Pain

All posts tagged Pain

Art is bringing me back, opening my heart to love again :)

Published 11/05/2017 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

It has been a very long time since I last posted here on my blog and for that, I’m so sorry!

As you know my life has been going through some challenges, my heart was broken and I shut myself down, protecting myself from all around me. But through my meditations and connection to my channel, to my higher-self, I have once again found my life, I have picked up my life through Art, this art and my daily meditation sessions have re-awakened me to the joys of life, my art has brought me freedom once again and helped me re-connect with humanity, to make new friends and to start to love again 🙂

I’m smiling, my tears are not just filled with sorrow anymore, they are filled with joy 🙂 My thoughts come and go and I’m once again living in the ‘Now’. Over the years, I have spoken about pain, compassion, joy, love sorrow and grief, and I believe also I have helped a few people along the way with the words that used to flow freely from my fingers within my posts. But these posts came to a staggering halt when I lost my love, I found it hard to open myself up to others, to interact, to be joyful beyond the smile I showed to people in my daily life, this false smile was hiding the true hurt inside my heart.

Picking up my pencils and my brushes have allowed the freedom of my spirit to talk to me through my art and it has helped me re-connect with humanity, to once again open up my heart to the joys that life really holds for me in this lifetime. I am truly awakened to a new me, to a new phase in my life and I feel stronger than ever before 🙂

I have added a few images of my latest venture into Thangka painting, this and my other art brings me joy, relaxes and calms my mind and allows the true me to open my heart to the future.

Blesings of Love to you all my friends

Always

Mark

My Spiritual Journey (Continued)

Published 19/10/2016 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

I thought it was about time I updated this page ‘My Spiritual Journey’ as I have neglected it for way, way too long 😦

Many things have happened to me over this past year or so, I have experienced many beautiful things and many things I would rather forget! However, I do realise that life as we know it is not a bed of roses, life comes with its up’s and it’s down’s, good and bad, happy and sad…Life, is as they say, ‘What it is’!. I

I do, however, also know that life is what you make it, life is how you view it and life is determined by your thoughts and your actions, we have choices each and every day, and most of the time we choose the easy route, the route with what we perceive is the least painful, the less challenging, and the one that sits closest to our comfort zone…But hey!, come on guys, the reality is all that you are searching for, and yearning for; sits just outside your comfort zone!….’Fact’

I, like many others am also comfortable within my comfort zone, I like to be alone most of the time, although I am a good socialiser and actually quite like it when I get off my backside and ‘Just Do It’!…But, I like many millions of others, I don’t often take the risks or walk outside my comfort zone because of fear, fear of the unknown…’Will it be ok? Will I be ok? What if?…Etc

My spiritual connection with my higher self, my sensitivity, my empathy and me healing energies have been gaining strength over the years, my intuition is really high and if I would only let go of my ego mind; fully, then abundance flows in my life, my life is filled with joy, happiness, love, and compassion, I go from strength to strength on ‘high’, high on life itself!…But it’s that damn word again ‘Fear’…that always holds me back, the fear of not being successful, the fear of letting people down, the fear of not generating enough income to survive and provide, the fear, the damn fear!…

My channeling has taken a back step of late because of fear, my daily meditations have taken a back step because of fear, my plans for my spiritual retreat have taken a back step or no step forward because of fear…..But why?….What is behind this fear?

So, yesterday I did a family constellation with a real Master, a lady who has been doing family constellations for more that 30 years, she teaches family constellations all around the world and yesterday I came out of my ‘Fear Closet’ and actually did one for myself…and it was amazing 🙂 She opened my eyes, and more importantly, opened my heart to what this fear was/is, she took me deeply into my own family constellation, we looked at all my family, my parents, their parents, brothers and sisters, aunties, uncles,children, grandchildren and the relationships within all these groups, we role-played my parents and as my heart started to open, out came the truths, the things that have been causing my fears, the things holding me back from living my life, from achieving the best from my life and holding me back from my future.

Now, obviously I’m not going to go into details of that was/is causing my fear but suffice to say I confronted them straight on, they were open right there before my eyes, I could see then, look them in the eyes and release them, and it felt great, I felt great….At last, my tears flowed, they flowed and they flowed, I met my fears head on, I took control, I gave the burdens that i have been carrying for years back to them as they were no longer mine to hold, and I stood tall; with a smile on my face and an open heart, once again ready to move forward with my life….

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So, my dear friends, don’t allow your fears to hold you back any longer, reach out to someone who can help, message me if you need support, because there is ‘Always’ a way to break free of the chains that hold you back…. 🙂

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

What Story is Your Truth?

Published 13/05/2016 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

A channeled message from Saint Germain

Dear heart, we come to say to you that you are not your stories, you are the pure light of your soul. Yet how many stories do you run in your mind that create your reality and become your truth, dear heart? Stories from the past and expectations of the future, each one traps you in its tentacles and you make it your truth and reality in the now moment. Yet, we say to you these are simply stories, experiences of the physical realm, but they are not that which you are.

These stories that you tell yourself are not the original blueprint of your being, but simply distortions you have created of this truth. Yet we say to you each story that you create will bring to you experiences and understandings on your journey to fully embracing the divine truth of you.

Your stories come from many places, dear heart, often from your father and mother, grandfather and grandmother, your peer groups, and your collective consciousness. You choose to play these stories as your truth, yet in truth they are but your illusions and your distraction.

Ask yourself dear one how many stories do you offer to yourself in your life? Do you understand how these stories control your reality and the way you perceive the life you are living in each moment of your existence?

Your human mind loves the stories and it has many attachments to these stories that you run as your truth. Yet, we ask you dear ones, are these stories truly the truth of your reality, or are they the illusions through which you are choosing in each moment to live?

When you run these stories you no longer live in the present moment, but simply live through the attachment of your experiences in the past or through an attachment to an expectation you hold of the future. And these may become great burdens and responsibilities that you carry, dear heart, which constantly drain all the energy you hold to live in the present moment in your truth and create your greatest potential.

We would ask you, dear heart, to consider the stories that you are running and living as your truth. As you consider them become aware of what these stories are creating for you. Does the story you are running as your truth right now serve you, to live in peace and harmony or does it create drama and chaos for you?

Is the story you are creating as your truth causing you to remain in struggle and limitation in your life or does it allow you to be fully present in the now and meet your potential? Does your story cause you to feel disempowered and in need of giving your power to another, believing that this other knows more than you and perhaps can see the truth of you?

Does your story ask you to see the God of creation outside of yourself and separate to you, causing you to feel disconnected to the Source of your being and unable to hold the light of yourself firmly in your own heart?

The human ego self is very attached to its stories and the drama and intrigue that is created through every story that you choose to live. It believes these stories give you the experiences of your reality, yet dear heart, how much does this serve you? Are you choosing to live through stories that cause you pain, struggle and suffering? And if this is true for you then have you asked yourself the purpose of this choice you have made? Do you understand, dear one, that your power lies in every choice you make and in each moment you can choose to change your story and live another experience?

Dear heart, we say to you that the story is only the story. Your attachment to the story may be your greatest limitation in your experience of the human physical existence. Being trapped in an old story of pain, struggle and limitation may not serve you to expand, grow and evolve the consciousness of your being in the present moment. It may only hold you trapped in the past or the future.

Often dear heart your ego mind chooses to attach to a story and play it again and again, even lifetime after lifetime because it judges the outcome that was created from that story. The ego was not happy or satisfied with the outcome of the original story and cannot accept it. Through the power of its will it chooses to change the outcome and so continues to play out that story over and over until it is satisfied. It may hold you enthralled for lifetimes in the same story replaying it over and over in many different ways searching to create a new outcome.

When this occurs dear heart you replay and relive the same story in many ways trying so hard to create a different ending to the story that you cannot accept as your experience.

We ask you, dear heart, have you not yet learned after so many experiences revolving around the same story again and again that the ending cannot be changed? This ending is the experience that you have been asked to master and learn. It is your Divine Plan. You are not being asked to change the story, dear one, you are being asked to accept this experience and the outcome that was created from it. Accept the ending of this story and learn what you are choosing not to learn. For in truth this is what you have come to learn in your mastery.

We ask you to consider this, beloved heart, and to ask yourself why you are choosing to continue to relive this old story in order to change the ending that you did not like. How many times have you already relived and replayed this old story, only to discover that the ending is always the same?

We say to you, dear heart, surrender to the Divine Plan. Let go your attachment to creating a different ending and accept with an open heart the experience of the original story and through this acceptance and embrace you may release your resistance to your mastery.

Only in this way, dear heart, may you truly move forward and evolve on your path. For in the letting go and acceptance of what is in this experience may you truly be free to create a new experience for yourself and step more into your mastery as a co-creator in the physical plane of the Earth.

Dear hearts, we watch you over and over again trapped in your stories and choosing to replay them over and over again. No longer present in the now but caught in your attachments to the past or your desires and needs for the future through your judgements and fear. Yet it is only in the present moment that you may know your truth and co-create through the power you hold.

We say to you there are five original stories that live through the human psyche in the physical existence. Your beautiful ego minds have created billions of different versions of these five original stories because of your resistance to letting go your free will and surrendering to the wisdom of the Divine Plan.

The five stories, beloved heart, include the first arrival of the soul consciousness into the physical plane of existence. At this time the soul feels like a newborn babe taken from the safety of the womb and feels great resistance to this. The soul consciousness may no longer feel the support of the living light of the Source heart (womb) that has nurtured it. In the voidal planes of existence, the soul is always held and surrounded by the Source consciousness just like a baby in the womb.

When the soul first comes into the physical consciousness of matter it becomes aware that it is no longer held in the voidal waters of light and like the babe it cries out to return to this loving nurturing support. When it does not the soul feels the loss of this deep connection to the heart of Source and instead of going within to find the seed of Source that has been planted in its heart, the soul searches all around it for that connection, yet often cannot find it.

This story is played out again and again in millions of different experiences in the physical plane beloved heart and is at the core of all stories of separation and disconnection that is held by humanity’s heart.

This first story then births the second story that creates the belief that you have been rejected from Source (cast out) and are not good enough to be held in the voidal waters of Source light connection and cannot call it to you through the vast planes of light. The soul cannot accept the Divine Plan and refuses to believe that it is meant to be in the physical experiences on the Earth learning its mastery of co-creation.  This is the first step in the soul’s free will in resistance to the Divine Plan.

Through the second original story the soul consciousness has created numerous experiences of pain and suffering in the human psyche beloved heart. These are constantly played out again and again through the many experiences you choose to create in your physical realm. This in turn often creates the belief that you have lost your power and are disempowered on the Earth. In turn this also creates the belief in being the victim and unable to create a reality for yourself that will nourish and voidal waters of light.

The third original story, dear heart, is the search for a replacement for the heart of Source. In this story the soul chooses to search for a new Source to nurture it and support it. The soul consciousness searches for this replacement in other souls, believing that their embrace, support and acceptance (what you may call love) will replace the memory they hold of the heart of Source. This original story has created trillions of experiences of ‘love’ and ‘conflict’ in your group consciousness, and has birthed all your books, songs and movies etc. as you began to sing and write of your experiences around this original story from the early times of your civilisations.

The fourth story was birthed from the third and of course is the story of loss and disappointment. It is here that beliefs of distrust, betrayal, disappointment, expectations unmet, frustration, rejection and loss of faith are birthed when the soul realises that the replacement it has chosen for the heart of Source is not what it is truly seeking.  In some way the soul comes to realise that this replacement cannot give it what it truly desires and so it believes it has been misled, or let down and it feels this loss deeply.

The fifth story begins only when the soul understands that all the other experiences have taken it outside of itself and the answer does not lie outside of itself. When the soul realises that the answer is embedded deeply within its own being then it begins its journey to go within and look for the answers that it seeks.

In this story the soul chooses to search for the heart of Source inside itself and proceeds to create many experiences around this story in its search for the seed of Source that is held within it. On this journey the soul is asked to look at all it has created in the physical plane of and around itself. This indeed may create many experiences of self-judgement and disconnection to the power of its light, as much as it creates experiences of reconnection to the light within the soul.

In this way the soul comes full circle and begins to understand and accepts the Divine Plan. The soul understands that to know mastery of the physical plane it needs to create this in the physical world of matter. It is asked to become the observer of its creations and the witness so it can master the wisdom of its creations without judgment and resistance. The soul comes to understand that through the Divine Plan and all that it experiences on the Earth in its search for the heart of Source it discovers the power of its light and the truth of what it is. When the soul chooses to surrender to this it comes to know its Mastery and no longer needs to believe it is a story for it no longer needs to confirm who and what it is.

Throughout each of these stories you are also learning about creation and your power to create in each moment the reality in which you live. As you live these original stories in the many experiences and permutations that you choose to create you are being shown the power of the light you hold within you to manifest your reality in each moment. Yet often because of these distortions to your original blueprint as a son and daughter of the God Source, you believe you must create alone and in separation to the heart of Source and the Divine Plan.

And so, dear heart, you continue to create in disconnection, in resistance and without the support that is always there for you until you move into the fifth story and begin to learn to co-create with the heart of Source in your full power of the light you are.

Each of these original five stories, dear heart, are played out in so many ways through the human psyche and cause you to create many experiences in your physical reality. Yet each one will eventually bring you back to the heart of Source within you.

So we ask you dear heart what story are you running and playing as your truth right now? Have you chosen to live through your divine blueprint or is it a distorted story of your divine truth?

Blessed be on your path to Mastery.

In’easa Mabu Ishtar.

 

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

 

Come out of Separation and Pain

Published 02/04/2016 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear friends

A channeled message from Lord Kuthumi . Ineasa Mabu Ishtar.

When you go into re-action dear hearts you close your heart and sit in separation consciousness. Emotions and thoughts arise that create separation in your being and you are re-active, acting out on these emotions and thoughts.

When this occurs dear hearts then all that you create is filled with the energy of separation and you begin to build a story that is not necessary. You build a story dear ones around your painful emotions and feelings and tell yourself this is your truth. You then may project this truth and these emotions and thoughts at another person, group or event that you believe triggered you into reaction in the first place.

As you sit more in separation you then call for others to come and support you in this story and feelings, and seek confirmation and support for the distorted truth you have created and thereby dear ones create yet more separation. And indeed so it continues.

When this unfolds in your experience dear hearts it creates so much limitation for you and the truth becomes greatly distorted because you are focusing on the story that was created from the feelings, emotions and thoughts that are sitting in separation. If you choose not to look at this but simply become this story then indeed you will become trapped in the story and live it as your truth. Then you will continue to live in separation in your life with a closed heart. The portal of your light consciousness will be closed. You will create an illusion around this story that will serve your ego self to hold onto it and to remain caught in this consciousness. Yet it will not serve you to reach the potential that you truly seek.

We say unto you dear hearts open your hearts – open your consciousness to the bigger picture, the wider vision and let go the ego self. Choose not to be guided by the small you, the ego you, yet choose instead to be guided by the higher you. Open your heart to your higher wisdom and allow yourself to connect with your higher light so you may become the greater you and no longer the little you that sits in pain and separation.

Open your consciousness beloved hearts. Choose to be brave and be consciousness. Be mindful of what you are choosing to create in each moment. Look not outside yourself to cast blame and aspersions onto others, but look deeply inside of yourself and ask yourself why you are feeling this pain and separation. What do you hold within you that feels such consciousness of separation.

Let go the emotions and the thought forms of the ego for they will not serve you, dear ones. Open your heart to the divine truth. Choose to acknowledge what it is that is causing this pain in you that has created you to be in re-action and to behave in a re-active manner. You will know this part of you well dear one, yet perhaps there are parts of you that do not wish to accept this in yourself so you continue to give it away to others.

Be compassionate with yourself and seek not another to do this for you, for they cannot. Open your consciousness and choose to look at the source of your pain and separation that sits inside of you. Acknowledge this consciousness inside of you and honor it, dear ones. It may be the first time that it has felt honoured by you instead of judged or ignored by you.

Honor this consciousness that is causing you pain and separation and hold it in your heart of love. Open you heart to it and accept that is exists in you and let go your judgement and separation with this part of yourself. Know that it is yours, dear heart, and cannot be given away to someone else. Nor can it be cut and sent away even though you may try in your separation consciousness. You may even choose to bury it again and hide it away so it cannot be seen by you or by others, yet we say to you it will arise again and again to cause you pain and separation because it exists.

Give thanks to the mirror that triggered you and caused you to look at this consciousness and accept the gift they have shared with you. Perhaps they are a mirror for you in your life regularly and perhaps they have only come into your life for a fleeting moment, yet give thanks to this mirror for what they have come to show you of yourself.

This part of you that is in pain and separation has something very important to teach you, dear one, and it calls to you to assist it to step back into the light of your being once more ; instead of sitting in the shadows. It asks you to illuminate it, to shine the light upon it and to honor it as part of you.

As you do this dear hearts choose to accept that it is yours and that it has come to share its wisdom with you so that you may step from separation and emotional re-action in your life to a place of peace and stillness within your being. It will teach you to remain in your pillar of light and not to step out of your pillar into the energy of others or the energy of your shadow selves and believe this is your truth.

Open your consciousness (heart portal) to all the parts of you dear one that exists within you and honor each and every part. Accept that this energy exists in you for a reason and that it has much to teach you. Are you wiling to learn?

Then dear hearts embrace this part of you that holds separation. Embrace them with your light and hold them in your heart of love so they know they are held by you and that you are ready to learn the wisdom they have come to share with you from their experiences in the physical form.

Each and every part of you, dear one, is an integral part of the whole of you and each one is important. The parts of you that lift you up into the light and expand your heart into Oneness and the parts of you that cause emotions and pain and close down your heart to yourself and others. All have something to gift to you dear one. Honor each one and know that the gift lies inside of you. All that you need to come into self-mastery in your life sits inside of you. Blessed are you.

Lord Kuthumi

 

Madness, Utter Madness!

Published 24/03/2016 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

Madness!…….Terrorists, Suicide Bombers, Religious Belief!…Hatred for anyone not believing in their belief system….Why?

My Prayers go out to all those who lost their lives in the Brussels bombings yesterday, senseless waste of life under the guise of religious belief, the bombers killing innocent travellers…why!…Easy targets..yes!…..Could they fight back….No! and were they given a chance to fight back…No!

Peace and Love……Peace for all beings…Love for all beings, this is the message of all God’s……

Not hatred, Not Persecution, Not Death!

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

 

Opening Your Eyes and then Opening Your Heart to the Plight of Others

Published 20/01/2016 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

I have been thinking a lot lately about my own life and what that means to me and the people around me. My wife shared two videos with me a couple of days ago, video footage of my wife and a dear friend of ours who spoke about my recent death experience and what it meant to them, to their feelings, how that day affected them and what I mean to them. This was a wonderful and very moving experience for me, to see and hear my wife say how devastating that event was for her, how she saw me die in front of her, how she saw the paramedic working on me in the ambulance, the shock of seeing my heart racing to the point of giving up its struggle and to hearing my words as I was brought back to the land of the living, then to hear her words, her feelings and her observations of me since that event, her worries, her concerns and her fear of loosing me again, then also to see and hear the words of our friend, to see her tears, to feel her heartbreak and the effects that that day brought to her. This was a truly humbling and eye opening visualisation for me, I knew my wife was hurting as I saw her tears but the true depths of her hurting was kept from me because she did not want me to worry! And the words of our friend, her heartfelt testimony of what I mean to her, how I brought her together with my wife, how I suggested she tried a form of yoga that she may like even though she herself is a very experienced yoga teacher and the spiritual awareness I hold for her, these words really touched my heart and made me think again about my life and the life of others around me.

I came across this video again today and although I have posted it before, I felt the need to post it again; because I / we, and all of humanity needs to check in with reality once in a while, for us all to open our eyes and our hearts to the plight of others and stand up and be counted, to actually do some good, to help someone in need, to give out and share our love, for Humanity, for Mother Earth and for all Beings

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

 

 

Creating A New World

Published 11/10/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends

I often speak about ‘Oneness’, ‘Togetherness’, ‘One Humanity’ and how the realisation that we ‘are’ all connected, will eventually effect our ego minds and help us move forward to make our world a better place to live. ‘Oneness’, is the way forward and although we cannot make everyone understand; and want this, but we can still make a difference, “One seed at a time, one person at a time, one community at a time until this planet is embraced in a circle of resurgent life and resurgent love.”

I used to get so down when I watched the news on TV, read the newspapers or listened to the radio, ‘Wars raging, starvation, homeless, drugs, human trafficking, global warming, pollution of our environment, race hatred, religious hatred, corporate and political corruption and their need for global power and control’, but, now I realise that our world is changing, we ‘are’ starting to sit up, to notice and to awaken to these things, we are now starting to come together towards the ‘Oneness’ that is needed for our collective futures on this planet, we are starting to see the light and realise that ‘together’ we can make a difference, we can help someone in need and in turn they will help someone else in need, we can share the love, we can be grateful for what we have in our lives, we can love ‘ourselves’ and we can love ‘Humanity’.

Today my friends, I share my love with you, unconditional love from my heart, may your day be filled with the light of your God, may your heart be filled with love, happiness and compassion and if my words resonate with you, please hold our your hand to others and share this love.

Blessings to your all 🙂

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Today We Pray For The Victims of Domestic Abuse

Published 31/08/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

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My Dear Friends,

Domestic abuse, most often brushed under the carpet, locked behind the doors of the home, never spoken about, hidden behind shaking smiles in the hope that one day it will be ok and everything will go back to the time before the abuse started to happen!….

Unfortunately, in most cases, the abuse never stops, in most cases the abuse escalates to even higher levels, often the abuse moves over from one family member to others and sometimes even continues across generations, when the abused become the abuser !

Today, I pray for all the victims of abuse. Abuse can come in many forms, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse, confinement abuse etc.

No one, No one deserves to be abused!

No one should be treated without respect!

No one should have to live in fear!

No one……No one.

If you are in a situation of abuse, then its time to speak out…..

If you know someone who is abusing others then it’s time for you to speak out….

If you know someone who is being abused, then it’s time for you to speak out….

Let’s make this world a better place for all to live, without the fear, without the pain….living as we all should, living with love and happiness!

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Opening doors to their hearts, brought a wonderful change to this young mans Life!

Published 06/07/2015 by inspiringyourspirit

My Dear Friends,

I came across this wonderful video story of a young mans life of torment, he suffered bullying at his middle school after the death of his father, his life was in turmoil and he was in so much pain from endless bouts of mental and physical cruelty.

But one day Josh did something different, he opened a door and became the ‘Doorman’……Please watch this short video story of Josh’s life and I doubt you will be able to keep tears from your eyes.

‘Way to go Josh’…..You are a inspiration to the world 🙂

Namaste with Love

Always

Mark

Wash Away Your Pain With Love

Published 18/12/2014 by inspiringyourspirit

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Love’s rule is one,
Man’s rules are many.
Delusion and pain are a tangle of rules
While peace has no limitation.

When fear speaks
Happiness becomes pain
And desperately people cling
To straws of sorrow.
Their left hands use magic
To repel dark spirits,
And with their fright
They invite them in again.

What is pain
But Love unexpressed?
Be unshakable
But not obstinate;
Embrace fear
But do not affirm it;
Feel pain
But do not believe it.

Namaste with Love
Always
Mark

Running from the Wind

Published 20/08/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

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Running from the Wind

Once upon a time in old China a Buddhist Master caught sight of a man running down the road with all his might. He looked exhausted and frantic. “What are you running from?” inquired the Master. “I am running from the wind”, exclaimed the man. “Oh, there is nothing to fear then. Just sit still and it will pass you by”, returned the master. This is a simple enough parable but speaks deeply of Mindfulness and anxiety.

We often spend a huge amount of time and energy running from things. In fact it is a huge problem for society and is in endemic proportion. In our attempts to out run our fear, painful thoughts and feelings, loneliness and unhappiness our methods only end up creating far more suffering. Addictions provide an obvious example. In the attempt to avoid boredom, pain, loneliness, anger and sadness the addict only gets himself into more despair in the long term. As a result of his behaviour he creates guilt, isolation which creates even more loneliness, financial loss which creates even more despair. It is a vicious cycle. We don’t need to be the stereotypic addict to be in this cycle.

Anxiety disorder is another example. It is not the anxiety which creates anxiety disorder. After all, anxiety is a normal emotion which we all experience. At the core of anxiety is avoidance – a life of trying to avoid or get rid of anxiety which in turn creates even more anxiety. This is at the core of a panic attack.

In Mindfulness Training we learn to accept and even give space to unpleasant or painful emotions or thoughts. Mindfulness Training teaches us to accept them for what they are – just thoughts. This is not the same as avoiding or even tolerating unpleasant thoughts. Even tolerating can create a struggle. Many therapies aim at symptom reduction or eradication. The problem here is that we will always be “checking” to see is the symptom is going or gone thus creating what we are trying to get rid of – the anxiety!

At the heart of Mindfulness Training is giving space for the anxiety to be. We are able to stand back out of the struggle as if we are the spectators of a boxing match. We watch the fight but we are not part of it being punched up by the thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness is about breathing into the anxiety and giving it space, naming it, watching it like some creature from out of space but never giving in to it.

If we try to run form our anxiety we will exhaust ourselves like the man running from the wind. The old Master was right. Sit still, breathe, observe and it will pass you by.

Namaste
Mark

Feeling the Hurt: The Disconnected Self

Published 04/03/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

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The disconnected self. We all may feel this way, at least on occasion.

The sensation exists that we are beings separated from each other by space, time, or material construction. We will categorize and classify these differences and even exploit them if it suits us. However, as different as we may be, we also cannot deny our connections and similarities.

To truly understand and feel the hurt that we and others experience, we rely on our empathic skills. The word “compassion” itself means having sympathy for the suffering of others. It is no stretch of the imagination to know that people do suffer in the world. There are many kinds of trauma–physical, emotional, and psychological–that so many of us endure.

We have had the pain, terror, and horrors of war for about as long as humans have been around. The natural world itself is full of the struggle to survive under the most basic of circumstances. There is the expression, “It is a dog-eat-dog world out there.” We must understand the hurt, pain and suffering we have before we can try to help make things better.

We are, indeed, fortunate if we have someone with whom we can talk about these matters. For many people who follow certain religions, they turn to church leaders to get them through difficult times, such as when there is a death or serious illness in the family. Laypersons have counselors, mentors, and other healers–trained people who will coach us through hard times. They help us see the possibilities; they listen to our troubles, and help us take the right steps back on the positive side of things.

Compassion is not only a skill of those trained to work in those kinds of situations. It is something any of us may choose to do, because if we are honest with ourselves, we know there is a lot of pain and suffering out there, and we often cannot alleviate the pain alone. It is a positive action to be concerned about doing something to make the pain more bearable.

Some will advise that it is best to not look at the difficulties or look upon a particular horror directly, feeling it is a waste of time or counter-productive. Yet, look at the many appeals for help we see televised or that come to us on the internet these days. They can be rather graphic and show some of the real struggles of the young and old alike. We cannot deny the things that present themselves to us.

Eagerness to go out and work on eliminating them actively calls to each of us in different ways. There are people who see very little benefit in talking the problem over first, or realizing that they are not the first or only people who have suffered in this particular way or with this certain problem. Avoidance and fear do not help, clearly.

However, before we can know how much attention to place or how much work will be involved in maintaining a healthy attitude, we must first really see, know, and understand the extent of the problem, how deep it goes, how long it is been around, etc. In order to know how best to apply our energy or work on some sort of action plan, it is best to have a goal.

The goal of compassion is to alleviate suffering. This basic understanding is what a compassionate person knows from the very beginning. How to go about doing that is something unique to each situation, which is why it pays to look before we leap, so to speak. We may not be equipped to handle every case of suffering that crosses our path in life. We may feel best suited to help where and when we can, knowing that we cannot handle it all, or there are just some circumstances or situations that are beyond our capabilities.

This brings us back around to the concept that we are individuals, all having separate experiences. There can be some rather significant obstacles to overcome, when it comes to helping others, such as time and distance. When we see a situation in some far-off, war-torn land, we might wish we could be there to help in some way to care for the orphans or the sick and injured. More directly, there may be nothing more helpless than the feeling when a loved one is hurt or injured in some place where we cannot reach them or be with them in times of strife.

While it may be true that we all have our own unique perspective on our human lives, together we can create and accomplish great things. Compassion is one act that we can choose to do–one that will help others as we help ourselves to get beyond the pain and negativity that can hold us down. Together we rise, if that is our choice, and we are willing to do the work involved.

This is when we can actively choose to lessen the obstacles of time and space. Realistically, we may not be able to travel at a moment’s notice halfway around the world, but we can hold compassionate attention and cohesive energy to aid persons who need the spiritual support we can provide. We can work on making the steps happen to get there in person while we keep in touch with the suffering that exists.

Nobody says life is easy. It may not lessen the huge problems that negativity brings to the existence of the human struggle, but each little act of compassion and support we give each other sure does knock down the negativity and other obstacles bit by bit. To say we have done our one small part to make things better is something each of us can do–and it is up to us to do it.

Choose and act accordingly–there is great power in that.

Article written by Kathy Custren

Namaste

Mark

IT’S HURT……BUT WHY?

Published 05/02/2013 by inspiringyourspirit

A beautiful article about Negative Emotions, Hurt and Detachment by a dear blogging friend of mine from India Supriya.

Supriya’s blog can be found here http://hopeoflight.wordpress.com/about/

I hope you enjoy it as much as I?

Namaste

Mark

 

Hello readers, many times in life we feel deeply hurt. Internal hurt is more painful than external hurt as no one able to see that the heart is crying and it will be more difficult if you are a sensitive person.
This question haunted me from a long time why something or someone hurt us so much? Why we feel pain in our heart? How can we able to cure this pain?
I asked people I tried to find its answer in book & everywhere. And the most common answer I get is “LOVE HURTS” as it said, “ Those who love us knows exactly where to hit to break the heart.” But frankly speaking, I didn’t find this answer helpful.
I always believe there must be some cure for this pain or hurt like we have medicines for body wounds.
So my today’s story is in search of that cure which heals our heart that feels hurt.

“HAPPY READING”

broken-heart

Life is miserable for Diya. She feels everyone holding a hammer in their hand and as soon as they get the chance they hit hard on her heart. Whom she considers her love ones also do this.. She desperately needs some help to over come from this otherwise she gets mad. She didn’t want any temporary solution of this problem as she did in the past. This time she wants the actual answer to her question “ It hurts…. But why? And what’s the solution. She tried everything she could but not able to find any satisfied answer.

One day while she was going to meet one of her friend she saw a pamphlet “ Tell me your question” and in the end there was an email-id. Diya thought its not a harm to try this one also. So she mailed to that Id and after a few days she got a reply.
“Come & meet me at the below mentioned address.”

She thought maybe it’s a kind of joke? But then she thought if she wants to find the answer she have to go and see what it’s all about. She went to the place.
It’s a park near the university where she met a lady near the age of 55 or so. The lady greeted her with a smile and introduced her as a professor who likes to do social work in her free time.

Diya feels little hesitated to tell her problem to a stranger.
The lady insures her that whatever she will share it just between two of them.
Diya said, “ Ok…. I want to know why I feel so much hurt in my heart…. And what can I do to cure it.”
The lady asked, “ When you feel hurt most?”
Diya said, “Many times”
The lady asked, “ What hurt you most?”
Diya said, “ So many things… like at my work my boss never appreciate my work and always try to humiliate me in front of others. My colleagues pass comment on me. My friends also hurt me many times when they lie to me. My husband & my kids also sometimes become the reason of my hurt that I love the most. You know to a mother seeing their children suffers is the most painful thing. My elder son met an accident last year and still he is not able to walk properly. Could you image how much it’s hurt me?”

The lady nodded.
“ But now enough is enough I am not able to tolerate this pain more.”
The lady listen her calmly and after a few minutes she just said two words.
“ Practice Detachment”

“ What … what do you mean by that? What you want me to do to renounce my family and career for your kind information I am a family woman not any saint.” Diya said in disbelief.
The lady said, “ Calm down I am just trying to help you, don’t take me in wrong way.”
Diya said, “ Ok”
Let first understand why anything or anyone hurt us
Diya nodded
The lady gave her a book and said, “ Hold it tight.”
Diya does it as said.
The lady hit the book hardly with a stick.
Diya dropped the book and shout, “ What are you trying to do? You almost hit me.’
The lady said, “ I am sorry but I am trying to hit the book not you.”
“ How foolish is that. I am holding the book if you hit it I also get hurt.” Diya said annoyingly.
The lady said, “ TRUE…. That’s my point. Its call attachment whenever we attach our self with something or someone we get hurt. Remember what Buddhists say..

“Don’t cling to things, because everything is impermanent”

Diya asked, “Can you explain it a little more I am not able to absorb it fully.”
The lady nodded

Now I explain it taking those points which you told me in the beginning.
Suppose, you made a good report and when you go to show it to your boss you hope that your boss like it and you get promoted for your good work. But when your boss sees your work he gets angry and completely reject your report.
Now say how you will feel??
Diya replied, “ It’s hurt me?”

“Yes, you feel hurt because what you hoped didn’t happen.” Said the lady.
Diya asked, “ Do you mean I should not hope for good.”
The lady said, “I didn’t say that my point is hoping for good is not bad. The thing that hurt us is when we attach our self to the outcome and when the outcome doesn’t come the way we expected we feel hurt.”

“We are responsible for the effort not the outcomes.”

The second thing which hurt us is when someone ( especially those whom we consider our dear ones or friends) lie to us or said bad words to us. The thing that we should remember that time is…..

“Words only hurt when you allow yourself to believe them”

‘But how could that possible I know that they are doing wrong’ Diya protest.
‘True again but we are not talking here about right and wrong. Remember we have no control over others. People are free to say what they want. A lie or bad word said once but we keep them in our hearts & mind, and hurt our self by repeating the record again and again. Let them go and remember letting go doesn’t mean that you don’t care about someone anymore. It’s just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself.”

“Pain will leave you, when you let go”

Now the crucial point, we feel hurt most when our love one suffers.
For this you have to image two situations.
In first situation you and your son are walking. Your right hand ties with your son’s left hand. Suddenly your son fall down and hurt him.
‘What will happen to you and what can you do in this situation?’ the lady asked
Diya replied, “ I will also fall with him as we both are tied together and it might happen that I also get hurt myself too.”
‘Correct’

In the second situation when you and your son are walking but this time you and him are not tied together.
‘Now say what will happen to you and what will you do when you see your son get hurt?’
‘I pick him up and try to heal him’
‘Correct again’

In the first situation when our love ones going through pain we also go in pain as we are attached or say tie with them. That time when one needs someone strong to pick him or her up we choose to suffer with him or her. Its call attachment.

Diya asked in confusion, ‘ Wait… do you mean I should be emotion less and develop an attitude of I don’t care.’
Lady said, ‘No, absolutely not. We are human beings with emotions, we get connected with each other through these emotions not due to any biological reason. Due to emotions & feelings we are able to give love & show kindness toward everyone (it doesn’t matter we know them or not & its also not matter if its for human beings, animals or any non-living thing).

Emotions and feeling are like waves on a sea. See them, feel them and let them pass. Don’t allow yourself to cling to them otherwise those waves throw you out.

The second situation is an example of detachment. Detachment doesn’t mean you don’t let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That’s how you able to leave it.
Being detached, you turn yourself in a person one who can love more deeply and care with compassion. Without detachment we always feel the fear. We are too busy being afraid. We are afraid of the pain. We are afraid of the grief. We are afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails.
Most of the time we live our life with that thought this or that thing hurt me in the past so it might be hurt me in the future.

Wash yourself with emotions. It won’t hurt you. It will help you to understand everything more clearly and deeply. When we are able to recognize the emotion and detach our self from it then only we able to be more compassionate, caring & loving.

Diya nodded and said, “ I need to reflect what I just heard. It’s a new thing for me.”
The lady said, ‘ Hmm… You should and whenever you need a talk & clear your thoughts you are most welcome.”
Diya said, ‘ I will but before I leave I have a last question. Do you able to completely detach?’
Lady said, ‘I know pain, hurt, sadness, and loneliness little better. I lost my husband and only daughter in a terror attack.’ Her eyes get moist.
‘But I am still a student who practicing detachment on a regular basis. I start my day with the affirmation that Mahatma Gandhi once said, “ No one can hurt me without my permission”’

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