What Appears To Be The End Is Merely The Beginning...

I find myself in an usual place in life right now and have been doing my best to process it. My husband of ten years--the person who helped me finish raising my children and has been a partner in my own personal growth--was recently diagnosed as being in the early stages of dementia. He is 58. I am 51. This is not something a person anticipates or plans for, especially at these relatively young ages.

Lately, most of my days are struggles as I flounder wildly about just trying to keep my head above water. Fear and sadness close in on me when I focus too closely on what my life could become in the future. I worry about the potential expenses involved in taking care of someone in the latter stages of this condition--especially considering I still need to work fulltime. I worry about taking care of myself as I realize I have become dependent on him in so many ways. The only thing that saves me is focusing on the moment at hand, trying to make things as pleasant for myself and those around me as I am able. What actions can I take in the present that will bring me joy? Love? Peace?

My daily meditation time has become my refuge in the storm. Because of my high stress levels, I am much more focused and able to hear the whispers of my guardians/angels as they speak to me, reassuring me they are here to help. They encourage me to ask for what I want. They tell me to trust and that when I can do this I will be amazed at how quickly things begin to fall into place.

The irony of this situation is that I have been praying this past year for BIG changes to come into my life. I spent years hiding in the safety of my cocoon and have only recently made the conscious decision to stop playing small and use my gifts for the benefit of myself and others. Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate something like this.

I have no real clue what my path looks like. I can see a destination--helping others heal from their life traumas while restoring balance and reducing separation, but the road is not nicely laid out in front of me. I have enough experience in life to know that what my mind sees is not the best or easiest way to get there. Life works by listening to God/Source and taking things one step at a time. At present, that is all I have the strength to do.

My life is currently in destruction mode. Ironically, the whole world is in destruction mode. We fight against the chaos and confusion because it seems as though everything we know and rely on is going to be lost. It's true. It IS going to be lost. What most of us fail to recognize is that sometimes our worlds need to fall apart in order to create something infinitely better.

Life is not at an end. We are being prepared for a new creation. Hold tight to that vision of your ideal future. It is coming.

~CSE

   

When God Shows Up As An Atheist

I have struggled in recent weeks. Several people in my immediate family are having major health issues. I see a need to stay home more and take care of my family, yet I really do need the income that my job brings in. On top of that, my oldest son is getting married in a few short weeks. Although I (fortunately) am not doing the planning, with everything else going on even finding a dress to wear is a struggle. Stress has overwhelmed me to the point of tears on many occasions during the last few weeks. I have spent a great deal of time in prayer and meditation as I attempt to cope with the circumstances of my life. I have seen little glimpses of God here and there, but yesterday evening I ate dinner with him. He showed up in the form of a dear, old friend, who also happens to be atheist!

I've known this particular friend for perhaps fifteen or sixteen years, since the time her now high school senior son was in my two-year-old class at the daycare I worked at. She is not an outspoken atheist. In fact, I didn't even know she was one until last night. I knew she didn't have an interest in religion. She is a very hardworking HR-type professional who also happens to have a great sense of humor and is a lot of fun to hang out with. I had managed to reconnect with her through social media, but it wasn't until I ran into her at my retail job that I realized how much I had missed her. We talked about getting together over dinner and eventually made the plans that culminated in dinner last evening.

Yesterday was an especially difficult day. I spent a lot of time just trying to take care of me as I sort through all the messy details of my life and try to figure out a game plan. I have to admit, I almost called my friend and told her I had a headache (which I did) and asked to reschedule. I wasn't feeling particularly social and I did not want to come across as Debbie Downer. Somehow, I ended up going anyway, and I am glad I did.

During the course of the conversation I ended up telling her everything that was going on in my life. (So much for not being Debbie Downer!) The great part was, my friend asked a lot of questions and not just about the problems. She asked what I was doing for me and pointed out the simple truth that if I didn't work at filling myself back up I would have nothing left to give back out.

I talked about my goals of writing and doing workshops designed to help others cope with life and heal themselves. My friend pointed out that one of my gifts was the gift of presence. I have a tendency to show up and interact with others in powerful ways. People that know me personally like me and trust me. She suggested that in order to touch people in the ways I desire to I should look at connecting with them as a physical presence. I have to admit, that was one aspect of my life I had not looked at. It was a powerful insight. I spend a lot of time hiding in the shadows.

I have prayed so often for insight and direction as I struggle to take control of my life in new and positive ways. It's really quite brilliant to see an answer to prayer show up in the form of an atheist. I know my friend probably wouldn't see it this light, but last night she showed up as God in human form, helping me see myself from a new perspective.  

We are all Divine energy--unique expressions of God interacting with each other in profound ways. Although we don't always acknowledge this truth, it is times like these I am reminded of this simple fact.

~CSE

Exploring Communion With The Divine

Although this is technically a Christian song, it works on many levels. It speaks to connection to the Divine. It speaks to flow. There is no want here--no lack. Everything is present. Everything is perfect. Everything appears at the appropriate time it is needed.

The more we allow ourselves to play in this Divine energy where everything is perfect--even life's "imperfections", we allow ourselves to trust. We allow ourselves to heal. We bring wholeness to ourselves and our lives. We BEcome the change!

Music can be the portal through which we let our guards down and allow ourselves to become One with the Divine. Explore this space! I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

The light in me honors and delights in the light in you!

~CSE

Just Breathe!

There are so many days I am stressed beyond belief. It seems that one day runs into the next with more things to do than hours in the day to do them. Family and work responsibilities seem to accumulate in a never ending cycle. It is on those occasions when I have no time to myself that I understand taking time for myself is the most important thing I can do! Life becomes much more clear and easier to handle when you all yourself to just breathe and bathe in the spirit of Oneness.

It's a very simple process. Sit back, relax, close your eyes, breathe deep. Picture yourself in a favorite place--the mountains, the beach, sitting next to your favorite tree, etc. Make sure it is a happy place for you. Imagine the sun in your face, the wind whipping past you, the smell of salt water or pine trees. Allow thankfulness to open you up to this energy!

When you feel yourself calm and at peace, begin to count your blessings--whatever those may be. Family, good friends, food on the table, a comfortable home, a loving pet, a stable job, or any other thing you appreciate. Understand the Universe (assisted by your personal angels) is bringing you everything you need when you need it. Everything is right in your world, just as it is intended.

Allow this simple exercise to bring you back to that state of peace where you are able to function at peak performance in your daily life. Taking a few minutes for yourself every day to just breathe will make a world of difference in how your life progresses. You will feel connected, assured there is a plan and a place for you!

~CSE

Re-Experiencing Happy

I have been going through some very big changes in my life. Consequently, there has been some sadness with the loss of certain things. At times such as these, it becomes increasingly important to do what I can to keep my energy/frequency at a high level. Lately, I've been doing a very simple exercise which helps me find my happy place once again.

I sit back in a quiet place, focus on my breathing a few minutes (which helps me keep my spirit within my body and in the present), and begin to ask myself some questions. I begin with, "What memories do I carry inside myself where I was happy?" I then progress to questions like, "What was it about this experience specifically that made me happy?" I try to ascertain if it was due to the people I was with, the type of experience, whether I felt good about myself in that moment, and other sorts of information that might be pertinent to happiness.

Once I have identified a happy experience, I use my imagination to put myself back into that moment. I see what was around me. I hear the sounds. I remember smells and tastes and any other sensory memory my mind can identify. Then I allow myself the luxury of sitting in that moment of bliss. Time stands still as I bask in the feelings of that moment. Within a very short time, I have regained my sense of happiness. Depression leaves and I feel much more energetic and empowered.

We all have the ability to raise our frequencies in times of pain or sadness. All it takes is a little focus and a few good memories to make you understand that life can be good again. Re-experiencing happy can be a way of life if this is what you choose to create. The choice is always yours.

~CSE

The Space Between Thoughts Meditation

Today, I want to share a very simple technique to help you clear your mind and consciously connect to the space where God/Source can actually speak to you and provide you with the answers you need in your daily life.

1. Find a quiet place where you can sit in a comfortable position without interruption. Consciously ask for freedom from interruption and protection from any energy that may wish to interfere or harm.
2. Take several minutes to focus on your breathing, allowing yourself to inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Picture tensions leaving your body as you exhale. Imagine breathing in positive energies when you inhale.
3. Center yourself fully in your body in the Now by focusing on the beat/beat of your own heart. Feel the life force flow through yourself as your heart pumps blood/energy throughout your body. Stay in this space for several minutes.
4. Expand your energy/spirit beyond your own physical body as you stay centered in your physical body. Allow your spiritual body to become so large it has no physical limitations and is part of the infinite.
5. See the word BELIEVE on the picture screen of your mind. Notice the shape of each letter and how they all look together. Focus on this word for several minutes so it is clearly etched in your consciousness.
6. Without erasing the word BELIEVE, see the word RECEIVE on the picture screen in your mind. Focus solely on the word RECEIVE for several minutes until it is firmly locked in place there.
7. Now look at the two words together, focusing on the space in between the two words. Expand this space so it is big enough for you to enter inside of it. Allow yourself to stand in this space between the two words and rest within it. Feel how light the space is. This is a place you can go to in order to renew yourself. Take the time to get to know it and experience it in this moment of Now without judging it or yourself.

By consciously connecting to the space between words, it is possible to quickly and easily clear your mind of the noise of everyday living. The more you practice this simple technique, the more quickly you can enter a space where your mind is not taking over. You are able to access the guidance and wisdom of the One because you are in a space where you are thinking/feeling with your heart.

~CSE

The Language Of Frequency

What if I told you that everything has a sort of consciousness? We are not trained to think that way. We believe humans are at the top of the food chain because we have the ability to think and move and communicate. Animals come in second, largely because we can see they have many of these same abilities. Everything else that makes up this planet--plants, water, minerals, etc.--is seen as useful but not conscious. The consciousness I am referring to can be experienced and understood as frequency, and, yes, literally everything carries one!

For people who are sensitive to energy, frequency carries a language whose messages can be interpreted. Often these messages are difficult to pick up because we are so used to living in this state of separation we forget we are all part of Oneness. Still, the messages--awarenesses--are out there.

I have always been sensitive to plants. I have a shamrock plant on my kitchen windowsill that lets me know when it needs something--water, more sunlight, etc. I find myself drawn to certain trees, shrubs and plants when I am out in nature. There is a stand of trees in my yard that I put some of my kitchen waste (grease and table scraps) in so they don't clog up my sink. When I first began doing it, I would dump some of it out when it was still hot. After a while though, I was made aware that the heat was hurting the trees! I felt awful! Needless to say, I make sure everything is room temperature before I dump it out now.

It is frequency I hear when I get messages from people who are profoundly disabled. It is frequency I hear when I feel led to check the pockets of my coat and find money. There are literally thousands of voices that surround us every day, all calling out through the power of their personal vibrations.

Perhaps the easiest way to become more sensitive to them is to begin talking to individual things when you connect to Oneness in meditation. Explore a single blade of grass. How does it make you feel? What do you appreciate or dislike about it? The more questions you ask, the more you will begin to understand about whatever you are consciously connecting with.

Frequency does carry a language you can learn to communicate through. It's all part of becoming more aware and connected to your heart. You may just discover your life flows much more easily as you hear the messages from the world around you.

~CSE

Where The Magic Of Creation Begins!

I've been playing in my meditation time lately. I wanted to share because it is feeling very productive! The sweet spot I've been exploring is literally where all creation begins. It's a place full of magic that I don't want to leave when I'm there because of all the inspiration I have been receiving.

The technique I'm using is extremely simple. Once I am connected into my heart, I begin to ask questions specific to the personal talent I desire to develop. Lately, it has been my gift for writing. I have two ideas for books that I want to develop more fully. One idea is for a children's books series. The other is a more spiritually minded book for adults. One at a time, I ask the Universe how these stories should develop. Once I put the question out there, I just sit back and wait for an answer.

The answers that seem to evolve from this process are truly amazing! Never before have I had such details roll through my mind as I contemplate my writing. It's as thought the stories are writing themselves! It is such a wonderful and fascinating place to be I honestly don't want to leave (although I eventually have to get back to some of the more practical aspects of my life).

You could actually use this technique for more than inspiring you in using your talents. This is also a good place if you want to visualize healing a hurt relationship or improving your connection to something like money.

All creation begins in the spiritual realms before it manifests in the physical ones. By focusing your energy on the heart, you are better able to touch the spiritual and bring that forth into your physical life. Take the time to play in that space. You never know what life will spring forth from time spent in your heart!

~CSE

  

Meditation To Let Go Of Fear

I've had an interesting exchange with a guy on social media. I posted a picture that read, "There are well over a billion Muslims in the world. If Islam was really about violence you'd all be dead by now. Stop letting your TV tell you who to hate." Some guy I do not know came back with some supposed statistic 300,000,000 of them have been radicalized to want to kill him and that he'll hate who he wants to hate. It honestly makes me sad to know this man has been so brainwashed he believes the garbage he sees in the media and lives in such great fear that he allows it to make him hate.

As long as we live in fear, we cannot have the peace we so desperately desire and need. Fear brings on feelings of hate and anger. It brings out the belief that we need to go into fight mode in order to "defend" ourselves. Fear keeps us separate.

It is time to ferret fear out of our hearts, and allow ourselves to come together as One.

Letting Go Of Fear

1. Find a quiet room and sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and take several deep, cleansing breaths, allowing any tension and stress to flow out of you.
2. When calm and relaxed, focus in on the beating of your heart. Allow yourself to feel your soul residing with this beating heart. 
3. Now focus on feeling your soul inside the confines of your body. Concentrate on what it feels like for your spirit to be limited to the space of your body.
4. Allow your soul to expand while still remaining in your body. Feel your soul expanding to the space of the room you are in. Expand it even more to fill the town or county your physical body is in. Continue to expand your soul so it reaches ever expanding space--your state or country, your hemisphere in the world, the whole world, and then expanding out into infinity.
5. Allow yourself to feel and explore this expanded and infinite space. You may sense the presence of other people or animals. You might sense nature or buildings. This is the place where literally everything resides.
6. As you explore this space, notice you are not separate from anything. Allow yourself to explore fear in this place. It is here, but does it overwhelm you? Explore other emotions as well. Love. Anger. Joy. Etc. Is fear more important than anything else, or does it become more mellow and easier to deal with in the place of Oneness?
7. Rest in this understanding. Perspective is key. Fear does not need to have dominance over you. Allow it to dissipate and assume its rightful place within Oneness.

Fear was designed to help us gain valuable insights. In this world of duality, fear has been used to keep us all separate and overwhelmed to the point we cannot heal our planet or ourselves. Allow your heart be your guide as you choose to be a healing force in the world. Let go of your fear and allow yourself to be led by love.  

~CSE

Manifestation And The Divine Feminine

As I contemplate the year ahead--the year I am calling the Year Of Manifestation, something big and amazing jumps out at me. Manifestation is an act of creation. Although conception uses both masculine and feminine traits, creation is given over completely to the feminine side of things. That fact is extremely significant. Last year's energies were tumultuous because the world was transitioning from thousands of years of masculine control into a new era of feminine creation!

This does not mean women will be in charge or that we are going to a female dominated world. That is much too simplistic, and following up on such an idea would unbalance things in a direction we do not wish to go in. Understand we are all made up of both feminine and masculine traits. What I am talking about involves allowing yourself to use your Divine Feminine qualities of creation to help manifest a new world--a world in which we all desire to live!

Now is the time to do a full assessment of self. What are your gifts and talents? How would you like to see those gifts used in the world? If you are not sure, begin to look at all those things that make you happy and joyful. Do you feel happiest surrounded by and caring for family and friends? Maybe cleaning or cooking makes you feel more happy and clear. You might feel happy using your intelligence to solve problems at work. Maybe art or music makes you come alive. Maybe you are a healer and feel fulfilled helping others heal. Whatever your gifts are, don't judge them. Know they are needed in the big picture of creation!

This is also the time to nurture and grow your personal Divine Feminine qualities. Find time every day to connect to your heart through meditation. Ask questions about the direction you need to go in and listen long enough to hear the answers! Allow yourself to dream...to imagine...to envision!

The power of manifestation lies in your ability to connect to that Divine Feminine part of self--literally your heart! Allow yourself to use these muscles of creation to bring new life into the world. Who you BE in the world matters!!! Make sure your frequency is one that builds and raises the frequency of those around you. It is your Divine Feminine which will manifest a better world.

~CSE

The Power Of The Full Moon

As I sat in the early morning hours of Christmas yesterday, I had some amazing clarity. While it might seem as though it was due to the fact that the usual pre-Christmas frenzy was over, there is a lot more to it than that. Christmas 2015 happened to fall on a full moon. This hasn't happened since 1977 and won't happen again until 2034. Why is this significant? There is power that becomes available during a full moon that is not as strong at other times.

From ancient times, rituals and holidays were almost always performed at the full moon. The Passover of Judism is held on the full moon. In India, the Holy Festival or Guru Purnima is also on the full moon. Originally even Easter was celebrated on the full moon until the Council of Nicaea dictated otherwise. Wiccans hold rituals at the full moon. The full moon is also the time satanists hold their events. None of this is coincidence.

Back in the day when I worked with emotionally disturbed children I would notice more behavior problems on the days that coincided with the full moon. My husband, who was a cop at that time, got a lot more calls to have people committed to the mental hospital on those occasions as well. It was as if the moon was calling them to bring their problems to the surface so they could be dealt with.

As an intuitive, there is definitely much more clarity on the full moon. Putting a question out into the Universe at this time brings almost instantaneous results. It's as though the multitude of distracts and diversions that occur during other phases of the moon are pushed to the side as the full lunar light is able to shine through the muck.

Begin to pay attention to the appearance of the full moon. Focus on the energies that surround you as you take the time to meditate. Ask for extra spiritual protections at this time as people can become more susceptible to darkness. You do not want to absorb too much energy that is outside yourself.

There is power available in the full moon. Learn to harness its energy and allow it to assist you in coming to greater awareness as you follow your divine purpose and BE who you were meant to be in the world.

~CSE

  

Becoming Divine Love

This meditation is designed to not only help you connect to your heart, but also more specifically to help you tune in to the divine love that is present in all of us. When you understand how to tap in, it is much easier to remember and BE love.

Sit in a quiet place with you eyes closed and your body in a relaxed position. Allow your body to take several large cleansing breaths, totally filling up and dispelling the air in your lungs. Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. Upon inhaling, imagine yourself bringing in healing into your body. Exhale any tension, stress, anxiety, sadness or anger.

When you feel a sense of calm and relaxation, bring attention to your heart. Sense your heartbeat. Feel the presence of your spirit as this is the area of the body where your soul resides. Allow yourself the time to understand the beauty that is you! Feel the purpose. Recognize your talents. Acknowledge that a very powerful being of light resides here!

As you begin to appreciate the beautiful being that is you, shift your awareness to love. Focus on a friend or family member you are close to who has helped you experience great unconditional love. If no one comes immediately to mind, maybe you've shared a loving relationship with a pet or some other animal. It could even be some sort of inanimate object, like a tree you meditate by or a journal where you were able to say all the things, good or bad, that were in your heart. Everything has energy/frequency, and you can feel a love connection to energy. The bottom line is, it needs to be something that has been there for you in an unconditional way.

Explore that loving relationship. Note your happiness. This being was always there for you. He/she made you feel better about yourself and more alive. Continue on in these thoughts and feelings until you sense them not only throughout your entire body but emanating out from your body as well. Feel the love energy as you draw from that experience and allow it to expand and flow out into the world around you.

As you feel this love energy, begin to picture some of the people you might encounter in your world. Note that some of them may be downright hurtful and mean. Picture this love energy you feel reaching out to and enveloping those sorts of people. Understand these people are reacting from the hurt and pain they've experienced in their lives and need healing. BEing love for them is healing. Picture yourself radiating this love out to everyone and everything, and allow yourself to receive that same love back in return. Continue these thoughts until it feels like a natural extension of yourself. It may take just a few minutes or longer, but it can and will happen if you allow it.

As you go back to your daily life, understand BEing divine love can be a part of your everyday existence. Not only will you heal yourself, but you will also heal the planet!

~CSE

The Ability To See Beyond

In our world, the ability to see beyond what the five basic senses (sight, sound, taste, smell and touch) reveal is thought to be "extra". People who can foretell the future or sense the presence of spirits are considered gifted in ways most people don't understand. The reality is, we all have the ability to tap into information obtained beyond the five senses. We have either been taught that we can't or our gifts have been systematically destroyed by a society that fears these gifts.

Religion has done a fantastic job of keeping our gifts down. In more ancient times, people who demonstrated psychic ability were sought out and killed as "witches". There are many taboos in religious texts that lead people to believe such gifts come from darkness. Often we are taught that foretelling the future is "evil" so we intentionally turn it off and ignore it until it goes away. The bottom line is, if we can convince people psychic gifts are evil they will not seek to use such gifts in an effort to be "good".

Our families also play a role in suppressing our natural psychic gifts. For example, children are born empathic. That's why infants and small children cry when they hear another child crying. Once they acquire the ability to talk, psychic gifts are often dismissed. For example, a small child will sense some tension (and secret fighting) between his parents. When he addresses the issue with one of his parents, his parent will tell him mommy and daddy aren't fighting as a way to soothe the child. Because the parent is not being authentic, the child believes his insights/feelings were inaccurate and begins to ignore them. Over time, psychic ability is turned off.

The question becomes, how do we turn our psychic gifts back on? The answer is simple: acknowledge you have gifts and then take the time to explore what you have!

Meditation becomes key. When you take the time to quiet your mind, open your heart and listen, information begins to make itself known to you. As you continue on with your meditation practice, you get better at it. At some point, you will begin to connect to your heart so closely you will receive information when you are going about your daily life. At that point, you could be considered "psychic".

The ability to see beyond is not just for the special few. We are all gifted in profound and unique ways. Connect to your heart and begin to explore all those places where we can receive insights outside the usual five senses. You will be amazed at how gifted you truly are!

~CSE

Manifesting Peace

We believe we want peace. We look around at all the fighting, all the war, all the violence, yet one day does not become better than the next. The struggle is still a constant in our lives. Why is that? I believe the answer can be found within our own hearts!

Sit back. Close your eyes. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Picture yourself--your spirit or soul--contained within your physical heart. Feel yourself fully there in this moment of now. Take the time to explore all those things you find there. What do you find there? Do you feel peace or are you worried about something? Do you see/feel conflict in the world around you?

What you see/feel in your heart is important because what is in your heart manifests in your physical world. If you feel conflict with another person in your heart, it is present in your outer world. If you see the wars and violence in your heart, it becomes present in the world around you.

What can you do to change this? Use this heart meditation time to feel something different. Remember times in your life where you felt truly joyful and happy. Get very specific. Maybe your memory was of your birthday, where people were present to celebrate you! Notice the happiness around you. Ask yourself, "In this happy moment, was there conflict?" If you picked the best memory, the answer should be "no". Reflect on the feelings the memory brings up--especially the peace aspect. Allow yourself to sit with those feelings until you once again begin to feel them in the rest of your body.

The bottom line is, peace is either part of your frequency/energy or it is not. If you do not carry that vibration of peace with you everywhere you go, you will not see it in your outside world. Like attracts like. That's what the old saying "Birds of a feather flock together" means.

It is up to each one of us to BE peace in the world. If you profess peace but have conflict with a friend or family member or coworker, you are not BEing peace. You are not carrying that frequency. If you believe others have to change to bring about peace you are focused on something outside yourself which you have no real control over. The only thing this will accomplish is to keep you separate, and separation is not part of peace.

Peace is not merely the absence of conflict. It is also the understanding that, on some level, we are all truly interconnected and interdependent on each other. Until we are able to internalize this concept, we will continue to have conflict in our lives.

Peace, like everything else, is a choice. Manifesting peace is a matter of looking within and understanding we are all One.

~CSE

    

Creating Sacred Space

Sometimes, connecting to your heart is easier to do if you have a special place set up where you go to meditate and pray. As I look back at my life, I realize that I have often used special places and objects in order to remind myself of all those things that make me happy and keep me connected to the divine.

When I was a small child, this sacred space usually consisted of some shelf or tabletop in my bedroom where I would keep my treasures. At any given time, an observer would see pretty rocks I had collected, a feather I found  outside, and several knick knacks given to me by my mom or others. All these things would remind me of the happy times I spent outside in nature, that there is beauty in the world, and that I was loved and valued.

Ironically, as I've gotten older I still have many of the same things in my sacred spaces (yes, I have several now that I have my own home). Rocks (aka crystals), knick knacks, inspirational quotes, and candles are among my favorites now. Basically all still things that remind me of nature, beauty and the fact that I am loved.

You can even use outdoor settings for your sacred space. A beautiful grove of trees, a bench tucked into a small nook in your garden, or even a swing on your back porch can all be places you go to seek the quiet and solitude you need to find your own heart. Bring in a potted plant or ornamental stones to complete the calm and serene place you need to find Oneness.

The truth is, you can connect to your heart at any time and any place. However, using the same place allows you to find your center a little more quickly as your body begins to remember what happened the last time you were in that spot. Create your own sacred space to encourage the blessings of the heart to flow to you!

~CSE

What You Need To Know About Meditation

I always begin my radio show with a meditation designed to get people centered on their hearts. While it is my hope that this will enable people to connect to the Oneness that lives within, I don't necessarily believe it will be effective for all people. The ways I connect to Oneness may not be what you need, and that's okay. What you need to know about meditation and connecting within is that there is no right way or wrong way to do it. What is important is to find something that works for you.

There are meditations I have personally found more helpful to myself than others. Does this make the less helpful ones wrong or bad? No. They just don't seem to work as well for me. Chances are, they are a better fit for other people, and this is where their usefulness comes in.

Understand that if something makes you feel extremely negative, you need to question why. There is information there that you need to be aware of. That information may be telling to you run far away from whatever gave you the negative feelings in the first place. It may be telling you this is something you need to face and tell you how to do so. When you do not pay attention or just run away without asking for clarity, the problem will rear its ugly head sometime down the road.

The most important thing to be aware of is this: if someone tells you to meditate in a certain way and it does not feel right, don't do it!!! Your heart will instruct you on what is best for you. If you follow anything other than that, you can more easily be led astray.

There is a practice that will work for you. It is a matter of giving yourself time to connect and listen to the instruction that comes from within. Your heart knows. Trust its guidance.

~CSE

   

Hungry For News

There are a good many people who watch the news. In the family I grew up in, my father liked to watch the news every evening. As it usually came on a dinner time, I watched a good deal of news as a child. That didn't change when I became an adult. What has changed in recent years is what I pay attention to and how I interpret the items I see on mainstream news.

I understand the need for information. There is nothing wrong with asking questions and searching for understanding. In fact, that's what learning and growing is all about. Questions lead you to new awareness. The problem I've gotten myself into is that I have a tendency to look outside myself for answers first. That's what I know--what my programming has always been.

Ironically, the whole reason I became aware of the alternative news scene in the first place was because I was forced to look inside myself for answers!!! I was having problems that the mainstream had no solutions for. I could hear my heart in the background saying, "There's so much more to this story than meets the eye." When I finally took the time to listen to that still small voice and began to look for answers within, I was led to outside information that backed up the answers I received in my heart!!!

So many of us are hungry for news. We want some indication--any indication--that things are working out the way they should be. The problem with this is our focus is on the wrong place. We are so used to looking outside ourselves for answers we don't take the time to consult our hearts for understanding of what is happening! This is why nothing gets done and our world struggles to leave her problems behind.

When we turn our focus inward, we are open to understandings that are not readily apparent in the outside world. When we turn our focus inward, we are instructed through the wisdom of Oneness what our role is in the universe. Not only do we receive the news we need when we need it, but we are able to play an active role in fixing problems and helping our world evolve.

Our world will make a great deal more progress when we begin to understand the answers lie within.

~CSE

The Battle Is Spiritual

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

I believe nuggets of wisdom can be found in the Bible. This particular quote is one of them. It hints about other realms and dimensions in which you can find problems--problems that may not be picked up on in this physical third-dimensional reality but effect it all the same. (For more discussion on recognizing these problems, see Becoming Aware Of Entities.) I was reminded about these battles after watching the Christian movie "War Room". There are times when the battles are almost strictly spiritual. We only know that something more is going on because our lives feel "off".

So what are we to do when the battle is unseen? Here are some of the tools I use to ward off such negative energies.

1. Belief. It is important to understand the Universe is there to assist you in any way you need. When you have that inner knowledge that even seemingly bad things will work out in your favor, you can be thankful for the storm and circumstances will begin to change for the better!
2. Prayer. Asking for help from your higher power is always beneficial. Just as there are negative entities there are also positive ones. We all have beings that are assigned to assist us in this earthy life (sometimes referred to as angels/guardian angels). They are there to assist us anytime we need it, although in most circumstances they must be called on.
3. Intention. When you feel things in your life not going as you'd like, it is time to focus on the positive things you want to see happen. Believe the Universe and your higher power are there to assist you and see them doing so. Envision an invisible bubble of protection or a white light surrounding you. The apostle Paul in the Bible talks about putting on your spiritual armor. You can also set the intention that your actions will have extra power that will cut through the mess and make things better.
4. Meditation. When I am off my game, the first thing I often do will be to get grounded so I can think clearly. While your heart speaks to you through your emotions, emotions can overwhelm you if you let them. When you take the time to sit back and listen, the Universe will help you figure out what is going on and present you with ways to change your circumstances. (This is why I truly believe daily practice is a requirement. It helps you remember how to get back to a state of Oneness when you are in a state of stress.)

The battle is spiritual! Know you have the tools necessary to stay standing and thrive!!!

~CSE

Emergence Of The Divine Feminine

For thousands of years, our world has been dominated by a corrupted form of the masculine mindset. Typically, the masculine is what you would think of it as--rational, decisions based on the mind's information and experience set, strength (particularly physical), etc. The masculine is grounded and deeply connected to all things physical. The corruption comes in because these same qualities have been used to suppress and dominate its balance--the divine feminine. Instead of protecting the feminine, the strength of the masculine has been used to control. The logic of the mind (masculine) has been made to seem superior over the logic of the heart (feminine).  

The feminine has been corrupted as well. This can been seen clearly in the feminist movement that began in the 1960's. Instead of bringing forth the divine feminine characteristics of intuition and nurturing, feminism was portrayed as women taking on the roles of men. Instead of being the balance, it embraced more of the same. Women were encouraged to leave their "weaker" feminine side to use the same warring and corruption that was thought to be masculine. The corruption was by design because it is the feminine that is deeply connected to the spiritual aspect of life. When you cut someone off from their spiritual base, they feel isolated and separate and will not claim the innate power that is their birthright.

The world we know is on the edge of a precipice. The war, the poverty, and the disease exist because we have allowed unfettered control by the corrupted masculine mindset. Our world is seriously out of balance.

What will bring us back into balance? We can restructure our world through bringing back our own divine feminine natures! (And yes, whether you're male or female, part of your nature is based in the divine feminine.)

The divine feminine is what emerges when we begin to get back to our spiritual roots, and we do this by connecting to our hearts and the divine connection that is found within. This is the place in all of us that has been suppressed for thousands of years and what we must get back to if we are to solve the world's problems. Remember: the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!

A daily practice of getting quiet is all you need to get started. The following is a simple list to help you get started on your journey of connecting to your heart.

1. Set aside at least half and hour every day as "Quiet Time". The same time of day will help your body attune itself to the practice. Keep this time sacred!
2. Make sure the place you set aside is quiet and relatively distraction free. Again, the same place every day will help your body adjust and make it more ready to listen.
3. Do not judge the thoughts that come! This is important! Your mind will likely wander a good bit when you first get started. Do not be hard on yourself because of it. As with any practice, it takes a while for your body to adjust.
4. Remember that the breakthroughs come just as you arrive at the point of giving up!

The energy of the Divine Feminine can be found in each one of us as we continue to focus in on our own connection to divinity and spirit. The more we embrace this connection, the better we are able to express our own BEing in the world.

~CSE

     

Connecting To Nature

I spent a great deal of time outside when I was a kid, especially during warmer months of the year. There were two trees in the yard of the home I grew up in. The one in the front yard was a maple tree that turned a magnificent red in the fall. The tree in the back yard was a huge black ash tree. It's dark and rough channeled bark is still etched in my mind even though it has been years since I've seen such a tree. There were a few rose bushes my mom had planted in the side yard beside my driveway. Behind the garage there was a huge lilac bush, and on the shaded side was a patch of lily-of-the-valley that would appear every June. The rest of the summer that same flower patch was home to perennial spearmint. Many were the days I would lay in the grass and study the movement of the ants or the lazy way the fluffy clouds moved through the sky.

There has always been something about nature that called to me. Even though my current yard is extremely small, there are times I feel the need to go into it, sit in a lawn chair and put my bare feet on the grass. There is definitely something powerful in the physical connection we all have to Gaia (Mother Earth). Scientists have even discovered that physically connecting to the ground has an antioxidant effect on the body and can help the body heal itself.

On a spiritual/energetic level, allowing yourself to being open to the energies of Gaia and nature opens you to the love and abundance available in the Universe. Just as a mother gives everything she has to make sure her children have what they need, Mother Earth supplies all those things we need, including inspiration. Connecting the Gaia not only grounds a person but can also have a calming effect.

The process of connecting to nature is simple. I find that sitting in one location gives me the opportunity to explore the individual energies of what is around me in a little more depth, although walking in nature is also therapeutic. Allow your mind to wander to all those things that draw your attention. It might be the grass, a rock, a particular tree. Notice the color and shape. How does it make you feel? What does it make you think of or remind you of? There are no right or wrong answers here. Different people will see different things and connect in different ways. Don't judge the thoughts that come. If something comes to your attention, your awareness is kicking in. Allow the process to happen.

The more we take time to explore the gifts that Mother Nature bestows on us--the more we take the time to be thankful for those blessings--the better able we are to connect with all the blessings and gifts the Universe has in store for us. Make it a point to connect every day. You will feel much more energized, loved and grounded when you take the time to remember the natural world around you.

~CSE