The Power Of Letting Go

Like most people, I struggle with change. I can be so invested in what is--whether it be relationships, jobs, or material possessions--that I stubbornly cling to them for dear life. That said, there comes a time when the pain of holding on becomes too difficult to deal with. That is the point you have to make a choice. You have to choose between clinging so hard that what you cling to is destroyed, or you have to be willing to let go and risk losing it altogether.

Choosing to let go, in and of itself, is a painful process. It involves separation. It involves the potential of falling. You can never be sure something else will be there to catch you or even fall into. You don't know if you're going to encounter more pain along the way.

When you make the choice to let something go, you are acknowledging to the Universe that you are giving up something that is no longer healthy or appropriate for you. You signal that you are ready to give space to something that is potentially greater. By letting go you are making room to include something new in your life.

I have had to make some tough personal choices lately involving relationships. Because they were with people I love very dearly, I did not want to let go and potentially not have those people in my life. Still, I had reached the point where I knew that if I was not willing to let go of those relationships willingly they might destruct anyway. I choose to face my fear and allow myself to let them go. This turned out to be a freeing move for all involved. It gave us the space to grow in ways I did not anticipate.

Sometimes it is only in letting go that we are able to free ourselves from all that holds us back. We can shift into new places and spaces as we leave the confines of our former lives behind. That is the power to letting go.

~CSE

Reducing Drama

Ever notice how certain people you run across leave nothing but drama? Everything in life is always wrong, other people are always out to get them, molehills are always mountains, etc., etc.!!! Hanging out with drama queens can feel like being on a never-ending hamster wheel. You keep working harder and harder to help them and get absolutely nowhere. There are steps you can take to minimize the energy they steal from you (and, yes, they are energy vampires)!!!

1. Cut ties with all those who are not integral parts of your life! If it is not a close friend or family member or someone you have to work with at your job, don't give them time. Yes, sometimes you want to help them but it can be a losing battle if they like the drama (and don't really want the help). Ask your heart if you have the ability to help them or if they are just trying to suck you in to feed off your energy. Your heart will tell you. Even when I cut someone loose, I send them off with love, asking the Universe for blessings to follow them.
2. Learn when to engage and when not to engage. Some of us can be codependent on the drama--we just don't know what life would be like without the drama and so we encourage it by "trying to help". The fact of the matter is, the only person who can decide to stop the drama is the person creating it. If you allow them to solve their own problems, they are more likely to understand they are truly the ones with the power and only they have the power to change their circumstances.
3. Even when it feels as though you are in the middle of someone else's storm, you have the ability to take care of yourself. When something feels too difficult, your body/intuition is trying to tell you to take a step back. Listen to it!!! Meditate, drink a glass of water, take a few deep breaths. Ask for the protection of your guardian angels or envision a protective light around yourself to keep you safe and your energy intact. 
4. Also know you can call on divine, energetic help for the person and the situation they are involved in. Ask for their guardian angels to step in or envision a healing, protective light around the person and the situation. Understand that even if it is not your problem to solve, it is in your power to call on divine help and guidance. Place that burden on Oneness, where it belongs.

It is possible to reduce the drama that comes into your life. You will feel much more grounded and able to meet your own challenges when you can consistently maintain your own higher vibration in the midst of the storm. The storm always passes. Use the storms to gain strength and become an even better you!!!

~CSE

Letting Go And Letting God

I've spent a great deal of time lately analyzing why I want to get back to certain aspects of my Christian roots. The truth is, I had some extremely powerful experiences that made me feel connected--made me feel as though I was part of something more than just me, and I like that feeling. It is something I do not want to lose. What stops me from turning myself over to this feeling is the thought that I may no longer be in control of "me" anymore.

My problem has always been that I think too much. I spend way too much time with my thought processes--too much time in my head. I allow myself to dwell in the space where my separate self lives, when what my heart longs for is to be connected once again.

My head cries out, "Don't do it! It's a trap!!!"

My heart says, "Come back to me and live from this place of Oneness."

My Christian roots allowed me to live from this place of the heart even though I believed God was better than me--a lowly sinner. I was connected. I felt guided by purpose. I felt protected. I felt loved. When I was connected to the One, I could draw on all the resources contained therein.

I also believed I was a poor sinner who needed saving.

As I look back on these feelings and beliefs, one thing becomes crystal clear. The powerful connection I felt was not one where I saw myself as nothing. I was One with all. Because I was connected, I could literally do anything. Be anything.

I don't have to analyze the thought processes in order to live from that place. I just have to allow myself to let my mind go and live from my heart--live from the place where God exists in Oneness.

Letting go and letting God is allowing yourself to fully let go of your separateness. By doing so, you once again come back into the presence of perfect power, perfect joy, perfect peace, perfect love. You know the mind of the One because you are the mind of the One, and that is more than enough.

~CSE

What Speaks To Your Heart?

I've spent a great deal of time over the past couple of years trying to figure out what my passions are and what I want to do with my life. You think that would be an easy task, but no it isn't. At least it hasn't come easy to me.

We live in a world of distractions. The time of day not spent in school or work is occupied by extracurricular activities, church, television, movies, etc. Even our phones pull us back into the world by making us respond to all the many people in our lives.

What if you were able to become quiet enough to hear the voice in your own heart? What if you could hear that voice clearly, with nothing around to distract you and divide your attention? How would that make your life different? Would that make your life better?

Music is something that speaks to my heart. The right music calms my soul and helps me connect to the Divine. It can be extremely easy for me to lose myself in the song and allow my mind to relax enough to let go of all its holds on the physical world.

Letting go of the physical world is key to hearing what your heart guidance tells you. When you are focused on the physical world (and all its distractions), your mind has a firm hold of you. You are exposed to what your five physical senses pick up (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell) coupled with the information you have learned from this lifetime. These things are all distractions that take your focus off your heart.

Finding a simple activity you enjoy enough to lose yourself in can help you bring yourself back into this heart consciousness. Buy yourself some cheap paints and begin painting, or even crayons and paper. Sing silly or meaningful songs. Take a walk in the woods or on the beach. Listen to the call of the birds. Dance. Laugh. Play. Allow yourself the time to do those things that give you joy.

By allowing yourself even a little time to just let go and BE, you will find yourself stepping out of the "must-do" mindset, making it much easier to step into flow. Flow is the place where your heart is guiding you.

What is it that speaks to your heart? Do that!!!

~CSE

Letting Go Of Your Past: Candle Exercise

This morning as I ask the Divine what I can offer today, I feel the weight of the burdens we all carry. Mistakes we've made, low self-esteem, problems we can't seem to resolve, etc. are slow energies that can keep us from acting upon and doing those things we have been called to do. This morning I want to offer up one technique to help you let go of those things from your past that have been holding you back.

I'm going to call this the Candle Exercise. Understand that if you don't have access to a candle and matches you can visualize the process. As always, intention is key!!!

During time you have dedicated to quiet meditation, find a candle and set it in front of you. Something small, like a tealight candle, or a very small candle in a holder--anything that doesn't take a super long time to burn--works well.

As you sit there, thank the candle for its willingness to help you get rid of the negative energies from your past. Begin to think about all those incidents from your past that make you feel bad--feelings you've felt, unkind words you've said, mistakes you've made (basically anything that continues to drag you down with regret, hurt, confusion, etc.), and project those feelings/energies into the candle.

Light the candle. As the candle burns, allow all those negative energies to dissipate into the field. Most importantly, feel those slow-moving energies burn off with the candle, spreading out into the atmosphere where they will cause no more harm.

This is an extremely easy process, but it can take a while depending on how quickly you are able to let those energies go. If you haven't spent much time meditating or consciously letting go of past hurts, this may take a while. Allow yourself the time to feel those burdens slipping away until you begin to feel much lighter and not so bogged down.

Learn to free yourself from the burdens of your past. As the negativity decreases, you will find the space to accept new energies of action and creation into your life!!!

~CSE