Sacred Ecstacy

Sacred Ecstacy
by Laura Harrison


Nature carresses and undresses me with her breeze.

To taste this living air as I breathe,

I dissolve all heaviness of form and once again remember Self as light.

And all is right.

I will not fight, I will expand,

weightlessly like the blue sky to swallow all sensation-

sadness and pain; and happiness, all the same.


I will expand, saying yes to life,

the way I gracefully expand to let my lover inside of me.


The ecstacy of being free,

The pure bliss of Spirituality,

Shining love through my body,

Serving others whole-heartedly,

and when he makes love to me.......


          all is one

                  one journey home.

Be it through Nature, Love, or Generosity,

It is but one sacred ecstasy.

Become Nothing but Love and Light Again

Become Nothing but Love and Light Again


In deep gratitude..


I bow before you, great Universe, on my hands and knees I lay my face on my Mother's cheek..
To feel the cold loving Earth beneath my bare feet, in all her seasons and cycles..

to dance, to sing, to cry from the bottom of my soul until I am empty of all that is not mine.. 

and to feel the loving embrace of consciousness shining at me at all times through EVERYTHING..

that no matter how many times I forget that you are smiling unconditional Love at me always..

you are ALWAYS shining when I return to you.

Thank you for the wisdom to know now that all I suffer now is a lesson so that I may help others to be free from pain

and for every misery, you have taught me to open WIDER and to let the love swallow the pain,

pain becomes more love...

so that my tears are only tears of opening in surrender, which floods me with even greater bliss..

For even in the face of pain, there is a beauty, for pain is the greatest teacher of complete surrender,

and complete surrender is to allow the Divine consciousness to shine

unmediated through your unique crystalline structure into this world of form.


Give up! Stop trying to fight the flow,

and feel the grace of the current shift your body into ecstatic dancing bliss!

I cannot fathom the love I feel, the joy,

and my only remaining desire is to share, give, serve this love,

Love serving love,
 
I will feel all things with all beings,

and understand where the edges are between their energy and mine,

and know full well that those distinctions are only temporary illusion.


I will now rest silently in the prayer of the direct experience,

colored with gratitude and love unconditional,

for the awareness to discern the majesty and miracle of this lifetime I have been given.

I will not waste it. I will wake up, and be nothing but love and light again. 


I will now rest silently in the prayer of the direct experience,

colored with gratitude and love unconditional.

The Laws of the Universe~ How We Create Our Experience from a Scientific Sort of View.

If you take a few moments to reflect on each of these concepts, it makes sense, from philosophical, metaphysical, and scientific (quantum physics) viewpoints...

 

These same ideas and concepts were outlined by great wise ones like the Buddha, Jesus (the historical figure), and countless poets, singers, artists of all kinds, throughout the ages.

Even if you are skeptical, why don't you try a living experiment: with the idea of energy being a very real thing, and knowing that there is measurable energy in the human body, and thinking burns energy, it may begin to make some sense. Faith in an idea shouldn't be blind- put it to the test, see if you exercise positive, passionate, compassionate thinking for a few months if you don't see any benefits or interesting results.... Good luck and let me know how the experiment goes! <3~ laura

 

from: http://1000thingstobegratefulfor.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/51-be-grateful-for-the-laws-of-the-universe/

The 7 Natural laws of the universe:

The Law of Vibration states that everything vibrates and nothing rests. Vibrations of the same frequency resonate with each other, so like attracts like energy. Everything is energy, including your thoughts. Consistently focusing on a particular thought or idea attracts its vibrational match. How to apply it: Focus on what you want instead of what you don’t want.

The Law of Relativity states that nothing is what it is until you relate it to something. Point of view is determined by what the observer is relating to. The nature, value, or quality of something can only be measured in relation to another object. How to apply it: Practice relating your situation to something worse than yours, and you will feel good about where you are.



The Law of Cause and Effect states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Every cause has an effect, and every effect has a cause. Be at cause for what you desire, and you will get the effect. All thought is creative, so be careful what you wish for… you will get it. How to apply it: Consistently think and act on what you desire to be effective at getting it.

The Law of Polarity states that everything has an opposite. Hot-Cold, Light-Dark, Up-Down, Good-Bad. In the absense of that which you are not, that which you are… is not. Polar opposites make existence possible. If what you are not didn’t coexist with what you are, then what you are could not be. Therefore, do not condemn or criticize what you are not or what you don’t want. How to apply it: Look for the good in people and situations. What you focus on, you make bigger in your life.

The Law of Rythym states that everything has a natural cycle. The tides go in and back out, night follows day, and life regenerates itself. We all have good times and bad times, but nothing stays the same. Change is constant. Knowing that “This too shall pass” is great wisdom about life’s ebb and flow. How to apply it: When you are on a down swing, know that things will get better. Think of the good times that are coming.

The Law of Gestation states that everything takes time to manifest. All things have a beginning and grow into form as more energy is added to it. Thoughts are like seeds planted in our fertile minds that bloom into our physical experience if we have nourished them. How to apply it: Stay focused and know that your goals will become reality when the time is right.




The Law of Transmutation states that energy moves in and out of physical form. Your thoughts are creative energy. The more you focus your thinking on what you desire, the more you harness your creative power to move that energy into results in your life. The Universe organizes itself according to your thoughts. How to apply it: Put your energy and effort, your thoughts and actions into attracting what you desire, and you will surely attract the physical manifestation of that energy.

How to Gracefully Survive Transformations (should you ever need some ideas)

I cannot say when I experienced my first personal revolution.. when I decided to follow my heart instead of my head, or my parents, or what is considered the "normal", "logical", or "proper" path... We all come to crossroads in life, when we feel how heavy the weight of our choices are, that everything will never be the same again based on our decisions, or when we experience the death of a loved one or loss of a relationship or even the loss of a plan or dream that meant everything to us. Life will never be the same again...

This ties in with our teaching theme for April.. Healing, letting-go and growing in the experience of loss...

Even if death is not the loss we are experiencing, any time a chapter or era in our lives comes to a close, it is a small death. It is the "death before we die" that Rumi speaks of. Who we thought we were is no longer who we are. Life is different now. Our future has changed, our possibilities are very different. We are not that person that lived in that reality, we are somehow new and different.

This can lead to a feeling of disintegration, literally dis-integration. In time we re-integrate, we become grounded again, in our new, present circumstances. When the ground shifts beneath the feet, it sends you down to your knees. There is a deep sense of surrender. Just like the weakest moments spent before vomiting, we tend to be broken open, not physically so much as emotionally. Completely surrendered to what will happen.
             'Okay!!!! Please!!!!!! Just get it over with, let is go, c'mon.... Oh I can't take this!!!!!!'

The suffering is the greatest when we resist or fight it, so the first thing to realize is that no amount of denial or refusal is going to change reality in this moment. We are better off opening ourselves to it fully, resist nothing.... which means feeling the raw, searing pain of our circumstance.

 In the case of a break-up, for example- there is the sting of embarassment, of betrayal, of rejection; the punched-in-the-gut feeling of love that is not returned or the grimy, clinging feeling of the desperate grasping of one who wants you to be in love with them when you are not, anger, frustration, the shattering of something you thought would last longer or always be there, and more depending on the specific dynamic you are experiencing. This is not easy stuff, not for the faint of heart... but it is real. We have all or will all experience heartbreak in various forms at some time or another. Most of us will have our hearts broken in various ways numerous times during the course of our lifetime.

After accepting the reality, we can let ourselves have permission to feel, space to process, time to mourn. I like to give myself 3 whole days all to myself to feel whatever I need to feel, including self-pity, agony, sadness, depression, desperation, whatever. I cry out loud, I lay all the right music to get me sad or indignant or clear and happy again. I sing my heart out, I cry some more, I walk outside, I sleep a lot.. whatever I need. Then, day by day after that, I turn my focus deeper and deeper into the rest of my life- instead of clinging to what happened and what isn't anymore, I focus on what is and pour myself into that.

Remember that you are not the first person to feel what you feel, you are joining almost every being on the planet in one way or another. We all have loss, pain, sadness and fear at sometime or another. In this way we can develop our compassion and empathy. Suffering makes us love more.. as our heart breaks, it splits wide open, and as long as we embrace and not deny our experience, it heals wider then ever, we are capable of greater and greater love and compassion. Whenever I go through heartbreaks and difficult times, I wish for a heart big enough to swallow all this pain and love ever more then before.

So after a few days of heavy-duty processing and accepting, we can work on moving forward. Pour youself into your life as it is. Do good things for others, because it makes one feel so much better. We are at our best when we unselfishly help others. Take care of yourself too, mind, body and heart. Find a balance between doing good for others/being with others, doing your work, and taking care of yourself and being alone. Time alone is the space that allows us to come back to our Self. It is as if we are a foam cushion and life in the busy world is the ass sitting on us, we need to have time alone to bounce back into our shape, or else we will get carried away from who we are by life's little distractions.

"I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me anymore"  ~ Jack White

We tend to let ourselves get molded into other shapes by our relationships with others, not just romantically but also by friends, family, co-workers. We pick up positive and neagtive habits. The ones that inspire us and bring us good health or help us to be more creative, fulfilled or compassion we can keep, they are us. The ones that drag us and those around us down, like gossiping, complaining, judging, excessive cursing, impatience, smoking.. these habits can go, they cannot be who we are at our essence, because they make us feel mean, depressed, or seperated from our iner greatness or health. So whenever we go through a transformation in life, we can reflect on what habits we have that are ready to leave us- the ones that keeps us seperated from our happiness, health, creativity and confidence.... and we can build stronger connections to the qualities and habits we have that are healthful, helpful, inspiring and being out our confidence and very best. Journalling this is helpful.. since we are a new person coming through a transition, clarifying to ourself who this new one is can be very grounding and clarifying, helping the transitional chaos to begin to subside.

Try not to dwell on the past... make peace knowing that you (and others) do the best they understand how to do in each moment given their awareness and inner experience. Don't worry too far ahead. Try to take things one day and one moment at a time. Your life will take a new shape and that shape will become clear to you very soon.

*****Remember to practice yoga and or meditation, during the most stressful times, try to practice everyday to help you process the energy. I know that this is CRUCIAL, absolutely MANDITORY for me if I wish to stay together as much as possible and suffer the least I can manage during difficult times. My reactions to others are more harsh when I do not do this.

Taking care of your body's needs, likewise, makes the process easier. If your mental and emotional state is precarious and tender, you can at least keep a comfortable, healthy body. Make sure to get extra sleep whenever possible; eat clean, vegan foods, as much organic and raw as possible; drink plenty of pure water, kombucha, herbal teas, and minimal to no coffee, alcohol or other intoxicants that will pollute your body and cloud your experience.

Give yourself completely to the experience, and trust that it will all work out for the highest and greatest good of all involved. Trust in the unfolding of reality, in the benevolence of the universe. If you send positive energy out, positive energy will come back to you, so keep your chin up, your mind open and your hopes high ( with no hard expectations!!). You have survived thus far so you shall survive this. One basic rule is that everything is in a state of constant change in life, so know that this will change, will not last forever.. and believe that life will get better then ever. Believe it and it will, as long as your mind is open to flow with reality as it unfolds. Good luck and blessings!

with <3, laura

Expand into Nature + Walk Until Your Mind Shuts Up

There is a monstrous difference in our energy when we are indoors versus being outdoors in nature. Even if you don't think of urban or suburban sidewalks as 'nature', being outside period invites our energy to return to its natural expansive state.

The Yoga Spanadakarika calls the state of self-consciousness and ignorance we typically live in a "constriction of shakti", or life energy. When we are in a state of yoga, or harmony, our shakti is expansive, we are unbound. It makes perfect sense to describe it this way: if you watch your experience, when you enter inside from the outdoors, even more noticeably when you enter a public place with chaotic energy, such as a mall, and feel your energy.  When you are anxious or uncomfortable in any way, watch your energy, the sensations you experience. Feel how your body tightens up, draws in towards the center, tenses. Our creativity is restrained, our attitude is not as positive, our confidence is often retreated within itself.  When we are feeling whole and harmonious, we tend to feel open, light, free, inspired, creative, bold, literally expansive. When we go outside, we can feel this shift, from the walls and ceilings constricting our energy to the buoyant lightness, freedom as we unfurl and merge with the sky. This is perhaps a very poetically subjective way to state the experience, but try it for yourself when you are in a sensitive state of awareness.


Being stuck in our thoughts is another form of constriction of shakti. As we withdraw into our own heads, we withdraw from our connection to the world and beings around us. As we become more openly aware of internal and external at once, more present, we expand once again to a more natural state and frequency of our energy. Walking briskly outdoors, while consciously feeling posture, breath, air, and drinking in the scenery with your eyes. Every time you notice that you are participating in thinking and the inner conversation, as soon as you are aware, come back to even just a moment of taking in the scenery with your heart and senses wide open, only space, no thoughts. You can't push the thinking out, but you can get used to not paying attention to it unless its functional. This allows you to tune your attention to a different wavelength- the wavelength of being present. After you walk a while and practice this, you will find more and more space in between the thoughts pervading your mind. You will feel less constricted, less congested, less cluttered and flustered, and instead calmer, more focused, more peaceful, energized and grateful.  It depends on how long your mind needs to settle in, but 20-60 minutes is best.

Touching nature is always beneficial for our state of mental and physical health. Try to make some sort of contact everyday, with fresh air, sunshine, movement outdoors, and walk everyday if you can. Walking is the greatest natural anti-depressant. Whenever you feel stressed, just get outside and walk until your mind shuts up.

Two Feet Firm on the Earth

I have learned the hard way that there is an easy way to find a lot of freedom, confidence, and peace, almost instantly...

Our posture seems so irrelevant when reflecting on our mental-emotional state, but every layer of our being is interconnected and interpenetrating.

Our foundation, the way we touch the earth with our body, the way we connect to the ground, determines the way energy can and will move through our whole system. It changes nerve function, digestion, water regulation, bloodflow and more. It is the meaning of the word "asana", the word for pose in Sanskrit- our seat, our connection to the Earth.

Whenever you sit, put your weight into your HIPS, not your spine, pressing into the chair or ground a bit. Lift your chest and open it with comfortable effort. Feel the buoyancy return to your center. Try not to cross your legs, but if you do, take turns to remain even or cross to the side you normally wouldn't. Otherwise leave your feet flat and gently pressing downward, which helps to keep your chest open.

When you stand, press through the forefoot and heel evenly, leaving the arches floating. Notice if you shift your weight to one side more then the other. Evening out will retrain your body and help you to overcome imbalances that actually can mess with your entire muscular-skeletal alignment. Pressing through your feet and evenly left-to-right, allow your chest to be open and navel to engage gently toward the spine to neutralize your pelvis. It sounds like work, and can be at first, but it is well worth it.

When I feel slugglish, frustrated or insecure in any way, I notice that fixing my connection to the earth, my posture, makes it all but disappear, instantly, or at least pretty rapidly at worst. It is worth it to apply ourselves to find a healthy, free, quick fix with no negative side-effects to remedy the dark side of our unhealthy modern world.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

A few Poems by Mary Oliver to Savor

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

The Sun

Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone--
and how it slides again

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance--
and have you ever felt for anything
such wild love--
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you

as you stand there,
empty-handed--
or have you too
turned from this world--

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

New Bolivian Law Will Give the Earth Rights

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/new-bolivian-law-would-give-rights-to-nature.html#ixzz1Ji0GwlWG

By Erin La Rosa, ecorazzi


It’s an annoying fact that not everyone recycles or turns the lights off or makes efforts to so much as conserve water. So, what if the government stepped in and forced everyone to do all of those things?

That’s what lawmakers in Bolivia are taking steps toward with their “Law of Mother Earth” bill. It’s a piece of legislation that would grant nature equal rights to humans.

The laws would be the first of their kind, with 11 in total, and would recognize that the planet has an equal right to be protected.

The Guardian outlined the laws as: “the right to life and to exist; the right to continue vital cycles and processes free from human alteration; the right to pure water and clean air; the right to balance; the right not to be polluted; and the right to not have cellular structure modified or genetically altered.”


Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera said when describing the new law, “Earth is the mother of all…the harmony [between man and nature] must be preserved as a guarantee of its regeneration.”

The South American country has been threatened by environmental changes, with temperatures steadily increasing and its glaciers (a source of water and electricity for them) disappearing at rapid rates.
Hopefully Bolivia’s bold move will lead to laws like this being implemented elsewhere!