by Ada Porat | May 14, 2024 | Conscious living, Empowering changes, Joy, Life transitions, Spirituality
Photo Credit: Maria Cappelli, Unsplash
At any time, you are free to leave this experience called suffering. You already have a Get Out Of Jail pass.
The key that unlocks the door to freedom is found by learning how to surrender to Source. And true surrender means you let go: you release all your limiting beliefs, judgments and ideas about who you think you are. And then, you release your attachment to those limitations so you can move beyond them.
Surrender is often misinterpreted as weakness, capitulation or quitting – but it comes from inner strength, knowing you are more than the limitations you face. You can move through any stuck, painful or limiting feeling by dropping into a state of pure surrender.
At any given moment in time, you are either choosing the path of ego or the path of surrender. When you choose surrender, you open the doorway to a deep connective experience within your being. You are finding alignment to Source. This is the way of flow, a profound state of being that is always available, yet requires the release of resistance and attachment.
When you surrender, you’re set free to enter a profound state of inner peace where you can fully experience the essence of Divinity at your core. You’re able to align with and act from this Source of wisdom within.
Yes! Surrender allows you to relax about everything. It allows you to remember that everything you seek, is somehow already, always deep within you. Truth is within, peace is within, and so are the solutions you seek.
Maintaining this state of true alignment takes vigilance. Whenever you notice the mind latching on to some thought, just let it go. Thinking is simply what the mind does, and it has no power over your inner peace unless you allow yourself to engage with it. Instead, visualize your consciousness as the expansive sky, and let the temporary clouds of thought and worry simply move through your field, dissipating as they go. You are not your thoughts; you are that which is aware of them. As you learn to make this important distinction, it becomes easier to flow with the Source of all possibilities instead of getting stuck in ego thoughts.
Surrendering attachment to the relentless mental chatter offers incredible inner freedom. Imagine not having to worry endlessly about what might happen, what could unfold, or how things could go wrong. Think how free you would be if you did not feel the need to control everything in your life! Imagine even letting go of the endless craving thoughts of “If only…” or “If I could just…” These mindless thought loops serve no purpose other than serving the ego.
Instead of feeding the ego’s need for self-importance, you can choose to simply surrender everything to Source. Let the Creator energy handle the details for you. Accept that this very moment of life, no matter how good or how bad, is exactly as it is meant to be.
When you drop your attachments, resistance and beliefs about how things “should” be, and simply accept what is, you find inner peace. Instead of spending your energy in futile mental chatter to fight what shows up in your life, you can ask more helpful questions: “How could this be helpful to my journey as a soul,” or “What do I need to learn from this?”
That will turbocharge your journey of personal growth! And it is a simple process everyone can master.
Have you been conditioned to think it takes years of struggle, emotional pain and personal suffering to break free? That, too, is a limiting belief. It will be as difficult and take as long as you believe it to! What if your life is meant to be much easier and simpler than you’ve made it out to be? You can change any negative or limiting attitude around completely in a few minutes by deeply surrendering.
As the Sedona Method teaches: Embrace that which you resist, and surrender that to which you cling. It really is that simple, and yet it requires a heart-based desire for freedom, not simply wishful thinking. Surrender to Source that to which you cling: all limitation, victim consciousness, resentment, judgment, ego justification, and doubt; then simply ask for Higher truth to be revealed so you can align with that.
When your heart’s desire is to be aligned with Source, you will be guided from within by the highest intelligence, love and power. The more you become aware of and align to this benevolent Source, the more it will reveal to you the divine Presence inherent in all of life and guide you to greater inner freedom. What joy! What peace! Regardless of outer circumstances!
Every time you surrender to Source a little more, you create space for more Presence in your life. That Presence is joyful, peaceful, abundant and harmonious. You can breathe it in and relax. As twelve-step groups put it: “Let go and let God.” You can relax into the assurance that whatever it is you are seeking, is already, always within you. The Presence of Source is always here, and letting go of old conditioning allows you to experience that loving Presence more fully.
Fighting and warring are limiting concepts of duality consciousness. You never have to fight your way through life. The opportunity is always here for you to surrender to Source and flow with unfolding potentialities around you. You can give up the inner battle of resistance and surrender your problems or hardened positions to Source. Remember, these situations are really opportunities in disguise, inviting you to let your ego dissolve into the Presence of Source.
There’s no rule that says you must continue suffering, holding onto the same old issues another day. Right now, there’s a new awareness arising inside you. It is the awareness of a higher Presence, and it becomes even more powerful when you surrender to its loving embrace!
You can explore a different kind of life beyond the endless conditions of “have to,” “need to,” and “should” that you’ve been drowning in. Truth is, you are an infinite ocean of consciousness, an immortal soul who knows no boundary or limitation. Surrender to that higher understanding so you can enjoy the journey home to Oneness.
How will you know when you’re truly free from the tyranny of your ego-controlled mind? Everything you take on will feel as light as a feather. Every challenging situation or person will offer you an exciting opportunity to become a more loving, compassionate and enlightened being. You will no longer nurse your grudges or seek ego justification from outside sources. Each time you are challenged, you’ll further open the doorway of your heart to love, inner peace, abundance and freedom.
The moment you surrender to the benevolent Source of all life, you’ll experience a lighter state of consciousness. The invitation is open right now, in this and each present moment. You can be liberated from the painful dramas of the mind to experience joy and healing. You can choose freedom!
Your life is a sacred gift, offering you the opportunity to awaken, grow and transform into an ever-truer reflection of Source. The potential already exists within you: choose freedom through surrender and you will find the answers to all life’s gnarly problems. The power is within you, so you can choose inner freedom now!
©Copyright Ada Porat. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached. For more information, visit https://AdaPorat.com
by Ada Porat | Mar 20, 2024 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Empowering changes, Life transitions, Personal growth, Spirituality
Photo credit: Max LaRochelle, Unsplash
These are tumultuous times, and the winds of change sweeping across the planet continue to bring more volatility. Everything—yes, every area of life— is being ramped up so at times it can be difficult to manage it all: the energies, the events, the people. And yet, there is also a fecundity to it, offering multiple opportunities and support for creativity and personal transformation. It all depends on where we focus our attention as individuals.
The outer turbulence has also dredged up and exposed our collective shadow for all the world to see: all the deeply held fears, prejudices, judgments, resentments, and limiting beliefs that have led to corruption and abuse, sabotage and subjugation of humanity for millennia. These shadow aspects, when faced and healed, bring renewal. When denied and resisted, they perpetuate suffering. We can and must choose our response as part of a massive, multi-decade transformation of humanity.
Both as individuals and as a collective, it is time to ask ourselves, “How’s that working out for you? Are you living up to your highest potential?” We have big choices to make about who we are and want to be.
For those who do not yet understand the bigger picture, the tumult can result in existential terror as they fear the loss of old forms of security. When the shadow is exposed, former heroes are seen as having clay feet. We’re learning that our leaders and heroes can’t or won’t fix things, so bringing about meaningful change is up to each one of us.
This does not need to be a time of despair. Despite the external challenges we face, there are plenty of actions you can take to stay focused, balanced and at peace on your path.
Unplug and Let Go
Immersing oneself in media coverage as all the drama and distraction play out, is not helpful – it simply perpetuates the emotional roller coaster. Instead, we can exercise our autonomy by detaching and letting go of the collective brainwashing.
It is helpful to remember that all media outlets have their own agenda and bias. They know that sensationalism, catastrophizing and fearmongering pull in viewers and boost ratings. Their use of subliminal seduction creates media addicts who become hooked on the adrenaline rush. Anything that creates fear, pessimism, or despair is best turned off!
Replace these dense energies with better support so you can keep your mind at peace and stay centered in your heart. Creativity, connection with others, dancing, singing, laughing and finding joy in simple things serve us much better. Continually choose love and inner harmony over fear; lean into compassion and kindness rather than judgment.
Cultivate Self-Awareness and Inner Peace
When the outer world is in chaos, the most important place to go is within. Find the calm center in the storm and return there often. Invest less emotional energy in external events outside your control and pay more attention to things you can help change for the better. Where can you offer forgiveness or support to others? Take actions that have an impact. Helping others feeds the soul and lifts our vibration.
We heal our world one person at a time, starting with ourselves. It requires emotional detachment and self-awareness to release our expectations and the illusion of control. As we do this work, we are letting go of what no longer serves so we can consciously work with the Universe and each other. Now is the time to release our inner resistance so we can embrace the gifts that change offers us.
Master Discernment
Discernment is an essential skill that each of us needs to master so we can align with truth and understand the deeper meaning of life.
When we lack discernment, we are vulnerable to false promises from fake messiahs. We may get lured into false promises of security, fanaticism or forms of self-destructive behavior.
Cultivating discernment enables us to recognize truth and to access optimal guidance. During this transitional time, artificial intelligence and sophisticated deep fakes make it more difficult to discern what is real. Likewise, dense emotions of fear, anger and anxiety can function as a type of psychic interference that makes it more difficult to access our inner truth.
It is also important to discern the true nature of people we interact with by paying attention to their actions, rather than their rhetoric. Give it the heart check: Is the person spreading kindness and unity or polarizing others by spreading anger and fear? Always choose love as your baseline and watch what others choose. This way, you will know how to respond without giving your power away.
Regardless of outer circumstance, there is profound support for every effort we make to go within and find answers and truth. We can use this support to do our own work of transformation so we can be empowered to support larger waves of transformation around the planet.
Live in Integrity
The energetic environment around us at this time asks us to return to integrity: living in a way that is whole and integrated, cohesive, and internally and externally consistent. It calls for us to purify our thoughts and actions, and to bring our lives into alignment with truth so that we can become resilient. Anything that is out of integrity—people, relationships, groups or organizations—will continue to break down to make space for higher levels of being to emerge.
Internal consistency is crucial during this process. It is very helpful to check and establish consistency within yourself: between your thoughts and emotions; your inner principles and your outer actions. If we claim to be spiritual and loving while hating those who don’t believe as we do, we are not in integrity. We cannot claim peace while bullying, criticizing or raging against others. These discrepancies in our values are not sustainable if we wish to evolve. The great growing-up of humanity at this time requires us to become more self-responsible, authentic and integrated in all aspects of our lives.
Life is What You Make It – Make it Full of Love
Remember that the past, the present and the future — all of life — is not about what happens to you, but what you make of it. Everything we need, and all the solutions we seek already lie within us.
You can make your life flow easier by always focusing on what you choose to happen, rather than what you fear might happen or don’t want. Your attention is a powerful laser of Creator energy, so be careful where you point it! Whatever you focus attention on, will grow.
Always remember that worry and guilt are useless energy drains. They don’t help create anything beneficial, because they add fuel to what you don’t want.
During this time, it is helpful to remember the admonition of the Hopi elders who told us to let go of expectations and the illusion of control. Surrender the old forms of security to which you still cling and embrace the unknown journey you’ve been resisting. Simply accept what is, and know that all is well in the Master plan. We’re all on this journey together, and it could turn out to be the most magnificent one ever!
©Copyright Ada Porat. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached. For more information, visit https://AdaPorat.com
by Ada Porat | Sep 20, 2023 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Empowering changes, Spirituality
Photo by Satyabratasm on Unsplash
Have you noticed how casual conversation has turned into a minefield of potential conflict? Our world has become so polarized in recent years that if often feels as if society is unraveling at the seams. What is contributing to this phenomenon and what can we do about it?
When we exclude, we lose
Lack of inclusivity fosters division, exclusion and, ultimately, persecution. This applies to family systems as well as to larger groups. We see this happening all over, from individual social settings to larger government policies.
Exclusion stems from a misguided survival mechanism – the egoic need to obliterate other viewpoints so we can feel secure. It operates on limited information and often rejects truth in favor of the deeper ego need to control. Over time, such limitations fuel victimizing and fragmentation, both at an individual level and beyond. It divides us instead of bringing us together around our common human values.
Exclusion creates social unraveling on steroids! We do not need more separation, but Higher intelligence to unite humanity around our common goals and needs.
The healing power of Higher intelligence
Higher intelligence does not seek to divide and conquer through fragmentation or transhumanism. Rather, it seeks to fully inhabit and transform human nature from within by serving a transcendent Power greater than our rigid, limited ego. Higher intelligence honors the wisdom of our common Divine Source and the eternal nature of our souls.
Healing for our world starts by remembering this common Source. When given its rightful place in the circle of life, this transcendent Power can gather humans from across the spectrum of diversity to unite around our common needs and values. Returning to Source is our first step toward mutual forgiveness and unification. It allows us to return to our inner compass.
Evolve or devolve: it’s our choice
Humanity has evolved this far not by compromising to meet the demands of every loud voice, but by honoring Higher principles. When we abandon our inner compass and water down Higher Truth, we surrender to the insatiable needs of egos gone amuck… and we devolve. Evolution requires us to stay aligned to Higher Truth and live by the Golden Rule: doing unto others as we would have them do to us. No-one is exempt.
We ignore the Golden Rule at our own peril. When we insist on being treated as special or more deserving than others, we reject the inherent wholeness that underlies all. The ego need for specialness blinds our perception to other views and leads to further fragmentation. When we dismiss facts and blindly cling to our limiting beliefs, we soon drift toward partial truths, twisted thinking and evil. There is a steep price to pay for this selective perception: By settling for lesser evil, everyone loses because choosing lesser evil ultimately further empowers evil.
Transcending our differences
How do we break free from this collective trance? We cannot free ourselves or wake others up by attacking other views – such a dualistic approach simply reinforces the desire to dig in and cling more to entrenched beliefs. We need to transcend opposing views to find workable solutions that benefit the whole.
Transcending our differences starts by finding the common ground that unites us. When we acknowledge our mutual need for solutions, we can build bridges of harmonious cooperation between ourselves and others. Working from our common core, we can find solutions that transcend duality-based viewpoints. This is known as the third way – a path that supersedes the entrenched viewpoints of self and other.
Living by the third way
Einstein understood this principle when he said that problems cannot be solved with from same level of thinking from where we created them. This third way is the path of higher consciousness which transcends the limited duality of ego. When we recognize one another as diverse expressions of the One Creator, we can overcome differences and work toward unifying goals that benefit the common good.
Ignoring Higher Law is not an option if we wish to survive and evolve. When we turn away from Truth, we lose our connection to Higher intelligence and get mired in the dualistic battle between egos. We feed our own egos on junk by judging others as bad or less than us – and by doing so, we ultimately turn into the very things we judge or despise.
Two sides of the same coin
Judgment and hatred of others tie us to the problem and make it impossible to find win-win solutions.
We see this dynamic playing out around us every day. Liberals call for freedoms by stressing the differences between groups, genders or color – and it ultimately becomes oppressive of anyone who does not fit into one of these limiting boxes. Likewise, conservatives reject liberal labels and fixate on the ‘liberal evil,’ oblivious of the evil in their own hatred of the other. In the end, opposing groups of all kinds are united in their common judgment and hatred which further fragments, divides and imprisons them duality. There is no unity to be found.
Even activism derived from ego does not have the capacity to bridge the divide among groups because ego always seeks primacy of the self. Dualistic activism is blinded to Higher Truth: it merely fuels further polarization no matter how well-intended. Instead of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, we may find ourselves weaponizing and throwing them at others.
Where is the Golden Rule in that? It gets trampled by egos on steroids! What is needed to bridge the chasm, is greater commitment to find the common threads that unite us as humanity and then to take appropriate collective action that benefits the whole.
The battle for our minds
The true battle we are engaged in now is not waged on the battlefields of the world, but in the inner terrain of our minds. When we fail to discern the source behind messages we are bombarded with, we easily capitulate to propaganda. Likewise, we lock ourselves into the limitations of duality-consciousness whenever we blindly oppose other viewpoints. Every time we are too lazy to do our own independent research and instead capitulate to a steady stream of misinformation and propaganda, we get more brainwashed ourselves. Gradually, we lose our connection to Higher Truth and to our common humanity; we become fragmented by superficial divisions designed to splinter the fabric of our society. And we become part of the problem.
Finding solutions within
And yet, there are solutions to every problem. We find optimal solutions whenever we no longer blame, shame and marginalize others. The solutions needed in our world cannot be found in ego structures such as politics, institutional education or religion. They need to be rediscovered within, starting with the common ground shared by all humanity. We need to individually and collectively bow to the Higher Truth that resides in each of us. Only then can we grow into our full potential.
The spirituality of the future
Our human vessels contain the sacred potential of each soul that yearns for healing to begin. Instead of dividing and hating our fellow humans, our souls gently nudge us to come together and heal: forgiving ourselves for our individual blindness to Truth, and then extending that same compassionate forgiveness to others. We need to walk with eyes wide open to see beyond the façade and find potential for good in every situation. We must relentlessly search out and eliminate every virus of fear that hovers in our minds, seeking to hijack our thinking. As we stabilize our being in Eternal Truth, it will expose all lies masquerading as information. When we return to our sacred center and transcend the ego-made, politically inflamed divisions in society, we can gather around the sacred fire of the heart to heal and unite.
Each one of us is on this planet to learn and grow. We came here for this time of crisis, which also holds the potential for evolutionary growth. If we choose to navigate by marginalizing and destroying others and other life forms, we will devolve and potentially self-destruct. Evolution and survival require us to grow up as a species and as individuals: taking responsibility for our actions and making space for diversity in the circle of life.
You and I can start right here, right now by choosing not to feed the hateful path of separation but to embrace the path that nurtures, forgives and unites. The spirituality of our future requires that we release the grip of ego so we can walk our talk, living by the principles of Higher Law. That is true freedom and joy!
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 15, 2023 | Conscious living, Life skills, Spirituality
Photo credit: Vitolda Klein, Unsplash
“Forgiveness is the demonstration that you are the light of the world. Through your forgiveness does the truth about your self return to your memory.” – Course in Miracles
We’ve all seen the power of forgiving someone else, yet many of us struggle with guilt, blame and the inability to forgive ourselves. Whether it’s feeling responsible for a death or something much simpler, if you can’t forgive yourself, you can’t move on.
For your own good, it is essential to start the healing process of forgiveness. You may struggle to forgive yourself for hurting others, or for being manipulative, or for mistreating yourself with negative self-talk or criticism. Whatever happened, healing can start where you’re at right now.
Choosing to not forgive is like wearing dark glasses that distort everything you see, especially your perception of others who don’t see life the same way. Unforgiveness is a dense and heavy burden that absolutely needs to be dealt with if you wish to experience the joys of life. Its circular dynamic can keep you stuck for life: when you can’t forgive yourself you’re unable to forgive others, and when you can’t forgive others, you’re unable to forgive yourself.
Choosing forgiveness changes everything. It lightens your emotional load and eases your path.
Sometimes forgiveness is withheld because we judge another as unworthy of it. However, to forgive has nothing to do with worthiness—yours or another’s. The issue is whether you wish to hold onto the heavy baggage of old grudges and perceived wrongs which will ultimately damage you. Research studies have shown the effectiveness of forgiveness to support the healing journey of patients with life-threatening illnesses.
Ultimately, practicing forgiveness is essential if you don’t want to be miserable for the rest of your life. You alone have the power to remove the roadblocks to living your best life and choosing to forgive is an important one. Here are five steps to help you master forgiveness:
- Reopen your heart and mind. When faced with terrible wrongs, betrayal or loss, it is natural for your heart and mind to slam shut in self-protection. Opening up again is essential for healing, and it can start with the simple choice: “I am willing to consider that there is another way forward.”
- Choose to love yourself, no matter what happened. Guilt is a catch-all emotion we use to cover everything negative or bad. It is a dense vortex that can pull us into the ultimate betrayal: that of abandoning ourselves. To heal, it is essential for us to love and embrace ourselves.
- Demystify your guilt. There is a common misconception that the depth of our grief, pain or guilt reflects the level of love we have for the person or situation we’ve lost. That misconception can keep us trapped in pseudo guilt, afraid to let go. It’s not a betrayal of your past love or loss to recognize the destructiveness of unprocessed guilt and to deal with it in a different way.
- Give yourself permission to heal. Part of forgiving yourself is understanding that you don’t need to be punished or to punish yourself for the past. Give yourself permission to let go of the past and its grief, loss, wrongdoing and pain. Only by healing our woundedness, can we offer pure love and blessing to others.
- Actively create new opportunities. If you’ve been unable to forgive yourself, you may have been holding yourself to unrealistic expectations or perfectionism. Healing comes when we forgive ourselves, learn from our experiences and get back into life to start again. Start with small steps and stay present to new opportunities instead of hearkening back to the past.
Because forgiveness is not an easy discipline to master, there have been many tools developed throughout history to assist in the process. Here are a few that you may find helpful:
Meditation and Reflection
Meditation and reflection bring us back to the present, from where we can let go of the past and own the present moment. This process of reflective self-awareness allows us to observe our feelings without resistance. This is the first step in the healing process. When first beginning to meditate, it can be helpful to commit for a period of, say, three months. During meditation, you can allow feelings to surface. When they do, simple breathe through the sensations, wherever they show up – and you will discover that you are not your feelings; your true nature is limitless consciousness observing the feelings.
Mantras and Affirmations
This practice helps to change habitual thought patterns. You can use a chant or mantra from a spiritual tradition, or you can create your own to repeat to yourself throughout each day. A simple example could be: “I forgive myself and everyone else.” This may feel awkward at first, but over time, it will start to shift entrenched thought patterns.
Journaling
Recording your thoughts in a journal can be a valuable way of releasing emotions. Journaling is a safe place to acknowledge different emotions, explore their causes, understand your responses and discover ways to eliminate triggers while focusing on more helpful emotions.
Making Amends
In twelve-step groups making amends is an important step in finding freedom and healing. True forgiveness comes from surrender to a Higher Power – whether you bring an offering of forgiveness, service or sacrifice for atonement. You can create your own amendment offering through philanthropy, activism, volunteerism or some other form of service that requires a gifting of your time, money or effort. You may not be able to make amends with someone who hurt you because they are no longer around, but you can pay it forward in service to others. The key is to consciously make that sacrifice in light of your desire for forgiveness.
©Copyright Ada Porat. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached. For more information, visit https://AdaPorat.com
by Ada Porat | May 29, 2023 | Conscious living, Life Balance
Photo Credit: Katrina Berban, Unsplash
“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” – Joseph Chilton Pearce
Recently, I attended a conference where the speaker asked participants: “Are you fun to live with?” She then explained that if you don’t value the importance of play and having fun in your life, you will most likely not be fun to live with. That sure got my attention!
Western society tends to dismiss play for adults. Play is perceived as unproductive, a waste of time or even a guilty indulgence. As adults, we’re supposed to be serious. And with responsibilities piling on endlessly, we may think there’s simply no time to play.
Yet, play is just as pivotal for adults as it is for kids.
In English, the word “play” represents the opposite of “work.” But this definition is misleading. As psychiatrist Brian Sutton-Smith puts it: “The opposite of play is not work, it’s depression.” Dr. Smith began studying the role of play in brain development after discovering the impact of no play on the brain development of homicidal young men. He found that play of any kind is essential to brain development.
Play is not just essential for kids; it is an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults as well. Playing with your partner, friends, co-workers, children and pets fuels your imagination, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotional well-being.
Simply put, play brings joy.
Adult play is a time to forget about responsibilities and get social in an unstructured, creative way. When you play, you focus on an experience, not on accomplishing a goal. There need be no purpose to the activity beyond having fun and enjoying yourself. Play could be goofing off with friends, sharing jokes with a coworker, throwing a Frisbee with your kids, playing fetch with a dog or going for a bike ride.
By giving yourself permission to play with the joyful abandon of childhood, you can reap oodles of health benefits. Here are just a few:
Play refreshes you. When you take a break from mentally challenging tasks to play for a few minutes, you release built-up tension and allow your brain circuitry to rebalance. These brief diversions refresh your mind and body, renew your focus and prevent burnout. It can also help you to view problems in new ways, so you can find optimal solutions.
Play relieves stress. Play is fun and triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even relieve pain.
Play improves brain function. Playing chess, completing puzzles, or pursuing other fun activities that challenge the brain can improve brain function and help prevent memory problems. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also release stress and ward off depression.
It keeps you feeling young and energetic. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Playing boosts your energy and vitality and can even improve your resistance to disease.
Play is good for your heart. Physical play is a great way to trick yourself into becoming more active—a habit that benefits your heart. Just walking the dog burns 230 calories per hour, and a leisurely bike ride burns over 420.
Play stimulates your mind and boosts creativity. You learn a new task better when it’s fun and you are in a relaxed and playful mood. Play also stimulates your imagination, helping you adapt and problem solve better.
It helps heal emotional wounds. Studies have shown that when an emotionally upset individual plays with a partner who feels more stable, it can help replace negative beliefs and behaviors with positive awareness and action.
Play improves relationships and connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun fosters empathy, compassion, trust and intimacy with others. Play doesn’t have to be a specific activity; it can also be a state of mind. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business relationships.
It develops and improves social skills. During childhood play, kids learn about verbal communication, body language, boundaries, cooperation, and teamwork. As adults, we continue to refine these skills through play and playful communication.
Play improves interpersonal cooperation. Play is a powerful catalyst for positive socialization. Through play, we learn how to work together, follow mutually agreed upon rules, and socialize in groups. We can also use play to break down barriers and improve relationships with others.
Still thinking that you are too busy to play? Given all these benefits, perhaps it is time to decide that you are too busy NOT to play! Your body, mind and emotions need the benefits of play.
Schedule your play activities like any other commitment. It is that important. Perhaps now would be a good time to schedule that much needed vacation. You’ll be better off for having played more!
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 | Mar 24, 2023 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Personal growth
Photo credit: Marek Piwnicki, Unsplash
For many centuries, mystics lived at the fringes of society on mountaintops and in monasteries. They did not mix with the masses or participate in worldly affairs. Today, all that has changed!
The evolving consciousness on the planet offers unprecedented growth potential for all. And around the globe, spiritually awakened beings are initiating positive transformation by becoming mystics in the marketplace. They usher in the Presence of Spirit and practice Higher Law wherever they go.
Mystics in the marketplace have learned to tap into Higher guidance. They live and lead from a place of inner direction instead of conforming to external conditions. They are powerful agents for positive transformation because they don’t operate by the lowest common denominator; instead, they embody a rising tide of consciousness that lifts all boats. These souls understand that the change we wish to see in our world, starts with each one of us and our individual field of consciousness. They know that all transformative change flows from the energy of that quantum field.
These mystics have answered the call to be the change they wish to see in the world. Perhaps you are already one of them, or you feel a tug to join the growing ranks of mystics who operate as change agents for positive transformation in the world.
You and I can help transform our world by serving as conscious emissaries of the Life Force within us. No longer do we need to separate ourselves from the world to survive; instead, we are called to consciously embody the presence of Spirit wherever we are, so consciousness can evolve.
To do so effectively, we need to understand that our ultimate purpose in life calls for growth in consciousness. We need to commit to the task by clearing, purifying and strengthening the presence of Spirit in our beings; and we need to become lighthouses that radiate the energy of love to foster positive change in the world. We can bring about transformation and healing through our becoming that. In a world crying for healing, there is no greater service we can offer.
Each one of us can contribute to the process, regardless of our individual level of maturity. Broadly speaking, there are three core stages of learning along the journey of personal growth and development: the initial stage of conscious awareness, the intermediate stage of informed action, and the advanced stage of transformative wisdom.
It is not uncommon to find yourself at an advanced stage of integration on one area of life, whereas you may be just starting to develop in another area. The key to personal growth lies in knowing where your personal process needs to be fine-tuned and then to support that growth with appropriate correction, learning and feedback.
Initial Stage – Conscious Awareness
The beginning stage of growth in consciousness requires new ways of thought, ideas and insight. You may encounter ideas that spark your desire to learn more – exploring other realities and belief systems, or delving into diverse fields of knowledge, teaching and materials. You may also spend a lot of time processing new concepts, working out in your mind what resonates for you and why.
Mistakes are common at this stage and that is okay. It may be difficult to filter irrelevant information appropriately because discernment is a skill that gets refined with time and practice. You may get overwhelmed when there are too many things happening in your life at once or if you put pressure on yourself. During this phase, personal growth tends to be sporadic, uncoordinated and often somewhat lopsided – not unlike what happens when you start playing a new sport for the first time.
Some of the most valuable tools during this phase include receiving constructive feedback and encouragement from others, giving yourself room and grace to fail, practicing forgiveness and staying committed to your journey. Repeated effort and practice will help you become more comfortable with the process.
Intermediate Stage – Informed Action
In the intermediate stage of growth, practical application becomes important. You start drawing on what you’ve learned to implement meaningful change in your life. It is no longer sufficient to simply know about things; you need to apply what you know in practical ways to learn how these concepts might play out. Experimenting with new tools, strategies and practices are important as you develop practical ways to integrate and live from higher levels of being.
During this phase, you start connecting dots in your learning; with the experience gained from practical application, you start shifting your perspective to higher levels of thinking, processing and acting. You also shift your internal processes out of the purely intellectual realm and into the heart, from where you can replace dynamics that are revealed by higher awareness as no longer beneficial.
During this phase of informed action, you may try many different approaches before experiencing a sense of accomplishment. Since practical application brings about real-world outcomes, you will likely become more aware of the external environment in which you operate, the constraints it imposes and your own impact on your environment. There can be a strong need for external feedback to validate choices, build confidence and offer assurance. Constructive feedback can help you maintain balance, align with core truths and recontextualize individual differences.
At this stage, individual limitations and beliefs need to be continually challenged and cleared to support continued development. Maintaining a balanced sense of personal power is also important to prevent compromise of your values.
Advanced Stage – Transformative Wisdom
The advanced power of transformative wisdom comes from integration of all previous stages of learning. When you apply knowledge and discern ways to fine-tune optimal processes, you develop wisdom. At this stage, you take full responsibility for your actions and become self-regulating. You’ve moved from the stage of knowing about things, to intentional doing specific things, and now you are becoming transformed by the process. You no longer look outside yourself for affirmation, guidance and support, but find it within through your ever-present connection to Source. Communion with the Divine Presence becomes your natural operating mode, whether on your meditation mat or in the board room; and it facilitates on-going input, discernment and fine-tuning as needed.
Functioning at this level brings deep awareness of the holographic universe and your intrinsic part in it, so you become an effective change agent for positive transformation. You are able to shift the energy field around you by the presence of what you’ve become. Personal growth or development may appear incremental or smaller on the surface, yet the process continues as you fine-tune your process and do deep inner work that may be invisible to others.
Clearly, each stage along the continuum of growth offers opportunities to make a positive contribution to the restoration of our world. Your presence is needed to help support the collective awakening and healing on the planet, wherever you are. By owning your process and believing in yourself, you can join the growing number of mystics in the marketplace who lead with conscious awareness, informed action and transformative wisdom.
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