Susan, Author at Live Life Vibrant

Forgiveness

Posted on February 13, 2016 by SusanFebruary 13, 2016

It’s almost Valentine’s Day. There are roses and chocolates everywhere. There are thoughts of love, who we love, what love means, how to put love into action.

I’m meditating on Forgiveness. Sometimes I like to break words apart and think about what those pieces mean to me. We’ll start with FOR and when it’s in this word, I understand it to mean moving forward. In order to move past an incident or negative feeling or even self-imposed stagnant energy, it is necessary to take action. Just taking a step moves us closer to courage and the fullness of who we really are.

The second piece is GIVE. Not only are we giving freedom to the other person or the situation, we are at the same time letting go. We are giving without expectation of return. We are giving to that more compassionate bigger version of our self. We are answering, what can I offer?, what gift can I give? We are moving towards peacefulness. We fully understand that in giving, we become willing to receive. Energetically we are breathing out and breathing in. Our spirit is refreshed.

And NESS to me means this is a practice and a process. Perhaps the moment of forgiving needs to be repeated over and over. Perhaps one act of forgiveness leads to another and another. Most likely one step in this brave direction opens doors we had not even seen before. The universe may rush in to congratulate us. We become one with the inbreath and the outbreath. We inhale freedom. We live in love.

May deeper love invade your heart and home this Valentine’s Day.

There’s something about the Buddha

Posted on February 6, 2016 by SusanJune 27, 2016

Susan-SanFrancisco-Buddha-2a1 Although my path of spirituality encompasses many faiths, I am especially attracted to the precepts of the Buddha. Perhaps it’s my desire for that unmovable, unshakable quality of certainty, all the while knowing that change is the order of the day. Perhaps it’s the understanding that “this too shall pass.” Perhaps it’s the rooted-in-the-earth quality of silence. Or maybe it’s the ability to watch the river of life flow before us and remain the one that is watching.

A friend just sent me this photo from the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco. Our trip there was a year ago. Now I am able to look and wonder….who was the I that stood there? Who is the I that is present now? It is all of me and yet none of the past or the future, just presence.

Credit does go to this courageous prince, however, for his determination to break free from the palace walls and enter into the stream of life. He awoke to the agonies and ecstasies of the common man and went on to experience a solution to their suffering. His teaching has endured. Mindfulness is now a popular practice. Sometimes it only takes one brave person to change the course of history.

There is something about the Buddha that I love.

Goosebumps

Posted on January 31, 2016 by SusanJanuary 31, 2016

With my orchid in full bloom, I keep finding intuition in the air. Stories and situations are coming my way to indicate that often we know, and we don’t know how we know, but we just know. And sometimes it produces a feeling of such sensation that goosebumps appear.

A recent 20/20 episode featured people looking for their long lost relatives – biological mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, etc. One woman was determined to find her half-brother. She wasn’t even sure he knew he had a sister. She contacted genealogist Pam Slaton, who helps people with their searches with her deep investigative skills. Gina felt a strong need to make contact and was elated when Pam called saying she thought she had found the brother. Gina called and for a number of times her brother was not available or did not have time for such an important conversation, so she still hadn’t confirmed that it was indeed her brother. During this process of phone calls, Gina went for a night out with her husband to a casino. As they stood watching gamblers at the table, Gina had a very strong sensation that the man she was viewing from the back was her brother. She had goosebumps and shivers but did not have the nerve to approach him. The next day she was able to speak on the phone to his wife and confirm that indeed he had been at the casino the night before! Gina’s intention had been so strong that she came within a few feet of her brother before they finally met. Eventually she was able to make full contact and a wonderful reunion ensued.

The program even commented that sometimes these mysteries are solved by research and investigation, and sometimes by intuition. I’m so glad that these gifts of the spirit are finally being acknowledged. Here’s another story: in a recent phone call with an East Coast friend, I discovered that she was in a new relationship. How that meeting took place gave me goosebumps. This was a person she had known around her community for years. Years past she had worked at a restaurant and he had been a friend of the bartender. His son had attended the same school as her daughter. She’d run into him occasionally at community events. Over the holidays they had ended up at the same party. All of a sudden she said she saw him looking at her from across the room. She’d had a goosebump kind of feeling and as they came together and talked, she realized she had always known him but in an instant she saw him in an entirely different light. She called it “the moment.” They’re now dating and in the process of mutual discovery. I was celebrating when she told me the story – for her good fortune and for that indescribable moment of knowing.

I do believe that despite (or perhaps because of) the current unsettling movements in politics, religion and long-held outdated beliefs, another wave of understanding is reaching many who understand that we all have a deep inner knowing of many things seen and unseen. Sometimes goosebumps arise, but meanwhile we are learning to trust the messages the universe brings us and celebrate their appearance.

For more on the 20/20 story go to http://abcnews.go.com/topics/entertainment/tv/20-20-abc.htm

Expect miracles

Posted on January 24, 2016 by SusanJanuary 24, 2016

I’ve finally begun to understand the phrase “Expect miracles.” It’s not whimsy or like blowing out the birthday candle. It’s a practice. In many cases, wishing includes wanting, leaving a big gap between where we are and where we would like to be. Practicing gratitude and unswerving belief closes the gap and puts you in the place where miracles are already happening.

For some time I’ve been thinking about another chair for my living room. Because it’s a relatively small space, I didn’t want something big and heavy but was still seeking comfort and perhaps a place to put my feet up and read by the window. Last week in the mail I got a flyer addressed to Resident featuring a big sale on recliners at a large local furniture outlet. Even though the chairs looked large, the prices were good and perhaps they might have something that suited me. In any case, it was a clue that it was time to go shopping.

Yesterday was the day. Armed with the flyer and a price ceiling in mind, I planned my route. First I’d stop by the used furniture store just in case they might have something. Then I’d head out to the big furniture stores. Even though I was excited about the possibilities, I found myself dragging my feet a little at the prospect of the big stores, aggressive sales people and the temptation to spend too much. Nevertheless I headed out and began wandering the used furniture store. It’s a great place, feels like family and you’re always greeted by a very mellow golden retriever.

There in the back room was just the type of chair I was looking for, and didn’t even know it. Not too big, in good condition, soft and comfy and with a matching ottoman. Then I looked at the price tag. It was less than half of my planned expense. I was so surprised that I kind of wandered around the store and tried some other chairs I knew I didn’t want. I even thought of going to the big stores and coming back. Then I caught myself and realized my little “miracle” had just occurred and I better say yes!

The chair had just arrived at the used store the night before and the ottoman was included in the amazingly low price. Since I live on the third floor with no elevator, I signed on to have the store deliver, which brought the total to just half of my projected spending. I think the store owner was a little surprised at my absolute delight. It wasn’t just the chair. It was all the little details of a miracle, which by now I should realize are part of my creative visualization process. The gratitude literally rushed through me while I paid the bill. And that’s what I mean by practice. Follow the clues, listen closely, watch miracles unfold, express your gratitude, realize that you can make things happen with your faith and belief, and move forward with love in your heart.

PS Forgot to take a picture of the chair, which will be delivered tomorrow. This is an orchid I’ve had for over 3 years, which goes quiet for long periods of time and then all of a sudden begins to bloom. Another miracle that keeps on happening.

Envisioning

Posted on January 15, 2016 by SusanJanuary 15, 2016

As we roll into the new year, at a rapid rate I might add, it was time to return to one of my favorite ways of creating the future, the Vision Board. Some people call it a Soul Collage or a Treasure Map. It is one of the best ways I know to match images with the dreams that we hold in our hearts.

I found the process very different this time. As I thumbed through magazines with a hot cup of coffee and some melodic music in the background, I felt sealed in a bubble. It felt like the presence of angels. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular but rather using the intuitive method of pulling out every picture, color, word or phrase that rung a bell for me and after some time re-evaluating, reorganizing and sorting what I had chosen and then arranging a vision that suited me.

I was surprised to see so much red and deep pink, a big heart at the center and the words “emotional freedom”. This is emerging as my goal as I have de-cluttered, cleared space and delved into breaking old habits and ways of thinking. And I added my own picture this time too, next to the phrase, “I will not be afraid to shine.” Sometimes what takes place during Vision Boarding is surprising even to me. Oh, now that I think about it, I even included the phrase “Surprise Yourself.”

Although I created the board a couple of days ago, I kept feeling like something was missing. This morning I added a colored arrow pointing in the direction of emotional freedom and realized the real focus of my efforts for the last few months has emerged. Hooray! The process of vision boarding is not always the goal in itself, but perhaps your dreams emerge before you when you include creative envisioning in the actions you take towards self-realization. As always, the universe is listening!

A beautiful jar

Posted on January 7, 2016 by SusanJanuary 7, 2016

I discovered this New Year’s idea on Facebook but I decided to put it into practice. First you need a jar. I found a beautiful one, made in Italy, and topped with a lapis blue lid. Perfect!

Each week you put a slip of paper in the jar recording something good that has happened. My guess is that I’ll want to add more than 52 slips, so I might need small pieces of paper. At the end of the year, you open the jar and read and remember what you have recorded. Joyful memories and a great send off into a new year.

I used to use my desk calendar to do something similar, reviewing what had happened during the year. This year I bought an academic calendar which goes from July to July so I realized I was missing that ritual. I like this one even better. I am planning on having that jar get stuffed to the brim with paper. No harm in adding some intention to the pile and a desire to focus on the good things. Of Course…..this doesn’t mean challenging things won’t take place. They arise for our overcoming and transformation. But perhaps the sense of struggle will be overshadowed by belief in a universe that hears our conversation and responds to an attitude of joyful action.

Right now, I love the glistening emptiness of this jar, that space eager to receive gratitude, miracles, unexpected events and messages from ‘out of the blue.’ For me the joy of the jar is not just about how I will feel on New Year’s Eve 2016, but the anticipation of all that the year will bring. Right now that jar is filled with hope and a bright vision for the future.

Happy New Year!

Posted on December 30, 2015 by SusanDecember 30, 2015

Let’s reach a little further in 2016, climb a little higher, create a little bigger, love a little more. As the new year approaches, let’s meditate on what can be left behind….a habit, a relationship that no longer supports us, a negative thought, a judgment. Let’s say goodbye to them when the clock strikes twelve.

One ritual I love is to write a letter to heaven for New Year’s Eve. Write it to your favorite angels, masters, guides or mentors in the spiritual world. List all that you are grateful for, all that you would like to let go of, all that you wish and pray for – your loved ones, your career, your community and the world at large. The act of writing this out (even if on the computer) is liberating in itself. Make one copy to keep on your altar or in a sacred place. The other can be burned as the moment of the New Year approaches or arrives. The action of fire not only consumes all you no longer wish in your life but also sends a holy smoke signal to heaven that your are willing to listen, receive and follow the clues heaven provides for your new year and new chapter.

May the blessings of the New Year shower you with love and open your heart to new opportunity!

Finding Joy

Posted on December 23, 2015 by SusanDecember 23, 2015

‘Tis the season to be sure, but finding joy is sometimes a very elusive event. I liken it to following the flight of a kite, subject only to the whim of the wind. Or perhaps to a magnificent cloud formation that changes shape and form even as we behold it. If I had to give joy a personality, it would be that of a fairy or elf, appearing with a flutter of wings or a twinkle in the eye but vanishing just as soon.

Yesterday I went to the jeweler’s in the mall just to have a couple of knots unwound from a fine chain necklace. The humble pride of the jeweler in doing the job was so evident. “Oh,” he said, “I do this all the time, many times a day.” The knots were unraveled so quickly and he kindly affixed the chain back on for me. No charge and “Merry Christmas.” What a joyful interchange. And the mall was packed with children hopping and skipping, babes in arms and men waiting patiently on the benches for their shopping wives. Hustle and bustle but I was in the midst of joy.

I found a shiny penny in the grocery store parking lot peeking out from slightly melted snow and ice. In such moments you think, “Aha! I have found joy!” And then the moment passes, the present has become the past and now I am in the future wondering where the joy escaped to this time. It is rather like a geyser erupting. When it does, the power of that steamy water shooting heavenward is magnificent. And then all is so quiet again.

I’m sure we all know that joy really resides in the heart, but don’t we still seek it somewhere outside ourselves? Sometimes meeting with old friends brings back memories of times when our connection was deep and profound and the whole experience of an hour together becomes days worth of joy. My clever brother wrapped his packages in newspaper and they look so understatedly joyful under the tree, speaking of his practicality and fine wit.

Perhaps I should remember that not only am I seeking joy, joy is also seeking me. Joy is seeking you. Somehow at Christmas in lights and song, joy seems to be multiplying. May your hearts and homes be filled up with that magical elusive quality we call Joy.

Neighborhood messages

Posted on December 16, 2015 by SusanDecember 16, 2015

Just as I have been writing about our true nature and attuning to the higher realm, I found this lovely expression in an overnight snow right near my garage yesterday. Someone took the time to create footprints of love. It lightened my day and reminded me to keep life simple, focus on the essentials and make my interactions and expressions heartfelt.

This morning as I walked in the crispy air along the duck pond trail, there was definitely love in the air along with a lot of quacking and conversation. I wondered if they were considering whether to stay for the winter. The pond is almost all frozen and they were huddled in one corner where the water is still flowing. Perhaps they were discussing warmer destinations. The lesson for me was to love the ones you’re with and make the best of your circumstances, even if a change is necessary.

Finally along the trail I met a man with a beautiful Saint Bernard who jumped up joyfully to greet me. I asked if the dog was still young, because she was smaller than some. She was 10 months old, just past puppyhood. I have always thought that if I ever had a dog (not so feasible in a third floor apartment), it would be a Saint Bernard. Perhaps it’s my imagination but they seem so determined and mission oriented.

I remember tales of climbers being rescued from snowbound situations on the high mountain trails of the Alps. Anyway, it’s one of those dreams that has swirled around me for many years. As the man walked away, he called the dog to follow saying, “C’mon Suzy.” Hmmm. I’m usually a Susan and not a Suzy, but it was close enough to remind me not to give up on my dreams. Sorry no picture of the actual Suzy, but she looked something like this.

All this to say that if your heart is open, the messages will appear. Sometimes you don’t have to travel far. God Winks and I am reminded that the universe is listening, lessons are rolling in and I only need be grateful to realize that I’m on the right track.

Our true nature

Posted on December 9, 2015 by SusanDecember 9, 2015

A friend and I were recently discussing how we feel “in the midst of it all.” Global events, political rhetoric, holiday frenzy and personal heartache are not exactly a recipe for inner peace.

However, it is rare that looking to the outside and analyzing the human condition will provide the answer. At least we must recognize that we are capable of stepping back and observing ourselves in the midst of it all. You might call it a cosmic perspective. You might ask, as many have, who is the presence observing?

When you think about it deeply, we are quite divinely and beautifully made. We are part of the universe and yet we also have the universe within. The fire rainbow can be seen without, but can also be realized within. It is that place of our true nature which is peaceful and yet full of the colorful fire of the heart. It is the spirit that rises up and shines when the chips are down, the winds of change are billowing through and we don’t really know what the future holds for us. It is the beauty of the soul, radiating through all the temporary effluvia. It is the quiet yet resolute inner voice. It is who we really are.

As I write Christmas cards, wrap packages and participate in the joys of the season, I am also reminded to be present with who I really am, listening for the glory of the rainbow within. I am reminded to look for that rainbow in each and every one I meet. I remember a question posed to a saint or sage asking, “What is real?” The answer was, “Only that which does not change is real.” In the midst of it all, I am meditating on the unchanging nature of who we really are and celebrating that reality.

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