Friday, March 31, 2017

Stop. Drop. Roll.

I could feel my head getting hot. We had an internet security breach. After the initial chaos, we had to reconfigure every gateway into our network. This meant a breakdown of every system and a huge interruption of our work. We had to check every online account we own and reset every password. We had to test and retest our new security measures and fix the new issues that popped up. This is not over, I'm sure.

My head was on fire. I felt my brain was going to explode. As I was burning with anxiety and worry, thinking about everything I had to get done and the possible consequences of the hack, I remembered what we were taught as children, when on fire, stop, drop and roll. I was on fire. I thought for a moment. I could burn, almost quite literally, or I could stop, drop and roll.

I stopped what I was doing, which was not productive, anyways. I dropped my negative and pessimistic thoughts–which allowed me to get creative and feel better, and I rolled with the day. I made a few calls to reschedule work, I caught up with some projects I had on the back burner and I flowed.

Life doesn't always go according to our plan. This can be very disruptive and can upset our psyche and our physical health. When this happens, we can take a moment to breathe and center ourselves in what is at the moment, instead of frustrating ourselves with what we want it to be. And so, today is a good day to stop whatever it is we are doing that is unfruitful and ineffective, to drop our worrisome and discouraging thoughts and just roll with what is presented to us. We may be surprised with what we end up accomplishing. When we stop, drop and roll, we flow, enlivened by creativity and unexpected opportunity.

Image found at Ilustra.org.
© 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, March 24, 2017

Meeting the world

There's so much that shocks us, confuses us, annoys us, offends us, angers us, bothers us, warms our heart, inspires us, makes us proud, enlivens us, and makes us smile. On any given day, we go out into the world and encounter so much. We react to it. We are affected by it. We are part of it. We affect it. It reacts to us.

Whatever we meet in the world, we meet in ourselves. Everything that we recognize, that we fear, that we understand, that we get, we do so because it is in us, it is a reflection of something in us, of something we bring wholeheartedly, something we fear in ourselves and have repressed, or of something we don't completely understand. We then behave accordingly. We act in reaction to our perception, and this has an effect on what we receive in return.

As we head out today, let's be aware that we have an effect in and on the world. Let's meet the best of ourselves out there. Let's expect it. Let's receive it. Let's give it. Today is a good day to recognize our one and only nature and know that we meet ourselves everyday in every circumstance, situation and interaction we have with another.

Image found at mandala.world.
© 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, March 17, 2017

Roundabout

I woke up extra early today. I had to go renew my driver's license. Because these things tend to be lengthy and complicated, I headed out early in order to be in line before the doors opened at 8 am. I dropped my son off at school at 7 am and, by my calculations, should have arrived by 7:30 at the driver's license office. Yeah, right. I passed my exit and ended up on a toll road that led me far from where I needed to be. I took the next exit and turned back around, paying the toll again. I then took several wrong turns, all leading me in strange directions. I was in a bad mood and dumbfounded. I had no idea why this happened or what the point was. I'm usually very good with directions and have an excellent sense of orientation, but today, it failed me. At 8 am, I finally parked my car at the driver's license office.

The whole transaction at the driver's license office took less than five minutes. No lines, no hassles. All is well. Of course, I say all is well after I ranted and cursed. I had to take it a couple of notches down, connect to my breath, and remember the old cliché, everything happens for a reason. Even if I don't know or understand them. After all the roundabouts taken, I ended up where I needed to be.

I am back at my desk. I have taken care of several things already and am flowing. I should have known it was going to be this way for it is my prayer each morning, May I flow. I should have trusted. No matter how many roundabouts I take, I end up where I need to be.

Today is a good day to trust that things are working out in our favor, that we have done our part and that the rest will fall into place. Let's not rush, worry or interfere for those thoughts will delay us, either stopping us in our tracks or detouring us altogether. Let's enjoy the path and believe that we are going in the right direction.

Image found at amagicmomandhermandalas.blogspot.com.
© 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, March 10, 2017

The wrap

I had my mind wrapped around an idea. I was set on it. I was bent on it. And it failed. It's alright.

I had my heart wrapped around an idea. I was set on it. I was bent on it. And it failed. It's alright.

I have my mind wrapped around another idea. I have my heart set on it. I'm hopeful for it. I feel good about it. It'll be what it'll be. And it's alright.

Letting go of my need to control the outcome of what my mind and my heart want has allowed me to be alright, to be at peace, to be temperate. I have learned and grown from disappointments and failed attempts. And I have found the gifts in those experiences. I haven't always felt this way. But I do today. And it's alright. I'm alright.

Today is a good day to sit in meditation and wrap our breath around our minds and hearts, around our thoughts and feelings, and let them be. Let's not wish it was different. Let's not struggle. Let's allow the lessons and guidance to come through. Let's wrap our entire being around silence. Let's wrap stillness around our entire being. Let's unfold stronger, better, wiser.

Image found at hermandadblanca.org.
© 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, March 3, 2017

I give up

I don't feel like writing. I don't feel like doing yoga. I don't feel like meditating. I don't feel like working. I don't feel like reading. I don't feel like socializing. I don't feel like doing anything, except for laying in bed with the curtains drawn closed and the world on mute. I'm sulking. I'm angry. My body is slightly trembling in reaction. My heart has been beating out of my chest for hours. I want to forget everything and just lay in bed.

This is an honest feeling. It is what it is. But it is not productive, I know. It's not healthy, either. Sulking in the dark will only help my rumination, fuel my anger, increase my blood pressure, intensify my negative feelings, and regress me in so many ways. This is a childish reaction. I still don't want to do anything, for me or for anybody else, so I will.

In spite of myself, I will finish my coffee and get ready. I will do it with intention and head out the door. It is an intention of surrender, for I don't want to feel this way. I hate it. I don't want to be angry  and resentful. But I don't feel strong enough to change these feelings, so I surrender them. I know that I have to show up even if I don't want to. So I let it go. I call on what I've learned. This is how we grow. Once we have an awareness, once we know better, we're called to act differently.

Today is a good day to act better in spite of ourselves. When we perceive someone has done us wrong, let us forgive in the moment. When something doesn't work out as planned, let's take a breath and regroup. This allows guidance in. When we become scattered, let's take a few moments to focus on our breath and gather ourselves, recenter. When we lose track and become distracted, let's take a moment to refocus on what matters to us, on what's important. When everything becomes too much, let's surrender. Let's bend our will and give up so that we may be lifted up.

LIGHT mandala by Elspeth McLean found on pinterest.com.

© 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.