light

Reclaim Your Light

Nearly two years ago, I sat at my desk to watch an intro to Kabbalah video. I didn't know it at the time, but this message would change my life, catapulting me toward the path of soul transformation. I knew very little about Kabbalah at the time; my life was unrecognizable after the perfect trifecta of disaster exploded in the same month: January 2015.

During the month of January, my grandfather died, my fiance and I split up and my sister was diagnosed with brain cancer. During my sister's surgery, an earth angel sent me affirmations from the infamous Kabbalah Centre in LA. These words struck a chord in my soul—the one that was slowly resurrecting from a painful death—and began to plant new seeds of hope in my broken heart.

Be The Light

My sweet boy, Nova, has always been drawn to the sun; he has an uncanny ability to seek out light wherever it may be. His pastime of sunbathing reminds me of the lesson I have been working to master as of late: be the light. Yesterday at CorePower, Aubrey set our intention of "be the light," which I excitedly affirmed for my own practice. Not only do I strive to seek out the light in dark, troubling times, but I now choose to be a light unto those who cannot see it themselves.

What is the point of cultivating light and love in our lives if we do not share it with others?

I recently listened to a webinar with Neale Donald Walsch which clarified the very spiritual lesson I have decided to own as my calling: shine light into the darkest of places for those who need it most. I am blessed to be able to discern the positive nature of any situation (although this was not always a practice of mine).

How to Find Joy Through Suffering

One of my favorite Buddhist teachings on the lotus flower reminds me that we must lean into our pain and suffering.

Without suffering, there's no happiness. So we shouldn't discriminate against the mud. We have to learn how to embrace and cradle our own suffering and the suffering of the world, with a lot of tenderness.

-Thich Nhat Hanh, No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering

We are constantly bombarded by suffering, either our own or the collective world's agony. The tragedy in Istanbul along with personal, familial obstacles reminds me to lean into such occurrences and whatever feelings arise from them.