What Road Shall You Take?

We often say we are on our path; spiritual path, path of passion, path of beauty, or path of service. These paths help us transition through the layers and levels of our growth and expansion. There are times when we are not sure what direction to choose next. What road should we take to get us to the next place in our life for fulfillment, happiness, and awareness.

For me, checking and listening to my soul is the best way to receive my directions and clues. These clues often lead me to places of expansion that transcend my biggest dreams, go beyond my deepest longing and challenge me to reach further than I thought I could. My soul knows where I need to go, what I need to get there and who I will meet along the way. Learning to trust these intuitive messages takes time, but with repeated practice and awareness, I have found my way.

My soul brings forth my fearless juices. I steep in these and find my creativity, my ideals and my hopes. I journal, I dream, I dance, I sing into being my next steps, my next path, or my next journey. Choosing the next path becomes easier. The signals are clearer. My understanding is deeper.

One step at a time leads me to the next direction. Being in the moment and being present helps me navigate the twists or turns that may present. Remaining open to the possibilities that may occur brings wonder and a certain excitement to each day. Rarely, if ever, am I bored or overwhelmed. Always, I am engaged and feeling alive!

Blessings, Lisa

Heeding the Messages

The Universe is always reaching out to connect with me. I have learned to bring my awareness to this most important conversation that is often ignored by some. It is often expressed in subtleties and symbols. Guidance can come through signs. Encouragement often manifests through synchronicity. Beauty and inspiration shared in the silence found in nature.

The Universe does not always send out its conversation starters with loud booms or flashing neon lights, though it can! Sometimes it is in the whispers of the wind, in the gentle touch of an old friend, in the lines of a poem or a image within a dream. It will continue to try to gain your attention, to share its messages, and to honor your truth.

But as with any conversation, you must be present as well. Are you listening? Are you asking questions? Are you engaged? In the busy-ness of life sometimes people check out. They are asleep throughout their day. The wonders of the conversation pass by them and they miss it. Or they are so rattled by their own thoughts and the details of their story that they are unaware.

We all have the opportunity to be a part of this universal conversation. You simply need to find what works for you. Do you need to slow down? Do you need to be more present? Maybe you need to be more silent? What is distracting you?

Knowing how to be a participant of this conversation will open doors to your soul. It will bring inspiration to your day. It will invite creativity into your actions. The Universe will bring supportive energies to your lessons and you will find a flow to the steps you take. Being present to this conversation allows your receptivity serve you. Things fall into alignment. Your heart open. Your mind find peaceful thoughts. Your body resonates. And your soul sings!

Blessings, Lisa

Are You Listening to Your Body?

You receive many message throughout the day, some obvious, some subliminal. Some come from outside of yourself through media, friends, conversations, nature, Source. But one particular source that not everyone is accustomed to listening to is your body and the messages it is trying to send to you.

Your body will always tell you the truth. It may not always make sense to you. It may not always be what you want to hear. It often is not a loud broadcast, but it will be persistent. You cannot control the messages your body sends you, but you can ignore it. Or you can engage with in this conversation and listen.

Your body is a very wise source. It knows you better than you think you do! Many times seeking the messages from your body when you are going to make a choice or decision is not something that you do. But imagine this; there is a choice to make about whether to accept a new job offer. It will mean a change in your sleep cycle, your social life, your family connections and your eating patterns. It will also increase your finances and your responsibility load. You may consult your friends for their opinion, you may consult a coworker, you may consult resources or others in your field, you may pray, meditate or journey on it, but do you consult your body as well?

Imagine what your body would say? This conversation could go in many different directions, but to be sure if you honestly listen your body will have an opinion on how this choice will impact it, perhaps for the better or perhaps not. But given that you are in relation with your body every minute of every day, shouldn't it be one of the main sources that you consult?

Another way your body communicates to you may not be so topic specific as above. Instead it will send you message through its responses and reactions. Perhaps you are deciding about whether to move across the country. Whenever you think about this choice your body is speaking up. You just need to pay attention.

Does your body feel relaxed when you consider this? How is your breathing? Your heart rate? Do you feel inspiration, delight and enthusiasm or dread, fear and confusion? You see what I mean, your body is speaking to you, all you need to do is listen. Now, that is not to say that only your body has a voice in the decision making. But shouldn't it be considered?

You body is tremendous resource of inner wisdom and guidance. It stores your life experience. It is the temple for your connection to Source. It knows what it needs and will attempt to convey that to you. So, are you listening to your body?

Blessings, Lisa

The Art of Communication

Yes, there is an art to communication. Knowing how you communicate will have a huge impact on your relationships with others. Are you a listener, a talker, a critic or a supporter? Do you rely on body language and gestures? Is your focus on tone? Maybe you love words.

From the moment we are born we begin communicating. Parents in a very short amount of time learn to "read" their baby's messages without that child speaking. Body language, cries and other sounds indicate to the parent what that child needs. They tune in.

What if we took that skill and applied it to other relationships in our lives? Often we react to the words someone is speaking without noticing the expression on their face or the tone in their voice. There are so many layers to communicating. This is why, sometimes, the written word can fail us, especially in today's quick delivery of texting and instant messaging. Intent and emotion do not always come through, even when we use those silly smiley faces to soften our words. We all have had times when our message was misinterpreted or had it land harshly which was not our intent.

Knowing how we usually communicate with others and what our style is allows us the opportunity to hone our skills, to explore ways to broaden our communicating abilities and to seek what may not be working for us. Feeling misunderstood by someone in your life? Maybe you need to try a different approach to your communication skills with them.

Do you often hear from others that they feel unheard by you? Maybe it is time to practice new listening skills. Do you say something to someone and are often surprised by the way they react? Perhaps your delivery is off, maybe your body language or tone do not match your words? All opportunities to become better at the art of communication.

For the next few days, pay attention to the feedback you get from various conversations and relationships. Notice if there is a pattern or if there is one particular person that you seem to be misunderstood by. This is a great place to explore new ways of listening or speaking. Perhaps a different form of communication is needed.

Often when my children were in there teens we used notes to share our thoughts with each other. It kept the spoken drama and high emotions out of the equation, for the most part, so that we felt heard and could make our point. It was very empowering for my children and less stress provoking for us parents. Both sides felt heard.

When my children were much younger and their vocabulary was limited I would sometimes have them act out the way the were feeling when they were distressed. They were able to, in a very creative way, share with me their fears or their worries in a much deeper way through body language and facial expression.

When I was tending to my ailing parents and my father lost his ability to speak I would have him squeeze my hand to show me how bad his pain was. A soft squeeze meant not too bad a firmer grip indicated more.

These are all powerful ways of communicating and are very effective. Being willing to explore the art of communication will only benefit you and your relationships. It broadens and deepens the connection. We need to be invested in our communication with others, to be willing to be fully present, attentive to the message, willing to deepen the conversation and flexible in our delivery. Become a master at the art of communication.

Blessings, Lisa