Aligning with Grace

Recently, I compiled this list of beautiful insights and teachings - "Messages of Love" - from the site "Circle of Light," so that I could review them often, and continue to be inspired by them. www.circleoflight.net I offer them here for your own reflection and edification. May you find some inspiration here. 6.3.13 Everything is Love. Love is the common denominator. Love is the answer to every question. Love is the unity, the presence, the way. When Love becomes your only identity, all separation is healed. If you deeply feel that you are Love, then you have moved into the continual answer -- the one answer to every question -- the answer that mends and blends it all. There is only Love. 5.30.13 Your hearts, beloved ones, are great vortices of living Light. They are connected directly to the River of Life. Your hearts are alive with an "intelligence of Love" that connects you to all the living wisdom that we are as the pure...

All of our lives, we are subtly weaving tapestries and webs of connection, and sometimes, the patterns they create sustain us and provide strength and comfort in such times when we feel unmoored and have lost our way... Yesterday, I had the honor and pleasure of celebrating the graduation of a very gifted and talented young woman who has achieved remarkable success - sweetly and deservedly earned - but not without much blood, sweat, and tears. I was profoundly moved at her accomplishments, knowing what it took for her to arrive at this place and time, with such beauty, gratitude, and grace... I never had a daughter of my own, but I experienced the privilege and blessing of teaching and mentoring young women for nearly two and half decades. The oldest of these, are seeing children off to college and beyond - and the youngest are bearing their first children. It gives my heart great joy to witness what incredible women they have become and to delight in their children as well! This...

Recently I responded to an article/blog post by a former colleague on her views about forgiveness, which were fundamentally different than my own. After reflecting on this entry for three days, I chose to respond to it, and today, I realized, after connecting with an old friend who had been sent my response - that perhaps others might find it insightful as well. I feel my comments stand on their own merit and that it is not necessary to link it to the original blog or the discussions it engendered. But since I did receive messages from a few persons who let me know it also spoke to them, I "reprise" my insights here, slightly edited and expanded for greater clarity. May you receive them in any way that is meant for you... "After reflecting on your well written and thought provoking piece on forgiveness for several days, let me be a lone voice offering another perspective, which is derived and offered from my own experience... I do believe in the power of forgi...

I have a wonderful soul companion who deeply relishes her time spent in the arms of the Divine as much - if not more - than I do. I say this, because for years now, I have been an empty-nester and I have enjoyed the gift and pleasure of much undivided time. She, on the other hand,  is only just now getting ready to send her child to college, so soon she will have such highly desired and coveted time as well! For years, we have referred to our quotidian quiet times for practice, as our monastery time. Sometimes our practice consists of doing laundry or cleaning toilets, or other such less than glamorous tasks. We often challenge and inspire one another to seek the face of the Divine even in such mundane things. In fact, we have often coaxed one another to experience the mundane as simply glorious! We have both had spouses who traveled at times, which also afforded us some days here and there to journey more deeply within. Often, we share insights from our practice, seek wisdom...

Earlier this week, I posted a short blog titled, "To See as Others See" on the "Daily Inspiration" link on my website: www.dwellinyourheart.com But, since different audience read both, I thought I would reprise it here.  "To see as others see" is a spiritual practice that I have been trying to "practice" lately, as much as I am able to do so. That is, I have been trying to envision, experience, and see things, as others do, as much as I am able to do so. It is not always an easy practice, in fact, it is quite challenging at times, but it's fruits are indeed rich and rewarding and capable of shifting energy and enacting profound change. When we are willing to see deeply, we see things as they truly are. I was reminded of this as I read and reflected on this wonderful poem by Mary Oliver yesterday: Look and See This morning, at waterside, a sparrow flew to a water rock and landed, by error, on the back of an eider duck; lightly i...