcerer's Path. We begin with a meditation, not on 21 days, but on creativity.

This meditation will ignite our creativity and artistry in every endeavor and area of our lives. Whether we are writing, composing, sketching, designing a financial portfolio, planning our week, choosing a name, deciding what to do about money, how to begin our next presentation, how to deal with a difficult neighbor or how to give someone unexpected news, this exercise will activate creative energy within us.

Find a space in which you feel comfortable and won't be interrupted for this meditation. Sit with your legs crossed, placing your hands on your lap. Palms up. Fingers relaxed.

Intend for creativity. Allow it to come through.

Take three cleansing breaths: close your eyes softly and breathe in deeply then exhale slowly. Breathe in again, deep. Exhale slowly. One more time. Relax your shoulders.

Breathe normally for a few moments. Keep your eyes softly closed.

Relax your face, relax your shoulders.

Breathe in deeply.  Feel the breath reach in to your pelvis. Breathe out slowly.

Take a long breath into your pelvis. Breathe out, slowly.

Once more. Breathe into your pelvis. Breathe out slowly.

Now, breathe normally, with your eyes closed, for the rest of this meditation. When your mind wanders, come back gently to the visualization:

Imagine a sphere the size of a grapefruit orbs over your left hand. Feel the tingle over your hand.

The sphere begins to pulse. It radiates a soft, orange light. Breathe.

The sphere pulses and its light intensifies. Breathe.

The light grows...it starts to expand, reaching out in all directions.

Streams of lights extend far, deep and wide. Breathe.

The light calls unto it everything that is like it. Breathe.

The light dispels everything that is unlike it.

Breathe.

The heaving light clears the pathways. Energy flows.

Feel the tingle over your left hand as the light glows more intensely. Breathe.

The light expands.

Your right hand is open, like your mind, your heart, your spirit. Breathe.

Energy flows from the sphere to your hand to your mind to your inner Creator. Breathe.

Source energy is warmly flowing through you.

Breathe.

You feel easy.

You feel calm.

You feel eager.

Breathe in the light.

Breathe for a few more minutes. Watch the breath in. Watch the breath out.

Breathe easy.

Relax for a moment or two before becoming fully alert to your surroundings.

Then go.

Create.


Image licensed through graphicstock.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.



Saturday, August 1, 2015

Leave of presence

It was too much. I had accepted too many commitments to do any of them justice, so I paired down. I chose to keep only a few. It made sense, especially for this passion-project, The Soulcerer's Path. In the last two years it has grown meaningfully and I needed to do it justice and due diligence. I needed to honor it.

Initially, I thought of taking a leave of absence to regroup, to eliminate distractions–I felt so scattered. Yet what I took instead was a leave of presence–a time to inhabit, occupy and immerse myself mindfully in my life and in the evolution of the Soulcerer's Path's. I reestablished my goals, reprioritized my activities and reorganized my time and spaces. I became focused on the changes we at the Soulcerer's Path began at the beginning of the year. For a moment I thought I was straying by not posting daily to you here, yet I realized that I was fully present and connected. I was living my days the way I intended. This is all part of embodying what I have been learning on my path–to live more aware, with more joy, with purpose, savoring what happens and making all of my experience substance for my writing and my teaching. My only disconnection was our virtual one with you for I stayed connected in a soulful and mindful way. Now, here I am, here we are–you, me and the family at the Soulcerer's Path–back in social media. The changes and improvements and leaps forward have come a long way. Soon, you will see them. We have and we are so excited to share them with you as they unfold.

Today is a good day to be fully present in whatever you are passionate about. Start by placing your focus on your day, only on this day–as it is. Allow that attention to open up to the enthusiasm you need to drive your passion. This enthusiasm can only be found when we are present–absolutely, mindfully. Be absolutely and mindfully present. Go. Take a leave of presence.

Image found at shroomery.org.