Welcome to Your Life

The first day of a new year always brings up some interesting feelings. First, “We made it through the last,” with a huge sigh of relief.  Funny that is considering our time is limited here in this frame of focus.  Why we wish to get through something I’d like to say I don’t understand but I do. The thing is, every day and every moment is more precious than any precious stone or metal you can mine from our beautiful planet.  It’s hard to see at ground zero of a situational or emotional disaster we’ve just faced but if we could but remember, we wanted to experience the fullness of life, we might view things differently.

In Mindfulness meditation we are taught that there is a beginning to emotion, resistance and feeling adverse towards the things and situations in our lives we aren’t particularly interested in dealing with and then there is an end.  If we could find a way to ride the wave, become the quiet center of the storm and witness the amazing wonder that life is with all of its intricacies, complexities along with our own emotions with dispassionate understanding, we might learn to see things a bit differently.

On this first day of the year, I have no resolutions as I have no regrets to solve.  All I have experienced and who I have experienced with all the way back to my youngest years I am truly grateful for.  That’s not to say I won’t set goals and strive for certain areas of focus important to me.  First and foremost my focus will be on peace knowing I must always search for and find that peace within first, then I will be more able to see and feel that as I witness and react or respond to the outside world.  My next point of focus will be on compassion.  Not just with others but myself.  For if I am unable to find within and hold compassion for myself, any attempt to exhibit that towards others in the outside world will be inauthentic and superficial and well, that just isn’t me.  My next point of focus is on two words, I AM.  These, I feel are self-evident but for those who haven’t experienced or heard these two words used all alone, believe me they do not represent alone.  They represent the greatness available to all of humanity who can achieve that greatness through remembering, through realization and through the allowing by letting go of ideals and those things the world teaches and in some ways forces us to measure ourselves against.

Life is not a grand competition.  You’re really competing only with yourselves to attempt, if you want to, to be better than you were a year, a month, a day or a moment before.  We have that power – that power to learn and grow and if you’ve read my blog – go back to the very first entry and you’ll find a very lost and frustrated soul but I had just learned to open up to seeing things differently.  I remain so because I’ve learned that is the only way I can live my life – being open – allowing and accepting myself just exactly as I am while I fumble, stumble, fail and try again and again to learn my own life lessons.  We’re all just learning to make our way but you know what, we’re in this together. 

So, today I find myself wanting to hold a space for not only myself, but all I know and every other human across the globe and so I shall.  With great love, compassion and courage do I hold a space for all of humanity, for the Earth herself and every other living thing here.  Today isn’t the only opportunity you have to try something new or to learn or make changes or shift and change if that is what you desire.  In every moment you can be made anew if you focus on that and allow that to be.  So, allow.  Let your dreams become your reality. Let yourselves heal.  Allow yourselves to let gently slip away any person, place, thing or situation that no longer serves you and open yourself up to receiving that which will.  Blessings for a beautiful day.

© 2016 Jaie Hart (Photo/words)

 

Understanding Invisible Wounds

There are times in our lives we suffer a blow of some kind.  Something unexpected, something huge, something big and something totally invisible to the outside world.  No one understands the pain because they can’t clearly see it.  Because they cannot see it, they expect you to perform normally, behave as if everything is fine and that all is well in your world. They cannot understand what you are going through.

Sometimes we have to speak up, we have to tell people very private things we’d prefer no one know so that the invisible becomes visible and we can gain some compassion and understanding for the invisible burden that we carry.  In a way, we all carry an invisible burden of some sort.  I too carry one and although I’m not entirely comfortable sharing it in this blog, it is one I will carry for sometime.  It causes fatigue unimaginable, it causes pain and discomfort but you wouldn’t see it from the outside.  But it is here on the inside.

I write this not so much for myself as I feel courageous, I have conviction and a fierce voice able to be used to protect myself as need be.  But, not everyone has that.  Watch for the signs and listen to people.  They may be politely telling you something very private when they tell you they cannot do something, they cannot celebrate, go out and have fun with you, help you move, help you do this or that because they’ve got their own private battle going on that may be temporary or permanent.  Don't force people to be as you think they should be.  That's not fair, it's not right and it is completely selfish of you to do so.

I know all too well about invisible broken legs having many family members suffer something similar.  My heart goes out to their struggles and to all who struggle with the invisible pain they carry.  My message to them too – be gentle with yourselves even if no one else will, even when everyone expects too much from you, and even when everyone expects you to act like a normal human being.  Sometimes we are not normal or cannot function normally for various reasons and that is okay. What is not okay is other’s judgment of things they do not understand so make them understand and you can do that without full disclosure if that is your preference.

You’ve been given a voice.  Use it to protect and preserve you because you matter so much.  Do what you can do for you every day.  Be unafraid.  Be as strong as you can be and then rest if you must, retreat if you must and be quiet if you want to.  Those who stand by you are your people.  Hold them close and love them.  Those who won’t stand by and support you, love them and let them go (sometimes this just means hold no more expectations of support so you are no longer hurt by them unnecessarily).

Life is hard sometimes.  But we can get through our invisible wounds or not.  The main point is that you deserve support, understanding and compassion for what you go through.  If you cannot get it from those around you, please give it to yourself.  Take what you need to be okay in terms of time for yourself for healing, solitude if need be and rest when you need to.  This life is like your ship.  You are the captain, not anyone else.  May your God or Goddess keep you, bless you and fill you with all the healing strength you can hold.

  ©2015 Jaie Hart (photo/words)

 

Create a Moment

I was awakened in the darkness by the sound of gentle rain drops falling.  I was smiling before I even opened my eyes.  I laid there for the longest time just listening, feeling the cool breeze through a wide open window.  The curtains seemed to be dancing in the breeze and it set the mood for an easy morning.  After long moments I sat up - again, not wanting to move too fast.  I really wanted to soak in the energy of the morning.  Such a journey have I had of late and I truly wished to enjoy this simple pleasure of morning.  I wanted most to just feel the simple beauty of this moment and let it carry me into the day.

The coffee, part of my morning ritual, smelled amazing while brewing and I stood near my kitchen door with my hand out in the rain.  I stepped out into it letting the child within take control and I smiled for no reason at all - in a moment, truly happy just to be.  It's been a while since I felt pure and simple joy such as this and again, I wanted to really feel it and maybe somehow commit it to my physical memory.  Life holds such gentle and simple beauty sometimes.  If you blink or become overly preoccupied with what you do not have in life, you will miss life's amazing treasures.  A rainy morning is a favorite for me and in the middle of summer too.  I have prayed for a summer storm hoping it would come and wash away from my being the painful sensations of hard lessons learned.  I'm happy to report it did just that and I stand here refreshed, eager and hopeful for the day ahead.

A moment is what you make of it.  I choose to fill mine with thoughts of love, appreciation and a child-like wonder for all that is.  My path is the perfect path - the road I walk, the perfect road and the lessons I have and will learn are the perfect lessons for me now I see.  I pray you find a measure of joy in a moment of freedom...allow it to manifest and it will beautifully consume you. Much love and light!

(c) 2012 Jaie Hart (photo random and beautiful internet find)