I remember a time when I braced myself against life. I would notice it most with the start of each new day. Before my sleepy feet even touched the cool floor, the day unfolded in my mind like a battle map—tasks and to-dos lined up in rigid formation (can you tell I grew up military, LOL). Even our dogs, eager for breakfast and attention, felt like one more tug on the leash of my time.
Without meaning to, I used to start my
my days in defense mode, playing
out scenarios and conversations as
if preparing to fend off an invasion!
But then something shifted. I felt a nudge from Holy Spirit. It wasn’t a stunning revelation or a mystical sign... more like something pressing me gently but firmly forward as I sensed the instruction to begin my mornings with 30 minutes of silent stillness, nothing else: no planning, no problem-solving, no even trying to feel ‘spiritual’... just resting in being. I won't lie, it felt stressful at first, because I’ve hit the ground running for decades!
But wow! It didn’t take long for me to notice something incredible: the more I let go of ‘me’ wrestling my days before they begin, the more the days flow with unexpected grace. I couldn't help but wonder: How often have I been the invader in my own life, gearing up for battles that never needed fighting?
Our souls once rested in peace, but
we've all strayed into worry, fear and
distress. Lean back into the Holy
Presence and remember that rest
isn't something we create... it's
something we return to when
we remember Who We Are.
It feels unspeakably good to no longer expend so much energy staying one step ahead of everything. In my still, sacred mornings life has become an invitation. My practice now is the quiet 'yes' in answer to the invitation. What if life is also waiting, patiently and full of grace, for your quiet ‘yes’?
To the unstoppable striver: You've been caught up in self-reliant perfectionism, but it's time to hand that over! Know that surrender is not submission, but a deep trust of what has always held you.
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What you believe about stress matters. The Dalai Lama asked for an atlas of emotions and this is what he got. Gabor shares the greatest gift a parent can give their child. Your brain has a twilight zone (explains a lot, doesn't it!). Super nice letters to make you feel super nice.
A playlist to sweeten Advent
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✨ Joyful sparks ✨
What's lighting you up from the inside out this week? I'll share my list and invite you to make your own! It's a great practice heading into the third week of Advent (theme: joy).
- The trip I get to make to NYC to spend Christmas and New Year's Eve with our sons and soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
- So grateful for the many helping hands of kind men who have lifted, schlepped and assembled things for me.
- The amazing individuals gathering at my home this weekend for Mystics at the Table.
- Our family's Christmas traditions, which include a lot of communal time in kitchen.
- The joy of sending old-fashioned Christmas cards the old-fashioned way, even if they won't get there till next year, LOL.
- Foggy mornings and squirrels burying treats for the coming winter.
- My dogs who know exactly the right time to nudge me for belly rubs (always when I need to get out of my head!).
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If you're open and receptive, Advent is like a portal into stillness, a sacred pause in a hustle bustle world. In that stillness, I've discovered that the timeless invitation to “wait expectantly” isn’t passive patience... it’s an active resting in trust, allowing a space of non-interference for something deeper to unfold.
Lay down the need to match the world's
chaotic and insane energy.
SIMPLY BE
You are made to receive quiet blessings,
moment by moment, breath by breath.
Stillness makes room for the sacred yes that already lives within us. The yes that rises from stillness isn’t driven by pressure or obligation... it emerges from trust and cannot be forced (that's how Spirit works!). It’s the yes that Mary spoke, the yes that welcomes possibility even... or maybe especially... when the path is unclear.
The world we want for ourselves
and our children will not emerge
from electronic speed but rather
from a spiritual stillness that
takes root in our souls.
♡ Marianne Williamson ♡
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Check it out...
🔖 My husband (super restless type A guy) picked up this book and loves it!
🎄 Great stories behind the most beloved Christmas carols
🔮 Neuroscience confirms: wakeful rest is not idleness
🎁 After watching this, remember you're never too old to create beautiful things in this world
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The truth in you remains
as radiant as a star,
as pure as light,
as innocent as love itself.
(ACIM, T-31.VI.7:4)
