Whorls of Wonder

All too often

All too often we are guided by our overpowering emotions rather than our hearts. We sit and worry over painful or unfair past events and stew in a dark soup of despair. At painful times like these, it is difficult to quell the fear and doubt swirling about our thoughts.

At last a shining speck of hope will appear and pull us back towards the light. But how do we subdue the shadows on our hearts? First you must believe before you can take in the divine breath of the universe and bathe in the flow of positive energy. Believe that you can turn the rudder and steer against the patterns of behavior that have trapped you in their baleful currents.

Just as the high tides flow back to the sea, your heart can flow back towards the cosmic ocean of love. Love is the gentle breeze that lifts you up and warms your soul. Love does not have to come from another person. Love is everywhere. The life-giving sunshine is love. The swaying of a branch of ripe fruit is love. Think back to a happy childhood memory. Feel that brightening of your thoughts? That is love. Seek it.

Stack up those worries, fears and doubts – one atop the other. Focus on the brighter horizon, and leave those grim reminders behind. Love yourself. When the shadows return, nullify their power over you with LOVE.

For a tale of multicultural love and positive affirmations, read my novel on Amazon

Hold Steadfast

It has been said that there are more stars in the heavens than there are grains of sand on all the beaches of the world. As I wandered the sands the other day, I imagined the ocean represented the inevitable passage of ever-flowing time. A single human life can seem insignificant in the grander scheme of the universe, but that is not so. Life is not simply a gelatinous blob floating on a vast endless sea. Even the jellyfish has a purpose.

I saw the reflections in this beached jellyfish and thought of its life-spark returning to the cosmic sea as it passed away. It once carried some portion of the infinite soul.

Down the beach this stranded jelly looked as if if it held the purplish outlines of a face. Seeing shapes in things is called pareidolia. I have the tendency to see things in the shapes of objects all the time. I think of this as a source of creativity. The universe is alive with layers upon layers of inspiration. We just need to take the time to find see what is there.

As we are bounced and jostled by the day-to-day complexities of society, hold steadfast to the immutable speck of kismet forged in the moment of your birth. Allow the storm winds to flow around your inner self safe in the knowledge that you are significant. You do matter in the grander scheme of things. Never relinquish your uniqueness. Cherish it.

Let worry walk on by. Smile with the knowledge you are a one-of-a-kind individual the likes of which will never come again. Hold dear your reflection in the mirror for your eyes glow with the universal fire.

For more positive affirmations, read my novel on Amazon

Embrace Your Life

Love is the most powerful energy in the universe. Love’s positive flow fills our souls with light. It is said love shines brightest after a storm. After enduring the darkest days, the heart-mind blazes under reflections of joy.

To escape from the trap of darker thoughts liberate your mind through meditation and reflection. Break out of the bindings of anxiety and nervousness. It is difficult, but it gets easier with repetition.

The shape of this clump of seaweed reminded me of a long necked sea monster. Looking at it I began thinking, the shadowy outlines of our negative emotions stain us with fearful animus intent on wreaking havoc on our tender hope. Slay the demons of self-doubt by reinforcing faith in yourself through acts of self-kindness.

Accept yourself for who you are. Let your aspirations put down roots in the rich fertile soil of your imagination. Spend fifteen minutes or more each day daydreaming. Do not analyze or replay the events of the day. Simply put away the anxiousness and feel the warmth of happiness.

Be good to yourself. Know that you are a unique person worthy of love and happiness. Sharing this joy will magnify the love in the world around you. Live the life you have been given with LOVE.

Read my novella on Amazon

The Wonder of it All

The glory of our world is beyond words. One just has to open their heart to the infinite possibilities. The beach views this morning were magical.

The sea foam was undulating in the strong winds. Marveling at it, I remembered reading that sea foam is the skeletal remains of microscopic ocean flora and fauna. Periodically splendid sunlight pierced the gray clouds and illuminated a thousand rainbows across the ethereal foam.

The howling winds swept the beach. The sky was electrified with negative ions. My pulse synchronized with the pounding surf.

Stand astride two worlds. Feel the omnipotence. Sense the sacred presence. Be in the kinetic moment.

I was allowed to peek into another dimension and was humbled by the revelation.

For a few minutes, I was like a clump of flowering seaweed drifting in the tides of time. The moment stretched across infinity and back to me. Alone within the grand embrace of divine grace.

If you would like to read more uplifting writing, read my novella

You Have to Find

Picasso once said you cannot look; you have to find

The other day I found these creatures on the beach. I am not sure what they are. The pattern made by the tides tossing them around reminded me of fractals. Organic patterns nest one within the other flowing from the microscopic to the cosmic. The wondrous universe animates all life which in turns sets the darkness alight.

I’m often amazed at the common connections between humans and the animal world. The three sea lions in this photo were frolicking together like kids coming home from school. While the gull in the foreground waited patiently for us to toss him some morsel like a dog sitting under the dining room table waited for table scraps.

Some animals have part of human civilization for thousands of years. Standing on the beach as these beautiful animals walked past, I could momentarily feel the pulse beat of generations of my ancestors as they rode these majestic animals for innumerable miles.

Let the string of your imagination play out across the sky and set your soul afloat on the wind. Be a messenger of love and joy to those you meet. Treasure the life you have. Do not look for your truth – Find your truth.

My novella is filled with affirmations of positivism.

Life Form

When I step into nature I feel a kinship with the wildlife. Some deep rooted connection remains from our primordial ancestors. Or perhaps it is just a projection of anthropomorphism. This crab was stranded on the beach, exhausted from the struggle and several gulls were circling nearby. Looking closely into his eyes I thought I saw a plaintive plea for mercy. I carefully lifted him and placed him back in the surf out of the reach of the gulls. I look into the pools of water left behind by the retreating tide and see layers of reality reflected and re-reflected within the  finite space.

A pair of eagles stalk the beach and hunt the various gulls and crows. One day I happened upon them just finishing their meal They had used this log as a sort of chopping block for their meal. The scene dramatically illustrated the concept of survival of the fittest. We all struggle with different hierarchies of power in our lives, but manage to survive day-to-day because we have learned to cope.

The multitude of grand designs of life fascinate me. How many different lifeforms have evolved on this beautiful world of ours. And the recycling of nutrients through death renews life and assures the possibilities of future generations.

I find myself drawn to jellyfish, and this one seemed to be looking back. I don’t know anything about jellyfish anatomy, but the yellow structure looks a lot like a bird’s head to me. Although they are alien and strange we are still distantly related.

Humanity is connected through the cosmic ocean of our common ancestry to all life. Although we have different cultural beliefs we are united in our humanness. Treat one another with respect and shape the brighter future for posterity.

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Fortify Your Self

Many days we are confused about the direction of our lives. Problems, difficulties, and challenges abound. We must not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by worry.

The sunlight will shine again. The darkness will fade into pale shadows. Seek the light of happiness even in the smallest details of your life. Each and every day wear a smile as often as you can. The Chinese sage Laozi once said, a day without laughter is a day not worth living. So let laughter be your daily tonic.

Reflect the endless sky within your heart and allow the warmth of the universe to begin to melt away doubt. Believe you deserve to be happy and follow the light into a brand new day.

These motes of happiness you discover will fortify your soul and grant you serenity. Gather up your woes and reshape them into your inner sanctuary.

Read my novel on Amazon

Change in Attitude

All too often we overpower our hearts with anxiety about the future. So many of us think about our lives in the future tenses. The present tense escapes us because our past experiences are clouded with phobias and seemingly endless loops of interwoven regrets binding our confidence. Today simply becomes a step away from yesterday and a step down from tomorrow.

We become anxious about the future while being embedded within the grains of time that have “slipped away”. There is within us all a divine energy through which we can transform our self.

We do not have to cling to the past. Our mortal lives are not anchored to the floating flotsam of shattered bits of what could have been. Our wondrous minds are a gift from the universe. The power within us all can alter reality. That power can be harnessed to improve your life and the lives of those you love.

Recently I read some psychology research that talked about adopting thoughts of opportunity versus thoughts of threat when feeling intense anxiety. The research said the mental energy we experience from deep anxiety is similar in intensity to the energy we experience when excited. They are like magnetic poles of emotions. We need to flip the switch from I am anxious to I am excited. This is not some facile advice, but simply a way to refocus our heart and mental energies.

There is no easy way out. But there is a way out of overpowering anxiety. Like everything in life, first we have to believe in the possible. Believe in yourself. Believe you can. And you will.

Read my novella, and find the divine within you.

Life is Beautiful

When the Divine calls – Answer! Those words came to me the other day when I was editing my novella. I feel I am fortunate to be able to wander the beach whenever I’m looking for inspiration. Staring across the vast surging waters connects my mind to a cosmic stillness.

I like to stroll along the exposed seabed at low tide. It’s amazing to walk up and down the sloping sands. There is a gravitational pull along the bottom of the sea.

I rise early in order to fill my lungs with fresh morning air. Gulls and crows are my only companions. They wait patiently for the tides to wash up some tasty tidbits or poke through the wrack line in search of edibles.

Before I leave the beach I like to pause and say a little prayer for those I love; and to give thanks for all life.