by Ada Porat | Sep 29, 2022 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Fear and anxiety, Spirituality
Photo credit: Andrew Ridley, Unsplash
There are times in history marked by change and upheaval far beyond human comprehension. We are living through such a time right now.
Writer and teacher Andrew Harvey perhaps described it best when he said: “Anyone who is, even unwillingly, half-awake knows with increasing dread and anguish that the entire world now is plunged into an unprecedented many-layered crisis that threatens the whole human adventure.”
And yet, this is not a time to cower in fear and hopelessness; it is a call to kindle our courage and commit to meaningful service. We are called to spiritual activism as mystics in the marketplace and creators of good in the world.
Spiritual activism is quietly revolutionizing the way we engage with the world and offers hope during tumultuous times.
Spiritual activism calls for radical honesty, integrity and vision. There is no room for spiritual bypassing.
The first step requires us to stabilize our own base: we need to strengthen our home life or find a like-minded community, so we can feel supported as we participate externally.
We also need to be realistic: Perhaps we will work and fail, but we will have contributed with open hearts to the meaning and contribution of a better world, community or circle.
Then, we need to ask courageous questions: What is needed in the situation you face at this time? How can you make a meaningful contribution? Are you the one to meet the need you see right now? Honest self-knowledge, experience and courage is needed to find clarity and contribute in meaningful ways.
We also need to look at change differently: There is no need to fear this changing world. Spiritual activism recognizes that change simply offers us different gifts.
Next, we need to redefine success. When we give up the search for personal happiness, we find joy in service. When we let go of trying to achieve, we find meaning in relationships. We accept carrying grief and sadness for what’s been lost, yet these emotions do not stop us from doing the work. We discover joy in deep relationship regardless of what is happening around us. We find comfort and courage by sharing humor in the darkness, for humor that lifts us above the struggle, so we can re-enter the crazy world with renewed energy.
We take time out from the external clamor to renew our souls: whether through silence, time in nature, meditation, or prayer. History is resplendent with the stories of courageous souls who overcame the enormous challenges of their time. Transcendent experiences were real and attainable then, and they are still available now. We can go within to find wisdom, guidance and courage to transcend whatever obstacles we face now.
We renew our hope and vision by recontextualizing our expectations, processing our shadow emotions, and finding new ways to serve. We rise each day renewed to do the work of holding a bright vision for our world, even as we offer our honorable service to others.
We do not let fear stop us; instead, we let it lead us to the hope that lies beyond fear. We discover that fear cannot exist without hope – they are two sides of the same coin. And by choosing to place our focus on hope, we move past fear to rekindle a vision that will sustain us through change. This is how we grow into fearlessness.
Finally, spiritual activism fosters change by engaging in meaningful and inspiring work. We let hope spearhead our efforts and burn through obstacles.
Czech president and activist Václav Havel understood this principle when he said, “Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something is worth doing regardless of how it will turn out.”
We learn that hope is a state of mind within each of us, and not found in the external world. We come to realize that power lies within each of us. We grasp that the healing of our world lies in the human heart – in our individual power to reflect, choose and accept responsibility for our actions.
This world is perhaps not the one we thought we wanted, but it is the one we have. And so, we commit to make a meaningful contribution with our lives and our presence in it. This is the vision and mantra of spiritual activism.
Despite apparent differences among people, there is a shared reality common to all: we are all living in physical reality on this planet, and so we are all subject to the natural laws of this space.
Making a meaningful contribution in this reality requires us to see past our individual filters and conditioned biases. We look past the differences that fragment society and focus on the common threads that knit us together. By looking deeper, we tap into fresh and different options, from where we can contribute toward the emergence of better solutions than before. We choose differently to create different outcomes.
It takes a lot of curiosity and courage to see what is, instead of what we want to see. We tend to see the world not as it is, but through the conditioning of our conditioned beliefs. Meaningful service requires us to release our grip on our own beliefs and to be willing to investigate, release and change our beliefs in response to new insights.
Spiritual activism requires us to fine-tune our focus. So often, we’ve searched for happiness in all the wrong places. We thought it could be found in money or the perfect home, relationship, or possessions. And yet, these goals cannot offer lasting happiness because they keep our focus limited to ourselves.
When we move beyond ourselves, we discover that true joy lies in service beyond our limited ego selves. It is found by offering our gifts, presence and abilities to others; making a meaningful contribution to individuals or causes beyond ourselves. True happiness and fulfillment come from interaction and participation with others in meaningful ways.
Spiritual activism asks how we can serve at this time, regardless of differences and obstacles in our way. It starts right where we are. Won’t you join us in the quietly powerful revolution?
Identify something useful you can do in your life, family or community, and then do that. Commit to working toward a positive goal because it is inherently good and meaningful, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.
Participating in spiritual activism shifts us beyond the short-sighted materialist perspective to create something better and more meaningful for both ourselves and others, and leads to a better world.
About The Author:
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit https://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
by Ada Porat | Jun 21, 2022 | Conscious living, Empowering changes, Fear and anxiety, Resilience, Spirituality
Photo credit: Rajesh Rajput, Unsplash
“Out of collision of opposites the unconscious psyche always creates a third thing of an irrational nature, which the conscious mind neither expects nor understands.” Carl Jung
How do we create unity and integrity in our world so those who are awakened can work together for the highest good of all? I believe it requires evolving spiritual consciousness. The world created by lower levels of consciousness is no longer viable: it pushes short-term agendas that benefit only an elite few, whereas higher consciousness fosters a long-term vision that includes and benefits all.
To foster more spiritual consciousness on the planet, we need to awaken the spiritual hero within each of us.
The archetypal hero within is common to all human cultures. It is a global story that reminds us of true purpose and potential. It calls us to tap into our innate power and to overcome daunting obstacles in our heroic visionary quest for optimal outcomes. When we embrace our spiritual hero archetype, we also tap into the infinite creativity and limitless possibilities of Source. The continuously evolving nature of Source helps raise our levels of consciousness so we can overcome challenges, becoming the spiritual hero in our own life.
Developing spiritual consciousness awakens us to the archetypal spiritual hero within. This aspect of our being is not restricted by fear or by the conditioned limitations of the ego self. It connects us to our Source, so we can access higher level solutions to transcend inner and outer limitations. Our radiant higher nature can light our path and bless all other forms of life.
Alignment with the Source of life awakens the fearless hero within so we can stand tall and face challenges with the courage born from deep inner knowing. It teaches us harmonious ways to align with others and uplift our interactions. This inner union with Source brings joy, not fear. It heals and includes, whereas ego-based actions attack and oppress.
The need to wage war and oppress comes from ego, not from Spirit. It creates a broken and suffering world where conditioned minds only know how to look at events through the lens of defense and domination.
Our souls are not at war, nor do we need to be.
Our souls are intimately connected to the Source of all life, goodness, abundance and harmony. There is no need for us to embrace conflict or limitation. We are called to be spiritual heroes, not suffering slaves!
From the perspective of spiritual consciousness there is no enemy to fear, attack or control. There are only blind minds and mass-programmed egos running amok. These are the issues that need to be changed, and they will change by awakening and finding solutions from higher levels of consciousness.
All of us are called to awaken to the hero within, yet few choose to respond. It takes courage to change ingrained beliefs that we are weak and limited.
You and I were created for these times! Our personal heroic journey to freedom beckons. Where do we start?
The hero’s journey starts with alignment to our Source, so true power can flow into us from there. In the presence of this alignment, fear and falsehood dissolves. The more we embrace Higher truth and love within, the more our lower nature is purified and integrated in service to Source. Ultimately, we can become shining beacons of hope, radiating inspiration and positivity for others to evolve.
We also develop higher spiritual consciousness by cultivating unconditional love for Spirit and for ourselves. Then we are able to extend that unconditional love to others, including the ones still acting out their shadow. It is the presence of unconditional love that awakens the human heart, not judgment or hatred.
We further awaken to our true nature as spiritual beings having this earth experience. We come to understand that our true nature is spirit, not ego. The ego is a human construct created by blind minds, feeling separated from Truth. The old paradigm of separation drops away as we come to understand that we are each a unique expression of the one Source. We are all one. Each of us are part of everything, the whole universe.
This recognition of Oneness reframes our relationships with all other expressions of life around us. There is no one individual better than any other; we are simply different expressions of the one Source.
Since we all come from Source, each of us has access to that power and inspiration. We do not need to find the hero in another to fuel our purpose. We need to discover it within ourselves first, no matter how long it takes.
When we let go of the limiting conditioning and fully embrace our oneness with the Creator, it fills us with humility, awe, joy, inspiration and passion. We can drink from that fountain of wisdom and let it renew our commitment to do our part in the unfoldment of humanity’s potential. We embark on the spiritual hero’s journey!
All change begins within. Whatever we wish to change, needs to first be changed within us. So do you want to see a more loving world? Become more loving. Do you want to experience more abundance? Become more generous. This is how we change the world – leading by example!
This work of awakening to spiritual consciousness and embarking on the spiritual hero’s journey, is our ultimate purpose in life. The drama and drive on the surface of life are simply distractions to this true work.
Refuel your passion every day, so you will have resilience to navigate the twists and turns of life. You are a spark of the Creator and your passion is fed by consciously participating in creativity: whether you create a tasty meal, create a beautiful garden, create technical solutions or create community with other individuals. When you create, you tap into your oneness with the Creator and refuel your passion for your purpose.
On the spiritual journey, it does not matter whether you are in the front, the middle or the back of the pack – you are part of one human tribe traveling home to our Source. The hero’s journey is not a race: simply doing your bit daily will carry you to the finish line.
When you feel wobbly, remember that you are the one you have been waiting for! Awaken the spiritual hero within and join the wave of spiritual consciousness that is growing now. Together, we are embodying the vision for a better world.
About the author
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit http://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
by Ada Porat | May 23, 2022 | Conscious living, Gratitude, Life Balance, Mindfulness, Personal growth
Photo Credit: Mike Erskine, Unsplash
Sometimes when I garden, I think of all the life lessons gardening has taught me and my heart overflows with joy. Perhaps I should write one of those books titled: “Everything I need to know about life, I learned in my garden!”
Jokes aside, gardening for me is a sacred conversation with all of life. It intimately connects me with the earth, nature, creatures of all shapes and sizes, and life beyond. It brings me back to my happy space as a co-creator and nurturer.
The act of gardening brings us fully present to ourselves, each moment, and the Presence of the Creator permeating everything around us. The rich diversity of the microcosm we call gardening, is simply a sliver of the abundant cosmos we get to live in and explore. And as we seek to establish balance and participation in a garden, we set in motion a core of harmony that ripples out to bless all sentient life with beauty, sustenance, and vitality.
Gardening gathers us home to Mother Nature and all the lessons she has to share with us. As we tend the diverse aspects of a garden, we also commune with Mother Nature, and in turn she blesses us with nutritious bounty and beauty.
As in all of life, gardens enjoy seasons of growth like spring and loss like fall; there are times of giving as the blooms of summer, and seasons of rest as the seed beneath the snow. All the seasons are ours to experience.
How we experience each changing season, is up to each of us: we alone choose our responses to life, our ability to begin again and grow even after we’ve been pruned back hard.
Gardens are not just happenings. They’re expressions of the gardener’s presence. The more wonderful the garden, the more skilled the gardener. Together, the symbiotic relationship of garden and gardener offers us clear reminders of the principles we need to tend through the seasons of life.
As seasons revolve, periods of death and loss are followed by the rebirth of new life and vitality. Each plant grows, blooms and bears fruit, and then declines as a reminder of the sacred cycle of life and death. When the season of bounty is done, spent plants are recycled by composting them, and room is created for new shoots to emerge from the bountiful earth.
Like all of creation, gardening starts with a vision. It also requires effort and persistence to translate the vision into reality. Choices need to be made: our inner garden grows best when we plant seeds of faith, hope, love, compassion, forgiveness and trust. And then, we need to faithfully tend those seeds as they grow into their full potential.
To effectively cultivate our inner garden, we must care deeply for this life that’s ours and nurture it. We need to identify and remove weeds from our lives so they will not choke out the beauty of the life we’re cultivating. Likewise, we need to differentiate between what’s good and what’s unnecessary, so we can prune back behaviors and actions that interfere with our inner growth and harmony. Pruning, though painful, creates space for what we wish to bring forth.
Gardens are protected by healthy boundaries. When boundaries are defined, the tender plants are protected from predators while beneficial insects are invited to perform their service of pollination.
Gardening is inherently responsive and proactive. It teaches us the importance of spotting pesky invaders or the start of disease right away. Ignoring a few warning signs today can quickly escalate to a disastrous outcome or total crop loss. We need to remain vigilant, eliminate negative thoughts and maintain good emotional hygiene for a balanced life.
And when harm has been done, gardening also teaches us to forgive trespassers – both the intruders who hurt and damage what’s been painstakingly cultivated, and forgiving ourselves when we make mistakes or fail to live up to our own ideals.
Finally, gardening teaches us about the value of community. Plants are drawn to companions that comprise a supportive community. Tomatoes grow well alongside basil or peppers, but don’t thrive next to cabbage or broccoli. This does not make either plant type bad; it merely indicates a harmonic symbiosis which, when honored, results in more optimal outcomes. Likewise, we need the enrichment and support of a harmonious community to reach our full potential.
There’s no garden as prolific as the one that love grew, whether in nature or in our hearts. Love is at the core of all abundance, goodness and bounty. Author Daphne Rose Kingma expressed it this way:
“For it is in loving, as well as in being loved, that we become most truly ourselves. No matter what we do, say, accomplish, or become, it is our capacity to love that ultimately defines us. In the end, nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another.”
Even though the world is full of suffering, it’s also full of empowerment and opportunity. When we stop to reflect on the inner garden we’re tending – our inner being – we see this.
And so, we tend the verdant garden of our hearts so we can transition from fear to faith; from lack to abundance, and from defensiveness to blessing. It takes courage to step away from a busy schedule and to sit, tending our heart and soul. Yet all masters knew how important that is: even Gandhi took one day a week to sit in silence, tending the garden of his heart so he could be the change he sought in the world.
It is in quietude and contemplation that we recognize the stillness of the Creator Presence and our connection to all. That awareness can foster in us compassion for the woundedness of the world, so we commit to the awakening and care of our world.
Centuries ago, the Buddha taught: “To live in joy and love even among those who hate; to live in joy and health, even among the afflicted; to live in joy and peace, even among the troubled; quiet your mind and tend the heart, and free yourself from fears and confusion and attachment, and know the sweet joy of living in the Way.”
What is your bountiful gift to the world that only you can bring? Listen closely, push beyond discomfort to cultivate your seeds of potential, and grow them with love and joy!
About The Author:
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit http://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
by Ada Porat | Apr 21, 2022 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Empowering changes, Life transitions, Personal growth
Photo Credit: Aamir Suhail, Unsplash
None of us are exempt from the upheaval sweeping around the globe. This time of great shifting and change has been foretold eons ago, and it is called the Great Awakening. It is a period of both chaotic change and great opportunity.
In communities everywhere, growing awareness of injustice acts as a catalyst for people to release pent-up frustration around issues of inequality, greed, suppression, abuse and more. As this energy gathers momentum, it evokes many mixed emotions in others as well: fear, disgust and recoiling, to name a few.
What are we to do with these mixed feelings?
I believe these emotions can be very useful, because it can arouse in us the will to take action.
Evolution and awakening are not armchair hobbies! This is not a time to hide until the storm passes; it is time awakened souls to clear their own energy and hold a clear intention for the unfolding of optimal solutions.
If we truly want a better world, we need to actively tap into the power of intention for the collective outcomes we desire to see. Is that not infinitely more productive than passivity while angry mobs create a post-apocalyptic reality based on their woundedness and pain?
I believe we can do better. We must!
Recent events are exposing many fundamental problems that have festered in societies around the world for a very long time. While you and I may not express our disgust violently, we share a part of the problem, too. Have we not benefited from the very inequality that caused suffering for others? That makes us responsible for finding a solution as well.
It is time for all of us to see the bigger picture. We are called to step into our sovereignty as co-creators of reality in the world around us now, as well as the reality we wish to see moving forward. It is either this, or passively accepting the post-apocalyptic nightmare created by blind egos fueled by greed.
Humanity cannot continue functioning with the enormous disparities that currently prevail. I recently watched an Amazon documentary titled “Human Flow” that touched my heart. It showed how millions of people around the globe, displaced by war, famine and inequalities, are barely surviving in refugee camps without amenities, forgotten by the world. If we wish to survive as a species, we cannot stand idly by or build our own fortunes while others suffer, stripped of everything they had.
Ask yourself this: Are you a part of the problem or part of the solution?
You are inherently part of either the problem or the solution by your inner attitude. And you can help to heal this collective wound without ever marching for change – it starts within your heart.
It is time for all of us to harness our disgust and discomfort into compassionate action; doing our part to recycle the dense energy in the collective by sending it to the Light, and holding onto a clear vision for the emergence of a better world.
As awakened beings, you and I have a pivotal part to play in this unfolding drama. We need to BE the light called for in this world, radiating compassionate Light to others, and holding the energetic intention for unfoldment of a better way forward for all of humanity.
Like a wildfire, the waves of anger and violence will burn themselves out when we do not feed them. We are not to fight fire with fire; we are called to BE the peace we wish to see in the world. As spiritual firefighters, our tools consist of compassionate awareness, clear focus and wise action.
You and I can put out the fires of discontent by sending compassion to areas of conflict, allowing our compassion to quell the fires of the heart raging worldwide. Once these fires of injustice have been acknowledged, the flames will subside and reason will return. Only then can rebuilding begin.
Instead of judging others for the actions they take at their individual level of consciousness, let’s harness our collective emotional response and focus it on more optimal outcomes instead.
There are many different ways in which you can become part of the solution in a suffering world. The point is that when you are an awakened being, you are called on to respond.
The Course in Miracles says that there are only two calls in life: the call for love and the call to love. Which will you choose?
We can do this work in private, with others or in groups online who are holding a collective response for peace. Until we acknowledge the pain of the world and meet it with compassion, there can be no meaningful healing or rebuilding.
If you choose to join other souls in worldwide meditation, then do that. If you choose to do radical forgiveness the way Dr. Hew Len taught, then go right ahead. If you choose to participate on a local level to reach across boundaries of race and class for forgiveness, do that by all means.
We are called to lead by example – reaching across the chasm and building bridges to a new way of being. We are called to stand strong, to keep the faith and hold a clear vision of a compassionate society that leaves nobody out of its embrace.
Hold in mind your vision for a better world; then ask yourself what you can do to help bring that about.
Know that whatever attempts to suppress, diminish and deny human expression and growth, is ultimately destined to fail. Meaningful change will take time, but it is possible. It starts with you and me holding a vision of compassion in which all beings can evolve – for all sentient beings are worthy of the compassion, love and support needed to evolve.
At a soul level, we volunteered to be on the planet for this time. As the Hopi elders reminded us in preparation for this time, we are the ones that we’ve been waiting for. This is the moment to dig deep, to find the love of Who we are, and let our Light shine to point the way thru this darkness.
The light and solutions we seek in the world will only come in response to what all of us do, so please do not turn away or hide in a corner. Step up; participate with other souls who are working individually and collectively to radiate the light of Divine potential in this world.
Allow yourself to be what you were truly born to be in this life – a co-creative being of Light!
About the author:
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit https://www.adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
by Ada Porat | Mar 27, 2022 | Conscious living, Empowering changes, Mindfulness, Peace, Personal growth, Spirituality
Photo credit: Alex Pavlou, Unsplash
“Anyone can build a house of wood and bricks, but the Buddha taught that that is not our real home. Our real home is inner peace.” – Ajahn Chah
How can we possibly experience inner peace at a time when humanity and our planet appear to be tumbling deeper into chaos? Can inner peace even co-exist with chaos?
I believe the answer is Yes!
In fact, spiritual practices such as mindfulness and the ancient wisdom teachings show us how to cultivate inner peace in any situation.
The only time we have is the present now; tomorrow is not guaranteed. This present moment, therefore, is the perfect and only time where we can find inner peace. This inner peace, which is also known as equanimity in Buddhism, cannot be found in the outside world. And yet, the potential for inner peace exists in the mind and heart of every individual, so each one of us can learn how to create the inner conditions for experiencing lasting peace within.
One of the perennial wisdom teachings encourages us to view peace as the result of letting go: letting go of clingy attachment as well as letting go of its opposite, which is aversive resistance.
The process of letting go is simple, but not necessarily easy to practice. It requires self-discipline. And so, we tend to shop around for easier ways toward peace, running the risk of getting confused by external voices promising instant bliss and freedom from the human condition.
You see, random information without context leads to overwhelm and confusion. Instead, we need to discern what is truly useful for us at any given time. We also need to distinguish between the loud presence of random information and the gentle presence of inner equanimity, because that is how we liberate the mind. In the presence of equanimity, the mind is not hijacked by attachment or aversion.
Equanimity further grows when we recognize that all things are inherently neutral; it is simply our thinking that bestows meaning on things so we can then either attach to them or resist them. It is not the facts, but the stories about the facts, that hijack our minds into value judgments and rigid positions.
In Buddhist tradition, equanimity is seen as a central quality present in beings who have developed deep inner wisdom and alignment with truth, free from hostility and ego will.
Equanimity relates to inner poise and balance because it rests in a place of non-attachment; centered between attraction and repulsion. It poises in a calm place of neither clinging to nor pushing away from things. Finding that neutral resting place within offers us a higher perspective over issues rather than getting stuck in the egoic interpretation of what’s happening. The more we develop equanimity, then, the more inner peace and spaciousness we experience in life.
Each one of us can develop more equanimity by practicing mindfulness in our lives on a daily basis and using an inner inquiry process to help us unpack emotions as they arise. Here are five steps to help with the process:
1. Set a clear intention to stay mindful
Setting a clear intention reminds us to step out of the ego identification of attachment and aversion; story-making and drama. It is the first step in cultivating true inner awareness.
2. Recognize the triggers
When a trigger arises, we may try to avoid feeling our emotions around it. Instead, we may distract ourselves with shopping or work, or we may attempt to numb our emotions with food or other substances. If we truly want to discharge the impact of the trigger, we absolutely need to become aware and look at it. Sometimes, the simple act of clearly seeing allows our reaction to the trigger to dissolve so we can replace it with equanimity.
3. Become curious
When we feel lost in reactions of anger and frustration to triggers, it is helpful to recognize that there is a desire hidden there, way beneath the frustration or anger. There may be attachment to a wishful outcome, or a craving for safety and security. It can be helpful to ask questions about where the attachment or aversion came from, what it is attempting to accomplish and what needs to be done with it to help us dissolve inner dissonance. We can also investigate the ways in which we distract ourselves to avoid feeling pain or avoid accepting reality.
4. Let go of attachment and aversion
By bringing compassionate awareness to these inner emotions and processes, we can separate out truth from our colored interpretation. Next, we need to ask ourselves if we are willing to let go:
- Am I willing to let go of control?
- Am I willing to let go of my attachment or aversion to what showed up in the past or in my present?
- Am I willing to let go of the way I think things should be?
- Am I willing to let go of resisting what is?
- Can I simply let go and allow things to be as they are
5. Embrace peace
Letting go of attachments and aversions offers us the opportunity to return to our innate state of peace. As we let go of these things, we create space for equanimity.
Equanimity is the final result of this deep inquiry process that helps us dissolve inner dissonance, become aware of areas where we are distracting ourselves, and come back into proper alignment with truth and peace within, free from attachment and aversion.
After practicing this inner inquiry, simply bask in the stillness of awareness, allowing the radiant heart and mind spaces to open. Allow life to unfold in its fullness, expanding and contract with each heartbeat of life so you can know the peace of observing all without attachment, and in so doing, find inner peace.
About The Author:
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit https://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
