Quietude

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we can find little, if any, time for peace and quiet. Sometimes our only private, quiet space is when we are in the bathroom! And, likely, it isn't a daily ritual to take a leisurely bath with candles, lavender and an hour of indulgence just for you.

Many of us have looked to the early morning or the late night hours to have a little hush time for ourselves... if we are not too tired or haven't used that time to squeeze in a few extra tasks, anyway.

 
Sure, meditation can be a wonderful way to find peace and quiet. To allow the mind, ears and voice to rest. To release thoughts and soak in the silence.

Yet meditation is not the only way to enjoy quietude. Reading, crafts, chores and driving can also be done in quiet. Rather than clicking the noise-inducing Play button on your electronic device, perhaps you integrate a little silence into your day. Don't worry if your mind wanders; perhaps it is simply wondering how to help you listen to the sound of the Divine in silence.

If only for a few minutes each day, why not allow yourself to be embraced by quietude?

Breaking free

Think of all that is breaking apart around you.

So many are finding themselves losing relationships, jobs, money, homes and more; things they never imagined losing. We have entered a "point of no return" in which energies which no longer serve us, especially old patterns, are falling away. We, of course, can try to turn back and grasp at the old, but the efforts are in vain. As we forge through the uncertainties, we are growing stronger and soon - soon enough, anyway - we will see that we have broken free. 

Trust that your soul knows how to claim your freedom. Trust that this is why you have come to Earth at this time; to not just remember that you have always been free, but to demonstrate and relish in your absolute freedom.

When things seem as if they are breaking apart in your life, let the courage in your heart remind you that you are simply breaking free - allowing liberty - so that you can pursue your happiness unfettered.

As the ego releases judgment

There is a difference between discernment and judgment; subtle, but important. Discernment allows us to see, feel or know the things that are in our "highest good" and those which are not. Using discernment, we can avoid experiences, relationships and conditions that are not in our best interest. We can decide which jobs, activities and situations to engage in and, generally speaking, have pleasant experiences when we use our gift of discernment well. Judgment, on the other hand, keeps us separated from others and from Source. Judgment is always directed at people or groups of people. Though we may believe it is about others, it is actually about ourselves. Judgment is the ego's way of feeling safe by protecting our hearts, beliefs and perceptions, even when the judgment is against ourselves. Because it stems from our personal, often wounded, aspect, judgment can be detrimental to both our individual and spiritual growth and happiness in life.

Why are we attached to judgment?

Most of us grew up in a family that offered conditional love. We saw that if we behaved in certain ways, we would be rewarded with affection, kind words, encouragement, and so on. Or, perhaps, we would avoid being hurt, whether physically, emotionally or mentally. Or, unfortunately for some, avoid being hurt too deeply. We also discovered that our world had many places, people and situations that felt unsafe and soon learned to protect ourselves, and our hearts, with our power of judgment. Thankfully, a mechanism of our ego body, the structure of judgment saved us. For better or worse, it actually helped form us.

As we move individually and collectively to a more loving experience of being, we are finding ourselves in an uncomfortable predicament. On the one hand, we are aware that it is time to change; we desire unconditional Love, we wish to release our fears, we want to expand into a greater us. We may even wish to release the denser parts of our ego, including one of its prime foundations, our judgments. On our other hand, however, we are finding resistance to our growth, resistance to releasing the basics of our old "safe" structures, which - of course - includes judgment.

How can we simultaneously allow our ego to feel safe and release its attachment to judgment so we can grow and stop the patterns of separation consciousness?

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Maya Angelou

"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage."