by Ada Porat | Aug 19, 2024 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Empowering changes, Fear and anxiety, Life transitions, Mindfulness, Peace, Spirituality
Photo by Vyacheslav Shatskiy on Unsplash
Are you feeling strained, bombarded by paradox and mixed messages everywhere you turn? You’re not alone!
More than ever, the boundaries between light and shadow have become blurred. What is true and what is not? What should we choose and what decline? Welcome to the challenge of finding balance between paradoxical paradigms!
We have the capacity to navigate through this time, but we must learn how to do so effectively. Our future depends on it!
To thrive in a world awash with paradox, we need discernment to determine what is appropriate for us, because the solutions for loved ones or friends may not be optimal for us. We need to master how to cherry-pick optimal choices for each of us individually, even when the majority leans in a different direction.
Truth can be fluid, twisted, and modified. It looks different from different levels of consciousness, and so the truth for each of us is about what is appropriate for you or me at our individual place in consciousness; what is harmonious with our individual levels of learning and understanding right now.
There is no need to fear the confusing paradoxes and anomalies around us. Each one of us is continuously connected to our souls and beyond that, to the Creator energy that sustains and protects us. Whenever we consciously take in information, that Creator energy within empowers us to transmute what is not helpful, and to embrace what is.
Thriving in the paradoxical paradigm requires us to evolve into higher levels of being by leaning into our spiritual identity. It requires us to step out of the limiting box of group-think and tribal alliances. We make optimal choices when we bypass the ego noise and choose from our hearts. And so, we need to become inner-directed, self-regulating beings who receive our guidance and discernment from within to lead and keep us safe. We must funnel information through the true filter of our hearts to determine what is appropriate for each of us individually, and to select what resonates with our unique energy field.
The potential for spiritual evolution for everyone on the planet is enormous at this time. As cosmic radiation and photon light penetrate planet Earth traveling through the photon belt, everything is speeding up and evolving faster. We can tap into that energy by strengthening our heart connection with Spirit, evolving our consciousness and staying present with each moment. The path of spiritual evolution requires good spiritual hygiene – the ability to steer clear of traps and to nourish ourselves appropriately. Here are some thoughts on how to apply it in different areas of life.
Filter exposure
It is important to pay attention to the external environments we expose ourselves to. When we take back our power from externalized loci of control, we become self-regulating, empowered beings who navigate without fear. Technology is not our boss; it is merely a tool that can be used in service to our truth and level of consciousness.
Navigate from the heart
Navigation from the heart is the way forward. It will draw to us not only what is necessary for our individual journeys, but it will also guide us to higher levels of awareness and empowerment. This connection asks us to step away from outer chaos and to connect to the Source of truth within. It transforms us into inner-directed, self-regulating beings.Our heart connection is a powerful, sacred tool. Each one of us has the ability to focus inward and to access the wisdom within to guide us on our sacred journey of individuation. We’ve been given the freedom to choose; so let’s choose wisely. This inner wisdom is not to be squandered on defending our ego stance or judging others; it is a sacred tool to help us transform our choices, outlook and being.
Support your physical vehicle
Likewise, our physical bodies need optimal support to thrive. We may need to take our power back from substances or limiting habits that do not serve us. True power is not found in external substances, but in the limitless consciousness that we are, manifest in human form. Our bodies are uniquely resilient and calibrated to keep us safe. To function best, our bodies need to be guided by higher consciousness, aligned to our inner life Source and nourished with respect. When aligned this way, the body will find optimal ways to create the reality we focus on.
Mind your mind
Our thoughts become things, so let’s choose wisely. To let our light shine more brightly, we must maintain our balance within an ever-expanding universe, and replace judgment with curiosity. We can become curious about possibilities instead, and embrace that which brings peace, harmony and joy. This is a time to avoid the temptation to vilify, judge or criticize ourselves or others, for it serves no positive purpose. Instead, we need to catch ourselves when defaulting into old habits and bring back our focus to this present moment, where all possibilities exist. Over time, we will become what we focus on. That is why it is so important to discipline our minds and focus on things that are congruent with our level of consciousness and understanding – our survival and thriving absolutely depend on that.
Grow into maturity
Navigating these times calls for discipline and maturity as well. It takes commitment, repetition and discipline to bring our minds into alignment and keep focusing on our inner truth. Distractions are everywhere! Learning to manage our individual consciousness with maturity and self-discipline, is essential if we wish to effectively navigate the brave new world emerging around us. This is a core truth that needs to be practiced by everyone who wants to thrive in the coming years.
Choose where to focus
We also need to wield the power of focus effectively. We are on the cusp between two very different paradigms, the old and the new. Even as the old paradigm is being laid bare and seen for its limitations, new options are emerging. There is no need to continue entangling with the old, whether through judgment or resistance. It is helpful to remember that whenever we resist or fight something, we’re actually entangling our own energy with that field. And what we resist, persists! We need not obsess with destroying the old; the power of our aligned intention will simply continue to expand what we focus on, allowing old, abandoned constructs to shrivel up and die. Whatever we focus on, grows; whatever we withdraw our Life Force from, will drop away. Disciplined focus also banishes all fear. When our inner truth filter guides us, we become fearless. We can embrace the future, the new and the unknown without anxiety. We stand strong and navigate with confidence, because we filter, choose and navigate from the heart.
Align with true Power
The more we tap into the power of our alignment with the Life Force, the more effectively we’re able to focus that creative force in us on what we desire, align with and are harmonious with. As each of us, at our unique levels of consciousness, embrace this practice of alignment and discipline our focus to embrace what is desired now, the rich tapestry of our emergent world will thrive. The more aligned we are, the more access we have to channel our Higher wisdom and discernment. Over time, it brings mastery. Collectively and individually, this is how we create new habits, new structures and a new world.
Answer the call
We are called to become lighthouses for consciousness. The more light – representing higher levels of consciousness – we hold in our intentions, the quicker the old will drop away so the new can emerge. During times of external conflict and confusion, let’s choose to marinate our hearts in loving kindness and truth. Let’s sterilize all negativity as we breathe in peace, and breathe out all conflict, dissonance and pain. Let’s release what no longer serves, so we can remain perfectly aligned with our unfolding potential. We are the co-creators of our emerging new reality, so let’s stand in truth and trust the wisdom that guides us!
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 | 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 | 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 | Apr 27, 2021 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Empowering changes, Life transitions, Mindfulness, Peace, Self-awareness, Spirituality
Photo credit: Hans Vivek, Unsplash
In a world forever changed by recent events, we are challenged daily with the need to restore and maintain inner peace in the midst of outer dissonance. And dissonance is everywhere. Perhaps the novelty of staying home has worn off. Or perhaps the world we are re-emerging into, is not the same as the world we left behind and does not resonate well. Distractions we may have previously used to soothe ourselves during difficult experiences have lost their sheen.
We may try to meditate to reclaim our inner sense of peace, but once off the cushion the reality of circumstances brings us right back to anxiety or irritability. It is perfectly natural to seek relief from these dissonant conditions. And yet, true relief is found not in distraction, aversion or judgment of the outer dissonance; it is found by changing the way we respond to these.
Inner peace does not require us to resist dissonant circumstances or flee from them; instead, it lies in finding a way to coexist with the very things that do not resonate with us.
Deeper wisdom requires us to learn how to be with discomfort. To paraphrase Pema Chodron, one of the greatest misunderstandings of the human mind is thinking that true relief comes from making ourselves more comfortable. The truth is exactly the opposite!
When our efforts to soothe ourselves or avoid external dissonance fail, we are actually ready for a more lasting solution. This is the perfect opportunity to find inner peace in the midst of outer dissonance. We can indeed maintain a sense of tranquility within despite the chaos without, because we have complete control over what we focus on.
Instead of resisting or fleeing outer dissonance, we start changing our response by using the dissonance as an opportunity to become more aware within. We turn towards our internal sensations of discomfort and become intimate with them.
What does it feel like when our outer world appears chaotic, and there’s little relief in sight? What happens when we stop running and allow ourselves to listen to what lies beneath the surface? How do we feel when we move our attention away from the outer dissonance and center within instead? Asking ourselves questions such as these help us to become more present to the eternal nature of consciousness in this present moment.
As we inquire within, we’ll likely find all kinds of mixed emotions at first – our own disavowed, wounded, disenfranchised and wronged parts. These are the orphaned aspects of our being that drive us to look for an external scapegoat or a way to avenge ourselves by projecting our pent-up pain and anger onto others. These aspects may even twist the truth to reinforce our habitual narrative of wounding or victimization.
When we turn within and become aware of these wounded aspects within us, we finally touch on the potential for healing and peace. It is by acknowledging the darkness residing within, that we start to cultivate true honesty with all the aspects of ourselves. And it is in recognizing the discomfort, pain and anxiety within ourselves, that we cultivate compassion for ourselves and all other beings.
This process brings us to the realization that we are all connected at some level. Interconnection becomes a way of being and is no longer just theoretical. We start to understand the statement by Pogo the possum in the Walt Kelly cartoon when he said: “We’ve met the enemy, and he is us.” We recognize that there is good in the worst of us, and bad in the best of us. And we develop compassion for both ourselves and others.
This openness to our own experience makes us more capable of opening to others. We experience less need to turn away from the underbelly of life – both in ourselves and in others. Instead of judging dissonance and weakness while separating ourselves from it, we can look at it with compassion. We become more honest and at ease with our own disenfranchised aspects – getting to know their true nature – and so have greater capacity to meet others there, too. This is the path to true and lasting inner peace.
There are two primary ways we can develop this ability to find inner peace, regardless of outer circumstances: We can learn to remain connected to inner peace regardless of external dissonance; and we can use aversion practice to lessen our habitual reactivity.
By aligning with the deep, unchanging peace that underlies all experience, we become more resilient to the outer dissonance on the surface of life. Instead of labeling and resisting, we can learn to be with discomfort. We learn to refrain from the habit of labeling and judging everything outside our comfort zone, and to simply be with what is. Over time, we learn that we are limitless consciousness, subject only to what we focus on or hold in mind. That is a superpower!
Here is one way of doing it: In your meditation, try sitting 15 minutes without moving. When uncomfortable sensations arise (an itch on your leg, a pinch in your hip), rather than shifting to alleviate it, stay still. In this moment of discomfort, open up to the sensation and allow yourself to relax into it. Notice what happens as you do this. Observe the thoughts and reactions that arise in your mind, yet do not judge or react to them. Simply observe the discomfort and see it as an opportunity to discover something new – your innate capacity to be with discomfort and remain neutral. The more you expand this capacity to remain neutral in the presence of something dissonant and uncomfortable, the more you will be able to honor your inner peace regardless of circumstances.
The second exercise deals with desensitizing your conditioned aversion response. Think of one small thing you don’t like: A smell, a taste, a sound, or a texture. For some it may be the taste of onion, for others the booming music from a neighbor. Pick one. When it appears, rather than pulling away, turn towards it. Put a small slice of onion on your tongue and get curious about the flavor. Or sit right beneath the booming bass and allow its rhythm to play across your mind and body. Whatever your disliked issue is, see what happens when you stop, turn towards it, open up, and invite it in.
As you do that, you will discover different aspects of it to tease apart, turning your distaste into curiosity. With practice, your consciousness will be able to use the very dissonance as a portal to move deeper within until you are able to rest in your core of peace, regardless of outer triggers.
Finding inner peace in the presence of outer dissonance is a powerful practice to help us remain calm, regardless of the tumult in our outer world. It strengthens our inner ability to navigate life without clinging to or resisting the changing scenery and to walk straight ahead, no matter what shows up!
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 | May 27, 2020 | Cope with change, Empowering changes, Faith, Fear and anxiety, Life transitions, Personal growth, Spirituality
COVID-19 changed our world: yours, and mine, and everybody else’s. Life as we knew it, is no more. Moreover, there is no going back. The past is irrevocably over; we are called on to create a brave new paradigm of life.
To move forward, we need to let go of things outside ourselves that we cannot control, and take charge of our inner reality, which is completely in our hands. We also need to act in mature ways to support wise choices. Let’s look at how to get from here to there.
What is it you need most now? What do you wish to see in your world? How do you intend to participate to bring that about?
Despite months of turmoil and upheaval, the totality of life remains filled with possibilities and probabilities. Every challenging circumstance contains seeds of possibility for us to tap into and create more optimal outcomes from the inside out.
Everybody responds differently to change: some are awakening to their true soul identity, others are grieving their losses, and yet others are huddling in denial for lack of knowing what to do. Some may even look for a way to return to the past because they don’t know how to cope with a world that has irretrievably changed.
Trying to resuscitate the past is not helpful. We cannot go back to yesterday or the life we lived ten years ago. Life happens in this present moment, and it is the choices made in each present moment, that will create a sustainable future for us all.
We all feel the enormous impact of irreversible change that has swept around the globe. None of us knows exactly how our lives will be different by the end of this year. We simply know that it will be different in more ways we can imagine. There are no iron-clad guarantees and reassurances – and so everyone is learning to devise ways of coping.
During this upheaval, emotions can feel overwhelming. Daily events may trigger shock, grief, fear or anxiety. After all, we are awash in a world of uncertainty and unknowns.
It is easy to become defensive in the face of uncertainty because defensiveness is a natural human response. It is normal to look for survival tactics and protective measurements to survive.
However, defensiveness keeps us stuck in resistance and prevents us from moving forward.
To avoid getting stuck, it is important to remember who you really are: you’re not just an ego in a body suit, you are an eternal soul who embarked on this earth journey to participate in the evolution of consciousness at this very time of unprecedented change and awakening.
You are so much more than your physical being! You have more resources available to you at non-physical levels than you can imagine. Whenever you start to feel overwhelmed, stop instead and take inventory of your spiritual arsenal.
Humans are blessed with innate creativity and innovation. Even during this challenging period, we can create effective ways forward.
To do so, we need to let go of lower levels of consciousness from where the quagmire of problems in our world were created. We need to expand our awareness of multiple possibilities coexisting in the Field, because higher awareness and a larger scope are essential to creating optimal outcomes now. Clearly, we need more than duality-based options that belong to an outdated Cartesian world view.
This time of social distancing offered us opportunities to reflect and return to right relationship with our innate Self. We have become aware of what no longer works, what no longer nourishes us, and what we’ll no longer tolerate in life. We’ve also been able to recognize what we truly want from life, so we can choose wisely.
This global time-out helped us reconnect with our inner being and what we truly need. By reconnecting to our inner core, we can make empowered decisions for our path and the greater good.
Humanity has outgrown the place where a few can dictate and make choices for the collective. It is time for each of us to step into maturity and take full responsibility for our own decisions. From there, it will ripple outward and create optimal collective outcomes.
During this season of loss and uncertainty, don’t look back. Go beyond!
Beneath the surface defensiveness of reactivity and blame, lies the presence of Spirit. That Presence contains all possibilities and potentialities. By stepping away from the ego chatter and centering deeper within, we access that Core where all possibilities exist. We can detach from habitual ego reactions of fear and anxiety.
Instead, we can enter a centered space of peace and calm from where we are able to simply observe. We can hold this space until clarity arises. We can cultivate awareness of possibilities beyond our linear thinking to make optimal choices.
We can use this perspective to recognize the limiting conditioning that hampers us and let it go so we can step into our true potential. We can anchor into the Creator Presence within and align with all that is possible to create a brave new paradigm.
This season of change also calls for spiritual maturity. It challenges us to let go of waiting to be rescued, and to step into choosing the path forward ourselves. Spiritual maturity empowers us to step out of old roles of limitation that were assigned to us and to become co-creators of a more empowering future.
Maturity gives us faith in unseen possibilities, so we can hold the intention for what can be. It calls us to elevate our viewpoint above the limitations of what was or is, to what truly can show up in response to our choices now.
Along the way, do not allow obstacles and appearances on the surface of life to undermine your faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of what is not yet seen. Hold on to that.
We are asked to clear out old conditioning, to heal the memories of what happened before, and to let go of what’s no longer needed. By freeing ourselves from past wounds and limitations, we create more room for our path to unfold.
Do not let others tell you what is appropriate for you. Step out of that habit and embrace a more empowering approach. Evaluate, contemplate within and choose for yourself.
Do not resist the process of individual growth, for it is your evolutionary lifeline. Let go of resistance and allow possibilities to emerge from the Truth within.
Trust in the benevolent plan of a loving Creator – and trust yourself. Maturity requires us to trust in ourselves, in the unseen hands that guide and uphold us, and in the Divine plan that we may not yet see but which is unfolding even now.
When we were children, we needed continuous reassurance and simple solutions to feel safe. As mature adults, we learn to be at peace with not knowing. Maturity teaches us to embrace the ever-changing nature of life, and to take full responsibility for our individual choices along the way.
Maturity also teaches us to stay in the void of uncertainty and discomfort; to resist grabbing for some easy version of permanency or settle for some substance to numb our awareness. The security we want is within; it does not lie outside of us.
We also must avoid the pitfall of settling for the devil we know. If we wish to evolve, we dare not let the familiarity of known limitations hold us back from the limitless possibilities we do not yet see.
When we turn away from external conditions beyond our control to focus on our inner life over which we have ALL control, we will find our innate power, peace and creativity restored. That is an important step toward creating a brave new paradigm in which everyone can thrive.
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.
