Cristen Rodgers's Blog, page 21

The Sound of the Soul

Sometimes it seems like those who sing the most beautiful songs are the ones who had to fight the hardest to find their voice.   Perhaps that’s why their songs are so hauntingly beautiful; they are filled not only with the love of now but also the tortured longing of yesterday.  There are layers to their music, each one representing a part of the struggle they endured while learning how to sing.   And maybe we need to hear those songs; maybe when those people sing they give us hope that, no matter what, the one thing that can’t be forever silenced is the sound of a person’s soul.

The Surrendered Scribe

‘Thoughts to the Wind’ by Rosie Anne

We are all authors, writing the story of our lives.  Some of us chew on each word, cherishing its flavor before committing it to paper.  Others jump forward paragraphs or even chapters at a time, crafting the arc and less concerned with the writing.  Regardless of which approach we each take, there is one thing that we accept as an unwavering truth: if you want to have a great story, you have to work at it.

This understanding seems to clash with the spiritual ideals we hear so much about.  On one hand we know that good things come to those who work for it, but we also feel an instinctive nod to the idea of letting go and letting God.   So which is it?  Are we the authors of our own stories; does it all come down to how many words we write each day?  Or are we really just reading what has already been written and tirelessly trying to pull the pen from the real author’s hand?

The answer is none of the above.  We are the authors of our own fate but we also have a way of getting so lost in the mechanics, so focused on forming letters, that we forget how to write.  Our lives are works of art; they are meant to be passionate, purposeful creations that are as pleasing to craft as they are to reflect upon.  But what we often forget is that art requires a careful balancing act between labor and leisure, between sense and soul.   While complacency will not lend to a very satisfying story; single-mindedness doesn’t allow for much joy in reading it.

We are the masters of our realities; our lives are more about what we do than what we are given.  But we also tend to be kind of short-sighted.  We see what’s right in front of us but not what’s farther off in the distance, hiding beyond our peripheral, or invisible to the naked eye.  This is where trusting God comes into play.  In the realm of spirit, all variables are known, all outcomes already explored, and the most perfect path is already laid out.  This is not to say that our hard work is for naught.  It is a necessary part of the journey, but it’s not the only part.  Often times, our hard work is what takes us just far enough that we are forced to realize that there is something more, something beyond just the blood, sweat, and tears of it all.

An amazing thing happens when we start learning how to balance our corporeal discipline with our spiritual devotion; we start to align and harmonize with something greater than ourselves.  And through this alignment, what we desire begins to come easier.  We don’t have to work quite as hard at it.   So when we hear spiritual teachers tell us that we need to let go, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t meant to work for what we want.  It just means that we should try letting go of such a strict definition of what that want is.  Sometimes doing this is more difficult than all the hard labor we could throw at ourselves; but the results also far exceed those we could anticipate coming from that hard labor.

So take control of your story and treat each day like the blank page that it is.  But also remember that there is far more to it than what you can see alone.  Be flexible enough to let yourself be surprised; allow for the occasional plot twist.  If you can do this, then maybe the words will come just a little bit easier from here on out.

Leave your thoughts below in the comments section and don’t forget to subscribe for weekly post updates!   Also, to see more fantastic images like the one above, check out Rosie Anne’s work here. 

Entanglement

Image from pickywallpapers

We are entangled, you and I; because we are both entangled with God.  The same breath of life that moves through the trees, that lights the night sky, and that sustains the universe also moves deep within us.  We are like drops of water in the ocean of life, my friend.  No matter how far apart we may travel, we are still always one, connected by the very nature of our beings.   And because of this, when we honor ourselves and when we honor the Divine, we also honor each other.

What are Chakras?

I am pleased to share the following post written by Spiritual Healer and Author Joseph Drumheller.  A link to Joseph’s site and little more information can be found at the end of this post.  

A friend of mine, who vaguely knew I was interested in spirituality, tried to connect by striking up a conversation.

He said, “I think it’s really cool you’re into that energy stuff, like kung fu.  I think it’s a amazing how fast they can whip chakras around.  Those clubs on a chain look lethal.”

“No,” I politely corrected, “those are called nunchucks.  Chakras are something a little different.”

“Oh,” he replied, slightly mystified.  “Then…ahhh…what are chakras?”

I went on to explain.

The answer goes back thousands of years into writings of the Vedic tradition in India (2,000 – 600 B.C.), where knowledge of chakras was first unveiled.  Chakras were described as centers of spinning energy, located within the human aura (energy field).  There are seven main chakras, specifically located from the base of the spine to the top of the head that receive, assimilate, and transmit life force (Divine) energy.  Each chakra contains measurable patterns of electromagnetic activity and reflects essential aspects of human consciousness.  The chakras are major contributors to the subconscious human experience.

Bev Edie

The photo in this article is a simplified map of the human chakra system.  The list below contains the name of each chakra (English and Sanskrit) and corresponding attributes.

#1        Chakra:          Root (Mooladhara)

Location:        Base of the spine

Color:                         Red

Note:              Middle C

Life Issues:    Survival, grounding, organization, home, family

#2        Chakra:          Sacral (Swadishtana)

Location:        Just below the navel

Color:                         Orange

Note:              D

Life Issues:    Pleasure, sexuality, abundance, well-being

#3        Chakra:          Navel/Solar Plexus (Manipura)

Location:        Stomach area

Color:                         Yellow

Note:              E

Life Issues:    Self-worth, esteem, confidence, will power, freedom of choice

#4        Chakra:          Heart (Anahata)

Location:        Heart area

Color:                         Green & Pink

Note:              F

Life Issues:    Community, nature, love, family, friendship, purity, innocence



#5        Chakra:          Throat (Vishuddhi)

Location:        Throat, mouth, jaw, ears and shoulders

Color:                         Turquoise, Blue

Note:              G

Life Issues:    Truth, creativity, self-expression, communication

#6        Chakra:          Brow/Third Eye (Ajeya)

Location:        Between the eye brows

Color:                         Indigo, Violet

Note:              A

Life Issues:    Wisdom, knowledge, imagination, intuition, discernment,                                                     planning, vision

#7        Chakra:          Crown (Sahasrara)

Location:        Top of the skull

Color:                         Violet, White

Note:              B

Life Issues:    Beauty, harmony, spirituality, connection to Divine and Life Force                                      Energy

Keep in mind; this is general map and guide. The chakra system is a very fluid, dynamic and integrated energy system.  It often flows and moves like ocean waves or gentle clouds of electricity.  This movement can be felt inside and around the physical body with experience and practice.  The chakras can also be influenced by sound, color, thought, feeling and intention with positive or negative results.

By the time I finished, my friend’s eyes were fairly glazed over.  When he realized I was finally done with my monologue, he shook himself and asked, “So…do you know where I can get a set of them chakras.  My kid’s birthday is coming up and he’s really into marital arts.”

Joseph Drumheller is a published Author and Energy Healer from Washington State.  He’s conducted over 2,000 sessions since 1991 and worked six years at PeaceHealth Cancer Center in Bellingham, WA, honing his craft as a healer.

www.josephdrumheller.com

Listening to the Sound of Silence

In a deep and untamed forest, there is both tranquil silence and the roaring sound of life.  Which one you notice depends entirely upon where you are coming from.  If you wander into the forest after a commute in rush hour traffic, the first thing you probably notice is the deep, soothing quiet.   But, if you have spent the entire afternoon wandering through it, it’s not quiet that you hear.  It’s a whole symphony of sound.  There are birds singing and squirrels jumping; water trickling and leaves rustling.   .

In much the same way, we too are simultaneously deep wells of stillness and brimming with mental chatter.  Deeper still, we are in a peaceful but not silent place where the wind whispers secrets as it brushes past us.   Which of these truths we experience depends upon where our attention has been focused.

In the forefront of our awareness there is the mental noise.  It is the endless and often times pointless clamor, much like the honking horns, squealing tires, and roar of rush hour.   The boisterous sound of the mind demands our attention but rarely benefits us; we consider it much more important than it actually is.  We consciously follow the trains of thought as they twist, turn, and crash into one another.  But they never actually reach a destination because the mind will switch from one side of an argument to another and then back again; anything so long as it can keep on making noise.

Once we become aware of this noise, we have stepped into the place behind our thoughts.   Here we can find peace and rest because we have rediscovered our true self; the being that observes the thoughts.   No longer are we lost within them, where the speaker is ruled by her voice.   We have taken back control and wrapped ourselves in silence, tranquility, and calm.  This is the deep breath of relief after we take our first steps into the forest, the moment when we notice the deep stillness and bathe in the quiet.

The longer that we remain fixed in this deeper state of awareness and the more that we lean into the arms of that calm, the more that the curtain of silence lifts and we begin to hear the sounds within it, much like the sounds of life within the forest will slowly become apparent the longer that we are in it.   When this happens, we have sat down in the seat of our soul, controlled by nothing but aware of everything.

This place of true communion is where the real work happens; it’s where questions that we didn’t even know we had are answered.  The only sound is the whispers of spirit.  They are subtle but engaging, gentle but compelling.  Once we hear them we are rapt because they are not just beautiful; they have meaning and purpose.

The center of our being, where these gentle whispers float by, is so unlike the roar of the mind.  We feel safe, loved, and at once exalted yet humbled.  It is the home of deeper truths and a place that we would do well to visit as often as we can remember.

When you start to feel uncomfortable, or you feel yourself being pulled down into lower vibrational feelings, take a virtual trip to the forest.  Ask yourself where your attention has been and give yourself the time to hear the soft buzz of life in the forest.  In doing this, you can continue on confident that you are where you should be and you are going where you are meant to.  In doing this, you have everything you need to put the brakes on that thought train, at least for a while, and just enjoy the simple sound of silence.

Leave your comments below and don’t forget to subscribe for email post updates.  For more of my work, visit cristenrodgers.com

The Spirit of Art

All art is a spiritual experience, both for the creator and the observer.  True art comes from the soul.  You cannot experience someone’s soul without being reminded of the energy that you and they share.  And you can’t express the passions of your own soul without being pulled into that same energy.  So whether you are forming art or you are appreciating it, the experience is one of spiritual passion and a reminder of the Divine in all of us.

The Illusion of Time

Time is a mental construct, meant only to make experience palatable to the immature taste of our human understanding. Its only real purpose is to organize our understanding of events. Thus, when we step outside of events, when we awaken to the space in between experience and interpretation, we step into eternity.

Gardens of the Spirit

Photo credit Adrian Jones

We are all gardeners, sowing seeds everywhere that we go.  It doesn’t matter whether we go at it with enthusiasm, dressed in overalls and gloves with spade in hand, or if we avoid it, afraid to get our hands dirty.  Either way, we are planting intention in the fertile ground of the universe, watering it with attention in every moment of every day.

Some of us spend our time tilling the earth so it’s ready for the seeds that we drop.  Toiling day and night, we are the molders of our environment.  The world around us is a canvas and we spend our time painting the perfect environment for our intentions to grow in.  We are the creators, the architects of our surroundings, shaping a world where we all can thrive.

Some of us spend our time seeking the perfect plot.  We don’t toil away at the soil that’s in front of us; instead we roam, always looking for better and more fertile ground to plant our seeds.  We are the wanderers, the seekers, always discovering something new and useful to bring back and show others.

Then there are those of us who don’t focus on the earth but on the seed.  We are always looking within, critiquing and adjusting, finding the perfect combination of elements to create the best possible seed.  We are the intuitive gardeners, the introverts, discovering insights that can only be found on the inside and revealing them to the world on the outside.

Taken together, we aren’t just the tenders of our own small gardens but also contributors to the larger landscape.    When we come together, our unique approaches mix to create the perfect prescription for a beautiful harvest: creativity, flexibility, and conscientiousness.  But it is so often the case that, instead of coming together, we bicker among one another.   We criticize the weaknesses of one another’s approach while ignoring or remaining blind to the shortsightedness of our own.

We have the proclivity for particular approaches, not because one is better than another, but because we are all plots in a community garden.  Each plot has a unique purpose, served best through the approach that comes instinctively.  But we must be able to fit with the surrounding plots as well.

When we grow spiritually, we are able to step beyond our personal perspective and see this big picture.  We learn how to embrace all three approaches with equal fervor.   And upon doing this, not only are we able to enjoy greater blessings in our own lives, but we also harmonize with the greater whole and contribute to blessings for everyone.

Let us all do what comes naturally to us:  tilling the soil, exploring the land, or nurturing the seed of the soul.  But let’s also commit to becoming well-rounded, appreciating each approach and practicing them as well.   Perhaps then we can all enjoy blessings that bloom like roses in the gardens of our lives and spread outwards to touch everyone around us as well.

For more visit cristenrodgers.com

Learning by the Light of the Moon

Some lessons we learn by the light of day.  They hit us with force and send a clear message that we are able to immediately recognize and put to good use.  These are the most common lessons, easy to learn because they require very little of us.    The lessons that make the most difference; however, are those that wash over us by the light of the moon.   These lessons are more soft and subtle, sneaking up on us slowly and usually just out of sight.

Lessons of this latter sort are deeply rooted and because of this have a way of bringing all kinds of things with them on their long journey up to our consciousness.  They often cause us pain, but this is the kind of pain that immediately precedes relief, like pulling a splinter out of a sore finger.   Although they work their way up slow and steadily, once we are at that pivotal moment of learning, they will indefatigably claw from within the subconscious until we see them.  Once they break through, they slowly illuminate the world around us in a new way, changing our experience of it from the inside out.

It so often is the case that we miss out on these grand opportunities for personal evolution.   At the first sign of uneasiness or distress, we respond by pushing back against it.  In our attempts to avoid pain, we incidentally tuck the lesson back away.   And when we do this it keeps creeping back up, each time carrying more with it and thus feeling more uncomfortable.

When we learn to embrace whatever comes upon us instead of fighting against it, we can accept the lesson as it rolls over us the first time.  In embracing our pain and accepting our discomfort, we minimize their necessity.  We must be willing to keep our eyes wide open even when what we desire most in the world is to close them tight.  What we see may frighten us, but the courage it takes to keep looking is ultimately what clears our cloudy vision for the beauty that will most certainly come after the storm is done.

More at cristenrodgers.com

Tending the Fire

Everyone wants to be happy.  It’s in our nature to crave and aspire to high frequency feelings like happiness.  And because of this, we instinctively go after the things that we believe will give it to us.  We will actually work surprisingly hard for something that we think will make us happy; sacrificing valuable resources such as time, energy, and money to get it.

If we were any good at accurately judging what actually brings happiness, this would be wonderful.  But, as it happens, we are terrible at it.   What we expect to make us happy rarely does.  Worse still, the things that are proven to make us happy are those that we shrug at.

Because of this tendency, we find ourselves running in endless circles, sacrificing things with clear value to attain this elusive happiness but never quite getting back what we put in.  We spend time doing things that we don’t enjoy to buy things that never fully satisfy us.  We exert energy chasing dreams and, upon getting there, wish we had energy to enjoy them.   And we sacrifice the present chasing something that we believe exists in the future, forgetting that the future slips away every time we lose sight of the moment at hand.

Part of why happiness seems so elusive is because it is something we are, not something that we get.    The more fervently we search for happiness, the farther away it becomes.  Happiness is a spark within the spirit that waits only for us to be there with it to get the fire going.  When we look outside of ourselves for happiness, when we look to the future for happiness, we neglect that inner spark.  And as we neglect it, it grows dimmer and more difficult to find.

When we tend the fire that already burns within us, we are naturally inspired to move towards the people, places, and things that will keep that focus strong.   Instead of looking for things to make us happy we begin naturally moving towards things that help us remember the happiness that we already have.   We are naturally inclined to behave in ways that keep our fire lit, to be around people that remind us to tend it, and we gravitate towards places that provide plenty of oxygen to keep it burning.  The secret is to let happiness itself be what pushes us forward, not what we are pushing forward for.  In this simple change of focus, we stop letting the spark grow dimmer in our pursuit of fire.

Let’s commit today to acting in service to our inherent happiness instead of acting in pursuit of it.  Let us remember to take a moment and look within to find a more inspired and completing drive for what we do.  Perhaps in doing this, we will be helping those around us tend their inner flames as well.