The Zen of Christmas

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Keep it Simple

As you are all probably well-aware of, Christmas has become the most over commercialized holiday on record.

Where are those Christmas Day’s that saw us making presents for each other, or simply buying one token of appreciation for that special someone instead of amassing them with a dozen gifts whilst maxing out your credit card?

It all seems a bit over-the-top to me. Christmas has gone haywire! We overspend, over-consume and over-indulge.

A Change for the Better

In an attempt to rekindle the spark of this festive season, my family and I have decided to get together for a celebratory meal, to exchange gifts that are either home-made or to stick to a budget of no more than around $8.00 (or a really nice idea is to donate to a cause close to their heart, in their name).

The focus is going to be on having fun, counting our blessings and having the honour and privilege of being together.

Bring the Sparkle Back with Simplicity

Let’s try to bring back the magic to Christmas by making things simple.

Prepare a simple meal (you know what I mean — most people go way over the top and end up cooking for a small army).
Make, or even better, bake your gifts! There’s nothing that says you care more than a gift from the heart (especially a tasty one!).
Simply be kind to everyone you meet (you should try to make this an everyday practice and not just a seasonal tradition — but to start at Christmas-time would be a giant leap in the right direction).
Instead of hyping yourself up with all the preparations and festive manic fiasco’s, do a ‘go slow’. Maintain a calm and peaceful resolve and enjoy yourself — make it about fun and festivities, not chaos and tears. I promise you will get more done this way. Simplify and you will gratify.
Try to play it safe this season. Limit the alcohol intake, the traveling (unless you really have to) and on pain of death — don’t combine a mixture of the two!

Free Zen e-card and Festive Timeline

Below you will find a free zen e-card that you can send your family and friends and you can jazz up your Facebook timeline with this zen-themed picture for the season.

Here is your free zen Christmas e-card (click on the picture, right-click and ‘save as’ to your computer, then upload from your computer or just simply copy and paste into the e-mail):

Here is your festive zen-themed Facebook Timeline (click on the picture, right-click and ‘save as’ to your computer, then upload from your computer onto your Facebook page as a cover):

Check out the ‘Zen of Life’ HERE

Other posts you may enjoy:

Zen Christmas Wallpaper

The Zen of Life

Love and Light Meaning

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

What is Meant by the Saying Love and Light?

This is an interesting conundrum. It is a saying that has become a standard greeting in the spiritual community but what exactly does it mean?

“Where there is love there is life” — Mahatma Gandhi

I touched on this adage in my book Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth but never really found a satisfactory answer. But, hang on, do I see a light at the end of this tunnel? I was listening to Deepak Chopra (click here to see which one of his books TOTALLY changed my perspective of success forever!) the other day and he was discussing light in the context of photosynthesis.

Science and Light

Can you believe it, science rearing its technical head in a spiritual blog? Actually, the bridge between spirituality and science is closing in rapidly.

Let’s put this simply because I don’t want your attention to wane: Light creates form. There you go, in a nutshell!

Ha, but what does this have to do with spirituality?

Everything!

We are spirit having a human or ‘material’ experience. We are incarnate — in form in a dimension that requires atoms (which are pretty much free-floating molecules) to coagulate into matter to make up ‘stuff’ (I know, my scientific prowess is amazing — I’m surprised New Science magazine hasn’t lassoed me to write for their journal yet).

Suffice to say that we need this ‘stuff’, or, more eloquently, solid matter to navigate this third dimension of physical, tangible reality.

Okay, now I know you’re an intelligent bunch so you’re still with me…

The sun’s rays are transported to Earth through the ether and provides organisms with light energy which they convert into chemical energy — a process otherwise known as photosynthesis.

Even the word ‘photosynthesis’ is profound — it is derived from the Greek photo-, “light”, and synthesis, “putting together”.

Without light, plants won’t grow and without plants, herbivores would die and without herbivores, then carnivores and omnivores die — you get the picture.

Are you beginning to put things together here? Light = putting together.

Right, so Where is Love in all of This?

Love — although it can’t be proven in a laboratory — is the glue that binds existence together for us spiritual beings. It’s what makes life interesting and adds to our staying power here.

Without love, what would be the point, right?

Ergo, in my humble opinion, love is what keeps us on this planet. It is what holds the form together, the egg to our cake — the binding ingredient of all biological life.

So light provides us with form and love keeps us in form — interesting, huh?

Let’s Put this Together, Shall We?

In conclusion to this verbiage, I’d like to sum this up by adding; there is another wise saying in spiritual circles — Namaste — which means ‘I bow to the God in you’ — it’s beautiful and shows respect.

It is a recognition of the divine spark or aspect of the creator/God/source within another.

However, of late, we have this new ‘greeting’ to contend with, ‘love and light’. It can either send a shiver of contempt down your spine or fill you with good vibes.

I know that for some the former is true…it may irritate more than invoke feelings of euphoria — hell, it can irritate me sometimes too — especially when you wonder if the person whimsically tossing it about actually grasps the meaning of it or if they just like to poop candyfloss — but, eh, whatever floats your boat.

Now, hopefully, you can say or interpret this with some relevant meaning (as per the above discussion) aka ‘may you be held lovingly in good form’ (or something to that waffling effect).

What’s your take on this adage? Do you use it? Does it get your heckles up? What does it mean to you?

Original article was written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Lightworkers World but adapted for use here.

Other articles you may enjoy:

The Fine Balancing Art of Yin and Yang

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Tried and Tested — A Tale of Two Countries

In the past 2 years I have experienced the delights of visiting Thailand and being bowled over by their inherent sense of beauty and creativity to their humble way of life and their desire to please. I have also recently been to Egypt and have encountered, firsthand, the very friendly yet domineering patriarchal way of their culture.

“The ancients envisioned their world in two halves – masculine and feminine. Their gods and goddesses worked to keep a balance of power. Yin and Yang. When male and female were balanced, there was harmony in the world. When they were unbalanced there was chaos. ” ~ Dan Brown

Both cultures are clearly trying very hard to make their way in life off the tourism trade and I felt like a walking ‘dollar’ sign (if they knew I dealt primarily in Rands — South African currency — they probably wouldn’t have bothered!).

I do, however, understand this and hold no judgment for them, in that respect — we all need to make a living. The difference however was that the Thai people came across as being very gentle, artistic and what I would like to call matriarchal people. The Egyptians left me with an impression of being aggressive, zealous and patriarchal.

Balancing the Yin and Yang

I only figured out, some time after both of these excursions, that they each reflected the opposite side of the scale.

I saw massive potential in both cultures and met and made wonderful friends both in Thailand and in Egypt. I have to say that the youth of Egypt certainly show the most signs of growth and thinking out-of-the-box. My encounters with the more belligerent Egyptians were definitely steeped in ’old energy’ thinking and customs. This is something I am obviously not used to, so it affected me quite deeply.

However, both these cultures lack something. They are missing the balance of both left hemisphere (linear, structural, orderly, etc.) and right hemisphere (passionate, artistic, expressive, etc.) thinking, the marriage of divine masculine and divine feminine — the coming together of the yin and yang.

When either one of these attributes is out of alignment or missing, there is unbalance.

“Most men are very attached to the idea of being male, and usually experience a lot of fear and insecurity around the idea of being a man. Most women are very identified with their gender, and also experience a tremendous amount of fear and insecurity.” ~ Andrew Cohen

Creativity versus Order

In the case of the Thai people, they were extremely creative and inventive yet they were incredibly submissive and this leaves them open for exploitation.

With the Egyptians, they had a system of order and controlled interaction that would not budge. It was either their way or the highway. With the obvious lack of female energy (as it is tradition for their women to be at home and not in the workplace), you had a definite sense of escalated anger over small things. They could go from 0 – 10 in a matter of seconds. As friendly as they were at times, they also lost their cool very quickly. This is because there was too much masculine energy and no feminine presence to temper the storm of emotions that arise.

You need both masculine and feminine energies to complete a fully charged and functional system. This brings me to dimensions.

Harmonic Dimensions

We live in a world that is deemed as 3D, however, it is very compartmentalized. This is a true reflection of the statistical mindset of the world at present. What we need is to incorporate the uneven trait of creativity and sensitivity to balance out this equation. It is okay to have organization and order as long as you also have an even balance of creative expression. The world is coming into this balance as more and more people are seeking to express their imaginative flare. When we reach a tipping point, you will see how fast love and happiness are spread on a global scale.

Can you see how this dimension theory brings in the concept of left brain order and right brain inventiveness? When humanity realizes that all we need to do is to direct ourselves creatively amidst the structure, we will have stepped into the new paradigm — a New Earth.

In Closing, Let’s All Say a Prayer

In closing, I would like to ask that you all say a little prayer for that brave young Pakistani lady, Malala Yousafzai, to make a full recovery.

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” ~ Joseph Campbell

She is a symbol of great courage and hope for so many. May the seed she plants for women’s rights today blossom into the tree that represents balance and equality in her society.

Originally written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Purpose Fairy.

Other articles you may enjoy:

Finding God and a Reason for Being Here

Live Like You Mean It — Live With Conviction!

Are You Playing Russian Roulette With Your Karma?

‘Love and Light’ — What Does it Mean?

What Does Thanks-Giving Mean to You?

Incredible Inspiring Art by Stephen Wiltshire

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

I just had to share this with my readers when I saw it circulating on Facebook. What an inspiration this man is!

The below extract is taken from Stephens site, you can visit that here to see more from this incredible artist.

Stephen Wiltshire is an artist who draws and paints detailed cityscapes. He has a particular talent for drawing lifelike, accurate representations of cities, sometimes after having only observed them briefly. He was awarded an MBE for services to the art world in 2006. He studied Fine Art at City & Guilds Art College. His work is popular all over the world, and is held in a number of important collections. Read more HERE.

An Artful Splash of Colour For Your Facebook Timeline

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

My niece came up with a great idea the other day, she asked me if I had any of my art on Facebook headers/timeline covers (or whatever else you want to call them — you know, that strip of space behind your profile pic?).

So I came up with these 4, for now, which you are welcome to use (just click on picture, right-click and ‘save as’, then upload to facebook by clicking on the ‘change cover’ icon on the right-hand corner of the header).

PS. All of the above paintings are available as posters and prints too — check out my ‘Art’ page HERE

Other pages you may enjoy:

Dripping Art, Dragonflies and Mood Enhancing Facebook Timelines

Free e-cards

Free Wallpaper Quotations

Is Social Networking Stifling Your Creative Juices?

5 Simple Food Habits That Will Rapidly Improve Your Well-Being

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Wo(man) versus Carbs!

I’ve always been rather health conscious and have tried to eat the ‘right’ foods, drink loads of pure, clean water and stick to a moderate exercise regime. I had a blood test about 10 years ago that came back saying that I was carbohydrate intolerant. I ignored this and carried on as per usual. Nothing was going to separate me from my carbs!

“ Vegetating in front of the TV whilst snacking is not conscious consumption— it is unconscious calories!”

Recently, a close friend of mine told me he was on a wheat-free diet, this jogged my memory back to my own blood test result. I always like to follow-up on life’s little synchronicities anI decided to follow a low-carb plan — I call it a ‘plan’ because of the negative connotations that foul little four-letter word ‘diet’ has.

Stodgy Revelations

The difference has been quite shocking. Aside from losing about 7cm off my belly in the first 2 weeks, I am never full.

Huh? Isn’t that a bad thing?

Well, it is unusual at first, but is it actually a bad thing? I don’t think so. It is the difference between feeling saturated or satiated.

Saturate (def) — Holding as much water (substitute this for the word ‘food and drink’) as can be absorbed; thoroughly soaked (authors note: substitute for ‘full’ or ‘stuffed’…he he — sounds familiar, doesn’t it?).

Satiate (def) — Supplied (especially fed) to satisfaction (authors note: hmm, more like it).

Now do you see that vitally important difference?

Would You Rather be a Slug or a Gazelle?

I feel very sluggish when I eat a lot of heavy, starchy foods and, to be honest, it doesn’t always feel good. I mean, who wants to go around feeling like a lead weight? I never really gave myself the space to truly go into what it feels like to eat lighter foods but now that I am exploring this wheat-free world, I am literally discovering a whole new feeling and body to go with it!

There are, however, other ways of listening to our bodies needs without having to immediately cut back on wheat or gluten.

Eat With Awareness

Here are my 5 guidelines to tuning into your body and listening to its needs. Find out if these tips work for you:

Complete Honesty — this one can be difficult — be honest about when you are truly full. Listen to your body and don’t eat everything on your plate because you feel you have to. I call this the ‘Starving Children in Africa’ Syndrome. We were told when we were young to eat everything on our plate and to think of the starving children in Africa but, unfortunately, this neither alleviates the problem for the African children nor does it do your body any good to continue eating when you are no longer hungry. Get real about what you are doing.
The Reward System Sham— I used to do this a lot. I had a ‘reward’ system and it went something like this: If I do this or work hard at that I am going to reward myself with something nice tonight. Big mistake! Those chocolate slabs or crisp rewards end up being a major punishment for your body. Remember, everything in moderation. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to treat yourself to a favorite snack every now and then (not every day!), just be careful not to go haywire on the portion sizes.
No TV Munchies — don’t snack in front of the box. Your food won’t miraculously gain more calories if you do, but it is the amount of food you graze on when you are unconsciously eating — hand-to-mouth continuously without ever looking down. Vegetating in front of the tube, whilst snacking, is not conscious consumption it is unconscious calories! If you must have a nibble whilst watching your favorite program, make sure you get a small controlled portion of your allotted snack. Never take the whole packet or box with you to the couch.
Tea/Water — when you feel hungry and it is not a meal-time, try having a glass of water or a cup of tea. I have found this is astonishingly helpful. Most of the hunger signals we pick up on are actually due to dehydration — so drink lots of pure water and throw in some nice steaming cups of green tea or natural, caffeine-free rooibos (I have to plug rooibos, being South African and all).
Conscious Eating — eat with awareness and consciousness. Enjoy your food. Chew slowly, breath in between mouthfuls, savor the taste — make it a sacred ritual not a quick fix. And most important give thanks and be grateful for your food. Gratitude never goes astray.

I hope these tips will help you honor your body and fine tune the way your system works. Remember to trust your gut instinct (pun definitely intended) and eat what feels right for you — your body will let you know what it does and doesn’t like.

Something worth looking into, wouldn’t you say?

Original article written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Conscious Life News

What Excuse is Keeping You From Your Creativity?

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

This is going to be short, sweet and to the point because I’m in a ‘no bullshit’ kind of mood today.

I’m Pointing my Finger at You!

If you are someone who knows they have an artistic streak buried inside (and believe me, this is aimed at most of the global population) and is not expressing it due to failure of inspiration/motivation/so-called ability or inability/having time/blah blah blah…This blog is for you!

Yes, you know who you are.

Extricating All Obstacles from Every Crevice

There is really only one way to put this. Either go get a box of matches, erect a neat little pile of kindling, light it and hover your backside over the flames (aka. get a fire lit under your arse!) or you can gently remove the finger that is plugging up your nether regions (i.e. pull finger!).

No seriously, this is a no-brainer, if you want to get creative you will find a way. If you make excuses you are shooting yourself in the foot — you are the only loser in this game of if’s and but’s (or butt’s, as this case may be).

There is no need to ‘think’ about it, there is only a need to act. Simple.

Well? What are you waiting for! Get going!!! As Yoda said, ‘do or do not, there is no try’.

If you need a further push and reason to get creative, read this:

9 Great Reasons for Getting Creative (No Artistic Experience Needed)

Other articles you may enjoy:

Is Social Networking Stifling Your Creative Juices?

How to Get Your Creative Space Working For You

Incredible Inspiring Art by Stephen Wiltshire

Serenity…Your Passport to Peace

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Serenity — that wondrous state of being calm, peaceful and untroubled.

But how do we get there? You get quiet — it’s really that simple.

“Nothing is so aggravating as calmness.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Have you ever tried remaining calm when someone else is raging at you? Have you noticed how quickly they stop? Why is that? Well, you look like an idiot for one thing — it’s the best form of defense.

Serenity is all about being calm in the face of reality and in the words of Lao Tzu:

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”

When you are able to observe your emotions as they rise within you, you will begin to master having greater control of how you act upon them — if at all.

Here are some blogs that may help you get to your state of serenity:

5 Easy Steps to Meditating (No Lotus Position Required)

Do You Need to Meditate?

Free Serenity eCard

And last but not least, I haven’t forgotten that it’s Friday and that means you get another e-card to add to the collection (click on picture, right-click and ‘save as’):

You may also enjoy:

The Magic Ingredient of Life

Your Passionate Quote of the Day

Dripping Art, Dragonflies and Mood Enhancing Facebook Timelines

4 Practices to Help Cure Negative Thinking

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come. ~Robert H. Schuller

My friend and I were out walking this morning around the neighborhood when we noticed some magnificent landscaping and flower beds to die for! We were also, funnily enough, talking about having foggy, congested heads (physically and mentally) because of the amount of time we are spending on our computers. We both happen to be writers.

I found that looking at these spectacular gardens really opened up my heart space and led me to think about this concept of the mind/garden metaphor.

If we can just give ourselves time in our own gardens (minds) to prune back, weed and cut off any dead branches and scrape up old leaves off the grass, we would be able to temper that stuffy headedness.

Back to my morning stroll…we then went on to discuss how meditation, exercise, getting out into nature and yoga work to unclog this tightness and tiredness in the head.

So, some good practices to follow when you feel your thoughts aren’t being honorable paying guests in your head are to:

1. Gift yourself some time for space and clarity

This doesn’t have to be for very long stretches (however long you want) but make sure it is at least 10-15 minutes of down-time. You can sit in your garden or in a comfortable quiet space and reflect on your thoughts. Realign them to what you feel comfortable with. Then simply let all your thoughts dissolve and sit in stillness. Observe what comes up and then put it aside. Enjoy the space of just being. We are human BEINGS not human DOINGS. Don’t forget that.

More important than the quest for certainty is the quest for clarity. ~Francois Gautier

2. Assess yourself

If you are having a lot of negative, worrisome thoughts, ask yourself if they are really necessary? Is worrying about it going to change anything? How can you steer them onto a different more nurturing path?

There is a basic law that like attracts like. Negative thinking definitely attracts negative results. Conversely, if a person habitually thinks optimistically and hopefully, his positive thinking sets in motion creative forces — and success instead of eluding him flows toward him ~ Norman Vincent Peale

3. Go for a walk or do some yoga

Any kind of exercise can actually give you a huge boost. I know a lot of people who are tired and worn out from a hard day’s work don’t particularly care for physical movement. Perhaps you think it is the last thing that can help but it really can. Just 20-30 minutes can really get you to shift stagnant energy and get your system up and firing.

Walking is a man’s best medicine. ~Hippocrates

If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. ~Raymond Inmon

4. Breathe properly

Take a few good and hearty breathes. This is a wonderful grounding tool and can get you into balance very quickly. Most of us breathe very shallowly, not allowing for the body to become fully oxygenated. Try to take in enough breath as to fill your lungs and spill over into your stomach (you should look like your pregnant — that is an indicator that you have got in enough air). Breathe in to the count of 5, hold it to the count of 5 and then consciously breathe out to the count of 5. This enlivens and awakens your mind — try it, you’ll see.

Focusing on the act of breathing clears the mind of all daily distractions and clears our energy enabling us to better connect with the Spirit within. ~Author Unknown

Kick out fear, worry and drama to finally start renting your headspace out to positive, nurturing and creative thinking — the paying guest.

Original article written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Purpose Fairy

What Does Thanks-Giving Mean to You?

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Now for those of you wondering what a South African has to say about Thanksgiving — this is not about the American holiday, it is about the art and practice of gratitude.

Why is Gratitude Important?

Gratitude, like everything else in the universe, is a workable energy. On the scale of polarity, it is a positive energy that when used will attract more of the like back to you.

What Does this Mean?

This means that the more you ‘give thanks’ for the things in your life, whether they be your family, friends, your health, roof over your head, food in the fridge, your clothes, car, etc — the more of that energy will be returned to you.

Whether it be through appreciation or just the universe giving you more of what you are grateful for.

“We often only tend to see the lack we are experiencing”

Gratitude should be given for everything and anything. Try to see all the positive things, people or situations you have in your life. Make a list, if you can. You will be surprised at how much there is to be thankful for. Then keep on reminding yourself when you are feeling lack – pull out the list and read it!

We often only tend to see the lack we are experiencing. When this is the prime focus you are attracting more of that energy into your life. This is how energy works or what is referred to as the Law of Attraction.

Like Attracts Like

So when you are putting thoughts out there of lack or longing, your energy is that of lack and longing and that is what you will continue to draw into your life.

Change your thoughts by simply altering your energy from lack to gratitude. There is always something to be grateful for. Even if it is the air that you are breathing — that is keeping you alive — be grateful!

Just the fact that you woke up in a warm bed and with a roof over your head is testimony to the full life you are leading. We take too much for granted.

“As you open to receive, your heart will expand and this feeling is elation and bliss”

When you alter your energy you will ‘feel’ it. When you experience the ‘not having’ you will feel it in your solar plexus (stomach area), this feels like you’ve been punched in the gut. Not a nice feeling at all. It can even lead you to feel nauseous.

An Attitude for Gratitude

When you alter that energy to gratitude, you are moving up on the scale of positivity and you should begin to shift that feeling out of your solar plexus and start to feel a more expansive feeling in your chest. This is commonly referred to as your heart chakra.

As you open to receive, your heart will expand and this feeling is elation and bliss — much better than being kicked in the stomach, eh?

Try it out. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Shift your attitude and embrace gratitude. Your life will change. Practicing the art of gratitude allows for you to start experiencing your life the way it was meant to be lived.

Make every day thanks-giving day!

Original article was written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Interviewfest.

For a little more inspirational thanksgiving day ideas and tips on making a gratitude board, CLICK HERE.

You may also enjoy:

How Stubbing Your Toe is Good News!

Finding Your Inner Peace

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind — Buddha

I want to keep on reminding you about gratitude. Why? Because to be in a state of thankfulness you are very close if not touching internal peace.

When you brim with gratitude, that feeling is overwhelmingly heart-centred and can literally make you glow. To be mindful of all that is right for you in the world now instead of harping on all that is wrong, brings you into alignment with abundance.

Think of abundance as your ‘happy place’. It’s not just about being rich, it’s about experiencing all the good things life has to offer…joy, peace, bliss, health, material wealth, love, friendship, etc.

So do your little a-bun-dance! Wiggle your butt and dance for joy in honour of all you have.

In honour of joy and abundance, here is your free wallpaper and e-card download for this week (click on picture, right-click and ‘save as’):

Other articles you may enjoy:

Gift Yourself this Thanksgiving — Presents from the Heart that Last a Lifetime!

Are You Playing Russian Roulette With Your Karma?

Finding Humility Through Wisdom

Finding God and a Reason for Being Here

Finding Humility Through Wisdom

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Recognizing the Source in All Life — Realigning with a New Dress-Code

Let’s tackle a very difficult notion, one that I think needs addressing. Actually, not only does it need addressing but also undressing and a complete new wardrobe! I’m going to have a crack at being the brave little tailor here.

We believe in the dignity of every life, the possibility of every mind, the divinity of every soul. This is our true North. ~Elizabeth Dole

Now then, let’s see — simply put — God, the Divine Intelligence that created us all, the Source or whatever you choose to call it, is omnipresent, in everyone and everything. This is not a new concept— most religions or faiths believe this. So why is it so hard to see the divinity in others?

I think it is because we don’t understand the outer actions or inner framework of thought construct with some of our global siblings. But how can we overcome this huge hurdle and see divinity en-masse? And how can we get over our own spiritual egos so that we can treat all as equal?

Are Adults Superior to Children?

Let’s use this as a metaphor. Say you have a 4 year-old and you are an adult of 34. Would you look down on the child and shake your head declaring, ‘you just don’t get it, do you?’ Would you feel superior because, in your experiential 30 years of extra life, you do get it?

Hardly, I should think. Why? Because you know that the child will most likely catch up to your level of experience by the time he is 34, if not surpass your current field of understanding altogether.

Now let’s apply this to a global metaphor.

The Illusion of Supremacy

Some souls are further along in their development than others; however the latter are like the child metaphor — they could be just starting out. Just because they started their spiritual sojourn later than you, does not make you better than them.

They could grow so exponentially that they might end up being the next Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King — even though it may not be in their current lifetime.

It’s all about seeing the bigger picture, being humble in the wake of your accumulated knowledge and look past all preconceived ideas or judgments about another soul’s path. When you do this, you may be able to recognize the divine shard of God that they hold.

Don Your New Outfit

Clothe yourself in a cloak of understanding, humility and reverence for all life — no matter what shape, size or form it takes in the present moment.

Do not judge a sleeping person for missing out on the beautiful delights of the dawn. Rather enjoy the spectacle of the sunrise and know in your heart that when they awaken, they will too experience the joy of the sun.

You are no better or worse than another, through your personal awakening you have just become aware.

Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment. ~Morihei Ueshiba

Original article written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Purpose Fairy

Other articles you may enjoy:

The Secret to Excellent Living

Are You Playing Russian Roulette With Your Karma?

The Fine Balancing Art of Yin and Yang

How to Get Your Creative Space Working For You

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

I had not picked up a paint-brush in ages. I decided a few months back to devote my time to writing and the site. But, to be perfectly honest with you, I am missing the art side of things like crazy.

I suppose you can’t just switch something off in you that is innate and is trying to bash down the walls to come out again.

My Studio — the Graveyard

I was also feeling trapped and confined in my creative working area — my studio and office space are one room. It had become a dumping ground with boxes bursting at the seems full of, well, for want of a better word…crap. There were also boxes in there for donation that had been sitting there for at least 6 months.

My studio had become a morgue, a place for things to come and die.

When I made my decision to stop painting for a while, I still allowed myself personal time to paint and get creative for myself but not even this was happening. It’s a case of ‘no-shit-Sherlock’ if you had to take a look at my studio.

I had my painting desk facing the corner of the room like I was in the ‘dunce’ timeout zone. A really stupid place to put a table where you are going to hopefully create works of fine art.

Making the Artist Retreat Respectable

Last week I got a huge yellow and black bee up my bonnet and decided to make a concerted effort to beautify, clear up and simplify my space to best work for me.

I buzzed hither and thither on my mission of organization and beautification. I even made it into a little spiritual retreat with fairy lights dangling from my curtain rail to candles and incense burners dotted around.

After this was done, I actually got a bit of painting in! Can I hear a ‘whoop whoop‘?

Let the Creative Juices Flow…

I wanted today’s creativity/inspirational blog to be about why we need to create, what get’s us going? What do other artists and masterminds have to say. I stumbled upon this great blog called ’15 Famous Quotes on Creativity’ — well worth a read.

Here are my top 3 favourite quotes from this article.

And last but not least…my childhood guru, Dr Seuss:

For more creative inspiration, please read:

9 Great Reasons for Getting Creative (No Artistic Experience Needed)

5 Tips on Getting Back In The Groove

The Zen of Life

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

We make life complicated. The key to true happiness lies in our ability to simplify our lives, not to busy them.

Peel away the onion layers…find the innate within.

(To download the above quote as a desktop wallpaper, click on the picture — then right-click and ‘save as’)

I’ve come up with a Christmas card design — going with this ‘zen’ theme. 🙂 Here it is:

Have a great weekend!

Check out the ‘Zen of Christmas’ HERE

Other posts you may enjoy:

Finding God and a Reason for Being Here

The Fine Balancing Art of Yin and Yang

Zen Christmas Wallpaper

7 Ways to Lift You from Depression

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.“~Dumbledore (Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling)

Get Me Out Of Here!

We are smack bang in the middle of tumultuous, chaotic and confusing times. With that kind of energy flying about, we have to take what goes with it — the many peaks and troughs in our day-to-day existence. How does one draw on positivity when you feel like you’ve been sucked through a black hole and just got spat out the other end?

Yes, we all have these days. You wake up and you, for no really good reason, feel like thumbing a lift off the planet and onto the next passing UFO (if you do decide to do this, remember to take along your hand-towel, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy manual and eat lots of salted peanuts).

Enough Tom-Foolery

Let’s get back to the brass tacks of riding out your low-wave storms. The first thing to remember is you are not alone. There are many people out there experiencing these highs and lows, just like you. Enlightenment or awareness does not automatically present you with a ‘get out of jail free’ card. No, you just need to know how to ride the tsunami when it hits.

Second thing to bear in mind is that ‘this too shall pass’. Sometimes when we experience the dark night of the soul, we feel like we are in an emotional abyss and nothing will ever be the same again.

This is just another wave that needs surfing, you will ride it out and you will live to see another day. Just hold tight onto that surfboard and apply copious amounts of sunblock (metaphorically speaking, in real-time just eat lots of chocolate — that usually does the trick! Not only does wholesome organic or dark chocolate release happy endorphins but a friend of mine recently told me that it also has grounding effects).

“Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.” ~Benjamin Franklin

Stocking Your Cupboard Full of Happiness

Okay, so we all have our dark moments, but what can we do to get ourselves back on track besides stuff our faces with choco-licious treats or sumptuously sipping at a glass of merlot?

Gratitude is important and heart-centered living is the future. So with this in mind, how do we expand our feelings of love and gratitude?

Build up reservoirs of things that make you HAPPY and GRATEFUL by remembering:

Loved Ones — think of all the people in your life that make living a joy. Picture their happy, smiling faces and feel the effect of their love in your heart center.

Play Music — from Bach to the Beatles, we all have our favorite songs that cheer us up and get a spark lit under our backsides. Dust off those LP’s or plug in your iPod! Have a dance around your living room floor, shake that booty and kick up those heels! Or you can drift off to Debussy and have some quiet, reflective and pensive moments of sheer bliss. Don’t underestimate the power of frequency, let music be your bridge to aural ecstasy.

Precious Memories — bring out that old scrapbook of magical magnificent memoirs. Remind yourself of how many moments you’ve had in your life that were full and extraordinary.

Encounters with Animals — for those of us lucky enough to have had or currently have pets, you will know what I’m talking about when I say that they have the most remarkable way of lifting your spirits. Go spend a bit of time with them. If you don’t have any pets, go take a walk where you know people hang out with their pets. Most animal owners don’t mind a bit if you stroke their animals. Cats also have an astonishing talent to balance your aura with their purring — it has a vibrational resonance that heals any ‘leakages’.

Nature — yes, you know I like to hit this one home every now and again in my blogs. Go be in nature! It is calming, grounding and balancing. If you are depressed, it is the most inexpensive cure to your quandaries and it sure beats any pill your doctor is offering you.

Count Your Blessings — do you have a roof over your head? A comfortable bed to sleep in? People who love and support you? Clothes to keep you warm? Food in the fridge? A functional body? These are all things we take for-granted but are wonderful markers to realign us with all there is to be thankful for and can be the very push you may need to get you out of a wallowing hole.

Laugh Your Head Off — another inexpensive cure to all dis-ease. Put on some side-splitting comedy, something that you know will boost your morale. A good pant-wetting episode every now and again is the best remedy for being on this planet right now. No-one likes a sour-puss, so make sure your face is creased with laughter lines.

Go forth and make merry.

“Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. That has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor.” ~Paul Hawken

This article was written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Purpose Fairy

Other articles you may enjoy:

4 Practices to Help Cure Negative Thinking

3 Silver Bullets to Eliminate Fear

Is Your Past Tripping Up Your Future?

Do You Lack Self-Worth When it Comes to Creativity?

6 Techniques to Stop Worrying

How Trust Can Bring You Abundance

Why Weird is the New Cool

Featured

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Cherie Roe Dirksen

A Call to all Potential and Existing Weirdos!

Destiny, fortune, luck, kismet — are these all words you associate with ‘weird’?

Well, believe it or not, the actual meaning of this repudiated word ‘weird’ is all of the above. As an adjective it suggests something uncanny or supernatural and as a noun it is a person’s destiny!

The original word stems from Wyrd which can be traced back to Germanic, Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse etymology — all meaning ‘destiny’. In Old English it is also a verb meaning ‘to come to pass or to become’.

“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” — William Jennings Bryan

Yes, my friends, you have guessed it — it’s totally cool to be weird!

If someone now calls you weird you can retort with, ‘thank you, I rather pride myself on my supernatural and mysterious ability to become who I was meant to be and fulfill my destiny’. That should keep their mouths shut.

You won't believe what the etymology of weird is!

Don’t forget to pin it!

It’s a Kind of Kismet

Kismet, better known as luck or destiny, is a much spicier word than fate. Fate has a certain doom and gloom about it.

Fate conjures up imagery of having no control over your future, being left to chance or just handing over your power and feeling impotent in its wake.

Banish Fate and Give a Warm Welcome to Destiny

Don’t give in to fate — grab destiny by the horns and start believing in your innate power of fulfilling your calling.

“People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history.” — Dan Quayle

You are either consciously co-creating your life experience by taking responsibility for your choices and where your thoughts and actions are taking you, or, you are randomly plodding along the path that is leading to your so-called fate.

The latter being a route that you feel you have no choice over and that this hocus-pocus balderdash of ‘creating your own destiny’ is just a new-age farce. I have no problem with that and good luck to you.

However, what if there was just one iota of truth in the ideology that you can create your future? I would say it’s worth a try, wouldn’t you?

In fact, I have tried it out for myself and I can honestly say that it works. However, my life experiences are not going to convince you of its validation; only you can take charge of your life and make those changes so you can see for yourself, firsthand, that there is legitimacy in the claim.

Alarm Bells and Wake-Up Calls — Have You Been Hitting the Snooze Button?

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” — Albert Ellis

What’s that buzzing noise? Oops, my alarm clock is going off!

Wake up because millions of people are doing this and are exercising their rights to become successful co-creators of their reality. They’re having a ball finding out how this life fits together like a giant jigsaw puzzle when you are out looking for those synchronicities and pointers that slot your desires into place.

Why don’t you join them and see where it takes you? You can officially be weird and proud!

Original article written by Cherie Roe Dirksen for Lightworkers World

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