Celestial Innovations

I Wonder if You Knew

2016-07-16T17:11:00.000+02:00

I wonder if you knew

When my heart broke

Tearing jagged edges

Laying in tatters before the world

I wonder if you knew

The tears that flowed like rivers huge and wild

The water tumbling and turning

Stirring up the mud

Darkness enshrouded me dragging me down

I wonder if you knew

My mind never left you

Wherever it took me

The thought of you beside me

I wonder if you knew

The body fails daily

The lies and tales told about me

Like daggers to my side

Churning and burning as they cut me

I wonder if you knew

That God smiled on me one day

He brought a soul so dear and kind

To heal my battered soul

I wonder if you knew

Years may be short and few

A precious soul reached out amidst the tatters of my being

And loved me through my pain

I wonder if you knew

That once more the sun could shine

It dried my tears and warmed me

But he gathered the shards of my heart

Holding it gently as he loved me and made me whole

I wonder if you knew

Once again that I can smile again

The joy that flows to me

Filtering through the pain

I wonder if you knew

That I will always hold you dear

Your memory nestled within my mind

No longer will I give you power

To break my heart again

I wonder if you knew

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Inner Peace

2015-08-06T21:37:00.001+02:00

Peace is when we find within ourselves the contentment of our inner being. Allow your peace to radiate into the world and in so doing lift those around you. ~ ACN

The dictionary describes peace as “freedom from disturbance; tranquillity.” That sounds almost quite impossible to achieve now doesn’t it. Yet it isn’t. In reality peace is relatively easy to achieve.

When we awaken to what is and accept the responsibility for clearing our issues which we have diligently stowed in our back sacks, eroding away at the rocks of issues one by one, accepting what was and in so doing acknowledging the lesson in the experience and finding forgiveness for all concerned who played a part in the experience, including ourselves. It is then that we find peace within our being.

This process may take a while to achieve. Many of us have lived our lives by simply ignoring those experiences that devastate our souls. It may be an extremely painful journey to work through these issues one by one. Often we find that we have thought we have worked through them only to find a few months or years down the road that we still have pebbles of issues remaining and need then to start the process of working through them and eliminating them completely.

It is important to remember that are not Godzilla and cannot just stomp the issue into the ground. We should take care to remember to be gentle and compassionate with ourselves throughout the process of letting go. There is no magic quick fix to this process either. And importantly, no one is to blame for what has previously happened in our lives. Some may have harmed and hurt you, you may feel extremely offended by what has happened and so very angry toward they perpetrators of the harm caused you. It is perfectly natural to feel what you are feeling. Yet holding on to something that has happened causes more harm to you that anyone else.

Therefore it is imperative to remember too, that prior to this incarnation you chose to experience certain lessons and contracted to those who have brought them to you to do so. In saying this, it is necessary to forgive yourself too.

Having completed the process of letting go and attaining this wonderful sense of peace within your being is a feeling like none other. You may certainly want to hold it to yourself and for a while you probably will. There will, however, come a time, when you will radiate that peace rippling it into the world and creating a feeling a peace all around you. You will certainly find that others are peaceful in your presence. You will find that you have the ability to face whatever comes your way in a peaceful fashion and will be in acceptance of what happens in the world around you. This does not mean that you will not feel touched by the atrocities of the world. Of course you will be, yet you will know within yourself that even though you are not able to change or fix all those disturbing things, just by radiating your peaceful aura change will occur over a period of time. Throughout the world today we see acts of peace when for example demonstrators may offer law enforcement officers hugs or flowers. Conflict is never the answer and once you attain inner peace you will feel that there are many other ways to change something in a peaceful fashion.

Allow your peace to radiate into the world. See it as a wave of love and harmony flowing out to all around you, human, animal and plant alike. May blessings flow toward you as you continue your journey in a state of peace.

In love and light,

Amanda

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Finding My New Normal

2015-08-03T19:09:00.000+02:00

When your world turns upside down, be encouraged that you are never alone

During the last 8 months my life has turned twice. What an experience. How much was gained in lessons learnt. How my soul was touched in such a profound way. Yet I find myself in a space where I need to find my own normal again.

What is normal? The dictionary defines normal as “conforming to the usual standard, type, or custom”. For me, it’s finding a new routine and yes, these do define our lives as we go about our daily business. It’s about finding a new way of doing things and of doing things I’ve not done before.

When circumstances change in our lives we can do one of two things. We can sit back a wallow in our self-pity at what was and is now gone or we can step up to the plate and find new adventures to lead into the world, a place where we can grow and have fun in doing so.

This does not mean that we do not have to grieve what was. On the contrary in finding our new normal, we continue to grieve, to experience the emotions of loss and pain, the heaviness of heart and soul. There is no point in pushing feelings of grief into the back ground or back sacking it. What would we achieve in that apart from feelings of despair as the load becomes heavier to carry. Grief is unique to each individual and none should be judged for the amounts of time they make to take grieve or the way in which we grieve.

Whichever way we choose to grieve, there comes a time when we raise our heads to the sun and find our new normal again.

In finding your new normal, you may find yourself wanting to embark on a journey of doing different things. You may choose to draw, paint, or sculpt, or take up pottery or a form of exercise you’ve not tried before. You may decide to join a club and enlarge your social circle. You may decide that to find a path you need to declutter your environment or home. You may even decide to take up chartable work of some sort. You may also decide that changing, for example, the route you take to work will lead you to your new normal. The opportunities are endless and as you desire.

No matter the way you choose, you are sending your life in a different direction that will bring you to your next experience you need to have in order for your soul to continue to learn.

There may be times, days even, where you feel that you are all alone in the process of finding your new normal. Physically, yes, you may be yet you never are entirely alone. Always, without question or doubt is the presence of your Divine, the celestial realm and the spiritual energies of loved ones who have passed into the light. They comfort and guide you constantly as their desire is to see you happy and filled with love and light as they desire your acceptance of what was and attain peace with it. You are loved beyond measure by those who walk quietly beside you. Allow yourself to feel that love, draw it into your being and be nourished by its comfort to you.

In finding your new normal, listen to your own voice and follow your gut. This is your normal, uniquely made for you by you. There is no written rule that dictates you should do exactly as others say. No, do what is right for you, despite what other may say. This is your life, this is your normal. Yet never forget to love yourself, to be gentle with yourself, to be compassionate and kind to yourself throughout the process of finding your new normal.

May your journey to your new normal be and adventure filled with great joy and grace and may it lead to you to your place of peace within your soul.

In love and light,

Amanda

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Call Me Home

2015-06-01T19:53:00.001+02:00

I’ve know you for many years

As a toddler you were there

Yet today I looked at you

And thought you were not there.

I watch you day by day

As you fade away each day

Eating almost nothing

Drinking very little.

In a way I know

That you don’t want to be here anymore

You talk of home and a party

That awaits you once you’ve gone.

And those you know in the afterlife

Stand stoically at your side

They watch and wait and send you energy

To make your journey home.

The tears well in my eyes

My heart is wrenched in two

For the suffering you are enduring

For not wanting to let go.

I see your fear in your eyes

You don’t know what’s to come

For many years you’ve been told

It’s heaven or its hell.

Angels please surround you

God, please be merciful and call you home

So your suffering can end

And you can know eternal peace again

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Rainbows Abound

2015-01-19T18:56:00.000+02:00

As your world crashes around you, as your days seem dark and dreary, as you wish for the sun to shine around you, look to the skies and see the rainbows abound.

There are so many of us in the world today who are experiencing grief. Having lost loved ones in recent times it is often extremely difficult for us to come to terms with their transition home. Many of us are raised not to talk about death or the process of transition and we are sheltered as young ones and prevented from going to the funeral or memorial services of our deceased loved ones. In fact, the subject of death is taboo to many, mainly due to our being unable to answer questions relating to death and or our own fearful insecurities which have been handed down to us from past generations.

The dictionary describes grief as a deep mental anguish arising from bereavement. Further to this Wikipedia describes grief as “a multifaceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioural, social, spiritual, and philosophical dimensions.”

Although grief is universal, there is no right or wrong way to experience it. There is no time limit to the grieving process either. What is important to remember is that it is our own unique experience and whichever way we experience it, it is okay to experience it the way we are.

The basic stages of grief are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. We all go through these stages. Some of us bounce back and forth between them, some of us go through them as they are stated and some of us find it very difficult to move past a certain stage if we ever move past it at all.

Denial

In this stage we are generally in a state of disbelief. This cannot be happening. This has not happened. This is just a lie or a dream. There is no truth in what has happened. In this stage we hide from reality as a means of protection to the waves of pain that flood us during the initial loss of a loved one.

Anger

As reality returns to us and we experience up upsurge of pain, we become angry and often become our anger becoming furious toward our loved that has passed. We become angry, furious, and sometimes destructive to those who were involved in the last months, days and moments of our loved ones life. We point our fingers at the doctors and nurses, the care givers, the person or persons who were also involved in the accident which may have resulted in the death of our loved one. We become angry at God or your Divine, questioning how He could be so cruel as to take the life of the one you love. We also sometimes turn our anger toward those who surround us and more often than not, we are angry at ourselves. Many of us believe that if we had somehow intervened or had said or not said whatever it was that was spoken or unspoken this would not have happened. The ‘should have’s’, ‘shouldn’t haves and ‘what if’s’ raise their heads through the pain that we are feeling.

Bargaining

It is during this time that we generally bargain with God or your Divine. We say and think things such as I would give my life in exchange for my loved one’s life. If You could have let them live for a bit longer I would do this or that or if I had one more day to just say I love you.

Depression

Everyone experiences depression differently. Some of us sink into the pit of darkness and despair believing that we will never ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one. Some of us become quiet and withdraw into ourselves unwilling to talk to anyone and refusing to eat. Some of us sleep as much as possible in an attempt to avoid the pain. Some of us become hermits refusing to see another simply because we cannot face another person asking us for the details of the transition of our loved one. Some of us put the mask of merriment on and run until we drop in an effort to hide the sadness and loss we are experiencing. Some of us stoically say ‘it was their time’ and play the part of moving on never addressing the feelings of loss that lurk beneath the surface. Some of us refuse to listen to music afraid that one day the lyrics of a song will bring back very painful memories. Some of us spend our days in tears and some of us experience all of these fluctuating back and forth between emotions.

Yet it is usually within this stage of the grieving process that we realise the reality of the death of the loved one. We realise that the clock cannot be turned back and that there is only the future ahead.

Acceptance

During this stage, we realise fully the finality of death. We have a true and cognitive understanding that it is what it is, that death is but a part of life. It is the in this time that we realise we will be okay, that we know we will be able to live with the memories of our loved ones and that we will once more laugh and smile again.

Often throughout the process of grieving we come to realise that there is more to death than the death of the body. We realise that the soul continues to journey into the afterlife or the astral and through that we as individuals grow spiritually. We accept that when we ourselves transition we will meet with our loved one again. It is usually during this time that we come to a place of peace about all that has transpired.

As you are aware from previous blogs of mine, we incarnate to learn and to teach. And so, finally, I recommend that you continue your healing in forgiveness of all that was and is. It is when we forgive both ourselves and our deceased loved one, those around us who were part of this journey and God, your Divine, that we can find absolute peace within our soul.

Finally in ending, BE in gentleness with yourself and those around you as you process your grief. BE with absolute Love of all that was and is. Most of all BE blessed with peace as you celebrate the continuance of your loved one’s soul journey. May Angels always walk beside you and comfort you as you grieve.

In love and light,

Amanda

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Freedom is not Free

2014-09-11T23:49:00.000+02:00

Finding joy in memories sets us free.

9-11 brings to us memories of such a heinous nature. The memory of this day brings with it sadness, tears and heartbreak. As many of us believe that the atrocious acts perpetrated upon humanity on this day 13 years ago, so too, are there many that believe that this was not an act of terrorism but rather an act against a nation by its government. Whichever is the case, it has taught us, not just those who live in the United States of America, but throughout the world, that freedom is in reality not free.

The cost of human life that has been expended during the last 13 years is preposterous. Not only have those in America suffered these losses, but those of other nations too. The effect of death upon those left behind can and often is devastating. Not only have those that remain, lost a loved one, but they have lost a bread winner, a provider, a source of wisdom and guidance to the younger generations that are left behind. In the act of transition of those who have crossed over, have left many homeless, directionless and often in a state of lack. Many of those left behind do not have access to mental healthcare. Rather, they are left to journey through their grief unguided. Many do not know how to cope let alone accept that their loved one has crossed to the afterlife. Stories abound of those who give up, existing, rather than living as their grief eats away at them. Friends and family of those going through this journey, often at wits end in their unknowingness of how to extend loving support and often themselves are led into states of depression as they watch their loved ones corrode away in grief. It is not all, who can face life squarely in the face of death and carry on as if it is just another day.

Surely as society, we can see that Freedom is not free. The price of war is extremely high to all concerned.

In each of us, lies the capability to make our own choices and decisions. Some of us act without thought; some of us act only after thought. Some of us look to the future to assess the outcome of our actions whilst others don’t. Many of us act in the moment paying no attention to the ripple affect our actions have on those around us and in the world or to the consequence to our own selves.

We are brought to an understanding at some time in our lives, that each action has a reaction; each choice a consequence. Stop for a moment and think about that. How different our paths would be if we took the time to reflect and think before we act.

Having said all this, we should look further into the purpose of our lives. Do we comprehend that each of us incarnate to experience certain things; to learn from each experience? Many of us don’t.

Yet, when we take the time to explore our journeys, we find that each experience has led us to a point of learning. Each person in our lives has participated and been instrumental in allowing us the opportunity of growth. Sometimes those lessons are harsh and extremely painful, as in the experience of those who have lost loved ones throughout this long and arduous war.

Yet, there is always a ray of sunshine each day. There are the positive little miracles that we experience throughout our journeys. These are the memories we hold dear to us of our loved ones. The times we spent laughing joyously, the early rising to watch a sunrise together, the cups of coffee or tea brought to us by our loved ones, the enjoyment of a meal together or the act of simply BEing in the company of each other. Each of us has our own unique memories which get us through the tough times. When we can look past the pain to the joy that we had together: This is the freedom that is free.

My prayers are that you will find joy in remembrance, celebration in the continuance of your loved ones soul journey, compassion and forgiveness for all those affected by this war and as you do may you find peace within your soul. May the Golden Light of your Divine reign down upon as you are blessed.

In love and light,

Amanda

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Soul Pain

2014-06-15T18:32:00.000+02:00

To feel the pain of others is a gift

To take on the pain of others is in service.

Tears roll... like thunder in a storm...

The pain of the world batters at my soul as the stormy seas along a rocky shore

The conflict of misunderstandings...

The barrage of words.. they slay as a dragon slayer

Those who do not understand

The origins of the sadness and anger that rages within

And as each word flows from the mouths of those who are in conflict...

The pain of them crosses my path as does a sword

The anger that rages... the tornadoes it brings

Wrangles my soul and leaves it tattered and torn

Those in the higher realms know the depth of my pain

As I cast back my mind to the days of peace and calm

Let the sun rise gently and brightly to bring love back again.

Let the leaves of the trees, remind me to be peace

Let the gentle winds calm my mind

Let me take not again,

The anger of those in whose conflict reams

Within their souls, their hearts, the minds..

Let the peace of all reign within the world..

Let the smiles of children touch our hearts

Let their laughter heal our souls

Let the flight of little ones

Be the healing that we need..

In Love and light,

Amanda

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Courage

2013-08-12T15:53:00.000+02:00

Have the courage to walk away from that which no longer serves you. Hold your head high and be at peace with your choice to value yourself. ~ ACN

To walk away from that which no longer serves you sounds incredibly easy to do yet most of us find it such a challenge and heartbreaking a thing to do.

Most of us also find great difficulty in doing this as we believe, at some level, that we deserve the treatment that is metered out to us mainly because we have no self-worth, self-esteem or self-love.

We worry about the consequence of our decision knowing that things will never be the same again. We fear the changes that will come with making the decision to walk away. We wonder how this will affect us, who will still be our friends, if our families will support us once we make the decision to walk away. Our heads are flooded with thoughts of foreboding prior to making this choice. We traverse through a multitude of “what if’s”. Often we have become so cosy in our little rut, knowingly or unknowingly and are filled with fear of the changes that will come with walking away.

When we examine the reasons why we have no sense of self-worth or our esteem is very low, our sense of love for ourselves is minimal if there at all, we find that there is worth, esteem and love right there hidden behind layer upon layer of discrimination, of abuse, of lack.

Acknowledge that it is indeed there and take the steps to build upon what is there. Each of us, arrive on this planet with these intact. Sadly, as life happens and we build walls often so thick and dense protecting what little there is of it. We buy into the words and action of others, believing we are worthless or undeserving and unlovable. Eventually we take on the belief ourselves that we are these things and completely lose sight of that which is hidden within us. We forget that each wall has tiny little cracks in it and that we are fully able to chisel away at them, in time bringing them crashing down.

Take a step back. Stop. Listen. Now ask yourself; Am I worthy of more than this that no longer serves me? Am I deserving of more than this? Allow yourself to feel your worth and deservingness. Right now you will likely feel that hot energy that surges through you that says; YES! I deserve than more than this. I am worth more than this.

Gather your courage, welcome it, feel it, embrace it, push your fear away turning it into a positive action and make the choice that will serve you through your experience. Allow peace to flow over and through you as you walk courageously away from the things that no longer serve you. You are worthy! You are deserving of all the good things that the Universe has to offer you. Greater than this remember always that you are the most beautiful loving being created by your Divine.

May Angels always surround you as you make changes to bring you to being the very best that you can be in this lifetime, in this wonderful place, Earth, as you continue your soul journey.

In love and light,

Amanda

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The Value of Friendship

2013-07-15T16:09:00.000+02:00

When times are good friends abound,

When times are tough friends disappear,

Those who stay are very dear.

It’s a sad fact of life that in tough times we discover the true value of friendship. Oh, how dreadful to start a blog on such a negative note, yet it’s one that has to be brought to light for it is indeed a sad reality of life.

The saying “People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime” has been a prolific lesson for me in the last two years as I have experienced this saying in all its forms. It is indeed painful to realize that those whom you have known for many years, and have consider close friends turn their backs and walk blithely away from a situation you have found yourself to be in. These are the people who are usually the “takers” of the world. They know your company and actively seek it out when you are in a position of financial stability. Without thought to either themselves or you, they take no shame in holding their hand out, often forgetting to graciously thank you for your generosity.

These friends, made me question my own ability to form a character judgement, the made me question my sense of self worth and created doubt within my own mind that perhaps they were right and I was deserving of what befell me.

These friends are really not friends at all. They are merely vampires who feast off the wealth of others and have little worth of self not to mention esteem of self. Do yourself a favour: Hold your head high and walk away, forgiving them for their behaviour and acknowledging the lesson they have brought you, let them go.

Friends should not befriend you for your financial worth. Friends befriend you for you. For the beautiful person that you are, for the loving, kind, caring, and wonderful being that you were created to be. Friends seek your company for how you make them feel as how they make you feel. They are the ones who can lift you, making you laugh, sharing joy with you, and loving you as you are. They do not care if you have a million dollars in your bank account or have nothing at all. They see your soul not the exterior of whom you are.

Friends would never judge you for any action that you may take. They would tell you their truth yet would support you nonetheless. Friends are those, who would cry with you and carry your pain just as they would laugh and rejoice with you and share your joys.

Treasure these friends, for they are the earth Angels who are true to you in friendship on this earth plane. Nurture them and return to them the beauty of the friendship you both share. Learn from them and teach them in return. Hold them dear to your heart and love them as they are for you never know how long they will be in your circle.

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

In Love and light

Amanda

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Yeeehaaaa!!! It's Monday

2013-01-21T21:49:00.000+02:00

When we set a positive intention, we allow all that is good to flow to us. ~ ACN

It’s Sunday evening and once again, I see many posts on Face Book showing how people are unhappy with the fact that tomorrow is Monday. The implication of this is that many do not like the fact that Monday is a new week, a time when we start the routine of going to work. Neither do many like the discipline of doing just that.

It’s so important to set the intention to having a great week. Each Monday brings with it the chance to start again, to do things differently, and to have fun at what you’re doing.

In setting the intention, one attracts to oneself all sorts of things.

We can set negative intentions by saying things like;”oh goodness, I hate Mondays. It means work. It means getting up early to travel in all that traffic etc to go to a job that I hate” or we can set positive intentions by saying something like..” Yea.. Tomorrow is Monday. It’s going to be a great day. My workload will flow, I will be cheerful and happy in what I do, I will sing in the traffic, I will learn so much. Yes, thank you! Tomorrow is Monday and I am happy to be starting a new week”

In doing the latter we raise our vibration and in so doing we make it a wonderful experience. We turn negative into positive, we turn sadness into joy. We open ourselves to meeting new people; new experiences and we turn whatever may have been a bore or a bad experience into a happy, fulfilled experience.

The sad thing, in doing the negative thing, is that we draw to us bad experiences. We draw to us the manager who is never satisfied, the client who is harassed and angry, and the people who are rude and who have no compassion. We also, become so engrained in this dreadful habit that it becomes a part of us. Even sadder, it ripples down to those around us, our children, our partners, our friends and colleagues so that now, not only are we doing the negative attracting this but everyone around us is doing it too.

Set your intention for the day ahead in a positive enlightening way and be in gratitude that it will be so. Let it ripple to those around you. Remind yourself throughout the day that it is a good day. Should you encounter a negative person or circumstance, stand back and breathe, smile, dig deep and haul the joy from the pit of your stomach and raise your vibration. If you continue to find this difficult to do, play some happy music, something that will automatically raise your vibration. Think happy thoughts.

I love that saying...’if you can’t make it fake it’. Faking it long enough will allow it to become a part of your being; pretty soon, you won’t be faking it but doing it automatically.

On Monday, be daring, take a chance; smile at a stranger, sing as you walk along, laugh, be joyous, be love.

Go on do it! I dare you! Have a fantabulous Monday; Have a stupendously fantabulous week.

In love and light,

Amanda

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Learning Through Adversity

2012-10-13T22:42:00.000+02:00

When times are tough and you feel down, look upward, take a deep breath and breathe in the serenity of your Divine. You are sent only the lessons that you are ready to learn. You are supported in all ways by the Universe. ~ ACN

This has certainly been so true for me in the last year. It has taken much courage and plenty of smacks to bring me to a place of understanding of this very lesson. Despite all that I have learned in this incarnation, I found myself floundering, becoming agitated and angry and sadly to say, doing the “poor old me” behaviour. My faith had wavered and I felt myself falling deep into the dark pit of despair. Really quite ridiculous I must say...

Despite the hand I have been dealt with, I finally took the time to step back and look at what I have learned from this experience.

I would not have been able to do this, had I not followed my inner guidance and taken those deep breaths, looking upward and hearing what I was guided to hear.

I have learned in this last year that life is at times tough. Yet my reaction to it was my own choice. I could, of course, have chosen to breathe and look upward, but stubborn little me, as most are, needed to be whacked on the head several times before I “got” it.

As this latest part of my journey unfolded, I did what most of us do... I reacted with negativity, asking why me? What have I done to deserve this? “It’s so not fair”, were the type of comments that emerged from my lips. On some level, I experienced a sense of knowing that my behaviour was not in sync with what I believed. It’s really quite amazing how many of us, including myself, step back into what we were when our backs are against the wall.

I am privileged to say that having done that, I finally got myself together and commenced with an attitude of “this is a lesson” and that “everything was as it should be at that time”. I learned that we are never given what we are not ready to learn, that lessons come to us through circumstances and people only when we are really ready to live through the experience. I learned to take each day at a time, one at a time and discovered by doing this that I was able to breathe through whatever the day brought to me. I learned to look into the issue and discover what it was that I was learning from that particular experience. Once I achieved this, I was able to work with the issue and then in gratitude for the service it had been to me, let it go and be in peace with it.

Through this, I learned that I deserve compassion, love and peace; that I am compassion, love and peace.

I also learned that despite what our heads are telling us, that we are never alone. There are a host of Celestial Beings that stay with us, guiding us, comforting us, giving us strength and courage. They are the ones who send us signs, in the form of messages we may read on Face Book, or in the lyrics of songs or in the writings of others. They guide us to see, that we are not alone, that others out there are in the same or similar positions to ourselves and often they show us that what we believe to be the direst circumstances are not. Should we but just take the time to look around us, we will find that there are many who experience far more difficult lives that we could ever imagine; those who endure lives in war torn countries, who live with starvation each day and know no other way of life but to live as such. There are those, who are torn by family violence, who are so affected by their life circumstances. There are many such examples; we have only to open a tabloid and read it or turn on the television and watch the news broadcast to know that we are alone in facing adversity in our lives.

Then of course, there are the earth Angels, who come in the guise of our true friends and family. These are the ones who encourage us. They become our ears and shoulders and spend hours of their valuable time allowing us to pour our woes out to them. They are also the ones, who when necessary, kick our little butts. Painful as this may seem, it is often necessary as we dive deeper and deeper into the pit of despair that surrounds us when we are in dire straits.

The greatest of all was the knowledge and acceptance that our Divine is always with us and in our times of distress it is He that extends His hand, carrying us as we come to terms with the experience.

The outcome of each experience is the realisation that we have emerged from it a stronger and wiser soul; that we are able to continue forth with compassion and love, carrying no baggage or bitterness into our futures. It is the knowledge that we are strong and resilient, that we are worthy of greatness and are capable of achieving whatever it is that we want to achieve. There is nothing that can hold us back. No experience, no matter how tough it was, can break us unless we choose to allow it to do so.

Ultimately the choice to view the experience as a positive step in your journey or as canyon so deep that we see only the negatives of it is our own.

Make choices that are good for you, that will bring you to the next level on your journey. Lift your spirit daily by playing happy music, or watching happy enlightening programmes, or reading uplifting books. Be in service to those around you. Motivate yourself daily by reading quotes and applying those that have meaning to you. Be in gratitude for that which you already have. All these will support you in staying in a positive state of mind which will allow you to achieve the ultimate outcome; the lesson you have come to learn.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs13/f/2007/005/a/c/Adversity_by_Wolfwoodster.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Self-Love: Your Gift to You

2012-01-15T21:34:00.003+02:00

To graciously accept all aspects of self is to truly love the being that you are ~ ACN

Oh Wow! What a statement! To graciously accept all aspects of self is to truly love the being that you are.

I doubt that there are very many amongst us that can honestly say they love and accept every single little thing about ourselves. We criticise and complain about so much about ourselves. Our hair is too straight or too curly, our eyes are not blue or green enough, we are overweight or far too thin, we are too short or too tall, our skin is not what we want it to be and so on and so forth. We judge and criticise ourselves constantly. Sadly, it does not stop with judgement of the physical. We continue to judge and criticise our personalities, our beings, our souls. How sad is that.

Why do we do this? Why can we just not simply accept what and who we are?

We are programmed from birth, from our very beginnings to listen to the words of others. We listen first to the words of our parents, sometimes gentle loving ones and others harsh critical ones. For some reason we buy into the harsh ones, listening to them and believing them to be true. Not many of us believe the loving words spoken to us yet we take the negative ones on as if it they are our own personal cross to carry and then subsequently structure our lives and how we live them by them.

We buy into the “you are stupid, or you are useless, you are ugly or fat” etc that are spoken by others to us. Eventually we reach a place within ourselves where we believe ourselves to be worthless and undeserving of anything beautiful and good in our lives. What a tragedy and injustice to our souls.

Our bodies constantly change throughout our lives, never the staying the same. We have the joy of living in a baby body, the adventures of living in a toddler’s body, the fun of living in a child’s body, the discovery of living in a teen’s body and so on. Yet as our bodies grow and change we develop the propensity of hoarding negative inflictions about it and subsequently our mindset changes to include these negative inflictions building them into our lives and becoming them as we journey through this life.

Yet in all this there is good news. You can CHANGE the way you think and appreciate, accept and love, yes LOVE, your body, mind and soul for the beautiful creation that it is.

Now I am sure that some of you are sitting there thinking to yourselves; what rot, how can I change this body without a trip to the good old cosmetic surgeon? You can. You do not need the services of those skilled in the art of cosmetically changing a person’s body. Sure you can if you want to and can afford to and certainly you will change the outer appearance of your body. Yet at the end of the day, unless you change the way you think, and see your inner beauty, you will make one consecutive trip after the next to you dear surgeon for even more work on the most beautiful creation that is your body.

Whatever your body is, it was chosen by your higher self to house your soul, to aid you on your life journey. Take the time to celebrate it. Nourish it with good, wholesome food, exercise it and keep it as healthy as you possibly can. Pamper it and love it for what it is. Most important of all, accept and love it for what it is for it is an awesome creation made in the image of your Divine.

Let go of the “baggage” that you chose to carry in your rucksack for it does not serve you. The proclivity of your soul requires that you acknowledge the being that you are. Celebrate this facet of your being also. In accepting each facet of your being, acknowledging those negative issues that have affected you, honouring them for being of service to you and coming to a place of peace for and with them you will see that you are indeed a creation of beauty and wonderment. Yes, you are an awesome, amazing creation of your Divine, filled with love of self and others. All you have to do it find that love within you. Yes, it is there, just waiting for you to open the door and let it flow over you, through you and then ripple out to the world around you.

May you be blessed throughout your journey of self-discovery, acceptance and love of you! You are indeed worthy and deserving in finding that which resides within your being; Divine Love.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://www.create-a-life-you-love.com/images/onthebeachfree.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Wisdom

2011-12-26T20:53:00.003+02:00

Be in gratitude for the wisdom that you do have as you are in gratitude for the wisdom each experience brings. ~ ACN

Wisdom! Something we all wish to have. And yes! Each of us is filled with the wisdom that our lives bring us. We often think that we are not wise especially when we flounder and have difficulty in achieving our goals. Yet let us ponder on this for a few minutes.

If we were to experience a life of no problems, having only positive experiences, a life of plain sailing and easy going experiences, what would we learn? Through adversity come lessons that teach us all sorts of things. Some of them are small little things and others are monumental. Yet through each collective experience we create our own wisdom.

But what exactly is wisdom? The dictionary defines wisdoms as being the ability to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience.

It stands to reason therefore that with each experience we have we create our own wisdom and can draw from it using it in future experiences as the need arises. Certainly, we can learn and utilize the wisdom of others, assessing their experiences or world experiences to live our lives. People such as Rumi, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer and the like are great inspirations to many of us so as too are Christ, Buddha or the Dali Lama. We constantly draw from their wisdom, taking what they say into our daily lives. Yet we still remain in judgment of our own inner wisdom, often overlooking it as figments of our own imagination, having little or no confidence in our own ability. We either believe that we do not possess it or we question its authenticity.

Whether the experience that you live is a good or difficult one, take a moment to assess what you have learned from it. Sit in silence and really think about what you have experienced, what your life was before the experience and what it is now that you have successfully completed it. What have you learned from it, how you have grown from it, how it affected those in your circle and how you reacted to it? Write this down in a wisdom journal. This will allow you to acknowledge that the experience has brought you wisdom. It is often only when we see it written down that we are able to acknowledge and accept that we have acquired wisdom. The next time you have a similar experience you are able then to refer back to your wisdom journal or retrieve it from your inner being and will surely be in a position to draw it to the fore allowing you to either circumvent the experience or gain even more knowledge and wisdom from it. Either way, using your collective wisdom in a new experience will certainly support you in making better, smarter and wiser decisions to bring you to a fruitful outcome.

Collation of our wisdom starts from a very tender age. Take a child for example, who is inquisitive and who may be learning to walk. As he or she talks each step forward, perhaps toddling forward at a rapid pace, not looking where he or she is going, and may trip up a small step and as a result may endure some form of pain, will certainly remember this the next time they cross the same place. Their collective wisdom will allow them the memory of the pain and they will ensure to carefully mount the stair as they move across the same space. The brain is a wonderful organ and will store the experience, the outcome, the associated feelings etc. It is in reality the wisdom journal. Only as adults do we allow our baggage to cloud what we have learned and block the retrieval of it when we need it again.

Honor yourself today and acknowledge that you are a being of great wisdom. Know that your wisdom lies deep within you, not just from this lifetime but from those of other incarnations. Remember always, that through the act of meditation you are able to tap into it and can therefore use it to best enhance your life and live it to the fullest.

Always be in gratitude for that which you have and are. Always be in gratitude for the experience that led you to gain wisdom for without it you would not have achieved the wisdom that has grown from and through it.

I am in thanks and gratitude for the wisdom that I have gained throughout my life time/s.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://bigsisterboston.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/wisdom_rock.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

BE Peace Within

2011-12-10T20:29:00.003+02:00

To see the beauty within, to see the compassion within, to see love within, is to be at one with oneself and to be peace. ACN

Wow! How awesome a place is that to be in? To be in beauty, compassion, love and peace within your being!

When we are children, we find no difficulty in being in this state. We may not know this on a conscious level, but we do actually, before we learn about resistance and experience all the knocks that life brings us, live in this state. In that little body, the bodies we are born into, we are fully able to experience beauty, compassion, love and peace within our beings. We unconsciously remember from the time before our current incarnation exactly what this is and so we incarnate with this intact. In fact, we know exactly how to BE in the moment.

As life happens to us, bringing us to a place where we are positioned to learn what we incarnated to learn, we very soon lose the ability to see beauty, compassion, love and peace within our beings. Most of us choose to hold on to the pain of each experience, blocking our ability to see this within ourselves, and as a result, we lose the ability to see it in others. With the blocking of each of these, we become embittered and often filled with negative emotions that may soon become a habit. How incredibly sad that is.

Yet, despite this, we find that we hunt out love from others, seeking what we are unable to seek within ourselves. Now, some of us find this love from others and are brought to a point by them, where we eventually see it within ourselves. It is prudent to remember that this often does not happen to all of us. Sadly most of us have to journey the road of introspection and self discovery in order to achieve this state of being. This may well be the ultimate on the road to self -discovery. There is little that can compare in the wholeness of finding self compassion and love, the discovery and acceptance that you are indeed a beautiful soul within the body that you have chosen.

As an exercise to develop the recognition it is suggested that you do the following:

· Ask your friends and family to describe how they see you as a person. This should not include the physical but rather you, the being, the inner, your personality, your soul. Listen intently as they describe you even though you may not believe it. Make notes of what they say. In a quiet time, read through what they have told you, what you have discovered whilst doing your survey. You will, I am very sure, be surprised by how you are seen through the eyes of others.

· Each day, stand naked in front of a full length mirror and really look at yourself. Start with your physical self and “find” something to like about yourself. After you have done this, move to your “inner”, your being, your soul. This exercise make takes days, months or years to reach a state of love of self. Please do not discontinue this exercise until you have reached that beautiful state of “being” where you see the beauty within yourself. Be in gratitude always for the beautiful soul that you are.

Doing these exercises is not about exercising your ego. This is about building your self-worth, your self-esteem and finding that awesome state of self-love. Please don’t listen to the naysayers who may judge and criticize you for doing these exercises. There are those amongst you that may well do this, yet most will tell you how delighted they are to see you work on growing your being.

The result of finding inner beauty, compassion, love and peace is ultimate. Once we have achieved this state of being, we find that we are able to see this within others. The absolute acceptance of this state of being in others, without judgment, without any form of criticism, is the ability to be Divine Love for others.

May you be greatly blessed as you journey your road to discovery of self compassion, love and beauty.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://www.ecomuse.net/resources/P015.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

The Key

2011-11-28T21:25:00.002+02:00

Knowing and acceptance of what you are within is the key to Source from whence your knowledge can be tapped, bringing you to a place of freedom within heart. ~ ACN

This is a question I have often asked of me over the years. In the years before I really started my spiritual journey with intent, I would ask over and over again.. Who am I? What am I here for? What is expected of me? What is my purpose? The questions were endless and I am sure that I drove the Universe crazy with them.

It has been one incredible journey to reach the state of being in which I now find myself and I am blessed in that I realize, now more than ever, that each day brings with it greater knowledge of self and that the realization of this, and more importantly the acceptance of it, has brought me to a place of peace and freedom within my being allowing me to grow even further.

So, how exactly do we do this knowingness of self thing? It’s really quite simple. “BE”.

As we learn to “BE” in the moment of each experience we position ourselves to being open to all that that moment brings us.

It is when we actively question consistently that knowledge of self eludes us. As we gently meditate, asking for direction of our soul’s journey, that we will receive Divine guidance as to why we are here, what our purpose is, and what we need to do to achieve them. The more we nag the Universe the less we receive in guidance. Simply relax and allow the Universe to bring you what you need to know, for as it does so, it will be the right time for you to receive such knowledge, for you to reach a state of acceptance of it and then for you to take action on it.

There may be times when you will react adversely to what you have been guided to receive. Question not why. Simply be in acceptance. Sometimes we really don’t appear to like what our lives are yet we should always remain in gratitude for the circumstance that led us to where we are as well as for the experience for it is after all what we contracted to learn in this current incarnation to Mother Earth.

Each experience that we have brings us closer to the goal of soul learning, to “getting” the lesson and in so doing growing from it. Imagine, if life was one big happy party; what would you learn? Would you really appreciate the life that follows; Or would you learn from understanding what came with the adversity you have experienced? Most of us don’t get what we learn in good times and we gradually stagnate and eventually end up feeling very dissatisfied and unfulfilled.

Once you have realized the purpose of your soul journey, the next step is acceptance of it. Certainly most of want to have lives that are stress free and easy going. Yet when life knocks at our door, bringing with it challenges that we have surmounted or perhaps have not, accept it for what they are just as you would accept it if your life were plain sailing. You would not be complaining and whining about a life of luxury, where all was going well, where you felt loved and satisfied, now would you? No, you accept it as such and enjoy life to the fullest. Please do the same when your life knocks appear to be difficult.

Acceptance of it is the key that enables you to move on and complete the process. With acceptance of it one realizes that there is nothing that you can do to change what is happening to you but allows you to handle it in a calm manner; it allows you to appreciate the “being” of being in the now.

Remember always that you are able at any point in time to access Source, your Divine creator, your guidance, your council, if you still your mind and are at one with the process. Although it is easier to do this in a formal meditation, you do not have to be in this state. No, you can sit quietly and simply “be”. Oft times, it is when in this state of quiet stillness that the most profound direction or answers are given to us.

When communication with Source is constant, you will certainly find that inner peace, the inner freedom, that allows one to continue with courage and grace to continue through our lives, to live the life that we are meant to live as soul and brings us to our ultimate goal; growth through learning.

May you be blessed as you journey to finding your answers, to accepting them and to living in the guidance of your Divine.

In love and light,

Amanda.

Image courtesy of: http://www.psdgraphics.com/file/skeleton-key.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Faith

2011-11-16T18:58:00.003+02:00

Remember, In Faith ~ ACN

Three words, one action!

Faith is defined in the dictionary as the belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof. How often we forget that faith in itself can carry us through troublesome times in our lives. Yet, if only we have faith, we allow all the other magical emotions to flow into our lives, rippling from one to the other, combining together and cascading into the desired outcome.

Have you ever observed children in the build up to Christmas? Once they have decided on their top choice of gift, the steadfastly have faith that they will receive it. They never doubt it, they never question it, the simply have faith that it will magically be delivered by dear Santa. How awesome is that. And the beautiful thing about this is that they usually materialize their dream by having faith that it will actually happen. You see, by acting simplistically they focus only on this and do not self-doubt as we do as adults. How sad it is that we have mastered the act of self-doubt.

We are our own worst enemies when it comes to having faith. We self-sabotage continuously, we doubt, we dream up little pictures of failure in our heads, in fact we tend to do everything in our power to lose our faith, albeit consciously or unconsciously.

It does not matter in what you need to have faith, simply just have it. Believe with intent that that which you seek will occur in due course. Please do not question the events leading up to the actual arrival of that which you have asked for, just simply believe that it will happen and it will. Sometimes we want things NOW, immediately and become so disappointed and disillusioned when it does not happen as we want. Our Divine, sends us what we need WHEN we need.

Remember always that the Universe will fulfill our desires and dreams if only we are patient and have faith that it will happen. Whatever you do, please do not give up, for giving up is abandoning the dream and it confuses the Universe to no end. It’s as if you are saying now I want it, now I don’t. Imagine if you children changed their minds continuously once they had told you what they wanted for Christmas or their birthdays; how confusing would that be for you? Well it works the same way with adults. Make up your mind and stick to it. Certainly things change in our lives and we have to alter direction yet the premise of asking and then becoming impatient and depressed or abandoning our faith and hope is very different to your life circumstance changing and in so doing, changing your needs.

Keep focused, keep your faith intact and then keep ploughing ahead with intent for your desire is just around the corner. Never give up and never abandon your heart’s desire. It is there, just a short way ahead of you. Remember that faith is the knowingness that the outcome will be as you desire.

When you feel yourself waiver, then take a step back, inhale deeply and with a firm resolution summons your faith from deep within you and resume your path yet again. If this is difficult for you to do, then picture the child who steadfastly has faith that his or her chosen gift is on the way. In fact become that child for a while and pretty soon you will see that you have faith fully in sight once again.

May you be blessed each day as you exercise your faith in what you desire.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://engageyouth.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/faith31.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Divine Universal Love

2011-11-07T19:12:00.001+02:00

To be love within the self is to be love outside the self, sending it cascading into the universe to love others. ~ ACN

As Divine beings, creations of our Divine, we are born into this world filled with the Divine Love, the love that is not judgmental, the love that is able to arise above all else and flow into the world. It is an absolutely, all consuming, unconditional love. As young children we love in this manner, our souls recognizing this and showering it into the world. We do not judge others or criticize them. We don’t question love nor do we spend hours justifying why we should love. We simply love both ourselves and those in our circle.

Yet somehow, along the way of our life journey, we seem to lose the ability to love in this fashion. We come ensconced with life issues, hauling them around with us and prohibiting us from living as a creation of love. As we receive our life knocks, we firmly shut the door to being a creation of this love.

Stop for just a moment and reflect.

Is living worth the effort if you exist only and do not live? Is the love you have within you so deeply buried that you are unable to retrieve it? Would life not be a joy, and blessing and a pleasure if you were able to live in absolute love?

I am sure that you will find the answers to the latter question a definitive yes. You see, when we shield ourselves so much that we exist only and stop ourselves from living, we miss the gloriousness of that which was created for us to enjoy. Each creation was created by our Divine for our enjoyment and growth. When we close the door to the beauty that surrounds us, we lose out. The beautiful creations are still there, if only we open ourselves to seeing, hearing and receiving them.

When we close ourselves off to the love that resides within each one of us, we may partially see, hear or receive yet by living in a state of Divine love, we can fully experience each thing around us and can really “live” the moment. We can open ourselves up to the sensations that were meant to bring us joy, that bring the Divine Love to the fore and ultimately bring us to a state of peace.

Have you noticed, when in a shopping mall, waves of love emitting from those you pass who are in this state? Yes, they have loving smiling faces, their energy feels different to others around you and you see the happiness in their eyes and best of all, they are peaceful in their energy. This too will happen to you once you have found your Divine Love within your being. You too will automatically send this love into the world as loving vibrations and will raise the vibration of those around you. Ultimately you will raise the vibration of the world. Wouldn’t this just be so great? To impact the world around you with a loving peaceful energy; how awesome would that be?

Please take a chance on you. Open yourself to remembering your Divine Love, to living that love and to giving that love to the world around you.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://www.puredivinelove.com/images/heartlightnotext.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Peace through Change

2011-11-04T15:25:00.004+02:00

There comes a time in a person’s life though, when you look deep within your being and either like what you find there or not... If not, you realize that you need to change things about yourself and once done the outcome of your actions will bring you to a place of inner peace. ~ ACN

There are times in life, when we take a step back from the goings on of our lives and review our life, sometimes in small bits and pieces but often in its entirety. As our lives twist and turn, bringing us lessons that we contract pre-life to learn, taking us to places and people that we are meant to teach, and allowing us to experience all that we are meant to.

Reviewing our lives can often prove a pain filled process, yet take heart; it is well worth the effort. In dealing with the pain, accepting it, working through it and then releasing that which has caused the pain as well as the pain itself it a very cathartic experience.

As with depression, pain filled feelings act as a warning to us that there are issues that need to be dealt with, sorted out and released. As our emotions rollercoaster up and down, we find that we are able to learn from and with each downward dip just as we can learn from the highs in our lives. The difference is that on the highs, we take for granted that which leads us to a state of happiness and are able to just go with the flow of that happiness, often overlooking what we have learned. With the lows, we tend to beat ourselves up and end up bottling up the emotions, stowing them in our rucksacks to either be hauled out from time to time as a whipping stick or we allow them to stay there where they will fester into cancerous growths as the years go by.

Making the decision to review our lives is actually the easy part of this exercise. It takes great courage and wisdom to take action upon what we have found that needs changing.

Yet have faith, it is not insurmountable to make changes within your life, be they small changes or great big ones.

In taking up the challenge to make these changes remember always to celebrate the circumstances that led you to this point, for it is always in gratitude that we should hold that which has served us in bringing us to the lessons that we have learned from the experience. In taking one small step at a time, even though the outcome may seem insurmountable, it is the individual little actions that we take, that when added together will result in the outcome of change.

It is quite useful to keep a note of the achievements that you have made in your quest to effect change in your life. Often we keep plugging away and do not give recognition to those little things we have changed. Most of us tend to focus on the end result, and in so doing, do not take into account that small achievements that we have made, yet collectively when we review them, they amount to so much in achieving our goal. With each step that you take, be in gratitude and release that which you have changed.

Many of us reach a certain point, and at this time, we give up believing that the outcome is far out of reach. Yet it is in this time, that we should stop and take a breath and know that most often the end is just a short step away and it is achievable. Please service yourself in this moment and keep plugging away at the process of change.

Winston Churchill one said, “Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense”.

These profound words will bring you courage and the wisdom to know when to persevere and when to abandon the route you are currently taking and find an alternate road to journey that will lead you to the conclusion of change.

Finally at the end of your quest to make positive changes in your life, you will find a great weight has been lifted from your shoulder and you will experience a sense of absolute inner peace. It is this feeling of peace that is the ultimate of any change you undertake. It is a glorious sense of “being” in the moment, a delight in your life, a sense of joyousness and profound love within your being.

May you be blessed as you embark on your journey of change; may your outcome bring you never-ending waves of peace.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://facenfacts.com/NewsDetails/8049/daily_img/8049_L_30_S_peace-l.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Courage

2011-10-17T20:40:00.002+02:00

Never lose sight of your courage for it is this that will carry you in times of darkness. ~ACN

There is hardly one amongst us that does not as some stage in our lives have a difficult time. Whether this is due to illness, death, financial, work, relationship problems or any other means, it is really not of importance. The point is it happens whether we want to acknowledge it or not. How we react to the problem is what is of importance.

Obviously, we should endeavor to ensure that we continue to maintain a positive stance, no matter the experience we are enduring. In saying this, the realization is there, in that it may be extremely difficult for you to remain positive. Yet, should we take a backwards step away from the situation, we will surely find that there is a door through which positivity can flow if only we allow it to do so.

There are certainly many exercises one can partake in which will certainly raise your vibration amongst which are daily positive affirmations such as “I am in a good place”, “the Universe provides me with all that I need” or “everything is as it should be at this time” to name just a few. We can also find something cheerful in each day allowing it to bring us joy or we can turn up the volume full blast to the hippest, liveliest song and dance as if no one is watching. We can take a walk and just be in the moment or we can turn to meditation and allow the voice of our Divine to bring us to a peaceful state.

Even as we do this, we may still find that our circumstance stays as it for a while longer. It is in this time that we need to reach deep within our beings and bring forth the courage that lies there. Courage; such a small word, yet it is courage that provides us with such an incredible strength in our times of darkness. We all have courage. We all have the ability to face a difficult situation without being overcome by fear and we certainly are able to pursue a course of action without deflecting from it. It is our courage that enables us to face a situation head on, to focus intently on the solution and to bring forth the tenacity within us that will enable us to see us through the journey to the conclusion of the issue where we can then calmly and with self-love regroup and acknowledge what it is that we have learned from and through the experience.

It takes a person of great wisdom to acknowledge and accept that through each obstacle that we face, we need only step back for a moment and summons the courage that lies within drawing strength from it and facing the challenge head on.

Many of us will crawl into that dark place and will almost enjoy the “poor me” feelings that we have. Others of us will stand up and face the challenge head on using every tool that we have to succeed and grow from the experience.

Which one will you be? The tortoise that withdraws into its shell and allows fear to determine your destiny or will you be the one that stands tall and faces, as a warrior would, that which you know is surmountable. Will you be the one who becomes the victim of a life knock or will you be the one who draws on your courage and emerges the victor?

All it takes is a healthy dose of courage, a positive attitude, a vision of a successful outcome and the wisdom to know that through this experience you will most certainly be in a position to celebrate the result having learned from it and finally, from a place of inner peace, be able to let it go.

May you have the courage in plentitude to face whatever your life issues are and emerge from them a greater and wiser soul for the experience.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://baterya.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/courage1.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

To Fear or Not to Fear

2011-10-15T21:20:00.003+02:00

Fear of living is more destructive than any man made war. See the lilies fade and die one tiny cell at a time just because it will not raise its head to see the sun shine on this new day...~ ACN.

Fear! The dictionary describes fear as an unpleasant feeling of anxiety or apprehension caused by the presence or anticipation of danger. Fear is that piercing feeling we get in the pits of our stomachs when danger approaches and is the alarm within us that tells us to either stand and fight or flee. It can force us to take action or it can make us hide.

Yet fear is not altogether a bad thing. Used in the right way, fear will motivate us into making changes in our lives that will both serve and benefit us.

When we allow fear to consume us, we prohibit ourselves from really living our lives. Now “living” does not mean that we have to go out and party continuously, running through life and missing half of what is there. No, “living” means to actually appreciate each second of your experience. It means, feeling the pain, crying the tears, screaming in frustration or basking in delight of the moment, cherishing the feelings, the laughter, the joy, the love that comes from the moment. To live without fear is to be in the moment, as it happens, fully experiencing it, being in gratitude for it and then letting it go.

When we allow fear to enshroud us, we do ourselves such a disservice. We prevent ourselves from experiencing all the good that the Universe has to offer us. We miss things like the glorious sunrise on a summer’s day or the little miracles that happen minute by minute. We lower our heads and stare steadfastly at the ground missing all that surrounds us. We retreat into our shells shutting out the world around us. We lose our sense of humor, we miss on the joy that surrounds us and we lose our ability to be free in the moment. By living in a state of fear we may as well shackle our feet and hands, and pretend to be blind, deaf and mute, for this is exactly how greatly living in fear can harm us.

Certainly there have been experiences in each of our lives that lead us to believe that we should be in a state of fear. Yet there is none amongst us who have had a life of complete misery, a life where nothing good happens. Even those of us who have the toughest of lives are still able to find joy in the little things that surround us for we are all beings of love and are all fully able to rise above the dire circumstances that may surround us at a point in time.

Dress yourself in a coat of courage and take the first step in living with light and laughter in your life. Allow love to stream in to you and be blessed in the knowledge that you have been given the tools to experience a life filled with love. It is none other than love that will and can surmount fear. Each day, as you continue to push aside the fears that bind you and replace it with things that bring you joy, you will find that fears diminishes bit by bit and that love, joy, compassion and peace fulfill its place.

Do yourself a favor today… take a chance on you! Set your fears aside. Raise your head just as the lily does and face each day as it comes, allowing yourself to really live and experience each moment in a state of absolute love.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://christianityandtheconfusion.blogharbor.com/Fear/fear%202.gif

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Are You Willing to Take a Chance on Love?

2011-10-08T20:54:00.002+02:00

Every day is a new opportunity to open your heart to love. Allow yourself to give and receive love as you journey through your life. ~ ACN

So often we go through life without taking a chance on love. We have bad experiences in past relationships and carry our hurt with us, hauling it around as if it were a great big rock upon our backs. We lock ourselves up, not daring to peep through the window, lest someone sees us and invites us to share their world. In effect we spend our lives hiding, unwilling to step outside of our comfort zone and take a risk.

Why do we do this? In one little four lettered word: Fear!

Yes, fear drives us to do the most ridiculous things to ourselves. As we allow fear to take control of our lives, our emotions, our courage and our hearts, we drive ourselves deeper and deeper into a situation where eventually we find that we are just not able to claw our way out. In fact, being in fear creates within ourselves the ability to self sabotage our happiness.

But think about this; should we have the courage, not only can we find compassion for ourselves but we will find love. Our Creator made us in absolute all consuming unconditional love, giving us the same divine ability to love not only ourselves but those around us.

We were also created to share our lives with others. Now this does not mean, giving everything you own to another. It does not mean roll over and give your entire life. No, it simply means having the ability to open your heart and allow others in just as you open your heart and allow yourself to touch the heart of others.

Imagine your love as delightful little strawberries in cellophane packaging. You can see how delicious they look, you imagine how yummy they may taste, and you can almost smell their sweetness. Yet if you never open the packaging, and take the chance of eating one, you will never experience the pleasure of them and you will deny your little taste buds the pleasure of savoring them as you eat them. It is the same with love; unless you open yourself to the experience you will never know just how great it can be to share your love and to receive the love of another.

Stop making excuses. You are very lovable. You are the beauty that your Divine created you to be. Look into your inner being and see the beautiful soul that you are. You are love.

When love knocks on your door, have the courage to stand up and take ownership of it. You so deserve the love that abounds in the Universe. Rome was not built in a day and it takes much introspection and acceptance of self to realize that you are worthy and deserving of love. As you would with a relationship with another, know that it may sometimes be a slow process. All that you are and can be is within you if only you allow yourself to soften your heart and see it. Listen not to the naysayers and harbingers of the world for it is only their own perception of what love is. Listen to your own inner guidance, your gut feeling on what the potential for a good relationship can be. Simply surrender and allow love to take you where you must be. Celebrate as you enjoy the sensations that love will bring into your life. Feel the butterflies in your tummy, feel your heart racing, feel and see the world as it opens up to you in the giving and receiving of love.

May your life be filled with wondrous joy as you journey ahead in the state of love.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://www.aspieweb.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/aspergers-love.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Going with the Flow

2011-09-26T17:51:00.004+02:00

Feel the lightness of your Divine enter you enveloping you, dissolving your pain as you let things go. ~ACN

There comes a time for each of us, where we wake up one day and know that we have to do a huge clean up. Sometimes this comes from within us, and sometimes we are forced to do it, when the Universe knocks on our door, shakes us up and almost forces us into making life changes.

In the last few weeks, I have had the latter happen in my life. What a journey… What a ride…

Through adversity comes the ability to experience the lessons of letting go, surrender, perseverance, tenacity, strength and so many more. Yet for me, the greatest lesson in cleaning up our lives is in surrendering to what is happening.

The more we feel the urge to fight the experience, to resist the changes that are happening, the more difficult the experience becomes. Life will throw greater curveballs at us, sending one seemingly disastrous experience after the next. It will sometimes feel that you just cannot even gasps a breath of air before the next one arrives.

Simply surrender. These two little words carry such a vast impact on how we emerge from the situation that is directing us to change, to clear the clutter from our lives and to subsequently live. Looking at nature for guidance is a wonderful way to learn how to surrender. Have you ever watched penguins bobbing in the ocean as they rest after playing or diving through the water? They do not persistently peddle their little feet and flapping their little wings, creating a resistance to the water. No, they simply float their little bodies, allowing the water to carry them to where it must. We can certainly learn from this. Visualize being a penguin, floating and bobbing away in the ocean as life takes you where it must. Or we can use the example of white water rafting where those that embark on this exciting adventure learn to allow the water to carry them on its natural path.

Now of course we can roll over and play dead, doing the ostrich thing and burying our heads in the sand or we can take the experience as a lesson on our soul journey and emerge from it a wiser soul. In doing the latter, we will certainly find that the process may be a painful one, yet from it we gain great wisdom and allow the growth of our soul. We can certainly choose to look at the experience as doors slamming closed around us or we can choose to see them opening and in so doing, bring with them great new opportunities that will lead us to places where we must be.

As you clear the clutter from your life, allow your tears to flow for it is a cleansing of the soul which cathartically heals you. As you heal, you will find that new doors open, the energy around you clean and fresh, allowing newness to flow in to you. Open your arms in gratitude and receive that which is being brought to you.

Please be gentle with yourself during times of de-cluttering your life. Remember that you too are a soul on a human experience and deserve to be comforted during this time. Take the time to pamper yourself, making time for meditation, allowing others to nurture you as you journey this time. Remember too that this is happening for a reason; that everything is as it should be at this time. No matter how difficult the experience may be or how alone you may feel, you never really are alone. There will always be someone out there who will offer you support should you have the courage to just ask. You will always be surrounded by the love of your Divine and held within the arms of His angels as you face each day. Trust that the Universe will bring you to the place where you need to be.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://www.mbaintheusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/go-with-the-flow.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

The Inspiration of Love

2011-09-16T22:48:00.003+02:00

The heart rises above the limitations of the body. ~ACN

I have always wondered at the ability of those who are debilitated in the physical body to have such profound love for those around them. And it never ceases to amaze me.

To love others without judgment and criticism is the most profound gift that one can have.

There are those of us, who although in good health and in full possession of all our faculties, spend our days whining about most things around us. If it is not the neighbors who are irritating us, or their dogs, then it is the cost of living or our governments or schools and so on. Our lists of complaints are endless.

Then there are those amongst us that really get the true meaning of love. They are the ones who have realized that there is so much more to life than physical possessions. They have realized and accepted that the world is what it is. They have the gift of acceptance and understanding that, humanity is what it is and should be loved non-the-less. Most of them have physical or neurological challenges that are very debilitative in what they are. Yet, these precious souls teach us so much.

Be in acceptance of what you are and what you look like and to love yourself for that…. Aahh… that is when you can be in acceptance of what others are and have not concern for how they appear to the world.

I was recently privileged to view a You-Tube about motivational speaker Nick Vujicic, who is severely physically challenged yet he does not allow his body to affect his attitude or personality. I am sure that there have been times when he has slipped into the darkness of despair at what life has dealt him, yet I know also that he has surmounted those challenges and is able through his own experiences to rise above it and has learned to love his life as he has learned to really “live” each day of his life. He gives so much of himself as he clearly shows his love for others in inspiring them.

So many of us take our challenges personally; believing that we have been treated unfairly or unjustly, that life has dealt us a hand that we do not want nor deserve. We surround ourselves with negative people who buy into this nonsense and who feed our ego’s daily. Perhaps, just for today, we should stop and take a look around us and see what is really going on out there. We should look to those who are less fortunate than ourselves in so many ways and count our blessings one by one.

Our blessings are not just those of the material world. No, it is the fact that we are fully able bodied, that we have the ability to see, or hear, a voice with which we can sing or that we have feet with which we can walk and so on. Greater of all the blessings that we do have, is that we are created in absolute Divine Love and have the ability, if only we open our hearts to sharing it, to love in the same way.

We have so much to be in gratitude for. Take a stock of yours today. Really look at what you have and from it, take forth into the world, the greatest gift you have; your Love.

In love and light,

Amanda

Let there be Peace of Man

2011-09-10T10:22:00.003+02:00

In honor and memory of those who lost and gave their lives as a result of 9-11-2001

I wrote this poem in memory and honor of all of those who have given their lives as a result of this historic act of violence of one man against another. Within each one of ourselves is the ability to rise above such dastardly acts of violence as we come to terms with it, learning from it and finding, within ourselves, forgiveness and peace. May God grant His wisdom to you, may His Angels always surround and comfort you and may you find the blessings in each day as you journey on.

Let there be Peace of Man ~ Amanda C. Nicolin

It came as unawares to most on the ground,

The Angels though, they knew and many were around,

The sounds, as if Armageddon hit the ground,

Then silence for just a moment in time.

The smoke billowed out with flames in-between,

As the Angels flew straight in.

The chaos, the screams, the calls of farewell,

Each had an Angel to hold them and comfort them as well.

The screaming sirens, the panic of man,

Lost humans in this despicable act of man.

The brave firemen and policemen that risked their lives,

Each one had Archangel Michael at their side.

And within the inferno blazing from the ground,

Came the calls for help or the calls to die.

The day had come, when the world would change,

The day when peace first took a stand.

Back in the suburbs, anxiously they wait,

For a phone call, or a glimpse of their face.

Numbness settled all around,

In shock the world stood still for a while.

And as each one crossed to the other side,

The trumpets sounded their welcome home.

Then the leaders declared a time of war,

Go get them, they said, none must be spared.

And so this act of terror upon another,

Took so many more as they fought for freedom from terror.

The Angels know their work is still not done,

For as each year passes some are still angry and bitter.

And steadfastly they continue to guide and comfort,

Those who continue to fight for the free.

And it has been shown that through the years,

This dastardly act of violence will eventually bring peace.

With peace in your hearts remember with honor,

Those who look down from the Heavens with a smile in their heart.

With peace in your hearts and joy in your soul,

Be surrounded with Angels until it is your time to go home.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m--nmvS-kj0/Tb924RraXLI/AAAAAAAAAMc/O3HNy-5M7jE/s1600/iwo-9-11-final.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

In The Moment

2011-09-03T19:22:00.008+02:00

To be in the moment of this lifetime is to celebrate your decision to incarnate. Be in gratitude for what you are. ~ ACN

"May I infuse my life
with mindful attention,
moment by moment,
so that I may live
with the love, happiness, and choices
that I can only know in the now." ~Jean Smith

To be in the moment…. Oh how joyful this is. But what exactly does this mean?

To be in the moment is to experience each thing that happens to you with the depth of your soul, really living each moment and gaining from it both wisdom and strength which will certainly serve you in the future.

When we live ensconced in the moment, we are able to live each moment of our lives, fully accepting of what the circumstance or experience is whether it be a good or bad experience and learn from it before letting it go.

So often we are so enshrouded our past experiences that we are not able to live in the moment. We carry baggage so heavy and burdening and that is so debilitating that we cannot see the moment for what it is. So being, we lose our ability to successfully make decisions with clarity and calmness and in so doing lose the value of that which we may gain when living in the moment.

It is only when we find absolute peace within our beings that we are really fully able to “be” in the moment. In this state of being we are able to be mindful of what is happening to us, giving our full attention to the experience that we are living. We are also able to then make life choices that are suitable to our circumstances that will be both beneficial and wholesome for us, giving us a sense of direction and bringing us to where we are meant to be. This may not always be where we want to be; it will be where we need to be.

When in the moment, we will be able to experience the chattering of little birds, or feel the beauty of the rising sun, hear the laughter of others around us even through the noise of a busy mall and so on. Likewise when in dire straits we too can enjoy the fullness of the experiences we are living. In dark times, being in the moment, allow the tears to flow as they must, smack a pillow and release your anger and frustration, set the record straight when it needs to be straightened etc. Simply surrender to what is happening and BE with it. Please don’t over analyze the experience, or whine “why me”. Simply let go and let it be what it is meant to be.

We can feel and experience each and every little thing that life brings to us, acknowledging its presence, accepting it, celebrating it, being in gratitude for it and then releasing it into the Universe to be dissipated by the Universe.

Take a chance on you today. Release that which binds you to your past, and allow your soul to serve you as you enjoy the profoundly beautiful experience of living in the moment.

In love and light,

Amanda

Image courtesy of: http://www.thebridgemaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/live-in-the-moment.jpg

Permission is granted to share this article freely on the condition that the author is credited.

Celestial Innovations

I Wonder if You Knew

Inner Peace

Finding My New Normal

Call Me Home

Rainbows Abound

Freedom is not Free

Soul Pain

Courage

The Value of Friendship

Yeeehaaaa!!! It's Monday

When we set a positive intention, we allow all that is good to flow to us. ~ ACN

Learning Through Adversity

Self-Love: Your Gift to You

Wisdom

BE Peace Within

The Key

Faith

Divine Universal Love

Peace through Change

Courage

To Fear or Not to Fear

Are You Willing to Take a Chance on Love?

Going with the Flow

The Inspiration of Love

Let there be Peace of Man

In The Moment

To be in the moment of this lifetime is to celebrate your decision to incarnate. Be in gratitude for what you are. ~ ACN

"May I infuse my life with mindful attention, moment by moment, so that I may live with the love, happiness, and choices that I can only know in the now." ~Jean Smith

To be in the moment…. Oh how joyful this is. But what exactly does this mean?

To be in the moment is to experience each thing that happens to you with the depth of your soul, really living each moment and gaining from it both wisdom and strength which will certainly serve you in the future.

When we live ensconced in the moment, we are able to live each moment of our lives, fully accepting of what the circumstance or experience is whether it be a good or bad experience and learn from it before letting it go.

We can feel and experience each and every little thing that life brings to us, acknowledging its presence, accepting it, celebrating it, being in gratitude for it and then releasing it into the Universe to be dissipated by the Universe.

Take a chance on you today. Release that which binds you to your past, and allow your soul to serve you as you enjoy the profoundly beautiful experience of living in the moment.

In love and light,

Amanda

"May I infuse my life
with mindful attention,
moment by moment,
so that I may live
with the love, happiness, and choices
that I can only know in the now." ~Jean Smith